Advaita Vision

www.advaita.org.uk

Advaita for the 21st Century

pa~nchadashI
of shrI vidyAraNya svAmi

flower picture

Chapter 14

vidyAnanda
The Bliss of Knowledge

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10
Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13

In this chapter, the bliss experienced by a person who has attained the knowledge (realization) of brahman through one of the three paths described in the preceding three chapters, namely, the practice of yoga, discriminative knowledge of the Self, and constant contemplation of the unreality of duality, is described.

The happiness arising from external objects is a modification of the intellect. Similarly, the bliss arising from the realization of brahman is also a modification of the intellect. This bliss has four aspects. These are: absence of sorrow; the fulfillment of all desires; the satisfaction of having done all that had to be done; and the feeling of having attained the goal of life.

The jIva identifies himself with the subtle and gross bodies and thinks of himself as an agent (doer) and an enjoyer. The names and forms in the universe are looked upon as objects of enjoyment. When the jIva realizes that he is the supreme brahman and gives up identification with the bodies, there is neither enjoyer nor objects of enjoyment. It is the identification with the bodies that is the cause of all desires, since all desires are for the comfort of the body. Sorrow results when a desire is not fulfilled. The knower of brahman realizes that worldly objects have no reality and so he has no desire for them.

Just as water does not stick to the leaves of the lotus, actions performed after realization do not attach to the knower, because actions are performed by the body and the knower of brahman has no identification with the body. The accumulated actions (saMchita karma) are burnt by the fire in the form of the knowledge of brahman.

The injunctions and prohibitions of the veda-s do not have any application to the enlightened person. These are applicable only as long as one identifies oneself with the body and the mind. Any action performed by a realized soul is not action at all, because he has no sense of doership. Whatever action he performs is only for the welfare of the world and not for any benefit for himself, because he is the pure Self which has no desires. He enjoys supreme bliss. The present body continues till the prArabdha karma which brought it into existence is exhausted. On the fall of this body, he will not be born again because there will be no karma left to give him another birth.

The bliss of the Self is beyond the grasp of the mind and the senses. It is superior even to the happiness enjoyed by brahma and other gods.

End of Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Return to main S N Sastri page

om
Page last updated: 10-Jul-2012