[Advaita-l] Trees have life- bhAshya

[Vishwanathan Raman]

Dear Shri Murthy,

 The points were not mine, but given out by my Guru. I am sure the learned
members of this list will be able to cite references from the Sruti for each
of these. However I myself am only a beginner and am not very well versed to
give you the quotations right now, but we can take statements from Bhrugu
Valli of Taittariya Upanishad, where the five sheaths (PanchaKoshA's) are
negated to realize the ultimate Truth.

 However I try to give here my basic understanding of these points (again
from whatever I understood from my Guru's teaching's). If you find any flaw
with my understanding, please point them out so that I can try to get a
better grasp on the subject from my Guru.

 - Body intrinsically cannot have consciousness because if that is the case
then there will be no concept of death. The fact that the SthUla  SarIra
(categorized as anAtmA) is left behind in death implies that Consciousness
is something other than the body.

- Similarly mind is also categorized as AnAtma, because there is a knower of
the mind. 'I' know the conditions of my mind (that it is sad, happy, angry
etc). The principle employed here is "I am different from whatever I know".
Thus the mind becomes the object of 'I' the subject. Further with modern day
drugs one can control the moods of the mind, implies that mind is also a
(subtler) material and hence comes under anAtmA. Note that we cannot say
brain is the controller of the moods, because the brain exists in the dead
body also.

 - So based on the above we can say that the first two points follow. As to
the 3rd point, an example that my guru gives is that of light. Though in a
lighted room light is present everywhere, it can be perceived only where a
reflecting medium is present. While one can always counter / question
analogies, I would say that one needs to have Shradhdha in the Sruthi
Pramana and the teachings of the great AchAryA. Same applies to the fourth
point as well.

  Again the points that I have stated above are my own way of trying to
understand my Guru's teaching and at this point seems to have satisfied my
intellect. However you or the other learned list members are always welcome
to question / comment on the above, so that it will help in my "Manana'
process.

PranAms,
Viswanathan


> From: H.N.Sreenivasa  Murthy
>
>  Pranams to all.
>
>  Dear Sri Vishwanathan Raman,
>
>           The five points given out by you  are very thought provoking.
>  The first four points, are they mere statements to be believed in only or
> they are statements of facts which have been verified  and which can be
> verified. If they are verified and verifiable facts  what is the methodology
> for examining/verifying them?  How can I make them a living Truth within
> myself?
>
>           Help in that direction will immemsely benefit  the mumukshus .
> Please share your understanding.
>
>  With warm and respectful regards,
>  Sreenivasa Murthy
>
> Vishwanathan Raman <raman.vishwanathan at gmail.com> wrote:
>  I would like to add one point here (based on my understanding of my Guru
> Swami ParamArthanandA's teachings).
>
> He often says 5 points in his classes, that we need to remember whenever
> we
> talk about Consciousness aka Existence (Note the capitalized forms of 'C'
> and 'E'), which I would like quote here for the benefit of the list
> members.
>
> (1) Consciousness or Existence is not a part/product/property of the body
> /
> mind complex.
> (2) Consciousness or Existence is an independent entity that pervades and
> enlivens the body / mind complex.
> (3) Consciousness or Existence is not limited by the boundaries of the
> body
> / mind complex.
> (4) Consciousness or Existence survives even after the disintegration of
> the
> body / mind complex.
> (5) The surviving Consciousness or Existence is not experienced not
> because
> it is absent but because the medium of transaction (body / mind complex)
> is
> not present.
>
> Thus whenever we talk about gradations in Consciousness what we are really
> talking about is the Reflected Consciousness (ChidAbhAsa) and not the
> Original Consciousness (which is Sat-Chit-Ananda).
>
>
>