Supplement I : Reality and Truth vis-a-vis Wisdom (via Aparavidya and Paravidya)

SUPPLEMENT TO DISCOURSES ON RADHASOAMI FAITH

I.          REALITY AND TRUTH VIS-À-VIS WISDOM

(VIA APARAVIDYA AND PARAVIDYA)

(An Invited Talk at the International Conference of the Association of Asia-Pacific Operational Research Societies

on 8.12.03 at Hotel Grand International, New Delhi)

by

DR. PREM SARAN SATSANGI

I think I need to begin by explaining some of these key words which appear in the title of the talk. Absolute truth occurs in the Supreme Creational plane and is the cause of the creation. Reality is perceived truth. It is a subjective impression or realization, that is, the effect produced by the truth as the cause in the creational plane, that we perceive by sentient entities. So reality is not absolute truth unless we can have access to the Supreme Creational plane where the cause took place for the creation. As a result the knowledge of creation arising from perceived reality, that we possess is a knowledge of sentient entities which receive or perceive subjective impressions, that is, effects of the cause in the Supreme Creational plane.

In the Supreme Creational plane, absolute truth, ultimate reality, ultimate wisdom become one and the same.

Now let me try to address wisdom also. Such knowledge which we gain from sentient entities by way of perceived reality has therefore various degrees of inherent truth in it and hence the one that is closest to the truth is designated as sentient wisdom. So, as I mentioned, once we reach the Supreme Creational plane where the cause, the prime cause of creation exists, then we have realized absolute truth, ultimate wisdom and ultimate reality.

            In the context of information science we can measure the information content of any knowledge by formulating information entropy or fuzzy information entropy, I submit that if we try to maximize the information entropy of the knowledge base about the universe of discourse then we might be able to transform this knowledge base into a wisdom base. However, I do not propose to go into mathematics that will be required for the purpose nor the algorithms which have not yet been fully investigated.

Now a word about aparavidya and paravidya. The body of knowledge derived from physical senses is called aparavidya, what pertains to this world and not beyond it, that is, what pertains to the material plane, the physical world in which we live. All modern science speaks about this physical world and this includes informatics, OR and systems science among others. On the other hand there is a distinct body of knowledge derived from esoteric experimentations and research of the Rishis and Saints particularly in the oriental world, (paravidya, which pertains to the regions beyond our physical world), by making use of hidden or latent senses which exist in the human head and which can be rendered kinetic through meditation, sadhana or to be more precise Surat Shabda Yoga, that is yogic practice of uniting the Atman or Surat with the sound current which accompanies all emanations of spirit current.

The apertures exist in the human head for making communion or correspondence with the regions beyond the physical world, i.e., with Brahmanda, which literally means the egg shaped region of Brahma, Universal Mind and beyond Brahmanda, the purely spiritual region. Through meditational practices described in the Religion of Saints, one can render these apertures or nerve centres in our brain kinetic and get revelations of the higher reality and one can progress gradually in stages to the ultimate reality.

Let me speak very briefly about this creation and in this context present certain axioms to you. The spirit force is the one which possesses prime energy and that all other forces of nature have been evolved by the association of this energy with media of different kinds.

The second axiom which is by far the most important is that the Supreme Creator or Being is an infinite spiritual source or reservoir. Just as we have sources of electricity, sources of mechanical power, we have sources of hydraulic power or energy, we have sources of economic power if you wish, so we have source of spiritual power and that Fountainhead of spirituality, which is the infinite spiritual source or reservoir is known as Supreme Creator or Being and it has the features of Supreme intelligence, bliss and energy and also luminosity. It does not have any form. It does not have any shape. It is all energy, intelligence, bliss and luminosity.

In the pre-creational condition, the Supreme Being was in a state of shunya samadhi, absolute self-absorption. And even in this pre-creational state there existed an eternal polarization in the Supreme Being, that is, there existed a positive pole of spirituality and a negative pole of spirituality and the Supreme Being possessed three distinct regions, namely, the infinite positive pole which was the infinite region of full spirituality which could be likened with the head of the Supreme Being, and then the region of the neutral zone which we could consider His body, and finally the region of the nether or lower pole or negative pole, which had lowest  spirituality which we could liken as His feet. But It does not have any form, It does not have any shape, It does not have any boundaries, It is infinite.

So this Supreme Being was in a state of absolute self-absorption and these spirit forces in the region of the lower pole were in comatose condition and they were not even aware of the existence of the Supreme Being. The Supreme Being, of course, knew about His feet or the nether pole, with lower degree of spirituality.

Even that nether pole in the pre-creational condition had high degree of spirituality but the potential difference, as it were, in spirituality between the positive pole, i.e., infinite positive pole, and the nether pole was extremely large. Because of this large potential difference between positive pole and negative pole, spirit forces were attracted towards positive pole and individual spirit forces did make this transition and because of this transition, the potential difference got further accentuated and the positive became more positive and the negative became more negative. In the fullness of time, there was such a vast potential difference in spirituality that there was a huge commotion or upheaval, something that we refer to as the Big Bang in the physical world. But the Big Bang in the physical world as the beginning of creation came much later. What came first was the so called Big Bang in the Supreme Being Itself. This was a manifestation of the lower order spirit forces making a rush from the region nearest to the lower pole towards the infinite positive pole. There was a big rush and this was a form of spiritualization similar to what takes place in magnetic field as magnetization. It is very similar to that.

          The magnetic field has a positive pole, a negative pole. There is a field of magnetic action or force, so also this created a field of spiritual action or force and this resulted in the first great spiritual current or what is known as Adi-Chetan Dhar issuing forth from the Supreme Being from the region nearest to the negative pole and proceeding towards the positive pole and then returning to the negative pole. This Adi-Chetan Dhar or the first great spiritual current at the commencement of the creation was accompanied by a sound because there were vibrations in this spirit emanation. There was a sound which accompanied it and this sound was an imitation in articulate speech of Radha and this word does not have any meaning. It is a Dhunyatmak name. It’s only the sound which matters, it’s nothing to do with Radha-Krishna but the sound which emanated there with the first great spiritual current that flowed out of or flowed towards and then out of the Supreme Being, positive Infinite pole was Radha. And the sound which emanated from the great upheaval which took place within the Supreme Being was accompanied by Soami. So Radhasoami, in fact, became the first manifestation of the Supreme Being at the time of creation and ever since then, this name is reverberating, resounding everywhere in all directions. It is only that our faculties are not sufficiently developed, but can be developed through meditational practice, to hear it loud and clear by reaching these higher regions of spirituality.

          There are other mystic names which are there too. We are all aware about Om. There is Rarang, there is Soham, there is Sat, and then there is Radhasoami. These are all mystic names; inherent name or original name being Radhasoami, the one which first manifested itself when this creation was launched by the Supreme Being.

       

Now let me present a kind of diagram which would explain some of these things a little better and this is where I invoke my physical system theory which I have been practising for all my life. This is the Supreme Being, the super positive pole (Label a). This is the negative pole or nether pole (Label b). This is the spiritual sound current (Label c's) accompanied by the sound Radha which emanated from the lower region and flowed to the highest region of spirituality and then had a return path, the outward-going path which is the outward focus or centre-forming spirit currents (Label d's). So what happened soon after the creation was launched was that spirits with higher order of spirituality were grouped together in a sub-centre of power or spiritual potential source or presiding deity (Label e₅) next to the infinite positive pole (Label a or e₆) and then so on (Labels e₄ – e₁). This (e.g. e₁) is somewhat of lower spirituality and six such sub-divisions of the first grand division of creation, namely, purely spiritual region came directly under the purview of the Supreme Being. So these were created in the first phase. The first grand division to come into existence was the purely spiritual region. The spirits were covered by such fine, intelligent and blissful frames that they presented no opposition to the realization of the Supreme Being by all these six sub-divisions of the first grand division. They were constantly in communion with the Supreme Being. This circuit was complete and the spirit currents, the outward flowing spirit currents (d's) forming foci or centres of spirits with various degrees of power and resounding with their own characteristic sounds were all formed. For instance, the sound I have referred to as Soham is at this particular region (e₁). The sound I have referred to Sat is here (e₂), similarly there are others (e₃ – e₅), but they do not correspond with anything that we would understand very clearly in the languages we are familiar with (Radhasoami is at e₆ or a).

Lower, we have Om. Om occurs here (Label f₅) and Rarang appears here (Label f₆), in the Brahmanda region. So after the first phase, the spirituality had become somewhat weak in the last sub-division that was created (e₁) and therefore it became necessary for the Supreme Being to make a blend of the pure spiritual substance with the substance of mind. So now there was a subtle body, astral body that we speak of, that was created and here also, this creation was highly intelligent but then not as intelligent as in the purely spiritual region. And this is the region of Brahmanda. And here also after the image of the Supreme Being, six sub-divisions were created and those are here from six to one (f₆ – f₁). Then by the time it reached this lowest sub-division (f₁), it had further weakened in spirituality and it became necessary to give it a blend of another substance, which is physical matter. So this was the material plane or Pind in which we live and in which we are created, and of which we possess considerable knowledge, but not all the knowledge even about Pind, leave aside Brahmanda and pure spiritual region.

So that’s where man was created. Man happens to be a perfect microcosm of the macrocosm, that is the universe, and just as one says that man has been created after the image of God, so was it. Just as Brahmanda is a reflex (image) of the purely spiritual region and Pind is a reflex image of Brahmanda, so is man possessing apertures in one’s brain which would give it access to Brahmanda (f₁' – f₆') and to purely spiritual regions (e₁' – e₆'). There are twelve such apertures corresponding to the six sub-divisions of Brahmanda (f₁' – f₆') and six sub-divisions of the purely spiritual region (e₁' – e₆').

The apertures for making communion with the Brahmanda exist in the grey matter of the brain and the ones corresponding to the purely spiritual region exist in the white matter of the brain. And it’s at the apex of the head at the top that there is a nerve centre (e₆' or a') which if rendered kinetic will reveal the Ultimate Reality or Absolute Truth or Absolute Wisdom or Ultimate Wisdom and that is where one comes at one with the Supreme Being Himself. So, one can realize in human form the Supreme Being within one’s own self. One doesn’t have to go out and worship anywhere. One can practice meditation.

In the human form there are six ganglia or nerve centres (g₁' – g₆') just as Brahmanda has six ganglia (f₁' – f₆') and pure spiritual region has six sub-divisions (e₁' – e₆') so also man has these six ganglia which are all kinetic. Ganglion at the rectum is at the lowest level (g₁'). Ganglion at the organ of reproduction is next (g₂'). Ganglion at the navel is the third one (g₃'). Ganglion at the solar plexus (g₄'), ganglion at the throat (g₅') and ganglion at the seat of the spirit which is the third til, in the middle of the line joining the pupils of the two eyes (g₆'), so that is where resides the spirit and it is this spirit which jointly with the mind has given all the energy and vitality. It has produced the human frame and given all the energy and vitality to it. The subjective functions are also assigned in terms of intelligence and other things to the human being by the spirit through the mental plane (because it’s a blend of matter, mind and spirit). But spirit is the one which is the prime source of all energy.

So in the Religion of the Saints, one begins one’s meditation at the seat of the spirit (g₆') in the human frame which is between the two eyes and what this practice consists in is by concentrating attention at this particular seat of the spirit, that is, making your body and mind come to a standstill and then repeating one of these mystic names, Om, Rarang, Soham, Sat or Radhasoami.

Radhasoami (e₆' or a') is like a master key which would open all the locks. The other mystic names will open locks only at the regions up to that point where these sounds emanate. So if one tries this master key it will work everywhere and if you repeat one of these mystic names at the seat of the spirit, then it gets kinetic. What it means is that there are vibrations which are produced, which emanate sound that is in resonance with the sound of the spirit current of the higher region. For instance, if we are here at the top of Pind (g₆ / g₆') and we want to make communion with Brahmanda, the lowest region of Brahmanda (f₁ / f₁'), which is the region of one of the Gods, Sahasdal-Kamal being at (f₄ / f₄'). So if you want to make the communion there (f₁ / f₁') or (f₄ / f₄'), then if you repeat this mystic word, not by your external tongue of the body, not by your tongue of the mind but by the tongue of the spirit, that is, concentrating everything at the seat of the spirit, then you will begin to hear this sound more and more clearly. It will work out in a form of a crescendo and this musical sound will attract you and take you to the higher region (f₄ / f₄', for instance). And once you reach that point (f₄ / f₄' or f₅ / f₅' or f₆ / f₆') here in Brahmanda, you begin to share all the powers and intuition of Brahmanda correspondingly. And this way one can – the pilgrim spirit can make its journey upwards in stages, till it finally reaches the Supreme Being (e₆ / e₆' or a / a').

It is believed that the spirits which make this transition to the purely spiritual region (e₁ – e₆ / e₁' – e₆'), never come back again (after death) because they have become sufficiently pure to become part of the Supreme Being and they don’t return to these worlds again, the region of Universal Mind of Brahmanda or the Region of the physical body or matter of this world.

Now, here I have invoked system theory. One might say how does aparavidya begin to explain paravidya. My own hypothesis is, just as the human body is a perfect microcosm of the macrocosm of the Universe and it’s possible to establish communion or correspondence with it, so is this aparavidya having these communication channels for understanding paravidya, that is, learning of the world beyond ours, i.e. the physical world.

Let me now revert to the physical systems for a little while. A physical system is one in which the entities of interest can be measured whether quantitatively or qualitatively. At first when physical system theory evolved, it used to be just quantitative measurements. Lord Kelvin was so fond of quantitative measurements and dismissed everything that was qualitative as being a lot of rubbish but then we have all seen that qualitative measurements, fuzzy set theory, rough set theory, all play their great part in the science. So the key to the physical system theory lies not in the notions of analogies but in the concept of linear graph. But just as I have said it is a sort of analogue; because man is made after the image of God, so man is an analogue of God. So is physical system theory an analogue of paravidya and by properly interpreting it and endowing it with generalizations, we can understand even paravidya through this aparavidya.

          So all the things of science that we are learning are not going to waste. All these will generalize in due course of time to give us the science of paravidya. And I can only offer this proof that, at the time of death, one experiences these realities but unfortunately people don’t return to tell the story. But by carrying out these practices of Surat Shabda Yoga in your lifetime you can experience with full consciousness, all the processes, all the stages which precede and which accompany the phenomenon of death, without dying, and these offer ample evidence of the truth and the correctness of the teachings of the Religion of the Saints. So those who have made this journey have experienced this (through meditational practice).

I may only give you the classic example from Bhagwat Gita where Lord Krishna has preached to Arjuna. We are all aware that Arjuna represented Pandavas as their leading warrior and the battle was between Pandavas and Kauravas in Mahabharata, the epic that is well known in Hindu mythology. However, when Arjuna was driven to the battle field, his charioteer was no less a person than the very incarnation or representative of higher region of spirituality, that is, Lord Krishna; and Lord Krishna tried all his reasoning and arguments to persuade Arjuna to take up arms, to take up his bow and arrow and begin the battle with the forces of evil. He wanted Arjuna, who represented forces of good, to conquer over the forces of evil. But when Arjuna looked all around, he saw people who were next of his kith and kin and the blood relations proved too strong. And even the commandments of the Saviour proved weak and Arjuna would not budge. He would not take up the bow and arrow and begin the battle. Then Lord Krishna had no other alternative left except to open the inner eye of Arjuna. What this meant was that he closed one of the switches (say s₀) which would transport Arjuna’s spirit to the Brahmanda and there he had the Darshan of the Virat Swarup of Lord Krishna, the astral form of Lord Krishna, and was then overpowered by that image. He was a totally transformed person and that Arjuna, who a moment ago was impervious to all reasoning was soft as wax in the hands of Lord Krishna and he girded up his loins literally, took up bow and arrow, and was ready to shoot his nearest and dearest. All bonds of blood relationships were broken in a moment.

So, I offer you as proof, experiencing of these higher spiritual regions (through meditation) and seeing the scientific basis from which the whole creation has evolved.

Thank you very much.

Q.        Sir, initially the creation was only the spiritual creation and what you have said just now is that once a person returned back, he will not come down. Then why did this downward journey happen?

A.        As you might have noticed that I also mentioned that in the pre-creational condition, the Supreme Being was in a state of shunya samadhi, absolute self-absorption and there was lower order of spirituality in the nether pole or lower pole or negative pole and He wanted these spirit forces, which were in comatose condition unaware of the existence of Supreme Being, to have the bliss of full communion or correspondence with the Supreme Being. And, therefore, it became necessary to create this great commotion, transport the spirit forces of lower spirituality into the region of Supreme Being, accept as many of them as possible within His own region, directly under His purview but, then it was not possible to galvanize (spiritualize) the others (sufficiently). He had no choice but to create Brahmanda and then the material plane; and then He found that these spirit forces have been denied the bliss and permanence and radiance of the realization of Supreme Being, then as we all know incarnations started coming to this world and they tried to raise them to a higher spiritual plane and this is the reason why Supreme Being did that. It was for ultimate good so that these spirit forces, which were in comatose condition, would become fully conscious of His presence and partake of the full bliss, intelligence and energy of the Supreme Being.