Advaita Bhoda Deepika #18

[Guest guest]

End of post #17...

 

64-66. D.: How can the Self be the origin of all?

M.: Being the seer of all, It is the origin of all.

 

D.: How can the seer be the origin?

M.: In all cases of illusion, only the seer is found to be the

cause of all of them. When nacre is seen to be silver, the material

cause is no other than the seer; the same is the case with all

dream-visions for they have their origin in the dreamer only.

Similarly with the illusion of the world of the waking state, the

seer must be the cause.

===============================================

 

D.: Should the universe be a myth, your conclusion will

follow. Is this universe only a myth?

 

M.: First there is the authority of the srutis which say that

in dissolution there remains only the non-dual Self and in

creation the names and forms are by Maya superimposed on It

like the name and form of a snake on a dimly visible rope.

 

Secondly, reasoning shows the illusory nature of this

universe because it is seen to appear and disappear like the unreal

visions in dreams.

 

Thirdly, the sages have proclaimed their realisation that all

this is but illusory and that only Brahman is real.

Therefore all this universe is really false. Now it is but right to

say that being the witness, the Self is the sole cause of all this universe

which is but an illusory appearance on the Self. The illusory effect

cannot be separate from the basis. Just as the foam, bubbles and

waves are not different from their origin, the sea, so also the

phenomena of the Universe are but the Self falsely presented.

Therefore the Self is 'non-dual' and there can be no duality.

67. In the presence of the master always attentively to

study the Vedanta shastra which treats of the non-dual Being

and retain its meaning forms the "nature" of sravana or hearing.

This must always be attended to.

 

68. D.: What is the "effect" of this sravana?

M.: It destroys that veiling part of ignorance which hitherto

made one think "Where is this non-dual Self? Nowhere". To

destroy this ignorant conclusion of the non-existence of the

non-dual Self is its "effect".

 

69-70. D.: How long should one continue sravana?

M.: Until the doubt of the non-existence of the non-dual

Being does not rear its head again. The non-recurrence of this

doubt is said to be the "limit" of the process of sravana.

 

D.: Can the doubt once set at rest, recur?

M.: Yes, it can.

D.: How?

M.: In many passages in the srutis, duality is dealt with

and can easily be mistaken to be proved. For instance, one

studies the shastras dealing with Vishnu and becomes devoted

to Him; later on, finding other gods similarly dealt with, one's

devotion to Vishnu is likely to suffer. In the same manner, a

study of the Advaita shastras removes the doubt regarding nondual

Being, yet the dvaita shastras may lead to a different

conclusion and the student may lose faith in the non-duality of

Being. Therefore one must continue sravana till the different

texts do not shake one's reasoned faith in non-dual Being.

 

D.: What is the "fruit" of sravana?

M.: When once for all the non-belief in the non-duality

of Being is destroyed, no sacred text or tricky argument can

make the seeker deviate from his faith. All obstructions to his

faith thus removed, he remains steady in his indirect knowledge

of non-dual Being. This is the "fruit" of sravana.

 

71. D.: What is this indirect knowledge?

M.: To know the true nature of the inmost Self, not by

direct experience but by a study of the shastras, is called indirect

Knowledge. Although one does not see Vishnu face to face yet

through the evidence of the shastras one believes in His existence;

this forms only common (samanya) knowledge. Similarly a

common knowledge of non-duality of Brahman gained through

the advaita shastras is indirect knowledge.

 

72-76. D.: Why should the knowledge arising from sravana

be said to be indirect? Can it not be direct?

M.: No. So long as the Inner Self cannot shine forth owing

to the other veiling aspect of Ignorance (abhanavarana) mere

knowledge of Its existence cannot be called direct.

 

D.: Is this confirmed by others also?

M.: Yes. Sri Vidyaranyaswamy says in Dhyana Deepika:

"Though by sravana, Brahman can be understood to be Being-

Knowledge-Bliss, yet It cannot thus be directly experienced as

the sole-Being witnessing the five sheaths. Although from the

shastras, Vishnu is understood to be four-armed, holding a disc,

a conch and a mace in His hands, and even a mental picture of

Him can manifest in one-pointed meditation, yet He is not

seen directly with these eyes; therefore the knowledge of Him

remains only indirect." The knowledge gained from the shastras

is thus only indirect and not directly experienced. Similarly the

knowledge gained by sravana can remain only indirect and is

not directly experienced.

 

D.: Here Vishnu is not the Self but is different. It is but

right that knowledge of Him gained from the shastras remains

indirect. But Brahman is not different from the Self. To the

seeker who is ignorant of this identity, the srutis reveal the fact

saying, "That thou art". On learning its true significance he

should be said to have directly realised the Truth. This knowledge

cannot remain indirect like that of heaven etc. Sravana must

therefore end in directly experienced knowledge.

M.: Not so. It is true that the sacred text reveals the Truth,

"That thou art". Still direct knowledge does not result merely

by hearing it. In the absence of enquiry into the Self, knowledge

cannot become direct. In order to have this indirect knowledge

directly experienced, it is necessary to reflect on it.

 

77. Here ends the chapter on sravana. The student who

reads this carefully will gain indirect knowledge. In order to

experience directly, he will seek to know the nature of manana

or reflection.

 

=============================

Taken from Advaita Bhoda Deepika

as published by Sri Ramanasramam

Tiruvannamalai 2002.

 

To be continued...

 

You can download at

http://www.ramana-maharshi.org/downloads/downloads.htm

 

Read postings to date on

http://www.love-yoga.com/Ramana/Advaita_Bhoda/Index.htm