Ethical Values in Sankara's VIIVEKA CHUDAMANI: Atman -Other than five kosas

Ethical  Values in Sankara's VIIVEKA CHUDAMANI:
 Atman  -Other   than  five  kosas

• The Atman is  self - effulgent  and   distinct  ftom  the  five sheaths.  it  is   witness  of   the   three   states,  is  Real, without modifications, is  unsullied and bliss  everlasting.  The  wise man  should  realise  It  as   his  own  Self(211)
• Through an  extreme  subtle  intellect  realise   this  Atman,  the  Knower,  to  be that  by  which  all modifications  like ego, as   well as  their absence  during  deep  sleep, are  perceived,  but  which  itself  is not  perceived(214)
• This Atman  is  witness  of  Itself, for  it is  realised only  by  Itself.  Hence,  the Atman  Itself  is the  Supreme  Brahman  and  nothing  else(216)
• That  which  clearly  manifests  Itself in  the  waking, dream  and  deep  sleep  states that   which  is  perceived  inwardly  in various  forms  by  the mind  as  a  series  of  unknown  impressions  of   the  ego; which  witnesses   the  ego, the  intellect, etc.  which  are  of  different  forms  and  modifications, which  is  felt as Existence  Knowledge  Absolute,  know   this  Atman, within  your  heart(217)

 

Ø  The   fool,  on  seeing   the reflection  of the sun  in the   water in a ,jar, considers  it  to be the sun  itself. So too,  the fool through  delusion, identifies  himself with  the   reflection  of the Chit  caught  in  the   intellect  and considers  it to be “I”  his own  identity(218)

Ø  The  intelligent   man leaves   aside  the jar,  the  water  and   the reflection of the   sun  in  it  and  sees the self-luminous sun. So too, the wise realise  the  Self-luminous  Reality  which illumines  “ these three”  and  recognise It  as independent  of them all(219)

Ø  So  too, leaving  aside the  body,  the  intellect and  the  reflection  of Chit in  it, and  realising the  cave of the  intellect,  the Witness, the Self, which  is Knowledge Absolute,  which  is  the  cause  of  everything,  which  is distinct from  the  gross  and the  subtle, which  is Eternal and  Omnipresent  All-pervading  and supremely  subtle,  which  is  without exterior  or interior, which  is the one  Self;  by  fully  realising this, one becomes free from sin, blemish, death and  grief and becomes the ocean  of Bliss.  Being illumined,   he   is   not afraid of  any  one. For him  who  seeks liberation, there is no other path to break away from the bonds of transmigration than  realising  the Truth of his own Self (220-222)Ø  The   cause   for   liberation from transmigration   is   the   realisation of   one’s   identity   with Brahman. By  means  of   this,  wise men  attain  Brahman,  the  one-without-a-second,  the Bliss  Absolute(223)

Ø  Brahman is  Existence-Knowledge-Absolute, extremely    Pure, Transcendental,  Self-existing, Eternal, Indivisible-Bliss, not  essentially  different  from  the individual jeeva, and   with  no difference within  or without.  It is   ever-victorious!(225)

Ved  Prakash