Chapter 5.1 - The subtle understanding (sūkṣma-bodha)

While defining fourth yogadṛṣṭi Haribhadrasūri says that it is destitute of subtle understanding^[1] . By saying it Haribhadrasūri for the first time hints that there is something inherently defective about the yogadṛṣṭi described so far. The subtle understanding [Sūkṣmabodha—sūkṣma-bodha] means understanding of things in a subtle manner and does not mean the understanding of subtle things. The following is a definition of the subtle understanding given by Haribhadrasūri: The determination taking place, in the assemblies of the learned, to the essential nature of things by viewing them from aspects namely cause (hetu), form (svarūpa) as well as result (phala) in a proper manner, and with the support of vedyasṃvedyapada, is called subtle understanding^[2] .

The subtle understanding pulls out a soul from the ocean of worldly existence. The mere presence of subtle understanding shatters the adamant karman i.e. the karman which are as hard as the vajra. Moreover, the subtle understanding [sūkṣma-bodha], which is characterized by the vedyasaṃvedyapada, is capable of permeating knowables^[3] .

Haribhadrasūri have stated clearly that the subtle understanding is neither possessed by a beholder of the fourth yogadṛṣṭi nor by anybody who stands below it because they lack vedyasṃvedyapada. The subtle understanding arises only in the presence of vedyasaṃvedyapada. The vedyasaṃvedyapada is the state possessed by a samyagdṛṣṭi soul. Thus, the subtle understanding has concomitant relation with samyagdarśana. Hence the soul is said to possess avedyasaṃvedyapada till the fourth yogadṛṣṭi. The vedyasaṃvedyapada and the avedyasaṃvedyapada are two technical terms. They are introduced for the first time in the text Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya by Haribhadrasūri. However we can say that these two terms almost represent the state of samyaktva and mithyātva so well known in the Jain tradition, respectively.

The obstructer of the subtle understanding:

The impurities owned by a soul, which are capable of producing causes conducive to taking lower rebirth forms like hell obstructs the acquisition of subtle understanding [sūkṣma-bodha]. That is to say that it is impurities of the soul, which obstructs the emergence of the subtle understanding^[4] .

Due to the possessing of such impurities of a soul, never acknowledges the real nature of causes conducive to taking lower rebirth forms like hell. Haribhadrasūri very clearly states that though the enlightenment imparted to such a soul by the lamp like sacred texts regarding the nature of causes, conducive to taking lower rebirth forms like hell, instead of grasping the real nature of the causes he grasps the shadow of the matter. Moreover, his unaware indulgence in sinful acts keeps on increasing impurities of a soul^[5] .

We know that during first four yogadṛṣṭis a soul has achieved substantial spiritual growth. In the fourth yogadṛṣṭi a soul considers the religion as his only true friend. For him the religion is dearer than his own life. The narration of such qualities in a beholder of a fourth yogadṛṣṭi leads us to think that he must be possessing vedyasaṃvedyapada. In order to avoid such misconception pertaining to the beholder of a fourth yogadṛṣṭi Haribhadrasūri quotes his ancestors. It is said that whatever good qualities are present in a beholder of the fourth yogadṛṣṭi are due to his practicing of last yathāpravṛttakaraṇa and not because of vedyasaṃvedyapada. The subject in question can never possess the vedyasṃvedyapada in real sense in the fourth yogadṛṣṭi because it is not acquired without cutting the knot of intense attachment as well as aversion^[6] .

We all know that till fourth yogadṛṣṭi none cuts this knot. Therefore, even the fourth yogadṛṣṭi beholder does not possess vedyasaṃvedyapada in real sense, but its resemblance. Haribhadrasūri states that in the first four yogadṛṣṭis the state of avedyasaṃvedyapada rages in all its intensity. In these stages (i.e.in the four yogadṛṣṭis) whatever vedyasaṃvedyapada the beholders might appear to exhibit is but a shadow of it. It is so because they have not cut the knot in the form of intense attachment and aversion. Their such type of vedyasaṃvedyapada is like considering a bird’s shadow, falling in water, as the movement of an aquatic creature. In short it is illusory and not real^[7] .

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

prāṇāyāmavatī dīprā...................... |
......................., sūkṣmabodhavivajitā ||57||
   –Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya

[2]:

samyagdhetvādibhodena, loke yastattvanirṇayaḥ |
vedyasaṃvedyapadataḥ, sūkṣmabodhaḥ sa ucyate ||65||
   –ibid.

[3]:

bhavāmbhodhisamuttārāt karmavajravibhodataḥ |
jñoyavyāpteśca kārtsnyena, sūkṣmatvaṃ nā'yamatra tu ||66||

bhavāmbhodhisamuttārād-bhavasamudrasamuttāraṇāllokottarapravṛtti hetutayā, tathā karmavajravibhodataḥ - karmavajravibhodena, vibhodastvapunargrahaṇataḥ jñoyavyāpteścakārtsnyenā'nantadharmātmakatattvapratipattyā, sūkṣmatvaṃ-nipuṇatva bodhasya | nā'yamatra tu,... atra dīprāyāṃ dṛṣṭo, ādhastyāsu ca tattvato granthibhodā'siddheriti ||66||

–Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya and its auto-commentary.

[4]:

apāyaśaktimālinyaṃ, sūkṣmabodhavibandhakṛt |
naitadvato'yaṃ tat tattve, kadācidupajāyate || 68 ||

apāyaśaktimālinyaṃ — narakadyāpāyaśaktimalinatvam,.... -sūkṣmabodhavibandhakṛt, apāyahetvāsevanakliṣṭabījabhāvena | ... || 68 ||

–Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya and its auto-commentary.

[5]:

apāyadarśanaṃ tasmā-cchutadīpānna tāttvikam |
tadābhālambanaṃ tvasya, tathā pāpe pravṛttitaḥ || 69 ||

... bh ku ta ityāha - tathā pāpe pravṛttitaḥ tathā citrānābhogaprakāreṇa pāpe pravṛttoriti || 69||

–ibid.

[6]:

-vedyasaṃvedyapadamāsu na tāttvikamityarthaḥ, granthibhodā'siddheriti |
etadapi caramāsu caramayathāpravṛttakaraṇina evetyācāryāḥ || 67 ||
   –Auto-commentary of Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya.

[7]:

avedyasaṃvedyapadaṃ, yasmādāsu tatholbaṇam |
pakṣicchayājalacara-pravṛttyābhamataḥ param ||67||

....yasmādāsu-mitrādyāsu catusṛṣu dṛṣṭiṣu tatholbaṇaṃ tena nivṛttyādipadaprakāreṇa prabalamuddhatāmityarthaḥ| pakṣicchayājalacarapravṛttyābhaṃ-pakṣicchayāyāṃ taddhiyā jalacarapravṛttyākāram......||67||

–Yogadṛṣṭisamuccaya and its auto-commentary.