4-The Path of Meditation

7/17/2019 4-The Path of Meditation

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PART I: THE VISION OF GOD AND MAN AND OTHER LECTURES

THE PATH OF MEDITATION

THERE is a trace of the meitati!e to "e fo#$ i$ a%% a&es' a$ (et $o o$e ca$ f#%%(

e)*%ai$ i$ +ors +h( *eo*%e *erform their meitatio$s or +hat the( e)*erie$ce

+hi%e oi$& so, I$ orer to ma-e this more ta$&i"%e I +o#% %i-e to sa( that %ife ca$"e i!ie i$to t+o sectio$s: the o#ter %ife a$ the %ife +ithi$, There are !er( fe+

e!e$ amo$& the i$te%%ect#a% +ho +i%% reai%( a&ree +he$ I sa( that there e)ists a %ife

+ithi$' si$ce their i$te%%ect has -e*t them occ#*ie +ith the %ife o#tsie. the

e)*erie$ce the( ha!e ha of the o#ter %ife "( the he%* of reaso$ a$ %o&ic is their

o$%( e)*erie$ce' a$ it is this +hich the( ca%% their %ear$i$& or -$o+%e&e, If o$e

s*ea-s of a$(thi$& e%se to them the( +i%% sa(' /This is a m(stificatio$' it is co$f#si$&'

+hat +e +o#% %i-e as *roof is a *he$ome$o$0/ 1esies' +ors ca$ sa( so %itt%e a"o#t

somethi$& that is o$%( e)*erie$ce "( the meitati!e, Ho+ ca$ a *erso$ +ho has

ha a certai$ *ai$' a *ai$ +hich is $ot e)*erie$ce "( a$(o$e e%se' e)*%ai$ to

a$other ho+ it fee%s2 It is the o$e +ho e)*erie$ces the *ai$ +ho -$o+s +hat it is,

Therefore +e ca$ *#t i$to +ors a%% fi$e e)*erie$ces i$ %ife a$ (et e)*ress so %itt%eof them,

I$ orer to sim*%if( this iea I +o#% %i-e to i!ie these t+o as*ects' the meitati!e

a$ the +or%%(' i$to t+o cate&ories, O$e is co$$ecte +ith actio$' the other +ith

re*ose, M#ch as actio$ is $eee i$ %ife' re*ose is 3#st as $ecessar(. a$ sometimes

re*ose is e!e$ more $ecessar( tha$ actio$, A%% s#ch com*%ai$ts as $er!o#s i%%$ess

a$ isorers of the mi$ come from %ac- of re*ose, This rea%m of %ife' +hich is

e)*%ore "( meitatio$' is the +or% of re*ose, A$ as o$e ca$ sa( that "( a certai$

-i$ of +or- o$e has &athere this or that e)*erie$ce' or has a certai$ s#ccess' or

has ae a *artic#%ar as*ect to o$e/s -$o+%e&e' so o$e ca$ a%so sa( that "( this

metho of re*ose o$e has ac4#ire a certai$ stre$&th' i%%#mi$atio$' a$ *eace,

A$ +he$ +e &o a %itt%e f#rther +e +i%% fi$ that it is this co$ce*t of re*ose +hich

the +ise t#r$ i$to a metho' co$sieri$& it most sacre' for "( this *rocess the(

attai$ to somethi$& m#ch more !a%#a"%e tha$ a$(thi$& o#r actio$s ca$ "ri$& #s,

The first ste* o$ this *ath of meitatio$ ma( "e ca%%e co$ce$tratio$, This mea$s

the a"i%it( to co$tro% o#r mi$' +hich is sometimes acti!e +ith o#r +i%% a$

sometimes +itho#t it, 5hat +e ca%% ima&i$atio$ is a$ a#tomatic +or-i$& of the

mi$' a$ +hat +e ca%% tho#&ht is a$ actio$ of the mi$ a$ +i%%, Therefore s#ch

+ors as /ima&i$ati!e/ a$ /tho#&htf#%/ isti$&#ishe the co$itio$ of the mi$: that

+e either a%%o+ o#r mi$ to +or- as it +ishes' or #se o#r mi$ to +or- accori$& to

o#r +i%%,

A$other thi$& that ca$ "e accom*%ishe "( co$ce$tratio$ is the fo%%o+i$&, The mi$is a storeho#se of a%% im*ressio$s that o$e has &athere thro#&h the fi!e se$ses. a$

the most +o$erf#% *he$ome$o$ that o$e ca$ *ercei!e is that e!er( o$e of those

im*ressio$s is at ha$ as soo$ as the mi$ as- it to *rese$t itse%f "efore o$e, The(

i$sta$t%( come to "e #se, For i$sta$ce a$ artist +a$ts to *ai$t a +o$erf#% *ict#re,

He +o#% %i-e it to "e a *ict#re of a ma$' "#t at the same time a$ #$#s#a% o$e, As

soo$ as he c%oses his e(es ima&es of the hor$s of a$ a$ima%' of the +i$& of a "ir' a$

of the "o( of a fish *rese$t themse%!es' a$ the$ he *ai$ts a fi&#re +ith hor$s'



+i$&s' a$ the "o( of a fish' com"i$i$& a%% i$to o$e fa"#%o#s +ho%e, No+ +hat

+o#% o$e ca%% this actio$2 This actio$ is a$ actio$ of the +i%% of the artist' +ho

+a$te to *ro#ce somethi$& +o$erf#%' a$ the mi$ +as i$sta$t%( rea( to

s#**%( from the storeho#se a%% that the artist +ishe,

A$other sie of this 4#estio$ is that ima&i$atio$ a%so he%*s co$ce$tratio$, As soo$ as

a *erso$ has ima&i$e a r#$$i$& stream' he a%so ima&i$es the roc-s $ear "( a$ the"ea#tif#% sce$er(' +hich is ro#$ the s*ri$&, From this +e %ear$ that co$ce$tratio$

is $ot o$%( somethi$& that is *ractice "( a m(stic or a *hi%oso*her' "#t e!er("o( 6

i$ "#si$ess' i$ his art' i$ i$#str( 6 *ractices co$ce$tratio$ to some e)te$t, At the

same time it is co$ce$tratio$' +hich ma-es a *erso$ a &e$i#s' it is co$ce$tratio$

+hich "ri$&s s#ccess' a$ it is co$ce$tratio$ +hich is the m(ster( of the

accom*%ishme$t of a%% thi$&s,

A$ +he$ o$e &oes a %itt%e f#rther o$ the same *ath o$e fi$s that there is

co$tem*%atio$' +hich mea$s the retai$i$& of the same tho#&ht or tho#&ht7*ict#re,

The isti$ctio$ "et+ee$ co$ce$tratio$ a$ co$tem*%atio$ is that the former is the

com*ositio$ of form, It is iffic#%t to e)*%ai$ to +hat e)te$t the *o+er of

co$tem*%atio$ +or-s. those +ho are ac4#ai$te +ith the +or-i$&s of co$tem*%atio$

ca$ o$%( ca%% its res#%ts a *he$ome$o$, The reaso$ is that the mi$ is creati!e

"eca#se the i!i$e s*irit is creati!e' a$ "eca#se the s*irit is creati!e therefore the

mi$ i$herits' as its i!i$e herita&e' the fac#%t( of creati$&, No o$e' ho+e!er

materia%' +i%% e$( the fact that a%% "ea#t( a$ art' thro#&h +hate!er rea%m it is

ma$ifeste' thro#&h scie$ce of i$#str(' is a *he$ome$o$ of the mi$, A%% the

+o$erf#% thi$&s mae i$ the +or% i$ the +a( of i$!e$tio$s' architect#re' of art'

ha!e come as a *he$ome$o$ of the mi$, 1#t the( are most%( the *he$ome$o$ of

the acti!e mi$' a$ o$e oes $ot rea%i8e ho+ &reat the *he$ome$a are +he$

*ro#ce "( a co$tro%%e mi$' co$tro%%e thro#&h co$ce$tratio$ a$

co$tem*%atio$,

A$ +he$ +e *rocee sti%% f#rther +e come to the as*ect +e ca%%' meitatio$' a$

e)*erie$ce +hich is "ro#&ht a"o#t "( a *erfect co$tro% of the mi$ a$ "( risi$&

a"o!e the actio$ of the mi$' a$ e)*erie$ce "( +hich the i$$er sie of %ife "e&i$s to

re!ea% itse%f, For i$sta$ce if (o# as- a *erso$' /Te%% me a"o#t (o#r "ei$&' +hat (o#

-$o+ a"o#t it'/ he +i%% sa(' /I ha!e a *h(sica% "o( com*ose of fi!e se$ses' s#"3ect

to se$satio$' *%eas#re' *ai$' eca(' a$ isease, A$ if I ha!e a$(thi$& more'

*erha*s some+here i$ the "rai$ I ha!e the fac#%t( of thi$-i$&, Perha*s' as ma$(

scie$tists sa(' it is a$ im*ressio$ i$ m( "rai$ of a%% the thi$&s I ha!e see$. a$ that is

+hat I -$o+ of m( mi$, If there is a$(thi$& e%se I -$o+ a"o#t m(se%f it is a fee%i$&'

+hich I ma( ca%% %o!e or s(m*ath(' "#t I o $ot -$o+ +here it is. *erha*s it is a

se$satio$ %i-e the other se$satio$s +hich I *ercei!e, 1esies this I o $ot -$o+a$(thi$& a"o#t m(se%f e)ce*t the affairs that I ha!e to atte$ to i$ m( e!er(a( %ife,/

This sho+s that the ma3orit( of *eo*%e' a$ a !er( %ar&e ma3orit(' -$o+ !er( %itt%e

a"o#t themse%!es. +hat the( -$o+ a"o#t themse%!es is that %imite *art +hich

ca$$ot "e com*are +ith the *art that is to "e fo#$ +ithi$,

Sho#% $ot this *art the$' +hich is m#ch %ar&er a$ of the &reatest im*orta$ce' "e

e)*%ore2 A$ is it $ot &reat $e&%i&e$ce o$ the *art of ma$' +hich ma( "e ca%%e

s%ee*' that he &oes o$' a( after a(' +itho#t &i!i$& e!e$ a tho#&ht to that *art of his



"ei$& +hich is of m#ch &reater im*orta$ce tha$ the *art he -$o+s2 I$ s*ite of a%%

the +ea%th that o$e ma( ear$' a$ i$ s*ite of a%% o$e/s s#ccess a$ the ra$- a$

*ositio$ that o$e ma( attai$' o$e has %ost a &reat ea%' if %ife is %ost, A$ if that *art

of o$ese%f is $ot fo#$ +hich is so m#ch hi&her a$ &reater' a$ +hich ca$ "e ca%%e

sacre or the herita&e of the i!i$e 1ei$&, It is the i$$er se%f' a$ it ca$ "e e)*%ore

"( the *ath of meitatio$, 5he$ o$ce this *art of o$ese%f is isco!ere the$rea%i8atio$ comes i$ the form of %i&ht' a$ %i&ht "ecomes %i-e the %a$ter$ of A%ai$'

+hich +as fo#$ +ith &reat iffic#%t(' "#t +he$ it +as irecte o$ to %ife it mae %ife

re!ea% itse%f,

I$ I$ia there is a$ am#si$& stor( +hich i%%#strates this iea, A (o#$& %a +as se$t

to schoo%, He "e&a$ his %esso$ +ith the other chi%re$' a$ the first %esso$ the

teacher set him +as the strai&ht %i$e' the fi&#re /o$e/, 1#t +hereas the others +e$t

o$ *ro&ressi$&' this chi% co$ti$#e +riti$& the same fi&#re, After t+o or three a(s

the teacher came #* to him a$ sai' /Ha!e (o# fi$ishe (o#r %esso$2/ He sai' /No I

am sti%% +riti$& /o$e/,/ He +e$t o$ oi$& the same thi$&' a$ +he$ at the e$ of the

+ee- the teacher as-e him a&ai$ he sai' /I ha!e $ot (et fi$ishe it,/ The teacher

tho#&ht he +as a$ iiot a$ sho#% "e se$t a+a(' as he co#% $ot or i $ot +a$t to%ear$, At home the chi% co$ti$#e +ith the same e)ercise' a$ the *are$ts a%so

"ecame tire a$ is&#ste, He sim*%( sai' /I ha!e hot (et %ear$e it' I am %ear$i$&

it, 5he$ I ha!e fi$ishe I sha%% ta-e the other %esso$s,/ The *are$ts sai' /The other

chi%re$ are &oi$& o$ f#rther' the schoo% has &i!e$ (o# #*' a$ (o# o $ot sho+ a$(

*ro&ress. +e are tire of (o#,/ A$ the %a tho#&ht +ith sa heart that as he ha

is*%ease his *are$ts too he ha "etter %ea!e home, So he +e$t i$to the +i%er$ess

a$ %i!e o$ fr#its a$ $#ts, After a %o$& time he ret#r$e to his o% schoo%' a$

+he$ he sa+ the teacher he sai to him' /I thi$- I ha!e %ear$e it, See if I ha!e, Sha%%

I +rite o$ this +a%%2 A$ +he$ he mae his si&$ the +a%% s*%it i$ t+o,

5hat oes this stor( te%% #s2 It te%%s #s that there is a$other irectio$ of %ear$i$&'

+hich is 4#ite co$trar( to +hat +e &e$era%%( #$ersta$ "( %ear$i$&, 5he$ this %a+as ta#&ht to +rite /o$e'/ he co#% $ot see "e(o$ /o$e,/ He tho#&ht: t+o is o$e a$

o$e is o$e, 5hat is fo#r2 It is o$e a$ o$e a$ o$e a$ o$e, It +as to this /o$e/ that

he *#t his mi$' a$ +he$ he +e$t i$to the +i%er$ess +hat +as his co$tem*%atio$2

E!er( tree s#&&este the same fi&#re /o$e/ to him. e!er( *%a$t' e!er(thi$& i$ $at#re

he sa+ as /o$e/' "eca#se e!er(thi$& i$ $at#re is #$i4#e' a$ it is the #$i4#e$ess i$

$at#re' +hich is the *roof of the o$e$ess "ehi$ it a%%, This s(m"o%ica% stor( of the

+a%% "ei$& s*%it i$ t+o e)*%ai$s that +he$ the meitati!e *erso$ has e!e%o*e the

se$se of o$e$ess' +here!er he cast his &%a$ce' o$ a h#ma$ "ei$&' o$ a$ o"3ect' it +i%%

o*e$ itse%f 3#st as the +a%% o*e$e i$to t+o' a$ it +i%% sho+ him its character' its

$at#re' its secret' a$ its m(ster(, Peo*%e +ho rea occ#%tism sa( that there are

three e(es' a$ that the thir is the i$$er E(e, 5hat oes this mea$2 It mea$s thatthe !er( t+o e(es +e ha!e t#r$ from t+o i$to O$e' a$ +he$ he rea%i8es O$e' the$

his e(es "ecome o$e. a$ i$ "ecomi$& o$e this e(e o"tai$s s#ch *o+er that it *ierces

a%% thi$&s a$ -$o+s a%% thi$&s, It is for this -$o+%e&e that the e(e o*e$s,

1#t $o+ o$e mi&ht as- a 4#estio$, Toa( +e %i!e i$ a +or% of str#&&%e' +here there

is o$%( str#&&%e to &ai$ thi$&s of o#r choice a$ %o$&i$&' "#t e!e$ the str#&&%e for a

%i!i$&' the str#&&%e for e)iste$ce, 5hat ca$ o$e o #$er s#ch co$itio$s' a$ +hat



sha%% +e attai$ "( comi$& to the rea%i8atio$ a"o#t +hich I ha!e s*o-e$2 The a$s+er

is that this iffic#%t( of %ife' +hich +e e)*erie$ce 3#st $o+' is $ot a iffic#%t( +hich

arises from the co$itio$s. it comes from o#r i$i!i#a% se%!es, It is +e +ho ca#se

this iffic#%t(. it is $ot that the co$itio$s ha!e mae it iffic#%t for #s, It is $ot tr#e

that the +or% is sma%% a$ its *o*#%atio$ !ast. the +or% +o#% "e %ar&e e$o#&h to

accommoate a *o*#%atio$ te$ time &reater' if o$%( ma$ +ere as he o#&ht to "e' if he+ere h#ma$e' if his fee%i$&s to+ar others +ere +hat the( sho#% "e, It is $ot that i$

this +or% there is a shorta&e of a%% that is &oo a$ "ea#tif#% a$ of a%% that +e

$ee, The shorta&e is i$ o#r hearts: +e o $ot +a$t others to ha!e a$(thi$&, A$ it

is the c#%t#re of h#ma$it(' +hich +i%% "ri$& a"o#t "etter co$itio$s' a$ $ot this

o#ter cha$&e +ith +hich ma$( occ#*( themse%!es' thi$-i$& that thro#&h this

cha$&e the co$itio$s of the +or% +i%% im*ro!e,

Ma$ e)*erie$ces a -i$&%i$ess of so#% +he$ he &ets i$to to#ch +ith his i$$er "ei$&'

a$ he e)*erie$ces s%a!er(' i$ s*ite of a%% that he ma( *ossess i$ %ife' if he has $ot

come i$to to#ch +ith his i$$er se%f, 1#t' o$e ma( sa(' ca$ a meitati!e *erso$ $ot

e)*%ai$ i$ +ors the -$o+%e&e that he recei!es' so that others ca$ rea s#ch a "oo-

a$ th#s ac4#ire this -$o+%e&e2 1#t I sho#% %i-e to sa( that if a ma$ +ho hatra!e%e to Ve$ice &a!e a$ acco#$t of +hat he ha see$ there' it +o#% e$tertai$ (o#

for a mome$t' "#t it +o#% $ot &i!e (o# the same 3o( as (o# +o#% e)*erie$ce "(

tra!e%i$& to Ve$ice (o#rse%f, That +hich a meitati!e *erso$ e)*erie$ces i$ his

meitatio$ is $ot a s*ec#%atio$' $either is it a -i$ of co$ce*tio$ or iea that a ma$

ca$ c%othe i$ the form of *oetr(' that he ca$ e)*%ai$' that he ca$ e)*ress, 1esies'

+hat is o#r %a$&#a&e mae of2 It is com*ose of $ames' +hich +ere &i!e$ to o"3ects'

to thi$&s that are i$te%%i&i"%e to #s, There are $o +ors' +hich ca$ e)*ress that

+hich is #$i$te%%i&i"%e. a$ the he%* of e)*%a$atio$s ca$$ot e)*erie$ce the

e)*erie$ce' +hich is "e(o$ +ors, 5he$ $ot e!e$ o#r e!er(a( e)*erie$ces +he$

$ot e!e$ o#r e!er(a( e)*erie$ces s#ch as &ratef#%$ess' s(m*ath(' *it(' e!otio$'

ca$ "e e)*%ai$e i$ +ors' the$ s#ch a fee%i$& as is e)*erie$ce "( the he%* ofe)*%a$atio$s, 5he$ $ot e!e$ o#r e!er(a( e)*erie$ces' s#ch as &ratef#%$ess'

s(m*ath(' *it(' e!otio$' ca$ "e e)*%ai$e i$ +ors' the$ s#ch a fee%i$& as is

e)*erie$ce "( comi$& i$to the state of meitatio$' "( "ei$& i$ comm#$io$ +ith

o$e/s i$$er se%f' is so sacre that it ca$ i$ $o +a( "e e)*%ai$e i$ +ors, That is +h(

i$ the East this +a( is so#&ht #$er the &#ia$ce of those +ho ha!e troe$ this

*ath,

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4-The Path of Meditation