Who is fit for the path of enquiry

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ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA[LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE][Originally

Sri Shankaracharya and other great Sages hadwritten several works like the commentary on the Vedanta Sutrasand thus furnished the methods for those engaged in Self enquiryto accomplish their purpose.From those, Sri Karapatra Swami later condensed thesalient

points

into

Sanskrit

verse

in

a

work

of

twelve

chapters,called Sri Advaita

Bodha Deepika.Still later, some great man seems to have translated thisinto Tamil prose. For some unknown reasons only some eightchapters

of

the

same

are

found

published.]THE MEANS OF ACCOMPLISHMENT35. Disciple: Who is fit for the path of enquiry (Sankhya)?Master: Only a fully qualified seeker is fit, for he can succeedin it and not others.36-37. D.: What are the sadhanas or requisites for thisprocess?M.: The knowers say that the sadhanas consist of an abilityto discern the real from the unreal, no desire for pleasures hereor hereafter, cessation of activities (karma) and a keen desire tobe liberated. Not qualified with all these four qualities, howeverhard one may try, one cannot succeed in enquiry. Thereforethis fourfold sadhana is the sine qua non for enquiry.38. To begin with, a knowledge of the distinctivecharacteristics of these sadhanas is necessary. As already pointedout, these distinctive characteristics are of the categories (non-english script) cause, nature, effect, limit and fruit. Theseare now described.39-44. Discernment (viveka) can arise only in a purifiedmind. Its `nature' is the conviction gained by the help of sacredteachings that only Brahman is real and all else false. Always toremember this truth is its `effect'. Its end (avadhi) is to be settledunwavering in the truth that only Brahman is and all else isunreal. Desirelessness (vairagya) is the result of the outlook thatthe world is essentially faulty. Its `nature' is to renounce theworld and have no desire for anything in it. Its `effect' is to turnaway in disgust from all enjoyments as from vomit. It ends(avadhi) in treatment with contempt of all pleasures, earthly orheavenly, as if they were vomit or burning fire or hell.Cessation of activities (uparati) can be the outcome of theeight fold yoga (astangayoga), namely, yama, niyama, asana,pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi, i.e., selfrestraint, discipline, steady posture, control of breath, controlof senses, mind collected to truth, meditation and peace. Its`nature' consists in restraining the mind. Its `effect' is to ceasefrom worldly activities. It ends (avadhi) in forgetfulness of theworld as if in sleep, owing to the ending of activities. Desire tobe liberated (mumukshutva) begins with the association withrealised sages. Its `nature' is the yearning for liberation. Its `effect'is to stay with one's master. It ends (avadhi) in giving up allstudy of shastras and performance of religious rites.When these have reached their limits as mentioned above,the sadhanas are said to be perfect.45-47. Should only one or more of these sadhanas beperfect but not all of them, the person will after Death gaincelestial regions. If all of them are perfect, they together quicklymake the person thoroughly capable of enquiry into the Self.Only when all the sadhanas are perfect is enquiry possible; otherwise,not. Even if one of them remains undeveloped, it obstructsenquiry. With this we shall deal presently.48-49. Dispassion, etc., remaining undeveloped, discernment,though perfect, cannot by itself remove the obstacles,to enquiry into the Self. You see how many are well read inVedanta Shastra. They must all possess this virtue, but theyhave not cultivated the others, dispassion etc. Therefore theycannot undertake the enquiry into the Self. This fact makesit plain that discernment unattended by dispassion etc.,cannot avail.