Meditation in Life: Chapter 13
Class Notes | April 29, 2019
Notes by Primary writer, Sunita Menon
One of Sant Kabir’s saakhi (or Saakshi as in witness) says, ‘I am not a child anymore, I have matured but I feel separation from my creator. I am wandering these halls of knowledge not knowing where I am going but I received the news that He is here. He has sent me a note that I am close and with that news I have become fearless.’
Our Masters tell us that Vidya (knowledge) is Brahman. If we listen, we will also hear the news and become fearless. As long as we hold back, we will not be free.
Gurudev says in the chapter ‘Why Meditate?’, that with vidya we know we are seeking sat-chit-ananda. Without vidya we are still seeking, but we don’t know that we are seeing sat-chit-ananda. With Vidya our actions become meaningful. We serve everyone — family, siblings and those we don’t know.
Upanishads and the book Meditation in Life focuses on the means — the pramana but we need to focus on the end — the phala. There is no other means other than vidya to reach brahman.
This is a jnana lifestyle course — jnana-karma course. Our lifestyle is directed towards enlightenment.. not directed towards world and expecting enlightenment. If one invokes this knowledge, they will feel as if the atman has joined brahman in chidakasha.
Three layers of Akasha in Vedantic studies -
Maha Akasha — big, physical space
Chitta Akasha — mind (technically memory), head space.
Chida Akasha — awareness akasha.. what is close to awareness, heart space.
Feel this so solely like you feel your own sex, name that you are beyond sex and beyond name.
Phala — when you feel you (Atman) is Brahman, Akasha becomes more internalized. How do you know if you are enlightened? all your desires are spontaneously fulfilled. All that you ever wanted you feel it.
Brahman is only source of joy. You should feel brahman in your chida akahsha.
Brahma poocha — base is infinite. If you remember the source of that is you, then you enjoy it more. Not dependent on it. Liberating experience. With or without this I am fine.
Brahman is pooch in all ways existence-awareness-joy — in all ways for always. Will not change. Just remembering this will bring freedom.
With phala of enlightenment we become maya-saakshi. Now we are maya daasi.
In Chatushloki Bhagavatam it states that Maya is that which makes non existent existent and make the existent non-existent. You can’t see maya. When one is enlightened one becomes an observer of maya and then it can’t touch us.
When you wake up from dream only then you know you were dreaming. We keep complaining about Maya. Until we are enlightened we can’t see maya.
When you are watching a movie, you forget it’s a movie, then you are no longer a saakshi but a daasi. When you catch yourself and realize this is a film, a screen, and you step back and realize it’s a movie then all the fear and sadness goes away and you enjoy the movie even more. Not succumbing to stress, anxiety and sadness is so important to serve.
Highest and truest form to serve is to kindle Viveka. Encourage oneself and others for what is absolute and relative. If you can help others with Viveka, then your service frees them in a lasting way.
Katha-Rudra Upanishad describes how we condition brahman. There is only brahman but how we add on these conditions. We put 7 projections or layer of Brahman.
1. When unconditioned it is called shuddha.
2. When Brahman conditioned by Maya, it is called ishvara
3. When ishavara is conditioned by maya , then it is called jeeva .. (thinks I am separate from the creator. Jeeva is trying to go back to ishavraa)
4. Jeeva when acting as the knower is called pramata (brahman becomes knower — antahakarana or mind. Brahman is the mind)
5. When brahman is conditioned as the knowing (means of knowing) then known as pramana — what the mind expresses as. How the mind knows i.e., vrittis your thoughts are brahman, your mind is brahman,, all the jeevas are brahman. Creator of creation is brahman.
6. The knower, knowing, known — brahman is the object (known), then brahman is prameya. We don’t know brahman, unknown is prameya
7. When unknown becomes the known brahman is the phala. Freedom, moksha
Knower knowing that which is known, becomes me, phala, I go back. The known is unknown so I am trying to be known. What we need to do is to know. When the unknown becomes the known.. when pramata uses pramana to change prameya from unknown to known then it becomes known. All desires are satisfied instantaneously.
Taitriya Upanishad says don’t get lost in any conditioning, think of the infinite.
We have covered so far the following 5 Sanyasa Upanishads — teaching us to transcend beyond rituals and be single pointed.
Bhikshuka
Avadhuta
JaBaala
Tuti ateeta avadhuta
Katha Rudra
Notes from Guest Writer — Neeti Gandhi
Sant Kabir’s sayings are called saakhi — as in sakshi (witness). One of the saakhi he says I am not the child anymore, I have matured but I feel separation from my creator/my love. I wandering these halls of knowledge not knowing where am I going but I received news that he is here, he has sent me a note saying that you are close and with that I have become fearless.
Masters tell us that vidya (knowledge) is Brahman. If we listen, believe that the news is for us, we will also become fearless and we will put all our efforts to enlighten. As long as we hold back, we will not be free.
In chapter “Why meditate? “, Gurudev shares that with vidya, we know that we are seeking sat-chit-Anand (existence, awareness and joy). Without vidya we are still seeking but we don’t know that we are seeking Sat-Chit-Anand. With vidya all our actions become more meaningful, all our relationships become seva based. We serve our family, siblings and also someone we don’t know with the same bhava. We practice virtues, we want to be enlightened and do not want to wait any longer just like when we love someone than you can forgive them fast or ask for forgiveness faster. In turn we become more efficient.
Upanishad and the book “Meditation and Life” we studied until now focuses on means, the Pramana but we need to focus on the end (phala). In Katha Rudra Upanishad the Pramana (means to brahman) is elaborated. na karmana na pajaya na cha anye napi kena chita means one cannot realize brahman through karma, which is how Upadesha Saar begins too. Neither family nor friends or work can lead us to brahman. There is no other means than vidya to reach Brahman. When one’s vision changes, one will only live for vidya. One wakes up, eats, interacts in the world it is all for knowledge.
This is a life style course — jnana-karma course. Our lifestyle needs to be directed towards enlightenment; you can’t have lifestyle directed towards world. When one invokes this knowledge, they will feel as if atman has joined brahman in chidakasha.
Three layers of Aakash in vedantic studies
1. Mahakasha- Outer space (part of panch-mahabhoota)
2. Chttakasha- Mental space
3. Chidakasha- Space in your heart (where you feel your existence)
When one is enlightened, all desires gets instantaneously fulfilled.
Taitariya Upanishad brahman is described as Puccha — tail, it means base (foundation of all of our lives Sat-Chit-Ananda). Brahman is the only source of the joy, all the joy we experience is coming from brahman and it is felt in chidakash. When we remember that source of happiness is us than we enjoy it more as we are not dependent on it. Phala of enlightenment is that one become Maya Sakshi, which is witness of maya.
Chatusloki Bhagavatam maya described as it makes which is existent non-exist and which is non-existent existent. One can’t see maya but a realized person becomes observer of maya, maya can’t touch them that is why they are called Maya Sakshi. When one wakes up from the dream then only one knows that one was dreaming. Until we are enlightened, we can’t see maya. When we forget that we are watching movie you experience all the negative emotions in it as soon as we realized it is a movie, we can separate ourselves and we enjoy the movie more.
The highest form of seva is to kindle vivek, encourage all what is absolute and what is relative. We always hear help poor, help with medical needs, which is all on worldly realm. But when you kindle vivek it is freeing them from bondage.
Katha-Rudra Upanishad describes how we conditioned Brahman
1. Brahman unconditioned Shuddha Brahman
2. Brahman conditioned by maya Ishwar
3. Ishwar conditioned by maya jiva.
4. Jiva acting as knower (Pramata) — antahkaran
5. Brahman conditioned as knowing (Pramana)- mind expresses vritti
6. Brahman is the known (Prameya) -object
7. Unknown becomes known -phala (freedom-moksha)
We have studied five sanyasa Upnishads Bhikshuk Upanishad, Avadhut Upanishad, Jabal Upanishad, Turiyatit Avadhut Upanishad and Katha Rudra Upanishad. They all are taking us to the end, describe as what is like for us to be awaken.
Notes from Guest Writer — Kalpesh Desai
As long as we hold back, we will not be truly free…..i.e/ not free to be Enlightened.
With Vidya in our intellect, seeking [SAT-CHIT-ANANDA] becomes more meaningful. All relationships with everyone should be felt as a service to that Jiva. When you love someone, you become more forgiving.
One cannot feel or be Brahmin with just performing Karma alone. It is only through knowledge [Jnana] and wisdom [Vidya] [that one actually IS…. à SAT-CHIT-ANANDA] that one can become Enlightened.
There are 3 types of space.
1] Mahakasha = outer space or physical space between bodies and objects.
2] Chitakasha = mental space (or space in the mind)
3] Chidakasha = “space” in your heart [feel Brahmin so close to you that the feeling is that Brahmin is you!]
How do you know you are Enlightened? à When all of your desires are instantly gone and you become the observer of Maya (ie/ Maya can’t touch us)
During your day in any of your worldly transactions with people, objects and situations à when you are happy, feel that the source of that happiness is you and only you because You are Brahmin!!] !!! [It is not from any external source or person/object/situation or circumstance that you encountered that day.]
There is ONLY Brahmin. We as humans put on the 7 layers of Brahmin:
1] Brahmin when unconditioned is known as shuddha
2] When Brahmin is conditioned by Maya, He is known as Ishwara.
3] When Ishwara is conditioned by Maya, He is known as Jiva.
Looking backward, when Jiva is trying to reconnect with Ishwava,
Then 4] Jiva acting as the knower [subject] is called pramaata.
5] Jiva acting as the knowing is called pramaana.
6] Jiva acting as the known [object] is called prameya.
Pramaata [Knower] uses the Pramaana [Knowing], reflecting on Prameya [Known] is a way for the Unknown to becoming the known — àphala
In reality there are not 7 layers. Human’s put layers. There is Only Brahmin.
Notes from Guest Writer — Asish Andhavarapu
· Shri Kabir is a brilliant thinker
· I’ve matured and I feel the separation from my Creator
· He sent me a note that You are close; now, I am FEARLESS
· With vidya, we know we are seeking sat-cit-ananda
· Relationships that are not service-based are worldly; they do not last long
· View on life is more meaningful when remembering to base all relationships in services
· Vision will affect lifestyle when understanding we should live only for knowledge
· Lifestyle has to be directed towards enlightenment, not towards the world
· 3 ākāshas:
o Mahākāsha — physical/outer space
o Chitthākāsha — mental space
o Chidhākāsha — space in heart
· You know you are enlightened when all of your desires are spontaneously and instantaneously fulfilled and you don’t feel desires for anything else outside of understanding the Knowledge of the Self
· Māyā sākshi — taking a step back and observing the play happening all around us
· 7 conditions:
o Shuddhā — unconditioned Brahman
o Ishwarā — Brahman conditioned by māyā
o Jiva — ishwarā conditioned by māyā
o Pramātha — jiva acting as knower
o Pramāna — jiva acting as knowing
o Prameya — jiva acting as known
o Phala — unknown is the known
· All these conditions are Brahman, but we get lost
· Don’t get lost!
· Be shocked at how stuck you are in māyā
· Think about freedom!
· Sannyāsa Upanishads are what we are studying now
· Upanishads studied:
o Bikshukha
o Avadhutha
o Jābhāla
o Thuriyāthitha Avadhutha
o Khata Rudra
· Last week’s RAW
o Having mantras associated with various tasks helps to bring focus to each separate activity
· This week’s RAW
o If what you’re doing does not provide happiness, then don’t do it. Think deeply about this.
· Announcements
o Follow Unfiltered (short film on māyā) on Facebook and Instagram
o Offer Guru Dakshina on Vichara Gurukula
Notes from Guest Writer — Mousumi Bhattacharya
In Katha Rudra Upanishad we have this sloka familiar to us
न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानशुः ।
परेण नाकं निहितं गुहायां विभ्राजदे तद्यतयो विशन्ति ॥१॥
na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanēna tyāgēnaikē amṛtatvamānaśuḥ ।
parēṇa nākaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃ vibhrājadē tadyatayō viśanti ॥1॥
This means that we cannot get truth by action, or by wealth. We only get truth and freedom by giving up. Those do contemplate and give up, attain the freedom. This is not only for sanyasis but for sadhakas — us, to apply in our sadhana.
There are three layers of aakash in Vedanta
Mahakasha — the outer space
Chittakasha — the mental space
Chidakasha — the space in your heart
The goal of sadhana is to free up chidakasha, the space in your heart so that you can find Bramhan there. That will come only after we free up space in mahakasha (our busy life) and chttakasha (our busy mind). Meditation helps us quieten our mind.
In Taityraiya Upanishad Brahman in described as puchcha — tail…why is it described as a tail…because it is the base of all. You should feel Bramhan in your chidakasha. If every time you feel joy you realize that the base of that joy is in you, that is freedom. The source is me…
Then, from mayadashi (one is under the control of maya) you become mayasakshi (one is separate from maya).
In chatushpadi Bhagatam a description of maya is given. Maya makes what is non-existent existent and what is existent non-existent.
The truest form of service is to kindle viveka, help others in the path of realizing; you are helping in freeing a person.
End of this Upanishad summarizes this:
1. Unconditioned Bramhan — Suddha
2. Bramhan conditions by Maya — Ishwara
3. Ishwara conditioned by Maya — Jeeva, I think I am separate from Brahman
4. When Bramhan becomes the knower — promata (mind)
5. When Bramhan is conditioned as knowing (means of knowledge) — vrittis
6. When Brahman is known (object) — Prameya
7. When the unknown becomes the known, Brahman is the phala — moksha, all desires are satisfied instantaneously
So, there is ONLY Bramhan. This Upanishada is telling us, do not get lost in any of this conditioning, just think Bramhan. We ourselves put on these seven projections to Bramhan.
We studied 5 Upanishads known as Sanyasa Upanishads — Bhikshuka, Avadhuta, Jabala, Turiyatita-Avadhuta, Katha Rudra
Maya is still present in Mayapati Ishwara. ishwara is wielding maya but does not succumb to it. So Ishwara is same as Bramhan — Ramana Maharshi said that.
Q. What is the breakthrough that I will experience when I get there?
This Upanishad says that one cannot describe it, anirvachaniya. More experientially, when you are under water you don’t feel the weight of your body. After a rigorous exercise you don’t feel the weight of your mind, you feel light in mind. There are moments when we are so absorbed that do not think about ourselves. In those moments there is so much space, aakash, so much connectivity, lightness of ego, lightness of mind, lightness of body.
RAW for the upcoming week
Article by Swami Sharanananda — If what you are doing does not provide happiness don’t do it. Make this your RAW
In Kaliyuga vidya is stolen. Asthena — stealing
It also means vidya is taken for granted, by not being grateful for it. If you are grateful for it then vidya becomes real to you. Gurudakshina to the Guru-Shishya parampara is a way to be grateful for the vidya. It makes you more successful because you are grateful for vidya and internalize it.
