Chapter 4.14 - Reality in Advaita (d): Doctrine of Self

Mandukyopanishad and its Karika, exposes that the Self itself is Brahman. “Sarvam hi etat brahma, ayam atma brahma” (Mandukyopanishad 1:2) which means, Brahman is ubiquitous and the self is Brahman. By knowing the self, one can realize the Brahman. And by such a realization one can experience the totality of Brahman. There is absolute non-difference between individual self and the ultimate self.

This idea is well stated in the Gaudapadiya-karika as follows:

“Jivatmanor ananyatvam abhedena prashastyate nanatvam nindyate yaccha tadevam hi samanjasam” Gaudapadiya-karika 3:13.

The individual self in its veracity is the Absolute Self. The one who is enlightened with true knowledge of the self, understands the reality of the individual self. While one is under the influence of Maya or avidya does not see the real state of self. There is called the avaranashakti and vikshepashakti, which encloses vison of the individual. Through the three states we are entangled with the empirical world. Which is rightly the phenomenal appearances. Beyond the phenomenal appearances by uncovering the sheaths or koshas one can realize and experience the self, which is already spoken of as the Brahman itself.

The Taittiriya upanishad explains the five sheaths of the body which encases the Atman. They are: Annamaya -body made by food i.e. physical body. Pranamaya-made by vital airs, which form the breath. Manomaya -it is the inner body, subtler than Prana, and which consists of desired mental, activities. Vijnanamaya It is subtler than the manomaya and responsible for the activities of waking and dream state AnandamayaThis sheath is of bliss, which can be experienced in deep sleep.

In this manner layer after layer Atman is covered with five sheaths. By the dawn of knowledge Sadhaka can experience the final non-dual eternal bliss. These five sheaths can be regrouped as into three bodies. Karana Sharira, Sukshma Sharira and Stula Sharira. Stula Sharira is made of physical body with its normal activities;Sukshma Sharira which is also known as LingaSharira, represents the self and Karana Sharira, the bliss that is eternal and is concealed in Anandamaya.

In the waking state the self is concealed in the gross body and it is also called vishva or vaishvanara. It has detailed expositions in the Tittiriya and others. In the dream state the self is concealed in the subtle body and called taijasa. In the prajna the Karana Sharira is also concealed in the same manner. In these three states the Atman or Brahman is witness in experiences. So, it is called avasthatraya sakshi. In the states of three inter connected consciousness, Gaudapada discovers as the witness (sakşi) behind them as unchangeable reality. In all states there is an ever presentt, remaining unknown experiencer, never affected, but unknowingly experiences all actions and thoughts as a silent observer. It is pure, free and perfect in its sakşi caitanya.Over and all these three status and bodies, one should distinct the real as the Atman or Brahman. According to Gaudapada, all the practices and modes of activities should be in the orientation of the realization of this real self.^[1]

In the state of deep sleep, there is the experience of avidya, although is not determinately perceived in the form ‘I am ignorant’ because of the absence of mind then. On the waking up from deep sleep, one reflects; ‘I did not know anything when I was asleep’. This recollection involves a reference to the experience of avidya in the state of deep sleep. It is to be distinguished from absence of knowledge. In order to have the knowledge of negation of a particular thing, what is necessary is that one should have the knowledge of the thing that is negated. If it is said that there was absence of knowledge of a particular thing in the state of deep sleep, then it must be admitted that in that state one had the knowledge of the thing negated. But one could not have any knowledge in the state of deep sleep because deep sleep is a state where all sense-organs provisionally merge in avidya. In the absence of the function of any sense organ in the state of deep sleep, one could not have the knowledge of anything. It follows from this that there cannot be the experience of the absence of knowledge in the deep sleep state. What is experienced then is avidya as a positive entity. In the deep sleep mind is withdrawn and disciplined. The mind becomes dissolved in deep sleep; when under restraint, doesn’t become dissolved. That mind becomes Brahman, the fearless, endowed with light that is consciousness on all sides. That light shines in every direction.

In the worldly appearances one feels the reality as happiness, misery, changing of the happenings etc. Beyond these discussed three states, pure consciousness exists being unaffected and finally the non-duality prevails. Those who are noble minded, desirous of liberation contemplate on this state of Turiya. They know that unreality of the dream and illusory state, realizes the true nature of Atman which is the Brahmanubhava as it is stated in the Mandukya-karika 1:7. The Atman as we know is immortal, in that it has neither birth nor death. It is Advaya (non-dual) even though appears as many. It is like, air in various pots and reflection of moon in various waters. Nature of Atman is beyond all expression of words, beyond all acts of the mind. Gaudapada says it in the sutra 3:37 as: It is peaceful, eternal, effulgence, absence of activity. It is attainable only when the mind becomes pure and tranquil.

It is already discussed the importance given to pranava in the Mandukyopanishad. Pranava means it is always even ever cherishing. The syllable AUM is the secret of Brahma-svabhava. The three matras state the three levels of consciousness. In the forth the matraleads to the subtle plane of reality, that is limitless, in unchanging and unborn. It shows about the meditation of AUM. The phenome AUM represents, the Brahman. That is the ultimate end for a seeker. To attain the Brahman one should practice meditation on AUM. That mediation upon AUM, leads to the experience of the state of fearlessness, unchanging and unspeakable reality which is the reality according to Mandukya Upanishad and Agamaprakarana. That state is Anadi, beginning-less, and endless and it is the aim of the meditation. All the three states are transcending to the Absolute that we have discussed so far. The mediation encompasses not only the entire states of human consciousness but also entire experiences in the physical and trans-mundane stages.

The karika says,

“our experience of diversity then, is firmly grounded in a perception of Brahman, as we perceive the experiential equality of A,U, or M, what we are actually perceiving ultimately is the non-dual Brahman itself”.^[2]

After explaining the experiences of the Brahman, Gaudapada introduces a new type of Yoga which is called as Asparshayoga.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

TMP Mahadevan,, University of Madras, 1952, p. 157.

[2]:

Richard King, Early Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism, The Mahayana Context of the Gaudapadiyakarika, p. 147.