sat-cit-Ananda

[Guest guest]

Thank you Sri Anandaji for a delightful summary of the concepts of

Sat Chit Ananda in an inimitable fashion by posting these lovely

verses.

 

Now , may i also present my favorite verse fon Sat Chit Ananda from

Ribhu Gita -( Sri Ramana was very fond of quoting from this famous

text )

 

 

Your True Nature is always the undivided , non-dual Brahman !

 

Which is a mass of Being-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat Chit Ananda)

 

Motionless , Ancient , still Eternal,

 

without Attributes. without Confusion , without Sheaths

 

without parts and without impurity

 

Completely free from any illusion of Duality

 

Full , Peerless and the ONE !

 

Ribhu Gita

 

Sri Ramanarpanamastu !

 

(Once agian , Anandaji , we all thank you for a delightful

presentation on Sat-Chit-Ananda! )

 

 

 

 

In advaitin , Ananda Wood <awood wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> Further to the last three weekly definitions on 'sat', 'cit' and

> 'Ananda', here is a piece of verse attempting to summarize them as

> three aspects of one truth.

>

> Ananda

>

>

> sat-cit-Ananda

> ==============

>

> 'sat' or 'existence'

> --------------------

>

> The world is nothing else but truth.

> That is its plain reality.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello group,

 

Isn't bliss a sheath (anandamayakosa) which needs to be discarded

for full realization of the Absolute? Isn't bliss an attribute for

which there can be a dualistic attribute such as despair?

 

Best wishes,

Richard

 

 

advaitin , " dhyanasaraswati "

<dhyanasaraswati wrote:

>

> Thank you Sri Anandaji for a delightful summary of the concepts of

> Sat Chit Ananda in an inimitable fashion by posting these lovely

> verses.

>

> Now , may i also present my favorite verse fon Sat Chit Ananda

from

> Ribhu Gita -( Sri Ramana was very fond of quoting from this famous

> text )

>

>

> Your True Nature is always the undivided , non-dual Brahman !

>

> Which is a mass of Being-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat Chit Ananda)

>

> Motionless , Ancient , still Eternal,

>

> without Attributes. without Confusion , without Sheaths

>

> without parts and without impurity

>

> Completely free from any illusion of Duality

>

> Full , Peerless and the ONE !

>

> Ribhu Gita

>

> Sri Ramanarpanamastu !

>

> (Once agian , Anandaji , we all thank you for a delightful

> presentation on Sat-Chit-Ananda! )

>

>

>

>

> In advaitin , Ananda Wood <awood@> wrote:

> >

> > Namaste,

> >

> > Further to the last three weekly definitions on 'sat', 'cit' and

> > 'Ananda', here is a piece of verse attempting to summarize them

as

> > three aspects of one truth.

> >

> > Ananda

> >

> >

> > sat-cit-Ananda

> > ==============

> >

> > 'sat' or 'existence'

> > --------------------

> >

> > The world is nothing else but truth.

> > That is its plain reality.

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Pranams.

First of all my pranams to Ananda-ji for a thoroughly stimulating and

beautiful exposition of the terms sat-chit-ananda.

 

The term ananda has generated a lot of stimulating discussion. I am happy to

share my thoughts.

 

Being complete; Being the whole; is what is contained in the expression

Ananda; it is non-different from the term anantam in that sense; and so

sat-chit-ananda and satyam-jnanam-anantam are corollary expressions, which are

pointers to the One, Non-dual, Brahman.

 

Use of terms such as happiness, or bliss, or ecstasy conjures up a concept of

an experience, mystic, and indescribable and perhaps conditioned by our own

current concepts of what is bliss or ecstasy, and by default these are always in

the construct of a subject-object relationship. Its very hard for us to think of

ourselves as being the very " stuff " that constitutes ananda!

 

The only sorrow in the world is our own sense of limitation, of want. We crave

what is pleasant and we ascribe the joy experienced as a result thereof to be a

quality of that thing or situation.

Only upon enquiry do we realize the futility of this approach and the depths

of our delusional thinking.

 

Lord Yama congratulates Nachiketas with these immortal words in their famous

dialogue contained in the Katha Upanishad

Yama said: The good is one thing; the pleasant, another. Both of these,

serving different needs, bind a man. It goes well with him who, of the two,

takes the good; but he who chooses the pleasant misses the end.

2 Both the good and the pleasant present themselves to a man. The calm

soul examines them well and discriminates. Yea, he prefers the good to the

pleasant; but the fool chooses the pleasant out of greed and avarice.

3 O Nachiketas, after pondering well the pleasures that are or seem to be

delightful, you have renounced them all. You have not taken the road abounding

in wealth, where many men sink.

 

Later in the same Upanishad Lord Yama tells Nachiketas the true route to

ananda, which is beyond sukha and dukha - joy and sorrow,

11 The fulfillment of desires, the foundation of the universe, the rewards

of sacrifices, the shore where there is no fear, that which adorable and great,

the wide abode and the goal—all this you have seen; and being wise, you have

with firm resolve discarded everything.

12 The wise man who, by means of concentration on the Self, realizes that

ancient, effulgent One, who is hard to be seen, unmanifest, hidden and who

dwells in the buddhi and rests in the body—he, indeed, leaves joy and sorrow far

behind.

13 The mortal who has heard this and comprehended it well, who has

separated that Atman, the very soul of dharma, from all physical objects and has

realized the subtle essence, rejoices because he has obtained that which is the

source of joy. The Abode of Brahman, I believe, is open for Nachiketas.

 

After all joy and sorrow stem are two sides of the same coin

“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled

with your tears. And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the

potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed

with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only

that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in

truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, “Joy is greater than sorrow,” and others say, “Nay, sorrow is

the greater.”

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember

that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.” (Gibran)

 

Let us examine the issue a little more closely. Our innate nature is of

fullness. The “I”-sense or ahankara is born out of a beginning-less sense of

limitation, from which stems a irrepressible notion of “want” or " desire " Every

want or need reflects an innate sense of fullness which I am unable to abide in

– a satisfied need creates a very temporally limited joy in the mind because

this “wanting” I is temporarily resolved. But as my self-nature is not realized,

another “want” almost instantaneously fills up the vacuum so created. And so the

cycle goes on – more desires and more futile works to fulfill those desires and

so on and on and on over millions of cycles of births and deaths – “punarapi

jananam punarapi maranam punarapi jananii jathare shayanam” An eternal hide and

seek with sorrow and joy peeping through – and unfortunately as it turns out

more sorrow than joy for the most part. And we are never content with anything

less than poornatvam because poornam is who

we are.

 

What then is the “real” ananda?

What is happiness?

 

The Taittriya Up gives us an eternally true calculus of happiness

Yuva syat sadhu yuvadhyayakah asistho drdhistho balisthah, tasyeyam prthivi

sarva vittasya purna syat, sa eko manusa anandah te ye satam manusa anandah, sa

eko manusya-gandharvanam anandah, srotriyasya cakamahatasya;

Now this is an inquiry regarding the Bliss.

Suppose there is a young man—a noble young man—versed, the best of rulers,

firm in body and strong and possesses the whole world, full of wealth, is his:

that is one measure of human bliss.

 

So we paint the picture of the ultimate in human “happiness” – someone who is

young,

Not only young, but also wise – how? By being a follower of dharma, by

enjoying a conflict-free mind.

Not only that, enjoys great health and vigor. And very wealthy – in fact so

wealthy, that forget being on the Forbes list of richest people, he IS the list

– he owns the entire earth!

How can such a person exist – but Ma Shruti says let us just suppose that such

be a one – then his measure of happiness can be taken as one solitary unit! (Put

this in perspective with our petty pursuance of a few dollars and pounds, a few

hundred extra-square feet of living space!)

Next the shruti goes on to talk about more evolved beings, with inner

equipments more refined and hence more capable of finer and more lasting

enjoyments – such as gandharvas, pitrs, and devas, including the King or Lord of

the devas – Indra, as well as the Guru of the devas – Brhaspati. Even a higher

quotient of bliss is enjoyed by Lord Prajapati.

 

Te ye satam manusya gandharvanam anandah sa eko deva-gandharvanam anandah,

srotriyssya cakamahatasya;

Te ye satam deva-gandharvanam anandah sa ekah pitrnam cira-loka-lokanam

anandah, srotriyasya cakamahatasya;

Te ye satam pitrnam cira-loka-lokanam anandah, sa eka ajanajanam devanam

anandah, srotriyasya cakamahatasya;

Te ye satam ajanajanam devanam anandah. sa ekah karmadevanam devanam anandah

ye karmana devan apiyanti, srotriyasya cakamahasya;

Te ye satam karma-devanam devanam anandah, sa eko devanam anandah, srotriyssya

cakamahatasya;

Te ye satam devanam anandah, sa eka Indrasyanandah, srotiyssya cakamahatasya;

Te ye satam Indrasyanandah, sa eko Brhaspater anandah, srotriyasya

cakamahatasya;

Te ye satam Brhaspater anandah, sa ekah Prajapater anandah, srotriyasya

cakamahatasya;

 

This human bliss, multiplied on hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of

the human gandharvas, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from

desires.

This bliss of the human gandharvas, multiplied one hundred times, is one

measure of the bliss of the celestial gandharvas, as also of a man versed in the

Vedas and free from desires.

This bliss of the celestial gandharvas, multiplied one hundred times, is one

measure of the bliss of the Manes, who dwell in the long—enduring world, as also

of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

This bliss of the Manes who dwell in the long—enduring world, multiplied on

hundred times, is one measure of the bliss of the gods born in the Ajana heaven,

as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of the gods born in the Ajana heaven, multiplied one hundred times,

is one measure of the bliss of the sacrificial gods who have attained to

divinity by means of sacrifices, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free

from desires.

The bliss of the sacrificial gods, multiplied one hundred times, is one

measure of the bliss of the gods, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free

from desires.

The bliss of the gods, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the

bliss of Indra, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of Indra, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the bliss

of Brihaspati, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

The bliss of Brihaspati, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the

bliss of Prajapati, as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free from desires.

 

Te ye satam Prajapater anandah, sa eko Brahmana anandah, srotriyasya

cakamahatasya;

The bliss of Prajapati, multiplied one hundred times, is one measure of the

bliss of Hiranyagarbha (Virat), as also of a man versed in the Vedas and free

from desires.

 

Beyond Hiranyagarbha or the Virat there is nothing – why? Because there is no

further desire for hiranyagarbha – It verily Is Everything – It is the Whole.

While everyone upto Prajapati including the devas,Indra,etc may have a

wish-list of sorts – the Virat, or Ishwara, represents the Entirety – and there

being nothing other than the Entirety there is nothing for Him to covet or seek

or desire.

 

What a stupendous gradation in an experiential happiness? Just to give a

perspective to where we stand? Where does it begin and Where does it end? And

yet repeated over and over again, is the key to this entire section –

akamahatasya – free from wants – free from desires. In other words – vairagya.

We think of vairagya as something that involves giving up – giving up money.

Giving up family, giving up on comforts and conveniences we hold so dear to us.

But truly is vairagya the key to happiness. Vairagya is a mature outlook to what

all these things are worth and signify. From True vairagya is born tyaga and

tyaga is the only gateway to eternity - as the Kaivalya Up asserts and boldly

affirms

“Na karmana na prajaya dhanena Tyagenaike amrtatvam anasuh”

One can achieve immortality in association with the Lord, not by ones own

pious deeds, nor by the pious deeds of one’s sons, nor by the accumulation of

wealth, but only by renunciation of all enjoyment for oneself and offering

everything to the Supreme Lord.

 

So if there is a man, lets say sitting under a tree or by the riverbanks, with

true and abiding dispassion, born out of a understanding of His nature, and who

wants nothing, who is not lacking in anything, then his happiness is of the

nature of Brahman; He is happy out of HimSelf; He verily is the source of Joy to

everyone in the world. His Happiness is Ishwara's – there being no separation,

as furthermore the Upanisad clarifies

 

Sa yascayam puruse, yas casavaditye sa ekah, sa ya evamvit asmallokat pretya,

etam annamayam Atmanam upasamkramati, etam pranamayam Atmanan upasamkramati,

etam anandamayam Atmanam upasamkramati

Tadapi esa sloko bhavati

 

He who is here in man and he who is in yonder sun—both are one! He who knows

this, after dying to this world, attains the self which consists of food,

attains the self which consist of the vital breath, attains the self which

consists of the mind, attains the self which consists of intellect, attains the

self which consists of bliss.

 

He has realized himself to be the Self. His notional separation from the Whole

has ended. He abides in Being. He is Being and hence Ananda, there is no

question of him being happy or unhappy. Why again? Because there is no fear of

any sort, including the Ultimate fear of all fears – the fear of mortality.

Whence can there be happiness where lurks fear?

 

The enlightened man is not afraid of anything after realising that Bliss of

Brahman, failing to reach which, words turn back along with the mind.

 

So coming back to the question of Ananda. It is not an attribute or a quality

of Brahman – it does not mean Brahman is blissful. Brahman is One Non-dual

Entirety, the Whole, “Poornamadam Poornamidam” and hence alone Anantam – that

has to be conveyed to the seeker and it is beautifully conveyed by the term

Ananda. Everyone and everything is held dear not for their sake but for the sake

of resolving the notional wanting self ever so temporarily so that a glimpse of

the Self seeps through. And because it is Anantam it transcends time and space

and hence alone is changeless – hence Satyam. Only That which is the Entirety

can be the changless and can serve as the substratum or satta for this changing

manifest Universe we call srshti, and hence alone is srshti mithya, lacking in

anything substantive or satyam other than the substratum the vastu. And moreover

it is of the nature of knowledge or consciousness. Not in the sense of knowing

something or being conscious of something

but in being the very illumining principle which enlightens and enlivens.

Thus are the words satyam jnanam anantam or sat chit ananda words which point

to the indescribable, the One nonDual vastu.

 

Hari Om

Shri Gurubhyo namah

Shyam

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Thank you dr. Shyam for bringing us back to the Reality of 'sat chit

ananda' ! True, after Anandaji penned his wonderful definitions of

Sat chit Ananda ( believe me they are not three different words but

One) and the concluding verse on 'sat chit ananda' i was in Joy

wonderland! but lo and behold ! And suddenly from nowhere this new

thread developed on 'advaita is not dvaita or bliss' and we all got

caught yup in the web of 'words' once again! i will pretend that

this discussion 'never happened' smile! ( ajativada )

 

Shyamji - i admire you because you are helping Dennisji's valiant

project on 'definitions' for newcomers! This is the way to go!

 

May i please share a poem by Tagore while on this subject ?

 

I wonder if I know him

In whose speech is my voice,

In whose movement is my being,

Whose skill is in my lines,

Whose melody is in my songs

In joy and sorrow.

I thought he was chained within me,

Contained by tears and laughter,

Work and play.

I thought he was my very self

Coming to an end with my death.

Why then in a flood of joy do I feel him

In the sight and touch of my beloved?

This 'I' beyond self I found

On the shores of the shining sea.

Therefore I know

This'I' is not imprisoned within my bounds.

Losing myself, I find him

Beyond the borders of time and space.

Through the Ages

I come to know his Shining Self

In the Iffe of the seeker,

In the voice of the poet.

From the dark clouds pour the rains.

I sit and think:

Bearing so many forms, so many names,

I come down, crossing the threshold

Of countless births and deaths.

The Supreme undivided, complete in himself,

Embracing past and present,

Dwells in Man.

Within Him I shall find myself -

The 'I' that reaches everywhere.

 

~Rabindranath Tagore

 

Yes let that be the 'I' that reaches everywhere ....... Sat Chit

Ananda

 

(this 'ajati is going to take a break for a while as i am going to

help my daughter with the baby in the next few weeks)

 

Happy Cruising !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

advaitin , Shyam <shyam_md wrote:

>

> Pranams.

> First of all my pranams to Ananda-ji for a thoroughly

stimulating and beautiful exposition of the terms sat-chit-ananda.

>

> The term ananda has generated a lot of stimulating discussion. I

am happy to share my thoughts.

>