CHANGELESS, IMMUTABLE, ETERNAL REALITY--- ATMA BODHA 9

CHANGELESS, IMMUTABLE ETERNAL REALITY                   

                   SACCHIDATMANYA-NUSYATE NITYE- VISHNOW PRAKALPITAH    

                   

VYAKTAYOO VIVIDHAH SARVAH HATAKE KATAKADIVAT

“All the manifested things of the world and beings are projected by imagination upon the substratum. This substratum is none other than the Eternal, ALL pervading VISHNU. He is of the nature of Existence-Intelligence. Just  as the different ornaments are all made out of the same Gold.”

The ordinary mortal  cannot easily grasp the lofty Vedantic truths. These truths have to be driven home to him through numerous examples. Repetition of these Vedantic truths, with examples,  are needed to make the ordinary man comprehend them. It is then they understand the implications as well as the revelations even as the Truth becomes clear. Sankara does exactly the same to educate his readers by offering simple similes as examples to make the aspirants understand difficult philosophical truths! Creation consist of three important causes--- the material, the instrumental and the efficient causes.  The raw material, the equipment with which the object is created and the intelligence that creates the material are involved in the process. Generally, in creation, all the three causes are separate. In  other words, the material  cause transforms itself into  the created thing. For example, the pot and the potter are separate. But in the creation of the universe or world, the objects created are not different from the creator. The Supreme Self or the Paramatman , itself manifests as different objects. There cannot be a second Infinite!!

The AITAREYA UPANISHD affirms: “In the beginning all this was Atman—one only. There was nothing else active. He bethought himself, “Let me now create the worlds.” He created these worlds.”  The Atman thus created Guardians of the world, food for them, Speech, breath, sight, hearing, skin, and mind. They couldn’t grasp food.  He grasped food with digestive breath ( Apana). So, cleaving asunder this end of the head He entered by that way. This is the opening known as Vidriti (the cleft) ( Mantras 1 to 14).

The methodology of creation is beautifully described in the ANANDAVALLI of TITTIRIYA UPANISHAD. “In the beginning, before creation, the world ,with its names and forms, was unmanifest.  It is from this unmanifest state, that world of names and forms was created. That unmanifest Brahman voluntarily manifested itself as the world.  Therefore it is called “Swayamkartruka”—created by its own volition. That Brahman is in the form of Rasa or essence. All the Jivas enjoy the bliss of experiencing that rasa.” (Mantra 14)

The waves have no existence apart from the waters of the ocean. In the same manner, all our world of experiences in the physical, mental and  intellectual  realms  rise from, exist in, and merge back into that One Supreme Awareness which shines in everybody. Different experiences in different persons rise and fall  before that One Consciousness like the bubbles that form and burst on the surface of the water. The Self is eternal, indestructible, has no birth or death, all pervading. “ Ajayamano bahudha vijayathe”- though without birth it pervades all beings. Supreme Self is the prime and original material. But it assumes various forms and names. Simply because of these names and forms we should not think that they are separate entities. The raw material is one and the same. But out of this Eternal Self are made hundreds and thousands of other materials.  “Mruthpinda eko  bahu bhanda rupah  Gokshira  eko bahu dhenu jathaha  suvarna mekam bahu bhushanani  EKAH PARATMA BAHU DEHA VARTHY.” This simple truth is not realized by the ordinary mortal. The word VISHNU in the stanza has no reference to  the Lord of Vaikunta. The word is also used in describing Lord Vinayaka—“ Suklambara dharam Vishnum…”which means “ all pervading”.

EVERYTHING DISSOLVES IN THE SUPREME SELF

 

EVERYTHING DISSOLVES IN THE SUPREME SELF. ATMA BODHA 8

UPADANE AKHILADHARE JAGANTI PARAMESWARE

SARGASTHITI LAYANYANTI BUDBUDANEEVA VARINI

“Like Bubbles in the water, the worlds arise, exist and dissolve or merge in the supreme Self. This Supreme Self is the material cause and the basis and support of everything”

Prasnopanishad declares: “ Just as birds resort to a tree for rest, even so, my friend all things here go into the supreme Self-----earth and elements of earth, water and elements of water, fire and elements of fire,  air and elements of air, ether and elements of ether, sight and what can be seen, hearing and what can be heard, smell and what can be smelt,  taste and what can be tasted, the skin and what can be touched, speech and what can be spoken, hands and what can be handled,  the organ of generation and what can be enjoyed,--------------the intellect and what can be conceived, self consciousness and what it can be conscious of, thought and what can be thought,  light and what can be illumined and life and what can be supported by it.” (iii Up 4) 5 Mundakopanishad states: “ As the flowing rivers disappear in the ocean, losing their name and form, so does the knower, freed from name and form go to the Divine Purusha higher than the high.” VI Up (III. 2) 8 William Wodsworth, the famous Nature poet says in one of his odes: “ Like trailing clouds of glory do we come from God who is our home.” Every Hindu is conscious of this philosophic idea that we have to return to God after our mortal existence.

 Creation is nothing but the change of form, name, nature and condition. It is a kind of reconversion. Creation entails three essential factors which when put together are called the “Cause.”  Three types of “Causes “are recognized in creation.  They are 1 The Material cause 2 The Efficient cause and 3 The instrumental cause. For example, the potter making the pot is the  Efficient cause. The wheel he uses to make the pot is the Instrumental cause. Material cause is the mud he uses to make the pot. This is called ‘ Upadana Karan. In general, the pot—mud is separate from the potter. But in the process of Creation  where the finite emerges from the Infinite, the material cause and the Efficient cause  are one and the same.

The ocean is composed of water.  But the water in the sea or ocean doesn’t stand still.  It is always in motion. On account of that continuous motion waves are produced and they travel to the shore with speed. They lash at the shore and withdraw into the ocean again. One wave upon another, they continue to lash at the shore and withdraw into the ocean .They cannot be distinguished individually. They rise and rise again and merge into the ocean even as we wonder at the mighty ocean.  Bubbles are created as the waves lash against the shore. They are colorful and extremely beautiful . But they are short lived and burst in a fraction of a second! What is this bubble? Is it different from water in the wave or ocean? It is formed in the water of the ocean, exists in the same water and loses itself in the same water. We consider the ocean, water, wave, and the bubble as separate entities.  Are they really separate?  This plurality and multiplicity is due to the action of body-mind and intellect.  It is all a play of names and forms upon the Divine  Eternal substratum or the Infinite Consciousness.

 In spite of changes in names and forms, the Supreme Brahman doesn’t undergo any change. That is why it is called as the Absolute Brahman. It is not subjected to any modification in itself. It is because of this unchangeable nature that the world of multiplicity originates from the Brahman. The plurality and multiplicity is only an appearance, no real manifestation or factual creation. Everything dissolves in the Supreme Self!

 

 

 

 

 

ILLUSION OF SILVER

ILLUSION OF SILVER  

                      “ The Jagat appears to be true (Satyam) so long as Brahman,  the substratum and the basis

                         Of all creation, is not realized .It is like the illusion of silver in the mother of pearl.”

Sankara speaks of how people are thoroughly deceived by Maya or illusion! Unless they free themselves from the influence of Maya or illusion they cannot understand the reality and recognize the Brahman or the Self. The word jagat is not merely the world we see. It includes the total experience of the individual in the three states of existence   viz the Waking, Dream and Deep-sleep states. These states are experienced through physical, mental and intellectual equipments. In other words, Jagat includes  objects and forms  and smells intended for the enjoyment of individuals. The sensory organs play a major role in providing enjoyment to individuals. The sum total of our experiences gained through our gross, subtle and causal bodies is called Jagat.

Why is it that Man is unable to understand that the world is unreal? It is because of the terrible illusion created by Maya. Its grip is so strong that Man can never come out of it.  He has become the slave of the Arishadvargas or the inner adversaries that create a havoc in his life.  Drowned in the sea of Samsara he is passionately attached to his wife, children, property and kith and kin. Consequently he doesn’t think of any other thing. He is more concerned about his body, actions and other silly things in life He doesn’t think of the Atma or Brahman  that is enshrined in the innermost recess of his heart. He thinks that he is the body and not the indestructible Atma within his body. Illusion has the capacity to present the real as unreal and the unreal as the real. He is thus easily deceived.  How can he decide the world, wife and children and various associations as unreal while living and moving with them? It is something unimaginable for him. Close attachment and association with all these things force him to believe that the  world is real and whatever he experiences is real  happiness!

The “ Katha Upanishad declares: “ That which is without sound, without touch, without form, without decay, and likewise without taste,  without change, without smell,  without beginning, without end,  beyond the great,  and ever abiding--- by realizing it one is freed from the jaws of death.” This Brahman is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. The entire Jagat is its manifestation. It is the indweller of every single creature in the universe. “ Ekah Paratma bahu dehavarthi” It is the substratum of everything in the universe. Until this truth is not realized man thinks that the world and his connections are true and real. During the course of his dream, Man thinks that whatever he sees, and hears is true. During nightmares he shouts and blabbers! But on waking up he feels sorry for his stupidity and foolishness. The dream is real during the dreamy state. But during the waking state it is unreal. Similarly when there is a spiritual awakening, the plurality of this multiple world and all experiences merge into that substratum, the One Supreme Essence!

It is only after we realize the Supreme Truth, the Eternal God principle and Pure Consciousness in us and everywhere we do not mistake the Jagat as real. Sankara gives us an illustration of how Man is deceived by illusion. The suktika or mother of pearl is very attractive. It is silvery white and enticing. Man thinks it is a silver piece because of its misguiding white color!  But it is made of worthless Calcium!  Appearances are deceptive. All that glitters is not gold. We have to be very careful in detecting what is real and what is false. Man invariably is the victim of Maya and doesn’t come to the right conclusion. Very rarely we come across, here and there, a crop of intellectuals, sages, illuminated individuals, realized souls like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda and others.  The ignorance of man and society is so dense that their teachings and messages have left no imprint on their minds!  Is it ever possible for the common man to come out of the clutches of Maya or illusion and see the Reality and his own Self?  Time alone can decide!!!

 

 

SAMSARA---A WORLD OF DREAMS ATMA BODHA 6

 

SAMSARA A DREAM WORLD   ATMA BODHA 6

“Samsara --Swapnatulyo  Hi  Ragadweshadi Sankulah

Swa—Kale Satyawat Bhathi  Prabodhe—Satyasat Bhavet.”

“The world replete with attachments and aversions is similar to a dream.  As long as it continues, it appears to be real but appears unreal when one is awake (  i. e. when true Wisdom dawns)

According to Sankara the world is like a dream! It is inextricably mixed with Raga and Dwesha and various other impurities. Inner enemies or the Arishadvargas torment it endlessly. Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsarya create situations from which man can never escape! One of the Azwars says  “Bhava jaldhi magadham dustaram nisthareyam”  “ Samsarakhye mahati jaladhau majjatam nastridhamam” I am totally drowned in the great shoreless ocean of Samsara! Sankara himself had a bitter experience during the course of his confrontation and argument with Bharathi Devi, wife of Mandana Misra. Unable to corner Sankara in debate, She begins questioning him on Samsara , family life.  Sankara, being a Sanyasi has no experience of it and requests time to answer her questions. By his spiritual powers, he transmigrates into the body of Kasi Raja who had just died.  The king wakes up to the horror of the palace members and the queen!  But Sankara keeps aloof and observes what family life is. Suspecting the strange and unattached behavior of the king, the minister orders that all dead bodies of men and animals be burnt forthwith. Sankara’s disciples, guarding the body left by Sankara, are overpowered and the body is seized! They send an alert to Sankara and he leaves the King’s body  immediately and wakes up in his own body! By that time his llimbs are burnt! He prays to Lord Lakshmi Nrusimha and gets back the limbs. In His “ Karavalamba Stotra” Sankara wonderfully describes the nature of Samsara and how he suffered untold miseries. He says that Samsara is an ocean

alive with dark crocodiles that have caught him up! He laments that he is drenched totally in passions, attachments, aversions and other things. He prays Lord Lakshmi Nrusimha for restoring his partially burnt limbs! “  “Lakshmi Nrusimha! Mama dehi karavalambam”

 The Vedas and the Upanishads proclaim “BRAHMA SATYAM JAGAN MITHYA” Brahman is Real.  The world is an Illusion. How can we say that the world in which we live and the wives, children, kith and kin, riches, and property are all unreal?  The argument appears meaningless as we are closely associated with and experienced many situations with them. We come across in our dreams our own unfulfilled desires, passions and emotions. Sometimes when we experience nightmares, we are terrified and blabber. When we wake up we are relieved to know it was only a dream and unreal.

 In the dream world we have a variety of experiences.  Experiences exist even in our waking state. The wonder is that we are not ready to accept the waking state as a continuous dream! What is the reason behind this attitude? It is because of the firm grip of ‘ avidya’ – ajnana, ignorance over us preventing  us from accepting the reality of the Real!  This ‘avidya’ can also be called Maya or illusion. This has the unchallenged capacity to show the Real as UnReal and the Unreal as the Real. Is it impossible for man to   recognize the Real as Real? Man has not fully qualified himself to understand and realize the ephemeral nature of mundane objects around us and  our own exact relationship with our body, mind and intellect.

Our feeble mind is responsible for the wild dreams we experience.  One who has a balanced mind and who has brought it well under his control, who is unaffected by the ‘Arishadvargas’ or the Inner  Enemies  will not be affected by wild dreams. The dream is quite real to us so long as we are in it!  The moment we wake up we experience the unreality of the dream. In the same manner, when we go deeper and experience the All- pervading  Spirit, the plurality of our existence  drops off  even as we  awaken ourselves  to that  Supreme Self which alone is the Real!  Therefore it is the duty of everyone of us to wake up from this unreality by tearing off the ‘Avidya’  superimposed on  Real Knowledge and realize the bliss of our own Self!

 

ATMA BODHA 5

 

ATMA BODHA 5

AGYANA KALUSHAM JIVAM GYANA—BHYASAT HI NIRMALAM

KRITVA GYANAM SWAYAM NASYET JALAM KATAKA—RENUVAT

“Constant practice of KNOWLEDGE purifies the SELF (JIVATMA) and then disappears itself-----as the powder of the KATAKA  NUT  settles down after it has cleared muddy water.

In   Vedantic  parlance the soul  in every person is called Jivatma or the Individual soul.  It is just a spark of the eternal Absolute Brahman of which the whole range of the Upanishads extol in wonderful language. God is the largest magnet and man the iron or base metal .Why does God not attract man?  It is because the iron is embedded in many impurities and the Jivatma is engulfed  in  dense maya  or illusion. When the persistent maya is wiped away from the Jivatma by prayer and repentance, it is soon  attracted by  the Lord to Himself! Sankara says that the Jiva is full of “ Kalusha” ---dirt. What is this stain or dirt? This is Ignorance or ajnana. In other words the Jiva does not realize its own true nature!  It is because of Avidya or ignorance. The Jiva identifies itself with the body or sareera which has 24 tatwas. The body has manas, intellect, Ego or ahankara. It has the five Jnanedriyas and five karmendriyas and a mind also. Spiritual ignorance creates agitations of the intellect and blabbering of the mind!

There are   two aspects of  Maya  viz  Vidya Maya and Avidya Maya. The former is a positive force and leads man on the way to Self Realization and the vision of God.  The other Avidya Maya  is a negative force and leads man astray. The qualities of the former Vidya Maya are knowledge, devotion, dispassion, and compassion for all creatures. It is Vidya Maya alone that can lead man to realize God!! The ego suffers the limitations of matter and this can be compared to our own reflections in the mirror.  We look distorted or otherwise depending on the concave or convex reflecting surfaces. How can this ugliness of our reflections end?  The only way is to destroy the reflecting surface or straighten it. In short the mind – intellect has to become steady and clean. The mind is, after all, a bundle or strands of thoughts.  When the mind has ended, ego or ahankara returns to its original nature, SELF!

How does the mind become “ Nirmala?” All the thought currents of the mind are ultimately sublimated  by  meditation---Gyana-Abhyasa—practice of Gnana or Knowledge. Meditation consists of weaning away our identification with false mundane envelopments as well as asserting our spiritual divine nature. The ego center “I am the matter” can be replaced by another thought current  “ I am the Self”.  But even this experience is conditional and finite. Thus this cannot be Absolute.

Gyana-Bhyasat has its limitation too!  Meditation and practice, after sublimating the mind, ceases itself! All our attempts to sleep end when we begin sleeping.  As usual, Sankara gives a simile to illustrate this point. The simile given here is of the cleaning- nut, the powder used in ancient India for cleaning muddy water. When the well or river water was muddy during the rainy season, people used to put the Kathaka dust on the surface of  the water  in their buckets. The powder grows slightly slimy forming  a  continuous film. As it is denser, it settles down carrying along with it all the minute suspended particles of dust held in the water. In this process not only the dirt goes down but the agent, Kathaka-dust  also  settles down.  Water is left clean in the bucket and we can decant and use it. In our own days, we use a little Alum which acts similarly.

 

 

ATMA BODHA 4

 

ATMA BODHA 4                                                  

PARI CHINNA IVA  AGYANATH TANNASE SATI KEVALAH
SWAYAM  PRAKASATE HI  ATMA MEGHAPAYE AMSUMANIVA

 “The SOUL appears to be finite because of ignorance or Avidya. When that ignorance is annihilated the SELF bereft of any multiplicity truly reveals itself by itself.”

Sankara builds up the same idea described in the previous verse. As he had stated earlier, all the austerities  like tapas, calmness, control over the senses, leading a life without sin do not lead directly to the KNOWLEDGE of the Self. In other words, it is KNOWLEDGE that can wipe out ignorance.  Is it possible to make the sun shine by any means? Any such attempt is foolish. The sun is ever bright, radiant and dazzling in the sky. It illuminates the entire universe by itself all through the changing seasons. Does the sun lose its glory and effulgence at any time?  But we see the sun losing his shine in the sky often. We mistake that the sun has lost his shine and glory. That is because of our ignorance. The reason is that our vision is marred by the passing clouds that hide the disc of the sun. The sun shines brilliantly as soon as the clouds pass away.

The SELF is Infinite. It is homogenous. It is bereft of any plurality or multiplicity. The KATHA Upanishad declares: “Smaller than the small and greater than the great ,the SELF is hidden in the heart of every creature. A man who is free from desires beholds the glory of that SELF through the tranquility of his mind and senses and becomes freed from sorrow.” ( Katha Upanishad  iii Up 1 2 3 –7)  It is because of our ignorance and misunderstanding that we fail to recognize the Supreme Being!

The KATHA Upanishad again and again explains the glory of the SELF. It states: “The knowing SELF is never born, nor does it die. It sprang from nothing, and nothing sprang from it. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting and primeval. It is not slain when the body is slain.”  Therefore, this ATMAN or SELF is incomparable  in its Supreme glory and Its existence.   Who are those qualified to experience the Truth? They are the wise who have no attachment to the enchanting , material things in the world.  Who is the man who has no grief? The Upanishad asserts: “The wise man who knows the SELF  as bodiless within the bodies, as the unchanging among changing things as great and all pervading will never grieve.”  (Katha Upanishad)

ATMA BODHA 3

 

ATMA   BODHA 3                      

Avirodhitaya Karma  Na-vidyam Vinivartayet

Vidya- Avidyam  Nihantyeva Tejas--Timirasanghavat

Ignorance cannot be destroyed by Action  because  it is not in conflict with ignorance. Knowledge alone destroys ignorance as light destroys deep or thick darkness.

Why do austerities like Tapas, a life without sin,  Santam or peacefulness,  control over the senses,  and  a sincere desire for liberation provide no emancipation as KNOWLEDGE  does?  By KNOWLEDGE Sankara means KNOWLEDGE of the SELF only. According to the Upanishads , KNOWLEDGE means the KNOWLEDGE of the SELF or the BRAHMAN. By attaining Knowledge one rediscovers  the Self or Atma  in us embedded in the innermost recess of our heart. The Vedas, Upanishads and scriptures  describe the Atman as ever present. The Isavasya Upanishad proclaims: “He pervades all things: he is radiant, incorporeal, invulnerable, and sinewless; He is pure and un touched by evil; He is the seer, wise, all pervading and self existent----“ ( chapter 1 ---8)When such is the case,  where is the need for striving for it which is ever present in us.  In short, all our actions, austerities, tapas and other rituals do not lead us directly to the KNOWLEDGE of the SELF. The purpose and effect of all austerities is to clean the inner equipment of perception and to see the true and real nature of our own SELF.

Sankara introduces a beautiful simile to illustrate the point. A room is terribly dark and nothing is visible. Is it possible to sweep away the darkness in baskets? It is a vain effort to do so. No physical effort will dispel the pitch darkness in the room. The easiest and the best method would be to light a match or a candle and enter the room. As soon as it is done, all the darkness in the room is dissolved and the room is illuminated. Our ignorance is the darkness in the room.  The candle or the match is the light that dispels the deep darkness inside the room and reveals the truth which is the Knowledge of the SELF. The SELF is effulgent forever and we have to brush aside the enveloping ignorance to witness the  glow and glory of the Self.

Vidya is the KNOWLEDGE of the SELF. AVidya is darkness or ignorance in Vedantic  parlance.  Man is enveloped in ignorance or Avidya and is unable to think of the Self.  He thinks that he is the Body and attaches all importance to its activities. He has no time to contemplate on the SELF within his own body. Attachment to mundane things like wife, children, wealth, kith and kin hang heavily on him and he is doomed and lost forever. Until this Avidya is brushed off there is no liberation or emancipation for him. The example of the  rope and snake reveals the nature of man. he is thirsty and wants to quench his thirst. There is a well and a bucket and rope nearby. But it is pitch dark. He moves forward cautiously, steps upon the rope but suddenly turns back in horror mistaking it for a snake. On switching on the torch, he is relieved to know that it is, after all, a rope!  Darkness is ignorance. Light is Knowledge. Where there is illumination or KNOWLEDGE there is no AVIDYA or Ignorance.

In Hinduism,  Avidya stands for confusing the  mundane reality to be the only reality and as permanent though it is ever changing. According to Hinduism there is a spiritual reality consisting of Atman—Brahman, one that is the true, eternal, imperishable reality beyond time.  Avidya is the absence of Knowledge, essentially  an ignorance of who we are. It is often referred  to  as the root cause of human suffering.  Avidya is also called primal ignorance. It takes the non eternal to be eternal, the impure to be pure, the pain producing to be pleasure producing and the non –Atman to be the Atman! Avidya is also called Maya in philosophy. It is the root cause of delusion compelling people to believe right as wrong and wrong as right. It is absolutely impossible to overcome Maya as Krishna Himself says “ mama Maya duratyaya.”