MISCELLANEOUS

official source: Ta'ttvika Praveshika'

cross-references: none

this version: is the printed Ta'ttvika Praveshika', 1st edition, version 
	(spelling mistakes only may have been corrected). I.e., this is the most 
	up-to-date version as of the present Electronic Edition.

	1. There is a belief that sama'dhi is self-hypnotism. This is not correct. Self-hypnotism is called a'vesha. In self-hypnotism all the indriyas come under the control of the mind and act according to the dictates of mind. But sama'dhi cannot be attained without mind being dissolved. The belief that sama'dhi is only self-hypnotism is not correct. There is however no doubt that self-hypnotism is a great help in attaining sama'dhi as it is easier to dissolve mind when it has full control over indriyas as in that stage indriyas do not remain the object of mind and hence do not become an hindrance to its being dissolved. Thus a'vesha or self-hypnotism is only a help for attaining sama'dhi and not sama'dhi in which mind is also dissolved.

	2. Planchette or other such demonstrations are purely psychic or mental phenomena. In planchette for instance there is usually a heart-shaped small board, resting on two sticks and the point of a pencil. When the board is touched the pencil traces the alphabets on the board and makes sentences which are said to be the reply given by the spirit questioned. The movement of the pencil or the board is purely due to mental force of the persons taking part in it and the answer to the questions also has its origin only in the mind of the persons. The correctness of the answer depends on the knowledge of that person about the question. All other similar demonstrations are also purely mental where movement if any is due to mental force and any statements made are the creation of the mind of the persons making the demonstrations. The statements made as a result of such demonstrations do not even have the accuracy of the statements by other astrologers who arrive at their conclusions with the help of enormous statistical data available with them. Therefore planchette etc. are not dependable as they are only mental creation of the demonstrators.

	3. Nirgun'a Brahma:--
(a) Abha'vottara'nanda pratya' lambana' vrttir tasya prama'n'am.
(b) Sa' nirgun'a'sthiti nirvikalpa sama'dhi va'.
(c) Tasya sthiti ama'nasikes'u.