Ethical Values in.Sankara's Viveka Chudamani:Conclusion

Acharya Sankara's Viveka Chudamani(Crest Jewel of Wisdom)

 Ethical  and Spiritual  Values in Sankara's Viveka Chudamani:

Conclusion
 Acharya  Sankara   has ,   in  the   Vivek  Chudamani(VC),  by means  of a  dialogue between   the  Teacher   and  the  disciple,  given   the  crest  of  thoughts in  the  Vedas,  the  deepest  purport  of Upanishadic   literature,  and the  most supreme  and  profound secret  Knowledge containing   the  innermost  essence of  the  Vedanta,  to  enable him  to achieve purification   from the  impurities of vasanas  and   to make  his  intellect  fully   free  from desires.In  the  VC, all  that  we have is a logical thought development  of   the entire theory of Vedanta given  out  in  a style  and  language most   fit  for the  easy comprehension   of   even   the  dull-witted. With   this   aim  in  view Sankara had  woven this  poetic  tapestry,most successfully, indeed. 

Just   as   the   great scripture the Bhagvad Geeta  is  presented   to the  public  in  a   convenient   style,here we find  Acharya   Sankara  employing  a  Teacher-Taught dialogue.  The  entire theme discussed is the nature of    the   Self  and  how best  the  seeker(sadhak)can  be   trained and  helped  to come  to apprehend the  Truth.In  the penultimate  verse  (Verse  580 ) Sankara    states:" May  those men  appreciate this salutory  teaching,  who  are  sekers  after liberation, who have  cleansed  themselves  of  the  taints  of the mind  by observing   the  prescribed   methods,who have a  distaste  for worldly  enjoyments, who have  serene  minds  and who   take  delight  in   the  scriptures."

According   to  Swami  Chinmayananda,  Ach.  Sankara has   written  this  only  for those who have the  following  six  qualifications:

1.Those  who have completely  purged the  impurities of the  mind(vihita-nirasta-samasta-chitta-doshah)  by   following    the  prescribed  methods---  sama, dama,uparati,titiksha,sradha, and  samadhana..
2.Those who are averse to   the  pleasure of the  world  which  are ever-changing(bhava-sukha-viratah).
3.  Those   whose minds   are  quiet  and  calm, because  of   the   reduction  of  vasanas(prasata-chittah).
4.Those who   take delight  in the study of the  scriptures i.e. those  who have  the mental attitude  to understand  the  Upanishads (sruti-rasikah).
5.Those who are putting  forth  the  effort, those  who are striving   to realise what they  have understood(yatayah).
6.Those   who  have  a  burning   desire for liberation(mumukshavah).

Such  people,when they study VivekaChudamani,  willi understand and   appreciate it  better.

May  I add  another  category  of persons like myself ( or   some  of the  esteemed   readers  of  this article/ blog) ,  who may not possess any  of   the above qualifications,  but   having   studied   this masterpiece  of  Vedanta,  become convert  to  the  Vedantic idealogy, by  sheer repeated  reinforcements  of   the   Knowledge  of  the  Self,   to become master of  themselves,  in  the  ultimate   reckoning.
For those  who  are   afflicted  in  this  sansar  by   the  burning pains   of   caused   by   the  scorching   sun  rays  of the  three-fold sorrows(Adhyatimika, Adhidaivika, and  Adhibhautika),  and   those who, in  delusion roam  in a desert    in  search  of water,  for them here  is  the   glorious message  of Sankara pointing  out the  ocean  of Nectar,  the  non-dual Brahman(the  satchidananda),  within   easy  reach, in  order to lead them  to liberation.


My grateful thanks   to  Swami Chinmayananda and  Central  Chinmaya Mission, Mumbai,   on whose publication  "  Talks  on  Sankara's  Viveka Choodamani",  the  contents  of  this article/blog are  mainly  based.May   the  Seekers   of  the  Truth  imbibe  the  ethical/Spiritual Values   for leading    a more serene and contented  life.

Vedprakash

Ethical Values in.Sankara's Viveka Chudamani:Final Words of Advice

Acharya Sankara's Viveka Chudamani(Crest Jewel of Wisdom):
Final  Words of  Advice(521-575)
The  Guru(Teacher)advises   the  disciple   how  a man of Realisation  should work in  the world and   what his   relationship  with  it   should   be.

• A nunbroken series of   perce;ptions  of Brahman is  this universe; so in  every   respect it   is  nothing  but Brahman.  In  all  conditions see   this   with the  vision  of  illumination  and   a   serene  mind.  Is  it ever   possible  that  he   who has   his  eyes   can  see  anything   other   than  forms   all  around? So too,what   is   there   to   engage   the   intellect  of   a   realised man,  save  Brahman?(522)
• Which   wise man  would   relinquish  revelling   in  supreme Bliss  for  the  enjoyment   of paltrythings? When  the greatly enchanting moon is shining, who would wish   to gaze upon a painted moon?(523)
• In   the   perception  of  objects   unreal,  there   is   neither  the   slightest  entertainment  nor   the  cessation   of  misery.  Therefore, content   in   the   realisation  of the  essence   of  non-dual Bliss,  remain   happy, ever identified   with   the  Self(524)
• Onoble   one, beholding  the  Self  always contemplating   upon   the  Self which  is  non-dual and   enjoying  the Bliss   of   the Self,  you should spend  your  time(525)
• In the   unbroken  Knowledge, the  Absolute,  the  Atman, dualistic  conceptions  are   like  castles  in   the  aior.  Therefore, attaining  supreme  Peace  live   in  silence,  identifying  yourself   with  the  non-dual  Bliss  Absolute(526)
• The  cause   of  all  fancies, the  mind, becomes   perfectly  serene to   the   sage who has   known  Brahman.  Indeed,  this is    the  state  of quiescence, which ever   identified   with   Brahman, he   constantly   enjoys  the  non-dual Bliss  Absolute(527)
• There   is nothing   more exhilarating  than   the quiescence  which comes   from being free of  vasanas,   to him who has   known his   own  nature and   who   drinks   the  Bliss   of   the  Self(528)
• Whether   going   or   staying,sitting   or   lying   down,  or   in  any   other   state, the   enlightened  sage,whose sole pleasure is in the Atman,lives ever   at ease.(529)
• The Sage who has perfect Realisation of  Truth and  whose mind, therefore  encounters no obstruction,no more relies upon conditions  of place,  time,posture, direction,moral  discipline,objects of meditation  etc.  What formulae can there be for recognising  one's own  Self?(530)
• The   Atman which  is   an  eternal  Truth, manifests   itself  in  the  presence   of  the  right means   of Knowledge.  It is dependent neithe ron  place nor time nor (outward)purity(532)
• Here   is the Self-effulgent Atman of   endless power,beyond   all conditioned knowledge  yet   the   direct   experience  of  all, Freed   from bondage,  realising   this   alone,  the  best   among the  knowers   of Brahman  lives   his  life   of   victory.(536)
• Neither   grieved  nor   elated, neither   attached   nor   averse  to   sense-objects,  but   content   with   the  endless   essence   of  Bliss, he  sports and revels  in  the  Self(537)
• Forgetting   his  hunger and  physical  pains  achild plays with   toys.  In   the same way the   wise man  is happy  and  revels   without the ideas  of  "  I"  and  "mine"(538)
• He   wears   no   insignia and  is unattached   tosense-objects;  he  remains  in  this  body  without  identifying  with  it and   experiences sense-objects as they  come, by   the   wish   of   others;the knower of the  Atman  is  like a child(540)
• Being  of   the   nature   of   desirelessness,  the  sage 'enjoys'  sense-objects but   lives   alone.He   is  ever-satisfied  with   his   own  Self, and  exists  as  everything   everywhere(542)
• Though   without   wealth,he is  ever-satisfied,though  without help  he  is very powerful, though he does not enjoy sense-objects,  he  is  eternally content,and  though  without  exemplar,he   has  equal  vision(544)
• Though  acting he is inactive, though he   experiences    the  fruit  of past actions he is untouched  by  them;though he has a body he  is not   identified  with it and   though limited he is  omnipresent(545)
• This knower of Brahman lives without  the body idea,and neither pleasure no rpain, neither good nor eveil ever  touch him(546)
• Through  desires  produved   by  Ppararabdha karma, the man of Perfection,bereft of  thebody   idea,moves   in   the   midst   ofsense-enjoyments like one subject   to  transmigration.H, however, lives   unmoved   in   the  body,like a witness,free   from mental agitations,like the  pivot of a potter's  wheel(552)
• He  doesnot   direct   the  sense-organs   to  their   objects, nor   does   he   detach  from   these, but   he   remains   like    an  indifferent   onlooker.  His   mind  being   drunk  with "wine"of  Bliss of  the   Self,he   holds not the   least   regard  for   the   fruits   of  action(553)
• He   who  has   renounced   the   anxiety   to   reach  the  Goal and   never   to   deviate  from it,  and   lives   as   the  Absolute  Brahman,  indeed,  he  is  Siva  himself,  the   best   among   the knowers   of  Brahman(554)
• The  perfect   knower   of  Brahman  becomes   eternally free,  evan  in  this  life  and   is  fulfilled; he   merges   with   the  non-dual  Brahman--which   he   had   been   all   along--- through  the  destruction   of   his   limitations(555)
• Just as an actor,whether  he  wears   the dress   of   his   role   or  not,is  always  a man ,so too, the  perfect knower  is   always  Brahman  and  nothing   else(556)
• The   body  of a Sanyasin who has   realised  Brahman may   wither and fall anywhere like  the  leaf  of  a  tree, it(matters  not)for it has   already been burnt  in   the   fire of Knowledge(557)
• The   sage  who   isn  firmly   established   in   the  eternal   Reality,Brahman, asinfinite, non-dual   Bliss,  depends not   on   the usual consideration   of place,   time etc.for  giving  up this bundle of  skin, flesh and   filth(558)
• For   giving  up  the   body  or   the staff or  the  water bowl  is not liberation;  liberation  is  the surrendering   of  the  heart's knots, which are constituted of   ignorance.  (559)
• Like the destruction  of a leaf,flower or   fruit(to a tree)  is  the   destruction   of the  body, sense-organs,pranasand  intellect;  the  Atman,the eternal Reality,  is neveer   affected. It  is the embodiment of Bliss  which  is  one's  Real Nature and  exists like the  tree(561)
• "The embodiment  of consciouness"---in  these  words the scriptures indicate   the nature of the  Self, establish Its Reality,and voice the destruction of apparent conditionings only(562)
• "Immortal   is  the  Atman,my  dear"---  this   passage from the  scriptures speaks  of   the  Immortal  in   the midst  of things finite and  subject to   modification(563)
• Just as  the stone,tree,straw,grain,husk, etc. are reduced to ashes when   burnt,  so  too, the whole objective universe comprising the body,sense-objects,Pranas,mind,etc. are  reduced    to   the supreme Self when  burnt   in the   fire of Knowledge(564)
• Just   as  darkness---  which  is   distinctly different from sunlight--- vanishes   in   the   sun'e effulgence,  so   too,  this   entire  objective   universe  vanishes   into  Brahman(565)
• Just   as  when   a   pot   is broken  the   pot   space becomes   the   limitless space,  so   too, when   the conditionings are   destroyed,  the   knower of  Brahman  becomes  Brahman  Itself(566)
• Just   as   milik  poured   intomilk,oil   into  oil  and  water   into   water  each   becomes   united and  one, so too,he  who has realised  the  Atman becomes  one   with   the  Atman(567)
• He  does not   suffer   transmigration having   experienced  seclusion   as  a   result   of  being  dismembered  and   becoming   ever   identified   with   the   one Reality, Brahman (568)
• By   realising   the  oneness   of the  Jeeva  and  Brahman, his  bodies(gross, subtle and  causal),  consisting   of   ignorance  etc.,  are  burnt and  he becomes Brahman  Itself;  how  can  the Brahman(unborn) ever  have   rebirth?(569)
• Maya  conjured   up  bondage   and   liberation  do not  really   exist in  the Reality, one's  Self, just   as   the  appearance  and   disappearance  of   the snake  are   not   in   thr   rope  which   undergoes   no change(570)
• When  there   is   presence   or  absence   of of  veiling, bondage and   liberation  can  be  spoken   of.  There  can  be  no veiling  for  Brahman as i t   is  obvious,  there   being  no second  thing besides   It.  If   there  is, it  will contradict the non-dualityof  Brahman, the  scriptures  will never  suffer   duality(571)
• Bondage and   liberation  are   the   attributes   of  the  intellect  which   the   foolish superimpose  upon   the  Reality,  as  the  veiling   of   the  eyes   by  clouds  is superimposed upon  the  sun. In  fact,  this  Immutable Reality  is Absolute  Knowledge,non-dual  and  unattached(572)
• The  concept   that bondage  is  and --  that  it   is   not,  are,  with  reference   to   the  Real;ity,  only  attributes   of   the  intellect.Never do  they belong  to  Brahman, the  eternal  Reality(573)
• Therefore, bondage   and   liberation  are   conjured   upby  Maya  andare   not   in  the  Atman.  As  there can  be  no  limitation  regarding   the infinite  space,how   can   there  be  any   limitation  regarding   the  supreme Reality  which  is  devoid  of  parts,devoid  of  activity, serene, unimpeacheable, untainted  and non-dual?(574)
• Neither  is  the rebirth nor   death,neither  a bound nor  a  struggling one,  neither  a  seeker nor  aa  liberated  one---this is the  ultimate  Truth(575)

Vedprakash

Viveka Chudamani: Practice of Knowledge -- Disciple

Acharya Sankara's Viveka Chudamani(Crest Jewel of Wisdom)

Ø Practice of Knowledge -- Disciple(480-520)
In   these   verses, the sadhak/disciple,  who has , through the   words of  the   Teacher,the   pronouncements  of   the   scriptures  and   by   his   own   reasoning  with   senses   controlled  and   mind  fixed,   could realise  the  Supreme Self and   the supreme   Truth,    having   perfectly   established in  the  Self,  expresses  his   feelings  in  escetacy, with   gratitude to his Guru/Teacher:

Ø  Through the   words of  the   Teachers,the   pronouncements  of   the   scriptures  and   by   his   own   reasoning  with   senses   controlled  and   mind  fixed,  at   an  auspicious   moment  realising    the supreme   Truth, he(  the  disciple) becomes motionless  in  form and  perfectly   established in  the  Self(480)

Ø  My  (the disciple’s)intellect completely  razed and   all activities  have   dropped  off   by   realising   the oneness of Atman and  Brahman;I understand  neither “this”nor “not this”,nor do I  know what or of what measure is this  endless Bless(482)

Ø  Impossible fo rspeech  to express,impossible for  the mind to conceive   is    the   splendour of the ocean of the   supreme Brahman, replete with   the   swell  of   the nectarian Bliss   of   the  Self.   In an infinitesimal  part  of my   mind  merged  like a hailstone   in   the  ocean is now content    with    the essence of  that  Bliss(483)

Ø  In   this  I neither see   nor   hear  nor know   anything . I  exist   as   the   Atman,Bliss  Eternal,distinct from everything  else(486)

Ø  Blessed  am  I,have   reached the fulfilment  of my  life and   am free from the “shark”of transmigration. I am the embodiment of  eternal Bliss. I  am the  Infinite, all  by  your(Guru’s)Grace(489)I

Ø   Unattached am I, disembodied  am  I,  free from the   subtle- body  am I and  undecaying; serene am  I  ,Infinite  am  I,unsullied  am   I,and  endless   too(490)

Ø  I   am not   the   doer,I   am not   the  experiencer,  I   am without modification  and   activity;  I   am   the   embodiment   of   pure   Knowledge.  I   am Absolute, and   eternal Auspiciousness   am  I (491)

Ø  Indeed,I am other   than   the  seer,  hearer,  speaker,  doer  and  experiencer. I   am  eternal   and   unbroken, beyond   activity,boundless,  unattached   and Infinite,  the   essence   of   Knowledge(492)

Ø  I  am neither   this  nor   that but   the  supreme Illuminator of  both. I am pure. I  have  neither   an exterior nor an  interior.I am infinite; verily,I am the non-dual Brahman(493)

Ø  I  am unparalleled, the   originless  Reality,beyond   such  imaginations  as   you   and   I , this and  that.The   essence of Bliss eternal,the  Truth,non-dual Brahman     am  I .(494)

Ø   I am Narayana( whose glory is universe),Iam the slayer of Naraka(hell)), I am  the  destroyer  of  Tripura; I am  the  supreme Being,  the Lord.I am unbroken Knowledge.  I am   the  Witness   of   every thing;   I   have   no   other  Lord and I  am devoid of “ I”  and “mine”(495)

ØØ  I   alone  reside   as   Knowledge  in  all beings  and   am   there  external  and   internal   support.  I  myself   am  the   experiencer  and   the   experienced;  I   am   all  that   was   experienced   by  me  separately  as  “this”  and  “not-this”   before(496)

Ø  In   the  ocean  of   unbroken Bliss,  endless  waves   of   the   universe  are   created  and   destroyed  by   the   play  of the  storm   of   Maya(497)

Ø  Like   space,  I am beyond   contamination,  like   the  Sun  I  am  distinct  from   things   illumined, like   the   mountain  I   am   always  motionless,  like   the   ocean  I   am limitless(500)

Ø  I   have no  relationship  with   the body  just as the clouds  (have  no connection) with the sky; so how can   the waking  dream and   deep-sleep  states---   attributes of the  body---  ever affect me?(501)

Ø  There   are neither ‘engaging-in-work’ nor  ‘abstaining-from-it’   for me,wh am always  the   same and  without parts.  How can  that  which  is One, unbroken snd Infinite like  the  sky,ever strive?(503)

Ø  How  can   there  be merits and demerits for me who have no sense-organs,no mind,   who am   without modification  and   from--- who am the  realisation of    Absolute  Bliss? In  thepassage,”not  touched” etc. Sruti also mentions   this(504)

Ø  Just  as  the sun  is   witness of all men’sactions, just   as  the   fire burns everything  without   distinction,just  as   the   reope is connected   with a   superimposition,so too am  I the   unchangeable Self,   the  essence   of Intelligence(507)

Ø  I am neither  the doer nor do I make others do anything,I am neither the experiencer nor do I make others experience,I am neither   the  seer nor do I  make others see.The Self am  I ,self-luminous and  transcendent(508)

Ø  Whether   in   water   or   in  land,  let   this  inert   body  drop  down, I   am   untouched   by   its   properties   like   the   sky(is   untouched)  by   the   properties   of   the  Jar(510)

Ø  Doership,enjoyership,cunning, drunkenness,  dullness, bondage  and   freedom--  these   passing   states   of   the   intellect  are,  in   reality,never   in   the  Self,  which   is   the  supreme Brahman,Absolute and  non-dual(511)

Ø  Let   there  be   modifications   of  Prakriti  in ten, hundred  or   thousand   ways.  What   hae  I  ,unattached,  Knowledge  Absolute, get   to   do  with   them?  The   clouds   can   never   touch   the  sky!(512)

Ø  That   in   which  the   entire   universe   from  the   unmanifest  down   to   the  gross,  appears  as    but  a  shadow,  which   is   like   the   sky,  subtle and   without beginning  and   end,indeed that  non-dual Brahman  am   I(513)

Ø  That   which   is  the   support   of all, which   is   the  illuminator  of  all   things,which   is   of   all   forms,  which   is  omnipresent,devoid   of   multiplicity, eternal, pure,  motionless  and  Absolute, indeed that  non-dual Brahman  am   I  (514)

Ø  That   which   transcends  the   endless  differentiations   of   Maya,  which   is   the   subjective     essence     in  all,which   is  beyond   the   range  of  Consciousness,  which  is   of   the   nature   of   Truth, Knowledge   and  endless   Bliss, indeed that  non-dual Brahman  am  I (515)

Ø     I   am devoid   of  activity,modifications,parts   and   forms,  I   am Absolute   and  Eternal, with   no other   support,and   non-dual  am   I (516)

Ø  I  am  the  Universal,I   am   all  in  all,I  am  transcendent  and   non-dual,I   am Absolute,unbroken  Knowledge,I am Bliss   and  eternal am  I (517)

Ø    By   the   supreme   majesty  of  your(Teacher’s/Guru’s_ grace, I have   gained  the   grandeur  of   the   sovereignity  of Self-effulgence.O noble   Teacher,salutations tothee   again and again(518)Out   of  sheer Grace, you  have   awakenedme from “sleep”  and   saved  me,  who   was roaming  in   a   never-ending “dream”, in  the    forest   of   birth,  decay  and   death   created   by   illusion,   and   was   tormented   by  innumerable  tribulations  and   greatly  persecuted   by   the   tiger  of   the    ego(519)

Vedprakash

Viveka Chudamani: Experience Of Self-hood

Acharya Sankara's Viveka Chudamani(Crest Jewel of Wisdom)

Ø Experience Of  Self-hood((472-479)

Ø  Noble-hearted, renunciated who   are  rid  of attachments,  who have   given   up   all  sense-enjoyments, who   are   calm  and controlled,realise   this   Supreme  Truth  and   at   the   end,  they   gain   Bliss    Supreme  as   a   result   of  their  Self-realisation(472)

Ø  You  too,discriminate  thus,(be  established in)  this  surpassing   Truth,  the  real nature   of   Atman,  which is  Bliss   Absolute,  and   shaking   off  the  delusion  created by   your  own   mind,   be   liberated  and  illumined  and   reach   the   fulfilment   of   your  life(473)

Ø  Perceive thenature of  Self with   the  eye   of  perfect knowledge  through  Samadhi, where   the mind has  been  brought to complete  quietude.  If   the declarations  of  Sruti(heard   from   the  Teacher) are   perfectly  understood  without   a   trace   of   doubt,  it   can   lead   to no more  scpticism(474)

Ø  When   the  Self, the Existence-Knowledge-Bliss,is   realised,through liberation  from one’s bondage  of   ignorance, then  the scriptures,logical  reasoning,the  words of the  Teacher—these are proofs; the   subjective  experience of one’s ownconcentrated mind is yet  another  proof(475)

Ø  Bondage  and   liberation, contentment  and  anxiety,health,hunger  etc.  are   known only   by   the  person concerned; others have   knowledge  of   these by   mere   inference(476)

Ø  Standing   apart,the Teachers and the  scriptures instruct the disciple,the man  of Realisation crosses over (Avidya) by  illumination  and   the  Grace of God(477)

Ø  Knowing   his  own  Absolute    Self through Realisation,becoming perfect, a  man should stand face to fac ebefore the  Atman,  with mind  free  from all  concepts of delusion(478)

The   final opinion of all Vedantic discussion is,that the  jeeva as well as the entire universe are Brahman alone,that liberation means to be   rooted in Brahman,  the  indivisible entity: (The  satement)that Brhman is non-dual has its authority in  Sruti(479)

Vedprakash

Viveka Chudamani: Tere is No Plurlity in Brahman

Acharya Sankara's Viveka Chudamani(Crest Jewel of Wisdom)

Ø Tere is No Plurlity  in Brahman(465-471)

Ø  Only Brahman  there  is, Non-dual, with   no beginning  or end,Incomparable and Changeless; in  It there is  no   duality whatsoever(465)

Ø  The  essence   of  Existence, the   essence   of   Knowledge,the  essesnce   of   Eternal  Blss, Non-dual,devoid   of any   activtiy,there  is  only Brahman; in  It there is  no   duality whatsoever(466)

Ø  The   subject   within  all,Non-dual;,homogeneous,endless, all-pervading,there  is  one Brahman; in  It there is  no   duality whatsoever(467)

Ø  That  which  is   tobe neithershunnednor  taken  upnoraccepted, that   whichisNon-dualand   without   support--  there  is one Brahman; in  It there is  no   duality whatsoever(468)

Ø  With  no  qualities   or   parts, It  is   subtle, without   distubances and   taintless-- there  is one Brahman; in  It there is  no   duality whatsoever(469)

Ø   The   Real Nature   of   which  is incomprehensible, which   is beyond mind  and   speech  and  Non-dual; there  is one Brahman; in  It there is  no   duality whatsoever(470)

Ø  Self-existing,Self-evident, pure   intelligence,unlike  anything  finite,Non-dual; there  is one Brahman; in  It there is  no   duality whatsoever(471)

Vedprakash