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Purva or Karma Mimansa Darshan – The Vedic Rituals

9/28/2018

Purva or Karma Mimansa Darshan (Chapters 12, verses 2731) is biggest darshan and was founded by Rishi Jamini in 4th century BC. Karma Mimansa has several sub-schools viz. Prabhakara sub-school & Bhatta sub-school (of 7th century BC).

Karma Mimansa refers to examination of Vedic texts and stressed on Karmakanda (rituals) based on Vedas. It held that Vedas are eternal, authorless, and dharma means rituals & social duties. Ethics for this life and efficacious action for heaven (स्वर्ग) cannot be derived from sense-perception, and can only be derived from experience, reflection and understanding of past teachings.

The ultimate aim of Karma Mimansa is achieving heaven. Deeds (कर्म) without aspiring for fruits and spiritual knowledge are means to get Heaven. By mastering the above two means, past deeds extinguish and man become liberated.

Karma Mimansa has three parts viz. tools of knowledge (Perception, Inference, Analogy & Comparison, word, Postulation and non-perception), Spiritualism and Duty decider.

Yajna (also called karma) are done for the achievement of a fruit like 'Heaven. Yajnas are performed on daily, fortnightly, monthly, annually and once in life time. Agnihotra is the homa done thrice a day. Yajna means worshipping, sacrifice & offering. The main constituents of Yajna are desire of doer (bhāvana), learning (svādhyāya), rites involved (karma), offerings i.e. Yaga-sacrifice, Dana-giving & Homa-offerings in fire (tyāga), devata and the results (phala). The ingredients used in a yajna are called dravya. Samskāra is a rite that involves mantra. There are forty samskāras or rites performed in one’s lifetime.

The three parts of Karma Mimansa as under:

Tools of knowledge – In Karma Mimansa, Six means are reliable to gain knowledge:-
1. Perception (प्रत्यक्ष) – Direct knowledge gained through five sense organs after interaction with worldly objects and internally by mind. (Chapter 1 & foot 1)
2. Inference (अनुमान) – it is arrived on based on observations, reasoning, positive & negative examples and conclusion.
3. Analogy & Comparison (उपमान) – By means of comparison & analogy, conditional knowledge is derived.
4. Word or testimony (शब्द) – By means of already spoken or written knowledge from reliable source to rapidly acquire it.
5. Postulation (अर्थापत्ति) – Based on circumstances and other direct perceptions, knowledge can be derived.
6. Non-perception (अनुपलब्धि) – Knowledge acquired based negative proof or non-existence.
Spiritualism – Karma Mimansa darshan believes that Physical Universe (जगत) and Soul (आत्मा) are real & permanent. After death, soul enters in new body based on past deeds. Souls are many. Souls bind with deeds and get liberation (मोक्ष).
Duty decider – According to Karma Mimansa, Vedas are eternal, authorless, complete and supreme. One needs to perform duties as duties, according to Vedas. Even no fruits are attained or pain inflicted, one should not leave one’s duties. (chapter 1, foot 1 & 3)

The main features of Karma Mimansa:
continued........

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Samkhya Darshan – the wisdom & liberation

9/21/2018

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Samkhya Darshan (451 Sutras and 527 including sub-verses, 6 chapters) was founded by Rishi Kapil around the 6th - 7th century BC. Samkhya Darshan, one of the six Hindu Philosophies deliberates on Prakriti, Jivatma and moksha. Samkhya means accurate, proper, and correct. Samkhya believes in dwatvad (द्वेतवाद) i.e. the creation is by Prakriti and Jivatma. The right knowledge (vivek) differentiates Prakriti (nature) and Jivatma (soul, prusha).

Maherishi Kapil sometimes called as atheist. But many verses pronounce that Parmatma (Brahman, Supreme consciousness) is ultimate cause which proves him as theist.

Samkhya Darshan has main principle of “Satkaryavad” (सत्कार्यवाद) means universe is created for some reason by original power. Satkaryavad has two forms viz. “Parinamvad” (परिणामवाद) and “Vivartvad” (विवर्तवाद). Parinamvad means actual modification happens into substance. Vivartvad means actual modification does not happen but only appears. As per Samkhya Darshan, following are the key principles:

There are twenty five elements (तत्त्व – Jivatma, Prakriti, mahat, ego, manas, five tanmatra, five gross elements (पांच भूत), five organs of perception and five organs of actions.) and four types of tattvas viz. Prakriti (प्रकृति), Vikarti (विकृति), Ubhyatmak (उभयात्मक) and Anubhyatmak (अनुभयात्मक).
Prakriti has three attributes (sattva, rajas & tamas).
Three types of miseries viz. Adhydtmika (आध्यात्मिक), Adhibhautika (आधिभौतिक) and Adhidawika (आधिदैविक).
Two types of moksha (जीवन्मुक्ति-liberation from subtle body, विदेहमुक्ति-liberation from gross body).
Four steps for moksha (True knowledge of Prakriti, meditation & detachment, fulfilment of duties in four ashrams/stages of life selflessly and practice & dispassion).
Three types of proofs viz. Perception (प्रत्यक्ष), inference (अनुमान) and right affirmation (शब्द, word from reliable source - Vedas).

He postulated as under:

Miseries/Sorrows/Pains are of three categories viz. Adhydtmika (आध्यात्मिक, internal cause, pertaining to atma, body or mind), Adhibhautika (आधिभौतिक, external cause, pertaining to living beings) and Adhidawika (आधिदैविक, pertaining to divine cause such as natural calamities). Miseries are not related time, stages of life, due to mind etc.
Bondage is due to its superficial/false knowledge which creates attachment and aversions. This develops the above three types of miseries. Intelligent people should find root cause of pain instead of removing it temporarily through external means.
Prakriti (nature, प्रकृति) has seven forms viz. righteousness-unrighteousness, ignorance, dispassion-passion/attachment and grandeur/power/wealth-absence of wealth (धर्म-अधर्म, अज्ञान, वैराग्य-अवैराग्य, और ऐश्वर्य-अनैश्वर्य) which are bondages. Ignorance is cause of bondages.
Prakriti and universe, both have three attributes (sattva, rajas & tama in equal proportion) and inanimate (अचेतनत्व). Sattva attribute (truth, realty or goodness, gives light) creates pleasing deeds such as love & affection, endurance & patience, contentment etc. Rajas attribute (passion or foulness, does not give light or covering, leads to activity) creates painful deeds such as displeasure, grief etc. Tamas attribute (darkness, to restraint or inertness) creates deeds of attachment such as sadness/gloom, sleep, etc.
Prakriti is subservient; unconscious which creates the universe on the inspiration of Parmatma with the help of conscious Jivatma. Prakriti produces three types of divisions in universe viz. god & goddesses; creatures and humans. But all living beings whether in sattvic, rajas or tamsic, all have to born again and again in the universe, full of miseries. God & goddesses universe is pre-dominantly sattvic, creature universe is pre-dominantly tamsic and humans are pre-dominantly rajas. Wise persons are sattvic.
Buddhi has attributes viz. virtues, wisdom and detachment are sattva attributes, tendency of luxuries are attributes of rajas and wickedness, ignorance, attachment and weakness are attributes of tamas.
Prakriti is root of material forms and is not produced. From Prakriti, Mahat (बुद्धि, intellect) is produced which in turn produces ego (अहंकार). From ego manas (mind, मन), five subtle elements or tanmatra, arises and they in turn produces five gross elements (पांच भूत), five organs (instruments) of senses or perception and five organs of actions. Other than Prakriti is Jivatma. These are 23 elements.
Jivatma (soul, जीव) is pure, permanent, perceptive, neutral, inactive, confined (enveloped by body) and independent. Jivatma is not the cause of universe. It is different from internal and external organs. Pleasure or pain is not the attributes of Jivatma but perceived by it. Jivatma is audience (witness) of miseries. Prakriti being inert cannot be luminous and Jivatma is luminous. Jivatmas are many which is evident from so many births & death taking place.
Ten external organs (5 for perception & 5 for action) are instruments of Jivatma. The functions of three internal organs (instruments, conscience) viz. buddhi, mind and ego are separate. Buddhi (Intellect) is for knowledge; manas (mind) is for thoughts and ego is for pride. The ten external instruments seize, retain and manifest the external objects to internal instruments.
All pleasures and pains are perceived in Jivatma. Such perception creates ignorance/false knowledge which is bondage. Karma is not cause of bondage of Jivatma as it is function of body. Ignorance is perpetual and constantly keeps generating from chit. But ignorance is not permanent & eternal like darkness which destroys from light. Wisdom destroys ignorance. The audience of wisdom is through Samadhi, through which person is liberated. To get benefit of Samadhi, practice of listening (श्रवण), contemplating (मनन), profound & repeated meditation (निदिध्यासन) etc. is necessary.
Ignorance is bondage of Jivatma. Complete knowledge of Prakriti and Jivatma can only destroy miseries. Knowledge of Prakriti, Jivatma and Parmatma is gained by inference and not directly.
It is a fact that desires never fulfil till death and wisdom will not arise When a person see the faults in desires such as rebirth in various forms, fear of death, pains in birth, unsatisfied desires, then worldly attractions die down.
When activities of external instruments/organs of senses & actions, mind and impact of desires, retire/cease; Jivatma stabilises in its own self, covering of Jivatma vanishes and it attains moksha. When thoughts are removed, the Jivatma becomes chaste and healthy.
In state of moksha, Jivatma is not in bondage. If moksha is also bondage then it shall have no difference from bondage. Moksha is but complete cessation of ignorance. Wise person attain moksha with the help of Prakriti and ignorant indulge into enjoyment.
Parmatma (supreme consciousness) is different from Jivatma and Prakriti. Parmatma is omnipresent, pure and liberated and cannot be modified. Parmatma is soul of world and Jivatma is soul of the body.
Liberated Jivatma is not merged with Parmatma. Jivatma is not liberated forever and can be re-born. Subtle body (10 subtle elements of organs of senses & action, 5 Tanmatra, mind and buddhi -17 elements) always accompanies the Jivatma as outward covering in migrating to another body. Subtle body also called spiritual body, or rudimentary body or astral body or linga.

The detailed explanations, chapter wise and verse-wise are as under:

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Patanjali Yoga Darshan –The Practical steps to Bliss & Powers

9/8/2018

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Patanjali Yoga Darshan –The Practical steps to Bliss & Powers

Yoga Darshan (194 Sutras, 4 chapters) was founded by Rishi Patanjali between the 4th century BC - 2th century AD. Yoga Darshan, one of the six Hindu Philosophies is practical training to attain moksha.

Yoga means joining or union. Yoga Shastra has four areas viz. universe, reason of creation of universe, liberation (moksha) and means of attaining liberation. These four areas are deeply investigated as under:

This universe is full of misery. The miseries have three cause viz. आध्यात्मिक/body-mind, आधिभौतिक/living beings और आधिदैविक/natural calamities which manifest into result misery (परिणामदुःख), heat distress (तापदुःख) and impression misery (संस्कारदुःख). When the person feels deficiencies in comforts and due to which develops anger, malice, greed, attachments etc.
Experience of sensual pleasures creates impressions, impressions create memory of pleasures, memory of pleasures creates attachments to it, and attachments inspire to do good or bad karmas/actions which accumulate karmas.
The reservoir of karmas (actions, deeds) which is called Karmashya (कर्माशय) has root in five afflictions/sufferings (5 क्लेश – अविद्या/ignorance, अस्मिता/I-am-ness or egoism, राग/passion or desires, द्वेष/ hatred & अभिनिवश/clinging to life). The accumulated karmas (संचित कर्म) are enjoyed / suffered. There is continuous flow of pleasure and pain till the karmas are extinguished. Good karmas are produced by japa, austerity, Samadhi and service to society and bad karmas are produced by maleficence, mischief, injury to others etc.
This leads to re-births cycle in form of different type of living being (जाति, plants, animals, birds, human beings etc.), age (आयु) and enjoyments/sufferings (भोग, pleasures & pains). Both good and bad karmas result ultimately into misery.
Retirement or freedom from miseries is kaivalya or moksha.

He postulated as under:
To get rid of miseries and to attain Kaivalya, eight limbs or parts of yoga are prescribed by rishi Patanjali. The Practice of eight limbs of Yoga leads to destruction of impurity which ultimately leads to light of self-awareness. In the light of self-awareness, Jivatma appears different from mind, buddhi, ego and senses.

The eight parts (of the self-discipline of Yoga) are Yama (Self-restraints, यम), Niyama (observances of rules, नियम), Asana (posture, आसन), Pranayama (regulation of breath, प्राणायाम), Pratyhara (abstraction, प्रत्याहार), Dharna (concentration, धारणा), Dhyana (meditation, ध्यान), Samadhi (trance, समाधि). (यमनियमासनप्राणायामप्रत्याहारधारणाध्यानसमाधयोऽष्टावअङ्गानि 2/29). Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama and Pratyhara are external limbs and Dharna, Dhyana & Samadhi are internal limb. Dharna, Dhyana & Samadhi is external limb of Asamprajaatah Samadhi (seedless Samadhi). The details are as under:

Yama are five which comprises abstention from violence, falsehood, theft, incontinence and acquisitiveness i.e. non-violence (अहिंसा), truthfulness (सत्य), non-stealing (अस्तेय), celibacy (ब्रह्यचर्य्य), not collecting too much/renunciation of desires & ego (अपरिग्रह) by mind, speech/word & actions. (अहिंसासत्यास्तेयब्रह्मचर्यापरिग्रहा यमाः ||2/30)
Niyama are five which comprises purity (शौच), contentment (सन्तोष), austerity (तप), self-study (स्वाध्याय) and self-surrender (ईश्वरप्रणिधान). Purity is external and internal i.e. body, mind (having friendliness, compassion, complacency etc., not having hatred, jealousy, etc.) & soul. Contentment is absence of desires of comforts which are not available. Austerity means endurance of pleasure-pain, cold-hot etc. and taking healthy & limited food. Study of Vedas, Upanishads, etc. scriptures, are means of attaining knowledge. Self-less actions and surrendering them to Brahman/Iswar is Ishwarpanidhan.
After asna are mastered, then pranayama is done. In Pranayama, inhalation is done (पूरक), breath is held inside (अन्त: कुम्भक), exhalation is done (रेचक); breath is held outside (वाहृाकुम्भक).
By practice of pranayama, senses withdraw themselves from their objects (natural tendencies) and mind turn inward. This state is called Pratyahara. By mastering pratyahara, yogi wins over senses.
Steadiness of mind is achieved by dharna, dhyana & Samadhi.
When mind become stable at one object (external or internal object say ajna chakra, lotus of heart, naval etc.), this state is Dharna.
During Dharna, when uninterrupted flow of mind (thoughts) is towards the object chosen, this state is Dhayna. During Dhayna, mind is focused but presence of meditator, meditation and object (ध्याता, ध्यान, ध्येय) is held.
During Dhayna, when the consciousness about him/her is lost and only objects remain, this state is called Samadhi.
When Dharna, Dhayna & Samadhi are done on one object, this called Samyama (संयम). When Samyama is mastered, divine wisdom/light is attained.
When the mind remains for long time as non-attached, the impressions which generate five afflictions decay which lead to Kaivalya (moksha). This state is called Samprajaatah Samadhi or Samadhi with consciousness (सम्प्रज्ञातसमाधि). Samprajaatah Samadhi is of four type’s viz. Savitarka Samadhi, Nirvitarka Samadhi, Savichar Samadhi and Nirvichar Samadhi. On attaining excellence in Nirvichar Samadhi, one becomes pure and witness Brahman and becomes above pains of death.
On suppression of impressions produced by the wisdom during Samprajaatah Samadhi, Asamprajaatah (असम्प्रज्ञात, निर्बीज, निर्विकल्प, seedless) Samadhi is attained. In this stage, all desires, ignorance, afflictions, sufferings, impressions etc. retire (निवृत्त).
The awareness / wisdom of pure consciousness (Brahman) has seven stages as under:
1. The universe is fully understood and full of misery. (leads to cessation of desire to know, जिज्ञासनिवृत्ति)
2. All the five afflictions (klasha) are ceased. (leads to cessation of desire to give up, जिहासानिवृत्ति)
3. Achieved cessation. (leads to cessation of desires, प्रेप्सानिवृत्ति)
4. Nothing to be accomplished. (leads to cessation of desire to accomplish, चिकीर्षानिवृत्ति)
5. Buddhi is contented. (leads to cessation of miseries/sorrows/afflictions, शोकनिवृत्ति)
6. All three attributes (sattva, rajas & tamas gunas) are dissolved. (leads to cessation of fear, भय निवृत्ति)
7. Residing in pure wisdom. (leads to cessation of alternatives/ choices,

The detailed explanations, chapter wise and verse-wise are as under:

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Purva or Karma Mimansa Darshan – The Vedic Rituals

Samkhya Darshan – the wisdom & liberation

Patanjali Yoga Darshan –The Practical steps to Bliss & Powers

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