Preamble to Vedanta Svadhyayam (reflection on one fine morning)

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स तन्मयो ह्यमृत ईशसंस्थो ज्ञः सर्वगो भुवनस्यास्य गोप्ता।

य ईशेऽस्य जगतो नित्यमेव नान्यो हेतुर्विद्यत ईशनाय॥

यो ब्रह्माणं विदधाति पूर्व यो वै वेदांश्च प्रहिणोति तस्मै।

तं ह देवं आत्मबुध्दिप्रकाशं मुमुक्षुर्वै शरणमहं प्रपद्ये॥

"He is the Soul of the Universe; He is Immortal; His is the Rulership; He is the All-knowing, the All-pervading, the Protector of the Universe, the Eternal Ruler. None else is there efficient to govern the world eternally. He who at the beginning of creation projected Brahmâ (i.e. the universal consciousness), and who delivered the Vedas unto him — seeking liberation I go for refuge unto that effulgent One, whose light turns the understanding towards the Atman." - Svetasvataara Upanisad - 6 - 17-18

1.       Truth which is permanent (eternal) & unchanging is the goal of Vedanta. Not some relative truth – however sublime or poetic or satisfying (in varying degrees). This Ultimate Truth ought to be known in without least vestige of doubt and Truth must transcend time, space and causation. The only place where there is no doubt is my Self. 

        "I exist" is my faith, knowledge, experience. It is here and now that Brahman as pure consciousness (Chaithanyam) has to be known as  real meaning of "I". This is the essence of Vedanta. 

        

       By Vedanta is meant - Brahma Vidya - Knowledge of Brahman - the basis of all knowledge ("brahmavidyāṃ sarvavidyāpratiṣṭham" - Mu. 1.1.1). Brahma Vidya helps us remove wrong notion of what is meant by "I" and grants us knowledge that the real import of "I" or "Aham" is Brahman - of the nature of pure consciousness - PrajnAnam Brahma (Ait. Upanisad ~ Consciousness is Brahman)

2.      For achieving this Brahma JnAna.  A Nista (devotion) to Brahma Vidya is to be developed. This JnAna Nista leads to Jnana Vichara or Vedantic Reasoning. For this to bloom, certain prerequisites are often mentioned

(Jnana Marga) Sadhana Chatustayam + Yama/Niyama etc. (Yoga Marga)

Simply put – Strength, Determination, One pointedness, Elimination of personal preconceptions (past life impressions that exist prior to developing sraddha on Vedanta (Brahma Vidya)) & most importantly Guru Bhakti.  [ Guru Bhakti is Ishwara Bhakti is Atma Svarupa Bhakti - Bhakti alone suffices, everything else follows suit]

Sri Bhagavatpaada says as follows : - 

मोक्षकारणसामग्र्यां भक्तिरेव गरीयसी ।

स्वस्वरूपानुसन्धानं भक्तिरित्यभिधीयते ॥ ३१ ॥

mokṣakāraṇasāmagryāṃ bhaktireva garīyasī |

svasvarūpānusandhānaṃ bhaktirityabhidhīyate || Vivekachudamani 31 ||

Among things conducive to Liberation, devotion (Bhakti) holds the supreme place. The seeking after one’s real nature is designated as devotion.

“Through the grace of God alone, the desire for Advaita arises in wise men to save them from great fear” – Avadhuta Gita

3.         Fallacy of the worldly (classic) thinking model , which we usually subscribe to (prior to Vedanta Nista)

a.          Drawing conclusions based on data confined to only waking state

b.         Heavy reliance upon the implicit belief that the “cause-effect relationship can explain everything”

c.          The belief that only gross matter or events are the “objects of perception” while our mind (thinking faculty – thoughts etc.) is the subject.

4.         Each of the above three assumptions are valid from a certain measure of transnational utility but when it comes to Vedanta thinking model the following three points ought to be kept in mind.

a.      Our understanding has to include all three states as source of data or experience – Waking, Dream and DeepSleep.

b.     By simple examination we can realize that the “cause-effect relation” at best only works in limited sphere of knowledge and beyond a point we can never know “why something happened the way it did”? (This World or Maya is Inscrutable).

So we should overcome the instinctive hang-over of “causality-hunting” and rely upon Sruti (Upanisads), Sampradhaya anukula Yukti (Vedantic Reasoning and analysis) and Aapta Vaakya (words of masters, Gurus) and interpret Anubhava (experience) accordingly.

c.     We should examine the MOST FUNDAMENTAL DATA – the “I or Aham” and recognize it to be the subject, while everything other than it – starting from our own mind (i.e. thoughts), words-deeds, body, the world as its presented to “I or Aham” to be objects.

This paradigm shift in our understanding of “I ness or Aham Spurti” based upon recognizing the indwelling consciousness as the actual center of our being, helps us appreciate Upanisads (i.e. Brahma Vidya or Vedanta).

The real meaning of “I” is that “Aham” padartham – which is consciousness which illumines all thoughts, words, deeds and events across Waking, Dream and DeepSleep.

pratibodhaviditaṃ matamamṛtatvaṃ hi vindate .

ātmanā vindate vīryaṃ vidyayā vindatemṛtam  - Kena Upanisad 2.4

When Brahman is known as the inner Self (consciousness) in every act of cognition, (then alone) It is known in reality, because (by that knowledge) one thus attains immortality. (How?) Through one's own Self is attained strength and through knowledge is attained immortality.

5.         The classical prep-approach outlined in our tradition is two fold

(a)     sravana, manana, nididhyasana – Jnana Vichara Marga

(b)     astAnga Yoga marga

If  student embarks only on the Jnana Vichara Marga or a more philosophical enquiry approach to truth, then the lack of proper moral purity & inability to control one’s mind – will cause him or her to get trapped in the “sabdajAla mahAranyam” [ trackless forest of words] which will be a source of “chitta bhramana kAranam” [confusion leading to, losing sight of goal]

If however one takes to Yoga Marga (without undertaking Jnana Vichara or Vedanta Sravana) he can at best quieten his mind but never Realize the Truth in toto. He might even get a glimpse of the “peace that transcends all understanding” – but it is that “understanding with Sraddha” which is called JnAna, which grants us complete freedom from suffering, forever !

Suffering according to Vedanta is only due to ignorance – which constitutes all self-imposed limitations, “I’m the body, mind; This I like, This I dislike, I’m powerless, I’m finite etc, I’m the combination of consciousness and matter etc, Mukti is an event in time, space etc, I'm a sinner etc…”

So a combination of Yoga (preparatory step that grants mind control) + Jnana Vichara (post Brahma Vidya Sravana, which dispels Ignorance) is recommended. - but Mukti or freedom from suffering is only due to JnAna (Brahma Vidya). 

If Yoga just by itself aspires to accelerate our evolution - then jnAna Vichara short-circuits all these notions of evolution, bondage etc.... and reveal - "Im the ever free Brahman of the nature of Pure consciousness"

However, till Sraddha in Brahma Vidya i.e. real import of Mahavaakya, ripens we need a harmonious combination of principles of AstAnga Yoga, Jnana Vichara and Ishwara Upasana. 

Three things are necessary for a bird to fly — the two wings and the tail as a rudder for steering. Jnana (Knowledge) is the one wing, Bhakti (Love) is the other, and Yoga is the tail that keeps up the balance - Swami Vivekananda. 

6.         The Test of Truth is Universal Consistency, Non-controvertibility, Everlasting Utility and Repeatability 

       This philosophical test for truth is seen in the  Bhasyams, Kaarikas, Vartikas, PrAkaranas etc, by great Acharyas like Sri Gaudapada, Sri Sankara, Sri Sureshwaracharya and other such great Vedantins. They examine purvapaksha (prior notion of opponents to Advaita siddhanta) and then refute it based on Sruti, Vedanta yukti and consistency check with life in general & universal. 

       When it comes to life experience – they invoke only common experience not rare experiences (e.g. Yogic Samadhi or Mystical vision of Sri Hari in Vaikuntha or such rare divine experiences).  This does not mean they dismiss or look down upon rare experiences, but they want the Brahma Vidya communicated on the evidence of universal experience – not rare experiences – so this Brahma Vidya is accessible to all & philosophically irrefutable. As and when they do examine rare experiences – they ratify, recommend, appreciate it – only so long as it does not contradict the essence of Vedas – namely Vedanta (Brahma Vidya).

7.         This rigor in examination of truth is not intellectual gymnastics but persistent deep desire to establish the truth so as to remove every vestige of doubt in us and make Brahma Vidya irrefutably obvious to us.  Vedic Rishi's  pursuit of  Advaita Sathyam (Truth) was not overwhelmed by their devotional leaning to Ishwara. So their Brahma JigyAsa (deep yearning of ultimate truth) did not stop at the altar of devotion to Ishwara but instead their pursuit of Truth culminated in “knowing that by which everything else becomes known” (Mu. Up 1.1.3) 

8.         After this BrahmaJnAna which alone releases one from all “knots of heart”, they walked among us as Jeevan Muktas and proved two things : -

    (1) Self, Ishwara, Guru – all are different words for Brahman which has the Svarupa lakshanas – Existence (Satyam), Consciousness (jnAnam), Infinitude (Anantam)

            (2) Mukti has nothing to do with karma, body, name, form, time, space, causation – but is our essential nature. So even though “apparently living in body” – a person is ever free ! In other words Jeevan muktih is not a state - but essential, eternal nature of Self. 

9.         Doubt while studying Vedanta is to be treated as a stimulus for further enquiry, but if we are going in circles it implies our method of investigation is not the tradition approved Vedantic approach (which means we are making mistakes akin to 3 – (a), (b) (c)). Sri Sankara is very strict in his Bhasyams (commentaries) to point out that Brahma Vidya ought to be learnt in right traditional method.

Here traditional method means : -

(a)     pursuing jnAna Vichara (Enquiry into our Self-hood) based on adhyaropa apavada nyaayam, pancha kosha viveka, avasta traya viveka, drik-drishya viveka, etc all having their root in Upanisads

(b)     applying them in a way that leads to  spontaneous recognition (pratyabhijna) of  Svasvarupam (Real Self) as non-dual-pure-consciousness.

10.     If Sraddha is ripe then mere instruction of mahAvAkya “Tat Tvam Asi”, will directly grant us Svasvarupa pratyabhijna (instant recognition of Self as Infinite Reality – Pure Consciousness). However it’s not the case always – for such aspirants JnAna Vichara ("I" enquiry as per traditional method 9-a,b) is needed,  after sustained Sravana, Manana, Nididhyaasana.  This again ought to be learnt from traditional Advaitin masters – Srotriya Brahma Nista (Mu. Up 1.2.12). 

        Sraddha is defined by Sri Bhagavatpaada as follows : - 

śāstrasya guruvākyasya satyabuddhyavadhāraṇam |

sā śraddhā kathitā sadbhiryayā vastūpalabhyate || 25 ||

25. Acceptance by firm judgment as true of what the Scriptures and the Guru instruct, is called by sages Śraddhā or faith, by means of which the Reality is perceived.

This clearly shows Sraddha is an untranslatable word. For it implies not just "faith" but also "clarity of conviction", brought about by deep study of scriptures, faith in Guru's teaching, clarity arising from inspection, introspection, and philosophical insight. 

11.     Always remember, Satisfaction is not a test of truth but can be the fruit of enquiry and/or study and/or meditation. To treat satisfaction as a proxy for actual verification of truth, is misguided approach. This often leads to different versions of Truth at different degrees of clarity – from person to person. But this is not a real worry for aspirant, who has the Guru Krupa of a Srotriya Brahma Nista (Mu. Up 1.2.12).  Satisfaction - abiding, eternal, unconditional - Nitya Trupti - is the very nature of Self - Pure Non-Dual Consciousness.  

        If by Sravanam one learns to turn attention inward, recognize the principle of "awareness" and develops Sraddha that "Awaraness" is Real "Me". Yet he feels, he has not found lasting satisfaction - it implies jnAna vichara has to continue till abiding as Brahman. 

12.     Satsangam is irreplaceable.  If you have tasted the bliss of Satsangam, you can never abandon it. Also know you are bathed in Ishwara Anugraham completely! Next best course is constant study of life & teachings of Mahatmas who have lived Vedanta and demonstrated the truths.  What is Satsangham? Earnest Company of Truth which is ever Truth - in past, present, future - namely Brahman, Ishwara. Translated in a more accessible language - this means seeking company of those who are devoted to Brahma Vidya. 

        True test of Satsangham is Nissangathvam (detaching oneself from notions of false individuality and developing love for Brahma Vidya). True test of Nissangathvam – is Nirmohatvam - clarity w.r.t one’s Self, World, Ishwara – goal of life. This clarity over time ripens into Nischalatattvam – firm abidance in one’s Svassvarupam as Pure Consciousness – nothing more, nothing less. This state is hailed by traditional masters as – Jeevan Muktih!

सत्संगत्वे निस्संगत्वं, निस्संगत्वे निर्मोहत्वं।

निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं, निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥९॥

Satsangatve nissangatvam nissangatve nirmohatvam,

nirmohatve niscalatattvam niscalatattve jivanmuktiH