THE YOGIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS DEATH AND DYING By Yogacharya Pradeep John Muthaiya Graduate 35 th Annual International Yoga Teachers training course ICYER 2003-04 Peace Invocation Om Sahanavavathu. Sahanaubhunaktu. Saha viryamkaravavahai. Tejasvinavadhitamastu Ma vidvisavahai. Om. Introduction: The Bhagavad-Gita defines Yoga as Skill in Action. Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj defines Yoga as A Way of Life. The most essential Yogic quality a man should develop is the Right Attitude. Swamiji also defines Yoga as Right- Use-Ness which is to do the Right Thing in the Right Place at the Right time. For one to develop this high quality one must develop the qualities such as Vairagya (detachment) and Viveka (discrimination). These must be the basic qualities in a Yogic aspirant. It is said that when a person is born his soul enters through the top of the head at the Trikuti Bindu. Now when a person dies the soul either leaves through the Anus if one is at a gross level or through the Mouth if one is at a better level in the evolutionary ladder. The last and the best way to leave the body is through the top of the head, which is considered to be at a higher level of spiritual evolution. In the Hindu Vedas the Kathopanishad deals with the true nature of Death and what Death really is. It is story of Nachiketa asking Lord Yama, The King Of death the mysteries about Death. The Kathopanishad: The Vedas are of four in number Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva. The end parts of the Vedas are termed as Upanishads and there are many of which 12 are said to be important. The term Upanishad means that which destroys the ignorance of the individual soul, that which guides the seeker towards the attainment of the higher wisdom and perfection, that which loosens our attachment to the material world and to our own physical, perishable self. According to Swami Rama the word Mantra means that which liberates the mind from grief and sorrow. The Kathopanishad belongs to the Katha Shaakha of the Krishna Yajurveda. The Kathopanishad consists of two chapters, each consisting of three cantos
or dialogues. The first chapter consists of 71 Mantras and the second contains 48 Mantras. The beautiful story of Nachiketa teaches us that one who renounces all worldly desires and who is intensely sincere will surely obtain the highest Truth. The greatest pleasures of the world are transitory. The pleasure and pain are conditioned responses influenced by thoughts and deeds, which one can transcend through the practice of Yoga. All the earthly desires drag a person to the earthly plane. And thus one cannot seek the Knowledge of the higher Self. A Yogi after his renunciation of all worldly desires realizes that he becomes immortal even if he dies from the worldly point of view. Every aspirant should be ready to die for the sake of higher knowledge before treading the path of contemplation and self-realization. Those who attain the highest knowledge and immortality by attaining high states of consciousness, they alone can understand the mystery of death and explain it to those who are treading the path of Yoga. The King of Death said, There are two things in this world. One is Good (Shreya) the other is Pleasure (Preya). And these change the nature of man in various ways. The wise accept that which is Good whereas the ignorant resort to that which is Pleasant. There are 2 courses of action, one through difficulty leads to the knowledge of the higher truth and the other apparently is the pleasant. The acceptance of one implies the rejection of the other. The same ideas are taught by Jesus Christ No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other. Ye cannot serve God and Money. The one who chooses the God will understand what Christ meant when he said, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. The Mind Manas, the sub conscious mind Chitta and the Ego Ahamkara together form the internal instruments Antahkarana of the human body. For an aspirant to realise the higher Truths, he should be able to calm or the cessation of the whirlpools of the sub conscious mind, Yogash Chitta Vritti Nirodha, which is the definition given by Maharishi Patanjali. Once an aspirant is able to do this with consciousness he can progress towards higher aspects of Yoga. The Rishis after deep probing gave predominance to thoughts in human kind for the spiritual evolution. LET NOBLE THOUGHTS COME TO US FROM EVERYSIDE, A NO BHADRA KRATAVO VANTU VISHVATAH is the prayer from the Rig Veda(.89.1). LET THE ALMIGHTY CONFER ON US A PURE INTELLECT, SA NO BUDHYA SHUBHAYA SAMYYUNAKTU is found in the Upanishads. The famous Gayatri Mantra DHIYA YO NAH PRACHOTAYAT is a prayer to the Almighty for enlightenment of the intellect. There are 2 significant paths. One is the Pravritti which means circling forward or revolving towards mundane things. The other is Nivritti which means, circling or revolving inwards concentrating solely on the True Self. The blows of misfortune often wake the soul. Misfortune is a great teacher to mankind. Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj explains that We do not have problems, we are the problem. Once we realise this we are able to learn from our problem and treat it as challenges we face. Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj teaches, We must learn to live and not live to learn. One need not learn hard lessons in life. Living a very conscious life will definitely reduce all problems. Smt. Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani Ji often says, God gives us problems that we can handle. So all the problems we face are actually the ones we can handle. The true Yogi is able to understand this and can face the problems or the challenges as a way to grow spiritually.
Once a person seeking the truth is able to discriminate between the mortal and the immortal, he attains the glory of Super Consciousness or Atman. Here death had no access and there is lasting joy and bliss. When one establishes oneself in the Dridha Sankalpa (firm determination) and continues the practice of Yoga, one day goes beyond the mire of delusion, beyond all sorrows, miseries and pain. In order to realise the Atman, the innermost wall has to be broken which is the Ego. The Ego Ahamkara is subtler than the senses, mind and the intellect. It is the reflection of the Atman. The ego is subject to change, but the Divine Self, the Atman is not subject to change or evolution. That which is beyond virtues and vices is the Absolute Reality. The Atman is beyond our thoughts, desires and actions. We perceive through our senses, which is the expression of relative existence. This relative existence is subject to change and depends on time and space. Time is the interval between two thoughts and space is the coexistence of thoughts. Maharishi Patanjali defines time as succession of moments. The universe is eternal hence its laws are also eternal. The body dies but the soul continues to exist. The true Self cannot be destroyed. There are different spiritual realms where one remains which are beyond the senses and can be perceived only through spiritual realization. The process of death does not purify but only changes the condition. The soul at the time of death throws the body and assumes a new body based on the desires and tendencies on a higher or lower plane. We are the creators of our future destiny by our thoughts and deeds. It is our thoughts and deeds that punish us NOT GOD. According to the Law of Karma, which is law of Cause and Effect, any thought, word or deed there is definitely an effect. But death does not change ones true nature, only the body assumes another form. All the sorrows, suffering and pain spring from ignorance Avidya whereas true happiness springs from knowledge Vidya and realizing the True Self Atman. It is knowledge, which leads to Anandam. There are three conditions of phenomenal existence, which are the tree aspects of Maya, which are Time Space and Causation. The Yogi who is able to rise above this discovers the eternal self or the Atman. The Atman is not subject to birth or death, which is unchangeable and imperishable. In order to know the Atman one should be pure of heart should have a sharp intellect and a sense of Viveka (discrimination). The source of consciousness is the unchangeable, immortal, all pervading Atman. The consciousness is an inherent essence of our being and it does not die. We are all born with knowledge. We don t gain knowledge from outside, it is within us. All that we learn and absorb are suggestions that help us to realise the true reality. The reality of Life is life itself. Swami Rama says Life is a continuous existence from eternity to eternity. The Mundaka Upanishad describes the Atman or Brahman as Not by sight is It (Brahman) grasped, not even by speech, Not by any other sense organs, austerities or work. By the peace of knowledge, one s nature purified In that way, however, by meditating, one does behold Him, Who is without parts.
It is important that the aspirant must not have desires. The desires hold the mind back and imprisons it. The Rishis have prescribed a way to liberate the mind from all disturbing thoughts, emotions and desires and to attain Dhyanam Nirvishayam Manah, or the Eight Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga. The 8 steps of Ashtanga Yoga are a) Yama, b) Niyama, c) Asana, d) Pranayama, e) Pratyahara, f) Dharana, g) Dhyana, h) Samadhi. I. Yama: It is the moral restraints necessary to maintain the status of the human being. Yama is also a way to restrain the animal nature. There are five Yamas: a) Ahimsa: It means non-violence. The true non-violence is in thought, word and deed. It is the refusal to injure another as well as oneself in any way. b) Satya: It means Truth. It is living a life based on true spiritual values and higher considerations. c) Asteya: It means non-stealing. It is not taking things, which are not rightfully ours. d) Brahmacharya: It means sexual celibacy or sexual purity for the student and as purity of mind and actions for the mature seeker of spiritual unity. e) Aparigraha: It means restrain of greed and selfishness. It is curbing the desire to possess Me and Mineness". II. Niyama: It is the ethical observances necessary to evolve from the human state to one more humane and potentially divine. There are five Niyamas: a) Saucha: It means cleanliness of both Outer and Inner, which includes cleanliness of emotions and mind. b) Santosha: It means mental serenity. It is quietness of the mind in the midst of confusion. c) Tapas: It means Disciplined life. It is a way to have self-discipline and increase self-awareness. d) Swadyaya: It means self-awareness, self-study, and self-analysis. Selfknowledge can free us from illusions and delusions. e) Atman Pranidhana: It means the attentiveness to God. It is learning to interpret the voice of the inner reality. III. Asana: It is s body posture held without movement. The body position should have a certain structure. It should have specific meaning and purpose and also should produce a certain effect. It is a disciplined body posture. According to Patanjali Asana is a body posture which is held with ease. IV. Pranayama: It is the control of the vital force, Prana in the air that we breathe. Prana means divine mother energy, the Universal creative power and Yama
means control or science of control. Pranayama is the conscious breathing when we are aware of our breath. V. Pratyahara: It is the sensory control culminating in the withdrawal of the senses from the object of their attachment. Sense withdrawal produces unique awareness of the senses and how they use the body as well as the emotions and how they feed upon the sensate experience of the same body. VI. Dharana: It means one pointed concentration. The one pointedness of concentration raises the Yogi into the higher stages of the mind where the Buddhi or intellect is available as an instrument of the cosmic mind. VII. Dhyana: It means meditation. It is the approach through the human mind to the higher states of consciousness. Its by-product is contentment and happiness, peace of mind along with the knowledge of one s self which leads to greater wisdom, knowing life. It is a transcendental state. VIII. Samadhi: It is the Cosmic Consciousness or Universal Awareness. The early states are referred to as Sabikalpa Samadhi while the higher and deeper phases are known as Nirbikalpa Samadhi when the Nirbikalpa Samadhi state is perfected it is referred to as Samadhi. The entity experiences a state known as Jivan Mukti. A free soul, a realised one. Some of the Vedic Mantras: Mantra I: Om Tryambakam Yajamahe Sugundhim Phusti Vardhanam, Urva Rukamiva Bandhanat Mrityor Mukshiya Mamra Tat Om. The meaning of this Mantra is: We worship the three-eyed one Shiva, who is fragrant and nourishes all beings. May He liberate us from death for the sake of Immortality, even as the cucumber is severed from its bondage to the creeper Mantra II: Om Asatoma Sadgamaya Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya Mrityurma amritamgamaya Hari Om tat sat Om. The meaning of this Mantra is:
From untruth lead me to truth From darkness lead me to light, From death to immortality I am That truth. Sufism and the Mystics of Islam: The entire mystic ideology of Islam is based on two aspects, which are Love of God and Personal contact with Him. The whole purpose of Sufism is to give the soul an escape from the prison of the body and senses, recovery of the original unity with the One, while still in the body. The body should not be put off, rather it should be refined and made spiritual, it should be a help and not a hindrance to the spirit. In some ways the Upanishadic ideas of death and Sufi conception of passing away Fana are similar. Fana is accompanied by everlasting Life in God Baqa. Fana is the extinctions of all passions and desires, it is the transcendence of the senses, as it were, advocated in the Upanishads. The Sufi who seeks the goal of the union with the ultimate Reality Fana l- Haqq calls himself a traveler Salik and advances by slow stages Maqamat along a path Tariqat to his final goal. The stages are a) Repentance b) Abstinence c) Renunciation d) Poverty e) Patience f) Trust in God g) Satisfaction. These stages are similar to the stages in the Raja Yoga. In Sufism just as in the Upanishads teaches that only by transcending the senses can one reach the Ultimate Truth. The great Sufi mystic Jalaluddin Rumi uttered this prayer I died as a mineral and became a plant, I died as a plant and rose to animal. I died as animal and I was man. Why should I fear? When was I less by dying? Yet once more I shall die as man, to soar With angels blest: but even from angelhood I must pass on: all except God doth perish. When I have sacrificed my angel soul, I shall become what no mind e er conceived. Oh, let me not exist! For Non-existence Proclaims in organ tones: To Him we shall return.
The Christian Faith: The concept of sin and evil, finitude, grace, redemption, predestination, resurrection, the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit, which is all, encompassed in Christianity and is not seen in other religions. The Bible teaches that God created man by breathing the spirit into the dust of the earth. Man dies when God withdraws his spirit and man returns to dust, For dust you are and to dust you will return (Gen 3:19). The wages for sin is death. Death is not an arbitrary penalty imposed by God for the transgressions of man, but it is self-imposed. In the Christian Gospel, death is a means of salvation and not a penalty for sin. So when a believer dies he begins to live in the Spirit, he lives Unto the Lord. The Apostle Paul put this in a striking phrase Ye died, and your lives are hid with Christ in God. And in the fourth Apostle Jesus Christ is quoted as He that believeth hath eternal life. The Grace of God is God s personal attribute to man. The faith of man in Christ, in his death, burial and his resurrection binds man with God s grace. Without faith in Christ grace is unattainable. The grace of God comes with forgiveness. Grace is impossible without forgiveness. Forgiveness itself an act of grace which brings the sinful man into the right communion with God through Christ. The Bible teaches that man sins as a whole being, dies as a whole being and is judged by God as a whole being. The Way of the Buddha: The first concern of Buddha was suffering and ways to overcome it. Buddha was not concerned with God and the soul. His immediate reality was suffering in its various faces. This suffering could be overcome by the perfection of character and devotion to the good. The Buddha was concerned with the immediate problem of understanding suffering and through that understanding the alleviation of pain. There are Four Noble Truths, which are central to Buddha s teachings, they are There is suffering; That suffering has a cause; That it can be suppressed; And that there is a way to accomplish it. The Buddha insisted and taught that there was a way to end sorrow, pain and suffering. He called it The Middle Path. The Buddha taught that the hindrances to the Spiritual Path were pleasure and severe austerities. The Buddha teaches that the first Noble Truth is the existence of pain. He said, The five aggregates that spring from attachment are painful. The second Noble Truth was knowing the cause of pain. The root cause was desire which stems from ignorance. For man to be free from pain he has to get rid of desire; from desire came clinging. If there would be no desire there would be any pain or suffering. The third Noble Truth, that the Taan the thirst for pleasure could be got rid of, set aside for man s quest of Nirvana. The way out is the fourth Noble Truth or also call the Eight Fold Path and it consists of: i. Right views ii. Right aspirations iii. Right speech
iv. Right conduct v. Right livelihood vi. Right effort vii. Right mindfulness viii. Right contemplation. This Eight Fold Path is the systematization of ethics and a practical guide to wisdom. Buddhism teaches us the three Veneration: Buddham sharanam gacchami. Dhammam shararam gacchami. Sangham sharanam gacchami. In an insecure world they are a source of strength; I take refuge in Enlightenment; I take refuge in the Eternal Law; I take refuge in the Fellowship of Virtues. Conclusion: The basic teachings of all religions and philosophy is the same, which is to realise the Universal Self, Almighty God, Allah, Brahman in order to be free from the fear of death. We must not fear death, but realise that when something is born by the laws of nature has to die sooner or later. Worrying about death is not the answer since death is inevitable. The only thing one can do is to be aware of it and lead a righteous life. When one has the quality of Atman Pranidhana one will never fear death. But take it as a part of life. A very important principle that one can follow in life is To do ones best and leave the rest to God. This will free man from all desires, because the desires are the bane of man's existence. Man spends all his life searching for peace and happiness outside, in his home, family, friends etc. but he should realise true happiness comes from within. Man should realise the True Self which is within him and he will find eternal peace and happiness where ever he goes. There is a very beautiful quotation from the Mahabharata, which is very inspiring and teaches one to take the right attitude towards Death. Do good today, time passes, death is near. Death fall upon a man all unawares Like a ferocious wolf upon a sheep. Death comes when his approach is least expected; Death sometimes seizes ere the work of life Is finished or its purposes accomplished. Death caries off the weak and strong alike The brave and timourous, the wise and foolish, And those whose objects are not yet achieved. Therefore delay not. Death may come today,
Death will not wait to know if thou art ready Or if thy work be done. Be active now While thou art young, and time still thy own This very day, perform tomorrow s work. This very morning, do thy evening s task When duty is discharged, then if thou live Honour and happiness will be thy lot And if thou die, supreme beatitude. Mahabharata XII, verse 6534.