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On Thu, 19 Nov 1998 Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy wrote:

> SELF pervades all. So, there is no entity without the SELF. That is,

> there is no not-SELF anywhere by itself.

 

Right! However, the rest of the post contradicts that fundamental

statement. So let's dwell on that for a while.

 

If we take just the _sat_ aspect of sat-cit-Ananda, and translate

that as Existence (with capital-E), then the entire niverse is

dependent upon that Existence for its manifestation: no Existence,

no universe. Within that universe is an insignificant little star

that we call the Sun; spinning round that Sun is a minor planet

called Earth; on that planet are millions of types of life form;

one of these life-forms is the human being; among billions of

these human beings, there is one that says "I am Charles."

(It is sometimeshelpful to put the ego into perspective in the

universal scheme of things.)

 

Now, Charles is the name of a particular human form that is _very_

limited in space, time, etc, but the "I am" that identifies with

Charles, is ultimately Existence Itself -- it is the "being" of

a human being.

 

[ NB "I am" is not Existence Itself, but a reflection of existence

in the buddhi, and hence already limited: therefore "I am" is

expressed only as "ultimatel the Self." ]

 

Any object that is observed, any idea in the mind, any state,

must be manifest in order to be observed, which is to say that

it must exist -- but it has no existence of its own independent

of Existence Itself.

> Further, the SELF does not mis-identify as not-SELF.

 

It is not a question of MIS-identifying, just simply identifying.

In "I am Charles", the "I am" identifies with "Charles".

> It is the not-SELF

> that (i) can mis-identify itself as SELF or (ii) can mis-identify itself

> as not-SELF (that is, by itself, without the SELF). To put it in other

> words, the SELF cannot mis-identify, the not-SELF cannot but mis-identify.

 

The not-Self has no existence or intelligence of its own, that

it could use to identify with the Self; therefore it is the Self

that identifies with the not-Self, which is something linmited

in the creation.

> For us jeeevas, to say that we are SELF + not-SELF is still a

> mis-identification, unless we have that nishchalatvam of the SELF and

> behave like nishchalatvam manasA, vAcA, karmA. Further, when we say

> that we are the SELF + not-SELF, the not-SELF component is still there.

 

The not-Self component is not going to disappear, not even to a

truth-knower: the difference is that he sees Existence everywhere,

with the transient superimposed upon it, and does not take the

transient to be real (having an independent existence) and does

not identify with it.

> Until and until that not-SELF component is fully erased, it is a

> mis-identification and the individual jeeva behaves like a not-SELF.

 

You could try "erasing" the not-Self by commiting suicide: it won't

make any difference to Existence, but it won't do your Karma any good.

> Now, the entity that says "I had a good sleep" is the mis-identifying

> not-SELF. You may call it the individual jeeva (SELF identified with

> not-SELF), but it is still a mis-identification.

 

Identification is the problem: what do you mean by mis-identification?

> This again presumes the same not-SELF superposed on the SELF in all the

> three states.

 

It is the same causal ignorance that is latent in deep sleep and

manifest in dream and waking, that makes Charles recognisably the

same from day to day, and different from other humans, as well as

different from other species, such as dog or tree.

> That is against the logic provided above ( and in the previous

> post) where the existence of the not-SELF itself is questioned, not to

> talk of the sameness of the not-SELF.

 

The not-Self has no existence of its own, but only that temporarily

"borrowed" from Existence Itself.

> It *appears* multiplicity. But is not so. The logic is for non-existence

> of the not-SELF. SELF pervades all and there is no not-SELF anywhere

> anytime without the SELF. It is the SELF which, although does not have

> shape or form, does not speak, hear or act, which allows the not-SELF to

> claim existence or speak, hear or act. The not-SELF does the imitation,

 

The problem is limitation rather that imitation.

> and further claims to be the subject and continuity of itself through

> all the states. The way to dissect and annihilate the not-SELF (the ego)

> is to disprove its continuity from state to state and even in one state.

> If that is done, the ego, the not-SELF that claims to be the subject,

> would not have a locus and would disintegrate. Thus, rather than implying

> multiplicity of the not-SELF, the above logic attacks the very existence

> of the not-SELF.

 

If it is three different "persons" in the three states, then the

waking one will have no knowledge of the other two states, and thus

have no cause to doubt the "reality" of the waking state.

> In the case of statement "I had deep sleep", it is easier to refute it

> because it is an inferential statement. Statements attributable to the

> wake-up state like "I acted, I ate..." also lack reality because the

> very existence of not-SELF is questioned.

 

Yes, do question the "existence" of the not-Self! The advantage

of the three states is that each casts doubt upon the validity of

the other two. The question is then: What is that which is common

to the three states, upon which they are superimposed? This is

better than trying to separate the three states, for this lends

them a reality and importance that they don't deserve: rather direct

the enquiry away from the states and towards the Self -- neti, neti.

> Why not discard the not-SELF ? Are we closer to the TRUTH by not

> discarding the not-SELF ?

 

Who is going to do the discarding? The not-Self does not have the

power to do so, and the Self has no need to do so. The problem is

the Self identifying with some limited aspect of the not-Self.

Only Knowledge is going to remove that identification.

> When SELF alone is all that exists and

> the not-SELF is just a superposition which just melts away upon

> removal of ignorance,

 

All that exists is saguNa brahman: the saguNa is the All and

brahman is the Existence.

> why do we need to hang on to that perspective

> of the not-SELF ?

 

Excellent question! Would you like to try answering it: why does

Gummuluru need to hang on to the human body? :-)

 

I shall append a few extracts from the Pancadashi (Svahananda's

translation) concerning the identification of the jIva.

 

Regards, Charles.

 

7.7 When jIva, having the immutable kUTastha as his basis, wrongly

identifies with the gross and subtle bodies, he comes to think

of himself as bound by the pleasures and pains of this world.

 

8 When jIva gives up his attachment to his illusory portion, the

nature of the substratum becomes predominant and he realises

that he is actionless and of the nature of pure consciousness.

______

 

14.6 The Self is spoken of as two types: the individual Self and the

supreme Self. The consciousness, through identification with

the three bodies, thinks itself as the jIva and becomes an enjoyer.

 

7 The supreme Self, who is by nature existence, consciousness, and

bliss, identifying itself with names and forms becomes the objects

of enjoyment. When by discrimination it is disidentified from the

three bodies and names and forms, there is neither the enjoyer nor

anything to be enjoyed.

 

8 Desiring the object of enjoyment for the sake of the enjoyer, the

jIva suffers, being identified with the body. The sufferings are

in the three bodies, but there are no sufferings for the Self.

 

9 The diseases due to the disequilibrium of the bodily humours are

the suffering of the gross body; desire, anger etc., are the

suffering of the subtle body; and the source of the suffering of

both the gross and subtle bodies is the suffering of the causal

body.

 

10 The knower of the supreme Self, while discriminating about it as

mentioned in the Chapter on the 'Bliss of Non-duality', sees no

reality in any object of enjoyment. What then should he desire?

 

11 When the individual Self is determined (to be identical with the

immutable) through the methods mentioned in Chapter 12 on the

'Bliss of the Self', there remains no enjoyer in this body. So

how can there be sufferings which are the result of identification

with the body?

______

 

13.30 The pot with its properties of thickness, roundness and so forth,

is the product of power acting on the clay with its five properties

of sound, touch, form, taste, and smell, but the power is different

here (from both the pot and the clay).

 

31 In the power (that creates the pot) there is neither form nor

quality; as it is it remains (even when it has produced the effect,

it undergoes no change). It is therefore said to be beyond thought

and description.

 

32 Before the creation of the pot, the power (of giving rise to a pot)

is implicit in the clay. With the help of the potter and other

means the clay is transformed into a pot.

 

33 People of immature minds confound the properties of the effect with

those of the cause, the clay and speak of it as a pot.

 

34 The clay, before the potter worked on it, cannot be called a pot.

But it is proper to call it a pot when it acquires the properties

such as thickness, hollowness and so forth.

 

35 The pot is not different from the clay, as it has no existence

apart from the clay; it is neither identical with the clay, as in

the unmoulded clay it is not perceived.

 

36 Therefore the pot (a product of power) can only be called

indescribable, like the power which produces it. Hence the product

of power when imperceptible is simply called power, and when

perceptible it is called a pot.

 

37 A magician's power is not apparent earlier; it is only when he

brings it into operation that it appears as an army of Gandharvas

and the like.

 

38 Thus being illusive, in the scriptures, the products of power are

called unreal whereas reality is predicated only of the entity in

which the power inheres, e.g. of the clay in which the pot inheres.

 

39 A pot taken as a product of power is only a name composed of words;

it is not a real entity. Only the clay that possesses sound, touch,

form, taste and smell, is a real entity.

 

40 Of the three entities, the manifest (i.e. product of power), the

unmanifest (i.e. the power itself), and the substratum in which

they both inhere, the first two exist by turns (thus cancelling

one another); but the third persists in both (and at all times).

 

41 A product of power though visible has no real substance, as it is

subject to creation and destruction. When it appears, it is given

a name by men.

 

42 When the product perishes, its name continues to be used by men.

Since it is indicated only by a name, it is said to be of nominal

existence.

 

43 This form of the product (of power, like the pot) is not real like

clay, because it is unsubstantial, destructible, anda a mere name

based upon words.

 

44 The substance clay is said to be the real entity because by nature

it is unchanged, substantial and indestructible at all times, before

the creation of the pot, after its destruction, and even while it is

manifest.

 

45 (Doubt): If the thing indicated by the three terms i.e, the manifest,

the pot, and the modified form is unreal, why is it not destroyed

when the knowledge of its substratum (clay) dawns?

 

46 (Reply): With the knowledge of the substratum the pot is destroyed,

for your idea of the reality of the pot is removed. This is what

is meant by the destruction of the pot through knowledge; it does

not mean that the pot would cease to appear.

 

47 Though a man appears head downwards when reflected in water, he is

not so. No one would ever mistake it for the real person standing

on the bank.

 

48 According to the doctrine of the non-dualists, such knowledge (i.e.

the knowledge of the unreality of the superimposed thing, the world),

gives liberation, the supreme goal of life. As the substratum clay

is not rejected, the appearance of a pot in it is accepted.

______

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On Mon, 23 Nov 1998, Charles Wikner wrote:

> Charles Wikner <WIKNER

>

> On Thu, 19 Nov 1998 Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy wrote:

>

> > SELF pervades all. So, there is no entity without the SELF. That is,

> > there is no not-SELF anywhere by itself.

>

> Right! However, the rest of the post contradicts that fundamental

> statement. So let's dwell on that for a while.

>

> If we take just the _sat_ aspect of sat-cit-Ananda, and translate

> that as Existence (with capital-E), then the entire niverse is

> dependent upon that Existence for its manifestation: no Existence,

> no universe. Within that universe is an insignificant little star

> that we call the Sun; spinning round that Sun is a minor planet

> called Earth; on that planet are millions of types of life form;

> one of these life-forms is the human being; among billions of

> these human beings, there is one that says "I am Charles."

> (It is sometimeshelpful to put the ego into perspective in the

> universal scheme of things.)

>

 

Yes, to all the points made above and a big "yes" to the last sentence

about putting the ego into perspective in the universal scheme of

things.

 

However, the existence of the universe is in Me. Without Me, there is

no universe, no Sun, no Earth and no life forms. That Me is the

Consciuousness (Capital C), the sat-cit. Shri Shankara says in Viveka

ChuDAmaNi (verse reference I cannot say right away but can find it) that

the knower of Truth alone knows that Me is the Consciousness.

> Now, Charles is the name of a particular human form that is _very_

> limited in space, time, etc, but the "I am" that identifies with

> Charles, is ultimately Existence Itself -- it is the "being" of

> a human being.

>

> [ NB "I am" is not Existence Itself, but a reflection of existence

> in the buddhi, and hence already limited: therefore "I am" is

> expressed only as "ultimatel the Self." ]

>

 

"I am" is the sat. By taking it as a reflection in the buddhi, we

are limiting it to Charles or Gummuluru's intellect. "I am" is

above that and certainly pervades all.

> > Further, the SELF does not mis-identify as not-SELF.

>

> It is not a question of MIS-identifying, just simply identifying.

> In "I am Charles", the "I am" identifies with "Charles".

>

> > It is the not-SELF

> > that (i) can mis-identify itself as SELF or (ii) can mis-identify itself

> > as not-SELF (that is, by itself, without the SELF). To put it in other

> > words, the SELF cannot mis-identify, the not-SELF cannot but mis-identify.

>

> The not-Self has no existence or intelligence of its own, that

> it could use to identify with the Self; therefore it is the Self

> that identifies with the not-Self, which is something linmited

> in the creation.

>

 

We seem to have a difference in our perspective here. You are saying

"It is the SELF which identifies with the not-SELF". I am saying the

other way "It is the not-SELF that mis-identifies". We both agree with

the fundamental statement at the top of my last post "SELF pervades all.

So, there is no entity without the SELF. That is, there is no not-SELF

anywhere by itself".

 

Is it the SELF that identifies with the not-SELF or is it the not-SELF

that mis-identifies with the SELF ? You say it is the former, I say it

is the latter. Let me give my reasoning why it is the latter. Firstly,

the SELF does not have to identify with anything. The SELF, in its serene,

quiet, ever-present and being the only one that is present, does not have

anything to identify Itself with. The not-SELF, being present, means it

has not melted away yet [being melted away does not mean the body has

disappeared, but the thinking - that I am limited by the body - has

disappeared]. That is, the ego that I am limited by the body and by my

intellect is still present. Even though the not-SELF has understood that

it has no basis by itself and that it is the SELF that gives the not-SELF

the intelligence and the thinking capability, but it is still intellectual

understanding only for the not-SELF, and not part of that entity. In that

scenario, it is the not-SELF that is the identifier. The SELF does not

identify.

> > For us jeeevas, to say that we are SELF + not-SELF is still a

> > mis-identification, unless we have that nishchalatvam of the SELF and

> > behave like nishchalatvam manasA, vAcA, karmA. Further, when we say

> > that we are the SELF + not-SELF, the not-SELF component is still there.

>

> The not-Self component is not going to disappear, not even to a

> truth-knower: the difference is that he sees Existence everywhere,

> with the transient superimposed upon it, and does not take the

> transient to be real (having an independent existence) and does

> not identify with it.

>

 

What is the not-SELF component ? The not-SELF component is not the jagat,

but the perception of the reality of the jagat. The perception of the

reality of the jagat disappears for the Truth-knower.

> > Until and until that not-SELF component is fully erased, it is a

> > mis-identification and the individual jeeva behaves like a not-SELF.

>

> You could try "erasing" the not-Self by commiting suicide: it won't

> make any difference to Existence, but it won't do your Karma any good.

>

 

What I mean by erasure of the not-SELF component, is the erasure of the

thinking that not-SELF is real and not-SELF is the doer of actions.

 

You seem to be identifying the not-SELF component with the presence of

the body. Presence of the body is irrelevant.

 

Thus, thinking that one can erase the not-SELF component by committing

suicide is contra-indicated in advaita. Shri Shankara says in Viveka

ChuDAmaNi (verse 558) dehasya moksho no moksho .. the giving up of

this body is not liberation. I am sure you do not mean that (suicide)

as a serious advaita argument either.

> > Now, the entity that says "I had a good sleep" is the mis-identifying

> > not-SELF. You may call it the individual jeeva (SELF identified with

> > not-SELF), but it is still a mis-identification.

>

> Identification is the problem: what do you mean by mis-identification?

>

 

The pure SELF does not do any identification or non-identification. It is

the not-SELF [please keep in mind that when I say not-SELF, there is SELF

as substratum to it, there is no not-SELF by itself anywhere and what I

mean by not-SELF is not-SELF superposed on the SELF] which goes through

the identification. What I mean by mis-identification is the wrong

identification.

 

The not-SELF, when it goes through the identification process always does

the wrong identification for the following reasons. The not-SELF, if it

says it is the SELF, is going through steps which the pure SELF would not

do, viz (i) identification of itself which the pure SELF would not do,

(ii) If the not-SELF really means it is the SELF, that is an untrue

statement because the not-SELF would not have melted away prior to

not-SELF being able to truly make that statement. For that reason,

the not-SELF cannot identify itself with the SELF.

 

If the not-SELF says it is the not-SELF (i.e. by itself without the SELF),

it is an untrue statement and hence is a wrong identification.

> > This again presumes the same not-SELF superposed on the SELF in all the

> > three states.

>

> It is the same causal ignorance that is latent in deep sleep and

> manifest in dream and waking, that makes Charles recognisably the

> same from day to day, and different from other humans, as well as

> different from other species, such as dog or tree.

>

 

Yes. What I am exhorting is to get beyond that ignorance.

> > That is against the logic provided above ( and in the previous

> > post) where the existence of the not-SELF itself is questioned, not to

> > talk of the sameness of the not-SELF.

>

> The not-Self has no existence of its own, but only that temporarily

> "borrowed" from Existence Itself.

>

 

We both are making the same point; that the not-SELF does not have

existence of its own. I am rejecting the existence of the not-SELF

altogether, you are accepting it as a conditional existence.

> > It *appears* multiplicity. But is not so. The logic is for non-existence

> > of the not-SELF. SELF pervades all and there is no not-SELF anywhere

> > anytime without the SELF. It is the SELF which, although does not have

> > shape or form, does not speak, hear or act, which allows the not-SELF to

> > claim existence or speak, hear or act. The not-SELF does the imitation,

>

> The problem is limitation rather that imitation.

>

> > and further claims to be the subject and continuity of itself through

> > all the states. The way to dissect and annihilate the not-SELF (the ego)

> > is to disprove its continuity from state to state and even in one state.

> > If that is done, the ego, the not-SELF that claims to be the subject,

> > would not have a locus and would disintegrate. Thus, rather than implying

> > multiplicity of the not-SELF, the above logic attacks the very existence

> > of the not-SELF.

>

> If it is three different "persons" in the three states, then the

> waking one will have no knowledge of the other two states, and thus

> have no cause to doubt the "reality" of the waking state.

>

 

As I stated two posts ago, the contents of one state are not available to

other states except may be in a blurred fashion. Further, there are enough

causes to doubt the reality of the wake-up state without needing to depend

on the inferences of the other states(although that would be very helpful).

Firstly, there is continuous change and the reality would never change.

Secondly, the Truth is one, non-dual. But what our sense organs perceive

is duality all over. Hence what we perceive is not the Truth. And more

importantly, the MANDUkya kArikA statement "adau ante ca yAn nAsti,

vartamAnepi tat tathA".

> > In the case of statement "I had deep sleep", it is easier to refute it

> > because it is an inferential statement. Statements attributable to the

> > wake-up state like "I acted, I ate..." also lack reality because the

> > very existence of not-SELF is questioned.

>

> Yes, do question the "existence" of the not-Self! The advantage

> of the three states is that each casts doubt upon the validity of

> the other two. The question is then: What is that which is common

> to the three states, upon which they are superimposed? This is

> better than trying to separate the three states, for this lends

> them a reality and importance that they don't deserve: rather direct

> the enquiry away from the states and towards the Self -- neti, neti.

>

 

I do not deny the importance of analysis using the three states. They

indeed serve a very useful purpose of each state casting doubt on the

reality of the other two.

 

Your question is important. We know the answer to it. It is the turIyA,

the fourth state, the one which is witness to the three states. But,

that is the *only* commonality to the three states. There is no worldly

I which is common to the three states. (If there is, I would like to

know what it is). TurIyA, the Consciousness (capital C) is common to all

but that is not worldly or cognitive consciousness. Further, the turIyA,

the Consciousness (capital C) is common not only to the three states but

also to all jeevas. So, what can Gummuluru or Charles (the not-SELF

superposed on that Consciousness) claim as common exclusively to that

individual that is common in all the three states of Gummuluru or

Charles ?

 

I agree that if this logic is taken to its conclusion, the three states

are not there either. Thus, I do not have a clear answer why I am

including the three states in my logic but at the same time denying the

continuity of the jeeva through the three states. Obviously, the three

states do not exist either. Ultimately however, your advice of directing

the enquiry away from the states and toward the SELF is a sage advice

and I would follow that.

> > Why not discard the not-SELF ? Are we closer to the TRUTH by not

> > discarding the not-SELF ?

>

> Who is going to do the discarding? The not-Self does not have the

> power to do so, and the Self has no need to do so. The problem is

> the Self identifying with some limited aspect of the not-Self.

> Only Knowledge is going to remove that identification.

>

> > When SELF alone is all that exists and

> > the not-SELF is just a superposition which just melts away upon

> > removal of ignorance,

>

> All that exists is saguNa brahman: the saguNa is the All and

> brahman is the Existence.

>

> > why do we need to hang on to that perspective

> > of the not-SELF ?

>

> Excellent question! Would you like to try answering it: why does

> Gummuluru need to hang on to the human body? :-)

>

 

"Hanging on" to the human body is *not* hanging on to the not-SELF

perspective. In my view, both are entirely different. The not-SELF

perspective is making the human intellect the subject and looking

at it as the doer of actions and enjoyer of fruits. On the other

hand, the human body is a vehicle for us to use it to discard the

not-SELF perspective. Throughout upanishhads and Shri Shankara's

writings, what is condemned is the not-SELF perspective and not

the human body. Shri Shankara in VC and Atma-bodh and Shri Chandrasekhara

Saraswati of Kanci wrote about the usefulness and precious nature of

the human body.

> I shall append a few extracts from the Pancadashi (Svahananda's

> translation) concerning the identification of the jIva.

>

 

Thanks very much for the Pancadashi extracts. I will try to digest them

first before commenting on them. I would very much appreciate if you

can provide me the full book title, publisher, year and ISBN if

possible so that I can try to get it on the Inter-Library-loan.

> Regards, Charles.

>

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

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An addendum to what I posted early this morning:

 

On Mon, 23 Nov 1998, Gummuluru Murthy wrote:

> Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy

>

> [...]

>

> We seem to have a difference in our perspective here. You are saying

> "It is the SELF which identifies with the not-SELF". I am saying the

> other way "It is the not-SELF that mis-identifies". We both agree with

> the fundamental statement at the top of my last post "SELF pervades all.

> So, there is no entity without the SELF. That is, there is no not-SELF

> anywhere by itself".

>

> Is it the SELF that identifies with the not-SELF or is it the not-SELF

> that mis-identifies with the SELF ? You say it is the former, I say it

> is the latter. Let me give my reasoning why it is the latter. Firstly,

> the SELF does not have to identify with anything. The SELF, in its serene,

> quiet, ever-present and being the only one that is present, does not have

> anything to identify Itself with. The not-SELF, being present, means it

> has not melted away yet [being melted away does not mean the body has

> disappeared, but the thinking - that I am limited by the body - has

> disappeared]. That is, the ego that I am limited by the body and by my

> intellect is still present. Even though the not-SELF has understood that

> it has no basis by itself and that it is the SELF that gives the not-SELF

> the intelligence and the thinking capability, but it is still intellectual

> understanding only for the not-SELF, and not part of that entity. In that

> scenario, it is the not-SELF that is the identifier. The SELF does not

> identify.

>

 

Namaste. I wish to clarify the above point a bit. What I mean to say above

is that it is the not-SELF which *thinks* it is identifying. In reality,

there is no identification or mis-identification process. The SELF is in

its serene state, the not-SELF goes through its imitatations of the SELF

within its own limitations.

 

Regards

Gummuluru Murthy

------

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On Mon, 23 Nov 1998 Gummuluru Murthy <gmurthy wrote:

> Is it the SELF that identifies with the not-SELF or is it the not-SELF

> that mis-identifies with the SELF ?

 

In fact it is mutual superimposition (anyonyAdhyAsa) of Self and

not-Self. See Shankara's introduction to the Brahma Sutras.

> What is the not-SELF component ? The not-SELF component is not the jagat,

> but the perception of the reality of the jagat. The perception of the

> reality of the jagat disappears for the Truth-knower.

 

The not-Self component is that which is transient, which is the

jagat (see BG 2:16 with Shankara's commentary). The jagat is

illusory; taking it as real is delusory. Having different

understandings of the term leads to our mutual misunderstanding.

> Yes. What I am exhorting is to get beyond that ignorance.

 

Beyond that is the Self.

> Firstly, there is continuous change and the reality would never change.

 

Therefore it is the illusory not-Self.

> Secondly, the Truth is one, non-dual. But what our sense organs perceive

> is duality all over.

 

Which is delusory.

> Your question is important. We know the answer to it. It is the turIyA,

> the fourth state, the one which is witness to the three states. But,

> that is the *only* commonality to the three states.

 

How about transience and ignorance?

> "Hanging on" to the human body is *not* hanging on to the not-SELF

> perspective. In my view, both are entirely different. The not-SELF

> perspective is making the human intellect the subject and looking

> at it as the doer of actions and enjoyer of fruits. On the other

> hand, the human body is a vehicle for us to use it to discard the

> not-SELF perspective.

 

The human body means the causal and subtle bodies, not just the physical.

 

You restrict the not-Self to the sense of agency (ahaMkAra).

The jIva comes before that as mutual superimposition: you don't

have continue thinking "I am a man; I am a man; I am a man...",

for it is simply there as a colouring through which we perceive

everything. And the cause of the superimposition is ignorance,

which is simply the failure to know that you are the Self.

 

Its a strange notion to wander through the world not knowing

what you are. :-)

> I would very much appreciate if you

> can provide me the full book title, publisher, year and ISBN if

> possible so that I can try to get it on the Inter-Library-loan.

 

I have two translations:

(1) Pancadasi, tr. Swami Swahananda, Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras,

(2) Panchadashi, tr. H.P.Shastri, Santi Sadan, London.

 

I prefer the former (it is also cheaper), and available from

http://www.vedanta.com/categories.html for $6

http://www.amazon.com/ for $11

http://www.BarnesAndNoble.com/ for $16

 

I suggest that you invest in a copy rather than borrow from a library:

it is not a novel that you read once and discard.

 

Regards, Charles.

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