So when the mind will end, be broken to pieces entirely, without leaving any Samskara, we shall be entirely free, and until that time we are in bondage; until then the Atman[soul] is covered by the whirl of the mind, and imagines it is being taken from place to place. When the whirl falls down, the Atman finds that It is all-pervading. It can go where it likes, is entirely free, and is able to manufacture and number of minds or bodies It likes; but until then It can go only with the whirl. This freedom is the goal towards which we are all moving.
Vivekananda (2.5 Jnana Yoga, from The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda
In this chapter Vivekananda more or less explains "Samsara", the freedom that comes when we as the "Atman" or soul never have to reincarnate anymore. This will happen when the mind falls completely to pieces because there is no more of these samskaras holding it together.
Say what crazy lady?
Vivekananda compares the prana Life force as a whirlwind-different curents of air coming from different directions and meeting at the midpoint, drawing in dust and materials as they do so forming a body of matter. A whirlwind will drop that body in a place and then move to another place doing the same thing, creating another body. again and again until that which brings these forces together and holds them together no longer exists. The forces of Prana will come together to form the body and mind out of matter and will move on until the body dies. When this body falls other materials will arise to make another body. The force of prana that exists without the body can not travel through this worldly experience without matter, but when the body falls mind stuff remains. Mind stuff is the form of prana with the form of samskaras acting upon it. This is what keeps the whirlwind going. When the force of prana is all spent, when the mind falls down and is broken to pieces entirely without leaving any samskaras, we will be entirely free. We will be in bondage until then.
Samskaras can be released in this life time...we can be free in this incarnation now. We can stop the spinning and the whirling through a practice of purification.
Hmm! Something to think about!
all is well
Swami Vivekananda (n.d.) The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Chapter 2.5 Jnana Yoga. Kindle Edition
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