[Advaita-l] Obstacles for Spoiritual Realization - adhikaari bhedas

[Nithin Sridhar]

Thank you again for all the references.

On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 1:32 PM, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Amalaananda in his Bhaamatiikalpataru:
>
> निर्विशेषं परं ब्रह्म साक्षात्कर्तुमनीश्वराः ।
> ये मन्दास्तेऽनुकम्प्यन्ते सविशेषनिरूपणैः ।
> वशीकृते मनस्तेषां सगुणब्रह्मशीलनात् ।
> तदेवाविर्भवेत्साक्षादपेतोपाधिकल्पनम् ॥
>
> This verse is so famous that I have found that non-advaitins too are
> familiar with it.
>
> The scripture, out of compassion, prescribes saguṇa brahma upāsana for
> those who are 'manda', incapable of realizing the nirguna brahman. When
> they have tamed their mind by saguna brahma worship, etc. then the
> realization of nirguna brahman is only a matter of happening.
>
> regards
> subbu
>
> When this exercise is undertaken alone one can go to higher levels.
>
> On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 1:21 PM, V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>
>> I shared an image of the BGB 13.24 English translation of Alladi Mahadeva
>>> Sastri for Anandagiri's gloss referring to adhikāri bheda with *Sri
>>> Nithin personally*.
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>> Since the image cannot be either attached or pasted in this forum I am
>>> not sharing with all.
>>>
>>> regards
>>> subbu
>>>
>>> On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 9:02 AM, Nithin Sridhar via Advaita-l <
>>> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thank you for the elaborate explanation Sada ji. What I am specifically
>>>> looking for is a scriptural reference or a reference from our Acharyas
>>>> be
>>>> it Gaudapada, Shankaracharya, or others, for this specific aspect "For
>>>> manda, Vedanta does not produce jnaanam or jnaaa phalam (jjivan mukti).
>>>> For
>>>> uttama adhikaari, he gets both jnaana and jnaana phalam, just by
>>>> listening
>>>> to the teachings, shravanam and mananam".
>>>>
>>>> I want the reference to quote in one of my references. The Karika of
>>>> Gaudapada does not specifically mention the above, I was wondering if
>>>> any
>>>> of our Acharyas specifically mention this that for Uttama Adhikari,
>>>> Sravana
>>>> directly leads to Jnana and Moksha, while Madhyama adhikari require
>>>> Nidhidhyasa and the Mandha adhikari requires Karma+Upasana.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Nithin
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 8:33 AM, kuntimaddi sadananda <
>>>> kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Nithinji - PraNams - The adhikaari bhedas were also discussed by
>>>> > Goudapaada in his kaarika.  My writings were based on that. Here is
>>>> the
>>>> > previous post related to this. Hope this helps.
>>>> >
>>>> > Hari Om!
>>>> >
>>>> > ------------------------------
>>>> > *From:* Nithin Sridhar via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedan
>>>> ta.org>
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Are there any other references to uttama,madhyama, adhama adhikaris
>>>> with
>>>> > respect to sravana etc. from Sanskrit texts written by our Acharys,
>>>> be it
>>>> > in Bhashyas, Tikas, or Vartikas, or even Prakarana Granthas?
>>>> > ------------------------------------------------------
>>>> >
>>>> > Obstacles for self-realization-6
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > In the previous posts, we have presented the three major obstacles to
>>>> > spirituality, based on Gita. Goudapaada in his Mandukya Kaarika in
>>>> advaita
>>>> > prakaraNa considers four more obstacles for spirituality.  Before we
>>>> go
>>>> > into this analysis we will first recognize that the aatma vidya or
>>>> > knowledge of Advaita provides two fold benefits for the seekers. One
>>>> is the
>>>> > owning up one’s own freedom from limitations, which is primary and
>>>> that is
>>>> > jnaanam. The second is an emotional transformation of the mind. This
>>>> is
>>>> > called jnaana phalam or fruits of the jnaana. As a result of jnaanam,
>>>> the
>>>> > mind of a jnaani becomes strong, healthy with no emotional
>>>> disturbances
>>>> > when faced with the objects, people or course of events due to
>>>> praarabda,
>>>> > which can be pleasurable or painful, during the span of his remaining
>>>> life.
>>>> > This emotional transformation or freedom is the secondary benefit or
>>>> > avantara phalam and contributes to his jiivan mukti. Even though
>>>> scriptures
>>>> > talk about the emotional benefits like calmness, contentment,
>>>> fearlessness,
>>>> > compassion, love, etc – all these emotional benefits are not derived
>>>> > uniformly by all the Vedantic students. All the students do not
>>>> derive the
>>>> > benefit of the jiivanmukti, even though the teaching was the same for
>>>> all
>>>> > students, that too by the same teacher, as one finds for the students
>>>> in
>>>> > Kenopanishad. The disparities among the students arise due to
>>>> differences
>>>> > in their mental preparations. There is a gradation in the fitness or
>>>> > qualification or adhikaaritvam or in the required saadhana chatuShTaya
>>>> > sampatti among the students, and therefore the fruits of jnaana are
>>>> also
>>>> > graded. Hence saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti plays a great role in
>>>> aatma
>>>> > vidya. Shree Vidyaranya classifies Jeevanmukti-s based on the degree
>>>> of
>>>> > purity of their minds.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Goudapaada classifies students broadly into three categories – manda,
>>>> > madhyama, and uttama - depending on their maturity or on their
>>>> four-fold
>>>> > qualifications.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > For manda, Vedanta does not produce jnaanam or jnaaa phalam (jjivan
>>>> > mukti). For uttama adhikaari, he gets both jnaana and jnaana phalam,
>>>> just
>>>> > by listening to the teachings, shravanam and mananam. The uttama
>>>> adhikaari
>>>> > student is like Nachiketa of KaThopanishad.  We are not concerned
>>>> about
>>>> > this uttama adhikaari.  The discussion is therefore about the other
>>>> two,
>>>> > madhyama and manda. For majority of us who are in the middle or
>>>> madhyama,
>>>> > Vedantic knowledge is received. We have no doubts whatsoever. That is
>>>> we
>>>> > understand Vedanta. Jnaanam is there, but this knowledge does not
>>>> result in
>>>> > emotional transformation or derive the benefits at the emotional
>>>> level. The
>>>> > knowledge is full, but jiivan mukti is not there. Jnaanam and
>>>> samsaara seem
>>>> > to co-exist for us. For jnaanam to get transformed into jnaana
>>>> phalam, the
>>>> > obstacles preventing the transformation have to be slowly resolved.
>>>> This is
>>>> > the role of Nidhidhyaasanam. Here the intellect and the mind are still
>>>> > diverged resulting in having knowledge but that knowledge is getting
>>>> > blocked at emotional level by the pressure of the remnant vaasanaas.
>>>> Such a
>>>> > dichotomy seems to be there – knowledge is full but no jiivan mukti –
>>>> > jnaanam and samsaara seemingly co-existing together.  This is because
>>>> of
>>>> > incomplete saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti or the four fold
>>>> qualifications.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Let us take a simple illustrative example for this. Let us say we
>>>> have a
>>>> > tank full of water, but no water is coming when we open a tap.
>>>> Obviously
>>>> > there must be some block preventing the water in the pipe line.  To
>>>> solve
>>>> > this problem, what is required is not adding more water into the
>>>> tank, but
>>>> > removing the block that is preventing the water from gushing through
>>>> the
>>>> > pipe-line. Similarly in the aatma vidya, the cause for the block is
>>>> > insufficient preparation or jnaana yogyataa. This required jnaana
>>>> > vairaagyam, that is knowledge generated dispassion, is not fully
>>>> developed
>>>> > giving rise to raaga and dvesha or likes and dislikes, which still
>>>> control
>>>> > the mental moods. It is like I know smocking is bad (knowledge is
>>>> there)
>>>> > but I am still tempted to smoke when I smell a cigarette. Thus habits
>>>> of
>>>> > the past still haunt the mind. Krishna calls this as rasa or lingering
>>>> > taste for sensuous enjoyments.  He gives a method of overcoming them
>>>> too,
>>>> > which we will discuss later. In Ch. 4, He suggests knowledge based
>>>> > dispassion or jnanena karma saynaasaH, or in shot,
>>>> jnaana-karma-sanyaasa
>>>> > yoga, as the title of the chapter suggests. This is also called vidvat
>>>> > sanyaasa. Here the dispassion is generated by the emotional mind
>>>> abiding in
>>>> > the intellect that has clear understanding of the mahaavaakya. For
>>>> > nidhidhyaasana, is bhoutika or physical sanyaasa necessary? We will
>>>> address
>>>> > this question in detail later. For the time being we understand that
>>>> > Saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti is necessary, and all other things are
>>>> only
>>>> > instrumental or helpful aids.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Now the question is what the remedies are. For uttama adhikaari,
>>>> there is
>>>> > no problem and therefore his case is of no concern to us. In the case
>>>> of
>>>> > manda adhikaari, the saadhana sampatti level is very low. Hence the
>>>> > saadhaka or seeker has to concentrate on the karma yoga and the
>>>> upaasana
>>>> > yoga, which will prepare the mind to gain the knowledge.  For him the
>>>> > Vedantic study will have less impact compared to karma yoga and
>>>> upaasana
>>>> > yoga. We do not have to tell him that he need not have to attend the
>>>> > Vedanta classes. Many a time he automatically drops them because the
>>>> mind
>>>> > is not ready to hold on to the teaching due to his extroverted-ness.
>>>> >
>>>> > We hear people saying that they want to attend the Vedanta classes,
>>>> but
>>>> > they do not have time; implication of this being the study of Vedanta
>>>> is
>>>> > not of their priority. Some even do not want to hear about it
>>>> thinking that
>>>> > this is only for the old or retired people, who have nothing else to
>>>> do.  Krishna
>>>> > gives the statistics – of the thousands of people, very few are really
>>>> > interested in this teaching. Of those who are interested, very few
>>>> make an
>>>> > attempt to realize, and of those who make an attempt very few really
>>>> > succeed- manushyaanaam sahasreshu….Hence for manda adhikaari, even if
>>>> he
>>>> > attempts Vedanta study, the shravana itself becomes another form of
>>>> karma
>>>> > yoga, as purifier for the mind. The process will continue until his
>>>> mind
>>>> > becomes more mature when he starts recognizing that Vedantic study is
>>>> more
>>>> > important than any other activity in life, and hence his priorities
>>>> change.
>>>> > From the initial state where he felt that he did not have time for
>>>> Vedanta,
>>>> > he evolves to the state where he feels that he does not have time or
>>>> > interest for other things in life. His mind is becoming more mature.
>>>> > Vedanta refers to such a mind only in the Mundaka sloka –
>>>> pariikshalokaan
>>>> > karma chitaan brahmano… –the one who has recognized the futility of
>>>> > extroverted life-pursuits in giving eternal happiness – the advise of
>>>> the
>>>> > Upanishads is for him to approach an aachaarya for serious Vedantic
>>>> study.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Madhyama adhikaari has the ability to receive the knowledge. He is
>>>> the one
>>>> > who says I understand Vedanta, but…That –but- means there is no
>>>> difficulty
>>>> > in receiving the knowledge but jnaana phalam or jiivanmukti status is
>>>> not
>>>> > derived. This madhyama adhikaari need not have go back to karma yoga
>>>> and
>>>> > upaasana yoga. He can keep doing whatever he is doing as his daily
>>>> routine
>>>> > without the need of any special concentration on extra karma yoga.
>>>> What is
>>>> > required now is Nidhidhyaasanam to internalize the teaching. The
>>>> saadhana,
>>>> > now in the form of nidhidhyaasana, will convert him from madhyama to
>>>> uttama
>>>> > adhikaari – the block gets freed- jaanam itself converts into jnaana
>>>> > phalam.  We will now look into what is involved in Nidhidhyaasanam.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Nidhidhaasanam:
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Nidhidhyaasanam depends on manonigraha, that is, control of the mind.
>>>> The
>>>> > reception and conversion of the knowledge both depend on the control
>>>> of the
>>>> > mind, which is one of the six mental disciplines, shaadhana shatka
>>>> > sampatti. Of these, shama is manonigraha or mental discipline. Here it
>>>> > represents the entire saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti too, that is, all
>>>> the
>>>> > four-fold disciplines. The lack of this mental discipline expresses
>>>> in many
>>>> > ways. First it expresses in terms of a sense of insecurity for
>>>> myself, and
>>>> > then for my-people who depend on me. It is essentially a
>>>> manifestation of
>>>> > ahankaara and mamakaara. Knowledge should give freedom from this
>>>> sense of
>>>> > insecurity -abhayam pratishTaam vidate, says Ti. Up. The second
>>>> expression
>>>> > of this insufficient preparation is lack of freedom from sorrow due to
>>>> > things, people and their behavior around. This results in lack of
>>>> peace of
>>>> > mind. Jnaanam should give ever lasting peace – shatam-shivam advaitam
>>>> > .
>>>> >
>>>> > Jnaani will have everlasting peace – peace that paasth understanding.
>>>> > Others get peace of mind occasionally when things are conducive to
>>>> their
>>>> > likes.  All the three noted above put together (i.e. sense of
>>>> security,
>>>> > freedom from sorrow and peace of mind) is jnaana phalam. Thus both
>>>> jnaanam
>>>> > and jnaana phalam depend on the saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti. There
>>>> are no
>>>> > exceptions to this. How do we know we have the requisite saadhana
>>>> > chatuShTaya sampatti? In olden days when the student used to live
>>>> with the
>>>> > teacher, by observing the student for a length of time, the teacher
>>>> would
>>>> > find out. The teaching is given only for those students who are
>>>> ready. At
>>>> > present times, where we do not have such gurukula systems, we need to
>>>> > evaluate ourselves. Two questions to be answered; one is how to get
>>>> the
>>>> > saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti and second how to check what we have is
>>>> what
>>>> > it requires. We will discuss these in the next post.
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Hari Om!
>>>> > Sadananda
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Nithin S
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>>>
>>
>


-- 
Nithin S