[Advaita-l] What do Advaitins practice for the realization of Self?

[Ven Balakrishnan]

Hi Greg

To understand what is meant by nididhyasana, you need to first understand what is meant by liberation in advaita. 

In advaita:
Liberation can only be achieved through knowledge. 
Knowledge is the removal of ignorance 
Ignorance is the erroneous mutual superimposition of world-body-mind onto the Self/ Brahman, such that a mistaken identification arises with the body-mind as separate from the world. Both are not real. 
So knowledge is the utter eradication of the false identification with the body-mind (the analogy of a snake sloughing it’s skin is used). 
Sravana is hearing this and learning about it. 
Manana is questioning / rationalising / understanding it. 
Nididhyasana is a progressively deeper meditation (=reflection = abidance) in this understanding, such that all the identification is stripped away (neti, neti)
It is said that some advanced seekers can be liberated just through sravana.  But most have to go through the other two sadhanas, because to truly disidentify with body-mind is easier said than done. 

In this context, as you will appreciate, yogic posture or breathing techniques don’t have any meaning.  The best clear and simple explanation of nididhyasana I have come across is by my friend Ramesam

https://www.advaita-vision.org/process-of-self-inquiry/

Hope this helps. 

venkat



> On 16 Apr 2022, at 14:27, The Crimson Universe via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello Sadananda ji and Praveen ji, could one of you please explain about
> the meditation techniques of nididhyasana and how is it different from
> other types of Indian meditation?
> 
> During the meditation of the mahavakyas are there any breathing practices
> involved in nididhyasana? Can it be practiced while one is in the midst of
> day to day activities or should we practice it only by sitting in a certain
> yogic posture in a serene, secluded environment?
> 
> Thank you.
> 
>> On Sat, 16 Apr 2022, 18:06 Kuntimaddi Sadananda via Advaita-l, <
>> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Praveenji- PraNAms
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Clearexplanation. Nidhidhyaasana or meditation on the teaching of the
>> scriptures isrequired only for madhyama adhikaarees - Says Sureshwara in
>> his Advaita Siddhi.For uttama adhikaris, like Nachiktas, shravaNa and
>> manana will do the job.
>> 
>> Madhyamaadhikarees are those who have not purified their mind sufficiently
>> beforeundertaking the scriptural studies under a competent guru.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Hari Om!
>> 
>> Sadananda
>> 
>> Namaste Greg ji,
>> 
>> The question appears to be loaded with words as you use "simply" in the
>> case of knowledge from scriptures and gurus as opposed to meditation
>> somehow being on a higher pedestal! First off, meditation cannot lead to
>> mokSha, which is why traditional Vedanta doesn't recommend it to anyone for
>> mokSha, but to everyone for ekAgratA (focus/ one-pointedness) of the mind.
>> Similarly, the study of scriptures independently also cannot lead to
>> mokSha, hence the need for a traditional Guru. The knowledge that one
>> receives in this manner leads to mokSha as it takes away all the
>> misconceptions about one's own real nature and once the misunderstandings
>> are removed, what remains is the unnegatable Atma, one without a second.
>> This can further be emphasised, held on to, by nididhyAsana, what you may
>> have called as meditation, but the holding on is also more of dropping off
>> the earlier impressions of having known one's nature wrongly. At the
>> highest stage of yoga samAdhi, one may have a glimpse of the real nature of
>> *one-self*, but there is no possible way to know that *that Self is One*,
>> without another oneself or non-self outside, without the scriptural
>> knowledge received from a Guru.
>> 
>> gurupAdukAbhyAm,
>> --Praveen R. Bhat
>> /* येनेदं सर्वं विजानाति, तं केन विजानीयात्। Through what should one know
>> That, owing to which all this is known! [Br.Up. 4.5.15] */
>> _
>> 
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