The two powers of Maya

Drik Drisya Viveka 4

Verse 13

Saktidvayam hi mayaya vikshepavrtirupakam ।

Vikshepasaktirlingadibrahmandantam jagat srijet ॥13॥  

Indeed, Maya has two powers; of the nature of projecting and of veiling.  The projecting power creates everything (world); beginning from the subtle body (the experiencer) to the total universe (the experienced).

Maya is the illusory power of Brahman, the Supreme. There are two aspects to Maya’s power. They are the veiling power and the projecting power.  At the time of creation, at the level of Iswara, Brahman with Maya manifest, only the projecting power operates and projects the entire universe.  There are two parts to what is projected by Maya – the subtle and the gross. The entire subtle body (mind, intellect, ego, prana, sense organs) comprises the ‘experiencer’ of creation.  The total gross universe comprises the ‘experienced’ in creation.

Verse 14

Srshtirnama brahmarupe sacchidanandavastuni ।

Abdhau phenadivat sarvanamarupaprasarana ॥ 14॥

The manifesting of all names and forms in Brahman, the entity that is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, like the foams etc. in the ocean is called creation

In this verse there is a shift from microcosm to macrocosm, individual to the whole universe i.e. from seer and seen to Brahman and universe. The universe is described as a manifestation of names and forms only.  This manifestation is due to the projecting power of Maya which is potential in Brahman from the causal standpoint.  Both names and forms are mere forms of thought only as can be understood by the analysis of names and forms experienced in dream, which are nothing but the projections of the mind.  Brahman is here defined as Existence-Consciousness-Bliss which is not Its attribute but Its inherent nature.  In this verse it is pointed out that the names and forms that make up the external world are related to Brahman, like the foams, waves and bubbles in the ocean to the ocean. Foams, waves, bubbles etc. are not separate from the ocean, because all these are made of the same stuff as water. But they are not identical with the ocean, because one can always make a distinction between the ocean and the foam etc.  From the causal standpoint, Brahman is both the material and efficient cause of the universe.  The origin of the universe is the unfolding of Brahman through Its inscrutable power, called Maya.  As the ocean appears in the form of foams, waves etc. so also Brahman appears in the form of the world of names and forms. 

Verse 15

Antardrikdrisyayorbhedaṃ bahisca brahmasargayoh ।

Avrnotyapara saktih sa samsarasya karanam ॥ 15॥

The distinctions between the Seer and the seen within, and between Brahman and Creation without, is veiled by the other power, the Veiling Power, which is the cause of Samsara.

After discussing the projecting power of Maya, Vikshepa Sakthi, in the previous two verses, the author takes up the study of the other power of Maya, Veiling power or Avarana Sakthi, in this verse. This is the very root of the spiritual delusion that besets mankind.  This verse addresses the basic identity crisis human beings experience by discussing what is veiled from what.  The veiling is described to take place at the same two levels as the projecting: i.e. microcosmic and macrocosmic; within and outside.  Due to the Viksepa Sakthi, the universe and I, the Jiva, have manifested.  The universe is a mixture of Brahman and nama-rupa.  Brahman is satyam and nama-rupa is mithya. So the universe is a mix of satyam plus mithya, In the same way Jiva is also a mix of satyam plus mithya as body and mind are mithya and Sakshi is satyam. But due to Avarana sakthi, the other power of maya,the distinction between sathyam part and mithya part is covered and Jiva, lacking the sathya-mithya viveka, mistakes mithya to be real due to Avarana Sakthi of Maya,  and leans on mithya world for security and experiences sorrow when unwanted things come and wanted things go. Not knowing mithya from satyaṃ is the cause of samsara and as a result one does not get permanent peace and happiness.

Verse 16

Sakshinah purato bhati lingam dehena samyutam ।

Chiticchayasamaveshat jivah syad vyavahaarikah ॥ 16॥

The subtle body (Lingam) which exists in close proximity to the Witness (Sakshi)

identifying itself with the gross body becomes the embodied empirical self, due to  the influence of reflection of Consciousness.

This verse explains Samsara as the cause of two mistakes, one at the internal subjective level and the other at the external objective level.  At the internal level one does not know that one’s Real Self is Sakshi and mistakenly feels insecure, identifying with body-mind complex.  At the external level one mistakenly believes that the world is Real and seeks support and security from impermanent people. possessions, power etc. and this mistake causes Samsara.  Jiva is called here “empirical embodied Self”. i.e. the empirical embodied Self, Jiva, is Athma (Sakshi) + Chidabasa (reflected Consciousness, called here as Chit chaya) +subtle body (lingam) +gross body.  Jiva with his real identity as imperishable Athma veiled by Avarana Sakthi of Maya imagines the perishable mithya body-mind complex as Self and seeking support and security from impermanent mithya world suffers Samsara

Verse 17

Asya jivatvam aropat sakshini api avabhasate ।

Avritau tu vinastayam bhede bhate'payati tat ॥ 17॥

The Jivahood of the Jiva, due to superimposition appears transferred onto the Witnessing Self also.  But when the veiling is destroyed (by knowledge), the difference (between Jiva and Self) is revealed and that (false notion) gets removed.

Because of the ignorance of the fact that one is the Sakshi and the body-mind complex is an object different from one, one identifies with the body-mind complex and thinks and behaves as though he is the body-mind complex.  This total identification leads to the status of a Samsari. The Saṃsara problem of the body-mind complex is wrongly superimposed on the Sakshi even though one as Sakshi does not have those problems. This is called dharma-adhyasa, transference of the properties of one object on to another object.  There is no solving the problem but only dissolving the problem by knowledge (Athma Vidya).  When the ignorant Jiva acquires Self-knowledge he gets over the veiling power of Maya.  When the veiling power of Maya is nullified, the identification with the mind and body is gone though the mind and body continues. With the identification gone, the transference of Samsara also goes away.

-----------------------

Transceding the Gunas

Gita essays 25 

Earlier in ch.2, Lord Krishna advised Arjuna to transcend the three gunas of satva, rajas and tamas in verse 45 with the words “Be free from the triad of three gunas”.   In ch, 14 where the Lord discusses the gunas in detail he again emphasises the point as it is impossible for a person to get liberation unless one transcends the three gunas as all the three gunas bind a person, only the nature of binding differs. And also these three gunas together make up Maya Sakthi, the other name for Prakrithi. Maya Sakthi has two constituents, one called avarana sakthi, the veiling power, and the other called vikshepa sakthi, the projecting power. The veiling power throws a veil over the real nature of one’s Self and in the state of ignorance of the real nature of one’s Self as Brahman, one takes the body-mind-complex as the real nature of one’s self.  The projecting power projects the external world as real.  These two beliefs, one about one’s self as body/mind/intellect and the other regarding the reality of the external world, create samsara, the cycle of pleasure and pain.  One who transcends the three gunas and is called Gunatheetha, overcomes the influence of the two powers with the result he realizes his true Self as Brahman, and sees the real nature of the external world as transactional reality only and not as absolute reality.  Thereby he gets liberated from the clutches of samsara, and becomes a Jeevanmuktha.  So Lord Krishna says in verse 20: “Having gone beyond these three guṇas which are the cause of rebirth, a person becomes free from birth, death, old age, and sorrow, and attains immortality.”  

Gunatheetha understands his real Self as Athma that has no birth or death, sorrow or old age (though the body that is made up of the three gunas may suffer these till the end of prarabhdha), and is in a state of peace and bliss always.  This remark evokes Arjuna’s curiosity and so he asks the Lord in verse 21: “What are the marks of him who has transcended the three gunas, O Lord? What is his conduct and how does he go beyond these three gunas?”, leading to Lord’s description of Gunatheetha in the remaining verses of this chapter.  Through his question, Arjuna has asked for:

1)    The indicators to recognize a Gunatheetha

2)    The conduct of Gunatheetha towards the outside world and others

3)    The sadhanas through which one can become Gunatheetha

In verse 14-22, Lord Krishna states the answer to the first question,  Gunatheetha hates not the effects of the three gunas, satva, rajas and tamas, namely prakasam, light; pravritti, activity and moham,delusion, when present in his body mind complex, nor does he long for them in their absence. Gunas and their effects will still be present for him even though he has transcended them, for two reasons. Gunathitha has transcended the gunas through Athmajnanam that his true self is only Athma which is beyond the three gunas. So there is only change of cognition and no physical change involved.  Secondly his body-mind-complex remains physically the same as the product of gunas; mind, intellect and organs of knowledge, of satva of subtle pancha bhutas; prana and organs of action, of rajas of subtle pancha bhuthas and gross physical body, of tamas of grossified pancha bhuthas; the pancha bhuthas being the five elements, space, air, fire, water and earth.  So Gunatheetha watches the play of gunas in the body-mind-complex, as one watches a play without identifying with the characters.  Equanimity in all circumstances and inner peace independent of all environments is his hallmark.

In verses 23,24 and 25 Lord gives the answer to the second question.  In verse 23, Lord Krishna, describes Gunatheetha’s attitude as one of total unconcern to the impact of events and relationships as he is aware that what is happening is only a play of gunas on gunas as even the physical world is also a product of tamas of grossified pancha bhuthas.  So pleasure, creation of satva, and pain, creation of rajas, arising out of interaction with the world, also do not disturb his stoic indifference as he remains unshaken in his knowledge that he, as Athma, is like the space in the pot, uncontaminated by the contents of the pot. In verses 24 and 25 Lord Krishna describes few other characteristics which are:  

1)    samadukhasukhaha, He treats alike pleasure and pain.

2)    swasthaha- He is steadfastly established in his true Self, Athma, unruffled by drafts of pleasure or pain.  As he knows his Athma is the same as the one undivided Brahman, which pervades all, living and inert, he has a vision of oneness of all and from this vision flows 3,4,5, 6 and 7.

3)    samaloshtasmakanchanah- He has no hunger for possessions.  He treats alike with the same indifference, a lump of gold as with a piece of stone or with a clod of earth. He knows the value of gold, but he also knows it cannot give security like the mud and the stone.

4)    tulyapriyapriyaha- Through this and next three descriptions, Lord Krishna explains the equanimity of a Gunatheetha. Here it is stated he is equal minded whether pleasant or unpleasant things happen to him. Any categorisation here or hereafter as pleasant/unpleasant, praise/abuse, honour/dishonour and friend/foe is only as per our judgement and not from his standpoint.

5)    tulyanindatmaamsthuthihi- He treats equally praise and abuse, not flattered by one or provoked by the other

6)    maanapamaanayoh tulyaha- Honour and dishonour is the same in his vision.

7)    tulyo mitrari pakshayoho- He is the same with all whether they regard him as friend or foe.

8)    Sarvarambaparityagi- He is one who has relinquished all undertakings for profit, fame or self-promotion.  Any undertaking that he starts due to the force of residual prarabhdha, that keeps him alive in the body, will be for universal good and social welfare and not out of ego-centric desires, as in the case of Swami Vivekananda who founded the Ramakrishna mission.

Lord Krishna answers the third question prescribing bhakti as the sadhana to achieve this goal of becoming Gunatheetha in verse 26: “He who worships Me through the yoga of ananya bhakthi becomes fit to attain the nature of Brahman by going beyond these guṇas.” And the nature of Brahman is immortality and absolute ananda, as Lord reiterates in the final verse 27.

----------------------------------

Sankara Bhagavatpada -2

Philosophy of Advaita

Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada is the principal, though not the first, exponent of the Advaita Vedanta, and he systematised the works of preceding philosophers. “The Advaita taught by Sri Sankara is a rigorous, absolute one” observes Swami Sivananda. Bhagavatpada was the exponent of the Kevala Advaita philosophy.  His teachings can be summed up in the following words: “Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya, Jeevo Brahmaiva Na Aparah” - Brahman alone is real, this world is unreal; the Jeeva is identical with Brahman. So a correct understanding of his usage of the terms, Brahman, Satyam, Jagat, Mithya and Jeeva is necessary for proper comprehension of his philosophy.  His philosophy is based on Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Brahma Sutras and so his Bhashyas of the Prasthana thrayi form the central texts in understanding his philosophy.

As per Bhagavatpada’s philosophy there are three orders of Satyam, reality, viz., Paramarthika Satyam (absolue reality), Vyavaharika Satyam (relative reality or transactional reality.) and Pratibhashika Satyam (reflective reality).  Absolute reality is the unchanging Reality that does not undergo any change in all three times; past, present and future and is always the same. This is the Pure Existence defined in Upanishads as Sat and that is Brahman. Vyavaharika Satyam is the transactional or empirical reality. This has experienceability, transactability and utility but has no absolute Reality and that is the Universe. Reality of day and night is an example of Vyavaharika Satyam.  Pratibhasika Satyam is apparent reality like the mirage water, seen as water but not available for use as water. Object/event experienced in dream is an example of Prathibasika Satyam.

Brahman, Paramathma, is Nirguna, without Gunas, Nirakara, formless, and Nirvisesha, without attributes, and impersonal and it is Sat, Chit, Ananda i.e. Existence, Knowledge, Bliss, in their absolute pure nature. Sat, Chit, Anandha constitute the intrinsic nature of Brahman and should not be treated as attributes.  Nirguna Brahman has the unmanifest power, Maya.  Bhagavatpada describes Maya in Vivekachudamani in verses 110 and 111 thus:

Maya is the power of the limitless Lord. It is anadhi (beginningless) avidya and is of the nature of three Gunas viz. Satva, Rajas, and Tamas and is superior to their effects (as their cause).  Its existence can be inferred from its effects only, by one who has subtle intellect.  It is the Maya through which the whole world is born.   (110)  

Maya cannot be described as either existent (Sat) or non-existent (asat) or as a combination of both; as either separate or non-separate from Brahman or as a combination of both; as either having parts or as partless or as a combination of both.  It is a great wonder and is anirvachaneeya (cannot be categorically described).   (111)

Brahman  with this inscrutable, undefinable power of Maya manifest is called Saguna Brahman or Iswara. Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman are not two Brahmans, one the antithesis of other. It is the same Brahman from two different points of view, one Paramarthika point and the other Vyavaharika point.  Nirguna Brahman with power of Maya manifest appears as Saguna Brahman, Iswara and Iswara is the personal God whom the devotees worship. So the question of superiority or inferiority does not arise between the two though one maybe called Para Brahman and the other apara Brahman to distinguish between impersonal and personal Supreme.

Mithya is not illusion, it is vyavaharika satyam. So Jagat, the Universe, a product of Maya, is not an illusion. As vyavaharika satyam it is available for experience, transactions and is useful but it is not absolutely Real, and it is only the unchanging Brahman that appears as the changing Universe through Maya. Maya through its two powers, avarana sakthi, veiling power and vikshepa sakthi, projecting power, veils the unchanging Brahman and projects the changing universe as adhyasa.  As the unchanging Brahman only appears as the changing universe through Maya the universe has no independent Reality and hence Mithya. 

Jeevathma, is the real Self of the individual, Jeeva, who is a combination of Self, Jeevathma, and non-Self, anathma. The entire body-mind-intellect complex is anathama and material and Jeevathma is the life force that lends sentiency to anathama through its manifestation in anathma.  Jeevathma is Pure Consciousness, Chaitanyam, and is not different from Brahman, Paramathma.  Maya as anadhi avidya masks Jeeva’s real nature as Brahman and projects anathma as its real nature. Under the influence of  avidya an individual Jeeva mistakes its real nature as anathma instead of as Jeevathma.  Avidya includes not only ignorance but also erroneous knowledge. So the individual Jeeva thinks it is finite, limited and separate from Paramathma and other Jeevas and suffers samsara. Moksha or Liberation is ending the influence of avidya through Jnanam and realising one’s essential nature as Brahman. When one acquires the knowledge of one’s true Self as Brahman and is firmly rooted in that knowledge, avidya ends and one attains Jeevanmukthi, liberation while living. The identity of Jeevathma with Paramathma, called JeevaBrahma Ikyam, is an important aspect of Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada’s philosophy. 

Another important aspect of the philosophy is adhyasa.  Adhyasa means superimposition or false attribution of properties of one thing on another. For example, when a rope is mistaken for a snake in dim light, there is adhyasa of snake on the rope. It produces the same effect on the seer as the real snake, the reaction of fear etc. This reaction of fear etc. lasts so long as no light is shone on the rope and when light is shone, its real nature is discovered and fear etc. goes.  In the case of Jeeva there is mutual adhyasa between anathma, body-mind complex, and Athma, so that the intrinsic nature of Existence and Consciousness are attributed to anathma and actions and experiences of anathma are attributed to Athma, which is really akartha and aboktha. So the empirical ego is mistaken for transcendental ego causing samsara.  With spiritual enlightenment, adhyasa ends and samsara goes. 

So in a nutshell, in Kevala Advaita, Athma is one only without a second.  Free of all upadhis and with Maya unmanifest, it is called Brahman. With universe as upadhi and Maya manifest, it is called Iswara.  With Maya active and adhyasa operating, it is called the efficient and material cause of the universe.  With Sareera Thriam as upadhi and with Maya as Avidya, it is called the Jeeva.  But only the upadhiless Athma, that is Brahman, is absolutely and unconditionally Real, all else either relatively Real or apparently Real, if not unreal. 

----------------