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Table of Contents
- Let us start with finding answers
to the questions raised in Part I.
Whatever you perceive or know as an
object cannot be yourself. It is
not difficult to understand that I
am not the physical body. I can see
the body. So, no thinking man will
deny the fact, “I am not the body.”
“Am I the ‘praana’ (divided
into prana, apana, vyana,
udana and samana), I.
e., the life forces that are responsible
for the respiratory, circulatory,
assimilative functions etc.? I am
aware that I am breathing. I am aware
that I am hungry etc. So, I am not
the prana. . Am I the ‘karmendriyas’,
the sense organs of action, i.e.,
the faculties of speaking, lifting,
walking etc? I am aware that I am
speaking, walking etc. So, I am not
the karmendriyas. Am I the ‘jnanendriyas,’
i.e., the sense organs of perception,
i.e., the faculties of sight, hearing,
smell, taste and touch? I am aware
that I see, hear etc. So, I am not
the jnanendriyas (A single name for
the jnanendriyas and karmendriyas
put together is ‘indriyas’
– sense organs, in English).
- Next, we have to find out about the
mind. In Sanskrit, the mind is called
‘antahkarana’. Along with the
antahkarana, there is reflected consciousness
called cidaabhaasa; for the
two together, the name is ahamkara.
Ahamkara comprises manah (the
faculty which receives stimuli from
the outer world and is the seat of
emotions and feeling), buddhi
(the faculty of reasoning, decision,
speculation and imagination), citta
(the faculty of memory) and the ahampratyaya
or ahamartha (ego) (the ‘I’
thought, the sense of ‘I am the knower,
doer’ etc.). (In what follows, for
the sake of simplicity, in many places,
the word, mind, is used as a synonym
for ahamkara. Where the word, ‘mind’
is used for antahkarana alone, it
will be obvious in the context). (The
physical body is called, sthoola
sarira. The prana, the indriyas
and the ahamkara are called “sukshma
sarira”. The prana that continues
to function during deep sleep and
the indriyas and ahamkara that
lie dormant in the deep sleep state
are, together, called “karana sarira.”)
(In Sastra, the word, “ahamkara” is
used not only for the combination
of antahkarana and cidabhasa, but,
in some places, for the ‘I’ notion
alone. To avoid confusion, in this
paper, following Sureswaracarya, the
word, ahamartha, is used for
the ‘I’ notion and the word, ahamkara
is reserved for the combination of
antahkarana and cidabhasa.)
- The existence of oneself as a conscious
entity is self evident. The question
is “is the mind itself the conscious
self or is there a conscious principle
other than the mind? Am I the mind
or am I the other conscious principle?”
To find out whether I am the mind,
I should apply the same test as applied
earlier in regard to the body etc.
That is, do I experience my mind?
The mind is an entity that expresses
as thoughts in the form of cognition
of external objects, emotion, reasoning,
decision, speculation, imagination
recollection and conceptualization.
“I know the pot is a thought” (Thought
is called ‘vritti’ in Sanskrit.)
“I am angry at my son” is a thought.
“I had ice cream yesterday” is a thought.
“Black hole is a mystery” is a thought.
Am I aware of my thoughts? The answer
is “yes; I am aware of my thoughts”.
Not only that, I am aware of the I
that is engaged in the thoughts in
the form of cognitions of objects,
emotions, reasoning, decision-making
and conceptualization. When I perceive
a tree, I am aware that I perceive
the tree. When I entertain a desire
for, say, ice cream, I am aware that
I desire to have ice cream. When I
get angry, I am aware that I am angry.
When I have an idea for designing
a new computer soft ware product,
I am aware that I have that idea.
When solving a mathematical equation,
I am aware that I am solving it. If
I have learnt Chinese, I am aware
that I know Chinese. When I recall
anything I am aware that I am recollecting
it. Knowledge or cognition produced
by ahamkara (whether it is cognition
of external objects or internal conceptualization)
involves the cognizer (pramaata),
the cognizing instrument and process
(pramaanam) and the cognized
object or conceived idea (prameyam).
This set is called triputi
. In the case of action, the agent
of action is called karta.
In the case of enjoyment, the one
who enjoys is called bhokta
and so on. For example, in “I know
the pot” or in “I have an idea of
what black hole is”, the I is the
pramata. In “I am repairing this clock”
the “I” is the doer - karta).
In “I am enjoying the music”, or “I
am sad about what happened in Kashmir.”
or “I am sad at what my son is doing”,
the” “I” is the enjoyer or sufferer
- bhokta. In “I am a father”,
the I is a related individual – sambandhi.
In “I have a house”, the “I” is a
possessor - dhaarin. Not only
am I aware of the premeyam and the
pramanam of the triputi but the pramata
etc., the I’s that are pramata, karta,
bhokta, sambandhi, dharin etc. as
well of the objects which these I’s
perceive, the acts that they do, the
things that they enjoy or suffer from,
emotions that they have and the ideas
that they conceive. Our thoughts,
including these I’s are changing from
moment to moment. One thought arises,
stays for a while and disappears and
another thought arises and so on.
Thoughts arise in the mind. We do
talk of the mind as the entity that
survives and travels after death or
the mind in a dormant state in deep
sleep state. When we do so, we look
upon the mind as a continuing entity.
But this is only flowing continuity
(pravaaha nityatvam). Thoughts
and the mind are closely connected.
Like a photographic plate which gets
altered by the light and shade patterns
reflected by the object being photographed,
the thoughts occurring during the
course of our experience of the external
world and thoughts occurring inside
in the mind independently leave impressions
in the mind (vaasanas). The
vasanas alter the character of the
mind. Just as tissues are replaced
and the body of old age is not the
body of youth, the emotional and intellectual
personality undergoes change. For
example, a person who acquires wealth
becomes a proud man. A person who
becomes angry for everything we characterize
as a person with a short temperament.
A dullard in school turns out to be
an inventor in later life. In other
words, the personality undergoes change.
So, it is clear that the mind undergoes
change. The question is, “Is there
an awareness of these changes of the
mind and if so how does that awareness
take place?” That which changes cannot
itself be aware of the changes. It
follows that, besides the changing
mind, there must be a changeless conscious
principle. The question is, “what
is the proof?” The proof lies in
the fact that, in spite of the changes
of the mind, I regard myself as the
same conscious entity. Yesterday
I was angry. Today I am calm. The
angry mind and the angry I disappeared
yesterday. The calm mind and the calm
I have come only today. But I regard
myself as the same person while saying
“I was angry yesterday; I am calm
today”. Yesterday I was struggling
with a mathematical problem. Today
I have happily solved it. The struggling
mind and the struggling I disappeared
yesterday. The happy mind and the
happy I have come only today. Still,
I regard myself as the same entity
while saying, “I struggled with the
mathematical problem yesterday; today
I have solved it.” This will be clearer
when we compare the personality-change
over a period of time. When you meet
a school-mate whom you knew as an
aggressive, selfish boy after a period
of thirty years in Sabarmati Asram,
you may find a social worker with
a calm temperament, but he regards
himself as the same person. That
means that there is a changing I and
an unchanging I. The unchanging I,
the constant I that I invoke while
making such statements as mentioned
above is an unchanging conscious principle.
This unchanging conscious principle
is the immutable atma. It is also
called saakshi since, when
it is invoked as the constant I, it
looks as though it was the witness
of the changing mind. It is also called
pratyagaatmaa, since it is
recognized by us without the mediation
of any knowing instrument. Whereas
the mind is experienced, the atma
is not experienced; it is only invoked
as the constant I. The invocation
is done by the mind; the invoked is
the sakshi.
- This process of connecting a past
condition of the mind and the present
condition is called “pratyabhinja”.
We can observe pratyabhinja in situations
connecting the dream state (called
“swapna avastha”) and deep
sleep state (called “sushupti avastha”)
on the one hand and the waking state
(called “jaagrat avastha”)
on the other. In the dream state,
the mind projects its vasanas to form
a dream world which it cognizes as
objects existing outside it. When
one wakes up, one realizes that what
he saw as a world perceived world
existing outside one’s mind were merely
thoughts in one’s mind. Thus, one
says, for example, “last night I dreamt
that I got a lottery of one million
rupees but now I know that I don’t
have a paisa”. Again, this constant
I that is invoked by this thought
as having existed during the dream
and as existing now is the sakshi.
- Similarly when one in a state of dreamless
sleep (sushupti), the mind
is bereft of any kind of cognition,
emotion and conception. The ahamkara
is dormant. But when one wakes up,
one says, “I slept happily; I did
not know anything” (“sukham aham
aswaapsam; na kincit aveditam”).
Suppose you ask that person, “When
you were sleeping were you conscious
of yourself ?”, he will say “ I did
not know that I was there”. The non-knowingness
and the happiness are recollected
when one wakes up. But the “I” that
he is referring to, while saying “I
slept happily; I did not know anything”
cannot be the dormant ahamartha. The
“I” that he is invoking must be an
“I” that was present even when ahamartha
as a part of ahamkara was dormant.
This is the sakshi I, the changeless
consciousness. Thus, when we analyse
sushupti, we can recognize the changeless
consciousness, the sakshi, the atma,
distinguished intellectually from
the changing consciousness, the ahamnkara.
The invocation of the changeless consciousness,
when one wakes up, as the “I” that
was present during sushupti, is done
by the changing ahamkara, but the
invoked ‘I” is the changeless consciousness,
the sakshi I.
- Sakshi is not the
knower-consciousness. So, it is not
the entity cognising the state of
non-experience in sushupti. Ahamkara,
the knower-consciousness is dormant.
But on waking up, there is recollection
of the state of on-experience. So,
what is the explanation? Though, in
sushupti, the ahamkara is resolved
and is non-functional as a cognise
or conceiver, it retains the capacity
to register its own non-knowing and
non-thinking condition. It also registers
the sukham (happiness) occurring
as a reflection of the anantatva
aspect of atma in the state of calmness
in which the ahamkara is in sushupti,
though it is not aware of it at that
time. It is on the basis of such registration
by the resolved ahamkara that the
ahamkara is able to say, when the
person wakes up from sleep, “I slept
happily; I did not know anything –
“sukham aham asvaapsam, na kincit
avedisham”. Even so, the I that
is referred as having existed during
sushupti is, as explained above, not
the ahamartha, the ahamkara I, but
the sakshi I. The further point to
note is that the source of happiness
registered by the ahamkara in sushupti
is neither an external object nor
internal recollection; there is no
contact with external objects and
the memory is also non-functional.
The only entity continuing to function
is the atma. For the happiness that
is registered in the resolved ahamkara,
the source can only be the atma. The
infinitude of the atma is reflected
as poornatvam translating into
happiness in the resolved antahkarana
and this is what is registered in
the resolved ahamkara.
- Pratyabhinja invoking a constant
I is also observed when we connect
different stages in our life. Our
body and mind are changing entities.
When one is young, one is strong and
healthy and can win a cross country
race. When one becomes old one needs
a stick even to walk. In early age,
one can recite the entire Bhagawadgita
and Upanishads from memory. When one
becomes old, one doesn’t remember
even the name of his dearest friend.
In one’s youth one is arrogant. When
one has become old, one has become
humble. In spite of these differences,
one is regarding oneself as the same
I. The I that is invoked here is the
unchanging I, the unchanging consciousness,
the sakshi.
- Recognition of the unchanging consciousness can also take place without
a vritti. Suppose you
are listening to Swamiji's talk in
the class. In your mind the modifications
of the mind registering the sound
(“sabda vrittis”) and understanding
the meaning corresponding to the words
of Swamiji’s talk are taking place.
At that time you are not entertaining
the thought “I am sitting here and
listening to Swamiji's talk.” The
mind can have only one vritti
at a time. Next day, if somebody asked
you “did you attend Swamiji's class
yesterday”, you would say “yes”. That
means that you were aware of the fact
that you were sitting and listening
to Swamiji's talk without entertaining
a vritti that you were sitting
and listening. This shows that to
be aware of your own continued existence
as a conscious being does not, necessarily,
require a vritti. Recognition
of a continuous I without a vritti
is possible only if there is a constant
consciousness other than the momentary
consciousness of the mind, a constant
I that exists even when the mind is
absorbed in thoughts relating to an
external occurrence and is, therefore,
not in a position to entertain an
ahamartha vritti. When Swetasvatara
Upanishad 3.19 and Kaivalya Upanishad
21 say, “It sees without eyes, It
hears without ears”, they are referring
to this sakshi.
- The central theme of the Upanishads
is Brahman, called also Paramaatma.
It is a conscious principle. The word
for conscious principle in Sanskrit
is “caitanyam”. The consciousness
that is Brahman is called “brahma
caitanyam”. The seminal sentence
defining Brahman which occurs in Taittiriya
Upanishad (II.i.1) is “satyam
jnanam anantam Brahma.” In English,
this is translated as “existence-consciousness-infinity”.
The words ‘Existence’, ‘Consciousness’
and ‘Infinity’ are not three separate
entities; they are three words denoting
the nature of the same entity. The
word, ‘satyam’ is synonymous with
the word, sat, used in Chandogya
Upanishad VI.ii.1 –bhooma vidya
– in the sentence “In the beginning
(i.e., before creation) existence
alone was there, one only without
a second. (Sadeva soumya idam agra
aasiid ekam eva advidiiyam)” The
words, “satyam” and “sat” are defined
as that which is eternal and has independent
existence. Juxtaposed with the word
“anantam” (which means “the
infinite”), the word (“sat”)
distinguishes it from localized existence
and denotes all pervasiveness. In
the sentence, “The word, “jnanam”
in this context, means the undifferentiated
changeless consciousness as distinguished
from ahamkara which functions as the
differentiated knower-consciousness,
(“pramaata”)”, for the words
“in this context”, substitute “juxtaposed
with the word, (“anantam”)”.
The word, “jnanam” is juxtaposed to
show that it is not an insentient
entity but is Consciousness. The word,
“jnanam”, in this context, means the
undifferentiated, changeless consciousness
as distinguished from ahamkara which
functions as the differentiated knower-consciousness
(pramaata). (In Sanskrit, ‘jnanam’
denoting Brahman is called ‘swaroopa
jnaanam’; the knowledge obtained
by the pramata is called ‘vritti
jnanam’.) The word, anantam is
juxtaposed to show that It is a not
a limited entity. The word, “anantam”
means infinity. ‘Infinity’ denotes
what is infinite not only in terms
of space but in terms of time and
entity. Infinity, space wise indicates
that It is all pervading (“sarvagatam”).
Infinity time wise indicates that
It is eternal (“nityam”). Infinity
entity wise indicates that It is non-dual
(“advayam”), i.e., besides
It, there is no other real entity.
Since it is all pervading, it is formless
(“niraakara”), divisionless
(i.e, without division) (“nirvikalpa”),
devoid of movement (“acala”)
and devoid of parts (“niravayava”).
Since it is eternal, it is changeless
(“nirvikara”). Since it is
non-dual, it is relationless (i.e.,
without any kind of relation) (“asanga”).
In some places, Brahman is also defined
as saccidaananda.; it is a
compound word consisting of “ sat
” which is the equivalent of “ satyam
”, “ cit ” which is the equivalent
of “jnanam ” and “ aananda
” which is the equivalent of “ anantam”.
- In his commentary on the Taittiriya
Upanishad mantra, Sankaracarya first
clarifies that the sentence, “satyam,
jnanam, anantam brahma” is meant as
a definition of Brahman not one that
denotes the attributes (“guna”)
of Brahman…….Satya is a thing which
does not change the nature that is
ascertained to be its own. …. (To
indicate that It is not the insentient
material cause) it is said that Brahman
is consciousness. (Used along with
the words ‘satyam’ and ‘anantam’ -
infinitude) – The definition excludes
the concept of the agent of knowing.
If Brahman be the agent of knowing,
satyam and anantam cannot be part
of the definition. If it is the agent
of knowing, It becomes changeful and
as such It cannot be satyam and infinite.
That indeed is infinite which is not
limited by anything. If It be agent
of knowing, It becomes delimited by
the knowable and the knowledge. Chandogya
VII.xxiv.1 says, “The Infinite is
that where one does not know anything”.
The words, ‘satyam; ‘jnanam’ and ‘anantam
occurring in mutual proximity, and
restricting and being restricted in
turns by each other, distinguish Brahman
from other objects denoted by the
words, ‘satyam’ etc. In his commentary
on the Chandogya mantra, Sankaracarya
explains, “The word ‘sat’ means
mere Existence, a thing that is subtle,
without distinction, all pervasive,
one, taintless, partless (i.e., without
parts), consciousness, which is known
from all the Upanishads. The word
‘eva’ is used for emphasis.
(Sadeva – sat iti astitvamaatram
vastu nirvisesham sarvvagatam, ekam,
niranjanam, niravayavam, vijnaaanam
yat aagamyate sarvavedantebhyah. Ekasabdah
avataaranaarthah)…Before creation,
it was not possible to grasp it as
possessed of name and form. ….By the
words, ‘One only’, is meant that there
was nothing else coming under the
category of its product. …….’without
a second’ means that It (Existence)
has no second thing different from
Itself”.
Atma conditioned
by the sthoola sarira and the sukshma
sarira is called jiivaatma or jiiva.
There are various Upanishad passages
which talk of Brahman, the all pevading
consciousness, Brahma caitanyam,
as being available for recognition as
the atma behind the mind in the jivatma.
The Upanishads also expressly state that
Brahman is not only non-dual (“advayam”)
but divisionless (i.e, without division)
(“nirvikalpam” “nishkalam”). Further,
we have the definition of Brahman in Taittiriya
2.1 as ‘satyam, jnanam, anantam’ where
each word governs and is in turn governed
by the others. The words, ‘sat (existence)’
and ‘jnanam (consciousness)’ governed
by the word, ‘infinitude’ means that Existence-Consciousness
is all pervading. This means that both
existence and consciousness is the same
in all things and beings, though, for
recognition of the consciousness, a particular
medium may be required. ’Therefore Advaita
Vedanta says that the atma, the unchanging
consciousness, in you, in me, in other
human beings, in gods (devas),
in demons (asuras), in the animals,
the birds, the insects, the plants and,
in fact, in all living beings, whether
they are denizens of this world or other
worlds, is identical with the non-dual,
divisionless, infinite Brahma caitanyam.
. Brahman and atma are not different.
They are just two words for the same entity.
There is only one unbroken, undivided,
all pervading consciousness ("akhanda
caitanyam"). When the focus
of teaching is on the all pervading aspect,
it is generally referred to as Brahman
and when the focus is on the same consciousness
recognized in the jivatmas, it is generally
referred to as atma or pratyagatma. When
the focus is on the source of cidabhasa,
It is referred to as sakshi. Thus it
is none other than the Brahma caitanyam
itself that is invoked as the unchanging,
constant I by a pratyabhinja vritti.
- In the definition of Brahman as ’satyam,
jnanam, anantam’, as mentioned earlier,
since the word ‘infinitude’ governs
the word ‘satyam’ and ‘jnanam’, the
consciousness aspect as well as the
existence aspect is all pervading.
But we see that what we call inanimate
objects like table, chair etc. are
insentient, whereas living beings
are sentient and the antahkarana of
a living being functions as a knower.
What is the speciality of living beings?
Being a knower involves limitation,
because knowerhood excludes the knowing
and the known. The jnanam that is
atma recognized as atma ( the atma
caitanyam) in living beings cannot
be the knower, because if atma is
the knower, atma will become limited;
this is not possible because the word,
‘jnanam’ is governed by the word,
‘infinitude’. Moreover Upanishads
talk of Brahman as devoid of the instrument
of objectifying knowledge (amanah).
So, we have to conclude that the
antahkarana of a living being has
a special capacity to become the knower-consciousness.
By itself, the antahkaram, evolved
as it is from the inert elements,
is non-sentient. We have also specific
passages to show that mind is a product
of food (vide Chandogya 6.5.4, 6.6.2.
6.5.5). So we have to conclude that
in the presence of atma caitanyam,
mind becomes the knower-consciousness.
The atma caitanyam is reflected in
the antahkarana and the antahkarana
becomes the knower-consciousness.
This reflected consciousness is called
cidaabhaasa. It is cidabhasa,
together with antahkarana that functions
as the knower-consciousness; the original
Brahma caitanyam, just by its presence,
enables the antahkarana to acquire
cidabhasa. Cidabhasa undergoes modification
along with the antahkarana. Without
cidabhasa, the antahkarana cannot
perceive objects, cannot know, cannot
think, cannot react, cannot recall
cannot theorize and cannot imagine.
The mind, in turn, lends the cidabhasa
to the sense organs and the body;
that is how the mind, the sense organs
and the body become sentient. As mentioned
earlier, the combination of antahkarana
and cidabhasa is called ahamkara.
Since antahkaranas are many, ahamkaras
are many. Each one of us has a separate
ahamkara, functioning as separate
pramatas, kartas, bhoktas, etc. The
reflected consciousness pratibimba
caitanyam) of abhasa vada is different
from atma caitanyam and is of a lower
order of reality than the atma caitanyam.
- The ahamkara perceives the external
perceived world through the sense
organs and cognizes one object after
another and entertains one thought
after another. While the recognition
of the existence of oneself as a constant
conscious entity, as the same person,
in spite of the changes which the
body and ahamkara undergo cannot be
explained without the atma, the perception
of particular objects or entertainment
of particular thoughts, one after
another, cannot be explained without
ahamkara. And it is the ahamkara
that cognizes differentiated objects
of the external at one time and
differentiated of objects of a dream
world at another time and becomes
dormant at a third time. Atma is
there all the time, without undergoing
any of these changes. If the mind
was not there and the changeless atma
alone was there and the changeless
atma were a knower, there would be
permanent, simultaneous perception
of everything together (which will
be utter confusion). If the changeless
atma (which is apramata, i.e., which
is the non-objectifying consciousness)
was alone there, without ahamkara,
there would be no cognition or conception
at all.
- Another fundamental tenet of Advaita
Vedanta – indeed of all schools of
philosophy in Hinduism – is that the
sukshma sarira with cidabhasa in it
survives the death of the sthoola
sarira and is involved in transmigration
from one world to another among the
fourteen worlds (lokas) mentioned
in Sastra and entry into different
sthoola sariras in successive births
(janmas). Associated with
this tenet, there is the theory of
karma. According to this, for the
actions and thoughts of jivatmas they
incur what are called “punya”
and “papa” (merit and demerit)
and have to undergo, and the punya
and papa have to be discharged as
karmaphalam in the form of
enjoyment or suffering in future janmas
and, sometimes, some part of it in
this janma itself. The punya papa
account is a running account to which
additions are made by actions and
thoughts and subtractions take place
on account of enjoyment and suffering.
The accumulated punya papa account
is called “sancita karma”,
the punya papa incurred in the current
janma is called “aagami karma”
which is added to the sancita karma
and the quota of punya papa which
has fructified in the sancita karma
and assigned to be exhausted in a
particular janma is called “praarabhda
karma”. In accordance with praarabhda
karma, the jivatma’s next janma may
be as a celestial or a god in one
of the lokas superior than the earth
or as an asura or some other denizen
in an inferior loka, with different
kinds of sthoola sariras, or again,
on earth, as a human being or as a
plant or an animal or insect or microbe.
Jivatmas and karma are beginningless
(i.e., without a beginning, without
a prior non-existence) (Svetasvatara
Upanishad IV.5 refers to jiva as aja,
i.e., birthless). Therefore, questions
such as “what is the cause of the
first janma?” i.e., “how can there
be a first janma with different people
being different in various respects
unless there was a preceding karma?”,
“how can there be karma without a
previous janma?” do not arise. Only
a theory of karma and rebirth can
explain the phenomenon of prodigies
or morons or babies afflicted with
congenital diseases unconnected with
heredity and the wide disparity in
physical and mental equipment, health,
wealth, joy and suffering of living
beings and, in the case of human beings,
we find that there is no correlation
to the virtues and vices and actions
and thoughts of the current janma.
Moreover, if you say that a person
is born and dies once for all, and
that there is no rebirth, when a person
undergoes enjoyment or suffering,
you cannot explain it, because there
is no punya or papa for which the
enjoyment or suffering is undergone.
The other way, for the actions and
thoughts of a person, the punya papa
will hang in the air without reward
or retribution, if there is no rebirth.
Last but not least, if you say that
the Lord created persons with varying
patterns of physical and mental equipment
and comforts, enjoyment and suffering,
then that would make that Lord partial
and cruel. Brhadaranyaka Upanishad,
IV.iii.9 talks of a man having two
abodes, this and the next world and
the dream state as the junction staying
in which he surveys the two abodes,
this and the next world. We do get
strange dreams, dreams of things we
have never experienced in this janma.
They must be arising out of vaasanas,
(i.e., impressions formed by the experiences)
of the previous janmas. Similarly,
on the eve of death, it is said, that
a man has a glimpse of his next janma.
Even a baby has dreams. Where are
the previous experiences for it to
have formed vasanas, unless it had
previous janmas? Another argument
for the karma theory is the well known
fact that the mind, though conscious
of consequences wills evil; and though
dissuaded by reason, it does engage
in deeds of intensely sorrowful consequences.
Since everybody wants only happiness,
if there was no vasana of evil pertaining
to previous janmas, evil will not
exist in the world at all.
- The cycle of action and thought, punya
and papa and births and deaths is
beginningless. This cycle is called,
“samsaara”. (A single word
for punya and papa is “karma”).
It is one’s own punya papa alone that
determines the enjoyment and suffering
(karmaphalam) in our lives.
Iswara only arranges the environment,
events and situations required for
the working out of the karma of the
multitude of jivatmas. He is only
the administrator (called “karmphalahdaata”).
-
Samsara is related to ahamkara.
When we identify ourselves with the
body mind complex and, in the ignorance
of our real nature as the relationless
atma, regard ourselves as karta and
bhokta we are involved in the samsara.
When we disidentify with the body
mind complex and identify with the
atma that is non-different from Brahman,
karma is destroyed. And there is an
end of samsara.
-
(a) The concept of rebirth
and karma is available in Brahadaranyaka
Upanishad, Katopanishad and Prasnopanishad.
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad IV.IV.vi and
IV.iv.ii – “The jiva who has attachment
goes along with his karma to the world
to which his sukshma sarira is attached.
After exhausting the karmaphalam for
whatever he has done in this world,
he returns to this world for further
karma. Thus does the man with craving
(transmigrate)”.´When it departs…….it
is followed by the karma and upasana
done by him and the vasanas he has
acquired:” . Kathopanishad II.ii.7
– “ Some embodied ones enter (after
death) into (another) womb for assuming
bodies. The extremely inferior ones,
after death attain the state of motionless
things like trees etc., in accordance
with each one’s actions and thoughts”.
Prasnopanishad III.7 – “ Uadana,
in its upward journey ( i.e., the
sub-division of prana that carries
the sukshma sarira, travelling after
the death of the sthoola sarira),leads
(the jiva) to a virtuous world as
a result of virtue, to a sinful world
as a result of sin, and to the human
world as a result of both.” (“punyena
punyam lokam nayati papena papam ubhayam
eva manushyalokam). (When a person
dies, the presiding deities of the
indriyas withdraw from the sense organs.
So, when he travels to the next world,
after death, the physical sense organs
are non-functional. So, until he takes
rebirth in one of the worlds and the
presiding deities return to the sense
organs there is no memory or enjoyment
- vide Brahadaranyaka 4.4.1 and 2.
). Kaivalya Upanishad 14 says, after
enjoying the ‘ignorannce-cum bliss
state of sushupti, the jivatma returns
to the dream and waking states, as
a result of its association with the
karmaof previous janmas.
(b) According to tradition, to know
what is good and what is bad, we have
to go by what is prescribed in the
Sastra. In Sanskrit, good and bad
are referred to by the terms, "dharma"
and “adharma", respectively.
What is enjoined as duty is called
“vihita” and what is prohibited
is called “nishiddha".
In so far as the religious rituals
are concerned, we have tom go solely
by what is said in the sastra, but
in regard to the secular duties and
values, like truth, nonviolence, austerity,
restraint of greed, love of fellow
beings, elimination of hatred, respect
for and care of the animal and plant
kingdoms, living in harmony with nature,
regard for ecology and service to
society, the commands and prohibitions
of sastra are in line with what is
generally recognized as do's and don'ts
by humanity in general.)
- It is not karma alone that governs
human life. There is scope for free
will ( called “purushaartha”)
in human lives. Good action and good
thought can mitigate the papa and
enhance the punya content of the prarabdha.
Whether free will or prarabdha will
be more powerful, i.e., to what extent
free will can mitigate the suffering
or enhance the enjoyment to be undergone
as prarabdha depends on the relative
strength of prarabdha and free will.
Since there is no way of knowing what
one’s prarabdha is, wisdom lies in
doing good actions and entertaining
good thoughts. One should not lose
faith in the efficacy of good actions
and good thoughts; good actions and
good thoughts are bound to bring about
a better balance of punya papa in
prarabdha. What physical and mental
equipment one is born with, in which
set up one is born, what situations
one has to face and what opportunities
are available are determined by one’s
prarabdha. But, in any janma, how
one develops one’s potential, how
one reacts to situations, and how
one makes use of opportunities depends
on one’s free will.
- Now,
let us consider the nature of the
world. From what we see around us,
information obtained from others,
inference and scientific investigation
and scientific theories, we know that
the universe that we experience is
a vast, complex entity; the human
body itself is a miraculous mechanism;
the vegetable and animal kingdoms,
the planets, the stars, the galaxies,
the black holes, the particles, the
waves, matter, antimatter and what
not – are all miracles. There is no
effect without a cause. So, we cannot
but postulate an omniscient and omnipotent
creator.
- Upanishads state expressly in various
passages that Brahman is non-dual
(“advayam” “advaitam” “advidiiyam”,
“ekam”), eternal (“nityam”),
all-pervading (“sarvagatam”)
divisionless (“nirvikalpam)
“nishkalam”) and changeless (nirvikaaram).
A non-dual, changeless entity cannot
be the cause of any product. But we
do experience a world. The all-pervading
Brahman, the Existence, has to be
there in the world that we experience.
But since it is not objectifiable
(aprameyam), we do not perceive
It. We can explain the presence of
the all pervading Brahman and It not
being the cause of the world only
if we say that the part we perceive
in the world belongs to a lower of
reality. (Hereafter the term ‘perceived
world’ or ‘perceived universe’) should
be taken to refer to the part of the
world that we perceive, though the
universe consists of not only what
we actually perceive but the unperceived
sub-stratum, Brahman, the Existence.
So, a cardinal doctrine of Advaita
Vedanta is the scheme of three descending
orders of reality, – “paaramaarthika
satyam” (absolute reality), “vyaavahaarika
satyam” (empirical reality) and
“praatibhaasika satyam” (subjective
reality). Brahman is paramarthika
satyam. It is the sub-stratum (adhishtaanam)
of the universe. The part of the universe
including our bodies and minds that
we perceive is vyaavahaarika satyam.
It is of a lower order of reality
than Brahman. Why? When Brahman is
said to be non-dual as in Chandogya,
Brhadaranyaka, Mandukya etc. (cited
above) or said to be infinite as in
Taittiriya (21), Kathaopanishad (1.3.15),
and Swesvatara (1.9, 5.1,5,13) there
cannot be a second entity of the same
order of reality. Therefore, apart
from Brahman as Existence, that part
of the world that we perceive has
to be accorded a lower order of reality.
When we talk of the perceived world
as vyavaharika satyam, it includes
the bodies and minds of living beings.
Orders of reality lower than Brahman
are covered by the technical term,
“mithya”. For the absolute
reality of Brahman and the mithya
status of the perceived world the
Sanskrit expression is “Brahmasatyam
jaganmithya”. Things like snake
seen on the rope, silver seen on the
shell, the dream perceived world etc,
are pratibhasika satyam. The experienced
dream world is also pratibhasika
satyam. Objects that are erroneously
perceived even while one is awake,
such as serpent perceived on rope
in semi-darkness, silver perceived
on the shell, mirage perceived on
the sandy terrain of the desert are
also “pratibhasika satyam”. Mithya
can be either vyavaharika satyam or
pratibhasika satyam (Mithya common
to all is vyavaharika. Mithya perceived
by a particular person and not by
others is pratibhasika.) Mithya
is defined as that which is cognised
but which has no independent existence
and is subject to change. The perceived
world, which is mithya, is a superimposition
on Brahman, the sub-stratum (adhistaanam)
viewed in its aspect of Existence.
Mithya cannot appear without an adhishtaanam.
Erroneously perceived snake cannot
appear if there is no rope. The dream
cannot appear unless there is a waker.
(‘Waker’ is a technical term used
for a person who is dreaming and takes
the dream world to be real but realizes
that it is unreal when he wakes up
from sleep.) If there were no sub-stratum
of Existence, we would not experience
a world. If there is no superimposition
of the perceptible part of the world
on the sub-stratum, then also we would
not experience a world. Another definition
of mithya is that which can neither
be said to be existent nor said to
be non-existent. (The technical word
in Sanskrit is “anivacaniiya”).
The dream world is experienced by
the waker while he is dreaming but
the world perceived in the dream is
negated when the waker wakes up from
sleep. The snake is perceived on
the rope in semi-darkness but it is
negated when light is flashed on the
rope. The mirage is negated when we
go to the spot in the desert where
we perceived it. We do perceive
a world; so we cannot say that it
is non-existent. When the adhishtanam,
Brahman is known, the perceived world
is negated, i.e., regarded as mithya
and at the paramarthika level, there
is no experience at all of a world.
so, we cannot say the perceived world
is existent. (When the word, “satyam”
or “real”is used without any adjective,
hereafter, it should be taken to refer
to paramarthika satyam and when the
word, “mithya” or “unreal” is used
without any adjective, it should be
taken to refer to “vyaavahaarika satyam”
or “pratibhasika satyam”, depending
on the context.).
- According to Advaita Vedanta – indeed
all schools of Hindu philosophy –
there is a beginningless and endless
cycle of creation, maintenance and
dissolution or resolution, called
“srishti”, “sthithi”,
”laya.” Cf. Swesvatara Upanishad
I.9, where the omniscient (referring
to Iswara), the one with limited knowledge
(referring to jiva) and Maya (which
transforms into the perceived world)
are said to be birthless. In each
srishti, the variety and pattern of
objects, the attributes of the bodies
and minds and the events and situations
have to be fashioned to suit the karmas
of the myriad of sentient beings that
have to undergo their karmaphalam
in the course of their janmas during
that srshti. This requires conscious
planning and skilful action on the
part of the creator. According to
Sastra, Brahman is eternal and changeless.
In various passages, Upanishads state
that Brahman is eternal (”nityam”);
“nityam” implies changelessness. In
Muktikopanishad and in the Bhagavadgita
(Gita, for short), Brahman
is specifically said to be changeless.
In Brahma Sutra bhashyam II.i.14,
Sankaracarya says that Brahman is
changeless and eternal and it has
been denied that Brahman can undergo
any modification whatsoever. Upanishads
also say that Brahman is devoid of
instruments of action and thinking
(karta amanah. There
are also statements in the Upanishads
to the effect that Brahman is neither
neither cause nor effect. A changeless
Brahman, a Brahman that is akarta,
cannot be the transforming material
cause (parinaami upaadaana kaaranam)
of the perceived world. Since Brahman
is amanah, It cannot be the intelligent
cause (“nimitta kaaranam.”)
of the perceived world, either. So,
the question arises, how does creation
come? The universe is a combination
of Existence-Consciousness and matter.
Existence-Consciousness, which is
Brahman, is the eternal unchanging
sub-stratum. Matter in its various
and divergent forms and functions
arising from the permutation-combination
of attributes is called naama roopa
(name and form or names and forms).
Advaita Vedanta says that in Brahman,
there is, as a lower order of reality,
a mithya, anivacaniiya entity,
called “Maya”. The Nama roopa is contained
in Maya in seed form. Brahma caitanyam
gets reflected in Maya, to constitute
an entity called “Iswara”.
Thus Iswara has the caitanyam aspect
and the matter aspect. In this combination,
Iswara is omniscient (sarvajnah),
omnipotent (sarvasaktimaan)
and all pervading (sarvagatah).
Therefore Iswara has in himself the
capacity to think, visualize and plan
creation and the raw material for
creation. Creation is the unfolding
or differentiation of the nama roopa
existing in seed form ( avyakta
or avyakrta nama roopa
becoming vyakta or vyakrta
nama roopa) and their superimposition
on the changeless sub-stratum. The
sub-stratum is real The nama roopa
are unreal. The differentiation and
superimposition is done by Maya under
Iswara’s guidance. When the differentiated
Nama roopa are superimposed on Brahman,
the Existence-Consciousness, the
universe is manifested. The sub-stratum
is real; the superimposed nama roopa
is unreal. The substance, the essence,
is the sub-stratum. The superimposed
nama roopa are attributes. A rough
comparison is the clay which is substance
and the pot shape which is an attribute.
But there is a difference between
the comparison and the compared in
other aspects. One of them is this
- whereas clay, the substance is tangible
and the pot shape, the attribute is
intangible, Brahman, the substance
is imperceptible and the nama roopa
are perceptible. Nama roopa superimposed
on Existence-Consciousness consist
not only of the attributes contributing
to the manifestation of what we regard
as inanimate objects like shape, color,
smell, taste, texture, weight, mass
etc. but the attributes which contribute
to the manifestation of bodies and
minds of living beings, like shape,
mass, weight, color, smell, taste
and texture are the attributes contributing
to the manifestation of the experienced
universe as inanimate outside objects
but the attributes of our bodies and
minds, like the biological structure
and functions and the mental faculties
of cognition, emotions and thinking.
Thus, the universe, the various worlds
and the objects therein, like stars,
planets, mountains, rivers etc. and
bodies and minds of human beings,
plants, animals, insects, gods and
asuras are all the manifestation of
the combination of Existence-Consciousness,
the real and nama roopa, the unreal..
All the time what we encounter is
this combination of the real and the
unreal; what we perceive is the unreal
part; we do not perceive the real
part. In our state of ignorance we
take the unreal part to be real. What
lends existence to the unreal nama
roopa is the real, the Brahman. But
for Brahman providing the sub-stratum
of Existence, the nama roopa cannot
appear. Conversely without nama roopa,
there will be no world for us to experience.
Brahman, the sub-stratum, being avyavahaaryam
(not accessible to transaction),
transaction requires nama roopa. A
combination of existence and nama
roopa is required for experience and
transaction. But for this combination,
there will be no samsara or atma vicara
or liberation from samsara. Iswara
visualizes and plans the creation,
keeping in mind the requirements of
the karmas of the jivas and impels
Maya to unfold the nama roopa accordingly.
Creation (srshti) is a cycle
of projection and resolution of nama
roopa. After the karma of the jivas
pertaining to the janmas of jivas
in a particular srshti is exhausted
through enjoyment and suffering, Iswara
makes Maya withdraw the projected
nama roopa unto Himself in his aspect
as Maya, there to remain, for a period,
called “pralaya”, in potential
form, until karmas of jivas fructify
for the next srshti. The srshti,
sthiti laya (creation, maintenance,
resolution) cycle is without a beginning
or end. The Advaita concept of creation
is called “vivarta vaada”
indicating that creation is not real.
The perceived world is mithya. Maya
is mithya. Iswara is mithya. Maya
is parinaami upaadaana kaaranam
(transforming material cause) and
Iswara is nimitta kaaranam (intelligent
cause). Brahman does not undergo change
when creation takes place, Remaining
as the all pervading Existence, Brahman,
by Its mere presence, serves as the
sub-stratum for the superimposition
of nama roopa. And by its mere presence,
it enables the antahkarana of living
beings to acquire cidabhasa. When
Sastra talks Brahman as the cause
of the universe, we have to understand
that Brahman’s role in the manifestation
of the world is confined to these
two aspects.
- Maya
has two powers – aavarana sakti
and vikshepa sakti. Through
its avarana sakti Maya engenders jiva’s
ignorance of his true nature as Brahman.
To distinguish this function of the
avarana sakti, Maya is called “moola
avidya”. To denote the other
function of the avarana sakti, obscuring
the objects of the world, the word
used is “toola avidya”. Avidya
(Maya) is a positive entity; a negative
entity cannot have powers. Maya is
matter, constituted of three factors,
satva, rajas and tamas. Iswara, being
the master of Maya, is not affected
by the avarana sakti of Maya and is
therefore ever aware of his true nature
being Brahman. At the vyashti
(microcosmic) level, in so far as
jivas are concerned, both the avarana
sakti and the vikshepa sakti of Maya
come into play. The avarana sakti
makes jivas ignorant of their true
nature as Brahman and, as a consequence,
adhyaasa is engendered. Adhyasa
consists in our having the notion
that nama roopa, the perceived objects
outside and our own bodies and minds
are real with that mistaken notion
of reality, in our identifying ourselves
with our body mind complex. Consequently,
we regard ourselves as limited individuals,
different from Brahman and other
beings, transact with other beings
and things and, in this process,
take on ourselves the problems, the
joy, suffering, fear, sense of insecurity
etc. belonging to the body and the
mind . Identifying with the body mind
complex which does action, thinks,
enjoys and suffers and forgetting
that we are the relationless (asanga)
atma which is neither a doer nor enjoyer,
we regard ourselves as the doer (karta)
and the enjoyer (bhokta).
Our transactions in the , with the
sense of being the doer (kartrtvam),
result in our incurring the liability
to get rewards for good thoughts and
deeds (called punya) and punishments
for bad thoughts and deeds (called
papa) and, we have to discharge
the punya and papa debt in future
births, in the form of enjoyment and
suffering (karmaphalam). In
the future births, we engage ourselves
in further transactions and incur
further punya and papa. Thus, we are
caught up in the cycle of births and
deaths and enjoyment and suffering.
This is what is called samsara.
Whereas, the macrocosmic cycle of
creation (srishti), maintenance (sthiti)
and resolution (laya) _is endless
as well as beginningless, individual
samsara is not endless. When we understand
that we are not the body mind complex
but we are the infinite Brahman, we
get liberated from samsara.
- Though
avidya is the root cause of adhyasa,
the primary link in the mechanism
of adhyasa is ahamartha. There is
mutual superimposition of ahamartha
and atma. The consciousness of atma
is superimposed on ahamartha and ahamartha
assumes the status of a knower owing
to the reflection of consciousness.
Conversely, through the superimposition
of ahamartha on atma, atma appears
to be a localised I. Thus we say,
“I know”. When atma is conditioned
by ahamartha, we say,” I know”.
With the addition of the mind to
this mixture, we say, “I am happy”,
“I am miserable” etc.. Withn the adiition
of the body, we say “ I am a man”.”
I am a father” etc. (Vide Sureswacarya
in Naishkarmyasiddhi II.53 and Taittiriya
Upanishad Bhashya Vartikam II. 655).
- Thus,
the correct goal of human life, according
to Advaita Vedanta is one’s identification
with Brahman, i.e., displacing the
“I” from the body and ahamkara and
fixing the “I” on Brahman, the existence-consciousness-infinity.
Then, when I say “I”, the “I” will
no longer be the body and the ahamkara;
it will be Brahman. This identification
with Brahman is called “aatma-jnaanam”
or “jivabrama-aikya-jnaanam”.
Sentences in the sastra that reveal
jivabrahmaikyam (the essential identity
of jivatma and paramatma) are called
mahaavaakyas. There are innumerable
mahavakyas in the Upanishads. Four
of them are famous, one in each Veda,
namely, “Tat tvam asi” (Chandogya
Upanishad – Sama Veda), “aham brahma
asmi” (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad
– Yajur Veda), “ayam atma brahma”
(Mandukya Upanishad – Atharva Veda)
and “prajnaanam brahma”, (Aitereya
Upanishad – Rg. Veda). Translated
in English, the four mahavakyas are
“Thou art That” “I am Brahman” “This
atma is Brahman” and “Consciousness
is Brahman”).
- In
the process of the teaching, we also
understand, as explained above, that
the only reality is Brahman, the Existence
and all else, i.e., the perceived
world of objects and our own body
mind complexes is mithya. This understanding,
together with the understanding of
“jivabrahmaikyam” is expressed by
the famous sentence, “Brahmasatyam
jaganmithya, jivobrhmaiva naapara.”
(“Brahman is the reality; the perceived
world is mithya; jiva is Brahman,
naught else.”) .The moment this knowledge
is gained effectively, one is liberated
from the bondage of samsara in this
very life. This liberation from the
bondage of samsara, is called “jivanmukti”.
The one who has gained the knowledge
in this very life, is called, “jivanmukta”
or “jnaani”.
- It
is not essential that one should renounce
worldly life (become a sanyaasi)
to gain the knowledge. If one can
go through the practices (called saadhanas)
prescribed for attaining mental purity,
calmness and concentration of mind,
which are prerequisites for gaining
effective knowledge and devoting sufficient
time regularly and systematically
under the guidance of a competent
teacher to the study of sastra, one
can become a jnani even while one
continues to be engaged in the duties
of one’s secular life.
- The
world perceived world does not disappear
for a jnani. But his outlook and attitude
to the perceived world become different.
He has identified himself with non-dual
reality, the infinite Brahman. Since
he knows that the perceived world,
including the body mind complex is
mithya, he has no sorrow, no anxiety,
no fear, no desire, no hatred, no
worry and no sense of insecurity.
In short, the jnani is not psychologically
affected by anything, good or bad,
happening in the world. In the dream
I win a big prize in a raffle or I
become a Bharat Ratna. But when I
wake up, I am not elated. In the dream
I have lost my only son. But when
I wake up, I don’t feel sad. The
fire in the movie has burnt down the
colony where I reside but when I wake
up I am sitting comfortably in my
house Similar is the psychological
freedom of the jnani who is identified
with the paramarthika satyam and is
unaffected by the vyavharika satyam.
This is the paramarthika drhshti.
- The
freedom from disturbance from the
empirical world is a psychological
freedom arising from the knowledge
of the identification with the Infinite
and does not extend to the physiological
body. No doubt, the jnani has no sorrow,
no anxiety, no fear, no worry, no
craving, no attachment and no hatred.
However, the body mind complex with
which the person who has become a
jnani is part of the vyavaharika
world and as long as that body lives,
there are duties pertaining to it.
So, if the jnani is a householder,
he does not cease to perform the duties
and obligations towards the body,
the family and the society. He does
his duties with purpose but without
any desire or anxiety and he accepts
the results of actions, good or bad,
favorable or unfavorable with spontaneous
equanimity. . If the jnani is ill,
he will also go to the doctor, but
he will do so without any anxiety.
If his wife is ill, the jnani will
look after her with compassion but
without sadness or anxiety or worry.
If the jnani’s son has to gain admission
in a college, the jnani will also
make efforts, but he will not do anything
unrighteous for it nor will he be
sad if he fails in his efforts. If
his son obtains the first rank in
his class, the jnani will also be
happy, but he will be equally happy
if the son of a complete stranger,
instead of his son, secures the first
rank. Even while he is transacting
with the perceived world, the deep
undercurrent of thought that he is
the Brahman that is beyond the vyavaharika
perceived world will be there. The
jnani is like the actor on the stage.
Today, the actor plays the role of
a beggar; tomorrow, he may play the
role of a millionaire. But he knows
that he is neither a beggar nor a
millionaire. Like that, the jnani
plays the role of father, husband,
teacher and what not, committed but
unattached and never without the undercurrent
in the mind that he is really none
of these but he is the relationless
(asanga) Brahman. Or if we can imagine a
person who is dreaming but is aware
at that time itself that it is a dream
and not real we can know the state
of mind of the Jivanmukta This is
the paramarthika drshti..
. If the jnani is a sanyasi, whatever
work he undertakes, he will undertake,
not for himself, but for the welfare
of society or humanity or as an example
for the common man. Sincerity and
commitment will be there but, even
here, there will be no psychological
reaction to success or failure. His
efforts for himself will be confined
to the barest minimum requirements
of sustenance and, if he is so inclined
to teaching Vedanta or establishing
institutions for such teaching.
- The
jnani is not dependent on anything
except his identification with Brahman
for peace of mind and happiness. This
does not mean that he ceases to enjoy
the good things of life, like good
food or music or literature, but he
does not have desire for them. That
is to say, if it is there and he chooses
to spare the time for it, he enjoys
it, but if it is not there, he does
not miss it. He may have taste, say,
for music, but he has no need for
it; he is happy with it or without.
If he was a poet, he can continue
to be a poet. If he was a musician,
he can continue to be a musician.
When he goes to a temple or church
or mosque, he will also do worship
but he will do so with the knowledge
that he himself is Brahman and it
is the vyavaharika body that is engaged
in the worship. The long and short
of it is that the “I” of the jnani
is Brahman and whatever action is
done ( by way of duties or utilisation
of talents or loka sangraha) is done
with the sense that it is not he but
one of the myriad body-mind complexes
of the vyavaharika creation that is
doing it. The awareness, ahambrahmasmi,
running as an undercurrent when the
jnani’s body is engaged in vyavahara
is called ‘sahaja samaadhi’.
- As a vyavaharika drshti, the jnani
has the sense that he is all (sarvaatmabhaava.”).
Sarvatmabhava is without prejudice
to the knowledge, “Brahmasatyam jaganmithya”
Whereas asangatvam (the sense
that I am satyam Brahman, the world
is mithya, the mithya world cannot
affect me, is I paramarthika drshti,
sarvatmabhava is a vyavaharika drshti;
it is a positive perspective of the
all pervading aspect of Brahman. The
jnani can say, “The existence part
of everything is Brahman and I am
Brahman. In this sense everything
is myself. Since all cidabhasas are
reflections of me, the Brahma caitanyam,
I can regard all vyavaharika glories
and all vyavaharika happiness as my
glory and happiness.’ For the jnani,
everything that there is, everybody’s
happiness is his happiness, everybody’s
knowledge is his knowledge and everybody’s
achievement is his achievement. This
is not to be taken literally. It is
only an intellectual attitude. Even
a jnani can actually enjoy only whatever
falls within the scope of the body
and the antahkarana with which he
was born. Regarding enjoyment of
others, enjoyment as his is only an
attitude born out of the knowledge
that all nama roopa exist on Brahman.
Having this attitude, the Jnani has
no sense of lacking anything; and
so, is free of desire and he has a
sense of utter fulfillment (poornatvam)
the meaning
of Taittiriya Upanishad passage (2.1)
where jnana phalam is mentioned –
“He who knows Brahman as existing
in the intellect which is lodged in
the supreme space in the heart, enjoys
simultaneously, in identification
with the eternal Brahman (which is
omniscient, all-pervasive and the
atma of all), all the desirable things
Similarly when the Upanishad,
in Chandogya eighth chapter, sections
1 and 2, talks of freedom of movement
in all the worlds and obtaining whatever
he desires as objects of enjoyment,
it is not actual movement by the body
or actual enjoyment by the ahamkara,
but an intellectual attitude born
out of identification with the all
pervasive Brahman which is the source
of all ananda. (“Yo
veda nihitam guhaayaam parame vyoman;
so asnute sarvaaan kaamaaan saha” ).
- Sarvatma bhava can be not only this
intellectual attitude of happiness
and glory but freedom from hatred
etc., since for the jnana, the atma
of all the vyavaharika jivas are non-different
from his own atma and the individual
differences of characteristics are
only on the mithya nama roopa level.
Mithya should not to be taken seriously.
This enables the jnani to have an
attitude of compassion and freedom
from negative reactions like hatred,
jealousy, contempt etc. Isavasya Upanishad
6 – “He who sees all beings in the
atma and the atma in all beings feels
no hatred.” (“Yastu sarvaani bhootani
atmani eva anupasyanti sarvabhooteshu
ca aatmaanam tato na vijugupsate”).
‘Seeing all beings in the atma’ refers
to the nama roopa and ‘seeing atma
in all beings ‘refers to the adhishtanam,
Brahman. With this vision, a jnani
loves all equally and he has no jealousy
or hatred towards anybody.
- Thus,
jnana phalam, the benefit of
the recognition of jivabrahmaikyam,
is twofold - (i) sarvatmabhava and
poornatvam (from the standpoint of
the vyavaharika plane (2) asangatvam
( from the standpoint of the paramarthika
plane), dismissing the nama roopa
as unreal, the sense that I. the
paramarthika alone am , infinite
in terms of space, time and entity
and nothing on the vyaharika plane
can affect me The jnani thus has
the choice of ananda arising out of
the attitude, “ I am everything” or
the peace of being relationless (asanga)
Brahman. the knowledge that I alone
am, all else is mithya and nothing
can affect me, the satyam.” “Sarvatmabhava”
(the sense that I am all) is without
prejudice to the knowledge, “Brahmasatyam
jaganmithya” Whereas asangatvam
(the sense that I am satyam Brahman,
the world is mithya; the mithya world
cannot affect me is paramarthika drshti,
sarvatmabhava is a vyavaharika drshti;
it is a positive perspective of the
all pervading aspect of Brahman.
-
A question that arises in the
context of sarvatmabhava is that if
a jnani can, intellectually claim
all happiness to be his happiness,
why doesn’t he, intellectually, claim
all sorrow to be his sorrow. The answer
is that happiness is related to a
sense of poornatvam and being identified
with Satya Brahman, the poornam (infinite),
claiming happiness is all right. But
sorrow is a result of a sense of limitation
arising from ignorance of brahmatvam
which is caused by the avarana sakti
of Maya. He is free of the avarana
sakti of Maya and therefore he cannot
claim sorrow. (If sorrow were to belong
really to atma, you can never negate
sorrow.) Brhadaranyaka 1.5.20 which
talks of an upasaka who imagines he
to be the atma of all says that he
is not affected by the sorrow of others.
- Since
the jnani has disidentified with the
body mind complex with which he was
born, he becomes free of the sancita
karma pertaining to that body mind
complex and there is no rebirth for
the sukshma sarira with which he was
born. Action involves physical and
mental movement. Movement is change
in space and time. Thought is also
a movement, being a modification of
the mind. Brahman being all pervading,
formless, attributeless (i.e., without
any attributes) and changeless is
not karta (doer) or bhokta (enjoyer).
Since the Jnani is identified with
Brahman, he is free from the sense
of doership and enjoyership, (i.e.,
free from the sense of engaging in
action and experiencing objects) (free
from kartrtvam and bhoktrtvam).
Cf. Kathopanishad I.2.xix – “He who
thinks that he is the killer or the
killed does not know atma. Atma neither
kills nor is killed.” Action and
thought done or entertained with kartrtvam
and bhoktrtvam alone results in the
accumulation of punya and papa. So,
for the jnani, no agami karma accrues
once he gains jnanam. Brhadaranyaka
Upanishad IV.xxiv.3 – “Papa does
not trouble him by producing the desired
result or generating sin, but, he,
the knower of Brahman consumes all
papa, i.e., burns it to ashes with
the fire of the realization of the
Self of all.” However, as indicated
by Chandogya Upanishad mantra VI.xiv.2
– “….for the man of knowledge, the
delay is for so long (as long as he
does not become freed of the bodies
and merges in Existence”, the prarabdha
karma gets exhausted only by through
enjoyment, just as an arrow that has
gathered momentum after being shot
toward a target stops only with the
exhaustion of its momentum. But even
here, there is a difference. While
the physical aspect cannot be avoided,
on the psychological plane, the jnani
is not disturbed. If something good
happens he does not gloat. If something
bad happens, he is not depressed.
He takes everything that happens on
the physical plane as the prarabdha
pertaining to the body-mind complex
with which he has already dissociated
himself and therefore there is no
disturbance in his mind. The state
in which Jnani continues to live,
disidentfied with the body and ahamkara,
is compared to the snake sloughing
off its old skin.
- According
to Advaita Vedanta, liberation from
samsara, which is called moksha
or mukti, is obtained
only through knowledge of identity
with Brahman and not through any karma
or upasana.
-
Liberation is not a new state
or an event. Being the infinite Brahman
is our eternal nature. The notion
of being separate limited individuals
subject to the bondage of samsara
is only ignorance in the mind. The
moment one gains the knowledge, “I
am Brahman”, one discovers one’s true
eternal nature. The event that happens
is only destruction of the ignorance
in the mind. Liberation is only owning
up one’s true nature. Cf. Sankaracarya’s
Brahmasutra Bhashyam – “…..for as
Brahman constitutes a person’s Self,
It is not something to be attained
by that person.” Moksha can be attained
be a person in the current life itself.
The one who has got moksha in the
current life itself is called. Jiivanmukta.
Jivanmukti is like discovering a diamond
one had misplaced and thought that
he had lost it.
- In
the case of ordinary people, i.e.,
those who have not identified themselves
with the Infinite Brahman (called
ajnaanis), at the time of death,
the sukshma sarira and karana sarira,
along with cidabhasa, vasanas,
i.e., habit-forming impressions of
experiences of thoughts and actions
stored in the mind) and the karma
(the sancita karma) leave the sthoola
sarira and enter another sthoola sarira
in another world or in this world.
But when the sthoola sarira of a jnani
falls, the sthoola sarira decomposes
and merges in the pancabhootas,
(akasa, air, fire, water and earth),
the sukshma sarira disintegrates,
is dis-individualised and merges
in samashti sukshma sarira and the
individualized karana sarira gets
dis-individualised and merges in Maya.
Since the ahamkara disintegrates,
the sancita karma pertaining to that
ahamkara is destroyed and the Jiivanmukta
‘becomes Brahman’. This is called
videhamukti.’ ‘Becomes Brahman’
or ‘Merges in Brahman’ does not mean
any event or transformation. The original
consciousness has ever been Brahman.
As regards the death of the sthoola
sarira and the disintegration of the
sukshma sarira, the jivanmukta has
already disowned them. For him, it
is just one of the myriad bodies superimposed
on Brahman. The death and disintegration
are of no particular or concern to
him. It is an incident only from the
point of other jivas only. As Sankaracarya
clarifies in his bhashyam on Brahma
sutra 4, a jnani is asariiram
not after death, but in this life
itself. Thus, really speaking, there
is no further mukti when videhamukti
takes place. For Brahman, there
is nothing like superimpositions or
their removal. The one who has attained
videhamukti is actually the Infinite
Brahman Itself. Moksha is a term applicable
both to jivanmukti and videhamukti.
Sastra also talks of a more difficult
route of attaining liberation through
knowledge. If one has done certain types
of sakaama upaasana (upasana with
desire for benefits other than spiritual
benefits) - in addition to rites, in one’s
life but has not attained the doubt-free
and abiding knowledge that he is Brahman
(ahambrhmasmi jnanam) goes to the world
of Hiranyagarbha (Brahmaa). There
he has the opportunity to learn Vedanta
from Brahmaa himself as the teacher. If
he utilizes that opportunity, he becomes
a jivanmukta in Brahmaa’s world. At the
end of that Brahmaa’s life, he also attains
videhamukti along with that Brahmaa.
This is called “kramamukti”. (The
word, “Brahmaa” should not be confused
with Brahman. Brahmaa is an aspect of
Iswara, personified as a God, involved
in the process of creation and dissolution).
Called, also, Hiranyagarbha, He is subordinate
to Iswara. From another angle Iswara is
the macrocosmic causal body (samashti
kaarana sariiira which is the same
as Maya) and Hiranyagarbha is the
macrocosmic subtle body (samashti sukshma
sariira) and Viraat is the
macrocosmic physical body (samashti
sthoola sariira); in all of
them Brahma caitanyam is reflected. The
types of Upasana required to be done for
going to the Hiranyagarbha loka include
upasana on Omkara as Brahman or on Hiranyagarbha,
upasana of Iswara, as Iswara with
various attributes, or upasana of any
other deity as a representative of Iswara,
imagining that deity to be himself (ahamgraha
upaasana) upasana on the five
fires ( pancaagni upasana) (Brhadaranyaka
Upanishad sixth chapter, second Brahmana,
upasana on Gayatri mantra ( Brhadaranyaka
Upanishad fifth chapter, fourteenth Brahmana).
Cf. Chandogya Upanishad 1.4.5, 1.9.2,
3.14.2, 3.14.4, 4.15.5,5.10.10, 5.13.24,
5.18.1; Brhadaranyaka 1.5.20, 5.6.1, 5.7.1,
5.13.4, 5.14.8, 6.2.15, 6.3.6).
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