Advaita Vedanta – Part 5

continued from previous post…

DEFINITIONS/BRIEF EXPLANATION OF SOME ‘TECHNICAL TERMS (PAARIBHAASHIKA-PADA-s)’  WE COME ACROSS IN ‘ADVAITA-VEDAANTIC PARLANCE’ 
{TERMS RELATED TO ‘ANAATMAN’ (Contd…)}
Read on…

XXXIII. “BHOGA-SAADHANAM (Instrument of Experience)”:

Though the literal meaning of ‘Bhoga’ is ‘enjoyment’, it also implies ‘sorrow’ in this context, as one cannot experience uninterrupted enjoyment! ‘Saadhanam’ means ‘instrument‘, and hence this composite word means ‘Instrument of experience’ in our context.
This word is used for ‘Sookshma-Shareeram (subtle body)’ (which we are going to discuss next), as it contains the ‘actual tools of experience‘ like ‘senses, mind, intellect’ etc. This ‘unit’ experiences many pairs of opposites (‘dvandva-s‘) like ‘heat & cold (‘Sense organ’ level), ‘joy & sorrow (‘Mind’ level) and ‘honour & dishonour etc. (‘Intellect’ level)’.
{Many people think that the gross body is this experiencer, which is far from the truth.
The gross body is only a dwelling house/counter/tenement (‘Bhoga-aayatanam’) for the subtle body. The gross body is made of ‘only inert items’ that  are evolved out of the ‘Taamasic’ aspect of the ‘grossified 5 elements‘ – to be discussed later under the item ‘Pancheekaranam (grossification).’}

XXXIV. “SATKARMA-JANYAM (Born of past good actions)”:

“A thing born out of good deeds (of the past)” is the meaning of this term. This term is used for ‘subtle body as well as gross body.’
Human body is the ‘finest’ one among all beings, as it is the only one that is endowed with ‘developed intellect.‘ The ‘advantage of reasoning,’ which can render one to evolve, is the unique opportunity bestowed on human beings. This ‘being’ has the opportunity of  ‘Self-realisation’ and consequent ‘Moksha (liberation)’ and thus escaping the cycle of rebirths, by utilising the ‘intellect’ properly.
“Jantoonaaam Narajanma durlabham..(For all living beings, a human birth is rare indeed…)” – thus starts  the 2nd verse of Shankaraachaarya’s ‘Viveka-choodaamani.”

XXXV. “SOOKSHMA-SHAREERAM (Subtle Body)”:

So far, we have gone through some terms {‘Sookshmataa’ through ‘Satkarma- janyam‘} pertaining to ‘Sookshma-Shareeram (subtle body).’
The subtle body is nothing but the combination of three ‘Kosha-s (sheats)’, viz.
‘Vijnaanamaya-kosha‘, ‘Manomaya-kosha‘ and ‘Praanamaya-kosha.’ As we have seen earlier from the characteristics of ‘Mind & Intellect‘, the mind is the seat of ‘emotions, perception & volition (doubt)‘, whereas the intellect’s job is  ‘observation, recognition, analysis, conceptualisation, judgement, decision and so on.’ The ‘intellect-mind’ combination prompts the body into action via the ‘organs of action.’ The energy for all this is supplied by the ‘5 Praana-s’, which too form part of this ‘unit.’
Now let us try understand more about this subtle body, with the help of the following definitions: 
1) “It is composed of the ‘5 great (subtle) elements which have not undergone grossification (‘apancheekrita-mahaabhoota-s’)’; ‘born of virtuous actions of the past (‘satkarma-janyam‘)’; instrument of experience of joy, sorrow etc.)’; made up of 17 items, viz. ‘5 sense organs of perception‘, ‘5 organs of action‘, ‘5 Praana-s‘, mind & intellect.
{“Apancheekrita-Panchamahaabhootaih kritam; satkarmajanyam; Sukha-duhkhaadi-bhoga-saadhanam; Pancha-Jnaanendriyaani, Pancha-Karmendiyaani, Pancha-Praanaadayah, Manaschaikam, Buddhischaikaa – evam sapta-dasha-kalaabhih saha yattishthati – tat-Sookshma-Shareeram|”}  — “Tattva-bodhah”
2) “It is the ‘agglomeration of 8 towns‘, consisting of the 5 organs of action (‘Speech’ etc.)(1) ; 5 sense organs of perception (‘Ear’ etc.)(2); 5 Praana-s(3); 5 subtle elements (‘Abhra/Aakaasha‘ etc)(4): ‘Antahkarana’ (‘Buddhi’ etc.)(5); ‘Avidyaa’(6); Desire(7) & Actions(8). {“Vaagaadi pancha; Shravanaadi pancha; Praanaadi pancha-Abhramukhaani pancha| Buddhyaadyavidyaapi cha Kaama-Karmanee Puryashtakam Sookshma-Shareeramaahuh||”}  — “Viveka-Choodaamani” – 96

 It can be observed that the second definition elaborates the nature of this ‘subtle body’, by including the following: 
a) ‘Avidyaa (ignorance)’, which is nothing but the  ‘causal body’, which is the ’cause’ for the ‘subtle & gross’  bodies. {In fact, all the worldly phenomena are ultimately attributable to this ‘ignorance’ alone!}
b) ‘Buddhi+aadi’ – ‘Buddhi’ & other parts of ‘Antahkarana’, viz ‘Manas, Chittam & Ahankaara.’ (Let us recollect here that ‘Buddhi is paired with Ahankaara‘ and ‘Manas is paired with Chittam‘ and hence none of the four is ignored in these definitions.)
c) ‘Kaama (Desire) & Karma (Action)’, which are  generated from the ‘intellect level’ of ‘Vijnaanamaya-kosha‘ and passed on to the ‘organs of action’ (which form part of ‘Praanamaya-kosha‘) through ‘Manomaya-kosha‘, as per the following sequence:
“(Vaasanaa-s ->) Desire (Intellect level) -> Thoughts (Mind level) -> Actions (organs of action)”

Let us recollect once again  that the subtle body’s ‘power to know and strength to act’ are borrowed from ‘Aatman’ alone and hence this  subtle body is also called “Linga- Shareeram.” {The word ‘Linga’ is derived out of the dhaatu ‘Lagi’, which means ‘to point.’} In other words, it is called so because its very functioning shows the presence of ‘Aatman’ in it. 
{When this subtle body, as a unit,  escapes from the gross body in search of ‘some other one’, the gross body cannot function any longer and then is fit to be called a corpse only!}

XXXVI. “SVAPNA-AVASTHAA (Dream State)”:

This state has been defined in ‘Tattva-bodhah’ as follows:
“The world that is projected when in sleep, out of impressions born of what has been seen and heard in the waking state is called ‘Dream State.’ The Self that identifies with this subtle body is named ‘Taijasa.’ {“..Jaagradavasthaayaam yad drishtam, yat Shrutam tajjanita-vaasanayaa nidraa-samaye yah Prapanchah prateeyate saa Svapnaavasthaa|  Sookshma-Shareera-abhimaanee Aatmaa Taijasa ityuchyate|”} 
In ‘Jaagradavasthaa (waking state)’ (to be described in detail later), one’s entire personality is ‘fully awake and totally functioning.’ The objects in the waking world are experienced by the sense organs ‘as though they are outside the body.’  The identification of ‘Aatman’ is predominantly with the ‘Sthoola-Shareeram (gross body)’, backed by the identification with the other two bodies too, viz. ‘Sookshma-Shareeram & Kaarana- Shareeram.’ Here, one is both ‘doer (Kartaa) & experiencer (Bhoktaa)’ of the ‘physical world.’

On the other hand, experiences gained through the ‘sense organs of perception’ plus mind & intellect’ in the ‘walking state’  form deep impressions on the mind. These impressions vary from person to person and also ‘within a person’ from time to time.
Here, ‘identification’ is only with ‘subtle body & causal body.’
In this state, the mind alone is active and the ‘intellect’ as well as the ‘sense organs of perception’ are passive. The ‘mind alone’ creates, sustains and also ends this dream state. Besides, the ‘dreamer’ can be entirely different from the ‘waker!’ 
One is only the ‘enjoyer/sufferer (Bhoktaa)’, but not the ‘doer (Kartaa)’ in this state. Hence he/she is neither rewarded nor punished for the deeds done by him in this dream state, as there is neither ‘Punya (merit) nor Paapa (demerit)’ (because of the absence of  the notion of ‘doership‘ and also absence of identification with the gross body)!
Just as the “Dream world is absurd/unreal for the waker“, the “Waking world is absurd/ unreal for the dreamer” and “Both of these worlds are absurd/unreal for the deep sleeper”, as there is a homogeneous nothingness alone in the last state!
As the dream world is ‘thought-created’, this ‘individual of the dream state‘ is called ‘Taijasa.’ {“Tejomaya Antahkarana-vritti-roopatvaat Taijasah|”}

XXXVII. “STHOOLA(TAA) {Gross(ness)}”:

The term ‘gross’ is being commonly used to mean one or more of the following: “big, bulky, coarse in nature, glaringly noticeable, ignorant, made up of material or perceptible elements..”
However, in our context, we can take it as “that which can be felt by the 5 sense organs of perception.”
In the light of what we have discussed earlier under ‘Sookshma(taa)’, we can simply take this ‘Sthoola(taa)‘ as its ‘converse/inverse’ characteristic. 
In other words, the subtler a thing is, the grosser it is and vice versa.

XXXVIII. “PANCHEEKARANAM {Grossification}”:

‘Tattva-bodhah’ defines this as follows:
“Eteshaam Pancha-tattvaanaam Taamasaamshaat Pancheekrita-Pancha-tattvaani bhavanti|
Pancheekaranam katham iti chet|
Eteshaam Pancha-mahaa-bhootaanaam Taamasaamsha-svaroopam ekam-ekam Bhootam dvidhaa vibhajya ekam-ekaardham prithak tooshneem vyavasthaapya aparam-aparam-ardham chaturdhaa vibhajya svaardham-anyeshu ardheshu svabhaaga-chatushtyaya-samyojanam kaaryam|
Tadaa Pancheekaranam bhavati|
Etebhyah Pancheekrita-Pancha-Mahaabhootebhyah Sthoola- Shareeram bhavati|”   

 {“The Sthoola-Shareeram is formed out of the ‘grossified Pancha-Mahaa-bhoota-s‘;  the grossification takes place out of the ‘5 Tanmaatra-s (5 subtle elements)’ in the following pattern as follows:  
a) The ‘Taamasic aspect’ of each of the 5 subtle elements divides itself into two halves;
b)  One half of each one remains as it is; 
c) The other half of each one gets  divided into 4 equal parts;
d) ⅛th of each of the other 4 elements gets added to each half of every element;
e) We get each of the 5 grossified elements in the above pattern.”

For example, ‘Grossified Fire’ is constituted by “½  of Subtle Fire” plus the        summation of “⅛th Subtle Sky, ⅛th Subtle Air, ⅛th Subtle Water & ⅛th Subtle Earth.
The ‘permutations & combinations’ of these ‘grossified elements’ create ‘the gross world’  that includes ‘the gross body of each individual.’
{It should be remembered that each of these gross elements has the qualities of the other elements too, unlike in the ‘Tanmatra-s.’
If we consider the human body as an example, it occupies some space (‘Aakaasha’); it has air in it (‘Vaayu’); it has heat in it (‘Agni’); It has very good amount of water content in it (‘Jalam’); most of its weight  is due to food/earth content (‘Prithvee’). Besides, all of these are felt by our sense organs of perception.}
Thereafter, these gross elements in their ‘modified forms’ can be perceived by the senses. Each item we perceive can possess one or more of the characteristics of all the ‘Tanmaatra-s’, viz. ‘sound, touch, form, taste and smell.’

XXXIX. “BHOGA-AAYATANAM (Tenement of Experience)”:

The gross body, formed as a result of  the process of grossification, is characterised by this term. This is  the ‘dwelling place/counter/tenement’ for the subtle body (‘aayatanam’ = dwelling house). This is the counter through which experiences of joy & sorrow etc. are reaped. This transaction closes whenever we go to sleep. Besides, it closes permanently at the time of death!

XXXX. “SHAD-VIKAARA-s (6 Modifications)”:

This term gives another characteristic of the gross body. 
{‘Shat‘ = 6; ‘vikaara‘ = modification (‘shat + vikaara = shadvikaara’}
The six modification one’s gross body undergoes are as follows: 
a) ‘Asti’ – ‘basic existence’ – presence of the fetus in mother’s womb
b) ‘Jaayate’ – ‘(It) is born’ to start having the experience of life
c) ‘Vardhate’ – ‘(It) grows’ – physically etc.
d) ‘Viparinamate’‘ – ‘(It) gets matured’ – gets total maturity and reaches its peak
e) ‘Apaksheeyate’ – ‘(It) decays’ – gradual loss in vitality of limbs 
f) ‘Vinashyati’ -‘(It) perishes’ and goes to its basic grossified 5 elements (death)
The gross body ‘dies’ the moment the subtle body goes out of it, just as a tenant changes to a new house along with its own paraphernalia,viz. ‘mind, intellect, sense organs of perception and organs of action.’    

XXXXI. “STHOOLA-SHAREERAM {Gross Body}”:

We have seen how the gross body is formed as a result of  the process of grossification under the item ‘Pancheekaranam.’
We can understand the characteristics of the ‘Sthoola-Shareeram (gross body)’ further from the following definitions: 
1) “The gross body is that one constituted by the 5 great elements which have undergone the process of ‘Pancheekaranam’, born out of the (past) meritorious acts, the counter of experiences like happiness, sorrow etc., and subject to the 6 modifications – ‘potential existence, birth, growth, maturity, decay and death.’ {“Pancheekrita-pancha-mahaabhootaih kritam: satkarma-janyam; sukhaduhkhaadi- bhogaayatanam Shareeram; ‘Asti, Jaayate, Vardhate, Viparinamate, Apaksheeyate Vinashyateeti’ Shadvikaaravadetat Sthoola-Shareeram|” — “Tattva-bodhah”
2) “This body comprising of ‘7 dhaatus (essential ingredients)’, viz. ‘bone marrow, bones, fat, flesh, blood, skin (dermis) & outer skin (epidermis); and also feet, thighs, chest, shoulders, back, head etc. limbs and their accessories, is the abode of the illusion of ‘I & mine‘ and is called ‘gross body.’ This is being formed out of the ‘subtle aspects’ of the 5 elements.’ These aspects, which are blending with each other, are responsible for the formation of this gross body. The ‘non-grossified 5 elements’ are becoming the 5 sense objects.These are providing the experiences for the ‘enjoyer (individual soul/‘Jeeva’).”
{“Majjaa-(a)sthi-medah pala-rakta-charma-tvag-aahvayair-dhaatubhir-erabhiranvitam |
Padoru-vaksho Bhuja-prishtha-mastakaih Angair-upaangair-upayuktametat|
Aham mameti prathitam Shareeram mohaaspadam Sthoolam-iteeryate budhaih|
Nabho Nabhasvad-dahana-ambu-bhoomayah Sookshmaani Bhootaani bhavanti taani|
Paraspara-amshair-militaani bhootvaa sthoolaani cha Sthoola-Shareera-hetavah|
Matraas-tadeeyaa Vishyaa bhavanti Shabdaadayah Pancha sukhaaya Bhoktuh|”}  — “Viveka-Choodaamani” – 72, 73 & 74

It can be observed that here too, the second definition elaborates the nature of this ‘gross body’ further, as follows: 
i) The different constituents of the gross body are specified.
ii) It also touches the point that one identifies himself with this gross body most of the time (though it is  only a  ‘container’ made up of the ‘grossified 5 elements‘ alone!) and feels that “this itself is ‘I & mine.”      
{The ‘Shadvikaara-s (6 modifications)‘, viz. ‘potential existence, birth, growth, maturity, decay and death‘ have already been dealt with earlier.}
This apart, let us also note and remember the following: 
a) The permutations & combinations of the grossified elements give rise to the gross world we are perceiving.  
b) Every individual’s body is invariably a part of this gross world.
c) One more specific reason why this is called ‘gross body’ is that it is perceived by the 5 senses by one’s own self as well as by others, ‘both inside and outside.’
d) It certainly ‘disintegrates’ during the course of time and goes back to the ‘5 grossified elements’ after death. Besides, it is ‘never separate’ from the 5 grossified elements, as it is a part of the same!

All this does not mean to say that we should not care for this gross body at all, though he/she is different from the same! All care must be exercised to keep it in a ‘fit condition‘, as it is the ‘vehicle‘ with the help of which we have to transact with this world. We have only to reduce our false identification with it!

XXXXII. ” JAAGRADAVASTHAA (JAAGRAT+AVASTHAA) (Waking Sate)”:

‘Jaagrat‘ means ‘being awake‘ in our day-to-day usage. 
This state has been defined in ‘Tattva-bodhah’ as follows:
“The state wherein the sense objects like sound are perceived through the sense organs of perception like ears is ‘Waking state.’
The Self which identifies with this gross body is named ‘Vishva.’
{“..Shrotraadi-Jnaanendriyaih Shabdaadi vishayaischa jnaayate iti yaa saa Jaagradavasthaa|  Sthoola-Shareera-abhimaanee Aatmaa Vishva ityuchyate|”} 
In ‘Jaagradavasthaa (waking state)’ (to be described in detail later), one’s entire personality is ‘fully awake and totally functioning.’  
Identification takes place with the gross body only in this state, but not in the dream and deep sleep states. In other words, the identification of ‘Aatman’ is predominantly with the ‘Sthoola-Shareeram (gross body)’, backed by the identification with the other two bodies too, viz. ‘Sookshma-Shareeram & Kaarana- Shareeram.’ Here, one is both ‘doer (Kartaa) & experiencer (Bhoktaa)’ of the ‘physical world.’
On the other hand, ‘identification’ is predominantly with ‘subtle body’, backed by causal body’ in the case of ‘dream state.’ It is only with the ‘causal body’ in the case of ‘deep sleep state.’
As the gross body, ‘the counter of experience‘ is fully open, all possible transactions with the world can take place in this state. The objects in this ‘waking world‘ are perceived through the ‘sense organs of perception‘, ‘as though they are outside the body.’ For example, the pen I am holding in my hands is not felt ‘as though it is within me, but outside me!’
Obviously, one is the ‘doer (Kartaa)’ as well as the ‘enjoyer/sufferer (Bhoktaa)’  in this state. 
The waking world seems to us as if it is solid and real. Besides, objects and events seem to have a ‘logical cause & effect’ relation. They are all governed by some ‘natural laws.’ That is why we brush aside our dream state as a funny imagination!
However, just as the “Dream world is absurd/unreal for the waker“, the “Waking world is absurd/ unreal for the dreamer” and “Both of these worlds are absurd/unreal for the deep sleeper”, as there is a homogeneous nothingness alone in the last state!
As the identification in the waking state is with ‘all the 3 bodies’ and the world is experienced through all of them, this ‘individual of the waking state‘ is called ‘Vishva {complete/all-inclusive}.’