Skip to main content

The Fading Boundaries of Analysis and Speculation

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Exploring Ātman from the Perspective of the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi
  • 199 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter of this work is titled “The Fading Boundaries of Analysis and Speculation”, enumerates the paths and process of non-dual realisation, and examines the significance of a philosophical method applied in it. The chapter defines the meaning of realisation in Advaita and, in contrast to other systems, discusses on the import of listening, doubt, and reasoning in the path of non-dual realisation. The chapter further elaborates on the meditation on tattvamasi, which along with its fifteen disciplinary matrices known as asaṅga-mārga culminates into the epistemological counterpart, the non-dual realisation (aparokṣānubhūti).At the end, the chapter gives a critique of language, logic, and analysis in Advaita.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Tataḥ śrutistanmananaṁ satattvadhyānaṁ ciraṁ nitya-nirantaraṁ muneḥ; tato’avikalapaṁ param’etya vidvānihaiva nirvāṇa-sukhaṁ samṛcchati.—VC: 70.

  2. 2.

    vākyamapratibanddhaṁ sat prakparokṣāvabhāsite; karāmalakavadbodhamaparokṣaṁ prasūyate.—PD I. 62.

  3. 3.

    Avijñāte pare tattve śāstr’ādhītis tu niṣphalā; vijñāte’api pare tattve śāstr’ādhītis tu niṣphalā,—VC: 59.

  4. 4.

    śāstrāṇyadhītya medhāvī abhyasya ca punaḥ punaḥ; paraṁbrahma vijñāya ulkāvattānyathosṛjet.—PD IV. 45.

  5. 5.

    US 2006, 11–12; See also, Mayeda, US II. 1. 3.

  6. 6.

    Thomas Aquinas, following Peter Damian argued that philosophy is the imitative auxiliary facilitator of theology (Gracia 2003), 35.

  7. 7.

    “The conviction of the truth is seen to proceed from reasoning upon the salutary counsel of the wise (men of realization)…”—VC: 13.

  8. 8.

    APK: 102, 103, 125 & 126.

  9. 9.

    Na gacchati vinā pānaṁ vyādhir auṣadha-śabdataḥ; vinā’aparokṣa anubhavaṁ brahma-śabdair na mucyate.—VC: 62.

  10. 10.

    tadvadbrahmavidopadeśamananadhyānādibhirlabhyate, VC: 65.

  11. 11.

    PD I. 53–54.

  12. 12.

    BṛU II. 4. 5.

  13. 13.

    Śrutyā yuktyā sv’ānubhūtyā jñātvā sārvātmyam ātmanaḥ; kvacid ābhāsataḥ prāpta svādhyās’aṁ kuru, VC: 281.

  14. 14.

    The interconnectedness of śravaṇa, manana, and nididhyāsana has been a matter of discussion in Advaitic literature. One cannot clearly say if there is any sequential order, or the principle-subordinate relation them between śravaṇa, manana, and nididhyāsana. Vācaspati holds śravaṇa, manana, and nididhyāsana are causally connected as one being the cause of the other in the same order, and all three of them together become the cause of the ultimate knowledge (SVYMD 1991, 24). Sureśvara holds slightly different view. According to him, śravaṇa and manana should be performed until the knowledge of the Brahman manifests itself, and nididhyāsana is the final limit of the two. Thus, śravaṇa and manana are co-existent, and nididhyāsana is their culmination and precedent of intuition (anubhava) (SYVMD 1991, 24–25). The seeker continues to listen, meditate, contemplate repeatedly and induces with the truth of Self-knowledge. Śaṅkara does not bring any gradation when he says, “Be steadfast in faith and intent in hearing, contemplating, and meditating upon great words of the scriptures” (VC: 182). But Śaṅkara suggest that śravaṇa is only helpful for reflection when it is said, “reflection is considered a hundred times superior to hearing” (VC: 364). The role of reflection is valuable to march the further step, nididhyāsana. The passage of BṛU says that śravaṇa, manana, and nididhyāsana belong to one series, and that the absence of any one member from the series renders the entire process ineffective. The self, according to Yājñavalkya, can be realised by first being heard of from the teacher and the scriptures, then reflected on and discussed through argument or reasoning and finally in contemplation. Śaṅkara provides following interpretation on this passage:

    Therefore ‘the Self, my dear Maitreyī should be realised, is worthy of realisation, or should be made the object of realisation. It should first be heard of from a teacher and from the scriptures, then reflected on through reasoning, and then steadfastly meditated upon.’ Thus only is It realised-when these means, viz hearing, reflection and meditation, have been gone through. When these three are combined, then only true realisation of the unity of Brahman is accomplished, not otherwise-by hearing alone (ātmā vā are dṛaṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyo Maitreyi).

    The importance of the series of three steps is further proved in VC, when it says, “If there is an absence of the succeeding stages, the preceding ones are futile. (When the series is perfect) the cessation of the objective world, extreme satisfaction, and matchless bliss follow as a matter of course” (VC: 420). This proves that entire Advaitic methodology is important (This stand refutes the views of certain scholars mentioned in the last chapter who uphold a different methodology for the Śūdras and the Brahmins in the matter of realisation.). The verse 364 also point out that nididhyāsana is only a method of savikalpa samādhi and not the final state (VC: 364). However, nididhyāsana is the final step of realising Brahman as far as comprehension of Brahman is concerned. BSB says, “The comprehension of Brahman includes hearing, reasoning, and meditation. Mere hearing does not result in full comprehension or realisation of Brahman. Reasoning and meditation are also subservient to that full comprehension” (Śaṅkara’s commentary on BSB I. 1. 4). Thus it becomes clear that all the three steps are merely the facilitators from the perspective of asparśayoga or nirvikalpaka samādhi.

  15. 15.

    BGB: II. 16: Nāsto vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate satah , ubhayorapi dṛṣṭo ’ntastvanayostattvadharśibhiḥ (What is unreal does not exist and what is real never ceases to exist. Those who are enlightened perceive the end of both the real and unreal).

  16. 16.

    Ṛṇa-mocana-kartāraḥ pitus santi sutādayaḥ; bandha-mocana-kartā tu svasmād anyo na kaścana,—VC: 51.

  17. 17.

    Sādhanāny atra catvāri kathitāni manīṣibhiḥ; yeṣu satsv eva san niṣṭhā yad abhāve na siddhyati.—VC: 18; Ᾱdau nityānitya-vastu-viveka parigaṇyate; ihāmutra phalabhogavirāgastadanantaram. śamādiṣaṭkasampattiḥ mumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam.—VC: 19.

  18. 18.

    The six attributes are, Śama or the restraining of the outgoing mental propensities, dama or the restraining of the external sense-organs, uparati or the withdrawing of the Self, titikṣā or forbearance, samādhāna or self-settledness, and śraddhā or faith.

  19. 19.

    Ᾱdau nityānitya-vastu-viveka parigaṇyate; ihāmutra phalabhogavirāgastadanantaram. śamādiṣaṭkasampattiḥ mumukṣutvamiti sphuṭam.—VC: 19.

  20. 20.

    Sādhanāny atra catvāri kathitāni maniṣibhiḥ; yeṣu satsv eva san niṣṭhā yad abhāve na siddhyati.—VC: 18.

  21. 21.

    Brahma-satyaṁ jagan-mithy’ety evaṁrūpo viniścayaḥ; so’ayaṁ nity’ānitya vastu-vivekaḥ samudāhṛtaḥ.—VC: 20.

  22. 22.

    See, for example, KaU III: 12.

  23. 23.

    Nityamātmasvarūpam hi dṛśyam tadviparītagam; evam yo niṣcayaḥ samyagviveko vastunaḥ sa vai.—APK: 5.

  24. 24.

    Tad vairāgyaṁ jihāsā yā darśana-śravaṇādibhiḥ; dehādhi-brahma-paryante hy anitye bhoga-vastuni.—VC: 21.

  25. 25.

    Bhajagovindam: 2.

  26. 26.

    Dehasya mokṣo no mokṣo na daṇḍasya kamaṇḍaloḥ; avidyā-hṛdaya-granthi-mokṣo mokṣo yatastataḥ.—VC: 558.

  27. 27.

    Svavarņāśramadharmeņa, tapasā haritoṣaņāt, Sādhanaṁ prabhavet puṁsām vairāgyādicatuṣtayam (APK: 3); Brahmādhisthavarānteṣu vairāgyaṁ viṣayeṣvanu, Yathaiva kakaviṣṭāyām vairāgyām taddhi nirmalam (APK: 4).

  28. 28.

    VC: 22–26; VS: 18

  29. 29.

    Śruti means the ascertainment of meaning through the six characteristic signs namely beginning and the conclusion, repetition, originality, result, eulogy, and demonstration) VS: 19, 182–184.

  30. 30.

    Tan manaḥśodhanaṁ kāryaṁ prayatnena mumukṣuṇā; viśuddhe sati c’aitasmin muktiḥ kara-phalāyate.—VC: 181.

  31. 31.

    Sadaiva vāsanātyāgaḥ śamoayamiti śabditaḥ; nigraho brahmavrttīnām dama ityabhidhīyate.—APK: 6.

  32. 32.

    External organs are of two kinds, viz. of action (jñānendriya) and of knowledge (karmendriya). The five acting organs are those of speaking, grasping, going, evacuating, and generating. The five perceiving organs are those of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell. Mind is called the inner-organ. Here the word Dama implies that particular function of the mind, which turns away the external organs from such objects as are other than hearing etc., (VS 2006, 11).

  33. 33.

    titikṣā śītoṣṇādidvandvasahiṣṇutā.—VS: 22.

  34. 34.

    Vedānt’ārtha-vicāreṇa jāyate jñānam uttamam; ten’ātyantika-saṁsāra-dukhanāśo bhavaty’anu.—VC: 24.

  35. 35.

    nigṛhītasya manasaḥ śravaṇādau tadanuguṇaviṣaye ca samādhānam.—VS: 23.

  36. 36.

    gurupadiṣṭavedāntavākyeṣu viṥvāsaḥ- ṥraddhā.—(VS: 24).

  37. 37.

    Ahaṅkār’ādi-dehāntān bandhān ajñāna- kalpitān; sva-svarūpāvabodhena moktum icchā mumukṣutā.—VC: 27; APK: 9.

  38. 38.

    mumukṣutva is of three types: mild, mediocre, and best (maṅda, madhyama, and pravṛdha); for details see, Swami (2008, 88).

  39. 39.

    Quoted from “Invitation to Indian philosophy”, New Delhi, 1974 in Vallooran (1988, 20).

  40. 40.

    It presupposes that all the sublated and sublatable entities are unreal, for according to Śaṅkara permanency is the distinguishing character of the real, which is trikāla-abādhita. The term “real” is purported to mean “non-existence in triple time”, trikāla-abādhita, and “unreal” to mean non-existence in triple time, trikāla-bādhita (Kumar 2004, 103).

  41. 41.

    In the ultimate realisation, one cannot make distinction between primary and secondary illusion, as in the strict sense, there cannot be distinction between ordinary intuition and world intuition. Brahman-intuition is supposed to negate the world predicates in triple-time, in such a way that there remains no trace of the things that are disvalued. The sublation of the world can take place only by primary sublation, and the presupposition of secondary illusion would only mean an analogical value for the primary sublation (Kumar 2004, 116).

  42. 42.

    Asti kaścitsvayaṁ nityaṁahaṁ-pratyaya-lambaņaḥ, avasthā-traya-sākṣī san pañcakoṣavilakṣaņaḥ—(VC: 125); yo vijānāti sakalaṁ jāgratsvapnasuṣuptiṣu, buddhitadvṛttisadbhāvam abhāvam ahamity’ayam—(VC: 126).

  43. 43.

    For Sureśvara, this indirect intuition consists in “the understanding of the meaning of the śruti on the basis of vācya-vācaka relation underlying the sentence, thanks to the removal of any hindrance to the knowledge of the Brahman consequent to śravaṇa, manana, and the practice of śama etc. For details see, SVYMD (1991, 23).

  44. 44.

    BṛU II. 4. 5; BṛU IV. 5. 6.

  45. 45.

    As it were mind is the lower sacrificial wood and Om is the upper piece of sacrificial wood (Commentary on AB 42: Swāmi Nikhilānanda 1947).

  46. 46.

    “A Sage thinks of his mind as the lower piece of sacrificial wood, and Om as the upper piece. Through the practice of constant friction between them, that is to say, through intense thinking, he kindles the fire of Knowledge, which burns up the impurities of the mind” (Kaivalya Upaniṣad 13); By constant meditation (comparable to the rubbing of the fire-wood) is kindled the flame of Knowledge which completely absorbs in Brahman (AB: 42); PD I. 63–64.

  47. 47.

    Reflection should be considered a hundred times superior to hearing, and meditation (nididhyāsana) a hundred thousand times superior even to reflection, but nirvikalpa samādhi is infinite in its results.—VC: 364.

  48. 48.

    One who is constantly practicing meditation is observed to have external perceptions. The Śrutis mention Prārabdha work in the case of such a man, and we can infer this from results actually seen.—VC: 445.

  49. 49.

    Mokṣ’aika-saktyā viṣayeṣu rāgaṁ nirmūlya saṁnyasya ca sarva-karma; sacchraddhayā yaḥ śravaṇādi-niṣṭho rajas svabhāvaṁ sa dhunoti buddeḥ,—VC: 182.

  50. 50.

    satattvadhyānaṁ ciraṁ nitya-nirantaraṁ, VC: 70.

  51. 51.

    vijātīyadehādi pratyayarahitādvitīya vastusajātīya pratyayapravāho nididhyāsanaṁ,—VS: 192.

  52. 52.

    VC: 246, 248 & 249; See also BṛU III. 8. 8.

  53. 53.

    sarv’ābhāvaṁ vinā kiñcinna paśyāmy atra he guro, vijñeyaṁ kimu vastavasti svātmanā ātmavipaścitā.—VC: 212.

  54. 54.

    This is the Advaitic interpretation of mādhyamika metaphysics which can be suggested in VC: 212.

  55. 55.

    Sarve yen’ānu bhūyante yaḥ svayaṃ n’ānubhūyate; tam ātmānaṁ veditāraṁ viddhi buddhyā susūkṣmayā.—VC: 214.

  56. 56.

    Jāgrat-svapna-suṣuptiṣu sphuṭataraṁ yo’asau samujjṛmbhate pratyag-rūpatayā sad’āham-aham ityantaḥ sphurann’ ekadhā; nān’ākāra-vikāra-bhāgina imān paśyann-ahaṁ-dhīmukhān nityānanda-cidātmanā sphurati taṁ viddhi svam etaṁ hṛdi.—VC: 217.

  57. 57.

    Satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ brahma viśuddhaṁ paraṁ svatas-siddham; nity’ānand’aika-rasaṁ pratyag abhinnaṁ nirantaraṁ jayati.—VC: 225.

  58. 58.

    tat sarvaṁ brahm’aiva pratyastāśeṣa-bhāvanā-doṣam.—VC: 227b.

  59. 59.

    The word samādhi does not occur in any of the major commentaries of Śaṅkara. The term first appears in the Maitrāyaṇī Upaniṣad (VI. 18. 34), which is not part of the strata of early Upaniṣads (Deussen 1966, 23–26). Also, see Winternitz quoted in Dasgupta (1975, 39). The closest approximation of this term is samāhita, found in BṛU IV. 2. 1, wherein Yājñvalkya tells Janaka: “You have fully equipped your mind (samāhitātmā) with so many secret names [of Brahman, that is, Upaniṣads]”. Here the term samāhita is translated as concentrated, collected, brought together. In another reference (BṛU), Yājñavalkya tells Janaka that a knower of Brahman remains calm (śānta), controlled (dānta), withdrawn from the sense pleasures (Uparati), forbearing (titikṣu), and collected in mind (samāhita). That the reference to samāhita is the closest approximation in the Upaniṣads to the term samādhi is well known in the later yoga literature. Since the term occurs in some of the yoga and Sannyāsa Upaniṣads of Atharvaveda, Michael Comans considers that samādhi would be possibly part of the yogic practice, which entered into later aupaniṣadic literature due to the close relation between the aupaniṣadic and yogic milieu (Comans 1993, 23). In VC, the use of the word is samādhi is not scarce. It maintains the traditional division of samādhi, namely savikalpaka and nirvikalpaka. VC says, “When the mind, thus purified by constant practice, is merged in Brahman, then Samādhi passes on from the Savikalpa to the Nirvikalpa stage, and leads directly to the realization of the Bliss of Brahman, the One without a second” (VC: 362). One of the most compelling verses on samādhi says: “By the Nirvikalpa Samādhi the truth of the Brahman is clearly and definitely realised, but not otherwise” (VC: 365).

  60. 60.

    Nididhyāsana-śīlasya bāhya-pratyaya īkṣyate; bravīti śrutir prārabdhaṁ phala-darśanāt.—VC: 445.

  61. 61.

    The doctrine of Karma upholds the view that, an action performed by an individual leaves behind some sort of potency that has the power to cause either joy or sorrow in the future according to its nature. According to Advaita Karma in the Vedic texts can be divided into three types, namely sañcita karma, āgāmi karma, and prārabdha karma. Sañcita-karma is residue produced by acts performed either in this life or in a previous one, but which remains latent during this present life. Ᾱgāmi-karma is the result of acts performed during this present life which will mature in the normal course of events. Prārabdha-karma is the residue of acts that is working itself out during the present life (Grimes 1996, 160–161).

  62. 62.

    Refer Swami Mādhavānanda’s commentary on the phrase “External perceptions”, in VC: 445.

  63. 63.

    Nirvikalpakam-samādhinā sphutaṁ brahma-tattvam avagamyate dhruvam; nānyathā calatayā manogateḥ pratyayāntara-vimiśritaṁ bhavet.—VC: 365.

  64. 64.

    Jñātṛ-jñeya-jñāna-śūnyam-anantaṁ-nirvikalpakam; keval’ākhaṇḍa-cinmātraṁ paraṁ tattvaṁ vidur budhāḥ.—VC: 239.

  65. 65.

    Nirvikalpakam-samādhinā sphutaṁ brahma-tattvam avagamyate dhruvam; nānyathā calatayā manogateḥ pratyayāntara-vimiśritaṁ bhavet.—VC: 365.

  66. 66.

    Tataḥ śrutis tan mananaṁ satattvadhyānaṁ ciraṁ nitya-nirantaraṁ muneḥ; tato’avikalapaṁ param’etya vidvān ihaiva nirvāṇa-sukhaṁ samṛcchati.—VC: 70.

  67. 67.

    Tatra savikalpako nama jñātṛjñānādivikalpalayānapekṣyādvitīyavastuni tadākārākāritāyāścattavrattesvasthānam.—VS: 194.

  68. 68.

    Bāhy’ānusandhiḥ parivardhayet phalaṁ durvāsanām eva tatas tato’adhikārm; jñātvā vivekaiḥ parihṛtya bāhyaṁ svām’ānsandhiṁ vidadhīta nityam.—VC: 334.

  69. 69.

    Sānto dāntaḥ param-uparataḥ kṣānti-yuktaḥ samādhiṁ kurvan nityam kalayati yatiḥ svasya sarv’ātma-bhāvam; ten’āvidyā-timira-janitān sādhu dagdhvā vikalpān brahm’ākṛtyā nivasati sukhaṁ niṣkriyo nirvikapaḥ.—VC: 355.

  70. 70.

    Jāgrat-svapna-suṣuptiṣu sphuṭataraṁ yo’asau samujjṛmbhate pratyag-rūpatayā sad’āham-aham ityantaḥ sphurann’ ekadhā; nān’ākāra-vikāra-bhāgina imān paśyann-ahaṁ-dhīmukhān nityānanda-cidātmanā sphurati taṁ viddhi svam etaṁ hṛdi.—VC: 217.

  71. 71.

    Jñātṛjñeyajñānaśūnyamanantaṁ nirvikalpakam; kevalākhaṇḍacinmātraṁ paraṁ tattvaṁ vidurbuddhāḥ.—VC: 239.

  72. 72.

    VC: 248–263.

  73. 73.

    “These two- ‘Thou’ and ‘That’- become one when the ‘Thou’ has been purified according to the dictates of the scriptures.”—VC: 241.

  74. 74.

    Asthūlam ity’etad asan nirasya siddhaṁ svato vyomavad apratarkyam; ato mṛṣā mātram idaṁ pratiītaṁ jahīhi yat svātmatayā gṛhītam; brahm’āham ity’eva viśuddhaṁ buddhyā viddhi svam-ātmānam akhaṇḍa-bodham.—VC: 250b.

  75. 75.

    Saṁlakṣya cin-mātratayā sad’ātmanoḥ akhaṇḍa-bhāvaḥ paricīyate buddhaiḥ; evaṁ mahāvākyaśatena kathyate brahm’ātmanor aikyam akhaṇḍa-bhāvaḥ.—VC: 249b.

  76. 76.

    Yatparaṁ sakalavāg-agocaraṁ gocaraṁ vimalabodhacakṣuṣaḥ; śuddhacidghanam anādi vastu yad brahma tat tvam asi bhāvayātmaṇi.—VC: 255.

  77. 77.

    VC: 248–263.

  78. 78.

    VC: 254–263.

  79. 79.

    VC: 365–366 (Since from the standpoint of the Absolute, the concepts of means and ends do not have any ontological status these fifteen steps are spoken from the relative point of view).

  80. 80.

    YS II. 29; APK: 102–103.

  81. 81.

    Yamo hi niyamastyāgo maunam deśāsca kalatā, Āsanaṁ mūlabandaśca dehasāmyaṁ ca dṛksthitiḥ.—(APK: 102) & Prāņa saṁyamanam caiva pratyāhārśca dhāraņā, Ātmadhyānam samadhiśca proktānyaṅgāni vai kramāt.—(APK: 103); Also see, VC: 366–378.

  82. 82.

    (The final end of) Yoga is the restraint of mental operations.—YS I. 2.

  83. 83.

    Ataḥ samādhatsva yat’endriyaḥ san nirantaraṁ śāntamanāḥ pratīci, vidhvaṁsaya dhvāntam anādy’avidyayā kṛtaṁ sad’ekatva-vilokanena—(VC: 366).

  84. 84.

    Tripañcāṅgānyatho vakśye pūrvoktasya hi labdhaye, Taisca sarveḥ sadā kārya nididhyāsanameva tu.—(APK: 100).

  85. 85.

    Nithyābhyāsādrute prāptirna bhavet sachidātmanaḥ, Tasamād brahma nidhidhyāse jijñāsuḥ śreyase chiraṁ.—(APK: 101).

  86. 86.

    Restraint or control of the senses,—YS II. 30.

  87. 87.

    VC: 369; APK: 104; YSV II. 30.

  88. 88.

    VC: 368, 378.

  89. 89.

    The self-culture that consists external and internal purification,—YS II. 32.

  90. 90.

    VC: 377; APK: 105; YSV II. 32.

  91. 91.

    The adoption of comfortable postures that would constitute the physical help for the meditation,—YS II. 46.

  92. 92.

    VC: 370; APK: 118; YSV II. 46.

  93. 93.

    The control of breath regulates steadily the process of pūraka (inhalation), kumbhaka (retention), and rechaka (exhalation). It is beneficial to health as well as highly conducive to the concentration of the mind.—YS II. 49.

  94. 94.

    VC: 370; APK: 119–120.

  95. 95.

    Swami Vimuktānanda’s commentary on APK: 119–120.

  96. 96.

    Consists in withdrawing our senses from their external objects and directing them towards the internal goal,—YS II. 54.

  97. 97.

    VC: 371; APK: 121; YSV II. 54.

  98. 98.

    Fixing the mind on the on the object of meditation,—YS III. 1.

  99. 99.

    VC: 378; APK: 122; VC: 182; YSV III. 1.

  100. 100.

    Consists in the steadfast contemplation on the object of meditation,—YS III. 2.

  101. 101.

    VC: 381; APK: 123; YSV III. 2.

  102. 102.

    Absorbing of the mind in the object of meditation. Here the distinction between mediation and the object of meditation ceases to exist,—YS III. 3.

  103. 103.

    VC: 382, 383; APK: 124.

  104. 104.

    Antastyāgo bahistyāgo viraktasy’aiva yujyate; tyajatyantar bahiḥsaṅgam viraktas tu mumukṣayā.—VC: 372, 374.

  105. 105.

    APK: 106; See also the note by Swami Vimuktananda; VC: 367.

  106. 106.

    tad advayānanda-mayātmanā sadā śāntiṁ parām etya bhajasva maunam.—VC: 525b; APK: 107.

  107. 107.

    VC: 530, 532; APK: 110.

  108. 108.

    VC: 530, 532; APK: 111.

  109. 109.

    VC: 407; APK: 114.

  110. 110.

    VC: 425, 441; APK: 115.

  111. 111.

    VC: 543; APK: 116.

  112. 112.

    Nirantarābhyāsa-vaśāti tad-itihaṁ pakvaṁ mano brahmaṇi līyate yadā; tadā samādhiḥ savikalpa-varjitaḥ svato’advayānanda-rasānubhāvakaḥ.—VC: 362.

  113. 113.

    Chatterjee (1971, 31–32), as quoted in Sebastian (2006, 5).

  114. 114.

    bhrānti-kalpita-jagat-kalāśrayaṁ svāśrayaṁ ca sad-asad- vilakṣaṇam,—VC: 257a.

  115. 115.

    Athāta ādeśa iti śrutiḥ svayaṁ niṣedhati brahmaṇi kalpitaṁ dvayam; śruti-pramāṇānugṛhīta-bodhāt tayor nirāsaḥ karaṇīya eva.—VC: 245.

  116. 116.

    Such method of teaching is construed as voidness in VC.—VC: 212.

  117. 117.

    nābhāvaḥ upalabdheḥ.—BS. II. 2. 28.

  118. 118.

    BSB (2008, II. 2. 28, p. 197).

  119. 119.

    VC: 230–232.

  120. 120.

    athāta ādeśaḥ na iti na ita, na hy etasmād iti, na ity anyat param asti, BṛU II. 3. 6.

  121. 121.

    This idea is taken from Mathrani (1989, 89).

  122. 122.

    Comparable with: Ᾱptoktiṁ khananaṁ tath’opariśilād’utkarṣaṇaṁ svīkṛtiṁ nikṣepaḥ samapekṣate na hi bahiḥ śabdais tu nirgacchati; tadvad brahma-vidaḥ upadeśa-manana-dhyānādibhir labhyate māyā-kārya-tirohitaṁ svamamalaṁ tattvaṁ na duryuktibhiḥ.—VC: 65.

  123. 123.

    Viṣayāśā mahāpāśād yo vimuktaḥ su-dustyajāt; sa eva kalpate muktyai nānyaḥ ṣaṭśāstra-vedī api, VC: 78.

  124. 124.

    Prajñavān api paṇḍito api caturo’apy-atyanta-sūkṣm’ārtha-dṛgvyālīḍhas tamasā na vetti bahudhā saṁbodhito’api sphuṭam; bhrānty’āropitam eva sādhu kalayaty’ālambate tadguṇān hant’āsau prabalā duranta-tamasaḥ śaktir mahaty’āvṛtiḥ, VC: 114- translated version of Swami Turīyānanda.

  125. 125.

    BṛUB II. 1. 20, III. 3. 1.

  126. 126.

    The New Theory of Reference in the philosophy of language became wide spread in the 1970s and implies that many locutions (e.g. proper names) refer directly to items, which contrasts with the traditional or old theory of reference, which implies that names and relevantly similar locutions express descriptive senses or are disguised descriptions (Smith 1999, 4).

References

A. Abbreviations of Original Sources

  • i. Primary Sources

    Google Scholar 

  • VC: Vivekacūḍāmaṇi of Śaṅkarācārya. 2005. Swāmī Mādhavānanda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • VC: Vivekacūḍāmaṇi of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya. 1991. Swāmī Turīyānanda (tr.). Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math.

    Google Scholar 

  • ii. Other Original Sources

    Google Scholar 

  • AB: Ᾱtma-bodha of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya. 1947. Swami Nikhilānanda (tr.). Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math.

    Google Scholar 

  • APK: Aparokṣānubhūti of Srī Śaṅkarācārya. 2009. Swami Vimuktānanda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • BGB: Bhagavad-Gītā with Commentary of Śaṅkarācārya. 2010., Swami Gambhirananda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • BṛUB: The Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: With the Commentary of Śaṅkarācārya. 2009. Swami Madhavananda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • BSB: Brahma Sūtra Bhāṣya of Śaṅkarācārya. 2009. Swāmi Gambīrānanda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • BSB: Brahma Sūtras According to Srī Śaṅkara 2008. Swami Vireswarananda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • PD: Pañcadaśī of Sri Vidyaranya Swami. 2009. Swami Swahananda (tr.). Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math.

    Google Scholar 

  • SVYMD: Sureśvara’s Vārtika on Yājñavalkya’s-Maitreyī Dialogue. 1991. Shoun Hino (tr. & ed.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • The Vedānta-Sūtras with the Commentary by Śaṅkarācārya. 2007. George Thibaut (tr.). vol. XXXIV. Delhi: Low Price Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • US: A Thousand Teachings: The Upadeśasāhasrī of Śaṅkara. 2006. Sengaku Mayeda (tr. & ed.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • VC: The Vivekacūḍāmaṇi of Śaṅkarācārya Bhagavatpāda; An Introduction and Translation by John Grimes. 2004. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • VS: Vedāntasāra of Sadānanda. 2006. Swāmī Nikhilānanda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • VSūB: The Vedānta-Sūtras with the Commentary by Śaṅkarācārya. 2007. George Thibaut (tr.). XXXIV: 1. Delhi: Low Price Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • YSV: Śaṅkara on the Yoga Sūtras: A Full Translation of the Newly Discovered Text. 2006. Trevor Leggett (tr.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

B. Other References

  • Bilimoria, Purushottama. 2008. Śabdapramāṇa: Word and Knowledge in Indian Philosophy, Studies of Classical India 10. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee, A.K. 1969. Non-Speculative Metaphysics. Anivikṣitk (Research Bulletin of the Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy) 2 (1): 1–18. Varanasi: Banaras Hindu University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chatterjee, A.K. 1971. Metaphysics, Subjectivity and Myth. In The Indian Philosophical Congress, 20–33. Hyderabad: Osmania University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Choudhary, Ravidnra K.S. 2007. Wittgensteinian Philosophy and Advaita Vedānta: A Survey of the Parallels. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld.

    Google Scholar 

  • Comans, Michael. 1993. The Question of the Importance of Samādhi in Modern and Classical Advaita Vedānta. Philosophy East and West 43 (1): 19–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dasgupta, S. 1975. A History of Indian Philosophy, vol. 1. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deussen, Paul. 1966. The Philosophy of the Upaniṣads. New York: Dover.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deussen, Paul. 2003. The System of the Vedānta. Delhi: Low Price Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gracia, J.G., and T.B. Noone. 2003. A Companion to Philosophy in the Middle Ages. London: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimes, John. 1996. A Conscise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, Bina. 2012. An Introduction to Indian Philosophy. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirst, J.G. Suthren. 2005. Śaṅkara’s Advaita Vedanta. New York: Routledge Curzon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klive, Visvaldis V. 1988. Analytic Philosophy and Advaita. In Perspectives on Vedānta, ed. S.S. Rama Rao Pappu, 33–61. Leiden: E.J. Brill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, U.A. Vinay. 2004. Advaitic Language of Sublation. In Language and Mind, vol. 2, ed. K.S. Prasad, 101–126. New Delhi: Decent Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathrani, G.N. 1989. Studies in Wittgensteinian Philosophy. Allahabahd: Darshan Peeth.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miśra, G. 1981. Language and Reality. In Language and Reality. ed. J.L. Mehta, 37–76. Varanasi: Centre for Advanced Study in Philosophy, BHU.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miśra, Ganeśwar. 1990. Language Reality and Analysis: Essays on Indian Philosophy. ed. J.N. Mohanty. Leiden: E.J. Brill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayak, G.C. 1988. Does Śaṅkara Advocate Enlightenment Through Analysis? Perspectives on Vedānta: Essays in Honour of P.T. Raju, ed. S.S. Rama Rao Pappu, 81–132. Leiden: E.J. Brills.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nayak, G.C. 1995. Understanding Śaṅkara Vedānta. JICPR. 13 (1): 71–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pradhan, R.C. 1997. Maitra, Tapti, A Constructive Study of Advaita Conception of Mind. Indian Philosophical Quarterly, XXIV 4: 573–576.

    Google Scholar 

  • Puligandla, Ramakrishna. 1997. Jñāna-Yoga: The way of Knowledge. New Delhi: D. K Printworld.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramamurty, A. 1996. Advaita: A conceptual Analysis. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rambachan, Anantanand. 1991. Accomplishing the Accomplished: The Vedas as a Source of Valid Knowledge in Śaṅkara. Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rambachan, Anantanand. 2006. The Advaita Worldview: God, World, and Humanity. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao, Srinivasa. 1985. Advaita: A Critical Investigation. Bangalore: The Indian Philosophical Foundation at Jnana Bharati.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarasvati, Swami Satchidanandendra. 1997. The Method of the Vedanta: A Critical Account of the Advaita Tradition. trans. A.J. Alston. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Satprakashananda, Swami. 2009. Methods of Knowledge According to Advaita. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sebastian, C.D. 2006. Metaphysics, Metalanguage and A.K. Chatterjee: A Mādhyamika Critique. Indian Philosophical Quarterly 33 (1), 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, Quentin. 1999. Marcus, Kripke, and the Origin of the New Theory of Reference. In The New Theory of Reference: Kripke, Marcus, and its Origins. ed. Paul W. Hamphreys and James H. Fetzer, 3–17. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swami, Chinmayananda. 2000. Talks on Śaṅkara’s Vivekacūḍāmaṇi. Mumbai: Central Chinmaya Mission Trust.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swami, Ranganathananda. 2008. The Message of Vivekacūḍāmaṇi: An Exposition of Vivekacūḍāmaṇi in the light of Modern Thought and Modern Times. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari, Kapil N. 1977. Dimensions of Renunciation in Advaita Vedānta. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vallooran, A.D. 1988. In search of the Absolute; A Critical Study of the Advaitic Philosophy of Religion as Interpreted by T.M.P. Mahadevan. Shillong: Vendrame Institute.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Walter Menezes .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Menezes, W. (2017). The Fading Boundaries of Analysis and Speculation. In: Exploring Ātman from the Perspective of the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62761-8_4

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics