Prelude to upadeSha sAhasrI

[ken knight]

Namaste Ravi and those who have welcomed a thread on
this work,

While preparing something for a friend it occured to
me that it would make an ideal prelude to this thread.
 It may also be an introduction for some members to a
tool for study that is new to them.

>From Sunday, for about three weeks, I will be
travelling around England, Wales and Scotland and
dependant upon university computer systems to be up
and running in order to post to this site.  I will try
to get something posted by the weekend before I leave
but then it will be down to good fortune for the next
posting.
This is the prelude and I hope that it is within our
guidelines although it is about a means to study
rather than textual study.  Can someone tell me if, on
your machine, the layout is correct in a printable
version.  If not I will sort out any confusion arising
from a jumbled page. I hope it is of use:

A short study on 'knowledge' as a word.

This study comes from the introduction to 'DhAtupATha;
The Roots of Language'  by Stephen Hill and Peter
Harrison published by Duckworth.  I have abbreviated
some of it and paraphrased at other times in order to
simplify the process for those members not previously
aware of such a process of study.


The dictionary definition for the word j~nAna is:
knowing, becoming acquainted with, Knowledge,
especially the Higher Knowledge derived from
meditation on the one Universal Spirit’ (M-W, 426/1).
'Monier Williams =M-W'

[The next step is to look at the dhAtupATha which is a
list, in this case we are using PANini's listing, of
the roots, dhAtu, of words.  Words as we use them are
a compound of suffixes and prefixes….just like our
egos…….and the dhAtu which is the part of the word
stripped bare of additions, pratyaya. Therefore the
dhAtu is the minimal element of a word, always verbal
in nature, usually mono-syllabic. (M-W, p.513/3)
I will add a little here that may be controversial
because I will introduce the term sphoTha which is
the: 'internal and imperceptible element of sounds and
words and the vehicle of the idea which bursts or
flashes on the mind when a sound is uttered'. (M-W
1270/3)
When a desire arises to express some attribute of
Being, the sphoTha brings about the expansion, the
bursting forth of the potential meaning into
differentiation. In this expansion is held the
unmanifest dhAtu which then receives the pratyaya to
define its place in time or space as subject or object
etc. in a sentence.
PANini lists these dhAtu and through his meditation on
the sound which produced a sUtra to explain the
meaning. This sUtra is known as a dhAtvartha and it is
up to us to reflect upon it to tease out the subtle
meanings of the word that we may be examining.
These may be found in one of the books called
'DhAtu-pATha'.
Also in this little study it is interesting to note
how PANini applies 'voice' to the dhAtu. The
grammatical term 'voice' is an explanation as to
whether the word is used as an 'active or transitive
voice', parasmai. 'middle or passive voice or
intransitive', Atmane, or 'either active or
middle/passive', ubhayataH.  Philosophically this is
very interesting but I will not burden you with my
speculations here. ]

dhAtu   j~nA is presented three times in the
dhAtupATha:

        dhAtvartha
                   voice

        mArana toshaNa niShamaneshu
       (D-P 17/1)
parasmai.
        avabodhane
                      (D-P 40/1)
        parasmai
        niyoge
                           (D-P 45/1)
             ubhayataH

Let us now consider adhyAtmavidyA (‘Science of
Self-Knowledge’). Vedanta teaches that True Knowledge
is 'Knowledge of Self'. Following the above step by
step we have the following:

For this knowledge to arise, all that relates to
non-Self, ignorance, separation and all forms of
limitation must be given up, rooted out and destroyed
— mArana

This process proceeds step by step, each step leading
to greater fulfilment and satisfaction — toshaNa

The steps on the way are measured by the repetition of
recourse to the experience of the bliss of the Self,
known deep within — niShamaneshu

A teaching is also necessary so the student “sits at
the feet of the master”, and the discourse gives rise
to knowledge — avabodhana

Such knowledge arises in niyoga, an inner union
arising from the natural application of the knowledge.
Now we can carry out a similar exercise on  dhAtu  vid
which is clearly related to the above.

DhAtu  vid has the following entries in the
dhAtupATha:—
        dhAtvartha         voice
        j~nAne              (D-P 25/1)  parasmai
        sattAyAm        (D-P 29/2)      atmane
        viAraNe (D-P 37/2)      atmane
        cetana-AkhyAna-nivAseshu        (D-P 44/2)      atmane
        lAbhe   (D-P 36/2)      ubhayataH



The dhAtupATha informs us that use of dhAtu  vid is
found in knowledge — j~nAne.

This knowledge is found in one’s own Being— sattAyAm,
for truly ‘to Be’ is ‘to Know’: satyam j~nAnamanantam
Brahma, meaning ‘The Self is Truth, Knowledge.
Infinite’ (Taittiriya
Upanishad, 2.1).

Thus, veda is attained and a man discovers the
knowledge — lAbha
But this true knowledge must be differentiated from
all that is false and ignorant within us, by the
process of discrimination — vicAraNa.

The process of discrimination by which one comes to
the true knowledge of all the forms of Creation is
given in the compound dhAtvartha:
cetana-AkhyAna-nivAsa:

NivAsa means ‘to inhabit’, ‘to dwell within’, with ni-
having the sense of ‘deep within’. A man must not stop
at the outer form, for the knowledge of the Universal
Self is the innermost essence; this inward direction
enables a man to cognize the forms through and
through, thus knowing the essence in unity as well as
in the harmony of all its parts.

The accurate enumeration of all aspects of a form in
all its relationships is AkhyAna  .

And the whole process is dependent on consciousness;
it is pervaded by consciousness and it is the
conscious being which is revealed cetana


--- MSR <miinalochanii at YAHOO.COM> wrote:
> Om mahAgaNapataye namaH
>
> I am writing the following based on some of the
> recent threads. For
> advaita-L to be fruitful and productive as list:
>
> a) We should make our forum more a text-oriented
> discussion list.
>
> b) We should  first focus on the bhaashhyams of
> shrii shankara. This is
> quite important. In the last 5+ years, we have not
> discussed any
> important bhaashya of shankara in full.
>
> c) Avoid threads, which does not directly serve this
> purpose and side
> track us  from the goals of the list. Even in a
> thread started with a
> good intention, learn when to stop. Typically, you
> should stop
> especially 1)when the same people start repeating
> what they have
> already said before  and 2)when the thread side
> tracks to some issues
> which does not fall in line with the list goals.
>
> d) Please avoid taking detour to modern day saints
> such as,
> Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, etc. This we have done few
> times in the past.
> Members should note that there are DEDICATED lists
> for many of the
> modern day teachers.  And ADVAITA-L IS NOT ONE OF
> THEM.
>
> e) Sometimes, we go a side track in the name of
> talking about smArta
> dharma*. Even this you should avoid if you are just
> going to do hand
> waving instead of quoting relevant smrtis and/or
> other respected works
> such as vaidyanAtha diixitiyam (which quotes from
> various dharma
> shaastras).
>
> f) If you have any ulterior motive other than
> learning  and discussing
> *advaita-vedAnta*, best thing you can do to this
> list is "unsubscribe".
>
>
> g) If you already do not accept advaita-vedAnta this
> not a place for
> you (unless you choose to be a spectator). This list
> was not started to
> convince or convert non-believers to this faith.
> This is the case even
> if you are smArta by birth.
>
> h) Even though discussing other issues related to
> smArta sampradaya, on
> topics such as sandhyavandanam, brahma yajnam,
> puuja, samskaara-s such
> as upanayanam, etc. are OK. The chances of we
> getting side tracked is
> high.  Please be aware of that.
>
> i) If threads such as "brahma-vidya=krishna" keep
> recurring, we will
> have not much choice but to moderate this list.
>
> Thank you for your attention. If you have any
> comments please send it
> to listmaster at lists.advaita-vedanta.org. AND DO NOT
> REPLY TO THE LIST
> ITSELF.
>
>
> Ravi
>
> Om shivAbhyAnnamaH
>
>
>
>
>
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