Kanchi Maha-Swamigal’s Discourses: Advaita Sadhana

[atanu]

I have come across in Internet discussions and personal blogs of some self proclaimed brahma jnani advaitins claiming that ‘intellectual’ knowing of “I am that” is all that is required. They claim that for Advaita, terms Moksha and Self Realisation are meaningless since for non dual Brahman, which is the reality, there can be no moksha or realisation.

There are also many genuine seekers who have many genuine questions that are answered variously by many other seekers giving rise to an anarchy of views.

I thought of linking here a note on Advaita Sadhana by Shankaracharya Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati, who is a revered and highly esteemed teacher. This will serve as a reference for many seekers. I hope @Kirran; @sayak83 et al may pin this, if they deem it suitable.

http://www.advaita.org.uk/discourses/downloads/sadhana.pdf

 

[Fool]

I have come across in Internet discussions and personal blogs of some self proclaimed brahma jnani advaitins claiming that ‘intellectual’ knowing of “I am that” is all that is required. They claim that for Advaita, terms Moksha and Self Realisation are meaningless since for non dual Brahman, which is the reality, there can be no moksha or realisation.

There are also many genuine seekers who have many genuine questions that are answered variously by many other seekers giving rise to an anarchy of views.

I thought of linking here a note on Advaita Sadhana by Shankaracharya Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati, who is a revered and highly esteemed teacher. This will serve as a reference for many seekers. I hope @Kirran; @sayak83 et al may pin this, if they deem it suitable.

http://www.advaita.org.uk/discourses/downloads/sadhana.pdf

you're speaking of tat tvam asi?

 

[sayak83]

I have come across in Internet discussions and personal blogs of some self proclaimed brahma jnani advaitins claiming that ‘intellectual’ knowing of “I am that” is all that is required. They claim that for Advaita, terms Moksha and Self Realisation are meaningless since for non dual Brahman, which is the reality, there can be no moksha or realisation.

There are also many genuine seekers who have many genuine questions that are answered variously by many other seekers giving rise to an anarchy of views.

I thought of linking here a note on Advaita Sadhana by Shankaracharya Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati, who is a revered and highly esteemed teacher. This will serve as a reference for many seekers. I hope @Kirran; @sayak83 et al may pin this, if they deem it suitable.

http://www.advaita.org.uk/discourses/downloads/sadhana.pdf

What do you think @Kirran?

 

[atanu]

you're speaking of tat tvam asi?

Yes. There are other great sayings. The whole process of actuating the truth of these great sayings is very systematic and must be followed as far as possible and under the instructions of a Self Realised teacher.

 

[Aupmanyav]

And who is a certified self-realized teacher? Each person's belief will be different, each person's way will be different. Not all, not even the majority will accept 'advaita'. It is a personal matter in Hinduism. What the great sages say is the general guideline (and surely Kanchi Paramacharya Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswati was one of them, after him Sri Sri Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal and those who preceded them). My sincerest homage to them, but still people will and have to find their own way. The last part of the climb has do be done by the person himself. Nobody takes another to the top of 'this' Mount Everest in a palanquin.

 

[ajay0]

Thank you for the pdf link, Atanu.

At this point of time, quacks and fraudsters are the biggest problem facing Hinduism and Advaita, who bring a bad name to the tradition and philosophy.

The demon Virochana erroneously thought that the body is the Self and enthusiastically taught other demons the same and perpetuated their ignorance. Indra, on the other hand, through patient inquiry, sadhana and satsang, realised the Self to be pure consciousness.

In Krishna's time, there was an imposter called Paundraka, who deludedly called himself Krishna and dressed like him due to megalomania supported by sycophant ministers eager for rewards.

In present Kali Yuga, obviously the problem will be much bigger, and measures such as this will help the common people to distinguish between the genuine and fraudulent, and walk the path of truth rather than being led astray by falsehood to their peril.

It is important to follow reputed names and institutions, just as we do the same in medicine or buying branded essential commodities so that we get genuine quality services and products and not duplicate or poor quality services or products.

I personally know of a man who after consulting a fraud doctor, ended up in deep trouble for many decades, resulting in major damage to his professional career and personal life.

The story of Indra and Virochana in the upanishads shows that there is indeed such a thing as genuine understanding and fraudulent understanding, and measures such as this can ensure to some extent that more Indra's rather than Virochanas will come up in this forum.

 

[Shantanu]

The Self is not Pure Consciousness. God as Paramatma can take over the mind and guide the person with thoughts and actions. When this happens the person is an avatar.

 

[ajay0]

The demon Virochana erroneously thought that the Self is the body and taught the same to the other asuras. Some other asuras probably went ahead and started thinking that the Self is the finger, or belly button or tongue.

Indra on the other hand, realised that the Self is pure consciousness through patient inquiry, sadhana and satsang.

This ancient story shows that we must not be lead by our assumptions and theories and practice under a realized master with proper study of the scriptures to realize the truth.

 

[atanu]

The following is the summary of Advaita Sadhana that a seeker can engage in. As per classical gurus, the part starting with Sravana is for renunciate Sannyasins only. I do not know.

Body-Mind-Intellect cannot go beyond this practise taught by Shankaracarya, based on Upanishadic Sruti-s. Advaita anubhuti or aparaksha anubhuti or atma anubhuti may follow as grace (or may not follow). The Sadhaka can patiently wait in the mode of Mumukṣutva, while continuing the Sadhana.

• Samanyasa or Sampattis, the "fourfold discipline" (sādhana-catustaya), cultivating the following four qualities:
  • Nityānitya vastu viveka (नित्यानित्य वस्तु विवेकम्) — The ability (viveka) to correctly discriminate between the eternal (nitya)substance (Brahman) and the substance that is transitory existence (anitya).
  • Ihāmutrārtha phala bhoga virāga (इहाऽमुत्रार्थ फल भोगविरागम्) — The renunciation (virāga) of enjoyments of objects (artha phala bhoga) in this world (iha) and the other worlds (amutra) like heaven etc.
  • Śhamādi ṣatka sampatti (शमादि षट्क सम्पत्ति) — the sixfold qualities,
    • Śama (control of the antahkaraṇa).
    • Dama (the control of external sense organs).
    • Uparati (the cessation of these external organs so restrained, from the pursuit of objects other than that, or it may mean the abandonment of the prescribed works according to scriptural injunctions).
    • Titikṣa (the tolerating of tāpatraya).
    • Śraddhā (the faith in Guru and Vedas).
    • Samādhāna (the concentrating of the mind on God and Guru).
  • Mumukṣutva (मुमुक्षुत्वम्) — The firm conviction that the nature of the world is misery and the intense longing for moksha (release from the cycle of births and deaths).

Followed by the following:

• Sravana, listening to the teachings of the sages on the Upanishads and Advaita Vedanta, and studying the Vedantic texts, such as the Brahma Sutras. In this stage the student learns about the reality of Brahman and the identity of atman;
• Manana, the stage of reflection on the teachings;
• Nididhyāsana, the stage of meditation on the truth "that art Thou".

 

[Kirran]

Sorry @atanu and @sayak83, I only just saw this. Will read it this evening as I get a chance to and get back to you. Regardless, thankyou atanu for the effort and dedication you put into your posting here on RF. The forum is most certainly better off for your presence.