Approach to Conduct

Hari OM

'Text-days' are for delving into the words and theory of Advaita Vedanta.

The Bhagavad Gita emphasises the importance and relevance of karma - acting in the world - as a means toward a spiritual end. Shri Adi Shankaraachaarya contributed texts to the great Sanskrit library which seek to enhance all saadhakas' efforts in karma. In all of his writing, it comes across that every act, every task, ought to be taken with only the Higher in the forefront of one's mind. Our most significant action in life is to see the Real and the UnReal - that all is a grand illusion and we are all, in fact, That from which it All arises.

If the Gita is the handbook of 'why' we might seek to live a divine life, then Shankara-ji's विवेकचूडामणि / Vivekachoodaamani is the handbook of 'how' to live a divine life as a true follower of Vedantic philosophy. By developing the quality of discrimination, a power solely accorded to the human-being, can one distinguish between the eternal and the temporal, which in turn opens the gateway to peace and happiness. Vivekachoodaamani, literally translated as the 'Crest Jewel of Discrimination' is a compendium of 580 verses on the ways to know, understand and reach Brahman, the Reality in us. It is in the form of a dialogue between the student and the Teacher, with the latter guiding the student along the spiritual path. Bondage is caused by a lack of enquiry and ceases only by making an investigation. If we turn to differentiate Self from the non-Self, if we shift our attention from the world of names and forms to their substratum Brahman, then we can arrive at the final goal quickly.

In short, Shri Shankara's 'motto' is "ywa Îi:q twa ïi:q /yathaa dRshti tathaa sRshti" (as the vision, so the world appears to us).

In studying this text, we learn how to be 'sadshishyaaH' - proper students. At school and university, we learn how to learn (if we are paying attention!) so that we can apply this throughout life to further our knowledge and experience. The Vivekachoodaamani starts out by making it clear that this is not a path for the faint-hearted, the half-hearted or those seeking the 'quick fix'. He pulls no punches in the very beginning. Following the invocation/mangala charana, he gives in point-form his position on who makes a proper student…

i) For all living creatures, human birth is indeed rare;

ii) much more difficult it is to attain full manhood;

iii) rarer than this is a Sattvic attitude in life.

iv) Even after gaining all these rare chances, to have steadfastness on the path of spiritual activity as explained in Vedic literature is yet rarer;

v) much more so to have a correct knowledge of the deep significances of the scriptures is rare.

vi) Discrimination between the real and the unreal,

vii) personal experience of spiritual glory and ultimately to get fully established in the living consciousness that the Self in me is the Self in all,

viii) – these come only later on and culminate in one’s liberation.

ix) This kind of perfect freedom cannot be had without earned merits of a hundred crores of lives lived intelligently.

In that last pada, the role of the karmic cycle is hinted. We come back as many times as it requires to get it right.

Okay, so even though the Vivekachoodaamani is considered a prakarana grantha, it is at the top end of the scale. Is there not one which cuts it down a little more, into something we can fully relate to in daily saadhana?

Yes. He wrote the SadaachaaraH, 'Good Conduct'. It looks specifically at how we might act within each day, as serious students. He admonishes those who, although right-intentioned, have failed themselves by not identifying correct action versus the wrong action. The deeds themselves speak volumes about our state of mind and demonstrating where we stand spiritually/philosophically. We are made aware of the import of words such as honesty, integrity and goodness.

It is the SadaachaaraH which we will now take up for study on Text-days. If you are able, please purchase your own copy of the book.

Viveka

Hari OM

Application - that is what 'Workings-days' are about!

Thus far in 2018, we have been focusing on getting practical with our application of Vedanta. To make it real in life, we have to work at it. Spiritual philosophy, by its very nature, can seem esoteric and impractical. Which is why, throughout the literature, there are found exercises and methods by which we can interface the secular with the spiritual.

In Vedanta, is the saadhana-chatushtaya. The four rules of practice. You have read about these here, before. (See label in the sidebar.) The thing, though, is that these are the workaday tools of practice. Having read them, now use them!  Over these four posts of February, then, you will be prompted to make the s-c a part of your daily life, that they become second nature to you and do not remain as just concepts written in words upon a page, but activities within your every thought, word and deed.

VIVEKA

Discrimination. It is not merely choosing between what is a healthy food or not, whether to punish one's child or not. It is about assessing what, if anything, deserves your attention, taking it away from the divine. The main point is, therefore, that your central focus is continually on the Higher and that interacting with the world is an interruption to that connection. If we are to be interrupted from this focus, let it be for something worthy. This is the essence of viveka.

While there has to be interaction with the external, let it be with compassion, Love with the capital 'ell', a sense of lightness in the heart and clarity of mind.

Your saadhana for the next seven days is to concentrate on your viveka. Make good food choices, yes, be tolerant of children (and adults) who may err according to your vision, keep a constant 'OM' in the forefront of your mind and use it as your anchor throughout each day. At the end of each day, record how many times the OM was forgotten and lost from sight. This is the measure of how much effort is required to improve your viveka. This is Vedanta at work.

Seeing Clearly

Hari Om

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality and become more congruent within our personality.

We are reading the small booklet called "Not Too Loose, Not Too tight - Just right!" This is written by Swamini Vimalananda, and gives a very general overview of Vedanta for the beginner, with emphasis on the sattvic, rajasic and tamasic approaches to life. Remember, we are a mixture of all; use this as your mirror.

बुद्धि शक्ति /buddhi-shakti -The Powers of the Mind.

We really have little understanding of how powerful our mind is. It is known that we rarely use it to full capacity! In Vedanta, the essence of teaching is that everything we see and experience is based in mind only. There are certain powers which Maya supplies to 'colour' our mind and divert us, keeping us bonded to our baser existence; here they are presented in terms of the trigunas.

आवरण शक्ति /aavarana shakti - the veiling power.  Tamas has the power to veil or hide that which exists and block our thinking capacity. It either totally incapacitates our discrimination, ("I don't know; I don't understand; I can't think"), or sets it thinking in a wrong direction.  It creates a resistance to any form of physical or mental activity, ("I don't want to know…thinking is too hard!..just let me sleep...")  It is the power of inertia that induces man to want to remain in a state of motion or rest without change.  Aavarana is so strong, that the tamasic mind becomes lazy and does not question the poor state of living.

विक्षेप शक्ति /vikshepa shakti - the projection power. Rajas has the power to project, create, act, interact and change.  It projects even that which is not there a creates illusions which seem very real.  It starts its work of creating false illusions once tamas has done its work of hiding the Truth. The classic illustration for this is the rope and the snake... not knowing the object lying in the dark to be a rope, we mistake it for a snake and get frightened by it. Equally, not really knowing a person, we are still disposed to make assumptions as to his or her goodness. Mankind acts and reacts in the world based on subjective projections, prejudices and the colourings of the mind.  These make him or her agitated and miserable.  Projecting happiness onto an object, we run after it and turn away disappointed when it fails to make us happy. 

विवेक शक्ति /viveka shakti - the discriminative power.  Sattva has the power to discriminate and helps us to see ourselves and the world 'as it is', without aavarana or vikshepa interfering.  Think;

1. On observing closely with a calm mind, one sees the rope, thereby dispelling the false vision of the snake and the fear due to it.
2. Through experience, one understands that no object really makes us happy - or, indeed, unhappy.  It is the mind's projections alone which cause these emotions.

Viveka Applied

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 TattvabodaH label to access all posts relevant to this text. 

The enquiry into Truth is now our subject. Note that the chanting for this will be given next week, as the longer section follows this initial question.

The shishya, having enquired and heard Guru's responses on sadhana chatushtaya, now finds that the question arises as to

तत्त्वविवेकःकः

आत्मा सत्यं तदन्यत् सर्वं मिथ्येति।

tattvavivekaHkaH ?

aatmaa satyaM tadanyat sarvaM mithyeti.

"what is this enquiry into Truth?"

"It is of the firm conviction that the Self is Real and all, other than That, is unreal."

Viveka is here used as 'enquiry', as in 'determination'. What is it, exactly, that we are supposed to be understanding here? To what are we expected to apply our discriminative talents? We are told that it is the act of discovering what is True and what is False. Even at this beginning stage, the guru does not hold back from facing the student with highest concept… nothing at all which we perceive is to be considered as 'real'. Only by coming to full appreciation of Self can we say that Truth is found.  Advaita Vedanta is the only दर्शन /darshana (philosophy) which propounds this esoteric understanding. All others vary in how much they accept as being 'real' external to the person. In AV, even nature, the cosmos itself, are unreal.  It is the philosophy of Pure Consciousness. It is the one abiding and permanent factor. Absolutely everything else is impermanent, even this cosmos of the greatest age that we can conceive. We know - science knows - there was a beginning and it predicts an end. That which is impermanent is unreal, according to Advaita. This is the discrimination and understanding to which we must apply our intellect.

There are those who misunderstand and say that, in the end, Reality = nothing. Non-existence (non-consciousness) is illogical. From nothing, only nothing can arise. By virtue of the fact that something - albeit an illusion - has arisen, there is proven a pre-existence, a something from which the illusion can project.

Here, at our novice stage, we are 'experiencing' the world. However, we can negate everything about this existence. Nothing in it is in the least bit permanent. There are two aspects to life. "I" (the experiencer) and "The World" (the experienced). The relationship between the experiencer and the experienced is the experiencing. The name, form, quality and so forth, of every object in the world is a changeable quantity - including the body in which this "I" resides.  "I", the observer of it all, do not change. The "I" is never absent even as the world gets negated… it is this "I" - the ultimate witness of all things - which is the Reality.

However, due to misdirection and attachment to the world, "I", as in The Big Self, lost its way and have become identified with body, mind and intellect. The Big Self has become small and mean and lonely in its travails within the illusion, The Big Dream. We say "I" all the time, meaning this small individual with an ego-identity, believing ourselves to be separate and independent of the Whole. This was the 'original sin', as far as AV is concerned, this is the great fall of Man; that he forgot his divine nature.

The ancient seers understood this and brought down the teachings in order that those who are of sufficient awareness, who have the burning curiosity, will ask precisely the sorts of questions being put forth by the shishya in TattvabodaH. The Guru here is pointing to the exact nature of all enquiry which will follow. To determine the Real from the unreal, it is necessary to go through a process of negation, testing everything which, till now, we have held as being real and removing the illusion created by Maya.  This is referred to as  अध्यरोपापवाद /adhyaaropa-apavaada - revealing the superimposition (of Maya) by negation. We keep going through all the processes of negation until there comes a point where no further negation can take place. That is the point of Truth.

 

Now, of course, all hard-thinking students are wondering, 'what exactly then is the Self, never mind the enquiry into it? We can see easily all this which is not That....but what is That?' A perfectly valid question.

This we shall take up next week. Ponder the points made here. Give proper mananam. When Adi Shankara wrote this text, it was directed at students who had already spent some years in spiritual study within santana dharma and who already were proficient in Sanskrit. The Truth is there for all who are ready to stretch themselves intellectually. That is the promise made in this early text. Be aware, that it is impossible to make this enquiry and not be affected by it, provided the heart and mind are open. It is a mystery of Truth that, when we start to experience it, we find that actually we already knew it ...

Ever In A Spin

Hari Om

Each 'Choose-day' we will investigate the process by which we can reassess our activity and interaction with the world of plurality and become more congruent within our personality.

Continuing posts prompted by the prasaadam grantha, "Gita in Daily life" by Sw. Tejomayananda. Please note that technical terms used here, which have been discussed previously, will not be elaborated or translated. The labels cloud on side bar can be used to access specifics if you are new or require refreshing as to meanings.

Last week we saw how Bhagavad Gita advises 'samataa' (equanimity) towards the world of objects. We ought always to treat things and people equally, avoiding as much as possible personal preference and prejudices.  This week let us explore Equanimity in Experiences.

Chapter 12; shloka 1

With regard to experience, the Gita propounds the principles given per the saadhana chatushtaya; most specifically the equanimity is typified by the requirements of vairaagya.  This is the withdrawal of our excessive reaction to things and circumstances. It is further supported by titiksha, one of the shamaadhi-shatka sampatti. In a number of verses thorughout, Sri Krishna reminds Arjuna not to get caught up in the extremes of the world. Balance in regard to the pairs of opposites (usually given in examples such as heat and cold, joy and sorrow, honour and dishonour… शीतोष्न सुखदुःखेषु तथा मानापमानयोः /shiitoshna sukhaduHkhesu tathaa maanaapamaanayoH. BG 12:18).

The nature of experience is that it can only ever be within the physical realm - but remember that the physical, as far as Vedanta is concerned, is absolutely everything down to the smallest particle; ie from gross to subtle to subtlest. Therefore, using the example given, we can find that heat and cold pertain specifically to the body (gross), whilst joy and sorrow are experiences of the mind (subtle) and to experience honour or dishonour, our intellect is engaged (subtlest). There is not one among us who can escape these things. Regardless of our position in life, in society, geographic location… every single one of us is mechanically built to have a response to the external world. The estimation of our relationship with things/others comes down to our psychology and whether our balance is more towards the body, the mind or the intellect. One of the fundamental tasks of any who would follow philosophical injunctions is to assess themselves and these interactions and seek to modify them. Every spiritual philosophy requires this!

How to attain this balance; this equanimity? First we must understand (discriminate = use our viveka) that equanimity means freedom from personal preference. It is a neutralising of any excessive leanings, which permits us to remain stable whenever challenge arises. What is the measure of being imbalanced? Any sense of elation or deflation. If we insist on a specific thing and refuse to accept any alternative, on having that want met we will feel a sense of elation/satisfaction to some degree. Conversely, if that want is not met, there will be a sense of dejection/loss and so on. The merest twinge we have of having bettered another or of having been deprived in some way, is what haunts us.

This happens all the time, but we are so used to it that we do not keep tabs on how our ego is at all times seeking to have the upper hand, be it in elation or deflation! This is largely what drives commerce and society. We are constantly placed in a situation of comparison as to whether we have, or have not. At the mental level, this can manifest as the controlling and submissive behaviours which can mar our enjoyment of life. At the intellectual level it might manifest in attitudes of elitism. What is more, no two situations are the same and neither is any one situation experienced the same way by any number of individuals. What will always show, however, is the one person who has the most balanced response to whatever is happening. You will all know someone like this; someone who appears to be unaffected by the vicissitudes of life. There is a tranquillity about them and they are easy to engage with, even when having differences. These people understand the fluctuations and impermanence of life and therefore meet it as it comes without getting overly affected.

For those who follow a spiritual path, the acceptance is that everything happens according to the will of the Spirit and how can we become agitated by such a force? Whether one is inclined to say "Ah, 'tis God's work", or whether you are of the school of thinking that everything is driven by karma or whether you are a Vedantin, able to see all as false except the One Great Truth; at all times the importance is keeping the physical being steady.

A Sanskrit proverb; आगते स्वागतं कुर्यात् गच्छन्तं न निवारयेत् /aagate svaagatam kuryaat gacchantam na nivaarayet - "when something comes, welcome it; when something goes, do not stop it."

Whatever level of philosophy you hold at this point in time, ensure that your understanding is that things and people and situations will come and will go. Whether you become dizzy with the fluctuations, or remain centred throughout is your choice.

Control of Mind

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. The chanting for the oncoming posts was given last week - use the TattvabodaH label to access all posts relevant to this text.

We have been learning that the saadhana chatushtaya are a key component of spiritual pursuit. Every spiritual philosophy in this world requires of its genuine aspirants that they prepare themselves with methods of self-control. Not for purpose of dogma, but irrespective of it. With the sole purpose of 'tilling the inner field' in preparation to receive the fullness of religious experience.  In the process, they are likely to find themselves becoming better human beings.

It has been highlighted that viveka is required as a first step; to begin to perceive all that appears to be 'real' actually has no reality, for everything which can be perceived is impermanent. In spiritual terms, only the permanent can be Real and this can, then, only be the cause of all cause and effect. The first and only causative agent out of which all else has arisen. Having grasped the need to truly 'see' a tool is required to begin cutting away the peripheral 'stuff' and that tool is vairaagya; the dispassion towards all the objective world. Not detachment, but a proper ordering of  function and form in the scheme of things, freeing one to act with greater meaning and clarity.

It is worth mentioning, briefly, here that vairaagya is considered to have three qualities of its own. 

मुण्ड/munda, which is a weak application of dispassion; vairaagya can only be maintained for short duration and does not meet the bigger challenges particularly well. It is, however a start!

मध्यम/madhyama, which is a middling application. There is dispassion to the objective world, but the interest remains for objective practices such as performance of puja (worship) and japa, or acting within community and such like - with a specific view to gaining spiritual 'brownie points'… to increase positive karma and boost chances of an improved 'next life'. This also has merit, for at least improvements are made.

तीव्र/tiivra, which is the intense and very strong application. One with this has no desire for anything of the now, nor thinks of a 'hereafter' (which is also a perishable concept). The sole desire of this vairaagi is to gain the Knowledge of Self. Nothing can distract such a one.

As can be seen, it can take some doing, this gaining of appropriate and balanced vairaagya! What other tool is available to help we poor mundas and madhyamas on our path?  There is the shamaadhi-shatka sampatti, the six-fold wealth.

As with many Sanskrit texts, Tattvabodah has begun with the voice of the Guru (remover of darkness), the aachaarya (teacher), making observations what is going to help the shishya (student). The alert student asks questions of the script and now, being thiivra vairaagi, wishes to know what are the six qualities which support the seeker.

What are they and why are the six inner qualities referred to as 'wealth'? Simply, the answer is a naming of the six. Shama, Dama, Uparati, Titiksha, Shraddha and Samaadhaanam.  This of course prompts individual questioning by the shishya; but as a precis here, understand that the joy of having control over the sense, of being able to remain balanced through the thick and thin, the high and the low, to be able to be in the world but be little affected by it - this is to be considered as true wealth. Appropriately tuned, we can enter the fray of life, but always return to our core purpose of sitting in shravanam, mananam, nididhyaasana each day, being able to shake off the burdens the world tries to impose upon us. Treasure indeed! These qualities themselves take practice and the whole of Vedanta is here to help us in this smaller goal. One step at a time.  Guru-ji, Sw. Tejomayananda, says "Outer wealth decreases on spending and increases our sorrow. Inner wealth increases with use and decreases our grief."

Let us first, then, ask what is shama? The Guru tells us that it is control or mastery of the mind.

Left at this we could interpret it according to our current circumstances and may or may not be successful to a point. There is also, if not read in accordance with the spirit of Vedanta or if read by one with perverted and skewed views, scope to misinterpret it altogether, taking it to mean brain-washing. No such thing! It is imperative to remember that mind is defined as being a continuous flow of thoughts. Constant. Like spoiled children, our minds are always on alert for the new, the need, the trouble, the stimulus. Ever more in this world there are distractions glaring out attempting to lure us. By lure us, of course, is meant lure the mind! The mind can control us so much that we have no idea we are dancing to its tune. Fickly, flimsy, fun-seeking mind.

When we refuse to follow the mind's every whim, when we can brush away the distracting thoughts and refuse to participate in flights of fancy; when we can keep the mind from flying out to the world of objects and retain focus on the task in hand; then we can say that we are in full control of the mind. To do this we must be ever vigilant, just as a parent is of a child. Make no mistake. Mind will make every attempt to escape and the more it feels the control coming, the greater will be its outward surges.

Be gentle with it though. As will all children, it needs to know that there is a reward for positive behaviour. This is where the wonderful stories of the scriptures play their part. Reminding mind that there is purpose beyond instant gratification. In meditation, too, it will begin to find much benefit from 'towing the line'.

At first the benefits may not necessarily show in the spiritual field - indeed, it ought to be seen that in many areas of life, a well-controlled mind can flourish. It knows how to control all the urges which come up as reaction to circumstances.  Recall all the lists of negative and positive emotions given earlier? (Check the 'basics' label). Anger, greed, gluttony - so many things are there to which we give an inflated and damaging importance. All is mind. 

How to begin this though? Substitution and sublimation. Not suppression. We know we have only succeeded in suppressing when we find that the emotions keep re-emerging. We know that we have successfully sublimated when we can sense there is cause for an emotion - let us use anger, because that is high on the list - but we are able to withhold from basic, animalistic, explosive expression (or for those who tend to it, the 'flipside' of dropping into depression). Instead, we can find positive responses to the negative stimulus. The alert, controlled mind is able to take the precious time to formulate appropriate response to defuse a situation, or, if necessary, is able to walk away. The personality can say "Mind - what are you doing, every time you want to do this thing, to lash out or run away and not deal with things. Have you not learned this only brings continued worry? Come here now and don't bother over that matter. Do you have something worthwhile to add?" Continue to speak to your mind until it begins to believe you!  This is called sublimation - logical convincing of the mind to bring calm.

The mind which has been used to free reign is likely to fight back! There will be times when we cannot reason with ourselves.  This is where substitution comes in. "Okay, anger is there and even if it is justified, it is still not appropriate to react with same. So just let the other know the anger is there and that you are not going to respond right now." This way we satisfy the mind's need to express, but do so with minimal risk of escalation. Later, when we have walked away and the mind has settled a bit, we can follow up with the self-talk to strengthen sublimation.

This last has happened at the level of the organs of action. Shama you see, is all about the organs of knowledge, the jnaanendriiyas, purely internal. When we have to allow at least some action, albeit moderated and controlled - and speech is one of the karmendriiyas - where we have controlled those actions, this is the use of next of the 'wealth', known as dama.

This we will discuss next week.

SAADHANA.

Begin to closely observe your thoughts. Note how often you leave them to their own devices...

Standing Apart

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 a key component of advancing spiritually is to develop viveka. What is it that can be the कारण/kaarana - the causative agent - for viveka? To develop full skill of viveka, we need to develop चित्त-शुद्धि/chitta-shuddhi (purity of mind/intellect) and चित्त-एकाग्रत/chitta-ekaagrata (single-pointedness of mind/intellect). (Note these terms - they will appear here and there!) Immediately you may think, but how do these get sparked?  This relates to पुण्य/punya, the fructification of merits within karma as part of  प्रारब्ध/praarabdha ('destiny').  Much later we will investigate this more. Know that, at this moment, the very fact that you are reading this and are now aware of chitta-shuddhi or ekaagrata means that somewhere in your history you have done sufficient 'good' to 'earn' this level of learning.

It is not that we automatically have the purity and focus. It is that something, built up by long experience, we come to understand that there is a need to develop these things. Each act of hearing about God/Brahman /Allah/Manitou… even the passing words of a television interpretation (!)… lays the seeds of our spiritual growth and we develop more interest and reach a little higher (or inner). Through viveka we find that we develop the next part of the saadhana chatushtaya.

विरागः कः  (?)

इहस्वर्गभोगेषु इच्छाराहित्यम्।

viraagaH kaH?

iha-svarga-bhogeShu icChaar-aahityam.

"What is dispassion?

The absence of the desire for the enjoyments

(of the fruits of one's actions)

In this world and in heaven."

Continuing the text, there now comes one paada (sentence) on vairaagya. [Note that for this line, chanting is not provided. Listen back to last week's chants and note the rhythm; same now applies this paada.]

This is a word which some folk distrust; even misinterpret. Dispassion does not mean sacrificing enjoyment or taking an ever-harshly critical stance.  Neither is it to be uninterested or to lack 'verve'. The vairaagya of vedanta is about understanding our proper relationship with the world of objects. Objects/people/situations are the source of much enjoyment but also of sorrow (either at not having them or at their loss). Lost in craving, we allow these things to be our focus.  When one has corrected the 'view', understanding the utility of these things, we can continue to appreciate them, but no longer do they take a toll on our soul. Knowing the Truth of freedom in spirit and that all else is fleeting, we adjust our relationship with the world and in this sense develop 'lack of passion'.

Dispassion, then, is the strength to give up desire for the impermanent, knowing the prize of the permanent is before us. It is the absence of 'like or dislike' for this or that. We may find that in becoming disinterested in personal joy, we do now build a desire to bring joy or relief to others. Such measured interaction arises from viveka. That ability to move about the world with the constant thought "this is not Real, that is false" builds discernment to the level whereby we can release any personal 'investment' we may have in the object/person/situation.

All actions of the true vairagi are now dedicated with ease to the Greater Spirit. Universal Love will flow through such a person, with no pettyness or expectation of return. The vairagi is without fear and depends on nothing external for his or her joy. There is a peaceable and cheerful turn to their countenance whether they have much or little.

The passionate one lives for their own pleasure.  The dispassionate one alone can truly love all.

Viveka and Vairaagya are the wings of spiritual seeker.

 

What Qualification?

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.

Now we begin the text proper.

We found, through the mangala verses, that the adhikaari is one who has established saadhana chatushtaya. Surely then, more questions must follow in order to satisfy the enquirer as to the nature of this study and the prompt has come by mention of the saadhana... What is this qualification? What exactly is this 'viveka'? Also, what is the Truth into which we must enquire? 

(NB: the longer compound words, in transliterations will be broken with hyphens for ease of reading when chanting. There are no question marks in Sanskrit, rather the very words  का, कः, किम् /kaa, kaH, kim are themselves the query. Having had Swami-ji's example for the mangala verses, please now use the gaps in the chant recordings for your own repetition practice.)

साधनचतुष्टयं किम्  (?)

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः।

इहामुत्रार्थफलभोगविरागः।

शमादिषट्कसंपत्तिः।

मुमुक्षुत्वं चेत्ति।

saadhanacatuShTayaM kim? 

nityaanityavastuvivekaH.

Iha-amutra-artha-phala-bhoga-viraagaH.

Shamaadi-SaTka-saMpattiH.

mumukshutvaM cetti.

"What are the four-fold qualifications?

The capacity to discriminate between permanent and impermanent;

Dispassion to the enjoyment of fruits of one's actions here and hereafter;

The group of six accomplishments beginning with shama;

And the yearning for liberation."

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः कः  (?)

नित्यवस्त्वेकंब्रह्म

तद्व्यतिरिक्तं सर्वमनित्यम्।

अयमेव नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः।

Nitya-anitya-vastu-vivekaH kaH?

Nityavastv-ekaM-brahma tad-vyatiriktaM sarvam-anityam.

ayameva nitya-anitya-vastu-vivekaH.

"What is meant by discrimination between permanent and impermanent?

The Reality alone is eternal,

Everything else is ephemeral;

This conviction alone is the discrimination…"

Two are given here as the first is very straight forward. The four key skills of a spiritual student are the ability to discriminate correctly (viveka), to be objective and not emotionally caught up (vairaagya), to be self-contained by use of the six 'wealths' of personality (shamaadi-shatka-sampatti) and to have the burning desire to progress to fullest spiritual end.

Easy enough in words!  It ought to be noted here that almost the entirety of vedanta for most people is the practice and application of the disciplines suggested here. Majority of the prakarana grantha are for that purpose only - including this very one.  TattvabodaH is to a large extent an exploration of viveka, how to adopt it, what it implies and so on. Each text will build on the foundation laid by the one before it so, just as learning the multiplication tables in early school ensures easier grasp of higher maths, those who learn well the basics of vedantic saadhana can only reap benefits. Note the following for now (much elaboration will come in due course!);

Viveka does not mean that one becomes calculating and neither must it be used as an excuse for sticking to an idea or concept which can be demonstrated as erroneous by clearer thinking. True viveka permits the thinker to think more.

Vairaagya is not an excuse to become hard of heart or unfeeling. There are those who take up the intellectualism of vedantic philosophy and use it as a barrier between themselves and the world. This is a grave error. True vairaagya permits one to interact and have an effect upon the world, yet not be touched or damaged by it. For those who cry out 'how to be in the world but not of it?!', vairaagya is the answer!

Shamaadi-shatka-sampatti are six gems of wisdom for personal development.  Taking up self-assessment and adjustment based on these six can have profound benefits. For now, simply list their names; shama (peace of spirit), dama (peace of mind), uparati ('holding in'), titiksha (forbearance), shraddha (faith) and samaadhana (meditative nature).

Mumukshatvam is, as already mentioned, that state of spiritual hunger which drives one on in enquiry, despite setbacks from within and without.

From this then, clarity is sought as to the meaning of discrimination and the shishya asks of the guru, what is this thing called viveka, determination of what is permanent and what is not? Thus viveka is a little more elaborated. In simple terms, discrimination is to assess two things or situations and make a decision based upon the information gathered. Such basic assessment is available to all animals; eat this or that? Chase this or that? Safe or unsafe?

Only mankind, however, has the ability to use this talent in abstract terms. We can use this skill to extrapolate much more than simple survival methods; it is used not only to understand means of living, but also a purpose in living. Mankind has a sense of the ephemeral and has, with his intellectual capacity, the opportunity to investigate the unseen.  The assessment between two perishable things is referred to as anitya-anitya-viveka. Thus we are told that one who is truly seeking spiritual freedom will be able to determine that there is something which may be imperishable and thus we have nitya-anitya-viveka. The observant will note that in Sanskrit, to make a word into its negative, the prefix 'a' is used. Therefore 'anitya' is impermanent, ever-changing, and 'nitya' is the permanent, that one thing which never, ever changes.

Never, ever changes!

THAT can only be the causeless cause. Absolutely everything else changes. Be it the seconds of the day, or the turn of the cosmos. Change itself is a 'permanent constant' in life! With well applied viveka, however, we can come to know Brahman, That One upon which all change occurs, but which itself changes not.

The firm determination of what changes and what does not is called viveka. What then is this thing called 'dispassion'?

...next week!...

SAADHANA.

Practice your viveka. How? At this stage, ponder only on cause and effect.  Effects can only arise by cause. The flame on your gas hob, or the light in your bulb have a cause. Think on the cause of that cause then… yes there will be the endless scientific, chemical and physics-based explanations, but now you are giving mananam to that which causes even those sciences to arise…

Clear Promise

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.

Already, at the very opening of the text itself, we are learning much...about learning! We have found that mangala-charana can take any one, or all, of three rupaaH (forms) and that for the student approaching the text, there needs to be anubandha chatushtaya, four applications of the text to their needs. Further, there follows a shloka which promises the student a little more, pratigjnayaa and praakriiya, the means and the method.

साधनचतुष्टयसंपन्नाधिकारिणां 

मोक्षसाधनभूतं

सत्त्वविवेकप्रकारं वक्षयामः।

Saadhana-chatuSTaya-saMpanna-adhikaariNaaM

moksha-saadhana-bhUtaM

Sattva-viveka-prakaaraM  vakshayaamaH.

"We shall explain to those who are endowed with the four-fold qualifications, 

the mode of enquiry into the Reality, 

which is the means of liberation."

It is a verse to show that the student who has taken up the saadhana chatushtaya, dedicating themselves to gaining of Knowledge with application of their discriminative ability (viveka) have the mode already to hand and that the method, then, is to utilise their intellect to its fullest.

We all think we can think… but what becomes clear when we meet others who have thought more, is that our thinking is often lacking!

This is what the Guru/shishya, Master/apprentice relationship is all about. The student must certainly have the potential for raising his or her game in terms of informational investigation, but at the same time must understand that there is always something more to be found out and the best way to do this is to follow the advices and pointers provided by those more advanced in study than themselves.

Thus, in the praakriiya vaakya, we are told that viveka is the mode of inquiry; use the skill of assessment and filtering to get to the kernal of learning. Man alone has been blessed with such a talent. Too often it is used simply to recognise objects, perhaps to separate out concepts; but essentially only to determine what is good or not good for the personal comfort and ease of the person. This same faculty applied to the determination of the true purpose of life, to discriminate between the Real and the not-real is what brings a liberation of spirit beyond all other possibilities.

It is this same mode of thinking which is the means to obtain the best out of the text about to be studied. It is said that most problems would not arise if only we paused to think for a moment; but a moment is a long time and thinking is a difficult process!

We are all in a state of 'thinking' from morn till night, insofar as our mind is constantly processing. Are we, though, leveraging the best we can from thinking? Taking control of the randomness which normally constitutes our mind, thinking on the basic questions of "Who am I?" or "What is the goal of life?" and so on. Not alone the questions must arise, but the consequent queries of , "In order to find the answers to such questions, where do I go, what can I do…?" These are the things which start us on the spiritual path, the quest for Self. Along the way we find that we must have a logical approach, (viveka), the ability to stand back and look on things with a coolness (vairaagya), have a continual measure of ourselves as marked by the six inner qualtities (samadhi-shatka sampatti), and last but not least, a true desire to follow the answers wherever the lead us and face the consequences of ourselves (mumukshatva). 

In this way, we become the adhikaari, the fit student to undertake study of texts such this.

TattvabodaH proper now begins, with two shlokas regarding the fourfold qualifications. This we will take up next week.

SAADHANA

Do take time to review the Saadhana Chatushtaaya 'collection' of posts thus far provided, as the text under study will now elaborate upon the subject.