Atma Bodha - Post 23

VERSE 16

वपुस्तुषादिभिः कोशैर्युक्तं युक्त्यवघाततः ।

आत्मानमन्तरं शुद्धं विविञ्च्यात्तण्डुलं यथा ॥ १६॥

Vapuh-stusha-aadibhih koshaih

yuktam yuktyaa avadhaatatah

aatmaanam antaram shuddham

vivichyaat tandulam yathaa

(Through discriminative self-analysis and logical thinking, one should separate the pure SELF from the sheaths as one separates the rice from the husk, bran etc., that are covering it.)

In this verse the connection with the sheaths and the Self is seen from a practical Sadhana viewpoint. It tells us how it is possible to separate the Self from these sheaths which disguise It.

The process is a deeply internal one, using the most refined of all the instruments of the subtle body, namely, the intellect. The verse gives us the assurance that with a purified intellect, one can “separate” the Self from the sheaths.

It is a rigorous analytical process, requiring a very pure and sharp intellect, and supported by the declaration in the Shastras of our true identity with Brahman the Supreme Reality. 

When this analysis is performed with relentless precision, the Self is beheld independent of the five sheaths which “cover” It.

“Avadhaatata Tandulam” – Rice Threshing Simile:

The husk of identification with the five sheaths is pounded away, and then the Pure Self is beheld, completely free from all the Upadhis which were associated with It. 

The process of using the sharp and purified intellect to behold the Self is compared to the process of separating the husk and the bran from the rice grain so that the pure rice is seen.

This process is accomplished in three stages: threshing, winnowing and hulling.

     i.            In the first stage, the grain with the husk is pounded to separate the husks.

  ii.            In the second stage the husk and rice grain mixture is separated by winnowing. This involves lifting the mixture up into the air in a slight breeze. 

When the mixture falls the grain falls directly into the wicker winnow, whilst the light husk gets blown away by the breeze and falls outside the winnow.  

iii.            In the third stage, the rice grain itself has to be carefully pounded in the hulling process to remove the bran that covers it, without breaking up the rice grain. This is the most delicate process.

These three processes resemble the three processes which the intellect has to carry out in revealing the Self.

They are Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasana. It is hard work for the intellect, but with sufficient Chitta Shuddhi and Chitta Ekagrata, it can be achieved. The Threshing, Pounding and Hulling to Reveal the Self:

Just like the husk of the rice that seems to cover the kernel of rice and appears to be inseparable, as a part of rice, these sheaths that seem to veil the ever blissful Self are but creations to ignorance alone. 

When one realizes Atman to be distinct from the sheaths he becomes detached with them, and this detachment will surely lead to knowledge.

Hence Sankara is instructing that a seeker should analyze and be discriminative, i.e. viveka is very much important for a seeker.

Through Self analysis and knowledge one must know that the Self which is ever blissful and immutable can never be any of the sheaths. 

Just as how the rice is obtained by removing the husk, bran etc. from the paddy, so too, by discrimination, by distinguishing the reality from the non-real, and by removing the various impurities superimposed upon Self, one must realize the real blissful nature of Self which seems to be veiled beneath the sheaths of ignorance.

Love.

Atma Bodha - Post 22

SLOKA 15

पंचकोशादियोगेन तत्तन्मय इव स्थितः ।

शुद्धात्मा नीलवस्त्रादियोगेन स्फटिको यथा ॥ १५॥

PANCHAKOSHAADI YOGENA

TAT TANMAYA IVA STHITAH.

SHUDDHAATMAA NIILAVASTRAADI

YOGENA SPHATIKO YATHAA

  

[In its identification with the five-sheaths the Immaculate Atman appears to have borrowed their qualities upon Itself; as in the case of a crystal which appears to gather unto itself color of its vicinity (blue cloth, etc.,)]

In the previous slokas, we learnt that the Atman is independent of the three adjuncts which are the gross, subtle and causal bodies. 

To remove any doubts of the Atman being dependent on these bodies as it seems to be endowed with so many physical and mental qualities, Acharya here is explaining that all attributes of the Atman is only due to the false identification arising out of ignorance. 

To explain this, Acharya is explaining about the five sheaths and how the non-dual Self is always distinct from them.

Here we are given another beautiful example of a crystal to answer as to how the perfect immutable Self seems to be contaminated by the duality. A clear glass or a crystal when placed in front of a blue object appears to be blue in color, similarly, in association of a red object appears to be red in color. 

Similarly, the Self which is untainted and ever free from any duality seems to be limited only due to ignorance and hence the association and identification with the five sheaths. Like how a clear glass tumbler appears to have taken the color of the liquid it holds, the Self is wrongly identified with the five sheaths due to ignorance alone.

The five sheaths are

1. The gross physical body, (annamaya kosha).

2. The vital air structure, (pranamaya kosha)

3. The mental sheath (manomaya kosha)

4. The intellectual sheath (vijnanamaya)

5. The bliss sheath (anandamaya kosha).

There are called as sheaths as they are like coverings on the atman which manifests itself through them, like the sheaths that cover the sword, these cover the blissful Self from an ignorant one. It is only due to ignorance about the nature of Self that one mistakenly identifies Self with these, and hence rises the ego and thoughts such as “I am clever”, “I am fat”, “I am sad” etc. while all along the Self is but verily bliss.

The Gross Sheath (Annamaya Kosha)

The gross body is associated with a particular race, a particular type of dress, and certain specific features unique to the race. It can be thin or fat, tall or short, dark or fair, and so on.

The Subtle Sheaths (Other 4 Koshas)

The organs of action have their qualities, for example, the language spoken, the customs and traditions followed, the social interaction circle defined by one’s status and wealth, the religious affiliation, and many other unique traits which arise only due to the ignorance of the one Self.

All these qualities are erroneously superimposed on the Self. Something that is pure can take on in every detail the qualities of that which it is associated with. The “Neela Vastra-adi Yogena”

Just as the crystal is not affected by the colours which surround it, so also the Self is not affected by the qualities which we erroneously superimpose upon it. It remains pure.

The five sheaths have a distinct “colouring” as described earlier, referring to the body and mind associations with race, culture, language, etc. The more the colouring the greater is the impurity. 

In a very gross mind, the Self is not detected at all. There is no sign of its own purity due to the thick impurity of the sheaths. 

In a Sattwic person, the colouring is not so strong. There will still be something of the Self coming through the sheaths. The purity of character will permit the sweet glow of the Self to shine through in such a person.

Just as how the clear, colorless glass appears to be colored only due to its association with colored objects, the ever non dual blissful Self seems to be tainted by the misery only due to the associations to the illusory objects of duality.

Love.

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.