Long Term Course at AVG during September - October 2014

pursuits. does not give one permanent freedom from the sense of limitation as its results are temporary.

Dispassion is seeing the absence of connection between what one wants and what one does. Moments of happiness experienced without fulfilling desires or changing the world, show that happiness is centered on oneself and not on the external objects or situations. If the external world is not A summary of the classes held required for one to experience satisfaction, during September –October 2014 is then the self has to be the nature of presented below: satisfaction. One discovers that he is indeed the meaning of wholeness, fullness, CLASSES ON VAKYA VICHARA BY happiness and satisfaction. Dissatisfaction PUJYA SWAMI DAYANANDA is not due to one’s own nature being so, but SARASVATI due to ignorance of the true nature of the self and imposing the limitation of the All the Upanisads share one common body-mind-sense complex on the limitless vision. Pujya Swami Dayananda Sarasvati self. taught select mantras from various Upanisads covering significant topics. One can understand atma only through Vedanta taught by a Guru. One PURUSHARTHA NISCHAYA should respectfully approach a Guru, who is srotriya (one who has studied Vedanta EXAMINING LIFE EXPERIENCES: from a Guru and who knows the Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.12 “pariksya lokan sampradaya) and is a -nistha (one karmachitan…” After analysing various who understands as non-separate experiences in life gained through karma, from oneself). a viveki develops dispassion by recognizing that karma which is limited in STUDENT SHOULD ASK FOR THE nature cannot be the means to gain the KNOWLEDGE: Mundaka Upanisad 1.1.3 limitless. What one seeks in life is “saunako ha vai mahasalah…” Saunaka everlasting satisfaction through various who had lived a life of prayer and ,

6 Arsha Newsletter - October 2014 approached Guru as per stipulations and asked “Bhagavan! What is the one thing knowing which everything is known?”

TWO TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE: Mundaka Upanisad 1.1.4 “tasmai sa hovaca dve vidye…” Guru Angiras told Saunaka that there are two types of knowledge: Para vidya which is about Brahman and Apara vidya which includes all other disciplines of knowledge. Yajnyavalkya told her that a wife is not dear for wife’s sake, but for one’s sake. SORROW CANNOT GO WITHOUT Similarly, all people and things one loves PARA VIDYA: Chandogya Upanisad 7.1.3 are not dear for the sake of the people or “so ham bhagavah socami…” Sage Narada the things, but for one’s sake alone. approached Guru Sanatkumara and told Therefore one loves people and things not him that he was in sorrow and requested for their sake but only because they him to help him cross sorrow. Sanatkumara invoke the pleased self . asked what Narada knew. Narada replied that he knew all the and all other For gaining amrtatvam, atma jnana is disciplines of knowledge. Sanatkumara told required. Sastra is the pramana for atma him that what Narada knew were only jnana. One should go to a Guru and do namas, not the Naami. Knowing the Naami sravana, and nididhyasana and and only bhooma vidya (knowledge of gain atma jnana. atma) can help one cross sorrow and taught him bhooma vidya. ONE WHO DIES BEFORE GETTING THIS KNOWLEDGE IS A MISER: LOVE FOR ANYTHING IS FOR THE Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 3.8.10 “yo va SAKE OF ONESELF ALONE: etad aksaram…” Every human being is Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 2.4.5 “atmanastu born with the capacity to gain atma jnana. kamaya sarvam priyam bhavati…” One is endowed with discriminative was a great scholar and a rich intellect for gaining this knowledge. If one person. He had two wives Katyayani and wastes his life in frivolous pursuits, the Maitreyi. He decided to become a sannyasi. Upanisad calls such a person a miser for He told Maitreyi that he would give her not using his wealth of discrimination. half of his wealth and sought her permission to take . Maitreyi asked PREPAREDNESS - TWO LIFE STYLES, if the wealth could give her amrtatvam. VALUES AND ATTITUDES Yajnyavalkya replied that only atma jnana could give amrtatvam. ONE SHOULD KNOW ATMA AND ASSIMILATE THE KNOWLEDGE: Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 4.4.21 “tam eva

Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2014 7 dhiro vijnaya…” A person of to the Acharya. Do not break family lineage. discrimination should know atma through Do not show any indifference in telling the Sastra and Guru and assimilate the truth, following dharma, earning further knowledge. One should do whatever is to accomplishments and teaching the Sastra.” be done to gain preparedness. One should not get lost in logical analysis. ATTITUDE TOWARDS ELDERS: Taittiriya Upanisad 1.20 “matrdevo bhava PREPAREDNESS REQUIRED FROM THE pitrdevo bhava…” “Look upon mother, SEEKER: Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 4.4.23 father, teacher and guest as Isvara with “tasmad evam vit shanto danta…” One devotion. Do only noble actions. Respect should have sama (emotional maturity, elders in age and learning.” having resolved all issues of the mind), dama (the capacity to say no to things that ATTITUDE WHILE GIVING DANAM: do not help in the pursuit of ), Taittiriya Upanisad 1.21 “sraddaya deyam. uparama (the absence of a sense of Asraddhaya adeyam…” Danam should be ownership or the spirit of sannyasa), titiksa given with respect for the receiver, in (not being moved by opposites) and plenty, with humility and understanding. samadhanam (contentment, like a fire which has no fuel). RESOLVING DOUBTS IN DHARMA: Taittiriya Upanisad 1.22 “atha yadi te , DANA AND FOR karmavicikitsa va…” When you have a PREPAREDNESS: Brhadaranyaka doubt regarding dharma, you may consult Upanisad 4.4.22 “tam etam a cultured, educated, discriminative and vedanuvacanena …” The seekers considerate person. with discriminative intellect perform yajna (rituals) , dana (reaching out action) and AMRTATVAM THROUGH TYAGA: tapas (austerities) to gain preparedness to Upanisad 3 “na karmana na understand Brahman. prajaya ….” You cannot obtain amrtatvam through rituals, progeny or wealth. GIVE UP DESIRES OF FAMILY, Amrtatvam can be obtained by tyaga only. WEALTH AND LOKA: : Brhadaranyaka Seekers attain the knowledge that “Isvara Upanisad 4.4.22 “kim prajaya is everything”. karisyamah…” The seekers give up desire for family, wealth and loka and live a life ALL THAT IS HERE IS ISVARA: Isavasya of renunciation. Formal sannyasa is taken Upanisad 1 “Isavasyam sarvam…” desiring atma jnana. Atma jnana can also All that is here is Isvara. Even a simple be achieved by informal sannyasa. villager in India will tell due to vridha vyavahara that everything is bhagavan. The VALEDICTORY ADVICE TO entire culture of Bharat is based on this STUDENTS: Taittiriya Upanisad 1.19 vakya. This is the vision of our culture. This “vedam anucya acaryah antevasinam is manifest in dance, music, worship and anusasti…” After teaching the Veda, the prayers. Because of this unique vision, we Acharya gives valedictory advice to can do to earth, river, tree, mountain, residential students as follows: “Speak the stone, cow or any other form. truth. Live a life of dharma. Study the Sastra everyday. Offer appreciable wealth TAT PADA VICHARA

8 Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2014 BRAHMAN IS THE CAUSE…. Taittiriya KNOWLEDGE OF BRAHMAN Upanisad 3.1 “yatho va iimani bhutani Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 3.9.26 jayante…” Brahman is the cause from “upanisadam purusam pruchami…” One which all beings are born, are sustained should ask for the knowledge of Brahman and unto which they all resolve, meaning in Upanisads from a Guru. There is no other that it is non–separate from the effect. One means of knowledge that the Brahman is should continue to be a jijnasu, until he the cause of the jagat and that is not other understands this completely. than the self.

FROM BRAHMAN SUBTLE BODIES IMPORTANCE OF GURU AND FIVE ELEMENTS ARE BORN Mundaka Upanisad 2.1.3 “etastmajjayate BRAHMAN NOT AN OBJECT Kena pranah manah …” From this Brahman are Upanisad 3.1 “na tatra chaksurgacchati…” born prana, mind, sense organs, organs of Brahman cannot be known as an object of action, space, air, fire, water and earth. perception through eyes, ears or mind. It can be only known as the subject through IS THE WHOLE Purusha the pramana of Sastra. Suktam “purusha eva idam sarvam…” All that is here is Purusha, the individual who ONE WHO HAS A GURU KNOWS: is purna. This is possible only if there is Chandogya Upanisad 6.4.2 “acharyavan advaita. This is explained through karana- purusho veda…” A jiva in samsara forest karya prakriya. First by negating what the is bound by so many ties. When the Guru self is not, the cause is not and finally handles the Sastra as the pramana, the negating the difference between the self and student cannot but know. the cause. Hence Purusha is the whole. TAT TVAM ASI IT IS BOTH EFFICIENT & MATERIAL CAUSE Mundaka Upanisad 1.1.7 KNOWING ONE THING EVERY THING “yathornanabhih srjate grhnate ca…” Like ELSE IS AS WELLKNOWN: Chandogya the spider being both the efficient cause Upanisad 6.1.3 “yena asrutham srutham…” and material cause of the web, Isvara is When clay is understood as the content of both the efficient cause and material cause pot, pot is perceived as a name and form. of this jagat. From sentient body, in- When gold is understood as the content of sentient hair grows. Similarly from sentient an ornaments, ornament is perceived as a Brahman, the sentient and in-sentient jagat name and form. When Brahman is has come into being. understood as the non separate efficient and material cause of the jagat, the jagat LIKE SPARKS FROM FIRE Mundaka is perceived as mithya with a name and Upanisad 2.1.1 “tad etat satyam….” form. Innumerable sparks come out of fire. Later they go back to the source. Similarly BEFORE MANIFESTATION ISVARA innumerable beings are manifest from WAS THERE: Chandogya Upanisad 6.2.1 Brahman and they later become “sat eva sowmya…” Before manifestation unmanifest in Brahman. jagat was there in the form of Sat, similar to a sprout in an unmanifest seed form.

Arsha Vidya Newsletter - October 2014 9 “TAT TVAM ASI…” Chandogya Upanisad STORY OF DEVAS PRIDE: Kena 6.8.7. A cause without having a cause for Upanisad 3.1 “brahma ha vijigye…” Devas its being is Satyam Brahman. That is defeated the asuras and were proud. consciousness. The effect has no existence Brahman appeared before them in the form apart from its cause. Brahman is the cause of a Yaksha. and went near the of this jagat and jiva. Hence jagat and jiva Yaksha and could not find who that person are not different from Brahman their cause. was and also understood that they were Self existing Sat lends its existence to powerless before the Yaksha. When everything else. You (jivatma) are that Sat went near, Yaksha disappeared. In that (Brahman). place Goddess Uma appeared there and revealed that the Yaksha was Brahman and JOTHIR BRAHMANA the victory and power of the Devas were only because of the blessings of Brahman. ATMA ULTIMATE LIGHT: Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 4.3.2 “kim jothir LIFE STYLE OF A STUDENT ayam purusha…” Light for person is light from sun, moon, fire or sound. Even when SRADDHA DHYANA: Kaivalya these lights are not there, self shining Atma Upanisad 2 “sraddhabhaktidhyanayogat…” shines as the light. The one who has sraddha in the Vedas, Isvara bhakti and a prepared mind through KENA UPANISAD meditation is qualified for atma jnana.

ATMA IS SUBJECT, NOT OBJECTIFIED: THE ULTIMATE TRUTH Kena Upanisad 1.1 “kena ishitam manah….” Willed by whom the the mind PURNAM: “ purnamada and sense organs function? Atma as ear of purnamidam….” The cause of the jagat is the ear, mind of the mind, eye of the eye Isvara, who is purnam. The jagat is an effect make them function. Atma always remains of Isvara, which is not separate from the as subject and cannot become the object of cause and is purnam. Even when the jagat knowledge. (which is mithya) is unmanifest, Isvara remains as purnam. VEDANTIC PARADOX STATEMENTS: Kena Upanisad 2.1 “yadi manyase KNOWER OF BRAHMAN ATTAINS suvedeti…” The one who says “I Know PARAM: Taittiriya Upanisad 2.1 Brahman well”, does not know. He “brahmavid apnoti param…” The knower considers Brahman as on object. The one of Brahman attains param. Brahman is who says “I do not consider Brahman to satyam, jnanam and anantam. It is be known well (as an object), nor I existence, awareness and limitlessness. One consider that I do not know Brahman” who knows Brahman fulfills all his desires. knows. He understands that Brahman is not known as an object. But Brahman is the Report by N. Avinashilingam subject that objectifies the jagat.

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