Pathways to God by Jonathan Roof, Vol. II

Excerpts shared for educational and spiritual purposes with reverence to the author. This is a non-profit project dedicated to selfless service.

Samadhi: Equal Mindedness – Chapter XII

1. The Search for a Tiger

For most students of Eastern religion, and its psychology and philosophy, the concept of samadhi is veiled in mystery. Samadhi is often described as a state of blissful semiconsciousness, brought on by “God intoxication”. Biographies of great Indian saints, such as Ramakrishna or Ramana Maharshi, portray it as a condition of complete absorption in the divine. Indeed, many believe that the spiritual stature of a holy man or woman is greatly enhanced by the ability, at will, to experience and express atmic consciousness.

The outward signs are familiar to students of the Eastern masters, including the radiant face and apparent unconcern for worldly matters. But what does the experience say about the great ones' inner consciousness? What process has brought them such joy and how is that joy realized? Is the experience attainable by men and women in modem times and cultures? Is samadhi even a suitable goal for Sai Baba devotees?

Our beliefs about the experience colour our expectations of spiritual achievement. Our understanding of spiritual goals even contributes to the method of our practice. For example, if we view our objective as simply blissful self-absorption, then service to others commands little importance. The purpose for studying samadhi is to help us acquire higher understanding. Higher understanding enables us to practise spiritual disciplines with greater focus, clarity, and success.

We advance more quickly along an unfamiliar path if we can distinguish signs to guide us. Friends and teachers may provide clues that speed our search. The descriptions of authoritative guides also offer valuable advice. For example, if we search for tigers we must know that they are very large striped cats. Our hunt is aided by directions from those who have seen tigers. In this regard, Sathya Sai Baba is the preeminent teacher of our time. He can describe to us the habits and habitats of this particular "tiger." He will help us to identify the footprints in the uncharted forest. Visualizing the benefits and characteristics of Samadhi focuses our attention on how we can further our own progress. With signposts and a spiritual goal, we enhance our ability to achieve victory.

2. Mental Equanimity: Slowing the Pendulum

Samadhi is not a dysfunctional state in which one loses control of his or her own faculties. To the contrary, it is the acquisition of higher consciousness, which attunes one to surrounding reality. Mental balance is a basic requirement for achieving samadhi. Like a pendulum that has come to rest, the mind ceases to oscillate between extremes. Consciousness is experienced without over-reaction or judgment. It is a state of mental equal-mindedness, which enables one to rise above the mental realm to higher levels. When the mind no longer reacts to attractions and aversions, the natural bliss of divine consciousness shines unimpeded.

“The term samadhi is generally identified with a temporary loss of consciousness, or even more, a temporary heightening of the consciousness. But we have to judge the state by the effect it has on the person and his attitude towards himself and others. Samadhi combines sama (equal) and dhi (intelligence), that is to say; intelligence grasping the fundamental equality of every being. Not only will all feeling of difference and distinction disappear, but even notions such as heat and cold, grief and joy; good and bad, will become meaningless. When man reaches that state, the Lord is automatically born in his consciousness.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 10, p.184

Samadhi certainly does not denote an altered state brought on by hysteria. Aspirants should not attribute a state of samadhi to anyone who displays odd behavior. The state of samadhi is a condition of nonjudgment and nonreaction to outside influences. The pairs of opposites, such as pain and pleasure, are experienced and registered without mental aversion or attraction. Samadhi results from inner disciplines, not reaction to external events.

Once an old man journeyed with his loaded mule between rural Indian villages. He depended on the mule to haul his goods from one town to another. By trading locally he eked out a meager living. One night while he slept, his mule wandered off. On awakening the itinerant was greatly distraught. His mule was nowhere to be seen. Faced with the loss of his livelihood and all of his possessions, the old mule driver fell into an unconscious stupor.

While he was thus immersed in self pity, sitting beneath a tree, a young monk wandered by and observed him there. He mistook the garb of the mule driver for that of a holy man. He assumed the old man was in fact a great sage who had fallen into a state of samadhi. The young monk placed flowers and fruit before the unmoving mule driver.

Soon others also converged on the spot. A large crowd formed, expectantly awaiting the "holy man's" first words. The onlookers were very much impressed with the samadhi of this great sage. After some time the mule driver began to regain outer consciousness. The crowd hushed to hear his words. Tears poured from the mule driver's eyes. Many of the onlookers began to weep. Timidly the young monk asked, "Sir, is there anything we can do for you?" "Yes!" the mule driver wailed, "Find my mule!"

“Samadhi is a much misunderstood word. It is freely misapplied. All kinds of emotional upsurges, attacks of hysteria, nervous breakdowns, neurotic fits are now extolled and exalted as "samadhi!" Mark the word! It says sama dhi, that is to say balanced, unruffled intellect; that is, a discriminating reaction of equanimity, in the face of heat and cold, grief and joy, pain and pleasure, rejection or rejoicing. One who has attained that stage, or realized that he is the One, (is) without a second, to fear or favour, to hate or love, to exalt or execrate. Where there is one, how can even the thought arise? That is samadhi, the being, the awareness and the bliss.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 7, pp.416-417

Many events occur which are beyond our control. Whether happy or sad incidents, they often confront us with little or no warning. Family tragedies or sudden windfalls may strike like lightning from a blue sky. Although we may not be able to control these events, we can regulate our own reactions to those occurrences. The wise remain unmoved by the gifts and blows of fate. Sad events pass with time, just as the benefits of good fortune also diminish. Lasting joy resides with the atma. No external circumstances can steal that inner treasure.

Undue response to the outer world means a person identifies with his body and personality, rather than his true divine nature. For example, the loss of a job or a home is usually a traumatic experience. It can cause great anguish. Yet some people are able to "bounce back" from such tragedies with little ill-effect. The stress of such situations results from our own attachments, rather than from the event itself.

Sathya Sai Baba says that we are three people. We believe ourselves to be the body. Others see us as the personality. But our true nature is the atma. The goal of spiritual discipline is to realize our identity with the universal. Then we remain unmoved by outer events, in a state of nirvana. The term nirvana means "without air," perhaps to indicate that the individual is unaffected by the winds of change- or "puffed" with ego.

The wise person controls his or her mind, moderating reactions to external circumstances. Both the sorrowful and the joyful can be viewed with detachment. We should not invest too much of ourselves in the quest for worldly victories. Wisdom is attained when we dive deep, into the unchanging bliss of the self, beyond the vicissitudes of the mind. Ultimately, only sorrow accompanies desire for the results of action.

“No one seeks grief; all seek only joy. But those who know that grief is the interlude between two joys and joy the interval between two griefs, will seek to attain the stage when they will not be agitated either by the fierce or the friendly, storm! That stage of equanimity is the most desirable. It is what is called nirvana, when the mind is in perfect equilibrium, unaffected by the blows of fortune, good or bad. For he knows that he has no right to judge, whether what happens is good or bad, beneficial or maleficent.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 7, p.174

Samadhi is a state of sustained, maximal mental equilibrium – untouched by the pairs of opposites- that allows higher consciousness to manifest. The mind itself does not generate bliss. Bliss arises from the atma, which lies above the mind and intellect. Human beings are comprised of various integrated "bodies." Of course we possess a physical body, but we also express ourselves through emotional, mental and intellectual vehicles. These forms vary in subtlety. The most ethereal and universal vehicle is the atma.

The atma may be best identified as being, bliss, and consciousness. But it is that pure consciousness in which God dwells within us. The atma resides beyond judgment or conceptual thought. Through spiritual practices we gain awareness of that inner divine core. Perfect equalmindedness, samadhi is the state in which the mind has overcome its usual waywardness and has achieved transparency to the atma. When higher consciousness is unimpeded by the mind, we may be said to dwell in samadhi.

“"Vikshepa" (waywardness) and "samadhi" are very important and they are the characteristics of the mind but not of the atma.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1972, p.278

Agitations result from mental imbalance. One is easily thrown off center when one has a narrow point of focus. But awareness of the essential unity of creation expands our focus. Atma is unlimited in scope. If we know ourselves to be one with all beings and all things, then we embrace a horizonless self.

Our individual "centre" becomes omnipresent and incapable of being thrown off balance. It manifests as an unshakable sense of fullness of being, unmoved by modifications of mind or emotion. Atma manifests most basically as consciousness itself, in which we accept all things as manifestations of God. Realization of the atma allows us to identify with the fullness of life itself.

A few days after the dedication of the temple at Dakshineswar, where Ramakrishna lived, a sage with torn shoes and unkempt appearance arrived there. He acted like a madman, carrying a bamboo stick in one hand and a potted mango tree in the other. He entered the Kali temple, singing hymns to the Holy Mother, but otherwise did not follow any religious conventions.

This particular ascetic sought scraps of food from the temple offerings, but was turned away from the guest house due to his dirty appearance. Because he was taken to be crazy, he was shunned by high and low alike. Even low-caste beggars and "untouchables" barred him from their company. Finally, he joined the street dogs fighting for scraps from the leaf plates on the rubbish heap. Haladhari, a cousin of Ramakrishna, questioned the man.

Discovering that he was a perfect knower of the universal God, he brought Ramakrishna and some devotees to the man. They were all impressed with his wise counsel, though he behaved like a madman before others. When the sage prepared to leave the temple, Haladhari followed after him for some distance to beseech his advice on knowing God. Finally, the ascetic turned to Haladhari and said, "What else shall I say to you? When you no longer make any distinction between the water of this (sewer) pool and the water of the Ganges, then you may know that you have perfect knowledge." Saying this he walked quickly away.[1]

The ascetic's attitude reflects the dispassion of samadhi, equalmindedness. Of course, one does not bathe in the water from the drainage ditch as one might in the holy Ganges River water. The liberated individual still distinguishes between the two. But nonetheless, neither should attract nor repulse the observer. Attraction and aversion reflect a dualistic mind, still blind to Oneness. The mind of the realized person reflects the reality of the self, which is unchanging and divine – unaffected by externals.

“Samadhi means the fixing of the mind, free from all impulses and agitations, on the Lord, or on one's own reality. It indicates the state in which one is in one's own real nature. Samadhi is when one is free from all duality. The mind will be unshaken by all dual experiences; it will shine like a flame in a windless room. It is nis-chala, unmoved, unmovable.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Prasnottara Vahini, p.61

3. The End of Meditation

Equal-mindedness results from sustained spiritual discipline. It marks the realization of self-knowledge. When we control our senses, we draw close to the goal. Meditation, devotion and service release the grip of desire on our minds. Freed of external wishes, we perceive the fulfillment that lies already within ourselves. Like the absentminded professor, one has gone in search of one's spectacles, not realizing they are perched upon the nose.

Meditation, devotion and service increase our sensitivity to our own inner light. Our desensitizing responses to the constant coarse attractions of the world hide the subtle bliss that emanates from within. When we do, in fact, at first experience that bliss, we may mistakenly believe that it is caused by external objects. That bliss is achieved when the mind is temporarily freed of desire or by the halt of the mind's internal dialogue, which is most likely to occur during meditation or other spiritual exercises. The final victory is won when the mind is purified of desire and the atmic light shines forth. Then we reside in peace, unswayed by . changing phenomena.

Like ripe fruit falling from the tree, the peace and joy of Samadhi represents the natural fruition of spiritual discipline. However, that condition can only be reached when the preliminary steps of spiritual practice are completed. The ladder must be climbed one rung at a time.

“Dhyana (meditation) is the seventh in the series of steps, leading to the eighth, samadhi or conquest of mind. Unless you have secured a strong foothold on the six previous steps, you will slide back from dhyana, however many years you may try to stick to it. The first step is control of the senses. The second is control of the emotions and impulses. The third is the mastery of balance and equipoise. The next is the regulation of breathing and movements of the vital airs. The fifth is the prevention of outer influences from deviating the mind. The next is one-pointed attention to one's own progress. And then, we come to real dhyana, or meditation on one's real reality, which easily leads to its realization in samadhi. Without the preliminary rungs, you cannot hop straight on to the seventh! And then, skip on to the eighth!”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 7, p. 120

A trained mind controls the body's physical energies. Like a charioteer, the mind directs the horses that draw the vehicle. If our physical energies run wild, spiritual disciplines are sacrificed to the god of lost opportunity. Our negotiation of the narrow passages on the road to self-mastery requires that both the charioteer and the horses respond to precise demands. In fact, physical and mental disciplines reinforce each other in gaining sway over the lower nature. Like a husband and wife, their futures depend on each other. As the body is regulated, the mind also responds to direction from the intellect and the atma.

The body that is fit and strong can control the energies which flow through it. Like a river with strong embankments, the waters flow in a disciplined stream. Similarly, with a regulated diet and exercise, the body performs its duty without demand or delay. If the body is unable to remain still or to perform work when required, the emotions and mind are also unlikely to yield to higher control. Physical and mental balance enable us to focus on higher levels of consciousness.

If we require constant physical and mental stimulation, our attention is diverted from our true goal. The object of our search does not lie in the body or the mind at all. Liberation is attained at a level superior to the mind or intellect. But until the lower faculties are balanced, the subtle bliss of the atma cannot be perceived. When the body and mind are calmed and purified, our divine nature shines forth.

“It is only when you control the mind that you can control the prana (physical energies) or the vital airs. It is only when you control the vital airs that you can control the mind. It is not possible to do one without doing the other. By doing both these things simultaneously, you can turn the mind inward and control your prana. That is how you can control the body which has life in it and you can experience a state of mind called samadhi.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1973, p.68

Disciplined behaviour facilitates our spiritual transformation. Regular practice enables us to overcome the physical and mental limitations which bind us. With hard work ego and desire drop away. Indeed, we can experience divine bliss if we persist in study, devotion, and service. God-realization itself results from patient practice of our regimen. With hard work we earn the grace of Sai and add to our store of knowledge and joy. By submitting to the process we can overcome the barriers of body and personality, allowing realization of oneness with creation.

“What exactly are the gains of disciplined thought and conduct? The rules and regulations are elementary at first. Then they enable one to be aware of regions beyond the reach of the senses. Later, one can voyage beyond the reach of one's mind, and beyond even the outermost walls of what is reachable by all powers enclosed in the human body. Finally, one realizes and experiences the truth of truth, namely, one is the One that is immanent in all, that is, in the entire cosmos. One is filled with bliss when fixed in this faith and in this awareness.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Vidya Vahini, p.31

Acquisition of divine awareness requires rigorous preparation. We must practise spiritual disciplines faithfully to prepare for that opportunity. A clear and open mind, together with strong faith and devotion, equip us for the journey. Without training we cannot gain enough right experience. And only spiritual experience teaches us the true nature of God-realization.

Samadhi may be experienced so intensely that it causes one to loose outward consciousness. But to hanker after the experience without doing the proper groundwork demonstrates lack of understanding. A building of many stories rests on a foundation that goes deep into the earth. The ego does not readily submit to its own destruction. It must first be weakened with regular disciplines.

“What is the good of burdening yourself with desire when you have not got the qualification to fulfill it? Madhuranath once asked Ramakrishna for a chance to enjoy nirvikalpa samadhi, about which he had heard. Though Ramakrishna demurred because he (Madhuranath) had no qualification and preparatory training for it, he (Madhuranath) insisted; so when at last the master acceded, and made him lose consciousness for three days the poor man protested and appealed for an end to that experience. It was a burden too heavy for his weak shoulders.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 4, p.65

Successful meditation culminates in the bliss of samadhi. Equal-mindedness is the reward for a purified mind and tamed desires. In that condition the mind clearly reflects higher consciousness. A still mind has a clarity that reveals objects in their true light. In that state one experiences the bliss of self-realization and the freedom of liberation. Then objects and events assume proper proportions. We then see that outer manifestations are only a reflection of our inner state. And our inner state is capable of showering bliss regardless of outer circumstances.

“Samadhi is the state in which dhyana (meditation) attains fulfillment. In this state, the individual rises beyond the objective world of relative reality, the subjective identity of himself and even the very activity that he is engaged in (meditation). Samadhi is not a state of unconsciousness; neither does it mean frisking about in emotional excitement. The word samadhi itself is indicative of its significance. "Sama" is equipoise: "dhi" is intelligence. Samadhi is that state of intellectual equipoise where the individual transcends the world of duality and experiences the bliss of divine communion.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1979, p.88

Meditation is no longer required when we become absorbed in the atma. Then, even the thought of doing meditation disappears. Striving ceases when we know ourselves to be the all-inclusive One. Engaged in the fullness of the divine self, we realize that our own higher consciousness is the goal we have sought. For then duality between the seeker and what is sought is gone. The experience of the self-existent atma erases even the idea of attaining something apart from ourselves.

“When the person engaged in dhyana (meditation), forgets both himself and the fact that he is engaged in dhyana, then it becomes samadhi. That is to say, when he is merged in the thing he meditates on, he enters into the stage called samadhi. Dhyana fulfills itself, becomes complete, in samadhi. Dhyana strives, proceeds through effort, but samadhi comes effortlessly.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Prasanthi Vahini, p.75

4. In the World, But not of the World

Although the state of perfect equal-mindedness, samadhi, may seem to preclude the need for worldly action, that is not necessarily so. Since samadhi opens one to divine consciousness, it naturally stirs compassion for others. The experience of unity and love for all motivates actions for the benefit of others. One who has escaped the cycle of shallow happiness and sorrow will naturally feel sympathy for those who struggle' in that web. Even the avatars, the divine incarnations, act for the benefit of society. A compassionate heart is the sign of progress on the spiritual path. Samadhi is not selfish self-absorption. It is the natural state of a purified mind. But the spiritual process is not complete without the aspirant's acquisition of a pure heart.

“For one who desires to attain the divine heights of the supreme being, karma and wisdom are like the two wings of a bird. Many jnanis (seekers of wisdom) put a stop to their actions, thinking that they have reached the highest state. In the state of nirvikalpa samadhi, it is not possible to do anything. This may be described as the natural state of vairagya (detachment). But some people feel proud of their wisdom and discard all activity. This kind of vairagya proceeds from sloth, tamas, and is the result of vanity. This pseudo-detachment born out of indolence can never be traced to wisdom.”

"In fact, the wise never desist from action, in order to set a model for others. If the wise do not act, there will be none to guide the ignorant," Krishna observed.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1979, p.49

Samadhi denotes a nonordinary condition of wakeful consciousness, when one has freed the mind from delusion. It is the natural and most basic status of the mind, released from the influence of desire and ego. One may normally engage in any activity while in that state, for it is not an incapacity. When disciplined practice has culminated in spiritual liberation, the condition of samadhi grows and deepens in the consciousness. Finally, it results in fullness of being at all times.

“To be unconscious, or to be in a subconscious state, or to be in a superconscious state, is not being in samadhi. You should understand that only when one is in his natural condition and yet can enjoy the bliss of samadhi, then alone is he said to be in a state of real samadhi.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1973, p.70

In sleep the mind and senses lie dormant. The body is refreshed when released from the outreaching desires of the mind. During the day our attachments pull at us, demanding attention. So also our aversions cause us to duck and dodge external threats. Emotional attachments and dislikes exhaust the body. An objective of spiritual practice is to · experience the unconcerned bliss of normal sleep, while yet in the waking state. That condition allows outward consciousness to coexist with the ease of nonattachment.

“Deep sleep is often compared to samadhi, for the senses, the mind, the reason, are all absent therein; only the ego is immersed in itself. It is in bliss, but it is not aware of that bliss; for waking alone gives that knowledge. So, what can grant realization is the awareness of the waking stage and the bliss of the sleeping stage. Concentrate on the point where one is having these two: that is the moment of victory.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 7, p.416

The realized individual lives free from undue desire and attachment. He or she can appreciate the joys of life and identify with the sorrows of the world- yet not be immobilized by emotional entanglement. We can practice this equanimity by observing our own actions. Do we frequently lose patience and rush about over small matters? Do we let minor emotional incidents destabilize us? Do we experience undue pressures and anxiety?. Beyond these states, mindfulness prepares us to experience samadhi.

Without awareness of the condition of our own mental state, how can we experience peace? The aspirant needs to remember who and what he or she really is. We are not the body or personality; we are the inner divinity. We require perspective on the events of our daily lives to maintain our peace. We can perform our duties without being caught in the desire for results. But mindfulness requires patient and even arduous practice.

“In order that you may understand this state of samadhi, the last line of the verse (from the Bhaja Govindam) says that you must develop what is known as mahavadhanam. Do not be in a haste. Do not Jose your patience. Do not have a wavering mind. Remember that you should have an unwavering mind, if you want to attain the state of samadhi.

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1973, p.72

Action born of equal-mindedness is performed without undue concern for results. It is engaged in as a natural expression of duty and compassion. However, the success or failure of such action is up to God. The equal-minded person acts for the benefit of others, but knows that the world is a place of alternating victories and defeats.

Ramakrishna illustrated the point with a story. He said, "If you do not want the sticky milk of the jack fruit to adhere to your fingers, you must first apply oil to your hands. So also, if you wish freedom from attachments, you must apply the oil of unconcern for results." The results of action cannot grant bliss. Bliss rises from the atma. Happiness and joy in worldly matters are only temporary.

“When an individual is in a state of samadhi, he has nothing to do with the world although he is moving about in the world. Although the individual appears to be a part of society, he is not affected by society. The mind of such a person is always engrossed with what may be called the atma drishti (oneness withatma).”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1973, p.71

5. Nirvikalpa Samadhi

The phrase nirvikalpa samadhi summons images of saints in otherworldly bliss. It may remind the student of Eastern. mysticism of Ramakrishna, who periodically lost consciousness to the outside world, wrapped in communion with the divine. But the term simply means equalmindedness without reaction to outside forces. It does not denote an absentminded state. It indicates a state of non-reaction to external influences. Although Sathya Sai Baba resides perennially in this state, he retains full mastery of his surroundings. He is never without consciousness of what occurs around him.

“Attaining samadhi does not involve falling flat, shaking limbs or losing consciousness. It is not a dramatic trance. It is a characteristic of the mind, an outlook one has developed, to observe all events and persons without any attachment or aversion. This stage of consciousness of man is also called nirvikalpa, that is to say, devoid of vikalpa, response. The person who has mastered vikalpa is free from wish, want or desire.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 11, p.33

In nirvikalpa samadhi one is aware of the unity of all things in Brahman(universal divinity). Distinctions between the knower and objects of knowledge carry no weight. Wearing the "glasses" of Oneness, everything is experienced as part of an interconnected whole. The experiencer is immersed in a sense of fullness of being.

In the lesser state of savikalpa samadhi, the individual clearly distinguishes between the knower and the known. Subject and object are felt to be distinct and separate. Indeed, the temporary joy of this state derives from the satisfaction of a desire, which necessitates such a duality. For example, savikalpa samadhi is the happiness that one gets from acquiring a coveted object or receiving a promotion at work. In that state the duality of the knower and the object is clearly defined.

“Samadhi is of two types, savikalpa and nirvikalpa. In savikalpa, the thriputi, or the threefold nature of knower, knowing and knowee will still persist. When it is realized that the knower is Brahman, knowing too is Brahman and the thing to be known is also Brahman, then there is no more vikalpa or agitation or activity; that is nirvikalpa samadhi.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Prasanthi Vahini, p.76

One who experiences nirvikalpa samadhi has mastered the outreaching senses. In that state consciousness centres in universal self, rather than being engaged with sense objects. A condition is achieved wherein the meditator experiences the fullness of One-awareness. The sense of completeness and satisfaction entailed in that awareness precludes the need for external desires. If we live in the bliss and fullness of such awareness, we do not look outside ourselves for happiness for, what was "we" and "others" and "inside" and "outside" are One without a second.

“Nirvikalpa means arresting the activity of all the senses and assuming supreme control over them. Then the consciousness is not lost in the body, or in any part of the body, but it is entirely devoted to that higher or transcendental state.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Summer Showers 1972, p.252

Nirvikalpa samadhi may result in several possible levels of fulfillment. It is basically a natural condition of the purified mind, which enables the meditator to experience oneness with the divine. Consciousness of the world is retained, but that duality is simply recognized as being relative rather than final truth. However, the power of that vision is impacted by a person's own mental clarity and energy level.

The experience is a characteristic of liberated consciousness, but the degree to which one's energy centres (chakras) are open influences the experience. It is a human achievement and is subject to some personal interpretation. Although samadhi is a condition above conceptual thought, it is understood in the light of our own experience.

The condition should not be idealized beyond the reality of the situation. Nor should we believe ourselves incapable of the achievement. It represents the completion of spiritual discipline, in which synthesis between the internal and external is attained. However, that experience is not necessarily the same for everyone. We all embody different facets of divinity. We are not identical and will not experience exactly the same results.

“As the fruition of all sadhana, one is established in the perfect equanimity of unruffled consciousness (nirvikalpa samadhi) and the ananda that fills him is indescribable. It is ambrosial, equal to the nectar of immortality. Nirvikalpa means the state of consciousness when it is devoid of thought. This state can be reached through appropriate sadhana. It is of two natures: nondual in full experience and the state of non-duality when dual thought ends. The first takes man beyond the triune of knower, the known and knowledge and he is aware only of the cosmic intelligence or Brahman. The second stage is reached when all the attributes ascribed to God and man merge in the One which embraces the cosmos and all its contents.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Vidya Vahini, p.53

Nirvikalpa samadhi may be experienced with great intensity by realized masters. The degree of absorption may be so complete that one becomes entirely engaged by the awareness of divine reality. That condition can be sustained with such magnitude that one loses interest in the world and even in the maintenance of his or her own body. Likethe person who has lived through a near-death experience, for theunacceptable after experiencing a higher state of being. When the reality of God's omnipresent light is known, human existence may appear far less significant than believed before.

“After the experience of sarvam brahmathmakam, that is to say, after the realization that everything is basically and completely Brahman, life cannot be sustained for more than 21 days. Such a person is no longer in mithyaloka, or in this relative world; so he cannot have any desire or activity. Even food and drink become meaningless.”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Sathya Sai Speaks 1, p.192

An intellectual approach to the question of samadhi will not yield satisfactory results. Only, steady spiritual discipline produces God-realization. Bliss in the spiritual heart emerges when our minds are purified of ego and desire. Then no judgments ripple the pool of clear consciousness. A clarified mind allows passage to higher realms of consciousness. Then the unity and the wise love that are our reality begin to flower.

“Brahmam is beyond the reach of the intellectual seeker; it can be reached only by those who give up the intellect as a useless instrument. Experience alone is the method of approach, the proof, the result. The ultimate state of brahma-jnana (knowledge of the universal absolute) is the end of all inquiry, all search. Actual realization, sakshathkara, is the fruition thereof. The highest stage is reached in samadhi, the quieting of all agitations in all levels of consciousness...”

– Sri Sathya Sai Baba     Upanishad Vahini, p.51