|
Varieties of Discipline
All that discipline means is, following it. For example,
when a pilot is about to take off in a plane, they have
a check list. No. 1,2,3,4....... he has to press every switch
and see it is functioning. And, when the complete check
list has been gone through and every thing is okay, then
only can he take off. What do we do? We go to the station,
we have no tickets; they are left at home! Because, we have
not bothered to check: "Do I have my money? Do I have
my ticket? Do I have myself with me? Or, have I left myself
at home?" The last statement is not a joke, though
it appears amusing. Because, Babuji once told me that most
of us leave ourselves behind when we come for Satsangh.
What it means is that my body is here but my mind is at
home.
Discipline is of several varieties: physical, mental and moral.
Physical discipline: Sit where you should sit. Sit in the way
you should sit. Maintain silence during meditation, in fact, at all
times. When it is not necessary to speak, you should be silent. Now,
because we are unable to be silent, we speak. Most people who speak
today speak because they don't know how to be silent. When you can learn
to be silent, you don't need any admonishment to be still, because a
still mind makes for a still body. But we have to start. Sit: we must
sit. Sit still: We must be still. If you are able to do this, we are
able to still the mind to a certain extent, which is the purpose of
meditation.
Mental discipline: Don't think of other things when
you are meditating. Am I able to discipline my mind? Then
the next step is given. If your mind is straying, bring
it gently back to the object of our meditation. You are
taught how to do it. "No, no sir, I get too many thoughts."
"Yes, why do you allow yourself to get so many thoughts?"
A technique is there. When the first disturbing thought
came, if you got your mind back to the meditation, I dare
say, the second disturbing thought would not come.
But what is important to understand is that if there
is no mental discipline, physical discipline cannot exist.
That is why we meditate; to achieve regulation over the
mind, make it disciplined, make it possible for us to apply
the mind where we choose, apply it, not use it, apply it
- and thereby achieve a 100% strength of mind, which makes
possible that promise of yoga, that a yogi will be skillful
in anything he does.
Moral discipline: I have often said that in India,
this unfortunate concept, that morality is only in the sex
life of the individual, is a tragedy in this country. That
is not a proper understanding of morality. Morality is in
everything that we do. Am I doing what my Master would have
done in this situation? It has nothing to do with truth
or lies, it has nothing to do with celibacy or non-celibacy,
even adultery. Is it what the Master would have done in
this circumstance, in this situation? Let me do that. I
believe this is to be the test of morality.
So, discipline is not something of the moment, for the
moment. It is like our breathing which supports our circulation.
It cannot afford to stop for even one minute. A man who
has stopped breathing for a few minutes is a man who has
stopped breathing for ever. Similarly, when a man has stopped
being disciplined for some time, he has stopped being disciplined
for ever.
|
