Preface
Adhyatma
Rahasya is a creation of Pandit Ashadharji sometime in year 1245 who is well
known for his books on Anagar and Sagar Dharmamrita which are important
reference books of Charitranuyoga. Apparently he wrote this Adhyatma Rahasya as
per the desire of his father and he wanted it to be included as addendum to
Sagar Dharmamrita as chapter 18th (in that book) but due to some
reasons he could not do it and so it was treated as a separate book. It has 72
Gathas in it which deal with the subject of spirituality and yoga. These are written based upon
churning of several scriptures popular at that time like Samadhi Sangrah,
Tatvanushasan, Ishtopadesha etc. Hence the material is derived from them. The
Gathas are fairly simple and straight forward. Still their meaning is quite
deep and mystical.
Adhyatma Rahasya ….1
Gatha 1 : Those who gave
away their own positions to Bhavya devotees engaged in worshipping them, I
offer obeisance to Shri Mahaveer Swamy and Shri Gautam Swamy.
In this
invocation, the importance of devotion is highlighted. With devotion the Bhavya
jivas can attain the highest goal of Moksha. Here obeisance is offered to
Bhagwan Mahaveer and Gautam swamy in the same sentence which has special
meaning. It serves as a proof of the process. Just as Bhagwan Mahaveer gave
away his own position to Gautam swamy who was his devotee, the same way all
other devotees of theirs can expect to achieve their goal. Another aspect to be
noted here is that even though Mahaveer swamy gave away his own position, it
does not mean he vacated it. It has to be taken in the sense of a lamp lighting
another lamp without forgoing its own illuminating nature. Thus we have both
lamps available serving the same purpose.
Gatha 2: Obeisance to the great Guru, who has illuminated the path by the
lamp of the form of preachment, due to which the practitioner of yoga becomes
eligible for wooing the Moksha form Lakshmi.
In this invocation,
obeisance is offered to that Guru who would enable devotees to attain the goal
of Moksha. The path is also indicated as being that of Yoga. The preachment of
right guru would enable one to practice the right yoga so as to attain the
objective of Moksha.
The form of most proficient in yoga is
revealed:
Gatha 3: That yogi is the most proficient in Yoga, whose Shruti, Mati,
Dhyati and Drishti have been realised within his own soul by the virtue of
great Guru.
In
continuation with previous gatha, here the form of right Yoga is being
described. The Yogi has to become proficient in four powers namely shruti,
Mati, Dhyati and Drishti. These are going to be described in the next gathas.
The preachment of right guru would enable him to attain the proficiency
desired.
Firstly
the form of own soul is described:
Gatha 4: The one which is ever illuminated within the centre of heart
form lotus of fools as well as wise ones and is addressed by the words ‘I am
soul’ clearly, that is called as own soul.
Here it has
been told that though all soul are alike in terms of capabilities, each soul is
individual when it comes to development. Each of us experience this soul as
“myself” and its physical location is also defined in the body. For attainment
of objective by means of yoga, the individuality of each soul has to be borne
in mind.
The
form of pure own soul :
Gatha 5: The one who does not have Moha (delusion) with respect to anyone nor has
raga(attachment) or dwesha (aversion),
such own soul manifested in the form of darshan-gyan and equanimity “is pure
own soul ” – know this.
Own soul
when it gets rid of Moha-raga-dwesha and manifests in the form of Samyak
darshan-gyan-equanimity , at that moment it should be treated as pure own soul.
Here the term equanimity denotes samyak charitra. Here the own soul is
described to be of two forms pure or impure from the aspect of paryaya or
manifestation.
Characteristics
of Shruti :
Gatha 6 : That preachment of Guru, which organises and positions
indisputably the objective as preached by Aapt (omniscient) i.e. the pure soul
subject of dhyan (meditation) – dharma dhyan and Shukla dhyan by means of Pramans ( right knowledge) of the
form of Pratyaksha (direct knowledge) and Agam (scriptures); that is known as
Shruti.
Here the
form of Shruti is described. It is not just general preachment of Guru, but a
specific preachment which organises the preachment of omniscient into dharma
dhyan and Shukla dhyan such that it does not have any contradictions with
Pratyaksha etc. form Pramans. The subject of preachment is also told as pure
soul and means have also been told to be dhyan (meditation).
Characteristics
of Mati as described in Adhyatma :
Gatha 7 : The own pure soul as rightly described by means of Shruti, the
logic by means of which it is established, should be known as ‘Mati’ in this
scripture of Adhyatma.
The words of
Guru are typically in the form of preachment or direction, but they are
absorbed more efficiently without doubt by means of logic which makes them
unshakable. Such logic and explanations are termed as Mati which is also known
as Budhhi or Smriti. Therefore Shruti is directly followed by Mati.
Characteristics
of Dhyati:
Gatha 8: That Buddhi which remains continuously (sequentially one moment after another) stationary within own pure soul, which does
not deviate to the knowledge of other substances other than own pure soul; such
Buddhi should be known as Dhyati.
When the
intellect manifesting in the form of own pure soul becomes so much focused and
stationary that it does not even touch the subject of anything other than pure
soul, then such state is described as Dhyan and the buddhi manifested in such
form is described as Dhyati. Here it has been made clear that if the Buddhi is
indulging in any subject other than pure soul then it cannot be described as
Dhyati.
Characteristics
of Drishti:
Gatha 9: That intrinsic spirit which has realised the soul of Shruta (
core of Jina’s preachment), which directly experiences the knowledge bodied own
pure soul, that should be known as ‘Drishti’ in this Adhyatma Shastra.
Subsequent
to Dhyati, the direct observation of own pure soul in the form of experience is known as Drishti. This
is a non physical inner vision wherein the own pure soul is experienced to be
free of ragas etc. form impurities and of the nature of knowledge.
Characteristics
of Samvitti (own experience) and
Drishti:
Gatha 10: The one which experiences very well, the objective (bliss) by
its characteristics, that Samvitti (own experience) itself is Drishti. Here the
objective of Samvitti is soul and characteristics are darshan and gyan.
In several
scriptures the subject of Drishti has been termed as Samvitti i.e. own experience
which experiences the soul by means of its characteristics darshan and gyan.
The
Glory of Drishti :
Gatha 11: That Drishti directly experiencing own pure
soul only, destroys all vikalpas causing miseries, that alone is famous
Param Bramha form and that alone is venerated by all Yogis with reverence.
Here the
glory of Drishti is described which experiences own pure soul in shuddhopayoga.
This Drishti destroys all vikalpas which cause misery and sufferings to the
soul. This Drishti alone is Param Bramha form since it helps attain own pure
soul. Remaining immersed in knowledge form soul, Being contented and satiated with
the same is supreme Dhyan. This only leads to knowledge and blissful form keval
gyan.
Objective
of churning the ocean of shruta:
Gatha 12: For attainment of the Drishti for experiencing own pure soul or the Samvitti only, the wise
people first churn the ocean of shruta (scriptures) and that churning results
in nectar form Moksha also. Rest all is worthless husk only for some intellectuals
which they use for demonstrating their intelligence.
Intelligent
people practice churning the four Anuyogas form ocean of scriptures which leads
to attainment of Drishti which enables direct experience of own pure soul. With
the same blissful experience i.e. Moksha is also attained. Thus these two are
the objectives of practice with scriptures. If this objective is not attained
then that practice of churning ocean of scriptures results in mere flowery speeches only which are invented
by those intelligent people.
The
forms of Vyavahara and Nishchaya great Gurus:
Gatha 13: With the nimitta of whose preachment, it results in attainment of that Drishti, he is
great Guru in Vyavahara sense. From aspect of Nishchaya, own soul is the great
Guru. Hence it is the inner voice.
Yogi is able
to attain shruti, mati, dhyati, and Drishti in that order with the nimitta of
right guru. The Drishti is described to be in the forms of Gurus of Nishchaya naya and Vyavahara naya. The Vyavahara Guru is one
whose words form preachment functions as external nimitta for attainment of
Drishti and Nishchaya Guru is our own soul which functions as inner voice for
attainment of Drishti.
The
form of Moksha Marg:
Gatha 14:
The jewel trio i.e. Samyak Darshan-Gyan-Charitra form own pure soul only is the real Moksha
Marg. Hence that alone is subject of enquiry of Mumukshus (people desirous of
Moksha), that alone is desirable and observable.
This
statement is from the aspect of same Nishchaya naya only which describes own
pure soul to be the Guru. In that Drishti when own pure soul is of the form of
samyak darshan-gyan-charitra then that is the real Moksha marg. Then which
other Moksha marg should be enquired by Mumukshus ? Only the jewel trio form
own soul should be the guide. He does not need to search anywhere else.
The
Vyavahara and Nishchaya forms of Jewel trio:
Gatha 15: The attitude towards pure conscious own soul of its realisation,
experience and stationing within self are sequentially darshan, gyan and
charitra in secondary (Vyavahara) way. The application of Upayoga (attention)
in the realisation, experience and stationing within self are darshan, gyan and
charitra in primary (nishchaya) sense.
The forms of
jewel trio in nishchaya and Vyavahara
senses are clarified here. Here the realisation of own pure conscious
blissful soul is called ‘darshan’, its
experience is ‘gyan’ and stationing within the same is ‘charitra’. The
shubhopayoga form manifestation towards the realisation, experience and
stationing is vyavahara samyak darshan-gyan-charitra. The application of
upayoga in the realisation, experience and stationing is nishchaya samyak
darshan-gyan-charitra. For both kinds of jewel trio the subject is pure
conscious blissful soul only.
The
form of Nishchaya Jewel trio
Gatha 16: The soul manifested into the form of Jewel Trio, with the
concentration of his intellect experiences his own soul having belief in the
same, such that he immerses within own soul being experienced.
Here the
glory of concentration of experience is highlighted and told that with its
effect, the experiencing own soul engages with his intelligence in the
realisation of pure own soul and having faith in the same he immerses within
own pure self. This immersion only is the highlight of charitra quality whose
prime reason is the belief in pure own soul which is realised by own
intelligence. Therefore the intelligence of realisation of own soul is quite
important. Those who consider the body to be soul, they are deluded Bahiratma
who cannot attain spiritual development till they have the same delusion.
Nature
of the Samyak Gyan form intelligence:
Gatha 17:
The intelligence which observing all substances
in their natural form, always faces own soul, that alone has been called as
intelligence here. Then O Brother! Realise the relationship of soul with that
intelligence.
Here Budhhi
is termed as right intelligence which observes and knows the substances as per
their nature and not less or more or wrongly. Such Buddhi only has been called
Samyak Gyan. Soul has close relationship with buddhi and one cannot exist
without the other. Those who realise buddhi as soul form, even if their
intelligence is low, they realise their soul and one day they can attain its
highest development. As against this those who do not understand the
relationship of buddhi with soul and believe the buddhi to be the result of
insentient substances- earth, water, fire, air – they are devoid of knowledge
of soul and hence cannot have spiritual development.
The
procedure for relinquishing everything else other than own experience:
Gatha 18:
“ I am just me” with such knowledge of self , I
renounce the consciousness of the soul towards other substances in the form
of “ I am this” , “ I do this ( I am its
doer)” , “ I enjoy this ( I am its enjoyer)”.
Here own
soul has been directed to remain stationary and firm within pure self with the
preachment that “ this alone is me and nothing else” – thus one should not
wander consciousness in body etc. The thoughts- “ this body is me, I do this or
I enjoy this” should be discarded since they develop relationship with external
substances and are hindrance in the knowledge of pure soul.
Motivation for nirvikalpa form own soul
experience:
Gatha 19: “ I am the only one” – relinquishing such internal thoughts , one should observe the
indestructible flame (soul) indescribable with words within himself.
In continuation with the preachment given in previous gatha,
it is told that one should not remain engaged in the internal thoughts of “ I
am the only one” and proceed further to observe the flame form soul which is
indescribable as well as indestructible. Thus here the motivation is provided for
spirit of own soul experience.
Means
for soul vision:
Gatha 20: Whatsoever is picturised by the soul as ‘this is me’, each of
them should be discarded as ‘ this is not me- this is not soul’. With the
stoppage of appearance of such vikalpas, the soul illuminates in pure conscious
form unceasingly.
Again in
continuation with previous gatha, where the encouragement for soul darshan has
been given, in making that effort, what all is visualised by the soul should be
treated as non-soul and discarded. When such visualisations stop due to
non-generation of vikalpas, then soul itself appears in pure conscious form. This is process for Atma
darshan.
The
Universal form of soul and its perceptibility with Keval Gyan:
Gatha 21: That soul is the screen
for imaging infinite subjects of knowledges and hence is universal form.
In spite of not being subject of speech or vision (of worldly people), it is
perceptible with keval gyan (omniscience) form vision.
In Gatha 19th
it was being preached to
experience the indestructible flame form soul. Now its form is being described
like that of a screen on which all the subjects of knowledge are imaged and
thus are known. Therefore even though the worldly people (Chhadmastha) cannot
see it, the keval gyan can observe it directly.
Continued…….
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