Saturday, March 03, 2007
Tattvabodha - 24
Hari Aum
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
ATha chathurvimshathithatvothpathiprakaaram vakshyaamah
Now, we shall explain the evolution of the twenty-four Tattvas
Brahmaashyraa satvarajasthamogunaathmika maayaa asthi
Depending on Brahman for its existence is Maya, whcih is of the nature of three gunas, satva, Rajas and Tamas
After explaining about the Atman now Shankara starts his explanation on creation. So far we learned the enquiry at the microcosm level, now comes the enquiry at the macrocosm level. Just to recap, Atman is of the nature of Sat Chit and Anandam. Sat means that which exists for all the three periods of time, Chit means is Consciousness which reveals the Existence principle and Anandam is the Absolute Bliss which is not conditioned by anything. Shankara also explained in the beginning that Atman alone is real and rest all are unreal. So the world that we see is mithya or unreal only. Now a question may come of how this mithya jagat or unreal world is created. Thus Shankara now starts his explanation on the creation of the world.
Before the creation of the world there was only Brahman. The word Brahman and Atman are synonymous only but only difference is the way it is been used. Atman is of the nature of Sat,Chit and Anandam in the same way Brahman is also of the nature of Sat, Chit and Anandam but Atman is used to point to the Conscious principle at the microcosm level whereas Brahman is used to point the Conscious principle at the macrocosm level. Both are same only. If we have room the space inside the room is called the room space, when the walls of the room are pulled down, then the space can no more be called as the room space but the total space. Even when there is wall in the room, the room space is not different from the total space but it only seems that the walls of the room is limiting the space. In the same way when the body falls, then the only one thing which is Brahman. The body only seems to limit Consciousness.
There are two factors responsible for this process of creation. One of the factor is Brahman. The other factor is Maya. The world that we see now was existing in Brahman in potential form even as tree existing in the seed in the causal form which is Maya. Brahman is the efficient cause and Maya is the material cause. Maya is not something that can exist independently because as per the scriptures there is only Real and Eternal entity which is Brahman. Maya depends on Brahman for its existence. So Brahman through the power of Maya created the world. The world is not really created, but got manifested from the potential form. Maya doesnt have any beginning like Brahman and hence the world also doesnt have any beginning. This Maya is of the nature of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Sattva guna causes the effect of Jnaana or knowledge, Rajas guna causes the effect of activity and Tamas guna causes the effect of Inertness. Thus Brahman through the power of Maya created the world which has both sentient entities and the insentient entities. Maya has two powers one is the avarana Shakti or vieling power and other is vikshepa shakti or projecting power. Brahman is vieled and other things or anatmas are projected by the power of Maya.
We will continue with the creation theory the next day.
Prostrations to All.
Hari Aum
Thanks,
Rajesh
Prostrations to Guru. Prostrations to All.
ATha chathurvimshathithatvothpathiprakaaram vakshyaamah
Now, we shall explain the evolution of the twenty-four Tattvas
Brahmaashyraa satvarajasthamogunaathmika maayaa asthi
Depending on Brahman for its existence is Maya, whcih is of the nature of three gunas, satva, Rajas and Tamas
After explaining about the Atman now Shankara starts his explanation on creation. So far we learned the enquiry at the microcosm level, now comes the enquiry at the macrocosm level. Just to recap, Atman is of the nature of Sat Chit and Anandam. Sat means that which exists for all the three periods of time, Chit means is Consciousness which reveals the Existence principle and Anandam is the Absolute Bliss which is not conditioned by anything. Shankara also explained in the beginning that Atman alone is real and rest all are unreal. So the world that we see is mithya or unreal only. Now a question may come of how this mithya jagat or unreal world is created. Thus Shankara now starts his explanation on the creation of the world.
Before the creation of the world there was only Brahman. The word Brahman and Atman are synonymous only but only difference is the way it is been used. Atman is of the nature of Sat,Chit and Anandam in the same way Brahman is also of the nature of Sat, Chit and Anandam but Atman is used to point to the Conscious principle at the microcosm level whereas Brahman is used to point the Conscious principle at the macrocosm level. Both are same only. If we have room the space inside the room is called the room space, when the walls of the room are pulled down, then the space can no more be called as the room space but the total space. Even when there is wall in the room, the room space is not different from the total space but it only seems that the walls of the room is limiting the space. In the same way when the body falls, then the only one thing which is Brahman. The body only seems to limit Consciousness.
There are two factors responsible for this process of creation. One of the factor is Brahman. The other factor is Maya. The world that we see now was existing in Brahman in potential form even as tree existing in the seed in the causal form which is Maya. Brahman is the efficient cause and Maya is the material cause. Maya is not something that can exist independently because as per the scriptures there is only Real and Eternal entity which is Brahman. Maya depends on Brahman for its existence. So Brahman through the power of Maya created the world. The world is not really created, but got manifested from the potential form. Maya doesnt have any beginning like Brahman and hence the world also doesnt have any beginning. This Maya is of the nature of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Sattva guna causes the effect of Jnaana or knowledge, Rajas guna causes the effect of activity and Tamas guna causes the effect of Inertness. Thus Brahman through the power of Maya created the world which has both sentient entities and the insentient entities. Maya has two powers one is the avarana Shakti or vieling power and other is vikshepa shakti or projecting power. Brahman is vieled and other things or anatmas are projected by the power of Maya.
We will continue with the creation theory the next day.
Prostrations to All.
Hari Aum
Thanks,
Rajesh
# posted by vedanta @ 11:16 PM 
