Objects, consciousness, shraddhA, vivarta and what not!

[Guest guest]

Namaste Ananda-ji.

 

Reference your brilliant post 30114.

 

I am in delightful agreement with all that you have said. However, I

couldn't fight posting the following observation in the context of the

current spate of debates on various issues advaitic.

 

Even the advaitic conclusion that Consciousness is the common

denominator, or `common principle' as you say, behind the differing

appearances is an objectification. Till one arrives at this

conclusion, the process is very logical. Advaitic shraddhA, which

enquires into the truth of shruti, is rooted on the steel framework

foundation of this conclusion. In other words, this conclusion is the

precious touchstone the Advaitin carries in his pocket while traversing

the ontological and epistemological labyrinth of shruti and bhASyAs in

order not to get side-tracked into paradoxical circularity. His vision

is clear and all that which do not conform to the logic represented by

the touchstone is discarded during enquiry no matter which eminent

authority, whether living or gone by, propounds or had propounded a

contrary or different vision.

 

Thus, enquiry doesn't end with the still objective conclusion that

Consciousness is the common principle. This conclusion needs to be

assimilated into one's self as one's own being whereby the denominator

swallows the apparent differing rest to *become* the Whole. All

prescribed sAdhanA, including meditation and contemplation, has this

absolute end in view. Otherwise, they are purposeless and not properly

directed. They are helpful tools which hold the hand of an aspirant

endowed with shraddhA to the sun-land of Aham BrahmAsmi.

 

The tragedy is that we have nothing but objectifications to work with

in our vyavahAra. This state of affairs represents the tyrannical hold

of adhyAsa. In our vyavahAric labour, terms like vivarta, cause,

effect, efficient and material cause etc., why even snake and rope,

come as a handy tools to explain the Truth. They, including this

writing, are all adhyAsic. Shruti is no exception. We have to accept

them for the limited purpose they serve. However, the hand shouldn't

leave the touchstone in the pocket. There is, therefore, no point in

chasing issues like who used which term first and where as long as the

stone is firmly in hand.

 

Advaitic enquiry, therefore, necessarily entails shifting our focus

with the help of shruti to acknowledge and assert that all

objectifications are, in fact, Consciousness without a second – the

Self-Evidence that I am. That is the only way we can loosen and free

ourselves from the adhyAsic grip to the natural freedom of our

Wholeness.

 

"Why not begin acting, as much as possible, as that logical Wholeness

from right now and here?" asks a well-known Master. His question, I

am convinced, represents the whole gamut of advaitic sAdhana. Unless

we follow his invaluable tip, we would be vainly succumbing to the

inescapable circularity of our own debates. That is adhyAsa in its

worst form. The big question therefore is: "To act or not to act?".

If the answer is the latter, then we have every reason to shed tears on

our paradoxical situation.

 

PraNAms.

 

Madathil Nair