According to MMY, the TM is based on selecting a suitable support for meditation, called in India a "mantra", specifically a "bija" mantra. The term bija in Sanskrit means "seed" and mantra is from the Sanskrit root "man", to think, and "tra" a tool - so a mantra is a "tool for thinking". The word "transcendental" means to go beyond the gross material world of name and form. Mantras are used in meditation in order to more easily transcend the world of relativity marked by constant change, to another dimension that is unchanging, or the Absolute - Universal Consciousness.
Bija mantras are given out in an initiation by a guru. But, in fact a mantra can be anything your guru says it is. It's just like the proverbial string tied around your finger in order to remember something. According to SBS, a bija mantra signifies a particular "istadevata" - a sort of nick-name for one of the several deified heroes of Hindu and Buddhist mythology. For example, Saraswati's bija is "sring" according to Alain Danielou, the author of "Yoga: The Method of Reintegration". Danielou was a long-time student of Swami Karpatri, who was a disciple of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati, both of whom were adherents of the Sri Vidya sect whose main scripture is the Sound Arya Lahari which enumerates several TMer bija mantras. Note: My actual bija is similar but slightly different from "sring" mentioned in tantric textbooks. This notion that Universal Consciousness is the ultimate reality is called "monistic idealism" - the belief that reality is mentally constructed. That there is a immaterial construction to existence that is beyond mere sensory perception or thinking - that the relative world is supported by pure consciousness - which is the basis for the material life. This tradition comes from the Kashmere "Trika" tradition, meaning that there are different levels of human existence - namely the waking state, deep sleep, and the dream state, (sometimes referred to as "the three cities") to which Kashmere Trika adds a fourth state, pure consciousness, termed "turiya", which means in Sanskrit "the fourth". This fourth state is beyond the ordinary states of sense perception; it is totally separate from the relative field of the senses - it is "pure consciousness" or absolute non-changing Being. The idea here is that not only is the bija mantra a mnemonic device but it is also an aid on the spiritual path because of it's vibrational qualities. In Yoga Sutras we read about the "Ishvara" the Transcendental Person, which is sort of like the "God of Yogins". Ishvara can help aspirants on the spiritual path to enlightenment through developing an affinity with the Istadevata - termed "spanda" in Sanskrit - which means vibration - the essence of this vibration is the ecstatic self-referent Pure Consciousness personified as the Istdevata. According to MMY everything is spanda - vibration - both in the relative field and in the absolute field. In Kashmere tantrism there are two phases of existence, transcendental rest and relative activity. The phase of transcendental rest is called "pralaya" in Sanskrit, which has no first beginning, therefore no primal cause. The world of matter is only another form of consciousness. The Vedanta doctrine contends that there is only one ultimate reality which never changes; therefore the manifest world is an 'appearance' only, Maya. However, in Kashmere tantrism there is only one reality, but it has *two aspects* - the manifestation, Maya, is real - this notion is based on the argument that the effect cannot be different from its cause. In "Beacon Light of the Himalayas", MMY says that we take the name of the Istadevata in order to become attuned to the vibrations that animate the universe: "For our practice, we select only the suitable mantras of personal Gods. Such mantras fetch to us the grace of personal Gods and make us happier in every walk of life." But, strictly speaking, the bija mantras are not the actual names of the Gods - they are just the familiar nick-names. Apparently only very highly evolved individuals get to be on a first name basis with God Almighty! Go figure. In fact, all the TM bija mantras are common tantric householder mantras. All the Devatas such as Saraswati, Ram, and Shyam are attuned to their own vibrations. All of the Devatas are highly evolved humans that have become realized Siddhas. The Devatas attained this elevated level by yogic means. That's why MMY selected only suitable mantras that the ancient yogis used, because they are time-tested - their effects are known. According to the Shankaracharya tradition, such mantras indeed give us the grace of the Hindu Gods. In India it is believed that it is gross to address the Gods with their proper names, hence the bijas are just nick-names used as a subtle way to get the attention of the Devatas in order to help us on our spiritual path. I mean, who doesn't like to hear the sound of their own nick-name? In many satsangs SBS explained this for our understanding: "When the mind is mainly engaged in thinking of God, you shall receive His grace. The experience of the Bhaktas also goes to prove this declaration of the Lord. People are unhappy because they do not have a chosen deity (Ishta). Without Ishta, people turn out to be orphans. It is only Ishta that saves one from anishta (untoward happenings). Of the five Deities - Shankara, Vishnu (Ram, Krishna), Surya, Ganesh and Devi, whosoever is more adorable to you, the mantra of that Deity should be repeated by you every day. You must get to know the mantra of your Ishta, and the method of dhyan (meditation) thereof, through an experienced Satguru and somehow or other, devote some time every day in japa of the Ishta mantra and dhyan. Through japa, Realisation (Siddha) will result. There is no doubt about this." Works cited: 'Yoga: The Method of Re-Integration' by Alain Danielou University Books, 1955 'Beacon Light of the Himalayas' by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi SRM Publications, 1955 http://tinyurl.com/ydl84gy 'Gurudev Satsang' by Swami Brahmanand Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math http://www.paulmason.info/gurudev/gurudev.htm On Mon, Nov 25, 2013 at 11:58 AM, <dhamiltony...@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Richard don't need no stinking jyotishi to tell him. He resonates it. > > -Buck > > > ---In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, <sharelong60@...> wrote: > > Richard, it makes sense to me that Saraswati is your ishta devata but I am > curious about how you know that. If it's not too private. Did a jyotishi > tell you or did you have an experience? BTW, wonderful knowledge in this > post, thank you. Saraswati was obviously by your side when you wrote it (-: > >
