Adapted from talks by Pujya Swami Paramarthananda Saraswati (Chennai)
The Upanishads seek to reveal to
us the truth of one’s self. Truth of oneself is called as Brahman by the
Upanishads. The Upanishads define Brahman in two ways. One is the direct
defination, technically called svarupa lakshanam, and the other is an
indirect definition called as tathastha lakshanam. We will look at the indirect defination which is
Brahman is the cause of the creation – or jagat kaaranam Brahman.
Brahman is said to be the Cause
of the universe. Which means the universe is an effect. Thus Brahman and the
universe have a cause-effect relationship (kaarya-kaarana sambandha) even as gold and golden ornaments have a
cause-effect relationship. Many examples
can be given – like wood and wooden furniture, clay and earthenware.
There are many implications or
important corollaries which can be derived from this cause-effect relationship.
1.
The first one is the cause is one and the
effects are many. Like gold is one and the ornaments are many.
2.
The cause has a continuing existence, whereas
the effect has a temporary existence. The gold was there before the ornament
came into existence, the gold is present when the ornament is in existence and
the gold continues to exist even when after the ornament is melted. Whereas the
ornaments, being a product, have beginning and end and so they have only a
temporary existence. In the language of Vedanta, the cause is nityam
having trikaala avasthanam - an
existence in all the periods of time. And the effect is anityam.
3.
The cause has an independent existence, whereas
the effect has a dependent existence. Gold was there even before the ornaments
came into existence, and continue even after the ornaments are melted, whereas
the ornaments cannot exist independent of gold. In the case of furniture also
it is the same – the wooden furniture cannot exist independent of wood. So generalizing,
we can say that an effect cannot exist independent of the cause, whereas the
cause is independent of the effect. In Vedanta, that which is independently
existent is called as satyam. And that which has a dependent existence
is called as mithya. Satyam and mithya are technical terms
which are to be well understood.
When we examine
a golden bangle, we find that the weight of the bangle is the weight of the
gold. The colour of the bangle is the colour of gold. In fact there is no
separate substance called bangle. The bangle has no substantial existence of
its own. The substance, the vastu, is gold. ‘Bangle’ is only a name for
a particular form of gold. Gold alone is the substance. And you can say then
that ‘bangle’ is just non-substantial name and form.
Thus we find
that the effect has no existence of its own separate from the cause. There is
no such thing as the bangle existing apart from its cause.
Now applying these corollaries to Brahman we see that :-
1.
Brahman is eternal-nityam and universe is
transient-anityam
2.
Brahman is One –ekam and the universe is
manifold – anekam
3.
Brahman has independent existence – it is satyam
and the universe has a dependent existence – it is mithya. This means that the tangibility, the
substantiality of the universe belongs
to Brahman, the ultimate substance, the essence of the universe.
Scientists talk of intangible
energy being the ultimate substance of matter. Vedanta points out that the
ultimate substance is not even energy, the ultimate substance is BRAHMAN – the
consciousness.
So far it has been said that
BRAHMAN, or God, or Self is the cause for the world. In our experience, we find
that for any product there are two types of causes required. One is the
material cause – the raw material. The other is the designer, the creator, the
one who has the vision of what the product should be like and who also has the
knowledge and necessary resources to create the product. Thus for furniture you
need the raw material, the wood, as well as well as the carpenter. For ornament
you need gold and the gold-smith.
In Vedanta, the material cause is
called the upaadaana kaarana and
the intelligent cause is called the nimitta kaarana. So what is Brahman
– is it the material cause or the intelligent cause?
The Upanishads give a surprising
answer – that Brahman is both the material cause as well as the intelligent
cause – the abhinna-nimitta-upaadaana kaaranam. The upanishad gives an
example to help us assimilate this. It points out that in our experience itself
we find that the spider is both the intelligent as well as the material cause
of its web! The web is made of material that comes from a small gland in its
body! If an ordinary spider can be the abhinna-nimitta-upaadaana kaarana
why not Brahman?!!!!
In Mundaka Upanishad, a popular
example is given – just as sparks arise from a huge conflagaration which is one
fire only – from this thousands of
sparks arise, so too out of one Brahman millions of things and beings
arise, are sustained and resolve back. The Mundaka Upanishad then goes on to
elaborately and poetically reveal that all that here, the five elements, all
mountains, all rivers, all oceans, all forms of food, all grains and
vegetations, all forms of loiving beings like numerous flying, walking,
slithering beings – all are born of BRAHMAN. The Vedas are also born of
Brahman. Thus Brahman is karanam and the universe, the jagat is kaarya.
What is the purpose of discussing
the creation – the srshthi?
The Mundaka Upanishad reveals this in its
mantra :-
purusha eva idam vishvam karma
tapo brahma paraamrtam.
etad yo veda nihitam guhayaam
so’vidyagranthim vikirtti iha saumya.
The
world (consisting of) special karma revealed
by Veda,
religious disciplines and upaasanaa, and Veda,
is Brahman
alone. The one who knows this limitless,
timeless Brahman present in buddhi,
resolves the knot of ignorance here itself, Oh pleasing one!
As we saw earlier the cause alone
appear in the form of the varieties of effects – gold alone appears as all the
ornaments. The wood alone appears as different items of furniture. The thread
alone appears as cloth. One substance appears in many different forms. Forms
are many, functions are many, yet there is only one substance that is gold. In
fact there is no other substance. Ornament simply cannot exist apart from gold.
In fact where is the ornament as a separate substance? There is no ornament –
there is only gold.
Upanishad is saying this – that purusha
eva idam vishvam – Brahman is the Purusha who alone is this entire
universe. The world is nothing but Brahman manifesting itself with different
names for different forms and functions.
All that is here is the Purusha. Purusha is another name for the cause Brahman.
Knowing this one Truth Brahman, everything else is as well known.
What we have in front of us is
the world, which is an effect. What is our goal? To know the cause which is
Brahman.
Earlier we saw that the cause is EKAM
(one) and it is NITYAM – it has a continuing existence. Gold exists before the
birth of the ornament. It exists when the ornament is in existence. And gold
continues to exist even after the ornament is melted – thus gold has a
continuing existence in the past, present and the future. We also saw that the
cause (kaaranam) is independently existent, wheras the effect (kaaryam),
depends on the cause for its
existence – thus the kaaranam is the essence, the substance, the truth
of the kaaryam. Gold is behind every ornament. Wood is the truth, the satyam
of furniture.
Thus the kaaranam is in
and thru the kaaryam - meaning
the kaaranam pervades the kaaryam.
Thus Brahman, the cause, is characterised by being :-
·
ekam - one
·
nityam – eternal
·
svatantram - independently existent - satyam
·
sarvagatam - all-pervading – that which is the content
of all the effects
Now in creation we have to look
for that which will fulfill all these four conditions – we have to locate it.
The Upanishad itself helps us – it asks us that whenever you look at any object
how do you recognize the object? You will say for example :-
·
Here is a pillar
·
This is a fan
·
This is a mike
·
Here is a woman
·
There is a man
In all these cognitions what is
common?
Let us simplify further. Your
cogniton is of the nature that :-
Ø Pillar
is
Ø
Fan is
Ø Mike
is
Ø Woman
is
Ø Man is
What is common?
‘Is’ is common. So the
Upanishad points out that ‘isness’ , otherwise called as existence – in
Sanskrit which is sat or sattaa
is the only one which fulfills all these conditions. Because ‘isness’ is
everywhere – even between you and any other object the space ‘is’ – even
if you use the word ‘nothing’ – then ‘nothing is’.
Thus there is one all-prevading isness
– eka satta is there and not only it is ekam, it is all-pervading – sarvagatam also.
Not only sarvagatam it is
also eternal- indestructible. How?
Suppose there is a pot and you
say ‘pot is’. Now when you destroy the pot, what happens to the ‘isness’ in the
pot? Nothing happens to it – because now ‘pot pieces is’. Even if you
powder the pot pieces you will still have the ‘isness’ – now in the form of the
clay powder. Existence never dies. It ever is. ‘Isness’ simply cannot be
destroyed. The forms get destroyed. The isness ever remains – it is
indestructible – it is eternal.
Thus the four conditions of ekam,
nityam, svatantram and sarvagatam are satisfied in ‘isness’ or ‘existence’. The
‘isness’ does not depend on any name or form. If one name and form resolves,
existence remains. Existence or the ‘isness’ is independent. Thus according to
the Upanishads Brahman or Truth is ‘sat’ – The Chandogya Upanishad says
‘sat eva Soumya idam agre aasiit. ekam eva advitiyam’.
Thus pure existence is the nature
of Brahman. Pure existence is the very essence of the universe. Pure existence
does not have any form. If it had a form it would be limited, whereas existence
is everywhere so itself does not have any form.
Formless, intangible existence is
the content of the universe.
Modern science says that energy
is the essence of matter. Matter is nothing but energy condensed, which means
the essence of the universe is energy according to these scientists. Energy is
formless and intangible. If science can say that formless, intangible energy is
the essnce of matter, they why can’t Vedanta say that formless, intangible
existence is the essence of both matter and energy?
Formless intangible existence is
Brahman.
Continuation in the next blog
will look at how to ‘experience’ formless existence that is Brahman.
