Mandukya Upanishad, Class 42
Class
42
The Upanishad describes features of
Brahman, we come across a logical problem that two features of Brahman
contradict each other. One feature is nirvikaram, not subject to modification,
beyond time and space, eternal and all pervading; free from all modiifcation
caused by time. The same upanishad describe Brahman as jagat karanam –
nimitha karanam or upadhana karanam – word karanam implies subject to
modification. In one place it is nirvikaram and another place it says it is
savikaram. The only way to reoncile is one is sathyam and another is
mithya. Opposite words can co-exist only in different planes. Which
one is mithya savikaram or nivikaram? Savikaram – the karanam status
-alone should be taken as mithya. Once karanam status is taken as mithya
and the world created by the karanam status is also mithya. Mithya
karanam can only create mithya kariyam. Gowdapadha gave spiritual
quotation to support this conclusion in verses 24 to 26. Gowdapadha gives
logical support for the logical conclusion in verses 27 to 30.
The origination of world out of
Brahman is possible only in one way – through Maya – apparently or seemingly or
unreal. Real creation is not at all possible out of Brahman. If you
assume a creation originates out of Brahman, if the world is a kariyam and then
Brahman will become Karanam. If Brahman is a real cause of the universe
then Brahman is subject to modification, becoming savikaram. If Brahman
has modification, then you should accept the six fold modification. One of the
modification is jenma, that is subject to birth. That means Brahman will
become kariyam, then it will require its karanam. You will never be able
to arrive at logical conclusion at all. Brahman will become subject to
birth and death and will become a samsari.
Verse 28.
From a sat vasthu ( Brahman)
produces a world, it can only be only a mithya or unreal world.
From an asat vashtu (nonexistent
cause) neither a real nor unreal creation can exist. Sunya vadha
philosophers say Brahman did not produce world, but it came from sunyam.
Son of a woman who is vandhya – incapable of giving birth (a baron woman), can
never be born either really or apparently. Real creation is not possible
from sat or asat.
Verse 29
The world we see can only be
mithya. How can I accept this solid world as unreal? This world
appears to be very real. The world is clearly visible, tangible, useful,
gives me sugam and dhukkam and all of these are very real. Just because
the world is visible, tangible, useful, gives you problem you can’t conclude it
is real because an unreal world can also be visible, tangible, useful and give
your problem. Tangibility does not prove reality. Experience does
not prove reality. Utility does not prove reality. The unreal dream
world is also tangible when you are in dream. Unreal dream world appear
real in dream state and unreal waking world appear real in waking state.
So Jagrath prabanja and swapna prabanja are unreal. Both are unreal when
the state is reshuffled. When you go to sushukthi both are unreal.
Let us assume another state of
experience (other than swapna and waking) where you get another body, space,
time etc. in that state also mind perceives dwaida basham or dwaida
experience; All dwaida experiences are mithya. Vaikunda , kailasa,
Brahma loga are all dwaida and mithya. Advaidam alone sathyam. If
we go to nirvakalpaka samathi would advaidam Brahman stand in front of
you? No because it is also dvaidam. Advaidam is not a matter or objectification
of experience. Don’t look into going to another state of experience to
see Brahman. If you do, there will be an experiencer and experience with
duality. All dwaidam is mithya.
Verse 30
The non-dual mind alone appears as
duality in dream. In dream, there is only one object – mind. Mind appears as dream objects; mind seemingly
convert itself into dream objects and create the seeming duality. Mind itself makes a seeming division.
Because when you wake up, you can shake off the entire dream world.
Similarly, the non-dual Brahman alone seemingly appears as duality in waking
state. That Brahman I am. I alone appear as the world. Just
as the waker boldly say I am the tiger, mountain etc. in dream, a gyani can say
I alone appear as the world.
The four topics discussed by
Gowdapatha:
- Yuktyya jiva shrity nishedhaga: Logical negation
of jiva shristy (Vereses 3 to 9) - Yukthya jagat shristy nisedhagaha: Logical
negation of jagat shrisy (Verse 10) - Shruthya jiva shristy nishedhaha: Scriptural
negation of jiva shristy (Verses 11 to 14) - Shruthya jagat shrisy nishedhaha: Scriptural
negation of jagat shristy. (Verses 15 to 30)
With this these four topics are
completed. Taken together this means there is never jiva shrishti nor
jagat shrishti; there is no shrishti; there is no kariyam. Therefore,
Brahman is not a karanam. He is kariya karana Brahma vilakshyanam or
advaidam thiriyum. The significance of the word advaidam is kariya karana
vilakshanam
Verse 31
All samsara problem is caused by
duality. The dream perception of duality causes problem because it makes
me forget the advaidam, the mind; dwaida
dharshanam is the cause of samsara. Advaida dharshanam is the solution for samsra.
In jagradha avastha, you have dwaida
avastha, you have kama, krodha, moha, laya etc. In sushukthi there is no
dwaidam and we experience moksha temporarily. When dwaida dharshanam
there is problem Dwaida dharshanam is very much there when the mind is
active. In jagradh and swapna mind is active; in sushukthi mind is
resolved, there is neither dwaidam or samsara. In jagradh and swapnma the
mind is active and there is samsara problem. When the mind is active,
there is problem and when the mind is not there, there is no problem. The
mind is the culprit. In deep sleep there is world, but it does not cause
samsara. Therefore for moksha, you have to tackle your own mind.
Tackling the mind, conquering the mind (amani bava) are dealt with in verses 31
to 39.