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Yoga Vasishtha

Nicholas

Bodhicitta
Also called the Maharamayana, this a very large, very profound work. There is no complete English translation online, as far as I can find. But there is the condensed version, the Laghu Yoga Vasistha done hundreds of years ago and it is in English.

http://www.hariomgroup.org/hariombo...a/Laghu-Yoga-Vasistha-English-Translation.pdf

Also found a compilation online, Path of Self-Reliance, showing the non-theistic, self-reliant emphasis in this sacred text:

http://www.katinkahesselink.net/other/selfrely.html
 
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Onkara

Well-Known Member
Interesting read, thanks for sharing, Skull.
So forget God and dualism and "understand and become the reality, Brahman"
:)
 

Nicholas

Bodhicitta
The author of this old selection of verses is unknown; here is how it begins:

YOGA VASISHTA SARA

CHAPTER ONE

DISPASSION

1. Salutations to that calm effulgence which is

endless and unlimited by space, time etc., the pure

consciousness which can be known by experience only.

2. Neither one who is totally ignorant nor one

who knows it (i.e. Truth) is eligible to study this book.

Only he who thinks ‘I am bound; I must become free’ is

entitled to study it.

3. Until one is definitely blessed by the Supreme

Lord he will not find either a proper Guru or the right

scripture.

4. Just as a steady boat, O Rama, is obtained from

a boatman, so also the method of crossing the ocean of

samsara is learnt by associating with great souls.

5. The great remedy for the long-lasting disease of

samsara is the enquiry, ‘Who am I?, to whom does this

samsara belong?,’ which entirely cures it.
 

Nicholas

Bodhicitta
This is another plump (700+ pp) abridgement that is on Scribd, for one place -Vasistha's Yoga tr. by Swami Venkatesananda
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Never new that the Yoga Vaishtha was not accepted by the followers of hare Krshna.
Hare-Krishnas have a fixation on Krishna. Though some will accept others (some do not), 'advaita' is generally not there cup of tea. They tem the difference as achintya (inconceivable).
 

ratikala

Istha gosthi
namaskaram Skull ji and Aupmanyav ji

Hare-Krishnas have a fixation on Krishna. Though some will accept others (some do not), 'advaita' is generally not there cup of tea. They tem the difference as achintya (inconceivable).

to me this is interesting , ...in that both Gaudiya Vaisnavas and Mahayana Buddists are not looking for personal liberation , ....
in Mahayana Buddhism one who addopts the path of Bodhichita is not seeking his own liberation but works for the liberation of all , ....there fore there is no personal desire to be free , by realisation alone one becomes free , ........

if we examine this text , ...

2. Neither one who is totally ignorant nor one

who knows it (i.e. Truth) is eligible to study this book.

Only he who thinks ‘I am bound; I must become free’ is

entitled to study it.


‘I am bound; I must become free’ .........as far as I am concerned neither a Gaudiya Vaisnava nor a mahayana Buddhist will hold this personal desire for freedom , ...realising this material world to be false , illusuory and imperminent he dose not feel bound , ...only by attatchment is one bound .

from a Gaudiya perspective one does not want to merge with the supreme , ...one canot adore and serve one self , therefore seperation is preferable .
to a Mahayanaist simmilarly one has vowed not to seek such personal liberation but to work for the benifit of all , ...

to my mind neither is bound or seeking freedom , ....so this text is only relevant for those are aware of the illusury nature of this material world but who are not yet able to detatch from it , .....therefore the idea of merging is some what metaphorical ......
 

Nicholas

Bodhicitta
It is a subtle insight ratikala is describing. Yet the aspiration to become free of our greed, anger and stupidity (the 3 poisons) is part of the Mahayana motivation in the early stages of the path. How can one best help others on the path - by being a bodhisattva and eventually a buddha. So the aspiration for liberation from (or renunciation of) automatic, uncontrolled rebirth and our lower nature is also the Mahayana way. Thus two motives - buddhahood for self and others.
 

Kalibhakta

Jai Maha Kali Ma!
I, with my effort, become more and more of a useful tool for my goddess. I seek Mother Kali's grace, and if that means no reincarnation, or many reincarnations, or heaven forbid, non-existence after death, so be it as long as I have become pleasing to her.

Liberation then is from my own faults then so I may better serve.
 

Nicholas

Bodhicitta
Self-reliance is critical to success on any spiritual path, not to mention in other aspects of life. Here are some verses from the YV on the value of self-effort:

"II 4 O Rama, listen to what I [Vasishtha] am about to say, which instruction is sure to remove the darkness of ignorance. A well-sustained self-effort leads to success in every field of life. Wherever one encounters failure, it is due to lack of self-effort.

Liberation produces selflessness; we lose our selfishness when we come to know the unity of the soul. By effort one can attain knowledge which leads to salvation. This is obvious; but what is called God, destiny or fate is fictitious and is not seen. The dull and the ignorant created God, which is none other than self-effort of a past incarnation affecting one.

Self-effort, Rama, is that mental, verbal and physical action which is in accordance with the instructions of a holy person well versed in the scriptures. This will reveal the moon of spiritual bliss beyond the dark clouds of mental impurities. Such effort, continuous and constant, gives good results, all the rest is sheer madness. The goal of self-effort is Self-realization.

It is only by such effort that Indra became king of heaven, that Brahma became the creator, and Vishnu and Shiva earned their place. When right self-effort is sustained, one rises to that lofty state wherein ruling the vast earth is known as insignificant compared to the glory of Self-realization.

II 5 Self-effort is of two categories: that of past births and that of this present birth. Past efforts can be counteracted by current labors. There is constant conflict, like battling rams, between these two in this incarnation. That which is more powerful triumphs. Men of self-effort, by firm and long practice, can undo the past effort.

Self-effort which is not in accord with the scriptures is motivated by delusion. To go against scriptural injunctions will lead to disasters. Mental desire alone, without the needed action, is pure lunacy. It will not only be useless, but it will lead to further delusions.

There is no power greater than right action in the present. Hence, one should take recourse to self-effort, gritting one's teeth, and one should overcome evil by good and destiny by present effort. Even obstructions presented by the devas are due to bad actions in past lives.

One’s effort must be maintained until the past negative karma is overpowered. The virtues of this life are bound to overcome the vices of past lives. Therefore, one must cultivate serenity, self-control, reflection and meditation by his self-effort."
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
The first verse of the prayer is an absolute beauty:
"Yatah sarvani bhutani pratibhanti sthitani ca, yatrai ‘vo ‘pashamam yanti tasmai satyatmane namah."
(Salutations to that reality in which all the elements, and all the animate and inanimate beings shine as if they have an independent existence, and in which they exist for a time and into which they merge.)

And another beauty:
"Bhramasya jagatasya ‘sya jatasya kasavarnavat, apunah smaranam manye sadho vismaranam varam."
(This world-appearance is a confusion, even as the blueness of the sky is an optical illusion.)
 
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Nicholas

Bodhicitta
I love the Yoga Vasistha; esp. the version of "Swami-Venkatesananda"
http://estudantedavedanta.net/The-Supreme-Yoga-Swami-Venkatesananda.pdf

My guru came in my dream 2 years ago and told me I could give away all my books; just keep my Yoga Vasistha of Swami-Venkatesananda

Nice to have 1 "Bible" left. It is the best book I ever read.

Yes indeed, the two volume daily verse version by Swami V., that was published from South Africa was my first YV book. Thanks be to Swami Shivananda, the Guru of Swami V. and Swami Jyotirmayananda who also published translation of the YV.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member
My favorite verses are: 1)SelfConfidence + 2)1 verse will do + 3)Let Go of this world illusion + 4)Scripture belittles other scriptures NOT

1 : The remark of even a child is to be accepted, if it is in accordance with reason; but the remark of even Brahma* Himself, the creator of the world, is to be rejected like a piece of straw if it does not accord with reason.

2: The text abounds in repetitions which are, however, not repetitious. If you do not like (or need) repetition, then readjust this one verse:
This world-appearance is a confusion: even as the blueness of the sky is an optical illusion. I think it is better not to let the mind dwell on it, but to ignore it. (1.3.2). This verse occurs several times in the scripture and it seems to be the very essence of the teaching.

3: An oft-recurring expression in this scripture is 'kakataliya*' — a crow alights on the cocoanut palm tree and that very moment a ripe cocoanut falls. The two unrelated events thus seem to be related in time and space, though there is no causal relationship. Such is life. Such is 'creation'. But the mind caught up in its own trap of logic questions 'why', invents a 'why' and a 'wherefore' to satisfy itself, conveniently ignoring the inconvenient questions that still haunt an intelligent mind.

4: That is the uniqueness of this scripture which hence declares itself to be supreme:
Except through this scripture, one cannot gain what is good, now or at any time. Therefore, for perfect realisation of the supreme truth, one should fervently investigate this scripture alone. (VI.2.103). It is, however the teaching that is supreme, not a book or a sage. Hence, Vasistha* is bold enough to say: "If, however, one thinks it is not authoritative because it is of human origin, one can resort to the study of any other scripture dealing with self-knowledge and final liberation." (VI.2.175). Whichever be the scripture taught by whomever and whichever be the path you choose, stop not till tire psychological conditioning ceases entirely.
 

Nicholas

Bodhicitta
More splendid advice from this ancient Rishi:

II 5 The lazy man is worse than a donkey. One should never yield to laziness but strive to attain liberation, seeing that life is ebbing away every moment. Every day one must think of the impermanent body and struggle to conquer the animal nature. He must take recourse to association with good and virtuous people. One should not revel in the filth known as sense-pleasures, even as a worm revels in pus. By good deeds, good will return to you; by bad deeds, bad will return. Nowhere is there any God, fortune or fate. One who ignores his present ability for self-effort for fear of his past bad actions, might as well fear his own two arms, thinking them dangling vipers.

One who thinks that fate or God is directing him, is brainless and the goddess of fortune abandons him. Hence, by self-effort, discrimination, good association and study of the scriptures, acquire wisdom. Then realize that self-effort will end — in the direct realization of the truth. But ignoring, or going against the traditional injunctions, will not work. One should not try to create a gemstone from an ordinary pebble. Those who do not believe in the long practiced and experienced truths of the wise, but depend upon God, luck or destiny, are fools called the "living dead." If lazy dullness, this dreadful source of evil, were not found on this earth, who would ever be illiterate or poor? It is because lazy ones rely, life after life, on God or fortune that this earth is full of people who live like animals, miserable and poverty-stricken.
 

Shantanu

Well-Known Member
More splendid advice from this ancient Rishi:

II 5 The lazy man is worse than a donkey. One should never yield to laziness but strive to attain liberation, seeing that life is ebbing away every moment. Every day one must think of the impermanent body and struggle to conquer the animal nature. He must take recourse to association with good and virtuous people. One should not revel in the filth known as sense-pleasures, even as a worm revels in pus. By good deeds, good will return to you; by bad deeds, bad will return. Nowhere is there any God, fortune or fate. One who ignores his present ability for self-effort for fear of his past bad actions, might as well fear his own two arms, thinking them dangling vipers.

One who thinks that fate or God is directing him, is brainless and the goddess of fortune abandons him. Hence, by self-effort, discrimination, good association and study of the scriptures, acquire wisdom. Then realize that self-effort will end — in the direct realization of the truth. But ignoring, or going against the traditional injunctions, will not work. One should not try to create a gemstone from an ordinary pebble. Those who do not believe in the long practiced and experienced truths of the wise, but depend upon God, luck or destiny, are fools called the "living dead." If lazy dullness, this dreadful source of evil, were not found on this earth, who would ever be illiterate or poor? It is because lazy ones rely, life after life, on God or fortune that this earth is full of people who live like animals, miserable and poverty-stricken.
I think you should keep your Buddhist knowledge to the Buddhism forum and not use the pretext of Yoga Vashistha to preach Mahayana to Hindus here.
 
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