11. Camp Eleven : Mind and Thought

Our logical discussion about mind may prolong for days or months, but still are we really acquainted with the mind ? Does mind ever manifest itself before us as it really exists ?

Regarding this, Raman Maharshi says : 'Ours or other's mind is not the subject of manifestation. In a sense, it is the subject of inference because we can know mind only through its activities. This activity especially means thoughts. If we drive away the thoughts, and then try to find out mind, we can not find any thing like mind. Thus thought is the expressed form of mind. lf the thought is placed on the seat of knower, there must be a thinker too. This element of thinker is ego. Actually ego is the prime thought from which thoughts in the form of mind emerge.'

According to Sankhya Darshan, in the process of evolution, it is indicated that the mind is originated from Ahamkar and Ahamkar from Mahat Tattva.

Mind which is assumed to be the basis of these thoughts is in its original form of consciousness or state of awareness. When ego's supremacy is established on it, it becomes active in the form of argument power, thinking capacity and energy of sense organ's yielding knowledge. Thus mind is bound in its limit by ego. Before that, it is one(unanimous)with unlimited consciousness. That is why, Raman Maharshi says : 'Mind is an unique energy hidden in self-conscious, because it creates all the instincts.'

Now let us think from scientific view point for 'what really thought is ?' Thought is the oscillations arising in Chitta. When our Chitta acquires proper capabilities by means of memory power, oscillations of thoughts arise in our Chitta by the stimulation created by the outer environment. The thought is the echo of knowledge, memory, peculiarities and nature. Beyond thought, there is consciousness which can do something. The easiest way to approach the consciousness beyond thinking is to perceive the thoughts. For this purpose, you have to watch and observe every moment of your daily life. You are to keep your memory awake constantly. You have to accept the happening as it occurs by not reacting and showing likes or dislikes towards it.Thus observing carefully and constantly, you will be able to go beyond observation. In that natural state, you will enjoy the experience of not mere thought, but also the consciousness.The ocean of consciousness surrounding us is called Ether by the scientists. The ripples of our thoughts encompassing this consciousness create the form which is called thought form.

Sometimes,when the feeling of hatred or abuse towards a person disliked by us arises in our mind, the thought forms thereof reach that person in a moment. Those thought forms also create similar types of thoughts about us in the mind of that person.

Occasionally if that person is under the strong effect of thought or feeling from higher level, our thought forms will remain untouched and will rebound on us with double force. As a result, we suddenly feel physical weakness. So our Vedas preach us : 'Wish good of all. Never desire that others would have evil fruits. Those who wish good for all. always reap good fruits.' In this prayer, the underlying meaning of one's own wellbeing is inherited. सर्वे सुखिनो सन्तु, सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ।

When we remember someone, he happens to come there. We spontaneously tell him : ' You have a long life to live, you just came over here when we were remembering you.'

In fact, his profound thought system and thought forms have inspired us to think about him.

The person whose consciousness is more lively, his thought forms are also very powerful and such individuals really lead a long life. The effect of the thought forms on our determination power is so strong and astonishing that it can be seen even today from the lifelike example in Swaminarayan Temple, situated on Bhupendra Road, Rajkot. Before about two hundred years, there was a thorny tree of berries at that place. Lord Swaminarayan came from Gadhpur to Rajkot to meet the governor of Bombay Lord Malcom. At that time, He was sitting with His disciples in the form of conference under that thorny tree of berries.

At the time of departure from Rajkot, the upper garment of the supreme saint Sadguru Gopalanand Swami was caught into the thorns. Swamiji smiled and said : 'O mad thorny tree, though Bhagwan Swaminarayan took His sacred seat under your shadow, could you not give up your thorny nature? Then after an astonishing incident that had taken place, was, all the thorns of that 'Berry Tree' toppled down. That berry tree is still-existing in the foreground of the Swaminarayan Temple in Rajkot.

The vibrations of our thoughts and speech never die. They always remain carved in the Ether- the universal element in space. After knowing the huge capacity of thought, we will never use it in a wrong way. Thought is like a knife with the help of which we can do constructive work like cutting vegetables and prohibitive task like murder. This vast illusive network of thought forms is only created by us. How to use it is at our disposal. So one of the wel-known poet has written that -

'Life is like a cup of drink, let it bedew your hands,To break or to save, this boat in your hands.'