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VEDANTA
unbelievable that unawareness (avidyā), if it is in itself neither real nor unreal, should be capable of concealing the utterly real. Until a direct apprehension of spirituality in its own pure form has been achieved, therefore, the practice of exercises is indicated. These conduct the sincere candidate gradually through a series of preparatory, preliminary states of understanding.
1. The first of these states is known as sravana: sludy, listening to the teacher, and thoroughly Icarning the revcalcd texts by paying careful attention to what they say. The six characteristics and keys to the understanding of an Indian sacred text are termed: i. upakrama ("beginning'') and upasamhāra ("conclusion"); the topic of each text being stated at its beginning and restated at the end; ii. abhyāsıl ("repetition”): throughout the course of the text the topic is dwelt upon in variations and repetitions; iii. apurvatā ("originality"): i.e., the topic cannot be studied elsewhere; iv. phala ("result"): the result of the study of the topic is indicated in the text (the result being the knowledge of Brahman): v. arthavūda (eulogy"): the value of the study is pointed out; and vi. upapatti (“demonstration"): the truth of the teaching is demonstrated by logical arguments.168
2. The second state of spiritual progress is termed manana: reflection, meditation, cogitation.164 This is a continuous, uninterrupted, pondering on Brahman, the one-without-a-second, which has already been heard about from the teacher along with arguments consonant with the purport of Vedānta. Through a sustained and resolute centering of the mind on the teaching and its goal-absolutely undisturbed by extraneous matters of thought, or concepts at variance with Vedānta-the pupil becomes imbued with the spirit of what he has been taught. He thus saturates his being with the attitudes and ideas required for the attainment and realization of the Self.
2. The following state is nididhyāsanam: an intense focusing
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| SR No. | 007309 |
| Book Title | Philosophies of India |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Heinrich Zimmer, Joseph Campbell |
| Publisher | Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd |
| Publication Year | 1953 |
| Total Pages | 709 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 34 MB |