Tuesday, November 21, 2023

The Sun of Self-awareness

The sea pervades and envelops the wave that’s not a wave but is maya’s brave new world of dreaming unawareness.

For unawareness is just a temporary state, much like the grand appearance of a superstar and its transformative return to the great black hole of brahman.

Look, only the mind sees that paramatman as a great black hole; the nondual self is in reality the self-shining seer.










Saturday, November 18, 2023

Nonduality Comics 231118st

1.

Indidividual consciousness is called the knowing atman because unborn ignorance has this natural need to know.

Universal consciousness is called the great atman because the wizard of maya.

And pure consciousness is called the peaceful atman as in tattvamasi satcitananda.

2.

It’s ok to call science your god.

God is the god of ten thousand attributes. Take as many as you want.

My god is maya neat.

3.

Science is still looking for the God of Consciousness inside Its Dream.

That’s like looking for the sea in the middle of an island paradise.

The big bang is easy. Beyond the big bang is the razor’s edge.

4.

Individual consciousness is a conditioned consciouness. 

The conditioner is the world of individual consciousnesses.

It's a vicious cycle.

5.

A table is more than 99% space. Relax, you can’t put your elbows on it.

Objects appearing in consciousness appear to be something other than consciousness. They’re not.

Pure consciousness you are, Luke.

6.

Tao is to parabrahman

as te is to the sattva of maya

and sunday is to tamas

and yang is to the guna of rajas.

Om Lao Tzu

7.

Existence is the substrate and life its expression.

Personal lives are its writhing dreams and nightmares.

Waking up is every dreamer's destiny. Arise!

8.

Five days out of seven I'm not saying what I'm thinking; that's my earworm to be seen through.

Two days out of seven I am consciousness talking to consciousness. Each one of those days is like a long weekend.

Wake up Maggie, I've been playing the Upanishads louder lately. Enjoy!

9.

tao is to parabrahman

as te is to the sattva of maya

and yin is to tamas and yang is to the guna of rajas,,,

om, l,ao tzu









The Nondual Trinity of Consciousness

Individual consciousness is due to ignorance. All the ignorance in the world is due to this avidya. It’s why the world is what it is: samsara.

Universal consciousness is still an illusion, although its laws of nature work impeccably. You can put your trust in maya and give it any god-like name you love.

Pure consciousness is the godhead. The principle of existence is its nature. And as natural awareness, it is the deep blue substrate sea.






Friday, November 17, 2023

Vedantic Cosmology:
Nikhilananda on Katha 1.3.10,11,13 (and Shankara on the Sanskrit)

Beyond the senses are the objects; beyond the objects is the mind; beyond the mind, the intellect; beyond the intellect, the Great Atman; beyond the Great Atman, the Unmanifest; beyond the Unmanifest, the Purusha. Beyond the Purusha there is nothing: this is the end, the Supreme Goal.
~Katha 1.3.10-11 (tr-Nikhilananda)

The first manifestation of Pure Brahman, due to Its association with ajnana, is called the Unmanifest. The first entity to emerge from the Unmanifest is Hiranyagarbha, also known by such other epithets as Brahma (the World Soul, or the Cosmic Mind) and Prana (the Cosmic Life).

It may be stated here that the purpose of the Vedantic cosmology is to explain the universe and its origin in such a way that it can establish the sole reality of Brahman, apart from which the universe is unimportant either from the standpoint of reality or from the standpoint of ultimate value. In the deepest spiritual experience the material universe is found to be non-existent.

~Nikhilananda



The wise man should merge his speech in his mind, and his mind in his intellect. He should merge his intellect in the Cosmic Mind, and the Cosmic Mind in the Tranquil Self.
~Katha 1.3.13 (tr-Nikhilananada)

The activities of the senses should be stopped and the attention directed to the mind. Then the mind should be drawn into the buddhi, or discriminative faculty. Next the aspirant should sink the buddhi into the Cosmic Mind, or Hiranyagarbha. In other words, he should make his mind as pure as the Cosmic Mind, which is free from all notions of discrete individuality. Last, the thin veil of the Cosmic Mind should be rent, and the seeker should merge in the Absolute, which is calm because of an utter absence of any distinction or difference either with regard to others or within Itself.
~Nikhilananda



Shankara's Sanskrit Commentary:

Prajnah, the discriminating man;

yacchet, should merge. What (should he merge)?

Vak, i.e. vacam, the organ of speech, (i.e. all the organs), vak being used suggestively for all organs. Where? 

Manasi, into the mind; the use of the word with a long i is a Vedic licence.

Tat, that mind, again;

yacchet, he should merge;

jnane atmani, into the intellect - bright by nature-which is their self; as the intellect pervades the organs, beginning with the mind, it is their self, their innermost principle.

Jnanam, the intellect;

niyacchet, he should dissolve;

mahati atmani, in the Great Soul-the First Born (Hiranyagarbha). The idea is that he should make the intelligence as clear in its nature as is the First Born. And that Great Soul again,

yacchet, he should sink;

sante, into the peaceful -whose nature does not admit of any distinction, which is unchangeable; (into that peaceful)

atmani, Self-into the real Self which is within all and is the witness of all the modifications of the intellect.

~Shankara (tr-Gambhirananda)










Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Nonduality Comics 231115: Maya, Maya, Maya


a. Never Misunderestimate Maya

1. Maya is more than a mirage. 

2. Maya is more powerful than a locomotive.

3. Maya is mirage plus suffering, and further, jnanam sakti.


b. Talkin' Maya to Maya

1. The three powers of maya are veiling, projecting, and jnanam sakti in the highest.

2. Jnanam sakti is consciousness talking to consciousness, the greatest power.

3. Reflexive Consciousness is beyond spacetime. It is the speed of light.


c. To Satcitananda, Love Maya

1. Between awareness and self-awareness is maya. Between the rope and snake is applied this layer of maya.

2. Between the light and the material world is entered this atomic maya code. 

3. Between the molecular universe and the light of self-awareness is the power of satcitananda.


d. Greatest Hits

1. Maya is mirage plus suffering, and further jnanam sakti. Jnanam sakti is consciousness talking to consciousness.

3. Between the light and the material world is entered this atomic maya code. Between the molecular universe and the light of self-awareness is the power of satcitananda.

4. Omkara is the bow, Atman is the arrow, and Brahman is named the goal. That is to be struck by an attentive mind.









Three Reflections on Divine Truth

Self-awareness almost always takes a back seat to the world of Maslow’s lower needs. 'You had one job.'

Atman meditation should be my number one priority, but this assumes I know what atman really is. If not, 'lectio divina' is priority too.

In advaita, listening to divine truth is 'sravana,' contemplating this truth is 'manana,' and breathing that truth is 'nididhyasana.' Three work procedures.







Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Nikhilanda on Om in Katha 1.2.15

Pronounced om, as in home, Om is the most sacred word of the Vedas and may be compared to the Word referred to by St. John in the opening of the Fourth Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

According to Hindu philosophy, the whole of this universe has name and form (namarupa) as the conditions of its manifestation. (The form is its outer crust, of which the name or idea is the inner essence or kernel. The name is inseparable from a word or sound.)

The universe perceived by the five senses is the form, behind which stands the eternal, inexpressible Sphota, the Word or Logos. This eternal Sphota, the essential, beginningless material of all ideas or names, is the power through which the Lord creates the universe;

nay, the Lord first becomes conditioned as the Sphota by His own maya and then evolves Himself as the more concrete sense-perceived universe.


The symbol of the Sphota is Om, also written Aum. Since a word is inseparable from its idea, Om and the eternal Sphota are inseparable. Therefore the eternal Om is the mother or source of all names and forms, and hence is the holiest of all holy words.

There may be other words to denote the eternal and inexpressible Sphota; but the Hindus contend that Om is a unique word and uniquely apposite.

The Sphota is the material or foundation of all sounds or words, which are inseparable from names or ideas; yet it is not any definite, fully formed word. That is to say, if all the peculiarities that distinguish one word from another be removed,

Then what remains will be the Sphota, or Om. Therefore Om is called the Nada-Brahman, the Sound-Brahman... It is the symbol both of the Personal God (in His aspect of Creator, Preserver, and Destroyer [A, U, and M]) and of Impersonal Reality. 








Monday, November 13, 2023

On Adhyātma-yoga in Katha 1.2.12

The wise sage, who, by means of the meditation on the inner Self, recognises the Ancient, who is difficult to be seen, who is unfathomable and concealed, who is hidden in the cave of the heart, who dwells in the abyss, is lodged in the intelligence and, seated amidst miserable surroundings indeed – renounces joy and sorrow.

~Katha 1.2.12 (tr-Chinmayananda)


taṁ durdarśaṁ gūḍhamanupraviṣṭaṁ guhāhitaṁ gahvareṣṭhaṁ purāṇaṁ, adhyātmayogādhigamena devaṁ matvā dhīro harṣaśokau jahāti.


Tam, Him - the Self that you want to know; which is durdarsam, hard to see, because of Its extreme subtleness; gudham anupravistam, lodged inaccessibly, i.e. hidden by knowledge that changes in accordance with worldly objects; guhahitam, located in the intellect- because It is perceived there; gahvares- tham, existing in the midst of misery-in the body and senses which are the sources of many miseries. Since It is thus lodged inaccessibly and located in the intellect, therefore, It is seated in the midst of misery. Hence It is hard to see. Matva, meditating on, that puranam, old (everlasting); devam, Deity- the Self; adhhatmavogadhigamena- concentration of the mind on the Self after withdrawing it from the outer objects is adhyatma-yoga--through the attainment of that; dhirah, the intelligent man; jahati, gives up; harsasokau, happiness and sorrow-since there is no excellence or deterioration for the Self.

~Shankara on Katha 1.2.12 (tr-Gambhirananda)


Adhyātma-yoga (the technique of meditation) – This is the only place where this word appears in this Upaniṣad and so it is very difficult to ascertain what Yama meant by it. As a matter of fact, this is the first occasion in the entire literature of the Upaniṣads we have the mention of ‘Yoga’ as a term. ‘Yoga’ the word, comes from the root ‘yuj’ to join or unite. Earliest usage of this root was in the sense to yoke horses, bulls and so on. It is later on that the word developed into a complete śāstra and today it has a meaning of exertion of disciplined activity of the body; and with reference to the mind, it means concentration or control through meditation. Śaṅkarācārya, therefore, combines both these meanings and says ‘yoga’ is deep meditation (samādhāna) with thoughts withdrawn from external objects.

...

Meditation is the process by which a purified mind, and therefore, a highly concentrated mind, is brought to contemplate exclusively upon the nature of the Ᾱtman through a total avoidance of the mind wandering into any other object of contemplation. This process of making the mind think solely through an appointed channel of thinking, to the total effective exclusion of all dissimilar thought currents eroding in to disturb and muddy the planned channel of thought, can be successful only when the meditator is weaned away from all its gross negativities.

...

Though the ordinary means and methods of getting our day-to-day objective knowledge are not available in seeking or knowing or realising Truth, there is a special method by which we can develop our powers of intuition, which are now lying dormant in us beneath the thick layers of our own fattened encrustations and by which we can experience the Ᾱtman. This technique of communion with the Self is the exact significance of the word ‘adhyātma-yoga’ here.

~Chinmayananda on adhyātma-yoga in Katha 1.2.12


Adhyaatma Yoga: There is a scientific means to realize the Self. This means is summarised by Adhigamena, which refers to the process of meditation on the Self. Since the meditation is on the Self, the Self is referred to as a Deva or ‘Deity’ being worshipped during meditation. The intellect is repeatedly brought to a focus on the inner Being. The process is well-known as just meditation, or sometimes as transcendental meditation. 

~from the Sandeepany Katha



footnote

Nisargadatta on 'Atma-yoga'

There are any number of Upanishads and yogas like hatha-yoga, Patanjali yoga, and others. But I know only atma-yoga, which is Self-knowledge and nothing else.

That is why I say my process is atma-yoga, which means Abidance in the Self. When the “non-being” state became the being state, the world, along with so many things, came into existence. As per my guru’s directive, I became one with the beingness. Beingness means having the vision that one is the entire dynamic universe. When one transcends individuality, one is the manifest beingness only. In this process the Unmanifest reveals itself.

~from Nectar of Immortality (tr-Powell)























Saturday, November 11, 2023

Grokking the Katha

1.

let's talk upanishads.

this autumn, i'm grokking (aka sravana) on the mantropanisads.

these are the verse upanishads. i'm currently grokking the katha.

where nachiketa talks to yama the lord of death. 

using nikhilananda, chinmayanada, and gambhirananda for trans and comms.

2.

let's talk translators. i basically trust:

nikhilananda and gambhirananda from the ramakrishna-vivekananda school.

chinmayananda and tejomayananda from the tapovan & sivananda merger.

and their prodigal son, dayananda*

3.

let's talk dayananda*

nobody does deep diving in the sanskrit than this guru.

but there are two dayanandas:

those works published before his mahasamadhi and those after*.

those published before are sublime edits. those published after are faithful transcripts of his lectures.

(dayananda's kena and mundaka are commentarial masterpieces deserving of a 20th century shankara. but based on my experience with drg drsya viveka, i'm not intending on grokking the taitiriya and mundakya soon.)

4.

to recap. i always want gambhirananda for his translation of shankara's commentaries. period.

i always want nikhilananda for his succinct footnotes and spare lightning-like commentary. he doesn't say a lot but what he says is earth-shattering.

dayananda for the kena and mundaka. triangulating with chinmayananda for the remainder he did and my intent is using tejomayananda for the svetasvatara which he didn't.

(i should also mention the sandeepany series which are free as pdf downloads. these are always worthwhile, and often contain useful charts and tables. they also are good for their emphasis on the sanskrit.)

5.

btw the mantropanisads are isa, kena, mundaka, katha, svetasvatara, and sometimes gaudapada's karika on the mandukya counts.







Nonduality Comics 231111: A Brahman Odyssey


One. (Ron Burgundy Was Here)

a.

awareness is never not awareness.

unawareness is still awareness.

ignorance of that fact is no excuse.

b.

just because you’re just a dream doesn’t mean you’re nothing—

it just means surrender to the dreamer that is you.

c.

i started off on eckhart.

but soon i hit advaita stuff.


Two. (Advaita Stuff)

a.

i am is the genesis.

i am the light is the apocalypse.

b.

i am x is the fall.

i am not x is the resurrection.

c.

aham brahma asmi is

our gospel.


Three (The Walrus was the Carpenter)

a.

light, nuclear, atomic, we are devo.

molecular and egocentrical samsara.

b.

vegetable, animal, krishna,

atman is brahman.

aham brahma asmi.

goo goo g'joob.


Four. (untitled)

a.

o pratibodha vidatam

city of brahman

lotus of my heart

b.

i am is

the genesis.

i am the light is

the apocalypse.

i am x is

the fall.

i am not x is

the resurrection.

aham brahmasmi is

my gospel.

c.

y'all my guru.