FRAILTY OF THIS WORLD

The frailty of this world lies in its vanities. Vanities are phenomenological experiences understood by the mind through sensory perception, which may not correspond to the thing-in-itself; they cannot be proven or disproven, nor directly perceived or interpreted, but can be inferred from the nature of experience. The individual ego, perceived as the "I," serves as a facade of ignorance, excluding the consciousness of Ātman, or Self, from seeing its unity within the continuum of the universal-particular. Through its misadventures, "I-ness" associates itself with the Ahamkara, or ego. This erroneous identification of Ātman with the body, mind, and cognitive sensory systems obfuscates a sense of "I-ness." Swami Sivananda asserts that this misidentification encompasses three deficiencies: Avarana, or obscuration; Vikshepa, or distraction; and Mala, or contamination. Karma Yoga is a method that cleanses the mind of impurities via altruistic service. Upasana and Japa, or worship and commitment, should eliminate mental turmoil. The practice of Jñana Yoga, encompassing the study of Vedic literature, inquiry, self-reflection, service to the Guru, and profound meditation, aims to dismantle the veil. Self-realisation is only possible at this juncture. The essence of the particular is to unify with the universality of the Universal. The sage philosopher, Swami Krishnananda, posits that the mind, as a nuanced embodied component of the specific, may conceptualize itself alone in four ways: quantitatively, qualitatively, relationally, and conditionally. Quantity, quality, relation, and modality are the four categories that shape human cognition, and beyond these dimensions, one can conceive of nothing. Subjected to this crucible, the mind's sense of helplessness precludes the conception of universality. The Universal is neither a quantity, quality, relation, nor condition; so, how can we conceptualise God as Universal Being? Only the Self, as a distinct being in a state of consciousness characterised by detachment, equanimity, and forbearance, regardless of its physical form, can contemplate the universe and comprehend its ultimate essence as as Sat-Chit-Anand (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss).

1. Outline

The frailty of this world is the frailty of the objective dimension, or the temporo-spatial dimension of the phenomenal world. The tripartite manifestations of Satvika (goodness, tranquillity, and equilibrium), Rajasika (passion, dynamism, and motion), and Tamasika (ignorance, inertia, and lethargy) surround this phenomenal realm. All individuals who traverse this universe experience these modalities of life either singularly or in overlapping combinations. It is a manifestation of the limitations and constraints of earthly experience. This, as articulated by the sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda, encapsulates the constraints of our . It is a manifestation of consciousness's determination to persist in a certain state and to resist any transformation into an alternate state. He designates this phenomenon as the insistent mind, ego, etc., to signify the compulsive aspect of consciousness. It represents an obsession as it rejects the recognition of any reality outside its own perspective. Swami Krishnananda posits that the ego, or ego sense, is the principle that restricts its existence to the domain of its own cognitions, perceptions, and experiences. The frailty of this worldly individuality denotes the manifestation of cosmic universality within particular spatial and temporal contexts. This uniqueness is a captivating and singular phenomenon. It is challenging to precisely articulate our own perception. It comprises a network of emotions, biases, and contextual understanding. Vedanta designates these as Manas (mind), Buddhi (intellect), Ahamkara (ego, beyond identity), Chitta (consciousness or cosmic intelligence), and others. They only represent certain tensions of consciousness that operate distinctly within the parameters of corporeal individuality. The various adjustments and adaptations we undertake in our lives transpire under particular conditions.

2. Scriptures

Maharshi Valmiki wrote the scripture known as Yoga-Vasistha, also known as Vasistha Ramayana. It deals with discourses between Sage Vasistha and Sri Rama, the main character of the Ramayana. It expounds the principle of Brahmān, or Cosmic-Self; Advaita, or non-duality; Māyā, or illusion and self-effort, etc. Sage Vasistha imparts to Sri Rama the wisdom that the lotus-born Brahma bestowed long ago, after the earth's formation, for the peace of humanity. I understand that you would elaborate on the topic of freedom comprehensively; nevertheless, first, please dispel my misconception about the transience of this world, as articulated by Sri Rama to His teacher, sage Vasistha. He asserts that despite his omniscience, the esteemed sage Vyasa, who was Sukamuni's progenitor and mentor, did not achieve disembodied emancipation posthumously, unlike his son. Sage Vasistha explains that Ātman's, or Self's freedom, irrespective of its embodied or disembodied state, bears a resemblance to the relationship between sea water and its waves, which share a common liquid essence. The freedom of both embodied and disembodied spirits entails their separation from sensory things; thus, the soul that is unbound by sensuous pleasures is considered liberated, devoid of any conception of tangible entities. Although we perceive the living freed sage Vyasa as a corporeal being, we remain unequivocal about the detachment of his inner essence from the physical confines of his body. The distinction between embodied and disembodied souls, when both are equally enlightened and emancipated, resembles the contrast between calm and turbulent sea water. The distinction between corporeal and unembodied emancipation is as negligible as that between moving and stationary air. Liberation, regardless of the physical form, fosters unselfishness; our selfishness has diminished since we attained awareness of the indivisible unity of the soul (Yoga-Vasistha, 2.4.1-2.4.8).

Sage Vasishtha asserts, "Listen, Sri Rama, we cannot quantify the atoms emanating from the spirit that constitute the three worlds, both before and after the emergence of the illustrious sun." No one can enumerate the millions of celestial bodies that currently constitute the three realms. There is no necessity to discuss past or future worlds; whatever one may assert about the current state of existence, Sri Rāma presents it to Sage Vasistha. The world, as sage Vasistha asserts, comprises brute, human, and celestial beings whose lives, while deemed to be to death in any region, continue to exist in that same region. The mind is inherently variable, and it generates all entities within the three realms internally. It exists in emptiness, as does the heart, with the uncreated likewise inhabiting the void of the soul. Here, we will resurrect all deceased beings, those currently dying, and those who will die in the future, according to the diverse wishes within their minds. The exterior world, perceived as reality, is fundamentally a construct of our wishes; it is an illusory edifice and a fantastical panorama before us. It is as fragile as a delirious earthquake, as a string of pearls in a clear sky, and as the swaying trees that a boat passenger perceives. It is an illusion, akin to the specter of a city in a dream and as false as the conception of a flower flourishing in the air. The world's frailty is most apparent at death and after. However, reincarnation on earth obscures the awareness of the world's illusion, casting the shadow of this realm across the reflective surface of the sentient soul once again. Consequently, there exists a contention for recurrent reincarnations and a fascination with the afterlife following one's demise. Upon the departure of one's corporeal shape, one adopts another and subsequently yet another guise, rendering the universe as precarious as a stool constructed from plantain leaves and their coverings. The deceased possess no awareness of the earth or other fundamental entities, nor of the progression of the world; yet, they revert to these misconceptions upon their reincarnation here. Endless ignorance resembles a vast river encompassing the essence of creation, fragmenting into tributaries of insurmountable ignorance. The Divine manifests like a sea, producing an unceasing and abundant succession of creative waves. All entities here are akin to the waves of this ocean, with some resembling one another in intellect and essence, while others are partially similar and some entirely dissimilar from the remainder. I consider the venerable Vyasa to be one of the thirty-two waves, due to his extensive knowledge and appealing appearance. Twelve individuals, with limited comprehension, served as the patriarchs of humanity, each possessing equal vigour. Ten of them were men of a restrained demeanor, while the others were proficient in their familial responsibilities. The rebirth of other Vyasas, Valmikis, Bhrigus, Angiras, and Pulastyas will occur in a variety of forms. Perpetually, Asuras (demons), Devas (gods), and their respective hosts reincarnate and annihilate in their original or altered forms. In a Kalpa (cosmic time cycle) period of Brahma, there are seventy-two Treta cycles, some of which have already occurred while others are still to come. Thus, similar people will emerge, and I believe another Rama and Vasishtha will emerge through the Divine intellect's perpetual cycle of concepts. This Vyasa has had ten consecutive reincarnations, renowned for his remarkable deeds and extensive knowledge. Valmiki and I have been contemporaries on numerous occasions, despite being born in various eras and many times. I have experienced numerous instances, and others like me have also existed; I too have been born in various forms. In the future, Sage Vyasa will reincarnate eight times and compose his Mahabharata and the Purana narratives once again. After splitting the Vedas, elucidating Bharata's lineage's deeds, and creating the understanding of Brahmān in the Vedanta, Vyasa will achieve disembodied liberation upon his ultimate demise. Sage Vyasa, who is free from fear and grief and has attained tranquillity and liberation by mastering his mind and renouncing worldly wants, is considered liberated even in his current lifetime. The living emancipate may occasionally be linked to his families and possessions, his actions and responsibilities, his knowledge and wisdom, and all his efforts, akin to others, or he may renounce them all simultaneously. The enigmatic Maya of God either reincarnates these entities a hundred times in a particular era or does not reincarnate them at all. Their spirits experience analogous transformations via repetition, akin to a bushel of grain that is harvested for repeated sowing and subsequent reaping in the same or different fields. Just as the sea continuously produces surges of diverse shapes, all beings are perpetually born in varied forms within the expansive ocean of time. The enlightened individual, liberated during his lifetime, resides in a state of tranquillity, firmly anchored in his belief in God, devoid of doubt, and fully satisfied with the nectar of equanimity.

3. Remarks

The creator has peopled this great earth, says Sri Rama in Yoga-Vasistha (4.52.16), with many self-moving bodies (animals), which move in their spheres quite ignorant of themselves, their origins, their courses, and their fates. We cannot think what God did not think; we cannot be what God Himself is not; we cannot possess what is not God's possession, and we cannot have a satisfaction that is not God's, because the mighty originator of this cosmos has somehow planted Himself in the heart of everything that He has created, so that He is the power house of even the littlest energy, such as a crawling ant, aphoristically states sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda. The sage philosopher asserts that the human mind lacks the capacity to comprehend the majesty and glory of the Almighty. He says that conceptions of God are anthropomorphic, human, and sometimes even less than human. He continues to say that we create a social god, a family god, a business god, an industrial god, and whatever god we would like to satisfy our instincts and the frailties of our human nature and, to a greater extent, the frailty of the world. Yet God is kind and compassionate. He is agreeable even to our ideas of an industrial god or a business god. Such a god does exist; it's not that he isn't present. Any god that we can envision in our minds is that one and only God.

-Asutosh Satpathy