When i read back after many days i felt it to be very complicated and technical. My views should have been more simple and generic but still with essance. The below article looks more a philosophical opnion than to be conveying to the beginers. Henceforth the correction will be taken care.
Sharanara Vachana (Tanu karagadavaralli)
Read this Akka mahadevis vachana this is termed as sharanara vachana. Sharanaru are the people who call themselves as veerashaivas, they in contrary to Madhwa believe that the supreme soul is shiva himself or the other avataras of shiva. The below vachana explains what qualities should a person aspiring spiritualism should have,
tanu karagadavaralli neenu puShpavanolleyayya neenu
One who does not feel that the body is nothing in front of the supreme being is not worth offering flowers to god
mana karagadavaralli gaMdhaakshateyanollayya neenu
one who cannot control the senses and manassu is not worth offering gandhakshate to god
arivu kaNtereyadavaralli aaratiyanollayya neenu
for those who do not get awaken by knowledge are not worth offering arathi to the god
bhaava shuddha villadavaralli dhUpavanollayya neenu
one who cannot understand other pain is not worth offering dhoopa to the god
parINaamigaLalla davaralli naivedyavanollayya neenu
One who is not performing with the knowledge in him is not worth offering naivedya to the god
trikaraNa shuddha villadavaralli taaMbUlavanollayya neenu
Untill the indriya manassu and the bhuddi are cleansed they are not worth offering tamboola to the god
hRudaya kamala araLadavaralli iralollayya neenu
one who does not see the god in himself then the god is not within him and not for him
Thursday, 9 August 2007
Search of the self
In a long and constant search or the quest to know the SELF, individual struggles. The struggle is for a cause and the fruits are eternal. Our journey is in the same direction. My heartfelt prostrations to Shankara who has in all his works simplified the beauty of the SELF and stressed on nirvana. His works are numerous. It starts with the bhaashya to Brahma sutras and has lot of miscellaneous works on to his credit. One of this is the HariStuti. In this Shankara says why a human strongly feels he is an undivided creature of the world.
Ishvara, Jiva and Prapancha are the three important things any philosophy deals with. The beauty is, these three are termed different and for us the interaction is between these three factors. Advaitha always believes in single universal omniscience unimaginable all pervading power. "Na kinchit dwaitam yatra" is Advaitha when split. It says no sound of duality exists anywhere. Ishvara and Jiva in combination with Prakriti change with names as Brahman and Atman. Realizing that Atman is Brahman is nirvana or Mukthi or Moksha. Usually the misconception that everybody has is liberation from the bondage and samsara is Mukthi but Shankara puts it in a different way. According to him the realization that we were never bound to anything is the true Mukthi.
Prakriti is a combination of satva, rajas and tamas qualities. The characteristic feature of this Prakriti is, it is neither real as felt by one nor not real as experienced by the realized. It is hence difficult to group under atman or the anatman. A stress is always made to have clarity in what is atman which is clear and imperishable with what anatman which is untrue and perishable. Always the perishable perishes in the imperishable. This is a statement made by Shankara in his Vivekachudamani (the crest jewel). The satva (goodness), rajas (passion) and the tamas (darkness) are the 3 qualities which form the triguna swarupa of Ishvara.
Tamas (darkness) – Complete delusion, ignorance, indecision in respect to any action, unforgiveness, hatred, absence of faith are some of the characteristics of darkness.
Rajas (passion) – boastfulness of action, performance of sacrifices, thirst or desire to do more, vows and regulations are some of the characteristics of passion.
Satva (goodness) – forgiveness, renunciation, satisfaction, selfless are some of the characteristics of the goodness.
The case where only goodness i.e. satva found and the rajas and tamas are missing, because of the knowledge which has killed these two guna’s one can easily think about liberation and eternal happiness. This is termed as "Maya". When satva gets clouded by rajas and tamas then the Self with the agent called mind becomes a doer and the enjoyer. This ignorance is termed as "Avidya". The reflection of consciousness in the maya is Ishvara and its reflection in avidya is Jiva.
The avidya conceals the consciousness element from the Jiva. The avidya is the reason why we fall in the cycle of birth and death. The true non dual consciousness when is mixed with avidya loses its charm and attains the form of a Jiva. This jiva falls in the ocean called samsara and is carried away as how a blind leads a blind. In this process it is confused. Therefore, the nature of avidya is that, it represents what is infinite as finite, projects things other than the Self, which are non-existent and makes the Self appear as limited. From this sense of limitation arises the desire for things that appear to be different from oneself. It is like seeing a rope in dim light and not recognizing it as a rope, a person mistakes it for a snake which he has seen elsewhere. This is an illusory effect or appearance called adhyaasa (superimposition). The snake is not absolutely unreal, because it is actually experienced, and produces the same effect, such as fear and so on, as a real snake would. At the same time, it is not real, because it is no longer seen when the rope has been recognized. Associating the Self to the non-Self happens because of adhyaasa (superimposition). As there cannot be any real association between the self, which is absolutely real and the non-self which has only experiential reality. The non-self, (namely, the body, mind and organs,) is superimposed on the self and, consciousness, which is the nature of the self, is attributed to the body, mind and organs. The consciousness and the Self unchanged element in the Jiva is termed as "Atman".
Rope does not get the qualities of the snake which it is mistaken for. Similarly the self does not undergo any of the changes, nor does it experience any of the joys and sorrows, of the body, mind and organs. It is, however, only because of this mutual superimposition of the self and the non-self that all actions become possible. The self, by itself, is neither a doer of actions, nor an enjoyer of the results. It becomes a doer and an enjoyer only because of this superimposition.
Maya is the central concept of this vedanta. Ishvara is a blend of the consciousness and the maya. The non dual supreme Self, Ishvara who is the pure consciousness perceived himself by selfhood. He became capable with the name "I". Yajnavalkya in the brihadaranyaka says the duality emerged out of this was the reason for the creation and the Supreme self as the creator. Just as a dream arises in sleep and produces various objects, an unreadable power called MAYA manifests in the inactive, blissful state of the ishvara and this produces the confusing variety of objects constituting the universe. This Maya cannot be reality or unreality, Maya which is of the form of the THREE GUNAS (satva, rajas and tamas) brings forth the universe with movable and immovable (objects). Again in maya since the satva is predominant than the other two gunas, the identity of the consciousness is not lost. This consciousness element pervading in the Ishvara is termed as "Brahman".
A wonderful example is the dream. A shock experienced in a dream, the man in the dream was real, the peak from which he is falling is unreal, but the shock he experienced is real. Like how an unreal cause produces a real or a visible effect, the apparent world could arise from the indefinable Maya. Like darkness Maya is very difficult to understand. It needs to be carefully investigated like how our sages have done, as it vanishes like lightening. When the illusive power Maya disappears, what remains is the pure consciousness, which is non dual and the supreme self called the Brahman. Maya is what is obtained in Brahman.
After knowing Avidya and Maya we have a confusion whether they are identical or not. Truly they are different. Avidya is subjective, and can be explained as the natural tendency of the mind to superimpose the Self and the non-self on each other (adhyaasa). On the other hand, Maya (Mula Prakriti) may be said to mean the condition of 'name and form' in its seed (avyakta) state i.e. the visible seed is the tree (vyakta) and the non visible tree is the seed (avyakta). Here the seed and the tree are indivisible. Avidya and Maya lose their value and substance; they lose their existence, only after the ignorance of superimposition of Atman and Anatman is destroyed. Then the knowledge shines. In this path two acts are involved one is to destroy the ignorance and the other is to seek knowledge. As soon as avidya is overcome, the knowledge seeks its supremacy. The cause of the universe is Maya and avidya as understood earlier is because of ignorance with the superimposition effect.
According to advaitha, what is called the universe is in reality not other than Brahman. Similarly, what is called the jiva is in reality, the Atman, which is also nothing other than Brahman Itself. The real jiva is the Atman, which is unchanging, ever free, and identical with Brahman. The manifold universe and the individual self, which considers itself bound, are both superimposed upon that transcendental reality which is Brahman. Once the superimposition is understood for what it is, the individual is no more an individual, the universe is no more the universe - all is Brahman. Sarvarm khaluvidam Brahma (everything indeed is brahman)
Ishvara, Jiva and Prapancha are the three important things any philosophy deals with. The beauty is, these three are termed different and for us the interaction is between these three factors. Advaitha always believes in single universal omniscience unimaginable all pervading power. "Na kinchit dwaitam yatra" is Advaitha when split. It says no sound of duality exists anywhere. Ishvara and Jiva in combination with Prakriti change with names as Brahman and Atman. Realizing that Atman is Brahman is nirvana or Mukthi or Moksha. Usually the misconception that everybody has is liberation from the bondage and samsara is Mukthi but Shankara puts it in a different way. According to him the realization that we were never bound to anything is the true Mukthi.
Prakriti is a combination of satva, rajas and tamas qualities. The characteristic feature of this Prakriti is, it is neither real as felt by one nor not real as experienced by the realized. It is hence difficult to group under atman or the anatman. A stress is always made to have clarity in what is atman which is clear and imperishable with what anatman which is untrue and perishable. Always the perishable perishes in the imperishable. This is a statement made by Shankara in his Vivekachudamani (the crest jewel). The satva (goodness), rajas (passion) and the tamas (darkness) are the 3 qualities which form the triguna swarupa of Ishvara.
Tamas (darkness) – Complete delusion, ignorance, indecision in respect to any action, unforgiveness, hatred, absence of faith are some of the characteristics of darkness.
Rajas (passion) – boastfulness of action, performance of sacrifices, thirst or desire to do more, vows and regulations are some of the characteristics of passion.
Satva (goodness) – forgiveness, renunciation, satisfaction, selfless are some of the characteristics of the goodness.
The case where only goodness i.e. satva found and the rajas and tamas are missing, because of the knowledge which has killed these two guna’s one can easily think about liberation and eternal happiness. This is termed as "Maya". When satva gets clouded by rajas and tamas then the Self with the agent called mind becomes a doer and the enjoyer. This ignorance is termed as "Avidya". The reflection of consciousness in the maya is Ishvara and its reflection in avidya is Jiva.
The avidya conceals the consciousness element from the Jiva. The avidya is the reason why we fall in the cycle of birth and death. The true non dual consciousness when is mixed with avidya loses its charm and attains the form of a Jiva. This jiva falls in the ocean called samsara and is carried away as how a blind leads a blind. In this process it is confused. Therefore, the nature of avidya is that, it represents what is infinite as finite, projects things other than the Self, which are non-existent and makes the Self appear as limited. From this sense of limitation arises the desire for things that appear to be different from oneself. It is like seeing a rope in dim light and not recognizing it as a rope, a person mistakes it for a snake which he has seen elsewhere. This is an illusory effect or appearance called adhyaasa (superimposition). The snake is not absolutely unreal, because it is actually experienced, and produces the same effect, such as fear and so on, as a real snake would. At the same time, it is not real, because it is no longer seen when the rope has been recognized. Associating the Self to the non-Self happens because of adhyaasa (superimposition). As there cannot be any real association between the self, which is absolutely real and the non-self which has only experiential reality. The non-self, (namely, the body, mind and organs,) is superimposed on the self and, consciousness, which is the nature of the self, is attributed to the body, mind and organs. The consciousness and the Self unchanged element in the Jiva is termed as "Atman".
Rope does not get the qualities of the snake which it is mistaken for. Similarly the self does not undergo any of the changes, nor does it experience any of the joys and sorrows, of the body, mind and organs. It is, however, only because of this mutual superimposition of the self and the non-self that all actions become possible. The self, by itself, is neither a doer of actions, nor an enjoyer of the results. It becomes a doer and an enjoyer only because of this superimposition.
Maya is the central concept of this vedanta. Ishvara is a blend of the consciousness and the maya. The non dual supreme Self, Ishvara who is the pure consciousness perceived himself by selfhood. He became capable with the name "I". Yajnavalkya in the brihadaranyaka says the duality emerged out of this was the reason for the creation and the Supreme self as the creator. Just as a dream arises in sleep and produces various objects, an unreadable power called MAYA manifests in the inactive, blissful state of the ishvara and this produces the confusing variety of objects constituting the universe. This Maya cannot be reality or unreality, Maya which is of the form of the THREE GUNAS (satva, rajas and tamas) brings forth the universe with movable and immovable (objects). Again in maya since the satva is predominant than the other two gunas, the identity of the consciousness is not lost. This consciousness element pervading in the Ishvara is termed as "Brahman".
A wonderful example is the dream. A shock experienced in a dream, the man in the dream was real, the peak from which he is falling is unreal, but the shock he experienced is real. Like how an unreal cause produces a real or a visible effect, the apparent world could arise from the indefinable Maya. Like darkness Maya is very difficult to understand. It needs to be carefully investigated like how our sages have done, as it vanishes like lightening. When the illusive power Maya disappears, what remains is the pure consciousness, which is non dual and the supreme self called the Brahman. Maya is what is obtained in Brahman.
After knowing Avidya and Maya we have a confusion whether they are identical or not. Truly they are different. Avidya is subjective, and can be explained as the natural tendency of the mind to superimpose the Self and the non-self on each other (adhyaasa). On the other hand, Maya (Mula Prakriti) may be said to mean the condition of 'name and form' in its seed (avyakta) state i.e. the visible seed is the tree (vyakta) and the non visible tree is the seed (avyakta). Here the seed and the tree are indivisible. Avidya and Maya lose their value and substance; they lose their existence, only after the ignorance of superimposition of Atman and Anatman is destroyed. Then the knowledge shines. In this path two acts are involved one is to destroy the ignorance and the other is to seek knowledge. As soon as avidya is overcome, the knowledge seeks its supremacy. The cause of the universe is Maya and avidya as understood earlier is because of ignorance with the superimposition effect.
According to advaitha, what is called the universe is in reality not other than Brahman. Similarly, what is called the jiva is in reality, the Atman, which is also nothing other than Brahman Itself. The real jiva is the Atman, which is unchanging, ever free, and identical with Brahman. The manifold universe and the individual self, which considers itself bound, are both superimposed upon that transcendental reality which is Brahman. Once the superimposition is understood for what it is, the individual is no more an individual, the universe is no more the universe - all is Brahman. Sarvarm khaluvidam Brahma (everything indeed is brahman)
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