Atma Bodha - Post 21

VERSE 14

अनाद्यविद्यानिर्वाच्या कारणोपाधिरुच्यते ।

उपाधित्रितयादन्यमात्मानमवधारयेत् ॥ १४॥

ANAADI AVIDYA ANIRVAACHYAA

KAARANA UPAADHIR UCHYATE

UPAADHI-TRITAYAAT ANYAM

AATMAANAM AVADHAARAYET.

(Ignorance is beginningless and inexplicable. it is said to form the Causal Body. We should understand the SELF to be/ as other than these three conditioning bodies)

The reference is to verse 6.5 of Tattva Bodha, which defines the Causal Body. This is one of the few verses without a simile.

In the two previous verses, we have learnt the two Upadhis which are the gross and the subtle bodies. In this verse, we learn about the third upadhi which is the causal body. Acharya here is explaining that the ignorance is the causal body. It is the cause due to which the other two bodies exist. Only when one forgets one’s own nature that there arises limitedness. Due to this limitedness, duality and hence all the miseries arise.

The mind and the intellect with their modifications create a world of duality which is superimposed on the Self. Through the gross body and inner organs, one experiences this outer world. Thus both the gross and subtle bodies exist only when the truth about the Self is not known, i.e. due to ignorance only.

Hence ignorance is called as the causal body. The atman which is verily existence-consciousness and bliss can never be attached to ignorance as both are contradictory in nature. Hence ignorance is only an illusory adjunct of the Self.

ANAADI AVIDYA

The beginning of avidya cannot be known by the mind, because it is the mind which creates the concepts of time, space. Time is only an interval between any two experiences i.e. there should be a beginning experience, also there should be a subject of experience, an object being experienced and the relation between them, i.e. experiencing.

Even for the first experience, the equipments for the first experience, the gross and the subtle body must have existed prior to the first experience and thus prior to time, as time is explained above as an interval between 2 experience.

For Example, till the time only point A is there, there is no time factor involved. Only when one travels from Point A to point B, then the time factor comes there and we say that that such and such time is taken for travel from point A to Point B.

If A is considered as the point of first experience, then the equipments to experience- The mind, the intellect should have existed prior to this first experience A.  Since Avidya or Ignorance is the causal body for the subtle and gross developments, this Avidya is also understood as existing prior to appearance of Time, I.E. Anadhi, Beginningless and endless!!

The “Desire-Lineage”:

Here, the new point brought out is on the subject of “The Consequences of Desire”. Ignorance is said to be the form of the causal body. The causal body is just pure Ignorance. We do not know the cause of Ignorance. Logically there can be no cause for it. It is said to be Causeless. Acharya elaborated on the details of this Lineage as follows:

This lineage, from Step 1 to Step 9, is the vicious cycle spoken of in the scriptures, and from which the Rishis have been trying their utmost to save us.

There is a link between Causeless and Beginningless. Ignorance is considered to be beginningless. Logically, it is first found to be causeless. We cannot know any cause for ignorance. And because it is causeless, it has to be beginningless.

However, we do know from logical analysis that its first “effect” is seen as Desire. Desire is born due to ignorance of the Truth. It arises from the alienation of our true identity. From desire there arises a train of consequences, which is like a “desire-lineage”, and is appropriately known as the Anartha Parampara or “Inauspicious Lineage”.

Knowledge of this Lineage helps us to trace back to our original identity beyond Ignorance. By saying that Ignorance does not have a cause, Vedanta is not being escapist in its approach. It is not hiding away from the problem. It is actually merely stating a logical fact. It is by facing the bare fact that Vedanta has established its credentials to provide the most flawless philosophical model to explain Reality.

Thus, the aim of a seeker is not to understand ignorance but to gain knowledge that will negate this ignorance. As we have seen, it’s futile to search for the cause of something illusory and hence even these explanations are only to ward off a seeker from searching the cause of ignorance.

Swami Chinmayananda in his commentary gives a beautiful example for this. The essence of the example is given below.

Keeping a burning gaslight on his head, one fool once walked the whole night through, trying to place the light at some place where there is darkness

Seeking the root of ignorance is as futile as holding a lamp and searching place of darkness.

Thus, seekers need not try to understand and experience ignorance. The aim of a seeker’s very existence is to realize the ever glowing lamp on his forehead, the KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELF, the SATHYA JYOTHI, THE JNANA JYOTHI, THE PREMA JYOTHI, THE ANANDA JYOTHI!!!

The final outcome of these three verses is to teach us what the Self is NOT. Hence, we can now once again go back to the discussion of what SELF is.

Love.

Atma Bodha - Post 20

VERSE 13:

पंचप्राणमनोबुद्धिदशेन्द्रियसमन्वितम् ।

अपंचीकृतभूतोत्थं सूक्ष्माङ्गं भोगसाधनम् ॥ १३॥

PANCHA PRAANA MANAH BUDDHIH

DASHA INDRIYAH SAMAN-VITAM

APANCHI-KRITA BHOOTAH

UTTHAM SOOKSHMANGA BHOGA SAADHANAM

(The five Pranas, the ten organs and the Manas and the Buddhi, formed from the rudimentary elements (Tanmatras) before their “five-fold division and mutual combination with one another” (Pancheekarana) and this is the subtle body, the instruments-of-experience (of the individual).

In the last sloka we learnt about the first adjunct which is the gross body which is made of the five elements. In this sloka, Acharya is explaining about the next upadhi, which is the subtle body.

The subtle body or the sookshma sareera consists of the five vital airs, or the pancha pranas, the five organs of action, five organs of perception and the mind and intellect. Acharya calls these as the instruments of experience.

The gross body which is made of the five elements is the instrument through which we experience the pains and the pleasures, the subtle body is the instrument responsible for all these senses. 

These are responsible for all the thought processes and hence the limited happiness, sadness and all other feelings arising due to the contact with the external world through the gross body.

It is well known from experience that in deep sleep when the mind is inactive and all the senses are merged in their source, one does not feel cold or hunger or any sensation and hence there is but happiness. 

It is only when the mind is active and the senses are working that one can feel through the external sense organs. It is only due to the modifications of the mind that one feels attracted to an object or to the sensual pleasures. 

Thus the subtle body is responsible for the enjoyment of the outer world.

Hence this subtle body can be called as the seat of all desires. These also originate from the five elements and hence are impermanent and insentient. 

It is only when due to ignorance and ego, one mistakes them as the Self that all the dualities and hence the attachments and aversions resulting from it arises. 

Hence a seeker must clearly know that these are also upadhis and are only illusory limiting adjuncts while the Self which can never undergo any modifications is ever distinct from these.

The illustration here is of an instrument, such as a pen. An instrument is used for a specific task, and put away when the task is done. A pen may be picked up when there is some writing to be done. As soon as the work is complete, the cap is fitted and the pen put away.

In this manner, the subtle body, which is constituted of 17 parts, may be thought of as being so many instruments. Each of those 17 instruments has a function. Upon completion of that function it takes a rest.

The Pranas, are instruments which do not take a rest like the others, as it has to support life in the body without a break.

The important implication of using the subtle body as an instrument is that it prevents attachment of the Self building up – attachment towards the functions performed or that upon which the function is performed.

When we use pen as an instrument, the pen performs its function of writing but it never gets attached to what is written through / with it, by the user/ writer. 

Similarly, knowing that it is only an instrument, the mind and the intellect, and In particular the Chitta or memory of past experiences, would be (rather, should be) used very wisely, without taking much note of all the emotions concerning those experiences.

Love.

Atma Bodha - Post 19

SLOKA 12:

पंचीकृतमहाभूतसंभवं कर्मसंचितम् ।

शरीरं सुखदुःखानां भोगायतनमुच्यते ॥ १२॥

PANCHIKRITAM SAHAABHUUTA

SAMBHAVAAT KARMA SANCHITAM

SHARIRAM SUKHA DUKHANAAM

BHOGAAYATANAM UCHYATE

(Determined for each individual by his own past actions and made up of the Five elements – that have gone through the process of “five-fold self-division and mutual combination” (Pancheekarana) – are born the gross-body, the medium through which pleasure and pain are experienced, the tent-of-experiences.)

In the previous two slokas, we learnt that it is only due to illusory Upadhis that the ever free, untainted non-dual Self is mistaken as limited. Just like the water that acquires color and taste due to its association with impurities or like the space that seems to be limited due to the impurities, the Self due to its association with the limiting adjuncts seems limited and hence subjected to all misery.

Pancheekarana

Every creation is a manifestation of the gross from the prior subtle state and we all know that the cause precedes the effect.

In the theory of pancheekarana, it is very elaborately pointed out how 5 elements - Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth are evolved, how they intermingle and how from the subtle “TANMATRAS”, the gross elements are formed.

The five great elements, before their grossification, exist in the pure nature, each by themselves - and hence they are known as TANMATRAS, (literally means “THAT ALONE”)

Bhoga Aayatanam: – “Tenement” of Experience:

The example here is that of a business premises where, at the counter, various transactions take place; goods coming in and goods going out; payments in and payments out; customers in and out. There is a two-way interchange of transactions.

Some transactions bring a profit, some bring a loss. It is all part of a day’s work. This simile is meant to represent the gross body’s main function. It is the counter of experiences at which transactions of actions take place daily.

There are senses bringing in information from the outer world, and other senses take our responses out to the world.  Good deeds are performed, which earn merit or Punya. This merit is very helpful when accumulated and spent in the right direction to serve the purpose of this human birth.

On the other hand, impure actions are also carried out across the same counter, and these bring a loss or a demerit. It is a loss relative to the spiritual goal, even though it may actually involve a huge profit in material terms. Demerit is Paapa, and it also contributes to what kind of birth we will have when reborn.

This human body is the only birth in which Paapa and Punya can be earned. In all other births the existing storehouse of Karma has to be worked out with no opportunity for earning any merits. Hence, the example of a “tenement” or a “counter” for transactions is most appropriate to describe the function of the gross human body.

Thus the gross body which is acquired as a result of actions and thoughts arising out of ignorance of one’s true nature of Self is never permanent nor sentient and hence is only an adjunct of Self.

Love.