Ignorance, cause of man's bondage

CHENNAI, OCT. 11. The intent of the scriptures is to enable man to realise his spiritual nature and thereby shed his ignorance which is responsible for the mistaken notion he entertains about himself. Instead of the Self (Atman) which is eternal, the body- mind-intellect personality is identified as the ``I'' and hence he fails to recognise his true nature. Liberation involves removal of this ignorance when the Self becomes known. Hence liberation is not a state to be attained strictly speaking, though for purpose of understanding it is posited in this manner. It is similar to the understanding that a dream is unreal after waking up.

As long as the person is dreaming whatever he dreams appears vivid and real to him and its illusory nature strikes him only on waking up. Liberation is akin to this phenomenon. Out of ignorance, the waking state is mistaken to be absolutely real until it is also transcended and its relative nature understood when the Self is realised. Liberation is thus only waking up to one's true nature - the Self. A man of Self-realisation continues to be as he has been before but unlike the ignorant person he abides in his spiritual nature always.

In her discourse on the Katha Upanishad, Swamini Satyavratananda said the Ultimate Reality was termed Brahman at the level of macrocosm and as the Self (Atman) at the individual level. It becomes apparent after Self-realisation that both are one unitive consciousness. This awareness is a consequence of the realisation of the Self. This Upanishad describes the nature of Reality in depth using the analogy of a peepul tree. It is striking that the same example has also been used in the Bhagavad Gita. The Reality which is the material cause of this creation is similar to this upturned tree with its roots above and the branches below. The material cause of this cosmos is invisible like the roots of a tree.

Sankaracharya in his commentary on this Upanishad draws many parallels between this tree and the Supreme Reality. Both are vast and their origin unknown. In the case of the tree, the dilemma whether the seed is the cause of the tree or instead the tree is the cause of the seed cannot be answered. So also is the case with Reality which is eternal without a beginning or an end. Just as the tree has many branches, this cosmos also has many universes. If the meaning of the tree's existence is the fruits it gives, then the world makes it possible for human beings to enjoy the result of their actions in the form of joys and sorrows.

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