Brief Introduction to AdvaitaSiddhi

Brief Introduction to AdvaitaSiddhi

AdvaitaSiddhi is one of the three Brhad-prastana-traya, which form the navya-vedanta (the neo-vedanta, should not confuse this with the half baked “new” ‘vedantina’). The other two being, Chitsukhi or Pratyag-tattva-pradipika by Sri Chitsukha muni, and Khandana-khanda-khadya or Anirvacaniya-sarvasva of Sri Sriharsha. These texts use the navya-nyaya (neo logic) language, very liberally.These three are referred to as Manana-granthas - the text for the reflection; done after one does the shravana, listening of the Prastana-traya.

There are many books written by great masters on the non-dual philosophy. These books may be based on one idea of the Vedanta or maybe based on a collection of different ideas. This book deals with almost all the different ideas of the non-dual school.

A book written on Vedanta can be an individual book, based on another of non-dual philosophy or based on some other philosophy.  The present text falls in the third category is a text based on the condemnation of the mistakes which are shown by the Acharya of School of duality on Advaita Vedanta.

This book is based on the collection of negation of Advaita-Vedanta done by masters of duality and semi-duality schools. Great Acharya of the semi-duality is Sri Vedanta Deshika wrote the text called Shastadushani collecting 66 purported mistakes of non-dual school. And another Acharya of the School of duality Sri Jaya Tirtha wrote the book called Vadavali in which he again collected some 34 superimposed mistakes. This forms the base for the book called Nyamrtha written by Sri Vyasa Tirtha belonging to the School of duality. This is the book which is dealt with here by one of the greatest Acharya of Vedanta Sri Madhusudana Saraswati.

Though, this is a condemnation of School of duality and presenting the Vedanta teaching in the proper light. This book is accepted to be a Prakarana Grantha. Therefore, each topic here is accepted to be an individual prakarana. There are totally 108 prakaranas, dealt in four adhyaya - chapters, like that of the Brahma Sutra.

No Work Just Gnan

vadantu çästräëi yajantu devän

    kurvantu karmäëi bhajantu devatäù |

ätmaikyabodhena vinäpi muktiù

    na sidhyati brahmaçatäntare'pi || 6||

Vadantu – let him speak, Shastrani – on the scriptures, Yajantu – let him propitiate, Devani – the deities, Kurvantu – let him do, Karmani - the karmas prescribed in the scriptures and the other karmas, Bhajantu – let him worship or serve the Gods, Atma-aikya=bodhena – the knowledge of the non-duality of the Self,  Vina-api – without it, Mukti – realization, Na – will not, Sidhyati – be accomplished, Brahma-shatantare-api – even in hundreds of Brahmas period.

Let him speak on the scriptures, let him propitiate the deities, let him do the karmas prescribed in the scriptures and the other karmas (for the benefit of people), let him worship or serve the Gods, without the knowledge of the non-duality of the Self, even in the hundred lifes of the Brahma one will not gain the release.

Here by the different types of actions, Vadantu, Yajantu, Kurvantu. And Bhajantu the four different types of means to gain the result of karmas is explained. They are Samskarya, Apya, Utpadya and Vikarya respectively.

The Brahman knowledge cannot be any of them because if it is accepted as a result of karma, the knowledge becomes non-eternal. Other than that, it cannot be -

1.       Samskarya – purificatory, there is nothing to be purified. 

2.       Apya – gain, there is nothing other than the Self, and it is never lost being our very nature.

3.       Utpadya – creating, it being ever present as our own nature or Self, cannot be created.

4.       Vikarya – transformation, it cannot be transformed; any change proves it is non-eternal.

Atma-aikya-bodhena – only by the knowledge of the Self as nothing different from our real nature. The identification with body-sense organ complex is because of ignorance, in reality we are the absokute Self, without this knowledge.

Brahma-Shatantare – a life period of brahma, the first born is very large in comparison with the human life span. A day of brahma is equivalent to forty thousand lack years of the human being.

Or In other words, without the knowledge of the non-duality of the Self, if we run, climb trees, shout or take baths or for that matter chant mantras, take dip in holy rivers, do yoga or meditation we will not be able to gain the realization.

Who is a Guru ?

çrotriyo'våjino'kämahato yo brahmavittamaù |

brahmaëyuparataù çänto nirindhana ivänalaù |

The Guru should be one who has studied the scriptures from the Tradition, should not be endowed with Sin (sinful actions), has gained victory on the desires, and the knower of the pure Self, and ever established in it and therefore tranquil, like the fuel less fire.

Shrotriya  is an important quality. Without the knowledge of the Brahman gained in the traditional way, if it is mystical, will not be able to guide or sometimes guide the disciple in a wrong way. In Bhagawad gita bhashya it is said “asampradayavid sarvashastragnopi murkavad upekshaniya” (the one who has not studied in a tradition, though is a master in the other shastras should be ignored lika aa idiot).

Avrajina sinless, sin is not an object of sense organ, therefore it cannot be found out, if be said, the actions are the pointer to the inner karma imprint, therefore in whom there is no wrong action, understand him to be sinless.

Akamahata – desireless. But than, the desire for moksha is also a desire, therefore there cannot be vairagya (dispassion) in the disciple too?  No, the desire for Self is like the desire for the spectacles in one bridge of the nose. It is not lost, but unknown due to ignorance, in the same way, we are the Self, but due to ignorance it is not known. This is not an attainment of unattained, but the as though attainment of the already attained. In the case of the Guru, he has attained that which needs to be gained. And since there is nothing other than him, he cannot have desire or hatred for other.

First it is said, brahmaviduttama dna again brahmani uparata, what is the difference between them ? once there is the knowledge the Brahman shines without any obstacle, but because of the previous imprints (vasana) he fails to be established in it. So, the rest of the life becomes the effort to establisg in it. And once that is done he becomes one with the Brahman. And that is why it is said shantam tranquil, he is tranquil because the Brahman is tranquil “shantam shivam advaitam” (tranquil auspicious nondual) is the Self.

When ther is another object other than the Self, there exists the desire to gain it, but when there is nothing other than the Self, there is no disturbance because of the imprints.

it is said "the Guru should be the one whoe removes the ignorance of the disciple and not impose his own ignorance on him"

Shraddha - what is it?

çästrasya guruväkyasya satyabuddhyavadhäraëam |

sä çraddhä kathitä sadbhiryayä vastüpalabhyate || 25||

Accepting the statements of the scriptures and the instructions of the Guru to be completely true is called Shradda, through which the Truth is understood, according to the knowers of Truth.

Accepting the statements of the Scriptures and the Guru as completely without any error and true to the core is called Shraddha. Shraddha is loosely translated as faith or trust or acceptance. But a faith or trust or for that matter acceptance can be negated and turned into unfaith, distrust or non-acceptance. Therefore, by shraddha what is meant is complete surrender. When there is surrender there cannot be any change in that stance.

And this Shraddha is said to be the foremost of all the other pre-requisites, because only when one has the complete shraddha he will be able to follow the instructions. That is why Bhagavan in Gita says “Shraddhavan labhate gnanam” (a man with shraddha gains the knowledge). And “Ashradhdhanasya na matim dadyat” one who does not have shraddha, to him the knowledge should not be imparted)

In yoga there are different kinds of samyama (meditative practice) is explained to gain the supernatural powers. Though, later the sutrakara Patanjali maharshi himself negates such accomplishment as a hindrance to the knowledge. Then why is is explained, for this the explanation is given by bhashyakara Vyasa mahrshi, only when one gains something at a grosser level he will have the shraddha to practice the subtler instructions of the Yoga.

---- 25

Vivekacudamani - 410

prakåtivikåtiçünyaà bhävanätétabhävaà

    samarasamasamänaà mänasambandhadüram |

nigamavacanasiddhaà nityamasmatprasiddhaà

    hådi kalayati vidvän brahma pürëaà samädhau || 410||

Devoid of being the cause and the effect, its nature is beyond imaginations, unchanging, without any equal, not releated from faroff with the measurements / comparisons (or the association with the pramana), accomplished through the statements of the vedas, eternally known to oneself, dualityless (devoid of modification), the infinite Self the knowledgeable one understands in the heart in the Samadhi.

Prakrti-vikrti-shunyam – devoid of cause of effect. There is no cause for the Self to be vikrti, and it is not cause for anything to be prakrti. Though the Self is explaiied as the “abhinna nimitta upadana karana” (both material and instrumental cause), it is with reference to the ignorance. since Self is Asanga (non-attached).

Since it is devoid of the cause and effect, it is Bhavaa-atita-bhavam – its nature is beyond the the imagination. That which cannot be classified as cause or an effect cannot be imagined.

Since it is beyond imagination, we need to explain, is it ever changing in nature. Because what changes ceaselessly can also not be imagined. Therefore, samarasam – unchanging.

Unchanging like what, to explain this asamanam – without any equal. It has nothing equal to show a similarity.

Since it is without any equal, we may ask to understand through comparison, greater than what or lesser than what. To dismiss this idea it is said, Mana-sambandha-duram – beyond comparison or there is no Pramana for this Self is not an object for any Pramana (means of right knowledge), therefore there can be no measurement or comparison or Pramana.

When there is no pramana, how can one understand this, to explain this Nigama-vacana-siddham - accompplished through the statements of the Vedas (verbal testimony). The scriptures proves the existence of Self with “pragnanam brahma” (Self is knowledge) or “sat brahma” (Self is existence) and this is taught by “tad tvam asi” (that you are) and what is taught is experienced as “aham brahma asmi” (I am the Self).

That which is accomplished through Vedas will be non-eternal (attained is anitya), therefore, it is said, nityam – eternal.

How is it known to be eternal, this is explained as asmad-prasiddam – known to oneself (ourself). The scriptures declare “pratibodha viditam matam” (known in each thought function as I).

If it is known it is with vikalpa – modification, this is negated with nirvikalpam – without any modification, through the experience of being the witness of different states, periods and place.