The 'chit' Aspect of brahmn.

The ‘Chit’ Aspect- Consciousness  - prajnyanan brahmam

     One of the first unmanifest forms of ‘brahmn’-the ‘sat’, is the ‘chit’. The unmanifest ‘Supreme Being- ‘brahmn’, is known as ‘sat-chit-ananda’, meaning, ‘Existence’ (Truth/ Knowledge), ‘Consciousness’, and ‘Bliss’. The true nature (mula svarupa) of the entire universe is thus, ‘sacchidanada’ only. It is needless to say, this includes the human beings. Hence, we are basically ‘That’ in our soul, the Atman. The Atman has been variously described in the Upanishads as the Mind (manas), life-force (prana), consciousness (prajnya), Light (jyoti), Bird (pakshi), the Omniscient (all-knowing / ‘chit’), and ‘sat’ or ‘brahmn’. Nobody has ever seen this! But nobody can ever even breathe without ‘IT’! 

    It is ‘to know’ this unknowable, unseen, power (Shakti) that every jiva is working and looking for salvation. It is the embodiment of this supreme power that creates the numerous names of jivas, forms, and functions. Once, this is known, the cycle of bondage and the chain of births and deaths are shattered and the jiva is liberated once and for all! This is mukti or moksha, emancipation of the embodied soul.

   But, what is 'chit'? This 'chit' is a powerful forc that runs the universe and makes it possible to cognize. The jiva cannot even think of it without the help of 'chit' -Consciousness. But, nobody has ever defined what Consciousness is so far! It is not possible to define this since it is not something to be observed as an other and describe it. It is the very power (chit-shakti) that helps the jiva to know both itself as well as an other. Chit is a powerful force (Shakti) that takes different forms such as chiti (fire), chitta (mental power), chetasa (creative energy), chaitanya (prana shakti), prajnya (awareness), and the like. It is the very foundation of the universe. It is called Shiva.

   Consciousness can be aware of itself as well be aware of an other, the objective phenomenal world. When it aware of itself, it is called Shiva; when it is aware of the world, it is called Shakti. Shiva and Shakti are one and the same. However, it works inward or outward at any point of time, like the human beings who stay at home, go out for work, and come back. Consciousness plays different roles like a person who takes on himself different roles at home and outside.

   All that exists is Consciousness only. Hence it is called the brahmn- prajnyam brahmn |

Concept of 'brahmn'- Om tat sat |

     Om tat sat iti nirdesho brahmanastrividhah smrutah |

Meaning, “- Om, tat, and sat are the three attributes used to define ‘brahmn’, used here to eulogize the unqualified, attributeless, absolute brahmn. The first term ‘Om’ is by itself the beginning and the end! The sound ‘Om’ is the primordial sound that emanated from the vibration of ‘sat’ (existence) as ‘chit’ (consciousness). ‘Om’ consists within itself everything that later manifests as the phenomenal objective world. These are: pancha mahabhuta- akasha, vayu, agni, jal and pruthvi which emanate from the five tanmatras- the sparsha, Shabda, rupa, rasa and gandha; and, pancha indriya (five senses) are provided to the living beings (jivarashi) to experience these qualities. All the elements like Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, carbon, emanate from the radiant ‘Energy’ of the Sound!

   Hence, ‘Om’ is the first sound, a symbol, an insignia of ‘brahmn’. ‘Om’ is in fact not a word. It is the sound of a big bang, explosion- shukra sphota! This is the ‘pranava’, brahmn.

   The universe begins from the sound (Shabda), the vibration (nada).So we have Shabda brahmn and nada brahmn. From ‘Om’ emanates the ‘sat’ (existence) and from it comes the ‘chit’- the pure Consciousness (Shuddha Vidya).The entire universe is pervaded by these three attributes of ‘brahmn’.

   It is mandatory to use ‘Om’ before and after uttering a mantra. It binds the power of the mantra intact and makes it very effective. Finally, the term ’iti’ is used to indicate the end of the discussion. Om | tat sat iti || “That’s it!”

   ‘That’s It’ is the English transcription of a verse in the Bhagavad-Gita [Ch.17. verse 23]. ‘That’ is the word used for brahmn since there is no suitable word to express that which has no attributes, the brahmn. We cannot define brahmn When brahmn only exists and nothing else, what can be said of ‘It’ or ‘That’? If brahmn is the noun, both ‘It’ and ‘That’ stand for it as pronouns. So, “That’s It.”. Ultimately, brahmn is what is called the ‘Self’, the Atman, of all. So also the word ‘It’; It sums up the doctrine of brahmn enunciated in all the ancient scriptures such as the Agamas, the Veda, Upanishads, brahmasutras, the Bhagavad-Gita and the like. The verse reads:

  As already stated in the previous blogs, we use the terms ‘Om’ and ‘That’ (‘tat’) as an insignia, a sound and a word for want of any other suitable sound, syllable, word, or a sentence to define ‘brahmn’ The term ‘brahmn’ is by itself a term that stands for ‘nothing’. This state of nothingness is not vacuum, shunya, or absolute silence, but a ‘gap’ (sandhi),  a sort of dynamic silence, just like we take a breath every time before we start speaking. This is well defined as the state of ‘brahmn, a state of nothingness, at the time of ‘beginningless beginning’! Only ‘That’ (‘tat’) that we do not know and that which we can never ever know existed at a time when not even ‘Time’, ‘Space’, and ‘Causality’ had not yet begum! So the learned sages defined ‘brahmn’, the primordial Supreme Being- ‘tat sat’ as:

      tat brahmaa, tad Vishnu, tat sarvam, tat param padam ||

Also, they said sarvam khaluvidam brahmaa ||

The Universe as manifest brahmn 

   Everything is ‘brahmn’. sarvam khaluvidam brahmaa |  There is no separate existence for the universe- the stars, the planets, the satellites and the living creatures. Everything manifests from ‘the One’ only, ‘that brahmn’ There was no time when brahmn did not exist! The universe that manifests from brahmn to exists at all times. There will be interludes between successive appearances and disappearances of the universe. This is elaborated here.

    One fundamental principle is that ‘the universe exists at all times’; however, it is in suspended animation between two successive appearances and disappearances. These are credited to the sleeping state of brahmn after a day’s work. One day of brahmn is supposed to last 14 manvantaras, each one of 4.32 million years! The first one started with Vivasvan (Sun), as stated in the Bhagavad-Gita and the present one is the seventh, called the Vaivasvata manvantara. Each manvantara starts with a Sun (Star), seven Rishis, devi-devatas as elemental gods (air, fire, water, etc) and the elders (manes/pitrus). We are now living in the first quarter of the fourth Yuga called the Kali yuga that lasts for about 432 000 years. Three earlier ones- ‘dva para’ (the second earlier), ‘treta’ (the third) and the ‘kruta’ (satya) yugas are over. There will be a disastrous end to this ‘kali’ yuga, only to be heralded by the new ‘satya’ yuga where people will be highly knowledgeable, divine, and peace and prosperity spreads everywhere.  
   The Moon was born from his Purusha* mind; the Sun came into being from his eye; from his mouth came Indra and Agni, while from his breath the Wind was born. From his navel issued the Air; from his head unfurled the Sky, the Earth from his feet, from his ear the four directions. Thus have the worlds been organized. Seven were the sticks of the enclosure, thrice seven the fuel sticks were made, when the Gods, performing the sacrifice, bound the Man as the victim. [Rk Veda X, 90, 13-15]

The soul is born and unfolds in a body, with dreams and desires and the food of life. And then it is reborn in new bodies, in accordance with its former works. The quality of the soul determines its future body; earthy or airy, heavy or light.[Krishna Yajur Veda, Svetasvatara Upanishad, 5.11-12. upm, p. 94].

"THAT'S IT"- Om tat sat iti |

    It is proposed to discuss a few important concepts of Vedanta and compare with the findings of the latest scientific research here. It is not very surprising to those who have a good knowledge of science as well Vedanta to know that bot are same. However, what the great sages thought, visualized, and put in the form of short sutras, phrases, mantra or verses has been placed before us in the form of formulae, theories, postulations and hypothesis. But, one difference is there. What the scientists present today may undergo change tomorrow and nothing is certain. They hold 'Probability theory' most sacred and are ready to change. This is not the case with the Vedantins. Vedanta affirms that what the Veda says is final and irrevocable! Yes. What the Veda says is beyond any doubt. It is the vision one had in his transcendent meditative mode and it is an intuitional knowledge, a divine one, at that. No one can question it. In fact anybody can have that 'darshan', visualize the truth for oneself. Once a person has gained this vision and knowledge he will not turn to others. This is the Veda, true knowledge. 
  This is what they say at the end- Om tat sat iti |

Further,. . .

    Further, it is 'spirituality', not philosophy, that helps the jiva in living a very happy, joyful, peaceful life, especially, in old age. Philosophical discussions often end in confusion, generate ill will and strife due to the ego factor involved in it. Philosophy is just philo sophia, mere love of words and we find most of the university professors of philosophy are just that! In fact, Philosophy departments in Universities all over the world are on the verge of closing down for want of students. Spirituality? Yes. Philosophy? No.
 When we mean philosophy, it is not about the Bharatiya darshana shastra. Western philosophy is different from the Indian Philosophy in the sense that the latter has a different perspective, different concept of God, creation (srushti), sustenance (sthiti) and dissolution (laya), and merger (vilaya) altogether in a perspective different from that of the West. 
    We do not use the term God, instead, we deal with the Devi-devata, Vedic elements that are Shakti, Forces, like the sun, fire, water, air, earth, vegetation, etc truly in the scientific way the physicists deal with!* We do not think because we exist. Or, for that matter, we do exist to think, inquire into the reality of our existence. We think about how and why we exist. Also we think what next and where we go from here after death. Before that we try to know where we come from. Hitherto, what we thought was only about life as something "from dust unto dust". But, now we know it is a journey 'from stardust to stardust". 
 The whole life is a journey,     payana, adhvaryu (Rk Veda). It is just a flow of consciousness. This eternal flow of consciousness in all manifest forms is the world. There is no existence without consciousness. Hence, 'Chit' is conscious of itself (as Shiva) and "conscious of the other" (jagat). This is exemplified in all the six forms of Bharatiya darshana shastra- sankhya, yoga, nyaya, vaisheshika, purva mimamsa adn Vedanta (uttara mimamsa). We do not consider Western thoughts about creation, God, death, etc. here.
   This is also the reason why some of our great spiritualists like Yogananda, Maharishi Mahesha Yogi, Swami Vivekananda went to Western Countries to talk about the Indian spiritual heritage,
  Who are the spiritualists? Great scientists, poets (like Wordsworth, Keats, Tennyson, or Kalidasa and Purandhara Dasa and Kanaka Das), artists- musicians, painters, sculptors, etc are all spiritualists. In fact, all are spiritualists at birth, but take to some avocation by force of circumstances, but for which they would remain great spiritualists like Sage Ramana Maharshi or Sri Ramakrishna.  

  Spiritual development is a gift of the supreme Lord, 'anugraha', carryover of the past good actions purvapunya, and the blessings of the Guru and elders. In a way, this is due to discovering the inner strength and weaknesses of the embedded elemental jivatman. The jivatman, meaning, an Atma embedded in elemental body (panchabhuta shareera), realizes the fact that it is not the elemental body but the Atman, the core of its substance and the quality of the Atma has no attributes and it only reflects the nature of the the elements (bhuta) only! The moment the jiva realizes this, it stops judging other people and start showering unconditional love. This is the divine aspect that manifests from knowledge, jnyan, Atma sakshatkara. A wise person knows that all jivas have come here as the manifest forms of brahman, an attributeless one, only, and as such, have no attributes of its own. This knowledge of the self, by itself, brings immense peace, joy, and happiness to jivas.
   We have seen such great people in our midst. They are rich and famous, unassuming, kind and affable, exemplary! Such persons are evolved souls and spiritually attained ones in the strict sense of the term. One need not run to a forest to achieve this in ones life. A little bit of contemplation, meditation, will do the trick! Upanishads are full of stories that help the students understand this principle.
   But, then,why sadhana for spiritual development? It is by quirk of fate, destiny, that some take to spiritual sadhana. Most of the people are not interested in the spiritual aspects since their desire, dreams and ambitions, their karma klesha or prarabhda will not allow them to even think of this sacred path. Bhagavan Sri Krishna advises Arjuna "not to neglect the Atman". He also says, "There is no other way but to take the help of Atman only to attain Atman (Atma sakshatkara). Buddhi, manas, and Indriyas will not help in this regard.
* Today Scientists also speak the way we, as spiritualists, speak. See for instance:  

    Leading Scientist Says "Everything, Including Our World, Is An Illusion "

   The world that humans see around them is nothing more than a very convincing illusion, according to one of the world’s leading cognitive scientists. 

     Donald Hoffman, a scientist at the University of California, claims that people are being tricked into believing their own reality, and what they see around them is nothing more than a facade that enables humans to get through their daily lives without having to deal with the “hidden matrix” that lurks behind everything.

    Hoffman says that when you see something that you think is solid, such as a red tomato, you cannot be sure that when you close your eyes that it still exists. He says what you are actually seeing is entirely constructed inside your mind. The tomato doesn’t actually exist.

Dailymail.co.uk reports:

Galileo once wrote: ‘I think that tastes, odors, colors, and so on reside in consciousness.

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‘Hence if the living creature were removed, all these qualities would be annihilated.’

And Hoffman says, in some ways, he agrees with this statement.

‘Neuroscientists tell us that they are creating, in real time, all the shapes, objects, colours, and motions that we see,’ he said in a Ted Talk.

‘It feels like we’re just taking a snapshot of this room the way it is, but in fact, we’re constructing everything that we see.

‘We don’t construct the whole world at once. We construct what we need in the moment.’

Neuroscientists believe our perceptions of the world are an evolutionary trait that gave our ancestors the advantage when having to make quick decisions with little information.

[Posted on April 25, 2016 by Sean Adl-Tabatabai in Sci/Environment]. 

We acknowledge this with grateful thanks to the authors and publishers.

How does Spirituality help?

'Spirituality' is not religion, philosophy, not even morals and ethics. It has nothing to do with our mind, intellect, or ego. It transcends all. It is concerned with the 'Self', the Atman, rather than worldly objects, 'an other'. Spiritual journey is a very long inward journey. It involves gradual withdrawal of all the out-going tendencies of- the senses, the mind, the ego, and the intellectual pursuits, and finally turning them inward toward the Self, 'the Atman'. Hence, 'spirituality' concerns with the Atma, adhyatma. The Bhagavad-Gita clarifies these facts well and defines what is adhyatma, adhibhoutika and adhi daivika jnyan.
    How does this spiritual pursuit help the jiva? In what way will the withdrawal from sensuous life help the jiva? This is exactly the problem and the solution that we seek to understand here.

  The Upanishads are of diverse views on this subject and each school of thought and the teacher who follows it has explained this, and often, in a contradictory way. Sage Yajnyavalkya (while explaining this concept to his wife Maitreyi) is of the opinion that one should retreat to forest, take to renunciation. This withdrawal from the worldly life will bring eternal bliss, supreme happiness. All other happiness that one experiences is ephemeral, transient, limited by maya- time, space and causality. However, there are advocates who want that the jiva should not run away from life. Nothing can be achieved from escapism. Mundaka, mandukya, Chhandogya, Katha, Kena and Ishavasya give more details about sadhana. Brahmasutra is the best guide. But, what is the right path, the right path, 'sat-nyas'?
   This is explained in the sacred scriptures. Those who want real happiness, unbounded happiness, eternal happiness that does not depend on external objects or persons (nirupadhika ananda) should take heed from the leaves of scriptures. Let us see some of the scriptures about this.

   First, the agama shastra clarifies the true nature of the jivas, ie the embodied souls, elemental bodies, that depend on air, water, and food obtained from the soil for survival. These elements possess qualities and these qualities are transferred to jivas which depend them. The earth is gross (tamas) and the jiva becomes gross (tamas) eating the food from the gross earth (soil). Hence, it is not expected to be highly sattvik, divine and always dwell in 'sat', the truth,
  The  agama shastra defines the jiva as the one that has imbibed gross qualities. Hence, the jiva has to tell lie, cheat, run after things, that do not exist, and finally end in disillusion. This is a rule than exception. If an honest merchant goes on selling his products at the cost price, he will not be able to make profit. He has to make enough money to pay for transport, wastage, incidental expenses and earn enough for his family maintenance and keep some for the business to run. If he sells at cost price he will not get profit to survive, let alone carry on his trade any more! So also, nobody can sit quiet. People run after wealth (money), name, fame, power, and finally get disillusioned whether succeed or fail in their attempts. Even the wise Purushothama Sri Ramachandra, despite a learned one who studied under Vashishtha and Vishvamitra Rishis, went after a golden deer and we saw what happened to him in the epic Ramayana! So no human is an exception.This drives a sensible man to give up all worldly desires and be happy.

  Hence, it is realized that "giving up worldly desires brings immense happiness. So one should discard worldly pursuits, be happy with his lot, trust in the lord Almighty, be happy and contented. This is wisdom taught by the scriptures.

Second, the Veda and the Upanishads teach us to work for release from the eternal bondage, repeated births and deaths. They clearly state that the earth is made of elements that are subject to change constantly, and create changes moment to moment. So also, the embodied jivatman goes on changing from childhood, youth, finally ole age and death. So transcend time, space, and causality through yoga sadhana and be happy forever! Neither the atman is born nor will it die. Think who you are. You are not the body, not the fickle mind, not the buddhi (that is always perverted thinking of profit and pleasure!) , nor the ego and the person of limited existence in time. Think you are unborn, immortal and eternal- the jivajyoti, the LIGHT.  There is no other Light than the Self.

The scriptures say, "When the five (senses) cease to function (acknowledge/ cognize), together with the mind, and the intellect stirs not-that, they say, is the highest course." [Krishna Yajurveda, Maitra Upa., 6.30. uph, 443]

   "In the world of heaven there is no trace of fear. You, Death, are not there. There one dreads not old age. Thirst and hunger transcended and sorrow over-passed, a man rejoices in the world of heaven." [Krishna Yajurveda, Katha Upa., 1.12. ve, 639]

Old Age Problems- Some Solutions

    Old age is said to be a curse. It is full of misery, infirmity, sickness,and helplessness.Nobody, born on earth, can ever overcome these, unless they take the help of an attained person, a siddhi purusha.  Many old couple feel neglected by their family and some are left in the old age homes.Children cheat their parents by giving false promises, getting property papers  signed, and ultimately drive them out of home. Even if the sons are good, the same may not be true of the daughters-in-law. We have seen many instances where parents suffer, may be, due to their own follies. Nothing is certain since every case has a different story to reveal!
    This problem of old age is not restricted to only poor people; even the rich are not exempt from this. Money will not completely help this. At best one can afford to have some housemaids and other servants. But they, too, have their own problems. Nobody can fully take care of old people all the time for, their sufferings are not just of physical nature that can be taken care of, but of mental, emotional, and  sub-conscious nature. They feel neglected even when they are fully taken care of.   We tend to forget that children do not have time for their parents or elders for they are busy with their job, children, and have to earn for a livelihood. Their children's future is more important to them than that of the parents! Moreover, they too want to enjoy their life and may feel that the old parents are a nuisance. Even if the children inherit large property, they do not feel obliged to take care of the parents. In fact, property is the main cause for all the problems in the family. What is the remedy for this?

    Let us not forget the fact that Prince Gautama, with his young wife and child, went in search of an answer to these problems and finally became 'totally silent' (attained nirvana), became a Buddha). What did he realize? He must have realized the fact that 'these are problems associated with the earth and, as earthlings, we are bound to suffer'. May be, he realized the fact that  'none can overcome these problems' by just forgetting them' and take things as they come. Moreover, we do not know anything about him since he did not speak a word after his enlightenment What all wee read or hear is the opinion of his followers who did not reach his height of consciousness. Even the next attained person, Paramrtha Samudgatha, did not understand what the Buddha said! But, one thing is certain; "there is a solution, a possible or probable one, at that".

 The solutions to old age problems, may be take precautions like a Life Insurance Policy? Atleast the medical bills can be taken care of. But the best thing is to take to yoga? Yoga makes a person fit to live joyfully in old age. Satsang, spiritual studies and practices like mantra japa, chakra dhyana, engaging is divine thoughts will keep one healthy. 

   Yes. By taking recourse to yoga one can definitely overcome the problems of old age, sickness and death!

  The real meaning of ashtanga yoga is 'eight steps to reach samadhi'. The sadhaka should maintain a disciplined life and live a healthy life and, it provides a number of techniques regarding maintaining good health. First step is yama and niyama; second one is pratyahara (withdraw senses from their out-going tendency) and Ishvara pranidana (surrender to the supreme Lord). By the time one gets control over the first two, the person has already conquered the problems. By the time one comes to samadhi, he has already overcome the limitations of time, space, causality and thereby, death, too. These are age-old practices and great yogis have lived and shown us the way. If we indulge in sensuous life even after seventy, even God cannot help us.  

   Now, as regards the problems of old age and death, it is certain that nobody can overcome these. But, these are solved by jnyana, viveka, and vairagya on the one hand and yajnya (sacrifice), daana (social service) and tapas (renunciation and living in the service of God doing dhyana/meditation / mantra japa all the available time.

   The exact way these help us by diverting our mind from the immediate body sufferings and mental afflictions and engaging ourselves in the service of the downtrodden and meditation. This is what exactly a doctor does when we complain of severe pain; he does gives us a sedative or pain killer. The same effect of a sedative or pain killer is also done by meditation (med i tat i on, meaning, "i contemplate on 'tat'/ I 'brahmn'). This meditation is a panacea to all human problems. 

   We will consider the various aspects of spiritual practices attaining and dwelling in 'brahmn' next.

By now....

    By now, more than 300 blogs are posted here and almost ten thousand views have been reported, some casually, and some more serious viewers. This may interest those who have reached some state in lfe where this knowledge is of solace. Actually, this knowledge is a panacea for all the troubled souls and the satiated ones, alike. The more one is interested in these thoughts, the more it is certain that the jiva is mature enough. This guidance is forthcoming, as if, a divine order working on the jiva!

The best way to use these blogs is to contemplate on each and every idea and refer it to one's soul rather than to its buddhi. These divine thoughts are more appealing to the soul of the jiva, jivatman. The jivatman already knows and, hence, it comes as a 'self-referral' consciousness. This is the ultimate knowledge! When the jiva knows 'who he/she is', he reverts to his/her pure state  Hence this knowledge comes as a reminder (pratyabhijnya), remembering what one has forgotten.

   There is a scripture by the Title "pratyabhijnya hridayam". It  leads us to attainment of the Self. An attained soul is one that is not bothered about the happenings at the sensuous level  and will not indulge in worldly affairs since it has discovered the reality, 'the truth' about its true nature.

   Hope these blogs will redeem the souls bogged down in the earthly mire. The jiva suffers due its ignorance of its true nature and knows not how to get rid of the shackles of maya- the limitations of time, space and causality. Everyone can transcend time, space and causality by realization of the self. This takes us to the path of yoga (transcendental meditation) that leads to the state of 'sama prajnya samadhi'. 

   We will present some selected verses from the scripture in the next few blogs.