tattvabodha (ādi śaṅkarācārya)

Meditation.

Having bowed down to the guru, the king of ascetics and lord of all, who bestows the knowledge of the Supreme,

this "Tattvabodha" (Knowledge of Reality) is expounded for the benefit of those who desire liberation. For those aspirants endowed with the four-fold qualifications, this is the means to liberation.

We shall explain the method of inquiry into the nature of Reality. What are the four-fold qualifications (Sadhana-Chatushtaya)?

What are the four-fold qualifications?

The discrimination between the Eternal and the non-eternal.

Dispassion (renunciation) toward the enjoyment of fruits of actions in this world and the next.

The possession of the six virtues beginning with tranquility (Shama).

And the intense longing for liberation (Mumukshutva). What is the discrimination between the Eternal and the non-eternal?

What is the discrimination between the Eternal and the non-eternal?

Brahman alone is the eternal Reality, and everything apart from It is non-eternal.

This is the discrimination between the eternal and the non-eternal. Now, what is dispassion?

What is dispassion?

It is the absence of desire for the enjoyments of this world and the heavenly realms. Now, what is the attainment of the qualifications starting with mental restraint?

What is the attainment of the qualifications beginning with mental restraint?

These are mental restraint, sense control, withdrawal of the senses, forbearance, faith, and concentration. What is mental restraint?

It is the mastery over the mind.

What is sense control?

It is the mastery over the external organs such as the eyes.

What is the withdrawal of the senses?

It is the performance of one’s own prescribed duties.

What is forbearance (titikṣā)?

It is the endurance of opposites such as heat and cold, pleasure and pain, and the like.

What is the nature of faith (śraddhā)?

Faith is the firm conviction in the words of the guru and the teachings of the Vedanta.

What is mental equilibrium (samādhāna)?

It is the one-pointedness of the mind.

What is the longing for liberation (mumukṣutvam)?

It is the intense desire for the attainment of liberation.

These are the fourfold requirements (sādhanacatuṣṭayam).

Such are the qualifications required for one who seeks the knowledge of the Truth (Tattvabodha). Now, what is the knowledge of the Truth?

What is the knowledge of the Truth?

It is the realization that the Atman (the Self) alone is real, and all that is other than the Self is unreal. What, then, is the Atman?

The Atman is that which is distinct from the gross, subtle, and causal bodies, and transcends the five sheaths.

It is the witness of the three states of consciousness—waking, dreaming, and deep sleep—and is of the nature of Existence, Consciousness, and Bliss.

That which exists as this witness is the Atman. Now, regarding the three bodies, what is the gross body?

What is the gross body?

It is the body formed by the five subtle elements that have undergone the process of quintuplication, and it is the result of one's past actions.

It is the physical vessel or abode through which one experiences joy, sorrow, and other worldly conditions.

It is subject to the six transformations: it exists, it is born, it grows, it matures, it decays, and it ultimately perishes.

This gross body is subject to the six modifications (birth, existence, growth, maturity, decay, and death). The three bodies include the subtle body.

What is the subtle body?

It is formed from the five great elements that have not undergone the process of quintuplication, and it is the result of past actions.

It is the instrument for experiencing pleasures, pains, and the like.

It consists of the five organs of perception, the five organs of action, and the five vital airs (pranas), and so on.

Also, the mind is one and the intellect is one.

Thus, that which exists composed of these seventeen aspects is the subtle body. The organs of perception are:

The ear, the skin, the eye, the tongue, and the nose; these are the five organs of perception.

The presiding deity of the ear is the direction.

The presiding deity of the skin is the wind.

The presiding deity of the sense of sight is the Sun.

The presiding deity of the sense of taste is Varuna.

The presiding deities of the sense of smell are the Ashvini Kumaras.

The object of the sense of hearing is the perception of sound.

The object of the sense of touch is the perception of contact.

The object of the sense of sight is the perception of form.

The object of the sense of taste is the perception of flavor.

The object of the sense of smell is the perception of odor. These are the five organs of action.

The organs of speech, hands, feet, the organ of excretion, and the organ of generation are the five organs of action.

The presiding deity of the organ of speech is Agni (the Fire god).

Indra is the presiding deity of the hands.

Vishnu is the presiding deity of the feet.

Mrityu (Death) is the presiding deity of the organ of excretion.

Prajapati is the presiding deity of the organ of generation.

The function of the organ of speech is speaking.

The function of the hands is grasping objects.

The function of the feet is movement.

The function of the organ of excretion is the evacuation of waste.

The function of the organ of generation is the experience of bliss. The Causal Body

What is the causal body?

The causal body is characterized by an indescribable, beginningless ignorance, serving solely as the cause of the two other bodies.

That which exists as the ignorance of one's true nature, which is non-dual and changeless, is the causal body. Now, the three states of consciousness.

What are the three states of consciousness?

They are the waking, dream, and deep sleep states. Regarding the waking state:

What is the waking state?

That state in which one perceives objects such as sound and form through the sense organs, such as the ear,

is the waking state.

The soul identifying with the gross body in this state is called Vishwa. Regarding the dream state:

What is the dream state?

Whatever has been seen or heard during the waking state,

That which appears as the world during the time of sleep, born of the impressions (vasanas) of the waking state, is...

the dream state.

The Atman that identifies with the subtle body is called Taijasa. Now, regarding the state of deep sleep:

What, then, is the state of deep sleep?

It is the experience defined by the thought, "I know nothing; I slept happily."

This is the state of deep sleep.

The Atman that identifies with the causal body is called Prajna. Now, regarding the five sheaths:

What are the five sheaths?

They are the food-sheath (Annamaya), the vital-sheath (Pranamaya), the mental-sheath (Manomaya), the intellectual-sheath (Vijnanamaya), and the bliss-sheath (Anandamaya). Now, regarding the food-sheath:

What is the food-sheath?

Born of the essence of food, growing by the essence of food, and ultimately merging into the earth which is of the nature of food.

That which dissolves into the earth is the Annamaya Kosha, the gross body. Now, the Pranamaya Kosha.

What is the Pranamaya Kosha?

The five vital airs (Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana, and Samana) combined with the five organs of action constitute the Pranamaya Kosha. Now, the Manomaya Kosha.

What is the Manomaya Kosha?

The mind combined with the five organs of perception constitutes the Manomaya Kosha. Now, the Vijnanamaya Kosha.

What is the Vijnanamaya Kosha?

The intellect combined with the five organs of perception constitutes the Vijnanamaya Kosha. Now, the Anandamaya Kosha.

What is the Anandamaya Kosha?

It is the impure Sattva guna, which is the ignorance (Avidya) that serves as the causal body.

The Bliss-Sheath (Anandamaya Kosha) is constituted by the modifications of the mind such as joy and the like.

These are the five sheaths. That which transcends the five sheaths is the Self.

"My body," "my vital breaths," and "my mind"—

"My intellect," "my ignorance"—all these are known by oneself.

Just as things known as "mine," such as a bracelet, an earring, or a house,

are separate from oneself, so too are the five sheaths and the rest separate from oneself.

That which is known as "mine" cannot be the Self.

Then, what is the Self?

It is of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss.

What is Existence?

That which exists in all three periods of time is called Truth (Sat).

What is Consciousness (Chit)?

It is of the nature of Knowledge.

What is Bliss (Ananda)?

It is of the nature of Happiness.

Thus, one should realize one's own Self as being of the nature of Truth, Consciousness, and Bliss.

Now, we shall describe the manner in which the twenty-four cosmic principles emerge.

Maya, which resides in Brahman and is composed of the three qualities—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—exists.

From that (Maya), Space (Akasha) was born.

From Space, Air (Vayu) was born.

From air, fire was produced.

From fire, water was produced.

From water, earth was produced. This concludes the elements born of the sattva guna.

From among these five elements:

From the sattva portion of ether, the organ of hearing was produced.

From the sattva portion of air, the organ of touch was produced.

From the sattva portion of fire, the organ of sight was produced.

From the sattva portion of water, the organ of taste was produced.

From the sattva portion of earth, the organ of smell was produced. Regarding the internal instrument:

From the collective sattva portions of these five elements:

The internal instruments consist of the mind (manas), the intellect (buddhi), the ego (ahamkara), and the memory/consciousness (chitta), which have all emerged from the elements.

The mind is characterized by the processes of thought, doubt, and deliberation.

The intellect is characterized by the faculty of determination and decision-making.

The ego is the principle that identifies itself as the 'doer' or the agent of action.

The consciousness (chitta) is the faculty responsible for contemplation and remembrance.

The presiding deity of the mind is the Moon.

The presiding deity of the intellect is Brahma.

The presiding deity of the ego is Rudra.

The presiding deity of the consciousness (chitta) is Vasudeva, and its governing quality is the mode of passion (rajoguna).

Among these five elements...

From the rajasic portion of Akasha (space), the organ of speech originated.

From the rajasic portion of Vayu (air), the organ of grasping (hands) originated.

From the rajasic portion of Agni (fire), the organ of locomotion (feet) originated.

From the rajasic portion of Jala (water), the organ of generation originated.

From the rajasic portion of Prithvi (earth), the organ of excretion originated.

From the collective rajasic portions of these elements, the five pranas (vital airs) originated.

From the tamasic portions of these five elements,

the five subtle elements become the five gross elements (panchikrita).

If one asks how the process of panchikarna (the mixing of elements) occurs:

It is the nature of the tamasic portions of these five great elements.

Divide each of the five elements into two equal parts.

Keep one half of each element aside, then divide the other half of each element into four equal parts.

One should then combine the four parts of each element with the other halves of the remaining elements.

This process is called 'panchikarana' (the quintuplication of elements).

From these quintuplicated five great elements, the gross body is formed.

Thus, the unity between the individual (pinda) and the cosmos (brahmanda) is established. Regarding the jiva (individual soul) and Ishvara (the Lord):

The reflection of Brahman, which identifies with the gross body, is called the jiva.

That very jiva, due to its inherent nature, perceives Ishvara as being separate from itself.

The Self, when conditioned by avidya (ignorance), is known as the jiva.

The Self, when conditioned by maya (the power of illusion), is known as Ishvara.

As long as the perception of a distinction between the individual soul (Jiva) and the Lord (Ishvara) persists due to the differences in their limiting adjuncts (upadhis),

for that long, the cycle of birth, death, and worldly existence does not cease.

For this reason, the idea of a distinction between the Jiva and Ishvara should not be accepted. "That Thou Art."

If one asks: How can there be an understanding of non-difference through the great statement "That Thou Art" between the Jiva, who is identified with the ego and possesses limited knowledge, and

Ishvara, who is devoid of ego and possesses all-knowingness, since they appear to be two?

Because they are characterized by mutually contradictory attributes.

If this is the objection, it is not so. The literal meaning of the word "Thou" (tvam) is the consciousness identifying with the gross and subtle bodies.

The implied meaning of the word "Thou" is the pure consciousness, free from all limiting adjuncts and attained in the state of deep meditative absorption (samadhi).

This is the implied meaning of the word "Thou."

Similarly, the literal meaning of the word "That" (tat) is Ishvara, who is characterized by attributes such as omniscience.

The true nature of the term "That" (Tat) refers to pure consciousness, which is devoid of all limiting adjuncts (upadhis).

Thus, there is no contradiction in the non-duality between the individual soul (Jiva) and the Lord (Ishvara) in terms of their essence as consciousness. The liberated-while-living (Jivanmukta)...

In this way, through the statements of the Vedanta and the instructions of the true teacher (Sadguru), in all...

beings, those for whom...

the realization of Brahman has arisen, they are known as the liberated-while-living. Now, who is a Jivanmukta?

Just as one has the firm conviction, "I am the body, I am a man, I am a Brahmana, I am a Shudra,"...

similarly, one who has the firm conviction, "I am not a Brahmana, nor a Shudra, nor a man,"...

but rather, "I am unattached, of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, the form of light, and the indweller of all,"...

and who has the firm conviction, "I am the form of the space of consciousness,"...

is the one who possesses direct, immediate knowledge and is liberated while living. Through the direct realization that "I am indeed Brahman," one is released from all bonds of action.

Actions.

If one asks, how many types of actions are there?

They are of three types, classified as Agami (future), Sanchita (accumulated), and Prarabdha (fructifying). Agami karma is:

The virtuous and sinful actions performed by the body of a realized soul after the dawn of Self-knowledge.

Whatever exists as such is called Agami. Sanchita karma is:

What is Sanchita karma?

That totality of past-acquired actions which serves as the seed for infinite millions of births,

And which remains stored—that is to be known as Sanchita. Prarabdha karma is:

If one asks, what is Prarabdha karma?

That karma which, having produced this present body, yields happiness, sorrow, and other experiences in this world.

That is Prarabdha (the karma that has already begun to bear fruit).

Prarabdha karma is destroyed only through experiencing its fruits; thus, the exhaustion of Prarabdha occurs solely through enjoyment or suffering. Once liberated from this karma:

Sanchita karma (accumulated past karma) is destroyed by the firm knowledge that "I am Brahman." Agami karma (future karma) is also destroyed by this knowledge; furthermore, regarding Agami karma:

Just as a water droplet on a lotus leaf does not cling to it, there is no attachment for the enlightened one. The enlightened person:

Moreover, toward those who praise, serve, and worship the enlightened one:

The merit (punya) of future actions performed by the enlightened one goes to them.

Toward those who revile, hate, or cause suffering to the enlightened one:

All the future karma performed by the enlightened one, which is considered undesirable or:

Sinful in nature, that karma goes to them.

Friends receive the merit of his actions, and enemies receive the demerit of his actions, while he remains established in the bliss of Brahman.

Thus, the knower of the Self, having transcended the cycle of worldly existence, attains the bliss of Brahman even while residing in this very world.

This is in accordance with the scriptural declaration: "The knower of the Self crosses beyond all sorrow."

Whether one discards the body in the holy city of Kashi or in the dwelling of an outcaste, it matters not.

At the very moment of attaining true knowledge, one becomes liberated, having shed all latent impressions and desires.