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骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 after giving insight into the nature of the Self through the analysis of the three states of experience (补惫补蝉迟丑腻迟谤补测补惫颈肠腻谤补), also provides a means to assimilate the same truth through contemplation using the syllable aum. The 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 in mantra 8 makes the statement that the Self is to be equated with the syllable aum, and that the letters constituting this syllable, 鈥榓鈥�, 鈥榰鈥�, and 鈥榤鈥�, are to be equated with the quarters of the Self.^[1] The four letters (尘腻迟谤腻蝉) of aum correspond to the four quarters (辫腻诲补蝉) of the Self. The three audible/spoken letters (尘腻迟谤腻蝉) are a, u, m and they arise from the fourth which is unspoken/non-sound called (non-letter). In writing, 补尘腻迟谤补 is represented by the point (bindu) of the 补苍耻蝉惫腻谤补. The principle of the meditation on aum prescribed by the 腻驳补尘补 or scripture is to equate the letters (尘腻迟谤腻蝉) of aum with the quarters (辫腻诲补蝉) of the Self. 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 calls the knowledge or equation 尘腻迟谤腻蝉a峁僷ratipatti (i.e., knowing the 尘腻迟谤腻蝉 to be identical with the 辫腻诲补蝉 and 补耻尘办腻谤补蝉测补辫腻诲补艣辞惫颈诲测腻 (knowledge of the letters/ 尘腻迟谤腻蝉 of aum as the 辫腻诲补蝉 of the Self).^[2]

The 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 and the relevant 办腻谤颈办腻蝉 give reasons for relating the particular letter of aumkara with the particular quarter of the Self.

It is thus stated by 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 and endorsed by 艢补峁卥补谤补 in his commentary:

(1) The letter 鈥榓鈥� (补办腻谤补) represents the first 鈥榪uarter鈥� of the Self, i.e. 痴补颈艣惫腻苍补谤补 (痴颈艣惫补), whose sphere is the wakeful state. These two are to be regarded as identical because of the common quality of being the first (腻诲颈) as well as that of pervading (apti)^[3]. 鈥楢鈥� is the first letter of the alphabet and 痴补颈蝉惫腻苍补谤补 is the first of the three deities viz., 痴补颈艣惫腻苍补谤补, 贬颈谤补峁噛补驳补谤产丑补 and 莫艣惫补谤补.

Because of this similarity between 痴补颈艣惫腻苍补谤补 and 鈥榓鈥�, they are to be treated as representing one block. Again, just as 鈥榓鈥� (as a vowel) is pervasive in all speech, 痴颈艣惫补 the enjoyer of the wakeful state, is pervasive of the entire wakeful universe. 鈥楢鈥�, the 痴别诲腻蝉 declare, is verily all speech (Aitareya 膧谤补峁噛补办补 2.3.6)^[4]. So 补办腻谤补 pervades entire spoken language/speech. Likewise the 艢谤耻迟颈 declares about the 痴补颈艣惫腻苍补谤补 that pervades the entire universe. 鈥極f this 腻迟尘补苍, of 痴补颈艣惫腻苍补谤补, the head verily is heaven鈥�.鈥� (Ch膩ndogya 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 5.18.2)^[5]. The 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 (惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 9) declares as 辫丑补濒补艣谤耻迟颈 (result) that: He who knows that 痴补颈艣惫腻苍补谤补 and 鈥榓鈥� as one, obtains all desires and becomes the first among the great/wise people.

(2) The letter (尘腻迟谤腻) 鈥�耻办腻谤补鈥� signifies the second 鈥榪uarter鈥� of the Self, i.e., Taijasa, the enjoyer of dream. In this the common qualities are exaltation (耻迟办补谤峁�a) and intermediateness (ubhayatva). The exaltation of 耻办腻谤补 is due to its being subsequent to 补办腻谤补. Similarly, Taijasa is exalted over 痴颈艣惫补 because its realm is the subtle world. Hence, it is regarded as superior to 痴颈艣惫补. The other point of similarity is that 耻办腻谤补 occupies an intermediate position; it occurs between 补办腻谤补 and m补办腻谤补 in the word aum. Likewise Taijasa occupies an intermediate position between 痴颈艣惫补 and 笔谤腻箩帽补, namely the wakeful and the deep sleep^[6].

The 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 glorifies the identification of Taijasa with 耻办腻谤补. He who knows the identity of Taijasa with 耻办腻谤补 exalts or increases the continuity of the highest knowledge and is treated equally both by friends and enemies. Again, in the family of him who knows this, no one is born who does not know Brahman.

(3) The letter 鈥榤鈥� (m补办腻谤补) signifies the third 鈥榪uarter of the Self, i.e. 笔谤腻箩帽补, whose sphere is sleep. According to the M膩nd奴kya 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 笔谤腻箩帽补 is 鈥榤鈥�, because it is, 鈥�miti鈥�, which means 鈥榤easuring鈥�. 笔谤腻箩帽补 measures as it were 痴颈艣惫补 and Taijasa at the time of creation and dissolution when they emerge out of it and merge back into it. It measures them as the vessel prastha measures barley. The same is the case with 鈥榤鈥�. When the articulation of aum terminates in 鈥榤鈥�, 补办腻谤补 and 耻办腻谤补, resolve back into m补办腻谤补. When aum is chanted repeatedly the 鈥榓鈥� and 鈥榰鈥� emerge out of 鈥榤鈥�. Hence 鈥榤鈥� is said to be the measure of the other two letters, 鈥榓鈥� and 鈥榰鈥�.

笔谤腻箩帽补 and m补办腻谤补 are equated because of apiti, absorption (laya), too. Apiti means merger, the state of being one. In the pronouncing of aum, 鈥榓鈥� and 鈥榰鈥� merge into, become one as it were with 鈥榰鈥�, the last letter of aum. Similarly, 痴颈艣惫补 and Taijasa are absorbed into 笔谤腻箩帽补 at the time of sleep. Because of these similarities of measuring and absorption, 笔谤腻箩帽补 and 鈥榤鈥� are to be meditated as one, and identical^[7].

The 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 declares here that he who knows the oneness of 辫谤腻箩帽补 and m补办腻谤补 measures the whole world. He comes to know the true nature of the world. He also becomes 补辫墨迟颈岣� that into which all this gets absorbed. He becomes the Self in its causal state. These secondary results are invoked to glorify the primary means (i.e., to glorify the meditation on aum as the principal means of knowledge and these other meditations on parts of aum are secondary and are not separate from the main meditation).

(4) The (补尘腻迟谤补) or the silence is equated with fourth 鈥榪uarter鈥� of the Self, the Absolute, the 罢耻谤墨测补. The 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 says that the 鈥楩ourth鈥� (Caturtha) which is not signified by any sound namely 鈥榓鈥�, 鈥榰鈥�, 鈥榤鈥� is identical with 补尘腻迟谤补 of 补耻尘办腻谤补. Here^[8] the 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 once again describes the Fourth as: 鈥業t is outside the range of empirical dealings, the cessation of the phenomenal world, the benign, and non-dual鈥�. Thus the three letters of aum are to be equated with the three states of experience. The 鈥榥on-letter鈥� (补尘腻迟谤补) of aum is the silence from which the sound 鈥�aum鈥� emerges, by which that sound is sustained, and into which the sound resolves. Similarly the three 辫腻诲补蝉 of the Self resolve into the Fourth, the method of resolution as stated is that the wakeful resolves unto dream, dream unto deep sleep, and deep sleep which is the causal state gets resolved into the Fourth, the Caturtha. The 苍颈峁�p谤补辫补帽肠补迟腻 of the Fourth is identical with the 补尘腻迟谤补ta or the absolute freedom from sound i.e. silence which is source of all speech. When the syllable 鈥�aum鈥� is uttered, the contemplator sees how the sound 鈥�aum鈥� arises, persists and disappears into the silence, the 补尘腻迟谤补, leaving the silence intrinsically undisturbed. In the same way, the contemplator should appreciate that what is represented by the letters, i.e., the three cosmic states, arise, persist and disappear in the acosmic (ni鈥�辫谤补辫补帽肠补) 罢耻谤墨测补, which is the underlying principle, the Awareness, which remains ever untouched by phenomena.

According to 艢补峁卥补谤补: The 补尘腻迟谤补 of aum is 腻迟尘补苍, the Self itself. The name and the entire language resolve back into the 补尘腻迟谤补鈥搕he absolute silence and so does the named鈥搕he object signified by the name. The objects resolve unto the mind because there is no object apart from mind/thought of it. Thought resolves back unto the ni鈥�辫谤补辫补帽肠补 Self or Awareness. For this reason the 补尘腻迟谤补 of aum, the fourth is incomprehensible (补惫测补惫补丑腻谤测补). The three letters of aum, which wise man meditates upon, though being fully aware that the letters mean nothing else but the 腻迟尘补苍 of the three quarters. He, who knows this, enters his own supreme Self through the Self alone, meaning he understands the Self through the Self knowledge. The knower of Brahman, the seer of the Absolute enters the Self by burning and destroying the third (辫谤腻箩帽补), which is the seed of all world appearances; and he enters the Self and is not born again. For, the Fourth is free from the causal third state.

When a man can discriminate a rope from its appearance as a snake, the snake-appearance gets removed in the light of the knowledge of rope. There remains thus no possibility of its reappearance, for both the name 鈥榮nake鈥� and the illusory perception of the snake are together destroyed by the knowledge of the rope. Thus the three 尘腻迟谤腻蝉 of aum, the 补产丑颈诲丑腻苍补 and the three 辫腻诲补蝉 of the Self, the abhidheya in a single stroke gets resolved into the absolute Truth, the Self.

骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 concludes his exposition (膧驳补尘补 笔谤补办补谤补峁嘺) by prescribing and praising meditation upon aum (辫谤补峁嘺惫补诲丑测腻苍补). He says:

One should know aum in relation to the quarters of the Self. There is no doubt that the quarters are the letters (尘腻迟谤腻蝉) of aum. After knowing the meaning of aum, quarter by quarter, one should not think of anything else whatsoever.^[9] 笔谤补峁嘺惫补 (the syllable aum) is 鈥榯he fearless Brahman鈥�. There shall be no fear anywhere for one who is ever focused on Brahman.^[10] This is supported by the 艢谤耻迟颈 statement like: 鈥淵ou have attained that which is free from fear鈥� (B峁沨ad膩ra峁噛aka 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 4.2.4).

鈥榃henever one is fearlessly established in this (Brahman) which is unperceivable, incorporeal, and inexpressible and without support, then he becomes fearless (罢补颈迟迟颈谤墨测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 2.7.1). 笔谤补峁嘺惫补 is the lower (apara) Brahman. It is the Supreme Brahman too. 笔谤补峁嘺惫补 is without prior, without interior or exterior, without posterior. It is undecaying (changeless) and immortal.^[11] The apara Brahman is represented by the manifest sound of aum, while the para Brahman is revealed as the silence of the 补尘腻迟谤补. 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 refers to this 补尘腻迟谤补 (silence, 罢耻谤墨测补) when he says that aum is: 鈥榳ithout prior, without interior or exterior, without posterior, changeless鈥�.

B峁沨ad膩ra峁噛aka 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 also says:

鈥楤rahman is without prior or posterior, without interior or exterior鈥� (2.5.19).

艢补峁卥补谤补, in his commentary says that the words without prior or posterior mean that 辫谤补峁嘺惫补 is without cause and without effect. 笔谤补峁嘺惫补 is the beginning (腻诲颈) of all, the middle (madhya) of all, the (anta) end of all.^[12] All beings have their origin in it, are sustained by it and ultimately merge in it. They proceed from it like a magic elephant originates from a magician, a snake out of a rope, a mirage-water from desert. Such is the status of the world phenomena from the ether of space to earth. When man knows 辫谤补峁嘺惫补, that is the 腻迟尘补苍, the Self, of all, he becomes unified with it.^[13] 笔谤补峁嘺惫补 is 鈥榯he pervader of all things鈥�, 鈥榯he Lord abiding in the heart of all beings鈥�.^[14] Realising 辫谤补峁嘺惫补 in this way, the wise man does not grieve. 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 here refers to the Lord (莫艣惫补谤补) as the apara Brahman who is to be identified with the manifest sound of aum. In his commentary 艢补峁卥补谤补 says: One should know 辫谤补峁嘺惫补 as 莫艣惫补谤补 residing in the heart of all creatures鈥搕he heart which is the seat of memory and cognition. A wise man (诲丑墨谤补岣�) knowing 辫谤补峁嘺惫补 (aum) to be all pervasive (蝉补谤惫补惫测腻辫颈苍补尘 [蝉补谤惫补惫测腻辫颈苍补]) like the ether of space also knows that it is the Self which is beyond the worldly state. Such a person does not grieve as there remains no cause for grief. 鈥楾he knower of the Self鈥�, says the Ch膩ndogya 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 (7.1.3) 鈥榗rosses all sorrow鈥�.

骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 in the last 办腻谤颈办腻 29 describes the 补尘腻迟谤补 of aum, referring to the para Brahman and he says: 鈥淥ne who has known Aum which is soundless and of infinite sounds and which is ever-peaceful on account of negation of duality is the (real) sage and none other鈥�. In this 办腻谤颈办腻 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补 further reiterates the teaching of the mantra 12 of the Upani艧 ad, combining the two expressions of the same mantra- 鈥榯he cessation of the phenomenal world鈥� (辫谤补辫补帽肠辞辫补艣补尘补) and 鈥榥on-dual鈥� (advaita), into a single statement: cessation of duality (诲惫补颈迟补蝉测辞辫补艣补尘补).

艢补峁卥补谤补 in his commentary explains that 补尘腻迟谤补 or soundless aum signifies 罢耻谤墨测补. 惭腻迟谤腻 literally means measure/limitation. The non-lettered aum (补尘腻迟谤补) has no such measuring units of sound. The 补尘腻迟谤补 aum has infinite dimension (anant补尘腻迟谤补岣�) as its extension cannot be determined. It is auspicious as it is the state of negation of all duality. He who knows aum in this way, is a muni, a sage. He alone meditates on the Supreme Reality and no one else. Any other person, even though he may be an expert in the knowledge of scripture is not a sage.

An objective analysis of this chapter reveals that the 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 establishes the identity of the sacred syllable aum with the phenomenal world, Brahman and the Self (腻迟尘补苍). The 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 proceeds to reveal the true nature of the Self, as Brahman, by means of an investigation of the three states of common human experience namely wakeful, dream and deep sleep.

The commonness of experience about the world around us is the main feature of the wakeful state. As discussed above, all human perception, ideation, reasoning and anticipation about the external world are considered as the output of this state. The mind and the senses which function in this state aided by physical light and consciousness are the instruments through which one experiences every kind of external object. When consciousness is directed through the mind and sense-organs to the external world, one experiences his physical body along with external world. The consciousness in the wakeful state indicates that the external world is solid, rigid, tangible set in its laws completely oriented towards exteriority of objects and loses the opportunity to know itself. Wrong identification with the world seemingly causes bondage and the 腻迟尘补苍 appears to be bound.The identification is only apparent, not real.

A review of the dream state amplifies the fact that in this state one experiences internal objects through internal light aided by consciousness. In the dream state, when consciousness withdraws itself from the outside world and illumines only the mind, one becomes unaware of the external world and his own physical body, but experiences within himself a subtle world and subtle body. Like the wakeful state, the dream state also seems to possess the factors of subject and object and the characteristics of externality and internality. The dream objects, however, real they may appear in that state it get falsified when one wakes up.

As revealed in the 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲, in the deep sleep state, senses and the entire 补苍迟补岣�k补谤补峁嘺 comprising of intellect, mind, ego and memory remains non-operative. This state is shorn off all desires, dreams and erroneous cognition. The 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 refers to this state as 笔谤补箩帽腻苍补驳丑补苍补-补 mass of undivided, uniform consciousness. This state is free from both knowledge as well as ignorance owing to the absence of above 补苍迟补岣�k补谤补峁嘺. The consciousness therefore remains blissful and peaceful (腻苍补诲补尘补测补). The continuity of Consciousness is established when one wakes from deep sleep. It is only then one is able to explain recollection of the experience such as 鈥淚 slept happily and I did not know anything鈥�. This recollection is possible because of presence of Consciousness in that state. The deep sleep state is the source for wakeful and dream states.

The three states alternate and differ from one another. But the Self/Consciousness that underlies them is unchanging. The Self remains unaffected and unattached to them. The Self is non-dual and pervasive in all the three states of experience and is conceived in three ways. Though the states are essentially one, they differ because of the difference in the conditioning factors. The Self is the same though it is seen in three different states (eka eva tridh膩sm峁泃a岣�).

One of the significant findings of 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 is the description of the absolute Self as 罢耻谤墨测补, the Fourth (Caturtha) in order to distinguish it from the other three changing states namely wakeful, dream and deep sleep. 罢耻谤墨测补 is the invariable substrata of the three states.

罢耻谤墨测补 is indescribable (anabhidheya) because it is devoid of every characteristic that can make the use of words possible. It can only be expressed through negation. Negation of all attributes does not mean that 罢耻谤墨测补 is 艣耻苍测补, viz. a mere void, as all illusory appearances have a real substratum. 罢耻谤墨测补 is the substratum for all appearances including the body and the phenomenal world.

The fact is that the three states, wakeful, dream and deep sleep are all adjuncts (耻辫腻诲丑颈蝉) falsely superimposed on the Self. When these illusory appearances are removed by means of right knowledge, the knowledge of 罢耻谤墨测补 becomes available. The revelation of the 罢耻谤墨测补 and the falsification of the three states are simultaneous and not successive in time. The 罢耻谤墨测补 is ever present. There is no possibility of considering 罢耻谤墨测补 as a new emerging result (phala) due to the falsification of the three states. No means of empirical knowledge can establish 罢耻谤墨测补 because of its non-dual and non-relational nature.

Thus unraveling the nature of 罢耻谤墨测补 on the basis of a careful analysis of the text it has been established that 罢耻谤墨测补 is not an object of knowledge, as it is free from all conditioning adjuncts (耻辫腻诲丑颈蝉). It has neither generic nor specific characteristics because it is one without a second. 罢耻谤墨测补 is not known by any activity, but is the eternal and all pervasive ground from which all activities seem to emerge. It is the essence of the knowledge of one鈥檚 Self (别办腻迟尘补辫谤补迟测补蝉腻谤补). It is peaceful (艣腻苍迟补), the auspicious (艣颈惫补), and the non-dual (advaita) Self, which is to be known (sa 惫颈箩帽别测补岣�). When the 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 says that 罢耻谤墨测补 is to be known, knowing in this case is not only discovering the Self, but also remaining as the silent immutable Self, remaining in one鈥檚 own nature (svarupa-sthiti). The knowledge of 罢耻谤墨测补 can destroy misery. The 罢耻谤墨测补腻迟尘补苍 is unchanging (avyayah) which means that It does not become anything different from its own nature. This is so because there is nothing other than the 罢耻谤墨测补.

It is not possible to comprehend the Self directly. Hence, one proceeds from the known to the unknown. Accordingly, the 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 first identifies the three states of experience and their corresponding macrocosms with the Self, and then it negates the three microcosms along with their macrocosms in order to reveal the absolute nature of the Self. The three states viz. wakeful, dream and deep sleep together with their corresponding macrocosms are finally to be seen as superimpositions upon the Self. The states are the apparently limiting conditions (耻辫腻诲丑颈) of the Self. The Self as such is intrinsically free from the superimposed limiting conditions (nir耻辫腻诲丑颈ka).

Whatever is superimposed does not exist apart from its substratum, therefore in essence the states are not different from the Self.

惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 and 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补鈥檚 碍腻谤颈办腻 exhorts the contemplation upon aum as a means for the realisation of 罢耻谤墨测补. Contemplation upon aum simply does not involve the repetition of the syllable aum. It is not a meditation in the yogic sense having the total suspension of cognition (肠颈迟迟补惫峁泃迟颈苍颈谤辞诲丑补). It rather adopts a method wherein the contemplator (蝉腻诲丑补办补) has the knowledge of the equivalence of the three syllables of aum and the three states of experience. He also knows the identity of the silent source of the three syllables called, 鈥�补尘腻迟谤补鈥� with 罢耻谤墨测补 which is the source, support and point of resolution of the three states. Such a contemplation functions as a means to help the direct understanding that: 鈥業 am the 罢耻谤墨测补鈥�. So, the 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 says: 鈥�aum is indeed the Self鈥�. In this respect, both the 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补 鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 and 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补鈥檚 碍腻谤颈办腻 discovers a new and unique stage/phase in the development of the teaching as well as in the technique for its experiential realization.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

笔腻诲补 惭腻迟谤腻尘腻迟谤腻 艣 ca 辫腻诲补岣�, 惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 8.

[2]:

惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补办腻谤颈办腻 I.19.

[3]:

惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 9, 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补办腻谤颈办腻, 1.19.

[4]:

Som Raj Gupta, The Word Speaks to the Faustian Man, 239.

[5]:

Ibid.

[6]:

惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲, 10; 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补办腻谤颈办腻, I, 20.

[7]:

惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲, 11; 骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补办腻谤颈办腻. 1.21.

[8]:

惭腻峁囜笉奴办测补鲍辫补苍颈峁�a诲 鈥�, 12.

[9]:

骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补办腻谤颈办腻. 1.24: It is said in the Bhagvadgita: 鈥榟aving centred the mind on the Self, one should not think of anything else鈥� (6.25).

[10]:

骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补办腻谤颈办腻. 1.25.

[11]:

骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补办腻谤颈办腻. 1.26.

[12]:

骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补办腻谤颈办腻. 1.27.

[13]:

The magician, the rope, the desert etc. appear as the elephant, the snake, the mirage etc., without undergoing any change in themselves. Similarly aum also, from the relative standpoint, appears to have become the entire manifested manifold without undergoing any change in itself. But from the standpoint of soundless aum, there is no manifested manifold. It is not the cause of anything nor does it appear in any way other than itself.

[14]:

骋补耻岣峚辫腻诲补鈥檚 expression, 鈥榯he Lord residing in the heart of all creatures鈥� is also in the Bhagavadgita where Krishna says, 鈥業 am seated in the heart of all鈥� (15.15). The expression 鈥楬aving known鈥�a wise person does not grieve鈥� occurs in 碍补峁环补 Upani艧 ad (1.2.22,2.1.4,2.3.6).