Tripura Rahasya

by Sri Ramanananda

  49. “It must now be clear to you why purity of mind is insisted upon for Realization of Self. How can the Self be realized in its absence?

  50-51. “Or, how is it possible for the Self not to be found gleaming in the pure mind? All the injunctions in the scriptures are directed towards this end alone. For instance, unselfish action, devotion, and dispassion have no other purpose in view.

  52. “Because, transcendental consciousness, viz., the Self, is manifest only in the stain-free mind.”

  After Janaka had spoken thus, Ashtavakra continued to ask:

  53-54. “O King, if it is as you say that the mind made passive by elimination of thoughts is quite pure and capable of manifesting Supreme Consciousness, then sleep will do it by itself, since it satisfies your condition and there is no need for any kind of effort.”

  55. Thus questioned by the Brahmin youth, the King replied, “I will satisfy you on this point. Listen carefully.

  56-63. “The mind is truly abstracted in sleep. But then its light is screened by darkness, so how can it manifest its true nature? A mirror covered with tar does not reflect images but can it reflect space either? Is it enough, in that case, that images are eliminated in order to reveal the space reflected in the mirror? In the same manner, the mind is veiled by the darkness of sleep and rendered unfit for illumining thoughts. Would such eclipse of the mind reveal the glimmer of consciousness?

  “Would a chip of wood held in front of a single object to the exclusion of all others reflect the object simply because all others are excluded? Reflection can only be on a reflecting surface and not on all surfaces. Similarly also, realization of the Self can only be with an alert mind and not with a stupefied one. New-born babes have no realization of the Self for want of alertness.

  “Moreover pursue the analogy of a tarred mirror. The tar may prevent the images from being seen, but the quality of the mirror is not affected, for the outer coating of tar must be reflected in the interior of the mirror. So also the mind, though diverted from dreams and wakefulness, is still in the grip of dark sleep and not free from qualities. This is evident by the recollection of the dark ignorance of sleep when one wakes.

  64. “I will now tell you the distinction between sleep and samâdhi. Listen attentively:

  “There are two states of mind:

  (1) Illumination and (2) Consideration.

  65. “The first of them is association of the mind with external objects and the second is deliberation on the object seen.

  66. “Illumination is unqualified by the limitations of objects: deliberation is qualified by the limitations pertaining to the objects seen, and it is the forerunner of their clear definition.

  Note: The mind first notes a thing in its extended vision. The impression is received only after noting the thing in its non extensive nature, and becomes deeper on musing over the first impression.

  67. “There is no distinction noted in the preliminary stage of simple illumination. The thing itself is not yet defined, so illumination is said to be unqualified.

  68. “The thing becomes defined later on and is said to be such and such, and so and so. That is the perception of the thing after deliberation.

  69-70. “Deliberation is again of two kinds: the one is the actual experience and is said to be fresh, whereas the other is cogitation over the former and is called memory. The mind always functions in these two ways.”

  71-72. “Dreamless slumber is characterised by the illumination of sleep alone, and the experience continues unbroken for a time, whereas the wakeful state is characterised by deliberation repeatedly broken up by thoughts and therefore it is said not to be ignorance.

  “Sleep is a state of nescience though it consists of illumination alone yet it is said to be ignorance for the same reason as a light though luminous is said to be insentient.

  Commentary: Pure intelligence is made up of luminosity, but is not insentient like a flame. It is gleaming with consciousness, thus differing from the flame. For intellect is evidence as thinking principle. Therefore it is called Absolute Consciousness, active principle, vibratory movement, allembracing Self, or God. Because of these potentialities it creates the universe.

  “Sri Shankara has said in Soundarya Lahàri ‘Siva owes his prowess to Shakti; He cannot even stir in Her absence.’ Siva should not therefore be considered to be mere inexpressible entity depending for His movements upon Mâyâ (like a man on his car). Sri Shankara continues, ‘Siva is yoked by Thee, Oh Shakti, to His true being. Therefore a blessed few worship Thee as the endless series of waves of bliss, as the underlying basis of all that is, as the Supreme Force, maintaining the Universe, and as the Consort of Transcendence.’ Thus the identity of Siva and Shakti with each other or with Transcendence is evident.

  “The argument that the universe is illusory, being a figment of imagination like a hare’s born, is extended further by the statement that the creation leading up to it must be equally illusory. Then the co-existence of Siva and Shakti is useless; and Siva being incomprehensible without Shakti, the idea of God-head falls to pieces. But the scriptures point to God as the primal essence from which the world has sprung, in which it exists, and into which it resolves. That statement will then be meaningless. Why should the other scriptural statement ‘There is no more than One’ alone be true? Is it to lend support to the argument of illusion? The proper course will be to look for harmony in these statements in order to understand them aright.

  “Their true significance lies in the fact that the universe exists, but not separately from the primal Reality—God. Wisdom lies in realizing everything as Siva and not treating it as void.

  “The truth is that there is one Reality which is consciousness in the abstract and also transcendental, irradiating the whole universe in all its diversity from its own being, by virtue of its selfsufficiency, which we call mâyâ or shakti or Energy. Ignorance lies in the feeling of differentiation of the creatures from the Creator. The individuals are only details in the same Reality.

  “In sleep, the insentient phase of stupor overpowers the sentient phase of deliberation. But the factor of illumination is ever present and that alone cannot become apparent to men, in the absence of deliberation. Therefore, sleep is said to be the state of ignorance, as distinguished from wakefulness which is conceded to be knowledge.

  73. “This conclusion is admitted by the wise also. Sleep is the first born from Transcendence also called the unmanifest, the exterior, or the great void.

  74-76. “The state prevailing in sleep is the feeling ‘There is naught.’ This also prevails in wakefulness, although things are visible. But this ignorance is shattered by the repeated upspring of thoughts. The wise say that the mind is submerged in sleep because it is illumining the unmanifest condition. The submersion of mind is not, however, peculiar to sleep for it happens also at the instant of cognition of things.

  77. “I shall now talk to you from my own experience. This subject is perplexing for the most accomplished persons.

  78. “All these three states, namely, samâdhi, sleep and the instant of cognition of objects, are characterised by absence of perturbation.

  79. “Their difference lies in the later recapitulation of the respective states which illumine different perceptions.

  80. “Absolute Reality is manifest in samâdhi; a void or unmanifest condition distinguishes sleep and diversity is the characteristic of cognition in wakefulness.

  81. “The illuminant is however the same all through and is always unblemished. Therefore it is said to be abstract intelligence.

  82. “Samâdhi and sleep are obvious because their experience remains unbroken for some appreciable period and can be recapitulated after waking up.

  83. “That of cognition remains unrecognised because of its fleeting nature. But samâdhi and sleep cannot be recognised when they are only fleeting.

  84. “The wakeful state is iridescent with fleeting samâdhi and sleep. Men when they are awake can detect fleeting sleep because th
ey are already conversant with its nature.

  85-86. “But fleeting samâdhi goes undetected because people are not so conversant with it. O Brahmin! fleeting samâdhi is indeed being experienced by all, even in their busy moments; but it passes unnoticed by them, for want of acquaintance with it. Every instant free from thoughts and musings in the wakeful state is the condition of samâdhi.

  87. “Samâdhi is simply absence of thoughts. Such a state prevails in sleep and at odd moments of wakefulness.

  88. “Yet, it is not called samâdhi proper, because all the proclivities of the mind are still there latent, ready to manifest the next instant.

  89. “The infinitesimal moment of seeing an object is not tainted by deliberation on its qualities and is exactly like samâdhi. I will tell you further, listen!

  90-93. “The unmanifest state, the first-born of abstract Intelligence revealing ‘There is not anything’ is the state of abstraction full of light; it is, however, called sleep because it is the insentient phase of consciousness. Nothing is revealed because there is nothing to be revealed. Sleep is therefore the manifestation of the insentient state.

  “But in samâdhi, Brahman, the Supreme Consciousness, is continuously glowing. She is the engulfer of time and space, the destroyer of void, and the pure being (Jehovah— I AM). How can She be the ignorance of sleep?

  94. “Therefore sleep is not the end-all and the be-all.”

  Thus did Janaka teach Ashtavakra.

  Thus ends the chapter on the discourse of Janaka to Ashtavakra in Tripura Rahasya.

  Chapter XVII

  On the Uselessness of Fleeting Samadhis and the

  Way to Wisdom

  1. “O Bhargava! I shall now tell you what further conversation took place between Janaka and Ashtavakra.

  2-3. Ashtavakra asked, “King! please tell me in greater detail what you call fleeting samâdhi in the wakeful state, so that I may follow it up in order to achieve enduring samâdhi.”

  Thus requested, Janaka replied:

  4-11. “Listen, O Brahmin! the following are instances of that state: when a man remains unaware of ‘in and out’ for a short interval and is not overpowered by the ignorance of sleep; the infinitesimal time when one is beside one-self with joy; when embraced by one’s beloved in all purity; when a thing is gained which was intensely longed for but given up in despair; when a lonely traveller moving with the utmost confidence is suddenly confronted with the utmost danger; when one hears of the sudden death of one’s only son, who was in the best of health, in the prime of life, and at the apex of his glory.

  Note: They are examples of samâdhi in raptures of happiness or of pleasure and in spasms of fear or of sorrow.

  12-14. “There are also intervals of samâdhi, namely the interim period between the waking, dream and sleep states; at the time of sighting a distant object, the mind holding the body at one end projects itself into space until it holds the object at the other end, just as a worm prolongs itself at the time of leaving one hold to catch another hold. Carefully watch the state of mind in the interval.

  15-18. “Why dilate on these intervals? All happening will be brought to a standstill if intelligence be homogeneous. They are made possible when a certain harmony reigns in intelligence which ordinarily is repeatedly broken.

  “Therefore the great founders of different systems of philosophy have said that the difference between the Self (i.e., abstract intelligence) and intellect (individualistic) lies only in their continuity. Sugata (i.e., Buddha) considers the Self to be the stream of Intelligence broken up, of course, at short intervals; Kanada says that it is intellect which is characteristic of the Self.

  “Anyway when once interruptions in the stream of Intelligence are admitted, it follows that these intervals between the various modifications of the intellect into objects, would represent its unmodified, original state. O son of Kahoela, know that if one can become aware of these broken samadhis no other samâdhi need attract one.”

  19-23. The Brahmin youth asked further, “O King, why are not all liberated if their lives are so iridescent with momentary samâdhi, if it be the enlightener of the unmanifest void in sleep? Liberation is the direct result of unqualified samâdhi. The Self being pure intelligence, why does it not recognise itself and remain always liberated?

  “Ignorance is dispelled by pure intelligence, which is samâdhi, and this is the immediate cause of salvation.

  “Please tell me, so that all my doubts may be set at rest.”

  The King replied as follows:

  24-26. “I will tell you the secret. The cycle of births and deaths is from time immemorial caused by ignorance which displays itself as pleasure and pain and yet is only a dream and unreal. Being so, the wise say that it can be ended by knowledge. By what kind of knowledge? Wisdom born of realization: viz., “I am That.”

  Commentary: An aspirant for wisdom first turns away from the pleasures of life and absorbs himself in the search for knowledge, which he learns from a master. This is hearsay knowledge. In order to experience it, he ponders over it and clears his doubts. Then he applies the knowledge to himself and tries to feel his immortal being transcending the body, mind, etc., he succeeds in feeling his Self within. Later he remembers the Vedic teaching imparted by his Guru that the Self being unqualified, cannot be differentiated from God and experiences his unity with the Universal Self. This is in short the course of wisdom and liberation.

  27-29. “Ignorance cannot be expelled by the mere experience of an unqualified expanse of intelligence as in nirvikalpa samâdhi. For such expanse is in harmony with everything (including ignorance). It is like the canvas used in painting; the canvas remains the same whatever picture may be painted on it. Unqualified knowledge is simple light; the objects are manifest by and in it.

  Commentary: The mirror is clear and uniform when there are no objects to reflect; the same appears variegated by images reflected in it. So also the Self is pure intelligence and clear when not contaminated by thoughts; this state is called nirvikalpa. When soiled by thoughts, it is savikalpa.

  30. “But ignorance or delusion should not be confounded with the savikalpa state—for ignorance is only the original contamination (i.e., cause) continuing as effect.

  Commentary: Pure intelligence (God) in His insentient aspect functions as Mâyâ or the self-contained entity projecting ignorance as creation.

  31-34. “The original cause lies in the knowledge of perfection in the Self.

  Note: One expects the contrary. The apparent contradiction is explained further on.

  “The idea of perfection is due to absence of parts. Parts can appear only with time, space and form. However, the sense of completeness appears without these agencies, implying a yearning for them—thus giving rise to the sense of want. Then and there limitations come into being, and the fundamental cause of ignorance manifests as ‘I am.’ That is the embryonic seed from which shoots forth the sprout of the body as the individualised self (growing up to the gigantic tree of the cycle of births and deaths). The cycle of births and deaths does not end unless ignorance is put an end to. This can happen only with a perfect knowledge of the self, not otherwise.

  35-38. “Such wisdom as can destroy ignorance is clearly of two sorts: indirect and direct. Knowledge is first acquired from a Master and through him from the scriptures. Such indirect knowledge cannot fulfil the object in view. Because theoretical knowledge alone does not bear fruit; practical knowledge is necessary which comes through samâdhi alone. Knowledge born of nirvikalpa samâdhi generates wisdom by the eradication of ignorance and objective knowledge.

  39-47. “Similarly, experience of casual samâdhi in the absence of theoretical knowledge does not serve the purpose either. Just as a man, ignorant of the qualities of an emerald, cannot recognise it by the mere sight of it in the treasury, nor can another recognise it if he has not seen it before, although he is full of theoretical knowledge on the subject, in the same way theory must be supplemented with practice in order
that a man might become an expert. Ignorance cannot be eradicated by mere theory or by the casual samâdhi of an ignorant man.

  “Again want of attention is a serious obstacle; for a man looking up to the sky cannot identify the individual constellations. Even a learned scholar is no better than a fool, if he does not pay attention when a thing is explained to him. On the other hand, a man though not a scholar but yet attentive having heard all about the planet Venus, goes out in confidence to look for it, knowing how to identify it, and finally discovers it, and so is able to recognise the same whenever he sees it again. Inattentive people are simply fools who cannot understand the ever-recurring samadhis in their lives. They are like a man ignorant of the treasure under the floor of his house who begs for his daily food.

  48. “So you see that samâdhi is useless to such people. The intellect of babes is always unmodified and yet they do not realize the self.

  49. “Nirvikalpa samâdhi clearly will never eradicate ignorance. Therefore in order to destroy it savikalpa samâdhi must be sought.

  50-52. “This alone can do it. God inherent as the self is pleased by meritorious actions which are continued through several births after which the desire for liberation dawns and not otherwise, even though millions of births may be experienced. Of all things in creation, to be born a sentient being requires good luck; even so to acquire a human body requires considerable merit; while it is out of the ordinary for human beings to be endowed with both virtuous tendencies and sharp intellect.

  53-60. “Observe, O Brahmin, that the mobile creation is a very small fraction of the immobile and that human beings form but a small fraction of the mobile, while most human beings are little more than animals, being ignorant of good and bad, and of right and wrong. Of sensible people, the best part runs after the pleasures of life seeking to fulfil their desire. A few learned people are stained with the longing for heaven after death. Of the remaining few, most of them have their intellects bedimmed by Mâyâ and cannot comprehend the oneness of all (the Creator and creation). How can these poor folk, held in the grip of Mâyâ, extend their weak sight to the sublime Truth of Oneness? People blinded by Mâyâ cannot see this truth. Even when some people rise so high in the scale as to understand the theory, misfortune prevents their being convinced of it (for their desires sway them to and fro with force greater than the acquired, puny, theoretical knowledge, which if strictly followed should put an end to such desires, which flourish on the denial of oneness). They try to justify their practical actions by fallacious arguments which are simply a waste of time.