Sunday, May 18, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
19.4 Body-free Liberation (Videha Mukti)
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.
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.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
19.3 Liberated Living Person (Jeevan Mukta)
The real meaning of the "I" is self. It is the infinite existence-consciousness nature. The adjectives of bound and free cannot be applied to it. Bondage means forgetting one's self, freedom means knowledge. In other words, removing that forgetfulness. The meaning here is that from the vision of the self, there is no reality to the bound or free, that only happens though the transactional viewpoint. If we analyze transaction from the viewpoint of the absolute and vice versa, then the true nature of both will become hidden. That is why, when you analyze freedom and bondage etc., only the transactional viewpoint should be kept in mind.
In the infinite awareness bliss reality, no type of duality can be imagined, and there is only duality in transactions. Good-bad, sinner-saint and great soul-bad soul, such distinctions have been going on in time immemorial in transactions. Without this, transactions cannot proceed. In this situation, we will have to define great soul and bad soul (mahaatmaa and duraatmaa). This is necessary for the order in society and for the benefit of the seeker. But these qualities cannot apply to the living liberated great soul, because they are as they are. They do not need the knowledge of their own qualities. They are not bound inside these qualities, they have gone beyond, far beyond them, established in their infinite nature. They do not need a certificate to assert that they are a great soul or a bad soul. In their vision, everyone is their own true nature alone. That is why qualities are created for ordinary souls, who are burning in the sins of the world, and want to rest under a calming, happy and dense shade. They want to give up their anxiety, agitation and delusion, and want to rest in a peaceful place, and want someone delicate hands to pat their back. Therefore, we will have to ascertain these qualities based on our own vision. We select these great souls based on our values, liking and nature, and will continue to do so.
But, if we insist on having everything our way, we cannot rid ourselves of this scary maze of maayaa. Due to accumulating desires in birth upon birth, we have become mixed up in our situations, and have become accustomed to them. That is why, whenever we come across anything that is opposed to our thinking, we neglect it or oppose it. We only take that to be true which has been weighed and measured by our intellect, and in doing so, we are bereft of the real truth. Then what should we do? Should we take someone's refuge? That is why scripture has given us the qualities of a saint and a living liberated person.
In shruti, the words to indicate such a person are : "shrotreeya, brahma nishtha, braahman, brahma vid". In the Gita, the words to indicate such a person are : "sithita prajnya, bhakta and gunaateeta". In the Yoga Vasishta, the words to indicate such a person are : "jeevan mukta, videha mukta". In the Puraanaas, it is "ativarnaashramee". They all refer to the same person, who has attained the state which is the result of all methods. For example, one who reaches the absolute state using the primary means of action and the secondary means of devotion and knowledge is called a "sthita prajnya" in the Gita. Similarly, one who reaches the absolute state using the primary means of devotion and the secondary means of action and knowledge is called a "bhakta". And one who reaches the absolute state using the primary means of knowledge and the secondary means of devotion and action is called a "gunaa teeta". All of them have attained the same state, everyone is established in the absolute, and all are fulfilled with action, devotion and knowledge, yet, for the sake of distinguishing from the standpoint of methods, there is difference in name alone.
In the Yoga Vaasishta, Shree Vasishta has described many qualities of a liberated living person. We now take them up one by one.
1. In this moment, in front of our thought flows, we see mountains, rivers and forests, we see specific aspects of the world. When all of these, including our body and senses are pulled away from us, in other words, during the time of the world's dissolution, all these distinctions set like the sun! But in the liberating living persons, it is not so. This entire creations remains as it is, and transactions also keep going on. Since dissolution does not happen, others experience clearly as before. But, since there are no thought flows that experience this world in the liberated living person, he does not experience anything as in sleep, it sets. Now, in sleep, the seed of thought flow remains in the form of impressions, and the entire world rises again. But there is no seed in the living liberated person. Therefore, he does not experience the world again.
2. A worldly person, according to his praarabdha (storehouse of previous actions), becomes happy or sad based on states of the world such as receiving a garland of flowers, or receiving insults and abuses from people. But the liberated living person remains situated in peace no matter what he receives from the world, he has no specific desire. Firstly, since he is established in his true nature, the liberated living person does not experience these objects, and even if he experiences them for a little while, his firmness of knowledge and the absence of grasping and rejecting notions do not leave any room for happiness or sorrow. Here, the key point to be noted is that our storehouse of actions brings only the causes of joy and sorrow, not the actual joys and sorrows that follow. According to the wheel of action, situations keep arising, but due to attachment, we become happy or sad. For instance, due to our storehouse of actions, we may not receive food one day. This much is the effect of our storehouse of actions. But in that we become sad, this is the result of attachment, and attachment happens due to ignorance. Since we are unacquianted with
the motions and true nature of the wheel of the world, we become attached to some space, time and matter, and we become happy or sad. Why would the liberated living person become happy or sad with this? This is their specialty.
3. His external sense organs remain situated in their receptacles, they are not withdrawn, that is why he remains awake. But since this thought flows face inward, or they are absent, it is one type of deep sleep. That is why the sense organs do not grasp their objects, and all of the indications of the waking state do not manifest fully. That is why this state cannot be called either waking or sleeping. Cognition happens, but it is not desire-prompted cognition, like it happens in dream or waking state. Sometimes "I know brahman", this type of thought flow arises, this is indicated by the word desire. This desire does not exist in a liberated living person. Where there is a thought that I have known the infinite awareness-nature brahman, there lies a doership of knowledge ascribed to the self, and that cannot be called pure knowledge. When doership and enjoyership has been negated, only cognition without the triad of knower-known-knowing remains, then it is called desire-free cognition. This nature of cognition alone is the nature of the liberated living person.
4. From the viewpoint of people, he appears to transact with attraction, aversion and fear etc. Place, cleanliness, lunch etc. appears to happen as per his likings, he only eats saattvic food, he discards tamas, worrying about his house and bad company. He also appears to be afraid of animals like snake etc. Due to continuation of old habits that were negated, in a state of lost self control, such instances do occur, but since his internal organ is pure, it does not get dirty. Does space get contaminated by dust or clouds? No. Similarly, the heart of the liberated living person also remains ever, always and everywhere pure.
Another point needs to be said here. Liberated living persons are found in all stages of life and in all occupations. They never cross the limits of their occupations of life stages. Why should one cross limits that have been handed down through tradition, when for him, all actions are the same? Yes, a lower kind of action can be given up for a higher kind of action. But, in the observance of limits, there should be no inadvertance, nor the excuse that one is a liberated living person. It is also true that for those liberated living persons who have in the true sense renounced their occupation and life stage, no one has the right to say anything to them.
5. Whenever a person does anything, the arrogation of "I am the doer of this action" happens. There is also the expectation of a result in this world or the next, and his intellect gets wrapped with this notion. On the other hand, by forcefully restraining the organs of sense and actions as well as the internal organ, and renouncing all the actions, "I have stopped all action", this arrogation also happens. This will result in liberation, his intellect gets wrapped with this notion also. But, whether the living liberated person appears to work or to give up work, in both states, his arrogation and intellect do not get stuck anywhere. I am a doer, I am a renouncer, this notion does not arise. Both states remain in front of him.
This state is self known (sva sam vedya). These great persons have risen above doership. In them, arrogation, attachment and the stickiness of the intellect is not present. Due to this, there are no other actions for them besides spontaneous actions. And such spontaneous actions have been described in the Gita. Or, spontaneous (sahaja) can be understood like this - actions that happen prior to cognition. Since their flow is broken (pravaaha patita) and there are no desires to stop those actions and take them in another direction, those practiced actions continue. Yes, this much is certain that in that moment, there were no sinful actions otherwise cognition would not have occured. In our view, in the life of the liberated living person, all kinds of incidents will occur due to the storehouse of actions, but their prior desires (sankalpa), attachment to them and their doership does not remain, and since everything is seen through the vision of the self as the self, the actions do not yield any results.
6. Whenever worldly people come across someone that they think will hurt them in any way, or experience something opposite to their behaviour and thinking, they become agitated. Even seekers get agitated when they see jealously and hatred from people, and their attachment to the world. But the liberated living person is not a stranger to someone, he is the self of all. He does not expect anything negative or inappropriate from anyone. Then why would anyone become afraid of him? His spiritual practice does not get affected by seeing other peoples' worldly attachments, since his spiritual practice is spontaneous, it is not artificial that it will break due to someone's contact or obstacles. That is why he is not afraid of anyone. Everything is attained to him, that is why he is never elated at receiving any object. He does not have any competitors, therefore he does not get angry at anyone. There is fear in duality. You can only be scared of another. There is no "other" for the liberated living person, then who will he become afraid of? He is always revelling in his self, content in his self, and satisfied in his self.
7. Due to various incorrect thinking in the form of "this is an enemy, this is a friend, he is indifferent, he is to be honoured, this is an insult", worldly people tend to burn. But the liberated living people do not think incorrectly in this manner, therefore they always remain at peace. Even though endowed with sixty four qualities, they do not have any pride towards them, nor do they display them in any transactions. Also, even though appearing endowed with body, breath and other manifestations - divisions, they are devoid, in other words, unmanifest. In our vision, he appears to possess a mind, but in reality, since thought flows do not arise in him, he has no mind. No wonder he is without worry.
8. It is quite common for worldly people people to visit someone else's house on the occasion of a festival etc. and perform various tasks for that person's happiness. While performing those tasks, even worldly people do not get affected by the mental modifications of profit, loss, elation, sorrow and so on. Similarly, since there is no "other" for the liberated living person, he remains free of all mental modifications in all transactions, his heart is always calm! It is not the case that he remains calm only because he his free of all of the anxieties caused by obstacles and roadblocks. It is because he is constantly established in his unchangeable complete self element.
So long as such a self established great person's body is visible to us, we call him a liberated living person, and by taking refuge at his feet, we attain the supreme benevolence. When his body drops, we say that he has become body-free liberated (videha mukta). With regards to that, nothing can be said.
But yes, this state of liberated living is attained only through the desire-destroyed, mind-annihilated, knowledge of self alone,
not through any one of these three. The truth is that they are related, without one, the other cannot be attained. That is why, with great earnestness, all three should be practiced.
In the infinite awareness bliss reality, no type of duality can be imagined, and there is only duality in transactions. Good-bad, sinner-saint and great soul-bad soul, such distinctions have been going on in time immemorial in transactions. Without this, transactions cannot proceed. In this situation, we will have to define great soul and bad soul (mahaatmaa and duraatmaa). This is necessary for the order in society and for the benefit of the seeker. But these qualities cannot apply to the living liberated great soul, because they are as they are. They do not need the knowledge of their own qualities. They are not bound inside these qualities, they have gone beyond, far beyond them, established in their infinite nature. They do not need a certificate to assert that they are a great soul or a bad soul. In their vision, everyone is their own true nature alone. That is why qualities are created for ordinary souls, who are burning in the sins of the world, and want to rest under a calming, happy and dense shade. They want to give up their anxiety, agitation and delusion, and want to rest in a peaceful place, and want someone delicate hands to pat their back. Therefore, we will have to ascertain these qualities based on our own vision. We select these great souls based on our values, liking and nature, and will continue to do so.
But, if we insist on having everything our way, we cannot rid ourselves of this scary maze of maayaa. Due to accumulating desires in birth upon birth, we have become mixed up in our situations, and have become accustomed to them. That is why, whenever we come across anything that is opposed to our thinking, we neglect it or oppose it. We only take that to be true which has been weighed and measured by our intellect, and in doing so, we are bereft of the real truth. Then what should we do? Should we take someone's refuge? That is why scripture has given us the qualities of a saint and a living liberated person.
In shruti, the words to indicate such a person are : "shrotreeya, brahma nishtha, braahman, brahma vid". In the Gita, the words to indicate such a person are : "sithita prajnya, bhakta and gunaateeta". In the Yoga Vasishta, the words to indicate such a person are : "jeevan mukta, videha mukta". In the Puraanaas, it is "ativarnaashramee". They all refer to the same person, who has attained the state which is the result of all methods. For example, one who reaches the absolute state using the primary means of action and the secondary means of devotion and knowledge is called a "sthita prajnya" in the Gita. Similarly, one who reaches the absolute state using the primary means of devotion and the secondary means of action and knowledge is called a "bhakta". And one who reaches the absolute state using the primary means of knowledge and the secondary means of devotion and action is called a "gunaa teeta". All of them have attained the same state, everyone is established in the absolute, and all are fulfilled with action, devotion and knowledge, yet, for the sake of distinguishing from the standpoint of methods, there is difference in name alone.
In the Yoga Vaasishta, Shree Vasishta has described many qualities of a liberated living person. We now take them up one by one.
1. In this moment, in front of our thought flows, we see mountains, rivers and forests, we see specific aspects of the world. When all of these, including our body and senses are pulled away from us, in other words, during the time of the world's dissolution, all these distinctions set like the sun! But in the liberating living persons, it is not so. This entire creations remains as it is, and transactions also keep going on. Since dissolution does not happen, others experience clearly as before. But, since there are no thought flows that experience this world in the liberated living person, he does not experience anything as in sleep, it sets. Now, in sleep, the seed of thought flow remains in the form of impressions, and the entire world rises again. But there is no seed in the living liberated person. Therefore, he does not experience the world again.
2. A worldly person, according to his praarabdha (storehouse of previous actions), becomes happy or sad based on states of the world such as receiving a garland of flowers, or receiving insults and abuses from people. But the liberated living person remains situated in peace no matter what he receives from the world, he has no specific desire. Firstly, since he is established in his true nature, the liberated living person does not experience these objects, and even if he experiences them for a little while, his firmness of knowledge and the absence of grasping and rejecting notions do not leave any room for happiness or sorrow. Here, the key point to be noted is that our storehouse of actions brings only the causes of joy and sorrow, not the actual joys and sorrows that follow. According to the wheel of action, situations keep arising, but due to attachment, we become happy or sad. For instance, due to our storehouse of actions, we may not receive food one day. This much is the effect of our storehouse of actions. But in that we become sad, this is the result of attachment, and attachment happens due to ignorance. Since we are unacquianted with
the motions and true nature of the wheel of the world, we become attached to some space, time and matter, and we become happy or sad. Why would the liberated living person become happy or sad with this? This is their specialty.
3. His external sense organs remain situated in their receptacles, they are not withdrawn, that is why he remains awake. But since this thought flows face inward, or they are absent, it is one type of deep sleep. That is why the sense organs do not grasp their objects, and all of the indications of the waking state do not manifest fully. That is why this state cannot be called either waking or sleeping. Cognition happens, but it is not desire-prompted cognition, like it happens in dream or waking state. Sometimes "I know brahman", this type of thought flow arises, this is indicated by the word desire. This desire does not exist in a liberated living person. Where there is a thought that I have known the infinite awareness-nature brahman, there lies a doership of knowledge ascribed to the self, and that cannot be called pure knowledge. When doership and enjoyership has been negated, only cognition without the triad of knower-known-knowing remains, then it is called desire-free cognition. This nature of cognition alone is the nature of the liberated living person.
4. From the viewpoint of people, he appears to transact with attraction, aversion and fear etc. Place, cleanliness, lunch etc. appears to happen as per his likings, he only eats saattvic food, he discards tamas, worrying about his house and bad company. He also appears to be afraid of animals like snake etc. Due to continuation of old habits that were negated, in a state of lost self control, such instances do occur, but since his internal organ is pure, it does not get dirty. Does space get contaminated by dust or clouds? No. Similarly, the heart of the liberated living person also remains ever, always and everywhere pure.
Another point needs to be said here. Liberated living persons are found in all stages of life and in all occupations. They never cross the limits of their occupations of life stages. Why should one cross limits that have been handed down through tradition, when for him, all actions are the same? Yes, a lower kind of action can be given up for a higher kind of action. But, in the observance of limits, there should be no inadvertance, nor the excuse that one is a liberated living person. It is also true that for those liberated living persons who have in the true sense renounced their occupation and life stage, no one has the right to say anything to them.
5. Whenever a person does anything, the arrogation of "I am the doer of this action" happens. There is also the expectation of a result in this world or the next, and his intellect gets wrapped with this notion. On the other hand, by forcefully restraining the organs of sense and actions as well as the internal organ, and renouncing all the actions, "I have stopped all action", this arrogation also happens. This will result in liberation, his intellect gets wrapped with this notion also. But, whether the living liberated person appears to work or to give up work, in both states, his arrogation and intellect do not get stuck anywhere. I am a doer, I am a renouncer, this notion does not arise. Both states remain in front of him.
This state is self known (sva sam vedya). These great persons have risen above doership. In them, arrogation, attachment and the stickiness of the intellect is not present. Due to this, there are no other actions for them besides spontaneous actions. And such spontaneous actions have been described in the Gita. Or, spontaneous (sahaja) can be understood like this - actions that happen prior to cognition. Since their flow is broken (pravaaha patita) and there are no desires to stop those actions and take them in another direction, those practiced actions continue. Yes, this much is certain that in that moment, there were no sinful actions otherwise cognition would not have occured. In our view, in the life of the liberated living person, all kinds of incidents will occur due to the storehouse of actions, but their prior desires (sankalpa), attachment to them and their doership does not remain, and since everything is seen through the vision of the self as the self, the actions do not yield any results.
6. Whenever worldly people come across someone that they think will hurt them in any way, or experience something opposite to their behaviour and thinking, they become agitated. Even seekers get agitated when they see jealously and hatred from people, and their attachment to the world. But the liberated living person is not a stranger to someone, he is the self of all. He does not expect anything negative or inappropriate from anyone. Then why would anyone become afraid of him? His spiritual practice does not get affected by seeing other peoples' worldly attachments, since his spiritual practice is spontaneous, it is not artificial that it will break due to someone's contact or obstacles. That is why he is not afraid of anyone. Everything is attained to him, that is why he is never elated at receiving any object. He does not have any competitors, therefore he does not get angry at anyone. There is fear in duality. You can only be scared of another. There is no "other" for the liberated living person, then who will he become afraid of? He is always revelling in his self, content in his self, and satisfied in his self.
7. Due to various incorrect thinking in the form of "this is an enemy, this is a friend, he is indifferent, he is to be honoured, this is an insult", worldly people tend to burn. But the liberated living people do not think incorrectly in this manner, therefore they always remain at peace. Even though endowed with sixty four qualities, they do not have any pride towards them, nor do they display them in any transactions. Also, even though appearing endowed with body, breath and other manifestations - divisions, they are devoid, in other words, unmanifest. In our vision, he appears to possess a mind, but in reality, since thought flows do not arise in him, he has no mind. No wonder he is without worry.
8. It is quite common for worldly people people to visit someone else's house on the occasion of a festival etc. and perform various tasks for that person's happiness. While performing those tasks, even worldly people do not get affected by the mental modifications of profit, loss, elation, sorrow and so on. Similarly, since there is no "other" for the liberated living person, he remains free of all mental modifications in all transactions, his heart is always calm! It is not the case that he remains calm only because he his free of all of the anxieties caused by obstacles and roadblocks. It is because he is constantly established in his unchangeable complete self element.
So long as such a self established great person's body is visible to us, we call him a liberated living person, and by taking refuge at his feet, we attain the supreme benevolence. When his body drops, we say that he has become body-free liberated (videha mukta). With regards to that, nothing can be said.
But yes, this state of liberated living is attained only through the desire-destroyed, mind-annihilated, knowledge of self alone,
not through any one of these three. The truth is that they are related, without one, the other cannot be attained. That is why, with great earnestness, all three should be practiced.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
19.2 Undeniable Truth (Abaadha Satya)
The self is not an object of any sense organ. It does not have any connection with feelings. Even the witness cannot make it a seen. In such a situation, having any opinions about that which is beyond opinions is absurd. Opinions can only be formed about something that is known, felt or experienced through senses. That which is the illuminator of the arising-setting of all opinions, which does not require any means, self-proven, self luminous, cannot be touched by the cacophony of dissenting opinions. Distinction of direction is an opinion, distinction of space is an opinion, distinction of object is an opinion, distinction of three internal differences is an opinion also. Opinion means the expression of a name and form. There could be some distinctions made whether it is beginning-less or with beginning, believer or atheist, but one can never experience the absence of oneself. So there could be several distinctions of the self : one-many, with or without attributes, real-unreal, aware-inert, happy-sad, disconnected-undisconnected, but the self does not fall under any categorization of such opinions or contradictions. This is the reason why the speech of the opinionators can never touch the self. Their saying, accepting or thinking cannot bring any adornment or insult to the self. There are several conclusions and determinations made about the self based on worldly transactions - void-real, aware-inert, doer-non doer, enjoyer-non enjoyer, going from world to world, perishable-immortal, happy-sad, sinner-saint, they are only inferences based on worldly transactions, in other words, they are imaginations only.
Inference needs a basis. It is based on evidence, it requires induction or deduction. All this only happens in worldly transactions. That which is based on shruti, beyond opinion, beyond senses, beyond knowledge cannot fall under the realm of inference. Therefore, that which can be known through Vedanta cannot be attained though all of these means, they do not hold any value.
Every sense organ can only grasp its corresponding objects, their form and their absence, but no sense organ can grasp that which another organ can. Even word, touch, form, taste and smell cannot be grasped in their entirety, and also, all of these senses do not have the same strength. Through their respective strengths, in their respective spheres, they can only grasp proximate objects. Their course, their intelligence, their love, their strength, their distinctions, their expression, everything is limited. This is the reason that whenever we begin to investigate the self with our senses, then eventually it concludes in the darkness of ignorance, and we fit ourselves into some imagination there, and we get stuck with some obsession of our belief. For instance, if someone were to set off to find out the limit of what is north, what is south, what is east or west etc., their energy would be exhausted, but they will not find the limit. Since at each step, something even beyond the current state will be imagined. The beginning and end of space and time cannot be found inside space or time, it can only be found in that subtle realm where that space and time is experienced. The start and end of space is not in any other infinite space, it is only found in the perception-nature self. This applies to time as well.
If you set off to find the beginning of history or the end of the future, you will never find them, your energy of searching will become depleted. When you cannot find the beginning or end of the past or the future, you will not have any calculation to determine the extent of the present moment. While finding the present moment, you will face the same situation that you did when searching for limits of the past and future. All these limits will be mere imaginations, and even these imaginations will only be delusions born of ignorance. The acceptance of beginningless-ness is also a result of ignorance alone. This is the same case with the eternal-like nature of external objects.
In reality, there is no need to run towards the ends of space, time and matter, and put forth efforts to grasp their limits for the realization of truth. To understand their true nature, we will have to turn the face of our research and inquiry. The seer (drishtaa) alone is the knowledge, perception (bhaana) is experience. Therefore, by turning away from the seen, and by turning our face inwards towards the seer, the internal self, is the only way. This is nothing else but inquisitiveness and a desire to learn the true nature of knowledge. You can see for yourself. Do you want to make the truth into a known entity, an object of knowledge, or, do you want to end the turning away from your own knowledge-nature self, your self-created veiling?
Whether you accept it or not, this is a fact. You can try to cut this veiling with the sword of your thinking. But if you have the notion of importance in the seen, no matter where it is - in the inner seen, outer seen, body, non-body, in the I, in the this, in the you, in the that, then you will not be able to cut that important entity which you yourself have accepted as important. That is why, leave the imagination of samaadhi after time, leave the greed for the abode of Brahma after space, leave the greed for objects. With firm determination, pursue the investigation into the perception-nature self which illuminates all of these, and which does not require another entity to illuminate it.
There is always a notion of importance, of rejection, of happiness, of inclusion, of sorrow, which is maintained in any seen, whether inner-outer or close-far. As long as this is the case, there is not doubt that your intelligence will be incapable of cutting the veiling which is covering up the true self which is illuminating you. The intellect will want to see that which it illuminates, and will be engaged in painting the seen with the red of desire and the black of aversion. It will not be able ti become white and pure, and experience the non-difference with the self illumining substratum self, which is self proven. This technique is known in scripture as withdrawal, dispassion or internal purification.
There are two forms to our obsession: one is in our personality (vyaktitva), whether it is subtle or gross or without reason, this is natural. Second is the worldliness of this world and the next superimposed by scripture. The obsession of objects advocated by the superimposition of scriptures is eventually negated by scripture itself. But the natural obsession with our personality is removed only through deep longing and investigation-examination-perception of the self. It is so deeply rooted that even with Ishvara, saamadhi and attainment of liberation, we want to decorate our personality alone. But the realization of the truth is not an ornament of the personality, it expels all distinctions between unmanifest and manifest.
Whether it is personality or distinction, it will always be opposed to itself, and will always be contentious, since it is seen through differing perspectives, and there are no uniform intermediate stages in the seen. Personality can never be beyond contention and opposition, whether it has to do with Ishvara, the soul or of the inert. Therefore, shruti, scripture, tradition and teachers say, do not deposit yourself into any container of any categorization. That which is invisible, not possible to grasp, imperishable, beyond knowing, unseen, the attainment of that non-contentious truth alone is without opposition. In other words, it is the total remover of attraction and aversion.
We then come to a decision where no matter how many specific entities or distinctions are out there, they are all seen, and so they can become topics of contention. If we apply any specificity or adjective (visheshana) to truth, then in the modified part of the truth, opposition-oriented entities will arise. If there is no adjective, there is no cause for any duality. Non-specific means non-dual. This non-duality cannot become dependent on another, because, when we accept "this" or "that" as non-dual, the self will become their illuminator, distinct from them. Knowledge is the very nature of the self, the self is perception only (bhaana maatra). Whatever other remains as the known-unknown, will become an object of the imagination in the form of known-unknown, it will be illuminated. Non-duality or completeness is not an adjective of the self, it is its nature. Or we can also say that it is a scriptural superimposition to remove the delusion of incompleteness and duality. It is clear that the distinction between the self and the not-self, the imagination of any reality other than our own is born out of personality. Only the arrogation of a personality separates it from others, and separates others from it. The decision here is that arrogation is only due to ignorance of the absolute truth. The scriptures unweariedly strive to remove this ignorance.
We hear that there was nothing before the self in the form of space, time and matter. We hear that there is nothing after the self in the form of space and time. There is nothing inside or outside space. We hear that the self is the self of all, and is experienced as such. The self is immanent and immediate, all-knowing, devoid of all distinctions. In such a situation, there is no doubt of its brahman-nature. This is the reason that the creator of the "Vivarana" school say that hearing alone is the way to remove ignorance. Hearing means the firm resolve with regards to the brahman-nature of the self. But if even then there remained a doubt in the means or the target, then contemplation along the lines of logic that supports shruti, and if there remains any counter thoughts, then the thought flows of the mind would need to be stabilized in the meaning of the shruti statements using meditation. A seeker with a pure mind and intent desire for liberation would not even require hearing. Then why would he need contemplation or meditation? Thought flow and reversal (aavritti) is established only in the personality. As long as there is the notion of reality and identification with the personality, body or in any kind of disconnected entity, the reversal of the brahman-shaped thought flow is required.
But one should be careful that this reversal should not make the self into a thought-flow. When ignorance along with doubts and incorrect thoughts is removed, then complete non-duality, and foremost fearlessness is established. Fearlessness, complete wisdom (knowledge of one leading to knowledge of all) and lordship over everything (the capacity to renounce everything) - these are the consequent results of the knowledge of the essence. Consequent means that there is no other effort or practice that is needed for these, they appear spontaneously. All minds and powers engage themselves in the service of the knower of the essence, since he is the self-illumined substratum of even intelligent and powerful, in the form of brahman. The omniscient and omnipotent supreme Ishvara appears in the non-dual self by looking towards creation, not from the vision of one's true nature.
The self is indicated by the removal of ignorance as ever-pure-knower-free. There can be no association of any kind of duty, emotion, practice or reversal of thought flow with that self. If knowledge also were to be devoid of independence, then how can the animal tendency be removed? Knowledge devoid of independence (svaatantrya heena bodha) is dirt, independence devoid of knowledge is idiocy, it is unrestrained behaviour, it is animal tendency. Our true nature is free of the burden of any duties, emotions, practices or reversals. No matter what comes in the form of a seen, power-powerful, thought-flow or one with the thought-flow, samaadhi or one with samaadhi, worship-worshipper, all of them appear in the container (adhikarana) of their "yaavat" nature, therefore they are extremely illusory. After realization, after removal of ignorance, the afore-mentioned causes-effects and methods and techniques have no essence or importance.
Whether it is an appearance or a reflection, creation-vision or vision-creation, everything is meant for sincere seekers to imbibe the absolute into their hearts. To get obsessed with it is not appropriate. It may be needed to defeat someone in an argument, or to solidify one's faith, but only in the initial stages. Where there is no action or modification, there no method or technique works. Adjunctor-adjuncted, disconnector-disconnected, reflector-reflected etc. such imaginations are useful only to indicate and realize the brahman-nature of our self. When that happens, all these imaginations becomes useless, and they become the target of "not this, not this". The question is, what is the "this" in "not this"? Answer - this means that what is deserving of negation. It means everything that is imagined or non-imagined, immediate and non-immediate scene only. Its negation is included in the "this" world, and that is the meaning.
But who is the illuminator of this negation? Who is the substratum? That which remains when everything has been negated, who is that remained? Our self? Space, time, matter, three-fold differences are the in category of negation, the distinction between world, soul, Ishvara also is in that same category. In situation, anything that remains, is beyond anything specific, is our own self, and there is not a whiff of distinction in it. Fighting over distinctions in the seen is similar to arguing whether the water in a mirage is 10 feet or 100 feet deep. How deep is the blueness of the sky is a topic use to prove the prowess of a debater. Just like the discussion of a canvas-less painting or a space-less rose is immaterial, the discussion about the beauty or ugliness of anything sees is just a web of words.
Hearing, only hearing! Why only this hearing? It is because there are two instances where no other means, logic or technique cannot reveal the knowledge. First: even non-immediate heaven, the realm of Brahmaa, the cause of the world etc. and the means to attain all these. The methods that are known by visible etc. means are connected to other-worldly ever-non-immediate materials. There is no other means besides hearing to know that connection. This means that the reality of the ever-non-immediate object and the technique of attaining it both happen with hearing.
Second: The knowledge of the ever-present-immediate object which is unknown, like the brahman-ness of the self. This can only be known by hearing. The self is always immediate, without the need for means, without thought-flow. Even in deep sleep. The self is never non-immediate, it is ever attained. Only ignorance has become its veil, as though. It is neither in the realm of senses like pot-cloth etc., nor non-immediate like heaven. I-I-I, the thought-flows in this manner at its essence is the one and only one self. Distinction is in the category of seen. Beyond all disconnections, this self element, only due to ignorance does it seem to be unavailable, as thought. That which is unattainable due to ignorance is ever attained, and that which is attained by knowledge was always attained. That is why, for the removal of ignorance, there is nothing needed besides knowledge. Knowledge removes ignorance only. It does not gain or lose an object. Therefore, once knowledge leads to ignorance, knowledge itself becomes useless, in other words, knowledge does not have to be repeated again and again. This knowledge does remove ignorance but "I am knowledgeable" - it does not attain this arrogation. But, except for the self, there is arrogation of knowledge in everything that is known, plus that knowledge has to be repeated.
Now bring your attention to this astounding point. When anything except the self is known, that knowledge leaves behind an impression (samskaara), memory of that arises often, and that object is considered good or bad, and it needs to be attained or discarded. The point is that there is a need of practice, of action for that object. But in the knowledge of the self, there is no impression created. If after knowledge, the object becomes non-immediate, then the impression and the object within that impression arises due to memory. But, after the removal of ignorance, the self remains as the self-illumined experience-nature. Therefore, impression and memory does not arise.
The second point to keep in mind is this. Any seen object have some kind of relationship notion. That is why, the knowledge of any seen object will be connected to some action, worship and yoga, and when that knowledge happens, some duty will remain. There is no relationship notion in the self, therefore even when its knowledge happens, nothing remains to be performed, worshipped or enjoyed. Therefore, there is fullness only in self knowledge. There is nothing to disconnect or create distinction in thsi knowledge. It itself is beyond the division of knower and known, the non-dual brahman.
All opinions are arguments are to do with the seen alone, this point has been mentioned earlier. There is no scope for any posturing in the non-seen, non-imbibed, non-dual brahman nature. Any devotion or hatred is all due to outward-facing-ness. Outward-facing-ness (bahiramukhataa) is an effect of ignorance alone. Let those who are ignorance quarrel - they have to support. The knower of the essence experiences every position taken in every argument as illusory in his self-illumined substratum self. This is the reason why:
Only through this alone-nature identity of brahman and self knowledge permanently removes attraction and aversion at their roots. Bliss at all times, bliss everywhere, all is bliss, since all times, everywhere and all, these words do not denote anything else except the substratum, and non-dual, fearless, void of hoarding and acquisition, only the self alone is the on true reality.
Inference needs a basis. It is based on evidence, it requires induction or deduction. All this only happens in worldly transactions. That which is based on shruti, beyond opinion, beyond senses, beyond knowledge cannot fall under the realm of inference. Therefore, that which can be known through Vedanta cannot be attained though all of these means, they do not hold any value.
Every sense organ can only grasp its corresponding objects, their form and their absence, but no sense organ can grasp that which another organ can. Even word, touch, form, taste and smell cannot be grasped in their entirety, and also, all of these senses do not have the same strength. Through their respective strengths, in their respective spheres, they can only grasp proximate objects. Their course, their intelligence, their love, their strength, their distinctions, their expression, everything is limited. This is the reason that whenever we begin to investigate the self with our senses, then eventually it concludes in the darkness of ignorance, and we fit ourselves into some imagination there, and we get stuck with some obsession of our belief. For instance, if someone were to set off to find out the limit of what is north, what is south, what is east or west etc., their energy would be exhausted, but they will not find the limit. Since at each step, something even beyond the current state will be imagined. The beginning and end of space and time cannot be found inside space or time, it can only be found in that subtle realm where that space and time is experienced. The start and end of space is not in any other infinite space, it is only found in the perception-nature self. This applies to time as well.
If you set off to find the beginning of history or the end of the future, you will never find them, your energy of searching will become depleted. When you cannot find the beginning or end of the past or the future, you will not have any calculation to determine the extent of the present moment. While finding the present moment, you will face the same situation that you did when searching for limits of the past and future. All these limits will be mere imaginations, and even these imaginations will only be delusions born of ignorance. The acceptance of beginningless-ness is also a result of ignorance alone. This is the same case with the eternal-like nature of external objects.
In reality, there is no need to run towards the ends of space, time and matter, and put forth efforts to grasp their limits for the realization of truth. To understand their true nature, we will have to turn the face of our research and inquiry. The seer (drishtaa) alone is the knowledge, perception (bhaana) is experience. Therefore, by turning away from the seen, and by turning our face inwards towards the seer, the internal self, is the only way. This is nothing else but inquisitiveness and a desire to learn the true nature of knowledge. You can see for yourself. Do you want to make the truth into a known entity, an object of knowledge, or, do you want to end the turning away from your own knowledge-nature self, your self-created veiling?
Whether you accept it or not, this is a fact. You can try to cut this veiling with the sword of your thinking. But if you have the notion of importance in the seen, no matter where it is - in the inner seen, outer seen, body, non-body, in the I, in the this, in the you, in the that, then you will not be able to cut that important entity which you yourself have accepted as important. That is why, leave the imagination of samaadhi after time, leave the greed for the abode of Brahma after space, leave the greed for objects. With firm determination, pursue the investigation into the perception-nature self which illuminates all of these, and which does not require another entity to illuminate it.
There is always a notion of importance, of rejection, of happiness, of inclusion, of sorrow, which is maintained in any seen, whether inner-outer or close-far. As long as this is the case, there is not doubt that your intelligence will be incapable of cutting the veiling which is covering up the true self which is illuminating you. The intellect will want to see that which it illuminates, and will be engaged in painting the seen with the red of desire and the black of aversion. It will not be able ti become white and pure, and experience the non-difference with the self illumining substratum self, which is self proven. This technique is known in scripture as withdrawal, dispassion or internal purification.
There are two forms to our obsession: one is in our personality (vyaktitva), whether it is subtle or gross or without reason, this is natural. Second is the worldliness of this world and the next superimposed by scripture. The obsession of objects advocated by the superimposition of scriptures is eventually negated by scripture itself. But the natural obsession with our personality is removed only through deep longing and investigation-examination-perception of the self. It is so deeply rooted that even with Ishvara, saamadhi and attainment of liberation, we want to decorate our personality alone. But the realization of the truth is not an ornament of the personality, it expels all distinctions between unmanifest and manifest.
Whether it is personality or distinction, it will always be opposed to itself, and will always be contentious, since it is seen through differing perspectives, and there are no uniform intermediate stages in the seen. Personality can never be beyond contention and opposition, whether it has to do with Ishvara, the soul or of the inert. Therefore, shruti, scripture, tradition and teachers say, do not deposit yourself into any container of any categorization. That which is invisible, not possible to grasp, imperishable, beyond knowing, unseen, the attainment of that non-contentious truth alone is without opposition. In other words, it is the total remover of attraction and aversion.
We then come to a decision where no matter how many specific entities or distinctions are out there, they are all seen, and so they can become topics of contention. If we apply any specificity or adjective (visheshana) to truth, then in the modified part of the truth, opposition-oriented entities will arise. If there is no adjective, there is no cause for any duality. Non-specific means non-dual. This non-duality cannot become dependent on another, because, when we accept "this" or "that" as non-dual, the self will become their illuminator, distinct from them. Knowledge is the very nature of the self, the self is perception only (bhaana maatra). Whatever other remains as the known-unknown, will become an object of the imagination in the form of known-unknown, it will be illuminated. Non-duality or completeness is not an adjective of the self, it is its nature. Or we can also say that it is a scriptural superimposition to remove the delusion of incompleteness and duality. It is clear that the distinction between the self and the not-self, the imagination of any reality other than our own is born out of personality. Only the arrogation of a personality separates it from others, and separates others from it. The decision here is that arrogation is only due to ignorance of the absolute truth. The scriptures unweariedly strive to remove this ignorance.
We hear that there was nothing before the self in the form of space, time and matter. We hear that there is nothing after the self in the form of space and time. There is nothing inside or outside space. We hear that the self is the self of all, and is experienced as such. The self is immanent and immediate, all-knowing, devoid of all distinctions. In such a situation, there is no doubt of its brahman-nature. This is the reason that the creator of the "Vivarana" school say that hearing alone is the way to remove ignorance. Hearing means the firm resolve with regards to the brahman-nature of the self. But if even then there remained a doubt in the means or the target, then contemplation along the lines of logic that supports shruti, and if there remains any counter thoughts, then the thought flows of the mind would need to be stabilized in the meaning of the shruti statements using meditation. A seeker with a pure mind and intent desire for liberation would not even require hearing. Then why would he need contemplation or meditation? Thought flow and reversal (aavritti) is established only in the personality. As long as there is the notion of reality and identification with the personality, body or in any kind of disconnected entity, the reversal of the brahman-shaped thought flow is required.
But one should be careful that this reversal should not make the self into a thought-flow. When ignorance along with doubts and incorrect thoughts is removed, then complete non-duality, and foremost fearlessness is established. Fearlessness, complete wisdom (knowledge of one leading to knowledge of all) and lordship over everything (the capacity to renounce everything) - these are the consequent results of the knowledge of the essence. Consequent means that there is no other effort or practice that is needed for these, they appear spontaneously. All minds and powers engage themselves in the service of the knower of the essence, since he is the self-illumined substratum of even intelligent and powerful, in the form of brahman. The omniscient and omnipotent supreme Ishvara appears in the non-dual self by looking towards creation, not from the vision of one's true nature.
The self is indicated by the removal of ignorance as ever-pure-knower-free. There can be no association of any kind of duty, emotion, practice or reversal of thought flow with that self. If knowledge also were to be devoid of independence, then how can the animal tendency be removed? Knowledge devoid of independence (svaatantrya heena bodha) is dirt, independence devoid of knowledge is idiocy, it is unrestrained behaviour, it is animal tendency. Our true nature is free of the burden of any duties, emotions, practices or reversals. No matter what comes in the form of a seen, power-powerful, thought-flow or one with the thought-flow, samaadhi or one with samaadhi, worship-worshipper, all of them appear in the container (adhikarana) of their "yaavat" nature, therefore they are extremely illusory. After realization, after removal of ignorance, the afore-mentioned causes-effects and methods and techniques have no essence or importance.
Whether it is an appearance or a reflection, creation-vision or vision-creation, everything is meant for sincere seekers to imbibe the absolute into their hearts. To get obsessed with it is not appropriate. It may be needed to defeat someone in an argument, or to solidify one's faith, but only in the initial stages. Where there is no action or modification, there no method or technique works. Adjunctor-adjuncted, disconnector-disconnected, reflector-reflected etc. such imaginations are useful only to indicate and realize the brahman-nature of our self. When that happens, all these imaginations becomes useless, and they become the target of "not this, not this". The question is, what is the "this" in "not this"? Answer - this means that what is deserving of negation. It means everything that is imagined or non-imagined, immediate and non-immediate scene only. Its negation is included in the "this" world, and that is the meaning.
But who is the illuminator of this negation? Who is the substratum? That which remains when everything has been negated, who is that remained? Our self? Space, time, matter, three-fold differences are the in category of negation, the distinction between world, soul, Ishvara also is in that same category. In situation, anything that remains, is beyond anything specific, is our own self, and there is not a whiff of distinction in it. Fighting over distinctions in the seen is similar to arguing whether the water in a mirage is 10 feet or 100 feet deep. How deep is the blueness of the sky is a topic use to prove the prowess of a debater. Just like the discussion of a canvas-less painting or a space-less rose is immaterial, the discussion about the beauty or ugliness of anything sees is just a web of words.
Hearing, only hearing! Why only this hearing? It is because there are two instances where no other means, logic or technique cannot reveal the knowledge. First: even non-immediate heaven, the realm of Brahmaa, the cause of the world etc. and the means to attain all these. The methods that are known by visible etc. means are connected to other-worldly ever-non-immediate materials. There is no other means besides hearing to know that connection. This means that the reality of the ever-non-immediate object and the technique of attaining it both happen with hearing.
Second: The knowledge of the ever-present-immediate object which is unknown, like the brahman-ness of the self. This can only be known by hearing. The self is always immediate, without the need for means, without thought-flow. Even in deep sleep. The self is never non-immediate, it is ever attained. Only ignorance has become its veil, as though. It is neither in the realm of senses like pot-cloth etc., nor non-immediate like heaven. I-I-I, the thought-flows in this manner at its essence is the one and only one self. Distinction is in the category of seen. Beyond all disconnections, this self element, only due to ignorance does it seem to be unavailable, as thought. That which is unattainable due to ignorance is ever attained, and that which is attained by knowledge was always attained. That is why, for the removal of ignorance, there is nothing needed besides knowledge. Knowledge removes ignorance only. It does not gain or lose an object. Therefore, once knowledge leads to ignorance, knowledge itself becomes useless, in other words, knowledge does not have to be repeated again and again. This knowledge does remove ignorance but "I am knowledgeable" - it does not attain this arrogation. But, except for the self, there is arrogation of knowledge in everything that is known, plus that knowledge has to be repeated.
Now bring your attention to this astounding point. When anything except the self is known, that knowledge leaves behind an impression (samskaara), memory of that arises often, and that object is considered good or bad, and it needs to be attained or discarded. The point is that there is a need of practice, of action for that object. But in the knowledge of the self, there is no impression created. If after knowledge, the object becomes non-immediate, then the impression and the object within that impression arises due to memory. But, after the removal of ignorance, the self remains as the self-illumined experience-nature. Therefore, impression and memory does not arise.
The second point to keep in mind is this. Any seen object have some kind of relationship notion. That is why, the knowledge of any seen object will be connected to some action, worship and yoga, and when that knowledge happens, some duty will remain. There is no relationship notion in the self, therefore even when its knowledge happens, nothing remains to be performed, worshipped or enjoyed. Therefore, there is fullness only in self knowledge. There is nothing to disconnect or create distinction in thsi knowledge. It itself is beyond the division of knower and known, the non-dual brahman.
All opinions are arguments are to do with the seen alone, this point has been mentioned earlier. There is no scope for any posturing in the non-seen, non-imbibed, non-dual brahman nature. Any devotion or hatred is all due to outward-facing-ness. Outward-facing-ness (bahiramukhataa) is an effect of ignorance alone. Let those who are ignorance quarrel - they have to support. The knower of the essence experiences every position taken in every argument as illusory in his self-illumined substratum self. This is the reason why:
Only through this alone-nature identity of brahman and self knowledge permanently removes attraction and aversion at their roots. Bliss at all times, bliss everywhere, all is bliss, since all times, everywhere and all, these words do not denote anything else except the substratum, and non-dual, fearless, void of hoarding and acquisition, only the self alone is the on true reality.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
19.1 Means And Result
The means and result of Vedanta is extremely unique. Injunction is command-dominant, worship is faith-dominant, and Vedanta is means-dominant. In injunction, rituals are key. In worship, love and direction (aavritti) is key. In Vedanta, thinking is key, and this alone is the means in Vedanta. In other words, the firm resolution of the philosophy of the Upanishads through the words of the teacher - this is hearing. Understanding the one underlying meaning behind the scriptures through analyzing, argumentating and using other means with regards to what is heard - this is contemplation. Flowing the intellect alone the meaning of the great statements of the shruti is meditation. For the foremost seeker, through hearing alone does the brahman-shaped thought flow dawn. But for the mid-level and lower-level seeker, contemplation and meditation is required. This brahman shaped thought flow alone will destroy ignorance, therefore in Vedanta, this is the end of means.
The result of injunction is happiness, it is the happiness of heaven as well as the enjoyment-oriented happiness of upcoming births. The result of worship is the thought-flow shaped in the form of the worshipped, and the vision of what is dear. The result of worshipping an entity with form and attributes is the vision of the dear with form. The result of worshipping an entity without form but with attributes is the mental visibility (maanasa pratyaksha) of the inner controller, by which the intellect is surrendered to him. In Vedanta, the mental visibility of brahman also does not happen since brahman is without form and without attributes. Therefore, in Vedanta, the ignorance pertaining to the identity of the self and brahman only has to be removed. Brahman shaped thought flow is only for removal of ignorance. Brahman is the self of the seeker alone. Removal of ignorance alone is the result of Vedanta.
By negating all thoughts and impressions, by negating thought flows, in other words, even negating "result pervasion" (phala vyaapti), by realizing it as it is, to remove the ignorance of what is, and for that reason, to create the brahman shaped thought flow - this is the immediate means of Vedanta.
The knowledge of thought flow (vritti jnyaana of brahman shaped vritti) is not the result of Vedanta, since after removal of ignorance, the knowledge of thought flow itself is removed. When ignorance is removed, all misfortune is removed, self-proven supreme bliss-nature in the form of our self is established in its own nature - this is the result of Vedanta. This is the nature of liberation.
Question: Thought flow itself is the effect of ignorance. Then through the knowledge of thought flow, how can ignorance be removed?
Answer: Where the notion of remover-removed is considered real, the effect-oriented knowledge of thought flow cannot remove the cause-oriented ignorance. But, whatever has a cause-effect relationship with ignorance is all false. Whatever object is created out of ignorance, has never been created in reality. There, the cause-effect relationship is only a delusion. Therefore, the knowledge of thought flow is capable of removing ignorance. Along with ignorance, the cause-effect nature of the world is also imagined. Where there is an imagined cause-effect relationship, there by the removal of the effect, even the cause which is ignorance, is removed.
In reality, in our true nature, the notion of means and result both do not exist! In essence, thought flow does not remove the veil (avarana bhanga), only the awareness which rides on the thought flow dos so. The awareness which rides on the brahman shaped thought flow generated by great statements removes ignorance. After that, even the thought flow itself is negated. Only awareness remains.
One more time, we remind the seeker of his original inspiration due to which he engaged in the knowledge of Vedanta, which is the eternal removal of sorrow, and the attainment of supreme bliss, or liberation. Sorrow comes from ignorance, happiness resides in the self. Through the brahman shaped thought flow generated by great statements, when the ignorance is removed, then the seed of all sorrows is destroyed. After that, what is left? Self illumined happiness of brahman. This alone is liberation. The self indicated by the removal of ignorance alone is called liberation. This is the result of the science of Vedanta.
Liberation is not a state. It is not a state of the body, mind, or of any method. It is just the name of the self, which is of the nature of itself. Liberation is a non-distinct vision, complete satisfaction, unrestricted independence. The distinction between liberation after death and liberation while alive is out of ignorance alone. The knower of the essence is liberated at the very time of knowledge. In scripture, liberation after death is a reassurance for the beginning seeker and liberation while living is the praise of self knowledge, therefore are part of eulogizing. In a certain part of the scripture, liberation after death is completely negated. In some other scriptures, the unrestricted independence of the liberated while alive person is glorified.
Question: Who is free?
Answer: In reality, no one becomes free. He who had the delusion of bondage, arrogation of bondage, is freed of the delusion and arrogation by knowledge. The self is always free - it was never bound and never freed. The body is always bound by the laws of nature, and will continue to be bound. There was a delusion of bondage in the reflected awareness (chidaabhaasa) soul since it had a delusion of its own reality distinct from that of brahman. That delusion was removed by knowledge and he realized - I am ever-pure-wise-free-brahman alone. Only the free can be free, this is the statement of the Vaartikaa writer.
Even the various degrees within liberation are not absolute. Every body-dweller behaves according to his nature, whether he is a wise knower or not.
Question: Does the "praarabdha" (storehouse of old desires) remain in the wise knower?
Answer: Whose praarabha? The body is unreal for the wise knower! What praarabdha exists for the unreal? The unreal cannot have praarabdha. Even in transactions, praarabdha exists for the body, not for the self. Due to identification with this body, ignorant souls accept its praarabdha as their own. When knowledge arises, this identification vanishes. Therefore, one who has knowledge does not accept any praarabdha. However, to reconcile the actions of the wise knower for the benefit of the ignorant, the scripture also talks about "praarabdha for the wise knower". In the vision of the wise knower, creation is ever fresh, non-distinct from brahman, then where is there any room for the praarabdha of mine and yours?
The result of injunction is happiness, it is the happiness of heaven as well as the enjoyment-oriented happiness of upcoming births. The result of worship is the thought-flow shaped in the form of the worshipped, and the vision of what is dear. The result of worshipping an entity with form and attributes is the vision of the dear with form. The result of worshipping an entity without form but with attributes is the mental visibility (maanasa pratyaksha) of the inner controller, by which the intellect is surrendered to him. In Vedanta, the mental visibility of brahman also does not happen since brahman is without form and without attributes. Therefore, in Vedanta, the ignorance pertaining to the identity of the self and brahman only has to be removed. Brahman shaped thought flow is only for removal of ignorance. Brahman is the self of the seeker alone. Removal of ignorance alone is the result of Vedanta.
By negating all thoughts and impressions, by negating thought flows, in other words, even negating "result pervasion" (phala vyaapti), by realizing it as it is, to remove the ignorance of what is, and for that reason, to create the brahman shaped thought flow - this is the immediate means of Vedanta.
The knowledge of thought flow (vritti jnyaana of brahman shaped vritti) is not the result of Vedanta, since after removal of ignorance, the knowledge of thought flow itself is removed. When ignorance is removed, all misfortune is removed, self-proven supreme bliss-nature in the form of our self is established in its own nature - this is the result of Vedanta. This is the nature of liberation.
Question: Thought flow itself is the effect of ignorance. Then through the knowledge of thought flow, how can ignorance be removed?
Answer: Where the notion of remover-removed is considered real, the effect-oriented knowledge of thought flow cannot remove the cause-oriented ignorance. But, whatever has a cause-effect relationship with ignorance is all false. Whatever object is created out of ignorance, has never been created in reality. There, the cause-effect relationship is only a delusion. Therefore, the knowledge of thought flow is capable of removing ignorance. Along with ignorance, the cause-effect nature of the world is also imagined. Where there is an imagined cause-effect relationship, there by the removal of the effect, even the cause which is ignorance, is removed.
In reality, in our true nature, the notion of means and result both do not exist! In essence, thought flow does not remove the veil (avarana bhanga), only the awareness which rides on the thought flow dos so. The awareness which rides on the brahman shaped thought flow generated by great statements removes ignorance. After that, even the thought flow itself is negated. Only awareness remains.
One more time, we remind the seeker of his original inspiration due to which he engaged in the knowledge of Vedanta, which is the eternal removal of sorrow, and the attainment of supreme bliss, or liberation. Sorrow comes from ignorance, happiness resides in the self. Through the brahman shaped thought flow generated by great statements, when the ignorance is removed, then the seed of all sorrows is destroyed. After that, what is left? Self illumined happiness of brahman. This alone is liberation. The self indicated by the removal of ignorance alone is called liberation. This is the result of the science of Vedanta.
Liberation is not a state. It is not a state of the body, mind, or of any method. It is just the name of the self, which is of the nature of itself. Liberation is a non-distinct vision, complete satisfaction, unrestricted independence. The distinction between liberation after death and liberation while alive is out of ignorance alone. The knower of the essence is liberated at the very time of knowledge. In scripture, liberation after death is a reassurance for the beginning seeker and liberation while living is the praise of self knowledge, therefore are part of eulogizing. In a certain part of the scripture, liberation after death is completely negated. In some other scriptures, the unrestricted independence of the liberated while alive person is glorified.
Question: Who is free?
Answer: In reality, no one becomes free. He who had the delusion of bondage, arrogation of bondage, is freed of the delusion and arrogation by knowledge. The self is always free - it was never bound and never freed. The body is always bound by the laws of nature, and will continue to be bound. There was a delusion of bondage in the reflected awareness (chidaabhaasa) soul since it had a delusion of its own reality distinct from that of brahman. That delusion was removed by knowledge and he realized - I am ever-pure-wise-free-brahman alone. Only the free can be free, this is the statement of the Vaartikaa writer.
Even the various degrees within liberation are not absolute. Every body-dweller behaves according to his nature, whether he is a wise knower or not.
Question: Does the "praarabdha" (storehouse of old desires) remain in the wise knower?
Answer: Whose praarabha? The body is unreal for the wise knower! What praarabdha exists for the unreal? The unreal cannot have praarabdha. Even in transactions, praarabdha exists for the body, not for the self. Due to identification with this body, ignorant souls accept its praarabdha as their own. When knowledge arises, this identification vanishes. Therefore, one who has knowledge does not accept any praarabdha. However, to reconcile the actions of the wise knower for the benefit of the ignorant, the scripture also talks about "praarabdha for the wise knower". In the vision of the wise knower, creation is ever fresh, non-distinct from brahman, then where is there any room for the praarabdha of mine and yours?
Friday, January 10, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
18.8 Techniques For Reaching Oneness
a) There is a question - how long does it take for the soul to become Ishvara? The answer is - the same time taken by a Hindu to become a human. A Hindu is a human alone. If the arrogation of Hindu-ness remains, a human remains Hindu. Similarly, the soul is Ishvara alone, the arrogation of soul-ness has not gone. Arrogation of the body (deha abhimaana) alone is soul-ness. All one has to do is to conduct discrimination on the lines of five sheaths, five elements, three bodies, tristate etc. and experience the aware soul as the pure witness, distinct from the adjuncts of body-senses-min. Also, over there, he has to experience Ishvara as distinct from the cause of the adjuncts, maayaa. In experience, the pure witness and Ishvara are not two. The non-adjuncted entity is one alone. All diversity is in the adjunct.
b) Here is a well known point. The seen is distinct from the seer, but is this distinction real? No. The seer sees the seen, and also sees the absence of the seen. The absence of the seen cannot be distinct from its substratum. Therefore, the seer himself is the substratum of the seen. That is why, the seer is distinct from the seen, but the seen is not distinct from the seer. The seen is appearing there where there is an absence of the seen. Therefore, by appearing in the container (adhikarana) of its absence, the seen is illusory.
Is there some limit between the seer and the seen that says - upto here is the seer and upto here is the seen? What is in the middle of the seer and the seen? It will neither be a seer nor be a seen since this alone is the question. Maybe it is vision itself! But that is the nature of the seer. It may be an instrument of vision, but that also will become the seen. In reality, in between the seer and the seen, there is only the ignorance of the non-disconnectedness of the seer. Where the limit between the seer and the seen alone is ignorance, there the distinction between the seer and the seen also has ignorance at its root.
c) Where is the difference between the seer and the seen? When the topic of the seer equipped with the adjunct of the intellect comes up, that seer becomes disconnected. Then his name becomes knower or "pramaataa". There are differences between one knower and another, since the difference lies in the adjunct of the intellect. But, that pure seer who leaves the adjunct of the intellect cannot have any distinctions in him. This means that the seer in different internal organs is not different, he is the same.
If we accept distinctions in the seer based on distinctions in the adjunct, then there are different adjuncts in different spaces. Therefore, the question will be, are the adjuncts related to space, or is space an adjunct? In other words, in space, are there distinct adjuncts, or is space seen differently in one adjunct?
In the first case, even when there is removal of the adjunct, there will not be removal of space, then there will be no liberation. The second case is not correct, since different spaces cannot be the refuge of the adjunct. Therefore, that adjunct which makes the entire creation appear is one, which is ignorance or avidyaa. Therefore, even the seer is one. Everything else is an appearance of the soul or "jeevaabhaasa".
d)What is in between the soul and Ishvara? What is between one soul and another? What is between the soul and world? One world and another? World and Ishvara? All of these have one answer - ignorance, the ignorance of the oneness of the substratum and illuminator, the ignorance of the oneness between the refuge and object of ignorance. All differences are due to ignorance, ignorance is removed through knowledge, the result of knowledge is annihilation of all distinctions.
People who accept distinctions between the soul, Ishvara, the world as being caused by action or desire, they accept injunction and worship as liberation. But their liberation cannot be eternal. Vedanta accepts only ignorance as the cause of distinctions, therefore they accept knowledge as liberation and this liberation is eternal.
e) If the soul and Ishvara are different, how are they different? Are they two in reality, or in space, or in time? If they are two in time, then there is Ishvara in one time and the soul in another, both are perishable, and then space becomes the essence (tatta)! If they are two in space, then both become disconnected, then who will differentiate the two spaces? In reality both cannot be different since existence consciousness is one. If we say that Ishvara is of the nature of bliss, and the soul is the enjoyer of that bliss, then Ishvara happens for the soul, the soul becomes great instead of Ishvara! If there is a difference in the actions of both, then it is due to adjunct, not in reality. Ishvara's adjunct is the cause-oriented maayaa, and that of the soul is effect-oriented internal organ. This proves that all differences of the soul and Ishvara are caused by the arrogation by the soul of its adjunct. In reality, the same awareness is called soul due to arrogation with body, and called Ishvara without arrogation.
f) In scripture, distinction and non-distinction between the soul and Ishvara, both are described, and both are required. In distinction, there is an ritual of worship. By it, desires (vaasanaas) are destroyed and propensity of knowledge dawns in the internal organ. The non-distinct truth is only indicated, that is the completion of the knowledge of the essence.
b) Here is a well known point. The seen is distinct from the seer, but is this distinction real? No. The seer sees the seen, and also sees the absence of the seen. The absence of the seen cannot be distinct from its substratum. Therefore, the seer himself is the substratum of the seen. That is why, the seer is distinct from the seen, but the seen is not distinct from the seer. The seen is appearing there where there is an absence of the seen. Therefore, by appearing in the container (adhikarana) of its absence, the seen is illusory.
Is there some limit between the seer and the seen that says - upto here is the seer and upto here is the seen? What is in the middle of the seer and the seen? It will neither be a seer nor be a seen since this alone is the question. Maybe it is vision itself! But that is the nature of the seer. It may be an instrument of vision, but that also will become the seen. In reality, in between the seer and the seen, there is only the ignorance of the non-disconnectedness of the seer. Where the limit between the seer and the seen alone is ignorance, there the distinction between the seer and the seen also has ignorance at its root.
c) Where is the difference between the seer and the seen? When the topic of the seer equipped with the adjunct of the intellect comes up, that seer becomes disconnected. Then his name becomes knower or "pramaataa". There are differences between one knower and another, since the difference lies in the adjunct of the intellect. But, that pure seer who leaves the adjunct of the intellect cannot have any distinctions in him. This means that the seer in different internal organs is not different, he is the same.
If we accept distinctions in the seer based on distinctions in the adjunct, then there are different adjuncts in different spaces. Therefore, the question will be, are the adjuncts related to space, or is space an adjunct? In other words, in space, are there distinct adjuncts, or is space seen differently in one adjunct?
In the first case, even when there is removal of the adjunct, there will not be removal of space, then there will be no liberation. The second case is not correct, since different spaces cannot be the refuge of the adjunct. Therefore, that adjunct which makes the entire creation appear is one, which is ignorance or avidyaa. Therefore, even the seer is one. Everything else is an appearance of the soul or "jeevaabhaasa".
d)What is in between the soul and Ishvara? What is between one soul and another? What is between the soul and world? One world and another? World and Ishvara? All of these have one answer - ignorance, the ignorance of the oneness of the substratum and illuminator, the ignorance of the oneness between the refuge and object of ignorance. All differences are due to ignorance, ignorance is removed through knowledge, the result of knowledge is annihilation of all distinctions.
People who accept distinctions between the soul, Ishvara, the world as being caused by action or desire, they accept injunction and worship as liberation. But their liberation cannot be eternal. Vedanta accepts only ignorance as the cause of distinctions, therefore they accept knowledge as liberation and this liberation is eternal.
e) If the soul and Ishvara are different, how are they different? Are they two in reality, or in space, or in time? If they are two in time, then there is Ishvara in one time and the soul in another, both are perishable, and then space becomes the essence (tatta)! If they are two in space, then both become disconnected, then who will differentiate the two spaces? In reality both cannot be different since existence consciousness is one. If we say that Ishvara is of the nature of bliss, and the soul is the enjoyer of that bliss, then Ishvara happens for the soul, the soul becomes great instead of Ishvara! If there is a difference in the actions of both, then it is due to adjunct, not in reality. Ishvara's adjunct is the cause-oriented maayaa, and that of the soul is effect-oriented internal organ. This proves that all differences of the soul and Ishvara are caused by the arrogation by the soul of its adjunct. In reality, the same awareness is called soul due to arrogation with body, and called Ishvara without arrogation.
f) In scripture, distinction and non-distinction between the soul and Ishvara, both are described, and both are required. In distinction, there is an ritual of worship. By it, desires (vaasanaas) are destroyed and propensity of knowledge dawns in the internal organ. The non-distinct truth is only indicated, that is the completion of the knowledge of the essence.
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