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Panchadasi Chapter
15 Vishayananda—The
happiness from external objects
In this chapter the happiness derived by the contact of the sense-organs
with external objects is described. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says that this
happiness is only a particle of the bliss of Brahman (Br. Up. 4.3.32).
Mental modifications (vrittis) are of three
kinds—calm (sattvic), agitated (rajasic) and dull (tamasic). The sattvic
modifications are detachment, forbearance and generosity. The rajasic
modifications are craving, attachment, greed, and the like. The tamasic
modifications are delusion, fear, etc. The consciousness aspect of Brahman is
reflected in modifications of all kinds, but the bliss aspect is reflected only
in sattvic modifications.
The same supreme Self dwells in all bodies. Though
it is only one, it appears as many, like the reflections of the moon in
different vessels of water. The reflection of the moon is clear if the water is
pure and faint if the water is muddy. Similarly, Brahman appears differently in
different bodies, depending on the nature of the mental modification. Brahman
is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. The existence aspect alone is manifested in
inanimate objects, but not consciousness and bliss. This is because inanimate
objects have no subtle body which alone can reflect consciousness and bliss. The
consciousness aspect is manifested in all animate beings, even when the mind is
agitated, for we see that even a person who is unhappy is conscious. But the
bliss aspect is manifested only when the mind is calm. A doubt arises as to why,
when Brahman has both the aspects of consciousness and bliss, only one of them,
consciousness, is reflected in an agitated mind. When you look at the reflection
of your face in a mirror, you find that the face in its entirety is reflected
and not only some aspects of it. This doubt is answered by giving two examples.
When water is in contact with fire, only the heat aspect of fire is absorbed by
the water and not the light of fire. But when a log of wood comes into contact
with fire, it absorbs both the heat and the light aspects. Similarly, only the
consciousness aspect of Brahman is reflected in an agitated mind, but both the
consciousness and the bliss aspects are reflected when the mind is calm.
When there is some desire in the mind there is
anxiety about whether the desired object will be attained or not. In such a
condition there can be no happiness. But as soon as the desired object is
attained, the mind becomes calm. The bliss of Brahman is then reflected in the
mind. The happiness experienced then is wrongly attributed to the attainment of
the desired object, while it is really due to the mind becoming calm. This
happiness continues only till another desire arises and agitates the mind. When
a person has attained complete detachment towards worldly pleasures and is free
from desires, his mind is absolutely calm and then supreme bliss is experienced.
Brahman is existence, consciousness and bliss. In inanimate objects such
as stones, only the existence aspect is manifest, because they have no subtle
body which alone can reflect consciousness. In all living beings both existence
and consciousness are manifest. All the three aspects of Brahman are manifest in
a mind that is predominantly sattvic.
Brahman is in reality devoid of all attributes. The
multifarious names and forms in the world are superimposed on Brahman by Maya.
For those who are incapable of meditating on the attributeless Brahman
meditation on Brahman with attributes is prescribed in the scriptures.
When the non-dual, self-luminous, attributeless
Brahman is known, there is no triad of knower, knowing and known. Then there is
infinite bliss.
May the Lord who is both Hari and Hara protect all
those who, with a pure mind, surrender themselves to Him. End of chapter 15
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