Essence of vedanta-Post 39

Dear readers,

In the penultimate post in this theme, we shall look into the 3 stages prescribed for a sincere spiritual seeker in the path of jnana/ vedanta and try and align the progress of the seeker step by step in this three stages.

The step by step progress shall be dealt in tomorrow's post and shall be more a real experience which the author gained and evolved and not the theoretical steps prescribed in books on Jnana yoga.

From the standpoint of the student, the process of knowing is described to be three fold: listening to the texts of Vedanta (sravanam), reflecting to clear ones doubts (mananam) and contemplating on the knowledge (nididhyasanam) . 

Listening to the words of the Upanishads (Sravanam)

Sravanam is the discovery of the whole vision of Vedanta, by listening to the teacher who unfolds the texts of Upanishads. The inquiry into the meaning of the texts is conducted by the teacher with the use of different methods of teaching.

It is important to note that the role of sravanam is essential and primary in acquiring this knowledge. If we say that Vedanta is a means of knowledge, it means that sravanam becomes the main discipline for a seeker. 

This exposition to the teaching itself can give rise to knowledge that is liberating . There is nothing else to be done after knowledge  It is not an intellectual knowledge meant to be put in practice by meditation.

Most important point in Sravanam is to have absolute faith in the teacher, the Guru's teachings wherein the faith is developed as a result of one's own prarabdha to evolve spiritually and also one's observing the Guru's state day by day and developing such an unshakable faith in one's preceptor that one listens (Sravanam) to the Guru's instructions/ teachings exactly with the bhava as if one is listening to God's teachings. 

Removing doubts by the use of reasoning (Mananam)

After listening to the Upanishads, one may understand very clearly what Vedanta says. However, the understanding is not complete until what Vedanta reveals becomes my own vision. 

The following examples enumerate that on one hand, I  ( the student referred to as I here) may be clear about the position of Vedanta, but on the other hand, what it says is not totally understood and assimilated by me:

Ø  I don't have any doubt that Vedanta says I am limitless. But, I still question how is it possible that I am limitless?

Ø  I understand, that Vedanta talks about equation between I and Isvara, the cause of the universe. But, how can I be the cause of the universe?

Ø  I know that Vedanta reveals that freedom (moksha) is gained only through knowledge, but I consider some statement of a saint who says that liberation is attained through devotion to Isvara to be equally true.

Ø  I recognize that Vedanta talks about the self to be limitless, but I am unable to refute the contention of some philosopher who claims that the reality is nothing but emptiness or a void.

If I cannot refute different contentions or reconcile different positions, then my knowledge is still shaky and vague.

Therefore reasoning to remove all these different kinds of doubts is employed by the teacher extensively.

Deductive reasoning can not be used to establish what Vedanta says. That means, deductive reasoning can neither contradict what Vedanta says, nor mere reasoning can be used to establish what Vedanta says. 

If deductive reasoning is sufficient to arrive at what Vedanta says, this will contradict the very starting point that the nature of oneself cannot be arrived at by usual means of knowledge i.e . perception or inference.

Finally, as noted for mananam, one can contemplate while walking in nature or sitting quietly after prayers or meditation when one's mind is tranquil. 

In fact a mind that has been exposed to the teaching of one's Guru  will naturally contemplate on the vision of Vedanta at any time of the day because understanding or seeing what is, is the primary goal of his or her life. The whole life becomes contemplative as one aims to make the vision of Vedanta as clear as the daylight.

Contemplation (nididhyasanam)

Contemplation is defined as seeing the meaning or bringing back to the mind the content of the teaching acquired during sravanam and mananam  Sentences as 'I am pure consciousness', 'everything that is here is me and I am independent of all of them', 'I am limitless existence', the equation between I and Isvara, etc. are contemplated upon by the student to see their meaning. 

One can also contemplate upon a given aspect of the teaching for example, the nature of I, the nature of the universe or the nature of Isvara.

After being exposed to the teaching for a few years, some people say that, 'I know I am limitless, but I want to 'do' nididhyasanam now, I want to contemplate to make the teaching real for me'. 

This statement implies that one has to do something after knowing. This is an erroneous notion because any action, including meditation, prayers, rituals, living an ethical life, or working on the unconscious, etc. is an action and is dependent on the person's will. 

Nidhidhyasanam is intense absorption of THAT which one has listened and about which one has convincingly known after listening.

And, if the sravanam and mananam has taken place with utmost sincerity, then nidhidhyasanam  HAS TO HAPPEN BY ITSELF, 24/7. 

Such intense absorption leads to the ultimate experience which is " ATMA SAAKSHATKARAM".

Let us glide along a spiritual seeker's evolvement, what all goes out from him, what all comes in to him, and ultimately what he experiences at the end of the journey, in the upcoming post

Hari Aum Tatsat