Potential of the Mind

[Sankaran Jayanarayanan]

On Tue, 25 Jan 2000, Dennis Waite wrote:

> Sankaran Jayanarayanan kartik at ECE.UTEXAS.EDU asked, referring to my
> original post, which shloka was being commented on.
>
> The discourses follow II. 21. The section from which I specifically quoted
> is called "Knowledge of the Immutable Self is possible" There is an
> 'Objection', then an 'Answer' followed by an 'Opponent' and another
> 'Answer'. It is this second interchange to which I referred. The 'Opponent'
> says "Because the Self is inaccessible to any of the senses". Sha~Nkara's
> reply begins: - "Not so. For, the Scripture says 'It can be seen by the
> mind alone.'" etc.

The translation of the GItA Bhaashhya that I have here gives Shankara's
quote from the Br.up. as, "by the mind alone is the Self to be perceived."

> This is supposed to be a translation of the shloka from
> the Br. U. but Kartik's translation has a somewhat different emphasis.

I'm sorry, but all I know is the meaning of some Sanskrit words and a few
"shabdas" (noun cases). I can only understand the rough meaning of a
sentence, not much more. IMO, manasA eva anudrashhTavyam.h ~ "It is only
observed by the mind."

> Saying that the mind does not see any multiplicity is certainly similar to
> saying that it sees the Self but not quite (is it?). What does the previous
> shloka say? i.e. what is the here (iha) that is being referred to?
>
> The previous shloka reads: -
>
> prANasya prANam.h uta cakshhushhash.h uta shrotrasya shrotram.h
> manaso ye mano viduH, te nicikyur.h brahma purANam.h agryam.h
>

prANasya prANam.h uta chakshhoH chakshhuH uta shrotrasya shrotram.h
manaso ye mano viduH ...
"(It is) the breath's breath, and the eye's eye, and the ear's ear.
 The mind (is to be) known by the mind..."

PrANaH : breath
chakshhuH : eye
shrotraH : ear
manaH : mind
viduH : know

I'm unable to decipher the rest :-(

> (Do you have the reference in 'Talks' for the Ramana discussions, Kartik? I
> would be interested in looking this up - next month's discussions at the UK
> Ramana Maharshi Foundation is on the topic of 'Mind and Heart'.)
>

I don't have the book with me now, but I can say for sure that it's in
there somewhere. It's the only place I've come across the equation
mind=Self.

> Dennis
>

-Kartik

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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