Anthakaranashudhi - Knowlege alone helps

[Guest guest]

“INSATIABLE APPETITE OF THE SEVENTH JAR”

 

(BY Hemprabha Chauhan, as appeared in

 

The Times of India “Speaking Tree”

 

Once there was a messenger walking past a tree, heard a voice say: “Will

you accept seven jars full of gold?” The messenger looked around but could see

no one. The offer was too good to refuse, so he cried aloud: “Yes, I shall

accept the seven jars.” At once the voice replied, “Go home, I have carried the

jars to your house.”

 

The messenger ran home and when he entered the house he saw the jars and

found that except one all the jars were brimming with gold coins. But why was

the seventh jar empty? He became obsessed with the desire to fill the seventh

jar also, for otherwise, his happiness would be incomplete. So he converted all

his ornaments into gold coins and put them in the seventh jar but the mysterious

vessel was as before, empty. Exasperated, the messenger starved himself and his

family, saved more money and tried to fill the jar, but it remained as before.

He requested the king for a pay hike. His salary was doubled. He saved more, and

into the jar his savings went; but the greedy jar showed no sign of filling up.

Begging, cheating, stealing, he acquired more gold that went into the insatiable

cavity of the jar. Still the jar remained empty and unfulfilled.

 

Seeing his plight, the king asked him: “When your pay was half of what you

get now, you were happy, cheerful and contented, but double that pay, I see you

morose, care-worn and dejected. What is the matter? Have you got the seven

jars?” Taken aback by his question, the messenger confessed to the king.

 

The king said: “Don’t you know what happens to the person to whom the

Yaksha consigns the seven jars? He offered me also the same jars, but I asked

him whether this money could be spent or it was merely to be hoarded. No sooner

had I asked this question than the Yaksha disappeared.”

 

The king advised the messenger to return the jars to the Yaksha. So the

messenger returned to the haunted tree and said, “Take back your gold, O

Yaksha.” When he went home, he found that the seven jars had vanished as

mysteriously as they had appeared. And with it had also vanished his life’s

savings.

 

IGNORANCE BREEDS DESIRE AND DESIRE PROMPTS US TO ACTIONS, good and bad.

Good actions bring punya making us eligible for enjoyable experiences. Bad

actions cause papa or sin, subjecting us to suffering and sorrow. BOTH, HOWEVER,

ARE BONDAGES OF THE JIVA and cause us repeated birth and death with enjoyments

and sufferings intermingles according to our deeds.

 

To overcome ignorance and desire, the Gita propounds the doctrine of

Nishkama Karma – work without desire for the fruits of action. When there is

total surrender and work is done without desire, we receive God’s grace.

 

Desires arise from illusion and ignorance. Philosophers have pointed out

that the problem of illusion coexists with a state of ignorance. But when we are

illumined, the ignorance vanishes. If one were to honestly report the

experiences of the world, one would say, “All these things are mere shadows”,

Swami Vivekananda once wrote in a letter, “Everything in the Universe appears to

me now like pictures hanging on the walls of a room.”

 

To a person who has attained that state, the entire universe is a

two-dimensional affair; there is no concrete reality; just shadows.

 

And even these, after a time, become obliterated. So desire nothing but

God. Work honestly, without desire. This world is good so far as t helps one

access the higher world. Otherwise all ends in illusion and ignorance.

 

** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **** * *

 

 

 

After going through the above article, I thought I would add a few points.

 

GREED creates anthakarana ashudhi, and greed also leads to other negative

qualities such as anger, competition, miserliness, jealous, etc. Ignorance

causes Greed and so for removal of ignorance, Knowledge alone is required.

Neither action, nor any performance of rituals etc. will be of much help.

 

As knowledge takes place, slowly but definitely one gets freed from the clutches

of shad urmies. Contentment shines with no effort in one who has self-knowledge.

 

With regard to desires, what exactly required is to drop desires to be happy or

to attain happiness. There is nothing wrong in expecting a result from an

action, and moreover if there is no expectation of a result for an action,

action itself will not be possible, nor it can it be done efficiently. To desire

happiness or to be happy on getting the expected action is illegitimate. My

happiness depends on results of my action is a wrong conclusion, and if action

is undertaken not with this expectation, it means nishkama karma.

 

I am open for correction of my understanding.

 

Hari Om

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

advaitin, "R.S.MANI" <r_s_mani> wrote:

>

> After going through the above article, I thought I would add a few

points.

>

> GREED creates anthakarana ashudhi, and greed also leads to other

negative qualities such as anger, competition, miserliness, jealous,

etc. Ignorance causes Greed and so for removal of ignorance,

Knowledge alone is required. Neither action, nor any performance of

rituals etc. will be of much help.

>

 

Namaste Maniji,

 

With due respect, I am a little puzzled by this. While knowledge

alone can dispel ignorance, imho, knowledge cannot dawn where the

inner equipment is not ready (purified).

 

AntahkaraNa shuddhi is a preparation for self-knowledge. This shuddhi

is to be developed through nishkama karma. I believe the shad urmies

can be overcome by practicing positive virtues (humility, charity,

contentment, compassion, etc.) and through nishkama karma.

 

Please feel free to correct my understanding.

 

Harih Om!

Neelakantan

[Guest guest]

Dear Neelkantanji & All,

 

 

 

Sri Neelkantanji said:

 

<<< AntahkaraNa shuddhi is a preparation for self-knowledge. This shuddhi is to

be developed through nishkama karma. I believe the shad urmies can be overcome

by practicing positive virtues (humility, charity, contentment, compassion,

etc.) and through nishkama karma. >>>>

 

 

 

There is a funny saying in Tamil:

 

“Paithiyam ponal than kalyanam mudiyum, kalyanam mudinthal than paithiyum pokum”

– i.e. Till a mad man is cured of his madness, he cannot get married, and

madness cannot be cured unless he gets married.

 

It is a very funny situation. In such a situation what one should do?

 

Let us understand what anthakarana shudhi is. In my opinion anthakarana in

absolute terms is shudha only, as it is Atma. We do not have to purify it by

practicing positive virtues and nishkarma karma etc. When you wash a cloth, you

are removing the dirt and not making the cloth clean. Similarly, by dropping all

negative values, anthakarana gets “purified” itself. The negative values such as

kama, krotha, lobha, mada, moha, matsarya need to be addressed. How they have

come about? We did not do anything and we also did not invite them? Without

one’s permission and knowledge they have entered into us. They are the results

of ignorance about one’s self. Nobody wants to be angry. But anger does take

place and it does not ask our permission. Why does it happen? Similar is the

case with other negative values. In fact, all ethic/moral values and dharma are

in built in our system. However, they are unable to express themselves, because

the negative values slowly encroached and cover these

positive values/virtues etc. In my opinion we do not have to cultivate/practice

positive virtues. On the other hand, we should uproot the negative values that

are covering the positive values. We are all under the influence of greed and

fear, i.e. greed to be somebody and fear to be nobody. Once we recognize our

real swaroopa, which the sastras say is “Poornam” and “sat chit ananda” i.e.

immortal and happiness itself, how greed or fear can disturb you. Kena Upanishad

says:

 

“atmana vindate veeryam” i.e. one’s budhi’s ability to discriminate, between

what is good for one (between shreyas and preyas) becomes very strong.

 

Of course, we should approach Advaita Vedanta with a totally unbiased budhi,

i.e. with total sradha in the srutivakyas and guruvakyas. (“Sradhavan labhate

gnaanam”)

 

I feel for enquiring into the Self, what is needed is one’s Sradha with total

commitment. As one proceeds in the enquiry, all the virtues take place in him

without his even knowing, provided, he approaches the enquiry with a totally

unbiased budhi/mind.

 

In this connection, “detachment” is always emphasized. As the enquiry proceeds,

one slowly but definitely, comes to know that since in reality there is no

attachment, no detachment is possible/nor necessary. Is it necessary for

detaching oneself from his shadow or is it possible? If one’s shadow falls on a

dirty ditch or on a newly bought costly carpet, what difference it makes.

Self-knowledge reveals to one that one should “ignore” the shadow. Similarly, if

we start “ignoring” the mind, which is nothing but a shadow, both the positive

and negative tendencies will not have much say on us. Positive tendencies are

equally an obstacle for self-knowledge, as they lead to ego appraisal.

Self-knowledge reveals to one that all vyvaharas are taking place in the

“shadow” level. So, one should be able to be indifferent to them, as one is

totally at rest or in peace, as he knows in reality he is pure consciousness

only or sat chit and ananda.

 

As for Nishkama karma, what I understand is any karma done not for one’s

happiness or to be happy, amounts to Nishkama karma. Generally karma or action

is always connected with one’s happiness. All our pursuits are for happiness or

to be happy. This, I think, is not correct, as happiness is one’s swaroopa, and

one cannot get it by any action. Neelakantanji, I am saying all these only to

make my understanding clear, and I welcome your views and the views of our

respected members of this group on whatever little I said.

 

Warm regards & Hari Om

 

 

 

 

Neelakantan <pneelaka wrote:

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

advaitin, "R.S.MANI" <r_s_mani> wrote:

>

>

>

>

>

> Dear Neelkantanji & All,

>

>

> Let us understand what anthakarana shudhi is. In my opinion

anthakarana in absolute terms is shudha only, as it is Atma. We do

not have to purify it by practicing positive virtues and nishkarma

karma etc. When you wash a cloth, you are removing the dirt and not

making the cloth clean. Similarly, by dropping all negative values,

anthakarana gets "purified" itself. The negative values such

as kama,

krotha, lobha, mada, moha, matsarya need to be addressed. How they

have come about? We did not do anything and we also did not invite

them? Without one's permission and knowledge they have entered

into

us. They are the results of ignorance about one's self. Nobody

wants

to be angry. But anger does take place and it does not ask our

permission. Why does it happen? Similar is the case with other

negative values. In fact, all ethic/moral values and dharma are in

built in our system. However, they are unable to express themselves,

because the negative values slowly encroached and cover these

> positive values/virtues etc. In my opinion we do not have to

cultivate/practice positive virtues. On the other hand, we should

uproot the negative values that are covering the positive values. We

are all under the influence of greed and fear, i.e. greed to be

somebody and fear to be nobody. Once we recognize our real swaroopa,

which the sastras say is "Poornam" and "sat chit

ananda" i.e.

immortal and happiness itself, how greed or fear can disturb you.

Kena Upanishad says:

>

> "atmana vindate veeryam" i.e. one's budhi's ability

to

discriminate, between what is good for one (between shreyas and

preyas) becomes very strong.

>

 

Namaste Maniji,

 

"avirodhitayaa karma na avidyaam vinivartate|

vidyaavidyaam nihantyeva tejas timira sangavat||" - atmabodhah 3

(Action being unaopposed to ignorance, cannot lead to its

destruction. Knowledge destroys ignorance as light darkness)

 

Bhagavatpada makes it clear that it is by knowledge alone ignorance

is destroyed. But when does this happen?

 

If one knows his real "swaroopa", one is already realized and hence

there is no question of any sadhana. There is no need for action. For

others, the real "swaroopa" is not seen or understood.

 

"dhoomenavriyate vanhi yatha darsho malena ca|

yatholbenaavrto garbah tatha tenetamaavrtam||" Gita 3.38

(As fire is envoloped by smoke, as a mirror is covered with dust, as

a foetus by the womb, so is this (wisdom) covered by that (desire or

anger)

 

So the real swaroopa is covered by ignorance. All sadhana therefore

is to be directed at removing the dirt. While washing only removes

the dirt, it does require effort. This effort, I understand, is the

sadhana catushtayam Sankaraachaarya talks about - viveka, vairagya,

shamadi shatka sampatti and mumukshutvam.

 

My position is this. I understand that action cannot dispel

ignorance. Only knowledge can. But I cannot but act.

 

"nahi kashcit kshaNamapi jaatu tishThatyakarma krt|

Kaaryate hyavashah karma sarva prakrtijair guNaih||" Gita 3.5

(None can remain even for a second without acting. Everyone is made

to act, helplessly, by the guNas born out of prakrti)

 

"yastvindriyaaNi manasaa niyamyaarahbaterjuna|

karmendriyaih karma yogam asaktah sa vishiShyate|| Gita 3.7

(Whoever engages his organs of action in karma yoga, controlling the

senses by the mind, without attachment, he excels)

 

As long as I am under the sway of vaasanaas, I am compelled to act.

But the problem is that action (with selfish motives) leads to more

vaasanas. The only way out is karma yoga. The choice for me is only

in the attitude, not in whether or not to act.

 

On the other hand, I feel you are talking from a higher plane. Again

to quote the Gita,

 

"yastvaatmaratireva syaat aatmatrptashca maanavah|

aatmanyevaca santushTah tasya kaaryam na vidyate|| Gita 3.17

(But the man who only rejoices in the self, is satisfied with the

self and who is content in the self alone, for him ther is nothing to

be done indeed)

>

> I feel for enquiring into the Self, what is needed is one's

Sradha

with total commitment. As one proceeds in the enquiry, all the

virtues take place in him without his even knowing, provided, he

approaches the enquiry with a totally unbiased budhi/mind.

>

> In this connection, "detachment" is always emphasized. As

the

enquiry proceeds, one slowly but definitely, comes to know that since

in reality there is no attachment, no detachment is possible/nor

necessary. Is it necessary for detaching oneself from his shadow or

is it possible? If one's shadow falls on a dirty ditch or on a

newly

bought costly carpet, what difference it makes. Self-knowledge

reveals to one that one should "ignore" the shadow.

Similarly, if we

start "ignoring" the mind, which is nothing but a shadow,

both the

positive and negative tendencies will not have much say on us.

Positive tendencies are equally an obstacle for self-knowledge, as

they lead to ego appraisal. Self-knowledge reveals to one that all

vyvaharas are taking place in the "shadow" level. So, one

should be

able to be indifferent to them, as one is totally at rest or in

peace, as he knows in reality he is pure consciousness only or sat

chit and ananda.

>

 

Maniji, here again, I feel you are talking from the point of view of

a realized person.

 

I appreciate these as concepts only at this point. They make sense to

me, but I am nowhere near experiencing them. They motivate me to

think of moksha, but I am shackled in the vyavaharic world. So the

question remains. How do I go about it? You say that there is nothing

to be done. I respectfully disagree. As long as I am ignorant, my

intellect is the tool I have to do self-inquiry. My body and mind are

the tools to develop positve values. Yes, I do think that there is a

need to develop positive values. In a garden, we can keep removing

the weeds, but they keep coming back. On the other hand, if we plant

and nurture roses, and not nurture the weeds, the weeds will starve.

Similarly, if we feed only the positive thoughts, the negative ones

will wither and die. And to overcome attachment, we can attach to the

highest so that the lower attachments weaken and fall off.

 

Nothing new is gained realization. We are only ridding ourselves of

the dirt. But this requires varying degrees of effort, depending on

the extent of the dirt.

 

I agree that positive values can lead to ego-stroking. But when I am

struggling to overcome negative tendencies, I need practice positve

virtues. Just as a pole-vaulter needs the pole to rise above the bar,

but must discard the pole at the right moment to clear the bar and

soar above it, so must we use virtues to fight vices, but ultimately

go beyond both. We must cultivate sattva to rise above tamas and

rajas, but must go beyond sattva also ultimately.

 

Juat my understanding, of course. I invite corrections.

 

Harih Om!

Neelakantan