Bhuma Vidya
Divine Life
Society Publication: Lessons on the
Upanishads – Chandogya Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda
Bhuma in Sanskrit means
Plenum, Fullness, That which is complete, That which fills all space, outside which
nothing is. Such a thing is called Bhuma. Meditation on this plenum of
existence is called Bhuma Vidya.
 |
| Sage Narada |
Narada requested the master Sanatkumara, "Great sir, teach me."
The master said, "First
of all, let me know what you already know. Then I shall try to say
something."
After having learnt so much,
mastered every science and every art of the world, the great Narada said,
"I have no peace of mind. Please give me peace of mind."
The great master retorted,
"Oh, all that you have studied is mere words – namaivaitat – only
words and words and words. Therefore, how can you have peace of mind?"
There is a very long
discussion, which is the teaching of Sanatkumara to Narada. The essence of it
is that the teacher gradually took the mind of the student from the lower level
of comprehension to the next higher, and then stopped. Then the student asked,
"Is there anything still further?"
"Yes," replied the
teacher. He took him to the third level.
"Yes."
Sanatkumara took him to the fourth level. He would not tell him all things at the same time. Then, he took him to another level, beyond which he said there is nothing.
"Are there objects in the
world?" asked Narada.
"Yes, there are
objects."
"Is there anything beyond
the objects?"
"That of which the objects are constituted is above the objects."
"What is it, of which the
objects are constituted?"
"The molecules."
"What is above the
molecules?"
"The atoms."
"What is above the
atoms?"
"Energy content."
"What is above the
energy?"
"There is only space and
time."
"Is there anything above
space and time?"
I am not telling you the exact
words recorded in the Upanishad, as they are too tedious and cumbersome to
understand. I am putting it in a more moderate way, which will be intelligible
to you. From the outer to the inner, from the external to the internal, from
the lower to the higher is the mind gradually taken in this way of analysing
the substance of all things.
The dialogue continued.
"What is above space-time? If space-time is the essence of all things
because nothing can exist without space-time, is there anything above space and
time?" asked Narada.
"The consciousness of
space and time is above," replied Sanatkumara.
Are you not conscious that
there is space and time? Don't you feel that consciousness precedes space and
time? That which precedes is, therefore, higher than that which succeeds.
"This consciousness,
please instruct me about it. What is it, sir? I am eager to hear about
it," said Narada. Yatra nanyat pasyati nanyac chrinoti nanyad vijanati
sa bhuma (Chhand. 7.24.1): "That Consciousness is all-filling; it is
complete in Itself." What is that completeness? Where is that state? That
state of consciousness where you see nothing outside you and hear nothing
outside you, think and understand nothing outside you, that is the Fullness.
That state where you see something outside you, hear something outside you,
think and understand something outside you, that is paltry, puerile, mortal,
worth nothing. We are always conscious of something outside us. We see
something, hear something, think something and understand something totally
different from ourselves.
"This knowledge is
puerile, worth nothing," said the great master, "because it is
sensory, conditioned, determinate and, therefore, not real." In that
condition of absorption – here again the word 'absorption' can be used – in
that condition of the absorption of consciousness wherein you are in communion
with That which pervades all things and, therefore, there is nothing for you to
see externally, that state is the Bhuma – the fullness of all things. Whoever
meditates like this becomes the master of all things. The mother is dear to all
children. As children sit round their mother, seeking food from the mother, so
will all things gather round this great person who is in a state of meditation
of this kind, and seek his benediction. Sanatkumara, the great teacher, thus
spoke to Narada, the learned sage, who had no peace of mind.
You shall have peace of mind
only when there is nothing else to interrupt your peace. But as long as you are
conscious of something outside you, there is inevitable disturbance from that
thing which is outside you. But are you not living in a world where everything
is outside you? And, do you not expect trouble from something or other? If that
is the case, who in this world can have peace of mind? No one who is thinking
in terms of sense organs can have real peace of mind. There is no use searching
for peace in the caves of the Himalayas. Peace of mind cannot be found anywhere
in this world, because the entire world of creation is a space-time
externality. Therefore, it is nothing but objectivity; therefore, it is a
content of sensory experience; therefore, it is incapable of giving peace of
mind to anyone. Where does peace of mind rest?
People come to the ashram
saying, "I want peace of mind." Where will you find it? Neither is it
in you, nor is it outside you. It is everywhere. That is the Plenum, the
Fullness, the Bhuma spoken of. Contemplate like this and be absorbed in this
kind of consciousness, day in and day out, thinking of nothing other than this
kind of thing, just as Raikva – the great master – concentrated on the Absorber
of all things. Or, meditate on Bhuma – the great Plenum – as was told by the
master, Sanatkumara, to Narada. Then you would have really studied something.
Get transformed completely in your being and become a new person.
Continue to read:
Lessons on the
Upanishads – Chandogya Upanishad by Swami Krishnananda
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