Once, I asked Shree Udiyaabaabaajee Maharaaj - "What is the difference between living and body-free liberation?" He instantly replied - "In your true nature, the discussion of their distinction itself is inauspicious".
The reality is that the self is of the nature of non-distinction, and the self indicated by the removal of ignorance is called liberation. Therefore in liberation, the distinction of living and body-free is inappropriate. Even in this, in that internal organ that has been illumined by the light of the knowledge of the self, the various degrees of knowledge based on the proportions of devotion, faith and meditation have been described in the Vedantic scriptures. The person who is liberated even though the body and body notion persists is called "liberated living person". The person with a body who is liberated but whose body notion has dropped is called "body-free liberated person". After the body goes, no personality of the liberated person remains, therefore, there is no state of birth or death after that. He does not again come back (Chhaandogya Upanishad 8.15.1).
His vital breath does not depart (Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.6).
Those who, having faith in the great statement "I am brahman" perform "agam graha upaasanaa", but that worship does not transform into the knowledge of brahman in this life, then after death, their vital breath departs, and those people attain the realm of Brahmaa by going through the Uttaraayana path (light or sun). There, they are instructed by Lord Brahmaa and become liberated wit him. This is called "krama mukti" or sequential liberation in the scripture.
Similarly, those who are on the path of either desire-prompted action, or desire-less action/deity-worship, they respectively travel the path of Dakshinaayana and Uttaraayana, attain their desired realms, enjoy the results of their mental desires, and again attain this world of death. In the eight chapter of the Gita, the fifth chapter of the Chhaandogya, and the fourth chapter of the Brihadaaranyaka, this has been described. More details can be found there.
The philosophy of the shruti is that the knower of brahman alone is brahman (Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.9). Only by becoming brahman do you attain brahman (Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.6). Therefore, the knower of brahman is liberated at the time of knowledge. He who revels in the self, who sports in the self, who transacts in the self, that knower of brahman is supreme (Mundaka Upanishad 3.1.5). By taking the basis of this shruti, seven degrees of knowledge have been described in the Yoga Vaasishtha. For the readers' benefit, they have been listed here.
There are seven degrees - shubhecchaa, vichaaranaa, tanumaanasaa, sattvapatti, asamsakti, padaarthabhavaanee and turyagaa. Shubhecchaa is faith oriented. Vichaaranaa is faith and devotion oriented. Tanumanasaa is meditation oriented. Sattvapatti is devotion and meditation oriented. Asamsakti is non-attachment oriented. In Padaarthabhavaanee, in the thought flow that has been thickened by meditation, the experience of the body is dissolved, and in Turyagaa, that experience becomes non-experience (abhaana).
Indications Of The Seven Degrees
1. Shubhecchaa : When there is dispassion-filled seeking of liberation in the internal organ of a person, then that state is called "Shubhecchaa", which is considered the first degree. Its indications are discrimination, dispassion, the six-fold wealth and desire for liberation.
2. Vichaaranaa : The association with dispassion and practice of Vedantic scripture, with great persons who are established in Vedanta, as well as engagement in hearing, contemplation and meditation-oriented good conduct, is called "Vichaaranaa" which is the second degree. In this, approaching the teacher, hearing, contemplation and meditation are included.
3. Tanumanasaa : When shubhecchaa and vichaaranaa reach their fruition, the senses weaken their attachment to their objects, an due to the mind becoming "tanu" or subtle, the thought flows begin to return to their refuge. In other words, the mind begins to settle into the self. This is called "Tanumanasaa", the third degree. This is the fruition of meditation or concentration. By the discrimination of the "you" aspect alone, or of the "that" aspect alone, if it is filled with dispassion, the state of Tanumanasaa can be attained.
All three degrees are degrees of means of knowledge (saadhana).
4. Sattvapatti : This is the degree of attainment of knowledge. By the practice of the prior three degrees, and the dawning of the brahman-shaped thought flow due to the state of dispassion, the you-aspect self is experienced as one with the that-aspect Ishvara. This state of establishment in one's true nature is called "Sattvapatti", which is the fourth degree. This is the state of removal of ignorance. The person who has attained this state is called the "knower of brahman" (brahma vit).
5. Asamsakti : As the prior four degrees come to fruition, the mind becomes extremely unattached towards all objects. The realization of the identity between the self and brahman spreads across one's life. This fifth degree is called "Asamsakti". This is the state of liberated living (jeevan mukti). The person who has attained this state is called "brahma vidvar". For the liberated living knower of brahman, in this state, the entire creation is experienced like a dream. And the acceptance of doership-enjoyership-non-disconnected-worldliness does not occur in the "I". Due to his prior nature, he can remain occupied with any engagement or withdrawal of action. The first four degrees are due to effort, and the fifth is the result of realization. Most supreme persons are established in this state.
6. Padaarthabhavaanee : In this degree, the appearance of objects does not generally pulsate, since, due to the pulsation of the first five degrees, the illusoriness of name-form in his thought flow as well as the reality of his nature keeps getting firmer. Therefore, his cognition of objects happens sometimes, and does not happen other times. Therefore, the transactions of such a great person are controlled by other people. This is the first degree of body-less liberation. The person who has attained this state is called "brahma vidvareeyaan". This state is not attained through self effort. When the storehouse of actions of a liberated living person begins to empty, or when some prior desire is attained, this state dawns.
7. Turyagaa : This degree is the fruition of Padaarthabhavaanee. In this state, his notion of body as well as notion of objects is completely destroyed. His mind does not descend into the experience of body or object either by itself or due to others. Therefore, there is no movement in this state. It is also said that the body cannot remain in this state for more than twenty one days. It is clear that this state dawns when the storehouse of actions is destroyed. This is the final degree of body-less liberation. The person who has attained this state is called "brahma vidvarshtha"
The afore-mentioned states are of the mind or of the reflection of awareness (chidaabhaasa), which is the adjuncted awareness, not of the self. The self is always undivided, without modifications, established like an anvil. From the viewpoint of the seeker, shubhecchaa, vichaaranaa and tanumaanasaa are comparable to the waking state. Sattvapatti and asamsakti are comparable to the dream state, and padaarthabhavaanee and turyagaa to the deep sleep state. But for the knower of the essence, they are in reverse order - turyagaa and padaarthabhavaanee are the waking state, asamsakti and sattvapatti are the dream state, and tanumaanasaa, vicharanaa and shubhecchaa are the deep sleep state. From the viewpoint of the self, brahman and the essence, all these are the self.
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