Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha 6-8 Prasna Upanishad
6-8-2 Prasna 4.7 to 4.9
5th question is where do they get merged? The entire cosmos is resting on AtmA. It is the support. It provides 3 fundamental things for the entire AnatmA prapancha: Sat, Chit, and Ananda. IS-ness of the universe doesn’t belong to the universe. I, the experiencing consciousness, lend existence to this world like as in a dream, I, the observer, lend existence to the dream world. The entire world is supported by I, the AtmA, the witnessing consciousness which is in and through the three states of experience. The Upanishad gives the example of birds who go to a tree for lodging. The birds are supported by the tree.
The five elements, both subtle and gross are supported by AtmA. The material universe is divided into triad, namely, the experiencer, the experiencing instrument, and the field or object of experience. Five sense organs are the instruments of experience and there are five organs of action, total 10 organs. The mind has got 4 divisions: mind, intellect, memory and ego and there are five vital forces. Total is 19. All are held together by vital forces which in turn are supported by AtmA.
There is only one I which gets identified with different instruments of experience. In the statement, ‘I see’, there is identification of I with eye. There are different fields of experience. But in all the experiences, the common factor is I. The same I use internal organs, mind, intellect and become thinker, feeler, knower. The question is what is the source of I thought. The mind has got reflected consciousness borrowed from consciousness, the Self. This reflected consciousness is I thought, the experiencer. When there is no subtle body, there is no reflected consciousness and there is no experiencer though (original) consciousness continues. Original consciousness is not the experiencer. The triad does not have existence of its own. It borrows existence from the Self, the original consciousness. All rest in Me.
6-8-3 Prasna 4.10 and 4.11
In the earlier verses, various faculties of a jiva have been described. The five elements, five prAnAs, the ego and their presiding deities, all rest in AtmA. But they do not pollute AtmA because they are mithyA and of lower order of reality. AtmA is without shadow, without body. It is ever pure. When a jiva has the knowledge of AtmA and identifies himself with AtmA, he is imperishable and crosses all sorrows, becomes the knower of everything. He understands that everything is nothing but ‘I’ alone in different names and forms. Just as a dreamer, after waking up understands that I alone was appearing in the dream as the subject and objects. I alone appear as everything and am not localised. He crosses grief and sorrow because localisation and individuality cause problems because jiva starts comparison and gets dissatisfied.
6-9 Tattiriya Upanishad BrahmAnanda Valli
6-9-1 AnuvAka 1(Pt 1) The Upanishad declares that he who knows Brahman attains the highest goal of life. It raises some questions. What is Brahman? How it is known? What is the highest goal? Brahman is of the nature of satya, jnAna, ananta. Ananta means that Brahman is infinite, limitless in all aspects, i.e., time-wise, space-wise, and object-wise. Brahman is satya means that it exists. The primary meaning of ‘exists’ is that an object exists which implies that Brahman is limited object-wise. As primary meaning does not fit, it is discarded and secondary meaning is applied. An existing object has name, form, and existence. Name and form are not relevant as they indicate limitedness whereas existence is not limited. It is not an adjective. It is noun. It is all-pervasive. Thus, satya means pure existence, written as Existence. It has following features.
• Existence is not a part, product or property of an object.
• Existence is an independent entity that pervades the object and makes it existent.
• Existence is not limited by the boundaries of the object.
• Even if the object is destroyed, Existence continues to exist.
• The continuing Existence cannot be recognized because there is no medium to manifest it. Existence is different from adjective ‘existence’. It is a noun.
Brahman is jnAna. Its primary meaning is knowledge of an object. Knowledge is in the form of a thought which is by nature limited. Thus, primary meaning does not fit. Before applying secondary meaning, it is to be noted that knowledge has three constituents: name, form and awareness, that is to say, consciousness of the name and form. Name and form are limited and are to be dropped to get secondary meaning. Consciousness is infinite because any cognition or thought come and go but the consciousness part remains same. It is pure consciousness and it is not limited to consciousness of any object. Brahman is pure consciousness, written as Consciousness. It has also same features as Existence described above.
Limitlessness, Existence, Consciousness are three aspects of the same reality Brahman.
How is Brahman known? It is known by the mind which is located in the sacred cavity of heart. The idea is that though Brahman is infinite and present everywhere, one need not search outside. It is present inside also. It is present as witnessing consciousness of all experiences. Experience is in the form a thought. After removing the name and form of thought, what is left is Consciousness.
A knower of Brahman attains the highest. Highest means the highest goal of life. It is moksha, liberation from suffering and from cycle of birth and death. A knower of Brahman fulfils all possible desires at once because all material desires are subsumed in the highest goal. A knower of Brahman identifies himself with Brahman whose nature is infinite and bliss. He identifies himself with bliss which is infinite. The happiness derived from fulfilment of material desires is finite and are included in the infinite happiness of a knower of Brahman. Satya, jnAna, Ananta are the swarup (natural) lakshna (features) of Brahman.
Contd Part 31