December 14, 2012

Note: This article is longer than the typical posts on this blog.  But, Vedanta is one of the most challenging topics in Hindu Dharma, and I feel the extra space is justified.

This posting answers two questions:

1. How can I realistically benefit from the knowledge of Vedanta?

Vedanta guides us to discover that our true Self is full, complete and lacks nothing. This is the state of jeevan mukti (liberation in this life; also termed moksha, or enlightenment). Once this discovery takes place there are two very real life-transforming benefits:

·        You are no longer dependent on satisfying your desires to be happy. In fact the desires automatically subside because you are already completely happy.  There’s nothing wrong in fulfilling your desires, but if those desires are not fulfilled, you are still full, complete, and lack nothing. Imagine the freedom you will enjoy with this feeling!

·        Pain from any illnesses or any emotional distress (sadness, etc.) from difficult situations is felt but the suffering is minimized because it is recognized that pain and sadness belong to the body-mind sense complex, not to your true Self (explained below). This is liberation (moksha)! A true hall mark of enlightenment.

2.      What Vedantic knowledge is that which leads to the state of jeevan mukti?

Vedanta uses various models of logical reasoning to remove our ignorance and wrong conclusions that “I am my body”, “I am my mind”, or “I am the doer-the decision maker”. It’s not within the scope of this short article to discuss those models. But, here is an example of the logic that is used: you cannot be what belongs to you.  When you say my body is tall or short, or my mind is sad or it’s going crazy today, you acknowledge that your body and mind belong to you.  How can you BE what belongs to you! Further, you cannot be the doer (your ego) either, because the sense of ego (doer-ship) comes and goes, as in the state of deep sleep or in a state of deep absorption. When you say, e.g., “I was lost in the music” that you were listening to, you cannot be the one who got lost! You were there; otherwise how would you know you were lost!

With proper guidance of a qualified teacher, you will be led to discover that who you are, is the consciousness that reveals to you what is taking place in your mind; your mind is all your thoughts, perceptions, and emotions known to you.  That consciousness is your true Self! This is what our rishis called atma.  Atma, is sat, chit, ananda swarupa, i.e., eternal consciousness, full and complete.

Now, your objection might be; “I will never reach that state of enlightenment!” Take heart: to the extent you realize the Vedantic truths, to that extent you will reduce your suffering!  So the benefits accrue soon after you pursue the goal of removing your ignorance. A very real noticeable change can takes place within a year under the guidance of a guru! The effort pays off nicely.