Atma Bodha - Post 79

Dear All,

One of the Acharyas of Chinmaya ashram has given a very elaborate commentary on many Vedantic treatises as well as on many books / works on Bhakti by Sankara and other saints.

In the Atma Bodha blog posts, author has taken relevant extracts from the commentary on Atma Bodha by that Monk.

Towards the end, that acharya has nicely summarized the thought flow of Atma Bodha text, which is being given to the readers as it is, because, it has been sequenced in such a nice manner that it requires no alternation or addition.

Let us see the same in the next 2 posts from today’s post.

THE OVERALL THOUGHT-FLOW OF ATMA BODHA

Verse 1                 INVOCATION

Verses 2 – 5        KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELF

Verses 6 – 9        THE WORLD

Verses 10 –14     THE UPADHIS

Verses 15– 24     AN ERROR OF MISAPPREHENSION

15 The Problem Outlined

16-17: What is Discriminative Enquiry?

18-22: Cultivating Witness-ship

23-24: Mind is Responsible

Verses 25 – 37   THE BIRTH OF THE EGO

25: The Fundamental Error

26-27: How the Ego Thrives

28-29: Supremacy of the Self

30-33: ‘Neti-Neti’: Doctrine of Negation

34-37: Nididhyasana

Verses 38 – 53 TOWARDS REALISATION

38-39: Samadhi: Savikalpa & Nirvikalpa

40-46: Emerging Out of Ignorance

47-50: The Universal Attitude

51-53: Freedom Beyond Limitations

Verses 54 – 67: REVELLING IN FREEDOM

54-55: Merits of the Realised State

56-62: Attributes of Brahman

63-65: Administering the “Medicine”

66: The Toughness of Sadhana

67: Summation

Verse 68 CONCLUSION – The Promise of Fulfillment

Now, let us list down the essence of each verse for our contemplation purpose.

1. INVOCATION Verse 1: 

“Tapas” is the auspicious word with which the text begins. This is therefore taken as an invocation. The Anubandha Chatushtaya is given fully. The characteristics of the person who is ready for this path are given – peacefulness, desireless-ness and aspiration. This is tantamount to Sadhana Chatushtaya.

2. KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELF Verses 2-5: 

The path of Vedantic enquiry is direct, taking the route “as the crow flies”. However, its starting point is a well-prepared mind. Knowledge of the Self is most important. Hence, this is where the text begins. 

Action on its own does not bring liberation. At some point the seeker has to come to knowledge of the Self, for knowledge is the only antidote for ignorance. 

This means removal of Ignorance through Self-knowledge is the way forward. When that is achieved, the self-luminous Self shines forth as it is now unobstructed, just as the clearing of clouds allows the sun to be seen.

3. THE NATURE OF THE WORLD Verses 6-9: 

The text turns its attention now to the world, with all its attachments and aversions. It is seen as a dream. As soon as the dream ends, the unreality of the world is experienced. 

The dream will only end when Brahman is realized. The world is also seen as a mental projection upon the Self. The objects in the universe, the stars and the planets, are like bubbles in water – they come and go back into their source, the Self. The world is ever-changing, but the substratum, the Self, is constant.

4. ASSOCIATION WITH THE UPADHIS Verses 10-14: 

The idea is now developed of how the Self, which is ever pure, appears to be tainted. This is traced to its association with the body, mind and intellect – known collectively as the Upadhis. 

This is a major concept in Vedanta and is the arena for the basic Vedantic Sadhana. By explaining the origin of the gross, subtle and causal bodies, it is shown that they are not the Self but the Self dwells in them. The Self gets a colouring from them, in the same way as clear water gets coloured or flavoured.

 5. AN ERROR OF MISAPPREHENSION

Verse 15: Wrong Identification. 

The spiritual problem or predicament of human beings is stated very precisely in this verse as being identification with the Upadhis or limiting adjuncts. This identification appears to taint the Self, that is, gives it attributes which it does not possess. We generally identify with this tainted self, and not the true Self. Verses

Verses 16-17: Discriminative Enquiry. 

The solution lies in using the human intellect to discriminate between the truth and the untruth, the real and the unreal, and thereby reprogram the pattern of our thinking.

Verses 18-22: 

Cultivating Witness-ship. When discrimination begins, the seeker is able to develop the ability to be a Witness of all his actions and thoughts. He separates himself from the Upadhis bit by bit, by learning how to observe them, to study their ways, and avoid falling into their clutches. 

Verses 23-24: 

Mind is Responsible. Clarity is given in these verses on how the mind is responsible for the delusion.

In the next post, we will sum up the essence of the remaining posts 25 to 68 under the following theme:

• Birth of Ego
• Towards Realization
• Revelling  in freedom

Love.