Who am I ?
This may be the biggest miscery in our life!.
Mandukyam explains "Who am I ?.
Smallest of the Upanishads, most powerful Upanishad, gives clear idea on What is my real nature. A clear idea on ourself will gives us a base to lead this life better.
Vedanta is basically the teachings of Upanishads. "Vedantanama Upanishad Pramanam". So, the definition of Vedanta can be " The teachings of the Upanishads ". The Upanishads represents the highest philosophical teachings of the Vedas. They are most ancient texts known to mankind. There are a long list of Upanishads. In Muktikopanishad, explains about most discussed 108 Upanishads. But around 1400 years back Sankara wrote "Bhashya or interpretation for 11 Upanishads. These 11 Upanishads are considered as jewel of Upanishad Sarvaswam.
Sankara selected "Mandukya", the highest, toughest, and smallest of all Upanishads. Sankara's Grand Guru Sri. Goudapadacharya wrote an interpretation on Mandukya. It known as Mandukya Karika.
It says "Mandukyamekamevalam mumukshunam vimukthaye"( For those who seeking liberation, Mandukya alone is sufficient) in its Goudapadacharya's Karika. Mandukyopanishad is available as "Mandukya Karika". Without Karika (Interpretation) it will be very difficult to understand any Upanishad.
Seventh Mantra is the core of Mandukya. This mantra discusses three states of our life. Waker (Waking), Dreamer(Dream) and Sleeper ( Sleep or deep sleep -Sushupti).
This "I", we can call it as 'Knower" also. This is also called "Prapancha".
Knower Known State
1. Waker ....... Waking world ..... Waking
2. Dreamer ...... Dream world .... Dream
3. Sleeper ....... Sleep Blankness.. Deep Sleep.
In this three state someone is observing and and claim that I am the waker, I am the dreamer, I am the sleeper, that identity, that knower of all states of the self is called "Turiya".
Mandukya Upanishad starts with a mantra-" Soyam Atma Chatushpad", "Who am I?, you have four aspects". That four aspects are these four. In this four aspects l, three are false! , one alone is real!, the Turiya.
Upanishad says this. We can go through this idea. But can we digest this idea?. That is the reason, many of us not sure of Advaita Vadanta. If a person sleeping in a bed and he is not aware of his body and nature in his sleep. He will say after waking, I slept well, I know nothing in my sleep. But others can see him in his deep-blind-sleep. How can one say "I am not aware of my body in my sleep?
Nothing philosophical in these three states. We are all going through these three states in everyday life. It is physical and day to day experience. The Upanishad says go and analyse these experiences. Here Waker experience this world. Dreamer experiencing dream world and sleeper about sleeping. Here waker and Dreamer are different and different experiences. Dreamer and sleeper also experiencing different worlds.
What happens when the waker after dreaming? He couldn't understand what and why about his dream!. After sleep the waker is not aware about his sleeping state. All he knows that he slept. They are exclusive, identity of each states have its on existence but we says I am wake , I have a dream and I slept.
In this three states, the "known" is the same and it is 'I'.
We can use the example of Golden Neclace, Ring and Bangle. Necklace is not the bangle and Bangle is not the ring. But Necklace, Bangle and Ring made of Gold.
In this exclusive state, we says I am awaken, I am dreaming and I was asleep. Then I am awaken again. So, " I " , claim all these three states for myself. Who is that I ? The 'I' is common to all in these three states. All three states are different and something going through all three of them. This nature or consciousness is "Turiya'. This continues and permanent watcher is going through the three parts of the life each and every day.
Like gold is the nature of an ornament, this Turiya appears as a waker, dreamer and sleeper. But he is not part of that state and still continuing as the basic of life.
So, there is another state is called Turia as fourth. All above mensioned states such as waker, dreamer and sleeper is part of a big one state of self called Turiya. This Turiya makes us to say I was wake, I had a dream or I am in sleeping.
Assume that the person is going through three rooms in a day. The first room is his waking state. Here he is doing his job or business.
In the second room he rerurns from waking world. He may watch TV or play some games.
The last room considered to be his deep sleep state. Here no active participation..just Blankness.
But after finishing the three rooms, he will appear in the first room again and say, I had a dream and the a deep sleep. I know nothing. His description on the dream and sleep states that he is in waking state now. What is that character which explains his three states in a day and still participating in his next round of experience. This shows this Turiya itself is a state that going through three visible process, which can be experienced by him and others. The Turiya is like a package carrying his different experiences in each day through his three states. All three three states varry each day, but the Turiya is carrying all thses experience. This Turiya makes us to say my time were good today, mine is a bad day. My sleep was interrupted act. This Turiya is appears as a waker, dreamer and sleeper. So , Mandukya says, Sa Atma, That is what you are!. Atma means 'I'. Atma literally means I. Don't confuse with Atma-Paramatma..that fourth one is the answer to the question. Who am I?. Turiya.
What will do after knowing Who am I ?. Follow this feeling of I ness..Ashta Vakra Muni told Dasaratha to follow this. Ramana Maharshi advices to follow this I ness. This feeling can be experienced by oneself. We cannot describe this I ness in words. Expression by words will not work here.
This may be the biggest miscery in our life!.
Mandukyam explains "Who am I ?.
Smallest of the Upanishads, most powerful Upanishad, gives clear idea on What is my real nature. A clear idea on ourself will gives us a base to lead this life better.
Vedanta is basically the teachings of Upanishads. "Vedantanama Upanishad Pramanam". So, the definition of Vedanta can be " The teachings of the Upanishads ". The Upanishads represents the highest philosophical teachings of the Vedas. They are most ancient texts known to mankind. There are a long list of Upanishads. In Muktikopanishad, explains about most discussed 108 Upanishads. But around 1400 years back Sankara wrote "Bhashya or interpretation for 11 Upanishads. These 11 Upanishads are considered as jewel of Upanishad Sarvaswam.
Sankara selected "Mandukya", the highest, toughest, and smallest of all Upanishads. Sankara's Grand Guru Sri. Goudapadacharya wrote an interpretation on Mandukya. It known as Mandukya Karika.
It says "Mandukyamekamevalam mumukshunam vimukthaye"( For those who seeking liberation, Mandukya alone is sufficient) in its Goudapadacharya's Karika. Mandukyopanishad is available as "Mandukya Karika". Without Karika (Interpretation) it will be very difficult to understand any Upanishad.
Seventh Mantra is the core of Mandukya. This mantra discusses three states of our life. Waker (Waking), Dreamer(Dream) and Sleeper ( Sleep or deep sleep -Sushupti).
This "I", we can call it as 'Knower" also. This is also called "Prapancha".
Knower Known State
1. Waker ....... Waking world ..... Waking
2. Dreamer ...... Dream world .... Dream
3. Sleeper ....... Sleep Blankness.. Deep Sleep.
In this three state someone is observing and and claim that I am the waker, I am the dreamer, I am the sleeper, that identity, that knower of all states of the self is called "Turiya".
Mandukya Upanishad starts with a mantra-" Soyam Atma Chatushpad", "Who am I?, you have four aspects". That four aspects are these four. In this four aspects l, three are false! , one alone is real!, the Turiya.
Upanishad says this. We can go through this idea. But can we digest this idea?. That is the reason, many of us not sure of Advaita Vadanta. If a person sleeping in a bed and he is not aware of his body and nature in his sleep. He will say after waking, I slept well, I know nothing in my sleep. But others can see him in his deep-blind-sleep. How can one say "I am not aware of my body in my sleep?
Nothing philosophical in these three states. We are all going through these three states in everyday life. It is physical and day to day experience. The Upanishad says go and analyse these experiences. Here Waker experience this world. Dreamer experiencing dream world and sleeper about sleeping. Here waker and Dreamer are different and different experiences. Dreamer and sleeper also experiencing different worlds.
What happens when the waker after dreaming? He couldn't understand what and why about his dream!. After sleep the waker is not aware about his sleeping state. All he knows that he slept. They are exclusive, identity of each states have its on existence but we says I am wake , I have a dream and I slept.
In this three states, the "known" is the same and it is 'I'.
We can use the example of Golden Neclace, Ring and Bangle. Necklace is not the bangle and Bangle is not the ring. But Necklace, Bangle and Ring made of Gold.
In this exclusive state, we says I am awaken, I am dreaming and I was asleep. Then I am awaken again. So, " I " , claim all these three states for myself. Who is that I ? The 'I' is common to all in these three states. All three states are different and something going through all three of them. This nature or consciousness is "Turiya'. This continues and permanent watcher is going through the three parts of the life each and every day.
Like gold is the nature of an ornament, this Turiya appears as a waker, dreamer and sleeper. But he is not part of that state and still continuing as the basic of life.
So, there is another state is called Turia as fourth. All above mensioned states such as waker, dreamer and sleeper is part of a big one state of self called Turiya. This Turiya makes us to say I was wake, I had a dream or I am in sleeping.
Assume that the person is going through three rooms in a day. The first room is his waking state. Here he is doing his job or business.
In the second room he rerurns from waking world. He may watch TV or play some games.
The last room considered to be his deep sleep state. Here no active participation..just Blankness.
But after finishing the three rooms, he will appear in the first room again and say, I had a dream and the a deep sleep. I know nothing. His description on the dream and sleep states that he is in waking state now. What is that character which explains his three states in a day and still participating in his next round of experience. This shows this Turiya itself is a state that going through three visible process, which can be experienced by him and others. The Turiya is like a package carrying his different experiences in each day through his three states. All three three states varry each day, but the Turiya is carrying all thses experience. This Turiya makes us to say my time were good today, mine is a bad day. My sleep was interrupted act. This Turiya is appears as a waker, dreamer and sleeper. So , Mandukya says, Sa Atma, That is what you are!. Atma means 'I'. Atma literally means I. Don't confuse with Atma-Paramatma..that fourth one is the answer to the question. Who am I?. Turiya.
What will do after knowing Who am I ?. Follow this feeling of I ness..Ashta Vakra Muni told Dasaratha to follow this. Ramana Maharshi advices to follow this I ness. This feeling can be experienced by oneself. We cannot describe this I ness in words. Expression by words will not work here.
