Thread by @Vasudev00411816

1/#AdiSankara, the greatest #Hindu philosopher of all times, with his astute genius, logical subtlety, philosophical profoundity, accurate definitions & analysis, was the one who established #Advaita #Vedanta as the meeting ground of all Monistic & Dualistic views of #Hinduism.

2/This Knowledge of Self by #AdiSankara, is meant to fulfil the need of the seekers of Liberation, who by their prolonged tapas(austerities) have already cleansed themselves of impurities and became mentally peaceful and free from desires.

3/Of all means to Liberation, knowledge is the only direct one. As essential as fire to cooking. Without it, liberation cannot be gained.Not being opposed to ignorance, karma doesn't destroy it. On the other hand, knowledge destroys ignorance, as surely as light does darkness.

4/Owing to ignorance, the Self now appears to be covered up. On the removal of ignorance, the pure Self shines forth of itself, like the sun after the dispersal of clouds.

5/The Jiva,(embodied soul) is mixed up with ignorance. By constant practice of Self-knowledge, the Jiva becomes pure, because knowledge disappears, along with ignorance, as the powder of the kataka-nut disappears after it has cleansed impure water.

6/But here is the world, how can the Self alone be real and non-dual? Samsara, world perceived through the senses, is full of likes and dislikes and other opposites.

7/Like a dream, it seems real for the time being; but, on waking, it vanishes because it is unreal Because the dream is negated on waking, I know it to be unreal; but the world persists and I only believe it to be real

8/So long as the substratum of all, the non-dual Brahman (Self) is not seen, the world seems real, like illusory silver in a piece of mother of pearl. But the world is so diverse, yet, you say there is One only.

9/Like bubbles rising on the surface of the waters of the ocean, all the worlds arise from ,stay in, and resolve into the Supreme Being, the Self or Pure Consciousness, who is the root cause and prop of all

10/In Being Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, which is all permeating, Eternal Vishnu or Self, all these diverse objects and individuals appear as phenomena, like various ornaments made of gold.

11/What about the numberless individual souls? Just as the all pervading akasha, space, appears fragmented in different objects, as in a pit, a jar, a house, a theatre hall etc, but remains undifferentiated upon the falling away of its limitations (container), similarly with

12/ the single non-dual ruler of senses, seems to function as gods, men, cattle etc.But individuals have different traits and function according to different conditions. The traits are also superimposed. Pure water, tasteless by itself, tastes sweet, bitter, salty etc according

13/ to the Upadhis(admixture) in it.
Similarly, race, name, status etc are all superimposed on the non-dual Self of all. What are these upadhis, which play such tricks in the Self? They are gross, subtle and very subtle as described here.

14/The gross body made up of the five gross elements is meant to reap the fruits of past actions in the shape of pleasure &pain. The subtle body consisting of the five airs, the mind, intellect, the ten senses made up of subtle elements is also meant for enjoyment, as in dreams.

15/Inexpressible and beginning less ignorance is said to be the causal body, as in deep sleep. Know the Self to be other than these three upadhis.
If so, why is the Self not evident to me? On the other hand, the scriptures say the body is made up of annarasa, the essence of food.

16/ Just as a clear crystal, itself colourless, appears red, blue, yellow etc according to the background, so also the Self, pure & untainted, seems to be identical with the body, the senses, the mind, intellect or ignorance when in contact with them.

17/Just as husking the paddy exposes the grain within, so also should one judiciously separate the pur Atman, the Self, from the sheaths covering it.

18/Atman is said to be everywhere. Why should it then be judiciously looked for within the five sheaths? Though always& everywhere present, the Self does not shine forth in all places. The Self is perceived only in the intellect, just like a reflection in clear mirror.

19/Infinite & finite in every illusive matter is the theme of Vedanta. Just as the moon seems to move when the clouds around it move, so also the Infinite Self seems to be active, when actually, it is the finite senses that are active.

20/To be active, the body, the senses, etc must also be intelligent; they are said to be inert -finite illusive matter. How can they act without the intelligent Infinite Self participating in their actions?

21/Just as men do their duties in the light of the sun, but the sun doesn't participate in them, so also the body, senses, etc function in the light of the Self without its participating in them

22/As the movement that belongs to water is attributed, through ignorance, to the moon reflected in it. So also doership, enjoyment and other limitations, which belong to the mind, are falsely attributed to the Atman or Self.
#Vedanta #Advaita
#SanatanaDharma

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