5 - Direct and Indirect Methods of Explaining the Unexplainable Brahman | Swami Tattwamayananda

Verses: I.9, II.1. This discourse was given on July 31, 2019 at the Lake Tahoe Retreat run by the Vedanta Society of Northern California by Swami Tattwamayananda.
-Rtam, Satyam, and Dharma are explained.
-Svadhyaya and Pravacana are explained.
-Vedanta allows us to see all of the world’s traditions from a universal perspective. We expand beyond our immediate interests, needs, and physical body. Our svadharma helps all people.
-The four ashramas are reviewed. The importance of learning to retire gracefully is emphasized. 70% of ancient sages were retired householders who knew how to work not out of compulsion.
-An indirect way of explaining Brahman, which cannot be explained, is typified by Varuna’s successive instructions relating the ultimate reality to that which we normally understand.
-The direct method (swarupa lakshana) method of explaining Brahman, is typified by the discussion between King Janaka and Yajnavaklya in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The question is what serves as light for a man and the student is led to understand that the sun, the moon, fire, sound, and the mind all get their light from the Atma, the light of all lights which is self-revealed.
-The concept of aparoksha anubhuti, non-indirect experience, is clearly explained in reference to Brahman.
-Brahman is beyond the six changes that characterize all entities within time, space, and causation.
-Brahman is not the effect of any cause. It is not manufactured, not attained, not the result of a process of refrainment, nor through a process of change. It is de-hypnotization through removal of obstacles. It is returning to our own home.
-Two approaches to realization are explained: (1) immediate experience through listening once due to extreme spiritual fitness, (2) 7 disciplines of practice that allow us to gradually increase our fitness.
-Life becomes an enjoyable spiritual pilgrimage concentrating on a higher spiritual goal.
-Thoreau is cited as an example of a practitioner of tapa, austerity.

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Swami Tattwamayananda’s exposition of the TAITTIRIYA UPANISHAD was given at the Lake Tahoe Retreat run by the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco (founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) from July 27, 2019, to August 4, 2019, in a series of 9 lectures.

The Taittiriya Upanisad comprise the 7th, 8th, and 9th chapters of the larger Taittiriya Aranyaka that belongs to the Yajur Veda tradition. The Upanishad contains 31 anuvakas (lessons): 12 in the Siksa-valli, 9 in the Ananda-valli, and 10 in the Bhrigu-valli. Sri Shankaracharya’s (788-820 CE) commented on the Taittiriya Upanishad and “the fact that he cited from it 147 times in his Brahma-Sutra-Bhashya speaks volumes for its authoritativeness.” (Sarvananda, Taittiriyopanishad 5)

Before Sri Shankaracharya, the idea of Advaita or nondualistic philosophy existed because it is as old as Rig Veda itself, but the formulation of a complete and compact philosophical structure, expounding its metaphysics, ontology, cosmology, logic, and epistemology, was entirely his contribution.

Swami Tattwamayananda, currently the Minister of the Vedanta Society of Northern California, San Francisco, (originally founded by Swami Vivekananda in 1900) served in various centers of the Ramakrishna Order in India as editor, publisher, and teacher of Sanskrit, Advaitic texts such as Sri Shankaracharya's commentaries on the 'Prasthanatraya' (the fundamental Sanskrit texts of Vedanta philosophy), Buddhism and Indian philosophy. He underwent traditional training in Hindu scriptures, Sanskrit, Vedic and Vedantic literature for many years, from his early days. Before coming to the United States in January 2012 he was teaching Sanskrit, Vedantic scriptures and Indian philosophy at the Training center in Belur Math, the institution that trains the monks of the Ramakrishna Order at the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata, India. Apart from his traditional education, the Swami has also received modern University education in English literature, psychology, European history, and Western philosophy. He is frequently invited for lectures on Yoga, Vedanta, and traditional Hindu scriptures and for participating in interfaith dialogues.

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Works Cited:
Sarvananda, Swami. Taittiriyopanishad. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore, Chennai-4, 2015.