The 32 brahma-vidyas of the Upanishad

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

The Divine Life Society, Rishikesh, has published a book [1990]

by Swami Brahmananda, titled " The Supreme Knowledge - revealed

through Vidyas in the Upanishads."

 

In his preface, Swamiji writes:"Scholars who have done some

research work on the subject of vidyas or upasanas in the upanishads,

say that many of the upasna kalpas, texts describing the method of

practice, the procedure to be followed and other practical details

involved in the upasanas, which existed in the past, are not now

readily available. Section 3 of Chapter III of the Brahma Sutras deals

with some of the upasanas of the upanishads and states which of them

though appearing different, should be combined for practice, and which

among them though appearing similar, should be treated as separate

upasanas......This one section of the Brahma Sutras consisting of 66

aphorisms grouped under 36 topics, is wholly devoted to the subject of

upasanas......"

In 1980 or so Sw. Krishnanandaji asked him to collect all the

vidyas in the 13 major upanishads and write a short account on each

vidya. The book list 101 vidyas, and lists the history of previous

compilations of 32 vidyas based on Sri Ramanujacharya's commentaries

on the Brahma Sutras and Gita. " The guidance of one's own spiritual

Guru is a must to 'practise' many of the mystical vidyas.".....

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin, stevenfair wrote:

> My friends,

>

> Today, doing some research on the Internet, I came across the

following explication

> of the 32 brahma-vidyas of the Upanishad.

>

> Could someone please explain to me in what sense the word

> "meditation" is used in these examples? Are these "things

> to be thought on," that is, revelations of the divine nature

> that we are to contemplate and adore in our love of God, or

> does the mediation referred to here perhaps indicate more

> yogic forms of meditation involving breathing and other

> forms of bodily self-control?

>

> Please forgive my ignorace in asking what may be obvious,

> but even as descriptions, these "meditations" sound most

> inspiring. As the Psalmist sang: "I will sing unto the

> Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I

> have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will

> be glad in the Lord."

>

> With gratitude for your help,

> Steve

>

> The 32 brahma-vidyas of the Upanishads

> The various meditations on Brahman (God, the Absolute)

> taught in the Vedanta.

>

> 1. Sad Vidya -- Brahman as the ground of all being

> Chhandogya Upanishad, VI

> 2. Antaraaditya Vidya -- Brahman as the Inner Controller

> of the Sun

> Chhandogya Upanishad, I.vi.6

> 3. Akasa Vidya -- Brahman as the Cosmic Ether

> Chhandogya Upanishad, I.ix.1

> 4. Prana Vidya -- Brahman as the Vital Breath

> Chhandogya Upanishad, I.xi.5

> 5. Paramjyoti Vidya -- Brahman as the Supreme Splendor

> Chhandogya Upanishad, III.xiii.7

> 6. Sandilya Vidya -- Meditation as taught by Sandilya

> Chhandogya Upanishad, III.xiv.7

> 7. Upakosala Vidya -- Meditation as taught to Upakosala

> Chhandogya Upanishad, IV.x

> 8. Vaisvaanara Vidya -- Brahman as the Universal Being

> Chhandogya Upanishad, V.xi

> 9. Bhuma Vidya -- Brahman as the Great One

> Chhandogya Upanishad, VII

> 10. Satyakaama Vidya -- Meditation as taught to

> Satyakaama Jaabaala

> Chhandogya Upanishad, IV.iv

> 11. Dahara Vidya -- Brahman as the Imperceptible Ether

> within the Heart

> Chhandogya Upanishad, VIII

> 12. Madhu Vidya -- Brahman as Honey

> Chhandogya Upanishad, III.i

> 13. Samvarga Vidya

> Chhandogya Upanishad, IV.iii

> 14. Gayatri Vidya -- Brahman as the Holy Gayatri Mantra

> Chhandogya Upanishad, III.xii

> 15. Panca Agni Vidya -- The Meditation of the Five Fires

> Chhandogya Upanishad, V.iii to x.

> 16. Akshi Vidya -- Brahman as being present within the

> Eye

> Chhandogya Upanishad, IV.xv.1

> 17. Antaryaami Vidya -- Brahman as the Inner Controller

> Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad, III.vii

> 18. Akshara Vidya -- Brahman as the Imperishable

> Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad, III.viii.8

> 19. Jyotishaam jyotir Vidya -- Brahman as the Light of

> Lights

> Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad, IV.iv.16

> 20. Maitreyi Vidya -- Meditation as taught by Yajnavalkya

> to his wife Maitreyi

> Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad, II.iv

> 21. Sarvaantaraatmaa Vidya -- Brahman as the Inner Self

> of All

> Brhadaaranyaka Upanishad, III.iv

> 22. Anandamaya Vidya -- Brahman as the Self consisting of

> Bliss

> Taittiriya Upanishad, Anandavalli

> 23. Vaaruni Vidya -- Meditation as taught by the god

> Varuna

> Taittiriya Upanishad, Bhriguvalli

> 24. Nyaasa Vidya -- Self-surrender

> Taittiriya Narayanam, 49-52

> 25. Paramapurusha Vidya -- Brahman as the Supreme Person

> Katha Upanishad, I.iii

> 26. Naciketa Vidya -- Meditation with the Naciketa fire

> Katha Upanishad, I.ii

> 27. Angushta-pramita Vidya -- Brahman as resident within

> the Heart, of the size of the Thumb

> Katha Upanishad, II.iv.12

> 28. Paryanka Vidya -- Brahman as the highest God seated

> in the Supreme Abode

> Kaushitaki Upanishad, I

> 29. Pratardana Vidya -- Meditation as taught to

> Pratardana by the god Indra

> Kaushitaki Upanishad, III

> 30. Baalaaki Vidya -- Meditation as taught to Baalaaki

> Kaushitaki Upanishad, IV

> 31. Aksharapara Vidya -- Meditation on the Imperishable

> Mundaka Upanishad, I

> 32. Isavasya Vidya -- Meditation as taught in the

> Isavasya Upanishad

> Isavasya Upanishad

[Guest guest]

Namaste Stevens:

 

Thanks for sharing your Internet research focusing on the Upanishadic

thoughts on Brahma Vidyas. The question: "What is Meditation?" is

trivial and the answer is quite simple. Meditation is an effortless

state where all actions cease! The seeker who wants to reach this

liberated state does not know how to proceed? The masters of

meditation, the great sages who wrote the Upanishads have given us

elaborate instructions on how we can slowly train the mind. They

provided various techniques by which our thoughts can be brought into

complete harmony until all thoughts cease. Bhagavad Gita elaborates

the Upanishadic thoughts using conversational style using the question

and answer format. Gita beautifully motivates the reader to listen to

the conversation between the Lord and the Devotee. Gita can be

considered as a manual for Meditation. Specific discussion on

Meditation can be traced in the following verses of Gita:

 

Chapter II Verses 14, 15, 38. (Detachment)

Chapter V Verses 22-24, 26, 28 (Karma Yoga )

Chapter VI Verses 3-7, 10-14, 16, 17, 19, 24-27. (Karma Yoga - Another

Dimension)

Chapter XII Verse 13-19. (Bhakti Yoga)

Chapter XIV Verses 22-25. (Jnana Yoga)

 

In addition to these verses, numerous other verses of Gita implicitly

describes meditation and it is not incorrect if I say that the entire

focus of Gita is on Meditation! We can't understand Meditation

without knowing the fundamentals of Yoga. Gita implicitly states that

we have become a Yogi if we want to reach the seat of meditation. The

Upanishads and also Gita do not consider meditation as a physical

exercise by controlled breathing.

 

Gita essentially focuses on spiritual aspects with the aim to cease

the process of thinking. Meditation is not a separate `action' and it

is always embodied in every action that the Yogi performs

spontaenously. A Karmayogi or a Bhaktiyogi or a Jnanayogi is always

in `deep meditation.' Meditation is only possible for the Yogi with

the stable mind (stithaprajna).

 

Meditation is an expression of pure and total devotion to the Lord

(SELF). The example often sited is the burning of the lamp. When the

lamp is set in a place where the air is absolutely still, the flame

does not flicker. This is pure burning without an iota of smoke. A

devotee in pure meditation of the Lord will be burning his/her vasanas

(accumulated images or thoughts) and gets the vision of the Lord

(SELF). A karmayogi who performs all actions spontaneously without

looking for rewards will be in meditation and he/she will be burning

the vasanas to experience the Brahman.

 

Chapter 5 describes the importance of controlling one's mind. Final

liberation lies near to those seekers who control their mind, who

cast off desire and passion and who know themselves. With senses,

mind and intellect ever under control, absorbed in the pursuit of

final liberation, the sage, free from desire, fear and anger, is,

indeed, already liberated. (Chapter 5 Verse 28). When a man feels no

craving for the objects of sense or for being engaged in activities

therefor, and his mind is free of all such plans of action, then he

is said to be confirmed in the practice of Yoga.(Chapter 5 Verse 14).

Let one raise the Self by the Self and not let the Self within become

weak; the Self is, indeed, the only friend, but the Self is also its

own enemy. (Chapter 5 Verse 15). He who has conquered himself by

self-control finds a friend in himself; but he becomes verily his own

worst enemy if he has not learnt to govern himself. (Chapter 5 Verse

16). The transfigured Self of him who has attained self-control and

equanimity is unruffled in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, honor

and disgrace. (Chapter 5 Verse 17). The Karma Yoga aspects of

Meditation can also be traced in chapter 6. The Bhakti Yoga aspects of

Meditation are shown in chapter 12.

 

Swami Chinmayananda beautifully summarizes meditation as follows:

"Processes to meditation is not meditation. Truly speaking, meditation

can never be a verb. It is always a noun. As long as it is a verb,

that is, as long as we are trying to meditate, i is only a sAdhana

(spiritual practice). When we reach the sAdhya (the end or goal) it

becomes a noun." (Source: Chapter 18: The Art of Meditation, page 99,

"Mind, our Greatest Gift," The Mananam Series, Chinmaya Publications)

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

> advaitin, stevenfair wrote:

> > My friends,

> >

> > Today, doing some research on the Internet, I came across the

> following explication

> > of the 32 brahma-vidyas of the Upanishad.

> >

> > Could someone please explain to me in what sense the word

> > "meditation" is used in these examples? Are these "things

> > to be thought on," that is, revelations of the divine nature

> > that we are to contemplate and adore in our love of God, or

> > does the mediation referred to here perhaps indicate more

> > yogic forms of meditation involving breathing and other

> > forms of bodily self-control?

> >

> > Please forgive my ignorace in asking what may be obvious,

> > but even as descriptions, these "meditations" sound most

> > inspiring. As the Psalmist sang: "I will sing unto the

> > Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I

> > have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will

> > be glad in the Lord."

> >

> > With gratitude for your help,

> > Steve

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote:

> Namaste Stevens:

>

> Thanks for sharing your Internet research focusing on the

Upanishadic

> thoughts on Brahma Vidyas. The question: "What is

Meditation?" is

> trivial and the answer is quite simple. Meditation is an

effortless

> state where all actions cease! The seeker who wants to

reach this

> liberated state does not know how to proceed? The masters

of

> meditation, the great sages who wrote the Upanishads have

given us

> elaborate instructions on how we can slowly train the

mind. They

> provided various techniques by which our thoughts can be

brought into

> complete harmony until all thoughts cease. Bhagavad Gita

elaborates

> the Upanishadic thoughts using conversational style using

the question

> and answer format. Gita beautifully motivates the reader

to listen to

> the conversation between the Lord and the Devotee. Gita

can be

> considered as a manual for Meditation. Specific

discussion on

> Meditation can be traced in the following verses of Gita:

>

 

<big snip!>

> warmest regards,

>

> Ram Chandran

 

Blessings, my friend! Your answer has been so helpful, (as

was the previous post by Sunder.) to my question. Again and

again I am struck by the spiritual riches and depth that you

have in your wonderful tradition.

 

When the grasping mind has been quenched, then all material

thought and action cease -- but what this reveals is not a

blank, or oblivion, but the radiant Mind, resplendent in its

own glory and goodness. How wonderful we can awaken to

This!

 

Until the full awakening, the journey sometimes seems long,

does it not? Truly, we live each moment by the grace of our

Beloved, and the immortal cravings we feel draw us ever

home.

 

I came across this Psalm this morning, and it sang to my

heart:

 

"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul

thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and

thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy

glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy

lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise

thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up

my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with

marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with

joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate

on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my

help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. "

(Psalm 63)

 

With gratitude for all who seek the Light,

Steve