Additional reflections on "Soonya"

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

The wise author of ThirukkuraL has given us

an Upadesam , which is valid for all of us:

 

YepporuL yArr vaai-kEtpinum

apporuL meypporuL kaaNpathu aRivu

 

(Meaning):Discriminating Intellect (Jn~Anam) is

that when You discover the true meaning of any

word (Tatthvam) as you hear(learn) it from

any one (independent of his age or other status).

 

It is in the spirit of search for the true meaning

of the word or tatthvam we strive after definitions .

It is not easy some times but our AchAryaas have helped us

immensely to get a grasp of fundamentals .

 

In this context , Let us have some additional thoughts on

the word "Soonya" and its ramifications. It is indeed

a powerful word/concept as discussed by SrIman Sudarshan.

 

This essay is a light hearted and incomplete

attempt to comment on the word "Soonya" and the world

(non-illusory , real world) that it connects to

in our multi-tiered philosophical systems.

 

A true understanding of the word in the context of

Tatthva Thrayam ( the three doctrines of Jeevan, Prakruthi

and Iswaran) has to rely on the powerful insights of

Swamy VedAntha Desikan as outlined in Tathva Muktha KalApam,

SarvArTa Sidhdi and Para matha bhangam , which are tightly

linked to and based on Bhagavath RaamAnujA's siddhAntham.

 

Here are Ten stray reflections to experience

the multi-faceted aspects of Soonyam to stimulate

our thinking :

 

(1) NAME: Cipher is an Arabic word for Soonyam.

Poojyam/Soonyam are a sanskrit words for Cipher or Zero.

Tamil word for Zero is "Suzhi". The immediate

word collection that comes to the TamiLian mind is

PiLLayAr Suzhib written for invoking auspiciousness.

Neer Suzhi is PraLayam , when all nAma Roopa Prapancham

is destroyed and the stage is set for samashi-Vyashti

creation by our Lord. .

 

2) MEANING:Soonya is translated as "nothingness or void".

Nothing can be farther from truth as we discern

from the thread of discussions so far.As SrIman

Krishnamacahri pointed out Sookshmam is different

from Soonyam.

 

3)LORD'S MESSAGE AT PURI JAGANNAATH:

There is Soonya Samhithai is in Oriya language.

Back at Puri JagannAth temple , there is an enactment

of "Soonya mahari" by temple dancers(Mahaaris).

This is a conversation between the Lord and the Man .

It is like the Thirumanjana Kattiyam for Lord RanganAtha,

where the Lord has a conversation with an egotistic jeevan.

This Soonya Mahari is however derived from Butrik tradition of

Buddhism. The Lord says: If you want to experience bliss ,

stop your nervous chattering and let me guide you to

the physical and metaphysical state of SamAdhi (Savikalpa and

nirvikalpa)". This leads us on to Yoga Systems and the cultivation of

the process of " emptying the mind " and the ritual of

BhUtha Suddhi in the daily AarAdhanam for the Lord .

Latter ( Bhagavath AarAdhanam) is a vast subject in itself.

 

4)PHILOSOPHY 1: One of the ShaNN mathams, GaaNapathyam sees Soonyam

in the context of one who sees and the one who oversees(Dhrisya

and Dhrashta). That which is seen is the Universe(Dhrisya)

and the one who is the witnes or the see-er is Dhrashta.

This view is not confined to GaaNapathyam.

 

5)PHILOSOPHY 2: another of the ShaNN mathams(Saaktham)

dealing with Sakthi understands Soonyam this way as seen by

an UpAsakan of Devi:

 

" ManthrANAm MaathrukA DEvi

SabdhAnAm Jn~ana RoopiNi

Jn~AnAm ChinmayAtheethA

SOONYAANAAM SOONYA SAAKSHINI"

 

(meaning): In all manthrAs , You reside as letters

(BhijAksharams); in all words , You are the meaning

and wisdom; in wisdom , You reside as consciousness

AND IN THE GREAT VOID , YOU REMAIN AS THE ONLY WITNESS".

 

This view (Witness to"Soonyam")need not be confined to

SaakthAs.

 

5) There are whole systems of philosophy to comprehend

this relationship between Universe (that which is seen )

and its creator (dhrashtA , NiyanthA and Sarva Saakshin).

 

6) There is also Soonya Vaadham (nihilism , a doctrine

advocated by the Maadhyamika Buddhists stating that nullity is

the ultimate nature of the Absolute. VedAs and Vaidhika

mathAs reject this doctrine unequivocally. Buddhism

and Jainism are considerd as Veda-Baahya mathams

since they are not rooted in Vedic teachings .They

reject latter.SarvArTa Sidhdi is an excellent source to

understand Swamy Desikan's rejection of the different

kinds of Budhdistic views .

 

7) For Vaidhika MathAs , Brahman/Isvaran is not nullity;

Brahman is the material cause of the Universe ( UpAdhaana Kaarana).

The subject of how this Brahman " evolves itself(ParinAma)

into the universe without affecting its Svaroopa(essential

nature)" is the crux of VedAntha . Brahman is hence not Soonya.

 

8)The description of Brahman as Ubhayalinga or as having

the two fold characterstric ( Perfect and free from

imperfections)rejects soonyam . This is a central doctrine of

Vedantham although Sankara and RaamAnuja explain it differently.

 

9)For VisishtAdhvaithins , non-existence or nullity

(abhAva) is not " a separate entity". It is only another

form of existence (bhAvanthara), existence none the less.

 

10) NAADHOPAASANA: Let us take the elaaboration known

as Thaanam (Raagam-Taanam-Pallavi) in musical concerts .

Here is an excerpt on Taanam quoted from SrI M.Nageswara Rao

(VeeNai VidvAn) and Mr.John Barlow on the topic. "The word Taanam

is related to Anantham Thvam " meaning endless Thou art.

The endless reflects that manner of reciting a chant ,

which involves the breaking up of a text into syllables

and the subsequent rendering of them in all combinations ,

both as a means of obtaining the mastery over the sound system of

the chant and acquiring insight into the truths behind the text.

This technique is also known as Ghanam ( Ghana Paatam in Vedic

rendering)practised by Ghana PaaDis.

 

Since the Sanskrit vowels are Quantitative( long and short in

the temporal sense), the application of Ghana produces chains of

rhythmic units ( different groups of longs and shorts ) of

a non-repetitive nature... The (individual) phrases , when

properly ordered , acquire a vector-like quality , which points

towards silence. This silence is a positive rhythmic entity ,

somewhat akin to a cadence, but with its temporal force removed:

the silence is both the end of the preceding line/section

and the beginning of the following , just as the ultimate in

musical comntrol is the Mastery of silence , is the endles

resolution of the endlessness(anantham) of Taanam .. There is

a point , where movement ceases , where sound fades into

silence , part of the state of an equalibrium".

 

(PraNavam) SoonyAya nama:

 

RaamAnuja Daasan , Oppiliappan Koil V.Sadagopan