Hari OM
'Text-days' are for delving into the
words and theory of Advaita Vedanta.
TATTVABODHAH.
[You are reminded that reviewing the
previous week's posts will become essential as the meanings of the Sanskrit
terms may not be repeated. There may come additional or alternative meanings,
but all should be noted. As study progresses, the technical terms must
necessarily become 'second nature' to the student. When the Sanskrit is used,
the translation will fall easily into place - or likewise, if the English is
used, the Sanskrit term must easily come forwards.]
Please revisit THIS post and chant the mangala-charana. Please use the
TattvabodhaH label to access all posts relevant to this text.
We have seen that karma is not just 'you hit me and you'll get hit
back' thing; thought that is certainly the essence of it. There is more
complexity insofar as there being a past, present and future to it. Future is
determined by our aagaami karma. All actions have a 'fee' in the karma bank and
we may not know what that fee will be in this life. It may take many lives to
pay off the debt. Past karmas, the ones accrued via aagaami, are called
sanchita. At any time, the sanchita may send out the 'interest balance'. This
results in the jiiva having to enter the world. This brings it into the present
of that jiiva - the praarabdha karma now takes over, determining the where,
how, when and so forth of the birth.
Something to bear in mind, though not specifically mentioned in this
text, is that all actions arise from thought. No action can take place without
mind ordering it. Therefore, thoughts add to our aagaami as much as anything
our body does.
Having taken birth, each jiiva must live out the life praarabdha has
sketched… however, if we are blessed to have taken human birth, we have the
facility to alter that sketch and improve our lot. For a truly blessed few of
the already blessed, there may the opportunity to rise to the highest
philosophical understanding which results in returning to True Self, even
within this life itself. In such an event…
सञ्चितम् कर्म ब्रह्मैवाहमिति निस्चयात्मकज्ञनेन नश्यति।
sa~ncitam
karma brahmaivaahamiti niscayaatmakaGYanena nashyati.
"Sanchita karma is destroyed by
the firm knowledge 'I am Brahman alone'".
आगामि कर्म अपि ज्ञानेने नश्यति किञ्च आगामिकर्मणां निलजीदलगतजलवत् ज्ञानिनां सम्बन्धो नास्ति।
aagaami
karma api GYaanene nashyati ki~nca aagaamikarmaNaaM nilajiidalagatajalavat
GYaaninaaM sambandho naasti.
"The aagaami karma is also
destroyed by Knowledge and the wise man is not affected by it, as a lotus leaf
is not affected by the water on it."
On Realisation, our debts are nullified. The slate is cleaned. The
gross body of the ignorant and of the wise at death disintegrate and merge with
the elements. The subtle body of the ignorant, propelled by the causal body (ie
force of previous actions) leaves the body to take up another at some point in
the future according to the results of the karma which have fructified. The
subtle body of the wise man merges with the five subtle elements and there is
no more a propelling force. The causal body is destroyed by the Knowledge of
Self. There is no more birth for him. It is like the space in the pot which is
broken; it merges fully with the totality of space - never having been anything
by space, albeit 'conditioned' by the pot.
Likewise, whilst the body of the wise man must play out the
remainder of the praarabdha which brought him to this point, any actions
now (aagaami) no longer accrue to sanchita. They just float,
like the droplet of water on the leaf of the lotus. Have you seen that? No?...
Perhaps nasturtium then…
The point being, there can be no more effect upon the one who has
crossed the boundary between individual and total; jiivanmukta.
What then of the results of the remaining actions performed by the
physical form of the jiivanmukta?
NB; the chants above will be on the clip provided next week.
