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Wisdom Teachings from The Mandukya Upanishad

$24
Item Code: NAK739
Author: Swami Brahmananda
Publisher: The Divine Life Society
Language: English
Edition: 2005
ISBN: 8170521807
Pages: 228
Cover: Paperback
Other Details 8.5 inch X 5.5 inch
Weight 240 gm
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Book Description
Back of The Book

Every Object here reveals God. It tells you, “God is here.” Every thought every action, every word, every object, every concept proves and tells you the existence of God. The ‘real I’ is in every subatomic particle. In every subatomic particle, ‘you’ are there. You cannot separate the scent and the flower, or the fragrance from camphor, or sweetness from sugar. God and the world are like sugar and sweetness; they cannot be separated. The essence of Shakti is Siva; and the absolute Truth is beyond that, where there is neither Siva nor Shakti, Purusha or Prakriti, God or world. The phenomenal world proves the existence of Self or God!

 

Foreword

The Upanishads are secret teachings containing wisdom beyond the realm of the earth and revealing proclamations of the great sages of yore on the nature of Reality. Among the Upanishads, the Mandukya may be regarded as the most important, and it is aptly said, for the liberation of the mumukshu or seeker, the Mandukya alone is enough." If you are able to understand the true meaning of this single Upanishad, there may not be a necessity to study any other Upanishad, not even the Chhandogya or the Brihadaranyaka because the theme of the Mandukya Upanishad is a direct approach to the depths of human nature. It states bare facts in respect of man in general and Reality in its essential character. A very comprehensive Upanishad is this, containing only twelve statements, called mantras, in which the whole wisdom or knowledge of the Upanishads is packed into a nutshell. The Upanishad commences with a solemn declaration:

The Imperishable is OM, and it is, verily, everything. All that was in the past, all that is now in the present, all that will be in the future - all this is OM.

The Imperishable is OM, and it is 'all this'. This is how the Upanishad begins. All this, whatever is visible, whatever is cognisable, whatever can come within the purview of sense perception, inference or verbal testimony, whatever can be comprehended under the single term 'creation' - all this is OM. Not merely this, but that which transcends time also is the eternal nature of OM. This indescribable 'Something', which is ultimately designated by OM, is visualised by a name that conveys the best of possible meanings. Though it may itself have no name, and it also cannot be said to have any particular form, we, as jivas (individuals here on earth) cannot envisage it in that transcendent nature. We have to conce.ive of it in our minds before we can contemplate or meditate upon it for the sake of realisation. The meaningful and suggestive designation of that indescribable, transcendent 'Something' is 'Brahman', the Absolute.

All this, verily, is Brahman.

Thus begins the second Mantra. All this creation is just the Absolute alone, which is the real meaning of this statement. All that can be regarded as what you call this universe is that Brahman, is God illumining Himself in His variety, in His glorious multiple Form. And, if all this is Brahman, it goes without saying that this so-called 'self' of ours, also, is Brahman:

Ayam atma brahma.

This Atman (Self) is Brahman.

This becomes clear because this self is also included in the All. Therefore, this Self is Brahman. Which self? This is an- other question. What is this self? We generally regard the self as constituting an animating consciousness within our body. We speak of 'I myself', 'you yourself', 'he himself', etc. Such terms are used by us in common language. But this self is the false self, not the real Self. This variety of selves (myself, your- self, himself, herself) is not the real or primary Self, or the Absolute Self, the Atman. Instead, concludes the second mantra, the Absolute Self, can be regarded as fourfold. The physical, the subtle, the causal and the spiritual are the four aspects in the study of the nature of the Atman. These four aspects or states of consciousness are called jagrat, svapna, sushupti, and turiva - the waking state, the dreaming state, the state of deep dreamless sleep, and the transcendental spiritual state. Thus, a study of consciousness is the subject of the Mandukya Upanishad - a study of the four states in which consciousness appears to be connected to certain temporary, accidental circumstances and its pristine, purified state of Absoluteness. So, we have to take one by one each of these states for the sake of attaining self-transcendence, the highest process of which is that by which we attain God Himself. God-realisation, brahma-sakshatkara, is the finale of the process of self-transcendence described in the Mandukya Upanishad.

Thus, for the liberation of the seeker, the Mandukya Upanishad alone is adequate if it is properly digested into experience. You should not merely listen to it and then forget it. I wish that you absorb it into your minds and make it a part of your practical life. Let this knowledge which is so rare, so difficult to acquire, not go to waste. Do not throw it to the winds or to the wilderness. Even if you cry aloud, it would be hard for you to gain this knowledge. It is such a rare asset in this world. And when you do get it, do not lose it and do not forget that you have it. Imbibe it by deep reflection and make it a practical means of your living in this world so that your life may be converted into Divine Life, so that you may become veritable divinities walking on this earth spreading peace everywhere by your very existence, so that you may become bhudevas, gods on earth.

 

Contents

 

  Publishers' Note v
  Dedication viii
  Acknowledgement ix
  Benediction xii
  Foreword xiv
  Invocatory Prayer xvii
  माण्डूक्योपनिषद xviii
  The Mandukya Upanishad xx
1 The Three States of Consciousness 1
2 The Witness 11
3 No Jiva Is Ever Born 17
4 There Is No Creation 25
5 Neti, Neti 34
6 Sravana 44
7 Manana 54
8 Nididhyasana 63
9 Advaita 71
10 Theories About Creation Cannot Be True 80
11 The Phenomenal World Proves The Existence of God 91
12 The Demis of Cause And Effect 97
13 Equal Vision 106
14 The Whole Creation Is In Your Mind 116
15 The Snake Does Not Exist 126
16 The Mind In Ignorance Seeks A Cause 135
17 Is This A Dream, Right Now? 144
18 If We Know It, We Are Blessed 153
19 The Mind Is Brahman 161
20 Sadhana 170
Appendix A - Mantras recited at the beginning and conclusion of each class 189
Appendix B - Further teachings on sakshi-bhava 193
  Glossary 200

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