Week 2 , Class 31, Sep 20 2022
Class Notes by Sharmila
Summary of last year’s lessons (contd)
When we reflect day-to-day on the intention that we acted with, majority of our experience is that we acted with the intention of utility (as in, what do I get out of this). This notion of utility implies Dvaita. We have been living like this for decades and lifetimes, consciously and unconsciously. Living for utility has not worked! Those who are self-reflective and deeply honest, knowing this does not work, have to change the direction. In the Upanishad course, the course we follow is not one of the world but rather the one of the Upanishad. The course the Upanishad is taking us to is the highest gain or the highest “regain”. When one experiences this highest regain, then one does not live for utility, which means one lives for Advaita.
The most obvious limitation/disturbance that we have in our life is our thoughts. We want to know if we are following/understanding/changing along this course, and the obvious gauge is the mind. When one has less thoughts, feels less limited and less disturbed, then one is following this course.
From Amrita Bindu Upanishad , second Mantra :
“Mana eva manushyaanaam kaaranam bandhamokshayoH
Bandhaaya vishayaasaktam muktam nirvishayam smrutam”
For humans, the mind alone is the trigger/cause for being limited/disturbed (bandha) as well as for being unlimited/quiet. It is the attachment to articles, beings and circumstances that causes the disturbance. It is the dependence on that which we are ‘not’ which causes one to feel limited. Conversely, when the mind/thoughts are ‘not dependent’ on articles, beings and circumstances then that mind is muktam (‘light’ and ‘Light’). If we know this, then we can change our thoughts, our mind and our destiny.
Lessons 1 through 6 can be summarized as Sadhya, Bhagya and Vichara.
Sadhya means the purpose of our life, the highest regain.
To be able to tune into and reach this purpose, one has to be Bhagya (great fortune). One has to be Bhagya to be in this course and to have a relationship with the parampara (Bhagavan, Rishsi, Guru, community). One has to be working hard and smart to be Bhagya, and for this one has to perpetually be doing Vichara. Pujya Swami Tejomayananda has shared “Maya cannot handle inquiry”. In Srimad Bhagavatam, in the Uddhava Gita , the main teaching that Bhagavan Krishna shares with Rishi Uddhava is that Maya and mind are synonymous. So if we inquire, we will change our mind, from being disturbed to being quiet. What we do in our course and community is Vedanta Vichara (inquiring and personalizing Vedanta). This is synonymous with PanchaKosha Viveka. Vedanta Vichara is “i know what i am not” to help me to know who i am. The PanchaKosha Viveka is exactly the same (disidentifying with what i am not to identify with what i am). This is synonymous with Nidhidhyaasana. The etymology of Nidhidhyaasana is ‘Nitaram Dhyaihi”. Dhyaihi means to keep in mind (changing the mind) and Nitaram (perpetually). Pujya Swami Chinmayananda calls this a life long discipline.
Review of Lessons 7 through 14:
Lesson 7: Brahma Vichara. The highlights in this lesson are – the more that one thinks of infinity, the more one develops Vasanas of infinity. We go from Anatma vasanas to Atma vasanas (Brahma vasanas). This is a conscious process. It means we have a relationship with the map (Shastra) and this becomes more real and personal through our relationship with our guide (Satguru). It is the combination of guide and map that make this redevelopment of vasanas natural. Our maps teach infinity in a direct way (Swarupa Lakshana) but our Rishis know that our minds are distracted. So they also teach infinity in an indirect way (Thathastha Lakshana).
Lesson 8: Infinity (Brahman) is ‘Ahetu’. In Srimad Bhagavatam, the Rishi’s answer to ‘Who is Bhagavan Narayana’ is Ahetu (causeless). If there is a cause, then that cause is Brahman. It is taught like this to dismantle the sense of doership. If we feel we are separate, then we feel we are the doer. In Srimad Bhagavatam, one of the questions is ‘What is the indicator of a Bhakta?’ – the lowest type of Bhakta only feels divinity in a ‘Murti’, the middle type feel divinity in ‘some’ (family, community), the highest type of bhakta feels divinity in ‘all’. Further fulfillment of this is feeling ‘all are in divinity’ (this is taught by Rishi Vyasa in chapter 10 and 11 of Bhagavad Gita).
(Lessons 5 and 6 reflect on Atma, Lessons 7 and 8 reflect on Brahman, Lesson 9 and 10 focus on Aikya – that Atma and Brahman are one.)
Lesson 9: Brahma-Atma Aikya. In this lesson, there is an emphasis on Sannyasa. ‘Sam’ means all, ‘Ni’ means down and ‘aasa’ means to throw – Sannyasa is to throw down all that is holding you back, starting with lifestyle, then the equipments and finally the ego. This is shared in the Upanishad as throwing down ‘tvam’ (ego), and if ‘tvam’ is thrown down, so is ‘tat’. If the creation is dismantled, so is the creator. There is only oneness. What remains is ‘asi’ (being). ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ is a mahavakya. Any teaching in the Veda that teaches that the individuality and infinity are one is a mahavakya.
Lesson 10: Lesson 9 is about ‘Sat’, lesson 10 the focus is ‘Chit’ and lesson 11 shifts to ‘Ananda’. In lesson 10, instead of the word ‘chit’, the word ‘jnana’ is used. In Taittiriya Upanishad, we came across the phrase ‘Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma’. Jnanam means to know or knowledge, this knowing/knowledge is because of awareness. So the Upanishad focuses on what is in front of awareness instead of awareness to help us to go more authentically and deeply into who we are. ‘Para Aksha’ means someone else’s experience, particularly someone else’s eyes. ‘Aparokhsa’ means not someone else’s eyes, really not even our own eyes – it is our nature. Best commentary on the Upanishad is Bhagavatam. In Uddhava Gita, Bhagavan shares with Uddhava that He is leaving. Rishi Uddhava says he wants to go with Bhagavan. Bhagavan Krishna tells him that even Garuda does not come where He is going! Bhagavan Krishna is resuming not having name and form, and re-establishing Himself in existence-awareness-joy.
Lesson 11: Pancha Kosha Viveka. Vivekji added one more kosha which is our experiences/lifestyle. In this lesson there is a great emphasis on Shravana-Manana-Nidhidhyasana. Pancha Kosha Viveka is a form of contemplation. Those who are already fully Bhagya (their minds are fully pure), they don’t have to go through Manana or Nidhidhyasana. All they have to do is just Shravana (to listen). Purification is facilitated by disidentification (not dependent). In Bhagavatam, Bhagavan Narayana tells Bhagavan Brahma they way not to get lost in creation, not be a Samsari is ‘Anvaya Vyatirekha’ (Vyatirekha is that which we can let go of, Anvaya means we cannot let go of it). In the Bhagavad Gita , Bhagavan Krishna shares ‘I am non-existence and existence’.
Lesson 12: Antah Karana Sadhana. Our Antah Karana is where we are living. We are not living beyond the memory, mind, intellect and ego. So we really need Sadhana for our Antah Karana. There are four parts to this Sadhana: purification (associated with our lifestyle, a lifestyle that appreciates the opportunity that we have). This becomes the trigger for Shravana or inspiration which becomes the inspiration for Manana or reflection (then inspiration becomes more real) , which becomes a trigger for Nidhidhyasana or contemplation (now the inspiration is not only real but it is personal). Whether it is purification, inspiration, reflection or contemplation, this has to be full-time (both in a controlled environment and outside of it).
Lesson 13: This lesson is also about Antah Karana Sadhana. Here the shift is from Shravana to Nidhidhyasana. Nidhidhyasana is ‘nitaram’ (perpetual). To facilitate this one has to engage in Upasana (sit near, become like your Ishta Deva), to feel God is real. Then we will have a personal relationship with God. Contemplation facilitated by Upasana is built into the 5 S’s of contemplation – space , seat, senses, sentiments and surrender.
Lesson 14: Aum Dhyana. This lesson is about what we should contemplate on – which is ‘Aum’. Aum is that which is Saguna (has name and form), and it directs us to Nirguna (to go past names and forms). Aum is the sound to nurture silence. We should chant/reflect-on/be Aum more, and after chanting/reflecting is Silence. Silence is the fourth part of Aum.