Spiritual
Enlightenment-Its Nature and process
An
Edited Extract Of Swami Praramarthananda's Gurupoornima Talk.
Referring
to an interview that he gave earlier and exploring the significance
on the said subject, Swamiji thought it fit to share his thoughts
with his students on the occasion of Gurupoonima day celebrated on
3rd July, 2012.. Having studied and analysed the Scriptures under an
eminent Guru, Swami Dayananda Saraswati and recalling the repeated
warnings by him to teach without mystical words, Swamiji presented
the lecture as follows.
The
field of Spirituality is full of mystical words and their meanings
are very vague. Whatever be the meaning it has a subjective
colouration and differs from people to people. Therefore they cannot
communicate ideas clearly. Most of the words are attractive, awe
inspiring, reverential and non-communicative. A good teacher should
avoid, as much as possible, using them and replace such words with
commonly used vocabulary for easy understanding by the student. The
title Spiritual Enlightenment itself is such a word which has not
been understood by many even after many years of study. In the
context of Spirituality, Ignorance is the problem and Knowledge its
only solution, as clearly enunciated in the Scriptures. When one
replaces the word enlightenment by “knowledge” 50% of the problem
is solved. One should avoid using words like Spiritual Awakening,
Enlightenment, Sakshatkaram, etc. In our tradition Spirituality is to
convey the message of Vedanta-the Upanishads. That message is nothing
but Self Knowledge through Mahavkyams and its analysis. The central
message of Vedanta is “brahmasatyam
jaganmithyA jeevobrahmaiva na parah”,
Brahman is real, the Universe is mithya and Jeeva is none other than
Brahman. Clear understanding of this teaching is the meaning of
spirituality.
The
Teaching-Self Knowledge:
“brahmasatyam
jaganmithya jeevobrahmaiva na parah”
The
first part of the sentence above “brahmasatyam
jaganmithya” is
called Paroksha JnAnam and the remaining part the Aparoksha JnAnam.
Both give Brahma jnAnam only but then why in two ways? In the first
part there is no reference to the seeker of the knowledge hence it is
praoksha jnAnam to him. The second part refers the seeker to Brahman
that is said to be aparaokasha jnAnam. An example to is given for
easy understanding.
A
group visiting the Manasarover-Kailas for Parikrama is divided in to
two smaller groups by its leader. One group is to do the Manasarover
parikrama and the other Kailas parikrama that day, and reverse it on
the second day. Until the groups are designated as party one and
party two, all the persons in the group have only a paroksha jnAnam
as to which group is going to do Manasarover and which Kailasa. When
clearly instructed that the party one will do the Manasarover
parikrama that day, everything becomes aparokashm, for the second
party by implication will do the kailas parikrama and they will
reverse it the next day as instructed. Spiritual Knowledge is a clear
understanding of both paroksha and aparoksha knowledge of the
Mahavakyams and sentences like the one referred above.
What
is the process of self knowledge? Any knowledge in our life involves
the knower, known and instrument of knowledge. When these three are
in alignment, knowledge takes place through the five sense organs
appropriately as an antakkharaNa vritti pariNAmah, a thought
modification in the mind. In the Spiritual field also we have to use
the relevant instrument/pramANam, the Sastras and the premeyam is
Brahman/Atman. Scriptures talk about varieties of pramANam and gives
them through Upanishadic statements like as follows.
Mundaka
Upanishad (1.2.12):
parIkshyalokAn
karmacitAn brAhmaNah
nirvedamAyAnnAstyakrutah
krutena
tadvijNAnArtam
sa gurumevAbhigacchet
samitpANih
srotrIyam brahmaniShtam.
To
attain this self knowledge one must necessarily approach, with samit
in hand, a teacher who is well versed in scriptures and established
in brahman. Swamiji recalled that Swami Dayananda Sarawati prefers to
call himself a teacher than a Guru and addressed all his disciples as
only students.
Mundaka
Upanishad (1.2.13)
tasmai
sa vidvAnupasannAya samyak
prashAntachittAya
SamanvitAya
yenAkSharam
puruSam veda satyam
provaca
tAm tattvato brahmavidyAm.
Such
a teacher clearly and systematically communicated verbally the sabda
pramaNas/ vedanta vakyas that culminated in both parokash and
aparoksha jnAnam for the student.
Kathopanishad(1.2.9):
naiSha
tarkeNa matirApaneya proktanyenaiva sujNanaya preShtha
yAm
tvamApah satyadhrutirbatAsi tvadruNgano bhuyAnnaciketah praShtA.
The
above mantra reiterates again the necessity of a proper teacher to
get the said knowledge. Does this knowledge give us both paroksha
and aparoksha knowledge clearly. Swami vidyaranya asserts in
Panchadasi 7th
chapter 69th
verse as follows
avAntarena
vAkyena prokshA brahmadhIh bhaveth
sarvatraiva
mahAvAkyavicArAt aparokshdhIh.
Everywhere
indirect knowledge of brahman arises from the subsidiary passages and
direct knowledge from inquiry into the great passages-Mahavakyams,
which declare the identity of Brahman with the Self.
Nothing
but clear knowledge in the form of understanding the Vedanta arises
as brahmasatyam jaganmithyA aham brhmaiva na parah. If it gives the
self knowledge what is the role of meditation? No where Sastras
accepts meditation as a pramaNa. We also know that for knowledge to
rise, we require a pramAtA, premeyam and pramANam. Meditation cannot
produce knowledge but refines the mind to be conducive for vedanta
vichara. This can be practically understood in our personal life
itself. Suppose we want to attend a lecture by Swamiji in a
particular place, to know the place, address and its direction one
cannot sit in meditation and try to get it. One needs to use the
proper pramana and inquiry that gives the information.
However
Meditation helps in two ways. First it makes the mind pure before
vedanta vichara is taken up and then trains it to dwell on the
teaching one has learnt from a Guru. It helps to change one's
worldly view, based on the understanding of the sentence
“brahmasatyam jagnmitya aham brahmaiva na parah”, a shift to
vedantic view. Previously one claims that he has knowledge but not
liberated but with the shift through Vedantic view he claims he has
the knowledge of brahman and ever liberated. On this Gurupoornima day
let us offer our prayers to the entire Guruparampara from Lord
Sadasiva unto our Guru.
