The second chapter is called pancha bhoota viveka, discrimination of five elements. During the monsoon, dust from the mountain covers the entire mountain itself. Similarly, these five elements have come from that non-dual reality alone, but they have concealed it. Now, it is the duty of us seekers to analyze these five elements, and to again recognize the concealed reality.
Here is the technique to recognize that reality. 11 senses, logic and scriptures show us this mess, which was not there prior to creation. At that time, there was only reality, which was partless. Like a tree has part-whole divisions like flowers, branches etc., such a part-whole division did not exist in this reality. Like one tree is different than another, such an intra-species division did not exist in this reality. Like a tree differs from a rock, such an inter-species division did not exist in this reality. So there was one reality devoid of all these three kinds of distinctions.
Many people cannot bear to listen to the talk of this one essence. A land dwelling mammal will suffocate as it drowns in the ocean. Similarly, when one listens to talk of this undivided single essence, and the mind does not have space to expand, such people are afraid of the deep silence. People used to a foul smell close their noses when they smell a fragrance. Similarly, the most peaceful undivided essence seems scary to the mind. Like a child is scared of the forest, many people fear this undivided essence. But there is no reason for them to be afrad.
When someone attains samaadhi, and when the state of firm resolve comes, and when quietitude arises, then the experience of the reality becomes clear to seekers. "At that time nothing remains", this thought is inaccurate. The void cannot be known by another void. When we become thoughtless, the witness of that thoughtless state is that essence reality. In this reality, the power to create this messy expanse is neither unreal, since it is seen, nor is it real, since it does not exist forever. It is negated.
Devadutta has the power in him, but the power and Devadutta cannot be counted as two. Similarly, brahman and its power cannot be counted as two. They are both counted as one. The meaning is this: Its power does not make brahman a duality. Just like power does not create duality, in the same manner, the gross effects of the power also do not have any trace of duality.
That power of brahman first creates space. Saying "existence of space" is a philosophical mistake. This reality also applies to wind and other elements. Space did not go in them, that is why it is said that space and reality are different elements. If you remove existence from space, then tell me, what form of space is left remaining? By being different from existence, it is undoubtedly determined to be unreal. It is unreal, yet it is seen, that is the miracle of maayaa.
Space can never be real, and reality does not have any place for space or other objects to enter it. That is why, when an essence knower sees space, he will know it devoid of essence, and when his vision goes towards reality, he will know it to be devoid of holes, to be undivided. When the unrealness of each worldly element and worldly substance is contemplated in this manner, the reality of non-duality will become firm. But remember, this habit of unreality will not impact transactional dealings at all. Those will carry on as before.
New seekers harbour the idea that transactions will stop, this is incorrect. What should happen is this. Transactions that were happening from a narrow viewpoint will not happen from the viewpoint of the pervasive supreme self. This knowledge does not change the inherent form of objects. All it does is change our perspective. There certainly should be a miracle in the dealings of a knower that makes his dealings attractive, compassionate, exemplary, imitable, not obstructing welfare. One who behaves in this manner is a knower. The amount by which the knower's disrespect for duality increases, is the amount by which his intellect in non-duality increases.
When this intellect stops, and when waves of the the foul ocean of the world will not break the shore of the intellect, then this person will be called a living liberated person or jeevanmukta. When the five elements, or any object made of the five elements will be seen, when the vision goes to the reality and stays on the reality, then it is called "dviataavajnya" or absence of duality knowledge. This is called the non-dual vision as well as the state of brahman. Even while dying, if someone gets this compassionate state for even a second, his liberation is assured. Then what to say of those great people who can stay in this state since childhood? When the misapprehension is broken at the time of death, it will never return.
Death is considered the boundary between this world and the next. When one's misapprehension is destroyed on that boundary, in other words, the funds for his trip into the next world will be burnt. For someone who attains this afore-mentioned state of brahman, whether he rots on a bed, rolls on the ground, remains healthy or faints prior to giving up his vital forces, he will never yield to misapprehension again.
Even in the state of unconsciousness, the knower does not forget his knowledge. Is it possible for a literate person to forget reading and writing after he wakes up from sleep? That great science which has been awakened from scripture through such effort cannot be destroyed just like that. This is because there is no other means more powerful than Vedanta. That seeker who has fully accepted the non-duality as per Vedanta will not find any other science to negate this knowledge.
There is no greater means than one's own experience. Nonduality is real, duality is false. Both these have mixed into a mixture. When this mixture is separated, when each of these two components is understood correctly, then no one can stop the state of nirvaanaa from being attained.
This is the summary: After discriminating the elements, that non-dual Vedantic knowledge attained cannot be negated in any time, and body liberation will definitely be attained.
Translated from the Commentary by Pandit Raamaavataara Vidyaabhaaskara, a student of Achyuta Muni.
When this intellect stops, and when waves of the the foul ocean of the world will not break the shore of the intellect, then this person will be called a living liberated person or jeevanmukta. When the five elements, or any object made of the five elements will be seen, when the vision goes to the reality and stays on the reality, then it is called "dviataavajnya" or absence of duality knowledge. This is called the non-dual vision as well as the state of brahman. Even while dying, if someone gets this compassionate state for even a second, his liberation is assured. Then what to say of those great people who can stay in this state since childhood? When the misapprehension is broken at the time of death, it will never return.
Death is considered the boundary between this world and the next. When one's misapprehension is destroyed on that boundary, in other words, the funds for his trip into the next world will be burnt. For someone who attains this afore-mentioned state of brahman, whether he rots on a bed, rolls on the ground, remains healthy or faints prior to giving up his vital forces, he will never yield to misapprehension again.
Even in the state of unconsciousness, the knower does not forget his knowledge. Is it possible for a literate person to forget reading and writing after he wakes up from sleep? That great science which has been awakened from scripture through such effort cannot be destroyed just like that. This is because there is no other means more powerful than Vedanta. That seeker who has fully accepted the non-duality as per Vedanta will not find any other science to negate this knowledge.
There is no greater means than one's own experience. Nonduality is real, duality is false. Both these have mixed into a mixture. When this mixture is separated, when each of these two components is understood correctly, then no one can stop the state of nirvaanaa from being attained.
This is the summary: After discriminating the elements, that non-dual Vedantic knowledge attained cannot be negated in any time, and body liberation will definitely be attained.
Translated from the Commentary by Pandit Raamaavataara Vidyaabhaaskara, a student of Achyuta Muni.
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