Summary:

Discourse 2 explains what is viveka (discrimination of self and not-self). Who is qualified for liberation? What determines readiness? Vedanta is a growing clarity. Introduction to word anitya (impermanent).

Entry into Tattva Bodha Text: Invocation

• Author: Ādi Śaṅkara. Written commentaries on all śāstra-granthās (3 texts). He knows all Vedānta.
  • When great rishi like Ādi Śaṅkara writes, they think of future generations.
• Usually a text begins with an invocation: maṅgala ācaraṇa.
  • Maṅgala: auspiciousness.  Ācaraṇa: Performing.
  • Meaning: Invoking auspiciousness.  Does NOT mean “prayer”.
• Why author performs auspicious act, instead of immediately writing/speaking?
  • Invokes Lord. Thereon, one becomes instrument for the Lord. Drops selfish thoughts “I am writing from my experience” > “Lord I seek your blessings so something useful comes for all”.
  • Whatever is done with maṅgalācaraṇa, is done with full completion. Because subjectivity is not interfering.
    • EG: Suppose close eyes and sing. Forget yourself in singing. Then open eyes and see people watching. Suddenly self-conscious as subjectivity is interfering.
  • Therefore, to do anything BEST,  forget yourself.  How? maṅgala ācaraṇa: I am only an instrument and not an owner.

Maṅgalācaraṇa (Invocation) begins:

vāsudevendra-yogīndraṁ natvā jñāna-pradam gurum, mumukṣūṇaṁ hitārthāya tattva-bodha abhidhīyate
Having saluted Vāsudevendra, the foremost of the yogis, the guru who gives knowledge, Tattvabodha, the knowledge of the truth is presented for the benefit of those desirous of liberation.

• Natvā:
  • Having prostrated.  Meaning first offer myself. To whom?…
• Vāsudevendra-yogīndram:
  • Vāsudeva: Lord Krishna. Son of Vāsudeva.
    • Why invoking Krishna? Because it was Lord himself who gave message of Vedānta.
    • He could invoke any Lord, but specifically Śankara remembers Krishna.
  • Vāsudevendra: He is Lord of all gods. He is avatāra representing ultimate Truth.
  • Yogi indraṁ: You are the highest of all yogis.
    • Not ordinary yogī with siddhis, but one established in highest Truth.
  • CONCLUSION: In you, I surrender.
• Jñāna-pradam gurum:
  • Guru who bestows knowledge.
  • Meaning: After prostrating to the guru, let me be an instrument to the knowledge. May I not mingle with it.
    • Every guru (including Krishna) has a personality. If appeals to student, will choose that guru. Adi Shankara chose Krishna.  However all gurus represent the SAME Reality.
• Mumukṣūṇāṁ hitārthāya tattva-bodhaḥ abhidhīyate:
  • FOR WHOM: mumukṣu: For those desirous for liberation (mokṣa).
  • PURPOSE: hitārthāya: to help them (get liberation).
  • FOR THIS REASON: tattva-bodha abhidhīyate:
    • Tattva: Reality. Bodha: Knowledge. Tattva-Bodha is expounded.
• TRANSLATION OF VERSE: After offering my salutations to Guru, Tattva-Bodha (knowledge of reality) is expounded to those who seek liberation.

Qualifications to Enter Any Text:

• In Vedanta, before learning any literature, preliminary qualifications are given, called: anubandha-catuṣṭaya.
  • catuṣṭaya: 4-Fold. anubandha: Associations.
    
  • TRANSLATION: 4-Fold Associations (Considerations). Helps reader decide if should continue reading.
• FOLD 1: Adhikārī: Person who is eligible.
  • For WHOM (is text written)? Who is eligible person to study this text?
  • ANSWER: Mumukṣu: Seekers of liberation.
• FOLD 2: Viṣaya: Subject matter. Means.
  • What is being taught?
  • ANSWER: Tattva-Bodha. Knowledge of reality.
• FOLD 3: Prayojanam: Result. End.
  • What is result of studying text?
  • ANSWER: Mokṣa (Where? In word ‘mumukṣu’)
• FOLD 4: Sambandha: Relationship.
  • In what way is the text connected to my pursuit? By having the solution to my problem.
  • ANSWER: abhidhīyate (this book expounds).
  • Technically called: bodhya-bodhaka-sambandha
    • Bodhaka: Teacher/expounder/revealer.
      • Tattva Bodha (actual book).
    • Bodhya: Expounded/taught/revealed.
      • Knowledge of reality.
    • Sambandha: Relationship.
      
    • MEANING: Relationship between expounder and expounded.

Tattva Bodha Teaching Style:

• Tattva Bodha teaching style:
  • FIRST: States a vastu-saṅgraha-vākya.
    • Vākya: statement.
    • Saṅgraha: collects.
    • Vastu: everything.
    • Meaning: (Makes) Statement which collects every point (about the subject matter) and puts it in ONE place.
  • SECOND: Asks questions about everything stated. EG: What is A, B, C, etc.

Introduction Into 4-fold Qualifications:

sādhana-catuṣṭaya-saṁpannādhikāriṇāṁ mokṣa-sādhanabhūtaṁ, tattvaviveka-prakāraṁ vakṣyāmaḥ 
We shall describe the method of discriminative enquiry of truth which is the (direct) means for liberation for the qualified ones who are endowed with the four-fold sādhanas (qualifications).

• GENERAL:
  • Viveka:
    • Discriminative inquiry or discernment performed to resolve confusion between 2 things. Like crystal and redness it’s taken on. Even if appears red, still understand it clear crystal. It’s a cognitive knowing. Atma is same. Despite presence of thoughts, it’s know that I am free of them.
  • Viveka is “discriminative enquiry”.  Not “discrimination”.
  • Example of basic viveka in real life: Don’t say “intellectual knowledge” as all knowledge takes place in intellect. Or “mental attitude”, as all attitude is mental.
  • Adhikari:
    • Means a deserving candidate. One who is deserving of the teaching.
    • Readiness:
      • No will involved in seeing THE reality. Just as with open eyes looking at rose, can’t but see the rose. If mind is open like eyes, looking at reality thought pramana-Vedanta, no choice but to see reality clearly. But it doesn’t due to unready mind. This is why many can listen to Vedanta for years, yet moksha doesn't take place. Thus make mind ready FIRST.
      • EG: Surgeon is there. Patient is there. Tumor is there. But patient is not ready.
    • Therefore, adhikari is one who is READY for moksha.   What determines readiness? Subject matter. EG: love, empathy isn’t qualification for calculus. Thus to enter calculus, need to go back and develop some basic prerequisite for calculus. 
  • Vedanta is a growing clarity. Not an event. Doubts slowly go.

• SPECIFIC:
  • Vakṣyāmaḥ: We shall explain.
    • Explain what? Tattva viveka prakāram: Method to determine the reality.
  • Why listen to this method? Mokṣa-sādhana bhūtaṁ: because it is means of liberation.
    • Meaning, text clarifies (1) WHAT liberation is, and (2) HOW to liberate myself here and now.
  • To whom is this text given?
    • For an adhikārī, the method is given, to determine the reality.
    • Who is adhikari? Seeker of liberation / a qualified person.
    • And how one becomes an adhikārī? Endowed with sādhana-catuṣṭaya (4-fold sādhana qualifications).
  • TRANSLATION: For adhikārī, who is endowed with sādhana-catuṣṭaya, we shall expound the method (being Tattva Viveka) for determining the reality – which leads to mokṣa.
  • 3 Questions come from translation, which covers entire book:
    • SECTION 1: What is sādhana-catuṣṭaya (4-fold qualifications)? Pg 13-31 per Tattabodha (Swami Tejomayananda).
    • SECTION 2: What is tattva-viveka (How to discriminate real-unreal)? Pg 32-108 per Tattabodha (Swami Tejomayananda).
    • SECTION 3: What is mokṣa (liberation/enlightenment)? Pg 109-132 per Tattabodha (Swami Tejomayananda).

Keywords: abhidiyate, adhikari, alaukika visaya vishaya, anubandha-catushtaya, anubandha-catustaya, atma, atman, avatara, bhagavad gita, bhagavat gita, brahma-sutras, brhadaranyaka upanisad, brihdaranyaka upanishad, drastha, gayatri mantra, hitarthaya, jnana kanda, jnanam, karma kanda, mangala acarana, mangalacarana, mantras, moksa, moksha, mumukshu, mumuksu, nyaya-prasthana, prakarana-grantha, prasthana-traya, rishi, rishi meditation, rsaya mantra drastara drashthara, rsi, sastra-grantha, shastra, shruti, shruti prasthana, smriti-prastana, smrti-prasthana, sruti, sruti prastana, taittiriya, upanisad, upanishad, vaisampayana, vaishampayana, vasudeva, veda-vyasa, vedanta, visaya vishaya, vishvamitra visvamitra, yajnavalkya, yogis

—

Credit for help in Tattva Bodha to Chinmaya Mission's Swami Advayananda, and Arsha Vidya's Swami Dayananda.

Recorded 28 May, 2023