Stages in progress
Question
Hi Sir,
I read the story of Milarepa and I wanted to ask you a few questions about Milarepa and our current spiritual path.
Milarepa cleanses his karma and is given meditation instruction from his master, Marpa. This results in success in meditation and Milarepa achieving a certain level of knowledge.
Does this compare to us nullifying our karma to a sufficient degree so we can embark on the path of brahmacharaya and succeed in meditation?
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Later in the story, Milarepa enters into Samadhi after seeing the bones of his mother. Is this saivikalpa samadhi or the the results that usually appear to a brahmachari after 2 years?
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And finally Milarepa opens the scroll given by his master and achieves Nirvana samadhi. I assume this is the state where Milarepa achieves full realization?
Answer
1. There are different means to cleanse karma. Each Jiva is made to take a suitable path by the higher power, who is the real Guru. Yoga, based on Brahmacharya is one such path. The path which applies to one need not apply to the other who has a different magnitude and nature of karma. All true paths lead to merging the mind into the Atman (self), which itself is meditation.
2. The samadhi referred to at that point is Savikalpa Samadhi. Time cannot be a yardstick, as progress varies, based on various other factors. A Jiva might be born very close to Enligntenment (due to past efforts), while another may require hundreds of births.
3. That is entrance into 'Nirvikalpa Samadhi', in which one is not aware of the mind, sounds, sight, smell or other sense perception while meditating. It is however still far from self-realization, for the Yogi, though experiencing the 'Brahmakara Vritti' (mind having taken form of the absolute), has not yet roasted all the seeds of past Samakara-s and Vasana-s, which will establish him in 'Sunyata' (void) forever. Therefore, he is still prone to the action of the three Guna-s (traits) after he comes down from Samadhi, back into the Earthly plane.
On long practice of Nirvikalpam, one reaches the Dharma-Megha state, which is where these seeds are deactivated for ever. It is only here that one crosses 'Turiya' and goes into the 'Turiyateeta' (beyond Turiya state) forever, which is termed by the names Nirvana & 'Kaivalya' (self-realization). He is then a complete 'Brahmaswarupi' (complete manifestation of the absolute), always.
ॐ तत् सत्
(That Supreme being is the absolute truth)