#chittam

Guru Vachaka Kovai, V. 70 Part I: An Analysis of the Truth - Ch. 2: The Unreality of the World

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Just as a cinema picture can be seen clearly only in a limited light on a dark background, and will fade away in the bright sunlight, so also the world-appearance can be seen clearly only in the limited light of the mind and will disappear in the light of pure Self-Consciousness. The limited consciousness of the mind is a mere reflection of Self-Consciousness, conditioned as ‘Chittam’, the store of tendencies which acts like the roll of film in the cinema analogy. [See also verse 244, where this idea is further explained and clarified and also see verse 114.]

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Just as a clear prism appears to be red when it is near a red flower, so 'Chit' appears to be the 'chittam' when it is near [but not truly associated with] the dirty worldly tendencies. The 'chittam' will remain and shine as the Supreme 'Chit' alone, if the syllable ‘-tam’, which represents the impurity, 'Maya', is removed.

-  Guru Vachaka Kovai, V. 244 Part I: An Analysis of the Truth - Ch. 47: The Nature of Chittam

Sadhu Om:

The prism remains ever colourless and its red colour is only apparent. To remove the red colour, it is sufficient if the flower is removed, because the prism will then be seen to be colourless as before.

Similarly, Chit truly remains ever pure and the impurity of Maya is only apparent. This apparent association of the ever-pure Chit with Maya is known as ‘chittam’ and to remove ‘-tam’ [i.e., Maya], which is merely attention wrongly focussed on 2nd and 3rd persons, it is sufficient if attention is focused on the 1st person, because the ‘chittam’ will then be known to be the ever-shining Chit, Shiva.

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Chit: Absolute intelligence or consciousness

Chittam: The mental mode turned towards objects; that aspect of the mind in which impressions are stored

Photo shows Muruganar with Sadhu Om

Source: Ramana Hridayam

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SUTTARIVU Bhagavan: Though the Atma-swarupa* is one’s true nature, the reason why it appears difficult to attain is because of the powerful illusion wrought through suttarivu. That which exists is only the one consciousness. The many conceptualized varieties of objectified consciousness are only an imaginary notion in that which is. It is foolishness to suffer by desiring and struggling to know the Self in the same way that sense objects are known by suttarivu. It is not possible to see the eye with the eye. [In the same way] it is not possible to see the Self with suttarivu. The experience of the bliss of blemishless, true jnana Samadhi will abide in a heart in which the suttarivu has perished. Knowledge of the reality of the knower terminates mind-consciousness, the suttarivu that knows the non-Self. Confusion, the whirling of the mind that is suttarivu, will not cease except by internal renunciation. The cavorting mind, suttarivu, will not die except by awareness of the truth of the real nature of the thinker. [Padamalai, pp 148-150]

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Suttarivu is a key word in Muruganar’s writings. Arivu means consciousness or true knowledge, and it is often used in Tamil as an equivalent of jnana. ‘Suttu’ means ‘pointed at’. Arivu is the true consciousness, the true knowledge that is aware of nothing other than itself. However, when attention is externalized and ‘pointed at’ phenomena that are assumed to be external, the trinity of seer, seeking and seen arises. This creates the idea of an individual self who sees an external real world, and while this suttarivu process is functioning, the reality of the undivided Self is hidden.

Atma-swarupa: 'Atma' means the Self, and 'swarupa' means 'one's real nature' 

Jnana: Clear and abundant knowledge, which is Self (‘I am’). The power of knowing.

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