Going beyond All Sorrow
Man always wants to go beyond all sorrows. In sushupti or deep sleep, we are not aware of anything; but only on waking we are able to understand whether we slept well or whether we were in a state of joy. It is a state where we are covered with ignorance and not aware of our true nature. Consequently when we wake up we are back to our old selves – with joys, sorrows, miseries, etc.
The same person after a continued and long spiritual discipline attains samadhi (a super conscious state), where he is aware of his real nature in contrast to that of sushupti. Therefore when he comes out of that super conscious state,he becomes an enlightened person.
Therefore it has been told that if a fool enters into sushupthi, he will come out as a fool only, whereas the same fool when he enters into the super conscious state of samadhi, he comes out of it as an enlightened person.
There are various types of sadhana depending upon one’s temperament and the stage in which one is there, because we have to start our journey from the point where we are. This has given rise to various paths or modes of sadhana. This is certainly confusing, particularly for beginners since their mind is in a state of vagaries. When the mind becomes pure and concentrated, one will be able to know what the right thing is.
However, to attain this process of purification, it is better if one can take the help of an advanced or enlightened soul. Such a person is whom we call Guru or a spiritual teacher. He will be able to give us a proper guidance and tell us the methodology to be followed. We have to have utmost faith (shraddha) in his words, in his instructions and we should follow the same without having any doubts about his instructions.
When this is done for a long period continuously without any break, one can reach the stage where one will be beyond all sorrows and realize one’s true nature, which is called Atman. Man’s desire to go beyond all sorrows is because of the innate nature of the Atman which is ever blissful (AnandaSwarupa), and does not know any misery or any such thing.