Sri Aurobindo

Letters on Himself and the Ashram

The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo. Volume 35

The Supramental Yoga and Other Spiritual Paths

Tibetan Yoga [7]

“Think not of the past. Think not of the future. Think not that thou art actually engaged in meditation. Regard not the Void as being Nothingness.

“At this stage do not attempt to analyse any of the impressions felt by the five senses, saying, ‘It is; it is not.’ But at least for a little while observe unbroken meditation, keeping the body as calm as that of a sleeping babe, and the mind in its natural state [i.e. free of all thought-processes].” ...

“Whatever thoughts, or concepts, or obscuring [or disturbing] passions arise are neither to be abandoned nor allowed to control one; they are to be allowed to arise without one’s trying to direct [or shape] them. If one do no more than merely to recognize them as soon as they arise, and persist in so doing, they will come to be realized [or to dawn] in their true [or void] form through not being {{0}}abandoned.”[[These are the first and second to last of fourteen extracts from “The Epitome of the Great Symbol” as translated by Dawa-Samdup and Evans-Wentz and published in Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines, pp. 119 – 39, which were typed and sent to Sri Aurobindo by a correspondent. — Ed.]]

“The Clear Light... symbolizes the unconditioned pure Nirvāṇic Consciousness, the transcendent, Supramundane Consciousness of a Fully Awakened One. It is a Mystic Radiance of the Dharma-Kāya, of the Nirvāṇic Consciousness free of all sangsāric or conditioned obscuration. It cannot be described; It can only be known; and to know It is to know the Thatness of all things. As being colourless, or without qualities, It is the Clear Light; as being without limitations, It is All-Pervading Intelligence; as being unknowable in terms of sangsāric consciousness, and without form, It is the Formless {{0}}Void.”[[This is the third of three extracts from Evans-Wentz’s commentary on texts published in Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines (p. 166). These were typed immediately after the extracts mentioned in footnote 4 and sent along with them to Sri Aurobindo. The correspondent did not mention that the first set of extracts were from the translation and the second set from the commentary. — Ed.]]

The extracts you have sent are very interesting and quite sound — the processes recommended can, if one can carry them out, help greatly in the quieting of the mind.

The Tibetan Nirvana as described in the last extract is very much like the Tao of Laotse. It is more and more said now that that is the real teaching of Buddha and of Buddhism.