Atmabodha of Sri Adi Shankaracharya is a beautiful treatise on the Knowledge of the Self (Atma-jnyan). It gives a clear-cut idea about the nature of the jivatman and paramatman and how the jiva forgets its true nature and suffers due to ignorance. When knowledge dawns, the jiva reverts to its pure and pristine state shredding off all the acquired qualities. However, the task of shredding the acquired qualities, imparted by nature (prakruti) is not very easy. It is possible only with divine intervention and with the help of an attained guru. satsang,svadhyaya, nidhidhyasana, japa, tapa, and yogabhyasa will greatly help in attaining to the knowledge of the Self.
The principles enunciated in the Text will be presented briefly in the following.
The Vedic doctrine of "tattvamasi" is the central theme of Atmabodha. Sri Shankara takes all possible means of explaining this principle to his devotees and the debate still goes on! The most beautiful method of instruction is called 'dashamanyaya', the Tenth. It is interesting to find here how the ten persons crossed the stream by a boat and started counting whether anybody is missing. While counting each one missed himself and started crying that one person is missing! Then a came a passer-by who asked them the reason for their wailing and found that nobody was missing and all the ten were present. Then he asked each person o count again and touch his chest and say, "I am the tenth". Thus the problem was solved and everybody was happy. This, it is stated that one should find what is missing in himself, not elsewhere!
The guru explains the Vedic doctrine of 'tattvamasi and exhorts his disciples to meditate.
"That what is beyond caste and creed, family and lineage, which is devoid of name and form,merit and demerit; That which transcends space,time and sense objects- That brahmn art thou! Meditate on this in thy mind"'
(to be contd.),
The Vedic doctrine of "tattvamasi" is the central theme of Atmabodha. Sri Shankara takes all possible means of explaining this principle to his devotees and the debate still goes on! The most beautiful method of instruction is called 'dashamanyaya', the Tenth. It is interesting to find here how the ten persons crossed the stream by a boat and started counting whether anybody is missing. While counting each one missed himself and started crying that one person is missing! Then a came a passer-by who asked them the reason for their wailing and found that nobody was missing and all the ten were present. Then he asked each person o count again and touch his chest and say, "I am the tenth". Thus the problem was solved and everybody was happy. This, it is stated that one should find what is missing in himself, not elsewhere!
The guru explains the Vedic doctrine of 'tattvamasi and exhorts his disciples to meditate.
"That what is beyond caste and creed, family and lineage, which is devoid of name and form,merit and demerit; That which transcends space,time and sense objects- That brahmn art thou! Meditate on this in thy mind"'
(to be contd.),
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