Hari
OM
Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!
We are now undertaking basic technical discourse on
Vedanta. The text forming the basis of these posts is 'Kindle
Life'.
Last
week concepts of avidyaa, aavarana and vikshepa were introduced. Continuing
from the theme of conditioned and unconditioned consciousness, we must understand that, in the end, language
rather fails us! The more subtle the
subject the more words it seems we need to describe the indescribable and for
which, in fact, there is
no word. Words themselves are constructs of the illusion.
We
have to form them to explain our way out by their use. We have words because we need to represent
what is perceived. Perception takes place only in the physical realm, be it at
the material level of BMI, the interactive level of OET or the
egotistical/emotional level which binds the two in PFT (see the BMI label if
you have not yet read up on this life chart reference). The realm which we currently perceive and
believe to be 'real' is called संसार/samnsaara, an ocean of strife. Transcending the physical level we can move
into OM, the transcendental Reality. This is separate from all else.
Words
can be used to describe everything we see; to some extent they can convey ideas
of that which we cannot see. They are limited, however, to the realms of the
physical experience. They can be
approximations only. This is why scriptures of all types can seem very
mysterious. The language in which they
are written must necessarily be used judiciously and this can lead to a very
cryptic presentation; this in turn has resulted in the need for specialists
(priests, rabbis, gurus…) to interpret and explain them. Within the Sanskrit
language there is such a level of concept and suggestion so complex, it is
astounding. The name 'Sanskrit' itself means 'perfectly made', conjugation to
'Sanskritam' means 'the art/skill of making/doing' which is used in context of
'culture', and this itself conveys that it is more than mere
communication. When one ventures into
learning the language, the profundity of sound hits one. Its construction is,
in itself, philosophical.
It
is worth digressing for a moment to note that Sanskrit was the very first
language to be formalised through grammatical description and is recognised as
being so strong and pure a language it is now being studied for programming
computers. Similarly, in the very learning of the language, it is found
that the intellect is opened up; there is a clarity of thinking which is at one
and the same time required and engendered from learning Sanskrit that it has
now been chosen as a compulsory language in at least one British
school and a number of Universities utilise Sanskrit as a port to other
studies.
Within
India there is an extremely long history of philosophical reasoning (there are
six schools of thought, which we shall explore at later time), all of which
arise from experience and not mere intellection. Each school posits, albeit
differently, that there is a direct realisation of Truth which can be obtained
as the culmination of certain exercises.
Realisation means that the seeker has obtained freedom from samsaara,
the strain of life and physical limitation.
Vedanta
is a highly logical, scientific philosophy. It has theories and exercises which
can be tried and proven over and over again.
The texts from which these are derived are called the प्रास्थान त्रय/praasthaana
traya, the three foundations; Upanishads, Bhagavad Giitaa and the Brahma
Suutras. Vedanta is so rigorous a construct that it holds good by any who
encounter it, regardless of their
doctrinal stance. Christians,
Jews, even Atheists, have come to understand from its study, what is the
meaning of life. Vedanta, therefore has worth to all, beyond boundaries of
country, sect or creed.
The conclusion of this overview next week.