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MAÌGAßAM

I

It would be appropriate to conclude with an overview of this unique knowledge. The revealed truth can neither be described as “monism” nor as any form of dualism. The jéva, the jagat and Éçvara are not the essential parts of Brahman for everything to become a single composite entity. It is not dual, as they do not have independent existence for them to be considered as the second entity. It can be termed only as non-dual or as “a-dvaita” since the jéva, the jagat and Éçvara can neither be dismissed as non-existing nor accepted as having essential reality. This position arises since the relationship between Brahman and the jéva, the jagat and Éçvara is non-reciprocal. If A were B and B were A, their relationship would be reciprocal and there would be no difference between A and B resulting in monism. But what obtains is that even though everything has no existence apart from Brahman, it is not a part of Brahman, as they have no substantiality of their own. Çastra calls its neither-real-nor-unreal status 'mithyä'. The difference in their reality status is the cause of their non-reciprocal relationship resulting in a-dvaita.

Çruti reveals mäyä, which is dependent on Brahman for its existence and which has the powers of concealing the truth and projecting the erroneous. It is also known as avidyä or ajïäna and through its powers, Brahman appears as the jéva, the jagat and Éçvara. Mäyä’s effect is pervasive at all levels giving rise to our transactional reality consisting of the jéva as the subject, everything else as the object and Éçvara as their manifestor, sustainer and resolver.

Sampradäya explains this phenomenon as the mistaking of the real existence of Brahman to be the unreal name, form and function of the transactional reality and calls this error 'adhyäsa'. Sampradäya provides us with greater clarity on the subject by explaining it through upädhi, wherein we mistake one thing to be another. Brahman is one, but manifestation is many. Brahman has no qualities but manifestation has countless attributes. But Brahman is the cause without undergoing any change and everything has no existence apart from Brahman. It is by means of upädhi that we are made to grasp as to how these take place. We are provided with the example of colorless crystal appearing as red without undergoing any change, owing to its proximity with a red flower. The red flower is called the upädhi or the limiting adjunct of the crystal. In the case of Brahman, which is limitless and without qualities, every adjunct makes it appear as being limited to it with its qualities. The body-mind-sense-complex is the upädhi of the self, making it appear as the jéva. Mäyä is the upädhi for Brahman, making him appear as Éçvara. The manifestation is the upädhi for Brahman, making him appear as the jagat.

Ajïäna, which is inborn, plays the central role in our lives. It results in the mistaken identification of “I” with the buddhi that reflects consciousness. Then there is further mis-identification of the “I” through the subtle body with the entire physical body. It is because of ajïäna that we consider ourselves to be the body-mind-sense-complex and feel limited (ajïäna) and desire (käma) to become complete through action (karma). Action produces visible and invisible results. Through the visible results, we do not become free from our limitations and our effort to be without limitations becomes ceaseless. We thus end up by becoming the saàsäré. The invisible result consists of puëya and päpa for reaping which we are reborn with the same ajnäna and the cycle of saàsära continues. The root cause of this human situation is not desire that leads to action but the ajnäna of our wholeness, which gives rise to desire. Its antidote is the knowledge (jnäna) that we are not limited as we think but that we are the whole. This is how we become free instantly through jnäna.

II

Sampradäya uses reasoning to unfold the vision. In revealing the self as consciousness through dåg-dåçya-viveka, it uses the logic that the subject cannot be what it perceives since what is perceived is the object. It is wrong to ascribe the qualities of the object to the subject. Since we perceive the body-mind-sense-complex, we cannot be it. In the analysis of the three states of jivä’s experience, it uses the reasoning that what is intrinsic should always be available and through it negates the body-mind-sense-complex as the self. In resolving the manifestation back into Brahman, it uses the käraëa-kärya-väda. While in transactional reality, both the cause and the effect are taken as real, çruti uses the clay-pot example to establish the cause as real and the effect as mithyä. Through this logic, the manifestation, which is the mithyä effect, is resolved into its cause, Brahman. Then, the causal status of Brahman is also negated since the effect that it produces is not real but is mithyä. What is left unresolved is mere Brahman, the one without a second.

Without the sampradäya, we would not have been able to make head or tail out of this priceless wisdom. It deserves as much respect as the pramäëa itself. It is Çaìkaräcärya who has provided us with the complete written account of it. Humanity has to be eternally grateful to him.

III

The uniqueness of Vedänta is that while revealing the ultimate reality as the whole, it also accommodates all the available views in their appropriate place. It readily accepts everyday experience since relative truth has relative validity and gives it the status of transactional reality. It also accords the status of apparent reality to subjective perception and appearance, as they are valid to the person concerned. Only, these two realities are not ultimately real, since the apparent reality comes to be negated by the knowledge of the transactional reality and the transactional reality by the knowledge of the essential reality. Even after the negation of their essential reality, we continue to function in them but with the crucial difference that we do not get affected by them as before.

All forms of worship to any deity, with or without form, are considered useful, as they refine the mind. It is not concerned about what the deity is or what type of relationship is formed with it or what the mode of worship is, as all of them lead to personal effacement. It has no conflict with any religion, since it does not matter to it as to whether the deity is Viñëu, Çiva, Çakti, Father in Heaven or any other at the level of transactional reality since the ultimate reality is the whole, which is the self and is not the deity. It has no serious problem with any view on the creator or on the creation since their essential reality is eventually negated.

At the relative standpoint of transactional reality, it makes clear that Ésvara, as the material, inheres in the entire creation. Nothing exists, which is other than him. Therefore, right now, everyone without exception can be one with him and with the others by recognising this fact. Also, since Ésvara is the maker, everything that exists is a manifestation of his knowledge. Since knowledge exists in the form of order, everything is in Ésvara’s order. As such, nothing can go wrong in it. This provides us with the basis for accepting things as they are and making use of the opportunities that the order provides. By understanding Ésvara, we can lead a harmonious and meaningful life free from stress.

When the final vision is unfolded, we know that we are none other than Brahman and we realize that we, as the essential reality, are the very self of the creator and of every thing that there is. This fact rules out the existence of any essential difference anywhere, at any time. “You are the whole” is understood and recognized. This is total freedom.

Vedänta is the most inclusive among knowledge. It can have no parallel. Among knowledge, it is also the most useful since it solves our fundamental problem of mistaking ourselves to be limited beings and frees us totally from insecurity and unhappiness. Truly, there can be no greater blessing to humanity than Vedänta.

We may now conclude by worshipping the guru who has imparted to us this invaluable knowledge.

Vedäntaväkyapuñpebhyo jïänämåtamadhüttamam|
Ujjahärälivadyo namastasmai sadgurave namaù ||

I bow down to my sadguru, a knower of Brahman, who collected for us the nectar of knowledge from Vedänta like a bee collecting the best honey from flowers. (Çaìkaräcärya, Upadeçasähasré, 18.233.)

Om tat sat| .

APPENDIX

Accessing the teaching through audio-recording of classes and books

I - Pujya Swamiji Dayananda

Arsha Vidya Pitham,

Swami Dayananda Ashram, Purani Jhadi,

Rishikesh, 249201, Uttarakhanda.

Tel: 0135 – 2431769.

Web site: www.dayananda.org

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam,

Anaikatti P.O.

Coimbatore, 641108.

Tel: 0422 – 2657001.

Web site: http//www.arshavidya.in

E mail: office@arshavidya.in

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam,

P.O.Box No. 1059, Saylorsberg, PA, 18353, USA.

Tel: 570 992 2339.

 Web site: http//www.arshavidya.org

 http//books.arshavidya.org

Arsha Vidya Centre, Research and Publications,

32/4, Sri Nidhi Apartments, III Floor,

Sir Desika Road, Mylapore, Chennai, 600004.

Tel: 044 – 24997023, 24997131.

Sastraprakasika Trust,

Chandra Vilas Apartments,

A – 3, No. 19, 8^th Street, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai,

Mylapore, Chennai 600004.

Phone 044 – 24875009, 24870311

E mail : info@sastraprakasika.org

Web site: http//sastraprakasika.org

II – Swami Paramarthananda

As above and at

Web site: http//vedantavidyarthisangha.org

III – Swami Siddhabodhananda

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam,

Anaikatti P.O.

Coimbatore, 641108.

Tel: 0422 – 2657001.

Web site: http//www.arshavidya.in

E mail: office@arshavidya.in

IV- Swamini Pramananda

Purna Vidya Trust,

“Mamatha” Basement,

8 A, North Gopalapuram, 2^nd Street,

Chennai 600086.

Tele: 044 – 28352593, 42102981.

Website: http//www.purnavidya.com

Email: purnavidyachennai@gmail.com

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam,

Anaikatti P.O.

Coimbatore, 641108.

Tel: 0422 – 2657001.

Web site: http//www.arshavidya.in

E mail: office@arshavidya.in

V – Swami Viditatmananda, Swami Tattvavidananda and Swami Pratyagbodhananda

Arsha Vidya Gurukulam,

P.O.Box No. 1059, Saylorsberg, PA, 18353, USA.

Tel: 570 992 2339.

 Web site: http//www.arshavidya.org

                                  http//books.arshavidya.org

VI – Upaniñads and other works

Sri Ramakrishna Math,

31, Ramakrishna Math Road,

Mylapore, Chennai 600004.

Tele: 044 - 24621110

E mail: mail@chennaimath.org

Web Site: http//www.chennaimath.org

Jayalakshmi Indological Book House,

Old No. 6, New No. 11, Apparswamy Koil Street,

Mylapore, Chennai 600004.

Tele: 044 - 24990539

E mail: jibh_rkc@hotmail.com

...Presentation concluded...