Sanyaasa -Nidhidhyaasana, etc.

[Guest guest]

Hari OM! - I glanced through some of the discussions and a question was

raised regarding the sanyaasa, nidhidhyaasana, etc -

 

Here is my understanding.

 

First from Classical Advaita position:

 

There are two positions that were taken by advaitic masters.

1. Sanyaasa Ashrama is compulsory for self -realization.

 

2. Sanyaasa Ashrama is helpful but not compulsory.

 

However, both schools of thought state that sanyaasa is essential for

self-realization. It is the renunciation of notions that 1) I am a

jiiva, 2) This is jagat and 3) there is an Iswara who is the ruler of

the two.

 

Only by renunciation of the wrong notions one can gain the knowledge of

the reality that is brahma aatma aikyatva jnaanam - identity of Brahman

and jiiva - in the process of that identity the concept of jagat, the

reality associated with the world, and the concept of creator of the

apparent world all dissolve into one - that Brahman that I am.

 

Now some aachaaryaas insist that one cannot renounce these notions of

jagat when we are surrounded by what Swami Paramaarthanandaji calls as

PORT -

P= possessions (material at the gross level)

 

O = Obligations or duties - family, social - all notional - where

saadhak keeps worrying about how he is going to fulfill.

 

R=Relations - every relation requires constant interaction that

dissipates the mind and causes distraction.

 

T = Transactions - or vyavahaara - planning, executing and expecting -

giving rise to raga and dwesha or likes and dislikes.

 

Sanyaasa Ashrama is defined as that which keeps all these to a minimum.

- he is parivraajaH - who moves around renouncing all the above four.

 

Since renunciation is essential for recognition of the truth, some

aachaarayas insist that sanyaasa Ashrama is essential.

 

But many other aachaarayas including Shree Vidyaranya state that Ashrama

is not necessary but it is conducive for nidhidhyaasana.

 

What is essential for self-realization as Shankara points out in his

bhaashhya (see the Brahmasuutra notes on the discussion of suutra I) for

a saadhak to inquire into Brahman is saadhana chatushhTayam or four fold

qualifications.

 

Lord Krishna in the sixth chapter discussions about the sanyaasa. There

it is clearly emphasized that it is mental qualification than physical

renunciation. - tyaagenaike amRitatva maanasuH says the shruti - only

by renunciation, one can reach the immortality.

 

So in principle sanyaasa Ashrama is not essential if one can attain the

four fold qualifications required for Brahman inquiry.

 

Role of Nidhidhyaasana: Nidhidhyaasana is firm abidance in the knowledge

that I am that or aham brahmaasmi. By shravaNa, you gain that knowledge

, jnaana. - By mananam, one gains the conviction of what one has heard

from the teacher - essentially knowledge without any doubts. But even

though one has knowledge, due to habitual thinking one keeps falling

back into the notions - this is the power of the vaasanaas-s. Only way

to get out of this habitual thinking is to keep constantly the mind back

into the correct understanding of what one has understood by shravaNa

and manana - That jnaana nishhTaa is called Nidhidhyaasana - firm

abidance in the knowledge. For that, Sanyaasa Ashrama is helpful. If

GRihasta can do that all the glory to him. All one has to do is minimize

the PORT as minimum as possible. Those of you who have studied the

American parivraaja - Peace Pilgrim - can appreciate how she minimized

her PORT - and also emphasizes the necessity of that. (There are many

articles on Peace Pilgram in the advaitin archieves)

 

What constitutes Nidhidhyaasana - It is not necessarily mean that one

has to sit in a corner and go into nirvikalpa samaadhi - What one is

trying to do is to firmly establish in ones own mind that I am not this,

this but I am - that existence - consciousness without any

qualifications or objectification. It is not lack of experience of

Braham - people say I have knowledge but I am longing for experience -

This is all intellectual but what I am looking for that which is beyond

the intellect - this all means that he has not understood what Brahman

means - he need s to more mananam. - Remember that, as long as I am

longing for it I will never attain it, since in the very process of

longing for it I have decided that it is not with me to start with.

Nidhidhyaasana is therefore constant awareness that I am that

consciousness in which everything is - that arises, sustains and

disappears - that includes all the PORT (see above) are all in my

consciousness that I am. In and through PORT - I am port less. It is not

running away from PORT but play the PORT with attitude of this is all a

play. Nidhidhyaasana therefore is constant awareness of the fact that 'I

am' is not object but a subject where all the objects rise, sustain and

dissolve. The one is who has understood the purpose of life (through

shravaNa and mananam) and recognizes that the only purpose of life is to

attain the highest knowledge of that what one has understood - devotes

and retunes all his activities in that direction directing his mind to

his single pointed goal - that is Nidhidhyaasana. Essentially he is

willing to spend what ever maximum time he has in the thinking only that

which is supreme - this way the habitual thinking in the transactional

reality slowly gets minimized and he slowly gets firmly established in

the knowledge of 'I am'. That jnaana nishhTaa what Bhagavaan Ramana

calls as dRiDaiva nishhTaa – or firm abidance in that knowledge that ‘I

am’ is the result of Nidhidhyaasana where habitual thinking due to force

of vasanaas get sublimated to the single and constant awareness of ‘I

am’.

 

 

Hari OM!

Sadananda

[Guest guest]

Sir,

Unbelievably lucid. Thank you for this post.

praNAms,

Venkat

 

 

On 12/16/05, kuntimaddi sadananda <kuntimaddisada wrote:

>

> Hari OM! - I glanced through some of the discussions and a question was

> raised regarding the sanyaasa, nidhidhyaasana, etc -

>

> Here is my understanding.

>

> First from Classical Advaita position:

>

> There are two positions that were taken by advaitic masters.

> 1. Sanyaasa Ashrama is compulsory for self -realization.

>

> 2. Sanyaasa Ashrama is helpful but not compulsory.

>

> However, both schools of thought state that sanyaasa is essential for

> self-realization. It is the renunciation of notions that 1) I am a

> jiiva, 2) This is jagat and 3) there is an Iswara who is the ruler of

> the two.

>

> Only by renunciation of the wrong notions one can gain the knowledge of

> the reality that is brahma aatma aikyatva jnaanam - identity of Brahman

> and jiiva - in the process of that identity the concept of jagat, the

> reality associated with the world, and the concept of creator of the

> apparent world all dissolve into one - that Brahman that I am.

>

> Now some aachaaryaas insist that one cannot renounce these notions of

> jagat when we are surrounded by what Swami Paramaarthanandaji calls as

> PORT -

> P= possessions (material at the gross level)

>

> O = Obligations or duties - family, social - all notional - where

> saadhak keeps worrying about how he is going to fulfill.

>

> R=Relations - every relation requires constant interaction that

> dissipates the mind and causes distraction.

>

> T = Transactions - or vyavahaara - planning, executing and expecting -

> giving rise to raga and dwesha or likes and dislikes.

>

> Sanyaasa Ashrama is defined as that which keeps all these to a minimum.

> - he is parivraajaH - who moves around renouncing all the above four.

>

> Since renunciation is essential for recognition of the truth, some

> aachaarayas insist that sanyaasa Ashrama is essential.

>

> But many other aachaarayas including Shree Vidyaranya state that Ashrama

> is not necessary but it is conducive for nidhidhyaasana.

>

> What is essential for self-realization as Shankara points out in his

> bhaashhya (see the Brahmasuutra notes on the discussion of suutra I) for

> a saadhak to inquire into Brahman is saadhana chatushhTayam or four fold

> qualifications.

>

> Lord Krishna in the sixth chapter discussions about the sanyaasa. There

> it is clearly emphasized that it is mental qualification than physical

> renunciation. - tyaagenaike amRitatva maanasuH says the shruti - only

> by renunciation, one can reach the immortality.

>

> So in principle sanyaasa Ashrama is not essential if one can attain the

> four fold qualifications required for Brahman inquiry.

>

> Role of Nidhidhyaasana: Nidhidhyaasana is firm abidance in the knowledge

> that I am that or aham brahmaasmi. By shravaNa, you gain that knowledge

> , jnaana. - By mananam, one gains the conviction of what one has heard

> from the teacher - essentially knowledge without any doubts. But even

> though one has knowledge, due to habitual thinking one keeps falling

> back into the notions - this is the power of the vaasanaas-s. Only way

> to get out of this habitual thinking is to keep constantly the mind back

> into the correct understanding of what one has understood by shravaNa

> and manana - That jnaana nishhTaa is called Nidhidhyaasana - firm

> abidance in the knowledge. For that, Sanyaasa Ashrama is helpful. If

> GRihasta can do that all the glory to him. All one has to do is minimize

> the PORT as minimum as possible. Those of you who have studied the

> American parivraaja - Peace Pilgrim - can appreciate how she minimized

> her PORT - and also emphasizes the necessity of that. (There are many

> articles on Peace Pilgram in the advaitin archieves)

>

> What constitutes Nidhidhyaasana - It is not necessarily mean that one

> has to sit in a corner and go into nirvikalpa samaadhi - What one is

> trying to do is to firmly establish in ones own mind that I am not this,

> this but I am - that existence - consciousness without any

> qualifications or objectification. It is not lack of experience of

> Braham - people say I have knowledge but I am longing for experience -

> This is all intellectual but what I am looking for that which is beyond

> the intellect - this all means that he has not understood what Brahman

> means - he need s to more mananam. - Remember that, as long as I am

> longing for it I will never attain it, since in the very process of

> longing for it I have decided that it is not with me to start with.

> Nidhidhyaasana is therefore constant awareness that I am that

> consciousness in which everything is - that arises, sustains and

> disappears - that includes all the PORT (see above) are all in my

> consciousness that I am. In and through PORT - I am port less. It is not

> running away from PORT but play the PORT with attitude of this is all a

> play. Nidhidhyaasana therefore is constant awareness of the fact that 'I

> am' is not object but a subject where all the objects rise, sustain and

> dissolve. The one is who has understood the purpose of life (through

> shravaNa and mananam) and recognizes that the only purpose of life is to

> attain the highest knowledge of that what one has understood - devotes

> and retunes all his activities in that direction directing his mind to

> his single pointed goal - that is Nidhidhyaasana. Essentially he is

> willing to spend what ever maximum time he has in the thinking only that

> which is supreme - this way the habitual thinking in the transactional

> reality slowly gets minimized and he slowly gets firmly established in

> the knowledge of 'I am'. That jnaana nishhTaa what Bhagavaan Ramana

> calls as dRiDaiva nishhTaa – or firm abidance in that knowledge that 'I

> am' is the result of Nidhidhyaasana where habitual thinking due to force

> of vasanaas get sublimated to the single and constant awareness of 'I

> am'.

>

>

> Hari OM!

> Sadananda

>

>

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of

> Atman and Brahman.

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