Sri Sankara’s
Vivekachudamani
By
Acharya Pranipata Chaitanya
(Tiruchengode Chinmaya Mission,
Tamil Nadu, India)
Five Layers of Human Personality—The Sheath Theory
Vedanta analyzes the human personality into five
layers/sheaths (koshas) or levels. This scheme is known as panca-kosha-vishleshana,
i.e., ‗analysis of the five sheaths‘ and is based on the second section of
the Taittiriya Upanishad. According to this theory, the fundamental Self
(Atman principle), is covered by five layers or koshas (sheaths):
annamayakosa(food sheath), pranamayakosa(vital airs or energy
sheath), manomayakosa(mental sheath),vijnanamayakosa(intellectual
sheath), and anandamayakosa(bliss sheath).
These sheaths
are something like peels of onion growing one over the other. Accordingly, the annamayakosa
is permeated by four kosas: the pranamaya and the rest. The pranamayakosa
is permeated by three kosas, the manomaya by two kosas and
the vijnanamaya by one kosa. In this manner, each outer kosa is
full of that which is within, i.e., the succeeding one being internal to the
preceding. By resolving each kosa into that which immediately succeeds
it, we are led to the knowledge of the Brahman, which is beyond cause,
and effect and realize our oneness with it. As Swami Harshananda (1999, p. 48)
explains: ―For realizing oneself as the Atman, one has to practice pancakosaviveka,
discrimination that one is not any of these kosas.‖
The Taittiriya Upanishad speaks of a son of
approaching his father with the following request: ‗Adhihibhagavobrahmeti.
Sir, teach me Brahman.‘(4) The father replies, ‗Yatovaimanibhutanijayante;
yenajatanijivanti; yatprayantyabhisamvishantiti; tadvijijnasasva; tadbrahmeti.
Know That from which all beings originate, emerge; That in which all beings
rest; and That into which all beings finally merge—That is Brahman.‘ (3.1.1) Yoga
Vasishtha calls it ―the substratum of all, the Self of all, and the essence
of all.‖ (Shastri, 1989,
p. 107)
The son approaches his father again and tells him
of his realization of Brahman as annamaya. The teacher does not say yes
or no, does not give him the final answer, but encourages him to delve further
and to discover for himself the deeper layers of his self. And through
progressive uncovering of inner layers of pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamayakosas,
each succeeding layer more subtler than the preceding, finally, the student
realizes the Truth as ananadamaya - the blissful. He then feels that
there is absolute, infinite Joy, and nothing but Joy pervading the whole
universe. This bliss is felt because bliss is the very nature of Brahman. This
takes to the student to the final realization that this blissful reality is my
own innermost being.
This section of the Taittiriya Upanishad concludes
by declaring that this Brahman-realization is ‗established in the supreme Space
(of one‘s own heart), paramevyoman-pratishthita‘(7). This is the most
important Vedantic doctrine: That
reality which is
all-pervading (Brahman) is not different from, i.e., absolutely identical with,
the reality shining in one‘s own innermost Being-Consciousness (Atman)--Space
of one‘s own heart. On the basis of this realization, the Seers of Upanisads
were able to pronounce such great affirmations, called mahavakyas, as: Tat
Tvam Asi (That Thou Art); AyamAtma Brahma (This Atman is Brahman); Prajnanam
Brahma (Consciousness is Brahman); and AhamBrahmasmi (I am Brahman).
These four great statements summarize the entire teachings of the Vedas.
(Nikhilananda, 1998, p. 47)
Who am I? I am not my body, mind or senses!
In approaching the question who am I,
Advaita Vedanta starts with analyzing the reality of our body, mind, and
senses. Building on the logic of netineti (not this, not this), it
proceeds to negate the ultimate reality of everything in our phenomenal
existence, including the reality of body, mind, intellect, and ego. As the sage
Astavakra, through a series of negations and final affirmation, clarifies to
king Janaka: ―You are neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor air, nor space.
In order to attain liberation, know the Self as the witness of all these and as
consciousness itself‖ (1.3).
It must, however, be noted that the witness
principle is not the final stage. As Sri Atmananda (1991, p. 3) clarifies:
―Even the witness aspect is only a means, because even in that aspect there is
superimposition. To reach Reality, this superimposition should also disappear.‖
And what remains in the end is the ―Witness Supreme!‖
In our common usage, we tend to refer to our body
etc. as ‗my body,‘ ‗my mind,‘ and ‗my intellect.‘ We do not say ‗I- body,‘ ‗I-
Mind,‘ ‗I- intellect.‘ This is not just a linguistic contrivance or convenience
but a fundamental distinction that goes to the very root of who we are. To
refer to our body as ―my‖ body‖
and our mind as ―my mind‖ is to say that
‗I and my body/mind‘ are separate. This ―point‖
or ―intuiting‖ of separation
is sometimes referred to as the awareness of ―I-Amness‖,
the awareness of our innermost being. In this regard, sage Astavakra‘s
advice to king Janaka is telling: ―If you detach yourself from the body and
mind and rest in consciousness, you will at once be happy,
peaceful, and
free from bondage.‖ This is the
most essential point to grasp in the journey towards Self-Knowledge or
Self-Realization.
The Discrimination between “Seer” and the “Seen”:
Drg-DrsyaViveka
Vedanta philosophy makes a clear distinction
between the "seer" (drg) and the ―seen‖
(drsya). The "seer" (subject) is the perceiver and is of the
nature of pure Consciousness or absolute Awareness. The "seen"
(object) is the thing perceived and is insentient by nature. Vedanta postulates
that this ignorance of the distinction between the seer (subject) and the seen
(object) is the root cause of one‘s bondage and suffering in the world. We have
become world-bound creatures on account of the identification of the seer
(subject)—the ―I‖ which is of the
nature of Pure Consciousness—with the body, mind, and senses (seen objects).
Nikhilananda (1987, 1998)
According Nikhilananda (1998, p. 40; 1987. p. 45),
the discrimination between the "seer" and the "seen" is,
therefore, the royal road leading to the realization of Truth:
Following the process of inquiry laid down in
Vedanta, the student realizes that all internal entities from the empirical ego
to the body are only objects and the subject (Self) is the witness. Therefore,
he ceases to identify himself as attached to the objects, knowing that
appearance and disappearance are their inevitable nature. Similarly, by an
analysis of the external world he realizes that Brahman is the only permanent
entity in the universe, while names and forms are changing phenomena.
Therefore, the practitioner becomes indifferent to the internal and external
objects and fixes his mind on Brahman which is identical with the Self.
The existence of the Self, or Consciousness, cannot
finally be doubted, because the doubter himself is the Self, or Conscious
Entity. It cannot be denied, because the denier himself is the Self, or
Conscious Entity. Vedanta concludes, therefore, that all entities, from the
gross, tangible objects in the outside world to the mind, must be of the nature
of the "seen' the object. They are by nature insentient (jada) and
changing. But the Self, or Consciousness, is the true "Seer" or
Subject, unchanging Knowledge; It can never be imagined to be insentient or
non-intelligent. It is Pure Consciousness, which is Atman in man and Brahman in
the universe. The aim of Vedanta is to prove the reality of Atman and Brahman,
and their complete identity.
Nikhilananda
(1998, p. 30) recommends the following practice to remain vigilant to the distinction
between the seer and the seen: ―Whenever any thought appears in the mind, take
it to be an object and be indifferent to it. But think of the Atman as
your real nature, eternal and permanent.‖
The key is to remain as witnessing-consciousness (sakshi-chaitanya).
According to Astavakra, to see oneself other than the seer is the only bondage:
―You are the one seer of all and really ever free. Verily this alone is your
bondage that you see the seer as other than yourself.‖
(1.7)
The three states (avastatraya) of
Consciousness: Waking, Dream, and Sleep
The most unique feature of advaita analysis, as
pointed out earlier, is that it takes into account all three states of our
existence, avastatraya—waking, dream, and deep sleep. Generally, we tend
to take the waking state to be the only true mode of our existence. Any system
of thought that fails to account for all three states of consciousness cannot
be taken as complete. Advaita believes that in order to obtain a complete
picture of our existential reality, we need to include evidence from all three
states—since we have experiences during all three states. This is a fundamental
difference between the Western and Eastern modes of thinking.
Advaita Vedanta reemphasizes the ultimate unreality
of body/mind complex by invoking the three states of existence. If our
body/mind/intellect/ego were real, so to speak, they should remain unchanged in
all states of our existence. For anything to be called really real, it has to
pass the Vedantic litmus test: It has to exist unchanged in all the three
states of existence. We know from our personal experience that our waking
body/mind complex no longer exists as such during dream state or deep sleep. In
the dream state, for example, we slip into the dimension of a dream body and a
dream mind. And the waking/dream body and waking/dream mind cease to exist in
the deep sleep. This is another key point to grasp in understanding our
ultimate reality.
The dream state furnishes some very important data
regarding our essential nature. In the dream state our experiences are
―internal‖ to the mind, as
mere ideas or thoughts. Although when we are dreaming they feel every bit as
real (and external) as
our experiences
during the waking state: for the dreamer, the dream state is the waking state!
Commenting on the dream state, the waking state, and, finally, the realization
of the Self, Swami Harshanada (1999, p. v) explains: ―When we wake up, the
dream phenomenon disappears, making us realize that everything was in the mind.
Similarly when the Atman is realized, this truth, viz., that the whole
phenomenal universe was inside the Atman, is recognized.‖
A word of caution here in approaching our existence
as a dream. V.S. Iyer (Scorelle, 1999) warns in his commentaries: ―It will be a
great error to write that the world is a dream: It is not. The correct
statement is: The world is like a dream. It is because both dream and waking
are mental constructs.‖
Sri RamanaMaharshi once said that the gist of
entire Advaita Vedanta is contained in verse # 170 of Sankara‘s masterpiece, Vivekacudamani:
In the dream state, even though there is no contact
with the external world, the mind alone projects the entire dream-universe of
enjoyer etc. Similarly, the waking-state is no different. All this (world of
myriad phenomena), is but a projection of the mind.
The following two verses from DaksinamurtiStotra
(Harshananda, 1999, pp. 6-7) further underscore the ultimate unreality of both
the dream state as well as the waking state:
Just as one, within a dream, sees the world within
oneself as if it is separate, in the same way, during the waking state also,
let this world be judged. (9)
Just as one who has woken up from sleep does not
see the objects shown in dream, even so, one does not see the world after
attaining knowledge par excellence, i.e, knowledge of Brahman-Atman as
the basis of all existence and consciousness. (12)
In Indian philosophy, our phenomenal existence is
spoken of as illusory—like the horns of a rabbit--as manomaya, i.e., of
the nature of mind, the mind-stuff. To explain this, Sankara invokes the
concept of ―maya” which literally means that which is not
(Skt., ma=not;
ya=that: ―Ya ma samaya‖
– that which is not there, that is Maya). Maya is the cosmic illusion—the
mother of duality--on account of which one appears as many and the real appears
as unreal. Maya is responsible for the appearance of our variegated universe.
In his famous maxim that sums up the true import of Advaita Vedanta, Sankara,
masterfully puts it, thusly: Brahmsatya, jagatmitthya, jivobrahmonapara. (The
world is illusory. Brahman (Universal Self) is the sole reality.
Individual Self (Atman) is not apart from Brahman, though.) In the first
part of this mahavakaya, the reality of phenomenal world is denied, the
reality of Brahman is upheld, and, finally, the identity between Brahman
(universal Self) and Atman (individual Self) is established. In
other words, the world as perceived by our senses is ultimately unreal. The
world is unreal not in the sense that it does not exist per se—for that will
not pass the test of common sense—but unreal in the sense that it does not
exist on its own, apart from Brahman, the ultimate reality. This is one
good summary of Advaita Vedanta.
Let‘s now consider the state of dreamless sleep.
Here is the crux of the Vedantic position in this regard: By what faculty one
is able to recall in the morning that one slept soundly during the night? The
standard Vedantic answer is that a form of witnessing-consciousness (sakshinchaitanyatma)
persists through all the three states of existence and hence is the sole,
ultimate Reality. By virtue of this awareness which is present even when we are
deep sleep, we are able to recall in morning how well we slept during the
night. This awareness remains constant and is our real nature. This
awareness/consciousness, then, is the illuminating, ―witness-principle‖
behind the facade of all the three states of our phenomenal existence; hence,
it is ultimately real.
This state of pure consciousness is referred to as the
Turiya (the fourth). In the words of MandukyaUpanisad (7): ―It is the essence
of the Consciousness manifesting as the self in the three states, and it is the
cessation of all phenomena. It is Peace, Bliss, and the One without a second.
This is what is known as the Fourth (Turiya). This is Atman and this has to be
realized.‖
Nikhilananda (1987, p. 63, 64-65) further explains:
Though the word Turiya
means, literally, "fourth," yet it has no numerical significance.
It is the Absolute. It is called the Fourth in relation to the three states of
consciousness, namely, waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep, which belong to
maya and are absent in Brahman. Turiya is the unrelated Witness of the three
states.
As waves and bubbles, associated with names and forms,
are seen to float on the immeasurable, serene, and homogeneous waters of the
ocean, so, likewise, the experiences of the three states are seen to subsist in
Turiya. As, when the illusory names and forms are discarded, the mirage is
realized as the desert, the snake as the rope, and the waves and bubbles as the
ocean, so, likewise, when the names and forms are discarded, every experience
is regarded as Turiya, or Pure Consciousness. Turiya alone is the Reality
behind all experiences, the Reality behind the universe. It is the universe in
its true essence. As the unmoving and unrelated screen gives connection and
continuity to the disjoined pictures in a cinema, so the attributeless,
changeless, and witness-like Turiya gives connection and continuity to the
disjoined experiences of the ego, in what we call our phenomenal life. Life is
not possible without the substratum of Turiya, which is the Reality pervading
the universe.
It must be noted that the mere non-cognition of
duality—as in deep sleep—is not the criterion for liberation. As Mahadevan
(1969, p. 285) has rightly noted: ―If the non-cognition of duality were the
criterion of release, then all beings should be released in sleep. If in sleep
there is no release because of the non-existence of true knowledge, then
knowledge of the true, and not non-cognition of duality, is the cause of
release.‖ Swami
Harshananda (1999, p. 107) explains the same point slightly differently:
―Though there is no perception of duality in deep sleep, avidya continues
to exist in seed form.‖ This is one of
the most subtle points to bear in mind in order to have a correct understanding
of the path of knowledge (tattva-jnana) according to Advaita Vedanta.
Fung (2004, p. 77) notes that V. S. Iyer, a pure
Advaitin, had on his personal stationary a monogram illustrating the Jnana-mudra—a
hand with the index finger touching the thumb, the other three fingers
extended—accompanied by this verse of the Isa Upanisad: ―How can there be
delusion or suffering when oneness is realized.‖
The meaning of the mudra is that one cannot know Truth if one has not
mastered the analysis of the three states of consciousness, avasthatraya.
As Iyer explains it, ―the bent forefinger touching the thumb means that when
you separately stretch out the fingers, i.e. examine the three states, there is
a seer or drik which knows them,
symbolized by
the index finger; this is Turiya, the fourth. The touching of the
forefinger with the thumb means that this fourth state is one with the Atman
or Self."
Sankara captures the essence of this state in the
following hymn:
The eternal Atman, which—through the changes of
waking,
dreaming, and dreamless sleep, Through childhood,
youth, maturity, and old age — Persists as the inexhaustible flow of
consciousness, Revealing Itself in the heart as the ever present sense of
"I."
~Hymn to Sri Dakshinamurti, Nikhilananda,
1987, p. 179.
In the first and last verse of NirvanaShtakam,
Sankara conveys his realization of the ultimate truth incomparably, as follows:
manobuddhy-ahamkarachittaninaham,
na cha shrotrajihvena cha ghrananetre;
na cha vyomabhumirnatejonavayuh,
chidanandarupahshivohamshivoham.
I am neither the mind, intelligence, ego or memory,
Neither the ears nor the tongue, nor the senses of
smell and sight;
Neither ether nor air, nor fire or water nor earth:
I am Eternal Bliss and Awareness—I am Siva! I am
Siva!
~Six Stanzas on Nirvana, Nikhilananda, 1987,
p. 217
ahamnirvikalponirakararupo
vibhurvyapyasarvatrasarvendriyanam
sada me samatvamnamuktirnabandhah
chidanandarupahshivohamshivoham
I have neither dualities nor shape or form;
I am present everywhere and pervade all the senses;
I am always equanimous;
I am neither liberation nor bondage;
I am of the nature of Pure
Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute,
I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva. (Reddy, 2007, p.
178)
The Self is Ever-Realized
In this section, we will consider the question:
What should one do to attain self-knowledge or self-realization? In the final
analysis, there is no difference between self-
knowledge and
self-realization, for to know oneself is to realize oneself. It is
important to recall that Self is the ultimate seer—self-consciousness as the
background, substratum—of body, mind, and senses because no other seer is known
to exist. After all, ―two seers‖ would be a
logical impossibility. The moment we contemplate two seers, they split into
seer and seen, drg and drsya. To look for the seer of the Self
would be ―to end in what is known as a regressus ad infinitum” (Nikhilananda,
1998, p. 2). In the words of Bhagavad Gita, ―That (One) alone exists
enveloping all‖ (13.13).
The Self reveals itself effortlessly when we cease
to identify with the non-self. Sankara‘s commentary on Bhagavad Gita‘s
concluding chapter (verses 50 and 66) is particularly illuminating in this
regard:
Therefore, we have only to eliminate what is
falsely ascribed to Brahman by avidya4; we have to make no more effort
to acquire a knowledge of Brahman as He is quite self-evident. Though thus
quite self-evident, easily knowable, quite near, and forming the very Self,
Brahman appears—to the unenlightened, to those whose reason (Buddhi) is carried
away by the differentiated phenomenon of names and forms created by avidya—as
unknown, difficult to know, very remote, as though He were a separate thing.
But to those whose reason (Buddhi) has turned away from external phenomena, who
have secured the grace of the guru, and attained the serenity of the self
(manas), there is nothing else so blissful, so well known, so easily knowable,
and quite so near as Brahman. Accordingly, the knowledge of Brahman is said to
be immediately comprehended. (Sastry, 1995, p. 487)
4Avidya means nescience, i.e.,
ignorance of our true nature or essential self. Self-Knowledge is the removal
of self-iIgnorance.
When attachment and other passions are purged from
the heart, the realization by the Self of its own nature is attained
without any effort. (Ibid, p. 503)
As Sri RamanaMaharshi put it so eloquently:
There is no greater mystery than this, that we keep
seeking reality though in fact we are reality. We think that there is something
hiding reality and that this must be destroyed before reality is gained. How
ridiculous! A day will dawn when you will laugh at all your past efforts. That
which will be on the day you laugh is also here and now. Realization is
getting rid of the delusion that you haven't realized. (Talks with
RamanaMaharshi, 2000,p. 132; emphasis added)
Sri Ramana‘s
recurring refrain to all seekers: ―Be as you are.‖
To remain constantly aware of the pulsation (Skt.: sphurana)
of this witnessing-consciousness—―I-I‖—is
to be enlightened to our ultimate reality. According to David Godman, Sri
RamanaMaharshi frequently used the Sanskrit phrase ahamsphurana to
indicate the 'I-I' consciousness or experience. Aham means 'I' and sphurana
can be translated as 'radiation, emanation, or pulsation' (The Mountain
Path, 1991, p. 79.).
Now to know, feel, and sense—at the depth of the
experiential level—the emanation of this witnessing consciousness is to become
one with it, is to qit! As an Upanisadic verse puts it: BrahmvitBrahmevaBhavati
(The knower of Brahman verily becomes Brahman). In fact, one
cannot really ―know‖ it via the
subject-object dichotomy, for it is the very Subject of all
existence/experience, the very Ground of our being. (How can the eye ―see‖
itself or the ―ear‖ ―hear‖
itself?) One can only ―sense‖ it or ―be‖
it! Even to say one can ‗be‘ it is a blasphemy because how can one be what one
already is. One can only realize this existential fact in the depth and silence
of one‘s being. So, the whole effort to attain the real is seen as
unnecessary—like legging the snake—when in fact we are that Reality all
along.
Our acquisitive mind, however, wants to know: What
can I do to arrive at this state of unmixed, unshakable bliss. Are there any
steps to follow? Any recipes? Are there any guidelines? This is one of the
great paradoxes of spiritual search: there is nothing one can do to induce this
blissful state of being. The seers and sages of all times have always hinted at
this subtle point: how could the ego which itself is unreal (an illusion)
can ever ―do‖ anything to
attain what is real? If one sees the ridiculousness of trying to seek
light with the help of darkness, one can be liberated on the spot! However, out
of their inexhaustible compassion and generosity, the seers and sages have
recommended some practices that lead to the understanding of this paradox, and,
hence, may lead to the ending of the very search itself. UG Krishnamurti‘s
non-teachings hammer at this paradox constantly and excruciatingly.
How does one
established in Self-Knowledge act?
Liberation from the bondage of ignorance is the
supreme goal of Vedantic quest. The seeker cuts asunder this beginning-less
ignorance with the sword of Self-knowledge. As is clear from the foregoing, the
direct knowledge of the Self or Atman is the means to the realization of
liberation. By steady abidance in the Self, one becomes free from grief and
suffering. Says ChandogyaUpanisad: taratisokamatmavit: ‗The knower of
Self goes beyond grief‘ (7.1.3). For how can there be delusion or sorrow when
oneness is realized: To him who sees unity, what delusion is there, what grief?
(Isa Upanisad, 7). Free from the motives of personal gain or loss, the
Self-realized person acts with the intention of doing good to the world. In the
words of Bhagavad Gita, such a person is ―most actively engaged in
seeking the welfare of all beings‖ (sarvabhutahiteratah—5.25;
12.4). In Vedantic parlance, such a person is called jivanmukta,
liberated-in-life. Unattached, he remains a silent witnessing-consciousness (sakshin-chaitanya)
or seer to all the actions of the body-mind complex.
Such a person has achieved complete freedom from
the shackles of egoism, i.e., from the sense of doership. In the following
verse, Astavakra analyzes the malady of egoism as well as prescribes the
medicine: ―Do you who have been bitten by the great black serpent of egoism ‗I
am the doer,‘ drink the nectar of the faith ‗I am not the doer,‘ and be happy.‖
(1.8) The Bhagavad Gita has this to say on the topic on non-doership:
The knower of Truth, (being) centered (in the Self)
should think, "I do nothing at all"—though seeing, hearing, touching,
smelling, eating, going, sleeping, breathing, speaking, letting go, holding,
opening and closing the eyes—convinced that it is the senses that move among sense-objects.
(V. 8-9)
The gunas5 (qualities) of Nature perform all work.
One whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks, "I am the doer." (III.
27)
5Guna is a technical term of Sankhya
philosophy also used in the same sense by the Vedanta. Prakrti or Nature
is constituted of three Gunas: Sattva (equilibrium or purity), Rajas
(attraction or activity), and Tamas (inertia). Prakrti is the three Gunas,
not that she has them. Guna is wrongly translated as quality; it is
substance as well as quality, matter, and force. Where ever there is
name and form, there is Guna. Guna also means a rope, that which binds.
(Swarupananda, 1996, pp. 55-56)
But, one, with
true insight into the domains of gunas and action, knowing that gunas as
senses merely acting on gunas as objects, does not become attached.
(III. 28)
If all work is performed by gunas (qualities) of
nature--senses moving through sense-objects—then what freedom does one have? In
this context, Sri RamanaMaharshi‘s response is particularly illuminating: ―All
the actions the body is destined to perform are already decided upon at the
time it comes into existence: the only freedom you have is whether or not to
identify yourself with the body‖ (Osborne, 2002,
p. 42; emphasis added). It is important to remember that the body-identification
is due to ignorance and with the dawning of the Self-knowledge, this
identification disappears and one realizes oneself as formless, pure
Consciousness and as the essence of the whole universe. As Sruti says, ―With
the disappearance of the attachment to the body and with the realization of the
Supreme Self, to whatever object the mind is directed one experiences Samadhi.‖
Nikhilananda (1998, p. 35) cites Yoga Vashishtha
to describe the nature of the samadhi when one has become free from all
thoughts or ideas and has been filled with Supreme Bliss: ―It is just like an
empty pitcher placed in the sky, having nothing inside or outside; and again,
it is just like a full pitcher placed in the sea, full of (water) both inside
and outside.‖
In one of the key verses of Bhagavad Gita (2.45),
Lord Krishna, enjoins Arjuna to transcend duality by rising above the binding
properties of the three Gunas (nistraigunyobhava ’rjuna): ―The Vedas
deal with the three Gunas. Be thou free, O Arjuna, from the triad of the
Gunas, free from the pairs of opposites, ever-equanimous, free from (the
thought of) getting and keeping, and established in the Self.‖
An important verse from Brahmabindupanisad (2)
states that ‗mind alone is the cause for bondage and liberation; cause of
bondage when attached to sense objects, cause of liberation when freed from
them (Harshanada, 1999, p. 107):
Mana
evamanushyaanaamkaaranambandhamokshayoh
Bandhaayavishayaasaktammuktaihnirvishayamsmritam.
The Bhagavad
Gita‘s following verse (6. 4) is of special import here: Sarva-Samkalpasannyasi,
yoga-arudhahsthtadaucyate: ―When one has renounced all thoughts, then is
one said to have attained to yoga.‖ In explaining
the phrase ‗renouncing all thoughts,‘ Sankara's commentary is
illuminating: "When he has learned to habitually renounce all thoughts which
give rise to desire for objects of this world and of the next, then he is said
to have become a Yoga-arudhah, to be one who is attained to yoga (or
established in yoga)" (Sastry, 1995, p. 186, emphasis added). To
underscore the fact that desire has thought as its source/root (samkalpa
mulah hi sarvekamah) and hence the vital link between our thoughts and
desires, Sankara then quotes Mahabharata: "O desire, I know where
thy root lies. Thou art born of thought. I shall not think of thee, and thou
shall cease to exist as well as thy root." (Shanti Parva, 177-25). And
that ‗whatever actions a man does, all that is the effect of desire itself‘
(Manu-Smrti 2.4). Therefore, when one gives up all desires, renunciation of all
action becomes possible. Sankara finally concludes his commentary on this verse
noting that ‗by saying that the aspirant should renounce all thoughts, the Lord
implies that he should abandon all desires and all actions as well‘ (Sastry,
1995, pp. 186-187). This is also borne out by the key verse in the Gita (2.55)
that defines sthita-pragahas follows: ―When a man completely casts away
all the desires of the mind, satisfied in the Self alone by the Self, then is
he said to be one established in steady wisdom.‖
Given modern psychology‘s contention that it is the
desire (wish) that gives birth to thought (‗wish fathering the thought‘), a
little digression is warranted here. Modern psychology says that when we want
to do something, we tend to find reasons to do it. Thus, the desire is primary
and the thought is only a rationalization mechanism concocted to justify what
we want to do in the first place. It is important to note however that,
regardless of what comes first—desire or thought, it is the thought that
finally propels one to action. In this regard, a verse from
BrhadaranyakaUpanisad (4-4-5) is highly pertinent: ―Whatever forms the object
of desire, that he wills; and whatever he wills, that he acts‖
(Sastry, 1995, p. 186). Likewise, ‗whatever actions a man does, all that is the
effect of desire itself (Manu-Smrti 2.4). Therefore, when one gives up all
desires, renunciation of all action becomes possible. (Gambhirananda, 1984, op.
cit., pp. 280-281)
In order to
provide further clarification on the conduct of a self-realized person, we will
now present a few verses from the Isa Upanisad. It is comprised of only 18
verses and, next to the MandukyaUpanisad, is one of the shortest of the
Upanisads. Mahatma Gandhi regarded the opening verse of Isa Upanisad as the
gist of Hinduism and Dr. T.M.P. Mahadevan (cited in Saroja, 1985, p. 175)
considered it to be the quintessence of Vedanta. Here is the opening verse
which teaches the path of jnana yoga:
Isavasyamidamsarvamyatkiñcajagatyamjagat
tenatyaktenabhuñjitha ma grdhahkasyasviddhanam.
All this—whatever exists in this changing world—is
pervaded by the Lord. Enjoy it through renunciation. Do not covet, for whose
indeed is wealth?
Tenatyaktenabhunjitha:
Enjoyment through renunciation. Enjoy by giving up the sense of attachment or
proprietorship. Why? Because all belongs to the Creator, to the Lord. Ma
grdhah: Do not covet or be greedy. Kasyasvidhanam: whose is wealth?
Lord‘s!
Compare this verse with BhagavataPurana VIII.1.10 (Atmavasyamidamsarvam),
where the same theme is conveyed with reference to our real Self.
The second verse of Isa Upanisad teaches the
path of karma yoga:
kurvannevehakarmanijijivisecchatamsamah
evamtvayinanyatheto'stina karma lipyatenare
Always thus doing one‘s work here, one may desire
to live a hundred years. There is no other way than this to live; thus living,
the work does not bind.
Kurvanevaihakarmani…na karma
lipyatenare: Always thus doing one‘s work here the
work does not bind the man. How? Performing all actions as an offering to God
without the sense of doership—i.e., offering both the works and their fruits to
God. This purifies the mind and heart and prepares them to receive the wisdom
of oneness, ekatvam, spoken of in the verse 7 below.
yasminsarvanibhutanyatmaivabhudvijanatah
tatrakomohahkahsokaekatvamanupasyatah. (Isa, 7)
For one who clearly sees all beings in his own self
and his own self in all beings, everywhere—To him who has realized Oneness,
what delusion is there, what grief? Or how can there be delusion or suffering
when Oneness has been realized?
The knower of self sees the Self in everything and
everything in the Self (sarvbhutsthamatmaanamsarvabhutanicaatmaniikshtey:
Bhagavad Gita, 6.29). The same exact theme recurs in Astavakra Gita (3.5
and 6.4): ―Self in all and all in the Self (sarvbhuteshucaatmanam, sarvabhutanicaatmani).
This then is the non-dual conception of Advaita: One only without a second (Ekamevaadvitiyam).
Explaining the deeper meaning of non-duality, Iyer (Scorelle, 1999) points out
in his commentaries: ―Non-duality does not mean the non-existence of a second
thing, but its non-existence as other than yourself. The mind must know that it
is of the same substance as the objects.‖
This state is described in the Avadhuta Gita as follows: ‗All is verily
the Self alone‘ (sarvamatmaivakevalam--1.15) and ‗All is verily Brahman
alone‘ (brahmaivakevalamsarvam—1.45). These two verses then establish
the reality and the identity of Brahman and Atman. The Atman
is the individual Self within, the eternal witness of all. The Brahman is the
Self without, the universal Self of all.
To conclude this part, here is the clearest
description of the one abiding in the wisdom of the Self: ―Resting in Brahman,
with intellect steady and without delusion, the knower of Brahman neither
rejoices in receiving what is pleasant nor grieves on receiving what is
unpleasant.‖ (Bhagavad
Gita, V. 20) And here are two more verses from the Gita that carry the
theme of Oneness, born of true Knowledge (Jnana), to the finish:
At the end of many births, the man of wisdom
attains Me, realizing that all this is Vasudeva (the innermost Self). Such a
great-soul is very hard to find.
(bah n janman mante, jñ nav nm prapadyate; v
sudeva sarvamiti, samah tm su-durlabha ) (VII, 19)
Persons who,
meditating on Me as non-separate, worship Me in all beings, to them who
are constant and devout in this, I provide what they lack and make secure what
they have. (IX. 22)
Four Pursuits of Life6: What do we really want?
6 We are grately indebted to two pre-eminent,
modern teachers of Vedanta—Swami Dayananda Saraswati and Swami
Paramarthananda—for providing profound clarity regarding the four-fold pursuits
(purusharatha) of human life through their enlightening discourses on
the Bhagavad Gita and Vedanta.
The Indian philosophy classifies all human pursuits
into four broad categories: kama (pleasure), artha (security), dharma
(righteousness), and moksha (freedom). This classification provides
an ideal infrastructure for the accomplishment of all human ends, called purusharatha
in Sanskrit. The first three pursuits are seen as the ―material goals‖
while the last pursuit—mosksa—is considered as the ―spiritual goal‖
culminating in Self-Knowledge. According to this philosophy, all goals of life
must lead to the ultimate goal of freedom because without accomplishing
spiritual freedom, human life is not deemed as fulfilled. In fact, that freedom
alone gives the sense of fulfillment at the time of death. Without attaining
this spiritual freedom (moksha) the total sense of fulfillment cannot
come; there will always be more wants and regrets at the end of one‘s life.
Therefore, the material accomplishments are treated as ancillary goals while
spiritual freedom is considered to be the primary goal and the ultimate
objective of human life.
The kama is the pursuit of all types of
pleasures such as sensual, intellectual, and aesthetic. The artha is the
pursuit of worldly gain or wealth to seek economic, emotional, social or some
other form of security. The dharma is the pursuit of values or
righteousness. And the moksha is the pursuit of spiritual liberation or
freedom from all limitations and dependence. It is important to note that the
pursuit of righteousness (dharma) underpins all the other three pursuits
to ensure their propriety. Perhaps then the right order of these pursuits could
be dharma (righteousness), kama (pleasure), artha (wealth/security),
and moksha (freedom). The ancient seers were very keen to ensure that
our pursuit of pleasure and security should be guided by the spirit of
righteousness.
Indian philosophy says that all of these are
legitimate ends of life. Let‘s see how each of these measure up to our ultimate
goal of seeking lasting fulfillment. First and
foremost, we all
naturally seek pleasure. However, we all eventually come to the realization
that pleasure is too trivial to satisfy our total being. Besides, no pleasure
consistently satisfies us with same level of intensity over time. Even the most
refined type of aesthetic pleasures such as music and literature lose their
intensity over time. "There comes a time," wrote Aldous Huxley (cited
in Huston, 1991, p. 19), "when one asks even of Shakespeare, even of
Beethoven, is this all?"
Let‘s now look at other pursuits starting with the
pursuit of worldly gains with its three formulations of wealth, power, and
fame. Although, the effects of this pursuit may seem to last longer than the
pursuit of pleasure yet they are still not beyond the vagaries of time and
limitations. If we carefully look at the pursuits of pleasure, security, and
values, we realize that they are all limited and time-bound in the ultimate
bidding. Even when one has them all, one still feels, the gnawing sense of
incompleteness that something is still missing. Eventually, however, every
discerning human being comes to realize with Simone Weil (cited in Huston,
1991, p. 20) that "there is no true good here below, that everything that
appears to be good in this world is finite, limited, wears out, and once worn
out, leaves necessity exposed in all its nakedness."
One does not have to come to this acute
perceptiveness of the terror of human situation to agree with the German
philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 –1860), that the ‗business of life does
not seem to cover its expenses.‘ The Indian philosophy furnishes two-fold
explanation of the grim assessment of human predicament furnished by Huxley,
Weil, and Schopenhauer, as follows:
The reason we find the pursuit of pleasure,
security, and values to be ultimately unfulfilling, is because the happiness
that they accord does not really reside in them—even if it appears to be so. If
this were not the case, we should always feel the same, invariable intensity of
happiness from our objects of desire. Our experience tells us that our
perceived happiness from objects/people/places changes over time. What really
happens is that the acquired object of our desire temporarily relieves the
agitation (in our mind and heart) that we were feeling due to its lack. When we
get the object of our desire, we feel happy for a while, until our satiety is
assailed again by another desire that takes the place of the previously
fulfilled desire. This happiness we seem to
experience
temporarily actually comes from within due to the appeasement of the
anxiety we were feeling for not having the object of our desire. This is
one reason why we find them ultimately unsatisfying.
The second, and the most important, reason is that
the three-fold pursuits of pleasure, security, and values, are only incidental
goals leading to the ultimate goal of freedom (moksha) and for that very
reason, inherently unsatisfactory. In fact, they are the contributing causes of
our bondage, accordingly to Indian philosophy. And the fourth human pursuit
postulates freedom from the bondage and limitations of the first three
pursuits! At first, this conclusion may seem blatantly unacceptable. Not
really. Let take a closer look. The pursuit of pleasure, security, and values
creates two types of bondage: First, when the object of my desire is present,
it creates stress of handling (the object) and strain of relating (to the
person). Secondly, when the object of my desire is absent, I feel empty and
lonely. When I do not have them, I crave for them and when I have them, I crave
for freedom from them. So, I am not very sure whether I really want them
or not. Either way, there is a problem. This, says Indian philosophy, is the
ultimate predicament of our worldly existence, called Samsara.
Self Knowledge alone leads to the Ultimate Freedom
(moksha)
When we come upon the understanding that the first
three pursuits are inherently and ultimately unfulfilling, we start wondering
if there is something beyond these finite, limited, and time-bound pursuits of
pleasure, security, and values. The Indian philosophy explains that the reason
we find these pursuits to be ultimately dissatisfying is because, deep down,
what we have been really seeking all along is the abiding freedom from all
limitations and dependence. In other words, we have been indirectly engaged in
the pursuit of moksha, spiritual freedom. And at that point begins the true
quest for limitless being, limitless knowledge, and limitless joy. And this
freedom, Indian philosophy is quick to add, does not really reside in any
objects/people/places of our desire as defined by the threefold human pursuits
of pleasure, security and values.
In our final quest for fulfillment—through the
fourth pursuit of moksha as advocated by Indian philosophy—we seek
freedom from the tyranny of our dependence
upon the
threefold pursuits of pleasure, security, and values. Through Self-Knowledge,
we want to get to a state of understanding where the presence of objects and
people will not create undue stress and strain in us, and their absence will
not create a sense of emptiness and loneliness in us. This way I can really
enjoy kama (pleasures), artha (security), and dharma (values)
without any anxiety or anticipation: When they are there, I am okay; when they
are not there, I am still okay. I am fine with objects and people and I am fine
without them as well. Either way I am fine. I have made my peace with the
universe! This is called freedom or moksha, born of Self-Knowledge.
This is the final end of life, the ultimate goal of all goals, the fufifillment
of human destiny.
One Vedantic verse expresses the quest for
Self-Knowedge under the guise of a seeker‘s prayer for spiritual freedom (mukti
mantra) as follows:
asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrtyorma amrtam gamaya
Lead me from the unreal to the real.
Lead me from darkness to light.
Lead me from death to immortality.
~Brhadaranyaka Upanishad — I.iii.28
We quote a few verses from the Bhagavad Gita that
provide some of the clearest indication of this freedom born of Self-Knowledge:
One who rejoices only in the Self, who
is satisfied with the Self, who is content in the Self alone,—for such a
person, there is nothing left to do. Such a person has nothing to gain from
work done or left undone and no dependence on any object to serve any purpose.
(3.17-19)
Resting in the Absolute, with intellect
steady and without delusion, the knower of Self neither rejoices in receiving
what is pleasant nor grieves on receiving what is unpleasant.
(5. 20)
This inner freedom culminates in Self-Knowledge
which expresses itself in the threefold virtues of acceptance, courage, and
discernment captured beautifully in a prayer called the Serenity Prayer:
O Lord…
Grand me the serenity to accept what I
cannot change,
Grant me the
courage to change what I can change; and
Grant me the wisdom to know the
difference.
This equanimity of mind (samta) has been
referred to as yoga in the Bhagavad Gita: samatavvayogahauchytey (2.48).
This is the dexterity in human action: yogahakaramsukaushalam (2.50).
When we reach this point, an understanding dawns on us that all the problems of
the world and not really caused by the world; rather, they are caused by our
wrong handling of the world due to self-ignorance. And Self-Knowledge is the
freedom from the bondage of self-ignorance. We have come full circle!
Concluding Thoughts
In a key upanisadic passage, a seeker approaches a
sage with the question: Kasminnubhagavovijnatesarvamidamvijnatambhavati?—Revered
sir, what is it, by knowing which everything becomes known? (Mundaka
Upanishad, 1.1.3.) Through the process of neti, neti—not
this, not this—i.e., by denying the reality of five elements of air, water,
fire, air and space, the ultimate reality of Brahman is first established. And
through verses like ahambrahmasmi (I am Brahman verily) the reality of
our essential Self, the Atman is established. The Srutis finally affirm the
identity of Brahman (the Absolute) and Atman (the Self) through such verses as tattvamasi
(That Thou Art). Just as by knowing clay everything that is made of clay
becomes known, so also by knowing the Brahman-Atman everything else becomes
known for Brahman-Atman is the Essence/Ground/Source/Substratum of everything.
In the words of Avadhuta Gita: Song of the Free (1.5):
―The essence and the whole message of Vedanta is this Knowledge, this supreme
Knowledge: that I am by nature the formless, all-pervasive Self.‖
That I am the ever-free, Pure-Conscious-Self Absolute (nitya-mukta-shuddha-buddha-atma).And
that I am always one with the Brahman, the Absolute. ―At no time,‖
says the incomparable Sankara in BrahmsutraBhasya, ―Jiva ever is not one with
the Brahman‖
(nakadAchitjIvasyabrahmaNasampattirnAsti) (3.2.7). The final message of
Vedanta, then, is this: ―Know who you are. Know that you are Pure
Consciousness and Absolute
Awareness,
and be free!‖ To know oneself
as absolute awareness is to be established in Self-knowledge. And to know
oneself thusly is to realize one’s true Self.
References
Alston, A. (1997). The Crest Jewel of Wisdom
(Viveka-Cudamani) (Tr.). London: Shanit Sadan.
Ashokananda, S. (2009). Avadhut Gita: Song of
the Free. Madras, India: Sri Ramakrishna Math.
Atmananda, S. (1973). Atmananda Tattwa Samhita. Austin,
Texas: Advaita Publishers.
Atmananda, S. (1991). Atma Darshan Atma
Nirvriti. Austin, Texas: Advaita Publishers.
Chatterji, J. (1931). India's Outlook on Life. New
York: Kailash Press.
Chidbhavananda, S. (2000). The Bhagavad Gita. Tripparaithurai,
India: Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam.
Comans, M. (1996). Extracting the Essence of the
Sruti: The Srutisarasamuddharanam of Totakacarya. New Delhi:
MotilalBanarsidas Publishers Private Ltd.
Coomaraswamy, A. (1974). Buddha and the Gospel
of Buddhism. New York: Harper and Row.
DayanandaSaraswati, S. (1997). Talks on
Vivekacudamani (One Hundred and Eight Selected Verses). Rishikesh: Sri
Gangadharesvar Trust.
Deussen, P. (1906). Outline of the Vedanta
System. New York: The Grafton Press.
Deutsch, E. (1973). Advaita Vedanta: A
Philosophical Reconstruction. Honolulu: The University of Hawaii.
Durant, W. (1954). The Story of Civilization:
Our Oriental Heritage. . New York: Simon and Schuster.
Edgerton, F. (1965). The Beginnings of Indian
Philosophy. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Emerson, R. (1929). The Complete Writings of
Ralph Waldo Emerson: Lectures and Sketches. New York: Wm. H. Wise & Co.
Fung, A. C. (2004). Paul Brunton: A Bridge
Between India and the West. Doctoral Dissertation, published
online:http://wisdomsgoldenrod.org/publications/cahn/PBThesisPt1.pdf.
Gambhirananda, S. (1984). Bhagavad Gita with the
Commentary of Sankaracharya. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama.
Gambhirananda, S. (2001). Eight Upanisads with
the Commentary of Sankaracarya Vol.1 & 2. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.
Grimes, J. (2004). The Vivekacudamani of
Sankaracarya Bhagavatpada: An Introducation and Translation. New Delhi:
MotilalBanarsidas Publishers Private Ltd.
Gupta, S. (1963). History of Indian Philosophy,
Vol.1. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Harshananda, S. (1999). Daksinamurti Stotra with
Manasollasa. Banglore, India: Ramakrishna Math.
Herman, A.
(1976). An Introduction to Indian Thought. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.:
Printice Hall.
Hiriyanna, M. (1949). The Essentials of Indian
Philosophy. London: Allen & Unwin.
Iyer, V. S. (1980a). An Inquiry into Truth, or
Tattva Gnana: A Collection of Speeches and Writings. Madras, India: Court
Press Salem (on behalf of Mrs Rukmani Kuppanna).
Iyer, V. S. (1980b). An Inquiry into Truth or
Tattva Vichara: A Collection of Speeches and Writings. Salem, India: Modern
Lithographers & Printers Pvt. Ltd.
Joad, C. (1944). Philosophy. London: English
Universities Press.
Madhavananda, S. (1997). Brhadaranyaka Upanisad.
Calcutta: Advaita Ashram.
Mahadevan, T. M. (2002.). The Hymns of Sankara. New
Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass.
Martonie, R. (2011, April 19). The Neuroscience of
the Gut: Strange but True: The Brain is shapped by bacteria in the Gut. Scientific
American.
Narasimhha, B. (1993). Self Realization: The
Life and Teachings of Sri Ramana. Tiruvannamalai: Sri Ramanasramam.
Nikhilananda, S. (1965). Hinduism. Calcutta:
Calcutta University Press.
Nikhilananda, S. (1987). Self-Knowledge:
Atmabodha. New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center.
Nikhilananda, S. (1995). The Mandukyopanisad
with Gaudapada's Karika. Calcutta, India: Advaita Ashrama.
Nikhilananda, S. (1998). Drg-Drsya Viveka: An
Inquiry into the Nature of the "Seer" and the "Seen". Calcutta,
India: Advaita Ashrama.
Nikhlananda, S. (1944). The Bhagavad Gita. New
York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center.
Nityaswarupananda, S. (2008). Astavakra Samhita.
Calcutta, India: Advaita Ashrama.
Osborne, A. (2002). Ramana Maharshi and the Path
of Self-Knowledge. Tiruvannamalai: Sri Ramanasaramam.
Potter, K. (1998). Encyclopedia of Indian
Philosophy. New Delhi: MotilaBanarsidas Publishers Private Ltd.
Radhakrishanan, S. (1927). Hindu View of Life. London:
George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Radhakrishanan, S. (1941). Indian Philosophy,
Vol. 1. London: Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Ramana Maharshi, S. (2003). Maharshi's Gospel:
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. Tiruvannamalai: Sri Ramanasramam.
Ramana Maharshi, S. (2005). Words of Grace. Tiruvannamalai:
Sri Ramanasramam.
Ramana, S.
(2000). The Collected Works of Sri Ramana Maharshi. Tiruvannamalai: Sri
Ramanasramam.
Reddy, C. (2007). Atma Shatakam. The V e d a n t
a K e s a r i, 15-18.
Sarvananda, S. (2002). Isavasya Upanishad. Chennai:
Sri Ramakrishna Math.
Sastry, A. (1995/1897). The Bhagavad Gita with
the commentary of Sri Shankaracharya. Madras, India: Samta Books.
Scorelle, M. (Editor)(1999). Commentaries of
V.S. Iyer: From the posthumous collections of Paul Brunton vol. 1 and 2. Available
on http://wisdomsgoldenrod.org/publications/.
Shastri, H. (1989). World within the Mind
(YOGA-VASISHTHA, Extracts). London: Shanti Sadan.
Sri Ramakrishna Math. (1997). Mundakopanisad. Mylapore,
Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math.
Sunirmalananda, S. (2005). Insights into
Vedanta: Tattvabodha. Chennai, India: Sri Ramakrishna Math.
Swarupananda, S. (1996). Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Calcutta:
Advaita Ashrama.
Tattwananda, S. (2002). The Quintessence of
Vedanta of Sri Sankaracharya. Kalady, Kerala: Sri Ramakrishna Advaita
Ashrama.
Turiyananda, S. (2007). Vivekacudamani. Mylapore,
Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math.
Venkataramiah, M. S. (2000). Talks with Sri
Ramana Maharshi. Tiruvannamalai: Sir Ramanasramam.
Vimuktananda, S. (2001). Aparokshanubhuti: Self
Realization of Sri Sankaracharaya. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(Continued...)
(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of H H Sri
Chinmayananda ji and
H H Sri Acharya Pranipata Chaitanya ji for
the collection)
0 comments:
Post a Comment