Weekly Definition - dRRigdRRishya viveka

[Guest guest]

Posted on behalf of Durga-ji:

 

There is a prakriyA, a teaching methodology, taught in Vedanta called

dRRigdRRishya viveka (seer/seen discrimination).

 

The dRRik is the Self. The dRRishya-s are everything else. Everything

is a dRRishya (object) except myself.

 

One can begin this practice by seeing quite clearly that everything

external to my body is an object, an object of observation, known by

me as an object, an object which changes.

 

Then what about the body? Is it an object? Am I aware of it? Can I

watch it change? Yes.

 

What about the sense organs? Are they objects? Am I aware of them? Am

I aware whether they are working or not? Yes. Do all of these objects

change? Yes. Can I observe them change? Again, yes.

 

Move in. What about thoughts? What about moods? What about emotions?

Are they objects, objects of observation? Do they change? Can I watch

them change? Again, yes.

 

But is there something in all of this, something about 'me,' which

does not change? Is there something which is always constant to every

thought, mood, emotion, sensation, and object of cognition?

 

What is it about 'me' which does not change? What is that? That which

does not change, and is 'me,' is the Self, is Atma, is Brahman. Can

the mind make this differentiation, this distinction, this

discrimination between that which does not change and that which does?

Yes, it can.

 

If properly taught, dRRigdRRishya viveka, may indeed be one of the

most powerful tools which the teachings of Vedanta have to offer for

the direct and unmistakable recognition of the Self.