dR^igdR^ishyavivekaH: Something to start me here.

[Ramakrishnan Balasubramanian]

First, a salutation to the guru of all gurus:

   om shrii dakshiNaamuurtaye namaH |

Then my thanks to Ravisankar for making this list possible and I am sure it
will be a learning experience for all of us.

This a small article on one of my favorite books, dR^ig dR^ishya vivekaH or
"The discrimination between the seer and the seen". This book reminds me of my
happy childhood days when my father patiently taught me the principles of
advaita, mainly from this book.

This book is traditionally ascribed to shaMkaraachaarya. However it is supposed
to have been written by bhaaratii tiirtha, a pontiff in the Sringeri line.
shrii bhaaratii tiirtha was the guru of the famous pontiff vidyaaraNya. shrii
bhaaratii tiirtha is also credited with authoring a portion of the famous work
paMchadashii. Some of the verses in this book are found in the sarasvatii
rahasyopanishhad.

The book is very impressive with its economical style and verses that pack a
punch. One actually has to read it to appreciate it. The sanskrit is reasonably
simple and there is a good word to word translation by Swami Nikhilananda,
published by the Ramakrishna Mutt.

I'll just give the first verse here. The first time I was totally impressed and
still am whenever I read it:

ruupam dR^ishyam lochanam dR^ik taddR^ishyaM dR^iktu maanasaM |
dR^ishyaa dhiivR^ittayassaakshii dR^igeva na tu dR^ishyate ||

The form is perceived and the eye is it's perceiver. The eye is perceived and
the mind is it's perceiver. The mind and it's modifications are perceived by
the witness, but it (the witness) is not perceived.

This book is also quite short with only 46 verses. shrii ramaNa maharshhi has
also translated this into tamil for the benefit of the tamil saadhakas. Since
he translated very few works we can see that even he had a high regard for this
book.

Ramakrishnan.
--
Two monks were arguing about a flag. One said, "The flag is moving." The other
said, "The wind is moving." The sixth patriarch happened to be passing by. He
told them, "Not the wind, not the flag; mind is moving." - The Gateless Gate