The Philosophy of the Panchadasi: 5. Swami Krishnananda.

 

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Tuesday 14, January 2025, 10:00.

The Philosophy of the Panchadasi: 1.5 

Swami Krishnananda.

Chapter 1: Discrimination of Reality-5.

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Enquiry into the Atman:

The Atman-consciousness is encased, as it were, in the sheaths called the physical (Anna), vital (Prana), mental (Manas), intellectual (Buddhi) and causal (Ananda) bodies, restricted to which it forgets itself as a universal reality and enters the space-time world of objects. The outermost sheath, which is the physical encasement, is born of the five quintuplicated gross elements. The vital sheath is formed of the five Pranas and the five organs of action. The mental sheath consists of the thinking mind and the Chitta in association with the five senses of knowledge. The intellectual sheath is constituted of the discriminating Buddhi and the Ahamkara working with the same senses. In the causal sheath the presence of a little Sattva becomes the source of the Jiva's happiness in states like deep sleep, and this happiness reveals itself when the Jiva sees (Priya), possesses (Moda) or enjoys (Pramoda) a desired object. The condition of the Jiva-consciousness is just the condition of the sheath with which it identifies at any given time.

The independent character of the Atman is ascertained by a process of Anvaya and Vyatireka, or positive and negative analysis. The existence of the Atman in the state of dream while the physical body is not then existent, is called Anvaya (positive concomitance). The non-existence of the physical body in dream, while the Atman shines as a witnessing consciousness is called Vyatireka (negative concomitance). The existence of the Atman in the state of deep sleep, while the subtle body is not then existent, is Anvaya, and the non-existence of the subtle body in the deep sleep, while the Atman is inferred to exist, is Vyatireka. The existence of the Atman in Samadhi (divine realisation), while the causal body does not then exist, is Anvaya, and the non-existence of the causal body in Samadhi, while the Atman exists, is Vyatireka. By this process, the independence of the Atman over the five sheaths is established. The analysis of the three bodies involves also a clear discrimination of the five sheaths, which are all distinguishable by their quality and state of function, and not in substance.

The Atman exists in all the three states, while bodies function only in particular states. Or, the whole of the Anvaya-and-Vyatireka process can be put shortly, thus: The Atman is whatever and wherever the sheaths are, but the sheaths are not whatever and wherever the Atman is. This independent nature of the Atman is to be realised by carefully analysing the material unconscious nature of the sheaths as distinguished from the universal and conscious nature of the Atman which is the Kutastha-Chaitanya or immutable consciousness. Great moral courage is demanded of the spiritual aspirant by way of an unshakeable establishment in Sadhanachatushtaya, which includes intellectual discipline and ethical perfection. The teacher instructs the disciple in the essential nature of the Atman by the Mahavakya (great dictum):  Tat-Tvam-Asi (That thou art), which is one of the Siddhartha-bodha-vakyas or affirmations of existent facts, which have to be made the objects of contemplation for the attainment of Atmasakshatkara or Self-realisation. When the Atman is discovered to be different from the sheaths, it is at once realised as Brahman.

The meaning of a word or a sentence is usually understood by the power that is inherent in it, called the Sakti-Vritti, and it is this Vritti that manifests the primary apparent meaning of a sentence. Such meaning of a statement is called Vakyartha. But the underlying indicative meaning of the statement is known by another Vritti called Lakshana-Vritti, or definitive power, which opens the way to the correct grasp of the intended meaning. This underlying meaning of a sentence is its Lakshyartha. The Lakshanas or definitions are of three kinds called, Jahat-Lakshana, Ajahat-Lakshana, and Jahat-Ajahat-Lakshana. The Jahat-Lakshana is a definition by which we make out the true sense of a statement by abandoning its primary meaning and accepting the indicative one, such as when we say, 'there is a village on the Ganges', or, 'there is noise in the street', etc. Here the apparent meaning is rejected – for a village cannot be on the Ganges, and the street cannot make noise- and an altogether different one is accepted. In such a statement as “the white is running” we add another word, e.g. 'horse', to make the sense clear, and here we do not abandon what is given primarily, but bring something in addition to make the meaning complete. This is Ajahat-Lakshana. But in understanding the true meaning of sentences like 'Tat-Tvam-Asi', we follow the process of Jahat-Ajahat-Lakshana, by which a part of the meaning is abandoned and part of it accepted, as, when we say, “This is that Devadatta”, to identify a person at a particular place and time as the same person seen at a different place and time. Here the limiting factors, viz. space and time are abandoned, and the common factor, viz. the identity of the person is taken into consideration. In the statement, Tat-Tvam-Asi, likewise, Jiva and Isvara, seem to have apparently contradictory characters, such as Alpajnata or limited knowledge and Aikadesikatva or limitedness in space and time in the case of the Jiva, and Sarvajnata or Omniscience, Sarvasaktimattva, or Omnipotence and Sarvantaryamitva or Omnipresence in the case of Isvara. Isvara and Jiva are therefore not related as two different subjects or objects, nor as substance and attribute, or indicator and indicated; but constitute one universal being viewed differently on account of the Upadhis (limiting adjuncts) of Prakriti in its various forms, which cause an apparent division of Isvara (God), Jagat (World) and Jiva (individual). In this apparent manifestation, Isvara as Brahman reflected through Suddha-Sattva or Maya becomes the Nimittakarana or instrumental cause, and in relation to the Tamasi Prakriti becomes the Upadanakarana or material cause. It is Brahman itself that appears as Jiva through the medium of Avidya. Thus, there is a simultaneous transcendence of the characters of Isvara, Jagat and Jiva, in the correct apprehension of the meaning of the declaration, “ Tat-Tvam-Asi”.

Isvara and Jiva become the objects indicated by the two terms, Tat and Tvam in the Mahavakya, 'Tat-Tvam-Asi', while their apparent verbal meaning is abandoned and the two are regarded as Brahman itself, associated with Suddha-Sattva (Maya) and Malina-Sattva (Avidya), respectively. Isvara becomes the instrumental cause of the universe when He is considered to be in association with Suddha-Sattva, and He himself becomes its material cause in association with Tamasi Prakriti. Thus Isvara is called Abhinna-Nimitta-Upadana-Karana, or the unified cause of the universe, instrumental as well as material. But the Jiva, being totally conditioned in Malina-Sattva in the form of Avidya, is infected with such defects as selfish desire and action directed to its fulfilment. With these limiting properties, Suddha-Sattva and Malina-Sattva are regarded as being distinct from the Common Substratum which is Brahman. Freed from these accidents the reality shrouded in the two grades of Sattva is one and undivided. Reality, as such, is independent existence, having nothing to do with either Suddha-Sattva, Malina-Sattva or Tamasi Prakriti, all which produce the false appearance of a division among Isvara, Jiva and Jagat. The transcendence of these relative properties is the realisation of Brahman, which is Akhanda-Ekarasa-Satchidananda (one, indivisible, essence of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss).

Now the question arises: is the ultimate Meaning, Brahman, Nirvikalpa (without attributes) or Savikalpa (with attributes). It cannot be said that the Nirvikalpa has attributes, because it would involve a self-contradictory statement, as when it is said, 'a lame person is walking'; nor can we decide that attribute is present in the Savikalpa, because such a reasoning would land us in the fallacies of Atmasraya or begging the question, Anyonyasraya or mutual dependence, Chakraka or circular reasoning, and Anavastha of absence of finality. These fallacies will be present if we are to consider Brahman as associated even with such other properties as action, genus, objectness, relationship, etc. We should therefore regard all these characteristics as present only in perceivable and conceivable things and not in Brahman which cannot be said to be either Savikalpa or Nirvikalpa, as it transcends all concepts. The attributes that are supposed to be present in it are those that are mentally transferred by the Jiva from the world of its experience. (Slogas 32-52)

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Next
Meditation and Spiritual Experience:
Continued

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