Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Tattvabodha - 1 Introduction
Hari Aum
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
Tattvabodha is a Prakarana Grantha, written by Shankaracharya in prose form. Tattva means Reality or True Nature of Self and Bodha means Knowledge, thus the meaning of Tattvabodha is Knowledge about the Reality or Knowledge about the True Nature of Self.
Every one of us is seeking happiness only, happiness which is permanent. This is because, we think that we are not happy always and by achieving something or performing something, we would get that happiness which stays with us permanently. If we know that we are happy all the time and the happiness is our very nature, then there will not be any seeking at all, but man doesn't know this and performs action towards to achieve something in the world which he thinks will give him permanent happiness. But none of the object of the world is permanent and hence none of the objects can give permanent happiness, but still because of the intense desire for happiness he never gives up and hence goes on and on performing action and in the process experiences happiness or sorrow. He will not get the permanent happiness if he is seeking in the world, the little temporary happiness which he gets while he is performing action influence him to do more and more action and make him think he will get a permanent happiness. An object which is permanent alone can give permanent happiness and according to Scriptures there is only one thing which is permanent, which is Ultimate Reality of Brahman. This Ultimate Reality of Brahman is ones own very nature of Self. The nature of Self is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. Thus, the Self itself is of the nature of Bliss, but because of ignorance we do not know that we are Bliss and are searching for Bliss outside. This ignorance vanishes when there is knowledge about the Self and this Self-Knowledge is the Ultimate Knowledge knowing which nothing else left to be known.
Scriptures say that the Self is of the nature of Bliss only, but because of ignorance we are not aware of this nature of Self and are seeking the happiness outside. When the ignorance vanishes, then the seeking of happiness is stopped, because one understands that he is already bliss and nothing else is required for that bliss. Thus by Self-Knowledge which is the scriptures speak about removes the darkness of ignorance. Once a person gets Self Knowledge, he sees only Self in everybeing and hence not excited about anything in the world. He will be always at peace and revels in the bliss of the Self, just stays as witness of whatever happens to him. Thus if any unfavourable situation comes to him, he is not affected by it and revels only the Bliss of the Self.
Also the knowledge about the Self is the Ultimate Knowledge, knowing which everything else will be known. In Mundaka Upanishad, Shaunaka asks Angiras the same question
"kasminu Bhagavo vijnaathae sarvamidham vijnaatham Bhavathihi"
O Adorable Lord!! (which is that thing) which having been known, all this becomes known?". Angiras explains about the Ultimate Reality of Brahman to Shaunaka as an answer to his question. The Ultimate Reality of Brahman is the Supreme Cause for the world and the Ultimate Reality of Brahman which is same as the Self, when realized there will be nothing else left to be known.
By offering prostrations to Guru, let us learn Tattvabodha from tomorrow.
Prostrations to All.
Hari Aum
Thanks,
Rajesh
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
Tattvabodha is a Prakarana Grantha, written by Shankaracharya in prose form. Tattva means Reality or True Nature of Self and Bodha means Knowledge, thus the meaning of Tattvabodha is Knowledge about the Reality or Knowledge about the True Nature of Self.
Every one of us is seeking happiness only, happiness which is permanent. This is because, we think that we are not happy always and by achieving something or performing something, we would get that happiness which stays with us permanently. If we know that we are happy all the time and the happiness is our very nature, then there will not be any seeking at all, but man doesn't know this and performs action towards to achieve something in the world which he thinks will give him permanent happiness. But none of the object of the world is permanent and hence none of the objects can give permanent happiness, but still because of the intense desire for happiness he never gives up and hence goes on and on performing action and in the process experiences happiness or sorrow. He will not get the permanent happiness if he is seeking in the world, the little temporary happiness which he gets while he is performing action influence him to do more and more action and make him think he will get a permanent happiness. An object which is permanent alone can give permanent happiness and according to Scriptures there is only one thing which is permanent, which is Ultimate Reality of Brahman. This Ultimate Reality of Brahman is ones own very nature of Self. The nature of Self is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. Thus, the Self itself is of the nature of Bliss, but because of ignorance we do not know that we are Bliss and are searching for Bliss outside. This ignorance vanishes when there is knowledge about the Self and this Self-Knowledge is the Ultimate Knowledge knowing which nothing else left to be known.
Scriptures say that the Self is of the nature of Bliss only, but because of ignorance we are not aware of this nature of Self and are seeking the happiness outside. When the ignorance vanishes, then the seeking of happiness is stopped, because one understands that he is already bliss and nothing else is required for that bliss. Thus by Self-Knowledge which is the scriptures speak about removes the darkness of ignorance. Once a person gets Self Knowledge, he sees only Self in everybeing and hence not excited about anything in the world. He will be always at peace and revels in the bliss of the Self, just stays as witness of whatever happens to him. Thus if any unfavourable situation comes to him, he is not affected by it and revels only the Bliss of the Self.
Also the knowledge about the Self is the Ultimate Knowledge, knowing which everything else will be known. In Mundaka Upanishad, Shaunaka asks Angiras the same question
"kasminu Bhagavo vijnaathae sarvamidham vijnaatham Bhavathihi"
O Adorable Lord!! (which is that thing) which having been known, all this becomes known?". Angiras explains about the Ultimate Reality of Brahman to Shaunaka as an answer to his question. The Ultimate Reality of Brahman is the Supreme Cause for the world and the Ultimate Reality of Brahman which is same as the Self, when realized there will be nothing else left to be known.
By offering prostrations to Guru, let us learn Tattvabodha from tomorrow.
Prostrations to All.
Hari Aum
Thanks,
Rajesh
# posted by vedanta @ 7:22 PM 
Comments:
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HARI AUM
Prostrations to all.
It is not enough to merely propound things learning from somewhere but whatever is being propounded or whatever is there in the intellect should be crystal clear and bereft of doubts/confusions. Hence the importance of tarka or arguments for/against a topic in Vedanta. Vedanta emphasizes on tarka whereas rebukes kutarka -- tarka is logic used in the right way to gain knowledge whereas kutarka is logic used to suit one's own predetermined conclusion.
Let's see how strong we are in terms of knowledge - let's see whether our knowledge is just out of respect for Sankara and his followers (basically blind faith in Guru's words) or it is out of proper reflection through yukthi.
Rajesh mentioned that permanent happiness can be achieved only from that entity which is permanent. Let's see for a minute the logic of how happiness is achieved. Vedanta or for that matter any philosophy comes to the conclusion that happiness is not in external entity but it is in oneself. When a person is mixed with many thoughts, there is no happiness enjoyed. But when a person's mind becomes calm and without thoughts, he gets happiness. We hear a beautiful music being played - unknowingly, we get bliss. We go to the himalayas and see the beauty of nature, we get happiness. Here happiness is not because of the external surrounding but because of the thoughtless state of the mind.
Rather in Vidyaranya's own words in his Anubhooti prakaasha, happiness of the SElf is enjoyed when there is no vikshepa -- aavarana and vikshepa are teh two powers or aspects of Maya. Aavarana is veiling and vikshepa is projection of duality. In those scenarios where we experience bliss, vikshepa temporarily vanishes & we get bliss. This is the same thing during deep sleep as well.
Thus happiness is achieved when vikshepa vanishes -- what has this got to do with entities???? Thus the statement that "only a permanent entity can give eternal bliss" is completely wrong....... because happiness is not in any entity but in oneself. It is for this reason that jaya teertha defines moksha as "svaroopa avirbhaava" or "one's own nature becoming prominent or coming to the front".
The statement that "only a permanent entity or Brahman alone can give bliss" has been used by ME (pardon the egoistic attitude here :-) in many of the postings. How can this be explained properly all the while not going against Vidyaranya's analysis of bliss as well????? Can someone try to explain this????
If we are not able to harmonize the two sets of statements (one that bliss emanates from oneself and the other that temporary entities cannot give eternal bliss while permanent entity alone gives eternal bliss), then we have no rights to propagate or propound such things....... (please take this comment positively).......
Sincere request to everyone in the forum to try to answer the above objection or rather contradiction.
Prostrations to all.
HARI AUM
Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God
Prostrations to all.
It is not enough to merely propound things learning from somewhere but whatever is being propounded or whatever is there in the intellect should be crystal clear and bereft of doubts/confusions. Hence the importance of tarka or arguments for/against a topic in Vedanta. Vedanta emphasizes on tarka whereas rebukes kutarka -- tarka is logic used in the right way to gain knowledge whereas kutarka is logic used to suit one's own predetermined conclusion.
Let's see how strong we are in terms of knowledge - let's see whether our knowledge is just out of respect for Sankara and his followers (basically blind faith in Guru's words) or it is out of proper reflection through yukthi.
Rajesh mentioned that permanent happiness can be achieved only from that entity which is permanent. Let's see for a minute the logic of how happiness is achieved. Vedanta or for that matter any philosophy comes to the conclusion that happiness is not in external entity but it is in oneself. When a person is mixed with many thoughts, there is no happiness enjoyed. But when a person's mind becomes calm and without thoughts, he gets happiness. We hear a beautiful music being played - unknowingly, we get bliss. We go to the himalayas and see the beauty of nature, we get happiness. Here happiness is not because of the external surrounding but because of the thoughtless state of the mind.
Rather in Vidyaranya's own words in his Anubhooti prakaasha, happiness of the SElf is enjoyed when there is no vikshepa -- aavarana and vikshepa are teh two powers or aspects of Maya. Aavarana is veiling and vikshepa is projection of duality. In those scenarios where we experience bliss, vikshepa temporarily vanishes & we get bliss. This is the same thing during deep sleep as well.
Thus happiness is achieved when vikshepa vanishes -- what has this got to do with entities???? Thus the statement that "only a permanent entity can give eternal bliss" is completely wrong....... because happiness is not in any entity but in oneself. It is for this reason that jaya teertha defines moksha as "svaroopa avirbhaava" or "one's own nature becoming prominent or coming to the front".
The statement that "only a permanent entity or Brahman alone can give bliss" has been used by ME (pardon the egoistic attitude here :-) in many of the postings. How can this be explained properly all the while not going against Vidyaranya's analysis of bliss as well????? Can someone try to explain this????
If we are not able to harmonize the two sets of statements (one that bliss emanates from oneself and the other that temporary entities cannot give eternal bliss while permanent entity alone gives eternal bliss), then we have no rights to propagate or propound such things....... (please take this comment positively).......
Sincere request to everyone in the forum to try to answer the above objection or rather contradiction.
Prostrations to all.
HARI AUM
Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God
Hari Aum
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
Pardon for the late response.
When a person gets something which he strongly desires, his mind becomes calm and hence the person experiences happiness. It only seems that the object is giving happiness, but in reality there is neither happiness nor sorrow in the objects of the world. The Bliss that is experienced when the desire is satisfied is Bliss of the Self only.That happiness stays as long as the object of desire is present.When the mind percieves some other object which is not desired there is no happiness in the mind.Thus the objects to give happiness should be present in the same place and in the same time and hence the objects of the world are limited by space and time.Thus the objects of the world can give only limited happiness.
According to scriptures, there is only one Permanent entity, which is Brahman. Scriptures through Mahavakyas say that the Ultimate Reality of Brahman is nothing but ones own nature of Self. Brahman is considered as object as long as there is illusory ignorance.Since Brahman is beyond space and time, as Scripture say brahman as "Satyam Jnaanam Anantham Brahma", Brahman alone can give permanent happiness.When there is strong desire for Brahman and when Brahman is realized,the Bliss is experienced. Since Brahman is Infinite and Eternal, the Bliss got is also Eternal.
Prostrations to Guru
Hari Aum
Thanks
Rajesh
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
Pardon for the late response.
When a person gets something which he strongly desires, his mind becomes calm and hence the person experiences happiness. It only seems that the object is giving happiness, but in reality there is neither happiness nor sorrow in the objects of the world. The Bliss that is experienced when the desire is satisfied is Bliss of the Self only.That happiness stays as long as the object of desire is present.When the mind percieves some other object which is not desired there is no happiness in the mind.Thus the objects to give happiness should be present in the same place and in the same time and hence the objects of the world are limited by space and time.Thus the objects of the world can give only limited happiness.
According to scriptures, there is only one Permanent entity, which is Brahman. Scriptures through Mahavakyas say that the Ultimate Reality of Brahman is nothing but ones own nature of Self. Brahman is considered as object as long as there is illusory ignorance.Since Brahman is beyond space and time, as Scripture say brahman as "Satyam Jnaanam Anantham Brahma", Brahman alone can give permanent happiness.When there is strong desire for Brahman and when Brahman is realized,the Bliss is experienced. Since Brahman is Infinite and Eternal, the Bliss got is also Eternal.
Prostrations to Guru
Hari Aum
Thanks
Rajesh
HARI AUM
Prostrations to all.
Pardon the late response was waiting to see if there are more responses from others in the forum. Just got a couple of response - one from Rajesh Kumar and one from Neelakantan.
Both were almost mentioning the same thing that Brahman alone is permanent and hence it alone can give eternal bliss. This Brahman alone giving eternal bliss and permanent entity alone giving eternal bliss is related by just one link - the link that the Brahman which is permanent is one's own very nature of Self. As long as the permanent Brahman is different from oneself, there will always be "objectification" and hence impermanence as an "external entity" will befall Brahman. But since the Brahman which Vedanta speaks about is one's own nature of Consciousness (Atman) which is propounded through the various mahavakyas like tat tvam asi, sarvam brahma mayam etc. It is this adviteeya nature of Brahman as one's svaroopa which makes it a non-entity after realization. As we have learnt in Mayavada thread, vishayatva for Brahman is valid only till ajnaana is there -- once this vishayatva is fulfilled by getting the phala, the vishaya becomes ones svaroopa -- thus there is no impermanence to the entity of Brahman.
Thus mere propounding that Brahman alone is real, Brahman is permanent & hence gives eternal bliss is valid only till the phrase of "one's own nature" is added to Brahman.
Sorry for making this mail short -- hope the explanation is self-sufficient. If anybody is still confused or rather confused after reading this mail, do reply in the forum & we can try to clear the same.
Prostrations to all.
HARI AUM
Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God
Post a Comment
Prostrations to all.
Pardon the late response was waiting to see if there are more responses from others in the forum. Just got a couple of response - one from Rajesh Kumar and one from Neelakantan.
Both were almost mentioning the same thing that Brahman alone is permanent and hence it alone can give eternal bliss. This Brahman alone giving eternal bliss and permanent entity alone giving eternal bliss is related by just one link - the link that the Brahman which is permanent is one's own very nature of Self. As long as the permanent Brahman is different from oneself, there will always be "objectification" and hence impermanence as an "external entity" will befall Brahman. But since the Brahman which Vedanta speaks about is one's own nature of Consciousness (Atman) which is propounded through the various mahavakyas like tat tvam asi, sarvam brahma mayam etc. It is this adviteeya nature of Brahman as one's svaroopa which makes it a non-entity after realization. As we have learnt in Mayavada thread, vishayatva for Brahman is valid only till ajnaana is there -- once this vishayatva is fulfilled by getting the phala, the vishaya becomes ones svaroopa -- thus there is no impermanence to the entity of Brahman.
Thus mere propounding that Brahman alone is real, Brahman is permanent & hence gives eternal bliss is valid only till the phrase of "one's own nature" is added to Brahman.
Sorry for making this mail short -- hope the explanation is self-sufficient. If anybody is still confused or rather confused after reading this mail, do reply in the forum & we can try to clear the same.
Prostrations to all.
HARI AUM
Thanks
Hariram
Let a moment not pass by without remembering God
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