http://www.nageshsonde.com/Sri-Shankaracharya-Sadhana-Panchakam.pdf
https://www.satyavedism.org/adi-shankaracharya/sadhana-panchakam-sadhana-for-realization-40-instructions-in-5-verses-2-translations
Sri Shankaracharya Sadhana Panchakam:
Narrow and ancient is the Path, that stretches far.
That has been found by me, has been realised by the Wise.
The Knowers of Brahman traverse afar to go to the heavenly world, after their bodies here fall.
On that Path, they say, there is white, blue, yellow, green and red.
That Path has been found by Knowers of Brahman.
By that Path go the seekers of Brahman,
The auspicious and the luminous.
While we are here we may know, if not, being ignorant, great is the destruction.
Those who know this become immortal,
While others go only to sorrows.
They who know life of the life, eye of the eye, ear of the ear and mind of the mind, they have realized the ancient primordial Brahman.
May this life enter the immortal Breath, then may this body here end in ashes.
O Intelligence, remember, remember what is done,
Remember, O Intelligence, what has been done
1.Veda should always be assiduously reflected.
Actions in furtherance of that Wisdom should be
pursued.
By those actions, (That Prime Existence)
should be propitiated.
Desires should be
disengaged from Mind.
The stream of demerits
should be cleansed.
Imperfection in temporal
pleasures should be identified.
Desire for one’s Self
should be properly organized.
One should return
again to one’s own true abiding place.
2. Companionship with the noble ones should be cultivated.
2. Companionship with the noble ones should be cultivated.
Communion with the Resplendent Lord
should be firmly established.
One should
discriminate with equanimous Mind.
With
determination one should renounce actions born of
desire.
One should associate with noble men of
Wisdom.
One should devotedly serve That One
every day.
The one immutable Brahman should be
the sole enterprise.
One should be receptive to the
Supreme scriptural statements with equanimity.
3. Meaning of the Supreme Statement should be reflected upon.
3. Meaning of the Supreme Statement should be reflected upon.
One should take shelter under
scriptural statements.
One should remain aloof
from perverse arguments.
One should be receptive
to scriptures, clarifications and debates.
‘I am
Brahman’ – thus one thought should be fully
experienced.
One should give up constant and
continuous ego-sense.
One should discard the idea
that ‘I am the body’.
Contentious arguments with
men of Wisdom should be avoided.
4. Thirst, disease and the rest should be attended.
One
should partake whatever one gets each day as food
as if it is medicine.
Delicious food should not be
sought for.
One should be satisfied with whatever is
ordained.
One should endure the duality of heat and
the cold.
One should not engage in unproductive
discussion.
Impassioned disinterest towards
sansara should be cultivated.
Unnecessary
sympathy of people should be avoided
5. One should cherish satisfaction in solitude.
5. One should cherish satisfaction in solitude.
One
should seek fulfillment in transcendental state of
Mind.
One should perceive the entirety of the subtle
Self.
This world is to be perceived as His reflection.
Consolidated effect of the earlier actions should be
terminated.
With intelligent resolve, one should free
oneself from the effect of subsequent actions.
The
consequence of earlier actions should be terminated
conclusively.
In this manner one should establish
one’s self in Supreme Brahman.
....................... .................................
pg 211
The mind in the final analysis the cause of samsaara as well the instrument for dissolution of samsaara.
34
In Mahabharata, we find it mentioned, 'O Desire, I know your source. You are born of thought, therefore, I will stop thinking of you and you will then cease to exist for me’. Krishna refers desire and anger to be all-devouring enemies of the self. Buddha too says that intense desire to possess something, to be something and to renounce
something is the cause of all suffering in life
35
He points out significantly that the state of being desire less should be a constant and continuous enterprise even for one who is enlightened, considering himself only as performer of actions and not a participant in enjoying the fruits of such performance of actions.
Desire sneaks stealthily the Mind like a burglar, unasked and uninvited, without one being consciously aware.
42
Enlightenment is the natural state of the self and the moment the unenlightened obstacle on mind ceases to obstruct the vision, the self shines in its own luminous light, even as the space reveals the death and vast extent once the clouds intervening the vision are removed.
45
Heart is the place where Supreme Self is said to dwell and Mind being the place from where Indra transforms himself in many forms by his power of formatting
46
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (V) that a Yogi who performs actions merely with the body, mind and intelligence, abandoning the resultant fruits.
Further, abiding in pure intelligence,
firmly restraining oneself, turning away from sound and other sense instruments,
casting aside attraction and aversion,
dwelling in solitude,
eating little,
controlling speech, body and mind,
even engaged in meditation and reflection,
taking refuge in dispassion,
casting aside all self-sense, power, arrogance, desire, anger, possessions, giving up ego, being tranquil in mind,
he becomes worthy of becoming absorbed in Brahman.
Therefore, one who loathes neither illumination nor bewilderment and nor even any ambiguity; neither hankers nor hates when things appear or disappear, who sits like one unconcerned, unperturbed by attributes, standing unwavering,
knowing that only the
attributes act, for whom pleasures and pains are
alike,
who dwells within his own self, who looks upon clod, stone, or gold as of equal worth remains
firm of mind amidst pleasant and unpleasant things,
who considers blame and praise with firm mind,
same in honour or dishonour, same to friends or
foes, giving up all attachment to actions is said to be Gunaatit, one whose has transcended rising above all
human attributes.
He is one who is qualified to experience the likeness of self with the Brahman the Supreme Self.
50
Aparokshanubhuti (135), Shankara says, ‘The nature of the cause inheres in the effect not vice versa; so through reflection one finds that in the absence of the effect, even the cause disappears’.
He is one who is qualified to experience the likeness of self with the Brahman the Supreme Self.
50
Aparokshanubhuti (135), Shankara says, ‘The nature of the cause inheres in the effect not vice versa; so through reflection one finds that in the absence of the effect, even the cause disappears’.
Further, ‘One should therefore, verily, observe the
cause in the effect and then dismiss the effect
altogether. What then remains, that the sage himself
becomes’.
For deliverance there is nothing superior to bhakti , communion -‘Among the mediums which lead to deliverance, communion alone is said to be supreme, rather enjoining with one’s self alone is said to be communion. Others say that communion with the Self itself being the prime principle, is communion’.
For deliverance there is nothing superior to bhakti , communion -‘Among the mediums which lead to deliverance, communion alone is said to be supreme, rather enjoining with one’s self alone is said to be communion. Others say that communion with the Self itself being the prime principle, is communion’.
Narada says in his Bhakti Sutras ‘It is
not the result of desires but of the absences of
desires . . . It is superior to performance of actions,
acquisition of Knowledge and Yoga the process of
enjoining . . It is consummation of all these
preparatory actions falarupatvat
Madhav.. the complete and unconditional companionship with the divine
51 imp
Krishna compares bhakti to the Brahmic status also declares ‘the awareness by which the one Imperishable Being is perceived in all existence, undivided in the divided, know that knowledge is luminous’(Bhagavad Gita.XVIII.20), he existing as the undivided in beings and yet as if divided (Bhagavad Gita.XIII.17). Human beings generally are impervious to such vision. He further says, through communion he becomes aware of me as the Principle, that which is the extent of my being, thus knowing me in Principle; one comes in to my being (Bhagavad Gita..XVIII.55 and XIII,17-19)
bhakti is not simple devotion to Krishna as it is generally understood,
Madhav.. the complete and unconditional companionship with the divine
51 imp
Krishna compares bhakti to the Brahmic status also declares ‘the awareness by which the one Imperishable Being is perceived in all existence, undivided in the divided, know that knowledge is luminous’(Bhagavad Gita.XVIII.20), he existing as the undivided in beings and yet as if divided (Bhagavad Gita.XIII.17). Human beings generally are impervious to such vision. He further says, through communion he becomes aware of me as the Principle, that which is the extent of my being, thus knowing me in Principle; one comes in to my being (Bhagavad Gita..XVIII.55 and XIII,17-19)
bhakti is not simple devotion to Krishna as it is generally understood,
but being in communion with Him as
the Prime Principle,
the state where there is no
difference between the subject which sees, the
object which one sees and act which one performs
in seeing (Bhagavad Gita.XI.28-29).
Bhagavata Purana says, ‘The men of Wisdom declare that when Lord’s powerful Maya in the form of (empirical) Knowledge is withdrawn, then Jiva becomes one with Brahman and becomes established in the glory of the Self’.
Bhagavata Purana says, ‘The men of Wisdom declare that when Lord’s powerful Maya in the form of (empirical) Knowledge is withdrawn, then Jiva becomes one with Brahman and becomes established in the glory of the Self’.
Shankara says
that such desire of every saadhaka to be one with
the Divine should be encouraged towards this
ultimate purpose of all spiritual enterprises.
One should return again to one’s own true abiding place.
61 nija griha
Thus the heart is where Brahman dwells. That is the nijagriha of the self. Men of Wisdom seek within the heart to source bramhadnyan, the Wisdom of Brahman. ivainaga-myatama\ therefore, means going back to the source of all effulgence, where the true bliss lies
Therefore, one should change the direction of one’s attention from the external form to the internal essence, to experience the bliss of beatitude.
therefore bramha = nija griha
The source of consciousness therefore, lies not in Mind but in the heart within.
Therefore, the seer pleads That one to reveal its face concealed behind the alluring golden disc,
’ for whosoever Person that is, that verily is he himself
A Saadhaka should know that is his source from which he had become effulgent -
requesting Pushan spread the luminous light gathering up the bewildering radiant rays,
Shankara says that even as a householder lives in one’s home like a guest without ego-sense and attachment and without being affected by the pains and pleasures of the house, dreams of going to one’s own original place, even so a man of wisdom lives in his body without any concern, considering all sense caused and similar to gathering of the clouds, arriving if they are to arrive and departing if they have to depart.
63
Kath Up (I.2.24) declares that he who has not desisted from evil ways,
One should return again to one’s own true abiding place.
61 nija griha
Thus the heart is where Brahman dwells. That is the nijagriha of the self. Men of Wisdom seek within the heart to source bramhadnyan, the Wisdom of Brahman. ivainaga-myatama\ therefore, means going back to the source of all effulgence, where the true bliss lies
Therefore, one should change the direction of one’s attention from the external form to the internal essence, to experience the bliss of beatitude.
therefore bramha = nija griha
The source of consciousness therefore, lies not in Mind but in the heart within.
Therefore, the seer pleads That one to reveal its face concealed behind the alluring golden disc,
’ for whosoever Person that is, that verily is he himself
A Saadhaka should know that is his source from which he had become effulgent -
requesting Pushan spread the luminous light gathering up the bewildering radiant rays,
Shankara says that even as a householder lives in one’s home like a guest without ego-sense and attachment and without being affected by the pains and pleasures of the house, dreams of going to one’s own original place, even so a man of wisdom lives in his body without any concern, considering all sense caused and similar to gathering of the clouds, arriving if they are to arrive and departing if they have to depart.
63
Kath Up (I.2.24) declares that he who has not desisted from evil ways,
who is not
tranquil,
who has not restrained his mind,
not even
he who has not composed his mind can ever reach
the Self.
Noble people perform penance so that through that energy people may be enlightened (Bhagavat Purana).
In Vivekachudamani Shankara says, noble people having crossed over the perilous ocean – samsaara, and desiring well- being of the world and helping others to cross over the same.
66
Communion with the Resplendent Lord should be firmly established.
giving up his doership along with all his social, traditional, ethical and moral identification (Bhagavad Gita.XVIII.66). When the seeker thus becomes identified with the Krishna, communicated with the Communicator, 69 the dividing line between the two becomes indistinguishable and even ceases, when union between is well established.
When Arjuna complains that it is difficult to have equanimity of Mind, on account its restlessness, Krishna assures him that the mind being restless is undoubtedly difficult to be restrained.
Noble people perform penance so that through that energy people may be enlightened (Bhagavat Purana).
In Vivekachudamani Shankara says, noble people having crossed over the perilous ocean – samsaara, and desiring well- being of the world and helping others to cross over the same.
66
Communion with the Resplendent Lord should be firmly established.
giving up his doership along with all his social, traditional, ethical and moral identification (Bhagavad Gita.XVIII.66). When the seeker thus becomes identified with the Krishna, communicated with the Communicator, 69 the dividing line between the two becomes indistinguishable and even ceases, when union between is well established.
When Arjuna complains that it is difficult to have equanimity of Mind, on account its restlessness, Krishna assures him that the mind being restless is undoubtedly difficult to be restrained.
But it can be
retrained by constant practice and non attachment to
external responses.
Yoga is hard to attain by one
who is not controlled his self
He tells him that one whose receptivity and responses are free from all desires, whose performance of actions are 71 consumed in the fire of Wisdom, is called a yogi - a man of equanimous mind by men of wisdom
Mundaka Up.(II.ii.7-8) declares that when the one perceives with clarity of intellect and through Wisdom, the blissful and immortal one shine and then the knot of the heart is cut asunder, all his doubts are dispelled and actions are determined.
In Bhakti Sutra, Narada considers having communion with That is having the form intense commitment, ‘AmaRtsvarUpa’ having attribute of immortality, one becoming perfect, and one becomes immortal, one becomes contented. Having such communion, he desires nothing else, thinks, hates, revels or inspired by nothing else. On the contrary having attained it one responds as if he were mad, becomes quiet and revels in his self
By freeing Mind form the sloth and distraction and making it tranquil one becomes delivered from the (empirical) mind.
76
Therefore, Shankara says in Vivekachudamani, ‘if one knows only the principles of the self through words, since their influences reaches so far as the speech goes,
and does not terminate the world of perception, how can one experience deliverance?’
Narada says in Bhakti Sutras, fulfillment of the Divine Will is unconditional surrender of all actions and intense restlessness in not remembering, as in the case of Gopis of Vraja, in which state, forgetfulness of higher wisdom does not arise
. In the absence, it would be like (infatuation) of a paramour.
78-79 imp
Shankara says that rites and rituals are only the means for temporal prosperity, at best leading to the world of luminous devas but
He tells him that one whose receptivity and responses are free from all desires, whose performance of actions are 71 consumed in the fire of Wisdom, is called a yogi - a man of equanimous mind by men of wisdom
Mundaka Up.(II.ii.7-8) declares that when the one perceives with clarity of intellect and through Wisdom, the blissful and immortal one shine and then the knot of the heart is cut asunder, all his doubts are dispelled and actions are determined.
In Bhakti Sutra, Narada considers having communion with That is having the form intense commitment, ‘AmaRtsvarUpa’ having attribute of immortality, one becoming perfect, and one becomes immortal, one becomes contented. Having such communion, he desires nothing else, thinks, hates, revels or inspired by nothing else. On the contrary having attained it one responds as if he were mad, becomes quiet and revels in his self
By freeing Mind form the sloth and distraction and making it tranquil one becomes delivered from the (empirical) mind.
76
Therefore, Shankara says in Vivekachudamani, ‘if one knows only the principles of the self through words, since their influences reaches so far as the speech goes,
and does not terminate the world of perception, how can one experience deliverance?’
Narada says in Bhakti Sutras, fulfillment of the Divine Will is unconditional surrender of all actions and intense restlessness in not remembering, as in the case of Gopis of Vraja, in which state, forgetfulness of higher wisdom does not arise
. In the absence, it would be like (infatuation) of a paramour.
78-79 imp
Shankara says that rites and rituals are only the means for temporal prosperity, at best leading to the world of luminous devas but
communion with
the Supreme Being, without attachment to the fruits of action, leads to the purity of Mind.
He
enumerates the steps for deliverance from
samsaara,
the first step towards deliverance is
extreme detachment from transient things,
then
comes restrain of internal and external organs,
turning away from sense objects,
endurance of pain
and sorrow,
giving up sense influenced actions.
Thereafter, comes being receptive to the wisdom of
a thinker, reflection and meditation continuously
and constantly on the Self.
Only then will the seeker attain the Blissful state.
Unless taught by one who knows that Wisdom, as one would know oneself, there is no approach there, for it is inconceivable and subtler than subtle.
105
Krishna avers that there is nothing comparable to Wisdom, which is nothing but enlightenment
Intellectual apprehension of the Supreme is merely the Knowledge about Brahman, it is not Wisdom which is Brahman
Therefore, Wisdom and not Knowledge, that delivers one from the shackles of samsaara.
Communion with the Divine is Bhakti.
The pathway to it is not.
Therefore,
Shankara accepts only those passages of scripture
as authoritative which generate absolute Wisdom
and not relative Knowledge.
Only Wisdom delivers,
neither information nor Knowledge.
Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, explanations and commentaries came to be breathed out from Wisdom, even as various clouds of smoke issue forth from a lighted fire laid with damp fuel. Mundaka Up. says that having established firmly in Wisdom of Vedanta and renunciation, ascetics of purified nature,
dwell in silence of the forests at the end of their lives in the supreme immortal world of Brahman.
Shankara clarifies that with Mind purified by scriptures, enlightened teachers and restraint of the senses aid realization of the self. Scriptures remain neutral like sun light, but do not reveal truth. It is necessary that one should study vedic scriptures as the means for realization of Brahman, and not only reading them.
119
Wisdom cannot be had from uninitiated ones, since it is not heard by many and even after hearing few understand it
Taught by an inferior one, it cannot be truly understood, as it is explained in various ways. Unless instructed by one who knows That Wisdom there is no attainment, for it is inconceivable and subtler than subtle. According to Shankara, awareness of the divine alone is vidya, the actions of the performance of actions without such awareness being avidya.
The ultimate goal of every fragment is to merge with the complete, whole and entirety of Brahman from which it had become originally differentiated.
Chhandogya Up. (VI,x.2) says that eastern rivers flow towards the sea on the eastern side, even as the western rivers flow towards the west, merging from the sea to the sea, not being aware in that state that 'I am this river' and 'I am the other', even so all the creatures have come from Being do not know that 'we have come forth from the Being', even as the fragment of manifestation which has come forth the whole does not know it has come from the whole, the essence.
Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, explanations and commentaries came to be breathed out from Wisdom, even as various clouds of smoke issue forth from a lighted fire laid with damp fuel. Mundaka Up. says that having established firmly in Wisdom of Vedanta and renunciation, ascetics of purified nature,
dwell in silence of the forests at the end of their lives in the supreme immortal world of Brahman.
Shankara clarifies that with Mind purified by scriptures, enlightened teachers and restraint of the senses aid realization of the self. Scriptures remain neutral like sun light, but do not reveal truth. It is necessary that one should study vedic scriptures as the means for realization of Brahman, and not only reading them.
119
Wisdom cannot be had from uninitiated ones, since it is not heard by many and even after hearing few understand it
Taught by an inferior one, it cannot be truly understood, as it is explained in various ways. Unless instructed by one who knows That Wisdom there is no attainment, for it is inconceivable and subtler than subtle. According to Shankara, awareness of the divine alone is vidya, the actions of the performance of actions without such awareness being avidya.
The ultimate goal of every fragment is to merge with the complete, whole and entirety of Brahman from which it had become originally differentiated.
Chhandogya Up. (VI,x.2) says that eastern rivers flow towards the sea on the eastern side, even as the western rivers flow towards the west, merging from the sea to the sea, not being aware in that state that 'I am this river' and 'I am the other', even so all the creatures have come from Being do not know that 'we have come forth from the Being', even as the fragment of manifestation which has come forth the whole does not know it has come from the whole, the essence.
Mundaka Up. (III.2.8) declares that even as the flowing rivers
disappear in the ocean casting their shape, even so
the man of Wisdom, freed from name and form
attains the divine Purusha greater than the great.
125
Therefore knowing that all this is Purusha himself, performance of actions, austerity and Brahman beyond death, and being aware that the One which is set in the secret place of the heat, he cuts asunder the knots of ignorance here in this very life (Mundaka Up.II.ii.8).
This Knowledge by itself does not lead one to immortality, but Wisdom through awareness of the essential nature of the self with the immortal Self leading one to realize its identity with itself.
Such awareness is not the result of any external supports, because if it is the product of Knowledge, then it will be non-eternal just like the fruits of rites and rituals or an action.
125
Therefore knowing that all this is Purusha himself, performance of actions, austerity and Brahman beyond death, and being aware that the One which is set in the secret place of the heat, he cuts asunder the knots of ignorance here in this very life (Mundaka Up.II.ii.8).
This Knowledge by itself does not lead one to immortality, but Wisdom through awareness of the essential nature of the self with the immortal Self leading one to realize its identity with itself.
Such awareness is not the result of any external supports, because if it is the product of Knowledge, then it will be non-eternal just like the fruits of rites and rituals or an action.
Wisdom alone removes the
impediments which identify self within the body
and with such identification the duality ceases and
the original nature of the self as Brahman becomes
evident.
Awareness of the Self alone leads to
deliverance.
Wisdom that there is only one Self, is itself the culmination of all Knowledge.
Dnyana is the Knowledge gathered from scriptures and vidnyana.
Wisdom that there is only one Self, is itself the culmination of all Knowledge.
Dnyana is the Knowledge gathered from scriptures and vidnyana.
Wisdom is of the identity of the individual self with
Supreme Self, Brahman.
Brahman. In primordial world, sansar, it is Maya, the formatting power, which is ignorance identifies the body with the self, as in the case of rope to be the serpent.
Shankara says that Knowledge and performance actions are necessary so long as one is not aware of the identity of the self with Brahman.
This is possible only when one is austere, detached from the fruits of sensory influences.
Only when the cause of the obstacles to one’s up righteousness is properly realized, only then it becomes possible to undertake efforts for its removal, not otherwise.
Krishna tells Arjuna that the one who abandons all desires and acts free from longing, without senses of egoism, he attains to peace. Such one being free and peaceful in mind becomes closer the Prime Existence. This is the divine state
130....
then why should one perform actions which does not reward one the wisdom of Brahman. Knowing the truth, such one then goes with due respect to a qualified Teacher well versed in Wisdom and becomes absorbed in Brahman, declares Mundaka Up. (I.ii.12).
Therefore Brahman is not one to searched and gained or attained from outside but to be searched, revealed and realized from within.
Brahman. In primordial world, sansar, it is Maya, the formatting power, which is ignorance identifies the body with the self, as in the case of rope to be the serpent.
Shankara says that Knowledge and performance actions are necessary so long as one is not aware of the identity of the self with Brahman.
This is possible only when one is austere, detached from the fruits of sensory influences.
Only when the cause of the obstacles to one’s up righteousness is properly realized, only then it becomes possible to undertake efforts for its removal, not otherwise.
Krishna tells Arjuna that the one who abandons all desires and acts free from longing, without senses of egoism, he attains to peace. Such one being free and peaceful in mind becomes closer the Prime Existence. This is the divine state
130....
then why should one perform actions which does not reward one the wisdom of Brahman. Knowing the truth, such one then goes with due respect to a qualified Teacher well versed in Wisdom and becomes absorbed in Brahman, declares Mundaka Up. (I.ii.12).
Therefore Brahman is not one to searched and gained or attained from outside but to be searched, revealed and realized from within.
Kath
Up. (II.i.1) confirms that the Self is not be searched
through senses, because through them only the outer
things are seen, not the things which are within.
Only some men of wisdom seeking life eternal, turn their visions inward and see the Self.
136.....
. One who is enlightened in this manner is not bound by the body. Shankara says that Self is not a thing to be possessed or to be dispossessed to be attained or to be renounced but to be experienced and realized.
Gurus are those who having experienced Wisdom like a amalaka fruit in one's own hand
There is vast difference between being knowledgeable of the words and being wise of the Wisdom of the Self -
Only some men of wisdom seeking life eternal, turn their visions inward and see the Self.
136.....
. One who is enlightened in this manner is not bound by the body. Shankara says that Self is not a thing to be possessed or to be dispossessed to be attained or to be renounced but to be experienced and realized.
Gurus are those who having experienced Wisdom like a amalaka fruit in one's own hand
There is vast difference between being knowledgeable of the words and being wise of the Wisdom of the Self -
Wisdom of Brahman is enlightenment through experience, which cannot be sourced through intellectual arguments and debates.
Wisdom of the Prime Existence (which is is the highest state of communion -yoga), can be sourced,
only when the five sense organs of
Knowledge together with mind cease their operation
and even the intellect does not stir.
Katha Up. (II.iii.11)
142
Wisdom is illumination (not information) to be had only from a competent teacher, responsive to the eternal sound and well established in Brahman.
Mind if it is strong then he would not succumb to these attractions, which subvert the innate intelligence and the sense of discrimination.
Shankara also informs that it is common experience of all people that they are ignorant of the nature of the self and prompted by craving and attachment, undertake activities with great enthusiasm
In the final analysis there are only two kinds of people – un-enlightened and the enlightened ones.
The unenlightened ones, feeble in understanding or in knowing the way of action or of renunciation,
having neither purity of mind or clarity of vision,
neither good conduct or ethical behaviour,
declare the world to be unreal, without any supreme controller, being impelled only by desire,
know not the proper Path to be traversed.
Giving themselves to insatiable desire, hypocrisy, pride, arrogance, holding wrong views under delusion, they have impure resolve. Looking to gratification of senses, bounded by desires, lust and anger, they engage in amassing wealth through unjust means, they boast
Bewildered by such thoughts, enmeshed in delusion,
addicted to gratification of senses, they fail eventually.
Therefore, fruitless talk without substantial basis is only a display of unenlightened mind, not the Wisdom of the enlightened mind.
Krishna’s final advice to Arjuna was never to speak of these teachings to one who is not austere in life, who has no devotion and who is not receptive to me or speaks ill.
168
But words of wisdom by themselves do not lead one to enlightenment; they serve only as lamp posts on the Path to Deliverance.
142
Wisdom is illumination (not information) to be had only from a competent teacher, responsive to the eternal sound and well established in Brahman.
Mind if it is strong then he would not succumb to these attractions, which subvert the innate intelligence and the sense of discrimination.
Shankara also informs that it is common experience of all people that they are ignorant of the nature of the self and prompted by craving and attachment, undertake activities with great enthusiasm
In the final analysis there are only two kinds of people – un-enlightened and the enlightened ones.
The unenlightened ones, feeble in understanding or in knowing the way of action or of renunciation,
having neither purity of mind or clarity of vision,
neither good conduct or ethical behaviour,
declare the world to be unreal, without any supreme controller, being impelled only by desire,
know not the proper Path to be traversed.
Giving themselves to insatiable desire, hypocrisy, pride, arrogance, holding wrong views under delusion, they have impure resolve. Looking to gratification of senses, bounded by desires, lust and anger, they engage in amassing wealth through unjust means, they boast
Bewildered by such thoughts, enmeshed in delusion,
addicted to gratification of senses, they fail eventually.
Therefore, fruitless talk without substantial basis is only a display of unenlightened mind, not the Wisdom of the enlightened mind.
Krishna’s final advice to Arjuna was never to speak of these teachings to one who is not austere in life, who has no devotion and who is not receptive to me or speaks ill.
168
But words of wisdom by themselves do not lead one to enlightenment; they serve only as lamp posts on the Path to Deliverance.
The aspirant has
to be guided by the light given by the lamp posts, without having to cling to them. Even a great sage
like Narada, well versed in all scriptures,
experienced being only knower of the words and not
knower of Self –
mantravid evasmi, na atmavit
till Sanatkumar clarified that what he knows is only the naama
an idea, a symbol and not the thing which it stands for.
mantravid evasmi, na atmavit
till Sanatkumar clarified that what he knows is only the naama
an idea, a symbol and not the thing which it stands for.
Therefore, he was
advised to go beyond Knowledge of the scriptures
and the like to know what the names, ideas,
symbols of the Self stand for
‘naamaOvaOtnnaamaapassvaoit’ - to meditate on the naama. Shankara advises that one should meditate on naama as Brahman, as one would meditate on the image of Vishnu.
Even if hundred vedic texts declare that fire is cold and devoid of light that cannot be authority of the fact of life.
174
Mundaka Up (III.i.3) says that when one sees the creator of the golden hue , the Lord, the Purusha, the source of Prajapati Brahma, then becoming a man of Wisdom, shaking all the concepts of good and evil and freed from all stains, attains the supreme similarity or absolute similarity (saamya) or non-duality.
It is only when one remains alone like yogis and not lonely like forlorn and long lost to one's self
Knowledge can only be communicated, one may be enlightened to Wisdom; but spiritual awareness of the not-known entity or energy and the Bliss of Beatitude can only be experienced as some thing as Kath Up. (II.9-12),
‘naamaOvaOtnnaamaapassvaoit’ - to meditate on the naama. Shankara advises that one should meditate on naama as Brahman, as one would meditate on the image of Vishnu.
Even if hundred vedic texts declare that fire is cold and devoid of light that cannot be authority of the fact of life.
174
Mundaka Up (III.i.3) says that when one sees the creator of the golden hue , the Lord, the Purusha, the source of Prajapati Brahma, then becoming a man of Wisdom, shaking all the concepts of good and evil and freed from all stains, attains the supreme similarity or absolute similarity (saamya) or non-duality.
It is only when one remains alone like yogis and not lonely like forlorn and long lost to one's self
Knowledge can only be communicated, one may be enlightened to Wisdom; but spiritual awareness of the not-known entity or energy and the Bliss of Beatitude can only be experienced as some thing as Kath Up. (II.9-12),
which is not within the
range of vision, no one ever having seen it, by heart,
by thought and by mind alone apprehended, perhaps
not even by those except when they declared 'It is'.
Krishna, therefore, says that only by thinking of That, directing one’s entire attention to That, making That as the objective, making That as the Way, one reaches the goal from which no one returns, all his imperfections being cleansed.
183-4 imp
Spiritual attainment does not call for mass approbation because it is individual celebration. The mind of the masses is proverbially fickle.
Enlightenment is possible when one departs alone to a secluded place, away from the social intercourse, self-certified of enlightenment in the solitude of silence and not open to market place for public confirmation.
In fact, unnecessary interference by strangers endangers the Path to Perfection.
Therefore, one should shun company of those unresponsive to your objective, remaining aloof from them, shutting out all external distractions, fixing one's sight concentrated on one's intent and purpose.
Not only in initial stages but even later after experiencing and being aware of it, the energizing flame should be kept luminous nurturing it from the vicious winds of the temporal undesirable company of the masses.
Assistance not needed should neither be desired nor be encouraged. Virtue is not to be sourced externally but recollected internally. Success and failures are to be seen as passing phases, ever seeing and being conscious only of the palpable presence of the eternal, immutable and unflinching of the not-known entity or energy, Prime Existence behind every change and modification
Silence is a state of mind and not of the physical posture. Mind can be silent even in a crowded place and unsettled in a sylvan forest far away from the maddening crowd.
Krishna, therefore, says that only by thinking of That, directing one’s entire attention to That, making That as the objective, making That as the Way, one reaches the goal from which no one returns, all his imperfections being cleansed.
183-4 imp
Spiritual attainment does not call for mass approbation because it is individual celebration. The mind of the masses is proverbially fickle.
Enlightenment is possible when one departs alone to a secluded place, away from the social intercourse, self-certified of enlightenment in the solitude of silence and not open to market place for public confirmation.
In fact, unnecessary interference by strangers endangers the Path to Perfection.
Therefore, one should shun company of those unresponsive to your objective, remaining aloof from them, shutting out all external distractions, fixing one's sight concentrated on one's intent and purpose.
Not only in initial stages but even later after experiencing and being aware of it, the energizing flame should be kept luminous nurturing it from the vicious winds of the temporal undesirable company of the masses.
Assistance not needed should neither be desired nor be encouraged. Virtue is not to be sourced externally but recollected internally. Success and failures are to be seen as passing phases, ever seeing and being conscious only of the palpable presence of the eternal, immutable and unflinching of the not-known entity or energy, Prime Existence behind every change and modification
Silence is a state of mind and not of the physical posture. Mind can be silent even in a crowded place and unsettled in a sylvan forest far away from the maddening crowd.
The peace of the
self is established and enlightenment dawns when
as said in Katha Up. all mental activities together
with Mind cease their activities, and the intellect
itself does not stir, that, they says, is the supreme
goal.
The Wisdom declared by Death having been imbibed by through Yoga, Nachiketa attained Brahman and became freed from passion and death. And so would any other one, who has Wisdom of the self
187
It is only in absolute silence and absolute loneliness that one experiences the Prime Existence.
sa%ya - the Prime Existence, therefore, is the not an object to be inquired through intellectual quest.
The Wisdom declared by Death having been imbibed by through Yoga, Nachiketa attained Brahman and became freed from passion and death. And so would any other one, who has Wisdom of the self
187
It is only in absolute silence and absolute loneliness that one experiences the Prime Existence.
sa%ya - the Prime Existence, therefore, is the not an object to be inquired through intellectual quest.
It is a perennial existence having no such
thing as beginning.
If there is anything like
Beginning, and no end, if there is anything like end.
Experience of sa%ya - the Prime Existence is like the
love between husband and wife, which happens
when duality between them ceases as when they are
in embrace -
(Brihad Atranyak Up.IV.iii.21). It is existential to be experienced, here and now, not later going anywhere else from here. When one experiences, there are no words to embellish, words come later when it has to be communicated to others. Therefore it is said that words return along with mind having failed to attain it
One has to be receptive and responsive in silence to the eternal Sound !
(Brihad Atranyak Up.IV.iii.21). It is existential to be experienced, here and now, not later going anywhere else from here. When one experiences, there are no words to embellish, words come later when it has to be communicated to others. Therefore it is said that words return along with mind having failed to attain it
One has to be receptive and responsive in silence to the eternal Sound !
that reverberates being alone, with
equanimity of mind, without being conscious of
even one’s own self. I
The fault lies not in the external environment but absence of internal harmony,
The fault lies not in the external environment but absence of internal harmony,
which allows one to perceive and be
conscious of the self concealed within his form.
Only one who is consciously aware of the
comprehensive all-pervasive nature of the Supreme
Self, reaches out to others.
Then he could remain Alone in solitude in the presence or absence of crowd, experiencing an expansion of his self to reach out to the all comprehensive Self.
Shankara suggests that the transcendental mind is the true state of one’s self, incapable of being indicated by words devoid of the duality of qualities and attributes, being beyond the reach of senses, incapable of being grasped by (empirical) mind similar to the supreme Brahman.
It has neither any marks nor any description. It is the state where one has Wisdom, the state of Bliss, being content and satisfied without knowing what it that makes one content and satisfied.
Such supreme state is not a destination to be reached but a state of being to be in.
Then he could remain Alone in solitude in the presence or absence of crowd, experiencing an expansion of his self to reach out to the all comprehensive Self.
Shankara suggests that the transcendental mind is the true state of one’s self, incapable of being indicated by words devoid of the duality of qualities and attributes, being beyond the reach of senses, incapable of being grasped by (empirical) mind similar to the supreme Brahman.
It has neither any marks nor any description. It is the state where one has Wisdom, the state of Bliss, being content and satisfied without knowing what it that makes one content and satisfied.
Such supreme state is not a destination to be reached but a state of being to be in.
When mind in bliss, the witness is the self, therefore, one should assiduously seek to be in such mind, free of ideation and from self-love.
That alone being the
deliverance.
Then he becomes a silent mediator and
transcending both meditative and non-meditative
states, becomes the knower of Brahman.
197
One should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self
Therefore, thinking is never lateral and continuous but always unruly, disordered and indisciplined. Therefore one cannot but begin one’s search for the subtle Self on the basis of such unruly, disordered and undisciplined empirical mind
Though the empirical mind is a conditioned mind, restraining and restricting one to think independently unconnected with the aggregation of thoughts and since one is not exposed to any thing but the empirical mind the steps that lead to investigate and think of the subtle Self cannot be but gradual, stage by stage though awareness of the same empirical, conditioned mind, restraining and restricting further thoughts.
The awareness of the spiritual mind comes out sudden and instantaneous, like the flash of lightening or winking of the eye as said in Kena Up
Shankara’s insistence that one should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self is a suggestion to be cultivated here and now and not later. Hindu philosophy, though conceives a series of births and deaths, yet encourages traversing the path though ‘sharp as the edge of a razor and hard to cross and difficult to tread is the Path,
one is encouraged to take the first step, even though in the words of Krishna the mind ( and the resolve) is covered as fire is covered by smoke as mirror by dust and an embryo by the womb, one should venture abandoning all desires born of will, without exception,
197
One should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self
Therefore, thinking is never lateral and continuous but always unruly, disordered and indisciplined. Therefore one cannot but begin one’s search for the subtle Self on the basis of such unruly, disordered and undisciplined empirical mind
Though the empirical mind is a conditioned mind, restraining and restricting one to think independently unconnected with the aggregation of thoughts and since one is not exposed to any thing but the empirical mind the steps that lead to investigate and think of the subtle Self cannot be but gradual, stage by stage though awareness of the same empirical, conditioned mind, restraining and restricting further thoughts.
The awareness of the spiritual mind comes out sudden and instantaneous, like the flash of lightening or winking of the eye as said in Kena Up
Shankara’s insistence that one should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self is a suggestion to be cultivated here and now and not later. Hindu philosophy, though conceives a series of births and deaths, yet encourages traversing the path though ‘sharp as the edge of a razor and hard to cross and difficult to tread is the Path,
one is encouraged to take the first step, even though in the words of Krishna the mind ( and the resolve) is covered as fire is covered by smoke as mirror by dust and an embryo by the womb, one should venture abandoning all desires born of will, without exception,
restraining from all sides the mind from
all senses,
let him gain little by little tranquility
through restraint and steadiness,
fixing mind on the
self within,
and not thinking on anything else.
On
this path no effort is ever lost, no obstacles prevail.
Even a little righteousness will save one from great
fear. Therefore, one should engage oneself in this
endeavour without hesitation.
206
‘I am of this tree, I am the essence of that tree’ and exulting – ‘I have known the Supreme Purusha resplendent and refulgent like the Sun beyond darkness; by knowing Him alone does one transcend Death, there is no other path to traverse’.
Shankara says, since mind is the primary instrument of the subtle body, the quality of the mind is the quality of the subtle body. Therefore, when all the desires that dwell in the heart are cast away, then does the mortal become immortal and he attains Brahman here (in this life itself)
By freeing Mind from sloth and distraction and making is well-established he becomes liberated from Mind. That is the supreme state
211
The mind in the final analysis the cause of samsaara as well the instrument for dissolution of samsaara.
A complete unconditioned Mind is difficult for common masses, therefore, one should consider taking a leap to the spiritual from the temporal foundations.
Therefore, Uddalaka Aruni prevails upon his son Shvetakeu, ‘Eawsva saaOmya’ – be receptive, well-disposed one to the temporal as well as the spiritual ones. Eawa is being receptive to the temporal and spiritual, not merely having faith, belief, confidence or conviction in a religion or an 212 institution. saaomya is one who is sensitively receptive,
like Nachiketa who when he approached Yama was commended by him - ‘ivaVaBaIiPsanaM naicakotsamaM manyao, na %vaa kamaabahvaaolaaolaupnt: |’ – as one eager for Wisdom, since many inducwements did not distract his mind. Therefore, ‘%vadRna\ naao BaUyaana\ naicakot: p`YTa |’ – let there many questors like him
Chhandogya Up specifically enjoins that
206
‘I am of this tree, I am the essence of that tree’ and exulting – ‘I have known the Supreme Purusha resplendent and refulgent like the Sun beyond darkness; by knowing Him alone does one transcend Death, there is no other path to traverse’.
Shankara says, since mind is the primary instrument of the subtle body, the quality of the mind is the quality of the subtle body. Therefore, when all the desires that dwell in the heart are cast away, then does the mortal become immortal and he attains Brahman here (in this life itself)
By freeing Mind from sloth and distraction and making is well-established he becomes liberated from Mind. That is the supreme state
211
The mind in the final analysis the cause of samsaara as well the instrument for dissolution of samsaara.
A complete unconditioned Mind is difficult for common masses, therefore, one should consider taking a leap to the spiritual from the temporal foundations.
Therefore, Uddalaka Aruni prevails upon his son Shvetakeu, ‘Eawsva saaOmya’ – be receptive, well-disposed one to the temporal as well as the spiritual ones. Eawa is being receptive to the temporal and spiritual, not merely having faith, belief, confidence or conviction in a religion or an 212 institution. saaomya is one who is sensitively receptive,
like Nachiketa who when he approached Yama was commended by him - ‘ivaVaBaIiPsanaM naicakotsamaM manyao, na %vaa kamaabahvaaolaaolaupnt: |’ – as one eager for Wisdom, since many inducwements did not distract his mind. Therefore, ‘%vadRna\ naao BaUyaana\ naicakot: p`YTa |’ – let there many questors like him
Chhandogya Up specifically enjoins that
‘here in
the city of Brahman, there exists an abode, like a
small lotus flower, within it is a small place. What
is within that should be sought, for that assuredly is
what one should desire to understand’
The same Upanishad further says let the wise Brahmin after knowing Him practice wisdom and not waste time in reflecting on many words, for that is, verily, weariness of speech.
Mundaka
Upanishad delving on the subject says that seers
having realized the enlightened wisdom, being
content, established in Self, freed from attachment
and composed in mind, realize the all-pervasive
One in all directions, and merge into that all.
In adoring, seer Vishvamitra clarifies that one should adore not the physical Sun in the sky but That supreme Savitru - tt\ saivatR varoNyaM, who is in BaU: - world of the mortals, in Bauva: - the space and in sva: - high heavens, which alone is, as declared in Kath Up. the tt\ to pdma\ - that abiding place which vedic scriptures declare, the austerities proclaim, desiring which the seekers of Brahman endeavour.
When Maitreyi expresses her confusion at the explanation given by Yajnavalkya, she is told that enough of any further teaching, for there is no confusion in his communication and that it is sufficient for the time being.
In adoring, seer Vishvamitra clarifies that one should adore not the physical Sun in the sky but That supreme Savitru - tt\ saivatR varoNyaM, who is in BaU: - world of the mortals, in Bauva: - the space and in sva: - high heavens, which alone is, as declared in Kath Up. the tt\ to pdma\ - that abiding place which vedic scriptures declare, the austerities proclaim, desiring which the seekers of Brahman endeavour.
When Maitreyi expresses her confusion at the explanation given by Yajnavalkya, she is told that enough of any further teaching, for there is no confusion in his communication and that it is sufficient for the time being.
The Path to Perfection
is difficult to be traversed and therefore should be
walked step by step.
Climbing step by step, stage by
stage on reaches the prmaM pd, therefore is The
Reclining Ladder.
One cannot be in hurry on this
journey. In that process, as one climbs each step,
padani and each stage dhamani towards the final abiding
(step padani, stage dhamani)
place, parama pada, his vision becomes broader and deeper as the forces of nature assume the role of gods with illumined wisdom and energetic powers to guide and inspire seekers on their Path to Perfection.
Thus end the communications from Sri Shankaracharya to those aspiring the wisdom of the wise.
................... ....................................
Important notes of Sadhana Panchakam
Shankara says that Eawa receptivity is the paramount instrument for realizing Brahman. Eawa is not faith or belief in one or the other views, it is keeping the five senses restrained along with Mind and even the intellect still to receive that which is to be unfolded.
In that process, therefore, one has to climb step by step, pdaina and stage by stage Qaamaaina towards to reach the final abiding place, prma pd, making his vision becomes broader and understanding deeper, the divine powers presiding over the sensory organs assuming the role of luminous gods with illumined wisdom and energetic powers guiding and inspiring 2 the seekers on that Path to Perfection The journey becomes difficult especially when one observes that the primordial world as nothing but the projection of an unending stream of thoughts of what one experiences through sensory influences. Even at the end of one's sadhana if one becomes enlightened, the experiencer finds it impossible to express completely, wholly and on entirety the experience in human speech, constrained as it is by the words which are required to give expression to the experience it being declared 'yatao vaacaao inavat-nto Ap`aPya manasaa sah'.
Sadhana is a conscious performance of disciplined actions in furthering one’s journey on the Path to Perfection understanding the seer’s experiences and through that awareness be conscious of the essence behind the words, symbols and legends which they used to express their experiences of that Supreme Essence, sa%ya or the Prime Existence, knowing well that their experience cannot be translated and transferred in equal measure and fullness of the effulgence to them, by whatever name they may call That One, without preferring some words, symbols and legends one 3 and rejecting others, but in absolutely receptive, reflective and meditative form of mind to the resonance of the primal word !, surrendering one’s Mind without being conditioned by one's own experiences, thoughts, ideas, concepts and symbols. Each experience will be reflected and meditated no on the basis which of the seers speaks reality of the Supreme Essence, sa%ya or the Prime Existence, but how they have expressed their experiences in language in which they were familiar. Sadhana is not being loyal to a faith, a belief, a method or a Path or to a Teacher, an institution with rules and regulations or rites and ritual laid down and prescribed. Sadhana is independent of all these constraints, attuning one's self to one's own course, though not within any frame work but being free of all restraining influences, restraining the five senses together with the mind, and intellect too not stirring, as Ktha Up. (II.3.ii) declares. When empirical experiences are flushed out from the Mind, only then is the seeker is unburdened from the memories of the past or by the expectations of the future. Shankara says in Vivekachudamani, ‘na yaaogaona na saaM#yaona kma-Naa nao na ivaVyaa | 4 ba`*maa%maOkbaaoQaona maaoxa: isaw\yait naanyaqaa ||’ –
(step padani, stage dhamani)
place, parama pada, his vision becomes broader and deeper as the forces of nature assume the role of gods with illumined wisdom and energetic powers to guide and inspire seekers on their Path to Perfection.
Thus end the communications from Sri Shankaracharya to those aspiring the wisdom of the wise.
................... ....................................
Important notes of Sadhana Panchakam
Shankara says that Eawa receptivity is the paramount instrument for realizing Brahman. Eawa is not faith or belief in one or the other views, it is keeping the five senses restrained along with Mind and even the intellect still to receive that which is to be unfolded.
In that process, therefore, one has to climb step by step, pdaina and stage by stage Qaamaaina towards to reach the final abiding place, prma pd, making his vision becomes broader and understanding deeper, the divine powers presiding over the sensory organs assuming the role of luminous gods with illumined wisdom and energetic powers guiding and inspiring 2 the seekers on that Path to Perfection The journey becomes difficult especially when one observes that the primordial world as nothing but the projection of an unending stream of thoughts of what one experiences through sensory influences. Even at the end of one's sadhana if one becomes enlightened, the experiencer finds it impossible to express completely, wholly and on entirety the experience in human speech, constrained as it is by the words which are required to give expression to the experience it being declared 'yatao vaacaao inavat-nto Ap`aPya manasaa sah'.
Sadhana is a conscious performance of disciplined actions in furthering one’s journey on the Path to Perfection understanding the seer’s experiences and through that awareness be conscious of the essence behind the words, symbols and legends which they used to express their experiences of that Supreme Essence, sa%ya or the Prime Existence, knowing well that their experience cannot be translated and transferred in equal measure and fullness of the effulgence to them, by whatever name they may call That One, without preferring some words, symbols and legends one 3 and rejecting others, but in absolutely receptive, reflective and meditative form of mind to the resonance of the primal word !, surrendering one’s Mind without being conditioned by one's own experiences, thoughts, ideas, concepts and symbols. Each experience will be reflected and meditated no on the basis which of the seers speaks reality of the Supreme Essence, sa%ya or the Prime Existence, but how they have expressed their experiences in language in which they were familiar. Sadhana is not being loyal to a faith, a belief, a method or a Path or to a Teacher, an institution with rules and regulations or rites and ritual laid down and prescribed. Sadhana is independent of all these constraints, attuning one's self to one's own course, though not within any frame work but being free of all restraining influences, restraining the five senses together with the mind, and intellect too not stirring, as Ktha Up. (II.3.ii) declares. When empirical experiences are flushed out from the Mind, only then is the seeker is unburdened from the memories of the past or by the expectations of the future. Shankara says in Vivekachudamani, ‘na yaaogaona na saaM#yaona kma-Naa nao na ivaVyaa | 4 ba`*maa%maOkbaaoQaona maaoxa: isaw\yait naanyaqaa ||’ –
Neither by Yoga nor
by Sankhya, neither by performance of actions or by
Knowledge but through Wisdom of the harmony
between Brahman, the universal Self and the
individual self alone is deliverance is established,
not otherwise.
Shankaracharya's saaQanaa pHcakma\ is likened to an
Inclined Ladder because Sadhana is a constant and
continuous endeavour to ascend, an ]pasanaa,
disciplined awareness with which one climbs step
by step, even as one becomes aware of the obstacles
and impediments, sensory attractions and
allurements cropping on the wayside, treading the
Path carefully and climbing the ladder cautiously,
the dark night recedes slowly and surely even as the
Sun dawns on the horizon unfailingly and assuredly.
In awareness there is nothing to prefer, choose or
select as good or bad, as pleasant and unpleasant, as
beauty or ugly, as noble or ignoble, as auspicious or
inauspicious.
Awareness is being with one's own
self within, as one great concentric psychological
effulgence of divine essence as well as spiritual
energy for regeneration. Shankara, therefore,
defines ]pasanaa as ‘]pasanaM naama yaqaaSaas~M ]pasyaaqa-sya ivaYayaIkrNaona
5
saamaIPyamaupgamya tOlaQaaravat\ samaanap`%yayap`vaahoNa dIGa-kalaM yadasanama\ ||’ –
upasana is that science by which an object is
approached by visualizing, dwelling on it for long
period of time, as one continuous uninterrupted
flow of oil.
On this Path the saadhaka rejects
intellectual stagnation and strengthens his resolve to
travel, every faltering step on the Path to Perfection
encouraging him to improve his subsequent strides.
Krishna assures in Gita that on this Path, no effort
is ever lost and no obstacles ever prevail; even a
little of this righteousness saves one from fear -
‘naohaiBak`manaaSaao \ist p`%yavaayaao na ivaVto | svalpmasya Qama-sya ~ayato mahtao Bayaat\
||’.
Sadhana is gradual enfoldment of Reality to
human Mind slowly and cautiously, rising above the
physical, to the subtle, to the mental, to the
psychological level with increasing clarity of the
contours as one reaches the peak, till perspective
itself becomes luminous, and the seer, the act of
seeing and the things seen become one. Enslaved in
the dark and desolate caves and finding comfortable
in the obscurity of darkness and ignorance,
frightened of the shadows that fall on the walls
people are afraid to come out in the open to face the
6
fresh breeze, let alone dare to perceive the luminous
light or bask in its warmth.
Sadhaka is one who
ventures and dares to take a peek outside the cave
and though efforts, which may often time fail, rises
up from where he has fallen to stride outside with
assured steps, making himself bold to bathe in the
luminous light.
While feeble persons can not face the perils on the Path, contemptible ones who take comfort in sensual pleasures and superstitious beliefs would be not qualified.
Concealed is the Ocean It is only the waves that are visible, Concealed is the Wind, Dust is all that we see. Interpretation of a scripture is true, if it stirs your being, Your mind, your hopes, your action initiates awe. If it numbs your mind in submission, confuses your hope in despair, slackens you action and benumbs your law.
While feeble persons can not face the perils on the Path, contemptible ones who take comfort in sensual pleasures and superstitious beliefs would be not qualified.
Concealed is the Ocean It is only the waves that are visible, Concealed is the Wind, Dust is all that we see. Interpretation of a scripture is true, if it stirs your being, Your mind, your hopes, your action initiates awe. If it numbs your mind in submission, confuses your hope in despair, slackens you action and benumbs your law.
Discard the interpretation for they ensnare you
with thistles and thorns.
Seek scriptures: Vedas, Bible and the Koran
drinking from fountain,
For they reveal the Truth exclusively to you, as no
one else did earlier.
On being created we were neither distinct nor
separate.
Creator and his creation was one and united.
Then essence within the breast of the Creator
stirred, that gave a form.
Even as God said I am before the creation and
Creation is verily I.
30
Brihad Aranyaka Up. (IV.iv.23) declares that the eternal glory of a knower of Brahman is not increased by performance of actions not is it diminished by non-performance.
Becoming calm, self-controlled, withdrawn in the self within, with patience and concentrated he perceives the Self within his own self, whereupon evil does not overcome him, he overcomes the evil. Free from evil, free from taint, free from doubt he becomes knower of Brahman.
Therefore
one should be aware the nature of that glory -
'tsmaa<asyaOva maihmna: syaad\Bavao%pdsya vao<aa |' by being calm, self-
26
controlled, withdrawn in the self within, with
patience and concentrated.
42
Maitri Up.(IV.34) refers to Mind as two-fold, impure and pure; impure when associated with desire and pure when disassociated with desire.
30
Brihad Aranyaka Up. (IV.iv.23) declares that the eternal glory of a knower of Brahman is not increased by performance of actions not is it diminished by non-performance.
Becoming calm, self-controlled, withdrawn in the self within, with patience and concentrated he perceives the Self within his own self, whereupon evil does not overcome him, he overcomes the evil. Free from evil, free from taint, free from doubt he becomes knower of Brahman.
Therefore
one should be aware the nature of that glory -
'tsmaa<asyaOva maihmna: syaad\Bavao%pdsya vao<aa |' by being calm, self-
26
controlled, withdrawn in the self within, with
patience and concentrated.
42
Maitri Up.(IV.34) refers to Mind as two-fold, impure and pure; impure when associated with desire and pure when disassociated with desire.
By freeing mind
from apathy and distraction and making it steady,
one becomes liberated of mind even here in this
very life and attains supreme state.
Because as
Brihad Aranyaka Up.(IV.iv.6) says, the object to
which mind becomes attached, the subtle self goes
together with the deed attached to it.
But when man
does not desire, who is without desire, who is freed
from desire, whose desire is satisfied and whose
desire is his self, his breaths do not depart and being
Brahman he goes to Brahman.
Therefore, desires
should be disengaged from Mind.
51
Further, abiding in pure intelligence,
51
Further, abiding in pure intelligence,
firmly restraining oneself,
turning away from sound
and other sense instruments,
casting aside attraction
and aversion,
dwelling in solitude,
eating little,
controlling speech, body and mind,
even engaged in
meditation and reflection,
taking refuge in
dispassion,
casting aside all self-sense, power,
arrogance, desire, anger, possessions,
giving up ego,
being tranquil in mind,
he becomes worthy of
becoming absorbed in Brahman.
the state where there is no difference between the subject which sees, the object which one sees and act which one performs in seeing (Bhagavad Gita.XI.28-29).
the state where there is no difference between the subject which sees, the object which one sees and act which one performs in seeing (Bhagavad Gita.XI.28-29).
It is the state
where every thing has becomes one, leaving no
space for the second to exist.
57
Bhagavata Purana says,
57
Bhagavata Purana says,
‘The men of
Wisdom declare that when Lord’s powerful Maya in
the form of (empirical) Knowledge is withdrawn,
then Jiva becomes one with Brahman and becomes
established in the glory of the Self’.
Shankara says
that such desire of every saadhaka to be one with
the Divine should be encouraged towards this
ultimate purpose of all spiritual enterprises.
Noble people perform penance so that through that energy people may be enlightened (Bhagavat Purana). In Vivekachudamani Shankara says, noble people having crossed over the perilous ocean – samsaara, and desiring well- being of the world and helping others to cross over the same. They live like the spring season, therefore one should seek their company.
Krishna assures him that the mind being restless is undoubtedly difficult to be restrained.
Noble people perform penance so that through that energy people may be enlightened (Bhagavat Purana). In Vivekachudamani Shankara says, noble people having crossed over the perilous ocean – samsaara, and desiring well- being of the world and helping others to cross over the same. They live like the spring season, therefore one should seek their company.
Krishna assures him that the mind being restless is undoubtedly difficult to be restrained.
But it can be
retrained by constant practice and non attachment to
external responses.
Yoga is hard to attain by one
who is not controlled his self
77
In Bhakti Sutra, Narada considers having communion with That is having the form intense commitment, ‘AmaRtsvarUpa’ having attribute of immortality, one becoming perfect, and one becomes immortal, one becomes contented. Having such communion, he desires nothing else, thinks, hates, revels or inspired by nothing else. On the contrary having attained it one responds as if he were mad, becomes quiet and revels in his self
81
By freeing Mind form the sloth and distraction and making it tranquil one becomes delivered from the (empirical) mind.
If one 77 wants to perceive the original Mind, which Brahman had provided as its instrument, then the cluttered Mind needs to be dispossessed and depositioned of the thoughts which sensory influence has created therein, which conceal the Mind from being observed. In loosing the sensations of the senses on the empirical Mind lies the key to bliss and deliverance enabling communion with the supernal Mind.
Narada says in Bhakti Sutras, fulfillment of the Divine Will is unconditional surrender of all actions and intense restlessness in not remembering, as in the case of Gopis of Vraja, in which state, forgetfulness of higher wisdom does not arise. In the absence, it would be like (infatuation) of a paramour.
He enumerates the steps for deliverance from samsaara, the first step towards deliverance is extreme detachment from transient things, then comes restrain of internal and external organs, turning away from sense objects, endurance of pain and sorrow, giving up sense influenced actions. Thereafter, comes being receptive to the wisdom of a thinker, reflection and meditation continuously and constantly on the Self. Only then will the seeker attain the Blissful state
Maitri Up. says, ! is the sound and Brahman is the nonsound. ! is the Eternal Sound and Brahman is the non-sound which comes to revealed as manifestation on creation and concealed in the Eternal Sound on dissolution. Thus there are two forms of what is effulgent, Brahman the formed and the formless, the unreal and the real.
The mystery of this Wisdom, taught by an 83 inferior person, cannot be truly known, as He is thought in many ways. Unless taught by one who knows that Wisdom, as one would know oneself, there is no approach there, for it is inconceivable and subtler than subtle.
Purusha of the size of a thumb resides in the body, like the flame without smoke, the lord of the past and future, same to day and the same tomorrow, says Kath Up. (II.1.12-13). One should, therefore, attune one's mind on the gross form of That One by visualizing the divine essence posited therein and dwelling, even as one enjoined to meditate on the name or form as Brahman knows that those things are different from Brahman.
Therefore p`itidnaM tt\ paduko saovyatama\ means attuning one's mind on That One, wholly, completely and in entirety without reservation continuously like flow of the oil being poured, being mentally receptive to the resonance of eternal Sound ! emanating from 87 That One. One comes to be in communion with That One, which state of being is called Bai>, which not being the process but the culmination of upasana, as Shankara explains.
77
In Bhakti Sutra, Narada considers having communion with That is having the form intense commitment, ‘AmaRtsvarUpa’ having attribute of immortality, one becoming perfect, and one becomes immortal, one becomes contented. Having such communion, he desires nothing else, thinks, hates, revels or inspired by nothing else. On the contrary having attained it one responds as if he were mad, becomes quiet and revels in his self
81
By freeing Mind form the sloth and distraction and making it tranquil one becomes delivered from the (empirical) mind.
If one 77 wants to perceive the original Mind, which Brahman had provided as its instrument, then the cluttered Mind needs to be dispossessed and depositioned of the thoughts which sensory influence has created therein, which conceal the Mind from being observed. In loosing the sensations of the senses on the empirical Mind lies the key to bliss and deliverance enabling communion with the supernal Mind.
Narada says in Bhakti Sutras, fulfillment of the Divine Will is unconditional surrender of all actions and intense restlessness in not remembering, as in the case of Gopis of Vraja, in which state, forgetfulness of higher wisdom does not arise. In the absence, it would be like (infatuation) of a paramour.
He enumerates the steps for deliverance from samsaara, the first step towards deliverance is extreme detachment from transient things, then comes restrain of internal and external organs, turning away from sense objects, endurance of pain and sorrow, giving up sense influenced actions. Thereafter, comes being receptive to the wisdom of a thinker, reflection and meditation continuously and constantly on the Self. Only then will the seeker attain the Blissful state
Maitri Up. says, ! is the sound and Brahman is the nonsound. ! is the Eternal Sound and Brahman is the non-sound which comes to revealed as manifestation on creation and concealed in the Eternal Sound on dissolution. Thus there are two forms of what is effulgent, Brahman the formed and the formless, the unreal and the real.
The mystery of this Wisdom, taught by an 83 inferior person, cannot be truly known, as He is thought in many ways. Unless taught by one who knows that Wisdom, as one would know oneself, there is no approach there, for it is inconceivable and subtler than subtle.
Purusha of the size of a thumb resides in the body, like the flame without smoke, the lord of the past and future, same to day and the same tomorrow, says Kath Up. (II.1.12-13). One should, therefore, attune one's mind on the gross form of That One by visualizing the divine essence posited therein and dwelling, even as one enjoined to meditate on the name or form as Brahman knows that those things are different from Brahman.
Therefore p`itidnaM tt\ paduko saovyatama\ means attuning one's mind on That One, wholly, completely and in entirety without reservation continuously like flow of the oil being poured, being mentally receptive to the resonance of eternal Sound ! emanating from 87 That One. One comes to be in communion with That One, which state of being is called Bai>, which not being the process but the culmination of upasana, as Shankara explains.
Then enlightenment
dawns not as something gained or attained but as
destruction of ignorance in mind conditioned by
thoughts, concepts, beliefs and memories
completely without reservation, in the spirit that
everything here is entirely Thine, of the Prime
Existence and nothing is Mine
– [dM na mama. Krishna
says in Bhagavad Gita (XIII.28) that one who
experiences That One as dwelling as the
imperishable essence within all the perishable forms
truly experiences.
They misconstrue the word Eawa as having faith or belief in some one or the other. But Eawa is not having blind faith or belief in a God or a Guru, taking the gross form itself as divine. Eawa means draining one’s mind of the conditioned thoughts, concepts, beliefs and memories so that it could be receptive without reservation not to the external gross form of the God or the Guru by physical protestation but to the essence within those, being aware that what initiates action is not the external gross form but the subtle essence abiding in them
This is what is meant by the words ‘tt\ paduko saovyatama\’ complete submission of one’s Mind, Speech and Actions, making them the instrument of Divine effulgence, becomes receptive and attentive
100
For Shankara, the uncompromising purpose of Wisdom is being supremely established in awareness of the Self.
What one needs is to be Eawavaana\, totally
receptive with an unconditioned Mind without
being dogmatic, self-opinionated, free from the
influence of the Knowledge -information, thoughts,
memories, teachings, beliefs, faiths ingrained
historically in one’s consciousness, making Mind
restrain the modifications arising therein - ‘icat\ vaRi<a
inaraoQa:’ (Patanjala Yoga). Because only when the five
(organs of senses) together with knowledge and
mind cease (their activities) and the intelligence
itself does not stir, only then there is to come about
Supreme goal.
Then at that point of time, one becomes undistracted, Mind becomes kushagra` - one-pointed like the blade of grass.
They misconstrue the word Eawa as having faith or belief in some one or the other. But Eawa is not having blind faith or belief in a God or a Guru, taking the gross form itself as divine. Eawa means draining one’s mind of the conditioned thoughts, concepts, beliefs and memories so that it could be receptive without reservation not to the external gross form of the God or the Guru by physical protestation but to the essence within those, being aware that what initiates action is not the external gross form but the subtle essence abiding in them
This is what is meant by the words ‘tt\ paduko saovyatama\’ complete submission of one’s Mind, Speech and Actions, making them the instrument of Divine effulgence, becomes receptive and attentive
100
For Shankara, the uncompromising purpose of Wisdom is being supremely established in awareness of the Self.
What one needs is to be Eawavaana\, totally
receptive with an unconditioned Mind without
being dogmatic, self-opinionated, free from the
influence of the Knowledge -information, thoughts,
memories, teachings, beliefs, faiths ingrained
historically in one’s consciousness, making Mind
restrain the modifications arising therein - ‘icat\ vaRi<a
inaraoQa:’ (Patanjala Yoga). Because only when the five
(organs of senses) together with knowledge and
mind cease (their activities) and the intelligence
itself does not stir, only then there is to come about
Supreme goal.
Then at that point of time, one becomes undistracted, Mind becomes kushagra` - one-pointed like the blade of grass.
As Krishna also assures in
Bhagavad Gita, that only he who finds his
happiness within, his joy within and likewise his
illumination only within, such one having enjoined
his being, becomes divine and attains bliss of
Brahman, detached from the body.
that one must first be receptive of knowledge of the Self from a qualified preceptor and from scriptures, then the knowledge should be reflected through reasoning and diligently mediated upon. Only when these three are enjoined only then would the Self truly realized and the unity with Brahman will be established, not by merely hearing about the Self
The resolute seeker should, therefore, proceed from the gross forms to the subtle essence. Shankara explains that the Universal Self and the Individual Self are essentially same, the appearance as distinct existence as two, being the result of ignorance in Mind.
He cautions one not to be tranquilized by the rhythmic sound of the mantras, but reflect on them after understanding the meaning.
that one must first be receptive of knowledge of the Self from a qualified preceptor and from scriptures, then the knowledge should be reflected through reasoning and diligently mediated upon. Only when these three are enjoined only then would the Self truly realized and the unity with Brahman will be established, not by merely hearing about the Self
The resolute seeker should, therefore, proceed from the gross forms to the subtle essence. Shankara explains that the Universal Self and the Individual Self are essentially same, the appearance as distinct existence as two, being the result of ignorance in Mind.
He cautions one not to be tranquilized by the rhythmic sound of the mantras, but reflect on them after understanding the meaning.
Not recitation but disciplined awareness is what is
needed to lead the Sadhaka to one to experience the
resplendent Lord.
Ignorance under sensory influence makes one a stranger to Wisdom of the supreme Self.
Ignorance under sensory influence makes one a stranger to Wisdom of the supreme Self.
Mind
which is incapable of receiving the resonance of
Eternal Sound is also incapable of receptivity,
reflection and meditation, the fundamental steps on
spiritual adventure.
Ignorance under sensory influence makes one a stranger to Wisdom of the supreme Self. Mind which is incapable of receiving the resonance of Eternal Sound is also incapable of receptivity, reflection and meditation, the fundamental steps on spiritual adventure. Ignorance is as un-natural to a human being as darkness is to the day; ignorance is absence of Wisdom as darkness is absence of light. Just as once the light dawns, the darkness ceases, even so the once Wisdom dawns ignorance ceases to be. Darkness is said to have complained to God that Light does not like its company Light replied to have countered that it does not what darkness is to like or not like his company, never having seen darkness any time. Even such is the case of Wisdom, having never been acquainted with 105 Ignorance.
Ignorance under sensory influence makes one a stranger to Wisdom of the supreme Self. Mind which is incapable of receiving the resonance of Eternal Sound is also incapable of receptivity, reflection and meditation, the fundamental steps on spiritual adventure. Ignorance is as un-natural to a human being as darkness is to the day; ignorance is absence of Wisdom as darkness is absence of light. Just as once the light dawns, the darkness ceases, even so the once Wisdom dawns ignorance ceases to be. Darkness is said to have complained to God that Light does not like its company Light replied to have countered that it does not what darkness is to like or not like his company, never having seen darkness any time. Even such is the case of Wisdom, having never been acquainted with 105 Ignorance.
Krishna avers that there is nothing
comparable to Wisdom, which is nothing but
enlightenment.
Intellectual apprehension of the
Supreme is merely the Knowledge about Brahman,
it is not Wisdom which is Brahman. Therefore,
Wisdom and not Knowledge, that delivers one from
the shackles of samsaara. Communion with and not
the path way to the Divine is Bai>, therefore,
Shankara accepts only those passages of scripture
as authoritative which generate absolute Wisdom
and not relative Knowledge. Only Wisdom delivers,
neither information nor Knowledg
Mundaka Up. says that having established firmly in Wisdom of Vedanta and renunciation, ascetics of purified nature, dwell in silence of the forests at the end of their lives in the supreme immortal world of Brahman.
Shankara clarifies that with Mind purified by scriptures, enlightened teachers and restraint of the senses aid realization of the self. Scriptures remain neutral like sun light, but do not reveal truth. It is necessary that one should study vedic scriptures as the means for realization of Brahman, and not only reading them.
Those who are enamored by Knowledge loose sight of the Wisdom which is goal
It is said that some are cleaver only at exposition while others have the ability to practice what they learn; the hand carries food to the mouth but it is only the tongue that tastes it.
122
It is not necessary for one to go the east or west, south or the north in search of the Self, can neither be searched in any quarters nor in any directions.
Mundaka Up. says that having established firmly in Wisdom of Vedanta and renunciation, ascetics of purified nature, dwell in silence of the forests at the end of their lives in the supreme immortal world of Brahman.
Shankara clarifies that with Mind purified by scriptures, enlightened teachers and restraint of the senses aid realization of the self. Scriptures remain neutral like sun light, but do not reveal truth. It is necessary that one should study vedic scriptures as the means for realization of Brahman, and not only reading them.
Those who are enamored by Knowledge loose sight of the Wisdom which is goal
It is said that some are cleaver only at exposition while others have the ability to practice what they learn; the hand carries food to the mouth but it is only the tongue that tastes it.
122
It is not necessary for one to go the east or west, south or the north in search of the Self, can neither be searched in any quarters nor in any directions.
Only through
restraint of senses that one should endeavour
without using mind or organs of senses, devoting to
one’s own Self within,
Seer is the one who has experienced Wisdom of supreme divinity without the assistance of the sensory organs, therefore, referred as k`antdSaI-. Guru is one who having perfect receptivity, reflection and meditation is enlightened to the mystery concealed in the vedic hymns, teaches clarifying the doubts and removing their ignorance.
Katha Up. cautions that Wisdom cannot be had from uninitiated ones, since it is not heard by many and even after hearing few understand it.
Unless instructed by one who knows That Wisdom there is no attainment, for it is inconceivable and subtler than subtle.
According to Shankara, awareness of the divine alone is vidya, the actions of the performance of actions without such awareness being avidya.
Guru neither claims nor makes the disciple enlightened but only places him on the Path to Perfection, assuring wisdom enshrined in vedic scriptures if the pointers are followed through penance and austerity.
Shankara says that one should endeavour to experience one's identity as ‘I am Brahman’. Therefore knowing that all this is Purusha himself, performance of actions, austerity and Brahman beyond death, and being aware that the One which is set in the secret place of the heat, he cuts asunder the knots of ignorance here in this very life (Mundaka Up.II.ii.8).
This Knowledge by itself does not lead one to immortality, but Wisdom through awareness of the essential nature of the self with the immortal Self leading one to realize its identity with itself.
Such awareness is not the result of any external supports, because if it is the product of Knowledge, then it will be non-eternal just like the fruits of rites and rituals or an action. Wisdom alone removes the impediments which identify self within the body and with such identification the duality ceases and the original nature of the self as Brahman becomes evident Awareness of the Self alone leads to deliverance. Wisdom that there is only one Self, is itself the culmination of all Knowledge.
&ana is the Knowledge gathered from scriptures and iva&ana, Wisdom is of the identity of the individual self with Supreme Self, Brahman. In primordial world, saMsaar, it is Maya, the formatting power, which is ignorance identifies the body with the self, as in the case of rope to be the serpent.
Shankara says that Knowledge and performance actions are necessary so long as one is 127 not aware of the identity of the self with Brahman. This is possible only when one is austere, detached from the fruits of sensory influences.
Only when the cause of the obstacles to one’s up righteousness is properly realized, only then it becomes possible to undertake efforts for its removal, not otherwise.
Pride is assurance born of conscious awareness of one's own capacity and capability to lead one's life based on one's attributes (gauNa) and inclination (svaBaava) born of p`kRit. Such one resorts to detachment after examining the worlds acquired through performance of actions with full realization that there is nothing in the worlds that is not the result of the performance of actions, then why should one perform actions which does not reward one the wisdom of Brahman. Knowing the truth, such one then goes with due respect to a qualified Teacher well versed in Wisdom and becomes absorbed in Brahman, declares Mundaka Up. (I.ii.12).
137
One should discard the idea that ‘I am the body’.
Kath Up. (II.i.1) confirms that the Self is not be searched through senses, because through them only the outer things are seen, not the things which are within. Only some men of wisdom seeking life eternal, turn their visions inward and see the Self.
Therefore, he says further that the existence of the self, which is similar to the Prime Existence, is the only object for enlightenment, being devoid of any attributes, still it is necessary to speak about it with qualification, since people of dull intellect 135 seek an entity for realizing Brahman.
But the same body supports the deathless, bodiless Self. If the self is constrained by pleasure and pain, then there would no freedom from pleasure and pain. Pleasure and pain do not touch the Self, which rising from the body reaches as supreme light in its original form, without remembering its association with the body -
Shankara says in Vivekachudamani that just as the cluster of clouds created by the heat of the Sun hides the Sun itself, similarly the ego-sense which originated from the Self covers the very self.
c. Hence in the world of Brahman, when the bodily organs 137 cease to be, it is the Self alone that exists. Therefore, one should understand that Self is not the gross body but some thing far different, far subtle and far superior. One who is enlightened in this manner is not bound by the body. Shankara says that Self is not a thing to be possessed or to be dispossessed to be attained or to be renounced but to be experienced and realized.
Gurus are those who having experienced Wisdom like a amalaka fruit in one's own hand -
There is vast difference between being 140 knowledgeable of the words and being wise of the Wisdom of the Self
145
only when the five sense organs of Knowledge together with mind cease their operation and even the intellect does not stir.
Yoga Sutras, therefore, advise one to remain aloof from divergent thoughts because they distract being in union with Brahman -
vitarka bhavane pratipaksha bhavanam
Immortality is not Knowledge of the Self, Wisdom being its essential attribute and nature.
Wisdom removes the ignorance which makes one identify the self with non-self.
enlightened ones ..says shankaracharya...in solitary places, in forests or on the banks of rivers.
A sincere seeker, therefore, should guard himself from falling in the trap of contentious arguments and futile controversies and rely on his own enlightenment
Wisdom is illumination not information to be had only from a competent teacher responsive to the eternal sound and well established in Brahman.
Wisdom is illumination not information to be had only from a competent teacher responsive to the eternal sound and well established in Brahman.
Shankara also informs that it is common experience of all people that they are ignorant of nature of the self and prompted by craving and attachment, undertake activities with great enthusiasm.
Seer is the one who has experienced Wisdom of supreme divinity without the assistance of the sensory organs, therefore, referred as k`antdSaI-. Guru is one who having perfect receptivity, reflection and meditation is enlightened to the mystery concealed in the vedic hymns, teaches clarifying the doubts and removing their ignorance.
Katha Up. cautions that Wisdom cannot be had from uninitiated ones, since it is not heard by many and even after hearing few understand it.
Unless instructed by one who knows That Wisdom there is no attainment, for it is inconceivable and subtler than subtle.
According to Shankara, awareness of the divine alone is vidya, the actions of the performance of actions without such awareness being avidya.
Guru neither claims nor makes the disciple enlightened but only places him on the Path to Perfection, assuring wisdom enshrined in vedic scriptures if the pointers are followed through penance and austerity.
Shankara says that one should endeavour to experience one's identity as ‘I am Brahman’. Therefore knowing that all this is Purusha himself, performance of actions, austerity and Brahman beyond death, and being aware that the One which is set in the secret place of the heat, he cuts asunder the knots of ignorance here in this very life (Mundaka Up.II.ii.8).
This Knowledge by itself does not lead one to immortality, but Wisdom through awareness of the essential nature of the self with the immortal Self leading one to realize its identity with itself.
Such awareness is not the result of any external supports, because if it is the product of Knowledge, then it will be non-eternal just like the fruits of rites and rituals or an action. Wisdom alone removes the impediments which identify self within the body and with such identification the duality ceases and the original nature of the self as Brahman becomes evident Awareness of the Self alone leads to deliverance. Wisdom that there is only one Self, is itself the culmination of all Knowledge.
&ana is the Knowledge gathered from scriptures and iva&ana, Wisdom is of the identity of the individual self with Supreme Self, Brahman. In primordial world, saMsaar, it is Maya, the formatting power, which is ignorance identifies the body with the self, as in the case of rope to be the serpent.
Shankara says that Knowledge and performance actions are necessary so long as one is 127 not aware of the identity of the self with Brahman. This is possible only when one is austere, detached from the fruits of sensory influences.
Only when the cause of the obstacles to one’s up righteousness is properly realized, only then it becomes possible to undertake efforts for its removal, not otherwise.
Pride is assurance born of conscious awareness of one's own capacity and capability to lead one's life based on one's attributes (gauNa) and inclination (svaBaava) born of p`kRit. Such one resorts to detachment after examining the worlds acquired through performance of actions with full realization that there is nothing in the worlds that is not the result of the performance of actions, then why should one perform actions which does not reward one the wisdom of Brahman. Knowing the truth, such one then goes with due respect to a qualified Teacher well versed in Wisdom and becomes absorbed in Brahman, declares Mundaka Up. (I.ii.12).
137
One should discard the idea that ‘I am the body’.
Kath Up. (II.i.1) confirms that the Self is not be searched through senses, because through them only the outer things are seen, not the things which are within. Only some men of wisdom seeking life eternal, turn their visions inward and see the Self.
Therefore, he says further that the existence of the self, which is similar to the Prime Existence, is the only object for enlightenment, being devoid of any attributes, still it is necessary to speak about it with qualification, since people of dull intellect 135 seek an entity for realizing Brahman.
But the same body supports the deathless, bodiless Self. If the self is constrained by pleasure and pain, then there would no freedom from pleasure and pain. Pleasure and pain do not touch the Self, which rising from the body reaches as supreme light in its original form, without remembering its association with the body -
Shankara says in Vivekachudamani that just as the cluster of clouds created by the heat of the Sun hides the Sun itself, similarly the ego-sense which originated from the Self covers the very self.
c. Hence in the world of Brahman, when the bodily organs 137 cease to be, it is the Self alone that exists. Therefore, one should understand that Self is not the gross body but some thing far different, far subtle and far superior. One who is enlightened in this manner is not bound by the body. Shankara says that Self is not a thing to be possessed or to be dispossessed to be attained or to be renounced but to be experienced and realized.
Gurus are those who having experienced Wisdom like a amalaka fruit in one's own hand -
There is vast difference between being 140 knowledgeable of the words and being wise of the Wisdom of the Self
145
only when the five sense organs of Knowledge together with mind cease their operation and even the intellect does not stir.
Yoga Sutras, therefore, advise one to remain aloof from divergent thoughts because they distract being in union with Brahman -
vitarka bhavane pratipaksha bhavanam
Immortality is not Knowledge of the Self, Wisdom being its essential attribute and nature.
Wisdom removes the ignorance which makes one identify the self with non-self.
enlightened ones ..says shankaracharya...in solitary places, in forests or on the banks of rivers.
A sincere seeker, therefore, should guard himself from falling in the trap of contentious arguments and futile controversies and rely on his own enlightenment
Wisdom is illumination not information to be had only from a competent teacher responsive to the eternal sound and well established in Brahman.
Wisdom is illumination not information to be had only from a competent teacher responsive to the eternal sound and well established in Brahman.
Shankara also informs that it is common experience of all people that they are ignorant of nature of the self and prompted by craving and attachment, undertake activities with great enthusiasm.
In the final analysis there are only two
kinds of people – unenlightened and the
enlightened ones.
The unenlightened ones, feeble in understanding or in knowing the way of action or of renunciation, having neither purity of mind or clarity of vision, neither good conduct or ethical behaviour, declare the world to be unreal, without any supreme controller, being impelled only by desire, know not the proper Path to be traversed.
Shankara advises that one should meditate on naama as Brahman, as one would meditate on the image of Vishnu.
175
let a seeker of Wisdom concentrate on Wisdom, Brahman and not depend on mere words, because that would be merely weariness of speech.
Impassioned dis-interest in samsara should be cultivated.
vaOragya is dispassion or dis-interest in things 174 temporal, therefore, one should show the same indifference to things temporal, which one shows to all the thoughts from the world of Brahma to the world of the mortals, treating them all as the excreta of crow.
Mundaka Up (III.i.3) says that when one sees the creator of the golden hue , the Lord, the Purusha, the source of Prajapati Brahma, then becoming a man of Wisdom, shaking all the concepts of good and evil and freed from all stains, attains the supreme similarity or absolute similarity (saamya) or non-duality.
This is not same as similarity observed within the range of duality of perception but as Shankara explains, it is the supreme equipoise which is identical and non-dual with the Prime Existence.
It is transcendence from sense influenced intellect to the infinite possibilities of Mind.
Impassioned person is a stithaprajnya, stable in consciousness who is attuned to samaadhi – equanimous intellect. Exclusion of desire from mind brings about inner state of freedom, the delight of the self attuned to the Self within. It is not external renunciation of gross objects but internal acceptance of the Will of the Supreme Self.
Impassioned disinterestedness is being in the state of Brahman ba`*maI isqait which leads one to the state of Bliss which - ‘SaaintmagacCint’, without being attached to the body
According to Gita, Nirvana is Bliss of Beatitude, the positive state of experience and not 178 the negative state of existence. Nirvana is being without the influence or withdrawal of ‘. . the senses from the objects of senses, like the tortoise drawing its limbs within itself, his awareness is well-established . . .’.
It is only when one remains alone like yogis and not lonely like forlorn and long lost to one's self. An ordinary mind is busy mind assailed from all sides by thoughts creeping and assaulting peace of the mind.
Human being is enamoured so much with the known thoughts and that he is sure that he can shape his destiny, calculation and planning being based on one has seen and thought. Consequently he does not think and consider the possibility of some invisible and not-known entity or energy penetrating our mind and deciding our destiny. The invisible not-known entity or energy, the sages say, is the Prime Existence, which enters every form as essence to the tip of the nails, as it were. The invisible not-known entity or energy can enter mind and take possession only when the empirical known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and instead vacate it.
The mind of a human being can not grasp not-known entity or energy unless the mind itself becomes the not-known entity or energy, even as drop of rain dies not the know the depth of the ocean unless it first merges in the ocean.
Only when the known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and allow the mind to be devoid of them that notknown entity or energy makes its presence felt.
As long as the known thoughts exist the presence of the not-known entity or energy will not be experienced.
Shankara when he commends that unnecessary attention of people should be avoided, he recommends that they should leave themselves in the hand of the not-known entity or energy and surrendering to that energy.
That means that they should not waste time in unnecessary and unwholesome talk of the people who are not aware of the not-known entity or energy .
Knowledge can only be communicated, one may be enlightened to Wisdom; but spiritual awareness of the not-known entity or energy and the Bliss of Beatitude can only be experienced as some thing as Kath Up. (II.9-12), which is not within the range of vision, no one ever having seen it, by heart, by thought and by mind alone apprehended, perhaps not even by those except when they declared 'It is'.
Krishna, therefore, says that only by thinking of That, directing one’s entire attention to That, making That as the objective, making That as the Way, one reaches the goal from which no one returns, all his imperfections being cleansed.
Spiritual attainment does not call for mass approbation because it is individual celebration.
The mind of the masses is proverbially fickle.
Enlightenment is possible when one departs alone to a secluded place, away from the social intercourse, self-certified of enlightenment in the solitude of silence and not open to market place for public confirmation.
In fact, unnecessary interference by strangers endangers the Path to Perfection.
Therefore, one should shun company of those unresponsive to your objective, remaining aloof from them, shutting out all external distractions, fixing one's sight concentrated on one's intent and purpose.
Not only in initial stages but even later after experiencing and being aware of it, the energizing flame should be kept luminous nurturing it from the vicious winds of the temporal undesirable company of the masses.
Assistance not needed should neither be desired nor be encouraged.
Virtue is not to be sourced externally but recollected internally.
Success and failures are to be seen as passing phases, ever seeing and being conscious only of the palpable presence of the eternal, immutable and unflinching of the not-known entity or energy, Prime Existence behind every change and modification
Silence is a state of mind and not of the physical posture. Mind can be silent even in a crowded place and unsettled in a sylvan forest far away from the maddening crowd. The peace of the self is established and enlightenment dawns when as said in Katha Up. all mental activities together with Mind cease their activities, and the intellect itself does not stir, that, they says, is the supreme goal.
One should cherish satisfaction in solitude.
One should seek fulfillment in transcendental state of Mind.
One should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self.
This world is to be perceived as His reflection.
Consolidated effect of the earlier Actions should be terminated.
With intelligent resolve, one should free oneself from the effect of subsequent actions.
The consequence of earlier actions should be terminated conclusively.
In this manner one should establish one’s self in Supreme Brahman.
One should cherish satisfaction in solitude.
what it is to be Alone, being receptive, reflective and meditative, conscious on one's identity with one's self, concerned with one's self alone to the exclusion of all else which is not self. It is only in absolute silence and absolute loneliness that one experiences the Prime Existence.
sa%ya - the Prime Existence, therefore, is the not an object to be inquired through intellectual quest. It is a perennial existence having no such thing as beginning, if there is anything like Beginning, and no end, if there is anything like end. Experience of sa%ya - the Prime Existence is like the love between husband and wife, which happens when duality between them ceases as when they are in embrace -
sa%ya - the Prime Existence exists as the First Principle in every thing that is manifest. One has to be receptive and responsive in silence to the eternal Sound ! that reverberates being alone, with equanimity of mind, without being conscious of even one’s own self. If the seeker seek the Prime Existence in words, marks and symbols then he would not know about the Prime Existence without slightest awareness of the essence of the Prime Existence. The words will be dead as dodo, if the words, marks and symbols do not have the Prime Existence throbbing within.
Only when who is receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound ! remaining alone being silent and quiet, without being conscious of even one’s own self then the doors open and you experience, become aware.
Then one will see receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound Aum, not as some thing expressed by the seers in words but as experienced by the seer
The sage who sees, hears, thinks and understands in this manner, though alone never experiences lonliness since he revels in the solitude of his self as being in everything, even when he is in the sylvan forests as he is in the midst of boisterous and rowdy crowd. Whereas one who is not aware, not being conscious that the self within and the self in others is identical, suffers loneliness let alone in 191 silence of the forests but also in the midst of his relatives and associates. The fault lies not in the external enviornment but absence of internal harmony, which allows one to perceive and be consciously of the self concealed within his form. Only one who is consciously aware of the comprehensive all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Self, reaches out to others. Then he could remain Alone in solitude in the presence or absence of crowd, experiencing an expansion of his self to reach out to the all comprehensive Self.
Bhagavad Gita (XIII.9-12) states one who is alone responds in humility, integrity, non-violence, patience, unrighteousness, service to the teacher, purity of mind and body, steadfastness and self control, indifference to the objects of senses, self effacement and perception of the evils of birth and death, old age and disease and pain, non attachment, equal to the desirable and the undesirable, unswerving commitment and discipline to the Supreme Self, remaining Alone in solitude away from the crowd, abidance and insight in the wisdom of the self as the marks and signs of the man who revels in his Aloneness.
One should seek fulfillment in transcendental state of Mind.
Therefore, it is said by one meditates with Primal Breath one discerns neither sweat-smelling nor foul-smelling i.e. to say the dualities in empirical life - ‘
Therefore, only when one uses the Primal Breath for reflection and meditation, the evil does not dare to afflict.
By meditating with Primal Breath, whatever one eats and whatever one drinks, he nourishes other vital energies with that.
Therefore, meditating with Primal Breath, restraining the five organs of 195 senses together with mind, and making even the intellect not stir, one is said to be in highest state of Yoga.
Then whatever one eats and whatever one drinks, he nourishes them well.
Therefore, while maanasa, Mind is nothing but
pure and auspicious, the icat\, empirical mind is
nothing but aggregation of thoughts influenced by
senses - ‘ica<aM eva ih saMsaarma’\ (Maitri Up). If thoughts
make the empirical mind, then absence of thoughts
would make the spiritual Mind.
The empirical Mind being the unreal Mind, the mind without thoughts, or the mind in which thoughts do not rise, or even if thoughts arise in Mind, (since it is natural for the senses to cause thoughts to rise in Mind), and the thoughts are allowed to drift by, like clouds in the clear sky, without creating any impressions on Mind, then such mind would be a transcendental Mind, the original Mind, the Divine instrument which Brahman had provided for himself while initiating his creative activity.
What Krishna does is to persuade Arjuna to rise to his spiritual Mind, which Brahman has provided for himself as first of the Divine instrument, because one who does not attune himself to the Divine Instrument, then he would continue to be influenced by his empirical mind, being attached to the fruits of performance.
Such transcendental state of mind is to be experienced and retained.
Shankara suggests that the transcendental mind is the true state of one’s self, incapable of being indicated by words devoid of the duality of qualities and attributes, being beyond the reach of senses, incapable of being grasped by (empirical) mind similar to the supreme Brahman. I
It has neither any marks nor any description. It is the state where one has Wisdom, the state of Bliss, being content and satisfied without knowing what it that makes one content and satisfied.
Such supreme state is not a destination to be reached but a state of being to be in.
When mind in bliss, the witness is the self,
The unenlightened ones, feeble in understanding or in knowing the way of action or of renunciation, having neither purity of mind or clarity of vision, neither good conduct or ethical behaviour, declare the world to be unreal, without any supreme controller, being impelled only by desire, know not the proper Path to be traversed.
Shankara advises that one should meditate on naama as Brahman, as one would meditate on the image of Vishnu.
175
let a seeker of Wisdom concentrate on Wisdom, Brahman and not depend on mere words, because that would be merely weariness of speech.
Impassioned dis-interest in samsara should be cultivated.
vaOragya is dispassion or dis-interest in things 174 temporal, therefore, one should show the same indifference to things temporal, which one shows to all the thoughts from the world of Brahma to the world of the mortals, treating them all as the excreta of crow.
Mundaka Up (III.i.3) says that when one sees the creator of the golden hue , the Lord, the Purusha, the source of Prajapati Brahma, then becoming a man of Wisdom, shaking all the concepts of good and evil and freed from all stains, attains the supreme similarity or absolute similarity (saamya) or non-duality.
This is not same as similarity observed within the range of duality of perception but as Shankara explains, it is the supreme equipoise which is identical and non-dual with the Prime Existence.
It is transcendence from sense influenced intellect to the infinite possibilities of Mind.
Impassioned person is a stithaprajnya, stable in consciousness who is attuned to samaadhi – equanimous intellect. Exclusion of desire from mind brings about inner state of freedom, the delight of the self attuned to the Self within. It is not external renunciation of gross objects but internal acceptance of the Will of the Supreme Self.
Impassioned disinterestedness is being in the state of Brahman ba`*maI isqait which leads one to the state of Bliss which - ‘SaaintmagacCint’, without being attached to the body
According to Gita, Nirvana is Bliss of Beatitude, the positive state of experience and not 178 the negative state of existence. Nirvana is being without the influence or withdrawal of ‘. . the senses from the objects of senses, like the tortoise drawing its limbs within itself, his awareness is well-established . . .’.
It is only when one remains alone like yogis and not lonely like forlorn and long lost to one's self. An ordinary mind is busy mind assailed from all sides by thoughts creeping and assaulting peace of the mind.
Human being is enamoured so much with the known thoughts and that he is sure that he can shape his destiny, calculation and planning being based on one has seen and thought. Consequently he does not think and consider the possibility of some invisible and not-known entity or energy penetrating our mind and deciding our destiny. The invisible not-known entity or energy, the sages say, is the Prime Existence, which enters every form as essence to the tip of the nails, as it were. The invisible not-known entity or energy can enter mind and take possession only when the empirical known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and instead vacate it.
The mind of a human being can not grasp not-known entity or energy unless the mind itself becomes the not-known entity or energy, even as drop of rain dies not the know the depth of the ocean unless it first merges in the ocean.
Only when the known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and allow the mind to be devoid of them that notknown entity or energy makes its presence felt.
As long as the known thoughts exist the presence of the not-known entity or energy will not be experienced.
Shankara when he commends that unnecessary attention of people should be avoided, he recommends that they should leave themselves in the hand of the not-known entity or energy and surrendering to that energy.
That means that they should not waste time in unnecessary and unwholesome talk of the people who are not aware of the not-known entity or energy .
Knowledge can only be communicated, one may be enlightened to Wisdom; but spiritual awareness of the not-known entity or energy and the Bliss of Beatitude can only be experienced as some thing as Kath Up. (II.9-12), which is not within the range of vision, no one ever having seen it, by heart, by thought and by mind alone apprehended, perhaps not even by those except when they declared 'It is'.
Krishna, therefore, says that only by thinking of That, directing one’s entire attention to That, making That as the objective, making That as the Way, one reaches the goal from which no one returns, all his imperfections being cleansed.
Spiritual attainment does not call for mass approbation because it is individual celebration.
The mind of the masses is proverbially fickle.
Enlightenment is possible when one departs alone to a secluded place, away from the social intercourse, self-certified of enlightenment in the solitude of silence and not open to market place for public confirmation.
In fact, unnecessary interference by strangers endangers the Path to Perfection.
Therefore, one should shun company of those unresponsive to your objective, remaining aloof from them, shutting out all external distractions, fixing one's sight concentrated on one's intent and purpose.
Not only in initial stages but even later after experiencing and being aware of it, the energizing flame should be kept luminous nurturing it from the vicious winds of the temporal undesirable company of the masses.
Assistance not needed should neither be desired nor be encouraged.
Virtue is not to be sourced externally but recollected internally.
Success and failures are to be seen as passing phases, ever seeing and being conscious only of the palpable presence of the eternal, immutable and unflinching of the not-known entity or energy, Prime Existence behind every change and modification
Silence is a state of mind and not of the physical posture. Mind can be silent even in a crowded place and unsettled in a sylvan forest far away from the maddening crowd. The peace of the self is established and enlightenment dawns when as said in Katha Up. all mental activities together with Mind cease their activities, and the intellect itself does not stir, that, they says, is the supreme goal.
One should cherish satisfaction in solitude.
One should seek fulfillment in transcendental state of Mind.
One should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self.
This world is to be perceived as His reflection.
Consolidated effect of the earlier Actions should be terminated.
With intelligent resolve, one should free oneself from the effect of subsequent actions.
The consequence of earlier actions should be terminated conclusively.
In this manner one should establish one’s self in Supreme Brahman.
One should cherish satisfaction in solitude.
what it is to be Alone, being receptive, reflective and meditative, conscious on one's identity with one's self, concerned with one's self alone to the exclusion of all else which is not self. It is only in absolute silence and absolute loneliness that one experiences the Prime Existence.
sa%ya - the Prime Existence, therefore, is the not an object to be inquired through intellectual quest. It is a perennial existence having no such thing as beginning, if there is anything like Beginning, and no end, if there is anything like end. Experience of sa%ya - the Prime Existence is like the love between husband and wife, which happens when duality between them ceases as when they are in embrace -
sa%ya - the Prime Existence exists as the First Principle in every thing that is manifest. One has to be receptive and responsive in silence to the eternal Sound ! that reverberates being alone, with equanimity of mind, without being conscious of even one’s own self. If the seeker seek the Prime Existence in words, marks and symbols then he would not know about the Prime Existence without slightest awareness of the essence of the Prime Existence. The words will be dead as dodo, if the words, marks and symbols do not have the Prime Existence throbbing within.
Only when who is receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound ! remaining alone being silent and quiet, without being conscious of even one’s own self then the doors open and you experience, become aware.
Then one will see receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound Aum, not as some thing expressed by the seers in words but as experienced by the seer
The sage who sees, hears, thinks and understands in this manner, though alone never experiences lonliness since he revels in the solitude of his self as being in everything, even when he is in the sylvan forests as he is in the midst of boisterous and rowdy crowd. Whereas one who is not aware, not being conscious that the self within and the self in others is identical, suffers loneliness let alone in 191 silence of the forests but also in the midst of his relatives and associates. The fault lies not in the external enviornment but absence of internal harmony, which allows one to perceive and be consciously of the self concealed within his form. Only one who is consciously aware of the comprehensive all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Self, reaches out to others. Then he could remain Alone in solitude in the presence or absence of crowd, experiencing an expansion of his self to reach out to the all comprehensive Self.
Bhagavad Gita (XIII.9-12) states one who is alone responds in humility, integrity, non-violence, patience, unrighteousness, service to the teacher, purity of mind and body, steadfastness and self control, indifference to the objects of senses, self effacement and perception of the evils of birth and death, old age and disease and pain, non attachment, equal to the desirable and the undesirable, unswerving commitment and discipline to the Supreme Self, remaining Alone in solitude away from the crowd, abidance and insight in the wisdom of the self as the marks and signs of the man who revels in his Aloneness.
One should seek fulfillment in transcendental state of Mind.
Therefore, it is said by one meditates with Primal Breath one discerns neither sweat-smelling nor foul-smelling i.e. to say the dualities in empirical life - ‘
Therefore, only when one uses the Primal Breath for reflection and meditation, the evil does not dare to afflict.
By meditating with Primal Breath, whatever one eats and whatever one drinks, he nourishes other vital energies with that.
Therefore, meditating with Primal Breath, restraining the five organs of 195 senses together with mind, and making even the intellect not stir, one is said to be in highest state of Yoga.
Then whatever one eats and whatever one drinks, he nourishes them well.
Therefore, while maanasa, Mind is nothing but
pure and auspicious, the icat\, empirical mind is
nothing but aggregation of thoughts influenced by
senses - ‘ica<aM eva ih saMsaarma’\ (Maitri Up). If thoughts
make the empirical mind, then absence of thoughts
would make the spiritual Mind.
The empirical Mind being the unreal Mind, the mind without thoughts, or the mind in which thoughts do not rise, or even if thoughts arise in Mind, (since it is natural for the senses to cause thoughts to rise in Mind), and the thoughts are allowed to drift by, like clouds in the clear sky, without creating any impressions on Mind, then such mind would be a transcendental Mind, the original Mind, the Divine instrument which Brahman had provided for himself while initiating his creative activity.
What Krishna does is to persuade Arjuna to rise to his spiritual Mind, which Brahman has provided for himself as first of the Divine instrument, because one who does not attune himself to the Divine Instrument, then he would continue to be influenced by his empirical mind, being attached to the fruits of performance.
Such transcendental state of mind is to be experienced and retained.
Shankara suggests that the transcendental mind is the true state of one’s self, incapable of being indicated by words devoid of the duality of qualities and attributes, being beyond the reach of senses, incapable of being grasped by (empirical) mind similar to the supreme Brahman. I
It has neither any marks nor any description. It is the state where one has Wisdom, the state of Bliss, being content and satisfied without knowing what it that makes one content and satisfied.
Such supreme state is not a destination to be reached but a state of being to be in.
When mind in bliss, the witness is the self,
therefore, one
should assiduously seek to be in such mind,
free of
ideation and from self-love.
That alone being the
deliverance.
Then he becomes a silent mediator and
transcending both meditative and non-meditative
states, becomes the knower of Brahman.
202
One should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self.
Maitri Up. declares that the primordial world – saMsaar is nothing but the empirical mind or aggregation of thoughts. Therefore, before any one could perceive the entirety of the subtle 198 Self, which would be represented by the spiritual mind, one must understand the empirical mind.
One would realize that thinking begins with one thought, leading to other associate or related thoughts arising therein weaving their own chain of thoughts, turning mind to scraps and fragments of unruly, disordered and undisciplined aggregation of thoughts. Therefore, thinking is never lateral and continuous but always unruly, disordered and undisciplined. Therefore one cannot but begin one’s search for the subtle Self on the basis of such unruly, disordered and undisciplined empirical mind.
Though the empirical mind is a conditioned mind, restraining and restricting one to think independently unconnected with the aggregation of thoughts and since one is not exposed to any thing but the empirical mind the steps that lead to investigate and think of the subtle Self cannot be but gradual, stage by stage though awareness of the same empirical, conditioned mind, restraining and restricting further thoughts. The awareness of the spiritual mind comes out sudden and instantaneous, like the flash of lightening or winking of the eye as said in Kena Up.
Since the spiritual mind represent the subtle Self, the aggregation of thoughts which go to make the empirical mind should must be dismantled stopping the thoughts arising in mind, which begins with the stopping the first arising in mind, before it becomes associated and related with other earlier thoughts in mind, leading the empirical mind weaving its own chain of thoughts, turning mind to a web of others scraps and fragments of unruly, disordered and undisciplined thoughts.
Spiritual awareness is never partial, it is all at once in comprehensive dimension or nothing at all.
202
One should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self.
Maitri Up. declares that the primordial world – saMsaar is nothing but the empirical mind or aggregation of thoughts. Therefore, before any one could perceive the entirety of the subtle 198 Self, which would be represented by the spiritual mind, one must understand the empirical mind.
One would realize that thinking begins with one thought, leading to other associate or related thoughts arising therein weaving their own chain of thoughts, turning mind to scraps and fragments of unruly, disordered and undisciplined aggregation of thoughts. Therefore, thinking is never lateral and continuous but always unruly, disordered and undisciplined. Therefore one cannot but begin one’s search for the subtle Self on the basis of such unruly, disordered and undisciplined empirical mind.
Though the empirical mind is a conditioned mind, restraining and restricting one to think independently unconnected with the aggregation of thoughts and since one is not exposed to any thing but the empirical mind the steps that lead to investigate and think of the subtle Self cannot be but gradual, stage by stage though awareness of the same empirical, conditioned mind, restraining and restricting further thoughts. The awareness of the spiritual mind comes out sudden and instantaneous, like the flash of lightening or winking of the eye as said in Kena Up.
Since the spiritual mind represent the subtle Self, the aggregation of thoughts which go to make the empirical mind should must be dismantled stopping the thoughts arising in mind, which begins with the stopping the first arising in mind, before it becomes associated and related with other earlier thoughts in mind, leading the empirical mind weaving its own chain of thoughts, turning mind to a web of others scraps and fragments of unruly, disordered and undisciplined thoughts.
Spiritual awareness is never partial, it is all at once in comprehensive dimension or nothing at all.
Shankara’s insistence that one should perceive the entirety of the subtle Self is a suggestion to be cultivated here and now and not later.
Hindu philosophy, though conceives a series of births and deaths, yet encourages traversing the path though ‘sharp as the edge of a razor and hard to cross and difficult to tread is the Path, one is encouraged to take the first step, even though in the words of Krishna the mind ( and the resolve) is covered as fire is covered by smoke as mirror by dust and an embryo by the womb, one should venture abandoning all desires born of will, without exception, restraining from all sides the mind from all senses, let him gain little by little tranquility through restraint and steadiness, fixing mind on the self within, and not thinking on anything else. On this path no effort is ever lost, no obstacles prevail. Even a little righteousness will save one from great fear. Therefore, one should engage oneself in this endeavour without hesitation.
This world is to be perceived as His reflection.
‘I am of this tree, I am the essence of that tree’ and exulting – ‘I have known the Supreme Purusha resplendent and refulgent like the Sun beyond darkness; by knowing Him alone does one transcend Death, there is no other path to traverse’.
Therefore,
when all the desires that dwell in the heart are cast
away, then does the mortal become immortal and he
attains Brahman here (in this life itself). One need
not wait for the time when the body falls – ‘na Sairr
ptao<arkalaM’ it comes about the moment ignorance is
eliminated – ‘avidya nivruttiha
Since only a human being blessed with sense of discrimination is capable of taking such decision, it is only for him is the deliverance.
Maitri Upanishad says that since it is the Mind which absorbs the effects of the performance of previous actions giving an appearance to the mental responses, the mind which should be investigated. By freeing Mind from sloth and distraction and making is well-established he becomes liberated from Mind. That is the supreme state.
The ultimate objective of life is enlightenment of the Prime Existence and deliverance from the obscurity of mind which create sufferings in samsara.
But deliverance does not mean leaving the present life and becoming something what one is not but Being that thing which the obscurity of mind by cacophony of the empirical primordial world, the saMsaar.
When Maitri Upanishad says ‘ica<aM eva ih saMsaarma\’
the suggestion is to liberate oneself from the
shackles of aggregate thoughts in Mind, which go to
make saMsaar. saMsaar means comprehensive or
quintessence of the impressions on mind saM + saar.
Mind, verily, is the cause of bondage and liberation
for human beings; bondage is association with
senses and liberation, absence of such association
Since samsaara is consequence of the thoughts in mind, deliverance from samsaara would mean not only avoiding the thoughts from rising in mind but also avoiding the things, circumstances, situations, places which go to influence creating the thought waves in Mind.
Yoga is restraint of mind – ‘ica<avaRi<a
inaraoQa:’. Vashishtha endorses that intellect is the cause
of all things. When it is active then is the world,
when it ceases the world too ceases. Therefore, the
world should be considered with diligence.
Therefore, it is through serenity of the intellect
alone does the effect of all good or bad actions
come to be terminated - ‘ica<asya hI p`saadona hint kma- SauBaaSauBama\
|’. The mind in the final analysis the cause of
samsaara as well the instrument for dissolution of
samsaara.
One cannot open one’s Mind to spiritual inputs without the inputs being presented in marks, symbols and words and experiences to which the Mind is familiar and receptive.
Completely an unconditioned Mind is difficult for common masses, therefore, one should consider taking a leap to the spiritual from the temporal foundations.
that a human Mind is an instrument for fulfilling the Divine Intent, and therefore one is obliged to keep it pure and auspicious by performing only such actions as are in accordance with that Divine Intent. As said in Isha Up. having performed his duties in this manner, he strives to live for hundred years, says Isha Upanishad.
Therefore one who has retrained the tendency of senses turning cause transformed as effects, only his intelligence is considered firmly established.
Only he who has abandoned all desires and lives and acts free from craving, without any sense of I and mine, attains peace within, becoming released from the constraints of the body to reach Brahman.
221
And finally when all the aggregate karmas cease, the self loses its individual identity in the vast and ever encompassing Brahman even as a lump of salt loses its individuality when it sinks in the vast ocean. When such event occurs then like the juices which are reduced to honey do not know the tree from which they were sourced, the self ceases to know the form which it had before it became one with supreme, luminous, the immortal Brahman, designated as sa%ya - the Prime Existence.
The same Upanishad further says let the wise Brahmin after knowing Him practice wisdom and not waste time in reflecting on many words, for that is, verily, weariness of speech.
Mundaka Upanishad delving on the subject says that seers having realized the enlightened wisdom, being content, established in Self, freed from attachment and composed in mind, realize the all-pervasive One in all directions, and merge into that all
The Path to Perfection is difficult to be traversed and therefore should be walked step by step.
Climbing step by step, stage by
stage on reaches the parama pad, therefore is The
Reclining Ladder.
One cannot be in hurry on this
journey. In that process, as one climbs each step,
pdaina and each stage Qaamaaina towards the final abiding
218
place, prma pd, his vision becomes broader and deeper
as the forces of nature assume the role of gods with
illumined wisdom and energetic powers to guide
and inspire seekers on their Path to Perfection.
........................ .....................................................................................
180
So long as one does not recognize the stump of wood, as the stump of wood, and takes the stump to be a man, mediation is helpful necessity. Therefore, Shankara says that the injunctions about rites and rituals are operative only as long one is not disciplined for enlightenment -
The invisible not-known entity or energy, the sages say, is the Prime Existence, which enters every form as essence to the tip of the nails, as it were. The invisible not-known entity or energy can enter mind and take possession only when the empirical known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and instead vacate it. The mind of a human being can not grasp not-known entity or energy unless the mind itself becomes the not-known entity or energy, even as drop of rain dies not the know the depth of the ocean unless it first merges in the ocean. Only when the known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and allow the mind to be devoid of them that not known entity or energy makes its presence felt.
As long as the known thoughts exist the presence of the not-known entity or energy will not be experienced
Shankara when he commends that unnecessary attention of people should be avoided, he recommends that they should leave themselves in the hand of the not-known entity or energy and surrendering to that energy. That means that they should not waste time in unnecessary and unwholesome talk of the people who are not aware of the not-known entity or energy .
Knowledge can only be communicated, one may be enlightened to Wisdom; but spiritual awareness of the not-known entity or energy and the Bliss of Beatitude can only be experienced as some thing as Kath Up. (II.9-12), which is not within the range of vision, no one ever having seen it, by heart, by thought and by mind alone apprehended, perhaps not even by those except when they declared 'It is'. Krishna, therefore, says that only by thinking of That, directing one’s entire attention to That, making That as the objective, making That as the Way, one reaches the goal from which no one returns, all his imperfections being cleansed.
Spiritual attainment does not call for mass approbation because it is individual celebration. The mind of the masses is proverbially fickle. Enlightenment is possible when one departs alone to a secluded place, away from the social intercourse, self-certified of enlightenment in the solitude of silence and not open to market place for public confirmation. In fact, unnecessary interference by strangers endangers the Path to Perfection.
........................ .....................................................................................
180
So long as one does not recognize the stump of wood, as the stump of wood, and takes the stump to be a man, mediation is helpful necessity. Therefore, Shankara says that the injunctions about rites and rituals are operative only as long one is not disciplined for enlightenment -
The invisible not-known entity or energy, the sages say, is the Prime Existence, which enters every form as essence to the tip of the nails, as it were. The invisible not-known entity or energy can enter mind and take possession only when the empirical known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and instead vacate it. The mind of a human being can not grasp not-known entity or energy unless the mind itself becomes the not-known entity or energy, even as drop of rain dies not the know the depth of the ocean unless it first merges in the ocean. Only when the known thoughts cease to take hold of the mind and allow the mind to be devoid of them that not known entity or energy makes its presence felt.
As long as the known thoughts exist the presence of the not-known entity or energy will not be experienced
Shankara when he commends that unnecessary attention of people should be avoided, he recommends that they should leave themselves in the hand of the not-known entity or energy and surrendering to that energy. That means that they should not waste time in unnecessary and unwholesome talk of the people who are not aware of the not-known entity or energy .
Knowledge can only be communicated, one may be enlightened to Wisdom; but spiritual awareness of the not-known entity or energy and the Bliss of Beatitude can only be experienced as some thing as Kath Up. (II.9-12), which is not within the range of vision, no one ever having seen it, by heart, by thought and by mind alone apprehended, perhaps not even by those except when they declared 'It is'. Krishna, therefore, says that only by thinking of That, directing one’s entire attention to That, making That as the objective, making That as the Way, one reaches the goal from which no one returns, all his imperfections being cleansed.
Spiritual attainment does not call for mass approbation because it is individual celebration. The mind of the masses is proverbially fickle. Enlightenment is possible when one departs alone to a secluded place, away from the social intercourse, self-certified of enlightenment in the solitude of silence and not open to market place for public confirmation. In fact, unnecessary interference by strangers endangers the Path to Perfection.
Therefore, one should shun company of
those unresponsive to your objective, remaining aloof from them, shutting out all external
distractions, fixing one's sight concentrated on one's
intent and purpose.
Not only in initial stages but
even later after experiencing and being aware of it,
the energizing flame should be kept luminous
nurturing it from the vicious winds of the temporal
undesirable company of the masses.
Success and failures are to be seen as passing phases, ever seeing and being conscious only of the palpable presence of the eternal, immutable and unflinching of the not-known entity or energy, Prime Existence behind every change and modification.
Only when who is receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound ! remaining alone being silent and quiet, without being conscious of even one’s own self then the doors open and you experience, become aware. Then one will see receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound Aum, not as some thing expressed by the seers in words but as experienced by the seer.
201
Such transcendental state of mind is to be experienced and retained. Shankara suggests that the transcendental mind is the true state of one’s self, incapable of being indicated by words devoid of the duality of qualities and attributes, being beyond the reach of senses, incapable of being grasped by (empirical) mind similar to the supreme Brahman. It has neither any marks nor any description. It is the state where one has Wisdom, the state of Bliss, being content and satisfied without knowing what it that makes one content and satisfied. Such supreme state is not a destination to be reached but a state of being to be in. When mind in bliss, the witness is the self, therefore, one should assiduously seek to be in such mind, free of ideation and from self-love. That alone being the deliverance. Then he becomes a silent mediator and transcending both meditative and non-meditative states, becomes the knower of Brahman.
One would realize that thinking begins with one thought, leading to other associate or related thoughts arising therein weaving their own chain of thoughts, turning mind to scraps and fragments of unruly, disordered and undisciplined aggregation of thoughts. Therefore, thinking is never lateral and continuous but always unruly, disordered and undisciplined. Therefore one cannot but begin one’s search for the subtle Self on the basis of such unruly, disordered and undisciplined empirical mind. Though the empirical mind is a conditioned mind, restraining and restricting one to think independently unconnected with the aggregation of thoughts and since one is not exposed to any thing but the empirical mind the steps that lead to investigate and think of the subtle Self cannot be but gradual, stage by stage though awareness of the same empirical, conditioned mind, restraining and restricting further thoughts. The awareness of the spiritual mind comes out sudden and instantaneous, like the flash of lightening or winking of the eye as said in Kena Up
205
without exception, restraining from all sides the mind from all senses, let him gain little by little tranquility through restraint and steadiness, fixing mind on the self within, and not thinking on anything else. On this path no effort is ever lost, no obstacles prevail. Even a little righteousness will save one from great fear. Therefore, one should engage oneself in this endeavour without hesitation.
This world is to be perceived as His reflection.
Shankara says, since mind is the primary instrument of the subtle body, the quality of the mind is the quality of the subtle body.
Therefore, when all the desires that dwell in the heart are cast away, then does the mortal become immortal and he attains Brahman here (in this life itself). One need not wait for the time when the body falls
it comes about the moment ignorance is eliminated
Since only a human being blessed with sense of discrimination is capable of taking such decision, it is only for him is the deliverance.
Maitri Upanishad says that since it is the Mind which absorbs the effects of the performance of previous actions giving an appearance to the mental responses, the mind which should be investigated. By freeing Mind from sloth and distraction and making is well-established he becomes liberated from Mind. That is the supreme state.
215
The ultimate objective of life is enlightenment of the Prime Existence and deliverance from the obscurity of mind which create sufferings in samsara.
Maitri Up.
Chitta evahi sansaram
the suggestion is to liberate oneself from the shackles of aggregate thoughts in Mind, which go to make sansara
Therefore one who has restrained the tendency of senses turning cause transformed as effects, only his intelligence is considered firmly established.
Success and failures are to be seen as passing phases, ever seeing and being conscious only of the palpable presence of the eternal, immutable and unflinching of the not-known entity or energy, Prime Existence behind every change and modification.
Only when who is receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound ! remaining alone being silent and quiet, without being conscious of even one’s own self then the doors open and you experience, become aware. Then one will see receptive and responsive to the eternal Sound Aum, not as some thing expressed by the seers in words but as experienced by the seer.
201
Such transcendental state of mind is to be experienced and retained. Shankara suggests that the transcendental mind is the true state of one’s self, incapable of being indicated by words devoid of the duality of qualities and attributes, being beyond the reach of senses, incapable of being grasped by (empirical) mind similar to the supreme Brahman. It has neither any marks nor any description. It is the state where one has Wisdom, the state of Bliss, being content and satisfied without knowing what it that makes one content and satisfied. Such supreme state is not a destination to be reached but a state of being to be in. When mind in bliss, the witness is the self, therefore, one should assiduously seek to be in such mind, free of ideation and from self-love. That alone being the deliverance. Then he becomes a silent mediator and transcending both meditative and non-meditative states, becomes the knower of Brahman.
One would realize that thinking begins with one thought, leading to other associate or related thoughts arising therein weaving their own chain of thoughts, turning mind to scraps and fragments of unruly, disordered and undisciplined aggregation of thoughts. Therefore, thinking is never lateral and continuous but always unruly, disordered and undisciplined. Therefore one cannot but begin one’s search for the subtle Self on the basis of such unruly, disordered and undisciplined empirical mind. Though the empirical mind is a conditioned mind, restraining and restricting one to think independently unconnected with the aggregation of thoughts and since one is not exposed to any thing but the empirical mind the steps that lead to investigate and think of the subtle Self cannot be but gradual, stage by stage though awareness of the same empirical, conditioned mind, restraining and restricting further thoughts. The awareness of the spiritual mind comes out sudden and instantaneous, like the flash of lightening or winking of the eye as said in Kena Up
205
without exception, restraining from all sides the mind from all senses, let him gain little by little tranquility through restraint and steadiness, fixing mind on the self within, and not thinking on anything else. On this path no effort is ever lost, no obstacles prevail. Even a little righteousness will save one from great fear. Therefore, one should engage oneself in this endeavour without hesitation.
This world is to be perceived as His reflection.
Shankara says, since mind is the primary instrument of the subtle body, the quality of the mind is the quality of the subtle body.
Therefore, when all the desires that dwell in the heart are cast away, then does the mortal become immortal and he attains Brahman here (in this life itself). One need not wait for the time when the body falls
it comes about the moment ignorance is eliminated
Since only a human being blessed with sense of discrimination is capable of taking such decision, it is only for him is the deliverance.
Maitri Upanishad says that since it is the Mind which absorbs the effects of the performance of previous actions giving an appearance to the mental responses, the mind which should be investigated. By freeing Mind from sloth and distraction and making is well-established he becomes liberated from Mind. That is the supreme state.
215
The ultimate objective of life is enlightenment of the Prime Existence and deliverance from the obscurity of mind which create sufferings in samsara.
Maitri Up.
Chitta evahi sansaram
the suggestion is to liberate oneself from the shackles of aggregate thoughts in Mind, which go to make sansara
Therefore one who has restrained the tendency of senses turning cause transformed as effects, only his intelligence is considered firmly established.
Only
he who has abandoned all desires and lives and acts
free from craving, without any sense of I and mine,
attains peace within, becoming released from the
constraints of the body to reach Brahman.
In Brihad Aranyaka Up. (II.iv.11-12) Yajnavalkya clarifies that as the ocean is the one goal of all waters, as skin is of all kinds of touch, as nostril is of smells, as tongue is of all tastes, as eye is of all forms, as ear is of all sounds, as mind is of all resolutions, as heart is of all forms of knowledge, as hands are of all actions, as organ of generation is of all joys, as excretory organ is of all evacuations, as feet is of all movements, as speech is of all Wisdom …so verily is this great being, infinite, limitless, as aggregate of Wisdom, Arising there from they disappear there into. When one thus goes forward, there is no more to be known.
And finally when all the aggregate karmas cease, the self loses its individual identity in the vast and ever encompassing Brahman even as a lump of salt loses its individuality when it sinks in the vast ocean. When such event occurs then like the juices which are reduced to honey do not know the tree from which they were sourced, the self ceases to know the form which it had before it became one with supreme, luminous, the immortal Brahman, designated as sa%ya - the Prime Existence.
222
The same Upanishad further says let the wise Brahmin after knowing Him practice wisdom and not waste time in reflecting on many words, for that is, verily, weariness of speech.
In Brihad Aranyaka Up. (II.iv.11-12) Yajnavalkya clarifies that as the ocean is the one goal of all waters, as skin is of all kinds of touch, as nostril is of smells, as tongue is of all tastes, as eye is of all forms, as ear is of all sounds, as mind is of all resolutions, as heart is of all forms of knowledge, as hands are of all actions, as organ of generation is of all joys, as excretory organ is of all evacuations, as feet is of all movements, as speech is of all Wisdom …so verily is this great being, infinite, limitless, as aggregate of Wisdom, Arising there from they disappear there into. When one thus goes forward, there is no more to be known.
And finally when all the aggregate karmas cease, the self loses its individual identity in the vast and ever encompassing Brahman even as a lump of salt loses its individuality when it sinks in the vast ocean. When such event occurs then like the juices which are reduced to honey do not know the tree from which they were sourced, the self ceases to know the form which it had before it became one with supreme, luminous, the immortal Brahman, designated as sa%ya - the Prime Existence.
222
The same Upanishad further says let the wise Brahmin after knowing Him practice wisdom and not waste time in reflecting on many words, for that is, verily, weariness of speech.
Mundaka
Upanishad delving on the subject says that seers
having realized the enlightened wisdom, being
content, established in Self, freed from attachment
and composed in mind, realize the all-pervasive
One in all directions, and merge into that all.
The Path to Perfection is difficult to be traversed and therefore should be walked step by step. Climbing step by step, stage by stage on reaches the prmaM pd, therefore is The Reclining Ladder. One cannot be in hurry on this journey. In that process, as one climbs each step, pdaina and each stage Qaamaaina towards the final abiding
place, prma pd, his vision becomes broader and deeper as the forces of nature assume the role of gods with illumined wisdom and energetic powers to guide and inspire seekers on their Path to Perfection.
The Path to Perfection is difficult to be traversed and therefore should be walked step by step. Climbing step by step, stage by stage on reaches the prmaM pd, therefore is The Reclining Ladder. One cannot be in hurry on this journey. In that process, as one climbs each step, pdaina and each stage Qaamaaina towards the final abiding
place, prma pd, his vision becomes broader and deeper as the forces of nature assume the role of gods with illumined wisdom and energetic powers to guide and inspire seekers on their Path to Perfection.
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