Bases of Vedanta
Divine Life
Society Publication: Bases
of Vedanta by Swami Sivananda
Hari Om. Om Sat-Guru-Paramatmane Namah.
The purpose of life is the realization
of one’s own essential nature. It is to know that you are the pure ever-free
Atman. The Vedanta expounds the great truth that Atman alone is real, the
phenomenal world is unreal. You are Atman, but you forget your real Svarupa due
to identification with the body. This is called Deha-Adhyasa. This is the
greatest obstacle to Self-Knowledge or Atma-Jnana. To get over this delusion of
identification with body the Vedantic Seers have made a detailed analysis of
the different bodies, gross and subtle, and systematically proved that the Jiva
is not the body but is identical with the Paramatman. The study of the three bodies,
the five sheaths and the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep, helps
man to understand that he is different from all these diverse modifications and
that he is the unchanging, constant, witness of all these. This helps him to
feel that he transcends the three states, the three bodies and the
Panchakoshas.
Constant remembrance of this
and meditation on this knowledge will lead him to the realization of his
Atma-svarupa. Therefore, the study of the Panchakoshas is a valuable aid in the
process of disassociating yourself from the bodies and the sheaths. It enables
you to rise above body-consciousness, to feel that you are the Atman and thus
remain quite unaffected and unattached amidst all distractions and tribulations
of life.
The individual experiencer is
a consciousness-center enveloped by several layers of matter existing as the
factors causing objective awareness in it. The analysis of these layers or
bodies is necessary to ascertain the nature of the true Self.
There are three bodies in
every individual (Jiva).The physical body or the gross body (Sthula Sarira),
the astral body or the subtle body (Sukshma Sarira or Lingadeha) and the causal
body or the seed body (Karanasarira) are the three bodies.
The shell of a tamarind
corresponds to the physical body. The pulp represents the subtle body. The seed
corresponds to the causal body. Ice represents the physical body. H2O
represents the subtle body. The Tanmatras or root-elements correspond to the
causal body.
The physical body is composed
of five elements, viz., earth (Prithivi), water (Apah), fire (Tejas), air
(Vayu) and space (Akasa).
Asti (existence), Jayate
(birth), Vardhate (growth), Viparinamate (change), Apaksheeyate (decay),
Vinashyate (death), are the six modifications or changes of the body.
The body (Deha), action
(Karma), love and hate (Raga-dvesha), egoism (Ahamkara), non-discrimination
(Aviveka) and ignorance (Ajnana) are the seven links of the chain of Samsara
(world-experience). From Ajnana (ignorance), Aviveka is born. Aviveka is
non-discrimination between the real and the unreal. From Aviveka is born
Ahamkara or egoism; from egoism is born Raga-dvesha (like and dislike); from
Raga-dvesha Karma (action) arises; from Karma the body or the Deha is produced.
If you want to free yourself from the pain of birth and death, destroy
ignorance (Ajnana), the root cause of this Samsara (world-experience), through
the attainment of the Knowledge of Brahman or the Absolute. When ignorance is
removed, all the other links will be broken by themselves. This physical body
of yours is the result of your past actions and is the seat of your enjoyment
of pleasure and pain.
The subtle body is composed of
nineteen principles (Tattvas), viz., five Jnana Indriyas or organs of
knowledge, five Karma Indriyas or organs of action, five Pranas or vital airs,
Manas or mind, Buddhi or intellect, Chitta or the subconscious and Ahamkara or
the ego. It is a means of enjoying pleasure and pain. Subtle body get dissolved
in Videha Mukti or disembodied Liberation.
The beginningless ignorance
that is indescribable is called the causal body. It is the cause of the gross
and the subtle bodies.
How to transcend the three
bodies? Identify yourself with the All-pervading, Eternal Atman. Stand as a
witness (Sakshi) of all experiences. Know that the Atman is always like a king
- distinct from the body, organs, vital breaths, mind, intellect, ego and
Prakriti - the Witness of their attributes.
Excerpts from:
Bases
of Vedanta by Swami Sivananda
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