श्रद्धा कीदृशी ?
गुरुवेदान्तवाक्यादिषु विश्वासः श्रद्धा ।
What is the nature of sraddha? Faith in the words of
the Guru and Vedanta (scriptures) is sraddha.
Sraddha (श्रद्धा) or faith is required even for us to
conduct regular transactions in life for a life lacking faith is fraught with
wretchedness. Adi Shankara prescribes faith in Guru and teachings of Vedanta in
the context of knowledge of the Self or atmajnanam (आत्मज्ञानं). We
saw previously that the inherent nature of man of limitless existence,
consciousness and fullness is referred to as atman (आत्मन्) in Vedantic philosophy.
Free from the references to the body-mind-sense complex who one is is atman (आत्मन्).
Being free of any attributes, atman (आत्मन्) or Self is not available for
objectification and therefore the pramanam (प्रमाणम्) or the means of
knowledge that are used for knowing things that can be objectified cannot be
used to know the Self. Trusting therefore that Vedanta alone is the means of
knowing the Self and trusting the teachings to unfold the Self and listening to
the teachings without any prejudices is what sraddha (श्रद्धा) implies.
The belief prescribed here is not blind belief that
makes one fanatic, close-minded and superstitious but one that is backed by
intellectual inquiry and confirmed by self-experience. Without sraddha (श्रद्धा),
one’s spiritual pursuit will lack both determination and direction and will
eventually result in doubting one’s own ability in reaching the goal.
The importance of Guru in Vedantic learning cannot be
overstated and the role of the Guru is as important as of the shastras (शास्त्र)
in one attaining the knowledge. Guru would prescribe upasanas (उपासना)
or preparatory practices for the student and ensure that he has the fourfold
qualification in adequate measure before the teachings are commenced and having
the faith in these teaching methods is sraddha
(श्रद्धा). The sraddha
(श्रद्धा) in one’s Guru should be based on the conviction that one’s Guru knows
the shastras (शास्त्र) he is teaching, has the ability to interpret and
communicate them correctly and above all is one’s well-wisher.
Reflecting on one’s life with a subtle mind and
understanding intimately how the conflict between one’s inherent nature and one’s
identification with the body-mind-sense complex is creating samsara
(संसारा) or bondage and becoming singularly committed to freedom from this
bondage that is referred to as moksha (मोक्ष) is essential to developing sraddha (श्रद्धा). Introspecting and
understanding ignorance of the Self to be the source of this bondage will help
one developing sraddha (श्रद्धा) that shastras (शास्त्र) alone are the means of
the knowledge that can remove the ignorance of the Self. Determination to seek
this knowledge as a means of freedom will help one attain the right Guru who
will instiLl in one faith in the scriptures, the means, the goal and even in one’s
own ability to reach it.
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