"The Soul's Journey to its destiny"-Chap 1 summary

[Guest guest]

--- "Madhava K. Turumella" <madhava wrote:

> So I suggest that you rather continue posting

>directly to the list and let all the members read.

> Then let us discuss. dont worry about semantics.

 

Hari OM and Greetings to all fellow members.

 

I am advised to post the summary and here it is

starting with the first chapter. The structure of each

posting "A-B-C-D" is as follows:

 

Part A: Synopsis So far (except this first one where

there will be a brief intro)

Part B: Chapter Summary

Part C: What comes after this posting - in brief

Part D: My own Queries if any.

 

Summary of Swami Ashokaananda (RK Mutt Order)Book on

"The Soul's Journey to its destiny"

published by Advaita Ashrama, Himalayas

 

OM Namo Narayana!

 

Part A: Intro: Swami Ashokananda was in charge of

Vedanta Society from 1932 till his Samadhi in 1969.

The book is an edited version of his lectures in 1953

at San Francisco. The book explains the vedantic

concept of the origin of human being , his

constitution, the causes behind his present state of

existence, his development, and his ultimate

fulfillment. Many of the theoratical aspects of

Vedanta and their practical application to everyday

life are well explained.

 

The 8 chapters are as below:

 

1) What makes a man

2) The mysterious ways of the mind.

3) Why we are what we are

4) The Soul's journey to its destiny

5) The birth and death of ego

6) The unconscious and the superconscious

7) Significance and importance of the conscious mind

8) "Kundalini" & the awakening of Higher Consciousness

 

Part B: WHAT MAKES A MAN

 

Man is made up of 3 entities: Body, Mind and Spirit.

Human Body is not only matter but also subject to

change around it such as temperature, pressure etc

(within a narrow range). The origin of the body is

from parents. But mind itself is not derived from

parents; otherwise there would be no change in the

mind during all the generations in a family tree.

 

Mind is of 2 parts- conscious and unconscious. Soul or

spirit is Jivatma. Then how is that these 3 separate

elements (Body matter, mind and spirit) come together?

 

While the universal soul or God is pure, the jivatma

being associated and dependent on Body matter and mind

has some kind of weakness or limitations unlike

universal soul which has no limitations. This

contradiction is Maya or avidya. It is this

involvement that gives a sense of self identity. The

soul also is not derived from parents but from

Godhood. So again, how is that these 3 are together?

 

Where does the soul come from and where does it go

when the body "expires"? What then happens to the

mind? Does it also expire or does it go with the

individual soul? So what are we-humans- The spirit or

mind or Body?

 

To explain the man's body we need to explain the

origin of "matter". Then it becomes a metaphyscial

explanation. Consciousness (caitanya) is a principle

that does not require to be proved, but is itself the

proof of everything else i.e. it is self existent.

e.g. Sun does need a candle to be seen, its own light

reveals it and illumines other things as well.

 

There is a principle of parallelism between the

individual and universal. In the world of matter there

are many little islands of matter which are both

autonomous and interdependent e.g. body & matter

external to it. Similarly relationship between life

and soul has its own autonomy. This means a

relationship between subject and object, if the

subject is individual and the object is the universe.

 

So in "one-sided" versions of philosophy the subject

controls the object. e.g.God made this world, he put

life into it, he made mind, he made man-end of story.

i.e. you explain man as a product of external process.

This means there is no autonomy.

 

The Vednatic view is different. It is based on

autonomy and parallelism. First there is this

Universal spirit or all pervading consciousness "

Nirguna Brahma (NB)", which is limitless, infinite,

undifferentiated and absolute consciousness. It can be

spoken of only negatively- "not this, not this". If

you don't, you are starting with a part.

 

Next step is Isvara (Lord/ ruler). This is made up of

infinite number of efflugent souls, even before

creation has started. All this process is "as it were"

(iva), not really happening. This assumption is

important because "infinite" cannot be broken up and

counted. This is then a degradation or transformation

or dilution. This "as it were" principle develops into

maya or avidya resulting eventually into an objective

world with apparent plurality, divison and variety.

 

The objective world consists of 5 senses, which are

themselves from 5 principles (panchaboothas). Ether

(Akasa), Air, Fire, water and earth. From this mixture

of 5 principles, several things come about. On the

subject side it is Intelligence, Mind, Ego, Sense of

perception, sense of action etc. On the objects side,

there are objects and matter as perceived by the

subject's senses.

 

Now between body and spirit (which is consciousness)

there is mind which is partly allied into the knower

and partly with the knowable. due to maya, there is

one universal cosmic intelligence, cosmic mind and

cosmic vitality (prana).

 

So from isvara we come to next stage "Sutrama" or

thread soul or Hiranyagharba (golden womb). The

concrete world is still in the womb. All this happens

with the absolute consciousness (NB) still being

there- not gone because it is all "as it were". The

next level of dilution or degradation is gross

universe or "virat" (the vast one). Simultaneously the

individual souls formed at "isvara" stage now become

"visva" (the whole). By this it is meant, that which

is contained in the vast universe is also contained in

the individual; the idea of macrocasm and microcasm.

There is the principle of parallelism operating here.

 

In the final stage, the body matter, mind and soul

become individuals but then how can 3 dissimilar

principles come together? It is possible in a dream,

in illusion where everything is possible.

 

So where does the soul come from and where does it go?

This is explained by reincarnation. The soul

associated with the mind, departs this body goes to

the "other" side, waits and again gets into a physical

body matter.

 

To conclude: There is no true objective world. All

things are related to your own condition. You have a

choice of being gross with its identification with the

material world or realize yourself and be spiritual.

 

Part C: What all comes next:

How our mind works and operates, What is the reason

for different people having different lifestyles and

fortunes even if we are from one origin, How does the

soul exactly move about from start to finish, What is

the role of ego or self identity, What are unconscious

and superconscious parts of the mind and how it is

linked to one mind in the universe, Why we should

focus on conscious mind as first step towards

purification and Finally an empiriacl and practical

"demo" of all these principles, in our own body via

"Kundalini" yoga. This and much more to follow..

(excuse me- I cannot hide my marketing backgound)

 

Part D: Personal queries (not from the book)

1) Was all this knowledge "revaled" in one go like

Koran or was it in small doses in different Vedas and

then edited by "Vyasa" in vedanta?

2)The whole theory hangs on one major assumption "as

it were". What is the proof?

3) Did Hindus start with this theory which is really

mind blowing or did it evolve from previous theories?

 

Hari OM and thanks for your patience.

My aplogies for any typing mistakes or errors in

grammar.

P.B.V.Rajan E-mail: rajanpbv

(Prathivadhi Bayankaram Varadha Rajan)

 

 

 

 

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