Introduction to Vedas and Vedanta - Part 13

Jiva-In search of freedom

Dear All,

We dealt with Jiva, Jagath, Iswara, Bondage, Moksha and Sadhana path.

We will take these 6 as the basis for dealing with Vedantha in detail in the upcoming posts. The sequence of these 6 factors may change but we will begin with WE, THE JIVA.

Jiva, in search of perfection / completion / fulfillment.

As a child

·	Even as we enter this world, we are held upside down and are given a smart slap on our back and we squeal. We have now become separated from our mother and are totally exposed to the world that we have never experienced before. Our eyes are yet to open and we can only lie on our back and move our hands and feet. We begin our life in this world in a state of complete helplessness!
·	We have no sense of time and are not concerned as to what would happen next or whether the next feed would come or not. As we are adequately taken care of, we keep growing physically and mentally.
·	After two months, we start becoming aware of our main caretaker and are able to make eye contact with her and smile. We start developing attachment to that person. By seven or eight months, we clearly differentiate all our caretakers from other persons and feel distanced from the latter.
·	When we are two years old, we learn to use   the language and are able to articulate. At this stage, we recognise the I-notion only with reference to ourselves and do not yet know that others also have a similar I- notion about themselves. Only when we start playing with others, we come to know that they are also “I” to themselves.
·	This revelation disturbs us, as we begin looking upon ourselves as one “I” amidst the numerous “I”s.
·	Unfortunately, as we grow, we find that our mother is not always available when we need her. As for our father, we find that he is generally not available for us.
·	Even though we initially blame ourselves for discovering their limitations, our trust in them gets undermined.
·	We soon realize that there is no one whom we can readily approach when problems arise and be sure that they would be taken care of.

 As we grow

·	Even when we become adults and keep advancing in age, the seeking of support continues. We continue to want to be worried about and taken care of.
·	Even as a child we have been told of the existence of almighty Bhagavan who is compassionate and that sincere prayers to him do not go unanswered.
·	When we trust him and depend on him, we find that he also lets us down. We are unable to entirely rely on him even though we would like to rely on Him.
·	Our everyday experience also confirms our thinking since all transactions are based on the distinction between each of us and the rest. We, constituted of the body, the mind and the sense-organs, are the subject and all others are objects.
·	Physically, we cannot do everything that we want to or protect ourselves while facing stronger adversaries. Emotionally, our mind is subject to varying moods, like being calm or agitated, or being happy or unhappy. Intellectually, we find that certain subjects are beyond our grasp.
·	When the fulfillment of a given desire takes place, we find that there is hushed silence in the mind and there is peace and joy.

We are pleased with ourselves. At that time, we find ourselves to be the one who is not a desirer. But, as we have an all-embracing sense of dissatisfaction, very soon our mind picks up one want after another and the “I   want ..., I want ..., I want ...” stream of thoughts continues to flow in our mind and we cease to remain a person who is at peace with himself. 

What we lack may be different at various points of time. But that we are wanting   is constant. This is why we require nothing but ourselves with our thoughts to be uneasy and unhappy.

And…. This journey of a life with lack of fulfilment continues…..

Love.

“Embodiments of Love, Students!

Whatever you have learnt here, share it with others. It is not enough if you share it with others, you too should put your knowledge into practice and derive benefit therefrom. We prepare many delicious items at home and serve them to the guests. Is it not necessary that we should also partake of them?

Likewise, we should digest the Vedic knowledge we have acquired and also share it with others. All types of knowledge have originated from the Vēdas. That is why the Vēda is extolled as sarva vijñāna sampatti (the treasure chest of knowledge). But unfortunately, we are not making proper use of such a treasure. Share your knowledge to the extent you have acquired. Never forget what you have learnt. With sincere effort, you will certainly be able to attain sākṣhātkāra. Those of you who wish to have the vision of God should digest the Vedic wisdom you have acquired and share it with others.”

Bhagavān Sri Sathya Sai Baba – Discourse on 19 October 2004

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Introduction to Vedas and Vedanta - Part 12

Dear All,

In the previous post, we dealt with the first 3 aspects- Jiva, Jagath and Iswara. 

Let us know about the next 3 basic concepts/ truths around which the entire vedantic scriptures revolve.

Bandha or Bondage

Even if the Jiva is pure consciousness, still it is bound by this physical body. 

It is because the impression in the mind associates with a physical body for working out the past which we learnt as Prarabdha. 

But while exhausting the past, the mind gets entangled through attachment to the sense objects and involves in newer actions, which are present Agami Karma which goes to make the prarabdha of  one's future life..

To exhaust newer actions, it requires another body. And this migration from body to body continues eternally. This physical body is the cause of suffering due to decay, disease, old age and death etc. 

This Binding itself to the need for newer body to exhaust its Karma, is what is known as BONDAGE or BANDHA!

It imposes many limitations on the limitless pure consciousness. Out of ignorance Jiva thinks himself as limited body, takes birth, dies, and suffers. 

But truly Jiva is a spirit without any body – a bodiless pure consciousness. So ignorance of our true divine nature is the cause of bondage.

We dealt with this Ignorance elaborately in the theme "Purpose of Human Birth", "Karma" and "Surrender".

We learnt convincingly that if in his first birth, a human being was to be ever clear, ever tuned to, ever existing as the Divine SELF as he came into the world, then there would be no Karma, No bondage, No ignorance and in fact, there would be no vedanta, no upanishad for him and for all beings if they were ever existing as divine SELF.

Moksha or Liberation

Vedanta says since the ignorance of our true nature is the cause of bondage, so liberation is possible only by removing this ignorance.There is no other way. 

We are Brahman, the pure consciousness. We have no birth, no death. We are immortal because consciousness does not take birth or die. It is the body which takes birth and dies. 

But we forgot our own true nature and think ourselves as limited body. This process of removal of ignorance is the only way for self-knowledge.

And this is called liberation – the freedom from all the three – ignorance, suffering and limitations. Basically there is nothing to achieve, rather it is something to remove – the false notion about our nature.

Sadhana or Paths

This knowledge about our true identity can be achieved by four prescribed methods – (a) Jnana Yoga (b) Bhakti Yoga (c) Karma Yoga (d) Raja Yoga. 

(a) Jnana Yoga – It mentions three sequential methods to remove this ignorance – Sravana (hearing the truth about own nature of pure consciousness), Manana (contemplation on this fact to remove doubts in mind), Nididhyasana (meditation on own pure consciousness state to remove past habits. This makes knowledge error-less). 

In this process the mind gets purified through constant hearing, contemplation and meditation. This process is also called Neti-Neti – Not this, not this – rejection of unreal or temporal things through discrimination and abiding on consciousness self. 

Finally, this doubtless and errorless knowledge brings liberation from ignorance.

(b) Bhakti Yoga – It works through the complete surrendering to supreme Lord. 

The individual ego is subjugated through surrender and in its place the divine nature of pure consciousness gets manifested. 

The Jiva merges into all-pervading God consciousness. This itself annihilates individual ignorance and brings liberation.

(c) Karma Yoga – It prescribes self-less action without any desire for result. Action done with desire [Sakama Karma] binds us through mental impressions. 

But action done without desire [Niskama Karma] cannot bind us. So Niskama Karma brings knowledge through purification of mind and the annihilation of individuality. 

Pure mind is same as pure intelligence. And pure intelligence is again same as pure consciousness. Everything in pure form merges into pure consciousness.

(d) Raja Yoga – This method consists of eight steps – Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi. 

There are two types of Samadhi – Savikalpa Samadhi on Saguna Brahman and Nirvikalpa Samadhi abides in Nirguna Brahman. The reality manifests automatically when individual ego is annihilated – Svayambhu.

Summary

When Shankaracharya was requested to describe absolute truth in one line, he said –

“Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya, Jivo Brahmaiva Naparah"

"Brahman or pure consciousness is the only truth, the world is unreal, Jiva is nothing else but Brahman in disguise.”

Jiva forgot his true divine nature and appears to be bound within a physical body. When this ignorance is removed through self-knowledge, it manifests its true divine nature. 

So Rishis of Upanishads invoke aloud – Listen, O the children of immortality – Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.

Hari Aum Tatsat.

“Embodiments of Love, Students!

Whatever you have learnt here, share it with others. It is not enough if you share it with others, you too should put your knowledge into practice and derive benefit therefrom. We prepare many delicious items at home and serve them to the guests. Is it not necessary that we should also partake of them?

Likewise, we should digest the Vedic knowledge we have acquired and also share it with others. All types of knowledge have originated from the Vēdas. That is why the Vēda is extolled as sarva vijñāna sampatti (the treasure chest of knowledge). But unfortunately, we are not making proper use of such a treasure. Share your knowledge to the extent you have acquired. Never forget what you have learnt. With sincere effort, you will certainly be able to attain sākṣhātkāra. Those of you who wish to have the vision of God should digest the Vedic wisdom you have acquired and share it with others.”

Bhagavān Sri Sathya Sai Baba – Discourse on 19 October 2004