Please take your mantra sheet. I'll chant "Om shri gurubhyo namah", and then I'll chant all initial verses, and you can hear them later if you want to learn those verses I gave you, using this recording. We won't chant "puurnaamadaah", so as not to end the class, and we skip to the next one.
The ones we chanted so far are the mantras with which we start a Vedanta class. The next mantra you have in your file is "puurnaamadaah", which wraps up the class. Then, I put the one which usually starts a Yoga class.
Usually, when starting Yoga, we chant those two mantras, which I think we could chant here for everybody to learn. Those of you who don't have the mantra may click on that link and download the file. Let's go.
Very well. Those two mantras we chant before starting Yoga, and, at the end, we chant "svastiprajaabyah", which I have put there to you and we'll chant at the end, and then I'll explain its meaning. So, we were saying the following: in order for the person to have a.
. . I think it's disconnected from electricity.
No, the other one. It's ok. Just one second, folks.
In this way, people, us, when interested in studying and taking a step forward, we find a internal disposition for knowledge. And such internal disposition will enable our mind to capture what the teacher is saying, or else it won't work. If we have the attitude of one who's chasing after a belief, a life inspiration, to a math teacher, nothing will happen.
He'll talk and talk, but with a different purpose. If I have a discriminative mind, one that attempts to truly grasp what is being said, and talk to a math teacher, naturally, all explanations will make sense and the person will advance in the study. Vedanta works in the same way: it's a moment in which even the form of teaching is different: for example, you may have had the experience of visiting truly inspiring people.
When we visit such people, we don't ask many questions, there's an atmosphere of mystery, the person talks to us, or maybe, like Amma, hugs us, and that powers us up for carrying on, takes away problems we used to have. We get inspired. It's a type of movement, a type of attitude.
There's nothing wrong with that, but you won't be able to study Vedanta or math with such attitude. This is for a certain kind of work. And, if you go to her with a discriminative mind and ask her why her hug will help you, it just won't, it will lose its effect.
The effect of the hug, of that inspiration, depends on a certain mental attitude. So, in a study environment, the attitude of a student is needed, since it's key. And what is that, the attitude of a student who wishes to learn?
One is on time, one does homework, one treats the teacher respectfully, which is only natural. No Vedanta teacher demands respect, no one will demand that. Each one has their issues, though, everyone knows better.
But, unless you have this internal attitude, knowledge won't work. And I've seen funny things, you know? Sometimes you are at the ashram, and a student comes in with the full package: he has studied Sanskrit, mantras, is a Yoga master, he's only there to study Vedanta.
The master, then, looks at him. The newcomer says: "I came to study with you. I want to attend the course.
" We took a 4-year course, nearly that. "I want to stay and study". The master says: "No.
No, go and take care of your mother. " -"My mother? " -"Yes.
Don't you have a mother? " -"I do". -"When did you last see her?
" "About 10 years ago, after we had a fight. ' "See? Do you think you'll last four years here with this issue?
You may have done Yoga or whatever, but, as a person, there is still something to accomplish. Go back and take care of your mother. It's not about one's will, anymore.
"You'll achieve anything if you mentalize it hard enough. " It's a lie. It is!
If it were true, everyone would have won the lottery. This is not true. Do you have to mentalize what you'll conquer?
Yes, but of course you won't conquer everything you mentalize. It's useless to say: "now I want to learn, so I will". No: "I want to learn.
What are the conditions for me to study? " It is said that, for the study to work, three blessings are needed. Have I told you this?
No, right? Three blessings are needed. Let's go: the first blessing, from whom does it come?
Those who know, quiet! Only who doesn't may guess, for this is a popular explanation. The first blessing is the parents'.
So, there must be a certain type of family relationship, and often the parents are not even around, anymore, but this relationship will be reproduced in our families, with our children and everyone. So, within my family, I must have a certain balance as a person. This balance will reveal itself in my life as mental balance.
Yes, because, did you know that the unbalance we find in people is but a replica of the unbalance towards one's own parents? The parents are mere amplifiers. As a matter of fact, unbalance stems from childhood.
And it's not really about our parents as they are, now, but our parents as they were engraved in our memories. Those parents will be emulated by many people in our lives: family members, friends, a boss at work and the actual parents, in their present forms. So, the ones who are closest to us, relatives and such, those are the first people with whom I must live in harmony.
The very key people, since they're closest to me. It's not my students: with them, it's easy! They think I'm a well-balanced teacher!
They know nothing! They'll see me 1h a day, over the internet, so I'm good! With the students, it's easy: at home, things change.
There's the father, a controlling mom, a crazy brother. . .
It's among them we must find our balance and have their blessing for this work we'll undertake. People must see our Yoga and Vedanta study as something which is positive for life, and the only measurement indicator such people have is how well you are when with them. If you to establish a good relationship with them, rest assured you'll have their blessing to follow this path.
This is the first blessing, the parents'. The second blessing, now. Any guesses on the second blessing?
The second blessing is the teachers'. It's not "the teacher's", it's "the teachers'," mind you. For you to acquire this knowledge about yourself, consider how many people have contributed to your journey, teaching you so many things.
It's as if each one were laying a brick on the building. Each one has a job. And we think that, at the end, the last teacher was the one who did all the work.
This is common: the last one gets the merit. But it's inaccurate: it's a long process. It's useless for you to come and study Vedanta and say: "Yoga is useless".
No! You're only studying Vedanta because you practiced Yoga, meditated, attended religious groups. rituals and all such things, which granted you a mind able to understand what the masters of the Vedas have to say.
So, it's useless to belittle tradition: you're in a tradition that exceeds the Vedas: the tradition of mankind, where we try to find ourselves and live in harmony. All teachers have a role in it. Even if the subject here is Vedanta, if you had a fight with your previous teacher, man.
. . Ishvara, the cosmic order, doesn't allow the teaching of Vedanta to unfold.
So, you must be at peace with your masters, the people who have been in your life and taught you, and obviously the ones who are teaching you, now, or else the study can't even take place! So, the second blessing is the teachers'. And how do we acquire this blessing from the teachers?
By paying tuition! ? No.
It's important to pay tuition, but, no, that's not the answer. Not at all! Not at all.
The teachers' blessing is gained by opening one's heart. Which is very difficult, see? Only when, facing the teacher, you get to be honest with yourself, you get their blessing.
It may take a week or ten years to acquire the capability of sitting before someone else and expose yourself. Once you can do that, the teacher is ready, so he goes and molds you, he's a sculptor: he'll go and take care of you. But, up until this happens, study can't take place.
I must expose myself, promote contact for this purpose. So, the second blessing is the teachers'. Now, on to the third blessing.
Which is it? The third blessing, and I'm sure some of you thought of it already, is your own blessing. It's called atma anugraha.
So, there is pitr anugraha, the blessings of the parents, guru anugraha, the blessing of the teachers, and, now, atma anugraha, my own blessing. What is my own blessing? It goes like this: and I think Buddha, in certain sayings, did that on purpose just to see how well one was prepared: one would come and say: "I want to learn meditation.
How long until I have a quiet mind? And he said: "when all the leaves of this tree fall down. .
. " and it was no sunflower! "When all of this tree's leaves fall, you'll be initiating it.
" And then people gave up and went away. And off they went. Why?
There was no atma anugraha. Where's one will power? "I can't study like this, you see.
If it were at 7:30PM, then ok. " "Why? " "Oh, I have dinner at 7PM, and I'm only done at 7:30, so I can't".
Well, if you can't anticipate dinner in 30min for class, what can I do for you? Everyone changes because of you? It won't work.
There must be a certain internal disposition, an energy which is needed for all undertakings in life, whatever it is: Do you want to be a Yoga teacher? You must find a course, train, work hard and pay your dues to be able to achieve it. For studying, a lot of disposition is required, but willingness, here, is remarkably of a different sort: I try to make knowledge and studying very light, by telling jokes and all, but the message is very serious.
So, it's not easy. It won't be easy. Each class will present increasing difficulty.
Up until we are in cruising speed studywise, each class will present higher challenges. What kind of challenges? First, I'll have to deal with all my ghosts, whatever is buried inside that each one alone knows of.
Second, what remains to be found is unknown. This brings about fear. To deal with the ghosts, one needs courage, one must have disposition to find out what is within.
It may not be the right time to study. One may wait, too, everything is recorded! You can listen to it further ahead.
But, if you have the longing to proceed with studying, this must be done with the disposition of a warrior. So, we say that a a warrior's heart is needed. You must have the heart of one that is ready.
If you talk to a kung-fu student and say: "our class starts at 4AM", he'll be ready at that time. No questions asked. If you tell a Yoga teacher: "we're holding a retreat in this very special spa", the reaction is: "Are there double rooms?
Or only single rooms? " Come on! You're there for Vedanta!
The knowledge of the masters! People climb the Himalayas for it! Who cares about the room!
The mentality must be: "How long will the retreat last? " -"3 days. " -"This long I go without eating.
Let's go. Who cares about food? I can handle not sleeping, too.
" "Three days? Only? It's too easy.
Anything goes. -"Where should it be? " -"Teacher, forget about the spa.
Let's camp. It'll be cheaper and more people will attend. " It's a whole different type of attitude.
For studying Vedanta, another type of disposition is needed. I met a Brazilian who arrived at the ashram right after another had been sent away. It's a true story.
A person had been sent away for lack of space at the ashram. The person left, and, soon, a Brazilian I knew arrived. The master told him: "Do you want to study?
Fine. But your room has no door". No door!
Crazy, right? "Your room has no door. " So, he looked at me, as I was there, introducing him, and I asked: "Do you need a door?
" He said: "Me? No! " "Master, why do you need a door?
", and the master laughed. "Ok, you may stay. " He had atma anugraha.
Door? Who cares about a door! This knowledge will reunite you with yourself, sort out old trauma!
All the rest is, thus, irrelevant. One must have the willingness and the heart to uproot things, to venture into the unknown, to get rid of small things such as food, sleeping and such. Enter it properly, as you must do with any undertaking in life.
If you join a PhD program, you must do the same. If you get there and say: "I'm joining, but let me ask: Is the food vegetarian, here, in Oxford? Because I'm a vegetarian.
Otherwise, it won't work for me. " You'll be sent away from the program right then and there! "Feel free to leave.
Being a vegetarian is up to you. You mustn't become a carnivore: go, find your salad, cook your own food, but don't tell me the program has to fit your eating! " This isn't right.
There are, then, three anugrahas, three blessings that are needed. Once those three things are in place, everything happens very quickly. Very quickly, and it's not because it doesn't take long, because it doesn't require time.
It's not that. It's because, once you do anything having those three blessings, your heart is so involved that you don't see the years go by. When you least expect, 10 years have passed, and you're like: "Wow!
It seems like I started yesterday! " So it is. It's an involving thing, self-discovery: you delve into your emotions, each class bears unimaginable discoveries!
There is no way for it not to work if one has this attitude. It will work. It's as if one found new love for oneself through this study.
You'll be finding an opportunity to find yourself. This is the attitude of a student, which is expected in anyone longing for self-knowledge and willing to learn from a master, to truly study. There will always be room for other activities: you may travel in pilgrimage, such things are always possible.
Now, sitting with a teacher daily or weekly requires a certain type of heart for the study to be efficient. Well, that's it. In order to close this session, I'll read with you a very important prayer that people call "the prayer of peace", which is usually recited at the end of Yoga classes.
It's actually much longer than this, but this bit is what people usually chant. I'll chant it once to you and you listen to how it sounds, and then I'll explain the meaning. So, let's go.
I'll leave "purnaamadaah" for the final wrap-up, because this prayer usually ends with it. The prayer says, interestingly: Om svasti prajaabhyah paripaalayantaam nyaayyena maargena mahiim mahiishaah So, "svasti prajaabhyah", that good and peace may exist for all beings, not only human beings, all beings. This is very interesting: the Bible doesn't state: "Thou shall not kill human beings", we were the ones who included "humans"!
Not killing means no violence, ahimsa. "Om svasti prajaabhyah" and, then "paripaalayantaam" "nyaayeena maargena mahiim mahiishaah" That the governors may reign, "paripaalayantaam" "nyaayeena maargena", in the path of justice. Because it's useless to wish for peace if politicians destroy everything.
So, they have this very interesting, complete prayer, "may governors reign in the path of justice, righteousness" "gobraahmanebhyah shubhamastu nityam", and certain translations that say: "may the animals be protected", but it's about cows and brahmins, "gobraahmanebhyah", "go" means cow, and the brahmins, "gobraahmanebhyah shubhamastu nityam", that there may always be "astu nityam", "shubham", auspiciousness, protection. To whom? "Go", the cows, and brahmins, and why?
The cows represent all animals, providing us with milk and food, and the brahmins represent the teachers. So, health and education are prioritized. It is a political prayer!
And then, it says: "lokaah samastaah sukhino bhavantu" That all people, "wholly", "samastaah" "sukhinah bhavantu", "that they may be happy". "May all people be happy", this is the prayer. And the prayer goes on: "kaale varshatu parjanyah", "may rain come at the right time", "prthivi sasyashaalinii", "may earth blossom, be fertile", "desho'yam kshobharahitah braahmanaassantu nirbhayaah" "May teachers be free from fear", "braahmanaassantu nirbhayaah".
Because if the teacher is afraid, he, who has to teach me how to be happy and fearless, there is no hope for me! So, "braahmanaassantu nirbhayaah". "sarveshaam svastirbhavatu", "may there be peace for all", "sarveshaam", for all, "shantirbhavatu", "that all may have calm and patience", "sarveshaam puurnam bhavatu", "may all be whole", "sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu", "may everyone be auspicious, may there not be evil people": "A bad person is here!
" No. May all symbolize auspiciousness, that I may see them and think: "Great! ", "mangalam bhavatu".
Hopefully, it's possible! "sarveshaam mangalam bhavatu", "sarve bhavantu sukhinah", "may all be happy", "sarve santu niraamayaah, sarve bhadraani. .
. " it's getting too long. We'll stop there, since the mantra goes on.
This mantra is usually chanted at the end of Yoga classes, those first two verses. It's a prayer, nothing else. The translation is there for you who are curious about the meaning of all such mantras.
Those mantras are not "Vedanta" mantras: they are verses of the Vedic tradition. They are prayers, requests for light to be shed, express thankfulness towards the teachers. Within the study of Vedanta, these and other mantras codify the whole teaching process, the whole method: what must be said by the teacher, questions, answers, etc.
This is what we study in a regular class, such as ours, here. We're doing preparation work to study more profoundly. So, that's all for today.
For those without the printout, just download it from the link. That's it. I'll wrap up, now, and we may chat a bit longer.
