Monday, December 6, 2021

Sathya Sai Vahini - Post 5

Merging of the individual in the Total



 

One feels happy when one has the knowledge that this one little body is one’s own, right? Then, when one knows that two bodies belong to one, shouldn’t one be twice as happy? 

 

In the same way, with the knowledge that one has an increasing number of bodies, the experience of happiness goes on increasing. 

 

When the whole world is known to be one body and world consciousness becomes part of the awareness, then the bliss will be full. To get this multi-consciousness, the limited egocentric prison walls must be destroyed.

 

When the ego-self (or jivi) identifies itself with the divine Atma, death will cease. When the ego-self identifies itself and merges with the bliss of the One, sorrow will cease. 

 

When it merges with spiritual wisdom (jnana), error will cease. “Material individual ness is born out of delusion; this body, which creates that impression, is only an ever-evolving atom of a boundless ocean; the second entity in me is the other form, namely, the embodied Self; when the ego of mine merges with the divine Self in me, then the delusion disappears through the upsurge of its opposite, supreme knowledge.” When one’s thought matures in the process of time, undoubtedly all schools of thought have to reach this conclusion.

 

Introspection

 

Swami is giving us the highest vedantic truth today in the above part in 2nd chapter of this vahini.

 

Let us try to understand the merger of individual in total, the subject of today’s post from SS Vahini, in this way:

 

The terms Brahman and Atman are used interchangeably in the Upanishads and in the Gita and other scriptures. So, from one aspect they are synonyms.

The definition of Brahman is given in the Taittiriya Upanishad as:–

 

'That from whence all beings are born, that by which, when born, they exist, that into which they enter at their demise, seek to know that. That is Brahman.'

 

It further goes on to say that Brahman is qualified by SAT (Being), CHIT (Consciousness) and ANANTA (limitless) - some texts substitute ĀNANDA or Bliss for ananta - but both refer to the limitless divine love and bliss.

 

So, Brahman is the fabric or network of the Universe described a BEING - there is no before or after, up or down, in or out - THAT simply IS - time-space. Brahman is the Unified Field.

 

Consciousness pervades the Universe and is integral to the fabric of the Universe itself. Bliss, love – infinite and spacious is the very nature of Brahman.

 

Now the Atman is a mode, or moiety of Brahman known is Sanskrit as amsa. Each and every amsa of Brahman is qualified by the same three essential attributes but in a state conditioned by KARMA.


These are known as:–

 

asti — existence - limited by time, space and causation.


bhati – consciousness - defined by 

(1) perception, (2) cognition and (3) experience.


Priti or priya – love. Every living sentient being has love - firstly self-love - then love of partner, children, friends etc. in every expanding circle of inclusion. 

 

In less developed creatures it never goes beyond self-love and in the advanced stages of spiritual evolution love is inclusive of all sentient and insentient beings.

The external universe in which we exist is comprised of nama-rupa — name and form.

 

When the individual ego/Jiva, transcends the limitations of Asti, Bhati, Priya, as described above, then the limitation of the Jiva atman as an amsa is transcended and the amsa , jiva atman, merges with the whole, Parama atman or Brahman.

 

What are the limitations which a jiva has to transcend in order to merge with God/Universal consciousness??

 

1)   Limitation of time, space, objective (Asti)

2) Perception and experience based on objects (Bhati)

3) Love, based on individual, limited relationships (Priya)


Upon transcending the above three, one easily goes beyond the limitation of his name and form as well as names and forms of all others in the creation and the jiva merges with God, Atman merges in Brahman.

 


Love.





 


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