3 - Ananda: Bliss as the Highest Spiritual Experience | Swami Tattwamayananda

08/06/19 • 89 min

Verses: III.4, III.5, III.6. This discourse was given on July 29, 2019 at the Lake Tahoe Retreat run by the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.
-Bhrigu and Varuna’s approach to going deeper in spiritual inquiry through tapah, austerity is reviewed. Matter, annam, and life-energy, prana, are the first two stages of Bhrigu’s understanding of Brahman, but he continues his inquiry.
-At the next two stages of Bhrigu’s inquiry, he finds that the mind, manas and intellect, vijnana are Brahman.
-The definition of the mind, manas, is given, “sankalpa vikalpa antahkarana vritti.” It reflects on and determines what the objects are.
-The antahkarana is analyzed into the functions of ahamkara, chittam, manas, and buddhi
-The intellect and the mind reflect the Atman. Depending on the samskaras stored in the chittam, they are able to reflect the Atman more or less clearly.
-Finally, at the fifth stage, Bhrigu realizes Ananda, bliss, as Brahman. This Ananda does not refer to the Anandamaya-kosha, which is the bliss of enjoyment of the world. It is an unconditioned Ananda, which is our home.
-In deep sleep, this bliss is experienced because the faculty of experiencing duality is benumbed. In Samadhi, this bliss is experienced with awareness and we transcend duality.
-An Advaitin sees that he is one with the whole humanity so he has no quarrel with anybody.
-The language of Samadhi is silence, mind and intellect come back from Samadhi empty-handed.
-We are then able to see the changing as changing so that all anxieties are gone. We no longer interpret ourselves as the changing phenomenon of mind and matter. It is not a life negating philosophy but rather it allows us to work in the world without being shocked at its inherent imperfection.
-At the philosophical level, the world is changing, and Brahman is Real. At the experience level, the so-called world is seen as Brahman, so the world is also seen as real, but as Brahman.
-Some texts, such as Yoga Vasistha explain Brahman from the highest perspective where everything is seen as Brahman. Shankaracharya’s work also explains ways to reach the highest perspective starting from where we are in our evolution.
-To change our life, we can create healthy samskaras through constant thinking of these higher ideas. Our mind changes and we evolve.

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2 - Tapah: Going Deeper through Austerity | Swami Tattwamayananda

Verses: I.1, III.1, III.2, III.3. This discourse was given on July 28, 2019 at the Lake Tahoe Retreat run by the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.
-God is the one all-pervading spiritual reality.
-The five stages of the evolution of Godhead: pantheism, panentheism, polytheism, monotheism, monism.
-After inquiry, Bhrigu the young boy is instructed by his father Varuna: seek to know that from which all things are born, by which they remain alive, and into which, by departing, they enter.
-Varuna’s approach to teaching is indirect. He begins by teaching what is in front of us: food, air, sight, hearing, mind, and speech and asking the disciple to inquire deeper through tapah.
-Shankaracharya explains that tapah, austerity, means withdrawing from external senses and focusing on one ideal. Buddha’s example is given. All other great achievements are a result of this tapah.
-Yudisthara’s said that the greatest wonder is that even though living beings are dying every moment, we forget and think we will live forever.
-Bhrigu’s first discovers that matter seems to be Brahman. This is the conclusion of material scientists. But he himself realizes that this can’t be correct. Sri Ramakrishna’s parable of the woodcutter explains the importance of going deeper into spiritual inquiry. Sincere inquiry and tapa naturally led to Bhrigu’s realization of the need to go further. This doubt, parinama duhkha in Patanjal’s Yoga Sutras, is a force that propels you forward in spiritual life.
-At the next stage Bhrigu realizes that prana, life force, is Brahman. He again asks his father for instruction. When the mind is pure, the mind becomes your spiritual teacher.
-Both prana and matter are changing so they are still not the ultimate principle.
-In Bhakti, this tapah can be understood as self-surrender, prapatti.
-Tapah without a spiritual ideal can be lead to aberrations. A spiritual ideal, and ethical disciplines such as yamas and niyamas, close negative channels and help us to evolve an inner filter mechanism that protects us.

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4 - The Science of Inner Bliss (Ananda) and Living a Sacred Life | Swami Tattwamayananda

Verses: III.6, II.8, I.11, I.9. This discourse was given on July 30, 2019 at the Lake Tahoe Retreat run by the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.
-Ananda: attaining what ought to have been attained; having done what ought to have been done.
-Ananda: the science of inner bliss.
-The enjoyment of good health and wealth is very small in comparison to the enjoyment of transcendental bliss.
-Transcendental bliss allows spiritual seekers like Prahlada and the Russian pilgrim in the Way of the Pilgrim to see every day as a holy day and handle all difficulties in the world.
-Lesson I.11 is a convocation address for students who are to begin living with these transcendental ideas in life. (1) Imbibe what is good from your teachers (2) Respect and serve those who are even more exalted than your teachers (3) Preserve the tradition so that you are spiritually and culturally enriched. (4) Your actions towards your elders are a sacred act.
-Lesson I.9 explains that we most always hold to Rtam, doing what which ought to be done and distinguishing between right and wrong. This Rtam preserves the whole universe.
-Dharma is this Rtam in practice: it protects and sustains the universe.
-Satyam is the philosophical dimension of rtam.
-Tapas is intense concentration on your ideal, without which nothing can be achieved.
-Svadhyaya and Pravacana are learning the scriptures and transmitting the scriptures.
-Sama and Dama is self-restraint, which turns our mind into our tranquil friend, rather than our enemy.
-The guest must be honored. A guest is one who comes to your home without prior notice or invitation.