A follow-up

[Guest guest]

As a follow-up to my article Sri Tamra asked me clarification relating to

ahankaara, aham Brahmaasmi and Jeevanmukta. I am taking the libety to post

my answer to him.

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ahankaara, at an individual level, is the ego which is the result of

identification with the local or individual equipments; body, mind,

intellect and the individual vaasanaas. ahankaara literally means a notion

that I am the doer. Therefore I am the enjoyer, and these are mine to

enjoy, a notion of mine-ness (mamakaara) - all these follow automatically.

 

When I realize - what do I realize? - I realize I am not an object, I am

the subject I, which is consciousness, existence and Bliss. It includes

everything since everything is in consciousness. If not one cannot be

conscious off. Thus it is a realization that everything is in me but I am

different from everything. Since I am the subject and not an object. If I

am not the object and still I include that only implies that object is just

my projection - Just as the dream objects as well as the dream subjects are

the projection of the waking mind. A waking mind can declare about the

dream creation - they are all in me but I am different from all of them.

The similarity is exact. - This is what was discussed in Mandukya Upanishad

and its kaarika.

 

When I realize that the totality I - the consciousness - pervade

everywhere, then the consciousness is identifying with the total equipments

- individual ahankaara is dissolved at the alter of the total ahankaara -

then is the declaration - I am Brahman - I am the totality- aham Brahmaasmi

- That is the jeevan mukta state.

 

Since there is nothing other than me and everything is me - to whom am I

going to declare that I am the totality. Ultimately it is a realization 'I

am that I am" - the famous biblical statement- Even the statement aham

Brahmaasmi is an objectification of the subjective experience. The

subject-object distinction is dissolved.

 

Jeevanmukta has a passport to both states - He can comedown to the state of

vyavahaara, state of duality for transaction, with the complete knowledge,

that the duality is not reality. Or he can sit down and revel in that

state with no concern of the objective world - sahaja samaadhi. It is like

an actor playing the drama scene. He knows that he is a millionaire and

not a beggar on the street. Yet he can happily play the beggar's role

knowing well that by that very role he is going to make more millions. He

never looses sight of the knowledge that he is an actor and not really the

beggar. He can play the beggar's role better than a real beggar who does

not know who he is!

 

Hence even for the best management, Vedanta declares that ego motivated

action can never be at its best. Best can come out only when there is a

vision of the higher, where the individual ego is dissolved. When I

identify myself with the whole nation, then my actions will be to the best

of the nation than to my individual benefit. Then only the best will come

out of me that benefits the nation. Since there are no individual

conflicts pulling the individual apart dissipating the energy. I become a

true patriot. In fact, I tap the energy from the totality. This was the

story of Mahaatmaa Gandhi, a tiny, puny, old man, walking with a stick,

half teath gone, with no oratory powers, could shake the British Empire in

India with a hand full of salt.

 

Hence identification with the individual equipments is the ahankaara as

individual ego.

Identification with the collective total - is aham Brahmaasmi - that is the

one who has transcended his individual ego while living in this world -

jeevanmukta (liberated while living).

 

Remember after liberation there is no more individual ego left. When the

body of the jeevanmukta performs, it is not the individual that is

performing since 'he' is gone. The "aham Brahmaasmi" is now utilizing the

particular equipments, body, mind and intellect, which was vacated by

individual ego. Jeevanmukta is really a God incarnated - The totality

operating the local equipments for the benefit of the totality. Hence in

Indian tradition, the teacher who is considered as realized soul is

considered as supreme, a God moving on the earth. It is blessing indeed to

come in contact with such a great soul. It is with this understanding a

student prostrates to the teacher.

 

I am taking the liberty to put this in the advaitin list so that others can

enjoy too.

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

 

 

 

 

K. Sadananda

Code 6323

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington D.C. 20375

Voice (202)767-2117

Fax:(202)767-2623

[Guest guest]

So in ascending to non-duality, jeeva says aham; in descending into

duality, jeeva says aham. This is Advanta? I am, he is, she is, it is, All

is? It seems a good practice to remember aham at all times, whether

ignorant of Self or knowing Self. Especially for this jeeva who needs

mantras of few words (simple minded).

Love to all of you,

Tamra

[Guest guest]

>"T. Temple" <joklumji

>

>So in ascending to non-duality, jeeva says aham; in descending into

>duality, jeeva says aham. This is Advanta? I am, he is, she is, it is, All

>is? It seems a good practice to remember aham at all times, whether

>ignorant of Self or knowing Self. Especially for this jeeva who needs

>mantras of few words (simple minded).

>Love to all of you,

>Tamra

 

Descending and ascending are relative to the duality. It is all the time

just aham - that is non-dual. From aham point there is neither descending

nor ascending. From the point of idam (this) all these process have a

relevance. In principle there is no ignorant self. Hence ignorance also

is not real, if it is real it will never go!

 

The truth is as you said it, but put in a different way -

I have ignorance but I am not ignorant. what I have is not me - it is an

object of my knowledge.

 

I have gained knowledge of who I am - is not completely correct either.

 

I am what I am all the time. What I think I am is changed. Now I know my

self as my self and not as non-myself that I take my self to be right now.

 

One yogi declared - I lost my ignorance that I never had!

 

It is like the Keys I never lost, I found them.

 

I do not know if you know the story of the tenth man.

 

Ten dummies crossed the river and had a count after crossing the river.

Everyone counted all other except himself and discovered that the tenth man

is missing. They were in terrible sorrow. Until a wise man saw their

peril and declared that tenth man is safe and crossed the river and is here

and right now. They calmed down hearing the soothing words. But they did

not see the tenth man. They were surprised and many did not believe the

wise man since they counted many times and found only nine. But the

leader of their crew had a faith in the wise man. He knows that wise man

had no stakes in lying and that the tenth man must be around here

somewhere. With that faith he made his crew to assemble again and to

recount - again there were only nine. They looked at the wise man with

expectation to throw some light. The wise man said - you are that - tat

twam asi - You are the person whom you are searching. The wise man knew

how to teach! He produced the tenth man that was never lost.

 

Everyone is searching for happiness - knowing fully well that happiness is

not out there, and it does not come with any object.

 

I am that happiness that I am searching for.

 

Are we more intelligent than those ten dummies!

 

What I am searching for, I am searching with!

 

Knowledge that gets rid of ignorance is also get last leaving just "I"

 

Shankara gives a beautiful analogy in Atma Bodha

 

aJNaana kalusham jeevam

JNaanaabhyaasadvi nirmalam|

kRitvaa JNaanam swayam nasyet

jalam kaTaka renu vat||

 

Jeeva is full with the impurity of ignorance, and can gain his immaculate

purity by true knowledge. Knowledge having destroyed the ignorance, itself

gets destroyed just like kaTaka nut powder added to purify water. In olden

days they used to add this nut powder which acts like alum, coagulates the

suspended impurities, becomes heavy as a slum and sinks to be bottom

leaving pure water which is ever pure.

 

Hari Om!

Sadananda

 

 

 

K. Sadananda

Code 6323

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington D.C. 20375

Voice (202)767-2117

Fax:(202)767-2623