The Anteroom

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> Hi all,

>        Applying the criterion or the yardstick of scripture to this I

> discover Kena 1.5:  " That which is not uttered by speech that by

which

> speech is revealed, know that alone to be Brahman, and not what

people

> worship as an object. "

>

> Further down: " It is known to him to whom It is unknown; he does not

> know to whom it is known, It is unknown to those who know well, and

> known to those who do not know. " Kena  II.3

>

> Whether Gene has got into the office ever or whether he is with the

> rest of us holding his ticket I cannot judge.  Hey, but what's this -

 

> all the tickets havethe same number on them.

 

> Michael

 

Hi Michael,

 

Old buddy, how are you? It is a delight to see a matching of a

scripture  simply stated to some thing like Gene's words. I have found

many scriptures when denuded of personifications, imaginings, beliefs,

and commentaries to be just so at the edge, the limit of words, and

similarly so with many so called secular treatises to approach the

simple.

 

Now in the Talavakâra (Kena) Upanishad we find the overflowing of human

attributions and personfications onto what is has said to be beyond any

description as it is clearly stated in Kena I.3.

 

" 1.3 The eye does not reach there, nor speech, nor mind, nor do we know

(Its nature). Therefore we don’t know how to impart instruction (about

It). Distinct indeed is That from the known and distinct from the

unknown. Thus have we heard from the ancients who expounded It to us. "

 

The attributions of qualities and thingness to Brahman made by authors

and revisionists and commentators is found in all cases of scriptures

where via negativa is applied fully, such as in Nirguna Brahman and

then ignored as imaginings are piled high, obscuring the scriptural

fact well said. Then it is made straight by someone later with the

contradictions smoothed or obviated as by Sankara.

 

For example, below in Kena 1.4-5 we see the change from what is said

above. Now Brahman ( " Distinct indeed is That from the known and

distinct from the unknown " ) can be known as the inner Self or Atman  as

found in the passages immediately after the last one quoted by you

above.

 

" II.4 When Brahman is known as the inner Self (of cognition) in every

state of consciousness, It is known in reality, because one thus

attains immortality. Through one’s own Self is attained strength and

through knowledge is attained immortality. "

 

" II.5 Here if one has realised, then there is accomplishment. Here if

one has not realised, then there is utter ruin. Having realised Brahman

in all beings, and having withdrawn from this world, the wise become

immortal. "

 

Here Brahman is spoken of as an object to be realized. This confusion

remains until there is guidance as to which is primary or an

interpretive frame is applied.

 

This is additionally complicated by the material of earlier texts such

as the Rig Veda where conceptual singularity is absent.

 

So Michael, your expert exegesis on these matters is most welcome as to

the primacy and interpretive frame most useful in the regard of the

language confusions ever present in scripture. Below is the entire Kena

Upanishad so that the context is maintained.

 

Other translations with different nuances and language can be found at:

http://www.realization.org/page/namedoc0/kena/k_0.htm

http://www.san.beck.org/Upan1-Kena.html#5

http://sanatan.intnet.mu/upanishads/kena.htm

http://www.yoga-age.com/upanishads/kena.html

http://ancienttexts.org/library/indian/upanishads/kena.html

http://www.ishwar.com/hinduism/holy_upanishads/kena_upanishad/

http://www.erowid.org/spirit/traditions/hinduism/hinduism_upani_kena.shtml

 

The Upanishads can be found here:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/upan/index.htm

 

 

Kena Upanishad

Translated by Vidyavachaspati V. Panoli

http://www.geocities.com/advaitavedant/kena.htm

 

 

   Om ! May my limbs, speech, vital air, eyes, ears, strength, And all

the senses be fully developed. All that is revealed by the Upanishads

is Brahman. May I never deny Brahman: May Brahman never disown me. Let

there be no repudiation (from Brahman); Let there be no infidelity from

my side. May all the Dharmas extolled by the Upanishads shine in me Who

am intent on knowing the Self. May they shine in me ! Om ! Peace !

Peace ! Peace !

 

   I-1. Wished by whom is the mind directed to fall (on its objects)?

Directed by whom does the foremost vital air move? By whom is wished

this speech which the people utter? Who is the radiant being that

unites the eye and the ear (with their objects)?

   I-2. Because He is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the

speech of speech, the vital air of the vital air, and the eye of the

eye, the wise, freeing themselves (from the identity with the senses)

and renouncing the world, become immortal.

   I-3. The eye does not reach there, nor speech, nor mind, nor do we

know (Its nature). Therefore we don’t know how to impart instruction

(about It). Distinct indeed is That from the known and distinct from

the unknown. Thus have we heard from the ancients who expounded It to

us.

   I-4. That which is not uttered by speech, that by which the word is

expressed, know That alone to be Brahman, and not this (non-Brahman)

which is being worshipped.

   I-5. That which one does not think with the mind, that by which,

they say, the mind is thought, know That alone to be Brahman, and not

this (non-Brahman) which is being worshipped.

   I-6. That which man does not see with the eye, that by which man

sees the activities of the eye, know That alone to be Brahman, and not

this (non-Brahman) which is being worshipped.

   I-7. That which man does not hear with the ear, that by which man

hears the ear’s hearing, know That alone to be Brahman, and not this

(non-Brahman) which is being worshipped.

   I-8. That which man does not smell with the organ of smell, that by

which the organ of smell is attracted towards its objects, know That

alone to be Brahman, and not this (non-Brahman) which is being

worshipped.

 

   II-1. If you think, ‘I know Brahman rightly’, you have known but

little of Brahman’s (true) nature. What you know of His form and what

form you know among the gods (too is but little). Therefore Brahman is

still to be inquired into by you. I think Brahman is known to me.

   II-2. I think not I know Brahman rightly, nor do I think It is

unknown. I know (and I do not know also). He among us who knows that

knows It (Brahman); not that It is not known nor that It is known.

   II-3. It is known to him to whom It is unknown; he to whom It is

known does not know It. It is unknown to those who know, and known to

those who know not.

   II-4. When Brahman is known as the inner Self (of cognition) in

every state of consciousness, It is known in reality, because one thus

attains immortality. Through one’s own Self is attained strength and

through knowledge is attained immortality.

   II-5. Here if one has realised, then there is accomplishment. Here

if one has not realised, then there is utter ruin. Having realised

Brahman in all beings, and having withdrawn from this world, the wise

become immortal.

 

   III-1. It is well-known that Brahman indeed achieved victory for the

gods. But in that victory which was Brahman’s the gods revelled in joy.

   III-2. They thought, “Ours alone is this victory, ours alone is this

gloryâ€. Brahman knew this their pride and appeared before them, but

they knew not who this Yaksha (worshipful Being) was.

   III-3. They said to Agni: “O Jataveda, know thou this as to who this

Yaksha isâ€. (He said:) “So be it.â€

   III-4. Agni approached It. It asked him, “Who art thou?†He replied,

“I am Agni or I am Jatavedaâ€.

   III-5. (It said:) “What is the power in thee, such as thou art?â€

(Agni said:) “I can burn all this that is upon the earth.â€

   III-6. For him (It) placed there a blade of grass and said: “Burn

thisâ€. (Agni) went near it in all haste, but he could not burn it. He

returned from there (and said:) “I am unable to understand who that

Yaksha isâ€.

   III-7. Then (the gods) said to Vayu: “O Vayu, know thou this as to

who this Yaksha isâ€. (He said:) “So be itâ€.

   III-8. Vayu approached It. It said to him, “Who art thou?†He

replied, “I am Vayu or I am Matarsivaâ€.

   III-9. (It said:) “What is the power in thee, such as thou art?â€

(Vayu said:) “I can take hold of all this that is upon the earthâ€.

   III-10. For him (It) placed there a blade of grass and said: “Take

this upâ€. (Vayu) went near it in all haste, but he could not take it

up. He returned from there (and said:) “I am unable to understand who

that Yaksha isâ€.

   III-11. Then (the gods) said to Indra: “O Maghava, know thou this as

to who this Yaksha isâ€. (He said:) “So be itâ€. He approached It, but It

disappeared from him.

   III-12. In that space itself (where the Yaksha had disappeared)

Indra approached an exceedingly charming woman. To that Uma decked in

gold (or to the daughter of the Himalayas), he said: “Who is this

Yaksha?â€

 

   IV-1. She said: “It was Brahman. In the victory that was Brahman’s

you were revelling in joyâ€. Then alone did Indra know for certain that

It was Brahman.

   IV-2. Therefore, these gods viz. Agni, Vayu and Indra excelled other

gods, for they touched Brahman who stood very close and indeed knew

first that It was Brahman.

   IV-3. Therefore is Indra more excellent than the other gods, for he

touched Brahman who stood very close and indeed knew first that It was

Brahman.

   IV-4. Its instruction (regarding meditation) is this. It is similar

to that which is like a flash of lightning or like the winkling of the

eye. This is (the analogy of Brahman) in the divine aspect.

   IV-5. Then (follows) the instruction through analogy on the aspect

of the individual self. (It is well-known that) the mind seems to

attain to It, that It is continually remembered by the mind, and that

the mind possesses the thought (regarding It).

   IV-6. That Brahman is known indeed as Tadvana (worshipful or

adorable to all beings); That is to be worshipped as Tadvana. To him

who knows It thus verily all beings pray.

   IV-7. (Disciple:) “Revered sir, speak Upanishad to me.†(Teacher:)

“I have spoken Upanishad to thee. Of Brahman verily is the Upanishad

that I have spoken.â€

   IV-8. Of this knowledge austerity, self-restraint and action are the

feet, the Vedas are all limbs and truth is the abode.

   IV-9. He who knows this thus, with his sins destroyed, becomes

firmly seated in the infinite, blissful and supreme Brahman. He becomes

firmly seated (in Brahman).

 

   Om ! May my limbs, speech, vital air, eyes, ears, strength, And all

the senses be fully developed. All that is revealed by the Upanishads

is Brahman. May I never deny Brahman: May Brahman never disown me. Let

there be no repudiation (from Brahman); Let there be no infidelity from

my side. May all the Dharmas extolled by the Upanishads shine in me Who

am intent on knowing the Self. May they shine in me ! Om ! Peace !

Peace ! Peace !

 

Here ends the Kenopanishad, as contained in the Sama-Veda. 1 1

 

Lewis