Chapter IX: Meditation
Thought means appearance of two wisdoms in mind and a third wisdom as a result of the mixture of the above two. Take one illustration. He who wants to know that the next world is better than the present world although he is addicted now to the present world, has got two ways. One way is that he must hear from others and believe that the next world is better than the present world. Without true insight into the things, he believes it as true as he heard it from others. This is Taqlid or blind belief. Another way is to know that what is everlasting is better. Out of the knowledge of these two premises, there appears another knowledge that the next world is better than the present world. Unless there is knowledge of the former two things, knowledge of the third thing is not possible. This is Tafakkur or good thought. The door of knowledge is not closed along with death. It continues even after death.
Thought is the basis of action. Thoughts begets knowledge, knowledge begets condition of mind or moves the mind and the mind moves the bodily organs to do an action. So good thought is the key to good actions. This is better than Zikr and Zikr is better than teaching, as good thought amounts to Zikr, Zikr of mind is better than works of bodily limbs so good thought is better than all works. For this a saint said that good thought for an hour is better than divine service for a year. Good thought will lead you to the conclusion that the next world is better than this world. When this thought will be firmly rooted in mind, it will take recourse to renunciation of the world and desire to have ever lasting peace in the next world. This is the change of the condition of mind. Before the acquisition of this knowledge, mind turns to the comforts and luxuries of this world and a sense of hatred towards the world next. After the dawn of the knowledge that the next world is better than the present world, his mind changes altogether and his will and desire change wholly and his entire actions are led with a motive of getting the next world.
Thought is the name of the flame of the light of knowledge which appears between two kinds of knowledge as fire appears
374 THE BOOK OF CONSTRUCTIVE VIRTUES Vol-IV
between iron and its strike on stone. If fire appears, eyes see. Before this, eyes could not see. As a result of this sight, it arouses the entire limbs of the body for action. Similarly light flashes in mind while it sees the real nature of each thing. It changes the mind which could not see in darkness. So the result of good thought is knowledge and change of condition of mind. There is no limit to the condition which changes the mind. He who tries to master all the branches of knowledge, will be baffled. So we shall try to master partial knowledge of all the stages leading to spiritual illumination.
MODE OF THINKING