Existence inheres every worldly object. Before creation, all the worldly objects are in seed (unmanifest) form in Existence and the creation unfolds gradually. Existence manifests everywhere whereas consciousness is manifested in subtle body only, e.g., mind, intellect. A jiva is a mind-body system and is sentient and has emotions of happiness and sadness. Consciousness (Chit) does not undergo any change as it is present in the mind like a reflection (ChidAbhAsa. It is individual self or individual soul ( jivAtmA).
The Upanishad intends to show that the reality behind a jiva is Existence. For this purpose, in sections 5, 6, and 7 of chapter 6, it is explained that the body of a jiva is made of food (earth) water and fire. When food is eaten, its gross part becomes waste, the medium part becomes flesh and the subtle becomes mind. When water is drunk, its gross part become urine, medium part becomes blood, and the subtle part becomes vital forces. When fire in the form of oil is consumed, its gross part becomes bone, the medium part becomes marrow and subtle part becomes speech. Thus, the main ingredients of mind, vital force, and speech are respectively food, water and fire. It may not completely conform to the modern view of human anatomy and physiology. However, as it broadly conforms, it serves the purpose of the teaching.
TTA is spoken nine times, once in each of the nine sections from 8 to 16 of the chapter 6 of Ch Up. The section 8 begins with analysis of deep sleep. During deep sleep, the sense organs and the mind are resolved and are in dormant state. Only vital forces continue to function for the jiva to be alive. The individual self resolves in the Deity. It is like the reflection merging in the original when the mirror is removed. The person loses his individuality. There is an important message. The reflection is related to both reflecting medium, the mind, and the original. It may identify itself with the reflecting medium or the original. Likewise, the individual soul may identify itself with the mind or with the Deity. Identifying with the mind means getting affected by the vagaries of the mind. Identifying with the Deity means peace, security and happiness.
A person rests in deep sleep after getting tired during waking state and dream. It is explained by an illustration. A bird is tied to a pole by a string. It flies in all direction within the length of the string. After getting tired, it rests on the pole. Everyone enjoys deep sleep. It means that the Deity is pure bliss denoted as Bliss.
It is common knowledge that an entity resolves in its true nature. By analysing deep sleep, which is a universal phenomenon, it is shown that the reality behind a jiva is the Deity, i.e., Existence. The teacher now analyses hunger and thirst which are also common. A hungry person consumes food which is digested with the help of digestive fire (enzymes, etc) to produce nutrients which are delivered to different parts of the body by water in the form of blood. Similarly, a thirsty man drinks water. The idea is that the body is not only made of three fundamental elements but also sustained by them. And it is already shown that reality behind the three elements is the Deity. The body made of fire, water, and earth is only name and form which has speech as basis. At the time of death, the organ of speech is withdrawn into mind, mind into vital forces, vital forces into fire, and the fire into deity.
The discussions above bring out the following:
(i) That the reality behind all external worldly objects is the Existence and perceived multiplicity is name and form. This reality is Tat (That). Tat because it is away.
(ii) That the reality behind the mind-body complex, the jiva is Existence. Mind and body are name and form. This reality is Tvam (Thou)
(iii) (i) and (ii) gives the equation Tat=Tvam, i.e., Tat Tvam Asi.
Svetaketu is not yet convinced about the above profound fact. He explains his doubt because he sees that every day human beings repair to Existence in deep sleep, yet they do not know it. The teacher continues. When a chair is spoken, it means that chair is. The ‘isness’ is Existence. Existence cannot be negated because to negate it the negator should exist. Though Existence inheres everything, it is not experienced. It is pure existence and formless. It cannot be objectified and experienced. It has to be cognitively appreciated by distinguishing it from name and form.
Any worldly object is divisible into a smaller thing. A molecule is divisible into atom, atom into sub-atomic particles and so on. At present the mankind is not able to continue the division after a certain stage because instrument for division is not available. It does not mean there can be no further division. As any form is divisible, the limit of form is formless. The inference is that the most fundamental entity. i.e., the reality is formless. It is transition from physics to metaphysics. Existence is the subtlest, formless, and is the reality. Being formless, it is not objectified and not experienced. Name and form are not the reality, but they are experienced. Reality is not experienced. Due to this dilemma, people are unable to grasp the reality.
Contd Part 3