Shruti and logic

[Sankaran Kartik Jayanarayanan]

On Thu, 28 Feb 2002, nanda chandran wrote:

> >  Since the realization of the entity (Self) resulting from the
> >  intervention of knowledge produced by inference is indirect,
> >  direct realization depends *only* on the vAkya (of the shruti).
> >  (Sureshvara) thus resolves the issue raised by the opponent.
> 
> The *depends* should be highlighted in the above statement - shruti by
> itself cannot cause realization

Shruti statements like "tat tvam asi" can and do "cause" realization. I
say "cause" because realization is not really caused, but always is. Only
ignorance is removed.

Please see the upadeshasaahasrii 2.18.99-104:
(Translated by Jagadananda)

99-100. Just as Brahma removed the ignorance of the son of Dasaratha by
mean of words only (*), but did not teach him any action in order to
remove it so that he might know that he was Vishnu; so, the Shruti teaches
one "Thou art That" in order that one's ignorance may be removed when one
has learnt the meanings of the subordinate sentences according to the
Shrutis and popular grammar. 

(*) The words are: "You are Vishnu and not the son of Dasaratha".

101. It is the indirectly expressed meaning of the word "I" viz., the
innermost and self-luminous Self which is expressed in the teaching, "Thou
art That." And the result is liberation.

103. The listening to the teaching and the production of right knowledge
are simultaneous, and the result is the cessation of (the transmigratory
existence consisting of) hunger etc. There can be no doubt about the
meaning of the sentences like "Thou art That" in the past, present or
future. 

104. The right knowledge of the Self which is of the nature of Pure
Consciousness is, no doubt, produced in one at the time of listening to
the teaching as all obstacles are removed (beforehand). 

> - else everybody who reads the shruti will
> be liberated.

The only reason people like you, me and many others on this mailing list
do not get realization by hearing the shruti is because we do not have the
four qualities required of the mumukshu (the seeker), the "sAdhana
chatushhTaya": viveka, vairAgya, ShhaD-sampat and mumukshutva. 

(Un)fortunately, qualified souls are rare, which is why brahma-GYAna is 
also rare. 

> The shruti is the only valid *pointer* to reality as it
> represents the experiences of sages who experienced reality - but by itself
> since it is nothing but words and ideas it is in the realm of avidhya.

A tiger that is part of a dream can destroy the dream. In the same way the
shruti that is in the realm of avidya can destroy avidya.

-Kartik

> As
> Shankara himself says the shruti only instructs - it instructs us about the
> changeless absolute which is part of our own identity, its qualities and
> benefits to be had by experiencing it and also show us the path to
> experience it. Atman jnaanam (brahma vid brahmaiva bhavati) is to be had
> only by atma vichaaram which includes surrender at the end.
> 
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