The yogic process of attaining Nirvikalpa Samadhi and Vedantic process of attaining Brahmanubhuti.
Yogis maintain that the Nirvikalpa Samadhi is highest. That is a state of liberation called ‘Kaivalya’..kevala.
vedanta does not agree with this. The Nirvikalpa Samadhi and Brahmanubhuti, have some similarities, but they are different. The process of yoga tries to master the mind, control the mind, make the mind subtle, and dissolve the mind. It is called manolaya. vedanta doesn’t agree with this. It says the mind cannot be fully controlled. It is like catching hold of wind. The dissolution of the mind is not what is required for realization. The dissolution of the mind or manolaya is harmful. That is why advaita vedanta advises all Vedantic sadhakas ‘don’t try to get into nirvikalpa samadhi’.
In the state of nirvikalpa Samadhi, as yogis say, there is no awareness of the other, no awareness of the Self, there is no inner or outer awareness. It is an indetermined state. Sometimes, the breath may stop, sometimes, the heartbeat may stop, the pulse may stop, a yogi enters into a state of nirvikalpa Samadhi. The mind has gone into a laya or suppressed state. Vedanta tells this is not realization. In fact, the bliss obtained thro’ nirvikalpa Samadhi is a block in the path of realization. A block in the path of Self realization.
Samadhi, means, dhi..means, budhi, intellect. Intellect has to be balanced. Intellect is the master of the mind. Intellect has to be active and balanced for attaining Samadhi. In atmanubhuti or brahmanubhuti, there is a discrimination between Self and non-Self, Atma, and anatma. There is discrimination between what is temporary and permanent, Nitya, and anitya. Based on the process of Neti..Neti..Neti..you are discarding what is temporary, what is mitya, what is not eternal. In the process, the mind becomes deeply silent, because has nothing but thoughts and objects. So, the thoughts and objects which are mitya is rejected. Because of that mind becomes silent. The mind is reflecting the objects. If the objects are there, the mind is reflecting the objects. If there are no objects, the mind doesn’t reflect anything. The presence of the mind is felt, only when the objects are reflected. So, when the objects are discarded thro’ proper discrimination, the mind becomes tranquil. It doesn’t get suppressed, the tranquil mind becomes one with the Self, Atma, Brahman. So, in the mind, there is full awareness but there is complete tranquility. The silence, the silence is not forced, it is thro’ discrimination.
vedanta doesn’t agree with the yoga philosophy, where yoga philosophy says “the Self identifies with the mind, the mind is from Prakriti, nature, because of the modification of the mind, Self identifies with that, and when the mind goes thro’ turmoil, the Self also goes thro’ turmoil.” The Self identifies with the modifications of the mind. That is why yoga says “chitta vrutti nirodaha”. Make the mind silent. Then, the Self is becoming free from that. vedanta says this is not a permanent state, because again the disturbance will come in the mind and again the Self will get attached to that.
As per vedanta, the mind has no real existence at all. The mind is mithya. It is an appearance in the Self, like a snake is experienced in the rope, the mind is experienced in atma, because of ignorance, avidya. The moment avidya goes, the mind is experienced as no different from Atma, Brahman. Because of the ignorance, the mind is felt like a separate entity appearing in the Self. The mind has no real separate existence at all. The moment ignorance goes, the mind becomes one with the Atma, Brahman. This is the state of realization. So, the state of nirvikalpa Samadhi in yoga, and the state of Brahmanubhuti or Brahman realization, they are not the same. Kaivalya jnana and Brahma jnana, are not the same.
That is why vedanta advises people not to go into experience of nirvikalpa Samadhi. Rather, thro’ proper jnana, discrimination, attain the tranquility of the mind, thro’ contemplation, and nidhidhyasa, realize the Brahman, Brahmanubhuti. Don’t attempt suppressing the mind, manolaya. Look for manonasha, or ignorance destruction of the mind. That is the way.
In yoga, the Self and Brahman, there is no concept of Self merging with Ishwara, Atma merging with Brahman or Ishwara is not there. Advaita vedanta doesn’t agree with this. It says ‘Atma is Brahma’. So, there is a difference in the philosophy of yoga and vedantha. Kevala jnana obtained thro’ is not the same as Brahmajnana. So, Brahmajnana is proper, obtained thro’ proper discrimination, in a state of mind, which is full of awareness, but not tranquil. Not in a suppressed state of mind. Hence, don’t confuse the Nirvikalpa Samadhi with Brahmanubhuti.