The text by Ramalinga Swamigal, “The Light of Supreme Grace”:
“The Light of Supreme Grace is a wondrous temple of wisdom, surpassing the great expanse of the primordial sound.
The Light of Supreme Grace manifests the space of wisdom beyond the emptiness of Vedanta; experienced above the state of turiya.
The Light of Supreme Grace is a unique space of wisdom, filled with boundless joy, beyond the concepts of pure thinking.”
Ramalinga says that the Light of Supreme Grace surpasses the space of the primordial sound.
The primordial space possesses the capacity for radiance; it can manifest. This manifestation is described as sound, light, and rays (nada, bindu, and kala). Sound, light, and rays are the foundation of all manifested creation. They are especially important for us in practice at the higher stages.
Light and rays are explored in jyoti yoga. Sound is explored in nada yoga. There is even an entire philosophy called “nadanta.” It is the philosophy of sound. However, Ramalinga writes that this Light of Supreme Grace surpasses the space of sound, because beyond all sounds there exists the primordial pure space of awareness. He also says that the Light of Supreme Grace surpasses the emptiness of Vedanta, the empty aspect of the Absolute, Brahmajyoti.
When speaking of the darshan of the Light of Supreme Grace, we say that it is not only the empty aspect; it is also the aspect of the manifested, and therefore it surpasses mere emptiness as accepted in Advaita Vedanta. It is an emptiness that can manifest through forms.
“The Light of Supreme Grace rules over the primordial plane of consciousness—the highest space of pure knowledge.
The Light of Supreme Grace is a sacred temple of wisdom—a space beyond the limitations of nature.
The Light of Supreme Grace is the primordial temple of holiness, a unique space of being, consciousness, and bliss.
The Light of Supreme Grace shines in the space of creativity of immortal abundance.
The Light of Supreme Grace is the inner temple of sacred scriptures—a space that affirms cause and effect.
The Light of Supreme Grace is a sacred temple of wisdom—a space proclaimed by sacred texts as both one and many.”
Conditions for the Revelation of Grace
When does this grace touch a person? When the mirror of the mind is opened through unceasing and attentive vigilance toward pure consciousness beyond thoughts. Many people, especially those who read Sri Aurobindo, like to discuss the descending force. Nevertheless, one can speak of the descending force only when the mirror of the mind beyond concepts has been opened through the nurturing of contemplation, when effort and the concept of the meditator have been cast aside, when contemplation continues effortlessly. Then this light begins to reveal itself as the subtlest vibration, which saturates consciousness with bhava, changes the flow of prana, and brings the winds into the central channel.
This light always exists, but if consciousness is dualistic and gross, it cannot attune to it. When contemplation becomes refined and we enter the stage of effortlessness, this light is understood as an all-encompassing, all-pervading space entering the yogin’s body through the chakras. Then the process of simple attentiveness and self-surrender allows this light again and again to saturate consciousness and transmute the pranas. Such self-surrender arises from right contemplation, letting go, and relaxation.
Ramalinga calls it the space of creativity of immortal abundance. When this light touches consciousness, it manifests in diverse forms and aspects, in very complex, profound manifestations. Such complex, profound manifestations are called sambhogakaya, or the body of wealth.
The Single “Taste” and Its Aspects
At the stage of effortless contemplation, when the yogin sees external objects, he receives from them the most powerful impulse of enlightenment. Behind every object he sees a radiance that descends into his body. It is usually said that the single “taste” means that inner and outer space merge. This is so. I will tell you that one who does not have the single “taste” cannot attain enlightenment. But if one asks what the single “taste” is, not everyone understands what it is.
The single “taste” means:
- Inner and outer space are merged
- All things and phenomena are perceived as the same by nature
- Time (past, present, and future) is merged and constitutes one
- The yogin feels himself in the bodies of all living beings, feels himself as all-pervading consciousness in trees, in stones, in stars and planets, as far as the power of his consciousness extends
- The yogin perceives this light equally in pure things and in impure ones, in good things and in bad ones
When everything is seen as homogeneous, this is the single “taste.”
The Light of the Son and the Light of the Mother
The Light of the Supreme Grace precedes the single “taste.” It is preceded by the stage of effortless contemplation. Why? Because self-transcendence must occur. To attain the single “taste,” one must get rid of the false center of “I” and let it go completely.
Therefore, approximately the following process takes place. First, thanks to effortless contemplation, the yogin begins to feel the great space. He does not necessarily see it as something; he feels it with his prana, contemplates it with his mind. Gradually this great space begins to come as something rather from outside than from within, and this is indeed so.
The great space comes from outside, and this is called the “light of the mother,” or the great light. Within us there is the “light of the son,” or the small light. This light of the son is still immature; it is a portion of awareness that we have gained through our training in contemplation. But the light of the mother is an immense light, an immense space of the purity and perfection of the Absolute that is outside us. This is, in fact, the Absolute itself, if considered separately from us.
Previously we were blind to the light of the mother because we did not even have our own light of the son. But when we have given rise to the light of the son, and our contemplation continues vigilantly and continuously, and for us this is the apogee of our state, when we seem to be walking along a razor’s edge every second, trying under no circumstances to lose it, then the light of the mother begins to open to us and descend upon us in a vast stream. And gradually the outer space begins to mix with the inner; the light of the son merges with the mother’s light.
Merging in the Bardo and During Life
This process is usually completed fully at the moment of the bardo. In the bardo, when the channels and elements of the body do not interfere, the light of the son shines brightly, and the light of the mother reveals itself in all its fullness and splendor. And then it is said that the consciousness of the yogin merges with this light, recognizing it, because throughout his life he trained himself to contemplate the light of the mother. It is like a child jumping onto his mother’s lap. Having neither hope nor fear, he simply lets everything go and relaxes, while maintaining effortlessness and vigilance in presence. He simply jumps into this abyss, into this avalanche of light, becoming one with it, kindling his consciousness to infinity, attaining final enlightenment.
Whoever has not managed to understand this principle, has not attained the light of the son, and cannot let go of himself, will most likely be unable in the bardo to recognize the light of the mother, and therefore will be unable to merge with it.
If, however, the yogin contemplates deeply, he can perceive this light of the mother even during life. His inner and outer space mix already during life, although not yet completely. Then it is said that he enters the state of the single “taste.” This means that wherever he may be, whatever he may be engaged in, he contemplates the single Supreme Essence and will no longer lose it, and names and forms will no longer mislead him.
The merging of inner and outer space, of the filial and maternal light, is the dharma of the siddhas. Whoever has known this process has known all the dharmas that exist in the world. Even the Gods treat him with respect.
All-Pervading Awareness
When this happens, you develop an awareness that is subtler than thoughts. And if you have understood the essence, then you know that this awareness is not focused anywhere: neither inside nor outside, neither on the breath nor on the body, nor on any point in the body or outside it. It is simply all-pervading awareness.
When you have understood the principle of all-pervading awareness, which is subtler than thoughts, then to some extent you can say that you know a little about what presence is, what self-liberation through naked awareness is.
When you maintain this awareness, seeing the outer world with open eyes, yet relaxing, letting go of effort, and not allowing consciousness to move outward, then gradually a force surpassing you, in the form of subtle consciousness, begins to enter you. You need to relax even more, let yourself go even more, and be aware even more subtly, and then something still greater will enter you. That which enters you can be called a prototype of the Light of Supreme Grace spoken of by Ramalinga.
Mixing the Inner and the Outer
What, then, enters you when you have completely let yourself go, are relaxed, yet vigilant and aware? In fact, “enters” is a conventional term. Nothing enters; mixing simply occurs. You see the naked pure presence that is everywhere beyond your body, not only within. And what you see outside begins to be felt as inner, that is, it begins to mix with the inner.
When the inner mixes with the outer, it seems as though something is entering you. This happens only when effort itself has been dropped, which is why it is called Supreme Grace. It always exists; however, the non-recognition of the center’s existence, as well as the tendencies of your mind to go outward, to move, and to focus on something, did not allow you to sense it.
But when there is the vigilance of letting go, openness, and there is no mind that goes outward, you contemplate everywhere only the one Supreme Essence as all-embracing awareness permeating all objects. Then this all-embracing awareness begins to be recognized as inner, and a feeling arises as though something is entering you. And this feeling is what the saints call the Light of Grace.
It will enter until it has completely dispelled the idea of “I” and mixed with your inner light. When such an idea of “I” disappears, this is called self-transcendence. The one who has comprehended the mysteries of letting go, relaxation, and effortless contemplation of the Light of Supreme Grace is the best yogi. He surpasses yogis on the path of effort. Such mysteries are revealed to him that one cannot even dream of on the path of effort.
Then the yogin understands that his main practice is to watch this Supreme Essence and allow it to penetrate him more and more. As soon as the yogin becomes distracted, he loses it. As soon as he contracts or focuses, he loses the penetration; the mixing does not occur.
