A. Sad Vidyaa : Meaning of the great statement You Are That
The shruti of the Chhaandogya Upanishad is :
"Sadeva somyedamagra aaseet. Ekamevaadviteeyam" (Chhaandogya Upanishad 6.2.1)
"O somya! Prior to the creation of the world, there was only reality, and that reality was one, and was non-dual".
In the Upanishads, this is called sad vidyaa or the science of reality. This is not a means of reality, this is the science of reality, it is an art of knowing reality, it is a technique of mastering reality.
In the chapters prior to the sixth chapter of the Chhaandogya Upanishad, it has already been said that this entire visible world is brahman alone, created from it, sustained by it, and will be dissolved into it. How is this? It is important to understand. Also, it is said that when a self-realized person eats food, the entire world is satiated. This can only happen when the self of all is one. If there are distinctions in the self, oneness is not possible. The essence-knowing person becomes an independent emperor. For his happiness, he does not require anything else, and he is not dependent upon anyone. This topic needs to be elucidated. For this, the science of reality and other topics are commenced in the sixth chapter.
Aaruni was the son of Arun. His son was Shvetaketu. Shvetaketu stayed with his teacher for twelve years to study the Vedas. With this study, a seriousness arose in him, he began to think of himself as a wise person, and lost his habit of greeting and saluting others. His father asked him to explain this lack of humility, but understood on his own that the Veda science did not fructify due to lack of science of brahman. Therefore he asked his son - "Son, have you learned that from your teacher by which the not-heard also becomes heard, not-spoken also becomes spoken, not-known also becomes known?". Shvetaketu said - "How can it be possible, father, that I obtain the knowledge of one and consequently attain the knowledge of another? The knowledge of a cloth by a knowledge of a pot is impossible".
Aaruni said - "Ok, somya, listen as to how the knowledge of one can lead to the knowledge of all. In daily life it is seen that once the knowledge of clay is attained, then the knowledge of all its modifications is also attained. The knowledge of the effect leads to knowledge of the cause, since the cause is embedded in the effect. Without the cause, the effect does not have any existence, and the effect is not separate from the cause. We may say that in the absence of variety, we cannot distinguish between cause and effect. This is not proper to say since the difference of both remain only in speech. Modification is only a name. The name only is, not the modification, only clay is real, the pot, plate, cup etc. have no existence outside of clay. Can any shape, modification, variety and impressions retain their magnitude without clay? All these are ascribed, the root essence is real. Similar examples can be given in the form of ornaments made of gold, and implements made of iron. In this manner, the knowledge of one can lead to the knowledge of all of its modifications.
Shvetaketu now understood this point. Now he placed his curiosity for the knowledge of the essence in front of his father. As a result, he obtained that teaching from his father. In the Chhaandogya Upanishad, three types of brahman science are well known: The reality-dominant reality science of the sixth chapter, the bliss-dominant "bhooma" science of the seventh chapter, and the awareness-dominant process of the eighth chapter. The main player in the science of reality is Shvetaketu who is arrogance about his scholarship. The main player of the bhooma science is Naarada who does not have arrogance, but has humble curiosity in order to remove sorrow. The main player of the awareness-science is Indra, who though being an enjoyer, is also a follower of injunction, his thought-flows are charged (jaagrat) and he observes brahmacharya for 100 years while keeping the curiosity of brahman alive. The illuminator of the science of reality is Shvetaketu's father Aruni. The bhooma science is taught to Naarada by Shree Sanatkumaara. The awareness science is taught to Indra by Lord Brahmaa himself. Combining all these three sciences, we get the science of brahman from the Chaandogya Upanishad.
This is the teaching of the science of reality. The name-form substances which are experienced in this moment were existence only (sanmaatra) prior to creation. "Sadeva saumya aaseet ekam adviteeyam".
Here, the "idam" word denotes the visible world. The world is seen in the form of the senses, the form imbibed by them, and by the thought flows of the mind. However that world is seen, it is incorporated into the word "idam". "Agre" means prior to the created referred to by the word "idam". "Agre" refers to time. The issue is that the world has become firm in the minds of students. To loosen that fixation, it is said, that which was prior to creation, what was that? Think about this. Was only creation there? No, only existence was, and it was one, and it was non-dual. In other words, there was no variety of the world present at that point, there was only one. Which means that the cause of the variety of the world was the one existence. We accept whatever is visible in the form of diversity, but that has come from that one existence alone. There was only one existence. This is meant to say that there was no other similar existence. It was non-dual. This is meant to say that there was no other dissimilar existence. If there is part-whole relationship, then how could there have been name-form transformations prior to creation? Therefore, prior to creation, there was only existence, one and non-dual. This means that only existence devoid of difference (sajaateeya vijaateeya svagat bheda shoonya) alone was present. Now it also means that after dissolution, only existence will remain and during sustenance, the visible world is nothing but existence.
The second (dviteeya) of existence is unreal or asat, which means, to not exist. Therefore, existence was never with with duality, it was always non-dual alone.
Now, at that time there was existence. So then, is there now existence now? Then, by saying that existence was present "at that time", what does it mean? It is correct that existence is present even now. But at this time, existence is connected with the adjectives of name and form. For that, the word "idam" and the object-ness of the intellect has been ascribed. Prior to the arising of name and form, it could only be known by the word "existence" and by "existence intellect" or sad buddhi. But at that time there was no word or intellect. So then, just like a person wakes up from deep sleep and experiences that there was only existence in deep sleep, similarly, prior to creation, existence (like deep sleep) is described. Think of it like this. A potter, in the morning, expands his clay, go to a village and come back, and see how many objects have beem created. He will say that it is clay alone. Similarly, we need to think of existence in the same light.
One means that which is incorporated in all. Existence is one, what does that means? It is like, one is present in 2, 3 and 4. Is it like that? No. It is only one. Then, does it mean that it is one even when it becomes differentiated like a bangle, necklace and so on. "Eva" means as it is. It does not leave its nature and change form. Gold stays the same, unmodified, yet is seen in many forms. Existence is not like that. Ok, but is there anything else? "Non dual". What else will be there besides existence? The meaning of the word non-dual is the support of "one". What is that? One and one makes two, one can be divided into fractions, but existence is not like that. There is neither counting nor division in existence. Existence is that root element, which when understood distinctly, makes all name and form illusory. When clay is removed, what reality is there in a pot? Only through the adjunct of name and form does clay seem distinct. This is the transaction realm of mind and senses alone. In reality, from the point of "samvritti", accepting existence as seed-oriented is also not worthy, since absence or presence cannot be attained by "samvritti". Like, pot etc. are formations (samsthaana) only in clay etc., similarly, name and form are formations alone in existence. All these formations are only verbal, they are not real objects. Like in ignorance, a snake is imagined on a rope, similarly, the world is all formation only.
Now, from this very existence, the creation, sustenance and dissolution has to be connected. For this, the technique of ascription and negation is used. Here is the intent. Existence is not the imagined cause of the world like Pradhaana is mentioned in the Saankhya school. Pradhaana, the Prakriti in Saankhya, is accepted as inert, but this existence is aware since it creates the world by being "eekshana" or viewing.
"It viewed and said, I should be many. It created fire" (Chhaandigya Upanishad 6.2.3).
Essentially, everything is existence alone, even if it is imbibed as something else, there is nothing which is unreal. If we imbibe an object as something other than itself, it still does not change the object. So you can name the object anything you like, understand it as anything you like, it is existence. If it is realized (saakshaatkaara), then all other words and understandings will be removed. This is what the shruti says. Speech returns to its source. The mind does not think. That is beyond any speech or words. It neither sleeps (laya), nor is it the place of sleep. It is beyond known-unknown, visible-invisible.
That existence lit (eekshana) the fire. Fire lit water, water lit food. Therefore there are three seeds of this creatin - fire, water and food. The creation came by their help. Like the five elements combine, these three combine as well. After consuming food, its gross aspect becomes waste, middle aspect becomes flesh, and subtle aspect becomes the mind. After drinking water, its gross aspect becomes urine, middle becomes blood and subtle becomes the vital force (praana). When fire is consumed, its gross aspect becomes bones, middle aspect becomes fat, and subtle aspect becomes speech. It means that the mind is made of food, vital force of water and speech of fire.
To prove that the mind is made of food, a conversation between the father and son is given. Now, don't eat any food for fifteen days, drink only water. The vital forces are made of water, and so there will not be any impact to them. After fasting for fifteen days, he went to his father, but even if he wanted to, he could not understand the science of Vedas after a point. Then after his father commanded, he consumed food and regained his ability to study the Vedas. Even if a small piece of burning coal remains, it can light up again. One ability of the mind remained, and it came alive again. Did you understand! The mind, vital force and speech are made of food, water and fire. Everything which is internal (adhyaatma) and external (adhibhoota) is the play of these three alone. From these alone is the gracious lord (adhidaiva) created. There is the light of the one existence in these three. If you take out existence (sat) from these three, nothing remains. Just like clay is only real, not the transformations, similarly only all these three are real, not their transformations.
That one non-dual existence again lit - "In the form of life, may I enter into these three deities and manifest name and form". And that is what he did. The, he divided each deity into three. How does this existence enter? In the unchanged form, this is not possible, and in the visible form also, it is not possible. Just like the reflection of a person enters into a mirror or in water, similarly, the reflection of the existence-form supreme self entered into the mind and intellect.
Since it has entered as a reflection in the form of the soul, that existence itself does not have any connection with joy or sorrow. If we say that the soul, being only a reflection, is illusory, then its going into this world and the other world is also illusory. Then it is not a fault since from the standpoint of existence, its reality has been accepted. The entire name-for-etc. transformational world is real from the standpoint of existence, but by itself is illusory. Transformations are name only, this has already been said. The soul exists on similar lines.
After the mind and intellect quieten down, where does the soul self, the reflection of existence, go? He merges into his light-formed existence deity. In the quietening of the mind, the self merges with the supreme self. To explain this very point, Aaruni said, you understand the end of dream, the deep sleep state, from me. The self is called "svapiti". This is not a name of an action, it is a name of the self. It becomes "svapit" or situated in its true nature. This state is different from the dream state. Since in dream and waking, objects are seen, some or many, for a second or for longer, there the effect of merit and sin, joy-sorrow also happens. Therefore, like in waking, dream also is filled with merit-sin, ignorance, desire etc., otherwise where would joy-sorrow come from? Therefore, there is no establishment in true nature during dream state. In deep sleep, there is neither merit-sin not their results. It rises above all sorrows of the mind. There, the soul-ness also does not remain, since doer-enjoyer, worldly, disconnected alone is the soul and in deep sleep, all this does not remain. That which is not with us in deep sleep is not our true nature. In deep sleep, time merges with existence. In waking state, we have to put in a lot of efforts, by doing merits and sins we get joy and sorrow also, but in deep sleep, all this is cast off. Min, senses, vital forces become quiet. From the popular standpoint, this is establishment in our true nature. Even if an ill person gets deep sleep, he gets some rest. But it is not like death. Senses sleep, but the vital forces continue to function.
Consider an example. A bird is tied to a thin rope. He tries to fly somewhere, flaps his wings, but when he cannot go anywhere else even for a moment, he comes back to where he is bound. Similarly, this mind-soul is bound to that one existence. It runs towards objects, becomes restless for them, but when it does not find rest in them, it comes back to the existence-deity. This soul-self is tied to the supreme-self-form existence.
Now, do you get hungry, do you feel thirsty? Where do hunger and thirst come from? Where does food go? Seek the seed of this sprout. It cannot be immaculate (nirmala). In reality, the root of the hunger-thirst-form sprout is food, the root of food is water, the root of water is fire, and the root of fire is existence - know this point. This entire created, enjoyed and visible world has existence at its root. Everything is happening in existence and will get dissolved into existence. That existence alone is the one and only non-dual supreme truth. Anything which is known or not known distinct from existence is name only, due to ignorance of existence it is superimposed like a snake on a rope. This food, fire, mind, vital force, speech is not distinct from it. Its visibility it not a fault, the delusion of separation is a fault. This existence element which is the most subtle alone is all, it only is truth, it only is the self, Shvetaketu. You are that. "Tat tvam asi".
Shvetaketu said - Father, what you say is correct, but after waking from deep sleep, after being one with that existence deity, when we enter into transactions, we do not have the knowledge of having met existence. If we sleep everyday, why do we not have that knowledge? If it was known that we have met existence (sat), then the delusion of the world will not remain, there would be no I-ness and mine-ness in the body, there would be no joy-sorrow! Even when we are in contact with existence in deep sleep, we do not have the knowledge that we have contacted existence. Why does this happen?
Aaruni replied - son, honeybees produce honey. They collect the essence of various species of trees and condense it into one. Once each of these essences becomes the one honey, it cannot discriminate as to which fruit, flower of tree did it come from. Similarly, everyone becomes one with existence but does not know that we are that existence or have become one with that existence. No matter if it is a lion, tiger, snake, pig, moth, mosquito or bug, it becomes one with existence in deep sleep but forgets about it when it wakes up and goes to its prior state. Even if there are divisions of millions of years, but without knowledge of one's true nature, desires (vaasanaas) cannot be destroyed. Based upon the knowledge as per desires, births continue to occur. That which is inside everything, subtler than the subtlest atom, all this is its true nature alone. It alone is true, it alone is the self. Shvetaketu, you are that. "Tat tvam asi".
Father, in daily transactions, it is seen that when a person woken up from sleep, goes from one town to another, he has the knowledge that he has come from his house. Similarly, for that person who has woken up from deep sleep, why does he not have the knowledge of having merged with existence? Aaruni said, son, listen. You see all these rivers flowing, they go from the far eastern corner, the far western corner. Rains lift water from the oceans and place it on earth. That is how Ganga, Yamuna gets formed, they run towards the ocean, and become the ocean. After having merged with the ocean, they cannot remember whether they came from Ganga or Yamuna. The same state is that of all people. They come from existence but they do not remember whether they have come from existence. No matter if it is a lion, tiger, they all attain that same form. All of them have an extremely atomic entity in them, everything is nothing but its true nature. It alone is real. You are that Shvetaketu. "Tat Tvam Asi".
Shevataketu said - now for the second question. It is seen in daily transactions that in water, we see large waves, tides, foam, bubbles etc. which arise and then merge back into water, they are destroyed. But souls daily merge into their supreme cause existence during deep sleep, and also in death and dissolution. But why are they not destroyed?
Aaruni said - son, your question is appropriate. The soul is not destructible. Even when merging daily with existence, it is not destroyed. Since, with ignorance, the seed of prior knowledge and desire is present. If this were not the case, then we would not have connection with present joys and sorrows. If without performing merits and sins, the soul were to go through their results, then it would be "akritaabhyaagama" fault. And if the span of a soul were limited to the life of just one body, what would happen to all of the injunction actions performed in this life? Would they perish without yielding their results? It would become "kritapranaasha" fault. If Ishvara were to give joy and sorrow without regard to action, then he will have the fault of partiality and non-compassion. Therefore, there is no reason to accept the perishability of the soul. That aware self which is distinct from desire, prior knowledge and ignorance, which is immediate and smaller than the smallest, it is all a play of that. That alone is true. That alone is the self-ness of all. That alone is you, Shvetaketu! "Tat tvam asi".
Shvetaketu asked - Father, the real entity is extremely subtle, in it there is no name, no form. How can the entire name-form-endowed world arise from it?
Aaruna asked Shvetaketu to get the fruit of a tree. He broke it, took out the seeds, broke one of them apart and asked - what do you see here? Shvetaketu said - I do not see anything here. His father said - that in which you do not see anything, is from which this entire tree has arisen. If you assume that a tree will be born from this seed, then it will bear several fruits, and each one will have thousands of seeds. The root of innumerable trees is present in the invisible contents of this seed, even if you do not see anything now. The cause of a gross entity usually is extremely subtle. Have faith son, have faith. Similarly, from this existence-form tiny entity does this gross name-form-oriented world arise. This is proven by scripture and by logic. But the mind, which is attached to external objects, finds it extremely hard to comprehend subtle entities. Therefore, faith is required. Faith merges the mind into the object of faith, then it is experienced. If the mind does not enter into the inner space of a subtle entity, it will not have knowledge of what is whole and what is not. This alone is the existence. That alone is the entire world. That alone is real, that alone is the self. That alone is you, Shvetaketu! "Tat tvam asi".
Shvetaketu asked - Father, the root of the entire world is existence. It is also the place of creation and dissolution. Yet, why is it hard to attain?
Aaruni took a piece of salt and put it in water. Next day, that salt had melted. Even if he searched for it, Shvetaketu could not find it. Then, after his dad allowed it, he tasted the water. Salt was present everywhere in that water. Aaruni said - similarly, the existence prior to creation is also available in creation now, but every entity has a specific way of accessing it, like you need your tongue to gauge the presence of the salt. Similarly, the existence present in each corner of the world can be experienced with a proper method. This microscopic entity (animaa) alone is the true nature of everything, it alone is true. That alone is the self. That non-dual existence-form awareness is you! "Tat Tvam Asi"!
Shvetaketu asked - existence, which is the root of everything, cannot be accessed by the senses. Is it accessed by some other method?
Aaruna said - Son! Once, a robber kidnapped a person in the land of Gandhaara. He tied his eyes tightly with a band. He robbed the person of everything and dropped him off into the dense jungle. The person lost all sense of direction and began screaming and shouting. A compassionate person hears his cry, unties his band and says, Gandhaara is in that direction, you go that way. The person then understands the path, he is smart, he keeps asking directions from one village to another, and in this manner eventually reaches Gandhaara.
In his commentary, Bhagavaan Shankaraachaarya says - just like it is mentioned in this example, the soul has brought its house away from the existence land. He lacks discrimination, he is ignorant of directions, he is troubled with hunger and thirst, afflicted by several troubles, he is roaming in the jungle of this world. After he is completely afflicted with trouble, and wants to free himself, and calls out for help, then he is freed by some compassionate great person. Once he returns to his home, he becomes happy again.
Existence alone is his root home. He is of the nature of the self alone. The body made up of fire, food and water is a dense forest. It contains marrow, fat, flesh, bone, phlegm and other such substances. There are several polar joys and sorrows such as heat and cold. Robbers, in the form of merit and sin, blindfold its eyes wearing the garb of delusion. He becomes thirsty for worldly and other worldly objects such as wife, son, friend, animal, friend and so on. In this dense forest, he begins to think - "I am his son, all these are my friends, I am happy or sad, I am spiritual, I am a dying old man" and so on. He says - Oh no, my son is dead, my wealth is gone, I died, how can I live without her, what will be my fate, who will support me? and so on. In this manner, trapped in thousands of misfortunes, this soul keeps crying out. Due to intense merit, he attains such a compassionate teacher who knows the real nature of the self as existence-brahman, is free from bondage and is established in brahman. Through him, when the vision of the faults of the world is made clear, dispassion arises. He explains - you are not worldly, you do not have sons or daughters, you are that very existence brahman. In this manner, the blindfold of delusion is broken and having attained the existence element in the form of the self, he is immersed in supreme bliss. With this intent alone, the shruti says - so long as you do not attain a teacher, there is a delay in attained the knowledge of the existence self and the removal of ignorance. How much time this will take, do not ask this. In the knowledge of the essence, in the wealth of existence and in liberation, there is no distinction of time.
It is that very microscopic element "animaa", of which this is all its nature. It alone is real, it alone is the self, and it alone is you. "Tat tvam asi".
Shvetaketu asked - Father, it is correct that through knowledge, ignorance and its effects are removed, and when this happens, we gain the wealth of existence, and it is the nature of liberation. But I want to know this - does liberation happen only with removal of ignorance, or we need to walk a certain path for liberation to happen.
Aaruni said - son, a sick person on the deathbed only recognizes others, so long as his speech does not resolve into the mind, the mind does not resolve into the vital force, the vital force does not resolve into fire and the supreme deity existence. After this resolution, he does not recognize anyone. It means that death has the same effect on a knower and a non-knower. But once the knower resolves in to the existence Purusha, he does not arise again, because he has realized his true self. Opposed to this, the non-knower wakes up and attains to his prior state (bhaava), and he them becomes a person, a deity or an animal etc. Birth after birth, world after world, nature after nature etc. - the cause of this is ignorance, desire and action. These are burnt to ashes by the fire of the knowledge of the self. Therefore, after knowledge of self, there is no coming and going. "All his desires end" as per the Mundaka Upanishad.
It is that very microscopic element "animaa", of which this is all its nature. It alone is real, it alone is the self, and it alone is you. "Tat tvam asi".
Shevataketu expressed his curiosity - father, when both the worldly people and the seekers become one with existence after death, then the ignorant person comes back, and the wise person does not, what is the reason?
Aaruna replied - listed son, just like a thief proves his innocence by touching a hot iron axe - if he has stolen then he is burnt, not otherwise. So then, just like his innocence spares him from burning, the liberation of a truth-established person also relies on his establishment in truth, and the ignorant does not attain liberation. The imbibing or non-imbibing of truth becomes the two results of the same state.
That alone is the all, that is truth, that is the supreme self. That alone is you, Shvetaketu. "Tat tvam asi".
Shvetaketu said - I have known, I have experienced. What did you experience? That "I alone am that existence".
In this manner, the topic of the science of existence (sad vidyaa) ends here. Now, let us reflect a little more on this topic, since the great statement "Tat Tvam Asi" has been discussed in it.
This topic says - when truth is imbibed, liberation is attained. When non-truth is imbibed, bondage and sorrow is attained. The ignorant person keeps holding on to untruth. You have already heard that only clay is real, not its transformation. The ignorant person, by accepting the transformation alone as the self, performs the arrogation of becoming a person or a deity. He gets his state based on the result of his actions and worship. The root of this world is reality (sat). Every person, everything is that alone. It is unborn, immortal, fearless, auspicious, non-dual. It alone is truth and self, it is the absolute nature of humans. "You are that" has been repeated nine times. Shvetaketu, the son of Aaruni, is the qualified listener. He immediately cast off his ego, he remedied his lack of understanding, and conducted real inquiry. His father gave him the knowledge of the essence. His father told him that the body is a cause-effect aggolomerate of fire, water and food. By entering into this body, the deity existence alone has become the listener, thinker, knower. Like the reflection in a mirror, like the sun in water, he did not know himself prior to the teaching. After hearing the great statement, he attained that pure science.
The result of a means of knowledge is to illuminate an unknown object. For the self illumined brahman, there is no requirement or suitability of a means of knowledge. This question is fine, but we do not imagine the extremely light-nature result of means of knowledge in the self illumination. All we say is this. By the ignorance of its true nature, the superimposition or delusion of doership and enjoyership has happened, its removal alone is the result of the means of knowledge. Prior to this science, "I am a doer, I shall perform agnihotra and other sacrifices, since I am qualified to do them, I will enjoy the result of those actions in this world or the next, after doing this action I will be fulfilled" - Shvetaketu used to think of himself along these lines. Now his father taught him such a science - the root of the entire world, free of inter-intra-part-whole differences, free from the disconnectedness of space, time and object, that existence element is you. This gave him awakening (prabodha), and the superimposition-oriented delusion-science went away. After knowing himself as the non-dual self, as the immediate brahman, "This I is disconnected, this is different from me, I will gain this result, I will enjoy", all these delusions of difference were completely removed. By the science of the existence self, the delusion of being the non-real self of transformation is completely removed.
Opponent: "You are that" - through this statement, the "you" aspect refers to the I, in the form of the soul, who is worldly, an enjoyer, disconnected. In this, existence has been prescribed for meditation purposes or worship purposes. Like, one shruti says that brahman should be worshipped in the form of the sun and mind, Vishnu should be worshipped in the form of an idol etc. So therefore, even this becomes a duty, it does not mean that "you alone are existence". If Shvetaketu were existence, then why does he not know himself? Why does he need someone to teach?
Philosopher: This statement is not true, since the shrutis in question and "you are that" are not the same. Granted that it says to worship the sun or mind as brahman, but by the term "iti" in it, a distinction is maintained. This means that mind, sun etc. are not brahman by themselves, that is why for worship, the brahman-thought has been placed. But in the great statement "you are that", by showing the completeness directly of existence alone, "you are that" is the teaching of unbridled self existence notion. The "are" in the statement directs to that point. If Shevetaketu were not existence, then right after the statement, the shruti "Shvetaketu knew" would not have come. There was a need for teaching because he considered himself the literal meaning of the "you" aspect doer, enjoyer, worldly, disconnected, a soul with the name "Svetaketu", this delusion needed to be removed.
Opponent: If we accept that "you are that" is a qualitative statement, or on that is just for praising?
Philosopher: This also is not correct. Here, by giving examples of clay, gold and iron, there is only one existence reality, this teaching has been given. We cannot accept it as a qualitative statement because all qualities as illusory. Shvetaketu is not a deity who needs to be worshipped. In fact, by terming existence as the literal meaning of Shvetaketu, it is a deprecating of existence. To confine the all-self existence into the space of Shvetaketu alone is not appropriate. Therefore, "you are that" means this alone - the indicated meaning of the "you" aspect self, that alone is the indicated meaning of the "that" aspect existence, and that existence alnoe is the self.
Opponent: Ok, then "I am existence" is a teaching for doership thinking, shall we accept this?
Philosopher: Even this is unacceptable. Only he who has a teacher attains knowledge, this much is clear. Its result is the knowledge of liberation. Now, in agnihotra and other rituals, there is no need to say that one needs to have a teacher, because a teacher is present. But here, it is mentioned clearly. Once this knowledge happens, it cannot be removed, since it contains the essence of the entire Upanishad. Knowledge is not a belief, it is a knowledge of an entity as-is.
It is also unacceptable to say - if Shvetaketu was an existence-self, why did he not know his self? All beings in the world experience tremendous sorry by accepting themselves as bodies which are effects of transformations, and having hands, legs and senses. But for them, even the knowledge "I am a doer, enjoyer, different than all this", needs a teacher. Then "I am the non-dual existence" - how will this knowledge happen without a teacher? Until there is I-ness and mine-ness in the body and the materials of the body, until then there is no science of the existence brahman. That is why, by losing yourself in the illusory body, by becoming a individual soul self, for the removal of the delusional notions of sinner-saint, happy-sad, birth-death and heaven-hell, this brahman self knowledge is required.
Followers of some traditions have explained up to the self properly, but have joined some words to say "atat tvamasi" or "you are not that". Why did they do all this analysis is not known, just to say "you are not that". What result will come out of such a teaching? This is a laughable state.
Some of them have used the word "that" to mean "its" or "for it". They mean to say that the soul self is a part of the supreme self, it is subservient to it, it is used for its service. But this explanation is not valud. By casting away the intended meaning of the shruti, the promise of the science of one revealing the science of the all will be broken. When the intended meaning is possible, another secondary meaning should not be taken.
In "you are that", both "you" and "that" are at the same level, they are first person singular. The "are" word indicates the equivalence of both. If we presume equivalence through cause-effect, adjective-noun or other such notions, the equivalence is only superimposition-oriented. The equivalence happens in the pure indicated meaning or in the original meaning. The knowledge of the identity of the you aspect and the this aspect alone is the intent of the entire shrutis and smrities. Self alone is the existence brahman.
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