The Heart of Sri Samkara

255 Pages·1997·11.403 MB·English

by  Sri Swami Satchidanandendra Sarasvati, A. J. Alston (translator)

The Heart
of
Sri Samkara
by
Sri Swami
Satchidanandendra Sarasvatl
Translated from the Sanskrit by
A. J. Alston
SHANTI SADAN 'OHVATMA PRAlASMA 'AR¥ll'Y'
P.o. tMYAOAIlAJ.':-tAQ4.R.
LONDON
.. NO" \.. 0 ~ £-'S6002t:t
f6
'Tel
f\l) ~ 080 - ").6 5&1
'-
1i,}J ~l' ~ 08\ 'f~
0l1~S~
~ Shanti Sadan
1997
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may
be translated, reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means without the
written permission of the publisher.
CONTENTS
SANSKRIT TRANSLITERATION vi
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE vii
ABBREVIATIONS ix
LATIN TERMS x
SECTION HEADINGS xi
THE HEART OF sRi SM'lKARA
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO THE SUBJECT 1
PART II: EXAMINATION OF AN UNORTHODOX VIEW 15
PART III: EXPOSITION OF OUR OWN DOCTRINE 75
PART IV: STATEMENT OF VEDIC AND OTHER
AUTHORITY 145
NOTES 201
BIBLIOGRAPHY 215
SELECT INDEX OF CONCEPTS 219
TRANSLITERATED SANSKRIT NAMES AND FO~IS
The following table gives the most elementary indications of the value of the vowels that are
variable in English (but regular in Sanskrit) and of the unfamiliar symbols and groupings of
letters found in transliterated Sanskrit words. It is not intended as an accurate guide to correct
pronunciation, for which see M. Coulson, Sanskrit, Teach Yourself Books, pp. 4-21.
a = u in but jii = ja or gya (as in big
yard)
a = a in father
'!' = m before b, m, p,
ai = e in French v, y and at the end
creme ofa word;
elsewhere = n
all = au in audit
Ii = n in king
c = ch in chant
1} = n in tendril
ch = ch aspirated (said
with extra breath ;; = n (except in jn,
q.v.)
d = d in drake
o = 0 in note
e = ay in hay.
e
(better ,French , = ri in rich
elongated)
s = s in such
h immediately after a (not as in "as')
consonant aspirates
s
it without altering = sh in shut
the value. (bh, ph)
of = sh in shut
IJ. = strong h
t = t in try
i = in hit
II = u in put Ii = 00 in boot
i = ea in eat
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE
The work here translated from the Sanskrit was "Titten in 1922 and first published in 1929 under
the title M iii aVidya NirasaJ:z athava Sri Sa'r'kara Hrdayam - Refiltation ofR oot-Ignorance or The
Hearl of Sri Samkara. The author was then still a layman, known in English under the name of
Subba Rau, a corruption of the Sanskrit Subrahma~ya Sarma, and his name appears in this latter
fonn on the original title-page. Devoted study of the commentaries and of the Upadesa Sahasri
of Sri Samkara, along with his own acute powers of philosophical reflection, had convinced the
author that the affirmation by post-Suresvara Advaitins of the existence of Root-Ignorance of
indeterminable reality-grade as a power or sakti from which superimposition (adhyasa) proceeds was
both erroneous:in itself and a misinterpretation of the doctrines of SaIpkara,. to whom SureSvara
alone (no doubt with Trotaka) was broadly faithful. This 'Root-Ignorance' is positive in fonn
(bhava-riipa) and so ranks as a kind of existing entity, the material cause of the world, difficult to
differentiate from the 'Nature' or Pralq1i of the dualistic Satrkhya philosophers. Later in life (1964)
he worked all this out in great detail, and with copious extracts from the later authors, in a work called
Vedanta Prakriya Pratyahhijifa, which I have earlier translated under the title The Method of the
Vedanta (Kegan Paul International, London and New York, 1989). The latter translation occupies
all told over 1000 pages, is expensive to buy and takes long to read. I am happy, therefore, to offer
an English translation of the earlier and shorter work, in which the writings of the later authors are
represented by short summaries rather than by long extracts.
The author well understood the difference between a short popular work explaining the main
points of Sa ~a's Advaita to the general reader, and a polemical work aimed at undermining what
he considered to be the false interpretation of SaIpkara by traditional pundits. His English works,
admirable as they are, belong basically to the former category. But in The Heart ofS ri Sa'r'kara he
meets the pundits head on, and the positions he attacks stem from the Brahma Siddhi, Bhamali; l~!a
Siddhi, VivaralJa, Cilsukhi, Advaita Siddhi and other advanced Advaita works, some of which
existed only in manuscript fonn at the time the work was written. Thus the first consideration in
bringing out the present translation was to exhibit the author's doctrine in relation to the post
SureSvara authors more briefly than in The Method of the Vedanta, but more elaborately than the
author himself did in his English introduction to the Vedantn Prakriya Pratyahhijna.
A second purpose was to trace and supply numerical references to the texts quoted by the author,
and also to trace, with page-references to modem editions, instances of the theories of later Advaitins
which he attacks. While conscious that there must be errors on points of detail, I hope that the broad
picture of the original work that emerges is correct in the main. No attempt at evaluation has been
madc. As Rousseau said in his Confessions. speaking of the study of Lcibniz the first condition for
understanding a philosophical author is to throw oneself into the study of his works enthusiastically
and sympathetically. Only then will critical reflection be fruitful, and the polemical nature of the
prescnt work will cnsure plenty of that. The book occasioned much controversy at the time of its
publication. as it calls into question hallowed traditions. But reccnt academic work on Samkara in
the west suggests that stud\" of The Hearl {~l.i,"ri .',;amkara \\ill be important in the future for a re,"ised
appraisal of Sri SafTIkara's texts. The late Professor Paul Hacker of Miinster. for instance. pomted
out. after a minute examination of the use of the term a\".dya by Smpkara in his Bra/una .";lilra
vii
Comrr":ntar\." -that· is difference from those of the later Ad\·aita authors had bcen corrc(.tl-\' assessed
and s;~ct:inctly slJI.!lalarized at para 109 of 711e Hearl of .~rJ .\"a'!lkara. in almo:.'t e\·e~ 1):lrticular. iL
may be of help to some readers to remark that what is today conventionally re~ardcd as orthodox
Samkara Vedanta - which derives essentially from the abundant definitions in the Vivarallo of
Prakasatman - is precisely what the author designates as 'unorthodox Advaita Vedanta: he
designates as 'orthodox' the more strict Advaila of Gaudapada, Sarpkara and SurcSvara.
I would point out in conclusion that the notes \"ere originally embodied in the text in brackets,
without end-notes. When it struck me that this \vas excessive, I took some of the larger ones out and
put them as end-notes, but some short notes have found their \vay into the end-notes too. I
acknowledge that this is unsystematic, but imagine that it \vill not constitute a serious difficulty for
the reader. I would even defend it as a useful compromise. The reader will find most of the
references before him on the page, \vith most of the translator's comments removed to the back, with
some of the mt;>re essential explanatory matter from the translator left on the page in brackets.
.: -'
References by volume and page to the translator's Samkara Source Book are to the first edition:
page-numbers in the forthcoming edition are liable to be somewhat higher. Please note that the \vord
'para' is used to refer to the sub-sections of the work as enumerated by the author, \.vhile the word
Cparagrapb' has its normal sense. The author occasionally forgot to alter the numbering of the sub
sections as he went along. This has been COVd'ed in the translation by adding a further numeral, e.g.
176 (1), etc., where the extra numeral has no other special significance. The Select Index of
Concepts placed at the end is no more than a few random jottings made along the \.vay~ which have
been included in case they would be ofs ome help to the reader.
My obligations are flCSt and foremost to the Working Committee of the Adhyatma PrakaSa
Kiryalaya, Hoienarsipur, Hassan District, Karnatak, South India, for granting me pennission to
publish my translation, and secondly to the Book Committee of Shanti Sadan for accepting it for
publication. Amongst various colleagues \vho have been kind enough to help me I must single out
Anthony Collins, without whose ministrations at the word-processor the \vork could not have
appeared in its present fonn at all. It is dedicated to our revered Guru Hari Prasad Shastri (1882-
1956), who demonstrated to his pupils by his life that the philosophy of Sri SaIpkara is not a mere
game for the intellect but. a potential passport to the deep metaphysical peace that abides.
A. J. Alston
London, 1997
viii
ABBREVIATIONS
A.R. Adlzyatma Ramayana
A.S. Adl'aita Siddhi Madhusiidana
B.B.V. Brhadaranyakopanisad Bha~a Vartika SureSvara
B.B.V.S. Brhadaranyakopallisad Bhasya Vartika Sara Vidyiranya
B.S.Bh. Brahma Silra Bhasya Samkara
Bh.P. Bhigavata Purana
O.K. Gaudapada Kariku, included in Gambhirinanda, Eight Upanishads, Vol. II
I.S. [sta Siddhi Vimuktitman
M.V. The Method of the Vedanta Satchidinandendra
N.S. Nimaya Sagara Press (Bombay)
N.Sid. Naiskarmya Siddhi SureSvara
P.M.S. Piirva Mima17J.Sa Si6ras Jaimini with Sabara's Comm.
P.P. Paiicapadiki Padmapida
R.V. Rg Veda
S.L.S. Siddhinta Lesa Sarigraha. Appaya Diksita
S.S. Samksepa Sariraka Sarvajiiitman
S.S.B. Samkara. Source Book Samkara
S.V. Sambandha Vanika Suresvara
T.B.V. Taittirlyopanisad Bh~a Vartika SureSvara
T.P. Tattva Pradipika Citsukha
T.T. The Thousand Teachings Samkara
Vivo Vivarana (Oil Pancapadikij Prakasatman
V.P.P. Vedallta Prakriya Pratyabhijiia Satchidinandendra
V.S.M. Vedallta Siddhallta Muktivali Prakisananda
V.V. Yoga Vasistha
ix
LATIN TERMS
ad jill. towards the end
ad in;t. towards the beginning
ad loco at the place cited
ibid. at the same place
idem the same (work)
loco cit. at the place cited above
per se in itself
q. v. which see
sic left as it stands in the original
supra above
viz. that is to say
SECTION HEADINGS
PART I - INTRODUCTION TO TIlE SUBJECT
SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION
1. Indication of the method of Vedanta 1
2. The subject-matter and so on of the present treatise 1
SECTION 2: THE INITIAL CONCEPTION
OF THE ENQUIRER
3. The universe exists even at the time of dreamless sleep 2
4. There is a world both of waking and dream 2
s.
A mere examination of the three states not enough 3
SECTION 3: A CERTAIN UNORTHODOX ANSWER
6. The Self is in connection with causal Ignorance
in dreamless sleep 3
7. Even in the waking state there is direct experience of
positive Ignorance in manifest (gross) form 4
8. Use of the word 'Ignorance' to mean
what is (positively) opposed to knowledge 4
s
9. The method of counteracting Ignorance
SECTION 4: THE ORDER FOR APPEAL TO TEXTS AS AN
AUTHORITY IN AN ARGUMENT
10. The necessity for reflection 6
II. The order in which one should appeal to teXIS,
argUlnents and personal experience 9
xi
Sec/jot, Headhgs
12. The difference between revelation
and reasoning combined with experience 10
13. The place for citation of texts in argument 11
14. How Vedic revelation is nevertheless
an authoritative means of valid cognition 12
15. Recapitulating summary of our doctrine
about the Vedic texts 14
PART II - EXAMINATION OF AN UNORTHODOX VIEW
SECI10N 1: FAILURE TO ESTABLISH ULTIMATE
REALITY ON THE UNORTIIODOX VIEW
16. The need for a proper explanation
of ultimate reality IS
17. Circularity of argument by the unorthodox
if they rebut our criticism by claiming that
individual experience (samsara) is due to Ignorance 15
18. One cannot establish that individual experience
is based on Ignorance with the experience
of the enlightened person for ~proor 16
19. Nor can it be established by experience
of 'the Fourth t 17
20. Refutation of the counter-objection 'The enlightened
ones experience the mere (harmless) appearance of a
world of waking and so on through the presence
of a remnant of Ignorance (avidyi-leSa)' 17
21. One does not escape the difficulty by declaring
that 'liberation in life' is a figurative expression 17
22. On the unorthodox view it is
impossibte to establish Non-duality 21
xii