Silencing the Mind

[Padmanabhan.J]

Silencing the Mind

A renowned Zen monk Rinzai lived in his Guru’s ashram, struggling for years to silence his mind. The mind, being the mind, did not become silent; on the contrary, it became stronger. He attained many psychic powers and his fame spread far and wide but he was not able to silence his mind.
Once as he was meditating, his Guru sat down beside him, noisily rubbing a brick against a rock. Thinking that this was a test, he decided to remain unperturbed and steadfast in his effort to meditate. The Guru too, carried on his chore for the whole day. Finally, Rinzai could not bear the noise any longer. He opened his eyes and asked, “What are you doing?” “I am trying to make a mirror out of a brick by polishing it with this stone”, was the prompt reply. Amused, Rinzai stated that it was an impossible task.

The Guru responded knowingly, “Just as it is impossible to make a mirror by polishing a brick against a rock, the mind cannot be silenced by fidgeting with it. The brick may become smooth, but never a mirror. Similarly, disciplining it may make the mind subtle, but not silent.” Silence manifests only on leaving the mind, by taking away the controls from the mind.


Source: Times of India

[Brahmanyan]

Re: Silencing the Mind

Dear Sri Padmanabhan,

Nice story. Mind is collection of thoughts. Unless flow of thoughts is stopped mind will never be at peace.
Maharishi Patanjali commences his magnum opus "Yoga Sutras" with the following Sutra:
Yogash chitta vritti nirodhah:
Yoga is cessation of the flow of mental activities.

பகவான் ரமண மகரிஷியும் தனது " உபதேச சாரம் " என்னும் அற்புதமான நூலில் இதே கருத்தை
தமிழில் அழகாக விளக்கியுள்ளார்
மனத்தினுருவை மறவா துசாவ
மனமென வொன்றிலை யுந்தீபற
மார்க்கநே ரார்க்குமி துந்தீபற. [17]
மனத்தின் உருவத்தை மறதியின்றி ஆராய்ந்தால் , மனம் என்ற ஒன்று இல்லை என்பது விளங்கும். இதுவே நேர்வழி என்பதும் விளங்கும்.


எண்ணங்க ளேமனம் யாவினு நானெனு
மெண்ணமே மூலமா முந்தீபற
யானா மனமென லுந்தீபற. [18]
மனம் என்பது எண்ணங்களே. எல்லா எண்ணங்களுக்கும் மூல காரணம் 'நான இவ்வுடல்' எனக் கருதுவதே.


நானென் றெழுமிட மேதென நாடவுண்
ணான்றலை சாய்ந்திடு முந்தீபற
ஞான விசாரமி துந்தீபற. [19]

' நான் என்று எழும் இடம் எது?' என ஆராய்ந்தால், 'நான்' என்பது அழிந்து போகும். இதுவே 'ஞான விசாரம்'

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.