Three methods of Advaita and the state of the Jnani

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>From Talks: no. 383

 

Responding to a question, "Is there prarabdha [karma] for a jivanmukta?

Bhagavan responds...

 

M.: There are three methods of approach in Advaitavada

 

(1) The ajatavada is represented by no loss, no creation, no one bound, no

sadhaka, no one desirous of liberation, no liberation. This is the Supreme

Truth. (Mandukya Karika II-32)

According to this, there is only One and it admits of no discussion.

 

(2) Drishti Srishtivada is illustrated thus: Simultaneous creation. There

are two friends sleeping side by side. One of them dreams that he goes to

Benares with his friend and returns. He tell his friend that both of them

have been to Benares. The other denies it. That statement is true from the

standpoint of the one and the denial from that of the other.

 

(3) Shristi Dristavada is plain (Gradual creation and knowledge of it).

Karma is posited as past Karma, etc, prarabdha, agami, and sanchita.

There must be kartritva (doership) and karta (doer) for it. Karma (action)

cannot be for the body because it is insentient. It is only so long as

dehatma buddhi ('I-am-the-body idea') lasts. After transcending dehatma

buddhi one becomes a jnani. In the absence of that idea (buddhi) there

cannot be either kartritva or karta. So a jnani has no karma. That is his

experience. Otherwise he is not a jnani. However an ajnani identifies the

jnani with his body, which the jnani does not do. So the ajnani finds the

jnani acting, because his body is active, and therefore he asks if the jnani

is not affected by prarabha.

The scriptures say that jnana is the fire which burns away all karma

(sarvakarmani). Sarva (all) is interpreted in two ways: (i) to include

prarabha and (ii) to exclude it. In the first way: if a man with three

wives dies, it is asked, "Can two of them be called widows and the third

not?" All are widows. So it is with prarabha, agami and sanchita. When

there is no karta none of them can hold out any longer.

The second explanation is, however, given only to satisfy the enquirer.

It is said that all karma is burnt away leaving prarabha alone. The body is

said to continue in the functions for which it has taken its birth. That is

prarabha. But from the jnani's point of view there is only the Self which

manifests in such variety. There is no body or karma apart from the Self,

so that the actions do not affect him.

 

D.: Is there no dehatma buddhi (I-am-the-body idea) for the jnani? If, for

instance, Sri Bhagavan be betten by an insect, is there no sensation?

 

M.: There is the sensation and there is also the dehatma buddhi. The

latter is common to both jnani and ajnani with this difference, that the

ajnani thinks dehaiva Atma (only the body is myself), whereas the jnani

knows all is of the Self (Atmamayam sarvam) or (sarvam khalvidam Brahma) all

this is Brahma. If there be pain let it be. It is also part of the Self.

The Self is poorna (perfect).

Now with regards to the actions of the jnani, they are only so-called

because they are ineffective. That can be only so long as the mind is

fertile, as in the case of the ajnani. With a jnani the mind is surmised;

he has already transcended the mind. Because of his apparent activity the

mind has to be inferred in his case, and that mind is not fertile like that

of an ajnani. Hence it is said that a jnani's mind is Brahman. Brahman is

certainly no other than the jnani's mind. The vasanas cannot bear fruit in

that soil. His mind is barren, free from vasanas, etc.

However, since prarabdha was conceded in his case, vasanas also must be

supposed to exist. If they exist they are only for enjoyment (bhogahetu).

That is to say, actions bear twofold fruits, the one for enjoyment of their

fruits and the other leaving an impress on the mind in the form of samskaras

for subsequent manifestation in future births. The jnani's mind being barren

cannot entertain seeds of karma. His vasanas simply exhaust themselves by

activities ending in enjoyment only (bhogahetuka karma). In fact, his karma

is seen only from the ajnani's standpoint. He remains actionless only. He is

not aware of the body as being apart from the Self. How can there be

liberation (mukti) or bondage (bandha) for him? He is beyond both. He is not

bound by karma, either now or ever. There is no jivanmukta or videhamukta

according to him.

 

D.: From all this it looks as if a jnani who has scorched all the vasanas is

the best and that he would remain inactive like a stock or stone.

 

M.: No, not necessarily. Vasanas do not affect him. Is it not itself a

vasana that one remains like a stock or stone? Sahaja is the state.

 

(From Talks no. 383)