the Self realizes ...
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
namasté
The upaniṣads teach us, the Self realizes itSelf to itSelf. We find this reviewed in the kaṭha and muṇḍaka upaniṣads.
What are we suppose to do? Prepare¹. We prepare the soil just like the farmer does so a rich harvest can take place. We are that soil. Our actions are the seeds we drop in. The water is our behavior. Our meditations is our yajñya. The sprout that begins is one's more rested composure and point of view, more relaxed and insightful. The fertilizer we use is the knowledge from the śāstra-s and āgama-s.
But one must ask how is this even possible? This Self realizing itSelf ?
This Self or ātman , the Supreme or anuttara ( using śaivāgama words ) is filled with vimarśa-śakti. What is vimarśa ? It is defined as deliberation , examination. We know what śakti is, energy, vibration, liveliness. Let's take a closer look at vimarśa, as an important construct mainly in kaśmiri śaivism.
Vimarśa is composed of vi + mṛś . This mṛś is defined as to touch mentally , consider , reflect , deliberate. And vimṛś is to touch (mentally) , be sensible or aware of , perceive , consider , reflect on , deliberate about. Yet the beauty here is in this phoneme vi (वि) and stems back to dvi , meaning " in two parts " apart , asunder , in different directions , to and fro.
Here is the point to offer. The Supreme (aforementioned as anuttara or unsurpassable) is not only filled with light (prakāśa) or luminous consciousness it also exhibits vimarśa - the ability of its own Self-reflection, Self-awareness, my teacher called Self-referral.
This anuttara is aware of its own Being. We can appreciate then this notion of vi + mṛś as reflecting on its own Self , to and fro.
The Supreme is not stagnant, but lively in its own Self. This is why it can realize itSelf by itSelf because of its nature to be conscious of its own Being.
Why then is the Self/Supreme/anuttara not part of our daily experience? It goes as if unnoticed , yet no one could exist for a moment without It. What then do we need to do? This is the subject for the next post:
- śodhaka शोधक - purifier
- śodhana शोधन - the act of cleaning , purifying
- śodhya - शोध्य - the purified ( the native)
praṇām
references
Prepare - the bṛhadaraṇyaka upaniṣad gives us some advice as yajñavalkya-muni speaks to his wife:
O' maitreyi this Self is to be properly heard of; to be properly cogitated upon and to be realized in meditation. So, the wise say there are 3 things:
- śravaṇa - the act of hearing or 'that which is heard' = śruti iti śravaṇāt , " because it is so heard or revealed'
- manana - thinking , reflection , thought , intelligence , understanding
- nidīdhyāsana - or nidī + dhyāna + āsana = to shine down upon + meditation + seat or posture.
Hence the posture of meditation that brings one light and luster, luminance, brillance.- nidī to shine down upon , bestow anything by shining down
- dhyā na - meditation
- āsana - seat
Last edited by yajvan; 25 January 2012 at 12:36 PM.
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
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