MORE ON JEEVAN- MUKHTI

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SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMA:

 

Regarding the untenability of Jeevan Mukhti:-

 

# Since Release or Libeartion pertains to moving from

manifested to unmanifest form, it can not (for the

sake of arguement) happen while the jiva is still

inside the manifested body.

 

# The 'prayojana' (use) of the body is to facilitate

the Jiva to work out the karma. Once release from

karma is attained on account of the eligibility for

Liberation, there is no further need for the body.

Hence it is to be shed.

 

Now on to excerpts from texts on this:-

 

"TO HIM WHO IS AND HAS A BODY, THERE IS NO DESTRUCTION

OF THE PLEASING AND THE UNPLEASING; THE PLEASING AND

THE UNPLEASING TOUCH NOT HIM WHO IS AND HAS NO BODY'

(CNHANDOGYA)

 

can this be interpreted that liberation from the

pleasing and the unpleasing can happen to the one who

has left his body? ( comments please)

 

There is some reference to jeevan Mukhti in Sri

Bhashya to Brahma sutra (swami Vireswarananda and

swami Adi devanada)

 

The sutra 4.2.7 says,

 

"DEPARTURE OF The INDIVIDUAL SELF FROM THE BODY)IS

COMMON (FOR TEH KNOWER AND THE IGNORANT) UPTO THE

BEGINNING OF THE PATH; AND IMMORTALITY ( OF THE KNOWER

IS OBTAINED) WITHOUT HAVING BURNED."

 

Inference:-

* departure of the Jiva for reaching immortality is

common by leaving the body.

 

* there is the talk of the ignorant and the knower

which is not within the scope of the topic we ahve

taken up for discussion, namely , Liberation.

 

*Since it is indicated that the Knower alone reaches

immortality, this sutra can be interpreted to imply

what happens to both the ignorant soul and the

knowee-soul upon leaving the body. Both go in the same

path upto a certain extent in the begining and later

the knower-soul reaches immortality.

 

*what is this extent - through which both the

liberated and the jiva to be reborn travel? (refer)

Chandogya which says," There are a hundred and one

arteries of the heart; of these, one passes up to the

crown of the head; going up through that, one attains

immortality; the others are for departing in other

directions."

 

Another from Brahadaranyaka upa : " The individual

self departs by that light either through the eye, or

through the head, or through other bodily parts".

 

* what these imply is that the Jiva leaving the body

is the first step for Mukhti (or for the ignorant who

will have to be reborn)

 

*Now why is it said that the knower-Jiva obtains

immortality 'without having burned'?

the explanation is given that 'without burning

connection of the soul with the body and the senses'

the Jiva attains immortality-- A very clear indication

of release from every kind of bhandam including the

body.

 

BS 4.2.8

"THAT (i.e. IMMORTALITY IS AS STATED ABOVE ); BECAUSE,

UPTO THE ATTAINMENT OF BRAHMAN, THE SCRIPTURE DECLARES

THE STATE OF SAMSARA."

*samsara continues till the attainment of immortality.

 

Samsara can be interpreted to mean connection with the

body. Because texts have this to say:-

" shaking off the evil, just as the horse shakes off

hairs,and as the moon releases himself from the mouth

of Rahu, I, a perfected self, having shaken off the

body, attain the uncreated world of Brahman" (Chando

gya)

"And for him the delay is only as long as he is not

freed from the body" (Chan)

 

One example from Ramayana -

Even Vishnu-incarnated Rama didnot leave for Parama

padam in his body. He was said have entered the

Sarayu along with the people of Ayodhya (Mass

suicide?)

sarayu became the 'hetu' to reach the immortal world

as Rama took all living things -"Anmda

chara-chrangalaiyum vaikundathetri"- so goes the

saying.

 

Regards

 

jayasree sarnathan

 

 

 

 

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