Greetings All,

Shloka # 22:

That vision of the Lord which is without seeing the Seer can only be a mental vision. Indeed the Supreme is not other than Seer. His vision is absorption and abidance in one’s own source.

Continuing his teaching and refreshing our memory of last class, Swami Paramarthananda said, in this shloka Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi is pointing out that real god realization is not possible without Self -realization. The reason is that the real Ishwara is the Atma itself. This is the central teaching of the Upanishad’s as well. Both Keno Upanishad and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad say that whatever God one objectifies such as external (worship of god such in a temple) or internal (during meditation), all these forms are not the Absolute Reality. The God whom you worship outside is Vyavaharika Satyam while the God one worships inside is Pratibhashika Satyam. Both are not Paramarthika Satyam. Thus, both Vyavaharika (outside) and Partibhashika (inside) are both Mithya. Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi calls it Manasika Ikshanam.

Brihadaranyaka, Chapter 3, Section 8, dealing with Akshara Brahmana says absolute Brahman is never experienced; rather it is the Experiencer or Knower. It is ever the Thinker in the thought. Real God is “I” the subject.  Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says real God being “you” how can you objectify it. So, know your “Self”. Puranas do talk of objectified Gods. However, these Gods are not the real ones. Real one is “you”. Ignoring the subject consciousness (the seer) and seeking any other darshanam is called Manasika Ikshanam.

How do we know if God who came in our dream is real or mithya? It is also a Vyavahrika God as such it is also a Mithya. There is no god other than Atma the experiencer. This is Consciousness (Sakshi Chaitanyam). Experiencer means that which illumines the mind by its mere presence or Chaitanyam. So, how can I experience the real God? Tasya Viksha? It is by abiding in real Consciousness after resolving the very seeker who wants to know. The very attempter (I want to experience God) has to be resolved and focus on “I” am the Consciousness. It is neither Pramata nor Prameya. Abiding in consciousness is abiding in knowledge that “ I “ am . This is the knowledge.

Shloka # 23:

The meaning of the sayings of the Vedas, “one should see the Self”; one should see the Lord” is not easy. If the Self is not seen, then what can be the talk of the Lord? The vision of Him is oneself becoming food unto Him.

Self-realization does not require knowing Self as a new thing. Experiencing anything other than Self requires effort. Thus, if one wants to see a wall, one has to turn and use our eyes to see. Every object in the world is experienced using effort and time. Only Self is experienced as Consciousness all the time. No instrument is required. No process or time is required to experience the Atma. Although Atma is ever experienced, we still need the mind to turn attention to this ever-experienced Atma.

Vedanta asks us to turn our attention to this ever experienced Atma by asking if “ Are you conscious or not”. “I am a conscious being”, once you claim this, then shastra is required to talk about the nature of Consciousness.

Thus, again:

Mind is required to turn attention to Consciousness.

Shastra is required to talk about nature of Consciousness.

Mind and shastra both are not required to experience Consciousness as it is ever Experienced.

When I turn my attention, when I study Shastra, I realize this ever experienced Consciousness is independent, not limited by the body, survives even after body’s death and is non-transacting as well. This ever-experienced Consciousness exists all the time.

This Atma, the Consciousness, lends its sentiency or life or Chiddabsha to the mind. Mind is like a mirror. This mirror becomes bright with this borrowed sentiency and thus becomes capable of performing many things. The inert mind becomes sentient.

Atma continues, as it is all pervading. Reflected Consciousness (RC) and Original Consciousness (OC) remain. OC remains hidden in RC.

So how to discover the OC?

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Shloka # 21:

It is possible to talk of fate and self-effort for them who know not the source of the two. To them who know well the source of fate and effort, there is neither fate nor effort.

Continuing his teaching and refreshing our memory of last class, Swamy Paramarthananda said, in this shloka Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi is pointing out that any discussion of fate and free will is a useless one. A discussion with an Agyani will never have an end. One can never say if fate influences free will or vice versa. If you say fate is the original influence, we will never be able to trace the beginning as to which is first. It is a like a chicken and egg paradox. That is why it is called Maya or Mithya. In Chapter # 3 of Manduka Upanishad there is a discussion if Janma produces Karma or if it is the other way around.

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says for a wise person there is no creation at all, no duality, and no cause and effect. Therefore never enter into a discussion.

Why do we say such a discussion will be inconclusive? This is because fate cannot be established without free will. Who gives fate to an individual? God does not do it. If god does it, he will be charged with partiality. The world is not responsible for fate. Chance also is not responsible for fate. Since the world is harmonious and orderly, fate cannot be an accident or chance.  None of them determine my fate. I determine my fate alone. My past actions are now coming as my fate.

My body, mind, parentage, etc determine my past actions. Therefore my actions are determined by my surroundings. So which determines fate versus freewill is not possible to establish. It is like asking: does body control the mind or vice versa? Is individual controlling society or vice versa? It is impossible to say. Hence such a discussion is futile.

Even though a discussion is futile, we must, as Sadhakas, give importance to one it. We must focus on one. The choice need not be based on logic but more as a working arrangement. Therefore we must decide if the life we wish to lead is a Freewill-based life or fate-based life.

Visishta advaitam and Dvaitam philosophies:

Followers of Visishta advaitam and Dvaitam philosophies feel the following:

I am eternally dependent on God for moksha. You are never free. Only God is free. We are all dependent. Moksha is recognizing that I am a Dasa.

Now, Moksha itself means freedom. So there is a contradiction. So, free will is never our focus here. I am a small person. I have no free will. Therefore, fate dominates my life. Therefore, I learn to use a new language. “Everything is his will etc.” “ I am a Dasa and enjoy serving the lord in moksha”. Here free will is suppressed and fate is expressed.

Advaitam Philosophy: The Advaita Guru teaches us, “ I am cause of my karmaphalam”. “I am responsible for everything” Later this also leads to the claim that Aham Bramha Asmi. Everything is born out of me and everything rests in me. I am the Swamy. I don’t depend on time. Shankaracharya says, in this world (Jiva-Jagat-Ishwara), the Ishwara depends on me. Therefore if you want to know advaita, assimilate free will. Start practicing this now.

Therefore do not get into a debate.

Shloka # 21 (continued):

Discussion of fate and free will occurs only among ignorant. Vidhi is past action by a past “I”. Prayatna denotes the present “I”. So, this is a time connected “I”. Time connected I is Ahamkara. This discussion occurs, as we do not know the moolam of Ahamkara. The timeless I, Atma, is the moolam of Ahamkara.

A debate of Ahamkara is only possible when they do not know the Ahamkara moolam. Once they know it, Ahamkara vanishes.

Note: Shloka # 15 or 17 (depends upon book) discusses time, which is imaginary. Past and future, both are myths. Present is also a myth as it is in relation to past and present.  Thus, there is no Karta “I” or Bhoktha “I”. Therefore in advaita, Aham must be emphasized.

Shloka # 22:

That vision of the Lord which is without seeing the Seer can only be a mental vision. Indeed the Supreme is not other than Seer. His vision is absorption and abidance in one’s own source.

In this shloka all upanishadic teachings are condensed. For some it may even be disturbing.  It captures the essence of Keno and Brihadaranyaka Upanishads.

What we experience is not absolute reality. It is only a relative reality. Relative reality means it is Mithya. “ I” the observer alone am the absolute reality. Whatever is observed is a mithya. This world is mithya, as is my body and as is my mind. We can train the mind to understand this. But what about God? Is God a Mithya or Sathyam?

Upanishad says, it will not answer this question rather it asks you to determine the answer based on the norms it has provided.

What does God mean? If God is someone who is experienced by me (devotee), then God is Anatma. This may disturb some devotees. Upanishad though says a seeker of truth does so without emotions.

Therefore an objective God is a Mithya.

The absolutely real God can only be discussed in one way. When you understand him as “ I” the Experiencer.

Aham Asmi, this is God. The Aham is not the body or the mind. Therefore Ishwara Darshana as an object is a myth. However Darshanam of “I” is real.

For a Karmakandin this Shloka will be disturbing. Vedanta says duality is acceptable till you mature. During Karma and Upasana Yoga duality is acceptable, however, ultimately the _objective god has to be negated.

The shloka: Ignoring I, the Atma, who is the real God and instead going after a God vision (darshanam) as an object does not make sense. God vision is only a mental projection or Mithya. There is no other God than “ I” the observer. Saddarshana is heavily influenced by Manduka karika. Upanishad does not see God as He. Non-advaitic philosophies downplay Upanishads by focusing on shakthi.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

As far as dehathma bava (experience of limitation caused by physical body) is concerned it is same for gyani and agyani.  This experience of limitation is common on jagrada avastas and swapna avasta.  But in sushukthi avasta, there is absence of experience.  There is no third experience in sushukthi as the expreince of limitlessness does not exist.  The very word experience presupposes thrupidi (experience, the experiencing instrument and the experienced object).  The moment thripudi comes, there is limitation.  Experience of limitlessness is a contridction. In sushukthi what we have is not experience of limitation (because the experiencer himself is not there) but the absence of experience of limitation.

You cannot make a difference between gyani and agyani based on their experiences.  Difference between gyani and agyani is not in experience but in gyanam or knowledge that I am the consciousness that pervade the body and universe and as a result, I am poornatvam.  Gyani also experiences but he attributes to the body and not to I the subject.  This is a conclusion and not an experience.  Knowledge need not change the experience.  For example, the experience of sun going around the earth continues even after we gain the knowledge it is actually the earth that goes around the sun.  Knowledge can falsify the experience, even after that the experience can continue.  I am a limited body is a fact for agyani and it is a fiction for gyani.  Therefore, don’t expect experiential difference after the study of vedanta.

Verse 20

The world exists for the ignorance and the Wise Man.  To the former the seen world alone is real.  To the other, the one that has become substratum of the seen, the full, formless Truth shines.

As long as there is duality, there will be limitation.  As long as there is limitation, there will be mortality.  As long as there is mortality, there will be insecurity.  As long as there is insecurity, there will be samsara.

If samsara must be negated, insecurity must go away.

If insecurity must be negated, limitation must go away.

If limitation must be negated, duality must go away.

If duality must be negated, object must go away.

The objective world must be negated for the negation of samsara.  The I the subject alone will be there.

Negation of the world is not the negation of the experience of the world.  It is only the negation of the reality that we have attributed to the world.  Vedanta only changes my perceptive of the world.  That perspective is that the world enjoys a reality which is lesser than my reality.  The world includes the external objects, our own body, our own mind.   Objects plus body plus mind has lower order of reality. Pradhibathika Sathyam and vyavaharika Sathyam are many, but paramarthika Sathyam is one.   Pradhibathika sathyam and vyavahariha sathyam will continue but I, the paramarthika sathyam will not be affected.  World will be experienced by both gyani and agyani.

Perceived world is common to both gyani and agyani and experientially there is no difference, but the gyani knows that the perceived world is mithya and the agyani thinks it is real.

Verse 21

It is possible to talk of fate and self-effort for them who know not the source of the two.  To them who know well the source of fate and effort, there is neither fate nor effort.

Experiential change is not required for liberation.  Cognitive change is enough.  Experiential change can’t give liberation because they are temporary.  If liberation is based on knowledge. it will be permanent because knowledge is permanent.

I create my own fate with my own free will and efforts; free will alone control my destiny.  The counter argument is free will controls your future, but current free will by your past free will.  A debate between fate and effort will be inconclusive and therefore we should never enter into this debate.  Both fate and effort are mithya for a gyani.

I, the atma becomes ahangara because of ignorance.  I become temporarily localized I, known as ahangara and this is the first product of ignorance.  This is the foundation for space, time and plurality and this is alone is the cause of samsara.

Space is the first tyranny.  Because of space alone I feel localized and distanced and struggle to reach people and places.  In sleep, there is no space or distance and there is not necessary for travel.

Second tyranny is time.  I want to complete my duties before die. Worry of old age, decease and ultimate death is all because of time.

Division is the third tyranny.  Division causes raga, dwesha and asuya.  Asuya is pain caused by comparison.  Comparison caused by duality or plurality.

Samsara is caused by space, time and division.  These three are possible because of ahangara foundation and ahangara is caused by ignorance and ignorance is resting on atma.  Ahangara itself is caused by identifying I with the body.

There are two types of I:

1. The original I, the consciousness, this is atma.
2. Second I is the limited by body or anatma.  Bagawan also falls into body but we call it avatara meaning it is a deliberate ahangara role Bagawan chooses to play.  Avataras are vyvaharika lela which is mithya.  If you start identifying with ahangara, the kala leela starts.  This is the beginning of samsara and fighting against old age, death, decay etc. Solution is to tackle the foundation, which is ahangara.  In Jagra and swapna vastha, there is time, space and duality tyranny.  In deep sleep the ahangara is temporarily suspended and there is not time space duality.

First stage is knowing the cause of samsara which is ahangara.

Second stage is to find the cause of ahangara.  Cause of ahangara is the notion that I am the body.  Remove the false notion by right knowledge.  I am not the mind or body or sense organs.  This knowledge is the only solution.

We don’t exist in any particular time and space; We, the original atma, exist everywhere; in fact, space itself exist in me. Never trace outward.

Verse 19

In the state of oneself being the body, the Wise Man and ignorant man are the same.  For one, in the heart, in the body, the Self is lit up, full, encompassing the body and the world.  For the other the Self is measurable only as the body.

Experience of the body requires a medium, e.g., sense organs.  But sense organs can only sense some of the experiences.  I can feel the experiences of my body but I can’t feel another body’s pain.

Intimate experience of a particular body is (devatma baga) common to gyani and agyani.  The confusion we may have for example, whether gyani will feel hungry and whether gyani will feel the huger of everyone else.  Ramana Maharishi says gyani will continue to have biological experiences.  With regard to biological experiences, gyanam will not make any experience.  A gyani has to go through prarabtha karma; he may avoid further agami karma or future rebirth’s sanjitha karma.

One may hear that gyani does not have devatma baga and may conclude that gyani will not have biological experience.  This is a misconception.  Vedanta is not solution for biological pains, but is a solution for psychological pain, which is caused by samsara.  Sorrow, the emotional pain, which is response to biological pain, is not experienced to have the emotional pain.  Gyani is similar in that respect and does not have emotional pain as a response to biological pain.

Based on the sunrise, biological experience, we may conclude that the earth is in the middle and the sun is traveling around earth.  Based on science, we know now that the sun is not moving around the earth, but the sun rise and sun set is caused by the earth spinning.  After this intellectual knowledge, the experience of sunrise and sunset does not change, but the conclusion is changed.  In the same way, the biological experiences will continue, but the wrong conclusion that I am the body will change for a gyani.  Vedanta is not meant to give you an experience change but a cognitive change or knowledge based change.

Gyani says I am not the body, but I am the consciousness in the body, consciousness in the mind and the consciousness in the sense organs.  I am not only the consciousness, I remain pervading my own body and the whole universe.  But biologically I experience only this localized body.  This statement can take place only in a body.  All pervasiveness can never be experienced, but can only be understood. You can never experience limitlessness as it is contradictory term because when you become an experiencer, you are localized and limited.

When I say the I is the cause of all problem, that I represents the ahangara.  “I am the cause of all problem” or “the I is the cause of all problem” are different.  The HE and The You are dependent on The I.  Second and third person are dependent on first person, that is the finite ahangara I.  As long as I exist as ahangara, I am susceptible to the second and third person.  The Aham in Aham Brahma Asmi, is not first person, not second person and not third person, but it is the person or purushaha.  Ahangara is needed to teach Brahma Gyanam  Gyani contiues to have ahangara, but it is seen as mithya or vyavahariha sathyam.

How do you falsify ahangara or rope snake?  For rope snake the adhishtanam is rope similarly for ahangara adhishtanam is sathyam.  Ahangara is vyavarika sathyam and not paramarthika sathyam.  The false notion that there is a third person, the false notion that there is a first person and the false notion that there is a second person is the notion of division.  This notion of division goes away for a gyani but the experience of the notion will continue.  Experience of stationary earth does not displace the knowledge that the earth keeps moving.  Similarly the gyani goes through many experiences but does not let that displace his brahma gyanam.

Verse 17

The past and the future are, in their own time, the present.  Giving up the truth of that present, will not discussion on the past and the future be laughable, like counting without the number one in the world?

So far Ramana Maharishi has been discussing spacial division.  In this version, he is discussing time division.

Spacial division is horizontal division; time division is vertical division.

Kala division or time division is also mithya and is caused by Ahangara.  The very idea of three division of time is myth.  There is no thing called past existing outside.  Yesterday is the past which does not exist today, but it did exist yesterday.  When yesterday existed outside yesterday, it was not called yesterday.  You only experience as a series of today.  What is outside is today and today only.  Similarly when you experience tomorrow, it is experienced only as today.  So tomorrow does not exist outside.  Yesterday is only a name for your memory and tomorrow is only a name for your projection.  When you say past is hurting, it is not that past that is hurting, it is the memory that is hurting you.  Memory exists in the past or present?  Memory regarding the past exist in the present.  What hurts is not future but the thought of the future that hurts you.  The future thought exist in the present.  So you only have memories and projections and not past and future.

Past and future exist as present in their own time.  Present alone exist.  If you want to analyze time, you have to analyze past, present and future.  Since there is no past and future, you have to analyze only present.  Every present has its own time line.  For example, for a day, 24 hours are not present.  Only one of those hour can be present.  Others are past or future.  Similarly the hour itself is made up of past, present and future.  Only one minute is present.  Not the entire minute is present, only part of it is present.  What is a point is a mystery in mathematics and similarly what is present is a mystery in vedanta; it is apparent notion caused by ahangara.  The timeless  consciousness is localized as finite present because of the ahangara, which is caused by deha abimana.  The truth of kala thrayam is ahangara and the truth of hanagara is atma.  Atma appears as desa thrayam and atma appears as kala thrayam.

Trying to understand time without understanding atma is like trying to understand the number without knowing the number one.

Verse 13

Can that be true knowledge when the knower does not know himself?  To one who knows oneself, the support of knowledge and the object of knowledge the two will vanish.

How para vidhya is different from apara vidhya?  How abatma vidhya is different than atma vidhya

Verse 14

Sleep is not knowledge.  Perception of objects is not knowledge.  In the knowledge as it is, one does not hold anything.  True knowledge is other than sleep and the perception of objects.  It is awareness alone, shining, not void.

Any wordy knowledge is a process in which the intellect grasps something.  Brahma vidhya is a knowledge in which the intellect does not grasp anything new.  So drop the idea of grasping something new as Brahman.  It may lead to the conclusion that Brahma vidhya is something where we don’t grasp anything, so it must be nithra or state of blankness or thoughtlessness.  But it is not a state of blankness or thoughtlessness.  If thoughtlessness is Brahma vidhya, then sleep will be Brahma vidhya.  Perception, knowing, objectification are also not Brahma vidhya and no perception, not knowing and not objectifying are also not Brahma Vidhya.   Then what is Brahma vidhya – it is chaithanyam or consciousness itself.

This creates more confusion in that everybody already has consciousness so everybody is already liberated and no need for sravana manana nidhidhyasanam.  Brahma vidhya is dropping the two fold misconception.  It is not a thoughtless state or it is not grasping something.  It is a state where thought arises which removes two misconceptions.  What is that thought that arises in the mind is aham brahma asmi.  At the time of brahma vidhya, I don’t have thoughtless mind, but I have an unique thought that I am aham brahma asmi. This thought removes the following two misconceptions:

1. I am jiva different from Brahman.
2. Brahman is an object to be grasped, but it is the very subject which grasps everything.

The thought that eliminates these two misconception is Brahma Vidhya.

Verse 15

The Consciousness that is the Self is the Truth.  The knowledge which is of various forms is entiher different nor can it exist without consciousness.  Here, in the world, can the various gold ornaments exist without gold?

One gold associated with different forms and names appear as ornaments.  In the same way, when consciousness is associated with any particular thought, the consciousness becomes particular knowledge.  General consciousness becomes particularized consciousness.  Pot outside enters my mind through sense organs, generating pot thought.  This is different than any other thought.  Before this thought entered the mind, the general consciousness was in the mind.  When I opened my eyes, I saw pot, creating pot thought and general consciousness became pot consciousness.  This pot consciousness is pot knowledge.  When turn my eyes to some other object, the pot knowledge disappears and replaced by the knowledge of that object.

Consciousness is called knowledge when it is associated with a thought.  Plurality does not belong to consciousness, it belongs to thoughts.  Every knowledge is consciousness associated with a relevant thought.  If you extend this principle, Brahma Vidhya is also a consciousness associated with the relevant thought “Aham Brahma Vidhya”.  Consciousness itself appears as manifold cognition.  Consciousness is one but cognition are many.  These cognition can never exist separate from consciousness, because consciousness alone is appearing as cognition.  Without consciousness, there is no knowledge of pot, ornament, wall etc.   Just as ornaments do not exist separate from gold.  Gold can exist without ornaments, but ornaments can’t exist without gold.  Consciousness can exist without cognition, but cognition can’t exist without consciousness.  Consciousness is sathyam and cognition are mithya.  Without real gold, ornaments exists?  Similarly without consciousness, the unreal cognition exist?  Brahma Vidhya is also a cognition, can it exist without consciousness.  We boldly says that is also mithya.  Brahman is sathyam, but Brahma vidhya is mithya.  But this mithya gyanam is enough to remove the mithya samsara. To remove dream thirst, it is enough if you have dream water and dream water alone remove dream thirst.  Similarly for mithya samsara, mithya gyanam and mithya gyanam alone is required.  Vyavahariga sathyam not paramarthika sathyam is required.

Verse 16

“That” and “thou” are based firmly “I”.  From the knowledge of their origin, when that “I”  has perished, for one without the notion of “that”, “thou” and “I”, that natural state of oneself that is shining, will emerge.

This thought is not generated by meditation but by guru sasthra pramanam.  Misconception dropping is brahma vidhya.  First misconception is that I am a  finite localized individual.  This misconception is ahangara creating individuality.  Once I create this first person ahangara, then second a’s and third person arrives.  The finite second person and finite third person arise because of finite first person called ahangara.  When gyani says aham, it denotes infinite first person and so there is not second or third person.  The word first person is not relevant to gyani.

All pairs of opposites and triads shine, taking the support of some entity.  When that is searched, all will get dropped.  To them who see the Truth, there is never any wavering.

The idea given in this verse is self-inquiry always means atma vichara, even though we can loosely describe it as ahangara vichara:

• Atma vichara will lead to atma gyanam
• Atma Gyanam will lead to destruction of atma agyanam
• Atma agyanam is all the errors committed regarding atma; Destruction of these errors is technically called adhyasa nasa.  These errors are called ahangara.  The false I, born out of ignorance of real I, is ahangara.

When the rope in front of me is not clearly known, there is rope ignorance.  Rope ignorance leads to snake.  The rope is the subtracturm of the snake.  You tackle the snake by inquiry into rope adhishtanam.  Never attack unreal always attack or inquire into the real adhishtanam.  Rope inquiry will lead to rope knowledge.  Rope knowledge will lead to rope ignorance destruction.  Rope ignorance destruction will lead to the destruction of snake knowledge.  In the place of rope, we have atma and in the place of snake we have ahangara.  Once ahangara is destroyed, all forms of dualities (subject and object) and thirupidies or triads (subject, object and instrument) are destroyed.  Thirupudi and dwandams are unreal and require an adhistanam or substratum, which is atma vasthu.

All dwandas or pair or subject object pairs are born out of ahangara.  All of them are supported by atma.  If these unreal dwandam or triads are to be destroyed, don’t attack the ahangara; attack the adhishtanam, the support which is atma.  No dream activity will remove the dream; you must wake up to destroy dream.  Similarly, to destroy ahangara, you need to get the knowledge of atma.  When knowledge comes, ignorance go away; when ignorance go away, all the unreal dvaida and triad get resolved.  This results in the establishing the adhishtanam, atma.

In this instance, Ramana Maharishi only talks about the significance of atma vichara and not the procedure for atma vichara.  Any pursuit requires employment of appropriate instrument for the pursuit of knowledge.  For example, to know the color of crow you need eyes.  Simple process of questioning will not generate knowledge.  For atma vichara, the regular instruments (mind and sense organs) are incapable, insufficient and irrelevant.  They are extrovert, turned outside.  The instrument of atma vichara is guru sasthra upadesa.  Inquiring to atma is exposing to traditional teaching or Vedanta vichara.  The procedure for atma vichara is vedanta sravana manana nidhidhyasanam.

Verse 12

If there is no ignorance, how does knowledge shine?  Without knowledge, does ignorance shine?  And whose are the two?  Thus, having inquired, abidance in the original nature is the knowledge of the Truth.

If darkness is the problem, light is the only solution.  Similarly, to remove ignorance (internal darkness), gyanam is the only solution.  Gyanam is a relative entity falling within duality, opposing ignorance and therefore gyanam is also mithya.  You can’t conceive of gyanam without the concept of ignorance and therefore knowledge and ignorance also come under Dvaidam.  Arrival of one displaces the other.  Initially we should pursue gyanam and destroy ignorance and after gaining gyanam we should disown gyanam because claiming gyanam is also a form of ahangara.  You should say I am the adhishtanam of gyanam and ignorance and different from both.  If knowledge, vidhya is also a mithya, why should I pursue it?  Vidhya mithya is required to remove avidhya mithya. Once avidya is removed, you should disown both.   It is like using soap to remove dirt.  You apply the soap to remove the dirt but after that you wash off the soap.  Similarly, to remove ignorance, you obtain knowledge.  But after removing the ignorance, you disown knowledge.

Both gyanam and agyanam are associated with ahangara and this is the real knowledge.  Gyana nishta is the availability of this knowledge, effortlessly.  We can recall our phone number, names etc. when needed, without any effort.  Gyana Nisha is the availability of gyanam effortlessly.

Verse 13

Can that be true knowledge when the knower does not know himself?  To one who knows oneself, the support of knowledge and the object of knowledge, the two will vanish.

Without understanding ourselves, we are trying to understand one anatma after another.  Without knowing about oneself, knowing about everything else is a fruitless pursuit.  Apara vidhya is as good as avidhya (ignorance).  Apara vidhya, without para vidhya is mithya.  Atma alone functions as a knower, without knowing that knower, all other knowledge is false.

Knowledge of anatma is not useful because:

1. It is knowledge of anatma and anatma being mithya and knowledge of a mithya will not be a great knowledge.
2. Anatama gyanam will not free the individual from the sense of limitation which is the problem of samsara.

Greetings All,

Shloka # 9:

The world arises and sets with the “I” thought. Therefore, this world is illumined by the “I” thought. The Reality is the abode of the birth and death of the “I” thought and the world. It is One, complete and without birth and decay.

Continuing his teaching and refreshing our memory of last class, Swamy Paramarthananda said, in all these shlokas Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi is stressing the importance of Ahamkara Vichara that leads to Brahman. At that moment Ahamkara and Jagat are reduced to nama and roopa. This is what we learnt in last class.

In the next shloka there is an incidental diversion but an important one.

Shloka # 10:

Let the worship of names and forms of the Supreme , be the means to the vision of Truth. Know that abidance in Reality as “It is me” alone is the vision of truth.

Third and fourth lines of this shloka are discussed first. In previous shloka Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi said Ahamkara Vichara should lead to Adishtana Gyanam or Brahma Nishta. This is Sad Darshanam. Aim of Ahamkara Vichara is Sad Darshanam. What is Sad? It is Brahman. It is Ahamkara Adishtanam. It is the title of this text. When we say Sad Darshanam or Brahma Gyanam, one can mistake it as knowledge about an object called Brahman. Knowledge of anything means there is an object to know and a subject who knows. One may think of Brahma Gyanam as an object or also as an experience of Brahman. To remove this misconception, Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says, it is actually abidance in Brahman and not the knowing of Brahman. In Sad is Vastu. Vastu in Vedanta parlance means Reality. In common parlance Vastu means things. Meaning of Vasa is “to exist”. Vastu means that which remains always or Brahman. Therefore abiding in Brahman is Gyanam. To avoid objectification of Brahman the word abiding is used. The word abidance can also cause confusion as one can think of it as going deep down and sitting on a Brahman, like a carpet. One has to understand the meaning of abidance properly.

What is Brahma Nishta? Abidance is a stage of knowledge where one knows, “that Brahman I am”.  It is not an object. It is not below for me to sit upon. Brahman is Me. The word Bhava means Gyanam. It is a state of effortless knowledge. It is acquired through Ahamkara Vichara. Brahma Gyanam is Brahma Nishta or abidance in Brahman. It is a stage in which one enjoys the knowledge that I am Brahman, acquired through Ahamkara Vichara.

Once you acquire this knowledge, it is always present. If you say you have experienced Brahman keep in mind it can be displaced by another experience.  Any experience is displaceable. Knowledge, however, cannot be displaced. Citing an example, knowledge of your phone number cannot be displaced. Even a great sorrow cannot displace knowledge of your phone number. That is why we work for this knowledge. Once you get the knowledge, you don’t have to work for it anymore. It is always there for you. You are in a state of knowledge.  Just as you know your phone number all the time, so also you know you are in a sate of knowledge because it is retrievable in your mind. It does not require remembering. It should be available at all times. Nishta is a state of knowledge. You know who you are. Even as we know Ahamkara Gyanam, Atma Gyanam is also now known to us. Atma Gyanam is also available, on demand.

Brahman is neither an object nor an object under me. Brahman is Me. As per Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi this is Saddarshanam. It is called Vichara Marga.

Now comes a question? This is raised in first two lines of the shloka. Is Vichara Marga (Gyana Marga ) easy or difficult? Some say it is easy and others say it is difficult. Some parts of the Scriptures say it is easy while others say it is difficult. Gyana Marga is compared to walking on razors edge. The answer is that it depends upon who the person concerned is.  For a prepared person it is easy while for an unprepared person it is difficult. For many people, sitting is difficult, for others it is not. The question then is who is considered prepared and who is not? It is a Sadhana Chatushtaya Sampana person who can be considered reasonably prepared. In humanity probably 99% of people are not prepared. The most important quality required is detachment. Detachment means free from Kama, Krodha, Raga and Dvesha. Most of us are not prepared. That is the reason Vedas have kept Gyana Sadhana as the last one. Therefore, Upanishads occur in Veda Anta. So, Gyana Marga is not easy. Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi cannot be considered an example, as he is an exception.

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says a person should go through a religious life. One should lead a Dvaita life before advaita.  Ramana Cult people miss this point. May you remain in Mithya until Ahamkara matures to pluck you down.  Raw fruit is difficult to pluck. When you pluck it oozes in sorrow at the separation. It is not ready for separation. A tree is required for the ripening. At that point Dvaitam loses its charm.

Never criticize puja. Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi was the greatest Bhakta of Arunachala. How to do puja of Brahman? Worship Saguna Brahman in form of Ishta Devata such as Shiva, Krishna etc.

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi cannot be quoted as an example as he was genius. Ramana Cult people commit this mistake. Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi warns that do not give up puja. Puja helps with Nirguna Gyanam.

He gives another warning. Dvaita Puja is very important, but never take it as an end in itself. You have to go beyond it. Use Dvaitam to go beyond Dvaitam.

What is the connection between Puja and Vichara? Puja is an indirect means also known as Parampara Sadhana. Vichara is direct means known as Sakshat Sadhana. Puja helps Vichara. Vichara helps Gyanam. Religious life leads to philosophical enquiry. This enquiry then leads to Moksha. It is a very important verse as it teaches the majority of us that we need both Puja and Vichara.

Shloka # 11:

All pairs of opposites and all triads shine, taking the support of some entity. When that is searched, all will get dropped. To them who see the Truth, there is never any wavering.

Now back to Vichara, after emphasizing puja. The entire cosmos that we experience is nothing but Brahman with name and form. On this Brahman appear many names and forms. We look at it as subject and object also called Dvandam. We can also look at it as Triputi (The division of the knower, the known and the knowing instrument or the act of knowing – the pramata, the prameyam and the pramanam). All are one Brahman. Of this Brahman, part is Satyam and another part is Mithya. Mithya has Nama and Roopa. Thus, the entire cosmos is a mixture of Satyam and Mithya (nama and roopa).

Shankaracharya has said: You can never experience pure Brahman. Nor does pure Mithya exist. Whatever we experience is a mixture of the two.

The very “I”, singular, is also a mixture of Satya Atma and Mithya Ahamkara. Therefore, when we talk of Self-enquiry, the enquiry is into a mixture of Atma and Ahamkara. Therefore, in shastras the word used is Viveka or sorting it out rather than Vichara. Atma Ahamkara Viveka is self-enquiry. Since “I ‘ is a mixture of both it is called Ahamkara Vichara and sometimes Atma Vichara. If both descriptions are right which is a more accurate one? One may ask what do we care?

Swamiji said this information is required to change our attitude. Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says Atma Vichara is more accurate although Ahamkara Vichara is also acceptable. Enquiry into Mithya won’t lead us anywhere as it is a mystery. It leads us only to further mysteries. You get lost going round and round. Don’t enquire into Mithya, say the Vedas.

Therefore Atma Vichara will lead you somewhere.

The second answer is Mithya is nourished by ignorance, as it is a false entity. Like in the snake and rope analogy, the snake exists because of ignorance of rope. Rope enquiry leads to rope knowledge that removes the snake. Therefore Vichara is Adishtana Vichara, leading to Adishtana Gyanam destroying Adishtana Agyanam. With this the Mithya serpent is destroyed.

Questions such as: How did the universe come into being? How did the first Karma occur? This is mystery leading to more mystery. Jagat Vichara is not the goal of Vedanta. So, Atma Vichara is Self-enquiry. This is the essence of this Shloka.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Shloka # 7:

Apart from the body made up of five sheaths, does the world shine? Let people explain. Without that five fold body who can perceive this world?

Continuing his teaching and refreshing our memory of last class, Swamy Paramarthananda said, in all these shlokas Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi is continuing his campaign against Ahamkara. This requires a big effort, as Ahamkara, which is a hero today, is actually a villain. Ahamkara has been hero for many lives. All our struggles are to support and nourish Ahamkara. Now Vedanta asks you to change your attitude. This is difficult for both student and teacher. Even if the student agrees, superficially, he still thinks in terms of improving Ahamkara, not eliminating it. Ahamkara can now claim to have studied Vedanta. So teacher’s goal is to attack Ahamkara. Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi’s effort is focused on Ahamkara enquiry to pull it down. It is a Mithya and can be pulled down only by enquiry. Even as darkness cannot withstand light, so also Ahamkara cannot withstand enquiry.

Ahamkara in Dharma shastra is different from Ahamkara of Vedanta. In Dharma Shastra, Ahamkara means pride and superiority and it’s absence is humility.

In Vedanta, however, it means the sense of individuality.

Even a humble person can have Ahamkara. A humble Agyani still has individuality. This Ahamkara is “I” or individuality that is born out of identification with Pancha Kosha. Because of it Pancha Kosha becomes my localization. Virtues of Pancha Kosha are my virtue. Their humility is my humility. To say I am humble is philosophical Ahamkara as I am identifying with virtue of Anatma. Identifying with virtues and weaknesses is Ahamkara. This Ahamkara is born out of wrong identification, which is ignorance. Ignorance is the oil that sustains the Ahamkara flame. You dry up this oil by Knowledge. When ignorance goes, Ahamkara also goes.

Shloka # 8:

The entire world is of the form of sound etc. The existence of sound etc. is illumined by the functions of the sense organs. The existence of sense organs is  in the control of the mind. Therefore, we say that the world is made up of the mind.

We have a vast universe in front of us. It is almost limitless. Scientists have not yet found its limits. It is also expanding. The Lord created it. Even though this vast universe exists, only a very small segment falls in my range of experiences. Universe experienced by me is very small. The “experienced” universe alone binds us and not the vast existing universe. In some part of the world if something happens, I do not know it nor do I respond to it. I am a Jivana mukta with respect to them.

Therefore it is not the existing universe that disturbs me rather the one experienced by me. This experienced universe produces Raga, Dvesha and Asuya. It is this experienced universe that burdens me. We always look preoccupied. What is the preoccupation about? It is about my wife, husband, children, home etc. that bothers us. Therefore Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says experienced universe (Jiva Srishti) is the bondage and not the existing universe (Ishwara Srishti)

The experienced universe is there due to Ahamkara. Prameya (experienced universe) is there due to Pramata (Ahamkara).  To tackle this binding universe go to Ahamkara, which is its reverse. The Ahamkara determines the quality of the experienced universe. If Ahamkara is Satva, the experienced universe is also Satva Pradhana. Duryodhana and Dharmaputra went back to check on the world. After returning, Dharmaputra said people were all wonderful, while Duryodhana said they were all treacherous.  Thus, quality of Ahamkara determines quality of experienced universe.

Don’t struggle with universe rather tackle Ahamkara. Swami Chinmayananda told a story. A boy was disturbing his father. Father tore up the newspaper and asked him to put it together. The boy brought the paper back after a short time. When asked how he did it so fast, he said in the back of the page was a picture of Tendulkar. He assembled the picture quickly. The world is also a jigsaw puzzle. Reverse the world and it is Ahamkara. Tackle Ahamkara. This is the essence of the shloka.

Details of shloka:

Universe is experienced in a five-fold manner. They are through Sound, feeling, form, taste and smell ( Shabda, Sparsha, Roopa, Rasa and Gandha).

How to prove the existence of the world? Existence is proved only through operation of the five sense organs. World is called Prapancha or that which exists in five fold segments. Each segment is distinct and present. Eye cannot hear sound. Thus, each segment reports separately. Existence of world is dependent on sense organs. Thus, for a totally blind person, form and color don’t exist.

Existence of sense organs depends on the mind. How? Sense organs can serve only when backed by the mind. Suppose in middle of a class if mind strays somewhere, even the ears don’t listen at that time.

Sense organs are under power of mind. When mind is withdrawn, sense organs don’t sense. Existence of world is dependent on sense organs. Sense organs are dependent on mind. Thus, existence of world depends on mind. They are interconnected, like two sides of one coin. This mind is called Ahamkara. The sense of individuality is located in the mind. Two methods are used to clarify this:

1. Technically: Ahamkara is mind with reflected consciousness. (RM Reflected mind+ RC Reflected Consciousness).
2. Practically: Mind alone is the “I” sense because only when mind is active individuality “I” is alive.

In waking and dream, the mind is functioning. I have individuality as localized “I”. Therefore Samsara is also there in both states.

In Sushupthi, when mind is temporarily dissolved ,“I ” is gone, my bio data is dissolved, Ahamkara is dissolved and world is also dissolved. Mind and Ahamkara are synonymous. Therefore Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi concludes that universe is a product of the mind. Therefore, it is a product of Ahamkara as well.

Shloka # 9:

The world arises and sets with the “I” thought. Therefore, this world is illumined by the “I” thought. The Reality is the abode of the birth and death of the “I” thought and the world. It is One, complete and without birth and decay.

It is further explanation of previous shloka.

Since Ahamkara and universe are interconnected, one proves the other. So, both arrive simultaneously and both disappear simultaneously as well. In Jagrat and Swapna states Ahamkara rises, as does Universe. In Sushupthi both of them dissolve.

The world that arises in front of you, it is you who allowed it to rise. By the same logic Samasra dissolves with Ahamkara. Elimination of Samasra means elimination of Ahamkara.

In deep sleep both dissolve. Unfortunately it is a temporary and dormant state. God has created this state to give us a taste of Moksha. Thus, Moksha equals sleep. Everything, Papam, punyam etc. are all gone in this state. The moment you wake up they all comes back. Enquiry, however, resolves them permanently.

The question comes, if Ahamkara is resolved, will it be suicidal?

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says Ahamkara is the villain. Once it is destroyed the real hero, Atman, emerges. The real “I” emerges.  Removal of Ahamkara is not suicidal. Many philosophers say Advaita is suicidal. You are only removing Pseudo “I”.

What is the real “I”?

The real “I” is the eternal principle, consciousness, non-dual, and division-less one. It is free from Punarapi Jananam and Punarapi Maranam. It is free from birth and death. It is Poornam while Ahamkara is always wanting or Apoornam. The real I is the substratum in which Ahamkara and world dissolve. Subject and Object are resolved in the real “I”.

Discussion & Take away:

The question was asked how does one practice Devarpanam? Many answers were given, all interesting one’s. I was taken by Dr. Katta’s answer. He said Swamiji has answered this question in the past. Swamiji says, pick one activity for Devarpanam. Say, before eating any food commit to performing Devarapnam. Practice this one activity, every time you eat, for a month or two till it becomes second nature. Then pick another activity to emulate. This way soon your daily activities will all become Devarpanam. Do consider adopting this idea.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy

Greetings All,

Shloka # 5:

“ Arguments that this is real or false, sentient or inert, sorrow or joy, are to no purpose. The state free from all thoughts, without “I” notion and the world, is supreme state desired.”

Continuing his teaching on Saddarshana, Swami Paramarthananda said, even though Brahman is Adishtanam of everything, Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says Jiva Vichara is most important. Jagat and Ishwara Vichara do not address Ahamkara directly.

Therefore, even after years of enquiry, Ahamkara may continue to be strong, as Samsara continues even after study of scriptures. This is because the study has not attacked Ahamkara. Samsara is located in Ahamkara. The existence of Samara means Ahamkara is still there. So, the study may not have attacked Ahamkara. As per Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi all studies are useless unless Ahamkara is attacked.

Only in Jiva Vichara is Ahamkara falsified and dissolved. With this Jagat and Ishwara also fall. The result of this enquiry should be a division-less state where Ahamkara is absent.  All problems belong to Ahamkara or I. The desirable state is one in which there is no division (first person, second person and third person; Pramata, Prameya and Pramanam; Jiva, Jagat and Ishwara). In this state, it does not mean perceptuality is absent. You still see the world, however, there is no more factual division. Division is understood as Mithya. They are understood as Nama and Roopa. I see only water, not the wave and the ocean anymore. The world is not seen as real. It is that state of wisdom in which the world is not seen as a separate thing. One does not see localized Ahamkara or finite I. Subject Object division is falsified. Such a state of Gyanam is Paramam. It is a state of Advaita Gyanam. In the state of advaitam, one is in a state of experience. State of experience is always a temporary one and the experience will be replaced. Advaita Anubhava is false as Dvaitam is present in potential form. Any experience is temporary and displaceable by next experience. But advaita is the gyanam that I am non-dual at all times and that divisions are all mithya appearing and disappearing in me. They cannot disturb my Advaita Gyanam. I am ever non-dual. Knowledge alone is supreme, as it will not be disturbed by anything. Just as I am sure that two plus two equals four so also this knowledge is clear and undisturbed. Anubhava advaitam is mithya.

Shloka # 6:

As long as there is an understanding that I am with form (that is, I am the body) there will be the idea about the world and the Lord that they too have form. If the Self is without form, who will see? That vision is indeed one, Limitless and complete.

Bhagwan Ramana Maharishi here gives further reasons for performing Jiva Vichara. He says it is Ahamkara that is coloring our perception of the world and god. The way we look at Jagat and Ishwara is dependent upon how you look at yourself. If I cannot change my perception of myself, I cannot change my world and God vision. So to change way we look at ourselves is crucial. As you look at yourself, so you look at God. If you see Self as localized then you will see world and God as localized as well. Here you see God as in Vaikunta.

Citing an example through a small incident, Swamiji said, a young girl said she liked Sonia Gandhi very much. When asked why, she said Sonia dressed very well. She is typical of many teenagers who are very conscious of their dress. She can only see everything in terms of dresses.

We too are dependant on the Kosha (one of the pancha kosha’s) that is dominant in us. I look at the world through this “I”. As I look at myself, so I look at the world. The “I” is dominant. Don’t try to realize god without realizing your own nature. Nirguna Brahman cannot be understood with Deha Abhimana. So one has to question the notion of “I”.

One thinks of improving individuality. One wants to be a happier father, a happier mother etc. I don’t want to displace it. Aim of Vedanta is destruction of fatherhood and motherhood and not to improve the father or mother. There is never a finite happy person. Our normal instinct is to decorate our ego. Decorated Ahamkara will always be sickly and dying.

As long as you retain or want to retain your ego, you will continue to have Saguna Jagat and it will give you both pain and pleasure. This is because of Saguna Ahamkara. Your notion of God will also be Saguna Ishwara; nirguna Ishwara will not appeal to you and thus mortality will continue to haunt you.

If you say I will retain Ahamkara and I will still get protection from Saguna Ishwara, that God will bring only destruction. So long as division is there, mortality exists and fear will continue.

So Ishwara has to be nirguna. You should become nirguna Atma. It is like the actor who knows inside that he is someone else in the green room. I am the formless consciousness or the one that transcends form. Idea of localized individual should go. If a person sees that he is really formless consciousness and it is a fact for him, this is nirguna atma.

Bhagawan Ramana Mahraishi does not deal with the procedure for Aham Vichara. For this one has to go Guru Shastra Upadesha. Many followers of Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi’s don’t believe they have to go to Shastra’s for Gyanam. This is unfortunate.

Shatras will teach you about that one Vision. Here Jiva Jagat and Ishwara will all be one Sat darshanam. This is only possible in nirguna state. Each Jiva, Jagat and Ishwara become limitless. All three are just words for one truth. Therefore it will be a vision of poornatvam or limitlessness.

Shloka # 7:

Apart from the body made up of five sheaths, does

The world shine? Let people explain. Without the five fold body who can perceive this world?

Continuing with same topic of Jiva Vichara, Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi says Jagat and Ishwara Vichara will not be meaningful until Ahamkara is attacked. Here one has to understand your self first.

As per this shloka the very perception or existence of world and god are dependent on the arrival of Ahamkara. Therefore in sleep when Ahamkara is temporarily dissolved, the first person is not there; therefore there is also no world, nor is there the cause of the world. Karya Jagat and Karana Ishwara occur only in presence of Ahamkara. Ahamkara is basis for existence of world and God. Ahamkara comes into being with identification with Anatma (body). “I” identify with the body, thus the person comes into being. He then creates God and thus division is created.

Tad Antara means with Deha-abhimana, you descend from your original nature. “I”, original one, come into body and take a role. God also takes a role when he takes an Avatara. Our birth is a consequence of our ignorance while God’s avatara is not.

Without Deha-abhimana there is no Ahamkara. Anatma consists of Pancha Kosha. Ahamkara rises with Pancha Kosha Abhimana. Without Ahamkara, who will see? Where is the world and god to see? Elimination of division requires elimination of Ahamkara. Don’t try improving Ahmakara. Eliminating it is your goal.

Summary: (my understanding)

In the Chaitnayam many forms and names manifest. The forms and names constitute Samsara and include all sentient and insentient beings in it. For some reason a form develops an “I am” sense. This is Ahamkara coming into being. With this now comes identification of this small “I” with the world around it. Through transactions with other forms (mother, father, the dog, the cat etc.) it learns to become a Samsari. In this small” I”, thus, a world perception is created called Jagat. In this small “I” a vision of God is also created (Shiva, Vishnu, Allah etc.). This is the saguna Ishwara. We have to go back to our origins, to the time we became a manifestation, when we were a part of Chaitanyam and not a part of the small “I”. This is the supreme knowledge. Hence the analogy of being just water (chaitnayam) and not the wave (the body) or ocean (samsara, many forms or bodies) is used.

Let me know if my understanding is correct.

With Best Wishes,

Ram Ramaswamy