November 7, 2010: Verses 19-21 (Sādhana-catuṣṭaya Part 2)

A discussion of qualifications is important in the teaching of vedānta, because the development of qualifications is the starting point of any pursuit. If I decide I need a certain job to earn a livelihood, I first have to evaluate whether I am qualified for such a job. If I am not, I need to gain qualifications before I can even begin my pursuit for the job.

For the pursuit of brahma-jñāna, the sampradāya delineates the following four qualifications:

1. नित्य-अनित्य-वस्तु-विवेकः - A discrimination between what is nitya (eternal) and what is not.
2. इह-अमुत्र-अर्थ-फल-भोग-विरागः - An absence of desire for enjoying the results of actions both here in this life, and in the hereafter.
3. शम-अादि-षट्क-सम्पत्तिः - The sixfold 'wealth' beginning with śama.
4. मुमुक्षुत्वम् - The quality of seeking freedom.

In fact, we are constantly performing a discrimination between what is nitya and anitya in our lives. If offered a choice between a high-paying but unsteady job, and a moderately paying, steady job, most of us would prefer steady security over an uncertain job. We always want what is more permanent in life. Here Śrī Śaṅkarācārya defines that the most permanent thing is brahma, and the rest of the jagat (universe) is mithyā.

Here, the word 'mithyā' does not mean 'illusion', 'false', or 'unreal' as it does in many modern Indian languages. It is a word that is used to point out the status of any object with respect to its cause. For example, a vyāsa-pīṭha (book-stand) is essentially wood. Before it existed, there was wood, after it is destroyed, wood will remain, and even now when the vyāsa-pīṭha is there, it is nothing but wood. Does this mean that the vyāsa-pīṭha is an illusion? No, because it has a form and we can use it in a way in which we cannot use other forms of wood. But its existence is entirely dependent on wood, which is its cause and is more real than it. The wood is satya, and it is more nitya than the vyāsa-pīṭha. Here, the cause of everything, which is more nitya than everything, is given the name 'brahma'. Nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka is a general awareness of the fact that the universe is anitya, and that there is a nitya-vastu that I am seeking.

Vairāgya, here simply stated as a disinterest in all possible accomplishments and enjoyment, is a subtle quality that is often misunderstood to be a negative thing. In essence, a clear understanding of one's goal and the means to achieve it should result in a disinterest in all other goals and means. So it is not a dispassion, but rather, a transfer of passion from unworthy pursuits to a pursuit of what one really wants. This will be discussed more deeply in the next class.

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Translations for next class:

22. िरज्य withdrawing विषय-व्राताद् from the large number of sense objects दोष-दृष्ट्या by seeing their limitations  मुहुर्मुहुः every moment स्वलक्ष्ये in one’s own goal नियतावस्था constant abiding  मनसः of the mind उच्यते is called शम śama.
23. परावर्त्य having withdrawn िषयेभ्यः from the sense objects स्थापनं establishing स्वस्वगोलके in their own (respective) places उभयेषाम् इन्द्रियाणां of the both the organs of action and organs of knowledge सः that परिकीर्तितः is glorified दमः as dama.