Method of Vedanta 3 - The Reality

[Krishnan Iyer]

Dear  All                            

In this posting , we understand the  unique method  Vedanta employs to  arrive  at  the Relaity.

We have Talked  about Difference ( Bheda ) , Attributes ( Visheshana) and Characteristics ( Lakshana)..

Bhagatyaaga / Jahaati  ( discarding  an aspect of a statement / taking the  entire  statement  with  indicative  meaning etc will be taken  up  when  we discuss the  Mahavakyas ( The  great declarations)

 Method of Vedanta     3  -  The Reality  

 

Self – the only Reality  -  The Substantive 

 

The  general belief is that the world consists of  objects (entities) which are perceived  or otherwise presumed to exist as entities, by subjects (observers).These  subjects are defined  as  , by  various philosophies as the Individual , the mind or the consciousness.

The subject-object relation arises  with the mind or in the mind, ontological status of each or both of them is a philosophical question that is closely related to the analysis of the mind. 

 

As Krishna says in the  Bhagavd Gita (13.2)

 

Know that I am the Knower of the field (kshetrajna) in all the fields (kshetras). The knowledge of kshetra and of kshetrajna is what I call true wisdom . 

 

But , the Self is  Aprameya – not cognizable  ( by  senses)  ……

“Etat aprameyam” (It is unknowable)  - Brhadaranyaka Upanishad : IV.iv.21

None of the criteria by which we know things is applicable in respect of Brahman - Attributes (guna),species (jati), relationship (sambandha) and function ( kriya)-Brahman being without attributes  (Nirguna), without any  Relation (Asanga)  and  without involved in Action (Akarta).

 

“Yato Vacho Nivartante apraapya manasa saha” ( Words, alongwith  mind, return without  reaching it)  - Taittriya Upanishad  2.4.1

 

How , then , to know the Self -  Generally the means is  to  distinguish the Reality from whatever  is cognizable by us . The  sruti  again  says ,

“Manasaa eva anudrashtavyam” (Through the mind alone It is to be realised)- Brhadaranyaka Upanishad : IV.iv.20

To  overcome this  difficulty Vedanta employs a synthesis of  objective and subjective method .

 

Even  though, in Vedanta ,Sruti  alone  is taken as  the Pramanaa , it doesnot  mean that there is  no  place for  reason in the system.Sruti does not supersede reason  nor  soes reason  become  superfluous  on account of  Sruti . Even as Sruti  provides  insight  into  the nature of the Reality 

Reasom has  to  explicate  it , make it intelligible and  tenable , and  prepare the ground  for direct and  immediate apprehension of the Reality. Reason  plays an  important  role in  transformation of  mediate  knowledge  into an immediate ( Aparoksha Jnan) knowledge.

 

The synthetic  method of  Vedanta emerges beautifully in Chandyoga  Upanishad  where Uddalaka

describes the  objective  manifestation of the  self  of the Universe ,and immediately takes a swift turn  to state that the Universal  Self is identical  with the self  the disciple Svetaketu

 

Let us look  at some scriptural statements first,  to  distinguish the   Reality …..

 

-  …Ekam  eva  Adhvitiyam ( Only one  without a  second) – ( Ch.Up 6.2.1)    

 

- …. Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma  (  Existence-Consciousness-Infinity )  [Taitt.Up. 2.1.]

 

To  understand  these  statements we shall now  dwell in  further details…

 

( A ) Looking  at  - “ Ekam  eva  Adhvitiyam”.

 

One way of establishing duality  is  by proving the reality of difference. Differences are of three kinds:

 

Svagata bheda:The difference of a tree from its leaves, flowers, fruits, etc, is the difference within an object. 

 

Sajaatiiya bheda :  The difference of one tree from another tree is the difference between objects of the same species.

 

Vijaatiiya bheda :The difference of a tree from a rock is the difference between objects of different species.

 

None of these differences exists with regard to the Reality (Brahman), since there is nothing else of the same species (Ekam)  or of a different species (Adhvitiya) and there is no internal difference because Brahman is homogeneous and  does not have parts ( Avibhakta).

 

So,  there is nothing like it , nothing  unlike it .

 

The word “one’ negates Sajaatiiya bheda, the word ‘only’ negates Svagata bheda and the words ‘without a second’ negates Vijaatiiya bheda. Brahman is free from all limitations.

 

It  is to be  rememberd that ‘The Only  one without a second ‘ is a  clarifying statement and not a causal  statement stated along with  the causal  statement .

B.(i) Visheshana is that characteristic by which an object can be separated (or marked out) from other objects that belong to the same class. Examples are the color of a flower that distinguishes it from other flowers, like yellow color separating a yellow flower from red flower. Yellow or red color is the  Visheshana among the class of flowers. Similarly the thick soft skin in the neck of a cow is the Visheshana  that distinguishes the cow from other four leg animals.

Lakshana is a marker (or a quality) that separates an object from all objects that does not belong to its class.

Space allows all objects to be contained in it, yet none of the objects have this quality of space. So the Lakshana of space is to contain all objects. Brahman is Unlimited / Infinite. Infinity is the Bhavarupa Visheshana of Brahman that separates Him from the humans.

We will now apply the Visheshana to distinguish Brahman from the multitude of names and  forms .

Brahman and humans belong to the same class ,  for , both have knowledge . However the

humans have limited knowledge, while Brahman is omniscient (infinite knowledge)

Thus infinity is the (Bhavarupa ) Visheshana of Brahman that distinguishes Him from the humans.

Abhava Rupa Visheshana of Brahman (  of  the ‘is not’ type) -  

Brahman is described as…

‘apahatapapma vijaro vimrutyu vishoko vijighatso apipasaha ‘ - (Ishopanishad – verse 8)

Brahman is not affected by dharma and adharma, he is not subject to change( Avikaara) , he is not subject to destruction ( Avinaashi) , he  neither has emotions like sorrow nor does he feel hunger and thirst etc. , unlike the humans . For all these human qualities of  "is", Brahman exhibits "is not". So "is not" is the Abhavarupa Visheshana that separates Brahman from humans - of names and forms .

It is clear from the above that the Visheshanas "infinite” and "is not" separate Brahman from the humans .

 

( C ) Now taking  the second  scriptural statement – ‘satyam Jnanam Anantham’..  we shall review the Lakshanas (Characteristics) that help us understand Brahman

In the statement  “satyam jnanam anantam brahma” each of the  three words, satyam, jnanam and anantam has a different meaning, but together they denote brahman. Here satyam, jnanam anantam are identical with Brahman , for herein  they do  not  denote attributes ( Visheshana) ,  but function as a  Distinguishers that characterise . A particular quality which distinguishes any given entity is called lakshana – It is a lakshanam because it is a  distinguisher (vyavartakam )

 

Satyamn, jnanam anantam Brahman dwells on  lakshana of Brahman -  both Svaroopa Lakshna and  Tatastha Lakshana .

 

 

- Svaruupalakshanam : Refers  to the essential nature which is  present in that thing as long as the it  lasts and distinguishes it  from the  rest

 

  'Svaroopam sat vyavartakam svaroopa lakshanam' - That which is intrinsic to a thing

and at the same time it distinguishes the thing from all the other objects

 

 

- Tatasthalakshanam—  an accidental attribute and  not intrinsic to the thing , which helps to distinguish the thing as long as  the distinguishing factor is  present  or associated with the thing -the Tatastha   Lakshana

 

Is an indicative meaning , pointer and  is incidental. Is  an non-intrinsic lakshana.-as in  pointing to the river from a  distance , since the same cannot be  seen , one would point to a tall tree on its  bank ....The  tree  here is the Tatstha Lakshana of the river.

 

'Kadachit kartve sati vyavartakam tatastha lakshanam'.

 

Brahman as Cause of the creation (jagat karana ) is a Tatastha Lakshana.

C (i) Satyam :

The Jagat which  is  the effect (Karya) is a variation in name and form; the essence belongs to the Cause , the Kaarana . The variation of form in effect  ( Karya) was not there prior to  the existence of  the effect , manifests  during the period of  the effect  and disappears again when the effect  dissolves. But  the instrumental cause  of  the effect always maintains its  swarupa .

So we conclude that the  effect is asatya (unreal) and the  cause  is satya (real).

" yat rupena yat nischitam tat rupam na vyabhicharati tat satyam” ( Once an object known in a form always maintains that form is real)

" yat rupena yat nischitam tat rupam vyabhicharat tat anritam " (An object once known in a form, fails to present in that form always, is unreal).

So Jagat as effect  is unreal; Brahman as the  cause  Real. This is the first Lashana separating Brahman from Jiva.

“ Satyam” indicates that the entity is an eternally existing entity (Trikale api thishtathi) , the word,”Jnanam” is juxtaposed to show that the entity is not inert but that it is a conscious entity.

When two or more words in a sentence, each of which has a different meaning, together denote one and the same object, they are said to be in apposition (Samanadhikaranyam )

That is  the literal  meaning is not  taken. Here the Sruti employs  ekatve  Samanadhikaranyam – referring to  attribute description to distinguish/Identify  the thing . Although the three words are distinguishers ( Vyavartakas ), they are  not Just  attributes ( Visheshana).

Satyam thus indicates essential menaing (lakshyartha) not  word meaning  (vachyartha)

Likewise , each word is a explanatory equivalent and in its fullest meaning, governs the other two and thereby gives new, expanded meanings  rendering the knowledge  general ( nirvishesha ) 

C ( ii ) Jnanam : The intellect perceives the knowledge of pot, cloth etc. These are distinctive knowledge, specific to the pot, cloth respectively. This mode of mind ( vritti jnana)  is a specific attribute of the object like pot or cloth. The pot, cloth etc. are substantive (visheshya) and the specific knowledge of pot cloth etc. are attributive knowledge (visheshana). The attributive knowledge is unreal because , without substantive, there cannot be attribute knowledge - the pot, cloth etc. appear and or disappear now and  then .

Hence when Sruti declares that Brahman is knowledge (Consciousness), it cannot be the vritti jnana, because Brahman is real; the consciousness that is described in the Saastras is the attributive to the substantive Brahman, which is Real.

But even such an entity , eternally existing and  conscious as well  can be a limited entity, with a limited location, existing along with other entities, i.e., one among many.

Hence  ‘Anantam’ is juxtaposed to show that it is infinite , space-wise, time-  besides It there is no other entity ( of the same ontological status)

C (iii) Anantham : Brahman being Real, is different from all Karya or effects. Brahman being of the nature of consciousness, is different from Jada. Now there is the Jiva who is neither Karya nor Jada. So if Brahman is shown to be different from Jiva, then we have separated Brahman from everything else, for which we have to focus on the Lakshana which separates Brahman from the Jivas. The scriptures call Brahman as Anantha or limitless.

The famous sutra  in  Brahma Sutra - : Janmadyasyayatah ( ...tat Brahmah ) which  means

Brahman is that from which Creation ( shristi ) etc. (as also Sthiti and Laya) takes place.

Brahman is Utpathi shristi, sthiti, laya karanam. These  are Brahman’s  Thatastha  lakshanam

 

But being the cause of Creation etc. is not intrinsic to the nature of Brahman. However ,these  ( shristyadi karanatva lakshana ) help us to distinguish Brahman from jagat or jiva

 

 

The Sruti , Acharya says , has used  the words  ingeniously.. Satyam word is used but the

limitation created by the word Satyam will be neutralised by Anantam. Likewise the limitation

created by the word Jnanam  is be neutralised  by Satyam and by Anantam.

 

So This statement  indicates the  one  indivisible Brahman

 

(D) Vedanta employs  another method of  negation (nishedha mukha bodhanam) : By the elimination of all differences due to limiting adjuncts - “Neti , Neti”.

One positive method (‘vidhi mukha bodhanam’) which we can use, with a slight modification. We said that Brahman cannot be defined by relationship, because Brahman is asanga. While this is so, in so far as  real relationship is concerned, it is not so  when it comes to a question of unreal relationship.  As an unreal relationship between Substratum (adhishtanam) and adhyasa, Brahman can be defined.

We shall take up  Neti- Neti in our analysis of the three states ( Avastha Traya Viveka ) &  Five sheath   ( Pancha kosha viveka) later.

 Hari Om 

P.G.KRISHNAN
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