Methods of Advaita
Vedanta Sadhana
Sravana, Manana and
Nididhyasana are the three stages
of Vedantic Sadhana.
Sravana is hearing of Srutis, Manana is thinking and reflecting, Nididhyasana is constant and profound meditation. Then comes Atma-Sakshatkara or direct realization.
The mind should be pure and tranquil before starting Vedantic Sadhana.
Keeping
the Vasana (desires) in the
mind is keeping a black cobra within and feeding it with milk. Your life is
ever in danger. Kill these Vasanas through Vichara, Vairagya and
meditation on the Atman.
If the impurity of egoism or Ahankara-Mala is destroyed, the other two impurities, viz., Kama-Mala (impurity of desires) and Karma-Mala (impurity of action) will be destroyed by themselves. How, then, can there be Prarabdha for a Jivanmukta or the liberated sage? He is one with the Supreme Absolute.
Therefore a student who treads the path of Truth must, therefore, first equip himself with the "four means of salvation"(Sadhana Chatushtaya). read more about the four means
1. discrimination, (Viveka)
2. dispassion, (Vairagya)
3. the sixfold qualities of perfection,
(Shad-Sampat )
4. and intense longing for liberation,
(Mumukshutva)
Then alone
will he be able to march forward fearlessly on the path. Not an iota of
spiritual progress is possible unless one is endowed with these four
qualifications.
Sravana, Manana Nididhyasana
Sravana* is hearing of
the truth. The Abheda-Bodha-Vakya should be heard from the Brahmanishta-Guru.
Then Vedantic scriptures and treatises have to be carefully studied for the
purpose of properly grasping the meaning of the great Mahavakyas.
Manana
A
Sadhaka should reflect to what have heard from his guru and have read in the
Vedantic scriptures in order to grasp properly the meaning of the great
Mahavakyas and meditate on Brahman or Atman using the
great mahavakyas or meditate
on OM. (Meditation on mahavakyas)
Nididhyasana is meditation of Atman or Brahman. It is deep
and intense contemplation. The mind is perfectly established in the Absolute.
There is only one idea of ‘Aham Brahmasmi’. When this idea also is given up,
nirvikalpa samadhi or sahaja advaita nishtha ensues. Just as salt melts in
water, the sattvic mind melts in silence in Brahman, its substratum.
If you do
shravana or hearing of the shrutis once, you must do manana or reflection on
what you have heard ten times or hundred times and a thousand times
nididhyasana, profound and constant meditation. Then only real fruit is
attained.
NOTE:
Sravana* is hearing of the truth. The
Abheda-Bodha-Vakya should be heard from the Brahmanishta-Guru. Then Vedantic
scriptures and treatises have to be carefully studied for the purpose of
properly grasping the meaning of the great Mahavakyas.
Vedantic Granthas are of two kinds: the Pramana-granthas and the Prameya-granthas. One should always study standard works on Vedanta. A complete and exhaustive treatise on the subject has to be studied with the greatest care. Then only the full knowledge of Vedanta will dawn. Works like the Advaitasiddhi, Chitsukhi, Khandanakhanda-khadya, Brahmasutras, etc., are Pramana-granthas, for they refute other theories and establish the Advaitatattva through logic and argumentation. Works like the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita and the Yogavasishtha are Prameya-granthas, for they merely state the Absolute Truth with authority and do not indulge in reasoning for refuting or establishing anything. They are intuitional works, whereas the former are intellectual.
Vedantic Granthas are of two kinds: the Pramana-granthas and the Prameya-granthas. One should always study standard works on Vedanta. A complete and exhaustive treatise on the subject has to be studied with the greatest care. Then only the full knowledge of Vedanta will dawn. Works like the Advaitasiddhi, Chitsukhi, Khandanakhanda-khadya, Brahmasutras, etc., are Pramana-granthas, for they refute other theories and establish the Advaitatattva through logic and argumentation. Works like the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita and the Yogavasishtha are Prameya-granthas, for they merely state the Absolute Truth with authority and do not indulge in reasoning for refuting or establishing anything. They are intuitional works, whereas the former are intellectual.
The Sruti texts that deal with creation, such as "from the Atman sprang Akasa, from Akasa Vayu, from Vayu Agni," etc., are only intended for giving preliminary instructions to the neophytes or young aspirants for they cannot grasp at once the Ajativada or the theory of non-evolution. When you read the passages which treat of creation, always remember that all this is only Adhyaropa or superimposition. Never forget this. Never think even for a second that the world is real. Only through Apavadayukti or refutation of superimposition can you establish the Kevala-Advaita-Siddhanta. If the world is real, if duality is real, you cannot have experience of Advaitic Realisation.
Read the book SADHANA CHATHUSTAYA of Swami Sivananda
