Summary:

In this session, we revisit Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2, Verse 12, exploring Krishna's teachings on the nature of Atma. The lesson delves into the fundamental human search for lasting happiness and fulfillment, highlighting the challenges of finding contentment in a changing world.

The discussion outlines three core human needs: freedom from time-bound existence, freedom from ignorance, and freedom from smallness. It explains why conventional pursuits fail to provide lasting satisfaction, using examples to illustrate the zero-sum nature of situational happiness.

The session introduces a prakriya (method) to distinguish between incidental and intrinsic attributes of the self. It defines and applies these concepts to body, mind, senses, and desires, contrasting them with the unchanging nature of Atma.

Finally, the lesson explores the intrinsic nature of the self as Sat-cit (Existence-Awareness), comparing it metaphorically to light on a stage. This understanding is presented as Krishna's solution to Arjuna's quest for ultimate fulfillment.

REVISION OF BHAGAVAD GITA, CHAPTER 2, VERSE 12:

This session is revision of important Verse 12. It hasn't covered Verse 13 from last week. This will be done in future session.

• Krishna starts teaching by showing nature of Atma (panditaḥ na anuśocanti: Wise people don’t grieve; not because they’re suppressing emotions and pretending everything is fine, but understand reality differently. IE: There was never a time when I, nor you (Arjuna), nor anyone on this field, was not. Thus talking about Atma (I am). Reality of Atma is it’s indestructible, and Arjuna is grieving for bodies. )
• How is this relevant to us? This is answer to Arjuna’s fundamental question, “What will bring ultimate fulfillment to my life?”. Let’s analyze  this below…
• PROBLEM:
  • Behind all pursuits, what is the one fundamental search we all have? Lasting happiness and fulfillment (freedom from suffering, lack, inadequacy). We do many things in life to have this basic fulfillment. But how close are you to having it? Searcher realizes, no matter what I do, no happy moment lasts satisfactory amount of time. Whole life is about holding onto glimpses of happiness, extending it, and intensify it.
  • This is what Arjuna recognizes ultimate goal is life free from sense of limitation, mortality, smallness – and recognizes it’s impossible via conventional means.
    • Two examples showing zero-sum-game nature of trying to make it work situationally:
      1. A sensitive human being will read some tragic news and feel for them. This multiplied by dozens of times a day, it’s not possible to enjoy a tranquil fulfilled mind. And if try to pretend everything is fine, that brings inner conflict.
      2. Another predicament is, I want to be fulfilled, and for that to happen I need to be discipline, I want people to behave how I want, etc. In reality, world doesn’t function per your standards.
  • We start life journey thinking ”I’m limited human being”, and no one likes limitation. What one ends up seeking is ultimately one or combination of these three needs:
    1. FREEDOM FROM TIME-BOUND EXISTENCE: First need is freedom from limited existence (freedom from limitation in terms of time). EG: Lots of funding goes into research for prolonging life, such as cancer research. Can’t stand being mortal.
    2. FREEDOM FROM IGNORANCE: Second need is I don’t want to just exist, but to KNOW things. IE: Twitter, FB, News, Road crash happens; you want to know. Can’t stand being ignorant.
    3. FREEDOM FROM SMALLNESS: Third need is can’t stand feeling small in this big world.
    4. CONCLUSION:
       • All actions by any human being, are more or less meant to fulfill one of more of these 3 fundamental needs. However a limited human being engaging in an ever-changing world, wishing to find lasting fulfillment, under pretext things will remain same – doesn't make sense. Because Limited action + limited action = limited result. And we’re seeking freedom from limitation.
       • Some philosophers concludes, there’s no way to ever find permanent fulfillment. Second solution is, fulfillment is available somewhere else where I failed to look.
  • STORY ILLUSTRATING COMMON PATTERN OF IGNORANT PERSON SEEKING FULFILLMENT:
    • 2 passengers travelling in train. Chatting and becoming friends. Trust develops. The other guy was counting his money. The other fella saw him loaded, and thought, “As he goes to sleep, I’ll take his money as we’re friends and he won’t doubt me”. As they go to sleep, at 2am, the man wakes and searches for money in suitcase, pocket, under his pillow. Can’t find it; frustrated. Next morning, again man is counting his money. Again he thinks, “Definitely tonight I’ll get it!”. Again, can’t find. Next morning, he is so frustrated that he asks, “Where do hide the money each night, because I want to steal it and can’t find it”. Man replies, “While I was counting, I felt you didn’t have good intentions. So I put it under a place you would never look; under your own pillow!”.
    • SUMMARY: This story illustrates our life. “I’m limited, and want to be free from limitation by engagement with world”. But each engagement is limited itself. Where is the solution? Under your pillow (your true nature which is the closest to you). So fulfillment is in place where no one is looking. That’s why Krishna starts with “There was never a time when I, you, others were not”. Its solves the problem of limitation from the start.  However you’re grieving while saying “Atma is free from limitation”, it’s fake.
• SOLUTION:
  • You need a prakriya (helps you see who you are). The prakriya which we started previous session shows you one thing that’s coming-going, which is incidental attributes. And another is ever present, which is intrinsic nature.
  • DEFINITIONS:
    1. Incidental: 
       • That which is not-essential for existence of something else, and it depends on something else for it's existence. Changing.
       • EG: Color or writing on whiteboard is not-essential to the existence of the whiteboard. Furthermore, color/writing can change. However canvas survives the changes of colors.
       • Tatastha-lakshana : Characteristics depending on something else.
    2. Intrinsic:
       • That which is self-existing, and is essential for existence of something else. Never changes. Always remains as-is.
       • EG: Whiteboard canvas is essential for the colors to write or show themselves. 
       • Svarupa-lakshana : Characteristic of one's own nature. EG: Characteristic of salt is saltiness. Characteristic of Atma (you) is Existence-Awareness. So svarupa-lakshana can also be understood as words that directly define the nature of self.
  • APPLYING INCIDENTAL / INTRINSIC PRAKRIYA TO YOU:
    1. Incidental Attributes:
       • Body-mind: It’s incidental, as constantly undergoing change.
       • BODY: If body was intrinsic nature, then wouldn’t know about it’s changes. To know about changes, means Atma has to survive the changes. Presence in whose presence the body-changes are recognized.
       • MIND: Has 60K thoughts. Incidental. EG: Before you thought of flower, you exist. Then flower goes and sky thought comes. I’m already there waiting to accommodate it.
       • SENSES: Know about short/long sightedness.
       • DESIRES/INCLINATION: They come go, manifest different degrees.
    2. Intrinsic Nature:
       • What is nature of this unchanging intrinsic presence? Sat-cit.
       • Sat: A presence which doesn’t cease to exist, and in whose presence changing conditions of body-mind are known.
       • Cit: For this existence to know the changes taking place, it can’t be an inert Existence, else can’t recognize the changes taking place. So Existence (sat) is of nature of Awareness (cit).
         1. Usual way of referring to Awareness: Refers to process of mind. EG: This person is aware of ecological issues.
         2. Vedantic definition of Awareness: Awareness that enables you to see whatever thought comes and goes. Awareness lights up your ignorance (my mind doesn’t know), and knowledge (my mind knows).
         3. AWRENESS METAPHORICALLY EQUATED TO LIGHT: On the stage, there is a drama of characters (making decisions and impacting others). For anyone to see the drama, you need the light. The light doesn’t take on characterizes of anything that happens on the stage. Light is self-revealing, without which nothing can be known, and remains unaffected to any drama.
       • Conclusion: According to Krishna, you are sat-cit. Light of consciousness which allows you to recognize changes in reference to your body-mind and world.

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Course was based on Neema Majmudar's Bhagavad Gita & Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 4 Aug, 2024