Symphony #1 in Advaita

1. Gaudapada's Koan

When the mind is moving, flags appear.

2. Couplet in the Key of Nonduality

The Big Bang is not the beginning.

Maya is beginningless.

3. Satcitananda in Triplicate

Existence is all there is. That's the principle of existence.

Pure consciousness (awareness) is the ground of reflected consciousness (mind).

Ananda is the bliss of self-awareness (I love I know I am) and not what you think.

Talks on MK4.47-52: the firebrand

A firebrand appears to be straight, crooked, or otherwise, according to its motion in the darkness. Likewise consciousness in motion will split itself into appearances of seers and the seen. 

When not in motion, a firebrand is free from all appearances, remaining changeless. And a motionless Consciousness is free from all appearances, resting birthless.

When the firebrand is in motion, such forms do not come from somewhere else nor do they go elsewhere when it’s still. Neither do they return to its shining point.

Such forms do not issue from the firebrand for they are insubstantial. In Consciousness, such appearances are similar.

In consciousness associated with activity of mind (like both dream states), appearances do not come from somewhere else. When the mind is inactive (like deep sleep), appearances do not go somewhere else.

Lastly such appearances do not emerge from consciousness for their nature isn't real. And they are beyond comprehension because their nature is beyond cause and effect.

Translation & Commentaries on MK4.47-52: alata spanditam

In order to explain the Truth regarding the ultimate Reality already stated, we have here the great analogy of the firebrand (alāta). Because of the use of this example, there is a school of critics who claim that Gauḍapāda has bodily borrowed it from the literature of Buddhism. This a certainly an unfair criticism as has already been explained in the introduction to this chapter. In Maitrāyaṇi-upaniṣad (4-24) there is a clear mention of this picture in the ṛṣi’s explanation of the Brahman. It is quite possible that both Gauḍapāda and the Buddhist philosophers got this suggestion from the same source. ~C

47. ṛju-vakrādik-ābhāsam-alāta-spanditaṁ yathā, grahaṇa-grāhak-ābhāsaṁ vijñāna-spanditaṁ tathā. ~G

ॠजु – straight; वक्र – crooked; आदिक – and so on; आभासम् – the appearance of; अलात – the firebrand; स्पन्दितम् – is the motion of; यथा – just as; ग्रहण-ग्राहक – the perceived; the perceiver; आभासम् – the appearance of; विज्ञान – Consciousness; स्पन्दितम् – vibrations, motion of, तथा – so also ~G-trC

As [the line made by] a moving fire-brand appears to be straight, crooked, etc., so Consciousness, when set in motion, appears as the perceiver, the perceived, and the like. ~G-trN

Imagine a dark room and you are in the room with an incense stick. The glowing tip represents Brahman, which is one, and the surrounding darkness is the māyā tattvam. Suppose you start moving the firebrand. Even though it is one glowing tip, as it moves, different patterns will appear in the dark room depending upon the type of movement. Gauḍapāda calls this movement of the alātaṃ, alāta spandanam. ~P

What is it that appears? Vyhdnaspanditam, the vibration of Consciousness, as it were, it being set in motion by ignorance, for the unmoving Consciousness can have no vibration, as it was indeed said earlier, 'birthless, motionless' ~S-trGm

When Consciousness is set in motion, such illusory phenomena as the subject and the object are perceived. In reality, however, there is no motion in Consciousness; it only appears to be moving. This apparent motion is due to ignorance. ~N

48. aspandamānam-alātam-anābhāsam-ajaṁ yathā, aspandamānaṁ vijnānam-anābhāsam-ajam tathā. ~G

अस्पन्दमानम् – not in motion; अलातम् – the firebrand; अनाभासम् – free from all appearances; अजम् – remains changeless (lit. birthless); यथा – just as; अस्पन्दमानम् – not vibrating; विज्ञानम् – the Consciousness; अनाभासम् – free from all appearances; अजम् – remains changeless; तथा – similarly ~G-trC

As the fire-brand, when not in motion, is free from all appearances and remains changeless, so Consciousness, when not in motion, is free from all appearances and remains changeless. ~G-trN

Gauḍapāda wants us to understand that Consciousness fluttering in the mental zone seems to get shattered itself into the very variegated forms and names constituting the world of matter. But when the mind is still, and therefore transcended, when the Self cognises the Self, in the Self, the Self alone exists and as such the pluralistic world of phenomenon is no more. When the firebrand is steady, all the forms get absorbed, as it were, into the glowing tip. ~C

49. alāte spandamāne vai nābhāsā anyato-bhuvaḥ, na tato‘nyatra nispandān-n-ālātam praviśanti te. ~G

अलाते – the firebrand; स्पन्दमाने – being in motion; न वै – do not; आभासाः – forms that are seen; अन्यतः-भुवः – reached it from elsewhere; न – nor do they exist; ततः – that (firebrand); अन्यत्र – apart; निस्पन्दात् – from the motion; आलातम् – the firebrand; ते न प्रविशन्ति – nor do they enter the glowing tip ~G-trC

When the fire-brand is set in motion, the appearances [that are seen in it] do not come from elsewhere. When it is still, the appearances do not leave the motionless fire-brand and go elsewhere, nor do they enter into the fire-brand itself. ~G-trN

The idea is that the appearances of different geometrical shapes that we recognised when the alāta was in motion were all delusory expressions of the very motion and as such neither have they come from elsewhere nor do they go anywhere. Even the possibility that they had gone into the very glowing tip is not true since they did not as such rise from the firebrand. ~C

50. na nirgatā alātāt-te dravyatvābhāva-yogataḥ, vijñāne‘pi tathaiva syur-ābhāsasyāviśeṣataḥ. ~G

न निर्गताः – do not emerge; अलातात् – out of the firebrand; ते – those (appearances); द्रव्यत्व – substantial things; अभाव – lack of; योगतः – applicable to; विज्ञाने-अपि – the case of Consciousness also; तथा-इव स्युः – same will be; आभासस्य – appearance of; अविशेषतः – on account of similarity ~G-trC

50. They did not issue out of the firebrand, by reason of their unsubstantiality. With regard In Consciousness also the appearances must be of a similar kind, for as an appearance there is no distinction. ~G-trGm

Śrī Śaṅkara clearly brings it out in his commentary when he says, ‘Moreover, those appearances do not emerge from the firebrand as something that comes out of a house’. When anything were to come out of something, the emerged must be an entity distinctly different from the thing from which it has come. // An unreal thing cannot enter or emerge. Neither can you fill with mirage water, nor can you pour out even an ounce of mirage water from any bottle! Similarly, these patterns being unreal can neither emerge out nor enter into the firebrand. ~C

51. vijñāne spandamāne vai nābhāsā anyato-bhuvaḥ, na tato-‘nyatra nispandān-na vijñānaṁ viśanti te. ~G

विज्ञाने – the Consciousness; स्पन्दमाने – is associated with the idea of activity; वै – also; न – do not; आभासाः – appearances; अन्यतः-भुवः – come from elsewhere; न – nor; ततः – that; अन्यत्र – apart; निस्पन्दात् – is inactive; न – nor; विज्ञानम् – the Consciousness; विशन्ति – go elsewhere; ते – (do) they. ~G-trC

52. na nirgatās-te vijnānāt-dravyatvābhāva-yogataḥ, kārya-karaṇatābhāvād-yato‘cintyāḥ sadaiva te. ~G

न निर्गताः – not enter into, merge; ते – those (appearances); विज्ञानात् – out of the Consciousness; द्रव्यत्व – real entity; अभाव – are not; योगतः – apprehension; कार्य-कारणता – cause effect relationship; अभावात् – (and) since they are not subject to; यतः – because; अचिन्त्याः – beyond comprehension; सदा-एव – always; ते – they are ~G-trC

51-52 When Consciousness is associated with [the idea of] activity, [as in the waking and dream states,] the appearances [that seem to arise] do not come from anywhere else. When Consciousness is non-active, [as in deep sleep,] the appearances do not leave the non-active Consciousness and go elsewhere, nor do they merge in it. The appearances do not emerge from Consciousness, for their nature is not that of a substance. They are incomprehensible, because they are not subject to the relation of cause and effect. ~G-trN

The ordinary mind can think of an object only through the causal or some other relationship. The objects seen in the waking and dream states cannot be said to be unreal or non-existent, because they are perceived..Nor can they be said to be real or existent, because they are not perceived in deep slecp. Therefore it is impossible to know their true nature. This is maya. As already stated, maya, or appearance, is real to the ignorant; to the intellectual philosopher it is a puzzle; and to the illumined soul it is non-existent. ~N

A relationship can exist only between two separate things. A relationship is not possible when there is only one thing. We assume a relationship to exist because we are counting the firebrand as one thing and the patterns as the other thing. Gauḍapāda says that patterns cannot be counted as a second separate entity at all. Patterns are different names given to the same firebrand alone. Firebrand is alone there and patterns are different names given to the firebrand itself in motion. // Then we can extend this and say that consciousness, Brahman is only one and Brahman and the world cannot have any relationship because the world is another name for Brahman and it is not a separate entity. Because of a certain pattern of appearance we have given a new name, the world, but it is not a new entity. Therefore Brahman and the world cannot have a kārya-kāraṇa relationship. This is ajātivāda. ~P

Legend:

C: Chinmayananda

G: Gaudapada

Gm: Gambhirananda

N: Nikhilananda

P: Paramarthananda

S: Shankara

S/G: Sandeepany / Gurubhaktananda

Sw: Swartz

tr: translated by

TOC Karika 4 Alata-Shanti Prakarana “Quenching the Firebrand" (from Chinmaya Sandeepany)

Section 4.1: PRELIMINARIES 

Verse 4.0: The Guru-Parampara (Lineage or Hierarchy)

Verse 4.1: The Purpose of this Chapter

Verse 4.2: Salutation to the “Asparsha Yoga” 

Verse 4.3: Positing of Cause for Creation

Verse 4.4: Vedantic Arguments Used

Verse 4.5: The Vedantic Approach

Verse 4.6: “The Immortal is Birthless” 

Verse 4.7: “Immortality is Its Essential Nature”

Verse 4.8: “The Immortal is Immutable” 

Section 4.2: THE SANKHYANS REFUTED 

Verse 4.9: Inherent Nature of a Thing

Verse 4.10: Inherent Nature of Spirit 

Verse 4.11: Logic Violation 1: Cause Becomes Effect

Verse 4.12: Logic Violation 2: Effect Becomes Cause

Verse 4.13: Effect Born from the Unborn or Born?

Section 4.3: THE MEEMAMSAKAS REFUTED

Verse 4.14: The Meemamsakas’ Assertions

Verse 4.15: The Vedantin’s Reply to the Meemamsakas

Verse 4.16: Cause & Effect – Sequential or Simultaneous

Verse 4.17: The Chain of Illogic

Verse 4.18: Cause & Effect – Which Comes First?

Verse 4.19: The Logical Conclusions Presented

Verse 4.20: The ‘Unproved’ Used as Proof!

Verse 4.21: A Pointer to “Birthlessness”

Verse 4.22: The Summary Statement 

Verse 4.23: Cause & Effect are Birthless 

Section 4.4: REALISTS vs. IDEALISTS

Verse 4.24: The View of the Realists

Verse 4.25: The Idealists – i) Subjective Knowledge

Verse 4.26: The Idealists – ii) World is Not There

Verse 4.27: The Idealists – iii) Experiences

Verse 4.28: Vedanta’s Response – “Nothing is Born”

Verse 4.29: Birthlessness – Essential Nature of Reality

Section 4.5: BONDAGE vs. LIBERATION

Verse 4.30: Samsara & Liberation are Initial Concepts

Verse 4.31: The Unreal Never Exists

Verse 4.32: Utility is no Test for Reality 

Section 4.6: THE ILLUSION OF CAUSALITY 

Verses 4.33-36: The Falsity of Dream – 4 Reasons

Verse 4.37: Common View: Waking Causes Dream

Verse 4.38: Why Creation is Declared Unreal

Verse 4.39 The Evidence of Emotional Reaction

Verse 4.40: Causality Just Not Possible

Verse 4.41: Fanciful Whims in Waking State

Section 4.7: THE SAGE’S COMPROMISE 

Verse 4.42: The Sage’s Compassionate Compromise

Verse 4.43: Dilution of the Truth is Negligible

Verse 4.44: Perception & Behaviour do not Prove Existence

Verse 4.45: The Status of Brahman

Verse 4.46: The Status of the Jeeva

Section 4.8: THE FIREBRAND METAPHOR 

Verse 4.47: The Firebrand in Motion

Verse 4.48: The Firebrand When Still

Verses 4.49 & 50: Simile of the Firebrand 

Verses 4.51 & 52: Application to Consciousness

Section 4.9: THE EMPIRICAL VIEWPOINT 

Verse 4.53: Substance, Non-substance & Soul

Verse 4.54: Cause and Effect Negated 

Verse 4.55: Perpetuation in Causality 

Verse 4.56: Perpetuation of Samsara 

Verse 4.57: The Two Viewpoints on Life 

Verse 4.58: The Pivotal Role of Maya

Verse 4.59: Illusion Breeds Illusion Only 

Verse 4.60: Reality Breeds Reality Only 

Section 4.10: FROM PLURALITY TO REALITY 

Verses 4.61 & 62: Duality & Projection of Mind

Verses 4.63 & 64: An Analysis of the Dream Experience

Verses 4.65 & 66: An Analysis of the Waking Experience

Verse 4.67: Inter-dependence of Mind & Objects

Verses 4.68-70: No Birth & Death – In “Dream”

Verse 4.71: The Non-Dual Reality

Verse 4.72: Consciousness – “Object-less & Relation-less”

Verse 4.73: How Views Change with Height 

Verse 4.74: More Astonishing Comparison of Views

Section 4.11: SEVEN FRUITS OF KNOWLEDGE

Verse 4.75: 1. The End of Attachment 

Verse 4.76: 2. Liberation from Causality  

Verse 4.77: 3. Liberation from Birth

Verse 4.78: 4. Liberation from the Three Afflictions

Verse 4.79: 5. Liberation from Infatuation 

Verse 4.80: 6. Attainment of Equipoise 

Verse 4.81: 7. Vision of the Self-effulgent Self

Section 4.12: FROM PASSION TO DISPASSION

Verse 4.82: Passion for Sense Objects

Verse 4.83: Passion for Intellectual Arguments

Verse 4.84: Integration of All Theories 

Verse 4.85: The Integrated Sage is Dispassionate 

Verse 4.86: The Natural State of the Wise 

Section 4.13: THE FINAL SUMMARY

Verse 4.87: The Waking & Dream States 

Verse 4.88: The Deep Sleep & Turiya States 

Verse 4.89 The Threefold Jnanam & Jneyam 

Verse 4.90: Fourfold Re-Classification of the Knowledge

Verse 4.91: All Souls are Beginningless 

Verse 4.92: All Souls are Immutable 

Verse 4.93: All Souls are Equal

Verse 4.94: The Pitiable Condition of Dualists 

Verse 4.95: Pre-Conditions for Self-Realisation 

Verse 4.96: More on “Objectless Knowledge” 

Verse 4.97: Perpetual Enslavement to Objects 

Verse 4.98: All Souls are Ever Pure

Verse 4.99: Knowledge Unconcerned with Objects 

Verse 4.100: Obeisance to the State of Non-Duality!

3 Verses “Salutations to the Guru Parampara”

Ode to Turiya

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 are now appearing on that silver screen of atman.

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

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.

There are three states of sleeping, two states of dreaming,

and one state of self-awareness. Turiya is not a state.

All states appear and disappear in turiya. The universe is binary. Turiya is nondual.

The mind divides. Consciousness unites.  Self-awareness deconstructs.

Gaudapada was never born.

On Turiya

There are three states of sleeping,

two states of dreaming, and

one state of self-awareness.

Turiya is not a state.

All states appear

and disappear

in turiya.

Gaudapada Says

The universe is binary. Turiya is nondual.

The mind divides. Consciousness unites. 

Self-awareness deconstructs. Gaudapada was never born.

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.