Sunday, February 25, 2007
Tattvabodha - 22
Hari Aum
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
Chit Kim?
What is Chit?
Jnaanaswaroopah
It is of the nature of absolute Knowledge
Atman is of the nature of Sat-Chit-Anandam (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). Existence is that which exists on all three periods of time, past, present and future. Atman alone was there before, atman alone is there now and atman alone will be there, thus atman is ever existent and eternal. Atman is the substratum of whatever seem to exist even as clay is substratum of the pot. Pot is just name and form which the clay seem to have but essentially there is no pot but only clay. In the same way, the world is only name and form which the Atman seem to take but essentially there is no world but only Atman. The Existence is known through the nature of Consciousness and it is because of the Conscious nature of Atman there is always pulsation as "I Am", "I Am". All the experiences of the world is because of Consciousness. If there is Consciousness the world and its objects exist, If there is no Consciousness there is no world at all.
Whatever we experience in the world is because of Consciousnes and hence it is only Consciousness which illumines the objects of the world which makes us to experience the object. Consider a room with a light. The objects in the room are seen because of the presence of light in the room and thus those objects in the room serves as the medium through which the presence of light is known. Without light, the existence of objects cannot be known. Thus the objects of the room depend on light. If there are no objects in the room, then we cannot say that there is no light in the room. If there are any objects in the room, it illumines that object, if there are no objects the light still exist. Thus the object depends on the light for its existence, whereas the light stays independent irrespective of whether objects are there in the room or not illumining everything in the room. In the same way, the Consciousness illumines everything in the world. The experiences that we get from the objects of the world serves as the medium to reveal the presence of Consciousness. Even when there are no objects of experience the Consciousness still remains as it doesnt depend on anything. On the contrary, all the objects of the world depends on Consciousness, even our body and mind depend on Consciousness. They borrow the sentiency from Consciousness and thus we are able to transact with the world. Since it is only because of Consciousness everything is known, Shankara explains this as Jnaana swaroopam, of the nature of Absolute Knowledge.
During the waking state, we experience the objects of the world through the sense organs directed by the mind. The mind as such cannot function, but borrows the sentiency from Atman which is of the nature Consciousness. So for all our experiences during the waking state, Atman stays as the witness illuming everything. During the dream state, the sense organs dont function. The impressions formed in the mind because of transcations that we had withe world during the waking state, comes out as dream. It is only Consciousness which illumines the mind because of which we have the dream state. During the deep sleep state, there are no experience at all. The mind merges into the cause and there is only pure bliss. It cannot be said that since there are no experience even Consciousness is not present. When the person wakes up from the sleep, he says "He dont know what happend during sleep". This ignorance is also illumined by Consciousness only. Though the recognizable medium is not present, still Consciousness exist on all the time. Thus Consciousness is present on all the three states of experience staying as a witness.
As Vidyaranya says in Panchadasi,
"Supthothithasya soushuptha thamobodho Bhaveth smrithih
sachaavabudha vishayaa avabudham thatthadhaa thamah"
A person awakening from deep sleep consciously remembers his lack of perception during that state. Remembrance consists of objects experienced earlier. It is therefore clear that even in deep sleep ignorance is perceived
Swami Paramarthananda Saraswati gives the following five definitions for Consciousness:
1. Consciousness is not Part of the body, not a Property of the body and not a Product of the body.
2. Consciousness is separate and independent entity which is pervades and enlivens the body.
3. Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the body. Atman is beyond the limitations of space and time. It is the substratum of the entire world which includes individual as well. Thus Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the body but Consciousness is the substratum of the body.
4. Consciousness exist even after the fall of the body. In deep-sleep there is no body at all, but Consciousness still exists. Death is also very similar to deep-sleep only and even after the fall of body, Consciousness still exist.
5. Consciousness is not recognizable when the medium is absent.
Prostrations to All.
Hari Aum
Thanks,
Rajesh
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
Chit Kim?
What is Chit?
Jnaanaswaroopah
It is of the nature of absolute Knowledge
Atman is of the nature of Sat-Chit-Anandam (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). Existence is that which exists on all three periods of time, past, present and future. Atman alone was there before, atman alone is there now and atman alone will be there, thus atman is ever existent and eternal. Atman is the substratum of whatever seem to exist even as clay is substratum of the pot. Pot is just name and form which the clay seem to have but essentially there is no pot but only clay. In the same way, the world is only name and form which the Atman seem to take but essentially there is no world but only Atman. The Existence is known through the nature of Consciousness and it is because of the Conscious nature of Atman there is always pulsation as "I Am", "I Am". All the experiences of the world is because of Consciousness. If there is Consciousness the world and its objects exist, If there is no Consciousness there is no world at all.
Whatever we experience in the world is because of Consciousnes and hence it is only Consciousness which illumines the objects of the world which makes us to experience the object. Consider a room with a light. The objects in the room are seen because of the presence of light in the room and thus those objects in the room serves as the medium through which the presence of light is known. Without light, the existence of objects cannot be known. Thus the objects of the room depend on light. If there are no objects in the room, then we cannot say that there is no light in the room. If there are any objects in the room, it illumines that object, if there are no objects the light still exist. Thus the object depends on the light for its existence, whereas the light stays independent irrespective of whether objects are there in the room or not illumining everything in the room. In the same way, the Consciousness illumines everything in the world. The experiences that we get from the objects of the world serves as the medium to reveal the presence of Consciousness. Even when there are no objects of experience the Consciousness still remains as it doesnt depend on anything. On the contrary, all the objects of the world depends on Consciousness, even our body and mind depend on Consciousness. They borrow the sentiency from Consciousness and thus we are able to transact with the world. Since it is only because of Consciousness everything is known, Shankara explains this as Jnaana swaroopam, of the nature of Absolute Knowledge.
During the waking state, we experience the objects of the world through the sense organs directed by the mind. The mind as such cannot function, but borrows the sentiency from Atman which is of the nature Consciousness. So for all our experiences during the waking state, Atman stays as the witness illuming everything. During the dream state, the sense organs dont function. The impressions formed in the mind because of transcations that we had withe world during the waking state, comes out as dream. It is only Consciousness which illumines the mind because of which we have the dream state. During the deep sleep state, there are no experience at all. The mind merges into the cause and there is only pure bliss. It cannot be said that since there are no experience even Consciousness is not present. When the person wakes up from the sleep, he says "He dont know what happend during sleep". This ignorance is also illumined by Consciousness only. Though the recognizable medium is not present, still Consciousness exist on all the time. Thus Consciousness is present on all the three states of experience staying as a witness.
As Vidyaranya says in Panchadasi,
"Supthothithasya soushuptha thamobodho Bhaveth smrithih
sachaavabudha vishayaa avabudham thatthadhaa thamah"
A person awakening from deep sleep consciously remembers his lack of perception during that state. Remembrance consists of objects experienced earlier. It is therefore clear that even in deep sleep ignorance is perceived
Swami Paramarthananda Saraswati gives the following five definitions for Consciousness:
1. Consciousness is not Part of the body, not a Property of the body and not a Product of the body.
2. Consciousness is separate and independent entity which is pervades and enlivens the body.
3. Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the body. Atman is beyond the limitations of space and time. It is the substratum of the entire world which includes individual as well. Thus Consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of the body but Consciousness is the substratum of the body.
4. Consciousness exist even after the fall of the body. In deep-sleep there is no body at all, but Consciousness still exists. Death is also very similar to deep-sleep only and even after the fall of body, Consciousness still exist.
5. Consciousness is not recognizable when the medium is absent.
Prostrations to All.
Hari Aum
Thanks,
Rajesh
# posted by vedanta @ 10:05 AM 
