Vision Of Truth (sad darshanam Part 23)

न वक्ति देहोSहमिति प्रसुप्तौ

न कोSपि नाभूवमिति प्रवक्ति

यत्रोदिते सर्वमुदेति तस्य

धियाSहम: शोधय जन्म देशम् – २५

na vakti dehaH aham iti prasuptau

na kaH api na abhUvam pravakti

yatra udite sarvamudeti tasya

dhiyA ahamaH shodhaya janma desham – 25

 

na = does not; vakti = says; dehaH = body; aham iti = “I am”; prasuptau = in sleep

na = does not; kaH api = no one; na abhUvam = “I was not”; yatra udite

= upon the rise of which; sarvam udeti = everything rises; dhiyA janma

desham shodhaya = through the intellect discern the birthplace of ‘I’.

The body does not say, I am. No one says, I was not in deep sleep.

Through the intellect, discern the birthplace of I, upon the rise of which

everything rises.

 

The body does not claim, “I am”. It does not have the sentiency to say so. Also,the AtmA does not say, “ I am”, since such a statement is an action, and action  is a modification. AtmA is beyond the realm of change, hence, AtmA does not say, “I am”. Who then claims this? It is the ahankAra. This ahankAra is dormant in sleep.

On waking up, the ahankAra is manifest and it starts functioning. When it is dormant,the door to the exterior world is closed. On its activation, the gross and subtle worlds are known. This ahankAra alone makes claims of ‘I-ness’ and ‘mine-ness’. The oscillating ahankAra, changing all the time cannot be the absolute truth. The basis on which it exists, is the truth. This basis, is the AtmA. This alone is to be known. This is ‘be-ing’. Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (sad darshanam) – Part 20

yadIshiturvIkshaNamIkshitAram

avIkshya tanmAnasikekshaNam syAt

na drashTuranyaH paramo hi tasya

vIkshA svamUle pravilIya niShThA—22

 

yadIshituH vIkshaNam = that (which)vision of Ishvara as an object; IkshitAram = Atma, the observer; avIkshya = not recognizing; tanmAnasikekshaNam syAt = will be a mental projection; drashTuranyaH paramaH na = No supreme other than seer; hi = indeed; tasya vIkshA = his vision; svamUle niShThA = abidance in one’s own nature; pravilIya = having resolved.

 

That vision of Ishvara (as an object), which is, without recognizing the observer Atma, is only a mental projection. There indeed is no supreme other than the seer. His vision is the abidance in one’s own nature having resolved the triad.

 

As long as Ishvara is considered as an entity separate from oneself, so long misery continues. Vision of Ishvara as an object, is merely a mental projection. If one has a vision, it is something other, external to him, meaning, the form of the vision has a beginning outside of him. Hence, there is a limited form to the Ishvara seen in a vision. Such an Ishvara is finite. How is that vision of any help?

Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (sad darshanam) – Part 19

 

अज्ञस्य विज्ञस्य च विश्वमस्ति

पूर्वस्य दृश्यम् जगदेव सत्यम् ।

परस्य दृश्याश्रय भूतमेकम्

सत्यम् प्रपूर्णम् प्रविभात्यरूपम् ॥—२०

 

aj~nasya vij~nasya cha vishvamasti

pUrvasya dRishyam jagadeva satyam

parasya dRishyAshraya bhUtamekam

satyam prapUrNam pravibhAtyarUpam—20

 

 

aj~nasya = for the ignorant, vij~nasya cha = for the wise also;  vishvamasti = there is world; pUrvasya dRishyam jagadeva satyam = for the former the seen world is real;

parasya = of the other; dRishyAshraya bhUtamekam = that has become the substratum of the world; satyam =  prapUrNam = whole; pravibhAtyarUpam = formless shines

 

The world exists for the ignorant and the wise man. To the former the seen world alone is real; while to the other that has become the substratum of the seen, the whole, formless truth shines.

Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (sad darshanam) – Part 18

क्वभातिदिक्कालकथाविनाऽस्मान्

दिक्काललीलेहवपुर्वयम्चेत्।

नक्वापिभामोनकदापिभामो

वयम्तुसर्वत्रसदाचभामः॥१८

Kva bhAti dikkAla kathA vinAsmAn

dikkAla lIleha vapurvayam chet

na kvApi bhAmaH na kadApi bhamaH

vayam tu sarvatra sadA cha bhAmaH —18

 

asmAn vinA dikkAla kathA Kva bhAti = without us where does the saga of space-time shine?edikkAla lIleha vapuH vayam chet = when we identify with the body, the play of space-time begins; na kvApi bhAmaH na kadApi bhamaH = we do not exist in a place; we do not exist at a time; vayam tu sarvatra sadA cha bhAmaH = we exist everywhere at all times.

 

Where does the saga of space-time shine without us? When we identify with the body, the play of space-time begins. We do not exist in a place, we do not exist at a time. We exist everywhere at all times.

Atma is not localized at a place or time. Space and time are appearances in the self. Yet, due to ignorance we find ourselves localized in the space time framework. On gaining knowledge we know that it is only the body which is limited by space and time. The self is limitless spatially and temporally. Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (sad darshanam) – Part 17

 

 

भूतम् भविष्यच्च भवत् स्वकाले

तद्वर्तमानस्य विहाय तत्त्वम् ।

हास्या न किम् स्यात् गत भावि चर्चा

विनैक सन्ख्याम् गणनेव लोके ॥—१७

 

bhUtam bhaviShyachcha bhavat svakAle

tadvartamAnasya vihAya tattvam

hAsyA na kim syAt gata bhAvi charchA

vinaika sankhyAm gaNaneva loke—17

 

bhUtam bhaviShyachcha = the past and the future; bhavat svakAle = are in their own time,

present tadvartamAnasya vihAya tattvam = giving up the truth of that present; hAsyA na kim

syAt gata bhAvi charchA = will the discussion on past and future not be laughable; vinaika

sankhyAm gaNaneva loke = like counting in the world without the number one.

 

The past and the future are in their own time, present. Giving up the truth of that present , will not the discussion on past and future be laughable, like counting without the number one in the world?

 

What is time? It is a subjective phenomena. The sense organs are equipped to perceive objects. The ‘is-ness’ of the object is understood and this is not limited by time since it is eternal.When an object is perceived, the is-ness is known. Is indicates the present tense.  It is never the past nor ever the future. ‘Now’ is the word we use to indicate the present. The essence of ‘now’ is the self alone. How? Let us look into it. Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (sad darshanam) – Part 16

तद् युष्मदोरस्मदि सम्प्रतिष्ठा

तस्मिन् विनष्टे अस्मदि मूल बोधात्

तद् युष्मदस्मन् मति वर्जितैका

स्थितिर् ज्वलन्ती सहजात्मनः स्यात्—१६

tad yuShmadorasmadi sampratiShThA

tasmin vinaShThe asmadi mUla bodhAt

tad yuShmadasman mati varjitaikA

sthitir jvalantI sahajAtmanaH syAt—16

 

tad yuShmadoH = third person and second person; asmadi sampratiShThA = depend

on first person;tasmin vinaShThe asmadi = first person eliminated; mUla bodhAt =

by knowledge of the source;tad yuShmadasman mati varjitaikA= the one division-less

without the notion of‘that’,’thou’, and ‘I’;sthitir jvalantI sahajAtmanaH syAt = the self shines

and emerges

The third person and second person depend on the first person. By the knowledge of the source, the one division-less without the notion of ‘that’, ‘thou’ and ”I’, the self shines and emerges.

The words ‘you’, ‘that/he she’ etc (the third and second person) have their basis in the first person. The other becomes the second or third person only with reference to the first person.

Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (sad darshanam) – Part 15

सत्यश्चिदात्मा विविधाकृतिश्चित्

सिध्येत् पृथक् सत्य चितो न भिन्ना ।

भूषा विकाराः किमु सन्ति सत्यम्

विना सुवर्णम् पृथगत्र लोके ॥ – १५

satyashchidAtmA vividhAkRitishchit

sidhyet pRithak satya chitaH na bhinnA

bhUShA vikArAh kimu santi satyam

vinA suvarNam pRithagatra loke —15

 

सत्यश्चिदात्मा = consciousness (chidAtmA) is satyam; विविधाकृतिश्चित् = various cognitions;  न सिध्येत्  पृथक् सत्य चितो भिन्ना = are not possible without consciousness nor are they different from consciousness;  भूषा विकाराः = various ornaments; किमु सन्ति सत्यम् = do they exist; विना सुवर्णम् पृथगत्र लोके = without gold separately here in the world.

Consciousness (chidAtmA) is the truth (satyam).The various cognitions are not possible without consciousness nor are they different from consciousness.  Here, in the world, do the various gold ornaments exist without gold.

All cognitions we experience are but possible only due to the backing of the consciousness. The mind by itself is inert. The consciousness enlivens it. The mind when comes in contact with the object through the sense organs has a modification. The object is enveloped as it were by the mind which is the modification it undergoes. The consciousness of its own accord illumines this vRRitti (modification in the mind) and a specific cognition takes place.

For eg; pot vRRitti + the consciousness = pot cognition. Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (saddarshanam) – Part 14

 

निद्रा न विद्या ग्रहणम् न विद्या

गृह्णाति किन्चिन्न यथार्थ बोधे

निद्रा प्रदार्थ ग्रहणेतरा स्यात्

चिदेव विद्या विलसन्त्यशून्या—१४

nidrA na vidyA grahaNam na vidyA

gRihNAti ki~nchinna yathArtha bodhe

nidrA pradArtha grahNetarA syAt

chideva vidyA vilasantyashUnyA—14

निद्रा न विद्या = Self knowledge is not sleep;   ग्रहणम् न विद्या= grasping (perceiving) of worldly objects is not self knowledge; गृह्णाति किन्चिन्न यथार्थ बोधे= In self knowledge, as it is, one does not grasp anything; निद्रा प्रदार्थ  ग्रहण् इतरा  स्यात्= It is different from grasping and non-grasping of objects; चिदेव विद्या विलसन्ति अशून्या = consciousness alone is self knowledge which is self effulgent and not a void.

What is knowledge of the self? Is it like the normal knowledge we gain in our worldly transactions or is it a sleep like state where nothing is known?

In this verse, bhagavAn RamaNa is refuting what self knowledge is not. He mentions it is not like the objective knowledge and sleep. On a positive note, he mentions it is where there is no grasping (of objects), the consciousness itself which is self effulgent is the self knowledge.

We have various sciences, art forms, various branches in Mathematics etc. We gain knowledge in these fields and consider ourselves knowledgeable. Is self knowledge akin to this type of grasping? Is it like a gross appreciation of the world? If not, then is it like sleep where one grasps nothing? Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (saddarshanam) – Part 13

बोद्धारमात्मानमजानतः यः

बोधः स किम् स्यात् परमार्थ बोधः ।

बोधस्य बोध्यस्य च सम्श्रयम् स्वम्

विजानतस्तद् द्वितीयम् विनश्येत् ॥—१३

boddhAramAtmAnamajAnataH yaH

bodhaH sa kim syAt paramArtha bodhaH

bodhasya bodhyasya cha samshrayam svam

vijAnatastad dvitIyam vinashyet—13

बोद्धारम् = knower आत्मानम् = oneself; अजानतः = of one who knows not; यः बोधः = whichever knowledge (other than self knowledge);  परमार्थ बोधः = highest knowledge;  स्यात् किम् = is it;  बोधस्य बोध्यस्य च = of knowledge and the object of knowledge; सम्श्रयम् = basis; स्वम् विजानतः = for one who knows oneself;  तद् द्वितीयम् विनश्येत् = for that (person) the two are negated.

Is any knowledge( other than self knowledge) the highest when the knower knows not oneself? For the one who knows oneself, the basis of the knowledge and the object of knowledge, the two are negated.

Continue reading

Vision Of Truth (saddarshanam) – Part 12

विद्या कथम् भाति न चेदविद्या

विद्याम् विना किम् प्रविभात्यविद्या ।

द्वयम् च कस्येति विचार्य मूल

स्वरूप निष्ठा परमार्थ विद्या ॥—१२

vidyA katham bhAti na chedavidyA

vidyAm vinA kim pravibhAtyavidyA

dvayam cha kasyeti vichArya mUla

svarUpa niShThA paramArtha vidyA—12

 

विद्या कथम् भाति = how does knowledge shine? चेदविद्या = if there is no ignorance; विद्याम् विना = without knowledge; किम् प्रविभात्यविद्या = does ignorance shine; द्वयम् कस्येति = the two; विचार्य = having enquired; मूल स्वरूप = original nature; निष्ठा = abidance; परमार्थ विद्या = knowledge that ‘I am the self’

 

If there is no ignorance, how does knowledge shine? Without knowledge, does ignorance shine? And whose are the two? Having enquired thus, abidance in the original nature is the knowledge that ‘I am Atma’.

 

Everything in the universe is in duality. When one talks of happiness, it is a relative term, relative to sorrow. With respect to sorrow, we can say there is happiness. The term happiness has no meaning in the absence of sorrow. Light is opposed to darkness. It exists since darkness also exists. No darkness implies, there is no existence for light. This is the world of opposites, the world of duality. Joy-sorrow, victory-loss, peace-agitation, like-dislike, worry-security etc are some such antithetical couples. They mutually exist because of the other and have no meaning without the other.  Continue reading