The subject of today’s discourse is “The Faculty of Knowledge”.
In the mechanical sphere, knowing, or the functional side of knowledge, occurs with the perception of special types of reflections and refractions, but in the psychic sphere, it occurs as a result of the subjectivization of objectivity or objectivities.
For example, if a particular type of vibration hits an object or plate it meets some resistance and may get reflected or refracted, as in the case of an echo; or a certain portion of the vibration may pass through the plate. In the mechanical stratum, knowledge, or the faculty of knowledge, is thus attained. But in the psychic stratum, knowledge involves the subjectivization of any external objectivity or objectivities. We take an external object inside ourselves, be it an elephant, a horse, a vocalized word, a touch, or anything else with which we come in contact in the outer world, and assimilate it in our psychic existential “I” feeling. This is the process of knowing – it is something related to the psychic sphere. So, knowledge has two aspects – first, the aspect of reflections and refractions, and secondly, the psychic aspect; that is, the process of attaining knowledge in the psychic sphere.
The word jiṋána (knowledge) is derived from the Sanskrit root verb jiṋá (to know). In very ancient Sanskrit, which is otherwise known as the Vedic language, this root verb jiṋá was not very popular. Perhaps you know – especially those of you who study philology, or deal with the science of phonetics and vocabulary – that a language in its infancy starts with a very limited vocabulary. Later, the more the community using this limited word-stock advances in different spheres of practical life, the more enriched the vocabulary becomes, but if that community lacks the will to advance, their vocabulary will not grow. The ancient Vedic language, which was originally spoken in central Russia by the Aryans, gradually developed as the Aryans moved from country to country, undergoing innumerable experiences and realizations as they went. The natural outcome was the enormous development of their vocabulary. In that ancient dialect, the root verb jiṋá was not in common use; another verb, vid, was used.
I have just said that as a community passes through various phases in different spheres of life, its collection of words simultaneously increases. The language of monkeys will serve as an example. It is a fact that monkeys have their own language. Among the different species of monkeys there are those who remain in the jungles and forests. As they hardly ever come in contact with human beings, they have little knowledge and few words in their stock, perhaps thirty to forty words. They do not need to create compound words; they manage well enough by uttering certain significant expressions using sounds such as kiun, kun, kin, kain. There is no necessity for them to formulate compound words by joining kiun and kun, for example, otherwise they would have done so, thus creating the compound word kiun-kun to give a new meaning. But there are a large number of words in the languages of those monkeys which live close to human habitation. They come in frequent contact with humans and are required to fight battles of wits (to escape death, for instance). Certain varieties of monkeys have, in fact, as many as seven hundred to eight hundred or even nine hundred words in their dialect. Of course, they do not have a codified dictionary. They acquired as many words as they needed to move in different domains. In the case of humans, very undeveloped communities such as the Zulus, the Pygmies and the Maoris have a very limited stock of words. On the other hand, there are certain languages which have enormous vocabularies of over 500,000 words, such as the Sanskrit, French, English and German languages. In Bengali there are about 125,000 words, and in Gujarati nearly 100,000. Other languages have less than 100,000 words in their vocabularies.
Invocation of the Supreme
Kośa means Ádhára or base.
Kośa means Ádhára or base. Are the Saptaloka (seven spheres) and paiṋcakośa (five sheaths) separate from the Átman (soul)? Is the relation between them that of the container and the contained? If we say; – Eko Brahma Dvitiiyanásti. (There is only one Brahma and no other), then of Ádhára and Ádhrta, which is Brahma and which is not? If either the container or the contained is considered as Brahma does that mean that the other is not Brahma? If it is argued that Saptaloka and Paiṋcakośa are the base of Brahma, then the existence of some other entity outside of Brahma has to be acknowledged. For instance, suppose there is a person in a house. The house and the person exist separately. The house is the container and the person is the contained. Hence, the house is separate from the person. In the Paiṋcakosá, Átman is the contained and the Kośa is the container. Clearly the container must be bigger than that which it contains. There is nothing bigger than Paramátman; hence it cannot have a container. Should we then consider that the Saptaloka and the Paiṋcakośa do not exist? Yes, for the Saptaloka is included in Brahma. Their aggregate is Brahma. The Jiiva is included in the Paiṋcakośa. There is a subtle difference between the Jiiva and Brahma. In the Jiiva there are two types of “I” feeling – one is its mind created by Máyá, and the other is [[its knowledge-filled state – the reflected expression of Paramátmá Himself – that is, its (the jiiva’s) jiivátmá.]] Jiivátman is the real “I” feeling of Jiiva or unit soul. Of the seven spheres, Brahma is unaffected only in the Satyaloka and in the remaining six Lokas, Brahma is affected by Máya. It can also be explained in this way, that the six Lokas are created within Brahma which itself pervades the expressed universe as imperishable Brahma. Brahma has no base. Excepting Satyaloka, the remaining six Lokas are created within Brahma, in the very midst of Brahma. Is it the case then that the light is different from its original source? The Saptalokas are its evolution – these are the manifestation of Brahma – the relationship is not that of the container and the contained. The difference between the Jiivátman and Paramátman exists only so long as there is the “I” feeling of the unit soul. (Jiivabháva).
What is the relationship between Jiivátmán and Paramátman? What is Jiiva (unit soul?) The base of the physical body is the Kośas. Here, the base is bigger than that which is based upon it. The KámamayaKośa is bigger than the AnnamayaKośa. Then the ManomayaKośa is bigger than the KámamayaKośa. The AtimánasKośa is bigger than even the ManomayaKośa. The VijiṋánamayaKośa is larger than this. The HirańmayaKośa is bigger than the VijiṋánmayaKośa and the biggest of all is the Satyaloka. All of these aspects are limited to the unit soul and all of them are its bases. Now, what is the relationship between the base and the based? The relationship is that of a subject and an object. For instance, the physical body is the object of enjoyment and the mind is the enjoyer. That is, our body is the object of enjoyment of our mind and the mind remains attached to it. The body is the base of the mind and the mind is intimately attached to its base.
The Three Factors for Spiritual Elevation
Prańipátena pariprashnena sevayá.
[By surrender, spiritual questioning, and servicefulness.]
Agragati [here, spiritual progress] depends on three factors – prańipáta, pariprashna and sevá.
Prańipáta means complete surrender to the Eternal Entity, Parama Puruśa. The mental attitude that “whatever is, is from Parama Puruśa and nothing is mine” is prańipáta. One who has ego, one who thinks that one’s intellect, wealth and other things are one’s own, is the greatest fool.
Sádhana - The goal of sádhaná [spiritual practice] is the all-round elevation of human beings.
Spiritual practices do not teach renunciation of the world, they teach only the proper utilization of the subtle and crude potentialities. Just as it is necessary to follow a suitable system in the social and economic spheres, in exactly the same manner it is necessary to advance scientifically with proper discipline in the physical and mental spheres.
To develop a healthy body and mind, the following items must be strictly followed:
(1) Yama Sádhaná and (2) Niyama Sádhaná.
Special instructions regarding the items of Yama and Niyama should be learned from an ácárya/á. In fact, the principles of Yama and Niyama perfectly illustrate how one should deal with the surrounding world.
Ananda Vanii May 2019
There is a shower, a heavy shower of compassion on each and everybody, but if during that shower you hold an umbrella over your head, you won’t be drenched. So is the fault that of the shower? Certainly not. The fault is with your hand and with your umbrella of vanity; and that is why you are not drenched by that compassion, by that krpaì. He is not at fault. Then what are you to do? You are to remove that umbrella of vanity from your head, and then and there you will be drenched, fully drenched, by His universal compassion. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti A .V. Part-2 Chapter-Guru krpa hi kevalam
Ananda Vanii January 2019
A person must stick to his ideals irrespective of whether he receives praise or abuse, whether wealth comes or wealth goes, whether he lives a thousand years or suffers death the next moment. Such a person is called “dhiira”. My direction to you is to be Dhiira. You must stick to your ideals in spite to everything. In this lies your spiritual growth. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti Ananda Vanii January 2019
Ananda Vanii January 2018
There should be only one prayer on the part of human beings – that their intellect might be guided along the right path. If the intellect is reformed, everything is attained. If the intellect goes astray, nothing is attained, even by attaining everything. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti Ananda Vanii January 2018
The Lily and the Moon
Train yourself in the ideal of the lily, which blossoms in the mud and has to keep itself engaged in struggle for existence day in and day out, parrying, bracing, and fighting the shocks of muddy water and storms and squalls and sundry other vicissitudes of fortune, and yet it does not forget the moon above. It keeps its love for the moon constantly alive. It seems, however, but a most ordinary flower. There is nothing extraordinary about it. Still this most ordinary little flower has a romantic tie with the great moon. Similarly, you may be an ordinary creature – you may have to pass your days in the ups and downs of your worldly existence – still do not forget that Supreme One. Keep all your desires inclined towards Him. Always keep yourselves merged in His thought. Go deep into the mood of that Infinite Love. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti Baba's Grace
What you love most in the world is Baba for you. For me, you little boys and girls are Baba. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti Baba's Grace
Life is a spiritual sádhaná, and the result is to be offered at the altar of the Almighty. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti Baba's Grace
You are never alone or helpless. The force that guides the stars, guides you too. Shrii Shrii Anandamurti Baba's Grace