Purpose and More...

Hari OM

Freedays are random this month!

YAM attended Sandeepany last month because there were to be discourse by Guruji and Swami Swaroopananda. Regulars here will also have noted during that time that there was  a handover of Head of Mission from Guruji to Swamji - now called Mukhya Swamiji. Guruji is to limit his travel to within India and will also be taking lengthy personal retreat times during the year, in order to further his own saadhana.

© Yamini MacLean

Classes began on Sunday 8th January. Guruji (Sw. Tejomayananda) was to be presenting to us an overview of the Upanishads, with an emphasis on what is called the 'anubandha chatushtaya', the four connections of study.

No matter what subject you ever study, a text book worth its salt, any course worth its gold, must lay out clearly its purpose (vishaya), who is best qualified to study that subject (adhikaari), what is to be gained from the study (prayojana) and how the student and the subject ought to come together (sambanda).

That last one is pretty important. There are very many students in universities and similar institutions around the globe sitting in purely intellectual phase, attempting to memorise and perhaps digest just enough to tick all the 'right boxes' at exam time. They may know that a degree course in Chemistry, say, will provide a strong education in the makeup of the material world in that particular level of understanding (vishaya) and they may well have gained reasonable marks in preceding examinations to qualify for this higher level of study (adhikaari). They will have the reward of a BSc or MSc in mind (prayojana)... but how many truly feel the chemistry, see it with a level of understanding beyond the formulae and bondings? Many folk study English to a high level - not that many use it as if it is second nature to them. This is the sambanda; the student must find such a connection with the subject that the knowledge and understanding are as if a part of their own being. Such is the style of learning in Sanskrit tradition.

Whilst this pertains as much to the  material sciences and other knowledge, how much more so must it do so to those who undertake the study of life, the universe and everything? For this is what one does when embarking on proper study of the Upanishads.

The majority of the audience at this camp were long-term Vedantins. Most had excellent book knowledge... Guruji now was seeking to have them consider that all the ability to recall and recite shlokas and mantras does not a sannyaasin (renunciate) make. One must live the words and ideals spruiked. This much was his introduction that first two classes. It set the level. We were going to have to be using our little grey cells!

Even as one who has completed the regime of study to the 'endpoint', this going back to basics was not a bad thing.

Brushing The Cover

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. Think again on the meaning. Seek to focus on the subject.

We saw, last week, that the mangala can act as a sort of 'carrot' to the seeker, offering not just learning but the potential for moksha.  Everyone and everything has a desire for the sort of happiness which stays and is not dependent on the environment or the situation. This is universal. It is the human creature who has the potential to work out that this form of lasting joy comes not from the external, not from the material objects, but from within. We have the ability to apply परिषेश  ज्ञाय/parishesha jnaaya, logic(al understanding of) that which remains. We can investigate until there is no place left to search, where all we must conclude that what we are left with must be true. There can of course be traps in this... searches can be stymied by false endings and delusional conclusions. The seeker must not give up.

It follows that if Knowledge is the solution, that which it replaces must be the problem... and that is ignorance. In Vedanta, ignorance is synonymous with 'bondage'.

Ignorance sits within.  To rid ourselves of it we must wipe it out with Knowledge. There is a tendency for many to seek blessing from holy men, or go on pilgrimage to gain spiritual 'credit'. All good and well. Heading up Mount Kailash or to Lourdes will not of itself free one from bondage. By all means take the waters, do the yatra (trek)... but do it whilst gaining Knowledge.  Better still, gain Knowledge, then decorate it with spiritual actions!

Recall, also, that mangala serves as a 'label' of advertising as to the nature of the text, who it best serves and acknowledging the teachers who have enabled the production of the text. First we need to determine which type of mangala has been given; does it address the nature of its content (vaastu nirdesha), does it honour the parampara (lineage) through namaskaara ruupa, and/or does it ask for/provide blessings to the writer and the reader (ashiirvaada)? Further, the shishya having expressed desire to obtain moksha, or at least some Knowledge which may lead to such release, will look for the anubandha, that which confirms this is indeed the correct text to be reading at this time.

Actually, we can find that all three types of mangala are satisfied. 'TattvabodaH' is not simply the title but also the vishaya and prayojana of the text. Thus, in this word alone, we have vaastu nirdesha ruupa as well as two of the anubandha chatushtaya. By calling upon 'Vasudevendrayayogiindram', the author has called upon Higher Power and the guru paramapara, satisfying namaskaaram and ashiirvaada. In mention of 'Mumukshunaam', the shishya is alerted; how keen is s/he to gain the knowledge given in the text? What is there to gain by reading it?  The shishya will now ask, "am I the adhikaari, the fit one for this text?  I have seen the vishaya and the prayojana; these excite me, therefore it appears to serve my purpose and it must thus also fit the sambandha."

(NB, there are a few other terms for relationships within and around texts in Sanskrit, but these will not be given here at this time.)

Fine. The seeker has had interest piqued. The cover has been brushed, the title taken in and some grasp of what may be presented is gained. A little more than the 'cover blurb' is now looked for. Inside the jacket of modern texts, there is just a bit more about what can be expected of the book in hand. 'Chemistry Module 4' has told the student what the subject is and at what level it lies. The student, in deciding between this text and another similar one which says 'Chemistry Module 4 with prep' needs to now find out the structure of the text - is it going to provide a method of learning which fits with his or her methodology thus far, or is it at least going to add to that method and perhaps aid in modification, all the better to proceed in learning?

In Sanskrit, the प्रतिज्ञया/pratigjnayaa is sought - the promise of how the student can learn - and the प्राक्रीय/praakriiya - the promise to provide methodology by which learning can be improved.

How does TattvabodaH proceed to reveal the pratigjnayaa and the praakriiya?..

We shall see next week!

Making Connection

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 last week’s post and chant the mangala-charana. Think again on the meaning. Seek to focus on the subject.

Let us now look at the mangala as an exercise in breaking into the translation. Recall the different types of mangala described two weeks back and consider where this mangala sits compared to those descriptions. …remember that any text you enter requires that you have some idea of how the translation and therefore the interpretation have been derived. This may seem like ‘hard work’ at first, but actually all subjects require this intellectual approach to fulfill them… for example, you can look at and appreciate art as it hits your eye – or you can engage with it, get beneath its surface to understand more than its ‘at glance’ offering. Sanskrit is a highly contextual and yet supremely precise language.  Many words have multiple colourations according to the context in which they are applied. Conversely, there are words which have one meaning in all contexts.  Further, for any one context there can be multiple words. Here at Aatmaavrajanam it is not at all expected that you learn Sanskrit per se; however, there is no escaping the need to understand how it is ‘broken’ down.**

Vaasu – that which resides

Deva – principle of consciousness

Indra – being the power which enlivens all functions (‘king of’)

VASUDEVENDRA – the Lord/king which resides as the consciousness of all.

Yogi – one who practices yoga (which, you will recall, means ‘union’ – not contortionism!)

Indra – being the power which enlivens all functions (‘king of’)

YOGIINDRA – the Lord/king of the practice of union with the Self

NATVAA – having prostrated/saluted

Jnaana – knowledge

Pradam – bestower, giving blessing

Gu – darkness

Ru – remover

JNAANAPRADAMGURUM – the one who gives the blessing of removing the darkness of our ignorance. How? By bestowing knowledge to light our way.

This is the first paada of the shloka. Having broken down the individual words which make up the sentence we can reconstruct it as “having saluted Vasudevendra, the King of the Yogis, the guru” and we can begin to appreciate the type of mangala this is. We see here an acknowledgement of the Higher in form of ‘lord’, we see acknowledgement of the teacher.  (…did you take notes? Check back!)

Mumukshuunaam – ardent seekers

Hitaarthaaya – for the benefit of (in the assistance of)

TattvabodhaH – (the understanding of truth) this text

Abhi - is being

Dhiiyate –given/presented

Thus with the second paada of the shloka we have “for those who seek deeply, this text by this name is being given”. Thus we find the subject matter is addressed as well as the type of reader expected to gain from the perusal thereof.

This brings up another technical construction called the अनुबन्ध चतुष्टय/anubandha chatushtaya. All modern text books will give the name and level of the text – “Chemistry, Module 4” – so that, instantly, it is clear that students who have a need to utilise chemistry may benefit from the text, provided they have read and understood modules 1 to 3!  Similarly, the anubandha guides the reader and lays out the expectation of subject, purpose and for whom it is meant. 

Anu – after

Bandha – binding/connection

Chatur – four

Taya – to begin

“The four points after knowing which you get connected.”

What are the four preliminaries then?

• अधिकार/Adhikaari – eligibility (one who has the ability); the one for whom the text is intended
• विषय/Vishaya – the content of the text, the subject matter
• प्रयोजन/Prayojana – expected outcome – i.e. purpose, the goal of the text which follows
• संबन्ध/Sambandha – relationship (of the text with the purpose).

This is applied to all texts. How does it apply to TattvabodhaH? Who is the adhikaari? The mumukshu.  What is the content of the text? Tat (that) Tva (‘ness’, the essence of) Bodha (understanding of/knowledge). What is the purpose, what is the expectation of achievement from reading this text? That the mumukshu is helped in their process of obtaining the understanding provided here. What is the connection between text and the purpose stated? For TattvabodhaH this is straightforward – the text is a simple statement of its own goal; there is something (that) which is beyond description yet must be approached with many words in order to gain its essence.

 

We find that the anubandha is satisfied within the mangala-charana. The reader for whom it is intended is thus ‘primed’, interest sparked and the promise of a worthwhile outcome in pursuing the study of the text. The adhikaari for this text is one who seeks Knowledge for Knowledge’s sake. What is the Knowledge here? Liberation.  From what? The bondage we call ‘life’. Freedom from bondage of external circumstances and/or the inner limitations. This is called मोक्ष/moksha. The whole of Vedanta is presented for this purpose!

**NB very soon, an additional ‘page’ will be added to blog containing the Devanagari script so that those who have a desire to be able to chant from the original can at least recognize the words… all adds to the fun of learning!