SvarUpa and dharma bhUta jnAnAs

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Jai SrIman Narayana

 

There were mails earlier on this list about the dharma

bhUta and dharmi jnAna.

 

A couple of years back, I had a discussion with my

friend Suresh ( a member of this group ) and had posed

the same question to my father for explanation. At

that time, He blessed me with the following

upaniShadic quotes which clearly explain the

classification of knowledge as svarUpa jnAna ( the

essential nature of soul ) and the dharma bhUta jnAna

( the attributive consciousness ) as explained by Sri

Ramanuja.

 

It has to be understood that these words dharma and

dharmi jnAna do not appear in the following

upanishadic quotes, but the meaning of the quotes

explains the classification clearly. These words could

have been coined to explain them crisply. Clearly,

attribute of something is called its dharma and its

essential nature is its svarUpa.

 

For example, saltiness is the essential nature of

salt, where as being white or being in powdered form

or in rock form is its attribute.

 

For completeness sake, I restate the best example in

this context :

 

jnAnam ( knowledge ) is both svarUpam ( dharmi ) and

dharman of Atma. Example : jvAla (flame - svarUpam )

and its prabha ( effulgence ) is its dharma. Both of

these make the lamp. Prabha is the attribute of jvAla.

Likewise, the svarUpam of Atma is jnAnam ( like jvAla

for dIpam ) and he has also spreading jnAnam as his

dharma like the prabha for dIpam.

 

As stated by the mantra puShpam,

 

'nIvAra SUkavattanvI pItAbhAsyAttanUpamA'

 

The size of Atma is aNu. He stays in the heart.

Through his dharma bhUta jnAna, he has links with each

and every part of the body in which he is staying.

 

yESha hi draShtA, spraShtA, SrOtA, rasayitA, ghrAtA,

mantA bOddhA kartA vijnAnAtmA puruShaha

 

His svarUpa jnAna makes him nitya and bhOkta.

 

Another example which comes to my mind is :

 

Take a lake which is full of water ( its svarUpa ),

from it water flows into it or out of it through

streams. The water coming into it and joining it can

be considered as the the jIva knowing things (

receiving knowledge or perceiving things or

understanding external things - dharma bhUta jnAna ).

The water flowing out of the lake can be considered as

the attributive consciousness ( dharma bhUta jnAna )

of the jIva with which He is transmitting His

knowledge to others ( Other lakes - other jIvAs ).

 

In this example the dharma bhUta jnAna can be

considered as the streams which carry the water in and

out of the lake to other lakes ( imagine a connected

set of lakes through streams ). It has to be noted

that the svarUpam of all the lakes is water only and

the water in the streams is not coming out of the

blue. There is a repository of knowledge and that

collects and also transmits knowledge. That repository

is soul. Through this example, the next explanation

becomes more clear :

 

samsAra is said to be a result of the contraction of

dharma bhUta jnAna ( flowing knowledge for example )

and the opposite implies release. Now should the

contraction and expansion of jnAna be taken in the

literal sense or what exactly is the mode of

contraction and expansion of jnAna by karma with

respect to jIvAtman?.

 

Answer : This happens through indriyAs ( sense organs

). Atma becomes the karta when he enters into the dEha

( body ) and becomes kShEtrajna. Due to his karmAs,

either the contraction or expansion to his indriyAs

occurs. Even though, knowledge ( jnAna ) is unlimited

and eternal, its flow ( expression of knowledge )

increases or decreases depending upon the expansion or

contraction of his indriyAs and the later is linked

with his karmAs ( sAtvik, rAjasik and tAmisic ).

 

Example : In the above example, lets assume all lakes

(jIvAs) were connected by streams and there was an

uniform flow of water ( knowledge ). These lakes can

be related to mukta jIvAs in whoom there is no

contraction in the flow of knowledge ( dharma bhUta

jnAna ). Now lets add bodies to the souls ( i.e., let

us talk about the baddha jIvAs ). In the example of

lakes, let us add some variations - like the contour

of the land - some lakes are on a high plateau and

some are on low level areas. So the lakes which are on

a high land can transmit knowledge fully ( jIvAs with

sAtvic nature ). Now lets not get distracted to the

loss of water in these lakes due to their

transmission. If that has to be paid attention, then

lets assume that such lakes on a high land get water (

or receive water ) from rainfall and transmit to the

lakes on lower land. This can be related to sAtvik

jIvAs who are dependent on the Lord ( rainfall ) for

their knowledge and impart it to the world selflessly.

However, for some such lakes, we may consider some of

the streams which carry their knowledge to have

obstructions due to accumulated sand or other dirt. So

the flow is obstructed. These lakes can be considered

as those jIvAs who have good knowledge, but cannot

express it ( either due to mental or physical

disability or lack of communication skills or due to

selfish motives ). The lakes on the lower end on the

other end, though have water as their svarUpa cannot

transmit it and only receive it.

 

This is just an example explaining the dharma bhUta

jnAna ( attributive consciousness ) of the dharmi (

jIva who has the knowledge as his svarUpa ) and its

expansions/contractions. This example is just my

imagination. Forgive me for errors in this.

 

Now coming back to the ShAstra pramANAs :

 

My father gave the pramANAs both with respect to the

jIva and paramAtma.

 

Here they follow :

 

Kindly note that they are only meant to delineate the

underlying concept of classification of jnAna and are

not being meant for starting a discussion on each

vAkya.

 

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What are the ShAstra pramANAs or proofs regarding the

classification of gnAna as Dharmi ( svarUpa jnAna ) or

Dharma-bhUta ( attributive consciousness ) with

respect to jIva and IShvara according to the

viShistAdvaitic vEdAnta view?.

 

Part1 ) ShAstra pramANAs regarding the classification

of jnAna as Dharmi and Dharma bhUta with respect to

jIva.

 

1) How is jnAna in the soul. Whether inside or

outside..or what is the soul made up of?.

 

Answer: It is like saltiness in salt. Knowledge is

everywhere in Atma.

 

sayadhA sIndhavaghanO 2 nantarO 2

bAhyah krutsnO rasaghana Eva

Evam vA arE 2 yamAtmA 2 nantarO 2

bAhyah krutsnah prajnyAna ghana Eva 

( bruhadAraNyaka - 3-9-14 )

 

2) vijnyAna ghana Eva = one mass of knowledge. (

bruhadAraNyaka - 2-4-12 )

 

3) atrAyam puruShO svayam jyOtirbhavati = Here this

puruSha becomes self luminous ( bru - 4-3-9.14 )

 

4) nahi vijnyAtuh vijnyAtEh viparilOpah vidyatE ( bru

- 4-3-30 ) = There is no disappearance of the

knowledge of the knower. When the term knower appears,

it has to be understood that 'to know' is an attribute

of Atma. It is the attribute or the dharma of the

dharmi ( the flowing knowledge or the dharma bhUta

jnAna ).

 

5) adha yO vEdadam jighrANIti sa Atma (

chandOgyOpaniShat - 8-12-4 ) = Then, who ever feels 'I

smell', this is Atma. ( about the dharma bhUta jnAna )

 

6) katama AtmEti. yO 2 yam vijnyAna mayah prAnEShu

hrudyantarjyOtih puruShah ( bru - 4-3-7 ) = Who is

soul?. He is that person who is luminous, near the

prANAs in the heart and wholly consists of knowledge.

( svarUpa of the soul - dharmi ).

 

7) ESha hi draStA srOtA ghrAtA rasayitA mamtA bOddhA

kartA vijnyAnAtmA puruShah ( Pra - 4 - 9 ) = He is the

one who sees, who hears, who smells, who tastes, who

thinks, who knows, who works and who is made up of

intelligence. This is talking about both the svarUpa

of Atma and his ability to know ( dharma ). This Sruti

rejects the arguments of both tArkiks saying Atma is

not jnAnam and of midhyAvAdIs saying that Atma is not

having jnAnam.

 

8) vijnyAtAramarE kEna vijAnIyat ( bru - 4-5-15 ) = He

is the knower. By whom, he is known?. ( dharma bhUta

jnAna ).

 

9) jAnAtyEvAyam puruShah = This person ( Atma ) surely

knows.

 

10) sa paShyO mrutyum paShyati na rOgam nOta duhkhatAm

( cha - 7-26-2 ) = Whoever sees ( that one ), he will

not see death, nor even sorrow. ( Here the dharma is

the ability to see or perceive ).

 

11) tasmAdyA EtasmAnmanO mayAt anyO2antara AtmA

vijnyAnamayah ( tai - 2-4-1 ) = Different from this

manOmaya is the soul who is wholly knowledge. (

svarUpa of Atma - dharmi ).

 

12) AtmAvA arE drusTavyaha srOtavyaha mantavyaha nidhi

dhyAsitavyaha ( bru - 6-5-6 ) Self is to be seen; to

be heard; to be reflected and to be steadily meditated

upon.

 

13) vignyAya prajnyAm kurvIta (  Bru - 6-4-21 ) -

After knowing ( upAsanA is to be done ) practice.

 

14) jnyOta Eva ( Sha - 2 - 3-18 ) = Due to these

reasons only, soul is the knower.

 

Thus soul ( Atma ) is not only the knowledge. He is

the knower also.

 

Proofs :

 

1) Svayam prakAShatvam cannot exist without any

ASrayam ( support ). The self is knowledge and is the

ASrayam for knowledge.

 

2) The synonyms for jnAnam ( like samvit, anubhUti )

relate to karta or karma.

 

3) How can we say that the adjective or attribute (

jnAnam ) is satyam ( real ) and the possessor is

asatyam?. ( Some schools which do not accept

attributes to the jIva, do not accept his state as a

knower. )

 

Part2 ) ShAstra pramANAs regarding the classification

of jnAna as Dharmi and Dharma bhUta with respect to

IShvara :

 

ParaBrahma is not only jnAna svarUpa. He has jnAna and

all other virtues. He is not having any bad quality (

hEya guNa ).

 

1) nityO2nityAnAm chEtanaSchEtanAnAm EkO bahUnAm

yOvidadhAti kAmAn ( kathOpaniShat -5-13 )

He is nitya (eternal) in anityAs (temporary things).

He is AtmA for AtmAs, He is one in many. He is

fulfilling the desires

 

2) jnA jnOu dvAvajA vISha nIShou (

SvetASvatarOpaniShat - 6-7-8 )

There are two. One is paramAtma and the other one is

Atma. ParamAtma knows. Atma does not know. ParamAtma

is the controller. Atma is the controlled. Both are

not having the birth.

 

3) tamISvarANAm paramam mahESvaram

tam daivatAnAm param ca daivatam

patim patInAm paramam parastAt

vidAmadEvam bhuvanESha mIdyam (SvetASvatarOpaniShat )

He is the controller of the controllers. He is the

great God of Gods. He is the great ruler of rulers. He

is greater than the great. He is the Lord of the

worlds. He deserves praise. We are knowing (or

meditating) on that dEva.

 

4) sa tasya kAryam karaNam ca vidyatE

na tatsamaSchAbhyadhikaScha vidyatE

parA 2 sya Shakti rvividhaiva SrUyatE

svAbhAviKI jnAna bala kriyA ca ( SvEtASvatarOpaniShat

- 6-7-8 )

He need not do anything. He needs no instrument to do

anything. There is no one either equal to him or

greater than him. He has great power known in various

forms. His knowledge, strength and actions are very

natural.

 

5) AnandO Brahma

SvarUpa of Brahma is Ananda.

 

6) sa EkO BrahmaNah Anandah (taittarIyOpanishat - a -

8-1)

That is the unit of the Bliss of the Brahman. Here,

'Bliss of Brahman' means that Brahma is having Ananda

as his dharma.

 

7) vijnyAtAramarE  kEna vijAnIyAt ( Bru - 2-4-14) - He

is the knower and who will know him.

 

8) yah sarvajnah sarvavit (He knows everything by its

svarUpa as well as dharma)

 

I had to compile this mail in a hurry as I have to

catch a train now. Kindly forgive me for any

typographical or self made mistakes.

Jai Sriman Narayana

Maruthi Ramanuja Das

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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