Page 474 - Bodhayanti Parasparam Vol 6

Bodhayanti Parasparam Vol 6
The second illustration of the confusion is between the ‘lake’ and the ‘Ocean’.
‘All saw the lake and became so much attracted to it that none had a single thought for the Ocean’.
The result was they got themselves limited and soon concern for the body and concern for the concern began to assume tremendous importance and proportions as the grosser aspects of the condition surfaced. While discussing the above the Master mentions the ‘boat had sunk to hide itself in the lake and even to the onlookers it seemed that this was all’. We may interpret the ‘boat’ as the sadhaka and also his condition and the sinking of the boat in the lake can be taken to indicate that the sadhana got terminated after some good but very limited attainment (lake) paling in comparison with the swimming in the vast Infinite Ocean which could have been his lot if only he had determined to carry on with his sadhana till the goal is achieved and he had the grace, assistance and support of a Master of caliber who had traveled the entire distance. Lack of goal clarity is responsible for the shortfall in attainments. Even when the goal is clear and a competent Master’s support is available, the aspirant may fall still short of the mark. This is primarily due to the state of complacency developing in such an aspirant after he has moved some good distance on the path as he comes to regard his experiences in meditation and the changes observed in himself as satisfactory. There may be several oases which we come across during our long journey through the desert but they shall not become our resting places. That is why the Master exhorts us, ‘rest not till the goal is achieved’ and also asks us to fix the goal as the highest or the Ultimate so that we may not stop at the penultimate. As remarked by Rev. KCN in (IB p97), ‘there is an advantage for the abhyasis practicing PAM, because the
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