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The Upanishadic Approach to Reality

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The Upanishadic Approach to Reality THE UPANISHADIC APPROACH TO REALITY By SWAMI SATCHIDANANDENDRA SARASWATI ADHYATMA PRAKASHA KARYALAYA Holenarsipur - 573 211. (HASSAN DISTRICf, KARNATAKA,INDlA) 1997 Books You Ought To Read Salient Features of Sailkara's Vedanta Although many books are very popular probably because their authorship has been ascribed to the great Sankara, they contain tenets in conflict with one another and the various doctrines contained in the three groups of works collectively called the 'Prasthana Tray!', indisputably ascribed to Sailkara. As it is not easy for beginners to­ consolidate and discriminate for themselves the genuine Vedantic doctrines, an attempt is made by the Swamiji to solve this problem. Pages: 110 Intuition of Reality Another masterpiece from the pen of Shri Swiimi Satchida­ nandendra Saraswati, who has very ably illustrated as to how the Vedantic Knowledge is not mere subtle intellectualism, but it is an 'Intuition' of the Ultimate Reality arising through Divine Grace. The writer has inci­ dentally refuted the oft-repeated assertion that Sankara's philosophy is an out-and-out rationalistic system and that he has provided no place for Iswara in his Advaita Philosophy. Pages: 1115 Sailkara's Clarification of Certain Vedintic Concepts The Upanishads contain two sets of teaching regarding Brahman or Reality, addressed to two different levels of the mind. To the highest grade of the aspirants belongs the disciple who has attained the mental equipment necessary for entering upon the course of study, either in this birth or who possesses an introvert mind as a result of disciplines undergone in his previous lives - qualifying him to grasp the teaching imparted in the Sruti. This class of seekers comprises two grades. The frrst needs only reminding of the true nature of one's Self by the Sruti through an experienced adept who has himself experienced the truths of Vedanta, while the second requires guidance for the contemplation of the spiritual steps through which one has ultimately to reach that same Self. It is to this class of both the grades that this book is expected to be of some assistance in the study of Vedanta. Pages: 90 Adhyabna Granthavali THE UPANISHADIC APPROACH TO REALITY By SWAMI SATCHIDANANDENDRA SARASWATI Serial No. 163 Publishers : ADHYATMA PRAKASHA KARYALAYA Holenarsipur- 573 211. (HASSAN DISTRIcr, KARNAl"AKA, INDIA) 1997 First Edition 1974 Second Edition 1997 1000 Copies © All Rights Reserved by The Adhyatma Prakasha Karyalaya, Holenarsipur. (Registered under the Copy Right Act of 1957) Typeset at: L.M. Graphics 1752/3, "Akshaya Mansion" Opp. Malleswaram Rly. Stn.. Maruthi Extension Bangalore - 21 Printed by Laser Graphics Chengaiah Layout. T.R. Nagar, Bangalore - 28. Tel. : 6675369 PUBLISHERS' NOTE SECOND EDITION This is the substance of the series of lectures delivered by Sri SWamlji at Mysore during SaIikara-Jayanti Saptaha (from 17-5-72 to 23-5-72). It is expected to be complimentary to the lectures delivered by SWiimlji at Bangalore during the same year. The first edition of the book which was published in 1974 was out of stock. As there was an increasing demand for this enlightening work, of Swiimiji, of revered memory, we have pleasure in bringing out this second edition. Holenarsipur Chairman 11.5.97 A.P. Karyiilaya PREFACE There is very little to add to what I have written in the preface to the 'Intuition of Reality' already published by the Karyalaya. The art of interpreting the Upanishads so as to convince the reader that there is really a unique method adopted in these holy revelations, has been preserved by Gau4apada and Sarikara, whose works are fortunately still available. I hope that this small book contains in a nut-shell the most important principles involved in the method adopted by the Upanishads in presenting Reality and Truth. The last lecture contains the most important innovations and revolutionary doctrines introduced by Post-Sarikara­ Advaitins in the guise of sub-commentaries. The reader who is interested in the subject, is referred to my Sanskrit work 'The Vediinta-Prakriya-Pratyabhijiiii' and the English Introduction to that publication. Bangalore Author 30.1.74 CONTENTS Page TIle Wisdom of the Upanishads 1-11 n Practical Life Confined to the Sphere of Avidya 11-17 m The Nature of Vidya and Avidya 18-24 N The Language and Style of the Upanishads 24-38 V The Vedanta-Sastra as the only means of Right-Knowledge 39-44 VI The Method of Superimposition and Rescission 44-54 vn Innovations of Sub-commentaries 54-75 ABBREVIATIONS N.B. - The name of each Upanishad or other work, has been con­ tracted into the initial letter or letters and the Bhashya thereon has been indicated by the symbol 'Bh'. Thus G-Glta ; GBh.- Glta Bhashya. iH.'1r. Intra. Introduction to Siitra-Bhashya. 1.ftI'. lsi. I~ta-Siddhi of AchW'ya Vimuktatma. l. Isa. isaVll.syopanishad. .lfil. Ka . Kiithakopanishad. ~. Ke. Kenopanishad. ."Ift. G. The Bhagavadglta . "Ift.'1r. GBh. The Bhiishya on Bhagavadgtta. ~.lfil. G.K. Gau"apiida's Kiirika on the MiiWiikya. ~.lfil.'1r. G.KBh. BhlI.shya on Gau~piida's Karikll.s. lff. Ch. Chll.ndogyopanishad. ~. Tai. Taittinyopanishad. t.'1r. Tai. Bha. ·BhlI.shya on the Taittinyopanishad. "tf.1fI. Pa. panchapadikii. a Sub-commentary by Sri Padmapadachll.rya on the Siitra-BhlI.shya. -q.fcf •• pv. Paochapadikii-VivaralJa, a Sub-commentary by Prakll.siitmayati on the Pafichapll.diU. "fl. P. Page. ~.ftI'. Br.Si. Brahma-Siddhi of Acharya MaIJ4ana-Misra. i "i. Br. Brhadara~yakopanishl\d . '1r, Bha. Bhamali. a Suh-Commentary by Acharya VlI.chaspati-Mi~ra on the Siitra-Bhashya. 1ft. Ma. MlI.(I"iikyl'lpanishad. -So Mu. MUI)"akopanishad. 1l.lf.: . VS. VedAnta Sillms of BadardyaQa. If.:'1r. SBh. SaJ~kara's Rhiishy .. on the Vedanta Siitras. .. Sve. Svetlisvahmipanishad. The Upanishadic Approach to Reality I THE WISDOM OF THE UPANISHADS· 1. Three Varieties of approach to Vedanta There are three original sources in Sanskrit, which a student of Vedanta, has to consult for ' getting basic information about the reflections of ancient seers and sages of India on Vedanta. These are generally known by the collective name of Prasthiina- TrayI, the triad of the methods of approach to Vedanta. 'The Upanishads are the main springs of Vedanti~ Truth. It is from these founts, that several soul-stirring rivulets of Smritis and Purli1).as gush forth and flow in various directions. Their way of approach to truth, has been called the Sruti-Prasthiina or the method of approach through listening, because it is the one method that has been handed down to us by an unbroken successiorl of masters and disciples. The second is the Bhagavad Olta composed by Bhagavan Krish1)advaipayana Vyasa in seven hundred verses called 'the Oitiis' . It is a neat and compact compendium of Vedantic teachings. It is Smriti ascribed to an author (in contrast with Sruti which the orthodox people consider to be eternal), and .may be also called the Siidhana-Prasthiina inasmuch as it chiefly deals with the courses of discipline neessary to train the mind to understand the Vedantic truths. And the third is the VediintaMlmiiIp.sii of BadarayaI.1a, which has been called 2 THE UPANISHADIC APPROACH To REALI1Y the Nyliya-Prasthana, because the aphorisms of which it is composed, present us with the principles of exegesis of the two other Prasthanas. In the following pages, it is proposed to give a glimpse of the broad outlines of the matter and method of the principal Upanishadic revelations as understood by Sailkaracharya, the earliest commentator, whose writings are yet extant. 2. References to Vidyi and A vidyi in the Upanishads There are two texts in the Upanishads themselves wherein Vidyli (wisdom) and Avidyli (nescience) are referred to in general terms : (~) ~ ~ ~ 31fcmT ~ ';l ~ ~ rc.f.ilifl~;f .,flq4;d4lFit";f ~ cnrqr ~~ II 'ifiT. ~-"'. "Wide apart are these two, mutually contradictory, ways moving in opposite directions - to wit, Avidya (nescience) and that whicb1!i known as Vidya (wisdom). I regard thee, Nachiketas, as one longing for Vidya ; for the very many objects of pleasure, have not enticed thee." Ka. 2-4. Here, Mrityu, the God of death, is referring to wisdom as the means to the Good ( ~:) in contrast to Nescience which leads to attachment to the pleasant (Wf:). (~) tt'Fl. ilql'~c1lq<cll~'{:~-qt'Ql~ l";ffif: q(q{{ftfflll -a dqi{<Hl@Ji ~";f: rnn 'tfts{:a:tlQ;qfc4tllttl: -qt'tfR dt<ttfftfa II 1f.. ~-", t. "He said to them : 'This much alone I know (regarding) this THE WISDOM OF THE UPANISHADS Higher Brahman; There is -nothing beyond this'. They worshipfully replied 'Thou art indeed our father, for thou hast taken us across nescience to the other shore'. Pro 6-7, 8. Here Sukesa and the other disciples, already conversant with the knowledge (the art of meditation) of th.e Lower Brahman, express their gratitude to PippaUlda, who has now initiated them into the wisdom of the Higher Brahman, which abolishes' nescience for good. 3. Brahma-Vidyi The Upanishads are never tired of extolling this wisdom as the culmination of all knowledge vouchsafed to seekers. Here are some texts of this type :- (~) ~ ~~: ~ fcf~ q;ijf ~ fi I ~~ ti4f'ctallllf(tEOIQQqfl4 ~6OjSlIl4 ~ II ~. ~-~-~. "Brahman was born as the fIrst of the Devas, the producer of the universe, and protector- of the world. He conununicated the Brahma-Vidyii, the foundation (or the goal) of all branches of knowl­ edge, to Atharva, his eldest SOD." Mu. ] -1-J . In the above-cited text, we are told that the knowledge of Brahman is the foundation of all branches of learning. The latter are useful only in so far as they lead the seeker to this ultimate wisdom. (~) ~ '( t ~~ f~~~qti* ~ I ~~~~~~II~~~-~ fcftt ~ 1fa '( ~ l4C(9t$f~~ ~ 1RT ~ ~ II mJTtro ~~:~s~:n~~~lRl ~ 4 THE UPANISHADIC APPROACH To REALITY q"5IqqCht:qif:~p,~ f ~ a«41 flujql«\ I A....:I'"I~ fini....
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