Cycle of Birth and Death 2
Let us first understand what Sancita Vasanas and Prarabdha Vasanas are. Sancita Vasanas are the total set of vasanas. Certain Vasanas from this Sancita Vasanas require immediate manifestation. They are termed as Prarabdha Vasanas that we are born with in this lifetime.
Prarabdha Vasanas are the vasanas that determine our structure, hair colour, skin colour, the way we walk, look etc. They also determine the way we speak, our emotions, thoughts, ideas etc. When we exhaust Prarabdha vasanas, we die. This is the death of the physical body. The subtle body comprising of the mind and intellect is carried forward along with the next predominant vasanas (that need immediate expression) from the Sancita Vasanas to the next birth. These set of vasanas become the Prarabdha Vasanas for the next birth. This cycle of birth and death continues till the person has exhausted the total set of Sancita Vasanas.
With respect to plants and animals, they just live out their Prarabdha Vasanas and move on to the next birth. They do not have the capacity to exhaust the Sancita Vasanas. You may wonder for how long will a plant remain a plant or an animal remain an animal. When we analyze human beings around, we see that though they possess a human form externally; they are stones, plants or animals internally. So we can intelligently conclude that this is how they evolve into human – humans.
How does one break this cycle of birth and death?
As already mentioned in the previous blog, we need to move from being an extrovert to an introvert. This happens only when we understand the transient nature of material and sensual pursuits. We realize this either through grief of losing something that we are attached to or becoming neutralized to the effect of the sense objects and beings. It is like being pushed to the corner and not knowing what to do to get out of that situation. And that is the time the person starts questioning.
In schools and universities we learn the lesson first and appear for the test at the end of the semester. Whereas in life we are tested first and then we learn the lesson later. The knocks and shocks of life alone push a person towards the path of an introvert. The person mentally withdraws from the world of objects and beings and starts focusing within his personality. This is the stage of the Uparati. At this stage the seeker may not know what Self-Realization or Atman or Brahman is, but has turned his mind from the material world. He is looking for something but he does not know what it is. However he knows clearly that he will not find it in the world. Like Arthur Schopenhauer says:
“It is difficult to find happiness within oneself, but impossible to find it anywhere else.”
Having mentally withdrawn from the world of objects and beings, one moves on to Dharana. This is the stage where one is able to generally concentrate on the spiritual path. Here he is able to focus on his goal clearly. If Uparati is the beginning stage of the spiritual path, Dharana is towards the middle stage. The sadhak at this point does not waver and return to the path of materialism and sensualism.
The next stage is that of Dhyana. Here the sadhak has completely learnt to focus on Brahman single pointedly. This stage is that of meditation leading to Samadhi (Realization). This is the culmination of the spiritual journey. At this stage the person has completely exhausted his Sancita Vasanas. The death of the Ego takes place. He is however physically existing and exhausting his Prarabdha Vasanas. No other change takes place in him. If he was singing before Realization, he continues to do so. If he was teaching before Realization, he continues to do so. We are familiar with the examples of great saints like Thiagaraja who sang till his last breath or Swami Rama Tirtha who taught till his last breath. The actions become more subtle and the subject too, but they continue doing what their Prarabdha dictates. Such Realized souls, having broken this chain of birth and death attain Samadhi forever.
