Hotel Gaudapada

Ayam atma brahma is that mahavakya of turiya.

My dreams require the energy of sleep. My life requires the energy of maya.

Where the mind projects a phenomenal world, no-mind sees atman.

Talking Gaudapada MK3.48

Turiya is both Atman and Brahman because aja.

Dreams appear in sleep. Fantasies appear in maya.

Being in maya but not of maya is a little like lucid dreaming.

Me and my gods and goddesses are now appearing on that silver screen of atman.

That witness consciousness really knows what's what and what isn't.

Talks on MK3.48: uttamam

No human being has ever been born. Neither has a universe come into existence. 

No cause for this appears. Note: maya is beginningless.

This Turiyam is the ultimate truth (uttamam satyam) and not a thing is ever born.

Chinmayananda on Mandukya Karika 4

From Chapter 4 Alātaśānti Prakaraṇa (On Quenching the Firebrand) Introduction by Chinmayananda

The status of this chapter has been questioned by some critics with whom we find it difficult to see eye to eye. Their main argument to consider chapter 4 as an independent textbook is that it has started with a prayer. According to them chapter 4 is an independent textbook which has been incorporated into this volume. Indeed, there is very little logical reasoning to accept this point of view. // 

Prof. Bhatttacharya’s argument that the opening stanza of the chapter is with a prayer and hence, the entire chapter is an independent textbook need not necessarily be accepted since it is not rare, when in Sanskrit literature, we find that almost every chapter is sometimes started with a prayer. // 

There is yet another criticism that this chapter contains many stanzas repeated from the earlier three chapters. This is not a mistake or a fault in a ‘textbook of instructions’ (Upadeśa grantha). The idea of the Master is to emphasise certain points which are most important. // 

There is a criticism levelled against this chapter, especially by those who want to prove that Gauḍapāda is commending to us to follow the idealism of Buddhist that there are no quotations of the Upaniṣad in this chapter. ‘It will be seen’, says Prof. V. Bhattacharya (in āgama śāstra by Gauḍapāda), ‘that no Upaniṣad is quoted or referred to by our author in his last book alāta śānti; there is absolutely nothing of the kind’. But this is not a fair criticism of the chapter. To say so would be a philosophical lie. There are many a line which bring up to the mind of a student, familiar with the Upaniṣads, reminiscence of the eternal wisdom in the Vedas. // 

Even the very title of this chapter has tempted many an adverse critics of the teacher of Vedānta, Gauḍapāda, to conclude that he is striving to establish idealism of Buddhist and is seeking to find Vedānta in Buddhism! The teacher is misunderstood because he has borrowed the alāta simile from the textbooks of Buddhism. Indeed, it served the Master’s purpose very well. 

~C

Translation & Commentaries on MK3.48: uttamam satyam

48. na kaścij-jayate jīvaḥ saṁbhavo‘sya na vidyate, etat-tad-uttamaṁ satyaṁ yatra kiñcin-na jāyate. ~G

न कश्चित् – not at all; जायते – is born; जीवः – jīva; न संभवः – no source, cause; अस्य – for this; विद्यते – exists, appears; एतत् – this; तत् – that; उत्तमम् – supreme, highest; सत्यम् – Truth; यत्र – where; न किञ्चित् जायते – nothing is ever born. ~G-trC

48. No jiva ever comes into existence. There exists no cause that can produce it. The supreme truth is that nothing ever is born. ~G-trN

This stanza summarises the very core of Gauḍapāda’s philosophy of non-creation. Ajātavāda is the platform of Gauḍapāda and of Sage Vasiṣṭha (in yogavāsiṣṭha). They are the two Masters explaining to us the old school of Vedānta as contrasted with Śrī Śaṅkara who has initiated the new school of Vedānta wherein he accepts a ‘relative reality’ to the pluralistic world of objects. Gauḍapāda and Vasiṣṭha are natives of Reality. // Delved in Consciousness revelling in Consciousness, living in Consciousness as Consciousness, the great Master of every heart, reigning the realm of all, in his vision there is no world of objects separate from himself. Here, in this concluding stanza of this chapter, we have the entire philosophy of Gauḍapāda summarised in a ‘multi-spiritual tablet’. In this is the central theme of the glossator’s philosophy that nothing is ever born. ~C

If at all you experience a world, Gauḍapāda says that that experience is not because the world is born out of Brahman, not because a world is existing but only because it is appearing for us. So the entire world is an experience exactly like dream, which is an appearance. The dream is not really created by the mind nor does it really exist, but appears because of nidrā-śakti. Similarly the world has not really originated from Brahman, and it does not really exist. The world is an appearance because of māyā-śakti. In the case of dream, the appearance is due to nidrā-śakti, and at the cosmic level, the word māyā is used. This is the message of Gauḍapāda. ~P

Legend:

C: Chinmayananda

G: Gaudapada

Gm: Gambhirananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Shankara

S/G: Sandeepany / Gurubhaktananda

Sw: Swartz

tr: translated by

In the Name of Gaudapada

Gaudapada is pure perennial wisdom peppered with an annual or two.

Gaudapada's Karika is to Ashtavakra Gita as dancing is to song.

Gaudapada is to Jesus of Nazareth as Shankara is to Saint Paul.

~Aum

Talking MK3.34-38: Self-possessed Intellect

Ordinary deep sleep is a temporary absence of duality. Amani-bhava is the timeless presence of nonduality.

No-mind is a bold mind. A bold mind is Brahman. Neti, neti, neti, neti, neti. Jnana.

Not within, not without. If dhi is Sanskrit for intellect, samadhi is a Self-possessed intellect.

Enlightenment is beyond the social contract. No superego, no ego, no id.

Talks on MK3.34-38: asparsa

A withdrawn mind, no-mind, is enlightened, free from imagination and fully discerning. Deep sleep is not like that.

The mind is absent in deep sleep but present when withdrawn that way. A bold mind is Brahman pervading all with the light of knowledge.

Unborn, not asleep, not a dream, nameless, formless, forever self-shining, all-knowing, and lacking ceremony in any way.

Beyond expression or thought, tranquil, luminous, knowable in the pure intellect as changeless and steadfast.

No agreement, no denial, no thought. Ever-present in the Self is the Knowledge of that unborn one.

Translations & Commentaries on K3.34-39: asparsa

34. nigṛhītasya manaso nir-vikalpasya dhī-mataḥ, pracāraḥ sa tu vijñeyaḥ suṣupte‘nyo na tat-samaḥ. ~G

निगृहीतस्य – that is under perfect control; मनसः – of the mind; निर्विकल्पस्य – which is free from all imaginations; धीमतः – the enlightened, which is brought about with discrimination; प्रचारः – the condition; सः तु – but that; विज्ञेयः – should be known; सुषुप्ते – in deep sleep; अन्यः – of another sort; न-तत्-समः – is not like that (of a peacefully controlled mind) ~G-trC

34. The behavior of the enlightened, disciplined mind, which is a non-perceiver should be known. (The behavior) in sleep is different. It is not similar to that. ~G-trP

Gauḍapāda gives that enlightened mind a title, nigṛhītam manaḥ. It is a mind that knows that there is no mind and world other than ātmā. An enlightened mind has ‘dissolved’ the world and the mind by wisdom. During the deep sleep state also, the mind and the world are dissolved. For both the mind in deep sleep and the enlightened mind, there is no duality. Gauḍapāda asks what the difference is between these two. What is common is that duality is negated. If both are same, one can opt for sleep. The difference will have to be understood. For a sleeper the problem is only temporarily solved. In fact it is potentially still there in sleep. In enlightenment the problem is solved on a permanent basis. The mind and the world are wonderful for interaction but they cannot touch me the screen that allows the play to go on. A jñāni will allow the play to go on but not be affected by it. ~P

35. līyate hi suṣupte tan-nigṛhītaṁ na līyate, tadeva nir-bhayaṁ brahma jñān-ālokaṁ samantataḥ.  ~G

लीयते – withdrawn or drowned in ignorance; हि – for; सुषुप्ते – in sleep; तत् – that (the mind); निगृहीतम् – the disciplined (through knowledge arising from discrimination); न लीयते – is not withdrawn; तत् ब्रह्म एव – that (mind) is Brahman itself; निर्भयम् – fearless; ज्ञान-आलोकम् – possessed of the light of knowledge; समन्ततः – all around ~G-trC

35. Indeed that (mind) becomes dormant in sleep. The disciplined (mind) does not become dormant. That (mind) is Brahman itself which is fearless and which consists of the light of consciousness all around. ~G-trP

In the case of a sleeper and a yogi in samādhi, the mind is physically dissolved but in the case of a jñāni, the mind is not physically dissolved but it is awake and functioning. When the mind is physically dissolved either by sleep, samādhi, taking a drug or anesthesia it will go into potential condition. The problem never gets solved. The jñāni never tries to physically eliminate the thoughts but he educates the mind about the nature of the mind. Holding the mind the jñāni understands that there is no such thing as the mind. What you are calling the mind, it is nothing but Brahman. The mind is experienced but it does not exist. ~P

36. ajam-anidram-asvapnam-anāmakam-arūpakam, sakṛd-vibhātaṁ sarvajñaṁ nopacāraḥ kathañcana. ~G

अजम् – birthless; अनिद्रम् – sleepless; अस्वप्नम् – dreamless; अनामकम् – nameless; अरूपकम् – formless; सकृत्-विभातम् – ever-effulgent; सर्वज्ञम् – all-knowledge; न-उपचारः – without ceremony; कथञ्चन – in any way ~GtrC

36. Brahman is birthless, sleepless, dreamless, nameless, and formless. It is ever effulgent and omniscient. No duty, in any sense, can ever be associated with It. ~G-trN

We have here in this stanza a perfect definition of the state of pure Consciousness indicated by the negation of all the known world of experiences and by positively asserting itself to be the non-dual, omniscient, dynamism in life. // In order to realise this Reality, no ritualistic action is necessary. Even meditation is not the cause of Self-realisation. We cannot say that the Supreme is caused by sādhanā. If it were so, then the Supreme would become the effect of a cause. ~C

At regular intervals Gauḍapāda will connect his teaching to the Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad to remind us that his teaching is extracted from the Upaniṣad. // In the 7th mantra of the Upaniṣad, the statements “na bahiṣprajñaṃ, nāntaḥprajñaṃ, na prajñānaghanaṃ” refer to Turīyam not being Viśva, Taijasa or Prājña respectively. Turīyam is not Viśva (ajam), not Taijasa (asvapnam), and not Prājña (anidram). Brahman mentioned in the previous mantra is Turīyam Ātmā, which is nameless and formless. Turīyam is referred to by silence. It is ever self-revealing. ~P

37. sarva-abhilāpa-vigataḥ sarva-cintā-samutthitaḥ, su-praśāntaḥ sakṛj-jyotiḥ samādhir-acalo‘bhayaḥ. ~G

सर्व-अभिलाप – all expressions or words (sense organs); विगतः – free from; सर्व-चिन्ता – all acts of the mind in other words, internal worries; समुत्थितः – free from (lit. risen above); सुप्रशान्तः – all-peace in other words, totally tranquil; सकृत्-ज्योतिः – ever-effulgent; समाधिः – knowable through samādhi in other words, concentrated intellect; अचलः – free from activity, immovable; अभयः – fearless. ~G-trC

37. This Self is beyond all expressions or words, beyond all acts of the mind. It is all-peace, ever effulgent, free from activity and fear. It is attainable through concentrated intellect. ~G-trC

The word ‘dhī’ means ‘intellect’ and samādhi, therefore, means a ‘state of equanimous intellect’. // To go into samādhi, therefore, is not necessarily a trick of the yoga, of some supermind... It is a poise of the intelligence in a fully grown, perfectly cultured human being who has rounded off his personality into a balanced equipoise. Such a one comes to experience within oneself an ever-flowing joy of voiceless ecstasy. He comes to entertain an attitude of nonchalance to life because of his supreme self-confidence born out of his steady intelligence and unemotional mental poise. ~C

Śaṅkarācārya gives two meanings for the word samādhi that appears in the verse: 1. It is that which can be grasped only by a mind that is not preoccupied. A shallow preoccupied mind cannot grasp the teaching because it is not available for deep discussion. 2. Samādhi = sarvaadhiṣṭhānam. It is that in which Viśva, Taijasa, Prājña, Virāt, Hiraṇyagarbha and Īśvara rest. Therefore, it is non-moving. ~P

38. graho na tatra notsargaś-cintā yatra na vidyate, ātma-saṁsthaṁ tadā jñānam-ajāti samatāṁ gatam.

न ग्रहः – nor acceptance; तत्र – there (in the Self); न उत्सर्गः – nor rejection; न चिन्ता – no thoughts; यत्र – where; विद्यते – present; आत्म – in the Self; संस्थम् – established; तदा – then; ज्ञानम् – Knowledge; अजाति – immutability, birthlessness; समताम् – homogeneous, uniform; गतम् – becomes, reaches

38. Neither acceptance nor rejection takes place in the Self, where thought does not exist. Then, knowledge becomes established in the Self. It is uniform and unborn. ~G-trSw

Where there is change or the possibility of change one can imagine acceptance and relinquishment. The sense of the passage is that when a person identifies himself with the non-dual, partless, and changeless Brahman, he goes beyond all scriptural and social injunctions, whether mandatory or prohibitory. These injunctions apply only to the relative world. ~N

Gauḍapāda says that the jñāni is one who abides in this Turīyam all the time. Gaining the knowledge is relatively easy but that knowledge should be available for me. During worldly and family transactions especially during unfavorable prārabdha events, I should know that the experiences belong to the Viśva role and I, the one who is behind this role is not affected by them. ~P

39. asparśa-yogo vai nāma durdarśaḥ sarva-yogibhiḥ, yogino bibhyati hy-asmād-abhaye bhaya-darśinaḥ. ~G

अस्पर्श-योगः वै नाम – the yoga called the touch of the untouch; दुर्दर्शः – is hard to be attained or seen; सर्व-योगिभिः – by all seekers; योगिनः – yogins, seekers; बिभ्यति – are afraid; हि – for; अस्मात् – this (path); अभये – fearless; भय-दर्शिनः – feel frightened ~G-trC

39. The Yoga that is familiarly referred to as `contactless' is difficult to be comprehended by anyone of the Yogis. For those Yogis, who apprehend fear where there is no fear, are afraid of it. ~G-trGm

In the Gītā, ‘sparśa’ has been used as the mental contact which an ordinary deluded one makes with the external world of objects and thereby earns for himself either joy or happiness in life. // The same term is employed here by Gauḍapāda to make this novel term, Asparśa-yoga, to impress upon us the process of Vedānta of Self-realisation. // To get our mind disconnected from its objects, through the processes of intellectual analysis and right understanding, is the practice of Vedānta for spiritual evolution. This idea cannot be better expressed than by the term ‘Asparśa-yoga’. ~C

Gauḍapāda says that he does not wish to force advaitam on all. If you are ready and willing to take the challenge to drop all support, advaitam is for you, otherwise if you need external support, use the walking stick. The walking stick is called God. // Gauḍapāda says that ātmajñānam is a yoga of no relationships, which transcends all relationships including the relationship with God. Relationship with God is dvaitam. In advaitam, relationship with God as a second entity is not there because a jñāni discovers God as his own higher nature that is himself. // The real security is in advaitam only but people do not understand this. In advaitam, which is the source of fearlessness they are seeing fear. They see fear in the fearless advaitam. ~P

Legend:

C: Chinmayananda

G: Gaudapada

Gm: Gambhirananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Shankara

S/G: Sandeepany / Gurubhaktananda

Sw: Swartz

tr: translated by

Talking MK3.29-33 re: birthlessly

Gaudapada says there are two states of sleeping. Deep sleep and dreaming. And two states of dreaming. The dream state and waking state.

As one mind appears to be countless dream states, one self appears to be eight billion and counting.

Doing and not doing are doings of the mind. Nondoing is beyond the mind. The mind ceases to be the mind upon realization. No mind, no cry.

Atman is birthless and free. Ayam atma brahma. That highest knowledge is free of name, form, and function. Birthlessly.