BRAHMA SUTRAM: A SIMPLE INTRODUCTION

ब्रह्मसूत्रं

BRAHMA SUTRAM

What is expressed in the least possible number of words to convey an idea or truth is a sutra, an aphorism. Brahmasutra is a basic text for all Vedantic schools of philosophy in the form of sutras. In it, Vyasa presents their substance in an extremely terse (short or condensed) form.  There is no reference in the Brahmasutra to specific deities such as Rama, Krishna etc.

Who or what is man (the individual self)? What is the nature of the world (jagat) in which he lives? And what is truth underlying all this? The Brahmasutra, which is a basic text of all Vedantic schools, seeks to answer these fundamental questions. These are indeed difficult questions but it behoves every human being to seek the answers.

There are commentaries (Bashyas) on the Brahma Sutram by the three Acharyas based on their philosophical schools.  They agree that Brahmam/Brahman is the cause of this world and that knowledge of Brahman leads to Moksha or the final emancipation, which is the goal of life. They also emphatically declare that Brahman can be known only through the scriptures and not through mere reasoning.

These Bhashyas on the Brahmasutra are themselves not easy for the layman to follow. So there are commentaries or teekas thereon by their followers. Below is an attempt to present meaning of the sutras in an easy and elementary manner. How very elementary is this attempt? The first sutra (1.1.1. below) has been explained in 113 slokas by Sri Madhwacharya in his Sutra Bhashyam!

1.I.1.अथातो ब्रह्मजिज्ञासा।

Athato Brahmajijnasa

The enquiry into Brahmam and its pre-requisites.

Hereinafter is the study/enquiry about brahmam. (There is no reference here to Brahma, the name by which God as creator is known or to the other Gods. This study is about the ultimate reality or ultimate truth about the universe. This goes by the name of Brahmam/Brahman in philosophical studies.) 

1.1.2.जन्माद्यस्य यतः

Janmadyasya yatah

Definition of Brahmam

(Brahmam is that) from which the origin etc., (i.e. the origin, sustenance & dissolution) of this (world proceeds.)

1.1.3.शास्त्रयोनित्वात्

Sastrayonitvat

Brahmam cognisable only through the scriptures.

The scripture being the source of right knowledge.

Sastra: the scripture; Yonitvat: being the source of or the means of the right knowledge. This sutra is incomplete and we have to fill in what will be obtained through the sastras. The object can only be Brahmam as that is being discussed here. Sastras refer to Vedas, Upanishads etc. A search of these will lead to knowledge about Brahmam. This explains the reason why all the sutras relate to these scriptures.

1.1.4.तत्तु समन्वयात्

Tattu samanvayat

Brahmam the main purport of all Vedantic texts.

But that (Brahmam is to be known only from the Scriptures and not independently by any other means, is established), because it is the main purpose (of all Vedantic texts.)

TAT: that; Tu: but; Samanvayat: On account of agreement or harmony, because it is the main purpose. As the scriptures are depended upon for knowledge about Brahmam, they are also the only source for reconciling differences therein.

Brahmam can be known only from the scriptures because all the scriptural passages can be harmonised only by such a doctrine. In Chapter six of the Chandogya Upanishad, Brahmam is purport of all passages. In the beginning you will find “This world, my child, was but the real (Sat) in the beginning”. It concludes “In it all that exists has its Self”. There is agreement in the opening and concluding passages.

The first four sutras have been explained in great detail in the commentaries (Bhashyas). In the case of Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra, the first three slokas (twenty four names in the namavali) are considered important, as the remaining slokas are elaboration of these three. Similarly if we understand in full the purport of these four sutras we will become completely aware of the following sutras.

THREE INDIAN SYSTEMS OF PHILOSOPHY: A SIMPLE EXPLANATION

THREE INDIAN SYSTEMS OF PHILOSOPHY: A SIMPLE EXPLANATION

 

(Based on Sri Mukkoor Lakshmi Narasimhacharya’s lectures)

 

 

Sruthi means that which is heard – Cosmic vibrations which are inaudible and invisible, were heard by the meditating Sages as sound. There are three kinds of Sruthis in the Vedas – bheda sruthi, abheda sruthi and ghataka sruthi. He is different, This is different, He is not like this; He has qualities different from this – these are examples of bheda sruthi. ‘All these came out of Him; He alone is the cause for all these’ – these statements, of themselves, show the division that He is different, this is different.

 

 

 

The Chandogya Upanishad declares: ‘All these are Brahman itself’, namely, tat tvam asi. Tvam – you; tatu – That (Brahman); asi – are. You consider yourself as ‘I’. That is not correct. You are Brahman itself. The distinctive appearance ‘I’ has arisen out of illusion. In his treatises on advaita philosophy, Sri Sankara has offered excellent explanation of this. Firstly, due to the effect of mirage, water appears to flow on the sands of the desert.  Deer thirsting for water in the heat of the desert search the mirage in vain for water and finally, die of unsatisfied thirst. Second example – in the dusk if a garland of flower is lying on the ground, it may appear as a snake to the passer-by. The garland and the apparent snake are one and the same. When the garland is recognized, the apparent snake will go. Thus, for the appearance of the snake, the garland was the basis. Just as the garland is mistaken for the snake, the unintelligent persons, due to delusion, see the different universe in the place of the single Brahman (supreme God). In fact Brahman (supreme God) is the basis for the entire universe. What is the meaning of the statement in the Geeta ’I am in all things. All things are in me’. In the illustration of the garland-snake, garland is the substrate; the snake is what is super-imposed. For the terrified person, the garland has disappeared into the snake. At that stage snake is the basis of his view. If his ignorance is removed and he realizes that it is only a garland, the garland has hidden the snake into itself. Then the garland becomes the base. The unintelligent person looks on the universe as the Truth; but in reality, God is the basis and support for the universe. For practical purpose, we may refer to that person, this person (different persons) etc. This inflated feeling of difference (between the universe and us) appears on account of the mixture of the five fundamental elements such as water, air etc. This differentiation or dual appearance (of the world and the individual) is not true. Only Brahman is true. If He is known by whom all these appearances will disappear, then as in the garland-snake example, the delusion (snake) will go and the garland, namely Supreme God will be perceived.

 

Avidya (lack of true knowledge) is a mirror. That mirror is quite dirty. God comes before the mirror. If we stand before the dirty mirror, then our reflection in the mirror too appears dirty. The differences referred to earlier appear similarly. These are not at all true. The distinctive appearance as many entities is not true. Only Brahman is the truth. All the rest are illusory, mere appearances.

If a genuine pearl and the shoe-flower (japapuspa) are placed side by side, the pearl appears to have the same colour as the flower. In reality the pearl does not have any colour at all. Above appearances will also happen between a crystal and a flower. Similarly none of the material in the universe is truth; only Brahman is truth – this is the declaration of the statement ‘Tat Tvam Asi’. The declaration that all are Brahman is the abheda sruthi.   

 

The third, ghataka sruthi, synchronises or attempts to reconcile the variations between the other two sruthis. It states that it is the Atman (Brahman) that indwells all the worlds and all the beings. He resides in them and controls them whereas they know him not. He is the eternal witness (sakshi), the listener (srotra), the thinker (mantri) and the knower (jnatra). However, he is not the object of cognition for any of the senses. He is the immortal Atman (Brahman). All else is perishable. (Brhadaranyaka Upanishad – Antaryami-brahmana). In his Brahma Sutra Bhashya, Sri Ramanuja reconciles the bheda, abheda sruthis.

 

The Dwaita philosophy enunciates the dual nature. It states that jeeva (the individual soul) and brahman are different from one another (Sri Madhva).

 

Tat Tvam Asi – You who are the jeeva (the individual soul), are that Brahman – Sri Sankara. There are no two; there is only one – this is Advaita: the self-awareness that I

am the Brahman. After one recognizes the Truth, all the others will disappear – This is the Advaita theory.

 

Visishtadvaita (Sri Ramanuja) – All material/matter are His body.

 

Three philosophies – one states the bheda principle; another elaborates the abheda theory. The third refers to the indweller (antaryami) in all beings.

 

Thus the declarations in the three sruthis have been used in the supporting arguments of the three systems of philosophy. Matha means idea/opinion. The three Acharyas (Gurus or gifted teachers) enunciated the statements in the Upanishads as their own considered opinions and they then used those portions of the Upanishads supporting their theories.     

 

Pramana sloka on dwaita philosophy

 

 

 

SrimanMadhvaMateh Harihi Parataraha Satyam Jagat Tattvato

Bhedo Jeevaganaha Hareranucharaaha Neechochabhaavam gataaha

Mukthihi Naijasukhaanubhuthihi, Amalaabhaktischa Tatsaadhanam

Hyakshaaditritayam Pramanam Akhilaamnayaikavedhyo Harihi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THREE INDIAN SYSTEMS OF PHILOSOPHY: A SIMPLE EXPLANATION

 

(Based on Sri Mukkoor Lakshmi Narasimhacharya’s lectures)

 

 

Sruthi means that which is heard – Cosmic vibrations which are inaudible and invisible, were heard by the meditating Sages as sound. There are three kinds of Sruthis in the Vedas – bheda sruthi, abheda sruthi and ghataka sruthi. He is different, This is different, He is not like this; He has qualities different from this – these are examples of bheda sruthi. ‘All these came out of Him; He alone is the cause for all these’ – these statements, of themselves, show the division that He is different, this is different.

 

 

 

The Chandogya Upanishad declares: ‘All these are Brahman itself’, namely, tat tvam asi. Tvam – you; tatu – That (Brahman); asi – are. You consider yourself as ‘I’. That is not correct. You are Brahman itself. The distinctive appearance ‘I’ has arisen out of illusion. In his treatises on advaita philosophy, Sri Sankara has offered excellent explanation of this. Firstly, due to the effect of mirage, water appears to flow on the sands of the desert.  Deer thirsting for water in the heat of the desert search the mirage in vain for water and finally, die of unsatisfied thirst. Second example – in the dusk if a garland of flower is lying on the ground, it may appear as a snake to the passer-by. The garland and the apparent snake are one and the same. When the garland is recognized, the apparent snake will go. Thus, for the appearance of the snake, the garland was the basis. Just as the garland is mistaken for the snake, the unintelligent persons, due to delusion, see the different universe in the place of the single Brahman (supreme God). In fact Brahman (supreme God) is the basis for the entire universe. What is the meaning of the statement in the Geeta ’I am in all things. All things are in me’. In the illustration of the garland-snake, garland is the substrate; the snake is what is super-imposed. For the terrified person, the garland has disappeared into the snake. At that stage snake is the basis of his view. If his ignorance is removed and he realizes that it is only a garland, the garland has hidden the snake into itself. Then the garland becomes the base. The unintelligent person looks on the universe as the Truth; but in reality, God is the basis and support for the universe. For practical purpose, we may refer to that person, this person (different persons) etc. This inflated feeling of difference (between the universe and us) appears on account of the mixture of the five fundamental elements such as water, air etc. This differentiation or dual appearance (of the world and the individual) is not true. Only Brahman is true. If He is known by whom all these appearances will disappear, then as in the garland-snake example, the delusion (snake) will go and the garland, namely Supreme God will be perceived.