[Advaita-l] Weekend classes

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

PraNAms to all: 
This weekend talks on Vedanta: 
Saturday 10:30Am-11:30AM – Panchadasi of Shree Vidyaranya:
We completed up to sloka 13 of Ch. II – that is Pachabhuuta Viveka – where one
has to use viveka to discriminate the real from unreal or that which is
changeless in the changing things. Vidyaranya is providing an exhaustive
analysis of the Chandogya statement – Sat eva – idam agra aseet – ekam eva
advitiiyam. He began the chapter describing the pacha bhuutas the primordial elements
from which both the gross and subtle world is created. Interesting point to
note  here is he describes the
pachabhuutas based on their attributes – shabda for akaasha; shabda and sparsha
for vayu; shabda, sparsha, ruupa for agni; shabda, sparsha,ruupa and rasa for
aapaH; and shabda, sparsha, ruupa, rasa, and gandhaH for pRithivee. Each of the
elements retains the attributes of the previous element from which it is born
while having its own special attributes that distinguishes it from the previous
ones. A point to note is that each element is recognized based on its attributive
content than based on its substance – since substantive cannot be really known
since the material cause for the elements is nothing but SAT that which was
existing alone before is without any attributes and therefore cannot be
perceived.  Thus every element has one
special attributes in addition to the inherited ones – referred to in general
term as ruupa standing for attributive content. These five attributes are
cognized via the five senses that we have. When cognition occurs we give a name
for the cognized object – hence naama or name goes with the form – that all the
five elements are just based on name and form. Naming involves knowing
therefore implication existence of every element involves form or its
attributive content and knowledge of the existence of the element – naama – via
their attributive content. Shree Vidyaranya will analyze later the later
chapters the epistemological analysis how perception of the elements and their
modifications in terms of the world of objects takes place. 
Here noteworthy is naming or knowing that involves chit
aspect and existence of the elements, sat aspects are involved, as was
described in the Chandogya – As that which was existing SAW- aikshataa –
involving conscious entity - itself became many. We should now recognize that
we cannot perceive the pure existence or nor consciousness but we have to
recognize their presence in the perception of every object which is made of
these five elements and which can recognized only via the five senses and the
mind. Hence the statement of Kena – pratibhoda viditam matam – Brahman is known
the every knowledge of objective world. Hence pacha bhuuta viveka is required.
We will be continuing this analysis from sloka 14 where how individual raaga
and dveshas involving satva, rajas and tamo Gunas muddle our perception of what
is there. 
Atmabodha class from Sunday 10:00AM to 11:00AM extends the
above analysis in terms of pancheekaraNa process – Sloka 13 and how to
discriminate using Viveka the changeless entity from the changing things. We
will be covering the Veveka aspect that involves Atma bodha. Shankara provides
several examples to illustrate this process. 
Kathopanishat class on Sunday 6:30PM to 8:00PM involves the
second Valli of the first chapter where the actual teaching by Lord of Death to
Nachiketas. The teaching started with sloka 18 where Yama Dharmaraja starts
defining the absolute truth as 1. pure all-pervading consciousness – Vipaschit -2.
It is nirvikaaraH – does not undergo any (six) modifications – asti, jaayate
etc. 3. It is eternal as no birth and death exists for it. In sloka 19, Yama
describes the Self as – akarthaa and abhoktaa – via the statement it does not
slain nor does slaying. The slokas are parallel to the slokas in Gita
indicating Krishna emphasis that what he is teaching is not new but sung by
sages of the yore. 
The classes will be on schedule unless the expected Strom
disrupts the classes. Previous talks are stored in the website. One can access
the talks live at http://www.livestream.com/advaita_sadaji.
Hari Om!
Sada