[Advaita-l] Brahman is the sole sentient entity and no one else

[V Subrahmanian]

Brahman is the sole sentient entity and no one else

In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad we have 1.4.10:

ब्रह्म वा इदमग्र आसीत्तदात्मानमेवावेत् । अहं ब्रह्मास्मीति ।
तस्मात्तत्सर्वमभवत्तद्यो...[Brahman was even before knowing its true
nature, Brahman alone. It knew itself as 'I am Brahman' and thereupon
became the Infinite.]

While commenting on this Shankara has said that 'we have to accept that
Brahman alone is associated with avidya (and appearing as jiva and alter
gets mukti) since there is no sentient entity other than Brahman.

किं तर्हि न ब्रह्म स्वात्मन्यतद्धर्माध्यारोपनिमित्तम् अविद्याकर्तृ चेति -
भवत्येवं नाविद्याकर्तृ भ्रान्तं च ब्रह्म । *किन्तु नैव अब्रह्म अविद्यकर्ता
चेतनो भ्रान्तोऽन्य इष्यते *— ‘नान्योऽतोऽस्ति विज्ञाता’ (बृ. उ. ३ । ७ । २३)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Brha?page=3&id=BR_C03_S07_V23&hl=%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE>
 ‘नान्यदतोऽस्ति विज्ञातृ’ (बृ. उ. ३ । ८ । ११)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Brha?page=3&id=BR_C03_S08_V11&hl=%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%83>
 ‘तत्त्वमसि’ (छा. उ. ६ । ८ । ७)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Chandogya?page=6&id=Ch_C06_S08_V07&hl=%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BF>
 ‘आत्मानमेवावेत् अहं ब्रह्मास्मि’ (बृ. उ. १ । ४ । १०)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Brha?page=1&id=BR_C01_S04_V10&hl=%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%20%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF>
 ‘अन्योऽसावन्योऽहमस्मीति, न स वेद’ (बृ. उ. १ । ४ । १०)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Brha?page=1&id=BR_C01_S04_V10&hl=%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF,%20%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6>
 इत्यादिश्रुतिभ्यः ; स्मृतिभ्यश्च — ‘समं सर्वेषु भूतेषु’ (भ. गी. १३ । २७)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Gita?page=13&id=BG_C13_V27&hl=%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%81%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%81>
 ‘अहमात्मा गुडाकेश’ (भ. गी. १० । २०)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Gita?page=10&id=BG_C10_V20&hl=%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B6>
 ‘शुनि चैव श्वपाके च’ (भ. गी. ५ । १८)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Gita?page=5&id=BG_C05_V18&hl=%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%B5%20%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%87%20%E0%A4%9A>
 ; ‘यस्तु सर्वाणि भूतानि’ (ई. उ. ६)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Isha?page=NaN&id=IS_V06&hl=%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%81%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF>
 ‘यस्मिन्सर्वाणि भूतानि’ (ई. उ. ७)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Isha?page=NaN&id=IS_V07&hl=%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF>
 इति च मन्त्रवर्णात् ।

This reasoning Shankara has stated in another place too: The Bhagavadgita
Bhashya 9.10:

 ततश्च एकस्य देवस्य सर्वाध्यक्षभूतचैतन्यमात्रस्य परमार्थतः
सर्वभोगानभिसम्बन्धिनः अन्यस्य चेतनान्तरस्य अभावे भोक्तुः अन्यस्य अभावात् ।

He has used this reasoning in the Kshetra adhyaya, 13th ch.while discussing
the kshetrajna, Brahman, is the one entity in all bodies. Questions like
'one's sukha duhkha will be another's, etc., have been raised and answered
by Shankara.

Shankara has cited a verse in the Viṣṇu sahasra nāma bhāṣya, which has not
been identified as to its source:

 स्वमायया स्वमात्मानं मोहयन्द्वैतमायया । गुणाहितं स्वमात्मानं लभते च स्वयं
हरिः ॥ [By his own Māyā, deluding himself with the illusion of dvaita, Hari
Himself comes to see himself endowed with guṇas.]
In the Puruṣasūkta bhāṣya, Sāyaṇācārya cites:

 एतच्चाथर्वाणिका उत्तरतापनीये स्पष्टमामनन्ति - स वा एष भूतानीन्द्रियाणि
विराजं देवताः कोशांश्च सृष्ट्वा प्रविश्यामूढो मूढ इव व्यवहरन्नास्ते माययैव
। इति । .

This is clearly stated by the Nṛsimha uttara tāpanīya Upaniṣad: He indeed
created all these beings - virāt, the devatā-s and the pancha kośā-s and
entering them, though himself beyond delusion, appears, out of māyā, doing
his actions, as though he is deluded.

Thus, there is evidence in the Upaniṣads for the idea of Brahman itself as
though being deluded.

Apart from this, अजायमानो बहुधा विजायते of the Purusha Suktam is also
pramana for Brahman taking multiple forms.  There is no advaita hani
because the forms are all take up through maya and one perceiving the other
is also possible in that kalpita bahutva.

The Shvetashvatatopanishat says:  *त्वं स्त्री** पुमानसि त्वं कुमार उत वा
कुमारी । त्वं जीर्णो दण्डेन वञ्चसि त्वं जातो भवसि विश्वतोमुखः ॥३*॥

All the forms seen in the cosmos  like man, woman, young, old, are of
Brahman.

Brahma sutra bhashya 2.3.43 Shankara cites an Upanishad:

अन्यथा चापि व्यपदेशो भवत्यनानात्वस्य प्रतिपादकः ; तथा ह्येके शाखिनो
दाशकितवादिभावं ब्रह्मण आमनन्त्याथर्वणिका ब्रह्मसूक्ते — ‘ ब्रह्म दाशा
ब्रह्म दासा ब्रह्मैवेमे कितवाः’ इत्यादिना ; दाशा य एते कैवर्ताः प्रसिद्धाः,
ये च अमी दासाः स्वामिष्वात्मानमुपक्षपयन्ति, ये च अन्ये कितवा द्यूतकृतः, ते
सर्वे ब्रह्मैव — इति हीनजन्तूदाहरणेन सर्वेषामेव
नामरूपकृतकार्यकरणसङ्घातप्रविष्टानां जीवानां ब्रह्मत्वमाह  Brahman is the
boatman, the gambler, etc.  ; तथा अन्यत्रापि ब्रह्मप्रक्रियायामेवायमर्थः
प्रपञ्च्यते — ‘ त्वं स्त्री त्वं पुमानसि त्वं कुमार उत वा कुमारी । त्वं
जीर्णो दण्डेन वञ्चसि त्वं जातो भवति विश्वतोमुखः’ (श्वे. उ. ४ । ३)
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/svt?page=4&id=SV_C04_V03&hl=%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%89%E0%A4%A4%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%C2%A0%E0%A5%A4%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A8%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%82%20%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%96%E0%A4%83>
 इति, ‘ सर्वाणि रूपाणि विचित्य धीरो नामानि कृत्वाभिवदन्यदास्ते’ इति च ; ‘
<http://advaitasharada.sringeri.net/display/bhashya/Brha?page=3&id=BR_C03_S07_V23&hl=%20%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%BD%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%20%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%BE>


Thus, the idea that Brahman alone appears as the jiva and then attains
liberation through gaining the knowledge 'aham brahma asmi' is well
enshrined in the Upanishads.

Om Tat Sat