1. Laghu Vasudeva Mananam, An Introduction To Advaita Vedanta Philosophy Swami Tejomayananda Divine Life Society

AN INTRODUCTION TO

ADVAITA VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A Free Rendering into English of 'Laghuvasudevamanana'

BY SWAMI TEJOMAYANANDA

IYINEUE

Pubhshed By THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR Dt. Tehri-Garhwal, U.P., Himalayas, India

Price ] 1972 [ Rs. 6

AN INTRODUCTION TO

IDVAITA VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A Free Rendering into English of 'Laghuvasudevamanana'

BY SWAMI TEJOMAYANANDN

1

.....

DIVINE UEES COCI

Published By THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR Dt. Tehri-Garhwal, U.P., Himalayas, India

rice ] 1972 [ Rs. 6ļ-

Published by Swami Krishnananda for the Divine Life Society, Shivanandanagar, and printed by him at the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press, P.O. Shivanandanagar, Dt. Tehri- Garhwal, U.P., Himalayas

First Edition : 1972 (3,000 copies)

All Rights Reserved By The Divine Life Trust Society

Printed in Recognition of the Meritorious services rend to the Divine Life Society by MRS. SIMONETTA D' CESERO, PARIS, FRANCE

OM

Dedicated at the

Lotus Feet of

Gurudev

Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj

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PUBLISHERS' NOTE

The present publication, a unique one of its kind, is being released for the benefit of students of tho Vedanta, who are in the initial stages of their course of studies and who are supposed to acquire a non- technical knowledge of the philosophy of the great doctrine of the unity of God, world and soul gra- dually getting revealed in systematic degrees of per- ception. A readable English translation of this ori- ginal Sanskrit, known as the 'Laghuvasudevamanana' has not been published so far, to our knowledge, ex- cept one which is now out of print. The need for a new translation of the treatise was keenly felt at the Ashram's Headquarters, when Sri Swami Tejo- mayanandaji Maharaj of the Ashram commenced his discourses on the theme of this book and students found it necessary to have a guide to follow the line of the teaching. With this end in view, Swamiji has taken the pains of translating the Text unabridged, in an easy style suitable for beginners. It would have been better if the translation was accompanied with copious notes and a General In- troduction to the philosophy of the Vedanta in its comprehensiveness. But this could not be done for want of time, and it is hoped that this need will be fulfilled in the next edition, God willing. The eager-

ness of students to have the book released as early as possible could not but postpone the consideration of such an elaborate procedure.

We introduce this valuable hand-book on the Ve- danta to all those who are anxious to gain an access into the portals of the Ancient Wisdom of India.

31st August, 1972. -THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY.

FOREWORD

Salutations to Adi-Guru Bhagavan Narayana, to Jagadguru Sri Adi-Sankaracharya and to our worshipful Satguru Sri Swami SIVANANDAJI Maharaj, whose grace and blessings be upon the re- vered Swami Tejomayananda Saraswati whose learn- ed lectures in English upon the Vedantic text LAGHUVASUDEVAMANANA which is an INTRO- DUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY, forms the highly illuminating and instructive contents of this book. These lectures form a most excellent and a very helpful preparation for students of Vedanta to take up the study of higher texts. Swami Tejo- mayanandaji's explanations and comments are unique in their novel presentation of the subject in their modern style of exposition as well as the graphic visual manner adopted to bring out the meaning of subtle points through apt illustrations during the course of his lectures. This book has become most valuable by the inclusion of these charts. The artist who collaborated with Swami Tejomayanandaji by doing these nice drawings under his instructions is Sri Swami Rajarajeshwaranandaji, who deserves our congratulations for this valuable contribution to the book.

• At the same time, all praise for this publication must certainly go to one of Swami Tejomayanandaji's most diligent and serious students, namely, Madame Simonetta of Paris, France who attended some of these lectures in March 1971. Sri Simonetta carefully took down notes of his class lectures and as a gesture of her gratitude for the wisdom she had received from the teacher she prepared the matter in a manu- seript form when she went back to France. She en- thusiastically took up the idea of bringing this mat- ter into a book form so that numerous seekers and students of Vedanta may be benefited by it. Thus for the publication in book form of this work Mrs. Simonetta is wholly responsible. She enthused the Swamiji to go through her manuscript, correct the entire matter, edit it and to do all that was necessary to make it ready for the Press. Sri Simonetta is so very much interested in bringing this valuable know- ledge of Vedanta into the easy reach of her own French brethren, that she has got this matter trans- lated into French and this Manuscript is ready for the Press. She has proved a worthy student of a worthy and excellent teacher. Through her effort the true teaching of pure Vedanta is made available to seekers in the western world. Yoga has become the modern fashion and craze in the west nowadays and it is time that some pure Vedanta is propagated there as this will help in bringing about a correct perspective into their lives and imparting to them an adequate measure of the higher spiritual quality to it. This would serve to bring about the desired balance between the outer physical and the inner spiritual aspects of their lives.

reading by maximum number of seekers and Sadha- kas of the East as well as the West. God bless you all. Let the Light of Vedanta shine!

16-11-1972.

universes of the past had merged before the present cosmos started out of its primordial latency in the one Reality. This also explains the simile in the treatise how the eternal Jivas existed in the Abso- lute during Pralaya, like the particles of gold in a ball of wax. Moreover, the philosophy of creation as given out by the author, besides referring to the evo- lution of the present universe, may also be taken as an abstract formula referring to all universes, past and future.

The author discusses in detail, in twelve Varna- kas or chapters, the nature of the Atman or the Self and tries to remove confusions and mistaken iden- tities. The characteristics of the three bodies, the three states, and the five sheaths are described, and the Atman is shown as being different from them. In the end, it has also been proved that the essential nature of the Atman, viz., Sat-Chit-Ananda, does not constitute three different qualities but one single in- divisible homogeneous essence. To facilitate quick and easy understanding, pic- tures, diagrams and charts are included wherever necessary and feasible. An English translation of 'Tat- tva-Bodha' of Bhagavan Sankaracharya is also given at the commencement of the text, which will serve as a mini-encyclopaedia of Vedanta and prepare the student to get himself ready to enter into the text- book proper. At the end of the text, an appendix containing some questions and answers under the title 'Vednnta-Rodha' of Sri Swami Sivanandaji Ma- haraj, a: of the r

It is my firm conviction that this publication will serve as a handbook on Vedanta to sincere seckers of Knowledge and induce them to enter into the sub- ject deeply and ultimately realise the Great Goal.

I am immensely grateful to the great souls H.H. i Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj and H.H. Sri Swami rishnanandaji Maharaj for their encouragement ven to me from time to time. The readers are in- ebted to Mrs. Simonetta d' Cesero of Paris, France, hose magnanimous help made this work find the ght of the day. I am also thankful to my Guru- hais Sri Swami Brahmanandaji, Sri Swami Raja- ajeshwaranandaji and Sri Venugopalji for their aluable help in the form of manuscript-correction, rawing the beautiful diagrams and the cover design, espectively.

Sivanandashram, Swami Tejomayananda he Divine Life Society H.Q. 2nd June, 1972.

Benefit of their study-Abhimana is the cause of Page

non-discrimination-Beginningless ignorance has an end-Definition of ignorance-Knowledge alone is the means for the destruction of ignorance-Two kinds of knowledge-Annihilation of ignorance through Vritti-Jnana-Annihilation of Vrittis. 54-70

Chapter VII SELF-KNOWLEDGE Discrimination between the Self and the non-Self- Definition of the Self-Definition of the non-Self- Difference between Vyashti and Samashti-Defini- tion of Isvara and Jiva-Indweller-Hiranyagarbha -Virat-Worship of the Trinities-Idol-worship- Prajna, Taijasa and Visva-Three kinds of relations in the Mahavakya-Three kinds of Lakshanas- Vachyartha and Lakshyartha-Akhandartha. 71-86

Chapter VIII THE SELF IS SEPARATE FROM THE THREE BODIES The Self is separate from the three bodies-Three kinds of bodies-Definition of gross body-Seventeen limbs of the subtle body-Three means of knowing an object-Three kinds of fault-Definition of five senses of knowledge-Definition of five organs of action-Definition of five Pranas-Definition of five subsidiary Pranas-Definition of the fourfold An- tahkarana-Definition of causal body-Definition of Atman-Five kinds of differences between the Self and the non-Self-Difference between Sat and Asat -Difference between Chit and Jada-Difference be- tween Ananda and Duhkha-Three kinds of afflic- tions. 87-104

Chapter IX SELF IS THE WITNESS OF THE THREE STATES The Seif is the witness of the three states-Three Gunas of the mind-Three states-Illustration to xviii

Pagc show the witness nature of the Self-Difference be- tween the Witness and the Chidabhasa-The Self is not the known-Illustration of the missing tenth person-The Self is not to be understood through proofs. 105-113

Chapter X THE SELF TRANSCENDS THE FIVE SHEATHS What are the five sheaths ?- The Self transcends the five sheaths-Non-attached state of the Self With the five sheaths-False superimposed relation- ship of the Self with the five sheaths-Superimpo- sition of the Self on the food, vital, mental. intellec- tual and bliss sheaths-Non-discrimination is the cause of superimposition-Five sheaths are not the Self-Unreality of the five sheaths-Three kinds of realities. 114-123

Chapter XI THE SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA

The Self is Sat-Chit-Ananda-Proofs to the Sat nature of the Self-The Self is of the nature of Chit-The Ananda nature of the Self is proved. 124-140

Chapter XII THE SELF IS INDIVISIBLE ABSOLUTE Proof to the indivisible nature of the Self-Indivisi- bility is free from the three kinds of limitations- The Self is free from the three kinds of limita- tions-Sat-Chit-Ananda are not different from one another-Knower of this indivisible nature alone is a Jnani. 141-152

APPENDICES I. Vedanta Bodha (Sri Swami Sivananda) 155-173 II. Thou Art the Tenth Person 174-180

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III. Chart showing the Categories of Vedanta or Page

the Evolution of Consciousness Facing Page 180

GLOSSARY 181-206

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. N., Title Page. No. 1. The Cosmic Family 3 2. Three Aspects of the Jiva 18 3. Chain of Bondage 22 4. Difference Between Ajnani and Jnani 26 5. Fire of Knowledge Burns the Cotton of ignorance through the Lens of Antahkarana 33

6. Svarupa-Jnana and Vritti-Jnana 67 7. Vyashti and Samashti 72

7. Position of 'That' (Tat') 82

9 Position of 'Thou' (Tvam) 84

10. Position of 'Art' (Asi) in the Maha- vakya 'Tat Tvam Asi' or 'That Thou Art' 85

11. What is Mind? 98

12. The Universe of Perception .. 106

13. Three Varieties of Karma 127

14. State of a Sage and a Common Man 139

15. Brahman, Maya and the Universe 177

16. Thou art the Tenth Person 179

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Lit. Up. .. Aitareya Upanishad r. Up. .. Brihadaranyaka .Upanishad h. Up. Chhandogya Upanishad . . žita. .. Srimad Bhagavadgita Kat. Up. .. Kathopanishad Mun. Up. .. Mundaka Upanishad Sv. Up. Svetasvatara Upanìshad .. Taitt. Up. Taittiriya Upanishad

TATTVA BODHA

Saluting my Guru Vasudevendra Yogindra, the bestower of knowledge, I expound 'Tattva Bodha' for the benefit of the seekers of liberation. Now we describe the method of discrimination of the categories, which is a means to the attainment of liberation to those aspirants who possess the four- fold qualifications called Sadhana-Chatushtaya. 1. Q: What is Sadhana-Chatushtaya? A: Nityanitya Vastu Viveka or discrimination between the eternal and the ephemeral, Vairagya or indifference to the enjoyment of fruits of actions here and hereafter, Samadi Shat-Sampatti or the six- fold virtues of Sama etc., and Mumukshutva or keen longing for liberation are called Sadhana-Chatush- taya. 2. Q: What is Nityanitya Vastu Viveka or discrimination between the eternal and the epheme- ral? A: The one non-dual Brahman alone is eternal and everything else is non-eternal. Such a discri- mination is called Nityanitya Vastu Viveka. 3. Q: What is Vairagya? A: Absence of longing for the enjoyments of this world and heavenly regions.

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4. Q: What are the Samadi Shat-Sampatti? A: They are (a) Sama, (b) Dama, (c) Uparati, (d) Titiksha, (e) Sraddha and (f) Samadhana. 5. Q: What is Sama? A: Sama is Manonigraha or the control of the mind. 6. Q: What is Dama? A: Dama is control of the external organs like eye, etc. 7. Q: What is Uparati? A: It is Svadharma-Anushthana or the perfor- mance of duties pertaining to one's caste and stage of life according to the injunctions of the scriptures.

5. Q: What is Titiksha? A: Patient endurance of the pairs of opposites such as heat and cold, pleasure and pain, etc., is Titiksha. 9. Q: What is Sraddha? A: Sraddha is faith in the sayings of the Guru and Vedantic texts. 10. Q: What is Samadhana? A: Chitta-Ekagrata or one-pointedness of the mind is called Samadhana. 11. Q: What is Mumukshutva? A: Keen desire for liberation or Moksha is Mu- mukshutva. One who possesses the fourfold qualifications be- comes qualified to do Tattva-Viveka. 12. Q: What is Tattva-Viveka? A: The knowledge that the Atman is real and everything else is unreal is called Tattva-Viveka.

13. Q: What is the Atman? A: The Atman is that which is different fro: the gross, subtle and causal bodies, transcends th five sheaths, the witness of the three states an Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute in its essence. 14. Q: What is Sthula Sarira or gross body A: The gross body is that which is made uj of the five quintuplicated gross elements. It is borr of Karma or past actions. It is an abode for expe. riencing pleasure, pain, etc. It is subject to Shad. vikaras or the six modifiations, viz., (a) Asti or existence, (b) Jayate or birth, (c) Vardhate or growth, (d) Viparinamate or change, (e) Apakshi- yate or decay and (f) Vinasyati or death. 15. Q: What is Sukshma Sarira or subtle body? A: It is made up of the unquintuplicated five great elements. It is born of Satkarma or good deeds of the past. It is a means of experiencing pleasure, pain, etc. It consists of the five Jnana- Indriyas or senses of knowledge, the five Karma- Indriyas or organs of action,and the five Pranas or vital airs together with Manas or mind and Buddhi or intellect, seventeen Kalas or categories in all. The five Jnana-Indriyas are: Srotra or sense of sound, Tvak or sense of touch, Chakshus or sense of sight, Jihva or sense of taste and Ghrana or sense of smell. The presiding deity of Srotra is Digdevata or the deity of the quarters, of Tvak is Vayu or wind- god, of Chakshus is Surya or sun-god, of Jihva is Varuna or water-god, and of Ghrana are the two Asvini-Kumaras or the twin physicians of the celes- tials. The object of Srotra is the reception of Sabda

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or sound, of Tvak is Sparsa or touch, of Chakshus is Rupa or form, of Jihva is Rasa or taste and of Ghrana is Gandha or smell.

The Jnana-Indriyas, the presiding deities and their respective objects are shown below in a tabu- lar form:

Name of the Indriya Presiding Deity Object

Srotra Digdevata Tvak Vayu Sound Touch Chakshus Surya Form Jihva Varuna Taste Ghrana Asvins Smell

The five Karma-Indriyas are: Vak or the organ of speech, Pani or the organ of grasping, Pada or the organ of locomotion, Payu or the organ of ex- cretion, and Upastha or the organ of enjoyment. The presiding deity of Vak is Agni or fire-god, of Pani is Indra or the ruler of heaven, of Pada is Vishnu or the Protector, of Payu is Mrityu or the lord of death, and of Upastha is Prajapati or the progeni- tor. The object of Vak is speech, of Pani is grasp- ing the objects, of Pada is locomotion, of Payu is excretion and of Upastha is sexual enjoyment.

The Karma-Indriyas, their respective presiding deities and objects are shown below in a tabular form:

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Name of the Iudriya Presiding Deity Object

Vak Agni Pani Speech Indra Grasping Pada Vishnu Locomotion Payu Mrityu Excretion Upastha Prajapati Enjoyment

16. Q: What is Karana Sarira or causal body? A: The Karana-Sarira is the indescribable and beginningless Avidya or nescience of the changeless Self, which is the cause of gross and subtle bodies. 17. Q: What are the three Avasthas or states? A: They are the Jagrat or waking, Svapna or dreaming and Sushupti or deep sleep states. 18. Q: What is Jagrad-Avastha or waking state? A: The waking state is that wherein the sense- objects viz., sound etc,, are cognised by the sense- organs, viz., ear, etc. The Atman who identifies him- self with the gross body is called Visva. 19. Q: What is Svapna-Avastha or dreaming state? A: That state in which the consciousness or the subtle inner subjective world which arises during sleep in the form of the percipient and objects of perception by virtue of the latent impressions of what is seen and heard in the waking state is called Svapna-Avastha. The Atman who identifies himself with the subtle body is called Taijasa. 20. Q: What is Sushupti-Avastha or deep sleep state?

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A: The state of experience that 'I did not know anything, I enjoyed a sound sleep' is called Sushupti- Avastha. The Atman who identifies himself with the causal body is called Prajna. 21. Q: What are the Pancha Kosas or five sheaths? A: They are (a) Annamaya Kosa or the food- sheath, (b) Pranamaya Kosa or the vital sheath, (c) Manomaya Kosa or the mental sheath, (d) Vijna- namaya Kosa or the intellectual sheath and (e) Anandamaya Kosa or the bliss-sheath. 22. Q: What is Annamaya Kosa? A: Annamaya Kosa is the physical body, which is produced from the essence of food, which grows upon the essence of food and again gets dissolved in the earth which is of the form of food. 23. Q. What is Pranamaya Kosa? A: The five Pranas or vital airs viz., Prana, etc., and the five organs of action, viz., Vak, etc., constitute the Pranamaya Kosa. 24. Q: What is Manomaya Kosa? A: The mind and the five senses of knowledge constitute the Manomaya Kosa. 25. Q: What is Vijnanamaya Kosa? A: The intellect and the five senses of know- ledge put together are called Vijnanamaya Kosa. 26. Q: What is Anandamaya Kosa? A: Avidya or ignorance, which is the causal body, and composed of the Malina Sattva or Sattva mixed with the impurity of Rajas and Tamas, in which exist the Vrittis or mental modifications called Priya, or affection, Moda or delight and Pramoda or intense feeling of satisfaction of enjoyment, is called the Anandamaya Kosa.

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Name of the Indriya Presiding Deity Object

Vak Agni Speech Pani Indra Grasping Pada Vishnu Locomotion Payu Mrityu Excretion Upastha Prajapati Enjoyment

16. Q: What is Karana Sarira or causal body? A: The Karana-Sarira is the indescribable and beginningless Avidya or nescience of the changeless Self, which is the cause of gross and subtle bodies. 17. Q: What are the three Avasthas or states? A: They are the Jagrat or waking, Svapna or dreaming and Sushupti or deep sleep states. 18. Q: What is Jagrad-Avastha or waking state? A: The waking state is that wherein the sense- objects viz., sound etc., are cognised by the sense- organs, viz., ear, etc. The Atman who identifies him- self with the gross body is called Visva. 19. Q: What is Svapna-Avastha or dreaming state? A: That state in which the consciousness or the subtle inner subjective world which arises during sleep in the form of the percipient and objects of perception by virtue of the latent impressions of what is seen and heard in the waking state is called Svapna-Avastha. The Atman who identifies himself with the subtle body is called Taijasa. 20. Q: What is Sushupti-Avastha or deep sleep state?

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A: The state of experience that 'I did not know anything, I enjoyed a sound sleep' is called Sushupti- Avastha. The Atman who identifies himself with the causal body is called Prajna. 21. Q: What are the Pancha Kosas or five sheaths? A: They are (a) Annamaya Kosa or the food- sheath, (b) Pranamaya Kosa or the vital sheath, (c) Manomaya Kosa or the mental sheath, (d) Vijna- namaya Kosa or the intellectual sheath and (e) Anandamaya Kosa or the bliss-sheath. 22. Q: What is Annamaya Kosa? A: Annamaya Kosa is the physical body, which is produced from the essence of food, which grows upon the essence of food and again gets dissolved in the earth which is of the form of food. 23. Q. What is Pranamaya Kosa? A: The five Pranas or vital airs viz., Prana, etc., and the five organs of action, viz., Vak, etc., constitute the Pranamaya Kosa. 24. Q: What is Manomaya Kosa? A: The mind and the five senses of knowledge constitute the Manomaya Kosa. 25. Q: What is Vijnanamaya Kosa? A: The intellect and the five senses of know- ledge put together are called Vijnanamaya Kosa. 26. Q: What is Anandamaya Kosa? A: Avidya or ignorance, which is the causal body, and composed of the Malina Sattva or Sattva mixed with the impurity of Rajas and Tamas, in which exist the Vrittis or mental modifications called Priya, or affection, Moda or delight and Pramoda or intense feeling of satisfaction of enjoyment, is called the Anandamaya Kosa.

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Just as bracelets, earrings, house, etc., are knoy by me as mine and distinct from my own Self, also the five sheaths viz., physical, vital, mental, i tellectual and blissful sheaths are known by me mine. Hence the five sheaths, being distinct fro my own Self cannot be identified with my own Atma 27. Q: Then, what is Atman? A: Atman is Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa. 28. Q: What is Sat? A: That which exists in all the three period of time is called Sat or Existence, 29. Q: What is Chit? A: The self-luminous principle which illumi nates the entire phenomenal universe without requir- ing any extraneous means is called Chit or Cons- ciousness. 30. Q: What is Ananda? A: That which is bliss in its essential nature is called Ananda. Thus know your essential nature as Sat-Chit- Ananda or Existence-Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute. Now we shall explain the process of evolution of the twenty-four Tattvas or categories .* Maya whose prop is Brahman, is made up of three Gunas of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. From her is derived ether, from ether air, from air fire, from fire water and from water earth. From the Sattvic portion of these five elements are derived in serial order the senses of knowledge, viz., from ether Srotra, from air Tvak, from fire Chakshus, from water Jihva and from earth Ghrana Indriyas. From the collective totality of Sattva of * See the Chart, "Categories of Vedanta or the Evolution of Consciousness" in Appendix III. xxviii

the five elements are derived Manas or mind, Buddhi or intellect, Ahamkara or egoism and Chitta or sub- conscious mind. Mind is characterised by Sankalpa-Vikalpa or thought and doubt. The characteristic of the intel- lect is Nischayatmika or certitude or determination. Ahamkara or self-arrogation is the speciality of egoism and Chintana or contemplation over objects is the function of Chitta. The presiding deity of Manas is Chandra or moon, of Buddhi is Brahma or Creator, of Ahamkara is Rudra or Destroyer, and of Chitta is Vasudeva or Preserver. From the Rajasic portion of each of the elements are derived the organs of action or Karma Indriyas, viz., from ether Vak, from air Pani, from fire Pada, from water Upastha and from earth Payu. From the collective totality of the Rajasic portion of the five elements the five Pranas are produced. From the Tamasic portion of the five elements are derived the quintuplicated five elements. 31. Q: What is Panchikarana or quintuplica- tion? A: The Tamasic portion of each of the five ele- ments are divided into two halves. One half of each is again subdivided into four parts and each such part is distributed to each of the other four elements. This process of mixing is called Panchikarana or quintuplication. From this quintuplicated five elements is derived the gross body. Thus the Pindanda or microcosm and Brahmanda or macrocosm are identical. When the reflection of Brahman identifies itself with the physical body, it is called Jiva. The Jiva conceives that Isvara is distinct from himself. The

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Atman that is having Avidya as its Upadhi is called Jiva. The Supreme Intelligence when associated with Maya is designated as Isvara. In this way as long as the sense of separateness of Jiva and Isvara persists due to the difference of Upadhis or limiting adjuncts, so long the circuit of birth and death does not cease. Therefore the con- ception that Jiva and Isvara are distinct from one another is not acceptable. 32. Q: How can the Mahavakyn or the great utterance 'Tat Tvam Asi' or 'That Thou Art' esta- blish the oneness of Jiva who is having limited know- ledge and conceit for body, etc., with Isvara who is having omniscience and absence of conceit for body, etc., since they have conflicting attributes? A: The Vachyartha or the literal meaning of the word 'Tvam' or 'Thou' is Jiva, who is the Abhi- mani of the gross and subtle bodies, who is associa- ted with Avidya and its effects and conceives himself as a body as well as an agent. The Lakshyartha or the indicative meaning of the word 'Tvam' or 'Thou' is Suddha Chaitanya or Pure, Absolute Conscious- ness, that is unassociated with Avidya and its effects and that is established in Samadhi or superconscious state. In the same way the Vachyartha of the word "Tat' or 'That' is Isvara who is associated with Maya and its effects and who possesses the attributes of omniscience, etc. The Lakshyartha of 'Tat' is pure Consciousness unassociated with Maya and its ef- fects. Thus, nothing challenges the non-difference of Jiva and Isvara, since the one impartite Chaitanya is equally present in both. xxx

33. Q: Who are Jivanmuktas? A: They are the Jivanmuktas or the 'liberated- while-living', who have come to know that 'Brahman alone is real; the world is illusory and Jiva is Brah- man Itself' through the teaching of the Vedanta Vakyas or utterances of the Vedanta and the ins- truction of the Guru, as well as through Self-reali- sation and who look upon all as Brahman. Just as one labouring under Avidya has the firm conviction that 'I am body', 'I am male', 'I am a Brahmana', 'I am a Sudra', etc., in the same way one who possesses the direct knowledge characterised by the firm convcition (Dridha-Nischaya-Rupa Apa- roksha Jnana) that 'I am not a Brahmana', 'I am not a Sudra', 'I am not a male', 'but the associationless, Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa, self-effulgent, Inner Ruler of all beings, the all-pervading Intelligence am I', is called a Jivanmukta. The direct intuitive knowledge 'I am verily Brahman' or 'Brahmaivahamasmi' annihilates the bondage of all Karmas. 34. Q: How many are the varieties of Kar- mas? A: Karmas are of three varieties. They are (i) Agami or current actions, (ii) Sanchita or ac- cumulated actions, and (iii) Prarabdha or fructified actions. 35. Q: What is Agami Karma? A: The actions that are performed through the body, in the form of merit and demerit, by a Jnani or a realised person subsequent to the rise of know- ledge is called Agami Karma. 36. Q: What is Sanchita Karma? A: Sanchita Karma is the sum total of all ac-

tions of the infinite past births, which have not yet begun to fructify and which, being reduced to the condition of subtle impressions, lie latent in a seed state. 37. Q: What is Prarabdha Karma? A: The action in the form of merit and demerit earned in previous births which is the cause of the present physical body, and which yields the experi- ence of happiness and misery in this body is called Prarabdha Karma. This Prarabdha Karma is exhausted only through experience. It comes to an end only after experience. The Sanchita Karma is consumed by the fire of knowledge characterised by the strong conviction that 'Brahmaivahamasmi-I am no other than Brah- man Itself'. The Agami Karma also is destroyed through Jnana. Since a Jnani has no contact with the Agami Karmas he is untouched by them like the lotus-leaf by the drops of water on it. And also those who praise, adore and worship the Jnani, they acquire the merit of his current ac- tions, while those who censure, hate and give him pain get the demerit of his current actions. Thus the Atmavit or the knower of the Atman crossing the ocean of Samsara or transmigration at- tains Brahmananda or the Bliss of Brahman here in this birth itself. The Sruti corroborates this view through the statement 'Tarati sokam Atmavit-The knower of Atman crosses over all sorrows'. The Smritis also declare that it does not at all matter whether the body of a Jnani meets with its end either at Kasi (Benares) or in the house of an outcaste. He is liberated and he attains everlasting bliss at the very moment of attainment of Knowledge.

CHAPTER I

PROLEGOMENA

Prostrations to the Vedanta Guru, Bhagavan Sı karacharya, the master of all Sciences, the cog r of non-duality of the Sat (Existence) and th ian (Self). I salute Lord Narayana, Who incarnated Himsel he form of Spiritual Guru (Vedavyasa) to gladde hearts of sages in this world, Who is the stor se of mercy, and Who removes the sins of Hi otees. I now give out a brief exposition of a work calle nana', expounded at great length by the revere e Vasudeva, for the edification of the ignorant an the improvement of my own spiritual knowledg May Lord Krishna, the Bala-Gopala, be by me t ss and help me in this work. Among the four Purusharthas or ideals of life ., Dharma or righteous way of living, Artha o alth, Kama or satisfaction of desires and Moksh liberation from the cycle of births and deaths ksha alone is the supreme Purushartha, since it it rnal. "He returns no more, he returns no more' 'h. Up. VIII-xv-1),-so says the Sruti or Scripture e other three are not so, because they are transient impermanent. "Just as here on, earth the world nich is earned by work perishes, even so, there in

2 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

the other world, the realm which is earned by meri torious deeds perishes" (Ch, Up. VIII-j-6),-so say the Sruti. That liberation is attained only througl the knowledge of the Self. "Having realised Him alone, one transcends death; there is no other means for liberation" (Sv. Up. VI-15). "The knower of Brahman attains the Supreme" (Taitt. Up. II-1),- so say the Srutis. This Brahman or the Absolute should be reali- sed through a process or device called 'Adhyaropa' or superimposition or misconception or illusory attri- bution and 'Apavada' or de-superimposition or with- drawal of such misconception or illusory attribution. For, verily, the knowledge of the substratum can arise only when the superimposed thing is negated. "The ascertainment of Truth should be made through 'Adhyaropa' and 'Apavada'. "The wise ones have reached the immortal state not through Karmas or acts, progeny or wealth, but through renunciation," -so says the Kaivalyopanishad-2. Therefore this process of Adhyaropa and Apavada should necessarily be understood by the seekers of Truth. DOUBT :- What is meant by 'Adhyaropa'? CLARIFICATION: Just as silver is perceived in the mother-of-pearl, snake in the rope, man in the post, etc., so is the apparent recognition of the cosmos in the Atman or Brahman. This is called Adhyaropa. This misconception arises due to lack of knowledge of the Reality. This absence of knowledge or Ajnana alone is variously termed as 'Avidya' or Potential .Ignorance, 'Tamas' or Ignorance, 'Moha' or Delusion, 'Mulaprakriti' or Potential Matter, 'Pradhana' or Pri- mordial Matter, 'Gunasamya' or Balanced State of the

BRAHMAN MULAPRAKRITI

ARE 0

C.

Fig. 1. The Cosmic Family "Under Me as supervisor, Prakriti produces the moving and the unmoving; because of this, O Arjuna, the world revolves .. Know thou that Prakriti and Purusha are both beginningless, and know also that all modifications and qualities are/born of Prakriti"-Gita IX-10, XITI-19. "My womb is the great Brahma; in that I place the germ; thence, O Arjuna, is the birth of all beings. Whatgier forms are produced in any womb, whatsoever, the gret Brakus is their womh ond T am the send-oiving FatherGi: 37:

INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Three Gunas, 'Avyakta' or Seed-Matter and 'Maya' or Illusory Power.

The Mulaprakriti is a combination of the three Gunas called Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, which can be compared to a rope made up of three strands of white, red and black colours. It is also known as 'Pralaya' or Deluge and 'Mahasushupti' or Causal Sleep. Prior to creation, countless individual beings along with the subtle impressions of their past Karmas or actions lie latent in the Mulaprakriti like particles of gold in a ball of wax. This experience is derived by all human beings in deep sleep state. At the time of crea- tion the Mulaprakriti divides itself into three aspects called Maya, Avidya and Tamasi and this movement is favoured by the latent impressions of the past ac- tions of the individual beings, ripe for expression. There the Sattva Guna is predominant over the other two Gunas in Maya.

The Consciousness-Absolute which 'exists' even prior to all ereation, getting reflected in Maya, goes by the name Isvara' or the Universal Causal Being. He is also called 'Avyakta' or Undifferentiated and 'Antaryamin' or the Indweller. He is the Creator of the universe. He is the All-full Consciousness-Abso- lute. The very same Consciousness-Absolute becomes the 'Upadana Karana' or the material cause of this universe when delimited by Tamas. Verily, consider- ed both in Itself and in relation to the manifest uni- verse, It becomes the Upadana as well as the Nimitta Karana or instrumental cause, just as a spider, in regard to its web, is the weaver as well as the mate-

PROLEGOMENA 5

rial for the web, since the thread comes out of its own body. How Isvara created this universe is explained: The aforesaid Avidya is Rajas-predominant and ma- nifests itself in myriads of forms and it is infinite. Therefore the Jivas or the individual souls, which are the reflections of the 'Consciousness-Absolute' are also infinite in number. The individual ignorance or 'Vyashtirupa Avidya' and the collective Primordial Matter or 'Samashtirupa Mulaprakriti' become the causal bodies or Karana Sarira of the Jivas and Isvara respectively. The abode of the Karana Sariras or the causal bodies of the Jivas and Isvara is the Sushupti Avastha or the deep sleep state. Their own Karana Sarira becomes the Bliss-sheath or the Anan- damaya Kosa. Thus the Causal Universe is created.

Now the creation of the Subtle Universe is ex- plained: Due to the Will of Isvara the Tamo-Guna of Mulaprakriti became twofold, viz., 'Avarana Sakti' or the Veiling Power and the 'Vikshepa Sakti' or the Projecting Power. From Vikshepa Sakti alone came the subtle ether or the Sukshma Akasa. From the subtle ether came the subtle air or Sukshma Vayu. From the subtle air came the subtle fire or Sukshma Agni. From the subtle fire came the subtle water or Sukshma Apas. From the subtle water came the subtle earth or Sukshma Prithvi. These five elements are variously termed as subtle elements or 'Sukshma Bhutas', unquintuplicated elements or 'Apanchikrita Bhutas' and rudimentary elements or 'Tanmatras'. From Ajnana or the Causal Ignorance or Mulapra- kriti have sprung the three Gunas, viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. From the Vyashti or individual aspect

6 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY of the Sattva portion of each of the five subtle ele- ments have sprung respectively the five Jnana Indr yas or the senses of knowledge; i.e. from the Sabd Tanmatra the sense of hearing, from the Sparsa Tar matra the sense of touch, from the Rupa Tanmatr the sense of sight, from the Rasa Tanmatra the sens of taste and from the Gandha Tanmatra the sens of smell. From the Samashti or the collective aspec: of the Sattva portion of the five subtle elements war born the 'Antahkarana' or the Inner Instrument. Thal Antahkarana is fourfold, viz., Manas or the mind, Buddhi or the intellect, Ahankara or the ego and Chitta or the mind-stuff. Among them Ahankara is grouped under Buddhi, and Chitta under Manas. Similarly, from the Vyashti aspect of the Rajo- Guna of the subtle ether etc., were born the five Kar- ma Indriyas, viz., the organs of speech, grasping, locomotion, generation and excretion, respectively. From the Samashti aspect of the Rajo-Guna of the subtle ether etc., arose the Prana or the vital force. It is fivefold, viz., Prana or respiratory, Apana or expiratory, Vyana or pervasive, Udana or ascensional and Samana or equalising. These seventeen categories viz., five senses of knowledge, five organs of action, five vital forces, intellect (in which the ego is included) and mind (in which the mind-stuff is included) comprise the subtle body or astral body or Sukshma Sarira or Linga De- ha. That verily is the instrument of enjoyment. In the subtle body the state of the individual soul or Jiva and the cosmic soul or Isvara is called the dream state. Within the subtle body exist the Vijnanamaya Kosa or the Intellectual Sheath, the Manomaya Kosa or the Mental Sheath and the Pranamaya Kosa or the

PROLEGOMENA 7

Vital Sheath. Thus was the creation of the subtle universe.

Now the creation of the gross universe is ex- plained: Each of the five unquintuplicated subtle elements viz., sound etc., which are Tamas-predomi- nant, divides itself into two halves. It retains one half for itself and divides the other half into four equal parts and such one eighth part is distributed to each of the other four subtle elements. This pro- cess of mixing is called Panchikarana or Quintupli- cation. Thus all the five Tanmatras are quintupli- cated and in that form they are known as Gross Ele- ments or Sthula Maha-Bhutas. From these five gross elements the macrocosm or Brahmanda arose. This macrocosm contains fourteen Lokas or planes of existence, viz., Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah, Mahah, Jana, Tapah, Satya, Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Rasa- tala, Mahatala and Patala, four types of gross bodies viz., Andaja or egg-born or oviparous, Jarayuja or womb-born or viviparous, Svedaja or sweat-born and Udbhijja or seed-born and all objects of enjoyment, such as food etc. The abode of the Individual Being and the Universal Being in their respective physical bodies is the waking state. This gross manifesta- tion is the food-sheath or Annamaya Kosa. Thus was the creation of the gross universe.

Each of the three bodies, viz., causal, subtle and physical, is twofold viz., Vyashti or individual and Samashti or collective. A forest or a village is Samashti while a tree or a house is Vyashti. The sum total of all bodies represents Samashti and a single body represents Vyashti. Therein Isvara is the possessor of Samashti Upadhi or collective limit-

8 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

ing adjunct and Jiva is the possessor of Vyashti Upadhi or individual limiting adjunct. There is further classification, viz., the collective aspect in i causal state is called Isvara and the individual : pect in the causal state is called Prajna; the coll tive subtle aspect is Hiranyagarbha and the indi dual subtle aspect is Taijasa; the collective phy: cal aspect is Vaisvanara or Virat and the individu physical aspect is Visva. These are the differenc between Jiva and Isvara. Assuming the three qualities of Rajas, Sattv and Tamas separately Isvara creates, sustains an destroys the universe under the respective names 0. Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. Vishnu is included ir and represented by Virat Purusha or the Universal Physical Being, Brahma by Hiranyagarbha or the Universal Astral Being and Rudra by Isvara or the Universal Causal Being. Thus is the creation of the cosmos. Verily, this is the supreme 'superimposition'. It is a function of the Vikshepa Sakti or the Project- ing Power. Now the function of the Avarana Sakti or the Veiling Power is explained: Leaving Isvaras and the realised saints, Avarana Sakti totally screens, like the pitch darkness, the difference which exists between the Self and the five sheaths in all beings. ! Veiling is of two kinds, viz., Asattvavarana and Abha- navarana. When we say 'the Reality does not exist', it is called Asattvavarana. Similarly, when we say that the Reality is not visible, it is called Abhana- varana. The root of the tree of Samsara or trans- migratory existence is the effect of the Avarana

PROLEGOMENA 9

Sakti only and not of the Vikshepa Sakti. The anni- hilation of Avarana Sakti happens to be the cause of attainment of Moksha or release from bondage. The twofold veiling should be destroyed through the knowledge of the Absolute. This knowledge of the Absolute is of two kinds, viz., Paroksha Jnana or indirect or mediate knowledge and Aparoksha Jnana or direct or immediate knowledge.

Indirect knowledge is the metaphysical know- ledge received from a preceptor. This is Sravana or study or hearing. Through this kind of know- ledge the Asattvavarana perishes. Henceforth there abides the inner conviction that Reality exists. After having cleared all doubts through hearing or 'Sravana', the sense of improbability or Asambhavana through cogitation or Manana, and wrong percep- tion or Viparita Bhavana through meditation or Ni- didhyasana, one realises oneself to be identical with the Absolute. This is called direct knowledge or Aparoksha Jnana. Through this direct knowledge the Abhana Avarana or the screening power, which is responsible for the erroneous conviction that 'Rea- lity is not visible' perishes. Thus, through the help of the indirect and direct knowledge, the twofold Veiling Power, which gives rise to the wrong under- standing that 'Reality does not exist', 'It is not vi- sible', is destroyed. Thenceforth there is cessation of all evils, pain and grief, and attainment of bliss supreme. Thus are established seven stages in all, which are: (1) Ignorance, (2) Veiling Power, (3) Projecting Power, (4) Indirect Knowledge, (5) Di- rect Knowledge, (6) Annihilation of grief and (7) Attainment of supreme bliss. This is superimposi-

10 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

tion, viz., an unreal universe being imagined to exist in the Consciousness-Absolute, which is, in fact, free from all impurities like the ether. Now, de-superimposition or Apavada is explain- ed: The negation of the universe, which is made on the understanding that an effect, as studied apart from its cause, has no existence of its own, is called de-superimposition. It is like negating the appea- rance of silver in the shell or that of a snake in a rope. One who (Yaa) is not existing (Maa), she (Saa) is called Maya. One who (Saa) is not existing (Na vidyate) she is called Avidya-this etymology of these two words, viz., Maya and Avidya, which are used to denote the 'seed matter', reveals clearly its unreality as an entity separate from the Absolute. He who ratiocinates and understands that 'There is nothing apart from the Absolute', 'I am verily that Absolute', is verily a liberated sage while yet embodied,-Jivanmukta. This is the conclusion of Vedanta.

CHAPTER II

ANUBANDHA CHATUSHTAYA AND SADHANA CHATUSHTAYA

In this second chapter, the four indispensable requisites of a worthy text, called Anubandha Cha- tushtaya are described. They are (i) Vishaya or subject-matter, (ii) Prayojana or benefit, (iii) Sam- bandha or relationship between the text and the sub- ject-matter and (iv) Adhikari or the qualified stu- dent. In Vedanta literature the subject-matter is Brahman or the Absolute Reality, Moksha or libe- ration is the benefit. The relationship is the connec- tion between the expounded and the exposition or Brahman and the text, which describes it. One who is endowed with the fourfold means of realisation or Sadhana Chatushtaya is a qualified student.

Just as Brahmanas alone are competent to per- form the sacrifice called Brihaspatisavana and Ksha- triyas alone are competent to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice, so also he who is endowed with the Sadhana Chatushtaya can alone study Vedanta. The fourfold qualifications are (i) Viveka or discrimination bet- ween the eternal and the ephemeral, (ii) Vairagya or dispassion towards the enjoyment of the fruits of actions both here in this world and hereafter in other worlds, (iii) Shad Sampat or the sixfold vir- tues of Sama or mental restraint, etc., and (iv) Mu-

10 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

tion, viz., an unreal universe being imagined to exist in the Consciousness-Absolute, which is, in fact, free from all impurities like the ether. Now, de-superimposition or Apavada is explain- ed: The negation of the universe, which is made on the understanding that an effect, as studied apart from its cause, has no existence of its own, is called de-superimposition. It is like negating the appea- rance of silver in the shell or that of a snake in a rope. One who (Yaa) is not existing (Maa), she (Saa) is called Maya. One who (Saa) is not existing (Na vidyate) she is called Avidya-this etymology of these two words, viz., Maya and Avidya, which are used to denote the 'seed matter', reveals clearly its unreality as an entity separate from the Absolute. He who ratiocinates and understands that There is nothing apart from the Absolute', 'I am verily that Absolute', is verily a liberated sage while yet embodied,-Jivanmukta. This is the conclusion of Vedanta.

CHAPTER II ANUBANDHA CHATUSHTAYA AND SADHAN CHATUSHTAYA

In this second chapter, the four indispensab requisites of a worthy text, called Anubandha Ch tushtaya are described. They are (i) Vishaya subject-matter, (iì) Prayojana or benefit, (iii) Sar bandha or relationship between the text and the su ject-matter and (iv) Adhikari or the qualified st dent. In Vedanta literature the subject-matter Brahman or the Absolute Reality, Moksha or lit ration is the benefit. The relationship is the conn tion between the expounded and the exposition Brahman and the text, which describes it. One w is endowed with the fourfold means of realisation Sadhana Chatushtaya is a qualified student. Just as Brahmanas alone are competent to p form the sacrifice called Brihaspatisavana and Ks triyas alone are competent to perform the Rajast sacrifice, so also he who is endowed with the Sadha Chatushtaya can alone study Vedanta. The fourf qualifications are (i) Viveka or discrimination 1 ween the eternal and the ephemeral, (ii) Vaira or dispassion towards the enjoyment of the fr of actions both here in this world and hereafter other worlds, (iii) Shad Sampat or the sixfold

12 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY mukshutva or intense aspiration for liberation . the cycle of birth and death. Viveka or discrimination is the knowledge Brahman alone is eternal and the universe is ej meral. This knowledge is derived intuitively thro a careful study of Srutis or revealed scriptures, Sr tis or codes of conduct, Puranas or mythology, Vairagya or dispassion is distaste for pleasures rived from sense-objects like flowers, sandal-pa; etc., here and pleasures from celestial nymphs e other objects of enjoyment of the other worlds a which should be considered as ephemeral and trcat like a dog's vomit, urine, excreta, etc. Shad Samy or the sixfold virtues beginning with Sama are ( Sama, (ii) Dama, (iii) Uparati, (iv) Titiksha, { Samadhana and (vi) Sraddha.

Sama means the steadying of the mind towarc Sravana or hearing or study of spiritual matters, etc by keeping it away from other worldly things tha Sravana. Dama refers to the control of the sense of knowledge and organs of action. Uparati is with drawal from all worldly concerns. It implies renun ciation and selfless service also. Titiksha is caln endurance of dualities like heat and cold etc., brought about by Prarabdha Karma or the result of the past actions now working its effects in this life. Sama- dhana is ceaseless yoking of the mind to things con: ducive to Sravana or hearing of spiritual matters, etc. Sraddha is the faith or trust in the words of the preceptor and of Vedanta. Mumukshutva is the overriding desire to escape from the sufferings of the transmigratory existence by realising the identi- ty between oneself and the Absolute, removing

ANUBANDHA CHATUSHTAYA 13

Eshanatraya or the threefold desire for sex, wealth and for progeny. It is just like the single thought of a person trapped in a burning house to get ou of the threatening danger and death, leaving, if neces sary, even his wife, children and others behind.

Since, in this world, dispassion is found to be absent even in some persons endowed with discrimi nation, it is stressed that one should be dispassionate towards the pleasures derived from the fruits of ac tion in this world and in the next. Likewise, since anger, affliction, etc., are found in certain saintly personalities also, even though they are well equippec with the first two means of Sadhana viz., Vivekt and Vairagya, it is essential that one should also ac quire the sixfold virtues of Sama, etc. In some per sons even if the aforesaid three requisites, viz., Vi veka, Vairagya and Shad Sampat are present, a feu of them happen to be unfit for pursuing the path of knowledge proving to be votaries of personal gods Hence it is insisted that one should be endowed with Mumukshutva also.

A student qualified as stated above should re sort to a spiritual preceptor, carrying Samit or sacri ficial fuel (which indicates the act of dissolving one's ego in the fire of Knowledge) and gifts for th master and prostrate himself before him. Then th student should address him thus with great faitl and reverence, 'O Lord, O Holy One, O dispeller o ignorance, who is the Jiva? Who is Isvara? Wha is the nature of the universe? Whence do thes three arise? And how can we get rid of this worldl existence?' This is the scriptural injunction too: 'Le a Brahmana (an aspirant) acquire dispassion afte

14 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

having examined the worlds that are acquired through Karma or action, and become disgusted with them, with the understanding that the causeless cause can- not be attained by actions. In order to realise that let him approach with sacrificial fuel in hand a well- versed preceptor, who is established in the Absolute' (Mun. Up. I-ìi-12); 'Know That through prostration, service and repeated questioning, the sages or the men of realisation will instruct thee in that Know- ledge' (Bhagavadgita IV-34), etc. Being thus appeal- ed by the disciple, the preceptor, with al) kindness, after having taught him the differences between Jiva, Isvara and the universe, differentiated through the three Gunas, viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, indicates the real nature of the Self, as clearly as an Amalaka fruit held in the palm. It should be understood that the fourfold Sadha- na, as mentioned above, should be acquired through the grace of God and by the fruition of a multitude of merits earned in innumerable births. Let one un- derstand that the spiritual preceptor, who gives the knowledge of the Absolute, is verily the Supreme Lord Himself. He and he alone, who enquires into and under- stands the existing non-difference between the indi- vidual self and the Supreme Self, with the help of a preceptor, will attain release. This is an establish- ed conclusion.

CHAPTER III

ATMAN AND ANATMAN

DOUBT :- How many entities comprise this uni- erse ?

CLARIFICATION :- Two entities viz., the Atman or lelf and Anatman or non-Self comprise this universe.

DOUBT :- How the Self, which transcends the miverse, is also included in it?

CLARIFICATION :- Since the universe is comprised f both sentient and insentient beings and sentience s the very nature of the Atman, the inclusion of the Atman in the universe is inevitable. Otherwise, the universe will cease to exist. Therefore, the exis- tence of the Atman in the universe must be predi- cated.

DOUBT:Which are the sentient beings and which are the insentient?

CLARIFICATION :- All moving objects are sentient and all unmoving things are insentient.

DOUBT :- While these two are several and many, how can the universe be said to be twofold only? CLARIFICATION :- Anatman is one only. It ap- pears to be many only in its effects. Similarly the Atman is also one only; but it appears to be many

16 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

in the form of Jivas and Isvaras through the ve- hieles, which are the effect of the non-Self. DOUBT :- How is it that one Isvara appears as many?

CLARIFICATION :- This conception that Isvara ap- pears as many arises only through the several images like those of Siva, Vishnu, etc., that are worshipped in sacred places, villages, houses, etc. DOUBT :- Can Isvaratva or Godhood be attributed to idols made of earth, stone, etc?

CLARIFICATION :- Yes, if Isvaratva is not inherent in those images, why should people take so much trouble and spend a lot of materials and do Abhi- sheka or sacred bath, Naivedya or sacred offering, etc .? Here, the fact that non-Hindus do not worship such idols has no relevancy to the present question. In matters like this, cases of believers alone should be cited and taken into consideration as example. After all, when persons are prepared to consider the physical body, which is the receptacle of the foulest of filth, urine, etc., to be the Self, what is wrong in looking upon as Isvara the images, which are very pure materially as well as magnetically. DOUBT :- Is there any example to prove that Anatman appears as many througli its effects, as also does Atman through the vehicle of the effects of Anatman ?: ' CLARIFICATION :- Yes, just as earth, through the modification of its effects appears in different forms, such as mountain, tree, tower, wall, granary, house, monastery, pot and other earthenwares etc., similarly,

ATMAN AND ANATMAN

Mulaprakriti or potential matter, which is non-Se though one, becomes many in its effects. Just : ether, which is indivisible, on entering the vehicl formed by the modifications of the earth, such pot, house etc., is known: as pot-ether, house-eth ete., so also the non-dual Atman, which is apparent limited by various types of bodies, which are t] effects of the Mulaprakriti, seems to have enten those bodies and differentiated by the ignorant celestial beings like Rama, Krishna, etc., and hum: beings like Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra, ar mal, bird, worm, insect etc., and thus appea to be many. These are all illustrations from t standpoint of Avachhinnapaksha or the doctrine th Consciousness is limited by the limiting adjuncts. Now, as to the standpoint of Pratibimbapaksl or the doctrine that the Jivatman is a reflection of tl Paramatman in the Antahkarana or the inner instr ment, the following illustrations may be considere Just as one water appears manifold as ocean, river ponds, well-water, pot-water, etc., so also the o non-Self manifests -itself as many. Just as in t occan, etc., the one sun is reflected as many, so al the one Atman, having reflected itself in the Anta karanas of the many bodies, manifests itself as man Thus the two illustrations have to be understood. Just as the qualities of water like coolness, m bility ete., are seen only in the various reflectio of the sun and they do not affect the sun that is re lected in them, so also the various modifications a: qualities of the Antahkarana, viz., doership, enjoye ship, etc., are seen only in the Chidabhasa or t reflected consciousness in the Antahkarana of t

1 3 Fig. 2. Three Aspects of the Jiva 1. Paramarthika (in decp sleep state) just as the calm water. 2. Vyavaharika (in waking state) just as the waves. 3. Pratibhasika (in dream state) just as the foam.

ATMAN AND ANATMAN 19

liva and does not affect the original, viz., the Atman. Therefore, Jivatman itself is 'Paramatman and Pa- 'amatman itself is Jivatman, DOUBT :- How?

CLARIFICATION :- It is just as the pot-ether alone is the universal ether and the universal ether alone is the pot-ether.

DOUBT :- The individual soul is an imagined one or illusory like the, reflection. - Then, how can the real Paramatman and the unreal Jivatman be said to be identical? Is it not like saying that reality and unreality are one and the same? CLARIFICATION :- There are three aspects of the individual soul, viz., (ì) Paramarthika, or the nou- menal or the absolutely real, (ii) Vyavaharika or the phenomenal or empirical or relative and (iii) Prati- bhasika or the illusory. They, respectively identify themselves with the three states, viz., (i) deep sleep, (ii) waking and (iii) dream. Just as there is the ephemeral appearance of waves in water and foam in the waves, so also the Vyavaharika Jiva or the phenomenal soul manifests itself from the Paramar- thika Jiva or the noumenal soul and the Pratibha- sika Jiva or the illusory soul from the Vyavaharika Jiva or the phenomenal soul. Just as taste, fluidity and coolness, which are the qualities of water, mani- fest themselves in the waves and through waves in the foam also, so also the characteristics of Sat or Existence Absolute, Chit or Consciousness Absolute and Ananda or Bliss Absolute of the Paramarthika Kutastha or the substratum of the Jivas, manifest

20 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

themselves in the Vyavaharika Jiva and through this Vyavaharika Jiva in the Pratibhasika Jiva. Just as foam does not exist in the absence of waves, and waves do not exist in the absence of water and among them just as water alone is real so also Pratibhasika Jiva does not exist in the ab- sence of Vyavaharika Jiva and Vyavaharika Jiva does not exist in the absence of Paramarthika Jiva which alone is real. Therefore, just as the pot-ether, which is no other than the universal ether, so also the Pa- ramarthika Kutastha in the Jivatman is no other than the Paramatman. This is the final conclusion of the Vedanta.

Thus, one who seperates through the doctrine of 'Neti Neti' or 'Not this-Not this' the Paramarthika Kutastha from the five sheaths beginning with the physical sheath, and identifies that Substratum with 'T' and cognises through direct intuitive realisation the Truth that 'Aham Brahmasmi' or 'I am no other than the undifferentiated Brahman', after a thorough study of the Srutis and through logical conviction, is beyond doubt the Paripurna Brahma Svarupa or the all-full Brahman Itself. All the Upanishads.pro- claim with one voice that virtuous and sinful actions do not cling to such a person.

CHAPTER IV

CHAIN OF BONDAGE I

Pain and Embodiment

The individual soul is bound to a transmigratory stence by a chain, the links of which are (i) pain, ) embodiment, (iii) action, (iv) love and hatred, ) self-identification, (vi) non-discrimination and ii) ignorance, which may be called the 'chain of ndage'. In that chain each succeeding link is the use for the preceding one. The first four of these iks will be discussed in Chapters IV and V. DOUBT :- Is pain our essential nature or extra- sous?

CLARIFICATION :- It is an extraneous factor only. therwise, a contrary admission would result in many bsurdities.

DOUBT :- How is it?

CLARIFICATION :- If pain is the essential nature f the Jivatman, then there can be neither the pos- ibility of cessation of pain; nor can there be happi- icss to any individual. Then it will become unneces- sary on the part of men to perform any action for liberation from pain or for the acquisition of happi- ness. None will take any effort to.cultivate virtuous actions and do Yoga, meditation, worship, etc. Be-

2

3 (Non-discrimination), ...

4 ...

5 ... ..... Chain of Bondage kha (Misery).

6 ... Fig. 3. (Ignorance), 2. Aviveka -I 3. Abhimana (Attachment), 4. Raga-Dvesha (Love and Hat- 1. Ajnana - red), 5. Karma (Action), 6. Janma (Embodiment) and 7. Duh-

CHAIN OF BONDAGE I 23

ides Vedas, Puranas and other sacred scriptures vould become useless.

DOUBT :- Let the miseries of human existence be atural to men, and let them make attempts to free :hemselves from them.

CLARIFICATION :- No. It can never happen, be- cause it being one's own essential nature according to the above arguement. By 'natural' it is meant that 'that which belongs to one's own individuality'. Then who will endeavour to annihilate his own rea- lity? If one's own reality is destroyed, how can he expect to attain his desired end of life?

DOUBT :- How one's essential nature is one's own reality?

CLARIFICATION :- This may be made clear by an illustration. The property of sweetness is natural to sugar. If the quality of sweetness is detached, then the sugar itself has to be destroyed. Likewise, if pain is the essential nature of the Jivatman, anni- hilation of pain will result in annihilation of the es- sential nature of the Atman itself. But there is no such destruction to the Atman, since It has been de- clared by the scriptures as indestructible and eternal in passages like 'Atman is indestructible' (Br. Up. IV-v-14); 'It pervades everything like the ether and it is eternal'; 'It is not born nor does it die. It came from nowhere and It does not become anything. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and ancient and It docs not perish with the body' (Kathopanishad I -- ii- 18). Therefore pain is not natural to the Atman but extraneous or accidental only.

24 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

: ' DOUBT :- Can the 'Svarupa' or essential natur not survive after the annihilation of .its 'Svabhava or natural property? CLARIFICATION :-- No. It can't be. DOUBT :- Just as heat is annihilated by magi- cal stones, Mantras or incantations, etc., without the fire itself being destroyed and even made cold to the touch, pain, which is taken to be natural to the Jiva, can also be annihilated- through a superior type of activity, worship, Yoga, etc., without the Self being destroyed and that the Self can take on to a new at- tribute, viz., happiness. . CLARIFICATION :- In that case there will be no permanency of the results achieved. The results will be only temporary. DOUBT :- How? CLARIFICATION :- Everything generated by Kar- mas or actions will vanish with the cessation df those actions.' In the above-mentioned illustration and the illustrated the fire and the Atman may lose their heat and pains through magical stone, etc., and virtuous ac- tions, etc., respectively, but with the cessation of those appliances and effort the cold and happiness caused by them will vanish and the inherent heat and pain will manifest once again though they ap- peared to have been eliminated. Therefore it is cvi- dent that if we admit pain to be the essential nature of the Jivas, then they will have to attain only a temporary, salvation and not permanent one. This would reduce Moksha to an impermanent state and would contradict the scriptural passages like 'He never

CHAIN OF BONDAGE 25

returns' and 'The Self is undivided, blissful, formless and wonderful'. Again, if pain were to be the essen- tial nature of the Jiva, then in states like deep sleep, quiescence and Samadhi it alone should be experienc- ed. But it is not seen to be so. On return to the waking state from any one of the above-mentioncd states, one feels that 'uptil now I was happy'. Hence the inevitable conclusion is that happiness is the es- sential nature of the Atman and pain is an extraneous accretion. Though happiness is thus the essential nature of the Jiva, it suffers pain on account of its getting embodied; for, such is the ordained law of nature-'wherever there is embodiment there is pain'.

DOUBT :- Are kings, princes, etc., also subjected to pain due to embodiment?

CLARIFICATION :- Yes. Pain is experienced by them also in the form of troubles from enemies, the burden of ruling over the kingdom, loss of wealth and possessions, dcath of near and dear ones, old age and thcir own death. It is mere delusion to think that some are happy in this world. /

DOUBT :- How delusion can change pain into pleasure?

CLARIFICATION :- A porter who runs at great speed with his luggage on his head, a farmer and such other labourers are so deluded as to consider their labour, which is painful in its essential nature, to be a pleasure and to such an extent as to carry out their jobs laughing and singing. Therefore, it ' is unmistakably clear that pain alone is seen as plea- sure due to delusion.

• AHANKARA- +DARPA-

KRODHA- -DWESHA- -LOBHA- -MOHA- -RAGA-

. -MADA- RSHYA- ASUYA-

MATSARYA-

CHAIN OF BONDAGE I

DOUBT :- Is embodiment necessarily painful all cases, even in the case of Vivekins or men of crimination and understanding? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. They too suffer pain account of hunger, thirst, heat, cold, diseases, s pion, snake, tiger etc. DOUBT:Then, what is the difference betw the ignorant people and men of discrimination?

CLARIFICATION :- Though externally there ( not seem to be much difference between them, is the gulf that separates them, so far as the inte sphere of understanding and experience are conc ed. Men of understanding, discrimination and lightenment remain in this world helped by ret and experience confirmed by seriptural exhortati They reason thus: 'All pain belongs to the An karana and not to the Self. There does not € even the least connection between the Self, w. essential nature is Sat-Chit-Ananda or Existe Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute and the Antahkar whose essential nature is unreality, inertia, and ) Through the scripture, we learn that 'Asangohya Purushah'-'this Self is unconnected with anytl (Br. Up. IV-iii-15). Through logic we know as limbless, Truth, etc. Through experience of sleep, quiescence and Samadhi also we know Hi be such.

But the non-discriminative and foolish indivi without being able to enquire into the real n: of the Self, considers the body, etc., to be the Transferring the attributes of the non-Self tc Self and those of the Self, which is Sat-Chit-Ant

28 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

to the non-Self and causing thereby a mutual trans- ference of attributes he identifies himself with the mere attributes, viz., caste, colour, creed, etc., and mistakes his essential nature as 'I am god', 'I am man'. 'I am Andhra', 'I am Tamilian', 'I am Brah- min', 'I am Kshatriya', 'I am Vaisya', 'I am Sudra', 'I am Brahmacharin', 'I am householder', 'I am Va- naprastha', 'I am Sannyasin', etc., etc. Thus there exists a great deal of difference between a Vivekin and an Avivekin. When we enquire the matter still dceper, we will find that even in the sphere of exter- nal actions there is no similarity between them. DOUBT :- How? CLARIFICATION :- The man of discrimination, con- . vinced of the unreality of the manifest universe, looks upon his 'Prarabdha' enjoyment as unreal, just as the enjoyment in dream; whereas the ignorant considers the universe as well as the pains and plea- sures of the Jiva as real. Thus it is proved that certainly there is pain in embodiment, even in the case of discriminative persons. There are miseries even to the Devas or celes- tial beings, because of embodiment, which is indicated by scriptural passages like 'Vajrahastah Purandarah' -'the lord of celestials, viz., Indra carries the thun- derbolt in his hand'. DOUBT :- How? CLARIFICATION :- There is quarrel among then- selves. They are swayed by anger and curse. They are subject to constant attacks by the Asuras or demons. They are bound by the fear of falling down again to take birth in the lower planes when the re-

CHAIN OF RONDAGE I 29

sults of their virtuous deeds are exhausted. All these indicate their liability to pain.

DOUBT :- Being subject to pain, how they become objects of worship and givers of happiness to the hu- man beings etc?

CLARIFICATION :- Take for instance kings and well-to-do people. Though they themselves are sub- ject to pain of their own, they are able to relieve the pains of their subjects and dependents and bestow happiness upon them. No doubt there are scriptu- ral passages like 'In the heavenly regions, the celes- tial beings are blissful, which seem to imply the con- trary. But the real import of the above passage is: 'Having realised pain to be the attributes of the Antahkarana, they remain in the heavenly regions, enjoying their own blissful nature'. Further, the scriptural passage 'These celestials, being created, fell into the vast ocean of Samsara' (Ait. Up. II-1), im- plies clearly the concomitance of pain and embodi- ment in the case of the celestial beings also. There- fore, every effort should be made by every one to at- tain the stage of Videhamukti or emancipation with- out the trammels of body.

DOUBT :- If liberation were always to imply dis- embodiment, how is it that certain celestial beings, who are endowed with a body and appear to us as stars in the sky, are said to be liberated beings?

CLARIFICATION :- Liberation is of four kinds. They are (i) Salokya or living in the'same plane as of the God worshipped, (ii) Samipya or proximity to the God, (iii) Sarupya or possession of attributes similar to tl

30 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

with the God. These four types of release are securec respectively through (i) Charya or obedience to anc dedicated service of the God, (ii) Kriya or perfor. mance of worship to personal Gods like Siva, Vishnu ctc., (iii) Yoga or the eight-limbed Yoga practice of Yama, Niyama etc., and (iv) Jnana or the reali- sation of the identity between the Jivatman and Pa- ramatman. The first three types of liberation are not of much importance, since they are attended by the possibilities of rebirth. The last alone is the de- sirable kind of liberation, since there is no rebirth in it. The saying of the scripture 'Yogena Sayujyam' -'Union through Yoga' refers to the practice of me- ditation on the attributeless Absolute. Release in a disembodied condition should, however, not be taken as merely a dissolution in the void on the ground that, while those that are liberated while in body are visi- ble, and those that are liberated after disembodiment are not seen at any time in any place, by anyone, through any means whatsoever. In the case of those that attain release on disembodiment there is only a loss of body and not their essential being. Like the happiness derived from deep sleep, the bliss de- rived by one on getting liberated has no form. It can only be experienced by oneself and is not percep- tible to others. DOUBT :- If the bliss of emancipation and deep sleep be of the same nature, then why cannot we take the deep sleep state as a state of liberation? CLARIFICATION :- Surely not. It should not be misunderstood in this way. Though on the point of enjoyment of the non-dual bliss, there is resemblance between the deep sleep state and liberated state, yet

CHAIN OF BONDAGE I 31

there continues Ajnana or ignorance in the deep sleep state and a subsequent return to the waking state; whereas in salvation these two are not to be found. Therefore, liberation cannot come from deep sleep.

In the same way, the final deluge-a state in which all beings lie in a latent condition with their past impressions in the Avyakta or seed-matter- should also not be misunderstood to be a state of release; for, it is more like deep sleep, being charac- terised by Ajnana and a return to manifestation in the forthcoming Kalpa or cycle. As, however, the bliss of release is actually experienced though by oneself only, like that of the deep sleep, it is a mat- ter of direct realisation and not a mere void.

DOUBT :- Then, what is the difference between the liberated-while-in-body and the liberated-on-dis- embodiment if both of them become objects of per- ception (the former by others and the latter by him- self alone) ?

CLARIFICATION :- The main differences are the cessation of all ignorance with its effects and a non- return to any other lower state in the case of the Vi- deha Mukta, the latter, whereas in the case of Jivan- mukta, the former, he is attended with physical pain due to embodied state even though he treats it like a dream experience. Thus we have proved through Sruti or scripture, and Yukti or logic that Videha Mukti is a state of supreme felicity, while possession of the body en- tails on all manifold miseries. Now we shall prove both the doctrines mentioned ' va or experience.

32 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

In deep sleep absence of pain is experienced all on account of the absence of body-consciousne On the other hand, in the other two states, viz., Wi ing and dreaming, pain is experienced by all on : count of body-consciousness. It follows, therefo that as implied universally in the saying that 'wher ver there is body there are pains', even in the ca of the Atman, whose essential nature is bliss, pa arises on account of embodiment, though pain is n natural to It.

DOUBT :- What is the cause for this embodiment CLARIFICATION :- The cause for embodiment i not merely the five quintuplicated elements, as can b seen from the fact that these elements are presen throughout the universe, but do not produce a phy sical body, wherever they are found; but when tht five elements become associated with the past Karmas or actions of the Jiva, then results embodiment. DOUBT :- Can it not be said that the cause of the body is the result of the commingling of the Sultla or sperm of the male and Sronita or ovum of the female, which are nothing but the modifications of the elements? CLARIFICATION :- Definitely not. , Because there are cases in which a combination of the sperm and ovum fails to produce a body. Therefore, the elements associated with Karmas alone are the cause for the bodies. Now, as the five elements, space and time are universal, the varieties of bodies that we see everywhere must necessarily be the outcome of the various differences in Karmas. Just as clay though same everywhere, it is only the variety of artistic

Fig. 5. Fire of Knowledge Burns the Cotton of Ignorance through the Lens of Antahkarana.

34 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

workmanship through the various efforts of the po ter becomes the cause for all the multifarious effec he produces, such as pots and other earthenware so also the five elements, though the same every where, present the appearance of different types of bc dies, only when they are conjoined with the past Kar mas of the Jivas. Otherwise, all physical bodies pro duced should be similar to one another, in sex, com plexion, features, height, life span, etc.

Just as in the above illustration the clay forms the material cause and the potter forms the instra- mental cause, so also in the point under discussion, the quintuplicated elements form the material cause and the individual past Karmas the instrumental cause. There always being sufficient past Karmas ripe enough to bear fruit, embodiment arises. It is just as in dreaming and waking states the existence of body becomes an inevitable necessity to enjoy the fruits of Karmas. Absence of Karmas is followed by absence of body, as in deep sleep state. Again, for instance, even though there is the existence of clay, yet no pot is created without the instrumenta- lity of the potter. Likewise, though there may exist the five elements evolved by Isvara, yet with the ces- sation of Karmas through the spiritual realisation, such a sage never obtains a body for the future. DOUBT :~ There are different statements in diffe- rent scriptures regarding the effect of past Karmas. Some scriptures dealing with Karmas say: 'Be it virtuous or sinful, the fruits of actions done should necessarily be enjoyed. Even with the passing away of crores and crores of Kalpas or aeons, unenjoyed results of past deeds are never lost'. In texis deal-

CHAIN OF BONDAGE I 35

; with Jnana or Knowledge, on the other hand, we ar: 'The fire of Knowledge burns to ashes all past eds along with their results' (Gita IV-7). Which the two contradicting texts, has to be followed?

CLARIFICATION :- In scriptures there are two ads of passages, viz., (i) Prabala Vachana or the ronger passage and (ii) Durbala Vachana or the aker passage. The former is what is called in logic e 'Siddhanta Vachana' or the demonstrated conclu- on, while the latter goes by the name 'Purva Paksha achana' or the prima facie view, to be sublated at later stage. The more authoritative or stronger issages nullify, as it were, the less authoritative weaker ones. For instance, the passage 'Ahimsa rramo Dharmah'-'Non-injury is a supreme virtue', lough more authoritative than many other passages, covered over by a still more authoritative passage, 'age Pasuvadhah Kartavyah-In a sacrifice animals ight to be sacrificed'. Similarly the statement 'Kar- aphalam Avasyam Anubhoktavyam'-'Fruits of ac- ons should necessarily be enjoyed etc.' loses its em- hasis before the more authoritative passage 'Tapasa ilbisham Hanti'-'By austerities sins are destroy -. d' (Manu Smriti XII-104). Therefore, the store of ood and bad actions of past births called Sanchita Karmas, however big it may be, is wiped out by Self- nowledge or Atma-Jnana.

To summarise, without Karma there is no rebirth; vithout rebirth there are no miseries; without mi- eries there arises unalloyed bliss. This is the es- ablished conclusion of Vedanta.

CHAPTER V

CHAIN OF BONDAGE II

Action, Love and Hatred It was stated in the preceding chapter that th miseries of the Jiva are merely the result of its asst ciation with body and the body is caused by Karma. DOUBT :- How many kinds of Karmas are there? CLARIFICATION :- Karmas are of three kinds, viz. (i) Punya or meritorious, (ii) Papa or sinful and (iii) Misra or mixed. The bodies of Devas or celestials ete., are due to Punya Karmas; those of the animals, etc., are the result of Papa Karmas and those of hu- man beings are due to Misra Karmas. Each of these three types of Karmas is again divided into three groups, viz., (i) Utkrishta or high, (ii) Madhyama or middling and (iii) Samanya or ordinary. Thus through these manifold varieties of Karmas have ari- sen multifarious modes of embodiment. The bodies of Hiranyagarbha or the Lord of crea- tion and other gods are the result of Utkrishta Punya Karmas or highly meritorious actions, those of Indra or the king of the celestials, etc., are of Madhyama Punya Karmas or middling type of meritorious ac- tions and those of Yakshas or demi-gods, Rakshasas or demons, Pisachas or evil spirits, ete., are of Samanya Punya Karmas or ordinary type of meritorious actions.

All bodies, which cause injury to others such as thorny or poisonous tree, tiger, snake, scorpion, owl, mosquito, leech, etc., are the result of Utkrishta Papa Karmas or highly sinful actions. The trees and plants that are useful to humanity for flowers, leaves and fruits, such as jack tree, mango tree, plantain tree, cocoanut tree, etc., and also animals like hog, buffalo, ass, camel, etc., are the result of the Madhyama Papa Karmas or middling type of sinful actions. Peepul tree, holy basil plant, bael tree etc., and cow, horse etc., are the result of the Samanya Papa Karmas or ordinary sin- ful actions. Utkrishta Misra Karmas or high type of mixed actions result in getting the body of a human being, who is established in desireless actions, endow- ed with the fourfold means of realisation, blessed with a spiritual preceptor and who attains the highest type of liberation, successively passing through the stages of Sravana, Manana, Atma-Jnana and Jivanmukti. Madhyama Misra Karmas or middling type of mixed actions lead one to get a body of a human being, who performs duties pertaining to the different orders of life with expectation to get the desirable fruits of such actions. Samanya Misra Karmas or ordinary type of mixed actions result in births as a most despised sort of human being like Chandala or a man of cruel deed, Pulkasa or an outcaste, hunter, barbarian, etc.

Hence a man of discrimination should first en- quire into the nature of the fruit that an action is likely to bear. He should then adopt only such types of activity that would lead to a superior type of human birth. Offering the results of his actions unto the Lord, he should strive for the attainment of release only, by securing Self-knowledge.

38 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

DOUBT :- By whom are these three types of tions performed?

CLARIFICATION :- These Karmas are performed the three Karanas or instruments called Manas mind, Vak or speech and Kaya or body. DOUBT :- We see from the experience of men the world from such expression as 'I do', 'I do', t) the Self which identifies itself with the body denoted by the term 'I'. Therefore agency should attributed only to the Self. But how is it that ager is attributed to the three instruments?

CLARIFICATION :- The Atman or the Self is chan; less, actionless, differenceless within itself. Theref agency cannot be attributed to the Atman.

DOUBT :- Then how is it that the Atman appet to be the agent and no agent other than the Atm is found? CLARIFICATION :- The agency which is found the Atman arises only due to Adhyasa or erroneo attribution, but is not natural to It. If it is natur to It, all efforts made by men with the idea that 't false notion of agency in me should be expung through Vedantic study; otherwise the trammels cycle of birth and death will never cease' will pro to be a waste. DOUBT :- Suppose agency is natural to the Atma why can it not be made to perish through one's a dent efforts? CLARIFICATION :- As that which is natural impli one's own reality, no one will endeavour to annihila one's own essential nature; and if there is annihilatic

CHAIN OF BONDAGE II 39

of the essential nature who will remain to enjoy the result of the self-effort? If we deny Jivanmukti or embodied emancipation devoid of agency, then all the established tradition of Vedanta, such as Guru and dis- ciple, etc., will have to be knocked down. Moreover, there will arise a conflict with the Srutis, which say that 'the Atman is Nishkala or partless, Nishkriya or actionless, Santa or quiescent, Niravadya or faultless, Niranjana or stainless'-(Sv. Up. VI-19), 'Sakshi or witness, Cheta or knower, Kevala or absolute and Nir- guna or devoid of attributes'-(Sv. Up. VI-11). In deep sleep the Atman exists, but there is no agency found in it. If agency were natural to it like the heat in fire, it should be found in deep sleep state also. But such is not the case. Therefore agency is not natural to the Atman.

DOUBT :- Why can we not say that in deep sleep the agency of the Atman is not seen manifest on ac- count of the absence of the instruments, just as the agency in a carpenter, etc., is not seen manifest in him at the time of his bath, lunch etc., since he is not handling the tools on those occasions? CLARIFICATION :- It is not so, because in a quies- cent state, even though the Self is wide awake and connected with the various instruments, agency is not manifest. This conclusively proves that there is no agency in the Atman, but it is only Adhyasa or su- perimposition. DOUBT :- What is Adhyasa or sup position? CLARIFICATION :- It is the cognit n of the attri- butes of a certain thing in some oth a thing, just as while moving in a river in a boat the trees on its bank

40 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

appear to move. Here the motion of the boat is at- tributed to the trees and the stability of the trees is attributed to the boat. In the same way, all the ac- tions of the three instruments, viz., mind, speech and body, are attributed to the Atman and the inaction of the Atman is superimposed upon the three instru- ments. This is only due to Ajnana or ignorance. Therefore, it should be understood that the attribu- tion of agency to the Atman is merely the result of superimposition.

DOUBT :- How agency is predicated of the instru- ments, which are insentient and inert? If agency were to really belong to the three inert instruments these should possess some other instruments to act through them. If so, what are those instruments?

CLARIFICATION :- It is possible for inert instru- ments to become agents and to act without the help of other instruments. For instance, the inert wind and flood uproot trees, etc., and carry them to far off places without the help of any other external instru- ments. So also, these organs may act as agents with- out the aid of other organs. DOUBT :- What are the actions performed by these three instruments? CLARIFICATION :- The various modifications of the intellect, such as good thoughts, thoughts pertaining to abstract ideals, contemplation on the hereafter, etc., form part of the 'meritorious' deeds of the mind. Thoughts of sensual objects, harbouring ill-will to others, doubts regarding the validity of scriptures, disbelief in the Avistence of any distinctions as virtue and vice, etc., " : the sinful variety of Karmas of the

CHAIN OF BONDAGE II 41

mind. Thoughts tending to the good of all, thoughts of virtuous actions practised by a man along with the thoughts of sensual objects, etc., are Karmas of a 'mixed' type of the mind. Study of the Vedas, scrip- tures, the Bhagavadgita, recitation of the thousand names of the Lord called Sahasranama Parayana, do- ing Japa of Mantras such as Panchakshari, etc., sing- ing Kirtans of the Names of the Lord, words of advice and assistance to the needy, words of truth, sweet words combined with humility and willingness, to speak first in times of necessity even without any for- mal introduction, etc., are the 'meritorious' verbal ac- tions. Scoffing at Vedas and Devatas or deities, untrue words, tale-bearing, harsh words, talking about silly matters, etc., are 'sinful' verbal actions. Insulting and scoffing at others, utterance of lies, indulgence in worldly talks, etc., at the time of Vedic study or wor- ship of God, etc., are the 'mixed' type of verbal actions. Taking bath in holy rivers, etc., prostrations to the spiritual preceptor and deities, worship of God and perambulating His temple, meeting saintly people, re- nunciation, undertaking tours for the benefit of the world, etc., come under 'meritorious' physical actions. Torturing others, adultery, stealing, association with the wicked, etc., represent the 'sinful' type of physi- cal actions. Torturing others for feeding Brahmins, forcible extraction of wealth from others for erecting a temple, maintenance of charitable water sheds ac- companied by non-payment of wages to servants em- ployed in it, etc., are termed as 'mixed' type of phy- sical activity. These three types of activities are fit to be enquired into in full detail. DOUBT :- What is the benefit of such enquiry and how to attain it?

42 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

CLARIFICATION :- The result of such enquiry is twofold, viz., Mukhya Phala or primary benefit anc Avantara Phala or secondary benefit. As stated above the three kinds of Karmas are performed by the three instruments alone. The Atman is unassociated with anything and without parts like the ether. It is Cons- ciousness-Absolute. Hence it cannot be an agent for any action whatsoever as evidenced by the statement: "That which attains Its own Self (in deep sleep), holds impressions (in dream), and enjoys objects (in wak- ing), and which at the same time continues to remain in Its eternal state, undisturbed, is spoken of as the Self'. This is the etymology of the word Atman or the Self. Therefore, on the understanding that 'not even a single act touches the Atman, which is of the nature of Chidakasa or Consciousness', one rests con- tented and peaceful in deep experience, having shaken off all doubts, This is the primary benefit. Even after the attainment of Brahma-Jnana or the knowledge of the Absolute, one should keep his three instruments fixed firmly on virtuous actions; should that not be feasible for him, he should at least be established in mixed actions; but on no account should he concen- trate them on the sinful ones. Understanding this and remaining established in this way of life is the secondary benefit. The above exposition may be illustrated thus: To the rearer of a plantain tree, its fruits are the primary result, while its leaves, flowers, etc., are secondary. DOUBT :- Is it not the case that a realised sage is untouched by Karmas, just as a lotus-leaf by water? Since it has been conclusively established that he is an Akarta or non-doer, but only a Sakshi or witness of

CHAIN OF BONDAGE II 43

actions and that he has nothing more to do, neither injunctions nor prohibitions can apply in his case. Where then is the justification for the rule that, like an ignorant man, he too should practise only virtuous deeds ?

CLARIFICATION :- Yes. There is no doubt that the realised sage has nothing more to perform, nor is he an agent for any action. Yet there are four types of realised souls, viz., (i) Brahmavit or the knower of Brahman or the Absolute, (ii) Brahma- vidvara or a good knower of Brahman, (iii) Brahma- vidvariyan or a better knower of Brahman and (iv) Brahmavidvarishtha or the best knower of Brahman. Of these four types Brahmavidvarishtha alone is a Videhamukta. He alone is devoid of mental Vrittis or modifications in toto. Only in his case there are neither injunctions nor prohibitions. In the other three cases, being embodiments of true knowledge, even though they are also not bound by injunctions and prohibitions, yet they are expected to abide by codes of right conduct. Since they are not devoid of mental modifications, since they have to move and lead an active life in the world and also since they are engaged in the upliftment of the worldly people, they should act in a suitable and exemplary manner. Hence a realised sage should live amidst the worldly people like one of them, i.e., interested in performing virtuous deeds, etc., placing his life as an ideal before them. However, among spiritual seekers, he should, renouncing all acts, proclaim the supremacy of know- ledge alone thus: Brahmaiva Satyam Anyat Sarvam Asatya -1. unreal'

44 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Coming to the point under issue, we find from the foregoing details that agency should be attri- buted to the three instruments, viz., the mind, speech and body only and not to the Atman. DOUBT :- Do the three instruments act of their own accord, or are they made to act through some other outside force?

CLARIFICATION :- On enquiry, we find that they are acting only through the influence of love and hatred but not of their own accord. This can be seen to be a matter of experience also by the application of the process called Anvaya or concordance and Vya- tireka or discordance. Where there is a play of emo- tion like love, hate, ete., the three instruments func- tion; if there is no such emotion of love, hate, ctc., the latter do not function.

DOUBT:From the statements of men such as I am causing a temple to be built', 'I am causing a tank to be constructed', etc., why can it not be un- derstood that the Atman is the impelling agent though not the direct doer? CLARIFICATION :- No. The Atman being devoid of modification, can never become the impelling agent of actions. DOUBT :- Then, how does this agency appear in the Atman? CLARIFICATION :- It is due to delusion. Just as the red colour of 'Japakusuma' flower is reffected in a crystal, and owing to an error in perception the red colour seems to be located in the crystal, so also the actions caused by love, hatred, etc., are attributed to

CHAIN OF BONDAGE II 45

he Atman due to delusion. Moreover, if the act of ausation in action be inherent in the Atman, none will endeavour to annihilate it. As that which is na- ural implies one's own reality, with the destruction of that which is natural there will ensue the destruc- tion of the reality itself. Also, if the act of causation in action were to be a natural attribute of the Atman, the scriptural passage like 'It is unseen, not related to anything, incomprehensible, uninferable, unimagi- nable, indescribable, the essence of the one self-cog- nition common to all states of consciousness, the nega- tion of all phenomena, the Peaceful, all-Bliss and the Non-dual. This is what is known as the fourth. This is the Atman and it has to be realised.'-(Mandukya Up. 7), which demonstrate the nature of association- lessness, actionlessness and absence of causation in action in the Atman, will stand contradicted. More- over, if it were to be taken that such promptings to action have an origin, then liberation would naturally become a result of such promptings to action and it would also have a beginning and hence an end too. If it is so, causation in action should manifest itself in deep sleep also. But such is not the case. There- fore, the impelling force of the Atman is not natural to it, but extraneous, i.e., not essential but acciden- tal. DOUBT :- It is not safe to predicate the absence of promptings to action of the Self merely on the ground that it is not seen in the deep sleep state. Take for instance, the case of a tutor. Is tutorship not pre- sent in him all the time, though not seen when stu- dents are absent? Similarly, such prompting nature may exist in deep sleep state, but is not seen only due to its being disconnected from the instruments.

46 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Is this conclusion not strengthened by the fact that, both in the dream and wakeful states, it is seen exactly, because of its connection with the instru- ments? On these grounds we can safely conclude that the impelling force to action is natural to the Self.

CLARIFICATION :- If this argument is taken to be correct, then such impelling force to action should be seen in states like indifference, quiescence, etc., which exist within the wakeful state, because the Self is connected with the instruments states. But such is not the case. Therefore, the in- in these

evitable conclusion is, that act of causation in action is merely extraneous and accidental to the Self and not its essential nature. To make this point still more clear, take for instance a red-hot iron-rod. The attributes of the iron-rod, such as length, thickness, etc., are perceived in the fire, and the attributes of fire, viz., heat, luminosity, etc., are seen in the iron- rod. This is so, because of mutual transference of attributes. Similar is the case of perception in the Self, of the act of causation in action, which really belongs to the emotion of love, hate, etc., and of promptings to action of the Self in love, hate, ete, This wrong perception or misconception is only due to Avidya or ignorance. DOUBT :- Then, how can the inert love and hate be the cause for action? Is it not absurd to say that one pot causes another pot to act? CLARIFICATION :- It is true that love and hate are inert. But we find inert substances display ac- tion in combination with others. For instance, take

CHAIN OF BONDAGE II 4

re. It is inert by itself. But as soon as it come nto contact with the inert gunpowder which is bu compound of powdered charcoal and sulphur, i s able to discharge heavy shots from guns at suc velocity as to destroy the armies stationed at great distance. To quote another illustration, orpse, though inert, impels its relatives to perfor ts funeral rites. Similarly, likes, dislikes, etc though inert, manifest themselves as the impellin agents. DOUBT :- Then, what is the meaning of the pa: sages of the scriptures such as, 'the Atman is the lor of the senses and the inner ruler in all beings'? CLARIFICATION :- Just as the sun, by its me presence, enables the performance of all kin of actions, virtuous as well as sinful, by every or in this world, and at the same time it is never a fected by them, so also is the Atman. The presen of a magnet, though makes the iron move, yet is not itself affected by the movement of the iro In the same way, the action of the various being do not affect the Atman. Therefore, the Atman r mains always taintless and modificationless.

In spite of the clear exposition of the precej tor of all the well-established conclusions about th nature of the Self, no firmness of conviction tak place in the disciple. It is on account of three kin of Pratibandhakas or obstacles. They are (i) San sayabhavana or doubt, (ii) Asambhavana or impr bability and (iii) Viparitabhavana or perverted pe ception. Just as a single ceremony, viz., wearir of the sacred thread is presented in the Rigveda,1 different ways, in the same way different types (

48 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

expositions regarding the non-dual Self are seen in the different sections of the scriptures. 'Whether the Self is one or many?' This sort of doubtful attitude is called Samsayabhavana. This doubt is cleared through repeated Sravana or hear- ing of the real meaning of the scriptures. But this clearing of doubt through Sravana that the subject of all the scriptures is the same, viz., the one, non- dual-Absolute, succeeds only in annihilating one as- pect of doubt, viz., proof of knowledge, called Prama- nagata . Samsaya. But it may land a person in an- other kind of uncertainty. Though he is convinced through Sravana that 'All Vedantas point to the one non-dual Brahman', still he entertains another doubt as to the improbability of the non-dual state, inas- much as, the Jiva, Isvara and Jagat do plainly ap- pear to be separate. This is called Asambhavana. This difficulty is removed through Manana or cogi- tation upon the phenomena like dreams. Even after an effective Sravana and Manana the world conti- nues to be perceived as an existing reality on ac- count of causal ignorance. This is due to Viparita- bhavana. This obstacle is eliminated through Ni- didhyasana or meditation, i.e., an uninterrupted flow of similar ideas relating to the Absolute. DOUBT :- Why one should take so much trouble to destroy these obstacles, when, through Knowledge, one can directly realise the eternal Truth? CLARIFICATION :- It is true that Knowledge will help one to realise the Absolute, but Knowledge can- not operate successfully when it is fettered by obs- tacles. For example, fire has got the ability to con- sume all things. But when it is bound by Mani-

Mantra or spells and incantations, etc., it cannot burn even a bit of straw. Similarly, though Knowledge has got the poteney to destroy ignorance and its ef- fects instantaneously, it cannot do so when it is ob- strueted from funetioning by these three obstacles. Once these three obstacles are annihilated, Know- ledge will certainly be able to burn ignorance and its effects instantaneously, as fire burns a blade of dry grass. Another important point to remember, in this connection, is that the true import of a scriptural text worth studying should be determined by the help of Shad Lingas or six means of proof. For, it has been said that 'unity of theme in the opening and concluding passeges called Upakrama-Upasam- hara, repetition or Abhyasa, speciality or Apurvata. benefit or Phala, eulogy or Arthavada and logical demonstration or Upapatti are the six means of proof in the determination of the true import of a work. According to this statement, these six means should be strictly adopted in the determination of the real import of the text. The Shad Lingas are explained as follows: 1. Upakrama-Upasamhara: In the Chhandogya Upanishad the sixth chapter begins with the pas- sage, 'Reality alone existed in the beginning, one only and non-dual' (VI-ii-1), and the exposition of the subject is coneluded with a reference to the Akhanda Ekarasa or the one indivisible homogeneous essence by the assertion, "All this is of Its nature; that is the Truth' (VI-viii-7). The unity of purposa; observable here between the opening and the coz- cluding passages help us in determining the mai:

50 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

import of the text. Such is the utility of Upakramt Upasamhara.

2. Abhyasa: In the same text the great ut terance 'That Thou Art' (VI-viii-7) has been re peated nine times. This repetition is the second mean called Abhyasa. 3. Apurvata: The main subject-matter, viz. 'the indivisible homogeneous essence' is beyond th scope of all ordinary means of proof like perception etc. In other words, the subject-matter cannot br known through any other means of knowledge in the usual manner. This speciality or uniqueness of its nature is called Apurvata.

3. Phala: In the same text the passage, 'He will have to live here only till he gets released; then he attains his own Self' (VI-xiv-2), clearly states that the benefit derived from a knowledge of the indivisible homogeneous essence is the attainment of unqualified liberation-on-disembodiment called Vide- hamukti, after the working out of the Prarabdha. This is the Phala or benefit. 5. Arthavada: This is eulogy which is explain- ed in detail below. 6. Upapatti: The Upanishadic passage, 'As all things made of clay are known by knowing a ball of clay' (Ch. Up. VI-i-4), illustrates the main subject matter in a logical way. This logical demons- tration is called Upapatti. Arthavada or eulogy mentioned above is of se- ven types. They are (i) Srishti or creation, (ii) Sthiti or preservation, (iii) Pralaya or destruction,

CHAIN OF BONDAGE II 51

I Pravesa, or entry, (v) Samyamana or control, I Tat Tvam Padartha Parisodhana or determina- L of the meaning of the great utterance 'That Thou ' and (vii) Phala or benefit. The scriptural passages like 'Indeed from that : ether arose' (Tait. Up. II-1), etc., eulogise the itorship aspect of the Absolute. They also teach that just as the effects of clay such as pot, etc., ch have their origin, support and dissolution in 1, are non-different from one another when con- ered as clay, in the same way, ether, etc., which e their origin, stay and dissolution in the Abso- › are verily of the same nature as the Absolute, e they have originated from It, stay in It, and dissolved into It. Passages like these establish non-dual nature of the Absolute as indicated by Mahavakya 'That Thou Art'. These are the three havadas, viz., Srishti, Sthiti and Pralaya. Again, sages like 'Having pierced the crown of the head, entered through this hole' (Ait. Up. I-iii-12), 'Hav- evolved the matter, Atman entered within' (Tait. II-6), 'Entering into these Jivas let me create nes and forms' (Chh. Up. VI-iii-2), etc., which claim the entry of the Absolute into the body in form of the individual soul, establish the non- 'erence between the individual being and the Ab- ute, which is the real import of the Mahavakya, in the analogy of Devadatta, an individual, enter- his house from outside. (The person; who is in- e the house now is the same who stood outside netime back). Similarly the Self which presently ides within the individual body is the same Abso- e, which entered into the body from outside. This Pravesa.

52 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Samyamana is now explained. The Upanishar passages like 'He who resides in the earth, and is i cluded in it, whom the earth knows not, but who body is the earth, who controls the earth from wit in-He is thy Self, the Inner Ruler, the Immort: (Br. Up. III-vii-3), etc., which have reference to tl controllership aspect of the Absolute, establish tl non-difference between the Controller-Self and th controlled non-Self, though the two seem to be t tally different.

Tat Tvam Padartha Sodhana: Scriptural pa: sages, which determine the meaning of the Maha vakya 'That Thou Art', establish the oneness betwee Isvara and Jiva, after negating the apparently con tradictory attributes which are found in both of them such as, 'Verily, this Self is of the nature of the es sence of food' (Tait. Up. I-1), 'The redness is the colour of fire' (Chh. Up. VI-iv-1) etc. Phala: By revealing the wonderful result de- rivable from a knowledge of such oneness, scriptural passages like 'The knower of the Absolute attains the Supreme' (Tait. Up. II-1), 'He became Immortal' (Ait. Up. III-4), etc., not only remind us of their desire to proclaim the oneness, but also to establish it. Since the Maha Vakya "That Thou Art', along with its ancillary declarations called Avantara Vakyas, proclaim the Akhandaikarasa or the one ho- mogeneous essence, which is indicated by the seven types of eulogistic passages of the scriptures, its meaning should be taught to the disciple as indicat- ing the nature of the indivisible homogeneous es- sence. Thus, ascertainment of the purport of scrip-

tures with the help of the Shad Lingas, as detail above, is called Sravana or hearing of the scriptur Let us resume the thread of our main disci sion. After making an enquiry into the nature impellership, as detailed in this chapter, one shot arrive at this firm conclusion, viz., 'Being impell by love, hate, etc., the three instruments perfol the three types of activities. Just as a king assum to himself the credit of the victory, when, as a mati of fact, it is the army, directed by the commande in-chief, that has won the victory, the individual sc imagines in itself the impellership, which really 1 sides in love, hate, etc. But it is beyond doubt th in the Self there is neither agency nor impellershi A man of such a firm understanding alone is call a Jivanmukta.

CHAPTER VI

CHAIN OF BONDAGE III

Love and Hatred, Self-identification, Non-Discrimina- tion and Ignorance Of the seven links in the 'Chain of Bondage', we have expatiated upon the first four, as one being the cause for the other. In this sixth chapter the different functions of Raga-Dvesha or love and hat- red, Abhimana or identification with body etc., Avi- veka or non-discrimination and Ajnana or ignorance will be described.

Mental modifications are sixteen in number. They are (1) Raga or love, (2) Dvesha or hatred, (3) Ka- ma or desire, (4) Krodha or anger, (5) Lobha or miserliness, (6) Moha or infatuation, (7) Mada or pride, (8) Matsarya or jealousy, (9) Irshya or in- tolerance, (10) Asuya or envy, (11) Dambha or os- tentation, (12) Darpa or arrogance, (13) Ahamkara or egoism, (14) Iccha or action of necessity, (15) Bhakti or devotion and (16) Sraddha or faith.

The mental modification behind sexual pleasu- res is called Raga. The inclination of the mind to return evil for evil is Dvesha. The desire for acqui- sition of lands, house, etc., is Kama. Aversion to those who stand in the way of such acquisition is Krodha. Unwillingness to part with even a particle

CHAIN OF BONDAGE III 55

of one's personal earnings to the deserving people is Lobha. Defiance of injunctions and prohibitions or indifference in knowing what actions are to be done and what not to be done, on account of infatua- tion due to one's wealth is Moha. The thought of one that 'I have got plenty of wealth and therefore what is there that cannot be accomplished?' is called Mada. Intolerance in seeing the co-existence of an- other person equal to his status is Matsarya. The feeling that 'how this pain or suffering has come to me, leaving the opponent?' is Irshya. The thought that 'this happiness or pleasure is to be enjoyed by me alone; then how this is being enjoyed by others also?' is Asuya. Doing virtuous actions for the sake of mere name and fame is Dambha. The feeling that one has no. equal is Darpa. Asserting one's priority in all circumstances and places is Aham- kara. The feeling of necessity to attend to unavoi- dable actions like eating, excreting, etc., is Iccha. Supreme regard and affection towards Guru, virtuous people and God is Bhakti. Belief in the efficacy of rituals, in the established conclusions of the Vedanta and in the teachings of the Guru is Sraddha. These are the sixteen modifications of the mind.

DOUBT :- What is the use of, or the need for, discussing mental modifications in a work that is concerned with the nature of the Self?

CLARIFICATION :- Bondage and liberation, in the case of individual beings, are solely dependent on the mind and not on anything else.

DOUBT :- How is it? CLARIFICATION :- Purity is the essential nature of

56 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

the mind. But it got into bondage because of it contact with impure things. The existence of th mind in its own essential pure nature is called li beration. The first fourteen out of the sixteen mo difications of the mind stated above are impure. But the last two, viz., Bhakti and Sraddha are pure. The first thirteen beginning with Raga attach themselves to all the inividual souls again and again even with- out any effort on their part and cause them to lead a 'life of sin. For people of such tendencies there is only downfall and not upliftment., The cessation of transmigratory existence will arise only in those persons who are activated by the two pure modifi- cations of devotion and faith and who succeed in subduing the impure modifications of the mind. Man has therefore to analyse his mind constantly and thoroughly and establish it in the two good modi- fications, viz., Bhakti and Sraddha, after having abandoned Raga and other impure modifications, which always cause defilement. It is not necessary to point out that it is impossible to avoid acts that arise out of necessity, such as quenching of thirst, appeasing of hunger, answering calls of nature and such other similar acts. Even if you try to aban- don these activities of necessity it would result in more pain. These Karmas are not the cause either for heaven or hell. Therefore acts like taking food, etc., are to be necessarily performed. · In the waking and dreaming states, inasmuch as Raga and other modifications exist, Karmas also exist. But in deep sleep, swoon, Samadhi and the state of habitual silence of Yogis, Raga, etc., do not exist and therefore Karmas also do not exist. Hence, it is certain from the processes of Anvaya and Vyati-

CHAIN OF BONDAGE III 57

reka-co-existence and disjoined existence-that Ra- ga, Dvesha, etc., are the cause of Karmas. DOUBT :- From where these Raga, etc., have come ?

CLARIFICATION :- They arise out of Abhimana. DOUBT :- Can this be proved through example? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. For instance, so long as a lady has got the Abhimana that she belongs to the fair sex, she is prompted by motives like love, etc., to do actions such as serving the husband, maintain- ing the household, preparing food, etc. In the same way, a man also is prompted to do activities like en- tering into married life, agriculture, trade, etc., so long as he has got the Abhimana of a male. Thus the various activities of all individual beings arise on account of their attachment or Abhimana to, and getting identified with, some one or the other of the Varna Ashramas or various social and religious di- visions of life, to which they belong, prompted there- to by Raga, etc. Therefore, the cause for all these is only Abhimana. DOUBT :- Then what is the benefit of this en- quiry?

CLARIFICATION :- The benefit is this. A seeker. should abandon all Abhimana of caste, orders of life, stage and different periods of life, such as childhood, youth, etc. He should understand that if one is freed from Abhimana he is freed from bondage also. He should know through Anvaya and Vyatireka that where there is Abhimana, there are Raga, Dvesha, etc., and where there is no Abhimana there are no Raga, Dvesha, etc.

58 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

DOUBT :- How is it?

CLARIFICATION :- In the waking and dreaming states, as there is the Abhimana of caste and orders of life, etc., persons are prompted to action through Raga, etc. But in deep sleep and similar other states, as there is no such Abhimana, there is no action done through Raga, etc. DOUBT :- If so, from where does this Abhimana arise?

CLARIFICATION :- It arises from Aviveka or non- discrimination of the Atman and Anatman.

DOUBT :- How is it? CLARIFICATION :- Though all individuals invaria- bly have a separate existence apart from their res- pective physical bodies, there arises in them Abhi- mana on account of non-discrimination and they think 'I am a Brahmana', 'I am a Kshatriya', 'I am a Vai- sya', 'I am a Sudra', 'I am a Brahmacharin', 'I am a householder', 'I am a Vanaprastha', 'I am a San- nyasin', 'I'am a man', 'I am a woman', etc. This non-discrimination is the cause for Abhimana and there is no other cause for it. DOUBT :- Why can we not say that the body is the cause for Abhimana and not Aviveka? CLARIFICATION :- If body is the cause for Abhi- mana, it should be possible for a Kshatriya to pos- sess the consciousness that 'I am a Brahmana', for a woman 'I am a man', for a celibate 'I am a house- holder', etc. But no such experience is seen or known anywhere. So, Abhimana never arises on the basis of the 'physical body.

OF BONDAGE III 59

we not say that the Abhimana ises on account of his tult of ir and sacred thread which he wears, and in the 'etic the Abhimana 'I am a Sannyasin', by the vir- : of his saffron cloth, staff and bowl he carries? CLARIFICATION :- No; since the tuft of hair and red thread are found also in Kshatriyas and even a potter. Likewise, saffron robes, etc., are scen non-ascetics as well. But they do not thereby be- ne conscious that 'I am a Brahmana', or 'I am a nnyasin' respectively. Therefore, it is clear that himana does not arise on account of external rks of distinctions. DOUBT :- Why cannot Abhimana of a Brahmana se on account of special physiological features as the case of male and female? CLARIFICATION :- It cannot be, because there are suth special physiological differences between one rson and another. DOUBT :- Why can we not say that Abhimana ises through the special features of the body which e inherits from his father and mother? .

CLARIFICATION :- If this contention were to be rrect, then their hair, nails, teeth, urine, excreta, c., should also possess the name 'Brahmana,' etc. it this is not so. Therefore, it is impossible even r the creator Brahma to say that different types : Abhimana can arise through any other means, Icept Aviveka or non-discrimination. Let us again sift thoroughly the cause of Abhi- lana of Brahmana, etc. On a scrutinizing enquiry

--- 60 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

we find that just as in this world words such as tival', 'marriage', 'assembly', 'army', etc., have ar on account of the collective aggregates they note, so also the collective aggregates of the bo senses, etc., which are the products of the indes bable Maya, have in worldly parlance come to be noted by such terms as 'Brahmana', 'Kshatri 'Vaisya', 'Sudra', 'female', 'male', 'eunuch', 'Guja thi', 'Maharashtrian', 'Andhra', 'Canarese', 'Tamili: 'Sastri', 'Dikshita', 'Pauranika', 'Avadhani', 'Gan snayi', 'Saivite', 'Bhagavata', 'Sevak', 'Pradhanil 'Raja', 'Mantri', 'Guru', 'Sishya', etc., etc. But 1 Atman is one, which has no name or form or ac vity in all the three periods of time. Thus non-d crimination of the reality of the Atman as stat above is Aviveka, through which arises in men t Abhimana of caste, orders of life, etc., in the Atme

DOUBT :- What is the cause for this Aviveķa?

CLARIFICATION :- Anadi-Avidya or beginningle ignorance is the cause for Aviveka. It veils fro oneself the essential nature of one's being as Con ciousness-Absolute, and this veil can be remove only by the spiritual intuitive wisdom of the Sel It is through this ignorance alone that one says . do not know myself'. DOUBT :- How can it be? Is there any one i this world, who does not know himself, except the deluded persons? CLARIFICATION :- Yes, in this world all are de luded persons only, except the realised saints. DOUBT :- How can you say so?

CHAIN OF BONDAGE III 6

CLARIFICATION :- Because, worldly people refe only to the body, which is an unreal object, whe: they say 'I am a Brahmana', 'I am a Kshatriya', ' am a Vaisya', 'I am a Sudra', I am a Brahmacharin 'I am a householder', etc., etc. None of them know the Self which is different from the body. There fore, everyone is in a deluded condition.

DOUBT :- How can it be said that no one know the Self, when there are many Pundits and theolo gians, who have the knowledge that the Self is reall; something other than the body? CLARIFICATION :- The Pundits and theologians d not know anything about the transcendental Self Their knowledge extends only up to the individua self, which is but a reflected consciousness, the doe and enjoyer, limited and moves in the different plane "of the empirical existence. They think that this li mited empirical self is the Real Self. They have n experience or idea of the transcendental Self, whicl is unlimited, motionless and non-doer.

DOUBT :- What is the source or origin of thi Ajnana? CLARIFICATION :- All the scriptures declare it t be beginningless. Hence it is impossible to solve thi problem. DOUBT :- If Ajnana has no beginning, it mus have no end also. In that case, there will be no libe ration for the Jivas. CLARIFICATION :- It is not so. Though Ajnan: has no beginning, it has an end. In this world ther are certain things which have no beginning but hav

62 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

have a beginning but have no end. For instan Pragabhava or antecedent non-existence has no ginning but has an end. Pradhvamsabhava or n existence after destruction has no end but has a l ginning .*

Also the beginning of diseases caused by wir bile and phlegm is not known; but their end is se when they are cured. Similarly, though the begi ning of ignorance is not known, it has been establis ed that it is destroyed by the dawn of direct knot ledge derived from the Maha-Vakyas or the Gre Utterances of the Vedas.

DÓUBT :- What is the ignorance? essential nature of th

• In Nyaya or Hindu logic Abhava.or non-existence considered as a Padartha or substance, just as it is contende that light and darkness are two different entities and nc that darkness is merely the absence of light. All thing which have names are divided into Bhava or having existenc and Abhava or having no existence. Abhava is of two kind mainly. They are Samsarga or commixture and Anyony or mutual. The former is divided into three divisions, viz. Prak or antecedent, Atyanta or absolute and Pradhvamsa of cansed by destruction. Here the first and the third are re- ferred to in the Text. They may be illustrated thus. Sup- pose a pot is created now. Before its creation the pot was in a state of Abhava or non-existence. This Abhava has no beginning, but has an end when the pot is ereated. This is Pragabhava or antecedent non-cxistence. Similarly when a pot is broken, its Abhava comes into existence and this Abhava or non-existence has a beginning from the time of the destruction of the pot, but has no end thereafter.

CLARIFICATION :- There is no better explanation n to say that it is neither real, nor unreal, nor h; neither with limbs, nor without limbs, nor h; neither separate from the Self, nor non-sepa- e, nor both. Therefore it is indescribable or Anir- :haniya.

DOUBT :- How is it?

CLARIFICATION :- Since it is negated by know- ge , it cannot be real. At the same time, it is not ally non-existent like the horns of a hare, or the 'ns of a man, or like the lotus in the sky, since s experienced by everyone as 'I am ignorant'. It inot be unreal, since the two contradictory qualities inot co-exist, just like light and darkness cannot. iultaneously remain in the same place.

Gross ether is a fine substance. But still finer che unquintuplicated Akasa Tanmatra. Finer still : the three Gunas. Even finer than them is igno- ice. Because of its fineness even the gross'ether s no parts. Therefore, Ajnana, being the primeval ise of even subtle things, can have no parts. But the same time it manifests as this gross tmniverse th innumerable parts. Therefore, we cannot say it it is partless. It cannot be both with parts and thout parts, since there is mutual contradiction as eady stated above. To say that it is a distinct existent entity, se- rate from the Self, is not proper, for, it directly ntradicts the scriptures, which proclaim the non- al nature of the Self as Existence-Absolute and ereby implv that there is no existenre nther thon ע)

64 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

from the Self, because such a stand would negate the existence of Atma-Sakti and hence contradict scriptural passages like 'Its transcendental potentia- lity is variously described' etc. Also, the presump- tion that ignorance is non-different from the Self would mean that 'inertness' pertains to the Self and 'consciousness' to Maya, or that Atman is ignorance, or that unreality, pain and inertia are the essential nature of the Self. All these are absurd, as we know the Atman to be Sat-Chit-Ananda. It follows, there- fore, that Avidya or ignorance is not non-different from the Self. Then it can only be called Anirva- chaniya or inexplicable. Therefore, it should be clearly known that it is from this beginningless ignorance arise non-discri- mination, self-identification, love and hatred, action, embodiment and painful mundane existence succes- sively, each emanating from the preceding one in the order stated. In other words all these follow from the ignorance of the Self. DOUBT :- When will this painful mundane exis- tence cease? CLARIFICATION :- With the annihilation of emb diment, there is annihilation of pains; with the ces sation of Karma, there is the cessation of the body with the annihilation of Raga and Dvesha, there i the annihilation of Karma. Cessation of Abhiman puts an end to Raga-Dvesha. With the destructiol of Aviveka, destruction of Abhimana takes place With the annihilation of Ajnana, there is the anni hilation of Aviveka. And then Ajnana also peri shes in one who, through the firm conviction in tho spiritual wisdom derivable from the Mahavakyas of

CHAIN OF BONDAGE III

he Vedas such as 'Brahmaivahamasmi' or 'Bral ulone am I', 'Aham Brahmasmi' or 'I am Brah: :learly cognises himself as Atman or Brahmar should be understood that there is no other n to destroy this ignorance. DOUBT :- Why should not this ignorance, v is only trivial and unreal, be annihilated throug force of action, just as, even the most heinous like murdering a Brahmana perish in toto thi appropriate expiatory rites? CLARIFICATION :- It should be understood action is not antagonistic to ignorance; on the trary it feeds it. A new moon night can onl tensify the darkness cast by a veil of clouds. tions like beating with a stick, or cutting w sword, or standing on topsy turvy pose, will n move the darkness, but light alone can remov darkness. Similarly, actions intensify ignoranc can never remove it. Just as the sun dispe! darkness of night, knowledge alone, and not ar can dispel ignorance. DOUBT :- Actions are born of the three i ments, viz., mind, speech and body. Knowledg which is the result of a modification of the A karana should therefore be an action. How, can Knowledge annihilate ignorance? CLARIFICATION :- It is true that a mental fication is a mental action. But this modifi merely serves as an Upadhi for the Knowlec annihilate ignorance, just as the physical eye as an Upadhi in the perception of forms. The tal modification is not the annihilator of ign by itself, but it only assists Knowledge. The

66 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Knowledge is the annihilator of Ajnana and it : eternal. Knowledge is of two kinds, viz., Svarupa-Jnan or essential knowledge and Vritti-Jnana or deriva tive knowledge. It is this Svarupa-Jnana that illu mines the ignorance in deep sleep and causes it to be known. The knowledge that illumines the object: in waking and dreaming states is Vritti-Jnana. Thi: can be understood through the following illustration: The sun-rays directly illumine a wall. Over this . light several patches of the same sunlight are thrown through several pieces of mirrors. In this condi- tion both the lights are falling on the wall. In the same way there is Vritti-Jnana, comparable to the reflected lights of the mirrors, shining in waking and dreaming states and the Svarupa-Jnana, compa- rable to the original sunlight directly falling on the wall, shining in the deep sleep state *. DOUBT :- If so, are we to infer that there is no Svarupa-Jnana in the waking and dreaming states? CLARIFICATION :- No. Svarupa-Jnana always exists in all the three states. But Vritti-Jnana is not found in deep sleep state.

• In the analogy stated above, direct solar light is pre- sent throughout the house and illumines it by its mere pre- sence. Being all-pervasive within the house as well as out- side the house, the solar light carries no specini name. But once it is reflected by a mirror the emergent rays carry a special name and form; i.e,, a ray or collection of rays. Within each such ray direct solar light is also present. Si- milarly Svarupa-Jnana is present within the Vritti-Jnana also in the waking and dreaming states.

68 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

All Vrittis pertain to or proceed from the An- tahkarana alone, while Jnana is the very nature of the Self Itself. This Svarupa-Jnana having entered the Vrittis annihilates Ajnana. Mere Vrittis of the mind cannot remove Ajnana, in the absence of es- sential Knowledge. Therefore, Ajnana pertaining to the Atman perishes only through the Svarupa-Jnana of the Atman into which the Atmakara-Vritti has entered, and not through the Buddhi-Vritti alone or through the performance of myriads of actions. Just as virtuous actions nullify vicious actions, so also, Vritti-Jnana destroys ignorance. Just as a ruby is called a 'luminous stone' by virtue of its luminosity, so also Vritti-Jnana, though belonging to the An- tahkarana, is called 'Jnana' in a secondary sense on account of its being associated with the essential knowledge, which permeates it, and therefore, in this sense it is not action.

DOUBT :- Since Svarupa-Jnana illumines Ajnana in deep sleep and both co-exist in that state, the two are not evidently contradictory like light and dark- ness. Then how does this Svarupa-Jnana annihilate Ajnana? CLARIFICATION :- Though the Svarupa-Jnana and Ajnana are not antagonistic by themselves, there arises opposition between them when the former is coupled with Vritti-Jnana. DOUBT :- As the Jnana that enters the Vritti- - Jnana is Svarupa-Jnana itself, how'can there be a conflict between that Jnana and Ajnana? CLARIFICATION :- Just as the rays of the sun do not directly burn the dry grass, ete., yet when they

CHAIN OF BONDAGE III 69

pass through a lens they do burn them, in the same way, Svarupa-Jnana, though not by itself antagonistic to Ajnana, becomes its enemy when it functions through the Vrittis of the mind.

DOUBT :- If, through Vritti-Jnana, Ajnana and its effects are destroyed, then there remain Vritti-Jnana and Svarupa-Jnana, in which state the latter has en- tered into the former. Then, how, in the face of these two, can non-duality be predicated?

CLARIFICATION :- Just as the clearing nut, when dissolved in a pot of muddy water, precipitates the sediment at the bottom, makes the water clear and it itself disappears in the mud during the process, so also Vritti-Jnana dissolves itself aftcr annihilat- ing Ajnana and its effects. Vrittis being lost, the reflection of the Svarupa-Jnana merges into its source, viz., the Atman. Then there remains the non-dual Atman alone. Thus Ajnana is destroyed only through Jnana. Such a kind of real Jnana arises only through Atma-Vichara or enquiry of the Self and not through actions, or Yoga or worship. Jnana depends upon the Self. It is called Vastutantra. Therefore, it is impossible to produce it or to remove it or to change it; whereas worshiy and Yoga are within the reach of human/ endeavours. It is called Purushatantra. Therefore, they can be produced or prevented or/ modified. Through these Yoga and worship man can get only one-pointedness of mind and supernatural powers, but not Jnana. Worship and Yoga, being mental functions, are of the nature of actions and therefore are not Vastutantras. Jnane being Vastutantra, is not derivable through Karis, but it is obtainable

70 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

only through Vichara or enquiry. To cite an analogy one can ascertain the quality of gold, precious stones Saligrama (a kind of stone having spiritual mag netic influence found in the river Gandaki in Nepal) etc., through examination of their characteristics. But such knowledge can never be derived by anybody through holy baths or daily rites, or breath-control, etc. Similarly, knowledge of the Self can arise only from an enquiry into the nature of the Self and the non-Self and not through worship, etc. Therefore, an aspirant should relinquish all other activities and always devote himself to the Atma-Anatma-Vichara through Sravana or hearing of the scriptures, Ma- nana or cogitation, etc. Whoever pursues this line of enquiry alone, is released even while living, from all bonds of mun- dane existence and becomes a Jivanmukta and then a Videhamukta. Thus do all the Vedantas proclaim with one unanimous voice. Having heard and clearly understood all these with faith and willingness, the aspirant shines as pure, unrelated Consciousness. He docs not commit the mistake of taking upon himself the attribute of agency, etc., at any time.

CHAPTER VII

SELF-KNOWLEDGE

In this chapter discrimination between the Self and the non-Self, Self-knowledge which results from it and the transcendent state of the unqualified Ab- solute are described. It has just now been stated that Self-knowledge is born of discrimination between the Self and the non-Self. An explanation about the Self is given below.

The Atman or the Self is distinct from the three bodies, the witness of the three states, beyond the ' five sheaths and of the nature of Existence-Conscious- ness-Bliss-Absolute. The three bodies are the non- Self. Their characteristics are unreality, inertness and pain. The three bodies have two aspects each, viz., collective and individual. Though these divi- sions have been expounded in the first chapter itself we again deal with them here for a better under- standing.

A forest may be said to be Samashti or collective aspect and a tree Vyashti or individual aspect. Com- pound is collective and component is Adividual. On si- milar lines the three bodies have /tvo aspects each. They are (i) the collective physie body, (ii) the collective subtle body and (iii) thy collective causal body, (iv) the individual physicet body. (v) the in-

idual subtle body and (vi) the individual causal ly. Thus they are six in all.

The Self is simultaneously limited by the Sa- shti and the Vyashti aspects as Isvara and Jiva pectively. But this is only an appearance and not 'eality, because Self is one only. It is only through : vehicle of Maya that the Self manifests elf as Isvara and through the vehicle of idya It. appears as Jiva. But it is not in reality. As long as one looks upon `m as real, there is no cessation of bondage. The ipture, which is verily a mother to all Jivas, tea- es that 'Itself (Atman) becoming Maya and Avidya ises the appearances of both Isvara and Jiva'. ara has no identification with the collective causal dy, because Ahamkara or the notion of 'T', which the cause for Abhimana, is in a latent condition the Mahasushupti or great deep sleep or deluge. is Isvara, who presides over the universal causal dy, goes also by the name of Avyakrita or the Un- inifest and Antaryamin or the Inner Ruler. It is rshipped by a superior type of devout Jivas. For > benefit of those, who are not able to contemplate on It, the scripture instructs meditation on It as ited by the Samashti Sukshma Sarira or the col- tive subtle body. In this aspect It is known as ranyagarbha or the one born of the golden embryo, tratman or one who synthesises all manifestation m within, like a thread running through a number beads and holding them from within, and Maha ana or the cosmic life-force.

DOUBT :- Does this Hiranyag. ha or the Col- tive Astral Being too develop n' identification with

74 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

the collective subtle body, as in the case of Isvara CLARIFICATION:Yes, He too has no identificati with the collective subtle body. Though egoisr which is the cause for Abhimana, is present in th state, yet He does not identify His being with tl collective subtle body, since He has not yet entere into the collective physical body, which is the abod for Abhimana. After all, the collective subtle bod is but a state of dream. Unless one functions in th waking state one cannot have impressions to carr. into the dream state. Hence physical body is essen tial for developing Abhimana of any kind. To those who cannot meditate even upon this subtle Upadhi of Isvara, the scriptures prescribe for their worship meditation on the same Isvara as limi- ted by the collective physical body. In this state, Isvara is termed as Virat or Vairaja or one who ap- pears in myriads of forms, or Vaisvanara or the one related to all men. DOUBT :- Is there any Abhimana in this Virat? CLARIFICATION :- A little thought on the matter will show that in the collective physical body too, It has no Abhimana, because Its physical body is the sum total of all the physical bodies, and there is therefore no room for dwelling on individuality, i.e., to talk in terms of an external duality. To persons who are not capable of meditating on the Universal Being at all in any of the three as- pects mentioned above, contemplation on the Creator or Brahma, the Sustainer or Vishnu and the Destroyer or Rudra is recommended in the scriptures. These deities or personal Gods are also aspects of the very

SELF-KNOWLEDGE 75

same Universal Being, but are known as such when severally qualified by the three Gunas of Rajas, Sat- tva and Tamas respectively. It is in the second as- pect, viz., Vishnu, It incarnates as Fish (Matsya), Tortoise (Kurma), etc., to punish the wicked and protect the virtuous. DOUBT :- Is there any Abhimana or not in these embodied Gods? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. There is Abhimana. In a special sense, the Universal Being gets identified with these three aspects mentioned above; otherwise It cannot discharge Its duties as Creator, etc. DOUBT :- Then what is the difference between Isvara and the Jiva if both identify themselves with their respective bodies? CLARIFICATION :- Certainly there is difference. The Jiva has a sense of 'I-ness' (Ahamta) and 'mine- ness' (Mamata) in the physical body at all times. But in the case of the Isvara, He assumes Abhimana only for the time being, and that too, out of His grace to protect all beings. He merely puts it on, just as an actor in a drama assumes for the time being a particular type of Abhimana that is appropriate to the role he plays. Thus, there is a wide gulf of dif- ference between Isvara and Jiva. In the case of those, who find it hard to contemp- late even on these personal aspects of the Universal Being, worship of idols is advocated in the scriptures. Therefore, some people worship the Universal Being in idols. It should not be forgotten that it is the Universal Being as seated within the various idols

76 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

in Its capacity as the Indweller that gives the de votees the fruits of their worship. It is only dull. witted people, who have not understood the omni- present nature of the Universal Being, that quarrel among themselves, thinking and contending that with- in each personal aspect and in every idol a different Universal Being exists. But it should be understood that there is only one Universal Being, the Inner Ruler, within all beings. DOUBT :- If there is only one Universal Being present alike in all places, why do religious texts approve and prescribe different methods of worship of different aspects of the Reality? CLARIFICATION :- It is to give salvation even to extrovert persons by converting them gradually into introverts and then teaching them that the Trans- cendent Self or Paramatman Itself is the Individual Self or Jivatman. The scriptures accept the long- existing beginningless difference only as a prelimi- nary step to prescribe meditation to those persons in a way suitable to their level of understanding and not on the ground that they should conform to such a course for ever. Thus have been described the ways by which Paramatman manifests Himself as Isvara through the three vehicles, viz., the three collective bodies. Now we shall describe how the one Paramatman attains the state of Jivatman through the thrce mi- crocosmic individual bodies. Paramatman associated with the Vyashti Karana Sarira or individual causal body is known as Prajna or the individual conscious- ness, Paramarthika or the real-Self, Avidya-Avacchin- na or Consciousness limited by ignorance. When the

Paramatman is associated with the Vyashti Sukshr Sarira or individual subtle body, he is called Taija or luminous being, Svapna-Kalpita or the drea: Self, Pratibhasika or illusory Self. When he is : sociated with the Vyashti Sthula Sarira or individt physical body, he is known as Visva or manifest individual Self, Vyavaharika or empirical Self a Chidabhasa or reflected consciousness.

DOUBT :- What is the necessity for these th: bodies of the Jivas? CLARIFICATION :- The Jiva is but a reflection the Absolute in the Antahkarana. As the Ant: karana is contained only in the subtle body, the n for assuming a subtle body is clear. Again, with a physical body there is no possibility of manife ing agency or performance of actions and theref also its need is evident. Further, since these 1 bodies cannot exist in the absence of their cai viz., the causal body, the latter too may be seen be essential. Thus, the need for having the th bodies stands clear. DOUBT :- Is there Abhimana of the Jiva with three bodies or not? If so how? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. There is Abhimana. If Jiva has no Abhimana for the body in the per mance of actions, no agency can arise in it. If actions and agency are generated, then there car no embodiment; and without a body there is no : sibility of existence for the Jiva. Hence Jiva Abhimana. Thus we find that the one Paramat: manifests itself as Jiva and Isvara through the hicles of the Vyashti and Samashti Upadhis or li ing adjuncts.

78 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

DOUBT :- Is there any illustration to explain this? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. An individual, say Deva- datta by name, is both a father and a grandfather at the same time, because of his begetting children and grandchildren respectively. Similarly, the Pa- ramatman assumes both universality or Isvaratva and individuality or Jivatva because of the Upadhis of Maya and Avidya respectively. DOUBT :- The above example illustrates only the possibility of the Paramatman becoming indicatable by the two different names, viz., Isvara and Jiva, but does not seem to bring out the existing difference between the omniscience, etc., of Isvara and the li- mited knowledge, etc., of the Jiva. Therefore, is there any other illustration to prove that point also? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. Here are some illustra- tions. (i) The large expanse of water in a lake pos- sesses the power of preserving the inhabitants of a whole village, whereas the same water, less in quan. tity, in a vessel possesses lesser power of quenching the thirst of a family. (ii) The light of a large torch is able to illumine a vast area, whereas the light from the small wick of a lamp is able to illuminate a house only. In the same way, the universal wisdom of Is- vara arose through the vehicle of Maya, the grand cause, and the limited wisdom of the Jiva through the vehicle of Avidya, the little effect. [N.B :- Inherent knowledge is the same in hoth the cases, as the inherent luminosity is the same in the analogy of the torch and the lamp. Just as the ability to shed more or less light depends upon the size of the Upadhis, viz., wick, etc., and not on the

SELF-KNOWLEDGE 79

fire itself, omniscience and limited knowledge, etc., having nothing to do with the Paramatman, are the results of the Upadhis or limiting adjuncts.]

Therefore, the Vedanta Sastras affirm the es- sential indivisibility or Akhandatva between Isvara and Jiva through the three relations that exist be- tween the two words 'Thou' and 'That' contained in the Maha Vakya 'That Thou Art'.

DOUBT:What are the three relations?

CLARIFICATION :- The three relations are as fol- lows:

(1) Samanadhikaranya-Sambandha or relation- ship of identity or equality of apposition between two words in a sentence, (2) Viseshana-Viseshya- Bhava-Sambandha or the relationship of the qualifier and the qualified between the meanings of the two words and (3) Lakshya-Lakshana-Bhava-Sambandha or the relationship of that which is aimed at and its characteristics, i.e., the connotative relationship between two words or their meanings and an iden- tity implied by them both. These three relations can be illustrated thus:

Take for example the sentence 'Soyam Devadat- tah'-'That is this Devadatta', by which we express a fact that a person named Devadatta whom we have seen before in a different place, in a different condi- tion, is now before us. All the three relations are present in this sentence. Samanadhikaranya-Sambandha is present bet- ween the two words 'that' and 'this' because, the same physical form or personality called 'Devadatta' is

80 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

signified by both the words. Similar is the case the two words 'That' and 'Thou' in the Mahava since Consciousness is the substratum signifiec both the words. Therefore, the two words are to be in Samanadhikaranya-Sambandha or appos nal relation.

Coming to the Viseshana-Viseshya-Bh: Sambandha, we find from the same sentence, 'That is this Devadatta', that the person indict by the word 'that' and the person indicated by word 'this' are not absolutely the same as indica by the words, though it is to the same person, v has reference to different associations with differ periods of time and with different places. The fore, the two words viz., 'this' and 'that' are tal to qualify each other in a way. Thus, there is t relationship of 'the qualifier and the qualified' he Likewise, in 'Thou Art That', though the words 'Th and 'Thou' are associated with omniscience, remot ness, etc., on the one hand and with limited kno ledge, etc., on the other respectively, they have V seshana-Viseshya-Bhava-Sambandha towards eat other, inasmuch as they are equated by the wol 'Art'. The third relation, viz., Lakshya-Lakshana-Bha va-Sambandha also exists between the two word 'that' and 'this'. In this relation, all contradictor; associations are abandoned, and the identity is res tricted to the common part of the connotation of the two words. In the above instance, reference to the varying features of time and space that separate 'that and 'this' is omitted, and only the bare physica identity of the person Devadatta is taken into ac.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE 81

unt. Similarly, in the case of the two words 'That' id 'Thou', the contradictory associations are avoid- L and the non-contradictory, common, essential fea- Ire, viz., Consciousness alone is taken into account arriving at the real significance of the equation, z., the indivisible Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Ab- ›lute. This third relation is what is referred to in edantic terminology as Jahadajahallakshana or par- al rejection and partial retention, or Bhagatyaga- akshana or abandonment of a part. It is explained ius:

It is commonly accepted that there are three dif- `rent methods of understanding the meaning of a rord, viz., (i) Mukhya-Vritti or direct exposition, (ii) 'auna-Vritti or attributive exposition and (iii) Lak- hana-Vritti or indicative exposition. In the sentence The king goes', the word 'king' gets its direct mean- ng, as there is nothing to restrict or modify the mean- ng of the word. But in the expressions 'The blue tus', or 'The bright student', the direct meanings of he words 'lotus' and 'student', by themselves cover- ng a wider range of application, get limited by the vords 'blue' and 'bright' respectively. Hence they re attributive or Gauna.

The third method, viz., Lakshana-Vritti is of hree kinds. They are (i) Jahallakshana or total tbandonment, (ii) Ajahallakshana or not abandoned ut amplified, and (iii) Jahadajahallakshana or Bha- jatyaga-Lakshana or partly abandoned. The three statements, viz., (i) Gangayam Ghoshah or 'The vil- age of the cowherds is on the Ganges', (ii) Sono Dhavati or 'The red is running' and (iii) Soyam De-

82 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

I

2

4 5

THAT (IS H WARA!)

Fig. 8. Position of "That" (Tat). 1. Brahman, 2. Maya, 3. Reflected Consciousness of Brah-

. man, i.e., Isvara, 4. Upadhi or limiting adjunct of Isvara. 5. Unassociated Pure Consciousness of Brahman.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE 83

vadattah or 'This is That Devadatta', respectively, illustrate these three kinds of Lakshana-Vrittis.

[N.B .:- There cannot be a village over a river. Redness is a quality which cannot run. Therefore in xthe first case we have to drop 'on' and substitute 'near' or 'on the banks of'. In the second, we keep the word 'red' as it is, but we have to amplify its meaning by introducing an amplifying word like 'horse'. In the third case we retain only the essential being, implied by the words 'That' and 'This', but drop the extraneous attributes of time, space, etc., that differentiate the two.].

If we consider only the direct meaning of the words contained in the declaration 'That Thou Art', we shall never be able to grasp the equation indicated by the word 'Art'. Hence, their implied meaning is sought for and accepted.

DOUBT :- What are the Vachyartha or direct meaning and Lakshyartha or indicative meaning of the words 'That' and 'Thou' of the Mahavakya? CLARIFICATION :- The direct meaning of the word 'That' is Maya, its substratum, viz., the Conscious- ness Absolute and the reflection of the Consciousness in Maya. The direct meaning of 'Thou' is Avidya, its substratum, viz., the Witness-Consciousness and the reflection of the Consciousness in Avidya. Brah- ma-Chaitanya or the Absolute-Consciousness alone is the indicative meaning of the word 'That' and the Sakshi-Kutastha-Chaitanya or the Witness-Substra- tum-Consciousness alone is the indicative meaning of 'Thou'. Therefore, in arriving at the real meaning of the words 'That' and 'Thou' of the Mahavakya, it has

84 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

3 .........

4

THO U CIIVALS

Fig. 9. Position of "Thou" (Tvam). 1. Brahman, 2. Avidya, 3. Reflected Conscionsness of Brahman, i.e., Chidabhasa, 4. Upadhi or limiting adjunet of Jiva, 5. Unassociated Pure Conscjousness called Kuttastha.

SELF-KNOWLEDGE 85

ALL PERVADING CONSCIOUSNESS

THAT

THOU

CONSCIOUSNESS

Fig. 10. Position of "Art" (Asi) in the Mahavakya 'Tat Tvam Asi' or "That Thou Art". The Unassociated Ali-pervading Pure Consciousness is the com- mon factor in "That" and "Thou", which is "Art".

86 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

to be remembered that the Mahavakya teaches us the oneness between 'That' and 'Thou', avoiding the con- tradictory portions in the direct meanings of the two words and basing itself on the oneness between Brah- ma-Chaitanya in Isvara and Kutastha-Chaitanya in Jiva.

Just as the analogies cited above, in.the absence of sons and grandsons, Devadatta alone remains, shaking off the attributive epithets of 'father' and 'grandfather', and also just like when the limiting features of a lake and vessel are eliminated, water alone remains, and also just like when the big and small wicks are left out, light alone remains with its natural heat and redness, so also, on the abandonment of the limiting features of Maya and Avidya, the non- dual-Self alone remains. It is the Sat-Chit-Ananda- Atman.

One should thus enquire into the real meaning of the Mahavakya and understand his real nature and feel 'I am the all-full, innermost Self' or 'Paripurna- Svabhava-Pratyagatman', 'I am the Absolute' or 'Aham Brahmasmi', 'The Absolute am I' or 'Brahmai- vahamasmi'. 'That great soul, who experiences his being thus, is verily a liberated soul, a perfected soul, a true Brahmana or knower of the Absolute'-thus trumpet all Vedantas.

CHAPTER VIII

THE SELF IS SEPARATE FROM THE THREE BODIES

In the forthcoming four chapters beginning from this one, the Paramatman or the Supreme Self is ex- plained in four different ways, viz., (1) Sariratraya- Vilakshana or separate from the three bodies, (2) Avasthatraya-Sakshi or witness of the three states, (3) Panchakosa-Vyatirikta or transcending the five sheaths and (4) Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupa or Exis- tence-Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute. Of these four descriptions, Sariratraya-Vilakshanatva or separate- ness from the three bodies and Panchakosa-Vyatirik- tatva or transcendence of the five sheaths are tech- nically called Atadvyavritti-Lakshana or description by negation, i.e., negation of all that is Atat or not- That. Avasthatraya-Sakshitva or witnessing of the three states is called Tatastha-Lakshana or descrip- tion by extraneous attributes. The Sat-Chit-Ananda Svarupatva or the Existence-Consciousness-Bliss as- pect is called Svarupa-Lakshana or description by . essential nature. The three Lakshanas or characteris- tics are explained further.

Indirectly indicating the Self to be that, which remains after negating all the things that are seen, beginning from the ether upto the three bodies, thr- ough the process of negation called 'Neti-Neti' or 'not this, not this', is called Atadvyavritti-Lakshana or

88 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

description by negation. The presentation of t Absolute as the substratum of the universe is tha-Lakshana or description by extraneous attr and presentation of It as eternal, all-full, Exi: Consciousness-Bliss Absolute is Svarupa-Laksh: description by essential nature.

In this eighth chapter Sariratraya-Vilaksh described. In the absence of a full knowledge ( three bodies one cannot know That which is differentiated from them, and therefore a de description of the three bodies becomes essential three bodies are (1) Sthula or gross, (2) Sukshr subtle and (3) Karana or causal.

The Sthula Sarira is the physical body that is by all and that is possessed of various limbs like le feet, etc., and looks like a stiff post. The Suks Sarira or the subtle body is made up of seven limbs. The Karana Sarira or the causal body is 1 ly ignorance or Ajnana. These bodies are ter 'the withering one'. The word Sarira is derived f the root 'Sru', i.e., to wither away. For, in the sence of food the physical body withers away; 1 even if food be supplied it may wither on account disease; and even in the absence of disease it will ther away on account of the sheer process of advan ment of age. The subtle body too thrives for so: time and perishes like a bud. It thrives on the i foldment of mental modifications like love, hate, et and decays in their absence. The causal body al thrives on with the notion 'I am a Jiva' and withe away with the thought 'Aham Brahmasmi' or 'I a Brahman'. .

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 89

This kind of thriving of the latter two bodies, viz., subtle and causal bodies, is seen in ignorant per- sons and their decay in enlightened persons. Thus old age overtakes all the three bodies in one way or the other. Hence too the aptness of the name Sarira or the withering one. The body is also termed Deha or 'that which is burnt'. The etymology is 'Dahyate Iti Dehah' derived from the root 'Dah', i.e., 'to burn'. DOUBT :- The physical body is often seen burnt by fire, but the burning of the subtle and causal bo- dies is never seen; then how can this term be applied to all the three bodies? CLARIFICATION :- The applicability can be seen from the fact that they are all being more woefully scorched by the 'Tapatraya' or the three kinds of af- flictions, viz., (1) the Adhyatma or subjective, (2) the Adhidaiva or heavenly and (3) the Adhibhuta or objective than the physical body by fire. Hence the term fits in with all the three bodies. The grossness of the gross body, like that of a post, etc., is due to . its being the outcome of gross elements. The subt- lety of the subtle body is, similarly, on account of its being the effect of subtle elements and the absence of substantiality such as we find in the case of the gross body. The subtle body is known as Linga or Linga Deha. The etymology of the word is 'Linam Sabdadi Artham Gamayati' or that which remaining itself concealed reveals sense-objects like sound, etc. The reason for the name 'Causal Body' is be- cause of its being the cause for the other two bodies. DOUBT :- It was previously stated that the first two bodies are the effects of the five elements. Now

90 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

it is being said in a contradictory way that they have come out of the causal body. How is this? CLARIFICATION :- In the Adhyaropa Srishti or the superimposed creation the two bodies are said to be born of the five elements. But in the Yugapat Srishti or instantaneous creation the cause for all the uni- verse (which includes the physical and subtle bodies) is stated to be Ajnana.or ignorance. That is why it was said that ignorance or the causal body is the cause for the other two bodies.

DOUBT :- What is Krama Srishti and what is Yugapat Srishti?

CLARIFICATION :- In Krama Srishti, Mulaprakriti, Maya, Avidya, Avarana, Vikshepa, ether, air, fire, water and earth are the successive stages of crea- tion in the order mentioned. This process of suc- cessive creation is known as Krama Srishti. By Yu- . gapat Srishti is meant the instantaneous appearance of the whole universe as the outcome of the absence of the knowledge of the Self. DOUBT :- There can be no doubt regarding the existence of the physical body, since it is actually per- ceived. But how can one understand that the subtle body exists, seeing that it is not so manifest? CLARIFICATION :- It is true that the subtle body is not visible; but its existence and presence can be discerned by a study of the actions of its seventeen limbs. DOUBT :- Is it impossible for the physical body to do the functions of all those seventeen limbs?

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 91

CLARIFICATION :- Yes. The physical body, doubt- less, exists even in the states like deep sleep, swoon and death, but the functions of those limbs are not seen then. But in the states of wakefulness and dream their functioning is seen. Therefore, it has to be clearly inferred that besides the physical body, a subtle body with seventeen limbs exists.

\ DOUBT :- The subtle body can never function in the absence of a physical body. Then, why should we not hold that both of them function jointly and do actions like seeing, etc .?

CLARIFICATION :- A discriminative enquiry will make it evident that all actions like seeing, etc., are possible only to the subtle body and not to the phy- sical body. Let us take an analogy. There is no doubt that fire is able to perform the acts of burning, cooking, etc., only when it has the support of the fuel. In the absence of fuel, fire does nothing. But, all the same, the acts of burning, cooking, etc., are attribu- ted only to fire and not to the fuel or wood. In the same way, though it is only on the support of the phy- sical body that the subtle body performs the various acts of seeing, etc., they are verily the functions of the subtle body alone and not of the physical body. It is termed as subtle body as it has to be thus infer- red through the functions of seeing, etc.

Its seventeen limbs are the five senses of know- ledge, the five organs of action, the five Pranas, the mind and the intellect. These seventeen limbs make up the subtle body. The senses of knowledge are (i) Srotra or the sense of hearing, (ii) Tvak or the sense of touch, (iii) Chakshus or the sense of sight, (iv)

92 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Jihva or the sense of taste and (v) Ghrana or the sense of smell. Their objects are respectively (i) Sabda or sound, (ii) Sparsa or touch, (iii) Rupa or form, (iv) Rasa or taste and (v) Gandha or smell. Since they are the means of deriving knowledge they are termed Jnana-Indriyas or the senses of knowledge. It is because that they are born of Sattva-Guna, which can illumine and reveal objects clearly, that they have the capacity to be the means of knowledge. The five organs of action are (i) Vak or the or- gan of speech, (ii) Pani or the organ of grasping, (iii) Pada or the organ of locomotion, (iv) Payu or the organ of excretion and (v) Upastha or the organ of procreation. They become instruments for per- forming the acts of speaking, grasping, moving, ex- creting and procreating respectively. They become the means of action on account of their being born of Rajo-Guna, which is characterised by impurity and motion. The five vital forces are (i) Prana or respiratory, (ii) Apana or expiratory, (iii) Vyana or pervasive, (iv) Udana or ascensional and (v) Samana or equa- lizing. These will be explained subsequently. In these five aspects the Prana does the functions of breath- ing etc., supports the body and gives strength to it. It is therefore termed the Prana or the vital force. It is endowed with these capacities, since it too is born of Rajas. The Antahkarana-Vritti or the modifica- tion of the inner instrument, when it is in an uncer- tain state, it is called Manas or mind, and in its as- pect as a determining agency it is called Buddhi or intellect. Thus the seventeen limbs of the subtle body have been described.

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 93

Now, there are three means of knowing an ob- ject viz., (i) Uddesa, (ii) Lakshana and (iii) Parik- sha. Uddesa means referring to an object by its name. Lakshana is indicating an object by its qualities. Pariksha means enquiry into the nature of the object. The seventeen limbs have already been 'specified'. This is Uddesa. Now their 'definition' or Lakshana and 'analysis' or Pariksha will follow.

'Definition' is the faultless description of the specific qualities of the defined. It should be free from the three faults of (i) Avyapti or inadequate pervasion, (iì) Ativyapti or unwarranted extension and (iii) Asambhava or impossibility. Avyapti arises when a definition is found to be inapplicable to some part of the defined; e.g. 'That which is brown is a cow'. Brown colour can be attributed to any animal having that colour. Ativyapti is found in cases of the appli- cability of the definition to things other than the de- fined; for example 'An animal having four legs is a cow'. Asambhava is the total inapplicability of a definition to the defined; e.g., 'A cow is an animal with uncleft hoofs'. In the examples cited above a specific and faultless definition of a cow would be to indicate its physical shape as having dewlap, back, hump, etc. In the same way, the characteristics of the faculties of knowledge are being explained now in their regular order. Srotra is defined as the one stationed in the ethereal space, in the cavity of the ear, which being impelled by its presiding deity called Dik or direction, understands different languages, scriptures, etc. The 'analysis' would run like this: If it is said that it is the ethereal space limited by the cavity of the ear

94 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

that understands the different languages, etc., the definition is clearly inapplicable to it, since in states like deep sleep, swoon, etc., in which the ethereal space exists, no hearing takes place. Hence, as the result of the 'examination' we conclude that it is something other than the physical ear that hears.

Tvak is present throughout the skin and being impelled by its presiding deity Vayu or wind-god, feels different things to be cold, hot, soft, hard, rough, etc. But it cannot be said that it is the skin alone that feels them thus, since, though present in states like deep sleep, swoon, etc., the skin is not sensitive at all.

Chakshus is stationed in the pupil of the eye and being directed by its presiding deity Surya or sun- god, it knows colours, solidity, subtlety, shortness, longness, etc. It cannot be said that it is only the . pupil of the eye that knows the various colours etc., since, though it exists in states like deep sleep, swoon, etc., it is unable to give rise to such knowledge. The pupil of the eye is, therefore, definitely not the ulti- mate faculty of sight. Jihva is situated in the tongue. Directed by its presiding deity, Varuna or the water-god, it knows the six states, viz., sweetness, astringency, salinity, acidity, pungency and bitterness. But it is evident that it is not the physical tongue that really knows these tastes, since, in spite of its presence in states like deep sleep, swoon, etc., it is unable to give rise to such knowledge. The physical tongue, therefore, does not constitute the faculty of taste.

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 95 ʻ Ghrana is located at the nose and directed by its presiding deity, the Asvini-Kumaras or the twins who are the physicians of the celestials, it knows plea- sant and foul odour. But, palpably it is not the phy- sical nose that knows the odour, since it is not able to do so in states like deep sleep, swoon, etc., in which also it is present. Therefore, it is not the real agent of smell.

Thus the essential nature of each of the five senses of knowledge has been both 'defined' and 'ana- lysed'. Now the organs of action are explained in the same way.

Vak, directed by its presiding deity Agni or fire- god, functions from the palate, the upper and lower lips, teeth, throat, heart and navel and articulates different types of sounds such as palatals, labials, dentals, gutturals, etc., as stated before. It cannot be said that the various physical centres mentioned above can, by themselves, articulate or produce the different sounds, since they, though present in states like deep sleep, etc., are not seen to do so. Pani is situated in the palm of the hand. Di- rected by its presiding deity Indra or the lord of the heavens, it does the work of grasping objects. The palm of the hand, it is clear, cannot be the organ of grasping, since, though it exists in states like deep sleep, etc., it is not seen to grasp any object in those states. Pada is located in the sole of the feet and di- rected by its supporting deity Upendra or Lord Maha- vishnu as the younger brother of Indra in His fifth incarnation as Vamana, it performs the act of lo-

96 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

comotion. It cannot be said that it is really th of the fect that does the act of walking, etc though present in states like deep sleep, etc., not seen to walk in those states. Payu is situated in the anus, and directed I supporting deity, Mrityu or the lord of dea discharges its function of excretion. But it shou understood that it is not actually the anus that forms the exeretory act, since, though preser states like deep sleep, etc., it is not seen to fun by itself.

Upastha is situated in the reproductive or Directed by its supporting deity Prajapati or the of creation, it does its work of discharging sp ovum and urine. The generative organ itself car be said to be the Upastha, because, though pres in deep sleep, etc., it is not seen to perform its a vities.

Thus a description of the five organs of act has been given. Now follows a description of five Pranas or the vital forces. Prana is directed by its supporting deity Visi: ta, and functions at the heart and does the act breathing. Apana is directed by Visvasrishta and st tioned in the anus and does the expiratory act. Vya: fills the entire body and is directed by its suppor ing deity Visvayoni. It gives strength to the variot organs and limbs of the body. Udana is supporte by the deity Aja and is seated in the throat-regio It causes the faculties of knowledge and the orgar of action to become latent and active in the stato of sleep and wakefulness respectively and at the tim

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 97

of death takes the individual soul along with the sen- ses of knowledge and organs of action to the other planes of existence. Samana is directed by the supporting deity Jaya and functions from the navel. It helps digesting the four types of food, viz., those which are masticated, swallowed, sucked and licked, by the digestive fire and gives nourish- ment to the body. Such are the five aspects of the Prana.

A different set of five subsidiary vital forces called Upa-Pranas is also mentioned in other texts. They are (i) Naga, (ii) Kurma, (iii) Krikara, (iv) Devadatta and (v) Dhananjaya. They are however, included in the five main aspects. Their functions are as follows: Naga helps vomiting; Kurma helps the opening and closing of the eyelids and also the parting and closing up of the lips, Krikara helps sneezing; Devadatta in yawning and Dhananjaya in swelling up of the body. Now follows an explanation of the Antahkarana or the inner instrument. The fourfold Antahkar: is comprised of the Manas or mind, Buddhi or tellect, Ahamkara or ego and Chitta or subconsci mind. Manas is supported by Chandra or moon stationed in the throat-region. It does the funct of thinking and doubting. Buddhi is supported Brahma, the Creator, and located in the moi (Mukha). It does the act of determining. Aha kara is governed by Rudra, the Destroyer. It is s ted in the heart and asserts and develops atta ment. Chitta is ruled by Vishnu, the Preserver, w is the Kshetrajna or the knower of the field. place is in the navel and its duty is the act of r

MIND

SUPREME SOUL IMDIVIDUAL SOUL

Fig. 11. What is Mind? "That which separates you from God is mind. The wall that stands between you and God is mind. Mind is nothing but a collection of Samskaras, desires, feelings and ideas. It is nothing but a bundle of habits." -Swami Sivananda.

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 99

morising. In some texts the astral body is mentioned as comprised of sixteen principles. In that case the Antahkarana is considered as a single principle. Elsewhere seventeen principles are enumerated. In this case, the Antahkarana is taken into account as two principles, viz., Manas and Buddhi. A third view is that there are nineteen principles. In this case the Antahkarana is considered as made up of four different principles, viz., Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara. Thus is the ascertainment of the Linga-Sarira or astral body.

Now the causal body is explained. Ignorance alone is called the causal body, since it is the cause for both the physical and astral bodies. Its causal nature is accounted for by its being the first body of the Jiva and Isvara. Hence it becomes the cause for the two succeeding bodies. DOUBT :- Is there any proof to this effect?

CLARIFICATION :- Yes, the scriptures declare that Ajnana or ignorance is the cause. Reason infers the existence of a cause by its effects, and experience reveals it when one exclaims 'I am an ignorant man'. Thus from all the three approaches, viz., Sruti, Yukti and Anubhava, the causal nature of ignorance stands proved.

DOUBT :- To teach us that the Self is distinct from the three bodies, the nature of the three bodies has been explained in the first instance. Can the Self be explained in a similar manner?

CLARIFICATION :- Yes, the Self is now explained. The Absolute is called Brahman or the Great, since It is present everywhere as an Indivisible Whole. Ac-

100 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPIIY

cording to the various Upanishads the same Absolu is the innermost Self. Therefore, let the Self be u derstood to be Sat-Chit-Ananda-Svarupa or Existenc Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute.

DOUBT :- What is Existence, what is Consciou ness and what is Bliss?

CLARIFICATION :- Existence is that which is de void of negation. Self-luminosity is Consciousnes: Self-experience alone is Bliss. Thus the Self is Exis tence-Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute. It cannot be nc gated, It is known by Itself and experienced by Itself The Anatman or the non-Self is of the nature o Anrita or unreality, Jada or inertia and Duhkha ol pain.

DOUBT :- How to know the difference between the Atman and the Anatman? CLARIFICATION :- Just as the physiological fea- tures of a man are not seen in a woman, and vice versa, in the same way, the characteristics of Sat are not present in Asat and vice versa. Just as the qualities of light are not present in darkness and those of darkness are not seen in light, so also the qualities of Chit are not seen in Jada and those of Jada are not seen in Chit. Just as the cooling nature of the moon-light is not present in the sun-light and the scorching nature of the sun-light is not present in the cool moon-light, in the same way Ananda-Lak- shana or blissful nature is not present in Duhkha or / pain and Duhkha-Lakshana or painful nature is not present in Ananda or bliss. A more detailed description of Sat-Chit-Ananda and Anrita-Jada-Duhkha is given below:

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 101

That one entity which persists in all the three periods of time, without getting negated by any means whatsoever, is said to be Sat or Existence-Absolute. An entity, though unreal (or really non-existent) in all the three periods of time, but appears to be real and gets negated, if and when examined properly, is called Asat. An analogy will make the point clear. A rope seen in dim light appears to the beholder as a snake or a garland, a stick, a water-mark, etc. Whether it is during the time of delusion, or before, or after, the rope alone exists. It is not negated in any way by any of the appearances, which the be- holder's delusion has superimposed on it. Though these superimpositions have no real existence, they look like existing things as long as the delusion lasts. But the point to be noted carefully is that they all stand negated when examined carefully. In the il- lustration, the nature of the rope has nothing to do with the snake, etc., nor that of the snake, etc., with the rope. Therefore, it is clear that there is a five- fold difference between the rope and the appearance of snake, etc., viz., (i) Sabda or verbal, (ii) Artha or significative, (iii) Lakshana or definitive, (iv) Pratiti or perceptional and (v) Vyavahara or post- inferential. Likewise, as between Existence and un- reality, the qualities of Sat are not seen in Asat which is comprised of the body,, senses, etc., nor are those of the Asat seen in the Sat. Therefore, here too exist the above-mentioned five differences. An enquiry on these lines will bring out clearly the dif- ference between Sat and Asat.

Now, let us see the difference between Chit and Jada. Chit or Consciousness reveals Itself without

102 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

having to depend upon any other agency like the sun, etc., to illumine It. Further, It serves to re- veal the presence of the inert things superimposed upon It. Also, It reveals alike luminous objects like the sun, etc., and inert objects like a clay-doll, ete. An inert thing cannot reveal itself, nor is it capable of revealing other things. The sun reveals itself without the help of any external revealing agencics and at the same time is able to illumine other ob- jects like pot, cloth, etc. Consciousness, like the sun, is self-luminous. But pot, cloth, etc., are inert and reveal neither themselves nor other objects. Therc- fore, it follows that the same fivefold differences of Sabda, etc., that exist between the sun and the non- luminous objects, exist between Chit and Jada. DOUBT :- What is the benefit of such enquiry as this? CLARIFICATION :- Through such enquiry we gain the understanding that the modifications seen in the revealed objects do not touch the revealer, viz., the Atman, in the three periods of time, DOUBT :- How is it? CLARIFICATION :- For instance, the sun illumines a pot. The pot may be in any condition. It may be broken, or unbroken, polluted or pure, a work of art or ugly. In other words, it may be a very de- sirable object or a useless one. But whatever be the condition of the pot, it does not affect the sun in any way. Likewise, the Self, which reveals the modifications of the body, senses, etc., is not affec- ted by them in any way in the three periods of time. The said modifications arise only on account of any

SELF IS SEPARATE FROM BODIES 103

one of the following reasons, viz., names, forms, dif- ference in caste, stage of life, activity, renunciation, injunctions, prohibitions, Shad Bhava-Vikaras or the six modifications (viz., existence, birth, growth, change, decay and death), Shad Urmis or the six evils (viz., grief, delusion, hunger, thirst, old age and death), the six sheaths (viz., skin, flesh, blood, fat, marrow and bones), blindness, dull eye-sight, intelligence, etc. It should be known that this spi- ritual wisdom would be easily acquired if persisted in. Thus, the difference between Chit and Jada is explained.

Now the difference between Bliss and pain is explained. Bliss is that happiness which is not de- pendent on any limiting adjunct, unsurpassed and eternal. Pain, on the other hand, is that which arouses an unpleasant feeling. It becomes a source of hatred also, if and when it happens to be an ob- ject of desire to others too. Pain is of three types. They are (i) Adhyatmika or subjective, (ii) Adhi- bhautika or objective and (iii) Adhidaivika or hea- venly. Adhyatmika pain arises in the body itself on account of the malfunctioning of the senses or due to disbalance between the three humours called phlegm, wind and bile. Adhibhautika pain arises from the elements and created beings like snakes, tigers, etc. Adhidaivika pain is caused by the ce- lestials and takes the shape of excessive rain, drought, lightning, thunder, etc. The nature of Bliss as well as that of pain can be explained as follows: Nectar is of the nature of happiness. It makes them happy, who taste it. Poison is destructive by nature and harms those who come into contact with it: The

104 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

same fivefold differences, viz., verbal, etc., which exist between nectar and poison subsist between Bliss and pain. Pain is essentially of the nature of the three afflictions mentioned above and there is no Bliss seen in it. The Self is essentially of the nature of Bliss and not even a trace of pain can therefore be seen in It. Thus, it has been well established that the Self, implied by the notion 'I' is an ever-existing entity like the rope, a self-luminous entity like the sun and blissful entity like the nectar. It is also different from the aggregate of the body, senses, etc., which is unreal like the snake, inert like the pot and painful like the poison in the three analogies cited above. One who learns all about the Self from the pre- ceptor in the manner detailed above, is alone an un- attached, perfected, liberated individual. This is the conclusion of all Vedanta.

CHAPTER IX

SELF IS THE WITNESS OF THE THREE STATES

Of the four ways of indicating the Self, viz., (i) Sariratraya-Vilakshana or separate from the three bodies, (ii) Avasthatraya-Sakshi or witness of the three states, (iii) Panchakosa-Vyatirikta or trans- cending the five sheaths and (iv) Sat-Chit-Ananda- Svarupa or Existence-Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, only the first aspect was described in the eighth chap- ter. Now in this chapter Its witnessing nature of the three states is being explained.

The mind is of the nature of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, but Sattva-Guna is predominant in it. The Self is to be realised through Sattvic mind and not through Rajasic or Tamasic mind. Sattva-Guna is subtle, Rajas is mobile and Tamas gross. Therefore, just as a big beam cannot pass through a small hole, through which smoke alone can enter, and just as subtle shades cannot be distinguished in a flickering candle, in the same way, the Self which is subtler than the subtlest, cannot be reached either by the Tamasic or Rajasic mind. It can be realised only by a Sattvic mind. Therefore it should be understood properly through concentrated attention. Now the nature of the three states is explained. The three states are (i) Jagrat or wakeful, (ii) Svapna or dream and (iii) Sushupti or deep sleep.

Fig. 12. The Universe of Perception. "The World is like a town that appears in a mirror. Through the power of Maya it appears to be existing outside, just as the appearance of dream, even though its existence is inside the mind of the Jiva." -Dakshinamurti Stotra of Bhagavan Sankaracharya.

SELF IS THE WITNESS 107 Perception of external objects by the senses marks the waking state. The modifications of the mind into the forms of the enjoyer and of the objects enjoyed, with the help of the impressions gained in the wake- ful state is known as the dreaming state. The state of ignorance which is cognised by the unqualified Witness alone and which follows the dissolution of the two worlds of wakeful and dreaming experiences into causal ignorance, is known as deep sleep state. DOUBT :- How does the Self become the witness of the three states? CLARIFICATION :- First of all, the witnessing na- ture is inherent in the Self. This may be explained as follows: A man is said to be a witness of, say, an- other person, as and when he is able to perceive with- out recording any sympathetic modification in him- self, the condition in which the other is placed and his activities. A renunciate, perceiving a visitor, his condition and actions, without himself being affected, is said to be a witness of the visitor. Similarly, though the Self perceives the various individual souls, their different states of existence and their activities in those states, yet It remains as it is without under- going any modification. Now the three states are explained through an illustration. The wakeful state is like a big city. The dream state is like the courtyard of a big palace and the deep sleep state is like the inner apartment. The Jiva who successively attaches himself to the three states may be compared to the king, who is the owner of the palace. He goes out into the city, comes across objects of likes and dislikes and experiences pain and pleasure. On returning to the palace, he again sees,

108 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

though to a more limited extent, objects of likes and dislikes and expericnces pleasure and pain, while sea- ted in the courtyard. But on entering into the inner apartment he abandons all activities and enjoys pleasure silently in the company of his beloved. Simi- larly, in the wakeful state, the Jivatman as Visva or the empirical self, identified with the physical body, is associated with the activities of the three instru- ments, viz., body, speech and mind. As Taijasa or the illusory self, identifying itself with the subtle body, the same Jivatman is associated with the three men- tally created instruments in the dream state and ex- periences pleasure and pain. Thereafter the Prajna or the real individual self, identifying itself with the causal body, enjoys bliss after withdrawing into itself the three instruments, viz., body, mind and speech. The Kutastha remains in all the three states as the innermost witnessing consciousness and unassociated like the ethereal space. This Witness-Consciousness- Self should be realised with the help of scriptures, reason and experience.

The scripture says that 'It is Witness, Conscious- ness, Unqualified and Attributeless'. The illustration of the big city cited above is the Yukti or reason to be applied. The proof for the existence of the threc states through experiences is as follows: Daily we remember the three states which we have passed through the previous day. It is a psychical law that there can be no remembrance without a previous cx- perience. Therefore, it is sure that we experience everyday the three states. Since the Jiva experiences alternatively the three states in the past and in the - future, and the Atman remains as the unchanging

SELF IS THE WITNESS 109

Witness throughout, the eternality of the Atman is established through experience.

DOUBT :- It is commonly seen in this world that everyone who is a witness of his states is also an experiencer of them. While it is so, how can the witness of the three states be quite different from the experiencer of them?

CLARIFICATION :- The experiencer of these states, viz., the Chidabhasa, is only the consciousness that is reflected in the Antahkarana or the inner instru- ment. He is imaginary and unreal. He alone goes by the name Jiva.

In deep sleep the Jiva disappears owing to the absorption of the Antahkarana. Then how can he be a witness to that state? As it is the rule laid down in the scriptures that there is only one wit- ness to all the three states, viz., the Atman, which reflects Itself in the Antahkarana, the Atman should alone be known as witness of the deep sleep state. But it is quite evident that the Atman is the witness of the waking and dreaming states also. As the Jiva is subject to changes, he cannot be termed a witness, whereas the term 'witness' is quite appli- cable to the Atman alone, which is immutable. That the Jiva is subject to changes is proved by his ex- perience as 'I am happy', 'I am miserable', etc., by assuming himself the functions that are not legi- timately his own, but which pertain to the Antah- karana.

DOUBT :- As Jiva is subject to changes, who is that 'Witness-Self' as distinct from the Jiva? What

110 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

are its characteristics? What is the proof of its existence? How can It be realised?

CLARIFICATION :- The Witness is the changeless substratum. It is the Atman, the Existence-Cons- ciousness-Bliss-Absolute, all-pervading like the ether. It alone, having entered the Antahkarana in the form of Jiva becomes subject to mundane existence. To the existence of such a transcendent Self, all the Vedantic scriptures bear testimony. It is indeed the Consciousness which knows the various states of the Chidabhasa or the reflection of the original Cons- ciousness in the Antahkarana, that experiences those states. It is now awake, now dreaming and is now lured by Ajnana into the dreamless sleeping state; now feels happy or miserable and then indifferent. That consciousness, which cognises these differences of the states of the Jiva as a witness, is alone the Atman. He alone should be known as the Witness of the three states.

DOUBT :- Then, how does the Atman know Itself to be changeless?

CLARIFICATION :- While a person cannot know the beauty of his face directly, he can see it with the help of a mirror. Similarly, the Atman knows Its changeless nature with help of Its image in the Antahkarana. Just as neither the mirror nor the image contained in the mirror can know the real face, the Antahkarana and the reflection of the At- man, viz., Chidabhasa in the Antahkarana cannot know the Self. DOUBT :- Then, who knows the Self?

SELF IS THE WITNESS 111

CLARIFICATION :- It is not known by anyone; be- cause the Atman Itself is the Seer and all else is seen. It is not something like an outside object t can be known or seen by any other, except by elf, being self-effulgent.

DOUBT :- Can this be explained more clearly? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. For example, a pot, which seen by a person, cannot know the perceiver. But, it person is aware of his own existence in addition the pot, because he is self-luminous. Just as in : case of the missing tenth person*, the tenth per- 1, who was supposed to be dead, knows himself be the tenth person later on, but is not known by yone of the remaining nine, even so, the Atman, ich is supposed to be 'missing', i.e., 'not known', ing of the form of experience itself, cannot be ex- rienced by mind, intellect, etc. This conclusion ould be well understood with the help of Pramanas proofs.

DOUBT :- What is Pramana or proof?

CLARIFICATION :- Pramana is the means of valid iowledge. It is of four kinds. They are (i) Pra- aksha or direct perception, (ii) Anumana or in- rence, (iii) Upamana or comparison and (iv) Sabda verbal testimony. There are four more proofs. ney are (i) Arthapatti or presumption or another nd of inference, (ii) Sambhava or possibility, (iii) itihya or tradition and (iv) Anupalabdhi or non- oprehension. But the latter four, on scrutiny, will : found to be really included in the former. Some

Please see Appendix-II.

112 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Vedantins hold that the proofs are six in numbe) viz., (i) Pratyaksha. (ii) Anumana, (iji) Upamant (iv) Sabda, (v) Arthapatti and (vi) Annpalabdhi, [N.B .:- As regards the Pramanas there is grea divergence among the different systems of philosophy For instance, the Charvakas who are out and oul materialists, believe only in Pratyaksha Pramana The Buddhists and the Vaiseshikas, in Pratyaksha and Anumana; the Sankhya and Yoga schools, in Pratyaksha, Anumana and Sabda; the Naiyayikas add to these Upamana as well; the Prabhakara school of Mimamsakas include Arthapatti while the Vedan- tins along with the Bhatta school of Mimamsakas beliebe in six means of knowledge stated above. The Pauranikas add two more, viz., Sambhava or possi- bility and Aitihya or tradition.] For our present purpose the first four viz., Pra- tyaksha, Anumana, Upamana and Sabda Pramanas will suffice and they are explained below.

(ì) Pratyaksha Pramana or perceptional proof: 'Aksha' means 'sense-organ'. Proof derived through sense-organs is called Pratyaksha Pramana or percep- tional proof; e.g., perception of a jar through the eyes.

(ii) Anumana-Pramana or inferential proof: The knowledge obtained indirectly through the exis- tence of certain characteristics; e.g., inferring the existence of fire by seeing smoke. (iii) Upamana-Pramana or proof through com- parison: This is a knowledge of things derived from analogies; e.g., the mule is like a horse.

SELF IS THE WITNESS 113

(iv) Sabda Pramana or proof through verbal testimony: The authoritative affirmation of a reliable nerson or the scriptures is called Sabda Pramana; .g., 'Tat Tvam Asi' or 'That Thou Art'. The Atman is outside the realm of the senses. Therefore, Pratyaksha Pramana cannot naturally be fruitful. Since It is partless, Anumana-Pramana too is not applicable. As It is non-dual Upamana-Pra- mana is also out of question. Therefore, in the case of the Self, only Sabda Pramana can constitute valid proof. By verdal testimony is meant an authori- tative statement made by a responsible person. A responsible person is one who habitually speaks the truth. Therefore, the scriptural statements, being the words of the Supreme Lord, form valid verbal testi- mony or Sabda Pramana. Hence, the only proof re- garding the existence of the Self is the scripture.

Just as in the analogy of a renunciate perceiv- ing a visitor, his conditions and his various activi- ties do not affect the perceiving renunciate, so also the individual ego, its different states and the merits and demerits of its activities in those states do not pollute the Self. Indeed that fortunate one is a Jivan- mukta, who, through the help of the scriptures, under- stands the Self to be the pure, witnessing, unqualified consciousness, which is unaffected by the individual ego, etc.,-so say the scriptures. Hence, let one place confidence in the Vedantic scriptures as valid proof regarding the Self and on the lines laid by them, rea- lise the Self, the Witness of the three states.

CHAPTER X

THE SELF TRANSCENDS THE FIVE SHEATIIS

In this chapter the transcendence over the five sheaths of the Self is discussed. The five sheaths are (i) Annamaya Kosa or the physical sheath, (ii) Pranamaya Kosa or the vital sheath, (iii) Mano- maya Kosa or the mental sheath, (iv) Vijnanamaya Kosa or the intellectual sheath and (v) Anandamaya Kosa or the bliss-sheath. Annamaya Kosa is the gross body. It is born of sperm and ovum, which are nothing but the modifications of food and it is susceptible to Shad-Bhava-Vikaras or six modifica- tions viz., (i) existence, (ii) birth, (iii) growth, (iv) change, (v) decay and (vi) death. It is nou- rished by food. The Pranamaya Kosa is made up of a combination of the five Pranas and five Karma- Indriyas or organs of action. The Manomaya Kosa is the combination of the Manas or mind and the five Jnana-Indriyas or senses of knowledge. The Vijnanamaya Kosa is formed by the same five sen- ses of knowledge but in conjunction with the Buddhi or intellect. The Anandamaya Kosa is nothing bnt Ajnana in association with Priya or anticipatory joy, Moda or delight after acquisition and Pramoda or bliss during enjoyment. These three modifications are related to the three types of pleasure arising respectively from seeing an objeet of desire, by pos- sessing it and by enjoying it.

THE SELF TRANSCENDS THE FIVE SHEATHS 115

Just as a scabbard, an ornamental box, a fruit- skin, a shirt, etc., respectively cover a sword, an idol of Sivalinga, mango fruit, a man, etc., the five sheaths cover the Self. Hence they are termed Kosas or sheaths.

DOUBT :- While in the case of the sword, etc., they and their respective covers are entities exist- ing separately, the same is not the case with the Kosas, since these have no such existence apart from the Self and are hence totally different in their nature from the various kinds of coverings men- tioned above. Then how can the five sheaths have the power to screen the Atman?

CLARIFICATION :- The clouds are nothing but an effect of the modifications of the rays of the sun; yet they screen the sun. Smoke depends upon fire for its existence and yet it veils the fire. Similarly, though the five sheaths exist only because of the Self, they have the power to cover the Self, and are therefore appropriately called Kosas or sheaths. We shall now see how the Self transcends the five sheaths. Though the words sword, etc., are commonly used in such a manner as to include the scabbard, etc., also, yet the sword, etc., are different from the scabbard, etc. Similarly, though the Self and the five sheaths are referred to jointly by the word Self by the worldly people, the Self does transcend the five sheaths. DOUBT :- Since the Self and the five sheaths are, in worldly discussions, dealt with as identical things, they should be spoken of at least as related things. Then how can it be called as non-related?

116 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

CLARIFICATION :- Relationship is of several kinds. In the Tarka-Siddhanta or the logic of the Naiyayikas there are two kinds of relationships. They are (i) Samavaya-Sambandha or inseparable inherence and (ii) Samyoga-Sambandha or relation by contact. The first of these two, viz., Samavaya-Sambandha exists between the whole and its parts, the qualified and its essential qualities, the agent and his activity, the genus and the species, a substance and its differen- tia, etc. This type of relation does not exist bet- ween the Self and the five sheaths, since they are not looked upon as a whole and its components. Nor can the other type of relation be asserted between them, like that which exists between the stick and the kettledrum, because Atman is not a substance composed of the elements, whereas the sheaths are the modfications of the elements. Therefore their association becomes an impossibility. But it does not follow, because of the above considerations, that there exists no kind of relation between them. There is a different kind of relation called Adhyasa-Sam- bandha or superimposed relationship, just like that which exists between a rope and a snake, or a nacre and silver, a post and a ghost, or between the sky and the blue colour, existing between the Self and the five sheaths. This superimposed relationship is not one-sided but mutual. This will be clear when we see that the Self and the individual ego jointly become the object of a single consciousness implied in the notion T'. The Anyonya-Adhyasa between the Self and the Annamaya Kosa may be illustrated thus: Expressions like 'I am a man', 'I am a Deva', 'I am a woman', 'I am born', 'I exist', 'I grow', 'I undergo change', 'I decay', 'I will die', 'I am a

THE SELF TRANSCENDS THE FIVE SHEATHS 117

child', 'I am a boy', 'I am a youth', 'I am an old man', 'I am a Brahmana', 'I am a Kshatriya', 'I am a Vaisya', 'I am a Sudra', 'I am a Brahmachari', 'I am a householder', 'I am a Vanaprastha', 'I am a Sannyasi', 'I am an Andhra', 'I am a Tamilian', 'I am a Karnataka', 'I belong to Srivatsa Gotra', 'I be- long to Kausika Gotra'; 'I am Rama', 'I am Krishna', 'I am Sankara', 'I am Mahadeva'; 'I am a Dikshita', 'I am a Sastri'; 'I am a warrior', 'I am an enjoyer', etc., etc., clearly reveal the superimposition of the modifications and attributes of the physical sheath on the Self.

Similarly the characteristics of the Satchida- nanda of Atman are attributed falsely to the Anna- maya Kosa as we see from such expressions as 'My body exists', 'It shines', and 'It is dear to me'. This Asti or existence, Bhati or shining nature or consci- ousness and Priya or Bliss are the attributes of the Atman. Thus there exists a mutual superimposition betwcen the Atman and the Annamaya Kosa.

Now let us pass on to the Pranamaya Kosa. Ex- pressions such as 'I am hungry', 'I am thirsty', 'I am strong', 'I am a man of vitality', 'I am a man of ac- tion', 'I am a speaker', 'I am a goer', 'I am a giver', 'I am an excretor', 'I am an enjoyer', 'I am dumb', 'I am lame', 'I am handless', 'I am impotent', etc., clearly prove the superimposition of the modifications of the vital sheath upon the Self. Similarly, thoughts like 'My Prana exists', 'It shines', 'It is dear to me' clearly reveal the superimposition of the nature of the At- man on the Pranamaya Kosa. The mutual superimposition between the Solf and the Manomaya Kosa is now explained. State-

118 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

ments such as 'I am a thinker', 'I am a doubter', " am a griever', 'I am deluded', 'I am passionate', 'I an a miser', 'I am a hearer', 'I am a feeler', 'I am a seer', 'I am a taster', 'I am a smeller', 'I am deaf', I am blind', etc., clearly prove the superimposition of the modifications of the Manomaya Kosa on the Self. Likewise, the nature of the Self is superimposed upon the mind, as is evident from the experiences like 'My mind exists, shines and it is dear to me'. Coming to the Vijnanamaya Kosa, the various notions such as 'I am the doer', 'I am intelligent', '1 am clever', I have quick grasping power', 'I am a transmigrant', 'I am a lover', 'I am a hater', 'I am a learner', 'I am a scholar', 'I am dispassionate', 'I am a devotee', 'I am a worshipper', 'I am a man of wis- dom', etc., indicate the superimposition of the modi- fications of the Vijnanamaya Kosa on the Self. In the same way, the nature of the Self is superimposed upon the intellect when man thinks 'My intellect exists, it shines, and it is dear to me'. Lastly, in the case of the Anandamaya Kosa the mutual superimposition is explained. Assertions such as 'I am an enjoyer', 'I am happy', 'I am contented', 'I am pure', 'I am active', 'I am dull', 'I am inert', 'J am a fool', 'I am void', 'I am bad', 'I am illusioned', 'I have no discrimination', 'I am deluded', etc., clearly show the superimposition of modifications of the Anandamaya Kosa on the Self. Similarly exclama- tions like 'My ignorance exists, it is perceived, there is happiness in that state' reveal the transference of the nature of the Self to the Anandamaya Kosa, Thus the Anyonya-Adhyasa or the mutual trans- ference of the attributes and the modifications of the

THE SELF TRANSCENDS THE FIVE SHEATHS 119

five sheaths to the Self and those of the Self to the five sheaths is clearly proved.

DOUBT :- It has been said that the relation bet- ween the Self and the five sheaths is of Anyonya- Adhyasa. Why should it occur?

CLARIFICATION :- It arises on account of the ab- sence of a correct understanding that 'this is the Atman, these are the five sheaths', i.e., a lack of dis- crimination between the two leads to this mutual su- perimposition.

DOUBT :- How can the Self and the five sheaths be differentiated and known separately?

CLARIFICATION :- Just as in our daily life we de- velop a notion of mine-ness in objects like cow, child- ren, friends, wife, house, wealth, goods, etc., so also in the case of the five sheaths we say: 'This is my body', 'This is my Prana', 'This is my mind', 'This is my intellect', 'This is my ignorance'. Since the ideas 'this' and 'my' are objects for the intellect, the five sheaths in the form of the physical body, etc., can- not be the Atman. Like the cow, etc., these sheaths, etc., are also the 'non-Self' totally separate from the Self. Thus one should reason and conclude. The Sruti also says 'Asariram' or 'the Atman is bodiless', etc. As far as practical experience is concerned the position is clear. Just as the various modifications of a cow, etc., such as growth and decay, do not be- long to or affect their possessor, who is distinct from them, the modifications or the variations of the shcaths do not involve the Self, which simply wit- nesses them.

118 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

ments such as 'I am a thinker', 'I am a doubter', 'I am a griever', 'I am deluded', 'I am passionate', 'I am a miser', 'I am a hearer', I am a feeler', 'I am a seer', 'I am a taster', 'I am a smeller', 'I am deaf', 'I am blind', etc., clearly prove the superimposition of the modifications of the Manomaya Kosa on the Self. Likewise, the nature of the Self is superimposed upon the mind, as is evident from the experiences like 'My mind exists, shines and it is dear to me'. Coming to the Vijnanamaya Kosa, the various notions such as 'I am the doer', 'I am intelligent', 'I am clever', I have quick grasping power', 'I am a transmigrant', 'I am a lover', I am a hater', I am a learner', 'I am a scholar', 'I am dispassionate', 'I am a devotee', 'I am a worshipper', 'I am a man of wis- dom', etc., indicate the superimposition of the modi- fications of the Vijnanamaya Kosa on the Self. In the same way, the nature of the Self is superimposed upon the intellect when man thinks 'My intellect exists, it shines, and it is dear to me'. Lastly, in the case of the Anandamaya Kosa the mutual superimposition is explained. Assertions such as I am an enjoyer', 'I am happy', 'I am contented', 'I am pure', 'I am active', 'I am dull', 'I am inert', 'I am a fool', 'I am void', 'I am bad', 'I am illusioned', 'I have no discrimination', 'I am deluded', etc., clearly show the superimposition of modifications of th Anandamaya Kosa on the Self. Similarly exclan tions like 'My ignorance exists, it is perceived, th is happiness in that state' reveal the transferenc the nature of the Self to andamaya Kosa

Thus the Anyc ference of the attri

THE SELF TRANSCENDS THE FIVE SHEATHS 121

dowed with a sharp and subtle intellect can easily distinguish them. They are, therefore, distinct from each other.

Now let us turn our attention to the established conclusions of the knowers of Truth in regard to the five sheaths. As a matter of fact, it is only from the relative viewpoint of an ordinary worldly person who is accustomed to spatio-temporal consciousness, mat- ters like the five sheaths, their nature, etc., have been so far discussed. But from the Paramarthika or the transcendental viewpoint there are no sheaths, etc., in the Atman. Just as the snake in the rope, the silver in the nacre, the ghost in the post, the blueness in the sky, etc., are nothing but mere ap- pearances caused by delusion and not real, similarly the five sheaths, being but superimposed appearances upon the Self, are not real. It is a universally accepted fact that all superimposed things are un- real during all the three periods of time, just as the appearance of two moons when there is defect in the eye. Hence, it is concluded that the five sheaths, being superimpositions, are unreal.

DOUBT :- As and when the substratum is known the superimposed snake, etc., cease to appear. But even when the knowledge of the Atman dawns, the five shcaths do not cease to exist, but continue to appear. How, then, can one hold that these are mere superimpositions?

CLARIFICATION :- Reality is of threefold. They are (i) Vyavaharika Satta or empirical reality, (ii) Pratibhasika Satta or apparent reality and (iii) Para- marthika Satta or Transcendental Re: Creation

122 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

is also twofold, viz., Jiva-Srishti or individual crea- tion and Isvara-Srishti or cosmic creation. All su- perimpositions like silver in the nacre, etc., are verily Jiva-Srishti or individual creation. Tnese superim- posed objects belong to the Pratibhasika Satta or ap- parent reality. Ether, etc., which form the substra- tum for the individual creation belong to the Vyava- harika Satta or empirical reality, which comes under Isvara-Srishti or cosmic creation. The 'Absolute', which is the substratum even for all these cosmic creation, is the Transcendent Reality. This 'Abso- lute' alone is eternal. Empirical reality exists till the end of worldly activities. The apparent reality will survive as long as the appearance persists. Though these two realities, viz., Vyavaharika Satta and Pratibhasika Satta are similar to each other as superimpositions, they are not so in their nature of Sat or existence. If, like the apparent reality, empirical reality also were to cease simultaneously with the dawn of knowledge of the substratum, the existence of the liberated persons in this world would be impossible. This would result in a calamity in the world, since there would be no spiritual precep- tors to teach and initiate the disciples into spiritual knowledge. The Guru-Sishya-Parampara or the long lineage of master and disciple would cease to exist due to the Vyavahara-Abhava or absence of practi- cality in the case of the realised men, who would not be in a position to impart knowledge, and the inability of the ignorant to instruct others. The final conclusion to be drawn from all these is that just as a pot is verily a superimposition on clay only, but lasts as long as the exertion of the potter continues, in the same way the superimposition of

THE SELF TRANSCENDS THE FIVE SHEATHS 123

the five sheaths on the Self, even after their having been realised as unreal, continues to exist till the exhaustion of Prarabdha, though appearing only like a burnt cloth. Further discussions would be unpro- fitable. Therefore, it is better to listen to the Sid- dhanta or established tenets. As and when the su- perimposed name and form of a pot are negated, clay alone, being real, exists as unchangeable entity. In the same way, as and when the superimpositions of the five sheaths on the Self are negated the Sat- Chit-Ananda Atman remains non-negated as the only Reality. The individual, vrho thus realises the Self, is verily a knower of the Self, a knower of the Abso- lute. He alone will enjoy Videhamukti or disembo- died liberation. Thus the Upanishads ceaselessly pro -. claim.

CHAPTER XI

THE SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA

The fourth characteristic of the Atman, Sat-Chit-Ananda or Existence-Knowledge-Bliss na is explained in this chapter.

DOUBT :- What is the Existence aspect of Atman, what is Its Consciousness aspect and w is Its Bliss aspect?

CLARIFICATION :- Sat or existence is that wh is of the nature of oneness not negated and unaff ted by anything during the three periods of tir This aspect is inherent in the Atman.

DOUBT :- What is the proof for this? CLARIFICATION: Srutis or scriptures are t proof. They declare 'Before the creation of this ur verse Sat alone existed', 'Out of the Atman, Aka: arose', etc. Also, as a matter of Anubhava or exp rience, it is seen in the rich and the poor, in the ritu lists, devotees and spiritual seekers. The rich ma reflects: 'On account of my little charity that I migh have done to deserving people in my previous birth I am rich and prosperous in this birth. In this birtl too if I do charity I shall be prosperous in my nexi birth'. The poor man thinks: 'I have not given any- thing by way of charity in my last birth and that is why now I am poor. If I give nothing in this birth

THE SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA 125

also, I shall not be better in my next birth.' The ri- tualist argues: 'Due to the good Samskaras or mental impressions of the meritorious deeds performed by me in the last birth, virtue is being practised by me in this birth; and this will lead me to my being born in my next birth as a divine being in the heavens'. The devotee feels: 'I have probably worshipped the Lord in my previous birth, as a result of which I have devotion to the Lord in this birth; and this in turn, will procure me in my next birth, enjoyment in the heavenly regions like Vaikuntha etc.' An aspi- rant reasons thus: 'In my innumerable previous births I have practised virtuous deeds by surrendering their fruits to the Lord. Therefore, I have attained many advantages in this birth like Sadhana Chatush- taya, Guru, Sravana, etc., and Self-realisation. After this there is no more birth for me. I have done what I have to do'.

In all the above-mentioned cases there is one common factor, viz., the experience of the continuity of one's existence in all the three periods of time. Then perishability can pertain only to the body and not to the Self on which it is superimposed. There- fore, the Self exists as one at all times and never gets eliminated, and thus Its nature as Sat or Existence- Absolute is established.

DOUBT :- So much has been said for the proof of the existence aspect of the Self on the basis of Sruti or scripture, and Anubhava or expervence. But what ahout Yukti or logical analysis? CLARIFICATION :- A mere enq uiry as to whether we exist or not is enough t 1 .: Me the emnhat:

126 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

wer that all of us do exist and that there is no ex. ception, since everyone feels that he is. Similarly, not much enquiry is needed to establish the fact that we are embodied, since the physical body is seen by all.

DOUBT :- How does the embodiment arise? CLARIFICATION :- It does not need much enquiry to show that it is on account of actions.

DOUBT :- Are actions performed by oneself or by somebody else?

CLARIFICATION :- It is evident that the actions must have been performed by oneself. Otherwise some other person will be attaining heaven on account of the meritorious actions of someone else. For exam- ple, on the merits of the sacrifice done by a Brahmin a non-sacrificer may reach the heavenly region. Simi. larly, on account of the Samadhi experience of sage Suka in the remote past, all of us would have become perfectly liberated Souls. All these clearly prove that one can be benefited only by one's own actions. DOUBT :- Were the Karmas that have caused this present body performed in this birth or in the pre- vious births? CLARIFICATION: There can be no doubt that the present body is the result of past Karmas only. Any conclusion to the contrary would indeed be an absur- dity, since Karmas which precede the birth alone can produce the body. DOUBT :- Did we exist in the previous birth in which these actions were performed?

THE SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA 127

2 3

4 5 6

Fig: 13. Three varieties of Karma (another View- point).

I. Sanchita Karma (1 & 4): Like the stock of arrows and food-grain.

If. Prarabdha Karma (2 & 5): Like the arrow which has nlready left the bow and a measure of food-grain taken out from the stock for the day. IlI. Agami Karma (3 & 6): Like the arrow which is kept ready for shooting and the cultivation of new crops for the future.

128 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

CLARIFICATION :- Certainly we did exist, becaus a non-existent being could not have performed any Karma. DOUBT :- Did we possess a body then? CLARIFICATION: Obviously it must have been so; otherwise how could the Karmas have been performed? DOUBT :- Is the then body the result of actions performed in that birth or in the previous one? CLARIFICATION :- There need not be any doubt about this matter, since the previous birth must be the cause. Thus pushing our enquiry into the nature of embodiment and its cause, viz., Karmas, we come to the conclusion that it is a never-ending chain with- out a beginning. The only possible conclusion is that the Self, which is the substratum for our body and action, must be without a beginning like the ether and existing by its own nature. Thus through a series of the reasoning processes, the existence of the Self in the past and in the present becomes establi- shed. Similarly, its existence in the future too can be established by reason. Since without engaging our- selves in Sravana or hearing of the scriptures, Manann or cogitation, etc., we had been actuated by desires to perform various deeds in our previous births, the pre- sent birth and body have arisen. Likewise, the ac- tions that are being performed in this birth will doubt- less result in a future birth and the acts in that birth will in their turn result in a subsequent birth. On thus pursuing our enquiry into the nature of actions and births, we find that there is a regular succession, without an end, of births and performance of Kar- mas alternatively; and that unless the acts are des-

SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA 129

troyed by knowledge the body will never cease to be. The Self to which these two belong exists through- out all the creation and destruction of the body, en- joying as it were, pain and pleasures, while in an em- bodied condition and transmigratory existence in va- rious forms from a blade of grass to Brahma the creator, till the knowledge of the Absolute dawns. When once knowledge arises, ignorance, desires and actions perish and the Self enjoys Bliss in itself in that state of disembodied liberation. Then there is no possibility of destruction for the Self even in the remote future. It is thus conclusively proved by rea- soning that the Self exists for ever. Thus by Sruti, Yukti and Anubhava it is establi- shed that the Self exists without change and destruc- tion in all the three periods of time, though several, universes have been created and destroyed time with- out number. Therefore, creation, preservation and destruction pertain to the universe and not to the Self. To sum up, the Self is Sat or Existence-Abso- lute, since It remains non-eliminated as one entity at all times.

DOUBT :- What is the proof for the nature of the Self as Chit or Consciousness-Absolute?

CLARIFICATION :- That entity which, in addition to revealing various inert objects superimposed on it, also reveals itself like the sun without the help of any outside agency, is said to be of the nature of Chit. This attribute of Chit is found in the Self. Even in pitch darkness the Self reveals itself. Besides this, the Self is able to understand without the help of any extraneous factor, the various modifications affecting

130 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

thé body, like childhood, youth, old age, etc., as well as the various activities pertaining to such modifica- tions superimposed on It. Thus the nature of the Self as Consciousness-Absolute is proved. DOUBT :- We are not possessed of omniscience and we are possessed only of limited knowledge. Then how can all objects be revealed to us?

CLARIFICATION :- The universe is of two types, viz., internal and external. Both of them are known by us, while we are never illumined by them. This will be made clear thus: The external universe is the support for the various modifications of name, form, quality and attributes, viz., the five unquintuplicated elements with their respective qualities of sound, touch, form, taste and smell, the five quintuplicated elements, the cosmos with the fourteen planes of existence contained in it and the four types of embo- died beings. The whole of this external universe, we know through its different parts, but it is never able to reveal us. From this result of a subjective enquiry we are able to see our essential nature as the reveal- ing agent of the external universe. DOUBT :- How do we become the illuminators of the internal universe? CLARIFICATION :- The internal universe is com- prised of the various organs, faculties, feelings, ex- periences, etc., from the physical sheath up to the state of liberation, viz., 'this is food sheath', 'this is vital sheath', 'this is mental sheath', 'this is intel- lectual sheath', 'this is bliss sheath', 'thus these are the five sheaths'; 'this is gross body', 'this is subtle body', 'this is causal body', 'these are the three bo-

SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA 131

dies'; 'these are the 'Shadbhava Vikaras', 'these are the six coverings', 'these are the Shad-Urmis', 'this is deafness', 'this is dullness', 'this is activity', 'this is love', 'this is hatred', 'these are the three instruments', 'this is Antahkarana', 'this is waking', 'this is dream', 'this is deep sleep', 'these are the three states'; 'these are the five senses of knowledge', 'these are the five organs of action', 'these are the five Pranas', 'these are the subsidiary Pranas', 'this is mind', 'this is in- tellect', 'this is Chitta', 'this is ego', 'this is Sankalpa', 'this is decision', 'this is Avadhana', 'this is Abhi- mana', 'this is Visva', 'this is Taijasa', 'this is Prajna'; 'this is Pratibhasika', 'this is Vyavaharika', 'this is Paramarthika', 'this is Sattva', 'this is Rajas', 'this is Tamas', 'this is pleasure', 'this is pain', 'this is know- ledge', 'this is ignorance', 'this is desirable', 'this is undesirable', 'this is indifference', 'this is Sadhana- Chatushtaya', 'this is Maitri, etc.,' 'this is Ashtanga Yoga', 'this is Sravana', 'this is Manana', 'this is Ni- didhyasana', 'this is Samadhi', 'this is Pramana', 'this is Prameya', 'this is Pramata', 'this is Tapatraya', 'this is Adhi', 'this is Vyadhi', 'this is health', 'this is Bhakti', 'this is dispassion', 'this is dull', 'this is in- tense', 'this is more intense', 'this is Saguna worship', 'this is Manonasa', 'this is Vasanakshaya', 'this is Vi- dehamukti', 'this is Jivanmukti', etc. Having diffe- rentiated all these in the internal universe, which is the support of the changes in name, form and quali- ties, we know it, but it never knows us. Thus the foregoing two enquiries are enough to show the exis- tence of Chit aspect in the Self.

DOUBT :- It was stated earlier that the conscious- ness is not known by anyone. But the mind appears

132 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

to cognise all things. Then why can it not see the Chit or Atman also? CLARIFICATION :- The mind is subject to birth and death; it is of the form of Sankalpa; it is limited and composed of the five elements, like pot, etc .; it is sub- ject to contamination by desire, etc., and it is of the nature of memory and forgetfulness. Therefore it is inert due to which it can never reveal itself. Be- sides, it is known by the consciousness. Then how can such a mind know the self-luminous Chidatman or Consciousness-Self? Verily there is no such pos- sibility. DOUBT :- Then how can the scriptural statement, viz., 'It should be seen only by the mind' be reconciled with the foregoing conclusion? CLARIFICATION :- This is not to be literally inter- preted. The gold when purified in fire becomes lus- trous. From where that lustre has come? Is it in- herent in the gold itself or has it been produced by the fire? It is clear that it is due to the natural lustre of the gold, the fire being only instrumental in clean- ing the gold of its dross. No new lustre is imparted to it but it shines in its real state. If this lustre is produced by fire, then the pots exposed to fire on a hearth would also produce lustre. But such is not the case. Similarly, the mind, assuming the nature of the Atman and commingling itself with the reflection of the Atman, annihilates the false and beginningless nescience which screens It. If nescience is dispelled, then one's Atman shines of itself with its true lustre. This is the meaning of the passage of the scripture quoted above. Therefore, it is the Atman that cog. nises the mind and not the mind that cognises the .- Atman. 1 '

SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA .133

It can be elucidated further as follows. In a dark room, the darkness of which is dispelled by the light of a lamp, neither the various component parts of the lamp like its can or oil or wick etc., can annihilate the darkness by itself, nor the fire which pervades all space is able to do so by itself unless they all join to- gether. It is only when fire and the three other ma- terials mentioned above join together, there arises what is called 'the light of the lamp', which removes darkness. Similarly, in this body-lamp, the fire called the Self rising to the top of the mind-wick, fed by the oil of actions and going by the name of the Jiva, an- nihilates the ignorance which is covering the various objects both outside and inside and thereby reveals them just as a lamp reveals a pot, etc.

To sum up our discussion, just as a lamp-light reveals itself as well as other objects, the Self too, having associated with the Antahkarana reveals all objects, both internal and external. That is to say, the nature of the Self is Chit or Consciousness-Abso- lute.

Now the nature of the Self as Bliss is considered. Eternal, unconditioned, unexcelled happiness is called Ananda. This alone is the essential nature of the Self. But the happiness derived from such objects as flowers, sandal paste, women, etc., which is transi- tory, conditioned and surpassable at all times, cannot be called the Bliss of the Self. Therefore, the Bliss mentioned above alone is the essential nature of the Atman. This is explained further. In the bliss of the deep sleep state all the three characteristics of happiness mentioned above are present and therefore that bliss can be understood to be one's Self.

134 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

DOUBT :- In deep sleep state there is only a cessa- tion of pain and not the experience of bliss as stated above. Then how can it be said that there is a posi- tive feeling of bliss? CLARIFICATION :- Is it not a fact that a person waking up from deep sleep always experiences a feel- ing that he had been till then in a state of happiness? Therefore, it is clear that there is bliss in the expers ence of men in their deep sleep state. DOUBT :- But, are these three qualities of Bliss, viz., eternality, unconditioned nature and unsurpas- sability stated earlier, existing in the bliss of deep sleep? CLARIFICATION :- Yes. Their existence can be proved thus: First of all let us take up its uncondi- tioned nature. Flowers, sandal paste, women, etc., are the Upadhis or limiting adjuncts or media. The happiness enjoyed through them is called Aupadhika or limited or conditioned through a medium. None of these Upadhis of happiness is existing in the deep sleep state and yet bliss is enjoyed by all. Therefore, it should be known that there is Nirupadhika Ananda or unconditioned bliss in deep sleep state. Next let us take up the nature of unsurpassability. According to the Taittiriya Upanishad, there are eleven grades of Ananda from human happiness to the Hiranya- garbha Ananda and the happiness in each casc is a hundred times superior to that of the lower grade .* *The Text of the Upanishad (BrahmanandaValli-Elghth Anuvaka) is as follows: "This is a consideration of bliss: Let there be a youth, a good youth, well read, very quick,

SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA 135

very firm, very strong. Let this whole earth be full of wealth for him. That is one unit of human bliss. One hundred such units of human bliss are one unit of bliss of the human Gan- dharvas and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hundred such units of bliss of the human Gandharvas make one unit of bliss of the divine Gandharvas, and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hund- red such units of bliss of the divine Gandharvas constitute one unit of bliss of the manes, who inhabit the long-enduring world and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hundred such units of bliss of the manes in their long-enduring world make one unit of bliss of the gods who are born so by birth (Ajanaja Devas) and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hundred such units of bliss of the Ajanaja Devas make one unit of bliss of the gods who are gods by work (Karma-Devas), who go to the gods by work and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hundred such units of bliss of the Karma-Devas make one unit of bliss of the high- est gods (Devas) and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hundred such units of bliss of the Devas make one unit of bliss of Indra and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hundred such units of the bliss of Indra constitute one unit of bliss of Brihaspati and also of a man who is versed in the scriptures and who is not smitten with desire. One hundred such units of bliss cf Drihaspati make one unit of bliss of Prajapati and alse cf s man who is versed in the scriptures and who is ret smstter with desire. One hundred such units of bliss of Fraare# make one unit of bliss of Brahma and also cf a g ir versed in the scriptures and who is rot sster ia ce

136 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

All of them are obviously of a surpassable na- ture. But the Bliss of the Absolute, rather Bliss- Absolute, being above all these and without a limit, does not admit of any bliss of a higher type than It- self. In other words, It is unsurpassable. This being the bliss of deep sleep, the unsurpassable nature of that Bliss becomes established. Further, all persons evidently feel: 'the happi- ness of deep sleep is alone happiness and happiness derivable from objects of enjoyments is not happiness'. That is why they go to sleep again and again, leaving aside the happiness derived from wife, children, etc., and taking great effort to procure a soft bed and other conveniences, and enjoy deep sleep. For the same reason only, when they are enjoying a blissful sleep, they do not want to be disturbed even by the most beautiful and alluring damsel. In that state they do not desire anything at all. Even after waking they remember that bliss alone and desire to go to sleep again to obtain the same. All these conclusively prove that the bliss of deep sleep is unsurpassed. DOUBT :- How is it eternal? CLARIFICATION :- In the waking and dreaming states pleasure is derived from diverse objects and in different forms and is separately experienced in each case. This makes it inevitably and naturally limited and impermanent. But the bliss of deep sleep is full, and beyond all such limitations, and as it is not caused by objects, it is eternal. The bliss of deep sleep is continuous throughout, all-full and never newly crea- ted. DOUBT :- If the bliss is eternal, it should also be

SELF IS SAT-CHIT-ANANDA 137

found in the waking and dreaming states. But why is it not so? CLARIFICATION :- The Bliss does exist in the states of waking and dreaming also, but it is not experi- enced on account of the various mental modifications veiling it in those states. DOUBT :- How can the effect, viz., the mental modifications veil the cause, viz., the Bliss? CLARIFICATION :- Just as the sun is hidden by the clouds, and fire is screened by the smoke, a rope by a snake, so also the Bliss is covered by the mental modifications. When the sun and fire are obscured by clouds and smoke respectively they appear to be non-existent only to persons of weak intellect and children; but men of discrimination are not deluded. Similarly the bliss of deep sleep, which is verily Bliss- Absolute, appears to be veiled and non-manifest, only to the extrovert persons and not to the men of dis- crimination. To the latter, Bliss-Absolute is mani- fest in all the three periods of time on account of Its being the essential nature of one's Self. Thus, the cternal nature of the bliss of deep sleep is established. Since the three characteristics of Bliss-Absolute, viz., cternality, unlimitedness and unsurpassability are ex- perienced by us also, Bliss is our essential nature.

Summing up, we have proved through the help of scriptures, reason and experience that the three characteristics, viz., Sat, Chit and Ananda are pre- sent in us. Therefore, the nature of the Self as Sat- Chit-Ananda stands established beyond doubt. . DOUBT :- How does the experience that we are Sat-Chit-Ananda-Svarupa arise?

138 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

CLARIFICATION :- There are two types of know- ledge, viz., Paroksha or indirect and Aparoksha or direct. Indirect knowledge that 'I am Satchidananda Brahman or Existence-Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute' arises from hearing of the true import of the Vedan- tic scriptures as indicated by the Shad-Lingas or six means of proof, from a preceptor, prolonged cogita- tion of what has been heard and the practice of medi- tation on what has been cogitated upon over a long time. When one transcends even the above indirect knowledge, one leaves off all types of lower conscious- ness pertaining to agency, action, caste; species, so- cial and religious division, which manifest as 'I am the doer', 'this is my action', 'I belong to this caste', 'I belong to this Varna', I belong to this Asrama', etc. He should also transcend the experience 'I am Brah- man', 'Brahman alone am I', and all efforts towards that experience including the agency towards it, Hc becomes quiescent as in deep sleep. Just as salt is dissolved in water, his mind gets merged in Brah- man. Remaining without change, he gets unmodified knowledge, which rises by itself. This is called Apa- roksha Anubhava or Direct Experience. When this Experience arises in a person, he verily becomes the Experience itself and of the nature of Bliss. He alone knows the glory of Bliss and none else. Even the Ve- dantic scriptures, which expound It know It not, much less are they able to describe It. A person who expe- riences It can only experience It, but cannot describe It to others, as is the case with the Bliss of deep sleep. It cannot even be conceived by the mind. Therefore, your Self-experience can be experien- ced by yourself alone. Even the Supreme Lord, Who

Fig. 14. State of (1) a Sage and (2) a Common Man.

CHAPTER XII

THE SELF IS INDIVISIBLE ABSOLUTE

The secret of the nature of the Self as the 'Indi- visible Absolute' is explained by the Guru out of com- passion to the disciple in this chapter. Disciple :- O Master! Through the drift of the instructions conveyed by your noble Self in the preced- ing eleven chapters, the conception of 'I' and 'mine' in the body and the five sheaths, has vanished. I have also attained the knowledge that I am no other than Brahman, which is of the nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda and which illuminates our intelligence. All my doubts have been cleared. But there is still one more doubt lingering in my mind. It has been stated that the Self is of the nature of Sat, Chit and Ananda. These three words which denote three different characteris- tics seem to convey three different significations. While so, how can these three words be applied to the indivisible Absolute?

Guru :- O son! Know that an entity is said to be indivisible absolute or Akhanda when it is devoid of limitation by space, time and substance. All these three characteristics are necessary to be postulated of that Absolute Brahman. Disciple :- What is the purpose or need for such a three-point-definition?

142 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

Guru :- If the Absolute is said to transcend t limitations of space alone, the definition being equ ly applicable to etherial space, which is also all-pe vading, would clearly be too wide. In order to remo this defect called 'Ativyapti', transcendence in re pect of time has also been specified as a necessal item. In that case the definition would not be appl cable to ether in as much as it is conditioned by tim that is to say, it has an origin and an end. These tw factors, again, are obviously not sufficient, since th definition is now applicable to time. For, time is no limited by space, nor by itself, as it is impossible tha it can be circumscribed by itself. To cover this short. coming in the definition, the third factor, viz., limita- tion by substance is also included. Since there are substances external to, and different from time, it is limited by them. Hence with the addition of the third factor, viz., substance, there arises no defect of Ativyapti whatsoever. Brahman alone is not subject o these three limitations, and therefore all these three characteristics are predicated of Brahman. Through these alone Atman should be known as the indivi- sible Absolute.

Disciple :- Had these three characteristics of the indivisible Absolute been there in the Self, they would have been experienced by everyone. But it is not so. We find everyone saying 'I am standing here and I am not standing there', which indicates the conditioning of the Self by space, Expressions like I was born in that year and I may die after ten years' indicate the conditioning of the Self by time, and expressions such as 'I am not a Brahmana', 'I am not a Kshatriya', etc. indicate that the Self is not free from the limita-

THE SELF IS INDIVISIBLE ABSOLUTE 143

tions by substance also. Therefore, how is it that it is said that the Self is not subject to these three limi- tations? Guru :- In the XI chapter when I explained to you the characteristics of the Self and the non-Self, did I not tell you that 'the Self is all-full, non-Self is limited and all 'seen' objects are superimpositions? In spite of this explanation, you now put the same question about the characteristics of the Self. There- fore a doubt has arisen in my mind as to whether you are a 'bona fide' disciple or a mere wrangling dispu- tant. If you are a disciple I will again explain it to you. If you are my opponent, then I have merely to observe silence through patience, or to curse you in anger. Of course, since my blessing in the form of initiation of my disciple has its effect on him, it follows without saying that a curse also will take its effect · on my opponent. Know also that there is really no difference between a knower of Brahman and Isvara in their powers to bless or curse another in this world.

Disciple :- O most holy Master! Please treat me as a disciple only worthy of your grace. I put the question to you only on account of doubt and not for the sake of Kutarka or malicious argument.

you. Guru :- Then I will again explain the matter to Listen. The three limitations by space, time and substance naturally apply only to the body and not to the Paripurna Pratyagatman or all-full Brah- man.

Disciple :- How to know that there is no limita- tion by space in the Self?

144 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY Guru :- We refer to such statements as exists', 'Cloth exists', 'Wall exists', 'Granary e: "Earth exists', 'Water exists', 'Fire exists', 'Air e 'Ether exists', etc. In this way both the gross subtle universes are experienced by us through ' existence aspect. Hence, the Self as Existence i. pervading without being subject to the limitatio space. A similar process of ratiocination will blish the fact that the Self is not limited by time, s it is eternal, without a beginning. As the Self is same in the past and in the future it is not subjec the limitations of the present too. Proceeding to nature of the Self as non-limited by substance, we n point out that, since It is the Self that is in all bein since It itself is everything, It is not limited by sul tance.

DOUBT :- What is meant by substance? CLARIFICATION :- Substance is that in whi there are three kinds of differences, viz., (i) differen in the same kind called Sajatiya Bheda, (ii) differen in different kinds called Vijatiya Bheda and (iii) di ference in the self-same object called Svagata Bhed For example, the difference between two trees is S jatiya Bheda; the difference between a tree and a stor is Vijatiya Bheda and the difference among the par of a tree such as leaves, flowers, fruits, ete., is Sv gata Bheda. As the Self has not got these three kind of differences It is not limited by substance. DOUBT :- It seems that the above-mentioned thre kinds of differences do not appear to be absent in th Self, because the one Consciousness appears as Brah man or the Absolute Self, Isvara or the Universa

SELF IS INDIVISIBLE ABSOLUTE 145

Self, Kutastha or the Substratum Self, and Jiva or the Individual Self. Therefore, there seems to be Sa- jatiya Bheda. Owing to the existence of entirely dis- similar things, viz., the Atman or Brahman and the Anatman, i.e., the universe, there seems to be Vijatiya Bheda. Also, owing to the existence of three diffe- rent attributes, viz., Sat, Chit and Ananda in Brah- man there is Svagata Bheda. Therefore, while the differences exist in the Self, how can it be said that It has no such differences? CLARIFICATION :- That these differences are only apparent will become clear when they are properly understood. For example, though the all-pervading ether is really one, yet it assumes different names by virtue of its environments or limiting features, such as the universal space, the cloud-space, the pot-space, the water-reflected space, etc. Similarly, the one Consciousness due to the limiting adjuncts of Maya appears itself as Brahman and Isvara, and due to the limiting adjunct of Avidya it appears as Kutastha and Jiva. Therefore, on a close investigation we find that there is no Sajatiya Bheda in the Self.

Let us now explain the absence of Vijatiya Bheda in the Self. Without the existence of rope the superim- position of a snake cannot arise; without the sky there cannot arise the appearance of blueness in it. In the same way, without the existence of Atman there cannot be Anatman also. In short, without the substratum, all superimpositions are verily unreal. Unreality means non-existence of a thing in all the three periods of time, like the son of a barren woman, or the horns of a hare. The Anatman, thus being unreal from the transcemdental viewpoint, dif-

146 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

ference on account of Vijatiya Bheda can never arj in the Self.

Lastly, as to the absence of Svagata Bheda in t. Self the following may be noted. Since the Self devoid of attributes and parts, positive descriptio: like 'Atman', 'Sakshi' (witness), 'Kutastha' (sub tratum), 'Paramarthika' (transcendent Reality 'Prajna' (Consciousness), 'Brahman' (Absolute 'Sat' (Existence), 'Chit' (Consciousness), 'Anand: (Bliss), 'Nitya' (Eternal), 'Ekah' (One), 'Paripurne (All-full), etc., and negative descriptions like 'Asthr la' (Not gross), 'Ananu' (Not subtle), 'Advaits (Non-dual), 'Achintya' (Unimaginable), 'Avikar. (Changeless), 'Avinasi' (Imperishable), 'Akarta (Non-doer), 'Akarayita' (Non-impeller), etc., ar used only as a way of indicating the Self, which is one and devoid of attributes, and certainly not to denoto any difference in the essential nature of the Self, be- causc the Atman is partless and changeless. It may hence be concluded that the Self is devoid of Svagata Bheda also. DOUBT :- The words 'Hasta', 'Kara' and 'Pani' in- dicate the same thing, viz., hand, and they are con- vertible terms. The three words 'Sat', 'Chit' and 'Ananda' are not like that, but distinctly signify three different things like the leaves, fruits, etc., which can be differentiated from the tree in which they have their origin. Therefore, it seems that the Self indica- ted by these three words, should necessarily be endow- ed with 'Svagata Bheda'. This may kindly be clari- fied.

rence i

SELF IS INDIVISIBLE ABSOLUTE 147

sion is similar to the statement 'The light is of red- hot-brilliance', in which the three words refer to the same light and do not indicate any internal difference in the light. Similarly, there is no Svagata Bheda in the Self.

DOUBT :- The absence of internal difference could be similarly asserted of the tree also in the expres- sion 'the tree exists as leaves, flowers, fruits, etc.'

CLARIFICATION :- But it will be noticed in this case that the three words are not used to mean the tree as a whole. In a specific part, the tree is of the form of leaves, in another specific region it is of the form of flowers and in yet another specific region it exists as fruits. That is why it is said that the tree has internal differences. But, in the case of the Self, all the three words, viz., Sat, Chit and Ananda, are used to indicate It as a whole, just as the three words, viz., redness, heat and brilliance all refer to one and the same light, without any implication of internal differences.

DOUBT :- Then why should the Srutis teach us again and again that the Atman is of the nature of Sat, Chit and Ananda? Can the Self be not cognised through one characteristic alone?

CLARIFICATION :- Please listen to the Tatparya or rationale of such statements in the Srutis. People in this world due to ignorance commit the blunder thr- ough conceiving this gross universe itself to be the 'Sat' or Reality; this inert intellect to be 'Chit' or Con- seiousness proper and the pleasures of wife, sons, etc., to be 'Ananda' or Bliss itself. Thus they regard the Sat-Chit-Ananda of Atman as no other than the un-

148 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

real universe, the inert intellect and perishable plea- sures of wife, son, etc., which are in reality imperma- nent, insentient and painful respectively. It is to re- move this delusion that the mother-like Sruti imparts to the individual souls the knowledge of their essen- tial nature as Satchidananda. The Sruti says 'O Ji- vas! In order to impress upon you that you are no other than Satchidananda I say that Atman is Sat and not 'Asat' or unreal, It is Chit and not Jada or insentient, and It is Ananda and not Duhkha or pain'. Thus the Srutis teach people in this manner to dispel the three misconceptions regarding the nature of the Self arising out of delusion and they never mean to imply any Svagata Bheda by such threefold descrip- tions. Also, the Srutis, through the statement that 'Atman is Satchidananda Rupa' indicate the oneness of the Atman. But, some disputants in this world hold that Existence is the essential nature of the Self, while Consciousness and Bliss are Its attributes and therefore the Atman is not Itself Satchidananda. In order to remove this misconception also the Srutis say that Atman is Satchidananda Rupa. DOUBT :- O Master! How can we understand that this indivisible nature alone is the real import of the Sruti? CLARIFICATION :- That the intention of all the Srutis is only in the indivisible nature of the Self can be understood through the Shad Lingas. DOUBT :- O Master! Now that the Akhandartha or indivisibility of Satchidananda has been proved through the authority of the Srutis, how to prove it through Yukti?

SELF IS INDIVISIBLE ABSOLUTE 149

CLARIFICATION :- Sat should either be self-lumi- nous or revealed by external agencies. If it is the former, then Sat only is Chit. If on the other hand, the second alternative were to be correct, the second entity must be either totally different from Sat or it must be a second Sat. If it is other than Sat, then it must be Asat or a non-existent entity like the horns of a hare. Therefore, that second entity which is Asat cannot have the power to illuminate the Sat. If the revealer of the Sat is to be taken as a second Sat we are confronted with the same question, whether that second Sat is self-revealed or revealed by exter- nal agencies. In the former event, Sat itself is Chit. The latter alternative results in similar doubts as be- fore. Proceeding thus, the enquirer will land himself in such fallacies of logic as Atmasraya-Dosha or de- fect of self-dependence, Anyonya-Asraya-Dosha or defect of mutual dependence, Chakrapatti-Dosha or defect of circular argument, Anavastha-Dosha or de- fect of absence of finality, etc. Therefore Sat is self- revealing and hence it is Chit. Both are one only. It is nowhere stated in the scriptures that there is a second Sat. In other words, Sat is Chit and Chit is Sat.

Now, the self-luminous Sat as Bliss is being pro- ved. Since Existence is non-dual and there is nothing other than It, It alone is Bliss. Bliss always exists in the All-full Infinity. In finite objects there is no "All-fullness." The All-full-Infinity is Non-dual- Existence alone and not the dual. Therefore the In- finite-All-full-Existence alone is Bliss.

DOUBT :- How is Sat non-dual?

150 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

CLARIFICATION :- If this question is raiscd, w ask a counter question: 'Can a second entity exist a a second existence within Existence? Can there be : second entity totally apart from Existence? Of these two alternatives, the first is not tenable since the exis- tence of an entity as another existence within Exis- tence has neither been heard from the scriptures nor cstablished by reason, not to speak about experience. The second alternative is definitely an impossibility, since an entity that is totally different from Existence, like the horns of a hare, can have no real existencc. Apart from these two alternatives, there is no other way of establishing the existence of second entity. This clinches the point that there can never be a se- cond entity other than the non-dual Existence. It is therefore clear that Existence is non-dual and hence all-full. And because of the all-fullness, the self- luminous Existence is Bliss itself. Thus through rea- son also it has been established that the words Sat, Chit and Ananda are synonymous and that they con- jointly signify the same indivisible entity. . Now this conclusion can be arrived at also thr- ough experience. Though this has been already dis- cussed in the previous chapter, it is expounded again here for the sake of clarity and emphasis. All enjoy the same bliss in the deep sleep state. That bliss is not manifold like the one in the waking and dreaming states. It is one only, and non-contradicted. There- fore that Bliss is non-dual only. It is experienced in deep sleep without the aid of external revealing agen- cies like the sun, etc., and hence it is of the form of Chit. That self-luminosity of the bliss of deep sleep is proved by the remembrance after waking that he

SELF IS INDIVISIBLE ABSOLUTE 151

had till then slept blissfully and by the reasoning that such a remembrance can be but a consequence of the experience of self-revealed bliss. Further, there being in that state an absence of all means of enjoyment likc the senses, etc., it should be understood that what made the experience possible could only have been the self-luminosity of Bliss. DOUBT :- In deep sleep, bliss as well as ignorance are experienced. Which of these two is the self-lumi- nous light? CLARIFICATION :- Definitely bliss' alone can be self-luminous, since the other, viz., ignorance, which is nothing but a veil, can never be so. After all in deep sleep state, the self-luminous Bliss of the Self illumines ignorance also, which is nothing but superim- position. Therefore, it is established by experience also that Bliss is Consciousness and that the three words Sat, Chit and Ananda indicate an indivisible Entity called the Self. To sum up, it has been proved through Sruti, Yukti and Anubhava that the Self is devoid of Sva- gata Bheda or internal difference; that the Self, being frce from the three types of differences, is devoid of limitations arising out of anything outside; and that the Self, which is free from limitations by space, time and substance, is all-full. By all these Its indivisible homogencous essence stands established.

EPILOGUE The Self is all Bliss. Pain is extraneous and cau- sed. It arises on account of embodiment and that is due to Karma. Karma results from Raga and Dvesha,

152 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

which are, in their turn, born of Abhimana. mana is due to Aviveka, which is the result of Aj That Ajnana or ignorance should be annihilater ough Jnana or knowledge. Knowledge arises o Vichara or enquiry. So, one should enquire int Truth thus: "The Self is Existence-Conscious Bliss-Absolute. The universe is unreal, inert painful and it is a superimposition." Such an enc in conjunction with the knowledge arising out o analysis of the golden declaration 'That Thou leads to a firm inner conviction, the indirect knowle that 'I am Brahman'. By realising this through : sonal experience one derives Aparoksha Jnana or rect experience. One should be convinced of the f that this personage is no other than a Paramahan ascetic, who should be revered far above Bahuda Kutichaka and Hamsa order of ascetics. Accordi to Bhagavan Sankaracharya whether he be a Br: mana or an outcaste he is verily the Supreme Prece tor Himself. So let one take to hearing, cogitation and medit tion as already described and be established in t Supreme Non-dual Absolute which is Suprer Bliss, Eternal, Pure and Ever-free. What else is the to teach for the preceptor or to learn for the discipl There is nothing more to teach or to learn.

Om Tat Sat. Brahmarpanamastu.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I

VEDANTA BODHA (Sri Swami Sivananda)

1. Q. What do you mean by the term Upadhi? A. Upadhi is limiting adjunct or limiting condition. 2. Q. Illustrate. A. Pot is an Upadhi that gives rise to the term Ghatakasa or pot-ether. It is this pot that has limited the universal ether. Similarly, the physical body, an effect of Avidya, is an Upadhi that has limi- ted Brahman as Jiva, who is in reality or in essence identical with Brahman. Mind also, an effect of Avid- ya, is another Upadhi. When the pot is broken, the pot-cther becomes one with the universal ether. Even so, when the physical body is destroyed in a Jivan- mukta, he attains the state of Videhamukti. 3. Q. What is Upahita Chaitanya? A. It is Chaitanya or Intelligence that is associated with an Upadhi. Wherever there is an Upadhi, there is Upahita Chaitanya. Mind is an Upa- dhi. There is consciousness associated with the mind. That is the Upahita Chaitanya of the mind. Q. What is Jiva's Upadhi? A. Avidya or ignorance. 5. Q. What is Isvara's Upadhi?

156 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A. Maya. 6. Q. What are the Dharmas of the mind? A. Raga and Dvesha (attraction and repu sion, like and dislike, love and hatred), Sukha an Duhkha (pleasure and pain) are the Dharmas of th mind. 7. Q. What is the difference between Maya ant Avidya? A. Maya is Suddha Sattva (Pure Sattva) Avidya is Asuddha or Malina Sattva (impure Sattva). It is Sattva mixed with Rajas and Tamas. 8. Q. What is the Svarupa of Moksha? A. Removal of all kinds of pain and attain- ment of Supreme Bliss-Sarva-Duhkha-Nivritti and Paramananda-Prapti is the Svarupa of Moksha. 9. Q. What is Sarva-Duhkha-Nivritti? A .. Removal of Avidya and its effects, viz., birth, death, etc. 10. Q. What is Paramananda-Prapti? A. Attainment of Nitya, Nirupadhika, Nira- tisaya Ananda (eternal, limitless and infinite bliss). 11. Q. What is the Hetu (cause) for Moksha? A. Dridha Aparoksha Brahma-Jnana (per- manent, direct cognition of the Self). 12. What is Dridha Aparoksha Brahma- Jnana?

13. A. It is Bhavana-Rahita Brahma-Jnana. Q. What do you mean by Bhavana-Rahita? A. It is freedom from the three kinds of Bhavanas, viz., Samsaya-Bhavana (doubt), Asam- bhavana (impossibility) and Viparita Bhavana (false thought). 14. Q. What is Adridha Aparoksha Brahma- Jnana?

VEDANTA BODHA 157

A. It is Bhavana-Sahita Jnana (knowledge commingled with the three Bhavanas). 15. Q. How to get Dridha Aparoksha Brahma. Jnana? A. Through constant Brahma-Vichara (re. flection on Brahman). 16. Q. What are the four kinds of Kripa (gra. ce) ? A. Isvara-Kripa, Guru-Kripa, Sastra-Kripe and Atma-Kripa. 17. Q. What is the Svarupa of Jiva? A. Kutastha plus Avidya plus Abhasa Chai. tanya (i.e. Chaitanya reflected in Avidya). 18. Q. What is the Svarupa of Isyara? A. Brahman plus Maya plus the Chaitanya reflected in Maya. 19. Q. What is the Svarupa of Maya? A. Maya is Sat-Asat-Vilakshana Anadi Bha- varupa Anirvachaniya. It is neither Sat like Brahman, nor Asat like the horns of a hare or a barren woman's son or lotus in the sky. It is beginningless. It is not negativity. It is thus indescribable. Maya is Anadi Santa, i.e., it is beginningless but terminable on the advent of Brahma-Jnana. Brahman is Anadi Ananta i.e. beginningless and endless. 20. Q. What is Virat? : A. He is the soul of the physical universe. He is the Samashti (collective) Sthula-Sarira-Abhi- mani. The Chaitanya that is reflected in the sum to- tal of all physical bodies (cosmic) and all physical objects in the macrocosm is Virat. Vaisvanara is an- other name for Virat. 21. Q. What is Hiranyagarbha?

158 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A. He is the soul of the astral world. He is the Samashti (collective) Linga-Sarira-Abhimani. The Chaitanya that is reflected in all Linga-Sariras is Hi- ranyagarbha. He is the cosmic or universal soul. He is termed as the 'golden-egg'. Sutratman is His an- other name. 22. Q. What is Isvara? A. He is the soul of the Karana Jagat. He is the Samashti (collective) Karana Sarira Abhimani. The Chaitanya that is associated with the sum total of all Karana Sariras is Isvara. His another name is Avyakrita. 23. Q. What is Vyashti? A. It means single or individual (Pinda). A single house is Vyashti. A single tree is Vyashti. A single match stick is Vyashti. 24. Q. What is Samashti? A. It means 'sum total', 'collective', 'cosmic', Brahminda. A village is Samashti. A forest ig Samashti. A match box is Samashti. 25. Q. Define Virat, Hiranyagarbha and Isvara in another way. A. Virat includes the sum total of all phy- sical bodies, objects, ete., plus the reflected intelli- gence or consciousness. Hiranyagarbha is the sum total of all astral bodies plus the reflected intelligence or consciousness. Isvara is the sum total of all Ka- rana Sariras plus the reflected intelligence or consci- ousness. 26: Q. What is Visva? He is the individual soul in the Jagrat state. He is the Jiva in the waking consciousness. He is Vyashti (individual). He is the Sthula-Sarira- Abhimani. He is the Vyavaharic Jiva (microcosm).

'VEDANTA BODHA 159

He is the Chaitanya associated with or reflected in the individual physical body in the Jagrat state. Visva is Jiva of waking consciousness.

27. Q. What is Taijasa? A. He is Pratibhasika Jiva. He is Jiva of dreaming consciousness. He is Vyashti-Sukshma- Sarira-Abhimani. The Chaitanya that is reflected in Linga-Sarira is Taijasa. 28. Q. What is Prajna? A. Prajna is Jiva in Sushupti state. He is the Karana-Sarira-Abhimani. The Chaitanya that is associated with the Karana-Sarira is Prajna. 29. Q. What is Kutastha? A. He is the Adhishthana or support of Jiva. He is the silent witness of the modifications that arise in the mind and of the three states, viz., Jagrat, Sva- pna and Sushupti. 30. Q. What do you mean by the term Kutas- tha ? A. Kutastha means unchanging or firm as a rock. 31. Q. Why is it called Kutastha? A. Just as the anvil in a blacksmith's shop remains unchanged but changes the iron-pieces into various shapes, so also Kutastha Brahman remains unchanged while the body and mind undergo consi- derable changes. 32. Q. Is Kutastha Brahman identical with Brahman?

28. A. Yes. Q. What are the other names for Kutastha? A. Pratyagatman, Kshetrajna, Antaryamin, Kutastha Chaitanya, Kutastha Brahman, Sakshi, Drashta, Upadrashta, Turiya, etc.

160 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

34. Q. How will you prove the existence of Sakshi or Kutastha? . A. Just as you see a tree, somebody shoul witness the activities of the mind or intellect. / tumbler cannot see itself. A Jiva only can see a tum bler with the help of the Darsana Indriya. If you sa that the tumbler can see itself, it is an absurdity. I will give room to a logical contradiction. Hence, i is Kutastha that witnesses the modifications that arist in the mind. 35. Q. What is meant by Adhyasa? A. It means superimposition. The attributes of one thing are falsely attributed or transferred to another thing. One thing is mistaken for another. 36. Q. Illustrate. A. Mother-of-pearl is mistaken for silver. Silver is superimposed on the mother-of-pearl. Body is Jada (non-intelligent). But it appears to be in- telligent or conscious through Adhyasa. The attri. butes of the Atman are superimposed on Buddhi and body. 37. Q. What is Adhyaropa? A. It means Adhyasa. Adhyaropa and Adh- yasa are synonymous terms. World and body are Adhyaropa on Brahman. 38. Q. What is Apavada? A. It means negation or elimination or re- jection. You negate the whole world as mere Kal- pana, being a false superimposition on Brahman, just as a snake is superimposed on the rope in the twilight. It means exception. It means refutation as of a wrong imputation or belief. Example :- 'Rajju-vivartasya sarpasya rajju- matratvavat. Vastubhuta-Brahmani vivartasya pra-

VEDANTA BODHA 161

panchadehe Vastu-bhutarupatsupadesha Apavadah'. Just as you take the rope alone as real after rejecting the superimposed snake, so also you will take the original thing itself (Brahman) after rejecting the superimposed world made of five elements and others on Brahman. This is Apavada. 39. Q. What are the five parts of an object? A. Nama, Rupa, Asti, Bhati and Priya. 40. Q. What is Nama-Rupa? A. Nama-Rupa means names and forms. They are the cause (Hetu) for Duhkha in Avivekins (persons with indiscrimination). 41. Q. What is Asti, Bhati, Priya? A. It is Sat-Chit-Ananda. It is the cause (Hetu) for Duhkha-Nivritti and Sukha-Prapti for Vivekins (people of discrimination). Asti is Sat. Bhati is Chit. Priya is Ananda. 42. Q. Compare the sun's reflection in water and Brahman's reflection in Avidya of the Jivas. A. The reflected image of the sun dilates when the surface of the water expands. It contracts when the water shrinks. It trembles when the water is agitated. It divides itself when the water is divi- ded. It thus participates in all the attributes and con- ditions of the water, while the real sun remains all the time the same. Similarly, Brahman, although in reality uniform and never-changing, participates, as it were, in the attributes and states of the body and the other limiting adjuncts within which It abides. It grows with them, as it were, decreases with them as it were, and so on. 43. In what Upanishad you will find 'Tat Tvam Asi' Mahavakya?

162 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A. In the Chhandogya Upanishad of Sar Veda. 44. Q. What is Mahavakya? A. Mahavakya means a great saying or great sentence. 45. What kind of Vakya it (Tat Tvam As is? A. It is Upadesa Vakya uttered by the Gui to the disciple. 46. Q. What is Vachyartha?

47. A. It is literal meaning. What is Lakshyartha? 48. A. It is real or indicative meaning. Q. What is the Vachyartha of 'Tat' Pada ir 'Tat Tvam Asi'? A. Isvara. 49. Q. What is the Lakshyartha of 'Tat' Pada in 'Tat Tvam Asi'?

48. A. Brahman. Q. What is the Vachyartha of 'Tvam' Pada? A. Jiva. 51. Q. What is the Lakshyartha of 'Tvam' Pada? A. Kutastha. 52. Q. Illustrate the identity of Jiva and Brah- man in the 'Tat Tvam Asi' Mahavakya. A. Take for instance the renowned example 'Soyam Devadattah' which is very often quoted. You saw in January 1928 Devadatta in Vrindavan walk- ing in the bazar in an ordinary dress with a shirt and white dhotie. You see him again in uniform and hat in Varanasi rolling in a car in 1931. You have'now recognised him as Devadatta. You have sublated the dress, time, place, etc. You have taken the identity

VEDANTA BODHA 163

of the person Devadatta alone leaving aside the minor items. Similarly by eliminating the illusory Upadhi, viz., Avidya and its effects, the Abhasa Chaitanya that is reflected in Avidya and illusory Dharmas of Jiva in the case of the Jiva and the illusory Upadhi, viz., Maya and its effects, the reflection of Chaitanya in Maya and the qualities of Isvara, you can establish the iden- tity by taking into consideration the Kevala Suddha Chaitanya alone which is the Adhishthana or back- ground for both Isvara and Jiva. The Svarupa Lak- shanas (Satchidananda Svarupa) of Isvara and Jiva are one. The difference is only in the Tatastha Lak- shana which is illusory or superimposed. 53. Q. What is 'Padartha Sodhana'? A. Just as you see the identity of Ghatakasa and Mahakasa by sublating the Kalpita Upadhi, the identity of Jalakasa and Meghakasa, by looking into the Adhishthana or common background or support only, you will have to see the identity of Kutastha and Brahman (the Adhishthana of Isvara and Jiva) by eliminating the Kalpita Upadhis, viz., Isvara and Jiva of Tat and Tvam Pada Vachyartha. This is Padartha- Sodhana or examination into the real meaning of 'Tat 'Tvam Asi' Mahavakya. 54. Q. What is the Lakshana by which you have shown the identity of Jiva and Brahman? A. Bhaga-Tyaga Lakshana or Jahadajahal- lakshana. 55. Q. What do you mean by Bhaga-Tyaga? A. You have given up something as Upadhi etc., and taken up something as the Chaitanya Matra. You have eliminated the illusory Upadhi and accepted the Suddha Chaitanya, or Suddha Brahman alone

164 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

56. Q. What are the two component forc Maya? A. Avarana Sakti and Vikshepa Sakti ( ing power and projecting power). 57. Q. What does Avarana Sakti do? A. It veils the Jiva and prevents him : knowing his real Satchidananda nature and also vents him from knowing himself as distinct from three bodies and the five sheaths. 58. Q. What does Vikshepa Sakti do? A. It makes the Jiva identify himself v the physical body. It projects the universe. 59. Q. What is Sajatiya Bheda? A. It is that by which one individual o species (Jati) is distinguished from another; e.g., difference between one man and another, the differer between an Englishman and an Indian. 60. Q. What is Vijatiya Bheda? A. It is that by which objects of differe 'kinds are differentiated; e.g., the difference betweer man and a cow, a tree and a stone. 61. Q. What is Svagata Bheda? A. It is intrinsic difference; e.g., the dif rence between waves, eddies, etc., in a mass of wato the difference between hands, legs, head, feet, etc., a man; the difference between fruits, flowers, twi; and leaves of a tree. It is that by which one part a substance is distinguished from another. 62. Q. Is there Sajatiya Bheda in Brahman? A. No. 63. Q. Why? A. Brahman is infinity (Aparicchinna, Anar ta, Bhuma). Infinity is one. There cannot be tw infinities. It is simply absurd. There cannot be an

VEDANTA BODHA 165

other infinite Brahman with which this Brahman (of the Upanishads) can be compared or contrasted. "Ekameva Advitiyam-One without a second' is the authoritative declaration of the Srutis. 64. Q. As this world is different from Brahman, is there Vijatiya Bheda in Brahman? A. No. 65. Q. Why? A. Brahman Himself is both the efficient and the material cause; so the world cannot be different from Brahman. World is Abhinna from Brahman. What is manifested as the universe is nothing but Brahman. Srutis say :. 'Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma -- All indeed is Brahman'. Barren woman's illusory son cannot make her a mother. So also this illusory universe cannot bring Dvaita Paksha to Brahman. Hence there is no Vijatiya Bheda in Brahman. .

66. Q. Is there Svagata Bheda in Brahman, then?

67. A. No. Q. Why? A. Sat, Chit, Ananda are not three but one; because it is the Svarupa of Brahman. It is only Sabda Bheda like Hasta, Kara and Pani; water, Jala and Apah. They are all synonymous terms. Sat is Chit. Chit is Sat. Chit is Ananda. Sat is Ananda. Heat, light and redness are the very nature of fire. Whiteness, sweetness and chillness are the very na- ture of water. So also Sat-Chit-Ananda is the very nature of Brahman. So there is no Svagata Bheda in Brahman. 68. Q. How can you know the existence of Mala (impurities like Kama, Krodha. etc.) in the mind (Antahkarana) ?

.. 166 INTRODUCTION. TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A. Just as you can infer the existence o fire through smoke, you can infer the existence of Mal: (Dosha) in the mind when Asubha Vasanas arise i the mind, when desires arise for sensual enjoyment when tendencies to perform prohibited Karmas mani fest. 69. Q. How do you know that there is Vikshept in the Chitta. A. When the mind cannot be fixed in Vedan- tic Sravana or in the Svarupa, and when the mind runs towards objects, it denotes the presence of Vik- shepa in the Chitta. 70. Q. What is Avarana? A. It is the veil of ignorance that screens the self-effulgent Atman, just as clouds enshroud the sun, and the green moss hides the waters of a tank. 71. Q. How can you know the existence of Ava- rana? A. When you identify yourself with the body, when you have no direct knowledge of Brahman or the unity of the Self, when you are consciously fixed in the idea 'I am a Brahmana', 'I am rich', 'I am poor', 'I am a householder', 'I am a doctor', etc., you must know that there is the Avarana Dosha in the Chitta. 72. Q. How Avarana can be removed? A. Just as darkness clears away by the rise of the morning sun, the Avarana will clear away by ; direct knowledge of Brahman. 73. Q. What is the Tatastha Lakshana of Brah- man? A. Saguna Brahman is meant by Tatastha Lakshana. The definition that Brahman is the cause for the creation, preservation and destruction of the

VEDANTA BODHA 167

iniverse gives an indirect notion of what Brahman is. This is Tatastha Lakshana. 74. Q. What is Svarupa Lakshana of Brahman? A. Satchidananda. It is the direct or essen- ial definition of Brahman. 75. Q. What is Atadvyavritti Lakshana? A. It indicates the Atman, the balance left after sublating by Neti-Neti doctrine through Yukti (reasoning), the Dehadi Anatmic products. 76. Q. What is Jahallakshana? Illustrate. A. 'Gangayam Ghoshah Prativachati'. When you say this, that there is a great deal of sound on the Ganges, you mean that the people of a village on the banks of the Ganges are making noise. Here you leave the Ganges and take another source, viz., banks. 77. Q. Illustrate Ajahallakshana. A. Take the example 'Sonah Tishthati, Sveto Dhavati'. When you hear 'the red is stand- ing', 'the white is running', you mean that the red horse is standing and the white horse is running. Here you add the word 'horse'. 78. Q. Illustrate the Neti-Neti doctrine by a story. A. A boy of eight was found in a bazar. This boy was crying bitterly, as his father who accompa- nied him was missing. A sympathetic man asked the boy, 'Is this tall, fair man with a moustache your father?' The boy said, 'No.' Again the man inter- rupted, 'Is this man with a basket of flowers your father?' The boy replied, 'No'. The man again ask- ed, 'Is this man with a coat and felt cap your father?' y answered, 'No'. This goes to show that there

168 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

must be some other man with certain definite features, dress, etc., and that man must be his father. Similarly, when you begin to enquire about Brahman, you will find that the tumbler is not Brah- man, stone is not Brahman, tree is not Brahman, body is not Brahman, but that 'Thing in Itself', the substra- tum, the Adhishthana, the source, the substance, that neutral stuff-the residue left behind after negating all these by Neti-Neti-is Brahman. 79. Q. What takes place in the Buddhi as a re- sult of Sadhana? Illustrate. A. Reflection of the Self requires a receptacle to be made on it. Where there is no receptacle for receiving the reflection of the Self, the Self is unable to reflect itself. Its reflection is impossible where there is no such receptacle. Take for example a mirror fully capable of re- ceiving the reflection of the sun's rays upon it. When the mirror is broken, or powdered to nothing, the re- flection hitherto made upon it will instantly vanish away. So when the Buddhi, the receptacle of the At- . mic reflection, is destroyed by the practice of thought- lessness and power of discrimination, the Atmic re- flection will itself vanish away from the Jivic or in- dividualistic sphere on its being withdrawn back to the Self itself, the effulgent and the eternal. This is the liberation of the soul. This is the getting rid of the 1 Jivahood, the individuality, which is the root-cause for misery, the total negation of which is Moksha. Atyantika Duhkha Nivritti or total removal of m sery is Moksha or Mukti. 80. What is Avantara Vakya? A. It is Svarupa Bodha Vakya such as, 'Sa'.

VEDANTA BODHA 169

chidananda', 'Satyam. Jnanam Anantam Brahma', etc. 81. Q. What is Mahavakya? A. It is Abheda Bodha Vakya such as, 'Aham Brahma Asmi', 'Tat Tvam Asi', etc. 82. Q. What is Vritti Vyapti? A. A ray of the mind actually comes out thr- ough the eye, assumes the form of the object it en- velopes (Vritti Tadakara) and removes the veil (Tula Avidya) that envelopes the objects. The func- tion of a Vritti that arises in the mind is to remove the veil (Avarana Bhanga), that shrouds the objects, This is Vritti Vyapti. The Vritti removes the veil that covers an object. 83. Q. What is Phala Vyapti? A. Chaitanya always associates or accom- panies the Vritti. The Vritti removes the veil of a pot, for example, and the Chaitanya illuminates the pot. Then only the pot becomes an object of percep- tion. Then you say, 'Ayam Ghatah'-'This is a pot'. This is Phala Vyapti. 84. Q. What is Anvaya-Vyatireka? A. It is through these two processes that a student of Jnana Yoga lives in the Atman. It is a synthetic and analytical process. They always go to- gether. Anvaya is co-existence. Vyatireka is dis- joined existence. 'Atman is in the Panchakosas'. This is Anvaya. But Atman is not in the Panchakosas. This is Vyatireka. It is the positive and negative way of proving the Atman. It is the direct and the indirect wav of finding out the Atman. This is an important Vedantic Sadhana. 85. Q. What is the link between the physical and the astral bodies?

170 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A. Prana. 86. Q. How many bodies work in the Jagrat State?

87. Q. A. Three bodies; physical, astral and causal. How many bodies work in dream? A. Two bodies; Sukshma and Karana (as- tral and causal). 88. Q. How many bodies work in deep sleep?

88. A. Only one, the causal body. What is the other name for the Karana Sarira?

89. A. Q. Anandamaya Kosa. Of what is it made up? A. Mula Ajnana. 91. Q. Who does meditation? A. Jiva. 92. Q. What is the object of meditation? A Brahman. 93. Q. Through which instrument does he medi- tate? A. 94. Through the mind. Q. What takes place in Samadhi? A. Meditation drops. Repetition of Om, So- ham, Aham Brahma Asmi drops. Jiva and Brahman become one (identical). 95. Q. What is meant by Drashta? A. Seer, the subject. 96. Q. What is Drisya? A. Objects seen. 97. Q. Why is Atman not an object of percep- tion? A. If it becomes an object of perception, it becomes finite. But Brahman is infinite. So Atman is not an object of perception.

VEDANTA BODHA 171

98. Q. How can you know the Atman? A. Through Aparoksha Anubhava. 99. What are the two varieties of Jnana? A. Svarupa Jnana and Vritti Jnana. 100. Q. What is Svarupa Jnana? A. It is the knowledge of Brahman. 101. Q. What is Vritti Jnana? A. It is the knowledge of objects (Vishaya Jnana) through the mental Vritti (mind). 102. Q. What are the varieties of Savikalpa Sa- madhi according to Vedanta? A. Drisyanuvid, Drisyananuvid, Sabdanuvid and Sabdananuvid. 103. Q. What are the two varieties of Nirvikalpa Samadhi? A. Advaita Bhavanurupa Samadhi (Vritti Sahita) and Advaita Avasthanurupa Samadhi (Vritti Rahita). 104. Q. What is bondage in short? A. Dehoham. 105. Q. What is liberation in short? A. Aham Brahma Asmi. 106. Q. What is Atadvayavritti? A. It is the process of knowing the truth through a thing opposed to it; i.e., Atman is distinct from the three bodies and it is distinct from the five sheaths. 107. Q. Who is the doer and the enjoyer? A. Antahkarana. Kutastha moves the An- tahkarana. He gives a push. Antahkarana is Sattva- Guna-Pradhana. It contains Rajo-Guna also. By the force of this Rajo-Guna it automatically works.' 108. Q. Is Antahkarana Jada or Chaitanya?

172 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

A. Jada. Though the Antahkarana is Jada, it has the semblance of Chaitanya in the presence of Kutastha Chaitanya, just as the iron-rod also has the semblance of magnet and does draw further iron-pieces in the presence of the magnet. 109. Q. What is Paroksha Jnana? A. It is indirect knowledge of Brahman ob- tained by the study of books. It is indirect concep- tion of Brahman. It is dependent conception. Pa- roksha means depending on or through the medium of others. It is mere intellectual grasp of Brahman. By this conception one can utmost conceive the idea that the Atman or the Self exists everywhere, in all things of the universe, in men, in tigers, in elephants, in ants, in trees, etc. 110. Q. What is Aparoksha Anubhuti? A. It is direct cognition of Brahman. It is % et knowledge of the Atman attained through cons- it and intense meditation. Aparoksha means in- dependent of or without the medium of others. It does not require any help from the experiences deri- ved from objects. It finds every help from one's own Self within. A man through his Aparoksha Anubhuti knows directly: 'I am everywhere. I am in all things of the universe. I am the man. I am the tiger. I am the ant. I am the elephant. I am the tree. I am the universe.' He sees all things in the Self and the Self in all beings. 111. Q. Why can you not take the body as the Atman? A. Body is finite. It is insentient. It is with parts. It is perishable. It is the effect of the five ele- ments. It can be seen by the physical eyes. It is

VEDANTA BODHA 173

ever-changing. So body is not the 'Atman. The At- man is entirely distinct from the physical body. 112. Q. Why can you not take Prana as the At- man? A. Prana is Jada. When you sleep it can- not invite a man. It is Vinasi and is absorbed in Brahman. It is Drisya (you can see it clairvoyantly). It is changing. So Prana is not the Atman. 113. Q. Why can you not take the mind as the Atman? A. Mind is finite. Mind is Jada. Mind is Vinasi. Mind is the effect of Sattva Guna. It can be seen clairvoyantly. It is ever-changing. So mind cannot be the Atman. 114. Q. What is the nature of the Atman, then? A. Atman is Existence in the past, present and future (Sat); beginningless and endless (Anadi and Ananta); changeless (Nirvikara, Ekarupa and Ekarasa); self-existence (Svayambhu); without parts (Akhanda); cannot be seen by physical eyes (Adris- ya); First Cause (Parama Karana); Causeless Cause (Mahakarana). Atman is Consciousness (Chit); Self- luminous (Svayam-Prakasa); self-contained (Pari- purna); Self-knowledge (Jnana-Svarupa); It illumina- tes everything (Sarva-Prakasaka); It is Embodiment of Wisdom (Chit Svarupa or Bodha Svarupa). The At- man is Bliss (Ananda); mass of Bliss (Ananda Gha- na); of the nature of Bliss (Ananda-Svarupa); Eter- nal, independent, highest Bliss (Nitya, Nirupadhika, Niratisaya Ananda). 1

APPENDIX II 'DASAMASTVAMASI'-THOU ART THE TENTH PERSON

It is fashionable these days in scientific circles to represent everything in mathematical terms. If we can somehow put any law or phenomenon of Nature in the form of a mathematical equation, we think we have brought it within the realm of scientific know- ledge and put it on a scientific basis. To some extent it is justified, because the basis of manifestation ig mathematical. The relation between mathematics and 'ie phenomena of manifestation has long been known J our ancestors also, and the same has been expres- sed in various ways. The infinite varieties of patterns are all based on one, single reality. Only the Absolute is absolute and none else. All else in manifestation below that state is strictly relative. In trying to un- derstand the nature of Reality in manifestation thr- ough the instrumentality of the intellect, we can de- rive help from mathematics, because it is the science of pure relationships devoid of any content and can throw some light on the relations of different aspects of manifested reality among one another. If there are gaps or discrepancies, a thorough investigation o these will be of great help in throwing further light on the mysteries of these realities. In the scientific study of any problem, nothing is more useful than the exceptions and discrepancies which sometimes crop

'DASAMASTVAMASI' 175

up in the working of a natural law. It is through the investigation of these exceptions and discrepancies that new vistas of knowledge and lines of enquiry open up before the investigator. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0 and co (infinity) are th mathematical representatives of the fundamental rea lities in existence. 1 is the starting point, becaus all numbers are made up by the successive additio of 1. We see, thus, that 1 is the fundamental num ber, the father of all other numbers, all of which ca be derived from the proliferation of 1. They repea themselves in various permutations and combina tions. The evolution of all numbers from the numbe 1 is an interesting mathematical problem. There ar only nine fundamental numbers, viz., 1 to 9 and thei derivatives, flanked by two intriguing mathematica entities 0 (zero) and oo (infinity) which are, real ly no numbers. These eleven mathematical entitie which seem to have a specific identity of their ow. are, therefore, not only the basic realities of mathe matics but must also somehow represent the basi realities of existence and their relations to one an other.

The scripture says that the Reality is ONE onl and NON-DUAL (Chh. Up. VI-ii-1). Therefore, th number 1 can be compared to the Ultimate Reality called Brahman. That one single Reality alone 'ar pears' as this Universe of multiple permutations an combinations, like the infinite numbers in mathema tics derived from 1. The Sruti confirms this view als in its statement, "All this is, verily, Brahman" (ChI Up. III-xiv-1). But we see multiplicity due to ignc rance.

176 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

What is this ignorance? This ignorance is calle Avidya, which is the product of Maya or, rather May itself. Maya is that which has no existence. (Y Ma, Sa Maya). It is an indescribable power (Ani vachaniya Sakti) of Brahman. It is neither real lik Brahman, as it gets destroyed as soon as knowledg of Reality dawns in a person, nor unreal like th horns of a hare or the son of a barren woman, sinc it appears as the manifested universe. Because 0 this peculiar nature, it becomes adorable (Pujya) by the ignorant. In mathematics, zero is also called 'Pujya'. Whai is the position of zero in mathematics? It is some- thing undefinable, unknown potentiality. This zero is not mere void (Sunya). It contains all the laws and relations of mathematics within itself in an ex- quisitely harmonised, though incomprehensible, con- dition. Though it may appear to be void or having 'no-value' when it is independent, yet it baffles us when it gets itself attached to 1 in any way. The following illustration will make the point clear. 00000000 .. These zeros have no value. 10000000 .. These zeros possess different values according to their respective positions. 00010000 .. The zeros on the left side of 1 have no value, but on the right side they have different values as stated above. 0.0000001 .. The zero on the left side of the deci- mal point has no value; but on the right side they get very little value. 0.1000000 .. Here the zeros on both sides of the decimal point have no value. In this way the zero does not play the role of a 'no- number' or 'Sunya', or void, but it does something

'DASAMASTVAMASI' 177

1 23456789 0 HMAN MAYA

10 UNIVERSE Fig. 15. Brahman, Maya and the Universe

178 INTRODUCTION, TO. VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

wonderful and indescribable. Hence, zero can compared to Maya. Now, in the light of these planations, the number 10 can be compared to Universe of diverse names and forms. It is an ' pearance' of the Supreme Reality (1) only throi the power of Maya (0).

In India, even an elementary school stud knows the story of the missing tenth person, of cour as a mere story without any idea of its esoteric s nificance. The story is as follows: Ten persons crossed a river. On reaching t other bank, each one of them verified the total nur ber to confirm their safe arrival. But, unfortunatel they found 'one' missing. In spite of their repeate counting, they arrived at the figure 9 only. At las: they came to the conclusion that the tenth persol was drowned in the river. They started weeping an wailing, screaming and shouting and beating thei breasts. At that time, a monk appeared on the scen and enquired about the cause for their distressec state. They narrated the story. The monk did nol take much time to find out the real position. He im- mediately told them that the tenth person was not dead but was alive. On hearing this statement, they immediately got a sigh of relief. Still they had their own doubts about the 'missing' person. The monk made them stand in a line and counted them by touching each one of them. When he reached the last person, he told him: 'Thou art the tenth person' (Dasamastvamasi). All were pleased and reached their destination. The pitiable part of this comic lies in omitting to include one's own self, the counting person himself, in the act of counting.

国 不 AG 不 人 国 泉 人 'DAŞAMASTVAMASI'

1 2 3 4

Fig. 16. Thou art the Tenth Person 1. Guru. 2. The missing tenth person (The Self or 1). 3. Maya (0). 4. The Universe of Perception (the appea- rance created by Maya). 179

180 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

This story may appear to be fantastic. But position of most of the people in the world is i way better than that of the 'missing' tenth per In the quest for objects outside, one misses to k one's own Self. This situation is called 'ignoranci 'Avidya', due to which one is bound to this tran gratory experience. This ignorance can be got ri through the knowledge of the Self obtained fro Guru.

GLOSSARY

ABHANA AVARANA: Veiling of the visibility of the Rea- lity. ABHASA: Reflection; appearance; semblance; not true. ABHAVA: Absence; non-existence; negation; as bereft of every quality or limitation. ABHIMANA: Egoism; identification with the body. ABHISHEKA: Sacred bath. ABHYASA: Practice; repetition; one of the Shad Lingas. ADHIBHAUTIKA: Elemental. ADHIDAIVIKA: Pertaining to the heaven or the celestial beings. ADHIKARI: Qualified Person. ADHYAROPA: Illusory attribution; superimposition; false attribution; one thing is mistaken for another; qualiites of one are transferred to another; qualities of the Self are transferred to the body. ADHYASA: Same as Adhyaropa. ADHYASA SAMBANDHA: Superimposed relationship. ADHYATMIKA: Pertaining to the Atman or the Self; sub- jective. ADVAITA: Non-dual. AGNI: Fire. AHAMKARA: Egoism; self-conceit; the Self-arrogating principle T'; 'I am' ness; self-consciousness. AHIMSA: Non-injury in thought, word and deed. AITIHYA: Traditional saying; one of the eight proofs of knowledge. AJNANA: Ignorance; absence of knowledge. AKARAYITA: Non-impeller. AKARTA: Non-doer. AKASA: Ether. AKHANDATVA: Indivisibility. AKHANDA-EKA-RASA: Indivisible homogeneous essence.

182 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

ANADI: Beginningless. ANANDA: Bliss. ANANDAMAYA KOSA: Bliss-sheath. ANANU: Not subtle. ANATMAN: Non-Self. ANAVASTHA DOSHA: Defect of absence of finalit Regnessus ad infinitum. ANDAJA: Oviparous; egg-born. ANIRVACHANIYA: Indescribable; cxistence nor non-existence. inexpressible; neith

ANNAMAYA KOSA: Food-sheath; gross physical body. ANTAHKARANA: Internal instrument; mind, intellect, sul conscious mind and ego; the mind in its four aspects. ANTARYAMIN: Inner Ruler; the Supreme Being presen in every creation, which guides all creatures. ANUBANDHA-CHATUSHTAYA: Four indispensable requi sites of a work (text-book), viz., (1) Vishaya or the subject to be dealt with (here it is Brahman), (2) Pra- yojana or the benefit to be obtained by studying it (here it is Moksha), (3) Sambandha or the connection between the work as a whole and the subject dealt with (here it is exposition) and (4) Adhikari or the qualified stu- dent (hele he is a person endowed with the prescribed Sadhanas, viz., the four means of salvation or the Sa- dhana-Chatushtaya). ANUBHAVA: Experience; direct perception; intuitive con- sciousness (Self-realisation); identity of the Jiva with Brahman; personal spiritual experience. ANUMANA: Inference; one of the proofs of knowiedge. ANUPALABDHI: One of the eight proofs of knowledge of the existence of the non-existence or negative; non-ap- prehension. ANVAYA: Direct, positive, co-existence; the natural con- nection of words in a sentence; grammatical order or relation; logical connection of cause and effect; logical continuance; in Nyaya, statement of the constant and invariable concomitance of the middle terms; hetu and the major term Sadhya of an Indian Syllogism. ANVAYA-VYATIREKA: Positive and negative assertions; proof by assertion and negation. Just as Several kinds of cereals are mixed together, so also, Atman is mixed

GLOSSARY 183

with the five sheaths, You will have to separate the Self from the five sheaths. You will have to separate the name and form from Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Abso- lute. Anvaya and Vyatireka processes always. go to- gether. The Self exists in the five sheaths, yet it is not the sheaths. The aspirant rejects the names and forms and the five sheaths and realises the one, all-pervading, indivisible, infinite, eternal, unchanging essence, viz., Brahman. ANYONYA: MUTUAL. ANYONYA-ADHYASA: Mutual superimposition. ANYONYA-ASRAYA-DOSHA: Fallacy of mutual interde- pendence. APAH: Water. APAKSHIYATE: Decay. APANA: The nerve-current which governs the abdominal region, which has its centre in the anus; it does excretory function of the faecal matter; it works for ejection; the down-going breath. APANCHIKARANA: Unquintuplicated form of elements is made up ot subtle matter in Apanchikrita state; subtle state of matter before mixing to form these five gross- clements. APAROKSHA JNANA: Direct or immediate knowledge; actual experience. APAVADA: Exception; negation; rejection; sublation; refu- tation; as of a wrong imputation of belief; just as you take the rope alone in a rope superimposed as a serpent, similarly, you will take to the original thing itself in the original thing superimposed as world (the five elements and others). This is Apavada. APURVATA: Speciality; uncommon nature of proof. .ARTHA: Wealth; meaning; purpose; object; object of per- ception; an object of desire. ARTHAPATTI: Presumption; one of the proofs of know- ledge. ARTHAVADA: Glorifying passage; persuasive expression; texts which contain censure or praise in an exaggerated manner; exaggcrated glorifying with the definite purpose of inducing man to follow a certain line of action. ASAMBHAVA :. Impossibility.

184 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

ASAMBHAVANA: Spiritual doubt; this is one of the thr pratibandhas or obstacles that stand in the way of Sel realisation. This is a kind of doubt; improbability; in possibility of thought; "I know quite well that the Upan shads are uniform in proclaiming the oneness of th Absolute. But, how can that be in the face of the po tent distinctiveness of Isvara, Jiva and the Universe? This is removed by Manana or reflection. This is one ( the three Bhavanas; vain thought; this is the kind c doubt as to how Brahman which is Akarta and Abhokt can become a Karta and a Bhokta as seen in the cas of Jivas for practical purposes in daily life. ASANGA: Associationless; non-attachment. ASATTAVARANA: Veiling power that veils the Existenc aspect of the Reality. ASMITA: Egoism; 'I'-ness; 'am'-ness. ASRAMA: Stage in life. ASTHI: Bone. ASTI: Exists; is; Brahman. ASTI-BHATI-PRIYA: Sat-Chit-Ananda; the eternal qualities inherent in Brahman. ASTHULAM: Not gross. ASUDDHA: Not pure; unpurified. ASURA: Demon; evil tendency in man. ASUYA: Jealousy; envy. ATADVYAVRITTI LAKSHANA: The process of knowing the truth through a thing opposed to it; e.g., The Self is distinct from the three bodies, which are non-Self. ATALA: One of the nether regions. ATIVYAPTI: Redundancy; this is one of the three tests of understanding an object. This arises when the charac- teristics pointed out are found in or are common to other objects also. For instance, the cows are four-legged. 7 Here not only cows, but also other animals have four legs. Hence, redundancy. ATIVYAPTI-DOSHA: A fallacy in Nyaya where a definition is unwarrantedly stretched beyond its legitimate deno. tation, e.g., a cow is a horned animal. Here, the defini- tion "horned-animal" can be applied to all other horned- animals also.

GLOSSARY 185

ATMAN: The Self. ATMASRAYA-DOSHA: Fallacy of self-dependence. ATYANTA: Too much; to the extreme. ATYANTA ABHAVA: Complete non-existence; extreme un- reality, like the horn of a hare or a lotus in the sky or the son of a barren woman. AUPADHIKA: (Enjoyment) through the medium of the senses; conditioned. AVACCHEDA: Delimitation; section. AVACCHEDA-VADA: Doctrine of limitation; doctrine that the soul is the highest Self, limited by adjuncts. AVACCHINNA: Limited. AVACCHINNA CHAITANYA: Consciousness limited by ad- juncts. AVANGMANOGOCHARA: Beyond the reach of speech and mind; (Brahman or the Self). AVANTARA PHALA: Secondary result. AVANTARA VAKYA: Ancillary declaration. In Vedanta. the secondary or intermediate saying or sentence to de- fine Brahman before initiating the disciple into the signi- ficance of the highest Mahavakya of Absolute identity. AVARANA-SAKTI: Veiling power of Maya; Avidya in the individual. AVASTHA: State. AVASTHATRAYA: Three states of consciousness, waking, dreaming and deep sleep. AVIDYA: Ignorance; nescience; a Sakti or illusive power in Brahman, which is sometimes regarded as one with Maya and sometimes as different from it. It forms the con- dition of the individual soul and is otherwise called Ajnana or Asuddha-Maya. It forms the Karana-Sarira of Jiva. It is Malina or impure Sattva. AVIKARI: Changeless. AVINASI: Imperishable. AVIVEKI: Man of non-discrimination. AVYAKRITA: Undifferentiated; undefined. AVYAKTA: Unmanifest; invisible; when the three Gunas are in a state of equilibrium; the undifferentiated. AVYAPTI: Non-inclusion or exclusion of part of a thing defined. When you say, 'the cow is of a tawny colour', the object cow is subject to the fault of Avyapti, as the

186 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY ..: tawny colour is an attribute of one class of cows only and not of the whole class; inadequate pervasjon.

BHAGA-TYAGA-LAKSHANA: Otherwise known as Jahad- ajahallakshana; partial rejection and partial retention; c.g., the expression "He is this Devadatta", is so modified that a part of the idea is abandoned. Devadatta seen earlier appeared different; but all those differences are eschewed to bring out the real person who is the same now and here as he was then and there. This method is employed in the Great Upanishadic Sentence "Tat Tram Asi". "That" and "thou" are the same, even though "That" (God) and "thou" (Jiva) appear to be different,if the appearance-part is removed, the identity will be re- vealed. The Vachyartha (literal meaning) of Tat and Tvam is abandoned and the Lakshyartha (real meaning) of Tat and Tvam, viz., Brahmah in Isvara and the Ku- tastha in the Jiva, is taken. HAGAVAN: The Lord. IAKTI: Devotion. ,ATI: Shines; illumines; intelligence; consciousness. .AVA: Attitude; right feeling and frame of mind; purity of thought. W.A-BUDDHI: The intellect that created differences; the Vyavaharika Buddhi that diversifies everything as oppos- ed to Paramarthic Buddhi that unifies everything. BHINNA: Different; cut off; broken; variegated. BHOGYA: Object of experience or enjoyment. BHOKTA: Subject of experience or enjoyment. BHOKTRITVA: The state of being an experiencer or en- . joyer. BHRAMARAKITANYAYA: The analogy of the wasp and the caterpillar which states how the caterpillar gets transformed into a wasp by intense thinking of the lat- ter. Even so, the Jiva becomes Brahman itself by medi- tating intensely. on the latter. BHRANTI: Delusion; wrong notion; false idea or impres- sion .. BHUH; Earth-plane. BHUMA: .The, unconditioned; infinite; Brahman. .

GLOSSARY 187

BHUMIKA: Step or stage; state; degree. BHUTA: What has come into being; an entity as opposed to the unmanifested; any of the five elementary consti- tuents of the universe; element or elemental. BHUVAH: The higher etheric or the astral world. BRAHMA: God as creator; the first of the created beings; Hiranyagarbha or cosmic intelligence. ERAHMA-CHAITANYA: Absolute Conscjousness. BRAHMACHARYA: The first stage of the Hindu's life, viz., celibate student's life. BRAHMA-JNANA: Direct knowledge of Brahman. BRAHMAKARA VRITTI: The sole ultimate thought of Brahman alone to the exclusion of all other thoughts that is arrived at through intense Vedantic meditation. BRAHMAN: The Akhandaikarasa Satchidananda, the Abso- lute Reality; the Truth proclaimed in the Upanishads; the Supreme Reality that is one and indivisible, infinite, and eternal; all-pervading, changeless Existence; Exis- tence-knowledge-bliss Absolute; the substratum of Jiva, Isvara and Maya; Absolute Conscjousness; It is not only all-powerful but all-power itself; not only all-knowing and blissful, but all-knowledge and bliss itself. BRAHMANA: A section of each of the Vedas dwelling on the meaning and the use of the Vedic hymns; the first of the four Varnas or castes of Hindu social order; man of wisdom; a sage of Self-realisation. BRAHMANANDA: Bliss of the Infinite Absolute; supreme transcendental joy. BRAHMANDA: Brahma's egg; the macrocosm. BRAHMAVIDVARA: One who has reached the fifth Jnana- Bhumika or Asamsakti. BRAHMAVIDVARIYAN: One who functions in the sixth Jnana-Bhumika or Padartha-abhavana. BRAHMAVIDVARISHTHA: A full-blown. Jnani; a Jivan- mukta who has attained to the seventh Jnana-Bhumika or Turiya. BRAHMAVID: Knower of Brahman; one who is in the fourth Jnana-Bhumika or Satvapatti. BRIHASPATISAVANA: A kind of sacrifice. BUDDHI: Intellect.

188 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

CHAITANYA: The conscjousness that knows itself and knows others; absolute consciousness. CHAKRAPATTI-DOSHA: Defect of circular argument. CHAKSHUS: Sense of sight. CHARVAKA: The founder of the materjalistic school of philosophy; pertaining to his school of thought. CHARYA: Dedicated to the service of God. CHETAS: Subconscious mind. CHETA: Knower. CHETANA: Sentient. CHIDABHASA: Reflected consciousness; intelligence; Jiva. the reflection of

CHIDABHASACHAITANYA: Reflection of consciousness from Kutastha-Brahman. CHIDANANDA: Consciousness-Bliss. CHIDGHANA: Mass of Consciousness. CHINMAYA: Full of Consciousness. CHIT: The principle of universal intelligence or conscious- ness. CHITTA: Mind-stuff; subconscious mind. CHITTA-VRITTI: Mental modification.

DAMA: Control of the outer Senses; one of the sixfold vir- tues of the Sadhana Chatushtaya. DAMBHA: Hypocrisy; pride; ostentation. DARPA: Arrogance; pride, DEHADHYASA: False identification with the body. DEVALOKA: One of the higher subtler worlds; the world of the gods or the celestials. DEVATA: The deity that receives the worship of men and gives them what they desire. DHARMA: Righteous way of living, as enjoined by the sac- red scriptures; characteristics; virtue. DHYANA: Meditation; contemplation. DHYEYA: Object of meditation or worship; purpose behind action. DRASHTA: Subject; seer; perceiver. DRIDHA: Firm; unshaken. DRIK: Seer; perceiver; vision. DRISYA: Perceived; seen; the world; that which can be seen by the physical sense.

GLOSSARY 189

DUHKHA: Pain; misery; sorrow; grief. DURBALA: Weak. DVAITABHAVA: Feeling of duality. DVANDVA: Pair of opposites. DVESHA: Repulsion; hatred; dislike.

EKA: One. EKAGRATA: One-pointedness. EKOHAM BAHU SYAM: "May I, the One, become many"- this describes the primal idea which manifested itself from the One undivided Being prior to creation. ESHANATRAYA: Three kinds of desires viz., desire for Wealth, wife and progeny.

GAGANARAVINDA: Lotus in the sky; a term used to de- note an unreal or non-existent thing. GANDHA: Smell; scent. GANDHARVANAGARA: Fantastic formation of clouds giv- ing the appearance of mansions and cities; therefore any fanciful conception; the world. GANDHA-TANMATRA: Subtle principle or root-element of odour. GAUNA: Secondary; indirect. GAUNAVRITTI: Figurative sense or secondary sense as in the instances: (1) He is a lion-he is not a lion, but he is as brave as a lion. (2) Agni-Manavaka-student is fire -he is not fire, but his face is as brilliant as fire. This is a secondary power or Sakti of words; attributive ex-

GHATAKASA: The space bounded Dy the jar. position.

GHRANA: Sense of smell. GRANTHI: Tie or knot. GRIHASTHA: Householder. GUDA: Anus. GUNA: Quality born of nature. GUNASAMYA: Balanced state of the three Gunas. GUNATITA: Beyond the Gunas; one who has transcended the three Gunas. GURU: Teacher; preceptor.

.. 190 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

GURUKRIPA: Preceptor's grace or blessings. GURU-MANTRA: Mantra in which one has been initiated by the Guru.

HANA: Abandonment. HETU: Cause. HETVABHASA: Fallacious inference or reason. HIRANYAGARBHA: Cosmic intelligence; the supreme lord of the universe; also called Brahma, cosmic Prana, Sutratma, Apara-Brahman or Karya Brahman; Samashti Sukshma Sarira Abhimani (the sum-total of all the subtle bodies); the highest created being through whom the Supreme Being projects the physical universe; cosmic mind. HRIDAYA-GRANTHI: The knot of the heart, viz., Avidya, Kama and Karma.

ICHHA: Desire. ICHHA SAKTI: Omnipotent desire-force. IDAM: This. IDAMTA: "This"-ness. INDRA: The mind or the soul; the lord of the senses; a Hindu deity; chief of the celestials; the ruler of heaven; the rain-god. INDRAJALA: Illusion or jugglery. INDRIYA: The sense of perception; sense-organ; this is either the physical external organ of action or the internal sense of perception. IRSHYA: Intolerance. ISVARA: Universal Being in causal state. ISVARA-SRISHTI: That which has been created by the Lord such as the elements, etc.

JADA: Insentient. JAGAT: World; changing. JAGRAT: Waking condition. JAHADAJAHALLAKSHANA: Refer Bhagatyaga-LAkshana. JALAKASA: Ether which is reflected together with clouds, stars, etc., in the water contained in the jar; ether belong- ing to the water of the jar.

GLOSSARY 191

JANALOKA: A particular region of the seven higher planes. JARAYUJA: Viviparous animals (of placental origin). JAYATE: Is born. JIHVA: Tongue or the organ of taste and speech. JIVA: Individual soul with ego. JIVANMUKTA: One who is liberated in this life. JIVANMUKTI: : Liberated state in this life, while yet living. JIVASRISHTI: That which has been created by the Jiva, viz., egoism, mineness, etc. JNANA: Knowledge. JNANASAKTI: Power of knowing; the omnipotent universal force of knowledge. JNANENDRIYA: Five internal senses of perception; sense of sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. JNEYA: Knowable; to be known. JYOTISSVARUPA: Of the form of light.

KA: Brahma; Vishnu; Cupid; Fire; Wind; Death; Sun; Soul; king; peacock; bird; mind; body; time; cloud; sound; hair; light; wealth; joy. KAIVALYA-MOKSHA: Isolated freedom; Transcendental state of Absolute Independence; Final emancipation. KALA: Time; death or Yama. KALPA: A day of Brahma. 360 human years make one celestial year. 12,000 celestial years make one Chatur- yuga or Mahayuga. 71 such Mahayugas make one Man- vantara. 14 such Manvantaras (with their twilight pe- riods) make a Kalpa of 4,320,000,000 human years. A night of Brahma is ot an equal duration. He lives 100 such years. Brahma's life is known as Para, being of a longer duration than the life of any other being, and a half of it is called Parardha. He has now completed the first Parardha and is in the first day of the second Parardha. This day or Kalpa is known as Svetavaraha-kalpa. Kalpa also means a code of rituals. KALPANA: Imagination of the mind; creation. KAMA: Desire. KANCHUKA: Limit or constriction; sheath whereho fn-m all-knowing, you have become little; from you have become a little doer.

192 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

KARANA: Cause; reason; the unmanifested potential cause that, in due time, takes shape as the visible effect; the material cause of the universe in such a state during the period of dissolution, i.e., cosmic energy in a potential condition. KARANABRAHMAN: The highest and the first manifesta- tion of the Absolute; the Absolute quatified by Maya; Saguna Brahman. KARANA-SARIRA: The causal body (where the individual rests during sound, deep, dreamless sleep, the intellect, mind and senses being reduced to an unmanifested poten- tial condition); this is the proximate cover of the soul, known as the Anandamaya Kosa or the sheath of bliss. KARMA: Action. It is of three kinds: Sanchita (all the accumulated actions of all previous births), Prarabdha (the particular portion of such Karmas allotted for being worked out in the present life), and Agami (current Karma being freshly performed by the individual). It is the Karma operating through the law of cause and effect binding the Jiva to the wheel of birth and death. KARMAPHALA: The fruit of actions; the consequence of a deed in the shape of pain or pleasure. *ARMA-YOGA: The Yoga of selfless action; performance of one's own duty; service of humanity. KARMENDRIYA: Organ of action: Tongue (speech), hands, feet, genital and anus. KARTA: Doer; the subject of action. KARTRITVA: Doership; agency of action. KARYA: Effect (correlative of Karana); the physical body is described as the Karya, in contrast to the causal body, the Karana; the world; Hiranyagarbha. KASHAYA: The subtle influence in the mind produced by enjoyment and left there to fructify in time to come and distract the mind from Samadhi; hidden impression. KAYA: Physical body. KEVALA: Alone; single; independent; the Absolute. KHA: Sky; ether. KLESA: Affliction. KOSA: Sheath; bag; scabbard; a sheath enclosing the soul; there are five such concentric sheaths or the chambers

GLOSSARY 193

one above the other, viz., the sheaths of blise, inteleet. mind, life-force (Prana) and the gross body. RAMA: Order; rules regarding rituals. IRAMA SRISHTI: Successive creation. RAMA MUKTI: Progressive emancipation of the devotee! wherein they proceed from this world to the world of Brahma and from there attain Kaivalya. KRIYAMANA: (lit. what is being done); the effect of the deeds of the present life to be experienced in the future; Same as Agami. KRIYA-SAKTI: The power or faculty of acting. KRODHA: Anger; wrath. XSHANIKA: Transitory; evanescent; momentary. KSHARA: Perishable. KSHATRIYA: Warrior-class. KSHETRA: A holy place; field; also physical body in the philosophical sense. KSHETRAJNA: The individual or the Supreme Soul. KSHUDRA BRAHMANDA: Microcosm; human body. KUTASTHA: Absolutely changeless; He who is found with- out exception in all creatures from Brahma or the creatot down to ants and who is shining as the Self and dwells as witness to the intellect of all creatures; rock-seated; unchanging; another name for Brahman. KUTASTHA CHAITANYA: Inner Self; individual conscious- hess destitute of egoism. LAKSHANA: Sign; definition; characteristic; condition. LAKSHANAVRITTI: The inherent power in a sound that gives rise to a thought of certain qualities like namer form, etc., directly or indirectly associated with it. LAKSHYA: Target; point of concentration. LAKSHYA-LAKSHANA-BHAVA-SAMBANDHA: ship of that which is aimed at and its characteristics. Relation- LAKSHYARTHA: Indicative meaning (in the exposition of Tat-Tvam-Asi Mahavakya); the Lakshyartha of Tat is Brahman and that of Tvam is Kutastha. LINGA: Mark: pendar,

194 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

particularly active during the dream-state by creating world of its own; the three sheaths of intelligence, mi and vital energy constitute this body. LOBHA: Covetousness; greed. LOKA: World of names and forms. LOKAYATIKA: Materialist; Charvaka. LOKASANGRAHA: Solidarity' of the world; uplift of th world.

MADA: Pride. MAHAPRALAYA: The great deluge and general. annihila tion of the world; the final destruction of the whol creation at the end of a cosmic cycle. MAHARLOKA: The fourth of the seven planes above the nether regions. MAHA SUSHUPTI: Deluge. MAHAT: Great; the first product from Prakriti in evolu- tion, according to Sankhya philosophy; cosmic intelli- gence. MAHAVAKYA: (lit.) Great Sentence. Upanishadic decla- rations, four in number, expressing the highest Vedantic truths or the identity between the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. They are: 1. Prajnanam Brahma (Consciousness is Brahman) in . Aitareya Upanishad of the Rig Veda. 2. Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman) in Brihadaranya- ka Upanishad of Yajur Veda, 3. Tat Tvam Asi (That thou art) in Chhandogya Upa- nishad of Sama Veda and 4. Ayam Atma Brahma (This Self is Brahman) in Mandukya Upanishad of Atharva Veda. MALINA: Impure. MANANA: Constant thinking; reflection; meditation on the eternal verities; the second of the three steps on the path of knowledge. MANAS: Mind; the thinking faculty. MANOMAYA KOSA: One of the sheaths of the Self, consist- ing of the mind and the five senses of knowledge. MANONASA: Destruction of the mind. MANTRA: ' Sacred syllable or word or set of words through the repetition and reflection of which one attaing per-

fection or realisation of the Self. MATHAKASA: Space bounded by a temple or a house or/a room. MATSARYA: Jealousy. MAYA : The illusive power of Brahman; the veiling' and the projecting power of the universe. MAYAVADA: Also known as Mithyavada; theory of illu- sion; doctrine of the phenomenal character of the universe. MEGHAKASA: Sky reflected in particles of water which resemble spray and which are inferable as existing in the canopy of clouds, which hangs in the expansive firmament from the subsequent showers of rain; cloud-environed ether. MIMAMSA: An enquiry into the nature of a thing; the science of philosophical logic enquiring into Vedic know- ledge; Purvamimamsa or Uttaramimamsa. MITHYA: False; unreal; illusory. MODA: Delight after acquisition. MOHA: Infatuation; delusion caused by wrong thinking; false identification and deluded attachment. MOKSHA: Release; liberation; the term in particularly ap- plied to the liberation from the bondage of Karma and the wheel of birth and death; Absolute Experience. MUDITA: Complacency; joy. MUKHYASAMANYADHIKARANA: The great Vedantic text "Aham Brahmasmi" teaches the identity of the in- dividual soul and the Supreme Soul. Here the soul is designated as "I", the doer and the enjoyer is not one with Brahman, but it is the noumenal Self who is the basis of that "I" that is identical with Brahman. Thus "I" is to be deprived of its fictitious environments before establishing its identity with Brahman: the main common substratum. To illustrate the matter, let us take an ordinary instance of a rectified error. "That which Was thought to be a pillar is a man". Here the proposition does not mean that the pillar is one with the man. But. it simply tea- ches us that the knowledge of the man dispels the no- tion of the pillar, and the residuum of that idea of pillar is the same as man. In other words, the relation of sub-

196 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

ject and predicate is not hased upon direet identity (M khyasamanyadhikarana) but upon the sublation of ti falsity of the subject as such (Badhasamanyadhikarana MUKHYAVRITTI: Primary sense; power of words. MULAPRAKRITI: Avyaktam; the ultimate subtle cause f all matter. MUMUKSHUTVA: Intense longing for liberation.

NAISHKARMYA: Cessation of works of Prakriti; the stat of being actionless (in salvation). NAIVEDYA: Edible offerings to the deity in a temple o household altar. NAIYAYIKA: Follower of the Nyaya school of Indian phi losophy. NAMARUPA JAGAT: The world of names and forms. NARAYANA: A proper name of God; the term by etymolo- gy means a Being that supports all things, that is reached by them and that helps them to do so; one who pelvades all things; one who sleeps on waters. NETI-NETI: "Not this-not this"; the analytical process of progressively negating all names and forms in order to arrive at the eternal underlying Truth. . NIDIDHYASANA: Profound and deep meditation; third step in Vedantic Sadhana, after 'hearing' and 'reflection'. NIMITTA KARANA: Instrumental cause, as the potter who makes the pot. NIRANJANA: Spotless. NIRATISAYANANDA: The highest bliss; above which blis there is none other. NIRBIJA: Seedless; without Samskaras. NIRBIJA SAMADHI: Nirvikalpa Samadhi, wherein the Seeds of Samskaras are fried by Jnana, NIRGUNA: Without attribute, NIRGUNA BRAHMAN: The impersonal, attributeless Ab- solute. NIRUPADHIKA: Without any limiting adjunct. NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI: The superconscious state where there is no mind or the triad, viz., knower, known and knowledge, or any idea whatsoever. NISHKRIYA: Without action; without movement,

GLOSSARY 197

NITYA: Eternal; daily; obligatory; permanent. NITYA-ANITYA-VASTU-VIVEKA: Discrimination betweer the Real and the unreal. NIVRITTI: Renunciation; retrospective life; stepping back from worldly activity. NYAYA: Logic; one of the six schools of Indian philosophy.

OM OR OMKARA: The Pranava or the sacred syllable sym- bolising Brahman.

PADA: Foot; one-fourth portion. PADARTHA: Substance; material. PADARTHABHAVANA: Knowledge of the Truth; the sixth of the Jnana-Bhumikas or states of knowledge where the Jnani perceives the inner essence and not the outer phy- sical form of things. PANCHA: Five. PANCHA KOSA: Five sheaths of ignorance enveloping the Self. PANCHIKARANA: Quintuplication; a particular process by which the five kinds of the elementary constituents of the universe are said to be compounded with one another to form grosser entitjes that serve as units in the compo- sition of the physical universe. PANCHIKRITA: Quintuplicated. PANI: Hand. PAPA: Sin; a wicked action; evil; demerit. PARAMANANDA: Supreme Bliss. PARAMARTHIKA SATTA: The Absolute Reality; Trans- cendental Truth; Para Brahman. PARAMATMA: The Supreme Self. PARICHHINNA: Finite; conditioned; limited. PARINAMAVADA: The doctrine of transformation (of the school of qualified non-dualism of Sri Ramanuja) uphold- ing that God actually transforms a portion of His Being into the universe. PARIVRAJAKA: Roaming ascetic; itinerant monk or San- nyasin. PAROKSHA: Indirect; that which cannot be perceived by the eyes directly.

198 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

PAYU: Organ of excretion;anus .:: PINDANDA: The world of the body; microcosm. PRADHANA: A'Sankhya term for Prakriti. PRAGABHAVA: Antecedent non-existence. PRAJNA: Consciousness; awareness. PRAJNA: A 'name according to Vedanta of the individual: in the causal state; the Supreme Reality appears as such : through the veil of an individual causal body. PRAJNANAGHANA: Mass of consciousness; Brahman. PRAKARANA-GRANTHA: A book which, being connected with a particular part of the scripture, serves a special pur- pose of it. PRAKRIYA-GRANTHA: Scripture that deals with categories of a subject. PRAKRITI: Causal matter; indescribable power of Brahman. PRALAYA: Complete merging; dissolution when the cosmos merges into (1) its unseen immediate Cause, viz .. the unmanifested cosmic energy, or (2) the Ultimate Sub- stratum of Absolute Reality. Dissolutions are of four kinds, Nitya, Naimittika, Prakrita and Atyantika, The first three are of type (1) and the last of type (2). PRAMANA: Proof; authority (of knowlcage). PRAMATA: Measurer; knower; the ego or the Jiva. NAMEYA: Object of proof (Brahman or the Absolute Rea- lity); subject of enquiry; object of right knowledge; measured or known object. PRAMODA: The pleasure which one gets through the actual enjoyment of a desired object; the third state of enjoy- ment of an object, after Priya and Moda, the attributes of the causal body. PRANA: Vital energy; life-breath; life-force. PRANAMAYA KOSA: One of the five sheaths of the Self, consisting of the Pranas and the organs of action. PRARABDHA: The portion of Sanchita Karma that deter- mines one's present life. PRASTHANATRAYA: The three authoritative landmarks in spiritual literature, viz., the Upanishads, the Brahma- ' Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, on which the entire Ve- danta philosophy is based.

GLOSSARY 199

PRATIBANDHAKA: That which obstructs Self-realisation or acts as an obstacle to the dawn of Self-knowledge; generally any obstacle on the path of Sadhana. PRATIBHASIKA: Illusory; appearing. PRATIBHASIKA SATTA: Dream-reality; apparent or un- real as dream. PRATIBIMBAVADA: The doctrine that the soul is a reflec- tion of the Self in the Buddhi. PRATYAGATMA: Inner Self; Kutastha; Brahman. PRATYAKSHA PRAMANA: Proof of direct perception or intuition. PRAYOJANA: Result; fruit; the final end. PRIYA: Joy derived on. seeing a beloved object; Bliss. PRITHIVI: The element of earth with density and fragrance as its characteristic features. FUNYA: Merit; virtue. PURNA: Full; complete; infinite; absolute; Brahman. PURUSHA: The Supreme Being; a being that lies in the city of the heart of all beings. PURUSHARTHA: Human effort; individual exertion; right exertion; Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha; ideal of man. PURVAMIMAMSA: The name of the philosophy by sage Jaimini, regarding the portion of the Vedas on sacrificial works and other religious ceremonies. PURVAPAKSHA: The prima facie view.

RAGA: Blind love; attraction; attachment that binds the soul to the universe. RAJAS: One of the three aspects of component traits of cosm'c energy; the principle of dynamism in nature bring- ing about all changes; through this is projected the re- lative appearance of the Absolute as the universe; this quality gencrates passion and restlessness. RASA: Essence (of enjoyment); water; mercury; taste; sweet feeling; food-chyle; Brahman. RASANA: Tongue; the organ of taste. RASASVADA: Tasting the essence or the bliss of Savikalpa Samadhi; this is an obstacle to the higher Advaitic rea- lisation, as it keeps nway the meditator from attempting for Nirvikalpa Samadhi or Asamprajnata Samadhi.

200 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

RASA-TÀNMATRA: The subtle essence of taste or flav the subtle essence of the sense of taste. RUPA-TANMATRA: Subtle principle of colouir and form.

SABDA: Sound; word; Vedas; Omkara. SABDA-PRAMANA: Scriptural proof. SABDA-TANMATRA: Subtie principle of sound. SATCHIDANANDA (SAT-CHIT-ANANDA): knowledge-bliss Absolute. Existent

SADHANA-CHATUSHTAYA: The four kinds of spiritt effort; viz., Viveka (discrimination), Vairagya (dispa sion), Shadsampat (sixfold virtues) and Mumukshut (desire for liberation). SAHAJASAMADHI: Natural state of Brahmic Consciou ness. SAJATIYABEDHA: Difference by which one individual of species is distinguished from another; e.g., the different between one man and another man. SAKSHATKARA: Direct realisation; experience of Absc luteness. SAKSHI: Witnessing principle; seer; Kutastha which pas sively observes the actions of the body and the senses witness. SALOKYA: Being in the same plane or world as God. SAMA: Tranquillity; control of the mind; calmness of the mind. SAMADHANA: Equal fixing; proper concentration. SAMADHI: The state of superconsciousness where Abso- luteness is experienced attended with all-knowledge and joy; Oneness; here the mind becomes identified with the object of meditation; the meditator and the meditated, thinker and the thought become one in perfect abgorption of the mind. - SAMANADHIKARANA: Co-ordination; the relation of abid- ing in a common substratum-Brahman; the ether in the pot and the ether in the cloud have a common substra- tum, viz., the universal ether, where only the limiting ad- juncts differ. SAMASHTI: In integrated whole of the same class of en- tity; e.g., Samashti-Buddhi (cosmic intelligence).

GLOSSARY 201

SAMAVAYA: Combination; union; conjunction; constant and inseparable connection or inherence; existénce of one thing in another. SAMBANDHA: Relationship; connection. SAMIPYA: Being near God. SAMSARA: Life through repeated births and deaths; the process of worldly life. SAMSAYA: Doubt; suspicion. SAMSKARA: Impression; ceremonial purification; prenatat tendency. SAMUCHHAYAVADA: The doctrine that Karma and Jnana are both necessary for Self-realisation. SAMYOGASAMBANDHA: Relation by contact, e.g., the stick and the drum. SANATANA DHARMA: Eternal religion. SANCHITA KARMA: The sum total of all actions done by the Jiva during countless previous births, out of which a portion is allotted for every new birth. SANKALPA: Thought; desire; imagination. SANTOSHA: Contentment; joy; happiness. SANNYASA: Renunciation of social ties; the last stage of Hindu life, viz., the stage of spiritual meditation. SARIRA: Body. SARUPYA: Having the same form as God. SARVADUHKHANIVRITTI: Removal of all pains. SASTRA: Scripture; words of authority. SAT: Existence; being; reality; Truth. SATTVA: Light; purity; reality. SATTVAPATTI: Fourth state of Jnana where there is an abundance of Sattva or purity and light. SAVAYAVA: With limbs or members. SAVIKALPA: With doubt and change. SAVIKALPA SAMADHI: Samadhi with the triad of knower, knowledge and known. SAYUJYA: Becoming one with God. SIDDHANTA: Established tenet or doctrine. SMRITI: Memory; code of law. SPARSA-TANMATRA: The essence of the sense of touch on the mind when a sound is uttered; the subtle element of touch. SRADDHA: Faith.

202 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

SRAVANA: Hearing of the Srutis or scriptures. SROTRA: Ear; organ of hearing. SRUTI: The Vedas; the revealed scriptures of the Hindu that which has been heard. SUBHECHHA: Good desire; right aspiration to cross San sara; the first Jnana-Bhumika or stage of knowledge .· SUKSHMA: Fine; subtle; invisible; belonging to subtier ol der of existence than the physical. SUNYA: Void; nothingness; zeroness; vacuity; nullity. SUSHUPTI: Deep sleep without dreams. SUTRATMA: The immanent deity of the totality of th subtle bodies; the lower Brahman; Hiranyagarbha. SVABHAVA: One's own nature or potentiality; innate na ture. ; SVAGATABHEDA: Intrinsic difference as the difference be- tween waves, eddies, etc., in a mass of Water: difference between fruit, flower, twigs, leaves, etc., in a trec. SVAPNA: Dream; illusion. SVARGALOKA: Heaven-world; the celestial region, SVARUPA: Essence; essential nature; the essential nature of Brahman; Reality; Sat-chit-ananda; true nature of Being. SVATAHSIDDHA: Self-proved; self-obtained or realised. SVATANTRA: Independent. ^VEDAJA: Organism born spontaneously or generated au- . tomatically from inorganic matter through the action of moisture and heat, such as the maggot in decaying fiesh, or bugs out of sweat.

TADATMYA: Identity; of the nature of that. TAIJASA: A name used in Vedanta for an individual in the subtle state (as in dream) when the Supreme Reality is veiled and coloured by an individual's subtle body. TALATALA: A nether region. TAMAS: Ignorance; inertia; darkness; perishability. TANMATRA: Atom; rudimentary element in an undifte- rentiated state before Panchikarana or quintuplication, TANUMANASI: Thread-iike state of mind. TAPAS:' Purificatory action; ascetic self-denial; austerity; penance; mortification.

GLOSSARY 203

TAPATRAYA: Sufferings or afflictions of three kinds, "to which mortals are subject,viz. (1) those caused by one's own body. (Adhyatmika), (2) those caused by beings around him (Adhibhautika), and (3) those caused by Devas (Adhidaivika.). TAPOLOKA: One of the higher worlds, just below Satya. Loka. TATASTHALAKSHANA: An indirect notion of what a thing is; in Vedanta it is the accidental definition of Brahman, as given by the definition that Brahman is the cause of creation,preservation and destruction of the universe. TATTVA: Reality; element;truth; essence; principle. TAT TVAM ASI: That thou art; one of the four Maha- vakyas; this is found in the Chhandogya Upanishad of the Sama Veda; this is the Abheda-Bodha-Vakya or the sentence which reveals non-difference between the Self and Brahman; this is Upadesa-Vakya or instruction given by the Self-realized sage to the disciple. TEJAS: Brilliance (specially spiritual); the element of fire; Agni; heat. TITIKSHA: Bearing with equanimity the pairs of opposites,, heat and cold, pleasure and pain etc .; endurance. TURIYA: Superconscjous state; the noumenal Self or crea- tures which transcends all conditions and states; oneness.

UDANA: One of the five vital airs functioning in the human body. UDBIJJA: Born from seeds; a plant. UPADANA: Material. IPADANAKARANA: Material cause as the clay for mak- ing the pot. UPADHI: A supcrimposed thing or attribute that veils and gives a coloured view of the substance beneath it; limiting. adjunct; instrument; vehicle; body; a technical term used in Vedanta for any superimposition that gives a limited. view of the Absolute and makes It appear as the relative. UPAHITA CHAITANYA: Intelligence associated with Upa- dhis; individual soul. UPAKRAMA: Beginning; commencement. IPAMANA: Comparison; simile.

204 INTRODUCTION TO VEDANTA PHILOSOPHY

UPARATI: Satiety in the enjoyment of sense-objects; sur- feit; discontinuance of religious ceremonies following upon renunciation; absolute calmness; tranquillity; renun- ciation. UPASANA: (lit) Sitting near; worship or contemplation of God or deity; devout meditation. UPASTHA: Genital. URIMI: A wave; an evil; reference is often made to six evils; they are hunger and thirst, grief and delusion or loss of Consciousness, old age and death.

VACHYARTHA: Literal meaning. VAIRAGYA: Indifference towards and disgust for all world- ly things and enjoyments; dispassion. VAISVANARA: The god of fire; the digestive fire; the gas- tric fire; the sum-total of the created beings; Brahma m the form of the universe; Virat-purusha. VANDHYAPUTRA: Barren woman's son; a symbol of non- existence. VARNASRAMA: Related to the four primary groups and the four xtages of Hindu life; the laws of the caste and stage of life. VASANA: Subtle desire; subtle impression in the mind capa- ble of developing itself into action. VAYU: The Wind-god; air; vital breath; Prana, VEDA: The highest authority among the Aryans of India; it is held that this was never written by anyone and it is, therefore, free from the imperfections to which human productions are subject. When it is forgotten, it is repro- duced by Rishis by doing meditation. As the sounds forming the text of the Veda occur in the same order and are pronounced in the same manner, it is said to be eter- nal; it teaches who and what Brahman is, and how He should be worshipped. Smritis, Itihasas and Puranag onty amplify its teaching. It is the most ancient, authentic scripture of the Hindus. . VEDANGA: An auxiliary to the Vedas. The Vedangas are six in number: 1. Siksha-the science of proper articula- tion and pronunciation, 2. Kalpa-Rituals and ceremontes,

GLOSSARY 205

3. Vyakarana-Grammar, 4. Nirukta-Etymological expla- nation of different Vedic words, 5. Chandas-The science of prosody, and 6. Jyotisha-Astronomy. VEDANTA: (lit.) The end of the Vedas; the Upanishads; the school of Hindu thoughts (based primarily on the Upani- shads) upholding the doctrine of either pure non-dualism or conditioned non-dualism; (the original text of this school is Vedanta-darsana or Uttaramimamsa or the Brahma-sutras compiled by sage Vyasa.) VICHARA: Enquiry into the nature of the Self, Brahman or Truth; ever-present reflection on the why and wherefore of things; enquiry into the real meaning of the Mahavakya; discrimination between the Real and the unreal; enquiry of Self. VIDEHAMUKTI: Disembodied Salvation; salvation attained by the realised soul after shaking off the physical sheath. VIJNANAMAYAKOSA: One of the sheaths of the soul con- sisting of the principle, intellect or Buddhi. VIKALPA: Imagination; oscillation of the mind. VIKSHEPA: The tossing of the mind which obstructs con- centration. VIPARITABHAVANA: Wrong conception, such as conceiv- ing the body as the Self; perverted understanding or ima- gination. VIRAT: Macrocosm; the physical world that we see; the Lord in His form as the manifested universe. VISVA: Cosmos; a name of the Jiva in the waking state. VIVARTAVADA: Phenomenalism; a doctrine of the non- dualistic school of Vedanta philosophy explaining creation as an illusory appearance of the Absolute. VIVEKA: Discrimination between the Real and the unreal, between the Self and the non-Self, between the permanent and the impermanent; right intuitive discrimination. VRITTI: Thought-wave; mental modification; mental whirl- pool. VYANA: One of the five functions of Prana, i.e. circulation

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of blood; one of the five vital forces that pervades the whole body. VYASHTI: Individual. VYATIREKA: Separate; negation. VYAVAHARIKA: Practical; phenomenal; empirical; rela- tive.

YOGA: (lit.) Union; abstract meditation or union with the Supreme Being. YUGA: See Kalpa. One of the divisions of time. There are four Yugas, known as Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kal. All the four together are known as a Chaturyuga. YUKTI: Skill; cleverness; device; also unjon or Yoga,

t.