[Advaita-l] vichara sagaram - 5

kuntimaddi sadananda kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com
Wed Jan 25 00:39:05 CST 2012


Now application of this process to knowledge of the Brahman: 

In this case, we have vRitti vyaapti but no phala vyaapti. vRitti vyaapti involves aavaraNa nivRitti – that is uncovering the ignorance that is covering the object of knowledge and nay uncovering is done by a pramANa. In the objective knowledge eyes and the sense organs associated with the mind form pramANa. In the case of Brahman knowledge – we should say – as though covering – similar to clouds covering the sun, an example provided by Shankara in Atma bodha. Clouds cannot really cover the sun but the a person under the clouds cannot see the sun. He can see the clouds and can say that I cannot see the sun, since clouds are covering the sun. He could see the clouds only in the light of the sun, which he cannot see. When the wind blows away the clouds, the clouds covering the sun are removed – that removal or discovering the sun is called aavarana nivRitiH. Here the clouds can be removed by powerful winds. Similarly the ignorance that is
 covering the self is uncovered by vRitti called akhandaakara vRitti formed via Vedanta vichaara or by appropriate inquiry into the nature of the self. The inquiry should lead to a claiming thought – I am that Brahman – since the teacher says – tat tvam asi – you are that – is the teaching. I am what? – I am that – that which is described in the mangala sloka or in Vedanta – that which cannot be described directly but only indirectly by lakshyaartha. This constant claiming and assertion thought is called akhandaakara vRitti – Who is claiming – I am – the subject and what is claimed as the object is myself only. The subject-object distinction resolves into my self that I am, which is substantive for both the subject and the object. Hence aham vRitti is not associated with external perceptual objects, nor the internal perceptual feelings but associated with saaskhii chiatanyam that I am. Hence I should have knowledge of what is this
 saaskhii chaitanyam that I am claiming myself as – that is the tvam padaartha vicaara or inquiry of who is that I in the - I am that. This involves understanding of the subject part in the statement tat tvam asi. The complete understanding involves the predicate part tat and asi - tat padaartha vichaara –inquiry of that (aitadaatmyamidagam sarvam – tat satyam – says Ch. Up before equating into –sa aatmaa tat tvam asi.), since both subject and object have to resolve into- I am- in the claiming thought. In this it is not my existence status nor my consciousness statues which are known in the subject aspect but brahmatvam status that involves which is being covered. (We point as a side note that some people claim that all we need to do sit down and inquire who am I- and there is no need to study the scriptures. Who am I inquiry only leads to I am existence-consciousness and  not Brahman status. For that one needs to inquire – tat padartha
 lakshana – or what is this world that I am negating in the I am not that and establish even that that have negated, I am the very substratum or adhiShTaanam of that universe too – this is what is pointed out in the parts – tat and asi- in the tat tvam asi. To claim the Brahman status that I am, Vedanta is pramANa or means to uncover the ignorance coving it). 

Hari Om!
Sadananda





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