[Advaita-l] Pancadasi Ch. 5

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

PraNAms to all. 
 
Last Sunday we have completed the 4th Chapter of Panchadasi.
It deals with the dvaita viveka – the discrimination of two dualities one
created by Iswara and the other created by Jiiva. When I see the world that is
created by Iswara, I do not see it as it is, but see it through the colored
glasses of likes and dislikes. Hence even though the duality created by Iswara
is the same for all, each one sees the world differently. Vidyaranya says
Iswara sRishTi is not a problem or never a problem; the problem comes by the
way an individual visualizes the world that is perceived. Hence cognition of
the world of object occurs naturally through perceptual process, but
re-cognition of the world occurs with the filter of ones likes and dislikes
which are also called raaga and dwesha – attachments and aversions. By the
process of neutralization of these likes and dislikes, one sees the world as it
is. Then only one can see the beauty and order in the universe, in spite of
apparent local disorders which are perturbations in the global order. How to
neutralize these attachments and aversions is also pointed in the chapter. 
 
This Sunday we will start taking Ch. 5 which is last of the
Veveka panchakam of the Panchadasi. This is one of the shortest chapters and
deals with the four main mahaavaakyaas, one from each Veda. Mahaavaakyaas or
aphoristic statements that establishe the identity of jiiva and Iswara through
bhaaga tyaaga lakshaNa or jahat ajahat lakshaNa which was discussed in Ch. 1 of
Pachadasi. These statements are pramaana vaakyam or statements that import the
essential knowledge that cannot be gained by any other means. Hence Shankara
says in Vivekachudamani 
na yogena na saakhyena karmnaa no na vidyayaa|
Brahmaatmaika bodhena mokshasidhyati naanyathaa||
Neither by yoga, nor by sankhyaa, nor by action or knowledge
of anything and everything else, one can gain moksha or freedom from
limitations. The only way to gain that freedom is by recognizing the identity
of the self as Brahman or infiniteness. The mahaavaakyaas provide that
essential teachings as pramaana vaakyaas. All other statements of the Vedanta are
called avaantara vaakyaas or supportive statements in helping the mind to
accept or recognize this identity relation. 
Jiiva is nothing but pure consciousness reflected in the
local mind/intellect and the reflected consciousness or chidaabhaasa, and as
though operates as independent conscious entity taking or assuming that I am
this body, mind and intellect different from the total or Brahman which is
pure-existence-consciousness. Iswara is nothing but the same pure consciousness
reflected in the total body, mind and intellect vai maaya. The equation that shows
the identity relation therefore involves clear understanding that pure
consciousness-existence that enlivens the local BMI is the same as the pure
consciousness-existence that enlivens the total body (virat) total mind
(hiranyagarbha) and total kaaraNa shariira (Iswara) as stated in Mandukya Up.
The equation is validated by dropping the contradictory qualifications of jiiva
and Iswara (bhaaga thyaaga) and recognizing that the consciousness that enlivens
the local jiiva and total Iswara is one without a second – ekam eva advitiiyam.
This recognition has to take place in the chiddbhaasa or in the mind with
reflected consciousness, also called upahita chaitanya. It is like a moon
recognizing that luminousness of the moon is due to the all-pervading sunlight.
This can happen only by dropping the notion by the moon that I am self-shining
entity in the sky. Similarly the jiiva who has wrong notions that I am independent
conscious entity has to recognize that the consciousness that I am is due to
all-pervading consciousness. This recognition has to take place, while still
being jiiva, using the same mind that has pre-conceived notions before that I
am separate from the total. The separateness that is being experienced by the
mind has to be recognized by the mind that it is only an error of
superimposition, and in reality there is no real division between the local and
global consciousness-existence. Whatever the divisions that one perceives are
only apparent and not really real. This oneness has to be understood in spite
of experiential duality. This discriminative knowledge viveka is being
summarized in the chapter by Vidyaranya. The four mahaavaakyaas are taught in 8
slokas essential providing both word meaning, padaartha and indicative meaning
of the aphoristic statements.
The talks are scheduled at 9:30-10:30AM and 10:45-11:45AM.
One can listen on line at http://advaitaforum.org/live-broadcast/  
- the previous talks are also available at the website. 
Hari Om!
Sadananda