[Advaita-l] How does one know he is a jivan mukta?

V Subrahmanian v.subrahmanian at gmail.com
Tue Aug 30 08:10:04 CDT 2011


On Tue, Aug 30, 2011 at 3:20 PM, Ramesh Krishnamurthy <rkmurthy at gmail.com>wrote:

> Regarding the question of the certainty or otherwise of one's own status as
> a j~nAnI:
>
> How does one know that one is a saMsArI?
>
> The answer to "how does one know that one is a j~nAnI" is no different from
> the answer to the above.
>
> There is really no question of doubt on this count.
>

Very nicely put. Just as there is the aparokshajnana of one's bandha, there
will be the aparoksha jnana of one's moksha/mukti too.

The Mundakopanishat mantra 'भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिः च्छिद्यन्ते सर्वसंशयाः,
क्षीयन्ते चास्य कर्माणि तस्मिन्दृष्टे परावरे’ says that when one has had the
direct realization of the Supreme three things happen: 1. the avidya-born
mutual identification of the chit (Consciousness)-and-achit (matter) is
destroyed.  In other words one gets the firm conviction that one is Pure
Consciousness alone with no admixture of matter (the subtlest of this being
the avidya itself, ego, and the grossest being the physical body).

2.  All doubts cease to be. Various Acharyas have given different instances
for the term 'doubts' here.

3.  All karma is destroyed.  The sanchita that has the potential to
perpetuate the birth-death cycle is 'destroyed' (rendered ineffective).  The
AgAmi will not arise at all as the realization is in the form of 'I am not a
kartA/bhoktA at all periods of time'.

Jnanis have said that when one really becomes enlightened there is
absolutely no doubt on that count to the person.  And also that there will
be no way that one remains unaware of such enlightenment.

Regards,
subrahmanian.v

>
>
> On 30 August 2011 15:07, Rajaram Venkataramani <rajaramvenk at gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> >
> > In the case of advaita siddhi, what is the measure? It is ajnana with
> > respect one's true nature that is destroyed. How do I know that ajnana is
> > destroyed?
> >
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