The Three “Jivas”

Drik Drisya Viveka 8 

Verse 32

Avacchinnascidabhasastritiyah svapnakalpitah ।

Vijneyastrividho jivastatraadyah paaramarthikah ॥ 32॥

There are three conceptions of Jiva (“I/aham”); enclosed Chit (Consciousness enclosed in body-mind-complex), Chidabasa (reflected Consciousness in mind), and dream-created.  Of the three the first one (Chit) is Paramarthika Jiva (Real Jiva).

In this verse, the author starts discussion about three Jivas within one individual himself. Every individual is a combination of three Jivas. They are Paramarthika-Jīva, vyavaharika-Jiva and pratibhasika-Jiva.  Of them the first one, Paramarthika-Jīva, is the name of the original Consciousness (Chit) obtaining in the individual. The other two, vyavaharika-Jiva and pratibhasika-Jiva can be called Chidabhasa 1 and Chidabhasa 2, as they are two types of reflected Consciousness.  Paramarthika-Jīva, the original Consciousness, is the Sathyam that exists independently and does not depend on the body and the mind.  Vyavaharika-Jiva is the very same original Consciousness which is reflected or manifested in the body-mind complex as Chidabhasa, and lends life or sentiency to the body, in the waking state. It is this consciousness which is available for transaction in the waking state, when the mind is active and transacts with the outside world, the vyavaharika prapancha created by Maya sakthi and this Chidabhasa is called here Chidabhasa 1.  In the dream-state, a fresh dream body-mind-sense complex is created by nidra-sakthi to experience the dream.  The projected mind obtaining in dream does not know that it is dreaming.  A Chidabhasa is formed in the dream mind also and that Chidabhasa obtaining in the pratibhasika body-mind complex projected by the waker’s mind is called pratibhasika – Jiva and called here as  Chidabhasa 2. This Jiva experiences the projected dream world in the dream.  As long as the projected pratibhasika body-mind is present, this jīva is available. When the person wakes up, the pratibhasika body-mind, and the corresponding Jiva and the dream universe are resolved into the waker.  Similarly when the vyavaharika mind is resolved in deep sleep, the vyavaharika - jīva and the vyavaharika universe are resolved. However, the Paramarthika-Jīva never resolves. That Paramarthika-Jīva is the Advaitam Brahman and it ever Is.  When a Jnani says, ‘I am Brahman’, he speaks as Paramarthika-Jīva.

Verse 33

Avacchedah kalpitah syadavacchedyam tu vastavam ।

Tasmin jivatvamaropadbrahmatvam tu svabhavatah ॥ 33॥

Limitation is illusory but that which appears to be limited is Real.  The Jivahood (of the Self) is due to the superimposition of the illusory attributes. But really it has the nature of Brahman.

This verse talks about the nature of Paramarthika-Jīva, the original Consciousness enclosed within the body. The enclosed Consciousness is seemingly limited by the body though it is really all-pervading. We can cite space as an example, for it is all-pervading and unlimited but appears limited as the pot-space when seen enclosed in a pot.  The space seems to be obtained in the pot but the truth is that the pot is in the indivisible space and the space is not in the pot. Similarly Consciousness is not in the body but there is one indivisible all-pervading Consciousness in which all the bodies exist. The body does not enclose or limit Consciousness. Consciousness is of a higher order of reality, Sathyam and the body is of a lower order of reality, mithya. The mithya body can never limit the Sathyam Consciousness and the limitation of consciousness is a seeming limitation only. But the very same Consciousness reflected in the mind has limitation. This reflected Consciousness which is called Chidabhasa has a limitation because the reflection can be located only within the reflecting medium.  Because of the proximity of the original Consciousness and the reflected Consciousness, we commit the mistake of falsely transferring the limitation of the reflected Consciousness to the original Consciousness.  Paramarthika-Jīva is given a limitation that it does not have and this limitation alone is called jivatvam or mortality. The jivatvam of the Chidabhasa is falsely super-imposed on the Paramarthika-Jīva.

Verse 34

Avacchinnasya jivasya purnena brahmanaikatam ।

Tattvamasyadivakhyani jagurnetarajivayoh ॥ 34॥

Such Vedic statements as "That Thou Art" etc. declare the identity of partless Brahman with enclosed Jiva and not with the other two Jivas.

Such Mahavakhyas like ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ reveal the oneness of the Paramarthika-Jīva with the infinite Brahman.  Since one cannot see one’s original Consciousness and all the instruments of knowledge are meant to see matter, the only instrument which can talk about one’s Self, the original Consciousness i.e. Brahman is Mahavakhya sastra pramanam.  One is normally not able to accept the sastraic teaching because when one uses the word ‘I’, one either takes oneself as vyavaharika-Jiva or the pratibhasika – Jiva.  Further that original Consciousness cannot be seen. However, the existence of the original Consciousness cannot be doubted just like the existence of the original face cannot be doubted even though it cannot be seen. After learning to look at the vakhya from the viewpoint of the Paramarthika-Jīva, the vakhya of oneness will sound true.  Moreover for the other two jīvas, this oneness with Brahman is not talked about by the sastra because it does not exist.

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