[Advaita-l] Nidhidyaasana

[Venkatraghavan S]

Oh sorry, Sadaji. Didn't realise you had already replied. For some reason I
did not get your post.

Regards,
Venkatraghavan

On 17 Feb 2017 3:14 a.m., "kuntimaddi sadananda" <kuntimaddisada at yahoo.com>
wrote:

> Venkatraghavanji - PraNAms
>
> Thanks. I just posted my previous article without realizing that you have
> already addressed the issue.
>
> Hari Om!
> Sadananda
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Venkatraghavan S via Advaita-l <advaita-l at lists.advaita-
> vedanta.org>
> *To:* Nithin Sridhar <sridhar.nithin at gmail.com>; A discussion group for
> Advaita Vedanta <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 16, 2017 10:04 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Advaita-l] Nidhidyaasana
>
> drive him = drive home.
>
> On Thu, Feb 16, 2017 at 4:30 PM, Venkatraghavan S <agnimile at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > There is a reference to three kinds of adhikAris in mANDUkya kArika 3.16:
> >
> > आश्रमास्त्रिविधा हीनमध्यमोत्कृष्टदृष्टयः ।
> >
> > उपासनोपदिष्टेयं तदर्थमनुकम्पया ॥ १६ ॥
> >
> > This kArika occurs right after 3.15 (no surprises there):
> > मृल्लोहविस्फुलिङ्गाद्यैः सृष्टिर्या चोदितान्यथा ।
> >
> > उपायः सोऽवताराय नास्ति भेदः कथञ्चन ॥ १५ ॥
> >
> > In 3.15,  Gaudapada says that shruti only provisionally teaches creation
> > through the mrit, loha, vishphullinga (clay, iron, sparks from fire)
> > examples. The tAtparya of shruti is not creation - it is only an upAya to
> > drive him the message (sovatAraya) of Brahman, from which there is no
> > actual creation. Once Brahman is understood for what it is, one should
> drop
> > the notion of creation too. The question that arises here is, why teach
> > creation in the first place, if it is to be dropped later?
> >
> > This is where 3.16 comes in  - because there are students of different
> > calibre - superior, middling, weak. Out of compassion for the latter two
> > categories of students, upAsana and karma have been prescribed by shruti.
> > How does creation help in this regard? Because creation presupposes a
> > creator, and it is for the pleasure of this this creator (parameshvara /
> > nArAyaNa prItyartham) that shruti directs all upAsana and karma to be
> > performed. Once hIna and madhyama adhikAris have done sufficient nishkAma
> > karma/upAsana, they will attain the mental maturity to understand
> Brahman's
> > true svarUpa, and drop all the provisional tools such as karma, upAsana,
> > srishTi and Ishvara that helped them get there.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Venkatraghavan
> >
> > On Thu, Feb 16, 2017 at 4:03 PM, Nithin Sridhar via Advaita-l <
> > advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >
> >> Are there any other references to uttama,madhyama, adhama adhikaris with
> >> respect to sravana etc. from Sanskrit texts written by our Acharys, be
> it
> >> in Bhashyas, Tikas, or Vartikas, or even Prakarana Granthas?
> >>
> >> On Wed, Feb 15, 2017 at 2:00 PM, Nithin Sridhar <
> sridhar.nithin at gmail.com
> >> >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> > Thank you very much Chandramouli ji.
> >> >
> >> > On Wed, Feb 15, 2017 at 1:32 PM, H S Chandramouli <
> >> > hschandramouli at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Namaste Sri Nitin Ji,
> >> >>
> >> >> You can refer to Vichara Sagara of Sadhu Nishchala Das in hindi which
> >> has
> >> >> a sanskrit commentary by Swami Vasudeva Brahmendra Saraswati. This is
> >> >> available for download from the Web. In the beginning of the fourth
> >> >> chapter,lakshana of a Uttama Adhikari is mentioned, and in the
> >> beginning of
> >> >> the fifth chapter, lakshana of a Madhyama Adhikari is given. I think
> >> >> lakshana of Adhama Adhikari is in the sixth chapter.
> >> >>
> >> >> Regards
> >> >>
> >> >> On Tue, Feb 14, 2017 at 8:43 AM, Nithin Sridhar via Advaita-l <
> >> >> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >>> Can the learned members share references from Upanishads or works of
> >> any
> >> >>> of
> >> >>> the Acharyas about Uttama, Madhyama and Adhama adhikaris with
> respect
> >> to
> >> >>> sravana etc. ?
> >> >>>
> >> >>> Regards,
> >> >>> Nithin
> >> >>>
> >> >>> On Tue, Feb 14, 2017 at 8:19 AM, kuntimaddi sadananda via Advaita-l
> <
> >> >>> advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:
> >> >>>
> >> >>> > PraNams to all
> >> >>> > I had posted this before couple of years back discussing the
> >> obstacles
> >> >>> for
> >> >>> > Self - Realization. I am posting it again for those who are
> >> interested.
> >> >>> > -----------------------------------Obstacles for Self-Realization
> >> -7.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >  We are discussing about the madhyama adhikaari, who has
> sufficient
> >> >>> > four-fold qualifications, saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti, to have
> >> clear
> >> >>> > understanding of Vedanta, but not sufficient enough to have the
> >> jnaana
> >> >>> > phalam or the fruits of the knowledge. Most of us fall into this
> >> >>> category.
> >> >>> > Thus he has jnaanam but not jnaana phalam to be a jiivan mukta.
> The
> >> >>> mind is
> >> >>> > still habitually entangled in the changing diversities of the
> world.
> >> >>> ‘To
> >> >>> > change continuously’ is the nature of the world. To expect the
> >> changing
> >> >>> > world to remain conducive all the time to ones likes and dislikes
> is
> >> >>> > inherently faulty. Not to be affected by the changing world
> >> requires a
> >> >>> > disciplined frame of mind that can witness the events happening in
> >> the
> >> >>> > world objectively, without emotions getting on the way. Even
> though
> >> >>> jnaani
> >> >>> > understands he is pure existence-consciousness-limitless, due to
> >> >>> > lingering vaasanaas or habitual notions due to praarabda,
> emotional
> >> >>> > transformation of the mind is incomplete. In effect, the emotional
> >> mind
> >> >>> > does not abide in the knowledge of the intellect or the habitual
> >> >>> notions
> >> >>> > come in between the mind and the intellect. For such a person only
> >> >>> > nidhidhyaasana is prescribed by Vedanta. Hence nidhidhyaasana is
> not
> >> >>> for
> >> >>> > gaining any new knowledge but for making the emotional mind to
> abide
> >> >>> in the
> >> >>> > knowledge that has already been gained through shravana and
> manana.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >  Nidhidhyaasana is not for manda adhikaari. For manda adhikaari
> who
> >> has
> >> >>> > saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti at the lowest level, karma and
> >> upaasana
> >> >>> yoga
> >> >>> > are prescribed. Nidhidhyaasana is not needed for uttama adhikaari
> >> >>> since he
> >> >>> > gets both jnaana and jnaana phalam by shravana and manana, since
> his
> >> >>> mind
> >> >>> > has already been purified by saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti. Hence
> >> >>> > Nidhidhyaasana is required for madhyama adhikaari who has
> half-baked
> >> >>> with
> >> >>> > four-fold qualifications. He gains the knowledge but not the
> fruits
> >> of
> >> >>> > knowledge due to lingering vaasanaas. How do I know that I have
> >> >>> jnaanam but
> >> >>> > not jnaana nishTa. After the study of Vedanta under a competent
> >> >>> teacher and
> >> >>> > understood the essence of Vedanta without an iota of doubt then I
> >> have
> >> >>> > learned what needs to be learned. In principle, that is all what
> is
> >> >>> needed.
> >> >>> > However for many of us, the mind seems to get agitated whenever we
> >> are
> >> >>> > transacting with the world. This is due to emotional involvement
> >> with
> >> >>> the
> >> >>> > world due to attachments to things and people. This implies that
> the
> >> >>> > saadhana chatuShTaya sampatti needed is incomplete. Hence
> >> >>> nidhidhyaasana is
> >> >>> > prescribed by the scriptures to internalize the learning that has
> >> >>> already
> >> >>> > been taken place. It is like current switch is on and the bulb is
> in
> >> >>> good
> >> >>> > condition, but still no light is coming. The brighter and brighter
> >> >>> light
> >> >>> > will start beaming forth as one starts rotating the rheostat
> switch
> >> >>> slowly.
> >> >>> > Thus knowledge is there but for it to express in all its glory,
> the
> >> >>> > obstructive emotional attachments or raaga dveshas have to be
> >> reduced
> >> >>> > further.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >  What is to be done in Nidhidhyaasana: Nidhidhyaasana is defined
> as
> >> >>> > dwelling upon the teaching that has been gained via shravana and
> >> >>> manana, by
> >> >>> > remaining in the teaching, as often as possible, as intensely as
> >> >>> possible,
> >> >>> > as long as possible, as repeatedly as possible. It is essentially
> >> >>> living in
> >> >>> > the teaching itself. This dwelling on the teaching can be done by
> >> >>> selecting
> >> >>> > any or all of the methods listed here. These include: 1. Repeated
> >> >>> listening
> >> >>> > to scriptures – shravana – mind to dwell on the teachings. 2.
> >> Repeated
> >> >>> > reading of the Shaastras or reading the notes prepared. 3.
> Repeated
> >> >>> > writing, while the mind dwells upon the teaching 4. Discussions of
> >> the
> >> >>> > Shaastras with those who have shraddhaa on the teaching
> >> >>> (advaita-list-serve
> >> >>> > comes in handy in this regard) 5. Teaching of the Shaastras to
> >> others,
> >> >>> if
> >> >>> > one can manage to get some one to listen to. 6. Contemplating on
> the
> >> >>> > teaching in a secluded place (essentially meditation on the
> >> teaching).
> >> >>> In
> >> >>> > all these saadhanas, mind is essentially dwelling on the Vedanta
> >> >>> teaching.
> >> >>> > Since the teaching is centered on the self-itself as Brahman or
> the
> >> >>> > totality, whatever is not aatma (which then is anaatma) is slowly
> >> >>> reduced
> >> >>> > to mithyaa that includes the likes and dislikes.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >  In the nidhidhyaasana, the physical posture is of secondary
> >> >>> consideration
> >> >>> > as it is predominately a mano vRitti, i.e., a contemplation using
> >> the
> >> >>> mind.
> >> >>> > Therefore mind should be awake and available without getting high
> >> >>> jacked by
> >> >>> > any other thought. Any physical posture that keeps the mind
> >> conducive
> >> >>> for
> >> >>> > contemplation on the teaching without falling asleep is the right
> >> >>> posture.
> >> >>> > In essence, the posture should be such that mind should not be
> >> >>> dwelling on
> >> >>> > the posture or become conscious of it during contemplation. In
> this
> >> >>> regard,
> >> >>> > one can also employ aShTaanga yoga meditation stages to keep the
> >> mind
> >> >>> alert
> >> >>> > and contemplative. Shankara discusses the application of the
> >> ashTanga
> >> >>> yoga
> >> >>> > steps for self knowledge in his aparokshaanubhuti text. Here
> chitta
> >> >>> nirodha
> >> >>> > involves only withdrawing the mind from the extroverted pursuits
> and
> >> >>> > investing in the teaching of mahaavaakya gained through Shravana
> and
> >> >>> manana
> >> >>> > or enquiry of the nature of the self.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >  Therefore, nidhidhyaasana is not silencing the mind, but involves
> >> >>> mental
> >> >>> > inquiry or vichaara on the essence of the advaitic teaching –
> >> Brahman
> >> >>> > satyam- jagat mithyaa and jiivaH bhramaa eva na aparaH, Brahman
> >> alone
> >> >>> is
> >> >>> > real and the world is just apparent projection on Brahman and
> jiiva
> >> is
> >> >>> none
> >> >>> > other than Brahman. To abide in this understanding, any or all of
> >> the
> >> >>> above
> >> >>> > methods can be practiced at the seat of meditation. One can even
> >> >>> meditate
> >> >>> > on anaatma that is a worldly object with name and form to see the
> >> truth
> >> >>> > behind that object. When I meditate on anaatma, I have to see the
> >> >>> mithyaa
> >> >>> > aspect of the name and form and shift my attention to the Brahman
> or
> >> >>> pure
> >> >>> > existence as the reality that lends existence to the object.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >  The next question is how one should meditate? Bhagavaan Ramana
> >> gives
> >> >>> > illustrative examples. He says in Upadeshasaara- aajyadhaarayaa
> >> >>> srotasaa
> >> >>> > samam, sarala chintanam virala tatparam. He says the contemplation
> >> >>> should
> >> >>> > be – like a flow of ghee or flow of river. The ghee example is to
> >> >>> > illustrate sneha bhaava or love for the goal, just as ghee sticks
> to
> >> >>> the
> >> >>> > fingers, the mind has to stick to the goal. The river example is
> >> given
> >> >>> to
> >> >>> > emphasize the persistence to reach the goal, in spite of small or
> >> large
> >> >>> > obstacles that invariably come on the way. For small obstacles the
> >> >>> river
> >> >>> > joyfully jumps over with gurgling joyful noise, and for large
> >> >>> obstacles she
> >> >>> > gracefully goes around, even taking few steps backward, without
> >> loosing
> >> >>> > sight of the ultimate goal to reach, namely, the ocean where its
> >> >>> identity
> >> >>> > with name and form gets dissolved. The mind should be constantly
> >> >>> dwelling
> >> >>> > in the understanding of the truth, in spite of any incidental
> >> obstacles
> >> >>> > that arise. Hence Bhagavaan Ramana says it should be continuous
> >> flow of
> >> >>> > thoughts (sarala chintanam) rather than with starts and stops
> >> (virala
> >> >>> > chintanam). Initially it will be of the later type but as the mind
> >> gets
> >> >>> > absorbed more and more it becomes continuous flow of thoughts.
> >> Abhyaasa
> >> >>> > (constant practice) and vairaagya (withdrawal from attachments)
> that
> >> >>> Shree
> >> >>> > Krishna emphasizes again and again are the essential ingredients -
> >> >>> > abhyaasenatu kounteya vairaagyena ca gRihyate.
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> >  To be continued
> >> >>> > _______________________________________________
> >> >>> > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> >> >>> > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> >> >>> > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> >> >>> >
> >> >>> > For assistance, contact:
> >> >>> > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> >> >>> >
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>> --
> >> >>> Nithin S
> >> >>> _______________________________________________
> >> >>> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> >> >>> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> >> >>>
> >> >>> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> >> >>> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> >> >>>
> >> >>> For assistance, contact:
> >> >>> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> >> >>>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > --
> >> > Nithin S
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Nithin S
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> >> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> >>
> >> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> >> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> >>
> >> For assistance, contact:
> >> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> >>
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
>
> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
>
> For assistance, contact:
> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
>
>
>