What is NithidhyAsana?

[Guest guest]

I had picked up sometime back through one of the discourses that I

attended (I can't now remember which one) that there are 3 levels of

ignorance:

 

1. I don't know,

2. I don't understand, and

3. I don't have the experience.

 

I was also told that Sravana (Listening) is for removing level 1

ignorance, Manana (reflecting) for level 2 and nithidhyAsana

(meditating) for level 3.

 

I always had a nagging doubt that there were gaps in my understanding

of nithidhyAsana. The doubt arises out of such common sense

considerations:

 

If as I am told my bondage was due to an error of the type involved

in mistaking a rope for a snake, then I could understand that this

error can be removed by listening to an authoritative person (guru)

who sees things more clearly. I could also understand the role of

Manana in situations where I have lingering doubts even after

listening to an authoritative person. Here to remove those doubts, I

may do some self-reflection, or may ask for a few more clarifications

from my Guru or may even reflect a torch light on the 'snake' to make

my knowkedge entirely doubt-free. The role of nithidhyAsana

(experience) in this example, however, was not very clear? I could

never say if the problem was with my understanding of nithidhyAsana

or if it was due to limitations of the rope-snake metaphor.

 

Understanding nithidhyAsana as dhyAna of the type described by

Patanjali did make sense because stilling of mental vrittis/

modifications and thereby having a calm frame of mind can indeed make

one more receptive to sravana and manana. But this appeared to be a

process quite separate from the operation of shabda pramANa which the

scriptures say, is alone required for Moksha. Sometimes nithidhyAsana

is even referred to as 'Direct intuitive experience' arising out of

listening to/ refecting upon the words of the shastra. Sometimes it

is also called 'contemplation' which seems to me like more of manana.

 

I know I have tied myself into knots on something very fundamental.

It can also be due to over analysing things. Would, in any case,

request for help from advaitins.

 

PranAms,

Venkat