References from : Astavakra Samhita : Commentator Swami Nityaswarupananda ji, Advaita Ashram, Kolkata. Edition October 2010.
Meanings of Important words as quoted in Ch 1 : Shloka 1 :
1. Liberation : Freedom from ignorance, all bondage, and limitations – arising concomitant with knowledge, i.e. the complete destruction of all misery and the attainment of supper bliss.
2. Renunciation : Un-attachment to the pleasure and pain derived from worldly objects and even to the joyful life in heaven, which is also impermanent. This forms the most important of the four qualifications required of an aspirant for the attainment of self-knowledge –
The other three qualifications being :
(i) discrimination between the real and the unreal ;
(ii) acquisition of the six cardinal moral virtues :
(a) Sama : restraining the outgoing propensities of the mind ;
(b) Dama : restraining the external sense organs through which the mind attaches itself to sense objects ;
(c) Uparati : withdrawing the self ;
(d) Titiksa : Forbearance ;
(e) Samadhana : Self settledness ;
(f) Sraddha : Faith – the faith that is the grasp upon the ultimate, faith in the power of one’s own self.
(iii) Intense longing for liberation.
It may be noted that the Renunciation is defined as UNATTACHMENT. Both these terms must be understood in depth. Renunciation has nothing at all to do with giving up possessions, as usually understood. Even one with no possessions has not Renounced them if, mentally, he still identifies himself with them and therefore either desires them or rejects them.
3. Unattachment is not indifference : nor is it the suppression of natural feelings of pleasure or pain.
4. Attachment springs from the, concept of DUALITY, the idea that there are more entities than ONE. These entities are, on the one hand, the Individual Self, including the mind and the senses, and on the other hand, the WORLD………
He regards other individuals and all objects as separate and different from HIMSELF. As long as this identification persists, the individual’s relationship with the WORLD will be based upon this sense of difference. The individual is attracted to persons and things that he likes, and he is repelled by those he does not like. Pleasure and pain are rooted in attraction and repulsion. And attraction and repulsion are rooted in the conception of DUALITY….
Whatever is perceived by the mind and the senses is only a temporary appearance super imposed on the SELF.
Living in the world, we ordinarily are not aware of the SELF as the only reality. We take the super imposed form to be the reality. This state is described as IGNORANCE. Any relationship that we establish between ourselves and the world, except on the basis of the reality, of the self and the UNREALITY of the WORLD, is an act of IGNORANCE. Knowledge comes with the perception of the SELF…..
While ignorance persists, and attraction is rooted in the conception of DUALITY, we mistake the real content of our attraction for the objects of the world……
When objects are viewed as real in themselves, we identify ourselves with them and are thus attached to them. ATTACHMENT, then is false identification. While Attachment springs from Ignorance, UN- ATTACHMENT springs from Knowledge.
With Courtesy and Pranam to SWAMI Ji…..
Meanings of Important words as quoted in Ch 1 : Shloka 1 :
1. Liberation : Freedom from ignorance, all bondage, and limitations – arising concomitant with knowledge, i.e. the complete destruction of all misery and the attainment of supper bliss.
2. Renunciation : Un-attachment to the pleasure and pain derived from worldly objects and even to the joyful life in heaven, which is also impermanent. This forms the most important of the four qualifications required of an aspirant for the attainment of self-knowledge –
The other three qualifications being :
(i) discrimination between the real and the unreal ;
(ii) acquisition of the six cardinal moral virtues :
(a) Sama : restraining the outgoing propensities of the mind ;
(b) Dama : restraining the external sense organs through which the mind attaches itself to sense objects ;
(c) Uparati : withdrawing the self ;
(d) Titiksa : Forbearance ;
(e) Samadhana : Self settledness ;
(f) Sraddha : Faith – the faith that is the grasp upon the ultimate, faith in the power of one’s own self.
(iii) Intense longing for liberation.
It may be noted that the Renunciation is defined as UNATTACHMENT. Both these terms must be understood in depth. Renunciation has nothing at all to do with giving up possessions, as usually understood. Even one with no possessions has not Renounced them if, mentally, he still identifies himself with them and therefore either desires them or rejects them.
3. Unattachment is not indifference : nor is it the suppression of natural feelings of pleasure or pain.
4. Attachment springs from the, concept of DUALITY, the idea that there are more entities than ONE. These entities are, on the one hand, the Individual Self, including the mind and the senses, and on the other hand, the WORLD………
He regards other individuals and all objects as separate and different from HIMSELF. As long as this identification persists, the individual’s relationship with the WORLD will be based upon this sense of difference. The individual is attracted to persons and things that he likes, and he is repelled by those he does not like. Pleasure and pain are rooted in attraction and repulsion. And attraction and repulsion are rooted in the conception of DUALITY….
Whatever is perceived by the mind and the senses is only a temporary appearance super imposed on the SELF.
Living in the world, we ordinarily are not aware of the SELF as the only reality. We take the super imposed form to be the reality. This state is described as IGNORANCE. Any relationship that we establish between ourselves and the world, except on the basis of the reality, of the self and the UNREALITY of the WORLD, is an act of IGNORANCE. Knowledge comes with the perception of the SELF…..
While ignorance persists, and attraction is rooted in the conception of DUALITY, we mistake the real content of our attraction for the objects of the world……
When objects are viewed as real in themselves, we identify ourselves with them and are thus attached to them. ATTACHMENT, then is false identification. While Attachment springs from Ignorance, UN- ATTACHMENT springs from Knowledge.
With Courtesy and Pranam to SWAMI Ji…..
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