Spiritual Journey is beautifully summarized in
Asato ma sadgamaya, Tamaso ma Jyothirgamaya,
Mrityorma amritam Gamaya, Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantih ||
– Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1iii.28
Lead me
From falsehood to Truth, From Darkness of ignorance to light of wisdom, from death to deathlessness – Om Peace, Peace, Peace.
If Truth is the one which gives peace, what is required to realize the Truth? Should we go to the forest, Himalayas… What Sadhana is required? Sadhana is required for achieving something which you do not have. However, no Sadhana is required for achieving what you have. It is recognition of the Truth which has to be there through the process of Jnana. This is the path of Vedanta. Path of knowledge to recognize what you already have. Any effort you do to reach your SELF will take you away from the SELF. Show me how you can reach all-pervading space? The path of Vedanta is discrimination called Viveka – nitya, anitya viveka ( permanent, temporary), atma-anatma viveka (SELF-Non SELF) discrimination. We can take of inquiry into the nature of Nitya Anitya viveka by understanding the nature of reality – satya, mithya, and Asatya.
Shri Krishna says in Bhagavadgita[i] “unreal never existed, and real never ceases to exist”
We can have peace only when we realize the Truth. It is the mithya or unreal which is the cause of our suffering.
Vedanta distinguishes three types of Reality
- Absolute Reality called Satya (Paramarthik Satya) – Independent reality that does not change with time, space. Which is free from causality, birth, and death. This is the “I” principle (SELF) in me.
- Falsehood called tuccha or asatya belongs to the category of non-existent which never existed. For example horns of the rabbit, egg of elephant…
- Unreal called mithya – we can say relatively real. Mithya has no independent existent without absolute reality (satya). Mithya depends on absolute reality for existence. Everything available to perception and conception comes under this category – body, mind, intellect, thoughts feelings, emotions, worldly experiences all belong to this category. Mithya constantly changes.
- Let us take an example. Can you describe the river Ganga ? … River in North India… Holy river…., water, the chemical composition of oxygen and hydrogen … all are relatively real. Is there an absolute description of river Ganga?
- Let us take an example of a shirt. The shirt has a “name, form, function”. When I say shirt, I am referring to the meaning of the word called “shirt”. The shirt is made up of fabric. The real meaning of the word shirt is “fabric” which is not a shirt. Fabric is nothing but yarn which is nothing but cotton which is nothing but atoms, molecules, subatomic particles. Possibly up to the level of atoms perception with instrument possible. Beyond that subatomic particles etc are more concepts, concepts are cognized by consciousness. Every “thing” made up of “non-thing”. The only substance of anything is consciousness alone which is not a thing. Consciousness is a substratum of everything. The totality of existence. Consciousness is being. Consciousness is knowing. Non-objective consciousness is called Para Brahma. Para Brahma called prajnana. Prajnanam Brahma – Aitareya Upanishad.
- Is there a thing called a shirt really? Of course, it is there. Is it really there? No. It is relatively there but not absolutely there. Hence it is mithya or unreal. Is there a being for the shirt? The meaning of shirt is a series of names – shirt-fabric- …. Each is an attribute of “Non-Shirt” called Para Brahma! We cannot say “shirt is there or a shirt is not there”!
- The form of the shirt is perceived by sense organs. Conditioned by sense organs and depends on the type of sense organ. A color blind person will never be able to see a green shirt! The mind interprets the form and gives a name to that. Does naming mean anything? It is a labeling mechanism only.
- Every name, form, and function points to the essential substance which is not a thing.
- Can we say for a sure shirt is there because of this. There is something obviously. That something is called “asti”. It shines in the light of consciousness (brahman – bhati). Everything in the world shines in the light of consciousness (anubhati).
- Let us take up the word “Human Being”. Let us take up the so-called “me”. It is a composite of body, mind, intellect – This is my human part. The “I am” which puts together these Body, Mind, Intellect is called the being. It is our experience that “I am body, mind, intellect. I am is my “Being”. Whenever I speak of “I AM” the “I” refers to consciousness. AM refers to existence. “I” is the impersonal consciousness beyond the personal “me”. This is the essential meaning of Tatwamasi. Para Brahma is Satya.
- The objects of the world are mithya. They are dependent on my SELF – Brahman. The world has no independent existence. Time and space are dependent on my SELF.
- The world is nothing but name and form. Name and form are called Maya. Constantly changing dependent reality. Virtual reality (ya ma iti Maya)
- If “I” am all-pervading reality Brahman why do I suffer? I associate myself with the body, mind, and intellect. I know “I am” sat-chit. But I don’t know “Ananda” or bliss.
- I constantly look for happiness – unlimitedness. I am not looking for sat-chit. I am looking for Ananda.
- I feel limited because of subject-object duality. Subject and object are both cognized by consciousness. What is cognized is not different from consciousness. Hence all that is there is consciousness – Brahman only. Brahman alone is reality everything else is mithya or unreal. This is called Vedanta or end of knowledge ( knowing which nothing else to be known).
- Consciousness alone appears as all names and forms – like a paper boat, flower… We get attracted by the form and forget the substance called consciousness. This is ignorance. Ignorance can only be removed through knowledge of non-duality.
- The famous sloka of Ishavasya Upanishad[ii] explains beautifully. SELF (Consciousness) is unlimited (purnam). The world of appearances that involves knower-known-knowledge is consciousness. The presence or absence of waves does not add anything to the ocean (consciousness). Infinity remains unchanged by any operation. World of appearances is Brahman only. I am THAT Brahman.
[i] “ Naasatho vidyathae bhaavo , naabhaavo vidyathae sathaha,
ubhayo rapi drustontha sthwanayo sthathwa darsibhihi” Bhagavadgita 2.16
Unreal is like darkness which is an absence of light. Is there a thing called darkness? It is a non-entity. Is there a thing called ignorance? It is an absence of knowledge. Wise ones understand the difference clearly. SELF alone is satya. The world is mithya.
[ii] Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam-Idam Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udacyate
Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate ||
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||