April 27, 2023 Class Notes by Siddharth Kashinath

Introduction

When one sleeps, one does not act. Yet, one is happy. This tells us that actions cannot create happiness. This also tells us that actions must reveal who we are rather than create and that will make us happy forever. If we feel oneness with another entity, then we calculate less. For example, we don’t calculate much when it comes to ourselves (i.e. the one we feel oneness with most). So, if we start to love more people, we will be less calculative and our mind will be quieter. The less love we feel, the more we calculate and the mind is louder. 

The practices in this course are ways for us to see the truths of life. Our notion of truth has become very legal these days. But truths such as above – actions cannot create happiness, love leads to quietude of mind, etc – are infinitely more potent and transformative. Our course is an opportunity to slow down so that we can see these truths. These practices are reflective practices, which, if we touch and taste, will last forever.

In our culture, a jayanti is for a great person who is no longer alive; for example, Chinmaya Jayanti, to celebrate the birthday of Pujya Swami Chinmayananda. It is a reminder for us of that great person and for us to be grateful. The more we think about that great person, the more we develop that greatness. 

We are fortunate that this week is Acharya Shankara’s jayanti. Acharya Shankara is also known as Bhashyakara. Similar to Rishi Vyasa who is known as Sutrakara – the one who organized the teachings of Sanatana Dharma, which people learned and practiced. However, as with everything over time, these teachings and matters became more diluted. So, Acharya Shankara started to interpret these teachings in a non-dilutive way. Bhashya means elaboration / commentary and Rishi Vyasa was so fulfilled with this legacy work that he doubled Acharya Shankara’s lifespan (from 16 to 32). And it is through Acharya Shankara’s teachings that the inaccessible has been made accessible to us. Sadhana Panchakam is 1,500 years old. And our relationship with it will impact us forever. 

Acharya Shankara is the synthesis of karma yoga, bhakti yoga and jnana yoga. He is, therefore, the right person to share Sadhana Panchakam, which is a collection of insights on karma yoga, bhakti yoga and jnana yoga. This teaching is a distilled form of the Bhagavad Gita. Karma yoga brings more clarity to one’s life. Bhakti yoga brings more conviction. Jnana yoga brings more confidence. Sadhana Panchakam is a mirror that is showing us our present and the path to reach our potential. The path is these practices.  

Review

Verse 5, Practice 34: paratare cetah samadhiyatam

Immerse your inner world in that which is higher than you, i.e. the highest vocation. The 2nd sutra in the Yoga Sutras shares – yoga citta vritti nirodha. Nirodha means to transcend. What we must transcend is vritti or thoughts. The locus of these thoughts is citta, which means the mind or inner world. We must practice that we are more than our thoughts. We must practice that we know our thoughts, which means we cannot be our thoughts. The same is being shared by Acharya Shankara in this practice.

When one is practicing contemplation, one is changing who one is. Samadhiyatam means to literally or factually change who one is. It is only possible when one knows their present, their potential, and the path to get there. It is the content that facilitates contemplation. The less content one has, the less one contemplates. Hence, why in Sanatana Dharma there is endless content to facilitate contemplation. Talk God was the practice. 

Discourse 

Verse 5, Practice 35: purnatma susamiksyatam

Purna means full. Atma means that which is close. That which is closest is fullest. Samiksya means to see and susamiksya means to see well. In other words, it means that we must stop depending on sight and instead, use vision. One cannot see the fullness that is inside, but one can only have a vision of it. 

Absolute: Often, our nature is described as purusa. In our gross mind, we think this is human or male. However, it comes from purnatva meaning completion or fulfillment. Another insight into purusa is puri kshete – puri (city) and kshete (to sleep). Meaning that Divinity is lying or resting or sleeping in oneself. 

Relative: We all live in our minds. A verse from Hanuman Chalisa is apt – nija mana mukura sudhari – meaning that I will clean my mind and then can focus on Hanumanji better. If one’s mind is filled with clarity, conviction, confidence, then one will feel contentment. So, we must clean the mind in order to feel this completion or contentment. 

Practice: Leave light. Meaning every article, being, circumstance must feel lighter when we leave them. They should feel lighter. 

Pray for people. At least one person a day. 

Verse 5, Practice 36: jagadidam tadbadhitam drsyatam

Jagat idam means this universe or all that is this, which is the multiverse. Tat badhitam means it binds one, it makes one feel that they are small. Drsyatam means to understand or recognize this. Live in a way that you know this multiverse cannot make you feel full / complete. 

There are 64 creation theories. Why so many? The reason is that we are all at different evolution levels. The highest creation theory is that there is no creation. We are all part of the Infinite where there is no notion of bigness or smallness. The word maya means ma means ‘no’ and yah means ‘is’ = what not is. Maya makes the absolute feel relative. The truth is that it doesn’t. 

Acharya Shankara is encouraging us to infuse insight into our sight. For example, when we see our family members, we see them like we see our neighbors, but our feeling towards them is completely different because there is an insight backing that sight.

Before we had a relationship with Vedanta, i.e. when we were searchers (searching for happiness thinking it was outside), the whole world feels real – i.e. gold feels real, a promotion feels real, etc. But when we came into contact with Vedanta and became seekers, then we know that everything is unreal. What is unreal is the notion of names and forms and the feeling that they can make you happy. And when that understanding is solid, then we go back to the multiverse and start to feel that it is real again as we are not tuned into the names and forms anymore, but instead into the Existence and Awareness. We are happy, so we don’t project and expect happiness from the multiverse. 

Tactile / Practice: Record dreams. Have a journal and write down details about your dreams. And when we have a hard day, we must read that dream journal and we’ll see how wild the mind is. Recording dreaming will help one establish what is relative. And if there is a relative, there is going to be an absolute. 

Discussion – How do you live in a relative world? How does one practically live in the relative world?

Vivekji’s Observation – Feel that all is a reflection of you

RAW – Leave light; Record dream.