‘VITA-RAGA CHITTAM’ – THE DISPASSIONATE MIND-FIELD OF GURU

In the Yoga Sutras, the meditation practice prescribed in I:37, guides the disciple to concentrate on “yoking” uniting his mind with that of a sage, saint (guru).  This sutra of Patanjali offers an aspirant a methodical practice of purifying the mindfield by presenting a subtler object of concentration.  The object of concentration is the mindfield of those free from desires (vita-raga chittam). Such a method of meditation is honored as Guru-dhyana.

The meaning of this sutra rests in the experience of deep contemplation on the guru-disciple relationship. It is a practice of concentration (ekagra-chittam) on the presence of divine grace as light, love, and bliss. Guru’s light of knowledge dispels the darkness of ignorance and transforms mind-energy (chitta-shakti) revealing the highest consciousness (chit-shakti) and one’s true nature.

By continual practice (abhyasa) and dispassion (vairagya), the aspirant concentrates on the progressively subtle and subtler relationship with the Guru.  Thus, the dispassionate mind-field of the Guru, becomes the supportive factor in the aspirant’s meditation.

The personal (guru) mantra, as the seed of the guru’s mind, grows and replaces egotistical identity with a glimpse of the infinite cosmic mind.  It is the “dispelling of darkness” (gu-ru).  When the disciple, through constant and faithful practice, makes firm the ground of his meditative state (samadhi), the knowledge of that level of awareness in the Universal mind-field (samasthi-chitta), is at his disposal.   All relativity is dissolved into the substratum of pure love, and the liberated disciple knows himself to be Pure Consciousness.

The disciple slowly refines the mantra through continuous, unbroken practice for a long time with deep sincerity (I:14).  By cultivation and absorbing the meaning of mantra (I:28), he attains the realization of the inwardly conscious Self (I:29, II:26).  At this stage, the mantra begins to lead the disciple through the increased power of the disciple’s own free volition.  Upon refining the mantra through these stages of cognition: as idea and feeling, the disciple no longer repeats the mantra mentally.  He hears the mantra with his whole being as though his whole being is an ear through which he listens.  In this stage of ajapa-japa, the mantra starts absorbing all other content of mind.  The highest level of mantra absorption (samapatti) is described by Swami Rama as “the mantra becomes an ocean of bliss in which the mind is floating.”

On the spectrum of progress in meditation, mind reflects the same light for the light of knowledge has never ceased. Knowledge is knowledge, enlightenment is always present. Only when the disciple is attached to and identifies with the objects reflected by the light does mind’s awareness recognize the ‘raga’ the spectrum of colors as impure mind. As one cultivates deeper states meditative awareness, a process unfolds from exterior to the interior self-identification of consciousness.

According to this meditation in the Himalayan Tradition, the disciple reaches the highest level of consciousness when the guru, disciple, and mantra become One.  This level of unitary consciousness is identified by Swami Rama Tirtha as “I am You”, (Twam Aham), and evolves to “I Am” (Aham).

The bhakta poet Kabir describes this stage in the following verse:

“When I was, then you were not; when you are, then I cease to be. This lane of love my friend is very narrow, two cannot walk on it abreast.”

Om Tat Sat