Brief Summary
This video introduces a retreat focused on understanding the self through the lens of Advaita Vedanta. It emphasizes the importance of self-discovery to realize the ultimate truth: "I am Brahman." The session highlights the method of analyzing the seer (subject) and the seen (object) to differentiate our true nature from what we experience. The core teaching revolves around recognizing oneself as the witness (sakshi) of the mind and body, a state of pure consciousness unaffected by the changes and problems of the world.
- The retreat focuses on understanding the self through Advaita Vedanta.
- The primary method is analyzing the seer and the seen to understand our true nature.
- The key takeaway is recognizing oneself as the witness (sakshi) of the mind and body.
Introduction
The speaker welcomes the attendees to the retreat, emphasizing that the core teaching revolves around recognizing oneself as the witness (sakshi) of the mind and body, a state of pure consciousness unaffected by the changes and problems of the world. The speaker states that to understand "I am Brahman," one must first understand "Who am I?". This involves differentiating the true self from the body and mind complex.
Methods to Discover the Self
The speaker outlines several methods within Advaita Vedanta to discover and experience the true self. These include the Pancha Kosha Viveka (analysis of the five sheaths), Avastha Traya Viveka (analysis of the three states of consciousness: waking, dream, and deep sleep), and Drik Drisya Viveka (analysis of the seer and the seen). The retreat will focus on the Drik Drisya Viveka method, which involves inquiring into the nature of the seer (the experiencer) and the seen (the experienced).
About the Text
The text used for this retreat, also called Drik Drisya Viveka, was written approximately 700-800 years ago in Karnataka, India, during the Vijayanagar kingdom. The authorship is uncertain, with attributions to either Vidyaranya, the author of Panchadasi, or Bharati Tirtha, a contemporary or guru of Vidyaranya. The book contains 46 verses, with the first 31 forming the core teaching, which will be discussed in detail. The remaining 15 verses will be summarized. The speaker emphasizes that the first verse is the most important, containing a powerful statement about who we are and how to experience ourselves as Atma and pure Consciousness.
Approach to Understanding Advaita Vedanta
The speaker explains a three-stage approach to understanding Advaita Vedanta: first, being able to repeat what the text says; second, intellectually understanding the text; and third, experiencing or feeling the truth of the teachings. The goal is not just intellectual understanding but a felt sense of reality. The speaker also mentions that the retreat will cover Jnana Yoga (the path of knowledge), its relationship to devotion, meditation, and other spiritual practices like Karma Yoga.
Drik Drisya Viveka: Separating the Seer and the Seen
The speaker explains the title "Drik Drisya Viveka," which means the analysis or discernment of the seer (Drik) and the seen (Drisya). The purpose of separating the seer and the seen is to realize that we have confused the two, identifying with what we experience rather than our true self. The seer is who we really are, while the seen is what we experience. The goal is to stop taking the object as the subject and recognize the distinction between them.
Verse 1: Introduction and Explanation of Forms and Eyes
The speaker begins explaining the first verse, which starts with the simple concept of forms (rupa) seen by the eyes. The eyes are the seer, and the forms are the seen. The speaker introduces an operating principle: the seer and the seen must be different. The eyes can only see what is separate from them; they cannot see themselves. Additionally, the forms are many, while the eyes (as an organ) are one. The seer is relatively unchanging, while the seen is continuously changing.
Verse 1: Eyes and Mind
The speaker moves to the second stage, explaining that the mind is the seer of the eyes. We are aware of the conditions of our eyes (open, closed, seeing well, etc.). Therefore, the eyes become the seen, and the mind becomes the seer. The speaker reiterates that the seer and the seen are separate, the seer is one, and the seen are many, with the seer being relatively unchanging and the seen continuously changing.
Verse 1: Mind and Witness
The speaker explains that there is something within us that is aware of the mind, a witness. This witness understands the thoughts, emotions, and desires in the mind. Applying the same principles, the seer (witness) and the seen (mind) are separate. The witness remains the same while the mind changes. This means that "I," the true self, am the witness of the mind, not the mind itself. This separates us from the entire mind-body complex.
Problems and the Witness
The speaker explains that all problems are in the world, the body, or the mind, but not in the witness. In deep sleep, we have no problems because we are in a state of witnessing, separate from the body and mind. The speaker shares a story about a depressed man who went to a Swami. The Swami told him that if he feels his misery, he is the seer of his misery, and therefore cannot be miserable. The speaker emphasizes that we are the ever-peaceful witness, watching the arising of peace and disturbance in the mind, neither of which are truly ours.
The Witness and Change
The speaker emphasizes that all changes occur in the world, the body, or the mind, but not in the witness. When we say "I have changed," we mean either the body or the mind has changed. The speaker encourages distinguishing the subject from the mind, recognizing that we are the witness of the mind, not the mind itself.
The Nature of the Witness
The speaker addresses how we know the witness exists, explaining that the witness can never become the seen. The very fact that we are experiencing anything at all is proof that we are the witness. Every experience is proof that we are Consciousness. The speaker summarizes that the verse teaches us that the seer and the seen are different, and we must identify ourselves as the seer.
Meditation Technique: Verse 24
The speaker introduces a meditation technique from verse 24, where whatever thought comes up in the mind, one should be aware of oneself as the seer or witness of that thought. The speaker contrasts this with yoga, where one tries to hold onto a particular thought. In this technique, one is not interested in the content of the thought but uses it to become aware of the witness. The speaker guides a brief meditation, encouraging attendees to affirm, "I am the ever-detached witness."
Meditation Technique: Verse 25
The speaker briefly introduces a second meditation technique from verse 25, which involves using a set of words in the mind to affirm that the witness is unattached to anything. The speaker emphasizes that we are already unattached to the world, even to our greatest attachments. The speaker uses the example of a young mother who, despite her deep attachment to her newborn, completely forgets the baby when she goes to sleep.
Conclusion
The speaker concludes by reiterating that the main takeaway from the retreat is the concept of the witness. The speaker states that the session was intense, but future sessions will be more relaxed and interactive. The speaker encourages attendees to hold onto the idea of the witness, as that is what we truly are.
