If someone needs something, and they have the capacity to imbibe it, then they are called qualified. If some people are not qualified to hear something, and they hear it, then due to lack of understanding, they will not able to benefit from it. Those people whose minds are devoid of faults such as attraction or aversion, those who have understood the real situation of this world, those who maayaa has been unable to influence any more, those whose eye of knowledge has opened, those whose buds of knowledge are about to sprout, in brief, those who can discriminate between permanent and temporary objects, and due to this, they have turned away from enjoyments here and hereafter, those who regulate their senses, in whose mind, the shackles of quietitude have been established, those for whom only the door of liberation has been opened, for such people, this text has been created, and they are qualified to read it. This will enable them to recognize the essence, in other words, the form without anything superimposed on it.
The existence consciousness bliss form of brahman has been described in scripture. The exact same indications are found in the soul. First look at "existence". Everybody says "I am", in other words, "I exist". I am an entity that exists in all three states of time. Now contemplate about knowledge in this manner. During the waking state, we get innumerable sensory inputs or knowledge of sounds, touch etc. In those various knowledges, even if each knowledge is distinct, there is one knowledge that illuminates all of them that remains as one entity. The various differences seen in that one knowledge are due to adjuncts of sound, touch etc. The knowledges within waking and dream also should be considered in this manner.
Waking and dream may be two distinct states, but the afore-mentioned knowledge is always one. The knowledge of ignorance in deep sleep also shines in that very same knowledge. It means that seconds, minutes, hours, weeks, months, years and eons come and go, but this knowledge remains stable, like the anvil of a blacksmith, remains and will ever remain, self illumined. This lord of knowledge has pervaded all three realms. If you send your mind millions of light years away, or ask it to orbit the sun, this lord of knowledge will already have reached there. He was there before creation, and he will be there after dissolution. If that were not the case, how will those states be known? This pervasive knowledge in space and time alone is the self.
Now let us contemplate on his supreme bliss nature. Every being has a wish that they want to exist forever. Do you know the secret reason for such a wish? Its reason is not the general bliss form of the self. The supreme bliss form of the self is the reason for such a universal wish. We have dared to speak of this self love as the form of supreme bliss because this love can happen in others due to our selfishness, but others selfishness does not cause love to occur in us.
So existence consciousness bliss seen in brahman are also seen in the self. Vedanta and the teacher say this to the qualified person: O fool, the self and brahman are not two, they are two names of the same thing.
The supreme bliss form of the self as described above has been stuck in an unusual situation. It is known and also unknown at the same time. That which hides the supreme bliss nature of this self has two parts: ignorance and maayaa. From both of these arise Ishvara, Praajnya, space etc. five elements, five organs of knowledge, mind, intellect, five organs of action, five vital forces. Then the gross form of five elements occurs through intermixing, called "pancheekarana". In those intermixed five elements, many kinds of gross bodies and realms are created.
Subtle and causal bodies are the same in all beings. Differences exist only in gross bodies. "Vaishvaanara" and "Vishva" are imagined on the basis of these gross bodies. These gods, animals and birds that are called Vishva, do not have the knowledge of the inner element hidden inside them. Just like children watching a street show remain inside their doors, in the same way, due to their ignorance, these beings always remain within the doors of their sense organs, and the organs of actions are labourers who carry out the commands of the sense organs. What more can we say about the foolishness of these beings? They are stuck in such a whirlpool, that coming out of it will be difficult.
These beings work in order to enjoy, and then they enjoy so that they can work. Since they perform action, they have to go through its result. After enjoying, when some base pleasure comes their way, they enter into the trap of action with double enthusiasm and so get further entangled. So action created enjoyment and enjoyment creates action. They cannot see beyond action and enjoyment. In their mind, they never ask a question, will we ever come out of the cycle of action and enjoyment? Will we ever get respite from it? They are like blind people who have been trapped in a doorless room one birth after another. They will never have the vision of joy. Their state is like that of a moth who is trapped in one whirlpool after another in a stream. Only after millions of merits do they find a person in the form of a teacher who can remove them from this whirlpool.
There are so many oceans in the world, but only rainwater is potable. Similarly, the entire universe is pervaded by the self element, but it is made useful for us only through a teacher. The oil in a cow's body cannot benefit the cow directly. When it is milked from the cow, the oil extracted from it and fed back to the cow, then its body is nourished. That is why, a teacher is required that can churn his student and feed him the self element.
The teacher causes the student to realize for certain that the self is hidden somewhere inside the five sheaths. When this self hides in the five sheaths, then the self is forgotten and one becomes trapped in the world.
A stalk has to be removed from grass with great care. Similarly, using the technique of the teachers, when brave people remove the self element from the three bodies, the indications of brahman begin to be seen in the self. By seeing the oneness of the indications, seekers have to admit that I am that very supreme brahman self. Through this, the possibility of oneness of the superior and inferior self sits in the heart of readers. "I am that" and other such great statements, they give witness to this oneness. When qualified students hear these statements appropriately, then they realize the undivided existence consciousness bliss brahman.
The doubts regarding this supreme goal go away through hearing and contemplation. When this supreme goal stays in the heart firmly and flows like a stream of oil, it is called nidhidhyaasana or meditation. When this meditation reaches its fruition, what to say of its greatness? Then the meditator and meditated become one. At that time, the meditating mind is like a burning lamp in a windless place, or a lamp drawn in a picture. When such a state is attained, then it should be understood that "samaadhi" has been achieved.
The greatness of this samaadhi is that the garbage bin of actions that we have accumulated since time immemorial are destroyed by this samaadhi. Pure duty begins to increase, due to which realization that can destroy ignorance and its cause, arises. By remaining in this samaadhi, when the entire web of desires is destroyed, when the heap of actions known as merits and sins is gone, then the meaning of statements such as "you are that" will be properly understood. Prior to arrival of this generous state, any spiritual knowledge should be considered indirect. But when someone gets this direct knowledge then even the cause of the world, the root ignorance, also gets burnt.
When someone does such a discrimination of the essence and gives the great teaching to his mind towards this goal, then he will definitely gain direct knowledge. His bonds of the world will be cut open. Then there will not even be a moment's delay for him to gain the supreme state. We can also say that he will become the supreme brahman, of the form of existence consciousness bliss.
The non-superimposed, non-imagined reality has been demonstrated in this section. The deeper meaning of this section is this: In one place there cannot be two imagined substances. That only one non-imagined substance can remain in one place is a general rule. Where there is one real rope, there cannot be a real unimagined snake in that same place. But yes, it is possible that an imaginary snake can exist in the same place as the rope. Reality and imaginary are seen in one place, like in a mirage.
Wherever we see an imaginary substance, there lies the non-imaginary essential reality beneath it, but at time it is hidden. If at that time, we know the essence, then the imaginary substance will vanish instantly, just like objects in a dream. Similarly, understand that this world has a reality, it has a non-superimposed inherent form that is one, and that also is hidden. Its inherent form is "real", "knowledge" and "supreme bliss". But there have been several kinds of superimpositions on it. There are several imagined worldly entities such as body, senses, mind, intellect and others, they have taken all our attention towards them. As a result, all we see is "unreal", "ignorance" and "sorrow" everywhere.
Like the snake on the rope attracts attention towards it, and takes our attention away from the rope, in the same manner these imaginary objects block the experience of the essence, and themselves come in front of us. We develop fear and agitation when we see the snake, in the same manner when we see the body and other entities, the cycle of birth and death starts. We unfortunate beings are born to die and die to be born. When due to fruition of merits we meet a recognizer of the essence, and when he bestows his grace upon us, then we realize these imagined entities, our vision goes to the non-imaginary existence consciousness bliss reality, and then worldliness stops.
This teacher reveals the inherent true form of the non-imaginary reality. Then, contemplation or manana on that reality begins, and when all doubts go away, the mind settles on that reality. As this happens, when the state of the minds becomes quiet like the picture of a lamp, then this state is called samaadhi. When this happens, the heap of actions burns away, and bonds of the world decay. In this state, the final goal has to come close to the seeker.
A mirror is solid. It does not have the capacity to hold even a grain. But inside it, it can hold several things, and a long and wide sky can be seen. In the same way, that existence consciousness bliss reality is solid everywhere, there are no holes in it, no grain can enter it. But, due to this accident of maayaa, this entire world is seen as a misapprehension in this existence consciousness bliss. Just like we know the purity of a mirror while seeing the infinite sky in it, and we do not believe what we see, if we are able to realize the purity of the existence consciousness bliss while seeing infinite worlds in it, if a few drops in the form of the water of existence consciousness bliss will fall upon us, if the mind revels in this essence, and we lose the faith of reality in what we see externally, then understand that the superimposed entities have gone and the essence has been accessed.
To be able to give us access to this essence is the goal of the chapter called Tattva Viveka.
Now let us contemplate on his supreme bliss nature. Every being has a wish that they want to exist forever. Do you know the secret reason for such a wish? Its reason is not the general bliss form of the self. The supreme bliss form of the self is the reason for such a universal wish. We have dared to speak of this self love as the form of supreme bliss because this love can happen in others due to our selfishness, but others selfishness does not cause love to occur in us.
So existence consciousness bliss seen in brahman are also seen in the self. Vedanta and the teacher say this to the qualified person: O fool, the self and brahman are not two, they are two names of the same thing.
The supreme bliss form of the self as described above has been stuck in an unusual situation. It is known and also unknown at the same time. That which hides the supreme bliss nature of this self has two parts: ignorance and maayaa. From both of these arise Ishvara, Praajnya, space etc. five elements, five organs of knowledge, mind, intellect, five organs of action, five vital forces. Then the gross form of five elements occurs through intermixing, called "pancheekarana". In those intermixed five elements, many kinds of gross bodies and realms are created.
Subtle and causal bodies are the same in all beings. Differences exist only in gross bodies. "Vaishvaanara" and "Vishva" are imagined on the basis of these gross bodies. These gods, animals and birds that are called Vishva, do not have the knowledge of the inner element hidden inside them. Just like children watching a street show remain inside their doors, in the same way, due to their ignorance, these beings always remain within the doors of their sense organs, and the organs of actions are labourers who carry out the commands of the sense organs. What more can we say about the foolishness of these beings? They are stuck in such a whirlpool, that coming out of it will be difficult.
These beings work in order to enjoy, and then they enjoy so that they can work. Since they perform action, they have to go through its result. After enjoying, when some base pleasure comes their way, they enter into the trap of action with double enthusiasm and so get further entangled. So action created enjoyment and enjoyment creates action. They cannot see beyond action and enjoyment. In their mind, they never ask a question, will we ever come out of the cycle of action and enjoyment? Will we ever get respite from it? They are like blind people who have been trapped in a doorless room one birth after another. They will never have the vision of joy. Their state is like that of a moth who is trapped in one whirlpool after another in a stream. Only after millions of merits do they find a person in the form of a teacher who can remove them from this whirlpool.
There are so many oceans in the world, but only rainwater is potable. Similarly, the entire universe is pervaded by the self element, but it is made useful for us only through a teacher. The oil in a cow's body cannot benefit the cow directly. When it is milked from the cow, the oil extracted from it and fed back to the cow, then its body is nourished. That is why, a teacher is required that can churn his student and feed him the self element.
The teacher causes the student to realize for certain that the self is hidden somewhere inside the five sheaths. When this self hides in the five sheaths, then the self is forgotten and one becomes trapped in the world.
A stalk has to be removed from grass with great care. Similarly, using the technique of the teachers, when brave people remove the self element from the three bodies, the indications of brahman begin to be seen in the self. By seeing the oneness of the indications, seekers have to admit that I am that very supreme brahman self. Through this, the possibility of oneness of the superior and inferior self sits in the heart of readers. "I am that" and other such great statements, they give witness to this oneness. When qualified students hear these statements appropriately, then they realize the undivided existence consciousness bliss brahman.
The doubts regarding this supreme goal go away through hearing and contemplation. When this supreme goal stays in the heart firmly and flows like a stream of oil, it is called nidhidhyaasana or meditation. When this meditation reaches its fruition, what to say of its greatness? Then the meditator and meditated become one. At that time, the meditating mind is like a burning lamp in a windless place, or a lamp drawn in a picture. When such a state is attained, then it should be understood that "samaadhi" has been achieved.
The greatness of this samaadhi is that the garbage bin of actions that we have accumulated since time immemorial are destroyed by this samaadhi. Pure duty begins to increase, due to which realization that can destroy ignorance and its cause, arises. By remaining in this samaadhi, when the entire web of desires is destroyed, when the heap of actions known as merits and sins is gone, then the meaning of statements such as "you are that" will be properly understood. Prior to arrival of this generous state, any spiritual knowledge should be considered indirect. But when someone gets this direct knowledge then even the cause of the world, the root ignorance, also gets burnt.
When someone does such a discrimination of the essence and gives the great teaching to his mind towards this goal, then he will definitely gain direct knowledge. His bonds of the world will be cut open. Then there will not even be a moment's delay for him to gain the supreme state. We can also say that he will become the supreme brahman, of the form of existence consciousness bliss.
The non-superimposed, non-imagined reality has been demonstrated in this section. The deeper meaning of this section is this: In one place there cannot be two imagined substances. That only one non-imagined substance can remain in one place is a general rule. Where there is one real rope, there cannot be a real unimagined snake in that same place. But yes, it is possible that an imaginary snake can exist in the same place as the rope. Reality and imaginary are seen in one place, like in a mirage.
Wherever we see an imaginary substance, there lies the non-imaginary essential reality beneath it, but at time it is hidden. If at that time, we know the essence, then the imaginary substance will vanish instantly, just like objects in a dream. Similarly, understand that this world has a reality, it has a non-superimposed inherent form that is one, and that also is hidden. Its inherent form is "real", "knowledge" and "supreme bliss". But there have been several kinds of superimpositions on it. There are several imagined worldly entities such as body, senses, mind, intellect and others, they have taken all our attention towards them. As a result, all we see is "unreal", "ignorance" and "sorrow" everywhere.
Like the snake on the rope attracts attention towards it, and takes our attention away from the rope, in the same manner these imaginary objects block the experience of the essence, and themselves come in front of us. We develop fear and agitation when we see the snake, in the same manner when we see the body and other entities, the cycle of birth and death starts. We unfortunate beings are born to die and die to be born. When due to fruition of merits we meet a recognizer of the essence, and when he bestows his grace upon us, then we realize these imagined entities, our vision goes to the non-imaginary existence consciousness bliss reality, and then worldliness stops.
This teacher reveals the inherent true form of the non-imaginary reality. Then, contemplation or manana on that reality begins, and when all doubts go away, the mind settles on that reality. As this happens, when the state of the minds becomes quiet like the picture of a lamp, then this state is called samaadhi. When this happens, the heap of actions burns away, and bonds of the world decay. In this state, the final goal has to come close to the seeker.
A mirror is solid. It does not have the capacity to hold even a grain. But inside it, it can hold several things, and a long and wide sky can be seen. In the same way, that existence consciousness bliss reality is solid everywhere, there are no holes in it, no grain can enter it. But, due to this accident of maayaa, this entire world is seen as a misapprehension in this existence consciousness bliss. Just like we know the purity of a mirror while seeing the infinite sky in it, and we do not believe what we see, if we are able to realize the purity of the existence consciousness bliss while seeing infinite worlds in it, if a few drops in the form of the water of existence consciousness bliss will fall upon us, if the mind revels in this essence, and we lose the faith of reality in what we see externally, then understand that the superimposed entities have gone and the essence has been accessed.
To be able to give us access to this essence is the goal of the chapter called Tattva Viveka.
Translated from the Commentary by Pandit Raamaavataara Vidyaabhaaskara, a student of Achyuta Muni.
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