Tattva Bodha - Post 14

Atma kaha?

Sthoola Sukshma Karana Shareerad vyathirikthaha Pancha kosha ateethah

Avastha  traya saakshi Sat Chit Ananda Swaroopaha San

Yah tishtati Sa Atma

What is SELF?

 That which is other than Gross, Subtle and Causal  Bodies, which is beyond the five Koshas / Sheaths and which is of the nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda, Existence-Consciousness-Bliss absolute, is Atman.

Dear Readers,

Is it not exactly what we covered in a talk on “Sat-Chit”? At that time, even the intuition/thought to take up Tattva Bodha as next theme was not there.

We will take up each part one by one now.

            

Sthoola shareeram kim?  

What is the Gross Body? 

Panchi-krita pancha-mahaa bhootaih kritam, satkarma janyam;

That which is made up of the 5 great elements that have undergone the process of Grossification;  born as a result of good actions of the past; 

Sukha duhkha-aadi, bhoga ayatanam shareeram;

For experiences such as joy, sorrow, etc. – The counter to experience these;               

Asti, jaayate, vardhate, viparee-namate, apaksheeyate, vinashyati

To exist, be born, to grow, to mature, to decay and to die 

Iti shad vikaaravat, etat sthoola shareeram.

Subject to these six modifications, this is the Gross Body. 

STHOOLA SHAREERAM – GROSS BODY 

Let us first take up the Sthoola Shareeram and we will go in the order of four factors – the material, the components, the function and the nature. 

Material 

What is the material out of which the Sthoola Shareeram is made? 

The Shāstras point out and we also know that the gross body is made out of gross matter which is in the form of the five gross elements. In the scriptures, matter is divided into five elements basically:  

    

     - Ākāshaha or Space 

     - Vāyu or Air
     - Agni or Fire

     - Jalam or Water 

     - Prithivi or the Earth 

So the gross body or Sthoola Shareeram is made up of gross matter in the form of gross five elements. In Sanskrit the gross five elements are called Sthoola Pancha Bhūtāni. 

And this is easily proved by our experience because the body has Earth, it has solid stuff. Body has got plenty of Water which alone gives shape, body has Agni in the form of temperature 98.7 ⁰C, body has got Vāyu in the form of life-breath and body has got Ākāshaha or space occupied by the body. 

So gross matter is the material out of which the body is made.

In brief, they are born from the Tanmatras or subtle elements, after they have undergone the grossification process called Panchi Karana, which is described in a later chapter. 

Function 

The body is regarded as the physical equipment we come with to work out our Karma. Therefore, it is called the counter for the exchange of experiences encountered in this world. These experiences enable us to reap the fruits of our Karma, good or bad, Paapa or Punya, joys or sorrows. 

Thus, the efficient cause of this body is one’s Prarabdha Karma, that is, that portion of our entire bundle of past Karma over many lives, which has been released for working out in this life-time. This Karma determines our body form, beauty, deformity, race, family circumstances, and so on. 

(Karma is a detailed theory and several posts under a separate theme has been dealt in this blog on Karma)

Shat Vikarāhā – Six Conditions 

1) Asti - The first condition is the potential existence in the womb of the mother. A baby is there inside. 

2) Jāyate - This is the next change – or birth. 

3) Vardhate - Once the body is born, it starts growing. 

4) Vipareenamate - After the body has become an adult body, remaining an adult, it undergoes various modifications. To visualize as a graph, the graph initially goes upwards and thereafter it is the same. 

5) Apaksheeyate - Decay or ageing, growing old. 

6) Nāshaha or Maranam - Death of the body after which we cannot keep the body for long time. 

No Human body, even the body of an Incarnation, can escape the above 6 stages.  Human being, once he reaches the third stage, thinks that he/she is going to be permanently in that stage, with all the beauty, all the charm, all the youth and all the vigor. 

When their body moves to the next stage and the body starts experiencing disease and decay, the foolish faith that the body will remain in the earlier stage is shaken up and then, fear and insecurity grips in!!

(O Mankind! All, for this body which is sure to go through these 6 changes and ultimately die? 

Why don't you take up Atma Vichara, Self enquiry, instead of paying attention to this body and senses?)

Love.

Tattva Bodha - Post 13

Tattva Viveka Kah?

Atma Satyam, tad Anyat Sarvam Mithya iti.

What is Enquiry into the Truth?

(The firm conviction) that the SELF is real and all other than that is unreal.

The Two Levels of Discrimination: 

Earlier when we were discussing Viveka, we were concerned with the discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent, or between the eternal and the ephemeral. 

That was the initial stage of the use of the intellect or Buddhi to come to an understanding of the defects of worldly life, so that the seeker may turn his attention away from it.

This definition is from the standpoint of one who is engrossed in worldly life. It is designed to lead him away from worldliness and begin the first steps in spirituality. It teaches the seeker to DETACH from the world. 

Now the seeker is being taught to take discrimination a big step further. 

Now the discrimination is between the Real and the unreal, between Sat and Mithya, or between the unchanging reality and the ever-changing apparent reality of this world. 

The mind is here being taken to a depth of analysis far beyond the earlier level of Viveka. 

This definition of discrimination is designed for the one who is already on the spiritual path and who needs to go further. It teaches the seeker to ATTACH himself to God. 

Jagat Mithya

MITHYA is used for that which has a “temporary existence” in the absence of knowledge. When knowledge dawns, then it is seen to be false. This category of existence is posited on the fact of our experience of this world.

This phenomenal appearance (Jagat) before us is only a relative reality, ever-changing, unstable, unreliable, never dependable, limited, subject to time and space, subject to decay and dissolution, having a beginning and an end. Characterized by these defects and shortcomings, everything here seen, perceived by the human individual consciousness, is but a mere temporary relative reality. 

And the individual soul that thinks of itself as the knower of this, or the seer of this, or the experiencer of this ever-changing phenomenal flux, which is called Samsara or the universe, is a non-entity or a mere illusion/Mithya.

All the waves we see in an ocean are the various objects in this creation which arise, grow, reach the peak, recede and perish at the end. 

And, the ocean itself is this creation, which appears to be real but on a careful observation, with a higher level of discrimination/Viveka, one does realize that ocean itself is not eternal. 

Then, what is the ultimate reality?

Brahma Sathyam

Imagine that I was in a dark room. There was no current at the time and so, except for a candle, I was in darkness. Immediately the truth flashed to me - "This darkness is not the reality." 

What exists is only brilliant sunshine scattering in all ten directions, pervading everywhere, prevailing always without change, without anything to bar or hamper it, filling everything with light, radiance, effulgence, brightness. That is the reality where everything is seen clearly; this darkness is only a temporary condition.  

As the earth rotates, the sun will rise and the whole place will be flooded with light. Even when I am lighting a candle and thinking 'I am in darkness', there is only light and light only. 

This darkness is a temporary superimposed condition due to certain limiting adjuncts. The light is the reality; this darkness is a passing unreality, a relative reality. The positive factor is the reality; the negative factor is a temporary mode or condition.

And what is that Truth? Anando brahmeti vyajanat (He knew bliss as Brahman). Those who have drunk this honey, this bliss, declared: “Sweetness, sweetness, sweetness, everything is sweetness, sweetness beyond description; all is beauty, auspiciousness, bliss.” 

And that is the reality that is everywhere present in all its fullness, always, always unchanging, without contradiction, successively borne out by the experience of all mystics, of all times - ancient, medieval and modern.

What a tremendous realization! What a tremendous realization that at this moment the bliss of Brahman pervades everywhere within and without! 

Therefore, this is a discipline. This is an exercise you must be engaged in: “This is nothing, it cannot come in my way, it has no power. It is Mithya, it is only a false appearance. I am living in the reality. Who can assail me?” 

Then each day will be a victory. Each day will be an ever-progressive liberation. They are not meant only for books or scholars or pundits or ultimate realization; they are meant for now also. 

Thus, in the wave and the ocean example, neither wave (the created objects) nor the ocean (the creation itself) are real. What is real is the water - The Brahman.

As shared earlier in a talk, this Brahman is the eternal, changeless and self-illumined Chaitanya.

Love.

Tattva Bodha - Post 12

MUMUKSHUTVA

Adi Sankara says, 

 “DURLABHAM TRAYAM EVAITAT DEVANUGRAHA HETUKAM

MANUSHYATVAM MUMUKSHUTVAM MAHAPURUSHA SAMSHRAYAH”

(Manhood, burning desire for liberation (Mumukshutvam), the capacity to completely surrender to a man of wisdom - These three things are rare indeed, and wherever they are found, they are due to the Lord’s own Grace)

- (Vivekachudamani)

1. In this life, one takes so much for granted. What one does not realize is that, just being born as a human being is a rare blessing in itself. Amongst the multitudes of billions of organisms (living beings), only a few are given the opportunity of being born as humans. That by itself, should be considered as our privilege and utilized with utmost respect.

2. Even if one is born as a human, not everyone gets the desire or drive to work towards liberation (Moksha). A very few of the few beings are inspired with this desire.

Swami Chinmayananda writes - 

“To employ in life, a deep discriminative understanding and to perceive the ultimate futility of all the ordinary mundane pursuits of life and thereby discover an enthusiasm to seek a nobler path of self-redemption is rarest of all!!”

3. In spite of being inspired to attain Moksha, not everyone is lucky enough to get the company and proximity of the learned and enlightened.

Those who are blessed with the above three are truly fortunate. They should make use of every ounce of it and count their blessings along the way.

After Vairagya and Shad Sampat are attained, the mind moves towards the source of its own accord, because it has lost its hold now on external objects. It has no resting place in this objective universe. Purification of the mind and mental discipline form the rock-bottom foundation of yoga.

When this is effectuated, the longing for liberation dawns by itself. Mumukshutva is coupled with burning Vairagya. Self-Realization will come within the twinkling of an eye.

That aspirant who is endowed with these four qualifications should hear the Srutis (scriptures) from a Brahma Nishta Guru (Preceptor who is established in Brahman), and then reflect and meditate on the inner Self. He will soon get Self-Realization.

The Four Stages of Mumukshutva:

The spark of yearning for the Divine, whether it is small or big, exists in every human being. It is this spark which starts one on the quest for lasting happiness. It may be just a seed, but when conditions and circumstances are made favorable, it can germinate into an irresistible yearning for God that is unstoppable by any force on earth.  

In the process of growing from seed to tree, we identify four stages of growth in Mumukshutva, starting with the tree or full-blown stage.

i) Tivra Stage: In this stage one wants nothing but Moksha. The experience of the world becomes intolerable and only the balm of liberation would ease the anguish one feels. There is no waiting time left, he simply has to “let it go.” Such is the intense, burning aspiration for God at the highest level.

ii) Madhyam Stage: In this stage, one moves about like a pendulum between deep desire for God and forgetfulness of Him. The Shastras say that such a person will need three more births to get freedom.

iii) Manda Stage: This person knows about the need for Moksha, but postpones it or later. “This is not the age for it,” he says, when he is full of vigor and vitality. “I will see to when I am old.” Such a person, say the Shastras, gets liberation at the end of a Yuga.

iv) Ati-Manda Stage: This man thinks that attaining liberation is like winning a lottery, that he will just stumble on it one day! The Shastras say that such a person NEVER gets liberated, there is not a chance to “win this lottery”.

In author’s own experience, after His Master, the Lord of Lords, Sri Sathya Sai gave that one glance to the author in SK Hall in August 2010 during the Parthi Yatra and with that Swami ignited the fire of Mumukshutva in the author.

Without adequate interest in reading Srutis, he hardly knew what Mumukshutva really meant up to that period, but he experienced it in absolute terms and later, after a week or so, when he picked up Vivekachudamani and read the initial chapter, he could relate to his inner experience.

In the fire of Mumukshutva ignited by the grace of Swami who knew that in physical terms, that was the last glance He is giving for His devotee, the author comes back, takes up books on Vedanta treatise which he had never read much earlier and he experienced as though the whole Muscat city, the whole Oman country, the whole world and beyond the earth, even all the worlds, were burning in the fire of Mumukshutva lit up within.

Author has shared the experience not to talk about himself but to give you exactly what Mumukshutva means, as an experience, as a state of existence, in spiritual sadhana.

From that time onwards, in his pursuit of higher SELF, all other priorities, likes, dislikes in life took the last seat and from there, they disappeared very fast. 

When Mumukshutva is lit up to that extent, then, one develops such a craving for Moksha that he cannot settle down for anything else in life.

Hari Aum Tatsat.