Download PDF - Stillness Speaks

In a state of pure freedom anything is possible, including contactingobjects. If the meditator should reason that contacting the objects in otherthan a dispassionate and discriminating spirit would not affect the sattvicquality of the mind, he or she should think twice. 104Shankar’s admonition, concealed beneath the seemingly bland andmatter of fact words, "discard identification with all objects," cautions themeditator to avoid arrogance in evaluating the power of residual samskaras.Contrary to popular opinion, Self-Realization doesn't automatically free theego of all fears and desires, perceptions and impulses. However, it allowsone to see how unreal they are, a vision that makes it easy to allow them thedie on the vine.ENLIGHTENMENT SICKNESSHowever, the tendency at this stage favors throwing caution to thewinds and indulging. 105 But the belief in having one’s cake and eating it toois delusional. Little by little, in the most innocent and imperceptible way,one becomes re-identified with ego and its karma. So to avoid a fall,"discard identification with all objects." 106Nothing’s to be gained because"No distinctions like knower, knowledge, andobject of knowledge exist in the Self.It is endless bliss shining alone."104 Of course ego contact with objects will not affect the Self but this is not the issue with a newly Selfrealized person. Whether the knowledge “I am the Self” sticks in the mind is. If the meditator is indiscrimatethe mind can become clouded and the knowledge lost. Only after a period that depends on the relative powerof the individual’s samskaras - when the knowledge is absolutely firm- can the individual contact objectswith impunity. At this point, the need to contact objects or engage in activities has been destroyed so thequestion is essentially moot. After this, even if stray vasanas are put into play they don’t affect theknowledge.105 This feeling, which indicates residual ignorance, is caused by the memory of past frustrations and ismotivated by the ego trying to make up for lost time.106 Without an identification with objects the ego dies. This is a very controversial verse because itcontradicts the conventional wisdom that the ego has to completely die for enlightenment to occur.Depending on the state of the samskaras, which differs from individual to individual the ego “death” thatallows Self realization lasts for variying periods. If the re-emergent ego fails to get knowledge of the Self itreturns to samsaric experiece and bondage. If it understands itself to be the Self and the knowledge is “firm,”that is, unforgettable, it may still have to deal with a few well-entrenched vasanas. The verse is reminding themeditator not to get identified with them.77