Chapter 5: BMI

All philosophies and religions of the world attempt to bring about a transformation in our inner lives, by mastering ourselves and to forge ahead with unshakeable tranquillity so that we may live lives of inspired joy, irrespective of circumstances!

Experience:

Experience is impossible without three fundamental factors:

1. The experiencer

2. Object being experienced

3. Relationship between the two .. the experience

Each one of us gains experiences of 3 worlds through 3 different equipments. The 3 worlds are the fields of our experiences:

1. Through body (B) we experience the world of Objects (O)

2. Through mind (M) we experience the world of Emotions (E)

3. Through intellect (I) we experience the world of Thoughts (T)

The Subject:

The subject when identified with the 3 instruments become different aspects of our personality:

1. Identified with the body (B) I become the Perceiver (P)

2. Identified with the mind (M) I become the Feeler (F)

3. Identified with the intellect (I) I become the Thinker (T)

The Subject is:

- neither the field of experience = OET = objects, emotions, thoughts

- nor the instrument of experience = BMI = body, mind, intellect

- but is the experiencer of OET = PFT = perceiver, feeler, thinker

The Supreme Reality:

The principle by whose mere presence makes a person a PFT or perceiver, feeler, thinker is the Supreme Reality or Brahman.

The Pure Self (Purusha) without the 3 equipments BMI (Prakriti) or body, mind, intellect requires no expression of its own. It is the marriage of the two, (Spirit & Matter) that enables manifestations of life, birth, activity and growth.

The Pure Self is Pure Consciousness, the changeless Substratum, upon which all changes take place. Its Nature is:

- It has no expression

- It is the Life Principle that enlivens matter

- It is Something other than the body, mind, intellect equipments

It is the Changeless Reality, which is called by many names:

- The Absolute

- Atman - the Self (microcosmic) or Brahman (macrocosmic)

- The Life Principle or Force

- Aum or Amen or Amin

- Pure Awareness

- Pure Consciousness

- Spirit

- Truth

- The Supreme Reality

From the standpoint of description, Brahman is Sat-Chit-Anand or

- Sat = Existence at all times because It was never non-existent

- Chit = Pure Awareness or Consciousness and

- Anand = bliss, fullness and joy, experienced when I am with myself

Vasanas:

We are what we are because of the calibre of our mental, intellectual equipments - these in turn, depend upon our innate tendencies, which are called vasanas.

Vasanas are impressions left in our mind when we act with selfish motives... modern psychologists call them "unconscious" motives. These are tendencies, inclinations and urges gathered as impressions on our personality from actions of our past.

In sanskrit, vasanas translates to "fragrance", to define a "personality fragrance" ... therefore, an individual is nothing but a manifestation of his or her unmanifest urges.

Urges can be classified under 3 categories:

1. Social Urges which define our pattern over time

2. Physical urges which render us slaves to our physical body

3. Knowledge urges which lead us to scholarly studies, both secular and religious

Beyond BMI (body/mind/intellect):

The 3 conditionings (body/mind/intellect) on the pure Self must be transcended in order to regain our original nature - the limitless, blissful nature of Aum (or Amen or Amin).

As long as the vasanas are powerful, our equipments will assert for expression, over and over again! The only method for regaining one's true nature is to ceaselessly divert the mind away from its preoccupations with the world of objects and towards an awareness of the Self.

The Self conditioned by the BMI is individuality (jiva) or the ego - otherwise known as the PFT or perceiver/feeler/thinker who suffers the limitations of matter!

Ignorance of our true nature makes us feel imperfections in ourselves...we now try to make up for the sense of limitation by creating desires to be fulfilled.. a feeling of perfection.

 We are Perfect - only a passing cloud over the brightness of the sun, hides our glory. This passing cloud is our veil of ignorance or vasanas. Remove them, and my true nature will reveal itself!

Spiritual Unfoldment does not take place with mere intellectual appreciation. Evolution occurs only when there is corresponding change in our subjective life. Active and enthusiastic re-education of my thought life alone is the means to success in reaching the goal of Self Realisation.

I have to learn how to dissolve my vasanas (tendencies and habit encrustations of my personality) and remove the ignorance that separates me from my effulgent divine Self. I have to learn to transcend my body-mind-intellect equipments to realise my true nature Aum or Amen or Amin!