Terminology of Advaita Vedanta - Some Key Words with Meanings

[Guest guest]

Terminology of Advaita Vedanta - Some Key Words with Meanings

 

Source: A Dictionary of Advaita Vedanta, by Swami Harshananda,

Ramakrishna Math, Bangalore, India. (This is an excellent reference

book for everyone interested in Advaita). This is available through

Ramakrishna Mission Publications. To explain Advaita Vedanta, these

words are useful but they are neither necessary nor sufficient! These

terms are specifically chosen to indicate a brief outline of Vedantic

Philosophy.

 

Advaita

 

Advaita means non-dual, one without the second. Specifically, it refers

to the Vedantic philosophy advanced by Sankara. According to Sankara,

Brahman the Absolute is the only reality. Advaita denies the permanent

existence of the world and individual souls.

 

Brahman

Also Atman is described as pure consciousness (also known as sat, cit,

ananda).

 

Jiva

The living being in the state of bondage and undergoing transmigration.

According to Vedanta, the jiva is a reflection of the pure consciousness

through buddhi, the intellect. The bondage is caused by ajnana or

ignorance and jiva can get liberation through jnana or spiritual

knowledge.

 

Vrtti

They are the waves constantly arise in the mind and are obstacles to

yoga or perfect concentration on the Atman or Self. They can be directed

toward Atman through Sadhana in the course of time.

 

Sadhana

Sadhana represents the means of spiritual enlightenment and the four

sadhanas are Viveka (discrimination), vairagya (renunciation),

samadi-satka (the group of six spiritual attributes), and mumukstutva

(desire for liberation).

 

Viveka

Discrimination between real and the unreal.

 

Vairagya

Vairagya represents the spirit of a detachment mostly to the objects of

pleasure.

 

Samadi-satka

Samadi-satka consists of sama (tranquillity), dama (self-control)

uparati (cessation of external organs from the pursuit of

sense-objects), titiksa (endurance), samadhana (concentration), and

sraddha (faith).

 

Mumuksutva

The desire for liberation and is the most important among the four

sadhanas.

 

Sankalpa

Represents the general aspects of the functioning of manas, a resolve of

the type, ‘I will do this,’ ‘I shall have it,’ etc. In Hindu religious

rituals, sankalpa is the statement of the purpose and mode of

performance of a ritual.

 

Yoga

Yoga is the mode of sadhana to keep the mind from vrtti (thouht waves).

The word ‘yoga’ derived from the root yuj has two senses: Samadhi or

superconscious experience through concentration of the mind; yoking or

uniting the individual self with God.

 

Nirguna and Saguna

Guna means quality or attribute and Nirguna means without quality or

attribute. In Advaita Vedanta, the Brahman, the Absolute has no gunas

(qualities or attributes). The dualistic and theistic schools accept the

Brahman with Saguna or full of divine attributes.

 

Nirvikalpaka and Savikalpaka

Vikalpa means distinction between ‘me,’ the Brahman and the world.

Nirvikalpaka means without distinctions.

Savikalpaka means the persistence of the distinction between ‘me,’ and

‘Brahman’ and the world.

 

Samadhi

The total absorption in the object of concentration. In Vedanta the

object is the unity of Atman with Brahman. Samadhi is of two kinds:

savikalpaka and nirvikalpaka. In the savikalpaka samadhi the

consciousness of one’s own personality as distinct from Brahman,

persists, however declined it may be. In the nirvikalpaka state,

however, all awareness of multiplicity including that of oneself as

distinct from Brahman is completely dissolved.

 

Mukti, Mohsa, Kaivalya or Nirvana

The state of freedom or liberation from all bonds due to ajnana

(ignorance) or maya (illusory power). It is characterized by bliss and

cessation of rebirths.

 

Brief Outline of Vedantic Philosophy of Human Life

 

The goal of Vedanta is to help the jiva (human life) to attain mukti.

Jiva’s bondage starts with the vrtti (waves of thoughts in the mind),

for example the sight of a banana. When banana is seen just as a

banana, it denotes the state of nirvikalpaka vrtti. At the state of

savikalpaka vritti, banana is seen with distinct attributes such as

good banana, bad banana, rotten banana, big banana, small banana etc.

The decision to eat and/or taste the banana represents the sankalpa

state. Yoga becomes necessary to get rid of the sankalpa and reprogram

the mind to deny the influence of vrtti. Sadhanas are the essential

components of Yoga and the practice of Yoga helps reach the state of

Samadhi and ultimately mukti.

 

Note: This is just an outline and there are lots of ifs and buts and

they are left for contemplation and for discussion.