[Advaita-l] How can prANa be Brahman?

[Venkatraghavan S]

Namaste Sujal ji,
Yes, I agree with you there.

Regards,
Venkatraghavan

On 6 Sep 2016 1:13 p.m., "Sujal Upadhyay" <sujal.u at gmail.com> wrote:

> praNAms,
>
> Sri Ravi ji,
>
> I do not say yoga is necessary or compulsory as a preparatory. It is one
> of the way. Please understand that when we eulogize any method, we consider
> it the best and necessary. I hope you understand my point.
>
> Sri Venkataraghavan ji,
>
> *But this is precisely the point sir. Brahman is never an object of
>> contemplation
>>
>
> I understand and agree with you. But ... :) please listen
>
> There are two approaches -
> 1. Self Enquiry (Who am I) & praNava-upAsanA (Meditation on OM)
> 2. Neti-Neti (method of negation)
>
> These denote type types of approaches - bottom-up and top-down.
>
> In general, we are in dual plane. Hence Brahman, for a beginner, is an
> object of contemplation (even though in reality is cannot be). That is why
> it is said,' You are that (Brahman)'. In Self enquiry, it is like peeling
> layers of onion. In the need nothing that you are exploring or hope to see
> exists. In both, OM chanting and Self Enquiry, we do not know our true
> nature but try to find out that the truth is. Just like by moving in the
> direction of sound of waves, one can reach ocean shore, (though one has
> never seen ocean), in the same way, by trying to find out 'Who am I', one
> suddently becomes aware of one's true identity.
>
> In neti-neti, we know that 'I am Brahman' Hence by abiding in Brahman, one
> negates all that is non-Self. This path is IMO extremely difficult, hence
> most of sanyAsins take AdhAra of OM. OM is given high importance in many
> upanishads. In this path there is a danger if not followed properly. Since
> you are Brahman - the supreme Self, to whom you will surrender. It may lead
> to ego problems :) Ego of knowledge is very dangerous.
>
> Advaita does accept higher authority. Indeed brahman becomes object of
> contemplation. In this process too it is neti-neti that is indirectly
> followed.
>
> The method you have shown is correct, but we both were speaking from
> different standpoint. As I was talking w.r.t. yoga, which is a dualistic
> approach and attempts merge Atman in paramAtmAn, I talked the way I talked.
>
> when one realizes one's true identity it is like -
>
> - finding the missing tenth person is yourself
> - All years I listened to pravachan-s of Brahman, but now I realize that I
> (vaktA, who is Brahman hence 'I') was talking about myself (brahman). vaktA
> and shrotA are one :)
> - the object of contemplation is myself.
>
> shAstra-s talk about contemplation on Brahman. If you are Brahman, you do
> not need to say, 'I am Brahman'. Do you keep repeating your name, 'I am
> Venkataraghavan'??? No need to do Self-japa, Venkata-japa :) -- you are
> that. In advaita there cannot be any explanation, nor can there be any
> instruction, nor there can be any disciple. Advaita sthiti is laxyArtha.
> shAstra-s in an attempt to lift us from erroneous duality, talks in dual
> terms. vAchyArtha may be dual, but laxyArtha is always non-duality.
>
> Incase of tat-tvam-asi, our AchArya accepts two entities. 'I' and
> 'Brahman'. So there are two identities. But the laxyArtha is I=Brahman --
> Non-duality
>
> Same is the case with jIva and Brahman are non-different.
>
> I agree with the rest of your conclusions. Just trying to explain in a
> different way. No contradiction :)
>
> Just know that anything that is experienced is not 'I' and anything that
> is born, dies, anything that is achievable is unreal :) - agree??
>
> Hari OM
>
>
> Sujal
>
> On Tue, Sep 6, 2016 at 5:02 PM, Venkatraghavan S <agnimile at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> //Yes, advaita way is pure and direct way. there is no need of any other
>> means *if* one is able to contemplate on Brahman with ease.//
>>
>> But this is precisely the point sir. Brahman is never an object of
>> contemplation - it is not something that one contemplates "on" - it is the
>> one contemplating! That is why the Upanishad uses elliptical language to
>> describe Brahman, in order to stop the mind's tendency to objectify and
>> conceptualise! (नाहं मन्ये सुवेदेति,  etc.)
>>
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>>
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