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Tag: Adi Shankara

  • Nothing Is Sacred,Sinful Adi Sankaracharya

    Right or Wrong is relative.

    It is purely Subjective.

    When a vast majority follow a certain practice and decides it  to be Right, it becomes Right.

    These value judgement are, at the Social level,tools of Social Control.

    They do not mean anything more.

    However, as one has to exist in a Society , one has to follow these norms in this world.

    Knowledge or Awareness is of two kinds.

    One, knowledge of this world of objects , of Names and Forms, and the other,

    The knowledge about oneself,Reality,which is personal and can be felt

    Therefore the Vedas classify Knowledge into two Kinds..

    One, The Absolute Knowledge, Para Vidya and

    Transient Knowledge, Apara Vidya.

    Transient Knowledge is transitory, subject to change, depends on our perceptions and real only in the relative sense.

    To illustrate, let us take the case of  one sitting in a Room and there is a Table in the other Room which he can not see.

    Here, for the one he sits in a room, the table does not exist as it is not visible or seen by him.

    If one were to prove its existence from one’s memory that it was there and it used to be there , this argument s fallacious as it does not depend on one’s direct experience.

    But, the fact that the table exists can not denied because one has not seen it, is wrong as well

    Therefore an Object exists or ‘Is’, from the standpoint of its being there, seen by some body or as an idea in one’s mind.(‘Is’-‘Asti’)

    It does not exist-‘Nasti’, from the stand point of the one who is sitting in the other room.

    There is yet another class of people who see the Table for the first time.

    As they have not seen it before they can not describe it, that is the table can not be described as to what it is.

    This is called ‘Avaktavyam'(Indescribable).

    Now look at the three stages of the Object.

    It is  ‘Asti’ ‘Does  Exist’, from the stand point of people who see  it.

    It is ‘Nasti’,’Does not Exist’, from the stand point of one who does not see it.

    It is ‘Avaktavyam’, ‘indescribable’, from the standpoint of those who se t for the first time.

    So an Object is ‘Is,Is Not,and Indescribable ‘ at the same time, Asti,Nasti , Avaktavyam.

    For the technologically inclined,

    In Cricket match Live telecasts , we have many cameras covering the event.

    The event looks different from each camera.

    Which is the correct one representing the Object,Event?

    If you have two televisions at Home in two different rooms,you will notice one frame or picture and audio comes later (or earlier than the other.

    Which represents the correct Time frame?

    Science will explain why it is so by talking about the velocity of light and Sound.( does sound have velocity or speed?)

    But it does not explain the phenomena but describes the process for such an event.

    Therefore an Object is presented to us in many ways.

    This depends on our Senses, Anthakaranas,Gunas,Mind and Chitha.

    This, apart from the attributes of the object

    Hence in the transient World, an Object ,

    Is ,Asti,

    Is Not, Nasti,

    Indescribable,Avaktavyam

    to different people.

    Again the Object may be all of these at the same time,

    That is, Is , Is Not, and Indescribable(Asti, Nasti and Avaktavyam)

    An object can be predicated in Seven different ways.

    Is,Asti,

    Is Not,Nasti,

    Avaktavyam, Indescribable.

    An Object,

    1.Is,(Asti)

    2.Is Not,( Nasti)

    3.Indescribable(Avaktavyam)

    4.Is and Is Not(Asti  Nasti) , depends on the location of the Object and the Observer.

    5.Is and Indescribable(Asti Avaktavyam)

    6.Is Not and Indescribable (Nasti Avaktavyam)

    7.Is,Is Not and Indescribable(Asti,Nasti,Avaktavyam)

    This predication of Object forms the Logic of Nyaya System of Indian Philosophy, The Sapthabangi Naya

    This is the most advanced system of Logic, better than Logical positivism of Bertrand Russell.

    Does an Object, such being the case exist at all?

    Nihilists say No.

    Empiricists say Yes.

    John Locke says, I Know Not’

    Adi Sankaracharya says ‘It exits and at the same time does not exist”

    How?

    Assume you step on some creepers in the night in a forest in and you jump out in fear, assuming it to be a snake.

    When you use a Torch, you find that it to be a creeper,

    Your Fear is gone.

    Your fear was real,

    The Creeper was real,

    And that it is not a creeper is also Real

    Therefore Shankaracharya says all the three statements are true,

    The difference is that while experiencing Fear your Awareness,Knowledge was incorrect, because of Ignorance, not knowing all the facts.

    Once you come to know all the facts you get the Knowledge,

    Removal of Ignorance or Avidya, id Knowledge, Sankara  avers.

    This being the case of individual Objects, how can one assume the Reality of Objects and events in this world and pass moral judgement?

    Any such assertion is contrary to knowledge,

    Therefore Right or Wrong is only Relative and has no place in advance knowledge.

    Look at this point.

    In Egypt, during Cleopatra’s times’ it was the custom to marry one’s sister, brother.

    Cleopatra married Ptolemy, her brother first.

    Let us see how God would judge two different cases on this issue,

    One who does marry one’s brother from another Moral system where marrying sister/brother is incest and morally wrong, and another Cleopatra, after their Deaths.

    Would he punish Cleopatra for having married her brother(which was considered Moral by Egyptians at that time) , for incest?

    Or would God punish the one , who is not an Egyptian, and who has married her brother for incest?

    He can Not. for He Is God, there can be no double standards.

    So at the Absolute  level thee is nothing as sin or sacred.

    Note;This is an advanced concept.

    Let not people quote Shankaracharya and indulge in incest.

    I would like to quote Rajaji,a Great Statesman and Philosopher of India.

    (Rajaji was a lawyer.

    Once a murderer approached Rajaji and asked him to represent him in Court.

    As a matter of principle C.Rajagopalachari (Rajaji )would never appear for one whom he thought was guilty and so he refused.

    The murderer told Rajaji,

    ‘You believe  in Hinduism, Every thing  is done by God, So my murder is not committed by me but by God, you should represent me’

    Rajaji replied,

    ‘You are correct.

    The same God asked me not to represent you.

    The same god will also ask the Judge to hang you”)

    In this sense there is no Sin, says Adi Sankara in Nirvana Shatakam.

    न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं
    न मन्त्रो न तीर्थो न वेदो न यज्ञ ।
    अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता
    चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥४॥
    Na Punnyam Na Paapam Na Saukhyam Na Duhkham
    Na Mantro Na Tiirtho Na Vedo Na Yajnya |
    Aham Bhojanam Naiva Bhojyam Na Bhoktaa
    Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||4||

    Meaning:
    4.1: Neither am I bound by Merits nor Sins, neither by Worldly Joys nor by Sorrows,
    4.2: Neither am I bound by Sacred Hymns nor by Sacred Places, neither by Sacred Scriptures nor by Sacrifies,
    4.3: I am Neither Enjoyment (Experience), nor an object to be Enjoyed (Experienced), nor the Enjoyer (Experiencer),
    4.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva,
    The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

    http://ramanisblog.in/2013/05/08/not-qualitiesliberation-niravana-shatakam-3/

  • Not Qualities,Liberation” Nirvana Shatakam 3

    Having described the Elements both at the individual and macro level,Sankaracharya, now goes on to describe the qualities/attributes.

    Ramana Maharishi reclining,Thiruvannamalai.
    Ramana Maharishi

    One can not separate the qualities or attributes of an object  from the Object.

    If for example, we strip of all the qualities of a Rose by which we identify a Rose, we are left with nothing to conceive of a Rose!

    In Advaita, qualities are inherent in the objects and in Reality they are not separate from them .

    And we are the Reality.

    The Reality is reflected in us because of our ignorance,called Avidya, Nescience.

    Once this ignorance is removed our original State dawns.

    न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ
    मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।
    न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः
    चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥३॥
    Na Me Dvessa-Raagau Na Me Lobha-Mohau
    Mado Naiva Me Naiva Maatsarya-Bhaavah |
    Na Dharmo Na Ca-Artho Na Kaamo Na Mokssah
    Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||3||

    Meaning:
    3.1: Neither do I have Hatred, nor Attachment, Neither Greed nor Infatuation,
    3.2: Neither do I have Passion, nor Feelings of Envy and Jealousy,
    3.3 I am Not within the bounds of Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (Wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Liberation) (the four Purusarthas of life),
    3.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva,
    The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

    http://ramanisblog.in/2013/05/02/adi-shatakam-descartes-advaita/

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  • The World Is Us Sankya, Nirvana Satakam

    We have seen that Adi Shankaracharya explaining the various elements in us for understanding Objects  and how we perceive them, the ‘Observer‘

    न च प्राणसंज्ञो न वै पञ्चवायुः
    न वा सप्तधातुः न वा पञ्चकोशः ।
    न वाक्पाणिपादं न चोपस्थपायु
    चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥२॥
    Na Ca Praanna-Samjnyo Na Vai Pan.ca-Vaayuh
    Na Vaa Sapta-Dhaatuh Na Vaa Pan.ca-Koshah |
    Na Vaak-Paanni-Paadam Na Copastha-Paayu
    Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||2||

    Meaning:
    2.1: Neither am I the Vital Breath, nor the Five Vital Air,
    2.2: Neither am I the Seven Ingredients (of the Body), nor the Five Sheaths (of the Body),
    2.3: Neither am I the organ of Speech, nor the organs for Holding ( Hand ), Movement ( Feet ) or Excretion,
    2.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; I am Shiva, I am Shiva,
    The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

    The outside world, to be made known to us has,

    Katopanishad
    Katopanishad

    The Prakriti,(The Potential Energy to be known,),of  three constituent  Dispositions of the Prakriti) called the Gunas.

    Purusha, Kinetic Energy that Flows,

    Mahat, The Intellect, to translate these,

    Ahankara,The Feeling of ‘I, Mine” to be conscious,

    Mind,(For the Observer)

    Five sensory organs,(For the Observer)

    Five Motor organs,(For the Observer)

    Five Subtle Elements(For The Observed, The World)

    Five Gross Elements(For the Observed)

    Total 25.

    Let us look at each in brief.

    What is to be known, has ‘To Be’

    That implies presence.

    That presence has to be immanent and be inert, to be activated when to it is to be known or aware of.

    This presence is Prakriti or the Principle that is permanent, immanent and inert, awaiting to be known.

    This is provided by Purusha, the Kinetic principle that interacts with the Prakriti to generate Intellect,(at the macro level)

    Now Prakriti is constituted by the Three Gunas or Dispositions(for details see post Gunas under Indian Philosophy)

    This Intellect at the Macro level is Mahat.

    Once the Intellect is formed, it is ready to be known, both at the Macro-level and at the individual level.

    To be  understood, at the Macro-level, the external World has the Following.

    Five elements,Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether.

    These five elements have five  subtle elements called Tanmatras.

    The Five elements of the external world are gross in nature.

    Their qualities are a part of them ,  like Heat and Light are the qualities of Fire.

    We can not experience them as they are.

    The qualities embedded in them make us aware of them, like the heat is known by our bodies, light by our eyes.

    To sum up, the external world, the’Observed’ has elements that complement the internal organs of the Individual(Observer).

    When these connect Awareness or Knowledge dawns.

    Put it in another way , the Observed becomes Observer when connected, when the Individual Ego is identified with it.

    Therefore to know the Observer(self), is identical with knowing the Observed(External world), for the elements that constitute both are the same.

    The Observed becomes known when the elements of both the Observer and the Observed become  One, when the ‘Ahankara’ or  the ‘I, Mine ‘ is eradicated.

    This , in essence, is Advaita of Shankaracharya.

    It would be interesting to note that the principles elaborated above are from the Sankhya system of Indian Philosophy , which is called a Nastika, Heterodox, as it does not believe in the authority of The Vedas and for Shankaracharya , the Vedas are his source.

    Truth has many facets.

    Paths are many, destination is One.

    For readers,

    I have tried to simplify the concept.

    I find a lot of readers keenly following the post on Yoga Sutra, Isa Upanishad and Nirvana Shatakam.

    For any doubts, please post your comments as a discussion would benefit everyone.

    Also please do not hesitate to point out inaccuracies.

    Here I may mention that while I write objectively, where a topic on Advaita or Shankaracharya is concerned I tend to  become an Advaitin in interpretation for I am an Advaitin by Faith(which includes Reason)

    Those who have different stand points,may have their view and interpret the way it suits their disposition.

    But the meaning of the Sanskrit words are completely neutral as also the translation honest; I might differ in interpretation.

    This applies only to Nirvana Sathakam and not any thing else where I will be posting objectively.

    Explanation of the sloka in the next post.

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  • Sleep Stages, ‘Not Absence Of Thoughts’ Yoga Sutra 1.10

    Sleep and Dreams, are the two states of which we know precious little.

    Sigmund Freud, in his attempt to interpret the Dreams, has set up a system of Psychiatry, blames every one for their actions but themselves.

    He had interpreted Dreams only as an expression of Sex and depressed desires.

    Jung professed ‘Freud conceived the unconscious solely as a repository of repressed emotions and desires. Jung agreed with Freud’s model of the unconscious, what Jung called the “personal unconscious“, but he also proposed the existence of a second, far deeper form of the unconscious underlying the personal one. This was the collective unconscious, where thearchetypes themselves resided, represented in mythology by a lake or other body of water, and in some cases a jug or other container. Freud had actually mentioned a collective level of psychic functioning but saw it primarily as an appendix to the rest of the psyche’

    Then we have many Behavioral Psychologists.

    These scholars saw Mind as a Blind seeing An Elephant” seeing a part and interpreting it to suit them.

    Patanjali goes to the basics.

    Since we do not remember anything in sleep, is Sleep ‘Absence of Thoughts?’

    He says NO.

    According to Yoga Sutra 1.10, Sleep is a State where one is not aware of the thought waves.(Deep Sleep)

    This can not be confused with the ‘Yoga Sate where one is devoid of Thought waves”

    ‘Abhava pratyaya Alambana vritti Nidra” Yoga Sutra 1.10

    ‘

    abhāva – absence, non-existence, nullity
    pratyaya – cause, resulting impressions
    ālambanā – support, basis, foundation, cause
    vṛttiḥ –  habits or activities of the mind
    nidrā – deep sleep

    Translation

    “Sleep is the mental habit characterized by the absence of form”

    That is we are not ascribing, in the Deep sleep stage,a Form for the Thought waves, that’s all.

    Indian Philosophy characterizes Four stages of Sleep.

    1.Wakefulness, Jagruti.

    2.Swapna,Dream State

    3.Sushupti,Deep Dreamless State and

    4.Thuriya, The Real Nature of Brahman,Pure Consciousness.

    ”

    Adi Shankara discerned three states of consciousness, namely waking (jågrat), dreaming (svapna), and deep sleep (suƒupti),[web 61][web 62] which correspond to the three bodies:[140]

    1. The first state is the waking state, in which we are aware of our daily world. “It is described as outward-knowing (bahish-prajnya), gross (sthula) and universal (vaishvanara)”.[web 62] This is the gross body.
    2. The second state is the dreaming mind. “It is described as inward-knowing (antah-prajnya), subtle (pravivikta) and burning (taijasa)”.[web 62] This is the subtle body.
    3. The third state is the state of deep sleep. In this state the underlying ground of concsiousness is undistracted, “the Lord of all (sarv’-eshvara), the knower of all (sarva-jnya), the inner controller (antar-yami), the source of all (yonih sarvasya), the origin and dissolution of created things (prabhav’-apyayau hi bhutanam)”.[web 62] This is the causal body.

    A fourth state is Turiya, pure consciousness. It is the background that underlies and transcends the three common states of consciousness.[web 63] [web 64] In this consciousness both absolute and relative, Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman, are transcended.[141] It is the true state of experience of the infinite (ananta) and non-different (advaita/abheda), free from the dualistic experience which results from the attempts to conceptualise ( vipalka) reality.[142] It is the state in which ajativada, non-origination, is apprehended.[142](Wiki)

    What does Modern Science say on this?

    Waves in The Brain during Sleep
    Brain Waves during Sleep.

    Stage 1

    Stage 1 is the beginning of the sleep cycle, and is a relatively light stage of sleep. Stage 1 can be considered a transition period between wakefulness and sleep. In Stage 1, the brain produces high amplitude theta waves, which are very slow brain waves. This period of sleep lasts only a brief time (around 5-10 minutes). If you awaken someone during this stage, they might report that they weren’t really asleep.

    Stage 2

    Stage 2 is the second stage of sleep and lasts for approximately 20 minutes. The brain begins to produce bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain wave activity known as sleep spindles. Body temperature starts to decrease and heart rate begins to slow.

    Stage 3

    Deep, slow brain waves known as delta wavesbegin to emerge during stage 3 sleep. Stage 3 is a transitional period between light sleep and a very deep sleep.

    Stage 4

    Stage 4 is sometimes referred to as delta sleepbecause of the slow brain waves known as delta waves that occur during this time. Stage 4 is a deep sleep that lasts for approximately 30 minutes. Bed-wetting and sleepwalking are most likely to occur at the end of stage 4 sleep.

    Stage 5

    Most dreaming occurs during the fifth stage of sleep, known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep is characterized by eye movement, increased respiration rate and increased brain activity. REM sleep is also referred to as paradoxical sleep because while the brain and other body systems become more active, muscles become more relaxed. Dreaming occurs due because of increased brain activity, but voluntary muscles become paralyzed.

    The Sequence of Sleep Stages

    It is important to realize, however, that sleep does not progress through these stages in sequence. Sleep begins in stage 1 and progresses into stages 2, 3 and 4. After stage 4 sleep, stage 3 and then stage 2 sleep are repeated before entering REM sleep. Once REM sleep is over, the body usually returns to stage 2 sleep. Sleep cycles through these stages approximately four or five times throughout the night.

    On average, we enter the REM stage approximately 90 minutes after falling asleep. The first cycle of REM sleep might last only a short amount of time, but each cycle becomes longer. REM sleep can last up to an hour as sleep progresses.

    Patanjali Yoga
    Yoga Sutra 1.10

    http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/a/SleepStages.htm

    http://ramanisblog.in/2013/04/21/how-to-communicate-words-patanjali-yoga-1-9/

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  • Knowledge Systems Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.8

    After explaining what the instruments or tools of Knowledge are, Patanjali sets on defining Correct and incorrect Knowledge.

    Knowledge is simply Awareness, that there is something.

    This is the beginning of Perception.

    For perception, please read my Post ‘Perception’

    Yoga Sutra
    Yoga Sutra

    For awareness, three things are needed.

    The one who perceives(Subject)

    That which is Perceived(Object) and

    A  Relationship between these two(Subject and the Object)

    A Table (Object) may be there and you ( Subject) are present..

    If you see the Table in front of your eyes, the system you follow is Realism.

    You are in a room and the Table in another room.

    But you know that the table exists m because you know it used to be there.

    This is Objective Idealism.

    There might be stable in your friend’s House in some other place or take the instance of Mars.

    In this case, you do not have the idea as such personally.

    But it exists as an Idea in some one else’s Mind.

    When we take things to Be, of which we have no IDEA,it is called Subjective Idealism or Solipsism., because it Exists as an Idea in some one else’s Mind.

    ‘Forget every thing, I am able to write on this, it has four legs and a Top’

    This is Pragmatism.

    Every information is through Language, that is from Words.

    In a Language, words are logically connected(excepting for the Politicians).

    So to know clearly one has to simply understand the logical connectivity and analyse the. language and words’the logical connectivity between them.

    This is Called Logical Positivism.

    All these systems evolved on being aware of.

    By following all systems or any, still we are left with Incorrect Awareness(Knowledge).

    Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.8
    Yoga Sutra 1.8

    This Incorrect Knowledge prevents us from the Correct Knowledge.

    There is an interesting thought on this.

    What is Correct?

    That which is True all times?

    The funny thing is what or how we define Truth.

    Secondly if existence at all times is the criteria for  Correct Knowledge, no Knowledge is Correct for none of us will be around whether a particular thing will be there to after our Death.

    In fact things do change.

    What we have seen yesterday is no the same to-day.

    Take an Individual.

    I was 10, 25. 40 and 62 now.

    Every second I grow.

    I am different in all aspects this second from what I was seconds earlier.

    The what is the Truth about Me?

    An instance from Adi Sankara‘s Life.

    Adi Sankara was engaged in an argument on  Theory of Knowledge( Epistemology) with the Buddhists.

    Adi Sankara’s Advaita and Sunya Vada of Buddhists are poles apart.

    The Buddhists said,

    ‘Look at this candle, it has been burning for quite some time now.

    It has consumed Energy, its throwing around light has  reduced it  the quality(intensity) of Luminescence .

    It is dripping wax , affecting its Mass.

    So the Candle which we see this second is not the same as the one we saw a seconds ago.

    Therefore, Change alone is Real’

    Sankara replied,

    I agree with you entirely.

    Yet , with all the changes you say, how is it you say it is a Candle ?

    If it has been changing every second, as you rightly said., how come w still call it a Candle?

    The reason is that we KNOW, despite all the apparent changes,there is substratum running which is Permanent, through which we know a Thing exists”

    Now Patanjali speaks of Incorrect Knowledge thus.

    ‘Viaparyayo mithya Gnanam  atad rupa pratishtam’

    Wrong knowledge does not correspond the to the Real thing.

    I will post more information on this in the next Sutra as well.

    Note; As we enter slowly into Patanjali, the thoughts may be, just may be a bit abstract.

    I am trying to be as clear as possible.

    Please write to me if there is any query.

    And of course if there are any mistakes.

    * let no one be intimidated by these high sounding words like ‘Epistemology’ and  ‘isms”

    They are just sounds that’s all by the Scholars to scare you.

    The thought behind them is very simple, your grand mother can explain them simpler.

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