Commentary on The Song of the Sannyasin
Introduction to Commentary
Swami Vivikananda’s epic poem on the nature
and calling of the Sannyasin, the ascetic renunciant path towards enlightenment has been the inspiration
for many saints since its original publication. The Song of the Sannyasin, in modern times, is emphasized by the Ramakrishna monks and the Swaminarayan monastic orders. However, it also
offers insightful keys to insight and inspiration for all seekers.
In this age the ascetic’s life is not for all seekers of wisdom and
enlightenment. What about those of us who follow a fourth way, a way in life of
pursuing higher consciousness and enlightenment in ordinary life? Can we not
also benefit from and gain practical wisdom from this teaching? I believe so. Towards
this end I offer a personal insight into this incredible work and hope if
nothing else to inspire consideration of it.
Vivikanada’s words here are unedited and true to the original copy in my possession.
Wake up the note! The song
that had its birth
Far off, where worldly
taint could never reach;
In mountain caves, and
glades of forest deep,
Whose calm no sigh for lust
or wealth or fame
Could ever dare to break; where rolled the stream
Of knowledge, truth, and
bliss that follows both.
Sing high that note, Sannyasin bold! Say,
"Om tat sat.
Om!"
Wake up that which is sleeping and dreaming while the opportunity for a consciously lived life passes by. Hear the note, the song of the spirit crying for and towards the great liberation for it’s self and for all living beings. Listen to that sweet inner harmony coming from the deepest of deep places in the recesses of mind, body and spirit. It is time to satisfy a craving for realization that no external experience or achievement can satisfy. Turning inward bring awareness and the light of consciousness to the essential being or essence. The essence is that innate part of us, that abides in character regardless of events or circumstances, positive or negative. If you have an aim to be liberated, then be bold, be on to it!
Love, hate -good, bad -
and all the dual throng.
Know, slave is slave,
caressed or whipped, not free;
For fetters though of
gold, are not less strong to bind;
Then, off with them, Sannyasin bold! Say,
"Om tat sat.
Om!"
Find that which obstructs and limits your true being. Release the constraints
of false personality whether positive or negative. Give up attachment to
expression of dualism especially in emotions. Understand the nature of our life
is as a slave, a prisoner regardless of circumstances. Our attractions to
excess drive us outward away from our true essence and nature. We are limited
in our access to our true nature equally, in rich and in poor circumstances.
The limitations on consciousness are no less severe for the wealthy or comfortable.
Identification with external events creates a prison where the walls are
supported by the unreal parts of us. When pursuing freedom from the slavery of
the sense dominated world all pulls us away. All binds us. All blinds us. Good
and bad (Munkan Mai Munkan:
Thai Phrase) equal “same, same but different.” Be bold and let go!
Let darkness go, the will
o' the wisp that leads
With blinking light to
pile more gloom on gloom.
This
thirst for life for ever quench! It drags
From
birth to death, and death to birth the soul.
He conquers all who
conquers self. Know this
And never yield, Sannyasin bold! Say,
"Om tat sat. Om!"
Darkness originates in the notion
of the brevity and fleeting nature of our life. However, we are immortal and
have parts able to continue from this life intact. All fear and darkness
originates in attachment to illusion from the false self or false personality.
Conquering the self elevates the essence and brings awareness to immortality.
Do not be so attached to life or the preservation of it and lose ground to the
unreal, the transient manifestations of ego manifest in the flesh.
The
sure effect; good, good; bad, bad. And none
Escape the law, but who so
wears a form
Must bear the chain." Too true. Yet
far beyond
Both name and form is
Atman, ever free.
Know thou art That, Sannyasin bold! Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
Karma, original law of cause and effect does not respect our opinions.
Every thought, action and deed is both a cause and effect and a mechanical and
predictable outcome of consciousness being manifest in a physical realm and
body. We wear the form of a Human Being and so are subject to the laws under
which organic life and human beings must operate. We need to learn and bring
awareness to these laws in order to work within them and perhaps eventually to
operate under superseding laws. Cause and effect are absolute, however they are
relative. For example the law of gravity is a law, however, applying another
law such as the law of lift allows us to fly. So, the laws of Karma are
absolute, however, the law of origination and conscious connection to essence
and spirit may provide a way to transcend it.
They know no truth who
dream such vacant dreams
As father, mother, children,
wife and friend.
The sexless Self! Whose
father He? Whose child?
Whose friend, whose foe is
He who is but One?
The Self is all in all.
None else exists.
And thou art That, Sannyasin bold!! Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
From the point of view of possible evolution everything not directly
reflecting or originating from the essence is unreal and is simply an event.
Our life details, the things we generally hold most dear, family, friend, our
picture of our self and our life are insubstantial and to be challenged. We
seek to resonate and have discourse with a part of us that has none of these things.
We seek to resonate with a part of us that is not added to or diminished by
ordinary life concerns. Our essence has no gender and it was not born of
parents. The core is truth and the realization liberation. We are unique in
that the essence of our true nature is reflected in all nature and the
essential nature of all reflected within us.
There is but One - The
Free - The Knower - Self!
Without
a name, without a form or stain.
In Him is Maya, dreaming all this dream.
The Witness, He appears as
nature, soul.
Know thou art That, Sannyasin bold! Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
There is but one true original self and all that obstructs it's vision is illusion. The illusion is the dream which we call life. The true self is that which can
self remember, observe and witness. It sees the nature of our reality as it
really is from it's objective, superior and lofty view
point, and reflects the nature of an unrestrictive perspective. Know that this
is within our grasp of consciousness not because it is superhuman but because
it is our nature!
Where seekest thou that freedom, friend, this world
Nor that, can give? In books and temples
Vain thy search. Thine only is the hand that holds
The
rope that drags thee on. Then cease lament!
Let go thy hold, Sannyasin bold ! Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
The Buddha stated "Man must himself rise and make way to the
portals that give upon liberty, and it is in his power every moment so to do.
That door is free of all bolts and bars save those that man himself has
made". We run around asking for answers, asking those who do not know us
or share our experience to tell us what to do. We wish for someone to show us
or confirm our path towards enlightenment. Why do we look for the keys in
external hands when the work is our own, the way is within and the resources we
have to bring towards our great liberation unlimited? The greatest and most
substantial impediments to our progress and liberation are our selves, our
false personality and ego. We need to let go of all that holds us in chains,
bound to the negative expressions of our ego and take hold of what is real
within us.
Say ‘Peace! To all, From me no
danger be
To
aught that lives. In those that dwell on high,
ln those that lowly creep, I am the Self in all.
All life, both here and
there, do l renounce,
All heavens, earths and hells, all hopes and fears,
Thus cut thy bonds, Sannyasin bold! Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
To release the bonds of Karma is to immediately take the "Ahimsa"
vow to do no harm. Create a template or base from which to begin the noble work
of transformation. Cultivate peace and the non-expression of negative emotions
in thought action and deed. Since every moment is conditioned Karmically by all that preceded it we must become partners
in the crafting of our moments. Right now is a good time to start! We are as we
think. We should practice the craft of cultivation of intentional thinking.
There are many ways to craft good thoughts for the purpose of crafting a
reality suitable for connecting with and cultivating essence while reducing the
harmful and restrictive effects of Karma.
The Meta Sutra is a good example of how to cultivate or generate the Boddhichitta or a perfect thought. The Meta Sutra
postulates a way of thinking an intentional thought or prayer for the
liberation of all living beings regardless of state, level of being or
consciousness. "May all beings be happy, may they be free from suffering,”
We vow to no longer participate in the origination cycle for the creation of
suffering for ourselves and for others.
I affirm that what I have been taught to believe as the nature of life
and the world to be limiting concepts. I vow to free myself from identification
with the ordinary concerns of life and the belief systems
which they generate. I vow to seek an understanding and perspective that
originates and resonates from within my self.
Heed then no more how body
lives or goes.
Its task is done. Let Karma
float it down.
Let one put garlands on,
another kick
This frame. Say naught. No
praise or blame can be
Where praiser,
praised, and blamer, blamed are one.
Thus be thou calm, Sannyasin bold! Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
Cultivate an awareness separate from that of
the machine. Allow the body to fulfill it's function
as the stress adaptive human biological transformational machine, but do not be
overly attached to it. It's function as a vehicle is only for a short time and
in time it will deteriorate. Do not be overly concerned with it's life or how it looks and feels. At some point in this process of liberation we
will be required to give it up!
Truth never comes where
lust and fame and greed
Of gain reside. No man who
thinks of woman
As his wife can ever
perfect be;
Nor he who owns, however
little, nor he
Whom anger chains, can
ever pass through Maya’s gates
So, give these up, Sannyasin bold ! Say,
"Om tat sat, Om !"
The biology and emotional ups and downs of relationships are among the most
challenging obstacles. Having relationships is a normal, healthy part of life.
To work on negative emotions and false personality and get closer to our true
self is possible in normal life circumstances.
We must be scholarly and see the reality of the presence of the false personality
and the ego centered it is reflective of. We must release and give up our
attachment to what happens to us and what originates in the limited ego. Negative
emotions consume our life and rob us of the energy and vitality necessary for
self-work.
Have thou no home. What
home can hold thee, friend?
The sky thy roof; the
grass thy bed; and food,
What chance may bring.
Well cooked or ill, judge not.
No food or drink can taint
that noble Self
Which knows itself. The
rolling river be
Thou ever, Sannyasin bold! Say,
“Om tat sat, Om !"
Practice non-identification, non-attachment and a way of being that is
not at the whim of circumstances and the endless cycle of events in our daily
lives. Observe, accept and enjoy the fruits of consciousness above all else.
Whatever is external is transitory and if we wait a moment it will be different.
It will pass. There is something within us that observes and abides. That is
the part to cling to and indentify with.
Few only know the truth.
The rest will hate
And laugh at thee, great
one. But pay no heed.
Go thou, the Free, from
place to place, and help
Them out of darkness,
Maya’s veil, without
The
fear of pain or search for pleasure. Go
Beyond them both, Sannyasin bold!‘ Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
Place less value or weight on the opinions of those not engaged in your
work or process of working on your self. Do not expect anyone who does not know
or understand the nature of your efforts to concur, praise or appreciate what
your doing. Your satisfaction has to come from within.
We are a house divided within our self. There is a running discord between
the parts of us reflecting the true self and the parts reflecting the ego and
false personality. We must not listen to those parts that do not support our
work! The old saying that we are our own worst enemy is no exaggeration. We
must use the tools and make efforts to feed the parts of us that want to move
towards consciousness and liberation of spirit. We must diminish the influence
and power of those parts of us that do not. Fear of pain, search for pleasure
are reflections of our mechanical nature and are not valuable to us. They
represent the ambitions of the tissue not the spirit.
The parts of us (our many I's) that can attract
the right kinds of efforts and intentions necessary for growth are few. With
practice they will grow.
Thus, day by day, till
Karma’s powers spent
Release the soul for ever; No more is birth,
Nor I,
nor thou, nor God nor man. The I
Becomes the All, the All is I, and bliss!
Know thou art That, Sannyasin bold ! Say,
"Om tat sat,
Om!"
Our effort and work continue until the great day is done, through one
lifetime, many lifetimes, or all that there is. The effort and the song remain
the same. We are not done until we are, so be brave and get on with it!
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Commentary on the Song of the Sannyasin: Copyright© 2011, Anthony B. James CMT, ND, MDAM All rights reserved under International and Pan American copyright conventions. World rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Inquires should be addressed to: Anthony B. James, ND, MDAM, Brooksville, FL. http://www.ThaiYogaCenter.Com