[Advaita-l] Vikalpa, Savikalpa, and Nirvikalpa

[vinayaka ns]

On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 5:38 PM, श्रीमल्ललितालालितः <
lalitaalaalitah at lalitaalaalitah.com> wrote:

>
>
> > Here is a quote from the Book 'Exalting Elucidations' of Jagadguru Sri
> > Abhinava Vidyatirtha Swamiji of Sringeri:
> >
> > Q:What is the characteristic of nirvikalpa samadhi?
> >
> > A: The absence of awareness of the distinction of the seer, the seen and
> > the act of seeing is indeed its special characteristic.  The Atman is
> > clearly perceived.  Further, supreme bliss is experienced.
>
>
> If you are trying to say that AchArya is supporting the view of
> neo-vedAntin-s. Then I've to say just this :
> As the word nirvikalpaka means both specific-GYAnam and specific-samAdhi,
> so it helped to create confusion.
> I don't say that nirvikalpaka-samAdhi is never talked in vedAnta-books. It
> is actually helpful means to control viparIta-bhAvanA and hence is
> practiced by all.
> I just mean to say that the knowledge which is termed nirvikalpaka and
> means of moxa is not same as the nirvikalpaka-samAdhi or the Atman shining
> in that state.
> I'll also like to add that such nirvikalpaka-GYAnam of brahma actually
> doesn't need nirvikalpaka-samAdhi to gain birth.
>
>
=======================

Namste.

Even in the vichAra mArga,  akhaNDAkAra vritti is indispensable for
dispelling is avidyA, is it not?
If yes, what is the distinction between the akhaNDAkAra vritti and vritti
obtained in the nirvikalpa samAdhi?

Another popular misconception is that there is no mind or vritti  in the
vEdAntic samAdhi.

>>The view which says that samAdhi(dhyAna or prasa~NkhyAna) is needed for
liberating knowledge to arise is not of sha~Nkara and sureshvara. It is
supported by vAchaspati who follows vedAntaikadeshin bhartR^i-prapa~ncha
and hence is refuted by many AchArya-s including anubhUti-svarUpAchArya.


"naiShkarmyasiddhi 1.52 describes the advaitic path:

nityakarmAnuShThAnAt dharma utpattiH
dharma utpatteH pApa hAniH
tataH citta SuddhiH
tatah saMsArayAthAtmi AvabodhaH
tataH vairAgyaM
tataH mumuxatvaM
tataH tat upAya paryeShaNam
tataH sarva karma tat sAdhana sannyAsaH
tataH yogAbhyAsaH
tataH cittasya pratyag pravaNatA
tataH `tat tvam asi' Adi vAkyArtha parijnAnam
tataH avidyA ucchedaH
tataH cha svAtmani eva avasthAnam

The performance of nityakarma yields dharma
dharma destroys pApa (sin)
then comes citta Suddhi
then the understanding of saMsAra
then vairAgya
then mumuxatvaM
then the search for the means (of liberation)
then the renunciation of karma through sannyAsa
then yogAbhyAsa
then concentration of the citta
then the understanding of statements like 'tat tvam asi'
then the destruction of avidyA
then being settled in the Self alone"

I hope nothing is optional here. If the steps are meticulously followed,
then, one does get liberating knowledge when one hears the mahAvAkya
without much difficulty.

BTW in the aforementioned scheme, if one directly jumps to the vAkyArtha
parijnAnam skipping most of the proceeding steps conveniently, assuming
that they are not necessary, then, liberating knowledge is a far cry.

Best Wishes,

Vinayaka