VEDANTA CONCEPTS
Sarada Cottage Cedar Rapids September 25, 2016
1 Peace Chanting (ShAnti PAtha)
Sanskrit Transliteration Meaning
ॐ गु셁땍यो नमः हरी ओम ्। Om Gurubhyo Namah Hari Om | Salutations to the Guru.
सह नाववतु । Saha Nau-Avatu | May God Protect us Both, सह नौ भुन啍तु । Saha Nau Bhunaktu | May God Nourish us Both, सह वीयं करवावहै । Saha Viiryam Karavaavahai| May we Work Together तेजस्वव नावधीतमवतु मा Tejasvi Nau-Adhiitam-Astu Maa with Energy and Vigour, वव饍ववषावहै । Vidvissaavahai | May our Study be ॐ शास््तः शास््तः शास््तः । Om Shaantih Shaantih Enlightening and not give हरी ओम ्॥ Shaantih | Hari Om || rise to Hostility Om, Peace, Peace, Peace. Salutations to the Lord.
2 Our Quest
Goal: ➢ Eternal Happiness ➢ End of All Sufferings ➢ Transcending Birth & Death
Problem: ➢ Fleeting Happiness ➢ Endless Suffering ➢ Cycle of Birth & Death
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Vedanta - Introduction Definition: Veda = Knowledge, Anta = End End of Vedas Culmination or Essence of Vedas Leads to God (Truth) Realization
Truth: Never changes; beyond Time-Space-Causation Is One Is Beneficial Transforms us Leads from Truth Speaking-> Truth Seeking-> Truth Seeing
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Vedantic Solution To Our Quest
Our Quest: Vedantic Solution:
Goal: Cause of Problem: ➢ Eternal Happiness ➢ Ignorance (avidyA) of our Real Nature ➢ End of All Sufferings ➢ Attachment (ragah, sangah) to ➢ Transcending Birth & Death fleeting Objects & Relations
Problem: Remedy: ➢ Fleeting Happiness ➢ Intense Spiritual Practice (sadhana) ➢ Endless Suffering ➢ Liberation (mukti/moksha) ➢ Cycle of Birth & Death
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IdentificationIdentification && HierarchyHierarchy inin EmbodiedEmbodied SoulSoul
Atman (atma) Atman FREEDOM
) Ego identified with Atman = ATMAN (Free Soul)
, , ) Egoism (ahamkara)
Subtler Subject Ego identified with BMC = JIVA (Bound Soul)
karana):
-
ahamkara
(
(
Ego
antah Intellect (buddhi) ) & & )
Intellect BONDAGE
), ),
chitta
(
manas
Instrument ( Instrument Body-Mind
( -
Mind (manas)
Complex
Inner
Mind Memory
(BMC)
Grosser Object Sense Organs (indriyas)
Objects (vishaya) 6 Three Bodies (ShariraTraya)
Gross Body
Subtle Body
Causal Body
7 Three Bodies (ShariraTraya)
1) Extremely Subtle & not externally visible 2) Cause of Gross & Subtle Body Causal Body 3) State of Ignorance (avidya), Indescribable, Beginningless (kaarana sarira)
1) Subtle & externally not visible 2) Product of 5 Subtle Elements - 5 Organs of Perception (jnanendreiya) - 5 Organs of Action (karmandreiya) Subtle Body - 5 Vital Forces (prana) (sukshma sarira) - Mind, Intellect, Memory & Ego 3) Instrumental in gathering experience
1) Gross and externally visible 2) Product of 5 Gross Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space) Gross Body 3) Subject to 6 changes (Existence, Birth, Growth, Change, Decay & Death) (sthula sarira) 4) Physical medium to experience pain & pleasure
8 Gross-Subtle Elements Formation
Subtle 5-Elements
Smell Taste Color Touch Sound
Earth 4 Water 3 Fire 2 Air 1 Space 5 4 3 2 1 (prithvi) (apa) (agni) (vayu) (akasha)
12.5% 12.5% 12.5% 12.5% 50%
Earth Water Fire Air Space
Gross 5 Elements 9 Cosmic Body & Individual Body
Cosmic Individual (Macrocosm) (Microcosm)
Causal Body Causal Body Ishwara PrAjna
Subtle Body Hiranyagarbha TaijasA Subtle Body
Gross Body Vishwa Gross Body Virat
Ishwara = Sum Total of all Causal Bodies
Hiranyagarbha = Sum Total of all Subtle Bodies
Virat = Sum Total of Gross Bodies
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What is Causal Body (karana sarira)?
Why Causal? It’s the Cause (or Seed) of the Subtle & Gross Body
What’s Body? Body in Sanskrit is ‘sharira’ which means perishable
Characteristics : Originates with Avidya (ignorance) of the real identity of the Atman No objective experience possible with Causal Body Contains the Body in Seed form in Dream-less Deep Sleep (sushupti – nitya pralaya) Contains the Body in Seed form in Cosmic Dissolution (sushupti – maha pralaya) Maya at the Individual Level
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What are Dissolutions (Pralayas)?
Pralaya: Cessation of All Activities; Dissipation of Material World
Nitya Pralaya (Constant/Continuing Dissolution): When Jiva (Individual) goes into dream-less deep sleep (Sushupti) Individual Body/Mind remains dormant as Seed in the Causal Body temporarily until Dream or Waking
Maha Pralaya (Cosmic Dissolution): When everything material merges into its source, Prakriti Individual Body/Mind remains in the form of Seed until the next Cycle of Cosmic Creation
Atyantik Pralaya (Final Dissolution): When Jiva (Individual) attains God-realization aka Liberation aka Moksha Dissolution of Individual Body/Mind - Seed of Ignorance is burnt forever Jivatma merges into Paramatma
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What is Maya?
Maya: That which is Not (Ma = “Not”, Ya = “That”) By which One becomes Many By which World (jagat) appears to be Real (satyam) By which Impermanent (anityam ) appears to be Permanent (nityam) Functions in the world of Duality (vyavaharika) Functions not in Non-dual (paramarthika) state Creative capacity of the Ishwara Ishwara controls Maya, but Jiva is controlled by Maya “Maya is a statement of fact” – Swami Vivekananda
How Maya affects: Is Real to those => who are in it Is Indescribable to those => who try to understand it Is Non-existent to those => who have gone beyond it 13 MAYA (COSMIC & INDIVIDUAL)
BRAHMAN MAYA ISHWARA
ATMAN MAYA JIVA
ISHWARA (COSMIC)
BRAHMAN (ATMAN) = Reflected Consciousness MAYA (COSMIC/INDIVIDUAL) = Saguna Brahman/Mahamaya = Pure Consciousness = Cosmic & Individual Mind = Cosmic Body/Mind Complex = Sat-Chit-Ananda = Time-Space-Causation = Experience of “I am” = Changeless = Changeful (Ephimeral) = Personal God with Attribute = Real = Neither Real nor Unreal (suddha sattva guna) = One (Substance) = Creates Many-ness = Impersonal God JIVA (INDIVIDUAL)
= Reflected Consciousness = Experience of “I am X”, “I am Y” etc Brahman (Consciousness) associated with Cosmic Maya = Ishwara = Embodied Soul with Attribute Brahman (Consciousness) associated with Individual Maya = Jiva (mixed sattva, rajas & tamas guna) Brahman (Consciousness) is the substratum of Maya 14
What are the Powers of Maya?
Veiling Power (Avarana-Sakti): Conceals our Real Nature (i.e. nitya, shuddha, buddha, mukta svarupaya) Experience of “I did not know anything” (ex: in Deep-sleep)
Projecting Power (Vikshepa-Sakti): Creates the illusion of Multiplicity (separation from Brahman or Atman) Falsely superimposes Body-Mind on Atman and experiences Body-Mind as Reality Falsely superimposes Universe on Brahman and experiences Universe as Reality Experience of “I am so and so”, “I am sick” “I am old” (ex: in Waking & Dream State)
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Levels of Maya?
Higher (Vidya) & Lower (Avidya) Maya : Avidya & Vidya are both within Maya In absence of Vidya (knowledge of One), Avidya (knowledge of Many) becomes Reality Avidya Maya is to be conquered by Vidya Maya Vidya Maya is to be conquered by Knowledge of Reality
Characteristics of Avidya Maya : To see separation as the Reality Leads to Selfishness, Attachment, Desire, Anger, Greed, Delusion, Loss of Memory etc. Leads to Manifoldness Binds us
Characteristics of Vidya Maya : Truthfulness, Unselfishness, Contentment, Self-restraint, Forbearance, Discrimination, Dispassion etc. Leads to Oneness Releases us (from Bondage)
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Three States of Mind (Avastha Traya)
THREE STATES EXPERIENCER EXPERIENCED POWER of MAYA CONCEALING PROJECTING (avarani shakti) (vikshepa shakti)
THE FOURTH ATMAN NO NO ( T u r i y a )
3 . D E E P - SLEEP SLEEPER CAUSAL ( S u s h u p t i ) ( P r A j n a ) BLANKNESS YES NO
2 . D R E A M DREAMER SUBTLE ( S v a p n A ) ( T a i j a s a ) WORLD YES YES
1 . W A K I N G WAKER EXTERNAL ( J A g r a t a ) ( V i s w a ) WORLD YES YES
17 Comparative Analysis of 3 States of Mind (AvashthaTraya)
Waking State (JAgrata Avastha): Dream State (SvapnA Avastha): Deep-Sleep State (Sushupti Avastha):
Mind: Mind: Mind: Fully Functional (purna vikAsah) Partially Functional (ardha vikAsah) Almost Non-Functional (avikAsah) Emotional, Rational, Memory & Ego Memory faculty only functioning Experience of Nothingness Fresh knowledge/experience gathering Replaying the recorded emotions Neither fresh nor past
Nature: Nature: External, Concrete, Objective & Sense Internal, Abstract, Subjective & Non- Nature: Organ based Experience Sense Organ based Experience Neither External nor Internal
Medium: Medium: Medium: Gross Body Subtle Body Causal Body
18 Nature of Turiya (Atman)
Nature of Consciousness Itself (Chaitanya Svarupah) Independent (Svatantrah) Non-Material, Attributeless (Nirgunah) Ever-existent (Nityah) All-Pervading (Sarvagatah) One (Ekah)
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Pancha Kosha (Five Sheaths) - I
What is a Kosha? Covering/Sheaths Limitation
What does it limit ? Limits Bliss (Ananda)
How does it limit ? Creates (chain) Dependencies Separation from Self
What are the Koshas? Annamaya (Physical or Matter) Pranamaya (Vital Focres/Energy) Manomaya (Thoughts, Ideas, Attachments, Aversion etc.) Vijnanmaya (Decision, Discernment etc.) Anandamaya (Blissful) 20
Kosha-Sarira-Avastha Mapping
Pancha Kosha <-> Sarira Traya <-> Avashtha Traya
Anandamaya Causal Body Deep-Sleep State Kosha Vijnanamaya Kosha
Manomaya Subtle Body Dream State Kosha Pranamaya Kosha Annamaya Gross Body Waking State Kosha
21 Pancha Kosha (Five Sheaths) - II
ATMAN
Subtle Inward Pervading (sukshma) (pratyak) (vyapakah) Anandamaya Kosha
Vijnanamaya Kosha
steps
- Manomaya Kosha 5
Pranamaya Kosha
Annamaya Kosha Gross Outward Spatially Limited
22 Pancha Kosha (Five Sheaths) - I
What’s the nature of the Koshas? Grosser the Kosha -> More Limitation-> Less Happiness Subtler the Kosha -> Less Limitation -> More Happiness Every Kosha is intimately related to every other Koshas For every action/reaction all 5 Koshas work
23 References
I. Vedantasara of Sadananda II. Tattva Bodha of Adi Sankaracharya III. Panchadasi of Vidyaranya IV. Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda V. The Gospel ofSri Ramakrishna VI. Lectures of Revd. Swami Dayatmananda on Spiritual Progress, Hinduism, Karma Yoga, Upanishads, Patanjali etc.
24 Peace Chanting (ShAnti PAtha)
Sanskrit Transliteration Meaning
ॐ पर्ू मण दः पर्ू मण मदं Om Puurnnam-Adah Puurnnam- Om, That (Outer World) is Purna पर्ू ाण配पर्ु मण दु 楍यत े Idam Puurnnaat-Purnnam- (Full with Divine Consciousness); पर्ू श्ण य पर्ू मण ादाय Udacyate This (Inner World) is also Purna पर्ू मण ेवावमशष्यत े I Puurnnashya Puurnnam-Aadaaya (Full with Pure Consciousness); ॐ शास््तः शास््तः शास््तः I Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate | From Purna comes Purna हरी ओम ्तत ्सत ्॥ Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih | (From the Fullness of Pure Hari Aum Tat Sat ॥ Consciousness the World is manifested) , Taking Purna from Purna, Purna Indeed Remains (Because Pure Consciousness is Non-Dual and Infinite). Om Peace, Peace, Peace. Supreme Absolute Truth. 25