nn 1,2

1.4.8 spir. in practice

I will discuss the qualities and characteristics of a sadhaka. Do you know the meaning of this term sadhaka? It is one who performs meditative practices, one who performs spiritual practices. That is a sadhaka. One who takes time to ideate upon the Divine Entity.

Now, a sadhaka may be of three types. The first type of sadhaka will perform sadhana, meditation for the purpose of getting peace of mind. They will think "I want all of the difficulties and stresses of my life to diminish so I will meditate to I will attain peace of mind". This type of individual will concentrate very hard, will perform meditation in order to acquire a peaceful mind, to be free of stress and strain. They run from the strain and the stresses of the world.

Now, the second type of sadhaka will perform meditation practices for the purpose of acquiring the enlightened state. They will think "I want to be enlightened. I want to be omnipresent, I want to be beyond all pain and suffering. I want to know God completely. I want to be beyond the reaches of worldly desires". Such a person will meditate very hard, they may meditate long hours to achieve this great end. They may think: "It is indeed a very high goal I have set, but, none the less, I am making a very serious effort. I am meditating so much and I am feeling some blissfulness in my meditation. I know that if I keep meditating I will get liberation". So this second type of sadhaka will meditate in order to attain liberation.

Now, the third type of sadhaka will meditate, not to have a peaceful mind, not to attain liberation, but they will meditate in order to achieve devotion. The goal of this type of sadhaka will be not to attain for themselves, but to acquire love for God, to acquire devotion to that Divine Entity. This type of person will think "I may or may not achieve peace of mind through meditation. I may have certain difficulties due to my life, but what of it. Still I will meditate, not to demand peace of mind or liberation. If Lord wishes to give me liberation, He will. But I will meditate whether or not I attain liberation. I will meditate so that I may develop love for the Supreme Entity, so that I may become a loving person to all those around me and to that Infinite Entity. I will meditate so that I may understand Him, so that I may acquire love and affection for that Infinite Entity". The third type of sadhaka will be motivated in this fashion.

So you see, though different sadhakas may have noble goals in mind, their goals may not be identical. There are also those individuals who will take upon themselves a meditational practice for less noble reasons. They will take on the practice because they wish to acquire a certain mental power. They wish to acquire a certain ability. They want to be able to perform a certain task. There are those who meditate for these types of reasons also, and they are bound to gain proficiency, but they will not gain the Lord of their life. None the less, even if the reason for beginning a meditational practice is not to know the Infinite, but for some more basic purpose, still it is good to begin meditation. Often times, one goal will lead to another when a deeper understanding is attained.

Now, out of these three categories of sadhakas, it can be said that the first category is one in which an individual will want a very relaxing mental practice and most meditational practices will bring about a sense of relaxation, a sense of calmness to the average person. They may feel that they have been given a very great gift and that they have more mental strength, that they are calmer, better able to cope with the ups and downs of life. And so, after some time, meditation may fulfill this goal of peace of mind. Yet the individual may find that they are restless within, that they want something more, that they cannot accept what they have, it is not sufficient. So, this goal of meditation is not a long term goal, it is a transient goal. You know, one who meditates may find, if the meditation is very good, the mind will undergo certain changes, it will become strong and stable. But, still, there is restlessness and unhappiness in the mind. So, a person may find that still something is missing.

Now, when a person makes liberation the goal of their meditation, they have chosen the highest goal, the most sublime goal. But in order to achieve that goal they will find over time that they must change their motivation. There is a time when this intense longing "Oh Lord, give me liberation, help me know you" may dominate the heart and soul. This longing is a very good sign in meditation because it singularizes the mind. All the other desires become insignificant compared with this passion. The overriding passion to know the Infinite, to attain union with that One, may dominate the mind with such intensity that the sadhaka becomes single pointed. It is very good for meditation, this single pointed desire. But, then, how does one move from this passion, this desire to the actuality?

At this stage, the desire must be surrendered to the Infinite. In the mind of the sadhaka must come the awareness that personal desire is of no consequence. It is the desire of the Supreme Lord which is of consequence. So the individual will come at this stage to understand that though "I have loved my Lord with great passion, and all my mind, all my heart, all my soul is impassioned to realize the Infinite, to attain liberation, I must give it all to that Beloved. I must put my own needs aside and concentrate on the Divine Lord. My love must grow to such heights that I may put my own desperate passion aside, and say "Lord, I am yours, whatever you desire I will be. Whatever you want, I will do. I am completely for You". Such love, such selfless love will bring the sadhaka closer still to the Infinite Entity.

So you see, these three types of sadhakas represent three stages of sadhana, three motivational points of view. In the third stage, the sadhaka is not concerned for peace of mind and freedom from suffering, is not concerned for personal liberation and attainment, but becomes concerned that the Infinite Lord be made happy. In the third stage the sadhaka comes to emphasize selfless love, and at this stage the qualities and characteristics of the Supreme Lord begin to appear in the sadhaka, because you know, the Lord Himself is a very loving entity, is the very manifestation of love. The very essential nature of that Entity is love.

So, when selfless love becomes the intent of the sadhaka then the sadhaka begins to comprehend the Lord whom they adore. The motivation and the operation of that Entity begin to be more visible to the sadhaka. The sadhaka feels more alignment with that Divine Guru, that Divine Entity because they are emulating the qualities and characteristics of their Lord. Like the small child emulates the parents, so they are emulating the Lord. The child may cry "Mother come here, mother come here, I am hungry, I am hungry, come and feed me, feed me". Mother will come but the true peace of mind does not come until the passion is settled and the feeling of love comes to the child. Then in the inspiration of love the child begins to emulate the parent. They begin to try to do the very things the parent is doing, to act like the parent, to care like the parent. They begin to take the baby brother, the baby sister, and to pretend to feed them, to take care of them, to hold them like the parent has cared for them. This is a natural process, a natural progression.

So, if a sadhaka begins sadhana with some desire to attain this or that or to have peace of mind, freedom from suffering, or even to acquire liberation, these are all good motivations there is nothing wrong, but the time will come when these motivations must give way to love, to selfless love. In this selfless love, the qualities and characteristics of the Infinite Entity are more easily emulated. But a sadhaka will very rarely start at this stage. It comes through deep meditation. You know, when you come to know the One, you find that you are being given such love, such great unconditional love, from this Divine Entity that this love becomes the inspiration for your love.

It cannot be expected that a sadhaka will begin meditational practices with this knowledge unless they have already come in contact, in direct contact, with the Infinite Entity. So, meditation is a step by step process. It has certain dangers. Motivation in the meditational practice is very significant to outcome. That is because when one does sadhana, the mind becomes very focused, very one pointed, whatever the technique that may be used. Some techniques may develop one aspect, others another. But all techniques concentrate the mind. In this concentration what is grows larger. The motivation that underlies the sadhana is what propels the direction of the meditation. So it is very significant.