Those who behave with total lack of common sense will be branded as 'blind people with eyes'. How can someone who has eyes be branded as 'blind'? What is the real meaning behind the expression - 'blind man with eyes'?

To understand this, we will need to know as to what is meant by 'blindness' and 'possessing eyes'.

"What is so difficult about it? One who is able to see the objects in front of him is a 'man with eyes'. One who is unable to do so is 'blind'.

"Is it that simple? A person can see everything in a room in day light. He is able to see in the night also. But all of a sudden, there was a power failure. He is now not able to see anything. Do you mean to say that he has become temporarily 'blind' because he is not able to see the objects?"

"It is not so. When there is light and the eyes are open, if a person is unable to see, he is blind"

"A person is sitting on an easy chair and sunbathing. His mind is so much filled with business matters that he is not able to see who are moving around him. Of course his eyes are wide open and there is bright sunlight. Still he is not seeing. Is he blind?"

"No. Even when the eyes are wide open, when there is sufficient light and the mind is also very much there, if a person is unable to see, he is blind".

"What do you mean 'the mind is there'?"

"It means - 'the mind is near the object which is being seen'".

"The mind of the person who sees is in his brain. How can it be near an object which is, say, ten metres away?"

"The mind will go there temporarily."

"Why does the mind, which resides in the brain, go there? How does it go?"

"It goes through the eyes, on account of the volition of the person who is seeing."

"Is not the mind Jada (inert)! How can it go there independently?"

"If the mind were to be completely inert, man will become stone-like. The faculty where the energy of the Self is mainly reflected is the mind. Because of this, the mind, in the day to day activities, functions as if endowed with Chaitanya. Therefore, it can go to the object with the help of own volition."

"What does it do after going there?"

"The mind, which passes through the eyes, will envelop the object, just like the air which envelops an object. Imagine a pot containing water. The water does not have any specific shape. It assumes the shape of the container in to which it is poured. If the pot has several curves and dents, the water in the pot will also assume the same shape. Similarly, the mind endowed with Chaitanya will also assume the shape of the object. Because the mind assumes the shape of the object, the person will realise that 'the imprint of the object is stamped on the mind'. Then he will say 'I am seeing this hill', 'I am seeing this tree' and so on."

"A very lengthy explanation indeed. Very good. But what the modern science says is somewhat different. It says that the light rays which emanate from the object pass through eyes and make a print on the mind and when it happens, the person will perceive the form of that object. What you are saying is quite opposite."

"According to relativity, whether we say the light rays leave the object and reach the mind or the mind itself assumes the form of light rays and reaches the object, it is one and the same. Therefore, there is no real difference between the ancient Indian thinking and the modern scientific thinking".

"According to your thinking, the mind comes out and goes to the object and assumes the form of the object. The person then says 'I saw'. Now, who is seeing? The eye or the mind?"

"The mind which comes out after passing through the eyes".

"Can the mind come out and see even if there is no light?"

"No".

"It means that for the mind to see, the eyes as well as light are instrumental. Assume that a person beheads another person with a sword. Do you say - ' the sword killed him, not the man'? Of course not! Similarly, when you say that the mind endowed with Chaitanya comes out through the eyes and with the help of light, sees an object, it means that the mind is seeing and not the eye, is it not?"

"Yes. The fact is that it is the mind which sees".

"Is it then possible to call a person without eyes as 'blind'?"

"However conscious the mind might be, if there are no eyes, the mind will not be able to see. Therefore, we call a person without eyes as blind".

"Even if the mind and eyes are all right, if there is no light, nothing can be seen. Do you mean to say that everyone is blind during night?"

"It would be inconsistent with reality. If fact, we are actually discussing about this inconsistency. When it is the mind which sees, because we believe that it is the eye which sees, this inconsistency has crept in. Our ancestors, who were endowed with discrimination did not succumb to such inconsistencies. It is the mind which goes through the eyes and sees the objects; it is the mind which goes through the ears and hears the sounds; it is the mind which goes through the nose and perceives the smells; it is the mind which goes through the skin and perceives the sensation of touch. Therefore, if the mind is engaged in some other thought, the person will not be able to see or hear anything even though the eyes and ears are intact."

"According to you, even if the eyes are not there, and if the mind is there, the person will be able to see."

"No. There is something more which has to be understood. If the mind is under improper influence, the person will perceive the object in front of him as something else. For instance, in dim light, looking at a moving object, the child thinks it to be its mother. If the influence is even more strong, the mind can show us objects which are, in reality, not there at all! This itself is dream".

"What is it that you want to say?"

"The mind can show something which is not present there at all! The mind may not show something which is very much present there. The mind can even show one object as something else. Those who can understand this truth will always try to understand in detail, the real nature of mind. This itself is Yoga. To 'see' the real nature of mind with the help of Yoga itself is called 'Tattva Siddhi'(accomplishment). To those great men who have attained accomplishment through Yoga, perceiving the objects with the help of the mind, senses and external instruments like light etc., will be like a big joke. Such great men will realise that the same Chaitanya which energises the inert mind also manifests as other objects like the tree, hill, light, eyes etc. Therefore, such great men - although endowed with eyes - will not see the objects as objects. They will perceive them as the manifestations of Chaitanya. What should we call them? Are they blind?"

"According to you, to the men of Yogic accomplishment, the objects in front of them are not visible. Is it not?"

"A robbery took place in a village. The thieves escaped. A police officer is looking for them. After sometime, the officer spots them in another village, where they are taking part in a drama play. They are dressed as some mythological characters. The spectators are applauding their wonderful performance. But the officer's eyes are spitting fire. Is he not able to see the mythological characters being enacted? Yes, he can. More than that, he is able to see them as thieves. Similarly, men of accomplishment can also see the objects just like us. But, more than that, they see them as the manifestations of Chaitanya. Seen from that perspective, they can not distinguish between a ferocious tiger and a innocuous deer. 'Therefore in a sense, they are blind' - says this Sookti with poetic irony." -

Ye baddha yogaa hridi siddha tattvaa
ste naiva pashyanti jagannatendhaah
Ye baddhamoho hridisiddha kaamaah
jagatprapashyanti tathaapi tendhaah

Those who have acquired Yogic accomplishment do not see this world (as different from themselves) at all. Still they are not blind. On the other hand, those whose hearts are filled with desires arising out of infatuations are very much able to see the world. Still they are blind.

This Sookti has two parts. The first part speaks about those who have realised Truth. They do not see the world. 'Still they are not blind' - says the Sookti. Though this statement appears strange, with the help of the above discussions, it can be understood.

The second part of the Sookti says that those of us who are able to see different objects of the world are blind. This is difficult to understand.

There are two reasons for the Sookti to brand us as blind. One - we have succumbed to infatuation. Two - our hearts are filled with desires.

The basic difference between those who have realised the Truth and are therefore able to perceive the omnipresence of the Chaitanya and ordinary mortals who see different objects is nothing but infatuation. That which causes us to like some of those objects and to hate other objects is desire.

By saying so, the Sookti is showing us the path of Yoga too. Control of the breath and practising Asanas do not come under this Yoga. Getting rid of infatuation and discarding desires are the two integral aspects of the Yoga mentioned in the above Sookti. Feelings such as 'this is mine', 'this is not mine' indicate infatuation. 'I want this', 'I do not want this' - such feelings indicate the presence of desires. This in turn give rise to affinity and hatred. Therefore, if one practises the Yoga of getting rid of Moha and Kama (infatuation and desire), one will be able to see the Atma Chaitanya which pervades the entire universe.

With the blessings of Lord Dattatreya may you all get rid of Moha and Kama. May your real eyes open.

Jaya Guru Datta.

Sri Swamiji