Advaita Bhoda Deepika-Introduction

[Guest guest]

Harshaji wrote:

 

The True Guru is always one's own Heart and so attention must be brought to

that. All paths indicate movement. Essentially everything is a movement of

Shakti in one form or another. One can come to understand nonmovement

through movement. That is the path of yoga. In the direct path, one sees one's

own nature as unmovable, and abides in that awareness indifferent to all the

paths. That is Jnana.

 

We have just welcomed a new member to the list,

and I would like to join in welcoming you, Daniel.

Permit me to add to what Harshaji said by noting

that Sri Ramana embraced all paths as it suited

the needs of his devotees. The ashram library

contained sacred texts from many religions, and

the Maharshi was known to quote from the Bible

as well as the Gita. While words mean nothing

unless the flame of knowledge burns within one's

heart, they can also serve as kindling for the fire.

 

Ramana is known to have a few favorite books,

one of which is the Advaita Bodha Deepika. As

Diwali, the festival of lights, approaches, it seems

appropriate to begin this book, The Lamp of Non-

Dual Knowledge. I have downloaded it from

http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/ . While each of

us could do that ourselves and read it ourselves,

I thought I would post the book on the list in parts,

small enough to have the time to read and digest.

Let us start with the introduction, so we know what

it is we are about to read :-)

 

Love,

 

Joyce

 

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[LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE]

Sri Ramanasramam

Tiruvannamalai

2002

ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA

 

FOREWORD

 

Originally Sri Shankaracharya and other great Sages had

written several works like the commentary on the Vedanta Sutras

and thus furnished the methods for those engaged in Self enquiry

to accomplish their purpose.

>From those, Sri Karapatra Swami later condensed the

salient points into Sanskrit verse in a work of twelve chapters,

called Sri Advaita Bodha Deepika.

 

Still later, some great man seems to have translated this

into Tamil prose. For some unknown reasons only some eight

chapters of the same are found published. They are:

 

1. Adhyaropa = Super imposition.

2. Apavada = Its removal.

3. Sadhana = The means of accomplishment.

4. Sravana = Hearing, reading, talking about God.

5. Manana = Reflecting on sravana.

6. Vasanakshaya = Annihilation of latencies.

7. Sakshatkara = Direct Realisation.

8. Manonasa = Extinction of the mind.

 

In this work the author has explained how Ignorance obscures

the true nature of the Self which is non-dual only; how by its

veiling aspect it covers It (the Self) with two effects - 'that It does

not exist' and 'that It does not shine forth', how by its other aspect,

in the shape of the mind, projecting individuals, Iswara and the

world and presenting them as real, thus giving rise to illusion; how

one fully qualified is alone fit to obtain this knowledge; how a bare

scholar of the shastras cannot be fit; how enquiry is the chief means

for knowledge; how this enquiry consists in hearing of, reflecting

upon and contemplation of TRUTH, and Samadhi; how the

indirect knowledge gained by hearing puts an end to the idea that

'It does not exist' and the direct knowledge gained by reflection,

which means enquiry 'WHO I AM' and seeking within, destroys

the wrong notion that 'It does not shine forth'; how the knowledge

of THOU in THAT THOU ART is identical with the knowledge

of THAT; how by meditation the different latencies perishing which

were the obstacles on the way and the mind which is the limiting

adjunct (upadhi) of the individual perishes too and by the eventual

unobstructed realisation of BRAHMAN (God) the Seeker becomes

free from the bondage of the three kinds of Karma which form the

cycle of births and deaths; how in truth there is neither bondage

nor release for the SELF and in what way to extinguish the mind.

 

Thinking that this will be helpful to Seekers of Liberation

Sri Ramanananda Saraswathi (formerly Munagala

Venkataramiah) a devotee of Bhagavan has by the grace of Sri

Ramana rendered into English the eight chapters of the work

now available. The last four chapters, Savikalpa Samadhi,

Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Jivan Mukti, and Videha Mukti not being

found in Tamil, Telugu or Sanskrit Manuscripts could not be

translated into English. Information on the missing chapters is

earnestly sought and will be gratefully acknowledged by the

publisher.

 

Our grateful thanks are due to H. H. Smt. Shanta Devi

Maharani of Baroda and H. H. the Maharaja of Travancore for

sending us the original Sanskrit Manuscripts of this work from

the State Libraries for Maharshi's consultation and return.

This book is one of the few esteemed by Sri Maharshi and

this translation was thoroughly revised in His Presence. So we

are encouraged to present this small volume to the public with

full confidence that the reader will benefit by it.

PUBLISHER.

 

(to be continued)