Tag Archives: atma

Upadesa Sahasri (Part39)

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Part 38

Chapter 19 Conversation between Atma and the Mind

19.19                                                                                                                            Owing to ignorance, people superimpose upon Atma such notions as relative existence, relative non-existence, qualified, unqualified, agent, non-agent, and so on. Yet Atma is birthless, imperishable, non-dual, and is never Itself superimposed upon anything.
The ignorant mind takes Atma and the world of duality to belong to the same order of reality. Consequently, it performs actions that produce punya and papa, which in turn become the cause of birth and death—that is, samsara. The cycle of samsara continues endlessly until the mind realizes that Atma and the world belong to different orders of reality. The mind is mithya, and all superimpositions are likewise mithya.

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Upadesa Sahasri (Part 38)

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Part 37

Part 39

Chapter 19 Conversation between Atma and the Mind 

19.07                                                                                                                               An ignorant mind believes that it can improve the status of I, the Atma. The wise person knows that the mind can neither improve Atma nor is there any need for such improvement, for Atma is already complete. Any improvement that occurs in time is destined to disappear with time. Therefore, every improvement in the mind, or brought about by the mind, is mithya. How can a mithya mind improve the real Atma? Therefore, Atma tells the mind to remain quiet and attend to its own welfare. Atma is self-effulgent. It requires no external support, including that of the mind, to shine. Rather, it is the mind that is illumined by Atma.

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Upadesa Sahasri (Part 37)

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Part 36

Part 38

Chapter 19 Conversation between Atma and the Mind

Introduction                                                                                                                        It is a ‘dialogue’ between Atma and the mind. Since Atma is free from all action, the dialogue is figurative. Where the text makes such statements, what is meant is that the MIND REALIZES THIS and ceases (for the moment) to identify with ahaṃkara. Nevertheless, this chapter presents a unique method of nidhidhyasana, the third stage of jnana-yoga, following sravana and manana. At this stage, the aspirant has gained clear knowledge of Atma but must assimilate it until it becomes living knowledge.
The aspirant knows that his essential nature is consciousness, which is distinct from the mind. Yet the locus of knowledge is the mind. Thus, a peculiar situation arises in which the mind instructs itself that the aspirant’s true nature is consciousness, which is different from the mind. The mind must further remind itself that consciousness is changeless and eternal, whereas the mind is mithya.

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Chandogya Upanishad ( Chapters 6 to 8) Part 12

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Part 11

Chapter 8 Section 6 [8.6.1 to 8.6.4]                                                                                 By practicing meditation, a jiva after death goes to Brahm- loka where he has two choices. He may enjoy the available pleasures, take rebirth. Alternatively, he may choose to get Self-knowledge from Brahmaji and be liberated. It is krama mukti. It is not of much relevance to a seeker of liberation in the current life. Therefore, it is briefly discussed. Death is fall of physical body and separation of subtle body from it.  The jiva is in the form of subtle body. As the death approaches, the subtle body is gradually withdrawn from gross body towards heart. From the heart through a special capillary (susuma nadi), it reaches a subtle aperture in the head and leaves the gross body. Thereafter, it travels through shukla gati (bright path) and reaches Brahm loka.

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Eight Upanishads (Part-wise) Part 30

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Part 29

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.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 29

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Part 28

Part 30

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
 6-7 Mundaka Upanishad

6-7-19 Mundaka 3.2.7 and 3.2.8
The Upanishad describes the process of videha-mukti, that is, when a jivanmukta dies. A human being is a combination of material part – called anAtma and sentient part called AtmA. AnAtmA is made of gross, subtle and causal bodies or alternatively five sheaths of food, vital forces, mind, intellect, and bliss. The enclosed consciousness is AtmA component. When a jivanmukta dies, anAtmA part merges into total anAtmA. Gross body merges into cosmic gross body called virAt. Subtle body into total subtle body called, Hiranyagarbha. Since there is no karmic balance, there is no causal body. In Prasna Upanishad, anAtmA part of an individual is divided into 16 parts. The Upanishad says that of them, each of 15 parts merges into corresponding totality. The Upanishad is silent about the 16th part. According to Swami ParmArthananda, the 16th part is the name of a jnAni that remains in the world for the disciples to worship. The consciousness part merges into total consciousness without any travel like pot space merging in total space when the pot breaks. An ignorant person takes rebirth in a body according to his karmAs.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 25

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Part 24

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-6 Kena Upanishad

6-6-1 Kena 1.1 The student is an informed student. He experiences the phenomenal world by his senses and knows that they are made of matter and are inert. They have five features: material (inert), objects of experience, changing, with attributes, and temporary (available in the waking state). There should be an outside source imparting sentiency to the sense organs. The student is curious to know the source and asks a pointed question to that effect. He wants to know the divine source which impels eyes to see, ears to hear, speech to happen, mind to go to objects and vital forces to function. The teacher replies.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 23

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Part 22

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-5 Katha Upanishad

6-5-29 Katha 2.2.12 to 2.2.15 Self is non-dual. A wise man knows that Self in his body is same as in other bodies. He is therefore free from duality which is the cause of suffering. A Self-realized person is established in bliss unlike an ignorant person. The Self which is of the nature of consciousness lends sentiency to sense organs and sentient sense organs lends sentiency to other parts of the body. Sentiency enables them to fulfil varied desires. An intelligent person is however not interested in ephemeral material desires. He is seeker of Self-knowledge which ensures permanent happiness and peace. By Self-knowledge, he claims that his true nature is Self, the consciousness. Consciousness is self-luminous. Nothing can illumine it. It is the light of lights. In its presence, sun, moon, stars, lightening and fire shines. It is all-pervasive and beyond the realm of worldly objects, whether sun, moon, etc.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 22

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Part 21

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha

6-5 Katha Upanishad

6-5-25 Katha 2.1.12 to 2.1.15 JivAtamA, i.e., embodied Self is as though situated in the heart of the body. It is Consciousness that illumines thoughtful and thoughtless states of the mind. The heart is of the size of the fist and the mind is imagined of the size of the thumb. The non-dual Self is the Lord of the past, present and the future. Although it appears to be limited in size, it is the limitless, all-pervading and is non-dual. The space within the pot is viewed as limited space. Upon inquiry, we understand that the expression limited space is a delusion. The space is neither inside nor outside the pot, but all pots are within the space. In the same way, Consciousness is neither within nor without the heart; everything is within consciousness. After knowing that I am the limitless consciousness, I never feel insecure. It is this Consciousness that Nachiketa has sought to know in the third boon.

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Eight Upanishads (Topic-wise) Part 21

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Part 20

Chapter 6 JnAna and Moksha
6-5 Katha Upanishad
6-5-23 Katha 2.1.5 to 2.1.10 Some technical terms used by the Upanishad need explanation. Brahman is all-pervading Original Consciousness (OC). It is AtmA at the individual level. The OC manifests through matter, the Reflecting Medium (RM). It is Reflected Consciousness (RC). OC is only one, but RCs are as many as RMs. The quality of RC depends upon RM. The OC remains unaffected. The material universe is divided into three pairs: three belonging to the microcosm and three belonging to macrocosm. Consciousness reflects in any of the six mediums. There are 6 mediums RM1 to RM6 and six reflected consciousness RC1 to RC6. At the individual level, there are three mediums: RM1 (physical -gross), RM2 (mental-subtle) and RM3 -causal.

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