Author: I K Taimni
Publisher: Theosophical Publishing
Year: 2007
Language: English
Pages: 409
ISBN/UPC (if available): 9788170595298
Description
Yoga is a subject of very wide scope with a very broad base of philosophical thought and occult experience. It comprises the results of investigations made by thousands of advanced workers in this field and philosophical thought and scientific techniques based on these investigations. In this book Dr Taimni argues that truth is not the monopoly of any particular people, age or culture. Wherever there is a highly evolved individual whose mind is sensitive enough to gain a glimpse of the transcendent Truth, there exists the possibility of a partial reflection of this Truth in his consciousness.
In Part I of the book, attempting to give partial glimpses into the nature of Reality the author has taken for illustration extracts from the sacred scriptures of the Hindus which are present almost solely in the Sanskrit language. Similar and perhaps more illuminating passages can no doubt be founding the sacred scriptures of other people. Truth is not the monopoly of any particular people, age or culture. Wherever there is a highly evolved individual whose mind is sensitive enough o gain a glimpse of the transcendent Truth, there exists the possibility of a partial reflection of this Truth in his consciousness. If such a reflection does take place the individual can share his experience with others and we have a revelation of the type we find in the Upanishads and the writings of mystics, occultist and the Teachers who have founded the great religions of the World.
Even thought the communication of such transcendental knowledge to others is an impossible task who can say after studying the few passages in Part I and trying to grasp their profound significance that the study of this occult literature attempting to give us glimpses into the nature of Reality is futile or unnecessary and its is better to leave the mind a blank with regard to this matter, with a big question mark always facing us in the background of the mind. But the purpose of including these extracts from the Hindu scriptures is not only to show how they enrich our conception of God but also to provide some suitable material for the aspirant which he can memorize and use for reflection and meditation, whenever he can find an opportunity to engage in this kind of mental activity. Meditation should not be allowed to become a routine activity of the mind. It should become a habitual state of the mind in which it reverts automatically to ponder the realities of the inner life, whenever it is free to do so.
Contents
PREFACE
PART I-GLIMPSES INTO THE NATURE OF REALITY
CHAPTER
Dhyana-Mantra of Mahesa (A formula for Meditation on the Manifest Deity)
Siva-Stotra
(a Hymn Addressed to the Ultimate reality)
Brahma-Stotra
(A Hymn Addressed to the Ultimate reality)
Guru-Stotra
A Hymn Addressed to the Divine Teacher)
Part II-Glimpses into the Nature of Consciousness
Consciousness-Expression of the divine
Fusion and Expansion of Consciousness
Involution and Obscurations of Consciousness
The I and Its Attenuation
The Release of Consciousness
The Four States of Consciousness
(Jagrat, Svapna, Sushupti and Turiya)
PART III-GLIMPSES INTO THE NATURE OF MIND
Cosmic Ideation
Divine Ideation and the Divine Plan
Freewill And Predestination
Individual Ideation
The Individual and his Dharma
Mind and Consciousness
The nature of Mind according to Vedanta
The Nature of Mind according to Yoga –I
Mind and the Three Gunas
The Nature of Mind according to Yoga-II
Theory of Mental Perception
The Significance of Desire
The Elimination of Desire
The Nature of Samadhi-I
The Nature of Samadhi-II
PART-IV-GLIMPSES INTO THE NATURE OF SO-CALLED MATTER
The Doctrine of the Three Gunas
The Doctrine of the Five Bhutas, Indriyas
And Tanmatras-I
The Doctrine of the Five Bhutas, Indriyas and Tanmatras-II
What is Life?