‘By Cessation Of Activity Thoughts Become Extinct In Its Own Source’ reflect an important concept from Hindu philosophy, particularly Advaita Vedanta. It suggests that through the cessation of mental activity, one can realize their true nature or the ultimate reality (often referred to as Brahman). In this state, individual thoughts, being products of the mind, cease to exist, and one experiences a state of pure consciousness or awareness.
This teaching aligns with the idea that the mind, with its
constant stream of thoughts, often distracts individuals from recognizing their
true essence, which is beyond the fluctuations of the mind. By stilling the
mind through practices such as meditation or self-inquiry, one can transcend
the limited perception of individual identity and realize the underlying unity
of existence.
In essence, when mental activity ceases, thoughts dissolve
back into their source, which is pure consciousness or the ultimate reality.
This is a central teaching in various Hindu spiritual traditions, emphasizing
the importance of inner stillness and self-awareness in achieving spiritual
enlightenment.
The concept is also related to meditation and the nature of
consciousness. In Hindu philosophy, there's a profound emphasis on stilling the
mind to access deeper levels of awareness and understanding.
Let's break down the phrase:
"Cessation of activity": This refers to the idea
of stopping the incessant activity of the mind, including thoughts, desires,
and emotions. In meditation, practitioners aim to quiet the mind by letting go
of mental chatter and distractions.
"Thoughts become extinct": When the mind reaches a
state of deep stillness and calmness, thoughts gradually cease to arise. This
doesn't mean a permanent elimination of thoughts, but rather a temporary
cessation or attenuation of mental activity.
"In its own source": In the context of Hindu
philosophy, the "source" refers to the underlying consciousness or
awareness from which thoughts arise. By quieting the mind, one can connect with
this deeper source of consciousness, experiencing a sense of unity with the
universe or divine.
Overall, this teaching highlights the transformative power
of stillness and introspection in Hindu spiritual practice. It suggests that by
quieting the mind, one can access deeper truths and insights that are obscured
by the constant stream of thoughts and distractions.
Few quotes on the topic from Hindu scriptures:
1. Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra 1.2
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः
Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ
“Yoga is the cessation (nirodhaḥ) of the modifications (vṛtti) of the mind-stuff (citta).”
By defining yoga as the stoppage of all mental fluctuations, Patañjali tells us that thought-waves themselves are brought to rest at their very source.
2. Śaṅkarācārya’s gloss on Yoga Sūtra 1.2
“vṛttayaḥ citta-khaṇḍa-khaṇḍa-prasaraṇāt vyāpta-prasaraṇa-vṛtti-nirodhach-chāyam evām adhīyate”
—when the ripples of thought no longer spread through the channels of mind, the play of thought at its fountainhead is put out, and that stillness alone is recognized as one’s true Self.
3. Bhagavad-Gītā 6.34–35
6.34
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम्।
आत्मन्येव वशं नेति तं आत्मैव उपקרोति॥
“The mind is certainly restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate, O Kṛṣṇa; it seems as difficult to control as the wind itself—but it yields when one applies one’s own self to its control.”
6.35
तत्र सत्त्वस्थो निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः सर्वदुःखैः परित्यक्तः।
ज्ञानालोकैः समपत्रधरः समं पश्यन् आत्मनिमित्तम्॥
“There, established in sattva with no sense of ‘mine’ and no ego-sense, freed from all sorrows, shining in the light of wisdom, firmly holding the same vision of the Self in all beings…”
By mastering the restless mind (6.34), the yogī lets go of all identification and mental “doing” (6.35)—in effect, thoughts lose their hold right where they arise.
4. Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad (Ch. IV, Mīmāṃsā)
“यदग्राह्यम्–अचिन्त्यं–अदृष्टम्–अनागमं तत् तुरीयं सूक्ष्म–भूत–स्थ–परः परमात्मा”
“That which is ungraspable, unthinkable, unseen, unapproachable—that is the Fourth (Turiya) state: the subtle, all-pervading, supreme Self.”
In the Turiya state there is no mental activity at all—thoughts have “no place to arise” and thus are extinguished in their own source.
5. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.12
“यो वै विदित्वा नादमयो भवति”
“One who, having known the Nāda (primordial sound/mind-support), becomes free from it…”
Here the “Nāda” is the subtlest vibration of mind; knowing the Self beyond nāda means that even the subtlest thought-stream is cut off at its fountain.