Panchadasi Chapter
9 Dhyanadeepa—Meditation on pure Consciousness
According to the teachings of Vedanta, a person who has acquired the four
preliminary requisites, namely, discrimination between the eternal and the
ephemeral, total dispassion towards all pleasures in this world and in higher
worlds, the spiritual disciplines such as control of the mind, control of the
senses, etc., and intense yearning for liberation, attains liberation through
hearing of the scriptures from a Guru, and reflecting and meditating on them.
For those who, even after the study of the Upanishads, are not able to attain
realization due to some obstruction, such as lack of subtlety of mind,
meditation on the attributeless (Nirguna) Brahman is prescribed as an
alternative means in this chapter. Such meditations are laid down in the
Uttaratapaniya Upanishad.
Sometimes even by acting on a wrong notion one may by chance attain a
desired end. For example, a man sees the gleam of a gem coming from a distance.
Mistaking the gleam for a gem itself he runs towards it and gets the gem. Though
he was wrong in thinking that the gleam itself was a gem, he succeeded in
getting a gem. Such a notion which, though wrong, results in a successful
conclusion, is called ‘samvaadi bhrama’. Another person mistakes the gleam
of a lamp for a gem and runs towards it, but is disappointed. Such a wrong
notion is called ‘visamvaadi bhrama’.
If a person mistakes mist for smoke and goes towards it expecting to find
fire and accidentally finds fire there, it is called ‘samvaadi bhrama’. A
person sprinkles on himself the water of the river Godavari, thinking it to be
the water of the river Ganga. He is purified, because the water of Godavari is
also a purifier according to the scriptures. Here his mistaking Godavari water
for Ganga water is ‘samvaadi bhrama’ because though it is an error, it leads
to the desired result. A man in delirium because of high fever unconsciously
repeats the name ‘Narayana’ and dies. He goes to heaven because of having
uttered the name of the Lord at the time of death. This is another instance of
‘samvaadi bhrama’. (In Srimad Bhagavata it is said; “The name of the
illustrious Lord, whether uttered consciously or unconsciously, destroys a
person’s sins as surely as fire destroys a heap of wood; just as a powerful
medicine has its effect, even if taken by chance by one who does not know its
potency, so has the Lord’s name when uttered even by an ignorant person”--Bh.
VI. 2. 18-19).
In direct perception (pratyaksha), inference (anumana) and scriptural
authority there are innumerable instances of samvaadi bhrama. The worship of
images made of clay, wood and stone as deities is one such instance. In
Chandogya Upanishad (Chapter 5) heaven, rain-god, earth, man and woman are to be
meditated on as the sacrificial fire. These are also instances of samvaadi
bhrama.
Samvaadi bhrama, though it is a bhrama (error), leads to a desirable
result. So also, meditation on Brahman leads to liberation. Brahman with
attributes which is meditated on, is not a reality (in the absolute sense) and
so such meditation is samvaadi bhrama. Any upasana or meditation is based on
looking upon one thing as another, such as the linga as Siva, salagrama as
Vishnu, or Brahman with attributes (Saguna Brahman) as the ultimate Reality. It
is therefore a bhrama.
After knowing the one indivisible homogeneous Brahman indirectly from the
scriptures (getting paroksha jnanam), one should meditate identifying oneself
with Brahman. The knowledge that Brahman exists, derived from the study of the
scriptures, without the actual realization that Brahman is one’s own Self, is
what is known as indirect knowledge. It is like the knowledge of the forms of
Vishnu and other gods. The knowledge of the form of Vishnu as described in the
scriptures is not false, though indirect, because the scriptures are
authoritative. One can know from the scriptures that Brahman is
Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, but he cannot be said to have direct knowledge of
Brahman until he has realized Brahman as the inner witness within himself. The
indirect knowledge is, however, not illusory. As long as identification with the
body continues, one cannot realize one’s identity with Brahman. The indirect
knowledge of non-duality gained from the scriptures is not opposed to the
perception of duality in the world. The perception that an image of Vishnu is
made of stone is not opposed to the idea that the image represents Vishnu and to
the worship of the image as Vishnu.
Indirect knowledge of Brahman can arise even from a single instruction by
a competent preceptor. Like the knowledge of the form of Vishnu, it does not
need any enquiry. The methods of worship have been laid down in the Kalpa-sutras
by the sages, Jaimini, Asvalayana, Apastamba, Bodhayana, Katyayana and
Vaikhanasa. These form limbs of the Vedas. Worship can be performed by a study
of these and with the help of instructions from a knowledgeable person. But, for
direct realization of Brahman the instruction of a preceptor, though essential,
is not sufficient. In addition, the spiritual aspirant must perform reflection
and one-pointed meditation. Want of faith obstructs the rise of indirect
knowledge, but want of enquiry (i.e. hearing, reflection and meditation)
is what obstructs the rise of direct knowledge. The enquiry should be
continued until realization. If one does not get realization in this birth even
after practising enquiry till death, he will get it in a future life when all
obstacles have been eliminated. By virtue of the practice of spiritual enquiry
in a previous birth, Vamadeva attained realization even when he was in his
mother’s womb, says Aitareya Upanishad, 2.1.5.
If, in spite of the practice of enquiry over a long period realization
does not arise, it is due to various impediments. Realization will dawn when the
impediments are removed. A person who does not know that one of his ancestors
had buried a large quantity of gold under the ground in the compound of his
house lives in poverty. When some one who knows the secret informs him about the
treasure, he collects it and lives happily. A monk could not attain realization
because of his past attachment to a she-buffalo. His teacher instructed him to
meditate on Brahman, looking upon it as the substratum of the buffalo. By doing
so he was able to attain realization.
Some of the impediments are: intense attachment to sense-objects, lack of
subtlety of the intellect, indulging in perverse arguments about the truth of
the Upanishadic teachings, and the deep-rooted conviction that the Self is a
doer and an enjoyer. These should be removed by the practice of disciplines such
as control of the mind, control of the senses, dispassion, etc., and enquiry
into the nature of the reality. It is said in the Bhagavadgita that the
spiritual development attained by a person in one life will not be lost on
death, but will be with him in his next birth and will enable him to progress
further from the stage reached (B.G.6.41-45). The essential condition for the
attainment of realization is complete freedom from all desires, including desire
for the pleasures of heaven and even of Brahmaloka.
If a person is unable to practice enquiry, he should keep his mind always
fixed on the thought of Brahman. Just as it is possible to meditate on Brahman
with attributes, it is also possible to meditate on the attributeless Brahman.
The latter may be meditated on as being beyond the reach of the senses, speech
and the mind. Meditation on Nirguna Brahman has been spoken of in the
Nrsimha-uttaratapaniya Upanishad (1.1), Prasna Upanishad (5.5), Katha Upanishad
(1.2.15-17), and Mandukya Upanishad (1.12). This meditation has been mentioned
also in the Panchikarana Vartika by Suresvaracharya. It is a means towards the
indirect knowledge of Brahman. The Self is indicated in the Upanishads by
implication by means of positive attributes such as bliss, etc and also
negatively as ‘not gross’, etc. One should meditate on the indivisible,
homogeneous Self as ‘That I am’.
The difference between knowledge (jnana) and meditation (upasana) is that
the former depends on the object, while the latter depends on the will of the
meditator. To explain, knowledge reveals an object as it actually is, but in
meditation an object is looked upon as representing some thing else. Seeing the
sun as the sun is knowledge, but thinking of the sun as Brahman is meditation.
Knowledge of Brahman arises by the practice of enquiry. Such knowledge
puts an end to the notion that the world is real. On the attainment of this
knowledge the person enjoys permanent satisfaction and feels that he has
accomplished the goal of life. He becomes liberated even while living and merely
awaits the exhaustion of the karma which brought about his present birth (praarabdha
karma).
A person who is not able to practise enquiry should meditate in the
manner prescribed by his Guru with complete faith, without allowing his mind to
be distracted by other thoughts. He should continue the practice of meditation
until he becomes identified with the object of meditation and thereafter also
continue it till the last moment of his life.
A diligent student of the Vedas recites them even in his dreams.
Similarly, one who practises meditation without any distraction continues the
meditation even in his dreams, because of the deep impression produced by the
meditation in his mind. Such a person can meditate without interruption even
while continuing to experience his fructifying karma, just as a worldly person
keeps on thinking of the objects to which he is attached even while he is
engaged otherwise.
A person who has realized that he is the Self (and not the body-mind
complex) fulfills his worldly duties also well, because they do not conflict
with his knowledge. The knowledge that the world is not real but only Maya and
that the Self is pure consciousness is not opposed to worldly activities. In
order to perform worldly activities it is not necessary to believe that the
world is real. Only the right means are necessary. These means are the mind,
speech, body and external objects. They do not disappear on the attainment of
enlightenment.
The injunctions and prohibitions of the scriptures have no application to
the enlightened. They apply only to those who look upon themselves as belonging
to a certain caste or station or stage of life. The enlightened person knows
that caste, stage of life, etc., are creations of Maya and that they pertain
only to the body and not to the Self which is pure consciousness. The
enlightened person whose mind is completely free from all desires and vasanas
has nothing to gain from action or inaction,
meditation or japa.
A person who meditates continuously attains identity with the object of
meditation, but this identity ceases if the practice of meditation is given up.
But the realization of the Self, once attained through knowledge, is never lost.
Every living being is in reality Brahman, but is ignorant of this fact.
Knowledge only reveals this truth and does not create
Brahmanhood.
Because of nescience which conceals their real nature, people do not
realize the purpose of life. But just as begging is better than starving, it is
better to practice devotion and meditation rather than other pursuits.
Performance of the rituals laid down in the scriptures is superior to being
engrossed in worldly affairs alone. Better than that is worship of a personal
deity. Even better than that is meditation on the attributeless Brahman which
leads to direct realization.
A samvaadi bhrama which leads to the desired result becomes valid
knowledge (prama). Similarly, meditation on Brahman, when it ripens, leads to
liberation and becomes knowledge of the reality. Though meditation on the form
of a deity and chanting of mantras also lead to liberation, meditation on the
attributeless Brahman is nearest to the goal of Self-realization.
Meditation on the attributeless Brahman matures into savikalpa samadhi in
which there is still the distinction of meditator, the act of meditation and the
object of meditation. This, when pursued, leads to nirvikalpa Samadhi where such
differences vanish. There is then a perfect realization of Brahman as immutable,
associationless, eternal, self-luminous, without a second and infinite, as
declared in the scriptures.
Those who undertake pilgrimages and chanting of mantras instead of
meditation on the attributeless Brahman may be compared to a person who licks
his hand after dropping the sweets held by him.
Enquiry into the nature of the Self by hearing the scriptures from a
teacher and then reflecting on them and practicing meditation is the direct
means to Self-realization. Meditation on the attributeless Brahman is prescribed
only for those who are unable to practise such enquiry.
If a person is not able to perfect his meditation in this life, he may
attain liberation by acquiring Self-knowledge in Brahmaloka or in another life.
The Bhagavadgita says that one attains that which he thinks of at the time of
death (8.6). Thus the future life of a person is determined by his thoughts at
the time of death. So the worshipper of a Personal God will attain identity with
Him, and the meditator on the attributeless Brahman will obtain liberation.
One who studies this chapter and reflects on its contents is freed from
all doubts and constantly meditates on Brahman. End
of chapter 9
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