| 10. How then are we to get deep,
undisturbed sleep? The means to shake off laziness will serve here too. We
should give ceaseless work to the body. Then the moment we get into bed, we will sleep like a
corpse. Indeed sleep is a brief death. To attain this beautiful death
we should make due preparation by day. The body must be thoroughly tired out by toil. The English poet
Shakespeare says, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." One reason for it is that a king does not
work with his body.
He who drowses by the day will have to
keep vigil at night. Not to use the mind and body by day, what is this
but drowsing? Later, when it is time for the sleep, the mind is troubled
by thoughts, and the body misses the pleasure of real sleep. Then he
sleeps late. If this life which should be used for attaining the highest
ends is consumed by sleep, when and how can we ever reach those? If half our life is spent in sleep, what
good then do we get out of life?
11. When much time is consumed in sleep, the third defect of tamas
arises, namely negligence and error. The mind of the drowsy man cannot be strong or vigilant. For this
comes inattention. Too much sleep leads to laziness and laziness to forgetfulness. Forgetfulness is an
enemy of the spirit. Even in worldly affairs; forgetfulness causes nothing but harm. But in our society,
forgetfulness is regarded as quite natural. |
