K = hpq and E (if) K = 1,00,000
Where,
K = Units of Spiritual Knowledge
E = Enlightenment
h = Number of hours spent in spiritual sadhana
p = Probability that one will engage in spiritual sadhana
q = Quality of one’s spiritual sadhana
Motivations and Rationale Behind the Two Equations Above
It is popularly acknowledged that to become proficient in any art or discipline of study, one has to put in 10,000 hours of practice. Since, becoming proficient in spiritual knowledge is perhaps 10 times more difficult one has to put in 10 x 10,000 = 1,00,000 hours worth of effort acquiring spiritual knowledge or equivalently 1,00,000 units of spiritual knowledge for enlightenment to occur. And 1,00,000 hours of spiritual sadhana roughly works out to 12 years of full-time sadhana, which is a reasonable estimate.
And, it stands to reason that spiritual knowledge (K) is dependent on the number of hours one spends in doing spiritual sadhana (h), which can be in the form of pouring over scriptures, meditating, doing japa etc.
The probability that one will engage in spiritual sadhana (p) is given by the following considerations:
p = 1 if Samskaras > 0
(see below for the equation for samskaras)
(OR) Grace is there
(OR) Mumukshutva (desire for liberation) is there
= 0 if Samskaras ≤ 0
(AND) Grace is NOT there
(AND) Mumukshutva is NOT there
Which stands to reason because you are more likely to put in spiritual sadhana if you have good samskaras or even if you do not have good samskaras, if grace is operating in your life (as Ramana Maharshi said, “It is because of the grace of God that you think of God) or if your desire for liberation (mumukshutva) is strong.
The quality of the hours one spends in spiritual sadhana (q) is given by the following considerations:
q = ½ if Samskaras < 0
= 1 if Samskaras = 0
= 2 if Samskaras > 0
Which stands to reason because Samskaras determine the quality of your mind, so if the quality of your mind is not good, then you have to put more effort to get the same spiritual knowledge that someone with good spiritual samskaras can get. Hence, those with good samskaras, that is mature spiritual seekers, will attain elnlightenment faster. As Ramana Maharshi put it, “Just as a piece of coal takes a long time to be ignited, a piece of charcoal takes a shorter time, and a mass of gunpowder is instantaneously ignited, so it is with grades of men coming into contact with mahatmas.”
Now, what about the equation for Samskaras?
Samaskaras = Σ Σ ni,j where ni,j = i-eth act in j-eth life
ni,j = 1 if you do a good deed
= -1 if you do a bad deed
So, what the above equation is saying is that the Samskaras score is a sum of all the good and bad deeds you have done in all your past lives, every good deed being scored as 1, and every bad deed being scored as -1.
So, if you have done more good deeds than bad deeds on average, then Samskaras will be > 0, and < 0 otherwise, and = 0 if they balance or cancel each other out, that is, neutral samskaras.
Summary
One will attain enlightenment if one puts in 1,00,000 hours of spiritual sadhana, which roughly equals 12 years of full-time spiritual sadhana.
One will do spiritual sadhana only if one’s samskaras are good, and if one’s samskaras are not good one will take to spiritual sadhana only if Grace is there or one’s desire for liberation is strong.
One attains enlightenment faster through spiritual sadhana if one has good samskaras to begin with. Note that the hours you spend in spiritual sadhana in this life, will carry over into next life as good Samskaras (if you do not attain enlightenment in this life), and so you will attain enlightenment faster in next life, which tallies with assurance given about Yoga Brashta by Krishna to Arjuna in the Gita.
Note: In the above model, I have not accounted for how intensely you will put in sadhana, whether you will slacken your efforts etc., but it is fair to say that it will be determined by the strength of one’s desire for liberation or enlightenment (mumukshutva), a very intense desire for liberation implying you will put in full-time sadhana other factors permitting.
Know Thyself 