Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com1 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com2 ADVAITA VEDANTA Non-duality, meditation practice, states of consciousness and Vedanta cosmology Commentaries on theD!G D!"YA VIVEKA by"A#KAR$C$RYA SESHA Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com3 Original title: Vedanta Advaita Legal deposit: M. 2630-2005 ISBN: 84-8445-111-9 Allrightsarereservedbytheauthor.Prohibited, amongstotherthings,areanycommercialization, exploitation,reproduction,processing,distributionor disclosurewithoutpriorpermissionfromtheauthor. However,thisworkmaybedisseminatedfreelyaslongas there is no profit made. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com4 Theuniversedoesnot change;itistheperceiver whoremembersit constantly different. SESHA Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com5 Index Introduction ....................................................................................................... .10 "loka1 ..................................................................................................... 14 "loka2 ..................................................................................................... 21 "loka3 ..................................................................................................... 25 "loka4 ..................................................................................................... 30 "loka5 ..................................................................................................... 33 "loka6 ..................................................................................................... 37 "loka7 ..................................................................................................... 44 "loka8 ..................................................................................................... 49 "loka9 ..................................................................................................... 54 "loka 10 .................................................................................................... 65 "loka 11 .................................................................................................... 71 "loka 12 .................................................................................................... 75 "loka 13 .................................................................................................... 79 "loka 14 .................................................................................................... 83 "loka 15 .................................................................................................... 88 "loka 16 .................................................................................................... 95 "loka 17 .................................................................................................. 100 "loka 18 .................................................................................................. 105 "loka 19 .................................................................................................. 109"loka 20 .................................................................................................. 113 "loka 21 .................................................................................................. 118 "loka 22 .................................................................................................. 122 "loka 23 .................................................................................................. 127 "loka 24 .................................................................................................. 134 "loka 25 .................................................................................................. 136 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com6 "loka 26 .................................................................................................. 140 "loka 27 .................................................................................................. 165 "loka 28 .................................................................................................. 169 "loka 29 .................................................................................................. 177 "loka 30 .................................................................................................. 195 "loka 31 .................................................................................................. 198 "loka 32 .................................................................................................. 208 "loka 33 .................................................................................................. 213 "loka 34 .................................................................................................. 216 "loka 35 .................................................................................................. 219 "loka 36 .................................................................................................. 226 "loka 37 .................................................................................................. 229 "loka 38 .................................................................................................. 235 "loka 39 .................................................................................................. 238 "loka 40 .................................................................................................. 240 "loka 41 .................................................................................................. 243 "loka 42 .................................................................................................. 245 "loka 43-44 ............................................................................................ 246 "loka 45 .................................................................................................. 249 "loka 46 .................................................................................................. 252 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com7 Index of tables and figures FIGURESFigure 1 Implicit elements in perception ............................................ 17 Figure 2 States of cognition and Patajalis definitions ....................... 23 Figure 3 Scheme for the birth of Cosmic or Individual ReflectedConsciousness .................................................................... 51 Figure 4 Uninterrupted cycle of duality ........................................ 86 Figure 5 Individual Consciousness as a reflection of UniversalConsciousness.......................................................................... 98 Figure 6 Modalities of objects of knowledge .................................. 109 Figure 7 Development of the universe at Samas! ! ! t! ! i (collective) level, associated with the three great states of !a"kara .... 121 Figure 8 Material and Ideal Objects .............................................. 124 Figure 9 Field of Information .......................................................... 148 Figure 10 Field of Information basic to defining the practice of Meditation ................................................................................ 150 Figure 11 Similar modalities of Fields of Information ...................... 152 Figure 12 Non-differentiated Information ..................................... 154 Figure 13 Open field ................................................................. 156 Figure 14 Inner Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Sam#dhi ............................ 170 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com8 Figure 15 Outer Savikalpa and Nirvikalpa Sam#dhi ........................... 170 Figure 16 Perception with and without distance from outerobjects ................................................................................. 176 Figure 17 The States of consciousness, kind of field, kind ofinformation and sensory boundary ................................. 199 Figure 18 Kinds of Karma........................................................... 206 Figure 19 The j$va as reflection.................................................. 212 Figure 20 The three theories about the existence of the j$va........ 219 TABLES Table 1 Characteristics of the five states of consciousness ....... 19 Table 2 States of cognition and corresponding perceptionagent ................................................................................. 24 Table 3 Aspects of the Antah! ! karan! ! a ............................................. 38 Table 4 Cosmologic and Cosmogonic representation ................ 41 Table 5 Relationship between the Mind, Individuality andIndividual Consciousness ............................................... 46 Table 6 States of consciousness according to therelationship between the perceiver and the perceived .. 55 Table 7 States of Consciousness according to Gaud! ap#da andGovindap#da ...................................................................... 66 Table 8 States of Consciousness according to Patajali ........... 67 Table 9 States of Consciousness according to the West. ....... 68 Table 10 Systematisation of States of Consciousness .............. 69 Table 11 States of Consciousness produced by M#y# orAvidy# .............................................................................. 78 Table 12 Evolution of the universe caused by the Factorsof Limitation................................................................. 92 Table 13 Evolution of the universe caused by the statesof matter ......................................................................... 94Table 14 J$va and its identification with Subtle and Densebodies ............................................................................. 97Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com9 Table 15 Instruments at the disposal of cognition.................. 108 Table 16 Some similar terms associated with Non-dualityand Duality ................................................................... 112Table 17 The Sat aspect of Non-duality................................... 115Table 18 Cit aspect of Non-dual reality.................................... 116Table 19 %nanda aspect of Non-dual reality............................. 118 Table 20 Synonyms for Ideal and Material information ........... 125 Table 21 Relationship of States of Consciousness according todifferent authors.......................................................... 132 Table 22 Savikalpa Sam#dhi associated with Object................. 134Table 23 Savikalpa Sam#dhi associated with Sound.................. 137 Table 24 Nirvikalpa Sam#dhi ........................................................ 142Table 25 Dual and Non-dual fields........................................... 152Table 26 Fields of Cognition..................................................... 154Table 27 Summary of States of Consciousness depending onthe kind of field and Information ............................... 157Table 28 The seven different kinds of Sam#dhi ......................... 183Table 29 The Knower and the Known..................................... 198Table 30 The five ko&a ................................................................ 210Table 31 Qualities of a disciple................................................. 223Table 32 Different j!vas (individuals)....................................... 237Table 33 Types of j!va................................................................ 241 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com10 Introduction he D'gD'&yaViveka, introductory text to the Adavita Vedanta, whichinvestigatestheDiscriminationbetweenthenatureofthe perceiverandwhatisperceived,isattributedto!r$ !a" kar#c#ryathe masterinstalleroftheAdvaitaVedantaorAbsoluteNon-dual Philosophy.Inthesamewayasthegreatmajorityofprofoundtexts belongingtoAdvaitatradition,theD'gD'&yaVivekausuallyconfuses students, inexperienced in their own inner search. For those who feel themselves drawn by Advaita Vedanta philosophy, this text becomes adeeplymetaphysicalbodyofideasthatusuallyappearhighly theoreticalandpracticallyunreachable.Differentbooksand commentaries by renowned masters, such as, the D'g D'&ya Viveka for example,indicatetheessentialnatureofBrahmanasbeingthecause without a cause of all existence at a universal level, or the %tman as the primordial essence that underlies the human being. Nonetheless, the understanding of the identity between %tman y Brahman that is stated in the Advaita Vedanta is as seems, one of the many mysteries that studentscomeacrosswhentheyattempttogetthroughthethick tangleofabstractionsandmetaphysicalmeaningsthatthe philosophicalsystemdeclares.Unfortunately,manyofthe conclusionsintheAdvaitaVedantaarepresentedasdistant statements,whichcanonlybedecipheredbyonlyafewprivileged ones.T Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com11 The difficulty which involves the serious study of the Advaita Vedanta,asalways,hasalottodowithmostofitsmastersand spiritualleadersdealwiththeirownNon-dualinnerexperience exclusively, without boarding the immense gap between a balanced mindthatperceivestherealityoftheWorldand,incontrast,the reality that meets the eyes of someone who observes it through the rouge waves of their uncontrollable thoughts. The representation of a world free from mental agitation, and the consequence this has on therepresentationandexperienceoftheWorld,isapparently equallyasinaccessibletoanyVedantastudent,that,inmostcases, theirlimitedreflectionsarenomorethanlikeanxioushopesof buyingthewinninglotteryticket.ThismakestheAdvaitaVedanta appear like a philosophic system for the elite. Truthfully speaking it is, as it was formulated for those who had acquired Viveka, that is, MetaphysicalDiscrimination,andforthosewhosemindshad reachedtheideallevelthatallowedforhighabstractand metaphysicalgraspingthattheunderstandingandanalysisofNon-dualityrequires.However,itisnecessaryfortheteachingstobe adequateandsystematisisedforahumangroupthat,although havingthedesiretogodeeplyintothesetimelessteachings,they stilldonothavetheadequatementaldispositiontoincurinthe high truth that Non-duality promotes.Theaimofthisbookistosystematicallybringa collectionofbeautifulandimpenetrableideasclosertothe major part of Western cultural thinking. For this reason I have takenSvamiNihilanandasEnglishtranslation of theD'g D'&ya Viveka, and in turn translated into Castilian by the Argentinean teacher Silvia del Rio. I have made a meticulous adaptation of delRioswork,withtheaimofrevealingmostoftheideas presentedinthetext,inlanguagewhichismorewithinreach of the average Western reader. Myintentionistobringtheprofoundandeternal teachingsfromtheAdvaitaclosertoallthosewhohave Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com12 reflexivediscipline,byholdingintheirheartstheblissful discriminationofNon-dualreality.Thisbook,thesameasthe ones before1, is a text book for study, analysis and reflection. In no way have they been written to be read quickly without giving themyourattention.Theyareconsultationbooksthat,thanks totheirstudyandprofoundness,couldserveasheadlightsat night for those who desire to sail across the vast ocean of Non-dual inner search. SESHA Buenos Aires, January 2005 1WearereferringtoLabsquedadelanada,Eleternopresente,LaparadojadivinayLos campos de cognicin, all written by Sesha. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com13 All action occurs in the intelligent movement that happens peacefully. SESHA Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com14

!LOKA 12 Fo r m(rupa)i s p e r c e i v e d a n d t h e e y e (indriya)i st h e p e r c e i v e r . I t ( t h e e y e ) i s p e r c e i v e d a n d t h e mi n d(manas)i s i t s p e r c e i v e r . Th e mi n d (dh!v"tti)wi t h a l li t s mo d i f i c a t i o n s i s p e r c e i v e d a n d t h e Wi t n e s s (s#k$im) i s v e r i l y t h e p e r c e i v e r . Bu t , i t ( t h e Wi t n e s s ) i s n o tp e r c e i v e d ( b y a n y o t h e r ) .Formisperceivedandsightisitsperceiver.Sightis perceived and the mi nd is its perceiver. The mi nd along with all its modifications is perceived and Non-dual consci ousnessis its perceiver. Non-dual consci ousness is not perceived by any other previous or posterior agent. 2 For more rigor is maintained in all &loka the double statement. First appears in italics andtheSpanishversionthatmadetheteacherSilviaArgentinaRiver,publishedby EditorialHastinapura,BuenosAires,1976,fromtheoriginalEnglishtranslation Nikhilnanda Swami. Then include the Sesha updated version. (NE) Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com15 TherearefourprimordialelementsthroughwhichtheVedanta theorises in respect with cognition: form, senses (in the case of this !loka, sight), mind and Non-dual consciousness or #tman. By the means of these four elements it ispossibletodeterminateasufficientlycoherentmetaphysicalmodelto coincidewithcommonexperienceshumanbeingshavewhentheytryto know or know themselves. TherepresentationofcognitionfortheWestisestablished basedonthedifferencethatexistsbetweentheperceiverand whatisperceived.Tryingtosolvethedilemmaofcognition entails resolving these questions: Is it possible for the perceiver to reallyknowwhathe/sheperceives?3 Istheperceivertheactive agentinknowledgeor,isitwhatisperceived?4Istheperception of objects immediate or sequential? 5 TheWesternmodelpresentsBasicdilemmaswhenitcomesto the analysis of the theory of consciousness. One of them is in clearly definingwhoistheperceiver(D'g)andwhatisperceived(D'&ya). Thatis,wheredoestherealityofthesubjectbeginandwheredoes the reality of the object end? Or in other words where does the reality oftheobjectendandwheredoestherealityofthesubjectbegin?At bottom, the question to the answer is: Which is the stable boundary that delimits both realities: object and subject? Isitthesubjectsskinthatformsthephysicalboundaryin respectwiththeobject?Doesthesubjecthaveanidealconnotation and the object a real one?AllWesternphilosophersprovideapersonalinterpretationof the nature of the perceiver and what is perceived. All of their countless philosophic positions are right in some ways yet err in others. ThepathisdifferentintheVedanta:therepresentationof cognitionbetweenobjectandsubjectisnotenough,norassumingthat 3 The answer to this question gives rise to the positive, sceptical schools etc. 4 The answer to this question gives rise to objective and subjective schools. 5 The answer to this question gives rise to the intuitive and rational concepts. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com16 knowledgeistheapprehensionoftheobjectbythesubject.Since fromourperspective,itisimportanttoclearlyestablishthe different elements to be known, that interrelate with each other, andtheboundariestheycanestablishbetweeneachother,with theaimofprovidingasystematicordertotheprocessof cognition. Therearefourinterrelatedelementsincognition:External objects,sensoryorgans,mindanditsmodificationsandNon-dual consciousness. Now we can begin to establish certain definitions: Externalobject(whatisperceived):isallthatinformation which is known with the aid of any of the five senses.Subject (perceiver) is all that information which is known without the aid of the five senses.Sensesorsensoryorgans:aretheboundariesbetweensubject and object.Mind and its modifications: represents the codification of informationofthesubject(perceiver).Therearefour modifications:memory,I-ness,intellect(reflecting consciousness,thatis,theplacewhereindividual consciousness lies) and reasoning. Non-dualConsciousness:Isthatrealitycapableoftruly knowing and is witness to the fact that both subject and object arenon-different,inotherwords,therereallyisnosubject that exists on its own, independently from what is known as an object. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com17 FromthestandpointoftheVedanta,knowledgeofan external event, whatever it may be, has an implicit order: The sensesperceiveit(object),themindwithitsmodifications perceivethesenses:finally,Non-dualconsciousnessperceivesthe mind. This order is shown in Figure 1. FIGURE 1 Implicit elements in perception

Objects Thankstothiswayofdefiningelementsinvolved incognition, it is possible for us to establish five ways to relate the mind(initsaham!k#raaspect,thatistosay,asI-nessorsubject) with objects6 to be known. Dreamstateofconsciousness:Theconsciousnessassociatedwith themindsequentiallyadoptstheconditionofbeingsubjectand object,sincealltheobjectsinadreamareaprolongationofthe subject itself; which means, in this state of consciousness the subject is both the cause of the dreams observer and of what is observed in the dream. 6Whethertheseexternalobjectsorinternalobjects(suchasthoughts,emotions, feelings and passions that live in the memory) senses I-ness (aham!k#ra) Reasoning (manas) Memory (citta) Intellect (Buddhi) Sat, Cit, %nandaExistence Consciousness and Absolute Bliss Non-dualConsciousness ear touch view taste smell form mind Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com18 Thought state of consciousness: The consciousness associated with themindsequentiallyperceivesanobjectoccurringinthehereand nowandfeedsinformationproceedingfromthememoryinto cognition,inotherwords,itintroduceshistory(thepast)into cognitionsuperimposingitselfuponwhatishappeninginthe present. Observation state of consciousness: Consciousness associated with the mindperceivesanobjectinthehereandnowsequentially.Personal history does not intervene in cognition; since memory is deactivated as information stemming from the dialectic act is not processed.Concentration state of consciousness: Consciousness associated with the mind perceives itself as the object of perception simultaneously in aclosedfieldofcognition7,insuchawaythatthesubjectandobject are experienced as being non-different. Meditationstateofconsciousness:Non-dualconsciousnessis transformedintoinformation,whichknowsallthepotentially knowableinformation,associatedwithanopenfieldofcognition8, simultaneously.In table 1 these five states of consciousness are summarised.Soastoachievetheexperienceofinnermeditation,itis necessarytodisconnectthefivesensoryorgansfromexternal objects. The next step would be to then disconnect any relationship of comparison affected by memory through mental fluctuation, this intheendallowingforNon-dualconsciousnesstowitnessitself through all space and time. 7IntheConcentrationstateofconsciousnessthereisnosubject-objectduality,theyarenon-different,whichmakesitaNon-dualstate.However,perceptionisstilldelimitedbythe reach of the senses (in the outer case) and by remnants of mindfulness, thought (basically unconscious, in the inner case). Hence we are confronted with a closed field of cognition. See the book The fields of cognition, Sesha Gaia ediciones, Madrid 2003. 8TheMeditationstateofconsciousnessisalimitlessNon-dualstateand,therefore, susceptible of including all potentially knowable information. Thus it is associated with anopenfieldofcognition,thatis,onewithnoultimateouterorinnerboundaries. StatesofconsciousnessaredescribedindetailinthebookThefieldsofcognition,Sesha, Gaia Edicioners, Madrid, 2003. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com19 TABLE 1 Characteristics of the five states of consciousness State of consciousness Characteristic Dream Consciousness associated with the mind adopts the condition of being subject and object in sequence. Thought Consciousness associated with the mind takes on the condition ofhistorylinkedtothesequentialperceptionofsubjectand object. Observation Consciousness associated with the mind perceives subject and object with no history. Concentration Non-dualconsciousnessassociatedwiththemindasasubject perceivesitselfsimultaneouslyasbeingtheobject(inner Concentration)orvisa-versa:Themind,asanobject simultaneouslyperceivesitselfasthesubject(outer Concentration). Meditation Non-dualconsciousnessbecomesawarethatthemindisnon-differentinformationthatknowsallthepotentiallyknowable informationsimultaneously,bothinnerandouter.The!tman knows allpotentially existing objects simultaneously. Thismodelrepresentsaseriesofdrawbacksforthewestern mentality.Thefirstbeing,thatthewesternindividualconsciousness, maybeabsentinthefinalprocessofcognition.Rather,ithastobe diluted;inotherwords,themindhastotakeonanon-differentiated perception of objects that it knows with the aim of attaining Non-dual consciousness assuming the true state of knowledge. Secondly: there is thefactthatindividualconsciousnesscanmomentarilybetheactive agent in the Dream, Thought and Observation states of consciousness to later on be demoted or ousted in the Concentration and Meditation statesofconsciousness.ThisisbecauseintheWestthemodelof interpretationofrealitytakesitasaxiomaticthatthesubjectandits Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com20 consciousconditionindividualconsciousness-isaninseparablebut consistent entity, that is, it exists thanks to the fact that it is a vehicle for experience and knowledge.These are perhaps the main points where the two cultures do notmeeteyetoeye.However,theEastdevelopedthetheoryof m#y#toexplaintheapparentbirthanddeathoftheIandthe individualconsciousness.Atthesametimeitincorporatedthe apparentpermanenceoftheIanditsconsciouscondition (individual consciousness) by the means of the theory of karma.Inbroadterms,m#y#seekstoexplainthattheIonlyexists owingtotheintroductionofnon-existentcontentinperception, which is thought to be real. For instance: Due to the fear of dying a feelingsupportedbypreviousexperiencecontainedinmemorya coiled up rope lying on the floor appears to be a poisonous snake to a fearfultraveller.AgainkarmaalsolaysdownthattheIsubsists thanks to the subject identifying itself as different from the rope, and becausehe/shedoesnotwantanythingtohappenwhenthenon-existentsnakeattacks.Inotherwords,theIsubsistsduetothe subject being associated with the sense of egoism and yearning for the fruit of the action that is occurring. FromthepointofviewoftheVedanta,cognitionthat operatesthroughtheactofMeditationistotallystilledandreal; theretheuniverse,atthedifferentlevelsofinformationofwhich itisformed,isthewitnessofitselfasobject.Andsowegivethe name#tmantotheagentofNon-dualperceptionofitselfin Meditation (conscious consciousness). For this reason, the #tman is unfathomableforanyothersubject,sinceItinItselfcontainsall that can be known and nothing is different to Itself. The #tman, the agent of perception in the Meditation state, is the ultimate knower in cognition. It Itself, in knowing knows itself, just as when we look into the mirror in the outer; in this case you are all that whichpotentiallyknowsandthemirroriseverythingpotentially knowable. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com21 !LOKA 2 Th e f o r ms ( o bj e c t s o f pe r c e pt i o n) a p p e a r a s v a r i o u so n a c c o u n t o f d i s t i n c t i o n s s u c h a s b l u e , y e l l o w, g r o s s ,s u b t l e s h o r t , l o n g e t c . Th e e y e , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , s e e st h e m, i t i t s e l f r e ma i n i n g o n e a n d t h e s a me .Fo r ms (objectsofperception)comeintheirteeming numbersduetodifferencessuchasyellow,blue,dense, subtle,short,long,etc.Eyesightperceivesthese differences,butititselfinvariablyremainsasoneand invariable. The expression forms refers to all perceived external objects. Anexternalobjectisalltheinformationinwhichthesensory boundary(thefivesenses)intervenesinorformsapartof cognition.All the information within the sensory boundary is known as the perceiverandalltheinformationexternaltothesensoryboundaryis known the perceived. The boundary between the perceiver and the perceived is the sensoryboundary,madeupofthefivesenses:hearing,touch, sight, taste and smell. This initial approach makes it impossible for informationtoexistthatintersectsthisboundary,inotherwords, that the perceiver and perceived have information in common. TheVedanta,incommonwithBuddhism,stressesthe Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com22 impermanenceofformsingeneral.Definingtheworld,basedon changinginformationleadstorecognisingrelativeand momentarytruths.Thechangeinexternalobjectscanbe recognised in the apparent stability of the senses, since the speed ofobjectschangingismoremeasurablethanthatofthesenses themselves.Thegreatdilemmawearefacedwithwhendefiningany condition of existence, hat is, any form or any name, is that the elements weusetodosoareintheenddefinedbywhattheythemselvesare tryingtodefine.Inotherwords,themindislikeagiantdictionary whereonewordisdefinedbyanotherandthatonebyanother. However, sooner or later the continuous manifestation of definitions will lead to a vicious circle in which words define each other. In the same way,theworldisdefinedbytheexperienceofthosewhoformit, nevertheless, the paradox is that we are defined by that which we have previously defined, that is, by what we remember! Thesensesperceivethevariabilityofforms:blue,yellow,dense, subtle,short,long,etc.Thishappensduetothefact thatthesenseitself thatdetectstheinformationisapparentlyinvariable.Nonetheless,inthe next !loka, we shall see that the mobility of the senses can be detected by the apparent stillness of the mind, which by deduction implies that there mustbeanevenmorestaticbasisoruniquestatebeyondmental activity. The definitions that the Vedanta gives for forms and the external WorlddonotexactlycoincidewiththeWesternphilosophicalpoint ofview.Westernphilosophytakesitthattheskin,theheadorthe sound of ones heart beating are not external objects to the perceiver butformpartofthatperceiver,whileincontrasttheVedanta considersthatallobjectswhichtheperceiverdetectsviahis/her sensory boundary are external objects. For this reason from the point of view of the Vedanta, the skin or the head or even sounds made by the body heart beats for instance are external objects. We have tackled the definition of external objects in this way, Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com23 forthenitispossibletoestablishaclearersystematisationofthe process of perception and ultimately, a more universal theory with respecttowhoisreallytheperceiverandwhatisreallyperceived. The earliest systematisation of the definition process of the different layers in reality was established by Patajali as can be seen in Figure 2 and Table 29. FIGURE 2 States of cognition and Patajalis definitions. FormsSensesMind and its modifications Non-dual consciousness Patajalidefinedthevoluntaryconditionthatallowsthe cuttingoffofthesensoryorgansfromexternalobjectsas praty#h#ra,insuchawaythatthefirstlevelofinteriorisationthat eventually leads to meditation implies voluntarily bringing back the senses from forms, that is, from external objects10. We give the name of Observation to this state in accordance with the model explained inthisbookandprecedingones11,andtheagentofperceptionis known as exin.Patajaliwentontodefine,theconsciousconditionof cancellingsomeofthementalmodifications(manas,orreasoning; aham!k"ra, or I-ness; citta, or memory) as Dh"ra#" and allow for the mentalmodificationthatmaintainsindividualconsciousness(the 9FounderofthedualistphilosophyYogawhoisplacedaroundtheyear200bcby orientalists and between 600 and 700 by others. 10ThewaytorealisePraty#h#raisclearlyestablishedinthebookLaParadojadivina, Sesha, 2001 Gaia editors. 11WearereferringtoLaParadojaDivinaandTheFieldsofCognition/LosCamposde Cognicion. Praty#h#raDhranDhynaSamdhi Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com24 buddhi) to become aware of itself as subject and object of knowledge simultaneously. This state, which is in itself Non-dual, is commonly knownasconcentration12,andtheperceptionagentinthisstateis known as the s"k!in. TABLE 2 States of cognition and corresponding perception agent State of cognitionAccording to PatajaliPerception agent Permanent mystic ecstasy nirv#(a Sam#dhi %tman MeditationDhy#na%tman ConcentrationDh#ra(#S#k)in ObservationPraty#h#raExin ThoughtSubject Patajalialsodefinedthecancellationofthemental modification that maintains individual consciousness (the buddhi) as Dhy#na,consequentlygivingrisetoanopenNon-dualfieldof cognition,whereobjectandsubjectarediscernedwithalltherestof thepotentialinformationtobeknownthatmakesuptheuniverse simultaneously.ThisstateiscommonlyknownasMeditation,and theagentofperceptionwhichissimultaneouslytheperceived,is known as #tman. Lastly,PatajalidefinesasSam#dhitheinsertion simultaneouslyintoanopenNon-dualfield,ofalltheexisting information in the universe, including the subject and the object of perceptionitself.Theagentofperceptionofthisexceptional cognitivecondition,inwhichtheperceiverissimultaneouslynon-differenttoeverythingpotentiallyperceptible,isalsocalled#tman, being The Field and The Knower of the Field in all Fields. 12 See La Paradoja Divina. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com25 !LOKA 3 Th e e y e , o n a c c o u n t o f i t s c h a n g e a b l e n a t u r e i s a no b j e c t a n d i t s p e r c e i v e r i s t h e mi n d . Bl i n d n e s s ,d u l l n e s s a n d s h a r p n e s s a r e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e e y e ,t h e mi n d a s a u n i t y c o g n i s e s t h e s e . To e a r s , s ki n , e t c .t h i s a l s o a p p l i e s .Certaincharacteristicsofthesenseofs i ght ,suchas blindness,keeneyesightoritsabsence,canbeknownby themi ndandi t s modi f i c at i ons becausethemindisaunit withrespecttothes e ns e of s i ght .Thisisalsoapplicableto anyinformationperceivedbythesensesofhearing,touch, etc. The mind and its modifications seem motionless with regard to sensoryfunctions(indriyas).Therefore,itispossibletorecognise the countless conditions that happen with the eyes, such as visual fatigue,sharpeyesight,blindness,etc.Allpotentialvisual modificationsaredetectedbythemindthankstoitsapparently remaining inalterable while it witnesses changes in the senses. Theconditionofremainingasoneandmotionlessinthe face of countless experiences is what allows it to be the subject of objects. However, the mind and its modifications are only apparently stable,sincethenext!lokawillshowhow Non-dualconsciousness is the ultimate agent in cognition.Itisimportanttoanalysethenatureofmentalmodifications anddistinguishbetweenthefunctionsofthemindandmental contents. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com26 FUNCTIONS OF THE MIND Generallyspeaking,theVedantatakesitthatthereare fourfunctionsofthemind.Allthedifferentcharacteristics themindhas(intelligence,logic,reason,memories,emotions, feelings,passions,andsoforth)arecategorisedwithinthe following four modifications:Citta:Representswhatthemindismadeupof,inother words,mentalmatter/substance.Mentalsubstancerepresents memory,notonlyintheconsciousspherebutalsointhe unconscious one. Theconceptofmentalsubstanceisalittlemisleading fromtheWesternpointofview.Togiveanexample,it comparesthemindwithanocean.Itiscorrecttostatethat oceansaremadeupofwater;however,watercantakeon countlessforms:oceancurrents,waves,bubbles,surf,foam, etc.Analogicallyspeaking,cittadoesnotonlyentailmemory butalltheinformationthatthemindcanpotentiallycontain in the form of thoughts, emotions, passions and feelings. Manas:Representsalltheactivitiesthatmanifestwhen citta(memory)isworking.Dependingontheactivityor movementofmentalsubstance,certaincharacteristics emerge,suchasintelligence,inotherwords,theprocessof efficiencyinthedialecticact;logic,theprocessofputting informationfoundincittaintoorder;reasoning,thedialectic processthroughwhichitispossibletorealiseasynthesisby meansofcomparison;doubt,asadisorderedactivityofnot recognising citta or memory; and so on. Insummary:movementorfluctuationofcitta(mental substance or memory) is known as manas. To give an example, cittaislikeclay,whilemanasistheactivityittakestomoulda shape similar to one already experienced.Aham!k#ra:Representsaspecialtypeofmentalcontent,its Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com27 principalcharacteristicbeingthesenseofbelonging,thatis, onesown,mine,thatwhichispersonal.Aham!k#ra generatesthesenseofdifferentiationbetweeninformationand, therefore,itiswhatmakesupthesenseofI-ness.Aham!k#ra isimportantandisconsideredtobeoneofthefourmental modificationsbecauseitisanactivitycommontoall modificationthathappensinthemind.ThesenseofIis implicitineverythought;thereisnomentalmodification-thought-thatisafractionofthethoughtI.Themental modification that is known as I is the first to be formed in the mind,itisthebasisuponwhichthesubsequentmental modifications are established. To eradicate the appreciation of I-nessimpliesdismembering,fracturinganddissolutionof differentiated mental activity. Buddhi:Representsthenatureofthemindwhichinduces cognition. Buddhiistheseatofindividualconsciousness,itisthe reflection of Non-dual consciousness and, so, it is the part of the mind which knows and reflects intelligence. Nevertheless, for the consciousactivitythatBuddhirepresentstoarise,itisnecessary for the mental function known as manas to be deactivated. In the sameway,sothatthemanasfunctionofthemindisactive,the buddhi function has to be deactivated, In other words: Intheinstantthereisknowledgethereisnodoubt (manas); in the instant there is doubt there is no knowledge (buddhi). Intheinstantthatthemindbecomesawareof knowledge(buddhi),memory(citta)isarrested.While memory is active, the mind is not aware of knowledge. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com28 Whenmemory(citta)isactive,reasoning(manas)is active.Whenmentalsubstance(citta)isarrested, reasoning (manas) is arrested.In the instant there is knowledge (buddhi) there is not a individual witness (aham!k#ra) that knows it. While there is I-ness (aham!k#ra) there is no knowledge (buddhi). Thefirstmodification(thought)whichisassociated with the agitation of mental substance (citta) is known as I (aham!k#ra). The absence of I (aham!k#ra) entails the absence of dialectic activity (manas). Buddhiislikethesurfaceofwateronalakeuponwhich thereisthesunsreflection:notallofthesunlightwillbe reflected. In the same way Non-dual consciousness is reflected by theconstraintknownasbuddhi,generatingareflected consciousnessthatrecognisestheinformationasbeingrealthis being associated to a limit of cognition.Summary: Themindismadeupofmemoryormentalsubstance (citta).Themovement,fluctuationoragitationofmental substance or memory is generally known as thought (manas). The detentionofthemovementofmentalsubstanceormemoryis knownasknowledge(buddhi).Knowledge(buddhi)entailsthe absenceoftheagitationofmentalsubstance(citta),thesenseof Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com29 I-ness(aham!k#ra)andthought(manas).Henceyogaisdefinedas yogas cittav'ttinirodha*, that is, the quietening of fluctuations (v'tti) of the mind. THE MINDS CONTENTSWhenwetalkaboutthecontentsofthemind,weobserve the countless possibilities memory can detect. Mental substance is capable of assuming any form or being represented by means of any name, depending on if there has been a previous encounter inourmemory. Thememoryofanypreviousnon-existent representation is known as learning. The mind can be seen as being made up of mental contents (cittaormemoryormentalsubstance).Attimesthemindis knownascitta,sincethethreeotherfunctions(manas,aham!k#ra and buddhi) are strictly related to it: Manas(thinking)istheagitationofmentalsubstance (citta). Buddhi,whichisthefunctionthatentailsindividual knowledge/consciousness,comesaboutbydetainingthis agitation of memory (citta). Aham!k#ra, or I-ness, is the first modification of the mind when mental substance (citta) is agitated.Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com30 Itisimportanttotakeintoaccountthatindividual consciousness whose abode is established in the buddhi- is not therealagentofknowledge,thatistosay,itisnotthebuddhi thatreallyknows,justasitisnotthemoonthatlightsupthe Earthatnight.Theultimateperceiver,theultimateagentof cognitionisnotthebuddhibutNon-dualconsciousness,asis explained in the next !loka. !LOKA 4 Co n s c i o u s n e s s i l l u mi n a t e s ( s u c h o t h e r me n t a ls t a t e s a s ) d e s i r e , d e t e r mi n a t i o n a n d d o u b t , b e l i e f a n dn o n - b e l i e f , c o n s t a n c y a n d i t s o p p o s i t e , mo d e s t y ,u n d e r s t a n d i n g , f e a r a n d o t h e r s , b e c a u s e i t( c o n s c i o u s n e s s ) i s a u n i t y .No n - d u a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s illuminatesand perceivesthemi n d a n d i t s mo d i f i c a t i o n s because No n - d u a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s isjustoneunitinrespect with the mi n d a n d i t s mo d i f i c a t i o n s .The Vedanta takes it that the ultimate knower of cognition isanagentcapableofknowingandplacingalltheinformation thatmakesuptheuniversesimultaneously,withoutfeelingitself to be any different to all that is potentially knowable. This type of agent,whosepriorandfundamentalconditionincognitive activity is Non-duality, is known as #tman. This agent, the #tman, possesses a series of characteristics thatareobservedasbeingexceptional.Inthefirstplace,it cannotbedefined,asitformspartofnothinganditisnota wholemadeupofparts.Todefineitwouldbetolimitit; however, not defining it does not mean not knowing it. In fact, everythingthatissusceptibletobeingthoughtcanpotentially Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com31 exist, although not everything that exists can be thought. The #tman has the inherent condition of being conscious; in fact,itisconsciousnessinitself.Whensomebodylooksintothe mirror and sees themselves, they state it is I, however, the #tman on seeing itself views the entire universe there is to be known, and stateseverythingIs.The%tmanisself-illuminating,thatis,its conscious nature depends on itself. ItisstrangeforWesternerstoacceptthisformof cognition as being valid, since they generally define consciousness astheconsciousnessofSelf.Theytakeontheeveryday circumstanceofobservinganyeventwithgreatattention,for example,readingabookoranewspaper.Whiletheyare attentivelyreadingandareengrossedinthebook,egotistic delusion will arise; so where is this conscious individual seed that, oneassumes,isthecauseofunderstanding?Inotherwords, whereistheI.Answerscanvary,nevertheless,intheWestern modelthereisnosolutiontothisproposeddilemma:while evidentially there is consciousness and there is knowledge o what we read,noindividualsubjectisobservedintheveryinstantoneis beingabsorbedinthebookotherthanordifferenttowhatis known. WhattheVedantasolvesistherealproblemofdiscovering whothetrueagentofperceptionis,andwhatthereistobetruly perceived.TheVedantaobservesthatneitherofthesecanbe variable,changeableormomentary,sinceifthiswereso,boththe knower and what is known would have the limited validity of being arelativerepresentationofunderstanding,sinceinthenext moment, the previous conditions having changed with the arrival of The %tman, on knowing everything that potentially exists, is the agent whose conscious condition does not detect what is known as any different to itself Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com32 newconditions,therepresentationoftheknowerandwhatis known will have varied. Weonlyhavetolookatwhathappensinthemindofthe greatmajorityofhumanbeings.Arewepermanentlythesameand doeswhatweknowofourselvesandtheworldpersevere?Of course not! With just a short walk through a wood, the subject can bedistractedbythousandsofmemoriesrenderingitssurroundings inexistent,whileprojectingthousandsofmemoriesfromits personal history. TheVedantafoundafundamentalarcanetruth,asecret hiddeninthesimplicityofperception.Ittriedtotraptheobjects thatmakeupwhatisperceived,undertakingthisactwithout wrappingthemupininformationfrompersonalhistory.The Vedanta sought to redirect attention to what is known in the here andnow,toshowtheimportanceofbeingmasterlyintheartof forming part of the Present. ThePresentpossessesavaluablegift,itconvertstheperceiver into the object of perception or what is perceived into the subject of perception,whileknowledgecontinuestoflowinanon-differentiated manner.The intrusion of personal history in cognition induces a twist ofdifferentiationininformation,ononehandcreatingaknown field of information and on the other a knower of this differentiated field. In the same way, when temperature and atmospheric pressure changes, water becomes solid, liquid or gas, accordingly. In the same way, varied conditions of subjects and objects in which information is centred, can bring about the representation of different universes perceived by different subjects. TodetectthenatureofthePresent,itisessentialto Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com33 experienceconsciousnessasaNon-dualreality-toshattermental representationsoftime,spaceandindividuality,thatis,tounmake theboundariesthatharnessthesubjecttoadualrepresentationof information This new non-differentiated condition of cognition -in which theperceiverexists,butinamannernon-differenttowhatis known- is without boundaries or parts, motionless and totally stable. !LOKA 5 Thi s Cons c i ous ne s s doe s ne i t he r r i s e nor s e t . It doe s noti nc r e as e , nor s uf f e r nor de c ay. Be i ngs e l f - l umi nous i t i l l umi nat e se ve r yt hi nge l s e wi t hout anyot he r ai d.Non- dual Cons c i ous ne s s isnotbornanddoesnotdie,It doesnotgrow,neitherdoesitdecay.Withitbeingself-illuminating,itilluminatesallotherthingswithoutaidfrom ought else. Thetotalityofeventsthatwecanknowhavehappened,in otherwords,thosethatarementallydefinable,haveeveryoneof themthecharacteristicofbeingimpermanent.Allinformation involvestheconditionsoftimeandspace,andallinformationis alwaysreferredtoasbeingpartoftheperceiverorwhatis perceived,fromthepointofviewofmentalcognition. Consequently,mentalrepresentationofinformationisnecessarily variable and dual. Time and space form part of all units13 with which we define 13Forexample,velocityisspacetravelledbyaunitoftime;accelerationisvelocitytimes unitoftime;forceismasstimesacceleration,workisforcetimesspace;poweriswork times unit of time. However, neither time and space or even mass, are absolute units of information,sincetheycanvarydependingontheinertialsystemofreferencethey adopt, just as the restricted and general theories of relativity. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com34 the world as we know it. There is, of course, a type of psychological timewhereinformationcomesfromthepastandevolvesintothe future,whichalsoimpliesthatthepsychologicalrepresentationof theworldisimmersedininformationassociatedwithtimeand space. Our scientific model of the interpretation of reality is defined by variable and relative notions, which are dependent on each other; inthesamewise,neithertimenorspacenormassareinformation independentfromeachother.Analogicallyspeaking,the psychologicalrepresentationoftheworldthroughthemental interpretation of subjective reality is also interdependent on countless factors that we still do not know; perception is an incredibly complex process which we do not know too much about. TheVedantaisnotopposedtothedescriptionoftheworld which science offers us. It simply states the entire representation of informationwhichissubmergedinthemass-time-spacetrilogy implicitlycontainsanadditionalpsychologicalconditioninwhich the perceiver appears to be differentiated from what is perceived. The scientific world and its model based on mass-time-space is a dual description of information. The scientific models description of the world cannot clearly representconsciousinformationthatproceedsfromtheDream state;norcanitunravelthemysteriesofthestatesofObservation, ConcentrationorMeditation.Itseemsthattherepresentationwe have of the world is only a description of all that information which we can mentally interpret when we assume that the arrow of time -that is, the direction of time- is always in the direction of the future, in other words, when the time arrow generates a sense of causality. Thisisacircumstancethatinducestheemergenceofthestateof consciousness which is germane to the state known as Thought. The Vedanta, as we have said, accepts this model of reality, but itfurtherclarifiesthatitischangeableandrelative,andthatit producesaninnerconditionofsufferingandpaingiventhe Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com35 impossibility of participating at any stable level in the information of whichitisconscious.JustasBuddhastates,theimpulseof differentiationbetweenperceiverandwhatisperceivedmakesa printofsuffering,asthesenseofimpermanenceinduces psychological pain.TheVedantaproposesamodelofrealitywhoseprime conditionisstability,sinceitisamodelassociatedwitha representationofinformationfreeofduality.Forthisreasonitis takenthatinformationisitselfconscious,andthatsinceitistacitly conscious,itcanknowitselfwithouttheneedofaportionof informationknownastheperceiver.Thelatterofcoursebeing theactiveagentofknowledgevis--vistheremainingportionof information known as the perceived. Withthecorrectmentaltrainingassociatedwiththeprocess ofcognition,itispossibletoeliminatethedualboundary established by mental habits of dual perception and induce a new wayofrepresentingtheuniverse,wheretheperceiverisnon-different to that which they know. Thistypeofspecialcognition,wherewhatisknownisnon-different to that which knows it, we call Meditation. The exceptional agentofperceptionwhichistheknowerintheprocessof Meditationtowhichwegivethename#tman,isnon-differentto whatitknows,sincethe#tmanhasnosenseofchangenorisit influencedbythetime-space-masstrilogyinanexternalway,since time-space-mass is implicitly non-different information of the #tman itself. This#tman,includingasitdoesthetemporalconditionthat underliestheuniverseinanon-differentmanner,isnotinfluenced Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com36 bybirthordeath.Sinceitincludesinitselftheunderlyingspatial conditionoftheuniverse,itisnotinfluencedbygrowthordecay. The#tmanrepresentsKnowing,ConsciousnessandUnderstanding itself, which is why it is self-illuminating in Itself. It has no need for somethingexternaltoknowItself,sincethereisnothingseparate from Itself that differs from Itself. WhereistheegotisticconditioninthisNon-dualmodelof reality?IntheprocessofMeditationtheItakesonanon-differentrolewithrespecttotheremaininginformation.Thatisto say,thewholeuniverseiscontainedwithinit,thesameasitis containedwithinthewholeuniverse.Anexampleofthisisa raindrop,whileitisraining;eachraindrophasadifferentiated condition.Analogicallyspeaking,whilepersonalhistoryincursin perception,theperceivergeneratesaconsciousdualrepresentative, thatis,inrelationtotheknownobject..However,whenany raindropfallsintotheseatheboundariesdissolvebetweenitand the vast ocean. In the same way, when the perceiveris engulfed by perceptiondevoidofpersonalhistory,inotherwords,whenit becomesawareoftheinformationthatisoccurringinitspresent statehe/sheloseshis/heregotisticboundarythatdifferentiates him/her/fromwhatisperceived,theretheperceiverisnon-different to what is perceived. Always,theancientEasternsagesanxiousinstilledin studentsasenseofinnerstabilityofspecialapproachinthe worldandthemselvescord.Theinnerwork,readingand contemplationofone'smind,whenconductedinasystematic andorganizedseekaspecialassessmentoftheinformationthat makes up the world: born egoic sense of loss in perception, with Meditation is to educate the mind in the discipline that leads to its own dissolution. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com37 subsequentlossofthesenseofdifferentiationbetweenthe perceiver and perceived. However,thejobofrepresentingtheinformationthat constitutestheuniverseinanon-dualishard,forthemind,by habit,isconfinedtoperceiveinformationinadual.Theinner disciplinethatleadseventuallytothediscoverythatwehave alwaystheentireuniversewasnodifferentrequiresafully balanced mind, why in the following $loka analyzes the condition andtherepresentativenessemnteawarethatoperatesatthe individual level. %LOKA 6 Buddhi s e e ms t obe l i ght due t or e f l e c t i onof Cons c i ous ne s si nhi m. Int e l l i ge nc e i s of t woki nds : ade s i gnnot hi ngl i ke t hes e ns e of s e l f ( aham! k!ra) andt he ot he r as mi nd( antah!! karan!! a) .The intellect (buddhi) appears as if it had brightness due toreflectionoftheNon-DualConsciousnessonit.The intellect(buddhi)hastwoaspects:oneisdescribedasI-ness (aham! k!ra)andtheotherthemind,themanasaspectofthe ( antah!! karan!! a)14. Thebuddhi,beingintellect,isthebasisforindividual consciousness. In the same way as an iron ball can be the means to 14 In the Western version of different Vedic texts both the terms of antah!!karan!!a and manas aretranslatedasmind.ThisambiguityisduetothatintheWestweidentifytheintelligent aspect of the mind with its reasoning or thought aspect, while the subtle Eastern conception separates the mind into four aspects buddhi or intelligence as a reflection of consciousness, citta or memory, aham!k#ra or egotism and manas or dialectic reasoning-, the union of which isknownasantah!!karan!!a.Consequently,whenatexttalksaboutthemindinaglobal sense, you must realise that it refers to antah!!karan!!a; nevertheless when the thinking mind is talked about it must be understood to refer only to the manas aspect of the antah!!karan!!a, as in the case of this !loka. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com38 absorbheatandbecomesredhot,thebuddhiisthemediumto deposit individual or reflected consciousness. TheclosestconcepttowhatintheWestisknownasthe mind;intheVedantaiscalledantah!!karan!!a,orinternalorgan.The antah!!karan!!abasicallycontainsfouraspects(buddhi,citta,manasand aham!k#ra), accordingly expressed in table 3. TABLE 3 Aspects of the Antah!!karan!!a Buddhi Intellect, or setting for individual consciousness Citta Mental substance, memory Manas Reasoning, the activity or functions themselves of dialectic process or thought Aham! k!ra I-ness Thefouraspectsoftheantah!!karan!!aincludeallthepossible functionsofthemind.Theantah!!karan!!a(vehicle,organorinner sense)isclassifiedasanorganasitisconsideredtobesimply anotherinstrumentincognition,similartoanyofthephysical sensescanbe;anditisclassifiedasinternalduetothemuchmore subtle15 way in which its material make up is constituted. Specifically,theantah!!karan!!aisinternaltothesensory boundary that separates the inner world from the outer world. One mustnotforgetthatthesensesarewhatmakeuptheinformation boundaryseparatingtheperceiverfromtheperceived.Itisalso 15 From the point o view of Sam!khya phylosophy, the mind and subtle senses are made up of themixtureofthetanm#tra(subtleessenceofthefiveelementspriortotheprocess)of quintuplication, that is, to the combination of the five subtle elements that later on give rise to the five dense elements: ether, air, fire, water and Herat. The physical counterpart to the subtle senses correspond to each one of the five elements posterior to the process of quintuplication: ether with hearing, air with touch, fire with sight, water with taste and earth with smell. 54 Antah!!karan!!a (mind) Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com39 important to underline that the five senses have both a physical side andasubtlesidetothem;inotherwords,thereisasubtle counterpartcorrespondingtoeachofthephysicalorgans.Inthe same way, the antah!!karan!!a, which is constituted of subtle matter has a physical counterpart, at a material level known as brain and brain functions.Theypositstructuresofinformationmadeupofdifferent typesofmatter,somemoresubtlethanothers.Thevariable graduationofmatter/substancewithwhichdifferenthumanand cosmiccomponentsareconstitutedenablesonetofindEastern peoples,accustomedtothesubtletyoftheirdescriptions,have presentedaseriesofideaswithwhichevermoredense components as the process of mixing between primary archetypes orgu(a,isrealised.Insuchaway,thegu(a,orprimequaulities of matter, are the essential elements in creation16 (see table 4). TheEasterncosmogonicandcosmologicalanalysis-that istosay,thedescriptiontheEastgivestothebirthofthe universeandmankind-containsunusualviewpointsforour westerntradition.Nevertheless,manyoftheideasexpressed throughtheirtheoriesarefranklyveryintriguing,althoughat first sight they seem to be far fetched and apparently confusing. However,itisnotthepurposeofthisbooktoenlargeon these17theoriesbutrathertogodeeperintotherepresentation of how the process of cognition operates. 16 The gu"as are the qualities of substance, that is to say, they are the implicit conditions that exist in all existing things and they make up the material instrument of all potential creation. There are three: Sattva: Quality of balance. Rajas: Quality of movement and activity. Tamas: Quality of densification, crystallisation and inertia.When mixed together through the process of quintuplication, these primordial qualities makeupfivesubtleanddenseelements,eachconfigurationaspecifictypeofuniverse, this including the very make up of the human being. 17 In the book Fsica Cuntica y Vedanta (writen by Sesha and presently being for edition) thoroughlyanalysesthemakeupoftheuniverse,usingthepreparedcomparisonof abstract Eastern ideas and the most interesting concepts of quantum physics. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com40 Theantah!!karan!!a,throughitsbuddhiisbasicallycapableof beingconsciousoftwothingsbeingconsciousthatIamand being conscious of not knowing who I am. Bymeansofthefirstoption,theconsciousindividualis aware of him/herself as agent of cognition (aham!k#ra), this being whatallowsconsciousnesstoidentifyitselfasexistingas someone,suchasanI.Inthisway,theindividualis conscious of existing as the differentiated agent of perception, in otherwords,asanentityindependentfromthatwhichitis capable of knowing. Bymeansofthesecondoption,individualconsciousness tends to represent itself as being ignorant (for not knowing who Iam)anditallowsitselftobeconsciousoftheactofdoubt which operates in reasoning that leads to no synthesis. The mind canknowitisdoubting,thatistosay,itcanbeconsciousof doubt(manas),apartfrombeingconsciousthatIdoubt (aham!k#ra). Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com41 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com42 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com43

TheVedantaconcedesthatNon-dualrealityhasthequality ofsimultaneouslybeingconsciousofsomethingandofitself,in other words, to know and know that it knows. Forthisreason,thebuddhisactivityistakenasthe reflectionofthisNon-dualreality,sincesuchactivityallows human kind to be sequentially conscious of itself and the world it knows.Thegreatdifferencebetweenindividualconsciousness-supportedbythebuddhi-andNon-dualconsciousnessresidesin thefactthatwiththebuddhitheactofknowingwhoIamis sequentialtotheactofknowingwhattheworldis;thatisto say,theactsofself-witnessingandwitnessingwhatthereisare sequential.Incontrast,withtheconsciousNon-dual representation,thewholeuniverseisconsciousofsimultaneously witnessing itself and witnessing, in other words, the universe and whateverispossiblyknowableissimultaneouslypresentinthe perceiver and the perceived. ThebuddhiisconsideredasareflectionofNon-dual consciousnesssinceindividualconsciousnessidentifiesitself withanI(aham!k#ra)anditsthinking(manas)activity.As wewillseelateron,thisdoubleidentification,asitisofa momentary nature, only exists thanks to a conscious transitory representationthat,intheend,isaconsciousreflectioninan individual form with its seat in the buddhi. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com44 %LOKA 7 Int he opi ni onof t he wi s e , t he i de nt i t yof t he r e f l e c t i on( ofCons c i ous ne s s ) andof e goi s l i ke t he i de nt i t yof t he f i r e andt he( he at e d) i r onbal l . The bodyhavi ngbe e ni de nt i f i e dwi t ht he e go ( whi c hhas al r e adyi de nt i f i e di t s e l f wi t ht he r e f l e c t i onofCons c i ous ne s s ) pas s e s f or ac ons c i ous e nt i t y.Intheopinionofthesages,theidentificationofthe reflectionofNon-dualconsciousness(cid!bh!sa)withtheagent incognition(egooraham! k!ra)isliketherelationshipbetweenof fire and a red hot iron ball. The body, having identified itself with the agent in cognition, (which in turn has identified itself with the reflection of Non-dual Consciousness), goes on to be a conscious individual entity. ThethoroughanalysisthattheVedantaappliestoreality requirespreviouslyclarifyingcertainconceptsthatconcernthe studyofconsciousness,themindandtheinnerworldingeneral. ManyoftheseconceptshavenocounterpartinWesternculture, since the study of these things in the West is sketchy18.Werefertoindividualconsciousnessusingtheterm cid#bh#sa.Wetakeitthatindividualconsciousnessdoesnot manifestitselfforitselfbutasareflection,duetothedelimitation that the buddhi applies to Non-dual consciousness. To be conscious of ourselves as individual agents entails knowing that we are and, moreover,knowingthattheworldis.Thesequentialactof knowingandknowingoneknows,asaself-witnessingand 18IntheWesttheyonlystudytwostatesofconsciousness:Dreamandthought.The Vedanta, on the other hand, depending on the requirements of the analysis, studies four states(Dream,Thought,CausalandNon-dual)orfivestatesofconsciousness(Dream, Thought, Observation, Concentration and Meditation). This makes its study of the mind and its functions much more detailed and deep, which leads to the use of ideas that seem rather strange given the way in which the West approaches cognitive processes. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com45 witnessing representation of information is the most familiar form of the nature of individual consciousness (cid#bh#sa). Cid#bh#sa,orindividualconsciousness,inducesthesenseof identificationwithanyofthebodies(ko&a)19whicharerecognised asbeingexistent.Theidentificationwithdifferentbodiesmadeup ofdifferentiatedinformationismanifestedasj$va.Whiletheterm cid#bh#saimpliessenseofconsciousness,j$vaentailssenseof individuality,forexample,Ihaveabody,(physicalbody),Ihave vitality (pr"#a body), I doubt (mental body), I know (knowledgeable body).Theclosestthingtothej$vainWesternterminologyisthe ideaoftheindividual,orindividualmakeupthatistosay,the individual integration that encloses body and mind. Cid#bh#sa (individual consciousness) has its seat in the part of the antah!!karan!!a (mind) known as buddhi (intellect). When individual consciousnessistalkedaboutitisnecessarytorefertoitas cid#bh#sa,butwhenwerefertotheindividualwholeasalimitwe refer to it as j$va. Cid#bh#sa is the consciousness of the j$va(individual). 19Ko&a,orillusorylayersthatapparentlydelimit(upadhi)Non-dualreality.These are: Annamaya-ko"a,orillusorylayermadeupoffoodand,alsoknownasphysical body. Pr!#amaya-ko"a, or illusory layer made up of vitality also called energetic or ethereal body. Manomaya-ko"a, ortheillusorylayermadeupofthemind,alsocalledastral body. Vij!namaya-ko"a,orillusorylayermadeupofknowledge,alsoknownas knowledgeable body. $nandamaya-ko"a, or illusory layer made up of Bliss, also known as causal body. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com46 Buddhiistheseatofindividualconsciousnesses(cid"bh"sa). Buddhiistheaspectofthej!vawhereindividualconsciousnessis reflected (cid"bh"sa).Wehavebroughttheseconceptstogetherintablefiveto make them easier to understand. TABLE 5 Relationship between the Mind, Individuality and Individual Consciousness. TheI(aham!k#ra)mightseemtoknow,butnotthrough itselfbutratherbecauseofitsassociationwithindividual consciousness(cid#bh#sa);suchthattheIaffirms:Iam intelligent!Iknow!Iamconscious!TheIdoesnot possess the trait of intelligibility that the individual consciousness (cid#bh#sa)hasnaturally.However,itmightseemasiftheI knowsthankstotheinbornintelligencethatindividual consciousness has, in the same way as an iron ball when heated Individual Consciousness Antah!! karan!! a (mind) J!va (individuality) Buddhi Vij"nam#y#- ko&a Cid#bh#sa Citta ManasAham!k"ra Manom#y#- ko&a Pr#(am#y#- ko&a Annam#y#- ko&a Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com47 by fire becomes red hot. But actually it does not get hot on its own, it heats up because of its association with the fire in which itissubmerged.ThesamehappenswiththeI:itdoesnot knowonitsown,butknowsbecauseoftheassociationithas with individual consciousness in which it is floating. Initsturntheindividualconsciousness(cid#bh#sa)isthe reflectionofNon-dualConsciousness.Theresultisthatit seemsthattheremightbeaperceptionagentthathaditsown consciousness,whenthisisnotreallyso.Forinstance,this wouldbelikeassumingthattheonewhoknowswhenweare dreaming is the subject of the dream, when the subject of the dream, in reality,isonlythereflectionofconsciousnessofthethought perception agent. As such, it is not the I (aham!k#ra) that truly knows,butrather,itistheindividualconsciousness(cid#bh#sa) associated with the I that knows, compare what happens with thefireandtheironball.Nevertheless,itisnottheindividual consciousness that knows, either, in the end, since it is, in turn, a reflection of Non-dual Consciousness. The I (aham!k#ra) on possessing, by association, a trait of individualconsciousness(cid#bh#sa),identifieswiththebody(I am the body), the pr#(a (I have vitality) and the mind (I know), assumingitistheindependentexperiencerofwhatisknown, and inducing a generic individual sense, which is known as j$va. J$va approximates to what in the West we call an individual. Whenwewishtomaketheconsciousconditionofthe individualclear,wecallitcid#bh#sa.Incontrast,whenwewantto refer to the individualistic condition that subsists in human beings it isknownasj$va.However,wecallaham!k#rathefractionthat Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com48 determinestheindividualityinthemindsfield(antah!!karan!!a),So many terms lead to confusion, but when we reflect upon them they turn into tools with which we can split cognition and perception at subtle levels which in Indian tradition is frequently done. Fromadualperspective,bothreflectedconsciousness (individualconsciousnessorcid#bh#sa)andtheindividual(j$va) areassociatedwitheachotherjustasheatiswithironwhen turningthemetalred.Andso,therefore,theindividual consciousnessorcid#bh#saprovidestheindividualorj$vawith the sense of being conscious of itself, along with the previously mentionedoptionthatthereexistspersonalisedidentification with the body, vitality, mind and also with the intellect (buddhi). However,fromtheNon-dualperspective,individual consciousness (cid#bh#sa) does not on its own illuminate the j$va(asthecid#bh#saisonlyareflectionofNon-dualconsciousness ork+,asthacaitanya),nordoesthej$vaexistwithouttheshineof reflectedconsciousness.So,howdoindividualisticcreationand thereflectedconsciousnessthatfeedsitarise?Theanswerto the riddle is found by introducing the concept of m#y#: What we perceiveisnotrealitybutaconglomerationofhistorythat believesitknowsthankstothefactthat,whileitisknowing,it remembersitselfexisting.Howdoesthesenseofindividuality persist?Thankstokarma,thatistosay,duetotheFactthat individuals constantly futurise themselves through wanting the fruitoftheiractions(desire)andbymeansofthesenseof intentionalityintheactionsthatarerealised(feelingoneselfto be the doer of the action, in other words, feeling that the action belongs to him/her). Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com49 %LOKA 8 The i de nt i f i c at i onof t he e gowi t ht he r e f l e c t i onofc ons c i ous ne s s , t he bodyandt he Wi t ne s s i s of t hr e e ki nds ,name l y, nat ur al , due t o( pas t ) Karma, anddue t oi gnor anc e ,r e s pe c t i ve l y. The identification of the ego (aham! k!ra) with the reflection of consciousness(cid!bh!sa),thebodyandNon-dualConsciousness are of three kinds namely: the natural, due topr!rabdha karma (past karma) and due to ignorance (m!y!). Therelationshipbetweentheindividualandreflected consciousness was studied in the previous !loka. However, with the aim of clearing up the relationship between thecid#bh#sa and the j$va, it is important to discern that the nature of the mind and consciousness is treated in a different way in the Vedanta to way in which the West treats it. IntheWestitistakenthatconsciousnessbelongsto someone,putinanotherway,thatconsciousnessbelongstoan I.Itisnotsuggested,andneverhasbeensuggested,thatthe mindcouldloseitsindividualstatus.Nevertheless,fromthepoint of view of the Vedanta, the mind can take on any boundary, even to beingthereceptacleofalltheinformationinthedifferentiated universe,asituationdefinedas -&vara, thegod-creator.The consciousness-mindrelationshipisalsoconfusingfortheWestsince thereisnoagreementamongscholarswithrespecttowhichcomes first, or if they are similar or if one functions from the other. For the Vedanta, the conscious condition is always present, the differentiated universe, is in itself, only consciousness. Nonetheless, due to the fact thattheminddeterminestheboundaryofinformationwithinwhich perception is established, it is possible to relate conscious information 64Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com50 ofinfiniterange,oreventorelateallinformationinanon-differentiated manner. Consciousness is like infinite space upon which a balloon is inflated. The mind is the balloon which grows as the air goesin.Whenthedelimitingboundaryismodified,perceptionof realityvaries,andonlyfivepossiblestatesofcognitioncomeinto being, referring to object and subject (dream, thought, observation, concentration and meditation). When the boundary disappears -that istosay,whenthemindceasesfromdelimitingdifferentiated information and the delimitation between the information that fills theballoonandwhatisdifferenttoitdisappearsthenspace, whichinourexampleisconsciousness,recognisesitselfasbeing Non-dual).Reflected consciousness can take itself as being individual or collective. Both, individual and collective, stem from the same powerofm#y#primordialignorance-thatcloudsrealityand projectsillusion.Individualconsciousnessorcid#bh#sais assumedtobedelimitedbytheindividualmind,specificallyby the buddhi aspect of the antah!!karan!!a (see figure 3). The sense of continuity of the apparent individual reflection that is associated withthemindistheproductofkarma,justaswepreviously described and will analyse again later on.WhereasthelimitedindividualitywhereNon-dual Consciousnessisreflectedisthebuddhi,atcollectivelevelitismahat, that is to say, the cosmic mind. From this point of view, each personal buddhi forms part of the content of the collective mind. That is: just as lightcanbereflecteduponanextensivesurfaceofwaterand,atthe same time upon a raindrop, in the same way Non-dual Consciousness is reflected in the collective mind (hira(yagarbha) and individual mind (buddhi).Whenthereflectionhappensinthecollectiveminditis called mahat and when it does it upon one of its aspects the buddhi- it is known as cid#bh#sa. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com51 FIGURE 3 Scheme for the birth of Cosmic or Individual Reflected Consciousness conscious creation based differentiated Identification, that is to say, the relationship between the whole individual (j$va) and individual consciousness (cid#bh#sa) comes about because of three possible circumstances: Non - dual Consciousness - K+,asthacaitanya Collective Consciousness collective mind Mahat - Hira(yagarbha Individual Consciousness Individual mind Cid#bh#sa antah!!karan!!a antah!!karan!!a

Buddhi, seat of individual Consciousness cid#bh#sa. Manas,reasoning. Aham! k!ra, I-ness. Citta, mental matter, memory. m"y" Owing to M#y#s veiling power non-dual consciouness does not appear as conscious creation based differentiated. Owing to M#y#s power of projection individual consciousness appears on the Buddhi, the reflective basis of collective consciousness or Mahat. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com52 NATURAL IDENTIFICATION Justasabodyhasphysicalpropertiessuchastoughness, resistance,mass,etc.whichallowsittointeractwithphysical, chemical and electric bodies, likewise the relationship of the individual consciousnesswiththej!vaandespeciallywithitsmind(antah!!karan!!a) makes the sense of I (aham!k#ra) exercise the condition of belonging andidentificationinanaturalandinstantaneouswayfromamongall the different information that the mind perceives. ThenaturalactivityoftheI(aham!k#ra)inspiresthesense of identity of the mind with all the information that surrounds it. Justasconsciousnessleadstoknowledge,theaham!k#ra generates identification of the mind with the sense of identification of itself and, sequentially, of that which it knows as an object.IDENTIFICATION THROUGH PAST KARMATheidentificationbetweentheindividual(j$va)andthe individual consciousness (cid#bh#sa) is perceived, thanks to the fact that when the j$va, knows, it feeds in information which forms part ofitspast.Duetothisinformation,itremembersitselfexistingas an entity that possesses all the attributes of individuality. Whilethemindperceivesinformationwithapastsense,the I(aham!k#ra)necessarilyprovidesthesenseofidentificationwith thought or action. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com53 Rememberingoneselfevolvingintimeor,whichisvery similar,recognisablyforeseeingoneselfexistingatafuturetime, generatesasenseofindividualrealityintherelationshipbetween mindandconsciousness.Thesenseofhistorysimplyhastobe shatteredandanykindofappreciationofdialecticcomparison avoidedbetweeninformation,forinformationtoaligndifferently, in other word take on a Non-dual condition. IDENTIFICATION THROUGH IGNORANCE Therecognitionthatthedualityintheperceptionprevails inducesasenseofunityregardingtheperceivedbeneficiary.The primordial that is to say m#y#- ignorance produces the base for duality to exist. Whilem#y#operates,informationwillalwayspresentas differentiated.Itisthiswhichbringsaboutidentification between the individual and Non-dual consciousness. While the relationship between the known form and the mentalname,bywhichitisinterpreted,existsinany perception, where there is a relationship between the name we perceive and the mental form which it interprets, ignorance, in itsform(m#y#),inducesthesenseofduality.Realisingthatwe andtheuniversethatsurroundsusevidentlyexist,inspiresa sense of identification between the individual and its own sense ofconsciousnessthatpermitsBeingaware(knowingwhatone knows) and Being self-aware (knowing oneself to exist). 68 68 Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com54 %LOKA 9 The mut ual i de nt i f i c at i onof t he e goandt he r e f l e c t i onofCons c i ous ne s s , whi c hi s nat ur al , doe s not c e as e s ol ongas t he y ar e t ake nt obe r e al . The ot he r t woi de nt i f i c at i ons di s appe araf t e r t he we ar i ngout of t he r e s ul t of Karmaandt he at t ai nme ntof t he knowl e dge of t he hi ghe s t Re al i t yr e s pe c t i ve l y.Thenatural,mutualidentificationbetweentheego (aham! k!ra)andthereflectionofindividualconsciousness (cid!bh!sa)doesnotceaseaslongastheyareconsideredas being real. The other two identifications (due to past karma and ignorance)disappear,respectfully,whenactioniscarriedout without karma (karma yoga) and when knowledge of the highest reality is obtained (jana yoga).Perceptionofrealityresemblesacarrousel;ateveryinstant, perceiverandperceivedchangeconditionsofmutualrelationship,in suchawaythatcognitionvariesinstantbyinstant.Thecognitive personal reference is based on assuming that the I is conscious of itself along with the complementary field of perception; that is, it is consciousofitselfandalsoofeverythingelsethatisnotit.These twoconditionsarerespectivelyknownasSelf-awarenessand Awareness. Dependingontherelationshipbetweentheperceiverand perceived,cognitiontakesononeoftheonlyfivepossiblemodesof relationshipsbetween,inthiswaycreatingtheonlyfivepossible states of consciousness (see table 6). Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com55 TABLE 6 States of consciousness according to the relationship between the perceiver and the perceived State of Consciousness Agent of Perception Relationship between the Perceiver and Perceived Meditation $tman The %tman perceives itself as subject and object of cognitioninanopenfieldofnon-differentiated information, made up by all the potentially existing fields of information, simultaneously.Concentration S!k%in The s#k)in perceives itself as subject and object of cognitioninaclosedfieldofnon-differentiated information, simultaneously. Observation Exin Theexinperceivesthelackofitsownpersonal history, but still maintains cognition associated with aclosedfieldmadeupofdifferentiated information. Thought Subject Thesubjectperceivesinformationintheformof causalhistory,andperceivesitsprojectionina futureform,alwaysassociatedwithaclosedfield made up of differentiated information. Dream Dreamer TheDreameristheresultofinformationinthe form of non-causal history, always associated with a closed field of differentiated information. DREAMWhile the dreamer (perception agent in the dream state) knows throughishis/herassociationwithaclosedfieldmadeupof differentiatedinformation,alltheinformationthatitsmind appreciatesisbornanddies,asdothebeatenwavesonabeach. Buildings,colossalmountains,brilliantsunsvanishwiththenew- bornday.Anyconstructiontheminddetectsduringthedream throughthedreamerhasthecharacteristicofbeingamomentary Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com56 reality, or a momentary fantasy which is basically the same thing. Whatisperceivedisnotstable,noristheperceiver.Even when,everynightthedreamerseemstomakeanappearance,the universeunfoldswithouttherenecessarilyexistingapattern continued from the previous night. The information in this state of consciousnessisevenmorechangeableandmomentarythanthe next(Thought),sincethereisnosenseofcausalitybetweenthe informationthatformstheworldandtheperceiver;thatistosay, the universe unfolds every night has no reality in the same state, nor does the dreamer any justification in his/her own right. The dreamer has no relationship whatsoever with the agents of perception of the other states; there is no relationship between any of them in fact, except in the very fact that they seem to be real for thesimplereasontheyallhaveatraceofconsciousness,which inducesintelligenceintothemindwhileit(themind)processes informationpertainingtoeachstate,asituationthatendowsthe natureoftheperceiverandperceivedwithafeelingofmomentary reality. The dreamer, and the subject, exin, and s#k)in, are relative agents of perception. In the case of the first three states (dreamer, subject and exin),dualityinducesacharacteristicfeelingofimpermanenceand changeability;inthecaseofthes#k)in,itisonlytheabsolute, immutablefullnessofthe#tmanthatmakesthes#k)inawareofits impermanence.Anditispreciselythischangeandimpermanence thatcausessuffering.Whatprovokesanxietywithrespecttolifeis notthepainwhichlivingproduces,buttheimpermanencewhich theperceptionagentrecognisesinitselfandtheworld,onthe constantly spinning carrousel of dual perception. Therootofpainisignorance;onlyknowledgeiscapableof breakingthechainsofdualitythatoperateontheinformationthat makes up the universe.Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com57 Noneofthesethreechangeableagentsofperceptioncan avoidbringingidentificationwithdualitytoanend,sincethe disappearance of one implicitly leads to the appearance of another, whichisalsopartofachangeablereality.Noteventhes#k)incan establish itself as indefinitely immutable, as there is still yet another more complete and stable state, the absolute state of the #tman. Clearly, it is the destruction of past karma and pure knowledge, which succeeds in liberating the perceiver from the sense of difference thatitrecogniseswithrespecttowhatisperceived.However,both correct knowledge and the dissolution of sacita karma20 (accumulated karma)whichSam#dhi21bringsabout,emergeexclusivelyasa consequenceofcorrectdiscernmentoftheessentialnatureofthe perceiver and the perceived; that is to say, they come about through the fundamental experience entailed in the total experience of Non-duality operating in Meditation. Whilethereisanagentofperceptionalternativelyroaming through any of the three highly unstable22 states of consciousness, the identification that is managed in this state between the individual (j$va) and reflected consciousness (cid#bh#sa) will lead the agent of perception to see itself as being different to everything it perceives. Inconclusion:Itisthefreedomthatdiscernmentprovides, which allows the perceiver to attain Non-dual perception in cognition/ cognition.Discernment(viveka)isaparticularcertaintythat consciousness supplies when there is not the slightest doubt concerning whatistrulyReal.Discernmentisthetool,parexcellencethatthe Vedantaisabletoinstilinstudents.Thegreatestcertaintyisthe knowledgeofthe#tman,hence,theexperienceofSam#dhioneof sacita karma or the karma accumulated over aeons of existences. 20ThenatureofkarmahasbeenstudiedindepthinthebookElEternoPresente,Sesha, Editorial Grial, Colombia, 1998. 21 The state of self-possession, in Tibetan Buddhism called nirv#(a, in Zen satori and Christianity mystic ecstasy. 22 Observation, Thought and Dream. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com58 Discernment (viveka) is developed thanks to experiencing the uninterruptedconditionofRealevents,thatistosay,thingsthat happen in the here and now. A mind which is trained in the act ofconstantlybeingattentivetowhatishappeningwithoutany effortwhatsoeverdevelopstheskillofunderstandingsomething thatisReal,whichliesbeyondexperienceofonesownpersonal historyandofthefuture.Discernment(viveka)isnotintellector the intelligence which we are so proud of in the West. Viveka is the certaintyofwhatisReal;itisthetotalabsenceofdoubtwith respecttoourimmortalnature;itisthelivingcomprehension thatknowledgeradiateswhenthemindjourneysalongthe unobstructed fringes of Non-duality.Anintermediatesteptoprocuringdiscernmentisthe training in realisation of correct action or karma yoga. In reality, actionislowerthanunderstanding;nevertheless,inthecaseof studentswhoseintellectualappreciationofthePresentis inconstant,itisnecessarytotrainthemintheimportanceof actionasameansofpurifyingthemind.Hencetherealisation of correct action and responsible activity in the face of acquired compromise in the world (whether it be personal or collective), istransformedintothecorrectwayoflivingthatonedaywill allow metaphysical discernment or viveka to flourish. Thereisabsolutelynoreasontonegatetheimportance ofaction;onthecontrary:actioncorrectlyundertaken, trainedactionorkarmayoga,isawaytopurifythemind. However,foractiontoberealisedinaccordancewiththe canonsestablishedintheVedantaasbeingcorrect,basically twoconditionsarerequired:notdesiringthefruitofthe actionandtheabsenceofthesenseofI-nessintheact undertaken. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com59 THOUGHT While the subject (perception agent in the state of Thought) istheknowerofaclosedfieldmadeupofdifferentiated information,theinformationdetected,seethesinachangeable manner like water boiling in a cauldron or the restless waves that crash one after the other driven by a storm onto a rocky shore.Thesubjectneverrests;itsnatureischange,activity, movement.Itrecognisestheinformationthatoccupiesplacein time and space. It recognises itself, the subject, sees itself as a part of a mechanism, evolving towards perfection, but does not recognise thetypeofperfectionitseeks,sinceitisitsnaturetoponderon the sense of part, limit, fraction, of history. Thesubjectbelievesitisborn,thatitgrows,reproduces and,intheend,dies.Itispreytosuffering;itmightnever perceive anything stable, which only depends upon itself. It lives outitsfuturefantasies,rememberingitspastachievements;it fears its own unknown mysteries and is proud of knowing more than others. Thismediocreperceiverisfrightenedofdying;doesnot know the cause of its birth. It plays at being intelligent searching toencapsulatewhatitknowsinamathematicalequation; however,whenitcomesdowntoit,alltheintelligentconcepts intheworldwillnotholdbacktheunbearablelonelinessand dejection that comes about through not living a happy life. Whensubjectsareyoungtheywanttobefiremenor nurses; when they grow up they aspire to be doctors; at maturity theywouldbebankers;onceold,theywishtheyhadbeen happier.Thereisnopeace;allthattheyknowcanonlybring themabriefmomentofhappiness.TheybelieveinGod,since itmeansthereisasuperiorbeingthatisatpeace,acondition their human nature just does not provide. Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com60 The subject is constantly changing. It is no more than the momentary bundling together of memory that believes itself to belordandmasterofactionandknowledge.Tosuchan extent that at a given moment it can be loving and tender with itspartnerandatthenext,lookdownuponthemindisgust. Thesubjectputsupwithitsmiserablelifebyholdingonto faithinathought,anobjectiveinlife,adesire:orperhaps,a specialtypeofinformation,whichinthatverymoment,it doesnt have access to. The subject is a master in living a life that is not its own, or criticising someone without knowing what is going through their mind.Thesubjectresortstophysicaloreconomicstrengthto overcome its opponents who do not follow a similar lifestyle. It isalsocapableofkillinginthenameofGod,itiscapableof torturing children and abusing elderly people. It has no sense of priority:Itssoulissickwithunhappinessandsofeedsthe unhappinessofitsfellowbeings.Itdoesnotknowhowtobe madehappybysomebodyelsesjoyorfeelanygratificationfor the triumphs of others. Mankind generates so much pain and suffering for living in thisway!Arepeoplenotawareofthefactthatsomuchbadness will inevitably create more pain in their own lives? So many tears shedfornoreason,somuchhumanbloodnurturingvulturesin countlesswars.Thesubjecttalksofpeacewhenwarisnear;it talksofbio-dynamicculturewhenitsbodyissick;ittalksabout ecology when it notes the world cannot stand its depredation. Nevertheless, there are so many subjects who have offered their livesandintelligenceinfavouroftheworld,anendlessstreamof poets who make us laugh with their love and humour, so many little children radiant with health provided by their innocence! Rather than a relief, it is a let-down being a subject. To see a differentiatedworld,whichshattersateveryinstant,which changeswitheverypassingmoment,producesastrangekindof Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com61 sufferingthatonlyinnersearchwillheal.Wearenotseekingto endthesufferingoftheworld,oritshunger,oritsdespair;we only suggest that in the Thought state of consciousness the world istheresultofourownacts,ourowndesires,ofourown egotism.Theworldwillnotbecuredwithfood;itwillbecured byovercomingignorancethatleadsustobelievethatweare differentonefromanother,differentfromotherraces,different from suns and immense galaxies. Thesubjectisaprimitiveandmomentarymentalformthat knowsinformation.Initspresenceeverytraceofinformationis cyclical,shortlived,inconstant.Allrational,dialecticactivity provides half truths and half lies, half lives. OBSERVATION Whiletheexin(theperceptionagentinthestateof Observation)knowsinaclosedfieldmadeupofdifferentiated information,theuniverseisdividedintotwostablerealities: perceiverandperceived.However,theperceiver(exin)perceives him/herself without personal history, just as happens when we try toremembersomethingwhichisbeyondmanageablehistorical timelimits.Thusitisthat,observationinducesavoidsenseof information with respect to past and future. What were we before being born? This question induces a great sense of presence in the here and now. While one seeks toanswerthequestion,theawarenessofaperceiveremerges-anexinthathasnoneedtodefineitselfwhileitquestions, sinceifitdiditwouldreturntothepreviousstateof consciousness; the state of Thought. On the other hand, what is perceivedisvacant;itisjustavoidofformsandnames that create a dark wall free of perceivable boundaries. Forexample,theexinalsoemerges,whenwemightbe strollingthroughthewoodandweimmerseourselvesinthe Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com62 magic of a path replete with flowers and dancing shadows that are painted by the leaves of a giant tree as we rest in its shade. Whohasnever,whilstamblingthroughaforest,been transformedintoatreeoraflower,shadoworacloud,fora moment?Whohasneverbeensurprisedsometimeor another,bythatdarknessthatengulfstheinstantpriorto dropping off to sleep, when the eyes rest inwardly and there is noneedforeffortinrememberingwhathashappenedduring the day which is coming to its end? The perception of observation, realised by the exin, is balm for a tired mind and the stress that human beings are confronted with from day to day. We are used to taking refuge in the exin on a day-to-day basis by going to the cinema and being absorbed by themagicthatisunfoldedinthefilm;thesamehappenswhen doingsportorbecomingengrossedinaninteresting conversation. Perceiving the world without history or perceiving oneself with no personal history is a process which comforts the mind. Itiscommontogiveattentiontosomethingwhichis happening,toconvertitintoanactofmomentaryfusionof perceiverandperceived.Thisisthemagicofattendingtothe Present without thinking about it. What a pleasing feeling it is when you come out from a beautiful film that has captured your attention forthelasthour?Andwhataboutthevividattentionmomentarily given to practicing sports? The universe of the exin is truly pleasing; never to be compared to perception of the s#k)in, and much less to thatofthe#tman,butitisafaithfulcompanionduringLifeandin the search for inner peace. CONCENTRATION While the s#k)in (cognition agent in the state of Concentration) knowsalltheinformationthatmakesupclosedfieldsofcognition, Vedanta Advaita Sesha www.vedantaadvaita.com63 the s#k)in takes on a Non-differentiated state. There the s#k)in dwells upon itself, it knows itself knowing itself. Owing to the Fact that the boundaries that enclose a field of cognition23areexclusivethatistosay,theyareexcludedfrom perceptionandthereforecannotbeknownitmightseemlikethe inner perception merging into the infinite, just as sight becomes lost in the remote darkness whilst looking for the most distant stars.