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Chapter 4
dvaitaviveka
Discrimination of Duality
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3
In this chapter the duality created by Ishvara and that created by the jIva are described and differentiated. This will show what is the cause of bondage and what has to be rejected by the aspirant for liberation.
The shvetAshvatara upaniShad says (4.10) : 'Know mAyA to be prakRiti and brahman associated with mAyA as Ishvara.' Ishvara is the creator of the universe. The aitareya upaniShad says that before creation there was Atman (i.e. brahman) alone. He willed, 'Let me create,' and He created the world by His will. The taittirIya upaniShad says that from the Self or brahman arose in succession ether, air, fire, water, earth, vegetation, food and bodies. Ishvara willed, 'Let me become many, let me create,' and meditated and thus created the universe. The chAndogya upaniShad says that before creation brahman alone existed as pure Existence. He desired to become many and created fire, water, earth and all living beings such as those born of eggs, those born from wombs, etc. The muNDaka upaniShad says that from the immutable brahman arose the various sentient beings and insentient objects, in the same way as sparks emanate from a blazing fire. The bRihadAraNyaka upaniShad says that before it became manifest the universe existed in an unmanifest state. It assumed names and forms and manifested as virAT. From virAT came into being the manus, human beings, cattle, asses, horses, goats, etc, of both sexes, down to ants. According to these shrutis Ishvara entered into all these bodies as the jIva. The jIva is so called because it bears prANa, or the vital air. The jIva is a blend of the substratum or Pure Consciousness, the subtle body and the reflection of Pure Consciousness in the subtle body. mAyA, which is the power of Ishvara, has, in addition to the power to create, also the power to delude. The latter deludes the jIva. The jIva, thus deluded, identifies himself with the body, considers himself to be a limited, helpless being and thus becomes subject to grief. What has been described so far is the duality created by Ishvara.
The duality created by the jIva is described in the section known as sapta-anna brAhmaNa of the bRihadAraNyaka upaniShad. The jIva creates seven kinds of food (or objects of experience) by his actions and meditations. Of these seven, one kind is meant for human beings in general, two for the gods, one for animals and the remaining three for himself. Grains such as wheat are for human beings. The ingredients of the full-moon and new-moon sacrifices are for the gods. Milk is for animals. The mind, speech and vital airs (prANa) are for the jIva himself. These are the seven kinds of food created by the jIva. Though these objects are also created by Ishvara, the jIva converts them into objects of enjoyment for himself and so they are spoken of here as the creations of the jIva. The idea is that each jIva creates his own world by his actions and thoughts in previous births and so whatever objects he experiences and whatever joys he enjoys and sorrows he suffers, are all the result of his own actions and thoughts.
An object such as a gem, which is a creation of Ishvara, always remains the same, but the attitude of each individual human being towards it differs. The man who gets possession of it feels happy, while another man who has not got it is sad. A third man, who is indifferent to such objects, feels neither happy nor sad. The feelings of happiness, sorrow and indifference are created by the respective jIvas towards the gem, but the nature of the gem as created by God does not undergo any change. Similarly the attitudes of different persons towards the same woman differ, depending on whether he is her father or brother or husband or a stranger. Correspondingly the attitude of the same woman towards each of these different persons will be different, depending on her relationship with them. Thus, while the physical body of the woman as well the other men remains the same, the mind of each of them undergoes changes in accordance with their relationships. These changes are created by the jIvas. Thus each human being or jIva has two aspects, the material and the mental. It is this mental aspect, which is the creation of each jIva, that is the cause of bondage. Each jIva develops likes and dislikes towards various objects. depending on his mental attitude which is governed by the impressions (called VAsanas) left by his own past actions. These likes and dislikes are the cause of joy and sorrow. In dream a person experiences joys and sorrows because of objects conjured up by the mind, though there are no external objects. In deep sleep, when the mind does not function, no joy or sorrow is felt by the person, even if there are objects by his side which can cause joy, sorrow, fear, anger, etc. Thus it is clear that it is the mind that is the cause of joys and sorrows and not other persons or objects.
A person whose son had gone to a far-off country was wrongly informed by some one that the son had died. Though this information was wrong, the father was plunged in sorrow. At the same time, his neighbour, whose son it was who had died in a foreign country, remained calm, believing that his son was safe. This shows that the real cause of a man's bondage and sorrow is the mind and not any actual event.
Unlike the Buddhist vij~nAnavAdins, advaita accepts the existence of external objects and holds that, in perception, the mind takes the form of the external object. It may be argued that, since it is the mind that causes bondage by projecting the phenomenal world, the world could be made to disappear by controlling the mind through the practice of yoga. The answer to this is that though duality can be made to disappear temporarily by control of the mind, final elimination of bondage is not possible without the realization of brahman, which alone will destroy Nescience (avidyA).
Even after the realization of brahman, the duality created by Ishvara will continue to be perceived by the j~nAnI, but he will not be affected by it, since he has realized their unreality. Once a person has been convinced that the water that appears in a mirage is illusory, he will no longer go after it, though the water will continue to appear as before when looked at from a distance. The mere disappearance of duality cannot eliminate bondage without realization of brahman. At the time of the dissolution of the universe all objects cease to exist, but they will come into manifestation again when the next cycle of creation starts. At that time all jIvas who have not realized brahman in the previous cycle of creation will be born again. Thus total freedom from rebirth can be attained only by the realization of brahman.
The world of objects created by God is a help for the realization of non-duality and not an obstacle. It does not get destroyed even when a person attains knowledge of the non-dual brahman. It is the duality created by the jIva that hinders the attainment of Self-knowledge. The duality created by the jIva is of two kinds-- that which is in conformity with the scriptural teachings and that which is not. The first should be accepted and practised till Self-knowledge is attained. Enquiry about brahman by hearing the scriptures from a guru, reflecting on its teachings and meditating on them is the duality which is in conformity with the scriptures. This enquiry necessarily involves the acceptance of different entities such as guru, disciple and the shAstras, but this duality is necessary to enable the disciple to conduct the enquiry into brahman and so it is acceptable. But even this difference (or duality) has to be given up after the realization of brahman, because then there is nothing other than brahman. The amRitAnanda upaniShad says: 'A wise person, having studied the scriptures and repeatedly practised their teachings, should renounce them after realizing brahman, just as a traveller throws away a flaming torch after reaching his destination, or as a person throws away the husk after taking the grain.' He should thereafter keep his mind fixed on brahman and should not burden his mind with mere words (bRi. up. 4.4.21).
The duality (or multiplicity) that is not in conformity with the scriptures is that resulting from looking upon all living beings and objects as different from one another. It is this mental attitude that gives rise to attachment, aversion, anger, greed and other emotions. The mental attitude that gives rise to craving, anger and similar emotions is called 'violent'. That which gives rise to fanciful thoughts is called 'mild'. Both these should be given up by the spiritual aspirant because calmness of mind and concentration are the essential pre-requisites for an aspirant. One can become fit for liberation only if he gives up the desire for objects of sense. The way to do this is to remember always the adverse consequences of the enjoyment of sense pleasures. Even mental preoccupation with the objects of desire should be given up, because it is the seed of all evils. It is said in the bhagavadgItA that dwelling mentally on objects leads to attachment to them. Attachment gives rise to longing for the object. If the desire is not fulfilled, anger results. Anger makes a person forget all the good lessons that he has learnt, and this in turn results in loss of discrimination. Ultimately he becomes unfit for spiritual progress. (gItA, 2.62- 63).
The tendency to think of objects of desire can be overcome by meditating on Ishvara, which will lead to meditation on nirguNa brahman and to liberation. When the mind is thus controlled, it becomes calm and free from all modifications. When one realizes that the phenomenal world has no absolute reality, one experiences the bliss of nirvANa. Such a person is not merely a knower of brahman; he is brahman itself.
End of Chapter 4
Chapter 5
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