Better Understanding of vasana's
Hari Om
~~~~~~
Namaste Sadhu,
I thought to post this topic of Vasanas , or those impressions that are gained by the native life-to-life. These vasanas form the foundation of the individual, birth after birth. Some say they are the root cause for re-birth, as the impressions for unfulfilled desires are brought life-after-life to be fulfilled. Becoming enlightened stops this progression. Can you identify any of your own vasana's that you are aware of?
I bring this up because as we gain deeper silence in the discovery of SELF, these vasanas have smaller impressions on us as our consciousness becomes clearer and we lose the clutter.
Patanjali talks much of this in his yoga-sutras... you probably know vasana by another name, samskara, which is an approximation.
Impressions From Actions We Take
I was taught this analogy. In ignorance consciousness we receive impressions in chitta and its like a chisel making a line on a piece of granite. Its deep and it stays for a very long time. As one meditates/practices sadhana and gets clearer, the impressions are more like a stick drawing a line in sand. Its there, you see it, yet the sand falls-in on itself and the line is "captured" back into the sand. Then we meditate/practice sadhana a bit more, consciousness expands, more purity and the impressions are like a line being drawn in water. Its there and then its not. More more purity (sattva infusion) and now the impressions are like drawing a line in the air! subtly there, but then gone. No binding influence.
As we progress, a few things arise:
Sattwapatti or purity of mind. All mental modifications are reduced to identification with the Self.
Asamsakti or detached state. Being unaffected by anything in the world, due to the knowledge of the Self.
Subtly of Vasana’s
To form another perspective of vasana's, consider an ice-cube, which is solid. Obviously we can touch it, inspect it. Now, what is subtler then ice? Water. Water, as a fluid assumes the shape of its container. A more flexible substance. What's subtler then water? Steam. We can't hold steam in our hands, but we can see it, feel it. Steam is visible, then becomes invisible. What's subtler then steam? Humidity. Its in the air but we cannot see it.
The vasanas are like the humidity in the air, subtlest of all. The vasanas undergo transformation at the level of the intellect into thoughts. The thoughts in turn undergo transformation at the level of the mind into desires; and the desires undergo transformation at the level of the physical body into actions. Like that - vasanas are so subtle yet are at the core of what we do and our actions....they are carried from birth to birth, so say the wise.
So, what remains when one removes the binding influences of action? The only remnants is the thing called Lesh-avidya, or the remains (left overs or coloration) of ignorance just due to acting in this world.
As you grow and progress note how you handle situations over time .This gives you a glimpse of how impressions are made into your circuitry. Are they deep, shallow? are you craving for things or do objects and desires have less hold on you? A good gage to consider the vasana impressions.
fyi: the water-ice-humidity idea is from http://www.hinduism.co.za/ if you care to look around.
यतसà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤‚ शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṠśivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
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