Tatvaviveka
Chapter 1 of main article Panchadasi (पंचदशी)
Tatvaviveka (Sanskrit तत्वविवेक, IAST; tatvaviveka) is the first chapter of the first quintads Viveka-panchaka (विवेक-पचंक, viveka-pacaṃka) of Vidyaranya Panchadasi dealing with the discrimination of knowledge of the ultimate Reality).[1][2][3]
| Author | Vidyaranya विद्यारन्य |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Language | Sanskrit |
| Series | Panchadasi |
| Subject | Indian Philosophy |
| Genre | Vedanta |
Contents
Adoration
Obeisance to the lotus feet of Guru Sri Sankarananda who is the remover of the fundamental ignorance about the discrimination of Truth (ब्रह्मन्, brahman) Reality from Unreality. This is only understood by those, whose hearts have been purified by service of the lotus feet of Guru.[2]
Theme
- What is Consciousness The Brahman (ब्रह्मन, brahmana)
- What is Self or the Atman (ātmana,आत्मन)
- Cosmology or Evolution of Universe
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Philosophy
1. What is Consciousness (ब्रह्मन, brahmana)
Brahman (ब्रह्मन्, brahman) is considered here (and in Indian Philosophy) as the transcendental, unitary, omniscient and omnipotent.
A. Transcendental nature of Brahman
a. During three states of awareness
Consciousness has been analysed as firstly, distinct from objects of perception; secondly,distinct from the three states; thirdly, infinite in nature.
1. During waking all senses hearing, touch, vision, taste, smell, and mind merely function as the transmitter of the object world.
2. During dream also the perceived object is transient yet not identical with knower.
3. In deep sleep the knower of the suspended senses and its object the ignorance is the Brahman.
b. During the temporal aspect of awareness
The Brahman (Consciousness, Knower) remain same across the time, months, year, and cycles of ages Yugas.
B. Brahman as Self-Conscious
This is another unique quality of Brahman that it is known by itself.
2. What is Atman (ātmana,आत्मन or the Self within Jiva)
The individual Self (ātmana,आत्मन) is of the nature of existence (sata सत), consciousness(chita चित) and bliss (ānanda आनन्द) as the supreme Brahman.
A. Brahman as the source of Bliss
Love for self and object world is due to unmanifested Brahman (Creator) within the creation. The bliss of Atman is known yet unknown is explained below.
B. The Dual character of Self (Atman, ātmana,आत्मन)
Example of indistinct voice of son in a chorus of Vedic chant explain how the large noise of the senses and the desires appears to drown the little voice of the Self within. Supreme blissful nature of the Self is indistinctly revealed and not revealed. If it is not revealed, no self love is possible. If it is revealed, object-love is not possible (attraction for worldly objects).
Duality of Atman is caused by a. āvarana (आवरन) the concealing the consciousness form our perception as in deep sleep and b. vikṣepa (विक्षेप) is feeling of body and sense as Self in wake state. This is the cause of delusion and bondage the cause of suffering [2] The cause of the delusion of Reality is due to avidyā (अविद्या, ignorance).
3. Cosmology
Prakriti (प्रकृति) and Brahman (ब्रह्मन)
Prakriti (प्रकृति, prakṛti, primordial substance) is that in which there is the reflection of Brahman (ब्रह्मन्, brahman) that is pure consciousness and bliss and is composed of sattva (सत्त्व), rajas (रजस्) and tamas (तमस्) in a state of homogeneity, which works in dual way.
When a predominance of cosmic sattva (सत्त्व), overwhelming rajas (रजस्) and tamas (तमस्), reflects the Universal Brahman (ब्रह्मन्) in itself, that reflected consciousness in the universal sattva(सत्त्व) is Ishvara (ईश्वर).
a. Maya (māyā माया) When the element of sattva (सत्त्व) is pure, prakṛti (प्रकृति) is known as māyā (माया). The universal sattva(सत्त्व) itself is called māyā (माया). The prakṛti (प्रकृति) operates cosmically and reflects the Universal (Brahman ब्रह्मन्) consciousness in it. Maya is under the control of Ishvara (ईश्वर).
b. Avidya (avidyā (अविद्या) is impure prakṛti, being mixed up with rajas (रजस्) and tamas (तमस्).
The jīva ( जीव), which is brahman (ब्रह्मन्) reflected in avidyā (अविद्या) is subjected to impure sattva. The jīva ( जीव) is of different grades due to (degrees of) admixture (of rajas (रजस्) and tamas (तमस्) with sattva (सत्त्व). The avidyā (अविद्या, nescience) is the causal body. The avidyā (अविद्या) controls the jīva ( जीव), but avidyā (अविद्या) is not under the control of the jīva ( जीव) or the individual, while īśvara (ईश्वर) controls māyā (माया). That is the difference between īśvara (ईश्वर) and jīva ( जीव), God and the individual.[2]
When the jīva (जीव) identifies himself with this causal body (ānandamaya kośa, आनन्दमय कोश) in deep sleep it is called prājña (प्राज्ञ). During the dream state is called taijasa (तैजस), and in the waking state is called viśva (विश्व).[2]
Evolution of sūkṣma (सूक्ष्म) śarīra (शरीर)
At the command of īśvara (ईश्वर) from the tamas (तमस्) part of prakṛti (प्रकृति) arose five subtle elements, ether, air, fire, water and earth in sequence.
From the sattva (सत्त्व) part of the five subtle elements of prakṛti (प्रकृति) arose in turn the five subtle sensory organs of hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell. A combination of them all (i.e. sattva (सत्त्व) portions of the five subtle elements) arose the organ of inner conception called antaḥkaraṇa (अन्तःकरण). Due to difference of function it is divided into two. manas (मनस्, mind) is that aspect whose function is doubting and buddhi (बुद्धि, intellect) is that whose functions are discrimination and determination.
From the rajas (रजस्) part of the five subtle elements of prakṛti (प्रकृति) arose in turn the organs of actions known as the organ of speech, the hands, the feet, and the organs of excretion and generation.[2][3]
From the combination of arajas (रजस्) part of the five subtle elements of prakṛti (प्रकृति) arose the vital air (प्राण). Which has five fold functions, Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana.
The five sensory organs, the five organs of action, the five vital airs, mind and intellect, all the seventeen together from the subtle body, which is called the sūkṣma (सूक्ष्म) śarīra (शरीर).
See also
References
Sources
Sanskrit
Panchadashi Sanskrit at nic.in
English
Commentary on the Panchadasi - Swami Krishnananda
The Philosophy of Panchadasi by Swami Krishnananda
Commentary on Panchadasi by Swami Paramarthananda
Panchadashi - Ramakrishna Mission
Hindi
Panchadasi by Vidyaranya Swami, with Hindi translation
Hindi Book Panchadasi.by.Vidyaranya.swami - Scribd
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