SUMMARY OF TATTVA BODHA

-N. Avinashilingam

It is a prakarana grantha, or introductory text, giving the entire vision of

Vedanta. All the technical terms of Vedanta are explained in this book. This
book is attributed to Adi Sankara and it is in prose form. This book starts
with a prayer to the Guru.

ANUBANDHA CHATUSTAYAM:

1. Visaya (Subject Matter) - Tattva-Bodhah (knowledge of the truth)

2. Prayojana ( Purpose) - Moksha
3. Adhikari (Qualified student) - The one who is desirous of moksha
only- Mumukshu
4. Sambandha – Pratipadaka - Pratipadya Sambandha (Revealer -
Revealed connection)

This book guides one about how to do discriminative analysis leading to

discriminative knowledge, which serves as the means for gaining freedom
to students endowed with four-fold qualifications: vivekah, vairagya,
samaadi shatga sampattih and mumukshutvam.

FOUR-FOLD QUALIFICATIONS (SADHANA-CHATUSHTAYAM):

Vivekah: Discriminative understanding to help differentiate between what is

permanent and what is not.
Vairaagya: Dispassion for enjoyment of objects, here and in the hereafter.
Samaadi-shatga-sampattih: Six-fold qualities of sama, dama, etc
Mumuksutvam: Desire for moksha alone.

VIVEKAH: The discriminative knowledge that only Brahman (Isvara) is

permanent and that other than Brahman, everything else is impermanent.
Leading a life of dharma with an attitude of karma yoga renders the mind
subtle and pure. And discernment through life’s experiences gives one
maturity. The mere company of men with discriminative knowledge can
help one set right one’s priorities in life.

VAIRAAGYA: Having dispassion for the enjoyments of this world as well

as svarga is viraagah bhavam. Suppressing desires is not vairagya.
Vairagya is growing out of desires. Objectivity with regard to every object,
person and situation – meaning that the person has no binding desires or
excessive craving or obsession for anything. When one steps in for a higher
pursuit, all other pursuits get dropped.

SAMAADISATKASAMPATTIH: The six-fold wealth are:

a. Samah- Mastery of the mind
b. Damah- Mastery of the sense organs
c. Uparama- Doing one’s duty
d. Titiksa- Forbearance
e. Sraddha- Trust in the words of Guru and Sastra
f. Samadhana- Single-pointed mind

SAMAH: Mind is an instrument – a privilege. Only one who has mastery

over his mind can pursue anything significant in life.

DAMAH: It is mastery over the five organs of perception and the five
organs of action. This virtue will help one to conserve time and energy
wasted over unwanted activities. One can get this virtue by prayer,
observing religious austerities and by being in the company of sattvic
people.

UPARAMAH: It is doing one’s own duties with the attitude of karma yoga.
It is the renunciation of all unwanted activities for the single pursuit of
gaining atma jnana. Following this virtue will improve one’s self esteem.
TITIKSA: It is endurance, forbearance, tolerance and putting up with
opposite situations like cold and hot; pleasure and pain; and respect and
disrespect. This will help one to focus on the pursuit of moksha without
resisting external situations. One can look at every choice-less situation as
an opportunity to raise the threshold limit of forbearance.

SRADDHA: This refers to the trust in Isvara, oneself, the Sastra and the
Guru. Sastra (pramana for atma jnana) is a jewel box whose key (the
sampradaya of teaching) is with the Guru. Prayer helps in gaining sraddha.

SAMADHANAM: It is the concentration power or the ability of mind to

focus, to dwell on a given subject over a period of time. This concentration
power is required to get a deeper understanding of Vedanta. We can get
this virtue by getting convinced of its use, practice of asana, pranayama
and meditation, that is, by repeated practice of bringing the mind back to
the subject on hand.

MUMUKSUTVAM: It is the intense desire for freedom from samsara. This

desire keeps one motivated in pursuing Vedanta. When one introspects
into his or her life experience, he understands that nothing else other than
gaining moksha can liberate.

TATTVA-VIVEKAH: The essence of the subject is as follows: Atma is

satyam (real). Other than that atma, everything else is mithyaa (apparent).
Tattva-vivekah is the analysis leading to the knowledge of the Atma, the
reality. Atma (or I, or Self) is satyam and enjoys an independent existence.
Mithyaa is that which depends on something else for its existence and it is
not available for categorization or definition.

ATMA: Atma is presented as distinct from gross, subtle and causal bodies.
It is distinct from the five kosas – layers of personality. It is also seen to be
distinct from the three states of experience – waking, dream and deep
sleep. It is of the nature of existence, consciousness and fullness.
A cognitive separation or intellectual separation of atma and anatma is
done. A definition of an object should not have the dosha (fault(s)) of:
asambhava (wrong description), athivyapthi (not being described
exclusively) and avyapthi (not being described completely).

Drg-drsya-viveka is used in all the 3 methods of analysis – sarira-thraya-

viveka, panca-kosa-viveka and avastha-traya-viveka. I am not any one of
the sarira or kosa or avastha but Atma. I am Consciousness, not a part,
product or property of the body.

STHULASARIRAM: The gross body is made of a particular type of

combination of five original elements. The gross body is born due to karma
or invisible result of previous actions. The gross body is the abode for
experiencing pleasure, pain, etc. It has six modifications of ‘born’, ‘lives’,
‘grows’, ‘keeps changing’, ‘declines’ and ‘perishes’.

SUKSMA-SARIRAM: The subtle body is made of five basic subtle

elements before grossification. It is born due to karma. The subtle body is
the abode for experiencing pleasure, pain, etc. It is made of 17
constituents – namely, 5 organs of perception, 5 organs of action, 5
praanas, 1 mind and 1 intellect.

KARANA-SARIRAM: The causal body is the undifferentiated, unmanifest

form of categorically indefinable, beginningless ignorance – the cause for
the gross and subtle bodies and ignorance of one’s true nature.

TVAM PADA VICHARA

AVASTHAATRAYAM: There are 3 states of experience – waking, dream

and deep sleep. Waking state is the state of experience where the sense
objects are experienced by the sense organs. In this state, atma is
mistaken as a gross body. When atma is identified with the gross body,
then it is called VISVA. Dream state is the state of experience that is
projected by the impressions gathered in the waking state. Atma identified
with the subtle body is called TAIJASA. Deep sleep state is that state of
experience where one does not know anything. Upon waking from deep
sleep, one says that I enjoyed the sleep. Atma identified with the
unmanifest causal body is called PRAAJNA.

PANCAKOSAHS: Atma ‘appears to be’ covered by 5 layers. These 5 layers

form the loci for mistaken identification of the atma. They are annamayah
kosah, praanamayah kosah, manomayah kosah, vijnaanamayah kosah and
aananadamayah kosah.

ANNAMAYAH KOSAH: Annamayah kosah is the gross body. Annamayah

kosah is born out of food, grows by food and resolves into the earth. It is
the modification of food. Annamayah kosah is mistaken as the atma.

PRAANAMAYAH KOSAH: The 5 physiological functions or 5 pranas along

with the 5 organs of action forms the pranamaya kosah. It represents kriya
sakthi. The 5 pranas are Prana (respiration), apana (excretion), vyana
(circulation), udana (reversal) and samana (digestion). The 5 organs of
action are: the organ of speech, hands, legs, the organs of excretion and
the organs of procreation. Pranamah kosah is mistaken as the atma.

MANOMAYAH KOSAH: The mind along with the 5 organs of perception

forms the manomayah kosah. It represents iccha sakthi. The 5 organs of
perception are: ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose. Manomayah kosah is
mistaken as the atma.

VIJNAANAMAYAH KOSAH: The intellect along with the 5 organs of

perception forms the vijnaanamayah kosah. It represents jnana sakthi.
Vijnaanamayah kosah is mistaken as the atma.

ANANADAMAYAH KOSAH: The experiential happiness in different

degrees (of gradation) is the anandamayah kosah. This happiness is due to
impure sattva mixed with ignorance, which is in the form of a causal body.
Aanandamayah kosah is mistaken as the atma.

MINE IS NOT ATMA: The attitude towards various objects such as

bracelet, earring, house, etc. is that these are mine. But they are not me.
Similarly my body, my physiological functions, my mind, my intellect and
my ignorance are mine. They are not I, or the atma. I, the subject, am
different from mine, the object. Atma is sat-cit-ananda svarupah.

ATMA IS CHIT: Chit means consciousness or awareness. I the atma am

consciousness. Consciousness is not a part of the body, nor a property of
the body nor a by-product of the body. It is the fundamental principle. It is
atma which illumines the Sun, the Lamp, the Eyes and the Mind. Atma is
not to be experienced because atma is the truth behind every experience.
Atma is not to be realized but to be understood.

ATMA IS SAT: Sat is that which remains unchanged in all the three
periods of time – past, present and future. To be self-existent is the nature
of atma. ‘Present’ can be used to denote anything from the present nano
second to the present millennium. The truth of time, or ‘now’, is
consciousness.

ATMA IS ANANDA: When one is a wanting person, he is unhappy. When

that want is fulfilled he experiences happiness. This happiness is a
manifestation of limitless ananda. Although the atma can be explained in
many ways, it is commonly explained as sat chit ananda. This is to negate
the common conclusion that I am mortal, I am ignorant and I am unhappy.

TAT PADA VICARA

BRAHMAN: Brahman is both the efficient cause and material cause

of this jagat. To illustrate this, the sastra gives 2 examples. One example is
that of the spider, which is both the maker and material for the web.
Another example is that of the dream world for which the dreamer is both
the maker and the material cause. Brahman appears manifold due to
maya. It is independently existing, changeless and without attributes. The
tatparya(commitment) of the sastra is to reveal Brahman.

MAYA: Maya is dependent on Brahman for its existence. It consists of 3

gunas –sattva (knowing power), rajas (acting(doing) power) and tamas
(inertia). It is changing, with attributes and apparent (not real). Brahman
and Maya both are beginning less. Maya makes impossible looking
situations appear as possible. It is the power of Brahman. The tatparya of
sastra is not to establish maya.

Isvara is maya sahitam Brahman. Isvara is also called saguna Brahman.

Maya is unmanifest name and form. Initially, Maya is introduced in the
sastra. Later, maya is dismissed as apparent not having independent
existence other than Brahman.

EVOLUTION OF 5 ELEMENTS: From that maya, which is dependent on

Brahman, Akasa(space) was born. From Akasa, Vayu(wind) was born.
From Vayu, Agni(fire) was born. From Agni, Apah(water) was born. And,
from Apah, Prithvi (earth) was born. Thus, all the 5 great elements
(pancha maha bhootani) are manifestations of Brahman.

From satva aspect of each of the 5 elements, particular sense organs

evolved. From the total satva aspect of these 5 elements, the Antahkarana
or inner instruments of mind, intellect, ego and memory were formed.

From the rajas aspect of each of the 5 elements, particular organ of action
as well as the 5 praanas were born.

From the tamas aspect of 5 elements, the grossified 5 elements were born.
PANCHIKARANAM: Panchikaranam or Grossification takes place as
follows: the tamas aspect of each of the subtle elements divide into two
equal parts; one half of each remains intact; the other half of each gets
divided into four equal parts. Then to the intact half of each element, one-
eighth portion from each of the other four elements gets joined.

This grossified akasa, vayu, agni, apah and prithvi form the 4 types of
gross bodies and the universe with 14 lokas. There is thus an identity
between microcosm and macrocosm.

ASI PADA VICHARA:

ONENESS BETWEEN JIVA AND ISVARA: The identity of jiva and Isvara
is the tatparya of all the Upanisads. One space is taken as limited by many
conditioning factors like pot space. This is called avacheda vada. One sun
light is reflected in many mirrors and appears as many. This is called prati-
bimba vada. Similarly, one limitless consciousness (Brahman) is reflected in
many upadhis (jivas).

Brahman manifesting in avidya upadhi is jiva. The jiva wrongly identifies

with gross, subtle and causal bodies. Due to ignorance, jiva considers itself
different from Isvara. Brahman manifesting in maya upadhi is Isvara. There
is no real difference between jiva and Isvara. The difference is only in the
upadhi. As long as this apparent difference is mistaken as real difference,
samsara will be there with the cycle of birth and death.

DOUBT RAISED: Upanisad proclaims Tat Tvam Asi. It means that there is
an identity between the jiva and Isvara. The jiva has ego and limited
knowledge; Isvara has no ego and all knowledge. How can there be
identity between them is the doubt raised.

TAT TVAM ASI: The literal meaning of Tvam is jiva, or the atma identified
with gross and subtle bodies. The implied meaning of Tvam is atma which
is pure consciousness free from the upadhi of gross, subtle and causal
bodies. The literal meaning of Tat is Isvara, or the atma identified with
maya upadhi. The implied meaning of Tat is atma which is pure
consciousness free of the maya upadhi.To make the maha vayka
meaningful, we have to take the implied meaning of tat and tvam: that is,
both are consciousness.

The difference at the upadhi level is mithya. Hence, it is not real. Between
the jiva and Isvara, there is difference only at the empirical level.
At the absolute level, there is no difference.

JIVAN MUKTHI: By the teaching of Vedanta by a Sadguru, the vision of

Brahman in all beings is gained. The person who gains this vision is called
a jivan mukta. Sadguru is the one who has learnt from a traditional
teacher, the one who knows the methodology of teaching preserved by the
teaching tradition.

Jivan mukta while living is free from bondage. He has understood

that he is consciousness and that he has no death. A jivan mukta has
the understanding that he is sat chit ananda svarupa. He is not the
doer or enjoyer. He is free from attachment. He is the indweller of all
beings. He is like prakasa and akasa. He has the firm conclusive knowledge
of atma, and he is free from doubts and opposing conclusions.

VIDEHA MUKTHI: Jnani exhausts his Prarabdha karma by going

through the experiences. It is like an arrow already released. Sanchita
karma is destroyed by atma jnana with the conviction that “Brahman only I
am”. It is like the karma done in dream getting destroyed upon waking up.
The connection of a Jnani with agami karma is like drop of water resting
on a lotus leaf.
The agami punya of a Jnani goes to one who praise, worship and serve
Jnani. The agami papa of a Jnani goes to one who abuses, hates and
gives discomfort to the Jnani.

After death, the gross body of a Jnani merges with the gross universe. The
subtle body of the Jnani merges with the subtle universe. The causal body
merges with the causal universe. Jnani has no more births. The vyasti
upadhi merges with the samasti upadhi.