SADHANA PAD SUTRA-17

                          DRUSTRI  DRUSTRAYOH  SANYOGA  HEYA  HETU

THE  CONTACT BETWEEN  THE SEER AND SEEN IS THE CAUSE  OF  THE PAIN (AND

                                                 SHOULD BE ABANDONED)
     In the last Sutra we were told that the the sorrows that have not yet occur and will occur in can be avoided.So it was discussed that the future pain and problems that can occur are related to our actions.So in this Sutra we are told that the contact between SEER and the SEEN causes the pain . We did see that the senses when come in contact , causes the experience which either causes pleasure or displeasure and that leads to the future desire. So in this  sutra we are told the whatever is SEEN is different from that what SEES or PERCEIVES. The SEER is Independent of SEEN . The spirit is the SEER, which is the PURUSH or the Spirit and the SEEN is the nature or the PRAKRUTI. The Purush has no GUNAS or qualities and it SEES through the CHITTA or the MIND STUFF. So when the two get together , the impression , desires and actions which again leads to impression and this continues as a circle . But this leads to the PAIN . Though the PURUSHA or the SPIRIT is independent and is not directly involved in these experiences, it does it through the CHITTA and then it is mistaken as the SOUL or the SPIRIT or JAVA. So if one can avoid this contact or gets detaches from the experience of the pleasure, we can avoid the further effects of arising desire which leads to future actions . This breaks the circle.
      In past I have heard that some of the swamis or SEEKERS , do not take 'seconds' when they are eating meals . Some will mix everything that is in the plate and then eat it , so as to avoid attachment to one particular food item. If they eat it separately, they may like one food item and if they do not like one they will have DESIRE to avoid it . So this is in earlier stage of the development of Independence of the feeling . 

SADHANA PAD SUTRA- 16

                                             HEYAM  DUKHHAM  ANAAGATAM

THE  SORROW  THAT  HAS  NOT  YET  COME  (OR  ARRIVED )  CAN  BE  DESTROYED

      In the last Sutra we were told four causes of the sorrow or the suffering. (namely the effects of the indulgence in sense pleasure, hardship that we go through to get in the position and  the indulgence of the sense pleasures, lasting effects of these experiences on our present and future life and contradictory nature of the 3 qualities or GUNAS. )So now we are told that we can destroy or abandon the sorrow or the suffering that is to come in future. It is simple to understand that we can not change what may have already happened .WE CAN NOT CHANGE THE PAST. But we can change , avoid or destroy the problem that may come in future. If I overate I am going to suffer from the ill effects of it . And I can not avoid it . (though some of you may say that with modern day medicine one can prevent certain things with medicine like 'morning after pill', which is taken to prevent pregnancy. But if you think about it there are more problems with indiscriminate sex than just the pregnancy )But one which can come in the future , we can avoid by finding the root cause of the suffering and then destroying it .
     So how can we do that ? We engage in many activities in our day to day life . In some we can avoid the contact of the senses to the things that cause the pleasure and create the attachment , and in others we can not avoid . We have to eat to survive and to live in the society we have to make money and build a home and have may be a family . We also can't avoid being exposed to violence or and many other things . So it is very difficult to avoid getting involved , or get indulged . But we can do what we must do , but not get involved  or attached . The best example that I can give is the behaviour of a child in a toy store. The child wants all the toyes that are displaced in the store . But the parents who are with the child, look at the same toyes  and don't have the same feeling. So we should 'look' at the things that we can not avoid , may be even experience (like food ) , but not get attached to it . So we have to avoid the attachment. At every level in our life we have to 'try' to not have the creation of the effects of the indulgence . So this in tern will break the circle of the mind that I described before . This will be attacking at the root of the cause .

SADHANA PAD SUTRA -15

PARINAM  TAAP  SAUNSKAR  DUKHAIH  GUNAVRUTTI  VIRIDHAT CHA  DUKHAM  EVA

                                                         SARWAM  VEVEKINAH

THE EFFECTS(OF BODILY SENSE ENJOYMENT), THE TENSION OR HARDSHIPS (THAT

ONE GOES THROUGH TRYING TO GET THE SENSE PLEASURE AND MAINTAINING

IT),THE IMPRESSIONS OR EFFECTS (OF THESE SENSE ORGAN ENGAGEMENT ),AND

 DIABOLICALLY OPPOSING QUALITIES OR NATURE OF GUNAS,ARE ALL THAT

 CAUSES THE MISERIES ACCORDING TO PERSON WHO HAS CONTROLS  HIS

                                                   SENSES (VIVEKI PERSON)

     In this Sutra we are told the various causes of displeasure that occurs or the miseries that we face in our life . Even when we are 'experienceing' the pleasures of our engagement in the sense organ, ultimately it leads to the miseries. The GOD gave us the sense organs and created pleasure when it in contact with it's object of the perception .This was done to preserve the existence of a species or the mankind. So when we re hungry , we eat . When we are cold , we look for a warm place . When we hear a threatening loud sound we run away . And lastly we find pleasure in having sex so that species can continue to propagate. But we continue to eat even when we are not hungry and do every other thing when we do not need it . Human beings are the only 'animals' which engage in sexual activity without 'need' for it . All most all the animals engage in sex when they are in heat or when there is a chance for pregnancy.
    So in this sutra we are told 4 causes of pleasurable acts that we do , that ultimately leads to misery.
The first one is the PARINAM or the effect of our action that we perceive as pleasurable . So if I eat sweet , I get a pleasure. But do I stop after eating one scoop of ice cream or one spoonful of SHRREKHAND ? NO . I eat more and more . I eat the cheese cake even when I am full after eating major meal . So this leads to obesity, diabetes and so on. But more than that I become addict to the eating. So the effect of this indulgence is not PLEASURE , but MISERY.
   The second one is TAAP. The TAAP could be translated as the hardship. So when we want to enjoy the pleasure of owning the Mercedes Benz , we have to go through the hardship of work and long hours that we have to put in to make enough money . So this is the hardship . But this does not end once we own it . To maintain we have to pay more than what we would pay to maintain cheaper car. We also worry that someone may steal it. This is TAP . The same is true of any other so called pleasure that we may engage. The VD that may occur when someone engages in indiscriminate sex and the use of mind altering drugs and so on . So all this ultimately leads to misery even when we think we are 'enjoying'.
    The third one is SAUNSKAR. The Saunskar is the effects that are created by our actions . This goes back to the circle of Mind that was told before . If I engage in a activity that causes pleasure I have an inclination to engage in that activity again . So if I eat Pizza and I enjoy it , (the effect of the action) , then when I am hungry , I want to eat Pizza. And then when I eat it the circle continues . So the effects of our actions are permenant . If one thinks that these effects or the SAUNSKARS will 'die' with the death of the physical body , he is mistaken . These impressions are 'stored ' in an abstract form in the astral brain. So when I like LADDU, JILEBI and BASUNDI, all the Indian sweets and I continue to indulge in eating it , I am left withe an impression(Saunskar ) of 'liking' sweets . So If i am born in my next life in Greece , I would be indulging in BAKLAVA. So now if one is diabetic he will have the hard time controlling his desires to eat sweets . So the effects or the Saunskara that are created by our actions , will lead to miseries in this or next life .
    The 4th cause is the opposing actions of the three GUNAS or the qualities of the Nature. Remember the Gunas are with NATURE OR PRAKRUTI and not with the SPIRIT or PURUSHA . The 3 Gunas are embedded in every one of us . No one has one Guna only. One may have predominance of one or two .But all three are there . But the effects of these are opposing. So when the Rajasic Guna or the quality predominates in our mind we do ACTIONS . So the actions that we do may create impressions that are NOT SO GOOD for cultivating Satwic or pure quality . When we are lazy or indulge in alcohol or meat eating , the effects are not good for the Rajasic or Activity quality. So as one can see that the opposing effects of these 3 Gunas will cause the miseries. This the last cause .
     So in this Sutra we are told that all these 4 things cause apparent PLEASURE that ultimately leads to MISERY and so the person who has control over his sense organs , he does not indulge in them . 

SADHANA PAD SUTRA - 14

                   TE  LHAD  PARITAPA  FALAHA  PUNYA  APUNYA  HETUTWAT

THEY  (THE THREE THINGS THAT ARE MENTIONED ,NAMELY CLASS LIFE AND

 ENJOYMENT ) ARE THE  EFFECTS  OF THE  GOOD  AND  BAD  KARMA (PUNYA -

                   VIRTUE  AND  PAP-VICE) THE THE RESULT IS  GOOD  AND  BAD

      In this sutra they are explaining the law of karma . The good deeds or karma will lead to good fruits in 'LIFE,'  'CLASS,' AND 'ENJOYEMENT'. There are two things that I want to point out . When some one does a good deed , and expect good effect he or she will get good fruit. If one does bad deed , even if they 'escape ' the effect in this life, they will get the bad effect. So this is the first point . But the more important point is that if one does the dded because it is 'right thing to do ' , then there is no attachment and so there will not be any effect of it . This is the ultimate goal. DO THINGS WITHOUT THE ATTACHMENT and one will be fine.
      To expand a little bit on the effects of Karma , and if we can change the out come , let me state that Karma will have the effect and one will be in the situation as the effect of the previous Karma . One can change the out come in some cases. So there are 3 types of the karma . One whose effects can be lessened or reduced with some efforts. The second class is the effects that can be changed with lot of efforts and then there are some Karmas effects of which  CAN NOT BE CHANGED . But this effects of Karmas is like saving money for going for vacation . So we 'collect' PUNYA -Good deeds.and then as the good effects occur, it is like spending the money. So when we are are done with the 'chips' we have get out from the game table . (like in casino ). If we collect bad deeds we will be paying for it with bad effects coming in our life . If we collect TOO MANY bad deeds or PAPA, and they are so many that no matter how much we ;suffer' with it's bad effects , we cam never repay the debt, we will regress to lesser life class , may be animal . In this class of 'life ' the decisions are made with 'instict' and so the law of Karma is not strong or there at all . This is like 'declaring' bankruptcy to stop the creditors, so that the debt does not continue to accumulate. SO THE REGRESSION TO LESSER FORMS  OF LIFE IS POSSIBLE . 

SADHANA PAD -13

                            SATI  MULE  TAD  VIPAKO  JATYA  AAYU  BHOGAH

(AS  LONG  AS)  ROOT  CAUSE  OF  KARMA  (KLESHAS)  ARE  THERE  THE  FRUITS  OF

KARMA  WILL  MANIFEST  IN  JATI  (CLASS),  AAYU  (LIFE )  AND  BHOGA

                                   (ENJOYMENT  OR  SUFFERING)

This Sutra is kind of restatement of the previous sutras. As was seen in previous sutras there is a circle of of mind or the circle in the law of Karma ,. The karmas are done due to Desires and the desires originate in previous experiences or impressions of the previous actions . But experiences do not occur without actions or Karma and desires do not occur without experiences. So this is the circle with NO END. The only additional thing that is added here is the origin of this --the Klesha.Just to remind there are 5 Kleshas , the Ignorance (Avidya), Ego (Asmita), Attachment to good experiences (Raga), Desire to avoid the bad experiences(Dwesha ), and lastly the Attachment to physical body (Abhinivesh).
    Now the new part in this Sutra, is the mention of the effect of these actions . The sutra states that the Jati or the class that we are born into , the length of life and the enjoyment or suffering that occur that occur in our life .
    So let us take the 4 classes that have been mentioned in the Hindu religion are Shudra , Vaishya , Kshatriya and the Brahmin. These are not determined by the birth but are determined by the development of our souls . There are 2 things that determine the Class. One is the predominance of the GUNAS or the qualities ,namely the Satwik , Rajasic and the Tamasic . Preponderance of the Satwik , leads to Brahmin birth, and it leads to our action towards MOKSHA, The pure Tamasic quality will lead to Shudra level where one will be pursuing KAMA or enjoyment. The mixture of Tamasic and Rajasic leads to birth at the level of Vaishya where we pursue ARTH or money and the mixture of Rajasic and Satwik will lead to birth at the level of Shatriya where we pursue DHARMA or religious things .So our deeds or Karma gets us in to one of the 4 types of the environment where we can 'fulfil'our 'desires' . So as we can see that 'our own karma  determine the CLASS that we are born into .
  The length of our life is also determined by our Karma . We continue to collect SEEDS of the karmas that we have done and they will have to come to fruition. So when we are born , we come with certain seeds of the Karma that are going to come to fruition in THIS life . This determines the length of our life . This can be changed by the Karmas that we do during this life . All the Karmas will have effect or will come to fruition, but the effect Will be more or less based on how deep is the 'impression' and how intense is the desire.
   And lastly the enjoyment or the suffering that occur in our present life , is determined by the karmas that have root in Kleshas . Now there is a FREE WILL and it CAN change the course of the life or the suffering . But more about free will and it's effect some other time . 

SADHANA PAD SUTRA -12

          KLESH-MULAH   KARMASHAYO  DRUSHT-ADRUSHTA  JANMA  VEDANIYAH

KLESHAS  ARE  THE  ROOT  CAUSE  OF  THE  KARMA , FRUITS  OF  WHICH  (OR

EFFECTS  OF  WHICH)  ARE  TO  BE  EXPERIENCED  IN  THIS  AND  FUTURE  LIFE

                                               (SEEN  AND  UNSEEN  LIVES )

      This sutra tells us may be the summery of the thought process in our Hindu philosophy . There are 5 Kleshas ,Awidya,(ignorance),Asmita(ego), Raga (attachment to good experience ),Dwesha (desire to avoid bad experience ), and Abhinivesh (attachment to physical body). There is a circle of events. With our previous lives's experiences, we have different Kleshas or attachments and so we act based on those impressions. So we act and that action leads to impressions and that leads to desire and that again leads to action. Our actions could be 'pure' or ' impure' or both partly pure and partly impure .In any case even if our action is good or pure , it will always lead to an impression . And these impression will lead to desire. The impressions are deeper if our actions are repeated . And the desires that it causes are stronger if if impressions are 'deeper'.
      So let us say I had a bad experience with a thief who stole my money . I had severe hatred . But this is not long lasting . So I will not have deeper impression and it will not lead to an intense action in my future life or lives . But say I am working in an office , and my boss is crook and bothers me daily .My hatred towards him is a daily affair and it will create deeper impression and it will lead to action in my future life or lives . The same will occur with the attachment. If saw a beautiful woman (or for ladies a handsome man ) I will have no major long lasting impression, just like when we watch a movie and see a beautiful actress or actor . We do not think of them daily .So our cause and effects are minimal . But say we think about some one with lust / desire every day , it will create deeper impression and that is bound to come to fruition in our this (seen ) or future (unseen) lives.
     So this sutra is telling us that the Kleshas cause the action  and kleshas are related to our previous actions . This is very important to know as this the only way we can break the circle of Action-Impression-Desires- Action-Impression -desire . Second point to understand is that Good or Bad -all actions arise out of Klesha and all Actions lead to impressions . 

SADHANA PAD SUTRA - 11

                                      DHYAN  HEYAH  TAD  VRUTTAYAH

                          MEDITATION  WILL  DESTROY THOSE TENDENCIES

        This one at least on surface appears to be easy to explain . we talked about the kleshas and their origin and now we are told that they could be destroyed by the Meditation . This does not refer to the 20 or 30 minutes of meditation that we do do may be 3 times a week! But it referred to the entire process of the meditation . As was mentioned in past that meditation can be done by sitting at one place and cocentrating on the object in front of us in the beginning. But in the latter stages we don't need to sit and concentrate . We could be in office or a garden or a moll, we could 'meditate.' But to have a success in these situations or for that matter to concentrate at the time of the meditation while we are sitting , one must have given up certain things or followed up the eight fold path. If we have done that then the thoughts related to mortal attractions will not be that strong and the meditation will be successful . So if we don't have attachments to particular food , music ., house , car sex alcohol etc , then the thoughts related to these objects will not disturb our mind .
      So when this Sutra tells us that the meditation will destroy the 'tendencies ' or the vruties , it is not the simple attempt for the process of the meditation, but the entire preparation of mind , our activities and the behaviour, that will DESTROY these tendencies . Please remember that these tendencies occur due to our ACTIONS in the present and the future lives . 

SADHANA PAD SUTRA - 10

                                   TE  PRATIPRASAVA  HEYAH  SUKSHAMAH

ONCE   THEY (THE KLESHA)  ARE  RESOLVED  ( BACK TO IT'S ORIGIN,) TO CHITTA,,IN

                                  SUBTLE  FORM,  THEY  CAN  BE  DESTROYED

        In this Sutra we are told how to resolve the kleshas or afflictions.This is done by the reversal of the process. In Hindu philosophy, this is called "karya karan bhav".This is nothing but the cause and effect. So if my parents were not born , I would not be here today. So my parents are the cause and 'I' am the effect . So when one looks at the Klesha, we can find their origin .RAGA,DWESHA AND THE ABHINEWESH, the last 3 Kleshas or afflictions that have been described are the originated by AWIDYA AND ASMITA--IGNORANCE AND EGO. So we have ego , which leads us to believe that the body is SELF. This is the Ignorance . And this ignorance leads to attachment to 'having pleasurable experience' and desire to avoid things that causes displeasure.(These are the RAGA AND THE DWESHA).So if we get rid of ignorance and the ego , then we will automatically get rid of RAGA, DWESH AND THE ABHINIWESH (which is the attachment to the physical body. So if 'understand' or realise that physical body is mortal and SELF is immortal , the 'real happiness' is not related to the bodily experience, then we will not have the Kleshas
        But how do we do this ? The simple answer is 'by meditation'. So if we practice the 8 fold path of Yoga, consisting of 'Yama and Niyam', then practicing the meditation. (which is part of 'astang yoga').So when we go to the origin of the problem , then we can eliminate the problem. We have the attachment to our 'possesions',we have problem. But if we follow the path of not 'hoarding'or collecting things, we will not have to face the problem of loosing the possessions.If we understand and believe that this physical body is mortal , then we will not be attached to it's pleasure and displeasure.

SADHANA PAD-SUTRA 9

                   SWARASAWAHI   VIDUSHOPI   TATHARUDHO   ABHINIVESHAH

ABHINIVESH-DESIRE TO LIVE (AS A PHYSICAL BODY ) EXISTS IN LEARNED AS WELL

AS WELL AS IGNORANT PERSON,AS IT FLOWES  FROM PREVIOUS LIVES.

       The attachment to our physical body is one of the strongest of all the desires.We think that the other addictions, like alcohol or smoking or drugs are the worst. But when we compair our desire to sustain this present body,to that of other attachments , the worst is  the attachment to the body . We are afraid ti die , even though we have been born and have died several times .So in each 'life' we are attached to the present body. (This is the JAYANDRATHA in the Mahabharata. So if you remember Arjuna wants to kill him . But he is hidden and Arjuna has to kill him before Sunset. Then Lord Krishna covers the SUN with his CHAKRA. When Jayandratha comes out from his hiding place , the Lord takes out the Chakra. Then the KRISHNA shows Arjuna the SUN and advises him to kill JAYANDRATHA. I think the first SUN is the SUN in the sky and the second SUN that the Lord Krishna "showes" to Arjuna is the SUN OF KNOWLEDGE or the self realisation.)
      This desire is due to our misunderstanding of our body as 'self'when in reality this is wrong . So we cling to our physical body. This attachment comes from our previous lives' experiences . So since all of us , poor or rich , learned or ignorant all have had previous lives, we all have this attachment. So this Sutra describes the one more KLESHA .