How to Reduce the Wavering of the Mind

The nature of the mind is to waver, similar to how the nature of water is to flow. Now how do you reduce this wavering nature of the mind? It is through spiritual practices (abhyaasa) and dispassion (vairagya).

What is Dispassion?

Sometimes, when you are disturbed, you say, “I don’t want anything. Enough is enough!”
This is one kind of dispassion, which you experience when you are disturbed. It is called Smashana (cemetery) Vairagya.

The second kind of dispassion is when you say with awareness, “I don’t want anything. I have had enough (contentment)! Everything in the world changes; nothing is permanent. I don’t mind if I have or don’t have something.”

This is the second type of dispassion, and is called Gyana (knowledge) Vairagya.

We need to have Gyana Vairagya and not Smashana Vairagya. The mind always moves towards pleasure. If we have knowledge and dispassion, then all the pleasures will come to us. It is also said that the pleasure that comes out of Abhyaasa (spiritual practice) is the highest.

Everyone has to experience at least one of the two types of dispassion. So it is better to say, “I have had enough,” out of awareness and contentment. That is the higher kind of dispassion!

Is Dispassion a Happening?

Dispassion is not a happening; I would say dispassion is what you invoke in yourself. When you widen your awareness, when you see everything is going to disappear and death is imminent, we are all going to die and everything is changing – when this knowledge comes, then dispassion is spontaneous.

Dispassion is the only way to make the mind stop chattering. Just realize that everything is a dream. It will all soon come to an end. The chattering of the mind is always with regard to a subject, a topic, or with a want. Worries and wants are responsible for the chattering of the mind. Drop your worries and your wants – that is what is called vairagya.

Dispassion and Contentment

Just be contented in your mind. You must keep evaluating yourself from time to time. Ask yourself, is what I am doing benefitting others? Even if something brings pain in the short run, but is beneficial to everyone in the long run, then that is the right thing to do. This is the test.

Before doing any work, you must ask yourself, “Am I only focusing on the small things or am I thinking from a larger perspective?” This is essential.

On Mahavir Jayanti

29th March 2018 was the birthday of a great saint called Mahavir, who propagated Jainism. He is one of the most adored enlightened saints of India and the 24th Tirthankara (the name given to an enlightened and realized soul in the Jain tradition).

Mahavir’s Philosophy and Teaching

Mahavira’s main principle is non-violence – ahimsa. He said that one has no right to be violent on anything in the world.

He spoke of Anekantvada, which means that there are so many possibilities. The world is full of possibilities. There is not just one way. This knowledge is really needed today. If people understand this, there will be no terrorism or fanaticism in the world.

He also spoke of Syadvada which is one of the most scientific approaches of dealing with the intellect. It says, “Perhaps there is something that I do not know.”

If someone says, “This is it, I know everything”, it is not correct. That is why he spoke of Syadvada – perhaps it could be some other way also. All is possible. That is a sign of a mature intellect; otherwise it is an immature intellect.

He would always add perhaps in every one of his expressions to indicate that there is always room for exploration. If you say, this is like this – you are making it so definite. In this world, nothing is definite, there is always a possibility.

He spoke of Swadhyaya – observing and studying of one's emotions, mind, and consciousness. Kayothsarga – rising above the body, and realize that we are not the body. Tapa – forbearance. Kshama – seeking forgiveness. ‘Knowingly or unknowingly, if I have done anything wrong through my action or inaction, I ask for your forgiveness’. This is the highest principle.

Mahavir Was a Contemporary of Buddha

I believe Buddha and Mahavir were from the same town. They knew about each other, but they never met.  Someone asked them, “Why you didn’t meet?”
They replied, “There is no need, as we are already connected.”

You know, in the state of enlightenment, even though the ways are different, the soul is the same. There is no distance.

There is another version in history that they met, but did not speak to each other at all. They just met and went their ways. Here too, it is said that there was no need for verbal communication.

When heart meets heart, and soul meets soul, there is no need to keep talking. When hearts meet, there is no language barrier, no words, nothing comes in between. When two people are in the head, they could be talking about the same thing, but it would appear like a fight.

Buddha spoke about emptiness, Mahavir spoke about the self. Buddha said there is no self, Mahavir said all that is, is self. Repose in the self; the nature of the soul is happiness.