"Great statement" is a phrase similar to "great student", "great king", "great journey", "great knower" and so on. It could also mean that no other statement has a greater or more pervasive meaning that it. Another meaning could be, that after which nothing else remains to be said. Those beings who remain extrovert day and night, those beings who are obsessed with their senses for all 24 hours, amidst those beings, someone may say these statements like an actor or a trained parrot, we are not concerned with him.
We are only pointing towards those great sages, in whose heart lies the flame of knowledge that has reduced the notion of worldly reality to ashes. When they, sitting in the silent realm of their heart, utter these words, and when in their heart, silence reigns forever, after which not even one useless sentence needs to be heard which can break that silence, then these statements can be called "great statements" with much honour. This section gives prominence to aagama or scripture, there is not even a little space for wrong arguments and useless debating. The great statements mentioned here live secretly inside all beings, describing the complete self. The inferior self has constrained souls.
In the flame of contemplation, when the inferior self is burnt, the complete self reveals itself. Just like the infinite space reveals itself when the eyelids open, our infinite self essence is seen as soon as the inferior self is removed. These great statements are pointers to that meritorious, victorious state.
All scriptures such as Vedas etc. are pointers to these great statements alone. These sounds reveal themselves only to those in the depths of contemplation. That is why Vedas are called non-human. No human creates Vedas. They can only be heard by a pure mind. That is why Vedas manifest through sages. The feeble sounds of the great statements in this chapter are heard in common people also, but since these people are under the control of their inferior self, it is as these sounds are not heard at all.
All beings consider themselves the best and the biggest. They think they are endowed with all kinds of good qualities and that they are the most superior. They do not leave any chance for self praise. But no one pays attention to the underlying secret reason for this universal sense of greatness. We say that it is this underlying secret greatness alone is "I am brahman". The soundless language of "I am brahman" makes everyone think that they are great. In our every pore, this great incantation of "I am brahman" is pervaded. Death has trapped the entire world in its grasp, but that which can eat even this death, this "I am brahman" does not know how to die. This "I am brahman" which is inside has wrapped itself in the cloak of skin.
So now, in the form of inferior body arrogation, we only sometimes, barely get to hear the sound of "I am brahman". The lustre of brahman is there no more in it. We seekers have to assiduously awaken this sleeping "I am brahman" inside us, sleeping in us as the Om. When it will awaken completely, and will tear this cloth of skin, then it will burn this body arrogation, this inferior ego. Due to the burning of the body arrogation, this "I am brahman" will again pervade the universe and cast its reign on the infinite universe. When such a divine state comes, then only do we gain the qualification for saying "I am brahman". Otherwise, verbal knowledge does not lead to anything.
Just by saying jaggery, one's mouth does not become sweet. By chanting Raama, a parrot does not become a sage. When such a divine state comes, then the infinite ocean of water arises. In the pure mind of those people in which the non-human great statements begin to be heard, in whose hearts the sound of completeness begins to resonate, they alone are sages, they are living liberated, only they can attain body liberation.
Those whose words do not have experience behind them, when they utter "I am brahman" and other such great statements, they become causes of bondage like any other bad words. This is because, when an inexperienced person utters such statements, they commit self harm, because such statements cause faults such as arrogance in them.
There are four key great statements. "Knowledge is brahman", "I am brahman", "you are that" and "my self is brahman". The means of liberation, in the form of oneness between brahman and the self, its knowledge is attained through these statements alone. The self is of the form of existence consciousness bliss, such knowledge can also come through logic. But "that brahman and this self are the same essence", to know this, there is no other means than words.
"Knowledge is brahman" or "prajnyaanam brahma"
Thought flow comes out through ears and eyes. The knowledge or awareness that is adjuncted with that thought flow sees form and other objects of this world, and also listens to words. Awareness adjuncted through the thought flow of the internal instrument is used to smell the good and bad smells of the world. That very awareness covered by the speech instruments speaks all the words of this world. Same for thought flows of taste.
So, the awareness by which a contemplative person receives information of the senses or of the internal instrument is called knowledge. From Brahmaa all the way down to humans and animals, this afore-mentioned knowledge pervades. The Vedas are nothing but the spread out rays of this knowledge sun. It is through the support of that knowledge that the birth, maintenance and death of the universe happen. That is why it is said that this knowledge that lives inside all is the brahman element.
Since this all-pervading knowledge alone is brahman, I the seeker can now fearlessly assert that the knowledge in me alone is the brahman element. From today, I will stop the arrogation of the inferior on that great knowledge. Even after knowing all this, if I continue to cast the arrogation of the inferior on this great knowledge, I will become a criminal in the eyes of brahman. I will face the grave crime of superimposing the inferior "I am" on the all=pervasive brahman.
"I am brahman" or "Aham Brahmaasmi"
From a logical standpoint, that supreme self element is self sufficient in all, and is also the witness of everyone's intellect. All beings, thinking of themselves as the biggest and greatest among all, are parrotting the "I am brahman" statement with ignorance. But this does not benefit the seeker. When a seeker, along with this knowledge, experiences that self sufficient brahman element as the witness of my intellect, then that experienced-endowed self will be called the "I".
When some seeker repeatedly begins to cast off his cloak of ignorance, when a seeker comes out of the hut of skin, only then can we call that seeker as "I". The reality that can never come in the disconnectedness of space time or object, that which is self sufficient in its nature is called brahman. The job of the third word "asmi" is to equate the I and the brahman. He who has the notion that I the seeker am brahman is brahman. Due to ignorance, most people will always think that they are a worldly person, not brahman. I am not that. He who is always involved in the inferior issues of the body and the senses, I am not that. Or, that brahman element which I was assuming to be located in the seventh heaven due to my ignorance, I now know that is me.
"You are that" or "tat tvam asi"
That which, for some reason, till now was always wrapped in the vestiges of the body, that which was always dying and living with the vestiges of the body, that which has gained the capacity to imbibe the great statements through hearing and so on, who has begun to stay separately from the three bodies, who has begun to become the witness of all three bodies, that is what we indicate by "tvam" or you.
Prior to the creation of the world, free of all differences, there was one name-form devoid reality. Even after creation, that reality is the same as it was. That reality does not have modification in it, that changeless reality is indicated by us as "tat" or "that". The oneness that is hidden in both these indicated meanings. is denoted by the "asi" word. But no matter how hard one tries, only a qualified person can get to the indicated meaning. Most others will dismiss this great statement as humour, or have fun with it. Seekers are urged to experience the divine bliss of the oneness of the you and that aspects, and by doing so, end this nonsense that has been going on since time immemorial.
They should experience this: Have we descended here in order to endlessly wander in this world? Are these wanderings and oscillations of the world the sole goal of life? Or do we have our own stable form by which we can experience peace? The answer to the serious question is the great statement "you are that".
"This self is brahman" or "ayamaatmaa brahman"
Although the essence is self illumined and also illumines all, but the maayaa-deluded being has disregarded this essence in a manner worse than one disregards ones enemies. After merits accumulated over millions of births, when a seeker reaches this essence, then this essence when caught by the subtle vision is called "this". In other words, this essence never hides from anyone and never becomes a seen of anyone. The collection of ego, vital force, senses, mind and body, the witness of all that, sitting inside of all that, that element is called the self. This world comprising the sky and so on is ephemeral. When this ephemeral world will no longer be, as is its nature, that essence is called "brahman". That brahman essence which has been understood by the seeker is that self-illumined self mentioned above. That there could be a brahman-named entity apart from the self cannot be proven by any evidence. Thinking anything else to be brahman is the worst mistake.
We are only pointing towards those great sages, in whose heart lies the flame of knowledge that has reduced the notion of worldly reality to ashes. When they, sitting in the silent realm of their heart, utter these words, and when in their heart, silence reigns forever, after which not even one useless sentence needs to be heard which can break that silence, then these statements can be called "great statements" with much honour. This section gives prominence to aagama or scripture, there is not even a little space for wrong arguments and useless debating. The great statements mentioned here live secretly inside all beings, describing the complete self. The inferior self has constrained souls.
In the flame of contemplation, when the inferior self is burnt, the complete self reveals itself. Just like the infinite space reveals itself when the eyelids open, our infinite self essence is seen as soon as the inferior self is removed. These great statements are pointers to that meritorious, victorious state.
All scriptures such as Vedas etc. are pointers to these great statements alone. These sounds reveal themselves only to those in the depths of contemplation. That is why Vedas are called non-human. No human creates Vedas. They can only be heard by a pure mind. That is why Vedas manifest through sages. The feeble sounds of the great statements in this chapter are heard in common people also, but since these people are under the control of their inferior self, it is as these sounds are not heard at all.
All beings consider themselves the best and the biggest. They think they are endowed with all kinds of good qualities and that they are the most superior. They do not leave any chance for self praise. But no one pays attention to the underlying secret reason for this universal sense of greatness. We say that it is this underlying secret greatness alone is "I am brahman". The soundless language of "I am brahman" makes everyone think that they are great. In our every pore, this great incantation of "I am brahman" is pervaded. Death has trapped the entire world in its grasp, but that which can eat even this death, this "I am brahman" does not know how to die. This "I am brahman" which is inside has wrapped itself in the cloak of skin.
So now, in the form of inferior body arrogation, we only sometimes, barely get to hear the sound of "I am brahman". The lustre of brahman is there no more in it. We seekers have to assiduously awaken this sleeping "I am brahman" inside us, sleeping in us as the Om. When it will awaken completely, and will tear this cloth of skin, then it will burn this body arrogation, this inferior ego. Due to the burning of the body arrogation, this "I am brahman" will again pervade the universe and cast its reign on the infinite universe. When such a divine state comes, then only do we gain the qualification for saying "I am brahman". Otherwise, verbal knowledge does not lead to anything.
Just by saying jaggery, one's mouth does not become sweet. By chanting Raama, a parrot does not become a sage. When such a divine state comes, then the infinite ocean of water arises. In the pure mind of those people in which the non-human great statements begin to be heard, in whose hearts the sound of completeness begins to resonate, they alone are sages, they are living liberated, only they can attain body liberation.
Those whose words do not have experience behind them, when they utter "I am brahman" and other such great statements, they become causes of bondage like any other bad words. This is because, when an inexperienced person utters such statements, they commit self harm, because such statements cause faults such as arrogance in them.
There are four key great statements. "Knowledge is brahman", "I am brahman", "you are that" and "my self is brahman". The means of liberation, in the form of oneness between brahman and the self, its knowledge is attained through these statements alone. The self is of the form of existence consciousness bliss, such knowledge can also come through logic. But "that brahman and this self are the same essence", to know this, there is no other means than words.
"Knowledge is brahman" or "prajnyaanam brahma"
Thought flow comes out through ears and eyes. The knowledge or awareness that is adjuncted with that thought flow sees form and other objects of this world, and also listens to words. Awareness adjuncted through the thought flow of the internal instrument is used to smell the good and bad smells of the world. That very awareness covered by the speech instruments speaks all the words of this world. Same for thought flows of taste.
So, the awareness by which a contemplative person receives information of the senses or of the internal instrument is called knowledge. From Brahmaa all the way down to humans and animals, this afore-mentioned knowledge pervades. The Vedas are nothing but the spread out rays of this knowledge sun. It is through the support of that knowledge that the birth, maintenance and death of the universe happen. That is why it is said that this knowledge that lives inside all is the brahman element.
Since this all-pervading knowledge alone is brahman, I the seeker can now fearlessly assert that the knowledge in me alone is the brahman element. From today, I will stop the arrogation of the inferior on that great knowledge. Even after knowing all this, if I continue to cast the arrogation of the inferior on this great knowledge, I will become a criminal in the eyes of brahman. I will face the grave crime of superimposing the inferior "I am" on the all=pervasive brahman.
"I am brahman" or "Aham Brahmaasmi"
From a logical standpoint, that supreme self element is self sufficient in all, and is also the witness of everyone's intellect. All beings, thinking of themselves as the biggest and greatest among all, are parrotting the "I am brahman" statement with ignorance. But this does not benefit the seeker. When a seeker, along with this knowledge, experiences that self sufficient brahman element as the witness of my intellect, then that experienced-endowed self will be called the "I".
When some seeker repeatedly begins to cast off his cloak of ignorance, when a seeker comes out of the hut of skin, only then can we call that seeker as "I". The reality that can never come in the disconnectedness of space time or object, that which is self sufficient in its nature is called brahman. The job of the third word "asmi" is to equate the I and the brahman. He who has the notion that I the seeker am brahman is brahman. Due to ignorance, most people will always think that they are a worldly person, not brahman. I am not that. He who is always involved in the inferior issues of the body and the senses, I am not that. Or, that brahman element which I was assuming to be located in the seventh heaven due to my ignorance, I now know that is me.
"You are that" or "tat tvam asi"
That which, for some reason, till now was always wrapped in the vestiges of the body, that which was always dying and living with the vestiges of the body, that which has gained the capacity to imbibe the great statements through hearing and so on, who has begun to stay separately from the three bodies, who has begun to become the witness of all three bodies, that is what we indicate by "tvam" or you.
Prior to the creation of the world, free of all differences, there was one name-form devoid reality. Even after creation, that reality is the same as it was. That reality does not have modification in it, that changeless reality is indicated by us as "tat" or "that". The oneness that is hidden in both these indicated meanings. is denoted by the "asi" word. But no matter how hard one tries, only a qualified person can get to the indicated meaning. Most others will dismiss this great statement as humour, or have fun with it. Seekers are urged to experience the divine bliss of the oneness of the you and that aspects, and by doing so, end this nonsense that has been going on since time immemorial.
They should experience this: Have we descended here in order to endlessly wander in this world? Are these wanderings and oscillations of the world the sole goal of life? Or do we have our own stable form by which we can experience peace? The answer to the serious question is the great statement "you are that".
"This self is brahman" or "ayamaatmaa brahman"
Although the essence is self illumined and also illumines all, but the maayaa-deluded being has disregarded this essence in a manner worse than one disregards ones enemies. After merits accumulated over millions of births, when a seeker reaches this essence, then this essence when caught by the subtle vision is called "this". In other words, this essence never hides from anyone and never becomes a seen of anyone. The collection of ego, vital force, senses, mind and body, the witness of all that, sitting inside of all that, that element is called the self. This world comprising the sky and so on is ephemeral. When this ephemeral world will no longer be, as is its nature, that essence is called "brahman". That brahman essence which has been understood by the seeker is that self-illumined self mentioned above. That there could be a brahman-named entity apart from the self cannot be proven by any evidence. Thinking anything else to be brahman is the worst mistake.
Translated from the Commentary by Pandit Raamaavataara Vidyaabhaaskara, a student of Achyuta Muni
