Objects of the world - Chapter 22

The essential purport of Shastras (शास्त्र) is to reveal the Truth that atman (आत्मन्) alone is satyam (सत्यं) and everything else is mithya (मिथ्य) and that atman (आत्मन्) is of the nature of satchitananda (सत्चिदानन्द). The myriad of empirical experiences of a human being though cannot be summarily dismissed with a technical word like mithya (मिथ्य) and they need to be elaborated in greater detail for the assimilation of the Truth to become easier without conflicting empirical experiences diluting the understanding. It is for this reason that Shastras (शास्त्र) talk about what the atman is not also in good detail. Multiple models are used in different Upanishads to explain objects of the world that belong in the realm of anatma (अनात्म) and these should be understood in the right context so one does not get hung up on these details and keeps the essential purport as central to ones learning & understanding of the scriptures.

We had previously defined mithya (मिथ्य) as that which does not have an independent existence or in other words that which depends on something else to exist. Consider a pot made of clay and if one were to remove the clay from the pot then the pot would not have any existence at all. Even while that being the case the pot is available for perception and that way cannot be discounted as non-existent and therefore it is accorded the status of mithya (मिथ्य) or that which has a borrowed existence. In this context, clay becomes the satyam (सत्यं) or that which lends its existence to the pot. The interesting aspect here is that satyam (सत्यं) can never be spatially apart from mithya (मिथ्य) and it is this fact that is at the root of confusing mithya (मिथ्य) to be satyam (सत्यं) and not understanding the true nature of satyam (सत्यं).

Here Adi Shankara begins elaborating on the nature of the Self by negating the gross, subtle and causal bodies as the Self and each of these bodies are elaborated upon in some detail using the models used in Upanishads. The reason for this negation beginning with the body is because it is primarily the body that is mistaken for the Self and even in the body it is the grossest aspect of it that is mistaken strongly still. The body is mistaken for the Self because being mithya (मिथ्य) it is not spatially separate from the Self from which it borrows its existence. 

Beyond the five sheaths - Chapter 21

Tattvabodha can be looked at as having 4 distinct segments. The first segment after establishing the anubandha catustayam (अनुबन्ध चातुष्टयं) or the intended recipient of the text, its subject matter, its purpose and the relation of the text to its purpose went on to elaborate on the qualifications that a seeker of the Truth needs to possess. Having concluded this segment we now enter into the second segment which elaborates in detail who an individual is and what his true nature is. The Self is first defined in negative terms in terms of what it is not and then its true nature is asserted.

The segment begins with the inquisitive student asking of the learned teacher what atman (आत्मन्) is and the teacher in the traditional manner of all Vedantic literature providing a terse response which shall then be elaborated in great detail.

आत्मा कः ?

स्थूलसूक्ष्मकारणशरीराद्व्यतिरिक्तः पञ्चकोशातीतः सन्

अवस्थात्रयसाक्षी सच्चिदानन्दस्वरूपः सन्

यस्तिष्ठति स आत्मा ।

What is the Self? That which is other than the gross, subtle and causal bodies, beyond the five sheaths, the witness of the three states of consciousness and of the nature of existence-consciousness-happiness is the Self.

We had seen previously how a colorless crystal can appear green or blue when held before a piece of green or blue cloth. The piece of cloth in this example is referred to as upadhi (उपाधि) in Vedantic phraseology and the crystal is referred to as the upahita (उपहित). The three bodies, five sheaths and the three states of consciousness are the upadhi (उपाधि) for the Self and they condition the Self based on their own attributes. We shall now expound in detail the three bodies, five sheaths and the three states of consciousness and understand their attributes so we can identify how their attributes are conditioning the Self. It is this conditioning that is the basis for mistaking the non-Self for the Self. Without the conditioning, the Self, as we had seen previously is of the nature of limitless existence, consciousness and fullness.

The colorless crystal - Chapter 20

The existence of atman (आत्मन्) is intrinsic to it or in other words is its very nature and we need to understand this aspect clearly. We generally use adjectives to qualify the attributes of an entity and therefore when the word ‘existence’ is used with atman (आत्मन्) the tendency would be to understand atman (आत्मन्) as an entity and existence as it’s attribute but that is not so. Just as a wave in the ocean does not have water in it but IS water so too atman (आत्मन्) does not exist but IS existence. Being of the nature of existence it remains the same in all the three periods of time. It is changeless, ever the same.

Atman (आत्मन्) is not a distinct entity to be sought out and understood but is the very essence of all beings just as water is the essence of all waves. The teachings of Vedanta therefore essentially are teachings about oneself or what one intimately refers to as ‘I’. When Vedanta says that everything other than one’s own Self is mithya (मिथ्या) and everything depends on one’s own Self to exist there is stiff resistance because we do not know the real nature of one’s own Self. We have taken what the Self is not to be the Self and that mix-up is the source of the resistance. It is not a physical mix-up though but a cognitive mix-up and knowledge of the Self can remove this. One needs to understand the Self so well that one can distinguish it from the non-Self. Ignorance of the Self is universal and beginningless but once removed it doesn’t come back again.

A red flower seen through a crystal would seem to be coloring the colorless crystal in red and in the same manner the non-Self seemingly superimposes its attributes onto the attribute-less Self resulting in the Self and the non-Self getting mixed-up beyond differentiation. It is for this reason that Shastras used the method of negating the superimposition to reveal the Self. When the non-Self is negated in its entirety, what remains is the pure Self, the Truth.

We shall now begin discussing the nature of the Self in this method where we shall elaborate in detail on what the Self is not before elaborating on what it is.

Borrowed existence - Chapter 19

Sadhanacatushtayam (साधनचतुष्टयं) or the fourfold qualification that one needs to possess before commencing the enquiry into the Truth was discussed elaborately in last couple of posts. One needs to have this in adequate measure to be able to commence one’s pursuit, progress comfortably without having to push oneself too hard and to experience a growing sense of clarity and an increasing sense of freedom from the teachings of Vedanta.

Developing the fourfold qualification is not merely addition of some attributes to one’s character but will result in perceivable transformation where one intimately appreciates the inner growth from giving and sheds one’s earlier disposition of grabbing & hoarding. The fourfold qualification takes time to attain and even while one remains sincere to attain one need not be overly anxious. Veda purva bhaga (वेद पूर्व भागा) helps one develop the qualification for pursuit of knowledge of Self and Vedanta (वेदान्ता) provides the knowledge of Self and helps one attain moksha (मोक्ष).

Thus, having obtained sufficient clarity on the fourfold qualification the inquisitive student takes the dialogue forward with a pertinent question and the learned teacher provides a pithy response which shall subsequently be elaborated in great detail.

तत्त्वविवेकः कः ?

आत्मा सत्यं तदन्यत् सर्वं मिथ्येति ।

What is discriminative understanding of the Truth? It is the firm conviction that Self or atman (आत्मन्) is Satyam (सत्यं) and everything other than Self or atman (आत्मन्) is mithya (मिथ्या).

The discriminative enquiry leading to the determinative knowledge that the Self alone is Real and everything other than the Self is unreal is tattvaviveka (तत्त्वविवेक) or enquiry into the Truth.

Satyam (सत्यं) and mithya (मिथ्या) were two technical words used in the above sentence and we shall now look at their meanings in the context of Vedantic philosophy for these would be used recurrently. Satyam (सत्यं) and mithya (मिथ्या) are not used to denote any object per se but are used to reveal the understanding of the status of an object in terms of its existence.

Satyam (सत्यं) is that which has an existence & tuccham (तुच्चम्) is that which does not exist. Rabbit’s horn or flowers grown in the sky are examples of tuccham (तुच्चम्) that are given in shastras (शास्त्र).

Mithya (मिथ्या) on the other hand is used to denote any object that does not have an independent existence and needs to borrow the existence of another object to exist. Ornaments made of gold need to borrow the existence of gold to exist and pottery needs to borrow the existence of clay to exist and therefore pottery and golden ornaments are mithya (मिथ्या). Mithya (मिथ्या) although not having an independent existence has its usefulness and also has empirical reality. Satyam (सत्यं) is that which exists independently or does not depend on anything else for its existence.

The purport of the statement Self alone is Real and everything other than the Self is unreal is that atman (आत्मन्) alone exists independently and everything else exists dependently and therefore is mithya (मिथ्या).

The burning desire for freedom - Chapter 18

Yearning for freedom from bondage which was listed as the last of the fourfold qualification that makes one qualified for the teachings of Vedanta is now sought to be elaborated by the student.

मुमुक्षुत्वं किम् ?

मोक्षो मे भूयाद् इति इच्छा ।

What is mumukshutvam? ‘Let me attain liberation.’ This intense desire is mumukshutvam.

If one were to reflect upon all of one’s pursuits one would see that what one is truly seeking is freedom. Even while seeking wealth or artha purushartha (अर्थ पुरुषार्थ) what one is really seeking is freedom from the sense of insecurity. Even while relishing delicious food or seeking kama purushartha (काम पुरुषार्थ) what one is truly seeking is freedom from the state of unhappiness. Even while pursuing dharma purushartha (धर्म पुरुषार्थ) what one is truly seeking is freedom from a feeling of spiritual deficiency. Looked upon in this manner, at a fundamental level, what everyone is pursuing is moksha (मोक्ष) even while remaining oblivious to it. A mumukshu (मुमुक्षु) is one who understands this and consciously chooses the pursuit of moksha (मोक्ष) alone as the goal of life.

Only a subtle mind that is capable of reflecting dispassionately can see the helplessness in living a life seeking happiness from the external world of objects, people and situations and it is from this understanding that the desire for moksha (मोक्ष) is kindled. Like with all pursuits in life it is the intensity of the desire that determines the extent to which one would go or the amount of sacrifices one would make in the pursuit of moksha (मोक्ष). Only when the desire is intense as of a drowning man’s desire for air that the pursuit gets wings and gathers flight.

The raw desire will find concrete purpose when a mumukshu (मुमुक्षु) understands intimately that the entire misery of mankind is due to the conflict between being atman (of the nature of limitless existence, consciousness, happiness) and identifying oneself with anatma (which is limited and mortal). A mumukshu (मुमुक्षु) becomes a jignasu (जिज्ञासु) when he understands that knowledge of the Self or atmajnanam (आत्मज्ञानं) alone will result in moksha (मोक्ष).

एतत् साधनचतुष्टयम् ।

ततस्तत्त्वविवेकस्याधिकारिणो भवन्ति ।

This is the fourfold qualification. Thereafter, they become qualified for the enquiry into the Truth.

The enquiry into the nature of atman (आत्मन्) requires a mind that is prepared through the conscious attainment of the fourfold qualification prescribed by Adi Shankara for without it the pursuit will merely remain one of an academic nature.

Art of thinking - Chapter 17

समाधानं किम् ?

चित्तैकाग्रता ।

What is samadhanam (समाधानं)? It is the single-pointedness of the mind.

It is a blessing that our mind is of the nature of moving from one thought to another for without it we would not be able to get on with our life. Consider having met with a dreadful accident and the mind being frozen with that thought and relentlessly replaying the accident. Even while we appreciate this blessing, we need to train the mind to stay with a thought for a reasonable length of time to accomplish anything worthwhile.

Samadhanam (समाधानं) is remaining focused on a subject matter for a reasonable length of time. It is the ability to bring back the mind from where it is and concentrate it on the preferred subject matter. The idea is not to stay with a single thought but thoughts that are connected to the same subject matter where a thought is connected to the thought preceding it and the one succeeding it. We need this trait to achieve anything significant in life and even more so in one’s spiritual pursuit for a wandering mind can never absorb itself in the teachings of Vedanta or engage in the contemplation of the learning.

Just as one learns to swim by swimming one learns to concentrate by concentrating. Japa (जप) is a method of mental training by which a drifting mind is compelled to behave in order and rhythm though the continuous chanting of a chosen mantra (मन्त्र). Japa (जप) trains the mind to fix itself to a single line of thinking and if it is practiced effectively, it can bring about sustained single-pointedness. Samadhanam (समाधानं) ensures that our time and energy is not wasted away and is kept focused on the goal.

The group of six virtues beginning with shama (शम) which is the third of the fourfold qualification was elaborated until now. The seeker needs to work towards attaining all of them in good measure for one’s spiritual progress.

The bridge between ignorance and knowledge - Chapter 16

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.