yajvan
12 August 2007, 03:53 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaskar,
The wisdom of Socrates - Gnothi Seauton - Know thy SELF.
What wisdom is this? To know what you like and don't like? Your strengths and weaknesses - how far one can jump? Is it this knowledge the wise are asking us to pursue. Does one think then it is the knowledge of nama-rupa or name and form?
There is always a discussion of higher knowledge (para vidya) and that of the phenomenal world or nama-rupa and called apara vidya. I am of the belief Gnothi Seauton is that of para vidya, or Brahma vidya, higher knowledge.
If we look to the Mundaka Upanishad, Saunaka, the great house holder (maha-salah) goes to the rishi Angiras and asks, O Bhagavan, what is that which being known all else is known?
Through his discussion with Angiras muni, he describes this para and apara vidya, hence the Upanishad unfolds. Angiras muni informs this Brahman is ajah, unborn, He is apranah without prana, and without mind or amanah.
Yet from Him, Brahman all things come forth, kham (akasha)visasya (of all) dharini ( the support); That is akasha, the space for all things to exist in, comes from Brahman.
And we come from this source too -This is the Truth ( as the sutra starts) - as sparks from a fire jiva's are issued forth by the thousands. And this universe proceeds from Him and the source of all beings.
So how can we get from this Brahman to know thy Self and from this know all? We know Brahamn is the source of all, and is para vidya. In this Upanishad it directs the aspirant ( sisya)to be instructed in para-vidya by a guru through which this immortal Purusha becomes known. And the sutra says This Purusha alone is the all of this universe… He who knows this hidden in the cave of the heart breaks the knot of ignorance (some say this final knot is the ego) even here on earth. That is, this Purusha, this Brahman is no further then oneself. What is implied that liberation is possible here, while in the body.
This is the foundation for understanding we needn't go outside of ourselves to look for this Bhuma , Fullness. Yet lets click down one more level - to that of the Mandukaopanishad. This rounds out the discussion nicely. Valli 1.2 says All this is verily Brahman.
So the logic or progression may look like this:
The Atman or the Supreme Self, is Brahman;
If I know my SELF (Atman) I know Brahman;
If I know Brahman I know the source of all ,creation, of the tattvas, etc.
The real Me then, really resides in SELF=Atman=Brahman= Bhuma = Fullness.So to know thy SELF is a personal way of saying know Brahman. And by doing so, I know "that which being known, all else is known" - and fulfills the conversation of Saunaka's quest.
This is one of the mahavakayas, great sayings, as they have 4 feet (chatuspad) . And this Upanishad brings us one of them - Ayam Atma Brahma.
References - Mundaka Upanishad - 1.1.6,1.1.7, 2.1.1-2.1.3 , 2.2.10
Manduka Upanishad 1.2, 1.7
pranams,
~~~~~
Namaskar,
The wisdom of Socrates - Gnothi Seauton - Know thy SELF.
What wisdom is this? To know what you like and don't like? Your strengths and weaknesses - how far one can jump? Is it this knowledge the wise are asking us to pursue. Does one think then it is the knowledge of nama-rupa or name and form?
There is always a discussion of higher knowledge (para vidya) and that of the phenomenal world or nama-rupa and called apara vidya. I am of the belief Gnothi Seauton is that of para vidya, or Brahma vidya, higher knowledge.
If we look to the Mundaka Upanishad, Saunaka, the great house holder (maha-salah) goes to the rishi Angiras and asks, O Bhagavan, what is that which being known all else is known?
Through his discussion with Angiras muni, he describes this para and apara vidya, hence the Upanishad unfolds. Angiras muni informs this Brahman is ajah, unborn, He is apranah without prana, and without mind or amanah.
Yet from Him, Brahman all things come forth, kham (akasha)visasya (of all) dharini ( the support); That is akasha, the space for all things to exist in, comes from Brahman.
And we come from this source too -This is the Truth ( as the sutra starts) - as sparks from a fire jiva's are issued forth by the thousands. And this universe proceeds from Him and the source of all beings.
So how can we get from this Brahman to know thy Self and from this know all? We know Brahamn is the source of all, and is para vidya. In this Upanishad it directs the aspirant ( sisya)to be instructed in para-vidya by a guru through which this immortal Purusha becomes known. And the sutra says This Purusha alone is the all of this universe… He who knows this hidden in the cave of the heart breaks the knot of ignorance (some say this final knot is the ego) even here on earth. That is, this Purusha, this Brahman is no further then oneself. What is implied that liberation is possible here, while in the body.
This is the foundation for understanding we needn't go outside of ourselves to look for this Bhuma , Fullness. Yet lets click down one more level - to that of the Mandukaopanishad. This rounds out the discussion nicely. Valli 1.2 says All this is verily Brahman.
So the logic or progression may look like this:
The Atman or the Supreme Self, is Brahman;
If I know my SELF (Atman) I know Brahman;
If I know Brahman I know the source of all ,creation, of the tattvas, etc.
The real Me then, really resides in SELF=Atman=Brahman= Bhuma = Fullness.So to know thy SELF is a personal way of saying know Brahman. And by doing so, I know "that which being known, all else is known" - and fulfills the conversation of Saunaka's quest.
This is one of the mahavakayas, great sayings, as they have 4 feet (chatuspad) . And this Upanishad brings us one of them - Ayam Atma Brahma.
References - Mundaka Upanishad - 1.1.6,1.1.7, 2.1.1-2.1.3 , 2.2.10
Manduka Upanishad 1.2, 1.7
pranams,