Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Transcending the Method of via Negativa

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

  • 207 Accesses

Abstract

The fifth chapter titled “Transcending the Method of via Negativa” is the second major contributing piece of the entire work. The chapter proves that the transcendence of via negativa in VC points to a positively experienced trans-empirical Reality that is distinctly different from positive and negative empirical attributes. The chapter also examines the role of language, concepts and their symbiosis in introducing Advaitic Reality, and their subsequent transcendence on reaching their objectives. The chapter debates on the relevance of asaṅga and asparśa in VC and points out that while asaṅga-mārga is an advanced method of realisation, asparśayoga is an Advaitic method logically presupposed in the trans-empirical state, where there is no duality, and distinction between the method and goal does not exist. The chapter highlights the soteriological implications of non-mind (asparśa), which requires asaṅga as a method to realise its primary goal. The chapter examines the proofs for the subject-objectless consciousness, which is the ineffable Reality, imperfectly expressed in the mahavākya ahambrahmāsmi. The chapter upholds the conception ineffableness of turīya in the first person experience and examines fittingness of the conception of svayaṁprakāśa (self-luminous) to denote the original nature of Ātman in Advaita. The findings of this chapter give way for further deliberations on the problem of personhood and the ethical teachings in Advaita.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
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.

    Asaṅgo’aham anaṅgo’aham aliṅgo’aham abhaṅguraḥ; praśānto’aham ananto’aham amalo’aham cirantanaḥ.—VC: 489.

  2. 2.

    Sarv’ādhāraṁ sarva-vastu-prakāśaṁ sarv’ākāraṁ sarvagaṁ sarva-śūnyam; nityaṁ śuddhaṁ niścalam nirvikalpaṁ brahm’ādvaitaṁ yat tad ev’āham asmi.—VC: 513.

  3. 3.

    The labelling of Descriptive Metaphysics implies to the metaphysical enterprise in analytic tradition. P.F. Strawson in his path-breaking work Individuals: An Essay in Descriptive Metaphysics: speaks of a “descriptive metaphysics” and repudiates what he calls “revisionary” metaphysics, according to which reality is something more ultimate than that of world of appearance. In his book, Strawson concerns himself with structure of what we believe about material bodies and persons only (for further details kindly see Strawson (1959). Individual: An Essay in Descriptive Metaphysics. London: University Paperbacks).

  4. 4.

    I am indebted to Arvind Sharma who has acknowledged same idea in his article on anubhava and quoted from: Werner, Karel (2005). Sharma applies this term in relation to doctrine and experience. But I do not completely agree with the manner in which this word is used by Sharma. According to the present study, experience in Advaita comes only at the later stage, when the doctrines are not recognized. Therefore, according to me this term should be applied between doctrine and practice or language and concepts. In the present work, this term refers to the latter.

  5. 5.

    nirguṇaṁ niṣkalaṁ sūkṣmaṁ nirvikalpaṁ nirañjanam; ekam ev’ādvayaṁ brahma neha nān’āsti kiñcana.—VC: 468; also see, VC: 464–470.

  6. 6.

    The state of yogāruḍha is described in Gītā, VI. 4—“When one is attached neither to sense-objects nor to actions, and has given up all desires, then he is said to be yogāruḍha”.

  7. 7.

    Paṭhantu śāstrāṇi yajantu devān kurvantu karmāṇi bhajantu devatāḥ; ātmaikyabodhena vināpi muktiḥ-ṛna siddhyati brahmaśatāntareapi.—VC: 6.

  8. 8.

    Ato vimuktyai prayateta vidvān saṁnyasta-bāhyārtha-sukhaspṛhaḥ san; santaṁ mahāntaṁ samupetya deśikaṁ ten’opadiṣṭārtha-samāhit’ātmā.—VC: 8.

  9. 9.

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

  10. 10.

    Cittasya śuddhaye karma na tu vastu’ūpalabdhaye; vastusiddhir vicāreṇa na kiṁcit karma-koṭibhiḥ.—VC: 11.

  11. 11.

    Arthasya niścaya dṛṣṭo vicāreṇa hitoktitaḥ; na snānena an dānena prāṇāyāma-śatena vā.—VC: 13.

  12. 12.

    Ato vicāraḥ kartavyaḥ jijñāsor ātma-vastunaḥ; samāsādya dayāsindhuṁ guruṁ brahma-vid-uttamam.—VC: 15.

  13. 13.

    Manda-madhyama-rūp’āpi vairāgyeṇa śamādinā; prasādena guroḥ se’yaṁ pravṛddhā sūyate phalam.—VC: 28.

  14. 14.

    Tam ārādhya guruṁ bhaktyā prahva-praśraya-sevanaiḥ; prasannaṁ tam anuprāpya pṛcchet jñātavyam ātmanaḥ.—VC: 34.

  15. 15.

    Svāmin Namaste nata-loka-bandho kāruṇya-sindho patitaṁ bhavābdhau; mām uddhar’ātmīya-kaṭākṣa-dṛṣṭyā ṛjvyāti-kāruṇya-sudhābhivṛṣṭyā.—VC: 35.

  16. 16.

    Brah’ānanda-ras’ānubhūti-kalitaiḥ pūtaiḥ suśītair yutaiḥ yuṣmad vākkalaś’ojjhitaiḥ śruti-sukhaiḥ vāky’āmṛtaiḥ secaya.—VC: 39.

  17. 17.

    Kathaṁ tareyaṁ bhava sindhum etaṁ kā vā gatir me katamo’astyupāyaḥ; jāne na kiñcit kṛpayā’ava māṁ prabho saṁsāra-duḥkha-ksatim ātanuṣva.—VC: 40.

  18. 18.

    Ko nāma bandhaḥ katham eṣa āgataḥ kathaṁ pratiṣṭḥā’sya kathaṁ vimoksaḥ; ko’asau anātmā paramaḥ ka ātmā tayor vivekaḥ katham etad ucyatām.—VC: 49.

  19. 19.

    Parasparāṁśair militāni bhūtvā sthūlāni ca sthūla-śarīra-hetavaḥ; mātrās tadīyā viṣayā bhavanti śabdādayaḥ pañca sukhāya bhoktuḥ.—VC: 74.

  20. 20.

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

  21. 21.

    Asti kaścit svayaṁ nityaṁ ahaṁ-pratyaya-lambanaḥ,—VC: 125a.

  22. 22.

    Yaḥ paśyati svayaṁ sarvaṁ yaṁ na paśyati kiñcana, yaś cetayati buddhyādi na tad yaṁ cetayaty’ ayam.—VC: 127.

  23. 23.

    Eṣo’antarātmā puruṣaḥ purāṇo nirantar’ākhaṇḍasukh’ānubhūtiḥ; sad’aikarūpaḥ pratibodha-mātro yen’eṣitā vāg-asavaś caranti.—VC: 131.

  24. 24.

    The seer, beyond all qualities and all actions—the blissful Ᾱtman—has taken this state of being “I” through ignorance only (svasya draṣṭur nirguṇasy’ākriyasya pratyag-bodh’ānanda-rūpasya buddheḥ.—VC: 196). As long ignorance remains, so long does this state of being “I” exist, which rises from false knowledge (Yāvad bhrāntis tāvad ev’āsya sattā mithyā-jñāno’jjṛmbhitasya pramādāt;—VC: 197). By whom everything is understood, but who is understood by none, who is the witness of himself and all and can never be witnessed, is the Ᾱtman (VC: 214, 216).

  25. 25.

    It is not the void of the nihilists, because this void cannot be conceived without consciousness. A chemical is used to remove impurities from water; after destroying the impurities, the purifying agent also disappears, leaving only pure water. The whole spiritual discipline consists in negating one imaginary image by another, and its process continues till the last trace of imagination is eliminated, leaving behind the self-luminous reality.

  26. 26.

    Here, the term metalanguage and metaconcept should be understood in Aristotelian sense. It points out to something after or beyond language. However, these terms do not deny language at this phase. These terms point out to a distinct sensibility at this phase, which goes beyond the realm of speakability. This is a unique type of experience which communicates itself by one’s own manner of existence.

  27. 27.

    Aparapratyayaṃ śāntaṃ prapañcairaprapañcitaṃ.

  28. 28.

    MK III. 40: The Yogis (who do not follow the method of Jñāna-Yoga as described in the Kārikā) depend on the control of their mind for fearlessness, destruction of misery, the knowledge of the self and eternal peace.

  29. 29.

    MK III. 39 and IV. 2.

  30. 30.

    santu vikārāḥ prakṛter daśadhā śatadhā sahasradhā vā’api, MK III. 39; kiṁ me’asaṅga-citaḥ taiḥ na ghanaḥ kvacit ambaraṁ spṛśati, MK IV. 2; See also, VC: 511, 545, 504; US: XVIII. 164: asparśtvād dehatvānnāhaṁ dāhyo yataḥ sadā; tasmānimithyābhimānotthaṁ mṛte putre mṛtiryatha; See also, US: XVIII. 167.

  31. 31.

    In the asparśayoga, the path itself, i.e. control of the mind to become contactless and attain the state of non-mind becomes the ultimate goal and ultimate reality. With the help of the dual process of detachment and practice of non-discriminative wisdom, one should wake up the mind that is merged in deep sleep, i.e. in non-perception of reality and engage it in the realization of the Self…The mind should be established in equipoise. In this state of equipoise, there will arise some happiness, but one should not get attached to this happiness realizing that this is also a creation of ignorance as such, is false…When the mind is thus brought under control and becomes objectless (i.e. without any image of any object therein) and motionless like a still lamp in a windless place. Then, it becomes Brahman, i.e. lost and merged in Brahman (Krishnan 2004, 369).

  32. 32.

    ātmasatyānubodhena na saṅkalpayate yadā; amanastāṃ tadā yāti grāhyābhāve tadagrahāt.—MK III. 32.

  33. 33.

    advayaṃ ca dvayābhāsaṃ manaḥ svapne na saṃśayaḥ; advayaṃ ca dvayābhāsaṃ tathā jāgran na saṃśayaḥ.—MK III. 32.

  34. 34.

    asparśayogao nāmaiṣa durdarśaḥ sarvayogibhih; yogino bibhyati hy asmād abhaye bhayadarśinaḥ.

  35. 35.

    asparśayogo vai nāma sarvasattvasukho kitaḥ; avivādo’viruddhaś ca deśitas taṃ namāmy aham.

  36. 36.

    Chāyayā spṛṣṭam uṣṇaṁ vā sītaṁ vā suṣṭhu duṣṭhu vā; na spṛśaty’eva yat kiñcit puruṣaṁ tad vilakṣaṇam.—VC: 504.

  37. 37.

    Santu vikārāḥ prakṛter daśadhā śatadhā sahasradhā vā’api; kim me’asaṅga-citaḥ taiḥ na ghanaḥ kvacit ambaraṁ spṛśati.—VC: 511.

  38. 38.

    Aśarīraṁ sadā santam imaṁ brahma-vidaṁ kvacit; priy’āpriye na spṛśatas tath’aiva ca śubh’āśubhe.—VC: 545.

  39. 39.

    Asaṅgo’aham anaṅgo’aham aliṅgo’aham abhaṅguraḥ; praśānto’aham ananto’aham amalo’aham cirantanaḥ.—VC: 489

  40. 40.

    The term yoga itself denotes the coming into union of two factors, which are independent from each other.

  41. 41.

    PK: 52.

  42. 42.

    MK III. 34–35.

  43. 43.

    parāvaraikatva-viveka-vahniḥ dahaty-avidyā-gahanaṁ hy aśeṣam,—VC: 346a.

  44. 44.

    Cidātmani sadānande deh’ārūdḥām ahaṁdhiyam; niveśya liṅgam utsṛjya kevalo bhava sarvadā.—VC: 290.

  45. 45.

    Na-hyasti viśvaṁ para-tattva-bodhāt sadātmani brahmaṇi nirvikalpa; kāla-traye na-apyahir-īkṣito guṇe na hy’ambu-bindur mṛga-ṭṛṣṇikāyām.—VC: 404.

  46. 46.

    Wood (1992, 33). (MK IV. 72: cittaspanditamevedaṁ grāhygrāhakavad dvayam).

  47. 47.

    VP: I. 15.

  48. 48.

    nididhyāsaṁ lakṣaguṇam anantaṁ nirvikalpakam.—VC: 364b.

  49. 49.

    tato’avikalpaṁ param’etya vidvān ihaiva nirvāṇa-sukhaṁ samṛcchati.—VC: 70b.

  50. 50.

    VC: 69, 82; 372, 374; 353, 363; 354.

  51. 51.

    VC: 254–363; As the śiṣya meditates on “That, thou art”, says Swami Nikhilānanda, there arises in his mind a state (vṛtti) which makes him feel that he is Brahman, pure by nature, eternal, self-illumined, free, infinite, supremely blissful, and One without a second. This mental state, illumined by the reflection of pure consciousness, destroys his ignorance and doubts regarding Brahman. Yet, even now Brahman is only a state or wave of the mind. As the ignorance is destroyed, its effects, the various mental states, are destroyed too, just as, when a cloth is burnt, the warp and woof are burnt. Hence, the mental state coloured by Brahman, which forms part of those effects, is also destroyed. When the mental state is destroyed, there remains only the consciousness reflected in that state, which, unable to illumine the Supreme and Self-effulgent Brahman, becomes overpowered by it. Further, on the destruction of this mental state, the reflection reverts back to the Supreme Brahman, just as the image of a face in a mirror reverts back to the face itself when the mirror is broken or removed. Thus, the duality of subject and the object, pure consciousness and the perceiving consciousness, is false. When the duality is removed, there remains only the Supreme Brahman, One without a second (AB: 100).

  52. 52.

    VC: 267, 362; VS: 197.

  53. 53.

    Commentary on MK III. 32 in AG.

  54. 54.

    Yasya sthitā bhavet prajñā yasyānando nirantaraḥ; prapañca vismṛta-prāyaḥ sa jīvanmukta iṣyate.—VC: 428.

  55. 55.

    VC: 276, 408–410, 424.

  56. 56.

    MK IV. 47, 48, 72.

  57. 57.

    Swami Madhavananda’s commentary on VC: 476.

  58. 58.

    Yathorņa-nābhiḥ sṛjate gṛhņate ca, yathā pṛthivyām oṣadhayas sambhavanti, yathā sataḥ puruṣāt keśalomāni tathākṣarāt sambhavatīha viśvam. —MaU 7.

  59. 59.

    MāUB III.

  60. 60.

    MāUB IV.

  61. 61.

    nātmānaṃ na parāṃś caiva na satyaṃ nāpi cānṛtam; prājñaḥ kiñcana saṃvetti turīyaḥ sarvadṛk sadā.—MK I. 12; Sinha (2000, 353).

  62. 62.

    However, if it is proved otherwise, it would support the popular scientific explanation that Self is able to influence the body. If we say that turīya exists in deep sleep and other states, then what is that which is responsible for the various states of consciousness? Was it body or the self? The example of coma, being the result of injury to the body, proves that it is the body which is responsible for the change of states. Then, one might ask, does Self either in realisation or otherwise able to influence the body? The neuroscientists may have a better answer. As for our study, this problem remains unsolved, as it is not in the scope of present study. Moreover, with regard to the initial suggestion that bodily states might be the metaphorical indicators of states of Ᾱtman, implies that it is only by the help of the states of body, the states of Ᾱtman we can be differentiated. Moreover, there is no need to divide Atman in such categories, if one does not have any cycles from the body. Therefore, one might concede that Śaṅkara takes bodily states as the real indicators of the states of Atman. Thus, body being determining factor of states, after realisation, turīya is present impartially in all the states. This proves that body does not have any significance to turīya after the realisation.

  63. 63.

    No perception whatever in waking, dream, or deep sleep belongs to Me but it is due to delusion. For these states have no independent existence nor an existence depending on the Self. I am, therefore, the Fourth, which is the Seer of all the three states and without a second. See in US: X. 3.

  64. 64.

    Draṣṭuḥ śrotur vaktuḥ kartur bhoktur vibhinna evāham; nityanirantara-niṣkriya-nissīm’āsaṅga-pūrṇa-bodhātmā.—VC: 491.

  65. 65.

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

  66. 66.

    na hi nirāspadā rajjusarpa-mṛgatṛṣṇikādayaḥ kvacid upalabhyante kenacit (GK I. 6).

  67. 67.

    svaprakaśam adhiṣṭhānaṁ svayaṁ bhūya sadātmanā; brahmāṇḍam api pinḍāṇḍaṁ tyajyatāṁ mala bhāṇḍavat.—VC: 289.

  68. 68.

    Svasy’āvidyābandhasaṁbandhamokṣātsatyajñānānandarūp’ātmalabdhau; śāstraṁ yuktir deśikoktiḥ pramāṇaṁ cāntaḥsiddhā svānubhūtiḥ pramāṇam.—VC: 474.

  69. 69.

    Through such sentence as “That, thou art”, right knowledge concerning the inner Ᾱtman will become clearer (US I. 18. 190), and one comes to know one’s own Ᾱtman the Witness of all the internal organs (US I. 18. 174).

  70. 70.

    “The teaching “‘That, thou art’ will surely be useless in the absence of the knowledge ‘I am Brahman’” (US II. 18. 90).

  71. 71.

    Mahadevan (2009), viii, Balasubramanian (1983), 51, Kumar (2004), 101.

  72. 72.

    ubhaya buddhi anugata pratyaya aviṣayatvāt, BGB: XIII. 12.

  73. 73.

    Ᾱtmeti evamupāsīta, BṛU I. 4. 7.

  74. 74.

    athāta ādeśaḥ na iti na ita, na hy etasmād iti, na ity anyat param asti, BṛU II. 3. 6; BṛU IV. 2. 4; “Brahman is so unique that no words at all are appropriate for denoting it, but somehow it must be talked of, terms drawn from the common sense and philosophical levels of language have to be used. ‘Being’ and ‘Knowledge’ are terms drawn from language at the philosophical level while terms such as ‘cause’ and ‘source’ are drown from scientific level. But as any of these terms used conjunctively, such that one term serves as an adjective of another, or, in other words, qualifies, the other. They either elevate our conception of Brahman or remove from our conception all finiteness and limitation; e.g. ‘infinite’ is used in conjunction with ‘knowledge’, and ‘knowledge’ in conjunction with ‘reality,’ and ‘pure’ in conjunction with ‘being” (Murty 1974, 63, 64).

  75. 75.

    Ajo nityaḥ śāśvata iti brūte śrutir amoghavāk; tad’ātmanā tiṣṭhato’asya kutaḥ prārabdha-kalpanā.—VC: 459; KaU I. 2. 18.

  76. 76.

    Buddhir vinaṣtā galitā pravṛttiḥ brahm’ātmanor ekatay’ādhigatyā; idaṁ na jāne’apy’anidaṁ na jāne kim vā kiyad vā sukham asty’apāram.—VC: 481; Vācā vaktum aśakyam eva manasā mantuṁ na vā śakyate sv’ānand’āmṛta-pūra-pūrita-parabrahm’āmbudher vaibhavam; ambho-rāśi-viśīrṇa-vārṣika-śilā-bhāvaṁ bhajan me mano yasy’āṁś’āṁśa-lave vilīnam adhun’ānand’ātmanā nirvṛtam.—VC: 482.

  77. 77.

    Nirupamam anādi-tattvaṁ tvam aham idam ada iti-kalpanādūram; nityānanda’aika-rasaṁ satyaṁ brahm’ādvitīyam ev’āham.—VC: 493.

  78. 78.

    I am grateful to Chakrabarti (1995) who used this idea in his article: “Sleep-learning of Wake-up Call: Can Vedic Statements Make Us Aware of Brahman?” The Philosophy of K. Satchidananda Murty, Sibajiban Bhattacharya and Ashok Vohra (eds.). New Delhi: ICPR, 159.

  79. 79.

    Dhanyo’ahaṁ kṛtakṛtyo’ahaṁ vimukto’ahaṁ bhava-grahāt; nityānanda-svarūpo’ahaṁ pūrṇo’aham tvad-anugrahāt.—VC: 488.

  80. 80.

    Dhanyo’ahaṁ kṛtakṛtyo’ahaṁ vimukto’ahaṁ bhava-grahāti; nityānanda-svarūpo’ahaṁ pūrṇo’aham tvad-anugrahāt.—VC: 488; Asaṅgo’aham anaṅgo’aham aliṅgo’aham abhaṅguraḥ; praśānto’aham ananto’aham amalo’aham cirantanaḥ.—VC: 489; Akartiāham abhoktāham avikāroaham akriyaḥ; suddha-bodha-svarūpoahaṁ kevalo’ahaṁ sadā-śvaḥ.—VC: 490; Draṣṭuḥ śrotur vaktuḥ kartur bhoktur vibhinna evāham; nitya-nirantara-niṣkriya-nissīm’āsaṅga-pūrṇa-bodhātmā.—VC: 491; Nirupamam anādi-tattvaṁ tvam aham idam ada iti-kalpanādūram; nityānanda’aika-rasaṁ satyaṁ brahm’ādvitīyam ev’āham.—VC: 493; Nārāyaṇoahaṁ narakāntakoahaṁ purāntakoaham puruṣoahaṁ īśaḥ; akhṇḍa-bodho’aham’aśeṣa-sākṣi nirīśvaro’ahaṁ nirahaṁ ca nirmamaḥ.—VC: 494; Ᾱkāśaval lepa-vidūragoaham ādityavad bhāsya-vilakṣaṇoaham; ahāryavat nitya-viniścaloaham ambhodhivat pāra-vivarjitoaham.—VC: 499; Kartāpi vā kārayitāpi nāhaṁ bhoktāpi vā bhojayitāpi nāham; draṣṭāpi vā darśayitāpi nāhaṁ soahaṁ svayaṁ jyotir anīdṛg ātmā.—VC: 507; Sarvādhāraṁ sarva-vastu-prakāśaṁ sarvākāraṁ sarvagaṁ sarvaśūnyam; nityaṁ śuddhaṁ niścalam nirvikalpaṁ brahmādvaitaṁ yat tad evāham asmi.—VC: 513; Niṣkriyoasmy avikāroasmi niṣkaloasmi nirākṛtiḥ; nirvikalpoasmi nityoasmi nirālamboasmi nirdvayaḥ.—VC: 515; Sarvātmakoaham sarvoahaṁ sarvāatītoaham advayaḥ; kevalākhaṇḍa-bodhoaham ānandoaham nirantaraḥ.—VC: 516.

  81. 81.

    Niṣkriyoasmy avikāroasmi niṣkaloasmi nirākṛtiḥ; nirvikalpoasmi nityoasmi nirālamboasmi nirdvayaḥ.—VC: 515.

  82. 82.

    For clarification of the meaning of non-dual experience, kindly see the head ‘Unique Import of Advaitic Realisation,’ in Chap. 4.

  83. 83.

    Sarv’ābhāvaṁ vinā kiñcinna paśyāmy atra he guro. vijñeyaṁ kimu vastvasti svātmanā ātmavipaścitā.—VC: 212.

  84. 84.

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

  85. 85.

    BṛU IV. 5. 15.

  86. 86.

    Asau sva-sākṣiko bhāvo yataḥ sven’ānubhūyate; ataḥ paraṁ svayaṁ sākṣāt pratyagātmā na c’etaraḥ.—VC: 216.

  87. 87.

    According to the Sāṅkhya philosophy, the whole universe, as it appears to us, is a mixture of the Puruṣa and the Prakṛti-of something which impinges on or gives the suggestion to our minds and the mind which reacts and covers it, as it were, with a coating of its own. In other words, everything we perceive is this unknown something plus the mind, or to put it briefly, X+mind: The Vedānta substitutes Brahman for the Puruṣa and postulates nescience as the inscrutable power of Brahman, which covers the real nature of Brahman and makes it think as if it were subject to all sorts of change and limitation. Ᾱtman is only another name for Brahman. So whenever we perceive a thing, form any mental impression, it must be the Ᾱtman and nothing else that we perceive. Only in our ignorance, we fail to grasp the real nature of the thing experienced (the Ᾱtman) and call it by various names. Therefore, our egoism, our intellect, and all mental states are manifestations of the Ᾱtman alone (VC 2005, 85).

  88. 88.

    Asau sva-sākṣiko bhāvo yataḥ sven’ānubhūyate; ataḥ paraṁ svayaṁ sākṣāt pratyagātmā na c’etaraḥ.—VC: 216; 20.

  89. 89.

    Yad idaṁ sakalaṁ viśvaṁ nānā-rūpaṁ pratītam ajñānāt; tat sarvaṁ brahm’aiva pratyastāśeṣa-bhāvanā-doṣam.—VC: 227.

  90. 90.

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

  91. 91.

    Svayaṁjyotiṣṭvaṁ nāma caitanyātmascabhāvatā, Introduction to BṛU IV. 3. 23.

  92. 92.

    Śaṅkara’s commentary on BṛU IV. 3. 7.

  93. 93.

    yato yad upalabhyate…brahma tu…yena sūryādayas tasmim bhāyuḥ. Brahmanhyanyad vyanakti natu brahmānyena vyajyate, BSB I. 3. 22.

  94. 94.

    nityānandaika-rasaḥ pratyag-rūpaḥ paraḥ svayam-jyotiḥ,—VC: 151b; BS I. 1. 4.

  95. 95.

    Na sākṣiṇaṁ sākṣya-dharmāḥ samspṛśanti vilakṣaṇam; avikāram udāsīnam gṛha-dharmāḥ pradīpavat.—VC: 505.

  96. 96.

    VC: 506; I neither do nor make others do any action; I neither enjoy nor make others enjoy; I neither see nor make others see; I am that Self-effulgent, Transcendent Ᾱtman (VC: 507); I am verily that Brahman, the One without a second, which is the support of all which illumines all things, which has infinite forms, is omnipresent, devoid of multiplicity, eternal, pure, unmoved, and absolute (VC: 513); here is the Self-effulgent Ᾱtman, of infinite power, beyond the range of conditioned knowledge, yet the common experience of all-realizing which alone this incomparable knower of Brahman lives his glorious life, freed from bondage (VC: 535).

  97. 97.

    Fort (1984, 287), Also see, Sinha (1983, 63).

  98. 98.

    Niṣkriyoasmy avikāroasmi niṣkaloasmi nirākṛtiḥ; nirvikalpoasmi nityoasmi nirālamboasmi nirdvayaḥ.—VC: 515.

  99. 99.

    Anandabodha says that in the cognition of blue and yellow, though at the time of the cognition of blue there is no cognition of yellow, a natural basic awareness is present even when there is no cognition of blue or yellow. According to him, if there were only particular cognitions, then we would not be in a position to perceive their differences. What enables us to comprehend their differences is the basic awareness underlying all these particular perishing psychical existences. Thus, it is obvious that there is an eternal consciousness, which is aware of everything in a single moment, the quality of which is known as self-luminous (Warrier 1995, 107).

  100. 100.

    DDV: 5; Yes, I am separate from the seer, the hearer, the speaker, the doer, the enjoyer; I am without all actions, without limit, without any contact. I am One-eternal consciousness Itself (VC: 491); I neither do nor make others do any action; I neither enjoy nor make others do any action; I neither see nor make other see; I am that Self-effulgent, Transcendent Ᾱtman (VC: 507); I am without activity, changeless, without parts, formless, absolute, eternal, without any other support, the One without a second (VC: 515).

  101. 101.

    Buddhi appears to possess luminosity on account of the reflection of Consciousness in it. Intelligence (buddhi) is of two kinds. One is designated egoity (ahamkrtah, the other mind (antahkarana). —DDV: 6.

  102. 102.

    Ᾱtm’ānātna-vivekaḥ kartavyo bandha-muktaye viduṣā, ten’aiv’ānandī bhavati svaṁ vijñāya sac-cid-ānandam (To remove his bondage, the wise man should discriminate between the Self and the non-Self. By that alone he comes to know his own Self as Existence–Knowledge–Bliss Absolute and becomes happy).—VC: 152; Sad’aika-rūpasya cid’ātmano vibhor ānanda-mūrter anavadya-kīrteḥ (Nikhilananda translation you are Blissfulness Itself, ever-conscious, always uniform, the conscious Lord of all, ever-glorious).—VC: 306; Sad-ghanaṁ cid-ghanaṁ nityam ānanda-ghanaṁ akriyam; ekam ev’ādvayam brahma n’eha nān’āsti kiñcana (There is only Brahman, the One without a second, the essence of Existence, Knowledge, and Eternal Bliss, and devoid of activity; there is no duality whatsoever in it).—VC: 465.

  103. 103.

    aparokṣatvācca pratyagātma praṣiddheḥ, BSB I. i p. 3–4; Pande (2011, 204).

  104. 104.

    Murti 1983, 100; I am indeed different from the seer, listener, speaker, doer, and experience; I am the essence of knowledge, eternal, without any break, beyond activity, limitless, unattached, and infinite (VC: 491); I am neither this nor that, but the Supreme, the illumine of both; I am indeed Brahman, the One without a second, pure, devoid of interior or exterior, and infinite (VC: 492).

  105. 105.

    Prajñāna-ghana ity’ātma lakṣaṇaṁ satya-sūcakam; anūdyaupādhikasy’aiva kathayanti vināśanam,—VC: 561. see also BṛU IV. 4. 13.

  106. 106.

    Santu vikārāḥ prakṛter daśadhā śatadhā sahasradhā vā’api; kiṁ me’asaṅga-citaḥ taiḥ na ghanaḥ kvacit ambaraṁ spṛśati.—VC: 511.

  107. 107.

    Nārāyaṇo’ahaṁ narak’āntako’ahaṁ purāntako’ahaṁ puruṣo’ahaīśaḥ; akhaṇḍa-bodho’ahaṁ’aśeṣa-sākṣī nirīśvaro’ahaṁ nirahaṁ ca nirmamaḥ; VC 494: Sarveṣu bhūteṣv’ahaṁ eva saṁsthitaḥ jñān’ātmanā’antar-bahir-āśrayaḥ san; Bhokta ca bhogyaṁ svayam eva sarvaṁ yad yad pṛthag-dṛṣṭam idaṁtayā purā.—VC: 495.

  108. 108.

    Bhattacharyya (1964, 131), Raju (2008, 62, 63), Radhakrishnan (1948, 208).

  109. 109.

    Yadyuttarttarābhāvḥ pūrvapūrvantu niṣphalam; nivṛttiḥ paramā tṛptirānando’nupamaḥ svataḥ.—VC: 420.

  110. 110.

    Asat-kalpo vikalpo’ayaṁ viśvam ity’eka-vastuni; nirvikāre nirākāre nirviśeṣe bhidā kutaḥ.—VC: 399.

  111. 111.

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

  112. 112.

    Tat sākṣikaṁ bhavet tat tat yad yad yen’ānubhūyate; kasyāpy ananubhūt’ārthe sākṣitvaṁ n’opayujyate.—VC: 215; Asau sva-sākṣiko bhāvo yataḥ sven’ānubhūyate; ataḥ paraṁ svayaṁ sākṣāt pratyagātmā na c’etaraḥ.—VC: 216.

  113. 113.

    Dhanyo’ahaṁ kṛtakṛtyo’ahaṁ vimukto’ahaṁ bhava-grahāti; nityānanda-svarūpo’ahaṁ pūrṇo’aham tvad-anugrahāt.—VC: 488.

  114. 114.

    Asaṅgo’aham anaṅgo’aham aliṅgo’aham abhaṅguraḥ; praśānto’aham ananto’aham amalo’aham cirantanaḥ.—VC: 489.

  115. 115.

    Draṣṭuḥ śrotur vaktuḥ kartur bhoktur vibhinna evāham; nitya-nirantara-niṣkriya-nissīm’āsaṅga-pūrṇa-bodhātmā.—VC: 491.

  116. 116.

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

  117. 117.

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

  118. 118.

    Ajaram amaram ast’abhāsva-vastu-svarūpaṁ stimitta-salila-rāśi-prakhyam ākhyā-vihīnam; śamita-guṇa-vikāram sasvatam sāntam ekaṁ hrdi kalayati vidvān brahma pūrṇaṁ samādhau.—VC: 410.

  119. 119.

    Kimapi satata-bodhaṁ keval’ānanda-rūpaṁ nirupamam ativelaṁ nitya-muktaṁ nirīham; niravadhi gagan’ābhaṁ niṣkalaṁ nirvikalpaṁ hṛdi kalayati vidvān brahma pūrṇaṁ samādhau.—VC: 408.

  120. 120.

    Asau sva-sākṣiko bhāvo yataḥ sven’ānubhūyate; ataḥ paraṁ svayaṁ sākṣāt pratyagātmā na c’etaraḥ.—VC: 216.

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 

  • AG: The Āgamaśāstra of Gauḍapāda. 1989. Bhattacharya Vidhushekhara (ed.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • BGBi 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 

  • DDV: Dṛg-Dṛśya-Viveka: An Inquiry into the Nature of the ‘Seer’ and the ‘Seen’. 2006. Swāmī Nikhilānanda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • MāU: The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad with Gauḍapād’s Kārikā and Śaṅkara’s Commentary. 2009. Nikhilananda Swami (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • MāUB: The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad with Gauḍapād’s Kārikā and Śaṅkara’s Commentary. 2009. Nikhilananda Swami (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • MK: The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad with Gauḍapād’s Kārikā and Śaṅkara’s Commentary. 2009. Nikhilananda Swami (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • MāKB: The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad with Gauḍapād’s Kārikā and Śaṅkara’s Commentary. 2009. Nikhilananda Swami (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • PK: Pañcīkaraṇam of Śrī Śaṅkarācārya. 2009. Swami Bodhasarananda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

  • US: Upadeśa Sāhasrī of Sri Śaṅkarācārya. 2006. Swami Jagadānanda (tr.). Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vedānta Explainedi Śaṁkara’s Commentary on the Brahma-sūtras. 1959. Vol. II. Vinayak Hari Date (ed.). California: Bookseller’s Pub. Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • VP: Vedānta Paribhāṣā of Dharmarāja Adhavarīndra. 2008. Swami Madhavananda (tr.). Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.

    Google Scholar 

B. Other References

  • Alston, A.J. 1987. Śaṅkara on the Absolute, vol. 1. London: Shanti Sadan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balasubramanian, R. 1983. A Study of the Brahmasiddhi of Maṇḍana Miṣra. Varanasi: Chaukhamba Amarabharati Prakashan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharyya, Kalidas. 1964. The Status of the Individual in Indian Philosophy. Philosophy East and West 14 (2): 132–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chakrabarti, A. 1995. Sleep-learning of Wake-up Call: Can Vedic Statements Make Us Aware of Brahman? In The Philosophy of K. Satchidananda Murty, ed. Sibajiban Bhattacharya and Ashok Vohra, 157–166. New Delhi: ICPR.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clements, Richa Pauranik. 2008. Being A Witness: Cross-Examining the Notion of Self in Śaṅkara’s Upadeśasāhasrī, īśvarakṛṣṇa’s Sāṃkhyakārikā, and Patañjali’s Yogasūtra. In Theory and Practice of Yoga: Essays in Honour of Gerald James Larson, ed. Knut A. Jacobsen, 75–98. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clooney, Francis X. 1993. Theology After Vedānta: An Experiment in Comparative Theology. Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole, Colin A. 2004. Asparśa-Yoga. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers P. Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Comans, Michael. 2000. The Method of Early Vedanta; A Study of Gauḍapāda, Śaṅkara, Sureśvara and Padmapāda. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.

    Google Scholar 

  • Das, A.C. 1952. Brahman and Māyā in Advaita Metaphysics. Philosophy East and West 2 (2): 144–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Date, Vinayaka Hari. 1959. Vedānta Explained: Saṁkara’s Commentary on the Brahma-sūtras. California: Bookseller’s.

    Google Scholar 

  • Das, Kanti Lal. 2006. Editorial Note. In Language and Reality, ed. Kanti Lal Das and Jyotish Chandra Basak, iii–vii. New Delhi: Northern Book Centre.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Smeth, Richard. 1953. The Theological Method of Śaṅkara. (Unpublished Dissertation). Rome: Pontifical Gregorian University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fort, Andrew O. 1984. The Concept of Sākṣin in Advaita Vedānta. Journal of Indian Philosophy 12 (3): 277–290.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant, Sara. 2000. The Contemporary Relevance of the Advaita of Śaṅkarācārya. In New Perspectives on Advaita Vedānta, ed. Bradley J. Malkovsky, 148–164. Boston: Brill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimes, John. 1994. Problems and Perspectives in Religious Discourse: Advaita Vedanta Implications. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gupta, Bina. 2009. Reason and Experience in Indian Philosophy. New Delhi: Indian Council of Philosophical Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hacker, Paul. 1978. Śaṅkara’s Conception of Man. Klein Schriften. Wiesbaden: F. Steiner.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hixon. 1976. Mahāyāna Buddhist Influence on the Gauḍa School of Advaya Vedānta. Unpublished Ph. D Thesis, University of Wisconsin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, Stephen. 2009. Grasping at Ontological Straws: Overcoming Reductionism in the Advaita Vedānta-Neuroscience Dialogue. Journal of American Academy of Religion. 77 (2): 238–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, Gerard A. 2011. Codons of Consciousness: Neurological Characteristics of Ordinary and Pathological States of Consciousness. In States of Consciousness: Experimental Insights into Meditation, Waking, Sleep and Dreams, ed. Dean Cvetkovic and Irena Cosic, 57–92. Heidelberg: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, Richard. 1992. Asparśa-Yoga: Meditation and Epistemology in the Gauḍapādīya-Kārikā. Journal of Indian Philosophy 20 (89): 89–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • King, Richard. 1995. Early Advaita Vedānta and Buddhism: The Mahāyāna Context of the Gauḍapādīya-Kārikā. Albany: University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnan, O.N. 2004. In Search of Reality: A Layman’s Journey through Indian Philosophy. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    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 

  • MacPherson, Camilia Gangasingh. 1996. A Critical Reading of the Development of Raimon Panikkar’s Thought on the Trinity. Maryland: University Press of America.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahadevan, T.M.P. 1975. The Pañcadaśī of Bhāratītīrtha- Vidyāraṇya; An Interpretative Exposition. Madras: Centre for Advanced Study in Philosophy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahadevan, T.M.P. 2009. Introduction. In Pañcadaśī of Sri Vidyāraṇya Swāmi. Swami Swahananda (tr.), vii–xix. Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merrell-Wolff, Franklin. 1995. Transformations in Consciousness: The Metaphysics and Epistemology. Albany: State University of New York Press.

    Google Scholar 

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Murti, T.R.V. 1983a. Self-Luminosity. In Studies in Indian Thought, ed. Harold Coward, 101–111. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murti, T.R.V. 1983b. The Concept of Freedom as Redemption. In Studies in Indian Thought, ed. Harold Coward, 317–327. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murty, K. Satchidananda. 1974. Revelation and Reason in Advaita. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, Michael W. 1998. Śaṅkarācārya and Ᾱnanda. Philosophy East and West. 48 (4): 553–567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nair, Maheswaran K. 1990. Advaitasiddhi: A Critical Study. Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pande, Govind Chandra. 2011. Life and Thought of Śaṅkarācārya. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Puligandla, Ramakrishna. 2009. That Thou Art: The Wisdom of the Upaniṣads. New Delhi: D. K. Printworld (p) Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishnan, S. 1929. Indian Philosophy, rev ed. London: George Allen and Unwin Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Radhakrishnan, S. 1948. Indian Philosophy, vol. I. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raju, P.T. 2008. Metaphysical Theories in Indian Philosophy. In The Indian Mind, ed. Charles A. Moore, 41–67. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranade, R.D. 1968. A Constructive survey of Upaniṣadic Philosophy. Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao, V.N. Shehagiri. 1984. Vacaspati’s Contribution to Advaita. Mysore: Samvit Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sebastian, C.D. 2008. Language and Mind: A Mādhyamika Perspective. In Language and Mind: The Classical Indian Perspective, ed. K.S. Prasad, 33–50. New Delhi: Decent Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharma, V.A. 1974. Citsukha’s Contribution to Advaita. Mysore: Kavyalaya Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha, Debabrata. 1983. The Metaphysics of Experience in Advaita Vedānta. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha, Jadunath. 2000. Indian Psychology: Perception. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strawson, P.F. 1959. Individual: An Essay in Descriptive Metaphysics. London: University Paperbacks.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Swāmi, Bhoomananda Tirtha. 1970. Brahma Vidya Abhyasa, II. Trichur: Narayana Asrama Thapovanam.

    Google Scholar 

  • Timalsina, Sthaneshwar. 2009. Consciousness in Indian Philosophy; The Advaita Doctrine of ‘Awareness only’. New York: Routledge Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warrier, E.I. 1995. The Contribution of Anandabodha to Advaita. New Delhi: Mittal Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Werner, Karel. 2005. Mysticism and Indian Spirituality. In The Yogi and the Mystic: Studies in Indian and Comparative Mysticism, ed. Karel Werner, Taylor & Francis e-Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Witz, Klaus G. 1993. The Supreme Wisdom of the Upaniṣads: An Introduction. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, Thomas E. 1992. The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad and the Āgamaśāstra: An Investigation into the Meaning of Vedanta. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, New Delhi, India

    Walter Menezes

Authors
  1. Walter Menezes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

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). Transcending the Method of via Negativa. In: Exploring Ātman from the Perspective of the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62761-8_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation