Deva Vi Tam Namamsamti Jassa Dhamme Saya Mano
One who remains always absorbed in Religion even the Gods bow down before him
There are two levels of Consciousness: sensory perception and extra sensory perception. We usually live more on the level of sensory perception. To understand sensory perception, a little analysis is necessary. Our five senses are sense of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing. All our communication with the external world is through the medium of these five senses. Our external world is sensory in that it can be touched/felt, tasted, smelt, heard and seen an all its colour and form. We have five senses and the external world can be characterized in these five ways. Senses allow knowledge of the characteristics of the external world, and they establish our contact with it. There is, however, sixth sense and that is the mind. This is also a sense. It is more developed than all the other senses. The first five senses are limited to knowing only the present, whereas the mind spans three worlds: it knows the present, past, and future. Senses can only know the present. Thus, sensory perception limits our daily lives.
Preksha Meditation means the balance management of our sensory perception. Sensory perception can be managed and has been managed. We see, here, taste: this is the employment of sensory perception. This can be divided into two types: one is seeing while being affected by attachment and aversion, hearing while being affected by attachment and aversion, eating, tasting, etc. while being affected by attachment and aversion. This is how sensory perception is commonly employed in the world. There is nothing special about this. Not only man, but other living beings also employ sensory perception while being affected by attachment and aversion. As the art of seeing develops, man only sees. He does not see through attachment and aversion: he only sees. The use of the word “only” denotes balanced management. Where it was felt “I only see, only here, only taste, it now purports balanced management of the sensory perception. It s nature is to know. The common man, however, does not employ his senses to know, but for attachment and aversion. Upon seeing another, attachment sprang up and a feeling of love was born. Upon seeing another, aversion set in and the feeling of hatred was born.
The complete definition of this world is tied in these two words: like and dislike. Our entire behavior is regulated by like and dislike. Either we see with liking or with dislike. Hence, the necessity for a third eye arose. The third eye should open. The third eye is the eye of equanimity. “The third eye” is often talked about today. Preksha means the development of the sense of equanimity - to open the eye of equanimity. When this eye is opened, we will see - and only see. We will try to comprehend Reality, know the Truth. Neither the feeling of like nor dislike will be linked to this. This is the balanced management of our sensory perception.
The purpose of Preksha meditation is that we bring out this form of sensory perception, wherein we only see. This is not possible without practice: to only see, only hear. Neither should the feeling of like nor dislike arise along with this perception. We should understand the motive of the word only. This is a very great power, which can be developed only through balanced management of our senses. Our mind remains entangled in the five senses. The mind is by nature restless. We should not treat it otherwise because this is its very nature. Since the mind is creative and a sum total of many thoughts, restlessness or unsteadiness is its intrinsic nature. We should learn to balance it completely. Many thoughts come to us at a time. One thought is followed by another. Thoughts are born according to the circumstances and also come from the stream of feelings within. The two streams of the mind’s ability are from within as well as from outside.
Meditation means to control the wavering nature of mind and to decrease its instability. The mind is naturally restless; but it can attain a steady state via concentration of the mind at one point. The longer the mind is static in a special sense of tranquility, the longer concentration is intensified, the longer restlessness is reduced.
It is important to reduce restlessness. Restlessness causes many problems, which creates mental instability. In a state of rest, fewer problems are created. So logically, the more restless is the mind, the more problems will develop. In other words, a mustard-seed-sized problem can magnify into one that is the size of a mountain. We can surpass problems by increasing our concentration.
The first step, then, is to practice one-pointedness. Since the senses are attracted towards their external subjects, we must redirect our concentration and focus on our internal perceptions. A daunting task because the mind works along with the senses and communicates with its subjects causing capricious thoughts and disquieting our consciousness. The mind uses the senses to communicate with the outside world; for this it uses the senses. In other words, the only means for the mind to communicate with the outer world is through the medium of the senses. Whatever raw material is presented by the senses is concretised by the mind.
The mind becomes unstable because the senses are unstable. So in meditation, the mind is employed to stabilize itself through the practice of Preksha meditation. During Preksha meditation, the breath acts as a fixed point upon with to concentrate our minds. By this, concentration is increased and balanced is restored, and the vanquishing of problems will ensue.
The restfulness of meditation can be translated into more peaceful social milieus. Restfulness inside means restfulness outside. Interior ugliness emerges in our behaviour because of the imbalanced management of the senses. By Preksha meditation we learn the art of regulating our thoughts in the right direction. The aim is to develop consciousness beyond the senses. Without a doubt life in today’s world is surrounded by many difficulties. If one problem is solved, then the next is waiting. Why is this wheel of difficulties rotating? Why is this maze before us? It is because we are not setting out in the direction of progress of higher consciousness. We have to make use of sensory perception and live on the land of practicality. We cannot quit our habits all of a sudden, as also we cannot contravene the ensuing problems. But if we firmly fix our destination as progress to the world beyond sensory consciousness, a great deal of change can be expected. Many of our problems may then appear minor. Those problems which today appear to the stressful and fraught with tension an actually be transformed. Until the senses are stabilized, the development of the world beyond sensory consciousness is not possible.