[Advaita-l] GunAtIta and jIvanmukta

[Sujal Upadhyay]

Namaste Sri Chandramouli ji,

*I got the same impression from your response to my understanding of
> OmkarOpAsana. You may please ignore them if they are not in accordance with
> your understanding.
>

Omkāropāsanā is dear to me :) , but I didnt shout at you or kept arguing. I
created a new thread and requested other respected members to give their
opinion. I am thankful to all of them including you. Sri Bhaskar prabhuji
suggested me to go through some bhāshya-s, I tōk time read them and then
gave my opinion. I am still open to corrections. When such things happen, I
go very slow and try not to rush to a conclusion.

I also agree that our experiences are to be in accordance with shruti. Do
not worry, this thread will not end in bitter taste. I will try to
understand your opinion and understanding and then I will leave this topic.

*I am not sure if you are using the term “keep vrittis still “ in the yogic
> sense, meaning cessation of mental vrittis. If yes, that is never so in
> advaita. The term  “ keeping vrittis still “ if encountered in advaita
> always means “keeping the vrittis steady and unchanging on Brahman “. This
> is my understanding.
>

vritti-s are mental disturbances in mind. they are ripples that pull
consciousness or attract consciousness in them and make it get involved in
them.

I think the difference between us is that you are talking from POV of a
jivanmukta and I am talking as a sādhaka. Your explanations are true for a
Jñānī and his/her behaviour.

I will try to explain what I understand by 'keeping vritti-s still'

You have some desires, but in dhyāna or in nidhidhyāsana or by the effect
of upadesha of guru, you are strongly attached to Brahmākāra vritti. Hence
mind turns inwards and experiences non-duality. Remember, here the mind
experiences. Then consciousness transcends experiences of mind and
experiences itself. There is no second to speak about experience.

When consciousness re-enters into mind, it again regains body
consciousness. In this process, it tries to retain ānanda, shānti,
completeness, etc, that it experienced. i.e. sat-chit-ānanda. Mind
naturally stays rooted in Brahman like chātaka bird constantly looking at
sky waiting for rain water to quench it's thirst. It does not want any
other water, be it present near to it. earthly water is like vishaya-s.
Here, vritti-s do happen in mind, but consciousness is strongly rooted in
Brahman, hence such a person lives like sthita prajña.

By repeated entering into NS, all past impressions (vāsanā-s) are destroyed
and there is no need to contemplate in any way (nei-neti, etc). The purpose
of neti-neti is fulfilled. mano nasha occurs. This is moksha. After falling
of body, a jivanmukta becomes videha mukta.

In these three states, when vritti is kept still, there is NS, but it is
not final. Such a person is called as jñānī, as s/he has experienced
Brahman. But s/he cannot remain steady in Brahman, hence he is not mukta.
When vritti-s are destroys i.e. cessation takes place, then mind too is
destroyed. Now there is no need to meditate in any way. This, in my opinion
is called as jivanmukti - destruction of mind. I know that one problem
arises - what about prarabhdha. Though common explanation is that
prārabhdha is only destroyed after death, there is also another opinion as
in aparokshānubhuti (and a hint is given in vivekachūḍāmaṇi) that Jñānājñni
(Jnanāgni) destroys all karma-s. jivan mukta lives at his own will with
pseudo ego, for some divine purpose upon the order of Īshvara.

So if one is of the opinion that vritti-s are all directed on or remain
steady on Brahman, then it denotes that there is an effort to keep vritti-s
directed. In order to be in your true Self, you need not do anything. You
are that. Hence not by keeping vritti-s steady in Brahman, but by Jñāna
alone there is moksha. When a sādhaka experiences detachment from mind,
body and intellect, s/he know that 'I can survive or exist without taking
support of mind, body or intellect'. 'I can exist independently'. Yes,
keeping vritti-s steady results in NS, but still it is not jivanmukti.
Complete destruction of mind, ego or desires removes ignorance permanently.
Once ignorance vanishes, jñāna shines by itself. Fruit of Jñāna is moksha.
i.e. remaining steady in Jñāna results in destruction of desires and this
results in mukti. Jivanmukta lives on intuitions. thoughts creates
disturbance, they create resistance. In jivanmukta, there is no resistance.
Īshvara expresses himself through a jivanmukta. This is my understanding.

To sum up, NS is not last state. Permanently abiding in NS is the last
stage. Not controlling mind and steadying it, but destruction of mind is
the last stage. This last stage is moksha.

mana, buddhi, ahaṃkāra, thoughts, desires i.e. vāsanā are interdependent.
One cannot exist if another is destroyed. So if mind is destroyed, there is
nothing to hinder Jñāna to reveal itself. Similarly, if ego is destroyed,
then without the sense of individuality, there can be no mental activity,
as there is no duality.

Sri Ramana Maharshi has said, chitta darshanam tatva darshanam. He has
said, mind of Jñānī is Brahman only.

I would like to add one more thing.

Cessation of all activities would mean, temporarily mind is still and there
is no activity. Like bird trapped in cage cannot move, hence mind is still
and this still mind is rooted in Brahman. I take cessation of vritti-s as
destruction of mind.

I hope I have expressed my opinion clearly. Please explain your opinion. If
there are differences, never mind. Let there be differences and we will
stop here. I will pull back from discussion. Maybe I am not mature enough
to understand subtle concepts, but I am sure one day I will experience
them. I will remain open for a change.

P.S. I hope I have not sidetracked this thread. If I did please let me
know. The bird eating doesn't know but another one watching does.

OM
Sujal