Tatwa and Akasha: one last point

[Guest guest]

Hare Rama Krishna

Namaste Frank,

 

I would like to add the following to all the wonderful comments that have

already been made about the tattwas and particularly akasha. Hopefully I can

give you some practical examples of Akasha. The Pancha Mahabhutas are a

manifestation of the three Gunas. From Sattva arises Akasha, Rajas arises

Agni and from Tamas comes Prithvi. Vayu comes from both Sattva and Rajas and

Jala tattwa comes from both Rajas and Tamas. The Tattwas represent the five

states of matter - solid, liquid, gaseous and ethereal and they represent the

five densities of all substances, all the visible and invisible matter in the

universe. The tattwas work on both the gross and subtle levels and we tend to

relate only to their physical manifestation. Even invisible matter is

composed of the five tattwas. In the mind, for instance, the tattwas work on

thoughts and emotions and even the dream state is a manifestation of the

tattwas.

 

The tattwas even give rise to our ideas and understanding of creation itself.

Akasha is the idea of connection and communication between all mediums, Vayu

is the movement and change of ideas (direction) and therefore time itself,

Agni is the idea of light and therefore of perception, Jala is the idea of

fluidity giving rise to life itself, Prithvi is the idea of stability and

solidity or inaction.

 

In this manifest world, there has to be coordination between the sense organs

and the sense object theselves. This is accomplished through the five

Tanmantras and Pancha Tattwas. The Tanmantras are not the senses in

themselves, but the five primal cosmic forces that give rise to the senses

and represent subtle forms of these organs that exist beyond the physical

body. What we think in our minds and perceive in the world is programmed into

our physiology through the interaction of the pancha tattwas and tanmantras.

What is in the world is a manifestation of same and the coordination of the

sensing of the object and the existence of the object itself is of course a

work of Divine order.

 

The five Tanmantras are the subtle or causal forms of the tattwas as well as

the subtle or seed form of the senses. The gross or physical form of the

tattwas are derived from the subtle forms, the Tanmantras. Each gross element

contains all five of the subtle elements, plus itself. Therefore gross or

physical Akasha, for space is a physical thing, contains all five of the

subtle tattwas.

 

The structure of creation is indeed a great mystery. The Atma is not part of

creation and is not composed of any of these gross or subtle elements while

the mind is a material thing composed of the tattwas. Thus, the mind is an

object of perception and so also are our thoughts and emotions and all other

activities of the mind. They are all part of the material creation and we

must therefore go beyond the mind to achieve spiritual evolution.

 

As my Guru always said, this material phenomena is so vast, subtle and

amazing that in the abscense of adequate knowledge about the character and

nature of Divinity, extroadinary psychic experiences (of the subtle form of

the material world) are misunderstood to be Divine.

 

When I view the mind in this way, the teachings of the Gita and the

Bhagavatam make perfect sense to me. According to the Vedas, Godhead is the

animator of the human mind and beyond human consciousness. HE has no senses

but HE perceives. The Ramayana tells us that the mind cannot approach Godhead

as HE is beyond the reach and understanding of the finite human mind because

HE is infinite. This is why Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Ji tells us to surrender to

Krishna and that it is only through the Grace of Krishna (or any other aspect

of Godhead) that we can acheive Divine understanding. Based on the nature of

the tattwas, the human mind and the subtle structure of the cosmos, it is

easy to see why the Saints, Rishis and great Acharyas and Jagadgurus advocate

devotion and surrender as the path to Godhead. This is why meditation itself

can be a purely materialistic activity if it does not have surrender and

Divine attainment through worship as its goal. The mind is itself a material

object, a manifestation of the tattwas, and it cannot go beyond itself. We

have to surrender the object (mind) to God so that it will be in alignment

with the Divine through which Grace enters the mind and it becomes Divine.

 

Now for some examples in the world. In the plant kingdom, for example, the

root of the plant is Prithvi tattwa (connection to earth), the stem and

branches are Jala tattwa (flow of sap and water), the flowers are Agni tattwa

(light and color), leaves are Vayu tattwa (blowing in the wind), and the

fruit is Akasha - as it contains the essence of the plant. The seed contains

all the five tattwas, as the entire potential is contained within it.

 

In the human body there are many spaces and these are a manifestation of

Akasha and within these spaces Vayu moves. The Cosmic sound or vibration,

OM, is the first manifestation of consciousness, and it is said that from

this vibration or sound Akasha manifests. Akasha then is the medium through

which sound is transmitted, both gross and subtle, and it therefore governs

the function of hearing and speech in the human body as well as the organs of

hearing (ears) and speech (tongue, vocal cords and mouth).

 

Jai Shree Radhey,

Brendan

 

> Looking at PanchaTatwa it is easy for us to recognize Agni, Prithvi, Vayu,

& Jala

> because we cook with the grace of Agni , Prathvi is the material world we

touch,

> Vayu is the wind in our hair, and Jala is the rain that we splash,

> we drink, we wash... the play and display of the triguna... yet what of

this Akasha ?

> where do we touch or feel this?

 

> Thinking of akasha some associate it to vacuum. For me this it too

abstract.