Brief Summary
Alright, so this is basically an intro to the Mandukya Upanishad, which belongs to the Atharvana Veda. It's considered super important, like Rama told Hanuman, "Padh Mandukya, sab theek ho jayega!" It's short but packed with wisdom. We'll be studying it with Gaudapada's karikas and Shankaracharya's commentary. The goal is to understand Advaita better and maybe even get a little enlightened.
- The Mandukya Upanishad is super concentrated, like a "dhani longka" – small but powerful.
- It's all about realizing that our limited "I" is actually an undivided, infinite "I."
- The Upanishad uses the technique of the three states – waking, dreaming, and sleeping – to reveal the truth.
Peace Chant and Introduction to Mandukya Upanishad
The session starts with a peace chant from the Atharvana Veda, setting a serene vibe for studying the Upanishads. The Mandukya Upanishad belongs to the Atharvana Veda, one of the four ancient Hindu scriptures. This particular Veda has its own unique peace chants, which are traditionally recited before each class. The speaker mentions that the peace chant they just recited is associated with all the Upanishads of the Atharvana Veda, including the Mandukya, Mundaka, and Prashna Upanishads.
Importance and Uniqueness of Mandukya Upanishad
The Upanishads are numerous, with a story mentioning Rama listing 108 of them to Hanuman. Among these, the Mandukya Upanishad is highlighted as being sufficient for liberation. If that doesn't work, then the 10 main Upanishads, on which Shankaracharya wrote commentaries, should be studied. These 10 are Isha, Kena, Katha, Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Aitareya, Taittiriya, Chandogya, and Brihadaranyaka. Shankaracharya's commentaries on these form the basis of modern Advaita Vedanta. The Mandukya Upanishad is not only powerful but also the smallest, containing just 12 mantras. Its wisdom is highly concentrated, requiring some familiarity with Advaita to grasp.
The Lineage and Commentaries on Mandukya
The Upanishads are discoveries of rishis in super-conscious states, expressed in poetic Vedic Sanskrit. The Mandukya Upanishad is associated with Manduka Rishi, though details are scarce. These teachings were transmitted by a monastic tradition, with Gaudapada Acharya, Shankaracharya's guru's guru, commenting on the Upanishad. Gaudapada wrote 215 karikas (verses) on the 12 mantras, making it a tradition to study the Upanishad with these karikas. Shankaracharya then wrote a commentary (Bhashyam) on both the Upanishad and the karikas.
Structure of the Study: Upanishad, Karikas, and Bhashyam
The plan is to study the Mandukya Upanishad along with Gaudapada's karikas, referring to Shankaracharya's commentary for guidance but not going through it line by line. The karikas are organized into four chapters (prakaranas): Agama, Vaitatya, Advaita, and Alata Shanti. The first chapter, Agama, includes the Upanishad's 12 verses and some karikas. The other three chapters contain only karikas.
The Four Chapters (Prakaranas) Explained
The second chapter, Vaitatya Prakarana, focuses on the falsity of the world appearance using logic and experience, showing that the waking world is no more real than dreams. The third chapter aims to prove that Advaita (non-duality) is real, again using logic and experience. The fourth chapter, Alatashanti Prakarana, which translates to "quenching of the fire brand," addresses various viewpoints, demonstrating their inadequacy compared to the non-dualist perspective.
Core Teaching of Vedanta and the Mandukya's Approach
Vedanta teaches that our limited "I" is actually an undivided, infinite "I," and this limitation causes sorrow. The goal is to point out our own infinite nature, which already exists effortlessly. We suffer from ignorance about ourselves, not knowing our true, infinite nature. Vedanta gently points out this truth, hoping we will notice. The Mandukya Upanishad is concentrated, focusing on OM, and requires familiarity with Advaita.
Brahman, Atman, and the Mahavakyas
The essential teaching of Vedanta is that we are that infinite reality, existence, consciousness, bliss (Satchitananda), which is called Brahman. Brahman is also Atman, the Self, and Brahman is equal to Atman. This is expressed in the Mahavakyas (profound sentences) like "Tat Tvam Asi" (That Thou Art), "Aham Brahmasmi" (I am Brahman), "Prajnanam Brahma" (Consciousness is Brahman), and "Ayam Atma Brahma" (This Self is Brahman), which is found in the Mandukya Upanishad.
Inquiry into the Self and the Path of Knowledge
The infinite Satchidananda appears as this world, and Vedanta claims that the world is nothing other than Brahman appearing in this way. An inquiry into the Self is equivalent to an inquiry into Brahman and the entire universe. The Mandukya Upanishad is an inquiry into ourself, leading to the knowledge of ourselves as Brahman and the reality of the universe. This is the path of knowledge, involving Shravana (hearing), Manana (reflection), and Nididhyasana (meditation).
Upanishad: Meaning and Additional Remarks
The word "Upanishad" is derived from Upa (going near), Ni (clarity and conviction), and Sat (destroys ignorance, loosens suffering, takes you to Brahman). It's a path of knowledge, but other practices like meditation, devotion, good works, and moral life should not be neglected. There's a caution against skepticism and over-enthusiasm, as well as developing a superiority complex.
Four Preliminaries and Fourfold Qualifications
Any Vedanta text starts with four preliminaries: the qualified aspirant, the subject matter, the benefit, and the relation. The qualifications include viveka (discrimination between eternal and non-eternal), vairagya (dispassion), a set of six (shama, dama, titiksha, uparati, samadhana, shraddha), and mumukshutva (intense desire to be free).
Subject Matter, Benefit, and Relation
The subject matter is Brahmatmaikyam (I am Brahman), the benefit is the elimination of suffering and attainment of joy, and the relation is that the text (book) teaches us about our real self, which is the non-dual Brahman (Bodhya Bodhaka).
Two Kinds of Enquiry: Atma Vichara and Omkara Vichara
The Upanishad undertakes two kinds of enquiry: Atma vichara (enquiry into the Self) and Omkara vichara (enquiry into the mantra Om). The self-enquiry is based on the three states: waking, dreaming, and sleeping. The Om enquiry is introduced as a support and technique.
Three Approaches to Religion and the Uniqueness of Advaita
There are different approaches to religion: faith-based, experience-based (yogic), and Advaita. Advaita doesn't start with faith or look for extraordinary experiences. It uses common experiences like waking, dreaming, and sleeping to reveal the hidden secret. It's an open secret, hidden in plain sight.
Avasthatraya Vichara and the Importance of Waking State
The self-enquiry here takes up waking, dreaming, and sleeping, called Avasthatraya vichara. The waking experience is important because it enables us to study Vedanta. Waking and dreaming are superficial states, while deep sleep is a significant state for inquiry.
The Significance of Om and Its Connection to the Three States
Om is a holy mantra in Indian religions. The sound Om is produced from the opening of the mouth (A) to the closing of the lips (M), going through U. The correct pronunciation is Om, not Aum. The Upanishad says Om is all of this, the entire universe, past, present, and future, and that which transcends time.
First Mantra Explained: Om Ityetadaksharam
The first mantra, "Om Ityetadaksharam Idagam Sarvam," means this letter Om is indeed all this (the entire universe). All that existed in the past, exists now, and will exist in the future is Om. That which is beyond time is also Om. Om is the substratum of all names, and all sounds are manifestations of Om. All names are combinations of sounds, and these names correspond to different things in the universe.
Om as the Substratum of All Names and Forms
All sounds are generated from Om, and all names are combinations of sounds. These names correspond to different things in the universe. All the different things in the universe are just names and forms superimposed upon one existence, Brahman. Brahman alone appears as all of this, this universe. All names are appearances of Om, and all forms are appearances of Brahman.
Connecting Om to Waking, Dreaming, and Deep Sleep
Connect A to the waking world, U to dreaming, and M to deep sleep. The one consciousness that experiences these three states is the fourth, the Turiya. In the waking state, this consciousness becomes the waker; in the dream state, the dreamer; and in deep sleep, the sleeper. These are states of the mind, and the Turiya is the underlying consciousness.
Turiya: The Fourth State of Consciousness
The trick is that we think of ourselves as the waker, but the real you is hidden behind the waker as this fourth consciousness. The silence after Om expresses the fourth. The A expresses the waking, the U expresses the dreamer, the M expresses deep sleep, and the silence expresses the one reality. This silence underlies the A..U..M.
Meditation on Om and Concluding Remarks
The session ends with a short meditation on Om, connecting it to waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, and then to the silence beyond. Turiya is not a state but the reality itself, the basis of all experience. It's not separate from waking, dreaming, and deep sleep; rather, they are not separate from Turiya. The session concludes with a chant of Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi.
