Since by definition, truth is not something that is restricted by time or place, and it is not a particular object or situation, there is no question of waiting for, reaching, or obtaining truth. It is here and now, and needs only to be recognized. Like a screen on which a movie is projected is present throughout the movie, but it can be ignored entirely if one is caught up in the movie, the truth of the universe can be missed if we are paying complete attention to the universe itself. In order to recognize the screen, we only need to think about it, and in order to ascertain the truth, all we need is vicāra.
What is the means to do vicāra? In our initial classes, we analyzed our lives and arrived at the conclusion that every object and situation in the world is limited in terms of deśa, kāla, and vastu. As a result, the happiness that we gain from them is also limited in these three ways. If we are looking for happiness that is unconditional, it is not possible to find it in objects and situations. How were we able to do this vicāra? If, after coming to the class, we had had a party, or even done a pūjā, would we have come to this conclusion? It is clear that vicāra is born only of thinking.
We can easily appreciate that any thinking requires a preparedness of the mind. Even though all you are required to do at a university is think, no university would at admit you without first asking your qualifications. For the thinking required at a university, qualification may consist of basic knowledge and reasoning skills. What are the qualifications required for thinking about vedānta? The tradition outlines a sādhana-catuṣṭaya (four-fold qualifications), which it says are the foundation of a commitment to the pursuit of truth. We will see that the sādhana-catuṣṭaya is very closely related to the values and characteristics we were encouraged to develop growing up in our culture. The purpose of all karma and customs is to help us develop these qualifications.
Translations for next class:
- आदौ नित्य-अनित्य-वस्तु-विवेकः firstly the discrimination between the real and non-real, इह-अमुत्र-अर्थ-फल-भोग-विरागः तद्-अनन्तरम् next dispassion towards the enjoyment of the fruits of actions here and hereafter (like heaven and other worlds), शम-अादि-षट्क-सम्पत्तिः the group of qualities beginning with śama, मुमुक्षुत्वम् and the desire to become free. इति स्फुटम् परिगण्यते Thus (the four-fold qualifications) are clearly enumerated.
- एवं रूपो विनिश्चयः the ascertainment in this form (that), ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन् मिथ्या इति brahman is the only satya and the world is mithyā, सः that (ascertainment) समुदाहृतः is presented (as) अयं नित्य-अनित्य-वस्तु-विवेकः this discrimination between the real and non-real.
- दर्शन-श्रवण-अादिभिः By seeing and hearing (about it), या जिहासा the desire to give up देह-अादि-ब्रह्म-पर्यन्ते हि अनित्ये भोग-वस्तुनि with reference to any transient object of enjoyment, starting from a human birth to the status of Brahmā (the creator): तद् वैराग्यम् that is vairāgya.
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