aatma bodha - shankaracharya

7/27/2019 Aatma Bodha - Shankaracharya

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Aatma Bodha - Self Knowledge by Adi Shankaracharya

१

tapobhiḥ kṣīṇapāpānāṁ śāntānāṁ vītarāgiṇām| mumukṣūṇāṁ apekṣyo'yam ātma bodho'bhidhīyate....1

This book on Self knowledge is being presented to those who have purified themselvesthrough austerities, who are peaceful by disposition, who are free from cravings and aredesirous of liberation.

२

bodho'nyasādhanebhyo hi sāk ṣānmok ṣaikasādhanam| pākasya vahnivajjñānaṁ vinā mok ṣo na sidhyati... 2

Just as the fire is the direct cause for cooking, so without Knowledge no liberation canbe had. Compared with all other forms of discipline, Knowledge of the Self is the onedirect means for liberation

३

avirodhitayā karma nāvidyāṁ vinivartayet|vidyāvidyāṁ nihantyeva tejastimirasaṅghavat....3

Action cannot destroy ignorance, for it is not in conflict with or opposed to ignorance.Knowledge does verily destroy ignorance as light destroys deep darkness.



४

parichanna ivājñānāt tannāśe sati kevalaḥ |

svayaṁ prakāśate hyātmā meghāpāyeṁ'śumāniva....4

The Self appears to be finite because of ignorance. When ignorance is destroyed theOne Self truly shines by itself, like the Sun when the clouds pass away.

५

ajñānakalu ṣaṁ jīvaṁ jñānābhyāsādvinirmalam | kṛtvā jñānaṁ svayaṁ naśyejjalaṁ katakareṇuvat....5

Constant practice of knowledge renders the ignorant individual pure. Knowledge thenrelegates itself – as does the powder of the „Kataka-nut‟ after it has cleansed the muddywater.

६

saṁsāraḥ svapnatulyo hi rāgadve ṣādisaṅkulaḥ. svakāle satyavadbhāti prabodhe satyasadbhavet ....6

The world which is full of likes and dislikes, is like a dream. It appears to be real, as longas it lasts, but is falsified when one awakens to reality.

७

tāvatsatyaṁ jagadbhāti śuktikārajataṁ yathā |

yāvanna jñāyate brahma sarvādhiṣṭānamadvyam ....7

The universe appears to be real(Satyam) so long as Brahman, the substratum of allcreation, is not realized. This appearance is similar to the illusion of silver in the mother-of-pearl.



८

upādāne'khilādhāre jaganti parameśvare |

sargasthitilayān yānti budbudanīva vāriṇi....8

Like bubbles in the water, the worlds rise,ShThAnam exist and dissolve in the SupremeSelf, which is the material cause and the support ofeverything.

९

saccidātmanyanusyūte nitye vi ṣṇau prakalpitāḥ | vyaktayo vividhāḥ sarvā hātake kaṭakādivat....9

All the various entities are projected onto the substratum just as the different ornamentsare all appearances projected on the same gold. The eternal and all-pervadingsubstratum has the nature is existence and consciousness.

१०

yathākāśo hṛṣīkeśo nānopādhigato vibhuḥ |

tadbhedādbhinnavadbhāti tannāśe kevalo bhavet....10

In a similar way like space, the all pervading Lord associated with various conditions(Upadhis). Their different conditions appears as if belonging to the Self, but when theydisappear it is just one.



११

nānopādhivaśādeva jātivarṇāśramādayaḥ |

ātmanyāropitāstoye rasavarṇadi bhedavat ....11

By Its association with different conditions (Upadhis) attributes such as status andstages in life are super-imposed on the Self in the same way as water becomesflavoured or.coloured by things added to it.

१२

paṁciīkṛ tamahābhūtasaṁbhavaṁ karmasaṁcitam |

śarīraṁ sukhaduhkhānāṁ bhogāyatanamucyate ....12

The physical body, created from the (five) compounded elements, is created throughactions (of one‟s own previous lifetimes). It is the physical medium (of experience) forfeelings of pleasure and pain.

१३

pañcaprāṇamanobuddhidaśendriyasamanvitam |

apañcīkṛtabhūtotthaṁ sūkṣmāṅgaṁ bhogasādhanam,,,,13

The five vital airs, the ten organs mind and the individuality originate from the (five)primal elements. Together they constitute the subtle body and are the instruments forgathering (different kinds of) experiences .

१४

anādyavidyānirvācyā kāraṇopādhirucyate |

upādhitritayādanyamātmānamavadhārayet ....14 Beginningless Ignorance defies categorization and is spoken of as the casual body.Know for certain that the Self is different from these three conditions (physical, subtle,and casual).



१५

pañcako ṣādiyogena tattanmaya iva sthitaḥ |

śuddhātmā nīlavastrādiyogena sphaṭiko yathā ....15

A colourless crystal acquires a bluish tinge in association with blue cloth, etc. In thesame way, the pure Self Identified with the five coverings (as it were), appears as nondifferent from them.

१६ vapustu ṣādibhi ḥ kośairyukttaṁ yuktyavaghātataḥ |

ātmānamantaraṁ śuddhaṁ vivicyāttaṇḍulaṁ yathā ....16

Just as one pounds the rice to separate the associated husk, bran, etc., one should oneshould sort out the Pure self from its (apparent) coverings through reason anddiscriminative enquiry.

१७

sadā sarvagato'pyātmā na sarvatrāvabhāsate |

buddhāvevāvabhāseta svaccheṣu pratibimbavat ....17

Although all-pervading, the (conscious) Self does not shine uniformly everywhere. Itmanifests only in the (presence of) mind like a reflection appearning in a clean surface(of the mirror).



१८

dehendriyamanobuddhiprakṛ tibhyo vilak ṣaṇam

tadvṛttisākśiṇaṁ vidyādātmānaṁ rājavatsadā ....18

Know the Self as distinct from the material associations like body, senses, mind andindividuality. It is ever the witness of all their activities, like a king (whose presenceinspires others to act).

१९

vyāpṛ te ṣvindriye ṣvātmā vyāpārīvāvivekinām dṛśyate'bhreṣu dhāvatsu dhāvantīva yathā śaśī ....19

The moon appears to be moving when the clouds float around in the sky. Likewise,ignorant people attribute the activity of the sense organs to the (changeless) Self.

२० ātmacaitanyamāśritya dehendriyamanodhiyaḥ |

svakriyārtheṣu vartante sūryālokaṁ yathā janāḥ ....20

The body, senses, mind, and individuality, depend on the conscious Self for carrying ontheir individual activities, in the same way as people depend on sunlight (for engaging inactivity).

२१

dehendriyaguṇānkarmāṇyamale saccidātmani adhyasyantyavivekena gagane nīlatādivat....21

Just as the ignorant ones attribute blue colour to the sky, people superimpose physicaland sensory activities or qualities onto the pure existent and conscious Self.



२२

a jñnānānmānasopādheḥ kartutvādīni cātmani | kalpyante'mbugate candre calanādi yathāmbhasaḥ ....22

The moon reflected in water appears to move when the water is disturbed. Likewiseagency and other attributes of the mind are mistakenly superimposed the Self.

२३

rāgecchāsukhaduḥkhādi buddhau satyāṁ pravartate | suṣaptau nāsti tannāśe tasmādbuddhestu nātmanaḥ ....23

Attachment, desire, pleasure, pain, etc., are perceived to exist only when the mind isactive. They are not perceived in deep sleep when the mind ceases. Therefore all thoseattributes belong to the mind alone and not to the Atman.

२४

prakāśo'rkasya toyasya śaityamagneryatho ṣṇatā |

svabhāvaḥ saccidānandanityanirmalatātmanaḥ ....24

Brightness is the nature of the sun, coolness of water and heat of fire. Similarly thenature of the ever pure Self is existence, consciousness and fullness,

२५

ātmanaḥ saccidaṁśaśca buddhervṛ ttiriti dvayam

saṁyojya cāvivekena jānāmīti pravartate ....25

When the Self‟s nature of existence and consciousness is indiscriminately associatedwith the mind‟s nature of thinking – there arises the notion of “I know”.



२६

ātmano vikriyā nāsti buddherbodho na jātviti | jīvaḥ sarvamalaṁ jñātvā jñātā draṣṭeti muhyati ....26

Atman has no activity and the mind has no independent capacity to know. But theindividualwith limited understanding deludes himself as being the seer and the knower.

२७

rajjusarpavadātmānaṁ jīvaṁ jñātvā bhayaṁ vahet nāhaṁ jīvaḥ parātmeti jñātañcennirbhayo bhavet ....27

Like a person mistaking the rope for a snake, the one who mistakes the Self to be anindividual is overcome by fear. If one recognizes “I am the Absolute Self and not theindividual self”, he attains freedom from fear.

२८

ātmāvabhāsayatyeko buddhyādīnīndriyāṇyapi |

dīpo ghaṭādivatsvātmā jaḍaistairnāvabhāsyate ....28

Like a lamp illuminating objects like pots, so also the Self illumines the mind, senseorgans, etc. The Self is not lighted by those objects as they are inert (and incapable ofknowing)



२९

svabodhe nānyabodhecchā bodharūpatayātmanaḥ |

na dīpasyānyadīpecchā yathā svātmaprakāśane ....29

A lighted-lamp does not need another lamp to illumine itself. So too, the Self which isthe nature of consciousness f needs no entity other (than itself) to cognize it.

३०

ni ṣidhya nikhilopādīnneti netīti vākyataḥ |

vidyādaikyaṁ mahāvākyairjīvātmaparamātmanoḥ ....30

Negating all the conditions with the help of the statement like „It is not this, It is not this‟,may one recognize the oneness of the individual self and the Absolute Self, asrevealed by (Vedantic) statements.

३१

avidyakaṁ śarīrādi d ṛ śyaṁ budbudavatk ṣaram|

etadvilakṣaṇaṁ vidyādahaṁ brahmeti nirmalam....31

Like bubbles, all perceivable entities beginning from body upto Ignorance, areperishable. May one recognize “I am the Absolute Self, distinct from them (by nature).

dehaanyaanna me janmajaraakaarShya layaadayaH

shabdaadiviShayaiH sa~Ngo nirindriyatayaa na cha. 32

Being distinct from mind, I free from birth, old age, weakness and death. Being distinct from the

sense organsa, i have no association with objects like sounds, etc.



३३

amanastvānna me duḥkharāgadve ṣabhayādayaḥ | aprāṇo hyamanāḥ śubhra ityādi śrutiśāsanāt ....33

Being distinct from mind, I am free from sorrow, attachment, hate, and fear. Accordingto the scriptural declaration, the Self is “distinct from breath, and mind, Pure, etc.”

३४

nirguṇo ni ṣkriyo nityo nirvikalpo niraṁ janaḥ |

nirvikāro nirākāro nityamukto'smi nirmalaḥ ....34

I am eternal, (ever)free of attributes, actions, thoughts, and blemish. I am ever liberated,free from (all) change, form, and impurities.

३५

ahamākāśavatsarvaṁ bahirantargato'cyutaḥ |

sadā sarvasamassiddho nissaṅgo nirmalo'calaḥ ....35

Like space, I am present on the inside and outside of all things. I am immutable, eternal,uniform, (ever) accomplished, unconnected, pure and immovable.

३६

nityaśuddhavimuktaikamakhaṇḍ ānandamadvayam

satyaṁ jñānamanantaṁ yatparaṁ brahmāhameva tat....36

I am verily that Supreme Brahman alone which is Eternal, Pure and Free, One,partlessly full, non-dual. and of the nature of limitless existence and consciousness.



३७

evaṁ nirantarābhyastā brahmaivāsmīti vāsanā |

haratyavidyāvikśepādrogāniva rasāyanam ..37

Constantly repeated, the knowledge that I am indeed Brahman becomes deeplyingrained, and removes ignorance and error, in the same way as medicine (overcomes)disease.

३८

viviktadeśa āsino virago vijitendriyaḥ

bhavayedekamātmānaṁ tamanatamananyadhīḥ ....38

One should contemplate on the one infinite self, seated in an isolated place, free ofdesires, controlled senses and non-distracted mind.

३९

ātmanyevākhilaṁ d ṛ śyaṁ pravilāpya dhiyā sudhī ḥ |

bhāvayedekamātmānaṁ nirmalākāśavatsadā ....39

The wise one should, by knowledge merge the entire world-of-objects in the self aloneand constantly contemplate upon the Self thqt is as pure as the sky.

४०

rūpavarṇādikaṁ sarva vijñāya paramārthavit paripūrṇaṁcidānandasvarūpeṇāvatiṣṭhate ....40

The knower of the absolute discards all names and forms etc., and remains (purely asthe self) in nature of limitless existence and consciousness.



४१

jñāt ṛ jñānajñeyabhed aḥ pare nātmani vidyate |

cidānandaikarūpatvāddīpyate svayameva tat ....41

There are no distinctions such knower, knowing, or known, in the supreme self, for it isnothing other than the nature of consciousness and fullness. It is illumined solely byitself.

४२

evamātmāraṇau dhyānamathane satataṁ kṛ te | uditāvagatirjvālā sarvājñānendhanaṁ dahet ....42

When the Self is contemplated upon in the same way that wooden parts (rubbedtogether creates fire), knowledge results, burning down the firewood of ignorance.

४३

aruṇeneva bodhena pūrvaṁ santamase hṛ te | tata āvirbhavedātmā svayamevāṁśumāniva ....43

When the dawn of knowledge has removed the darkness of ignorance, the self emergesrevealing itself in the same way as the sun (reveals itself).

४४

ātmā tu satataṁ prāpto'pyaprāptavadavidyayā | tannāśe prāptavadbhāti svakaṇṭhābharaṇaṁ yathā ....44

Even when the self is ever available (here and now), it is missed as it were due toignorance. When ignorance disappears, the self appears to be found, just as anornament on one‟s neck (seems to be lost and then found).



४५

sthāṇau puru ṣavad bhrāntyā kṛ tā brahmaṇi jīvatā |

jīvasya tāttvike rūpe tasmindṛṣṭe nivartate ....45

The universal self appears to become an individual through ignorance, in the same waythat a lamp post appears to be a ghost. Individuality disapears when one‟s real nature isrealised to be the universal self.

४६

tatvasvarūpānubhavādutpannaṁ jñānamaṁ jasā | ahaṁ mameti cājñānaṁ bādhate digbhramādivat ....46

The ignorance represented by the notions „I‟ and „Mine‟ is destroyed by knowledge thatresults from realising the true nature of the Self, just as right information dispelsconfusion about directions (like east and west).

४७ samyagvijñānavān yogī svātmanyevākhilaṁ jagat|

ekaṁ ca sarvamātmānamīkṣate jñānacakṣuṣā ||47||

The knower who is spiritually adept sees the entire universe as contained in the self,and sees the one self as all, through the eyes of knowledge.

४८

ātmaivedaṁ jagatsarvamātmano'nyanna vidyate |

mṛdo yadvadghaṭādīni svātmānaṁ sarvamīkṣate ....48

The entire universe is verily the self.. Nothing other than the self exists (in reality). Allclay pots and jars are nothing but clay, so too the knower sees everything (in creation)as one‟s own self.



४९

jīvanmuktastu tadvidvānpūrvopādhiguṇānstyajet|

saccidānandarūpatvād bhavedbhramarakīṭavat ....49

The liberated one, endowed with Self-knowledge, gives up the qualities of theconditions that were previously attributed to him (through ignorance). Being in thenature of Existence Consciousness and Fullness, he becomes Brahman like the larva(that transforms into a bee.)

५०

tīrtvā mohārṇavaṁ hatvā rāgadve ṣādirāk ṣasān|

yogī śāntisamāyukta ātmārāmo virājate ....50

After crossing the ocean of delusion and killing the monsters of likes and dislikes, thespiritual adept is united with peace and shines, revelling in his own (true) self.

५१

bāhyānityasukhāsakti ṁ hitvātmasukhanirvṛ taḥ |

ghaṭasthadīpavatsvasthaṁ svāntareva prakāśate ....51

Letting go the dependence on external impermanent pleasures and enstablished in the joy of (freedom that is) the self, one shines brightly from within like a lamp placed insidea jar.

५२

upādhistho'pi taddharmairalipto vyomavanmuni ḥ |

sarvavinmūḍhavattiṣṭhedasakto vāyuvaccaret ....52

Even though the contemplative one appears along with (apparent) conditions, heremains untouched like space. The all knowing one appears like a fool, free fromattachment and wandering about like the wind.



५३

upādhivilayādvi ṣṇau nirviśe ṣaṁ viśenmuni ḥ |

jale jalaṁ viyadvyomni tejastejasi vā yathā ....53

When the (apparent) conditions are resolved, the contemplative one is totally absorbedin the all-pervading self, like water merging into water, space unto space and light untolight.

५४

yallābhānnāparo lābho yatsukhānnāparaṁ sukham|

yajjñānānnāparaṁ jñānaṁ tadbrahmetyavadhārayet ....54

Realise That to be Brahman, the beyond which there is no further attainment, thefullness beyond which there is no higher fullness, and whose knowledge beyond whichthere is no higher knowledge.

५५

yadd ṛṣṭ vā nāparaṁ d ṛ śyaṁ yadbhūtvā na punarbhavaḥ |

yajjñātvā nāparaṁ jñeyaṁ tadbrahmetyavadhārayet ..55..

Realise That to be Brahman, the vision beyond which there is nothing to be seen,becoming which one has no further birth, and the knowledge beyond which there isnothing more to be known.



५६

tiryagūrdhvamadhaḥ pūrṇaṁ saccidānandamadvayam anantaṁ nityamekaṁ yattad brahmetyavadhārayet ....56

Realize that to be Brahman which is the nature of non-dual existence, consciousnessand fullness; which is Infinite, eternal and one; and which is limitless from above, belowand sideways in every direction.

५७ atadvyāvṛ ttirūpeṇa vedāntairlak ṣyatedvayam

akhaṇḍānandamekaṁ yattatad brahmetyavadhārayet ....57

Realize that to be Brahman which is Non-dual, Indivisible, Full, One, and which isrevealed through the implied sense of Vedanta statements that negate every thing other(than oneself).

५८

akhaṇḍ ānandarūpasya tasyānandalavāśritāḥ |

brahmādyāstāratamyena bhavantyānandino'khilāḥ ....58

Entities from Brahma onwards, depend on just a particle of the fullness of Brahman, andenjoy it in differeing proportions in keeping with their status (relative to each other).

५९

tadyuktamakhilaṁ vastu vyavahārastadanvitaḥ |

tasmātsarvagataṁ brahma kṣīre sarpirivākhile ....59

All objects are associated with Brahman. All actions are infused with it; thereforeBrahman is all pervading as butter permeates all of milk.



६०

anaṇvasthūlamarhasvamadīrghamajamavyayam arūpaguṇavarṇākhyaṁ tadbrahmetyavadhārayet ....60

Realise that to be Brahman which is neither subtle nor gross; neither short nor long; freefrom birth and change; free form, qualities, colour and name.

६१

yadbhāsā bhāsyate'rkādi bhāsyairyattu na bhāsyate | yena sarvamidaṁ bhāti tadbrahmetyavadhārayet ....61

Realize that to be Brahman through whose light entities like the Sun and the Moon areilluminated, and which is not (an object) illuminated by them.

६२

svayamantarbahirvyāpya bhāsayannakhilaṁ jagat

brahma prakāśate vahniprataptāyasapiṇḍavat ....62

Pervading and illumining the entire universe from within and without, the universal selfshines by Itself like (the fire that permeates and illumines) a red-hot iron-ball.

६३

jagadvilak ṣaṇaṁ brahma brahmaṇo'nyanna ki ṁcana |

brahmānyadbhāti cenmithyā yathā marumarīcikā ....63

Brahman is different (in nature) from the universe. There exists nothing that is differentfrom Brahman. Any object that seems different from Brahman is apparent (in nature),like the mirage (illusion) in the desert.



६४

d ṛ śyate śrūyate yadyadbrahmaṇo'nyanna tadbhavet

tattvajñānācca tadbrahma saccidānandamadvayam....64

All objects perceived, or heard, have no existence independent of Brahman. Attainingthe knowledge of essential reality, one sees them as the universal self, (whose natureis) non-dual existence. consciousness and fullness.

६५

sarvagaṁ saccidātmānaṁ jñānacak ṣurnirīk ṣate | ajnānacakṣurnekṣeta bhāsvantaṁ bhānumandhavat ....65

Just as the blind do not see the resplendent sun ,the omnipresent self who is (thenature of) existence and consciousness is unseen by the eyes of the ignorant. It isclearly perceived (only) through the eyes of knowledge;.

६६

śravaṇādibhiruddīptajñānāgniparitāpitaḥ |

jīvassarvamalānmuktaḥ svarṇavaddyotate svayam ....66

When heated in the fire of knowledge kindled by study of scriptures, enquiry andcontemplation, the individual becomes free of all impurities, and shines independentlylike gold (that has a lustrous shine)

६७

hṛ dākāśodito hyātmā bodhabhānustamo'pahṛ t sarvavyāpī sarvadhārī bhāti bhāsayate'khilam....67

The self which is the sun of Knowledge rises in the space of the heart and destroys thedarkness of the ignorance. It is omnipresent, supports all, and shines (independentlyand) makes everything else shine.



६८

digdeśakālādyanapekṣya sarvagaṁ

śītādihṛt nityasukhaṁ niraṁjanam| yassvātmatīrthaṁ bhajate viniṣkriyaḥ

sa sarvavitsarvagato'mṛto bhavet ....68

Unconcerned about directions, space, and time etc., one makes a pilgrimage to his own

self which is omnipresent, free from (opposites like heat and) cold etc., which is ever fulland untaintainted. (Knowing thus,) one becomes all knowing, omnipresent, actionlessand immortal.

aatma bodha - shankaracharya

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