Jaya Row on the witness state

[ajay0]

Insightful article by Hindu spiritual teacher Jaya Row on the witnessing state or Sakshi Bhava...

Be a witness, never get involved: Objectivity key to material success, happiness and growth

Objectivity is the secret of enjoyment. You are able to enjoy a tragic movie because you know you are apart from it. Had you been even remotely connected with the happenings in the movie you would suffer. Practice objectivity by observing the world around you. Observe external objects, people around you, their appearance, emotions, thoughts. Then shift your attention to your own body, your mind and intellect. You will be in an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the midst of turbulence around. ~ Jaya Row

 

[The Crimson Universe]

@ajay0 I really like what you posted here. Gita too says its prakriti or maya who's active, not the Atman. I think we the RF members here have already discussed this before but sometimes its good to bring up old topics. The more we discuss, the more our antahkarana gets purified.

We do have to agree on one thing though, that the sun and its heat energy are inseparable. Just like Brahman and its shakti maya are inseparable.

When the whole world recieves warmth from the solar orb, we never give credit to its heat energy but instead always say its the sun who's responsible for it.
Similarly, when this jada/inert prakriti including the koshas are being animated, wouldn't it be right to say that Brahman/Atman is responsible and is the ultimate cause behind all the movements and actions?
Even though Brahman/Atman Itself is not involved but ITS presence brings all sorts of activities. Doesn't that make Brahman/Atman the doer (karta)?

 

[SalixIncendium]

Similarly, when this jada/inert prakriti including the koshas are being animated, wouldn't it be right to say that Brahman/Atman is responsible and is the ultimate cause behind all the movements and actions?

No. This would be akin to saying that the movie screen is responsible for and the cause of the actions in the movie. The screen has no responsibility for or cause behind the bank robber that robbed a bank or the police that are chasing him.

"Cause" is a part of Maya. Brahman just is. It has no cause or responsibility.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

"Cause" is a part of Maya. Brahman just is. It has no cause or responsibility.

If Brahman isn't the cause ... and Maya is, then doesn't that make Maya all-powerful and intelligent?

 

[SalixIncendium]

If Brahman isn't the cause ... and Maya is, then doesn't that make Maya all-powerful and intelligent?

"Power" and "intelligence" are merely appearances resulting from Maya.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

I'm having a little difficulty in understanding how the two (Brahman and Maya) co-exist. And how does one helps the other to bring all sorts of illusory appearances.
Can you explain this to me using the ocean & wave example?

 

[SalixIncendium]

I'm having a little difficulty in understanding how the two (Brahman and Maya) co-exist. And how does one helps the other to bring all sorts of illusory appearances.
Can you explain this to me using the ocean & wave example?

The ocean and wave example illustrates the relationship between Brahman and Atman, specifically the appearance of multiplicity. It wouldn't be relevant to the relationship between Brahman and Maya.

Maya is time/space/causation. It is the "veil" that keeps one in ignorance of their true nature as Brahman. It is avidya (incorrect knowledge) that keeps one in bondage in samsara.

If you haven't already had the opportunity to read Vivekandanda's lecture on jnana yoga and Maya, you might find it helpful. The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 2/Jnana-Yoga/Maya and Freedom - Wikisource, the free online library. It may offer you a better understanding of the nature of Maya.

Also, you may find this lecture by Sarvapriyananda to be a useful aid, as it discusses the lecture I linked above.

 

[The Crimson Universe]

@SalixIncendium
Ok this is going to be a long post. Sorry about that. And thanks for the links. Although the Vivekananda article was good and gave a desciption of what maya really is, it didn't explain how Brahman uses Its shakti maya to manifest as this material universe.

If you say, Brahman simply IS ... and that Brahman never uses its shakti ... and that maya acts on its own ... then you're kind of implying that maya has its own separate existence and can function on its own (make all sorts of illusory appearances on its own) without the aid of Brahman.
The advaitins on the other hand believes that maya cannot exist on its own and that it depends on Brahman in order to function (to make all sorts of illusory appearances).

I finished watching the video too. At the end of it the Swami says "the play of maya is "my own play = (Brahman's own play)."

If i'm not mistaken, even one of the schools of Shankara, either bhamati or vivarna, don't remember which one, believes that Brahman superimposes maya/avidya on ITSELF and finally becomes the locus of avidya (do note: this superimposition is also an act or deed).
... GeorgeAnanda also said the same thing a few months back, that Brahman puts on the veil of ignorance so that IT can experience multiplicity, joy and pain.

* So if maya depends on Brahman in order to function.
* If maya's play is actually My/Brahman's play, as Swami Sarvapriyananda said in the video.
* And finally if Brahman superimposes maya upon ITSELF, then doesn't that make Brahman the ultimate cause behind all sorts of actions?

 

[ameyAtmA]

* So if maya depends on Brahman in order to function.
* If maya's play is actually My/Brahman's play, as Swami Sarvapriyananda said in the video.
* And finally if Brahman superimposes maya upon ITSELF, then doesn't that make Brahman the ultimate cause behind all sorts of actions?

Namaste

Yes, Bramh is indeed the cause of all causes, actively or not.
MAyA is Brahm's mAyA. VishNu's mAyA. Not something stand-alone.

yA devI sarva bhUteshu VishNu-mAyeti shabditA |
namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah: ||

It is the mAyA of VishNu i.e. the omnipresent omniscient Brahman' (I am really reluctant to spell Bramh as Brahman but if I don't new people will read it as Lord BramhA ).

Because of this particular role of Bramh , nurturing , the Bramh's automatic property of mAyA comes into play.

In Advaita sadhana, attempts to explain mAyA were needed as the equation cannot be balanced otherwise.

However, the only simple thing to keep in mind is that the sAdhak has to reach the state of naishkarmya, the meditative state that is walking in the reverse direction, away from samsAr, its involvement and its unnecessary futile complexity,

Simply because that is what sets you free. That is what brings moksha.

Yes Brahm is intelligent, intelligence and utter peace, shAnti, omnipotent.
All the potential within Bramh is expressed in this world , and to keep the world merry-go-round VishNu-mAyA keeps the beings (bhutas) bound in moha ,

"Sammohan" (see BG shloka where Krishna says all sammohan stems from me) is how this property mAyA makes the world go round by keeping it bound to the framework, but the one who aligns with adhyAtmic vidyA pleases this VishNu-mAyA as well and She pulls you out of it and bestows instant peace.

Therefore, it is just my opinion that trying to decipher the advaita siddhAnta mathematically is not required. We have to understand our purpose and our ultimate goal and be connected to that Bramh,

Surrender to the universal Bramh includes not worrying about advaita. Otherwise it is not surrender.