In the previous posts, we introduced jiva chaitanya, ishvara chaitanya and raised the question how shAstra can claim oneness of these two opposite principles.
This is where we raised the two fold nature of chaitanyam, which is sathyam and mithya , and started talking about what we mean by sathyam.
Sathyam as we said in the previous post, we understand its general meaning to be that which is true, known through a valid means of knowledge to be true.
We gave examples such as , 'A tree exists outside ramus home'. If I go to Ramus home and check, and I see the tree, the 'sight' reveals, that OK, this is indeed 'true' and that is what we call as 'sathyam'.
However in the vedantic context, vedanta has a pratigna, a vow, that is has to reveal the oneness of ishvara chaitanya and jiva chaitanya. This is indeed the truth, since veda is valid pramAna.
The veda has to use words to communicate this knowledge, and necessarily by design, it has to use the words, that the jignasu,the one who wants to know can understand. Words that are within the understanding of the jignAsu.
Now one such word, we discussed and clarified, is sathyam, however the word sathyam alone is not enough to communicate what veda seeks to convey.
We previously talked about ishvara chaitanyam or consciousness as ishvara, and jiva chaitanyam or consciousness in the form of jiva and we were wondering, how in the world, can veda says that jiva and ishvara are one and the same, inspite of having directly opposite attributes.
That is when we introduced the two fold nature of sathyam and mithya.
Right not we are unfolding the word sathyam.
Now shAstra, has more to say about chaitanyam or consciousness.
Shastra says 'vAchArambanam vikAram nAmadeyam, mrtikka eva satyam'.
This translates to 'Pot exists only in terms of name and form, clay alone is sathyam or truth'.
Hence shAstra now loads the word sathyam, with a special meaning, rather than the general meaning we talked about in the previous post for sathyam.
This is the vedantic meaning, and in fact a more complete meaning given to sathyam, sathyam is not simply true, it has to be in fact THE truth. What do I mean by THE truth.
Here is what it is. In a world of gold ornaments, gold is THE truth, while chain, bracelet, earring and so on are the forms and names of that gold.
In a word of clay objects clay is THE truth, while the pots, and jugs and mugs and so on are the names and forms of clay.
Same way, chaitanyam, says the shAstra is THE truth, while all that exists here, which is essentially ishvara chaitanyam, ishvaras knowledge as multifarious forms and names and objects, of which jiva chaitanya is an amsa ( small part) , that chaitanyam , is not just sathyam, but in fact THE satyam. We can use the word anantham sathyam. Chaitanyam is sathyam in the manner, how clay is the sathyam for all objects made of clay, and gold is sathyam for all objects made of gold.
In case of gold jewels, or clay pots and jugs, while the maker of the jewel, is separate person, in the cause of the jagad, shAstra says
'He desired, He became many'.
That HE or SHE as we know is chaitanyam. So here the chaitanyam is BOTH the maker as well as the material, and chaitanyam is also sathyam, THE truth of the jagad, THE truth of all that is here, including the jiva chaitanyam , who is an amsA or a part.
Hence sathyam of vedanta, is not simple sathyam, rather is THE sathyam, non negatable sathyam, or in other words anantham sathyam, limitless sathyam.
Hence shAstra loads further meaning to the word sathyam, to now refer to absolute non negatable, limitless 'truth' and not just simple truth.
This chaitanyam, the vastu the , thing, that is chaitanyam, is ekam, is ONE, is non dual, advitiyam, and is also sathyam or truth of all that is here.
Note carefully, the word sathyam here, does not qualify chaitanyam as an adjective, rather reveals the 'reality' of chaitanyam to be 'truth', and not just conventional truth, rather communicates the knowledge that chaitanyam is 'absolute truth', non negatable, limitless truth, using the example of clay and pots, gold and jewels in order to load meaning.
Now OK, I understood, that sathyam means absolute truth, then what about the jagad, what word , what reality word will you use for all that this chaitanyam has become. What word will you use for chaitanyam as ishvara, as all knowledge, as every object? can we say anrtham? can we say 'false'? NO. Since there is functional utility for this world, it cannot be said to be false.
Therefore shAstra now introduces the word 'mithya', that can be used for jagad.
This is where we raised the two fold nature of chaitanyam, which is sathyam and mithya , and started talking about what we mean by sathyam.
Sathyam as we said in the previous post, we understand its general meaning to be that which is true, known through a valid means of knowledge to be true.
We gave examples such as , 'A tree exists outside ramus home'. If I go to Ramus home and check, and I see the tree, the 'sight' reveals, that OK, this is indeed 'true' and that is what we call as 'sathyam'.
However in the vedantic context, vedanta has a pratigna, a vow, that is has to reveal the oneness of ishvara chaitanya and jiva chaitanya. This is indeed the truth, since veda is valid pramAna.
The veda has to use words to communicate this knowledge, and necessarily by design, it has to use the words, that the jignasu,the one who wants to know can understand. Words that are within the understanding of the jignAsu.
Now one such word, we discussed and clarified, is sathyam, however the word sathyam alone is not enough to communicate what veda seeks to convey.
We previously talked about ishvara chaitanyam or consciousness as ishvara, and jiva chaitanyam or consciousness in the form of jiva and we were wondering, how in the world, can veda says that jiva and ishvara are one and the same, inspite of having directly opposite attributes.
That is when we introduced the two fold nature of sathyam and mithya.
Right not we are unfolding the word sathyam.
Now shAstra, has more to say about chaitanyam or consciousness.
Shastra says 'vAchArambanam vikAram nAmadeyam, mrtikka eva satyam'.
This translates to 'Pot exists only in terms of name and form, clay alone is sathyam or truth'.
Hence shAstra now loads the word sathyam, with a special meaning, rather than the general meaning we talked about in the previous post for sathyam.
This is the vedantic meaning, and in fact a more complete meaning given to sathyam, sathyam is not simply true, it has to be in fact THE truth. What do I mean by THE truth.
Here is what it is. In a world of gold ornaments, gold is THE truth, while chain, bracelet, earring and so on are the forms and names of that gold.
In a word of clay objects clay is THE truth, while the pots, and jugs and mugs and so on are the names and forms of clay.
Same way, chaitanyam, says the shAstra is THE truth, while all that exists here, which is essentially ishvara chaitanyam, ishvaras knowledge as multifarious forms and names and objects, of which jiva chaitanya is an amsa ( small part) , that chaitanyam , is not just sathyam, but in fact THE satyam. We can use the word anantham sathyam. Chaitanyam is sathyam in the manner, how clay is the sathyam for all objects made of clay, and gold is sathyam for all objects made of gold.
In case of gold jewels, or clay pots and jugs, while the maker of the jewel, is separate person, in the cause of the jagad, shAstra says
'He desired, He became many'.
That HE or SHE as we know is chaitanyam. So here the chaitanyam is BOTH the maker as well as the material, and chaitanyam is also sathyam, THE truth of the jagad, THE truth of all that is here, including the jiva chaitanyam , who is an amsA or a part.
Hence sathyam of vedanta, is not simple sathyam, rather is THE sathyam, non negatable sathyam, or in other words anantham sathyam, limitless sathyam.
Hence shAstra loads further meaning to the word sathyam, to now refer to absolute non negatable, limitless 'truth' and not just simple truth.
This chaitanyam, the vastu the , thing, that is chaitanyam, is ekam, is ONE, is non dual, advitiyam, and is also sathyam or truth of all that is here.
Note carefully, the word sathyam here, does not qualify chaitanyam as an adjective, rather reveals the 'reality' of chaitanyam to be 'truth', and not just conventional truth, rather communicates the knowledge that chaitanyam is 'absolute truth', non negatable, limitless truth, using the example of clay and pots, gold and jewels in order to load meaning.
Now OK, I understood, that sathyam means absolute truth, then what about the jagad, what word , what reality word will you use for all that this chaitanyam has become. What word will you use for chaitanyam as ishvara, as all knowledge, as every object? can we say anrtham? can we say 'false'? NO. Since there is functional utility for this world, it cannot be said to be false.
Therefore shAstra now introduces the word 'mithya', that can be used for jagad.
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