[Advaita-l] Notes on Vichara Sagaram - 7

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

Thus the third contradiction that Brahman cannot be and need not be illumined but yet the process is required to uncover the ignorance that is covering the knowledge that I am that Brahman. How do I know that every one is ignorant? Because no one claims that they are Brahman or they have realized what or who they really are. The gloomy face due to pressure of samsaara of course is evident. Acting gloomy as in a drama by good actor who is not really gloomy is different from being gloomy with the knowledge I am a limited being. This claim that I am Brahman and the knowledge that I am brahman takes place in the mind that is prepared or purified. 

Hence aham brahmaasmi is pramANa pravRitti – or jnaana ruupa pravRitti – discovering and claiming my true nature by discarding my false nature that I am jiivaasmi – or discarding that I am this limited being.  The false is falsified by knowing the truth via a pramANa. I am saaskhii illuming the mind and via the mind the world of objects. With the mind I illumine everything and become a pramaata or knower – like in the full moon night the object on the earth becoming visible. The sunlight first illumines the moon and via the moon the world of objects on the earth. Similarly the saaskhii illumines the mind and via the mind illumines the world of objects. When my mind turn inwards and examine the nature of saakshi that I am using the Vedanta as pramANa, the notion that I am the mind and the body drops when I claim myself that I am the all illuminating and full saaskhii that is adhishTaanam of everything that is illumined. The notions are in the mind
 only and these notions are dropped by revealing or revelation that I am the saaskhii and not the illumanted mind. It is as though the light that got illuminated by the moon has to discover while still illumining the moon that I am the light from the sun. That illuminated moon-light need not have to illumine the sun to know that I am the sunlight. I do need the moon for this since without the moon the all pervading sunlight cannot be recognized. Similarly I need the mind in order to discover that I am the all pervading saaskhii that is illumining this particular mind. Since notion that are in that particular mind are dropped by the knowledge that I am the saaskhii that illuming that particular mind, the realization is specific to that mind. Thus when Tom (yagnadaata) realizes it does not mean Dick (devadatta) realizes. He has to dis-cover remove his ignorance or wrong notions about himself to realize that I am Brahman. For this Vedanta vichaara or
 inquiry using appropriate teaching using the words to communicate this knowledge using indicatory meaning is required. Unfortunately there are no short cuts to gain this knowledge other than shravana-manana and nidhidhyaasana. If someone claims that he has or some others have realized without going through a teacher or shaastras – it only means that they had that preparatory knowledge in their past lives – Krishna answers this in a way when Arjuna asked – what happens to the one who went through the process but did not realize before he died. Krishna says he will be born in a conducive environment and rapidly takes off from where he left. In essence nothing is wasted in the pursuit of this highest truth. 

Coming back to the mangala slokas, after addressing and resolving the three contradictions stated above the author of Vichaara saagara address the fact that each every attribute describing indescribable Brahman is precise and is free from the three defects that we stated earlier – ativyaati, avyaapti and asambhavam – that is free from over applicability, under applicability and impossible applicability. We are still in the analysis of the two managala slokas – one can imagine what is going to be the rest of the text. 

The talks of Paramarthanandaji are recorded and will become available slowly. The Sanskrit discourses that were provided long time ago on the text, are already available as a set. Of course, as usual, I have taken the liberty to present the topic of the discussion in my own style, that comes with my characteristic short falls. 

Hari Om!
Sadananda