#videhamukti

Photo by Mr. G.G. Welling. 

Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950),  the Indian sage who was widely regarded as a Jivanmukta

Jivanmukta

In Advaita Vedanta, the interest is not in liberation in after life, but in one's current life. This school holds that liberation can be achieved while living, and a person who achieves this is called a Jivanmukta.

The concept of Jivanmukti of Advaita Vedanta contrasts with Videhamukti (moksha from samsara after death) in theistic sub-schools of Vedanta. 

Jivanmukti  is a state that transforms the nature, attributes and behaviors of an individual, after which the liberated individual shows attributes such as:

he is not bothered by disrespect and endures cruel words, treats others with respect regardless of how others treat him;

when confronted by an angry person he does not return anger, instead replies with soft and kind words;

even if tortured, he speaks and trusts the truth;

he does not crave for blessings or expect praise from others;

he never injures or harms any life or being (ahimsa), he is intent in the welfare of all beings;

he is as comfortable being alone as in the presence of others;

he is as comfortable with a bowl, at the foot of a tree in tattered robe without help, as when he is in a mithuna (union of mendicants), grama (village) and nagara (city);

he does not care about or wear sikha (tuft of hair on the back of head for religious reasons), nor the holy thread across his body. To him, knowledge is sikha, knowledge is the holy thread, knowledge alone is supreme. Outer appearances and rituals do not matter to him, only knowledge matters;

for him there is no invocation nor dismissal of deities, no mantra nor non-mantra, no prostrations nor worship of gods, goddess or ancestors, nothing other than knowledge of Self;

he is humble, high spirited, of clear and steady mind, straightforward, compassionate, patient, indifferent, courageous, speaks firmly and with sweet words.

Fotografias de Mr. G.G. Welling 

Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950),  o sábio indiano amplamente reconhecido como um Jivanmukta

Jivanmukta

No Advaita Vedanta, o interesse não está na libertação depois da vida, mas sim na vida atual. Esta escola sustenta que a libertação pode ser alcançada enquanto se vive, e uma pessoa que a atinge é chamada de Jivanmukta.

O conceito de Jivanmukti do Advaita Vedanta contrasta com Videhamukti (moksha do samsara após a morte) nas sub-escolas teístas do Vedanta. 

Jivanmukti é um estado que transforma a natureza, atributos e comportamentos de um indivíduo, após o qual o indivíduo liberado apresenta atributos como:

ele não se incomoda com o desrespeito e suporta palavras cruéis, trata os outros com respeito, independentemente de como os outros o tratam;

quando confrontado por uma pessoa com raiva, ele não responde com raiva, em vez disso responde com palavras suaves e gentis;

mesmo se torturado, ele fala e confia na verdade;

ele não anseia por bênçãos nem espera elogios dos outros;

ele nunca fere ou prejudica qualquer vida ou ser (ahimsa), ele está empenhado no bem-estar de todos os seres;

ele se sente tão confortável sozinho quanto na presença de outras pessoas;

sente-se tão confortável com uma tigela, debaixo de uma árvore,  de manto esfarrapado, e sem ajuda, como quando está numa mithuna (associação de mendicantes), grama (aldeia), ou nagara (cidade);

ele não se preocupa com, nem usa, sikha (tufo de cabelo na parte de trás da cabeça por motivos religiosos), nem o fio sagrado no seu corpo. Para ele, o conhecimento é sikha, o conhecimento é o fio sagrado, o conhecimento sozinho é supremo. As aparências externas e os rituais não importam para ele, apenas o conhecimento importa;

para ele não há invocação nem rejeição de divindades, nem mantra nem não-mantra, nem prostrações nem adoração de deuses, deusa ou ancestrais, nada além do conhecimento do Ser;

ele é humilde, espirituoso, de mente clara e estável, direto, compassivo, paciente, indiferente, corajoso, fala com firmeza e com palavras doces.

Whose Atman is devoid of the word “Prajnana Brahman”(Brahman is Consciousness), who is without the idea “Aham Brahmasmi”(I am Brahman), whose Atman is devoid (of the thought) of “Tatvamasi”(thou art that), who is without the thought “Ayamatma Brahman(I am the Atman that is Brahman), whose Atman is devoid of that which is described by Om, who is above the reach of any speech or the three states and is the indestructible and the Chidatma (Consciousness- Atman), whose Atman is not the one which can be known by Atman and whose Atman has neither light nor darkness. Such a personage is a Videhamukta (Liberated one).

He is a Videhamukta who having

Given up the certainty of the existence or non-existence of all objects, is pure the consciousness-bliss, who having abandoned (the thought): ‘I am Brahman (supreme self)’ (or) ‘I am not Brahman’

He does not mingle his Atman with anything, anywhere or at any time, he is ever silent with the silence of truth, does nothing, has gone beyond Gunas (satva, rajas and tamas),  His Atman has become the All, the great and the purifier of the elements, does not cognise the change of time, matter, place, himself or other differences, does not see (the difference of) ‘I’, ‘thou’, ‘this’, or ‘that’,  being of the nature of time is yet without it,  His Atman is void, subtle and universal, but yet without (them),  His Atman is divine and yet without differences of divinity,  His Atman is measurable and yet without measure,  His Atman is without inertness and within every one,  His Atman is devoid of any Sankalpa,  He thinks always: ‘I am consciousness, I am simply Paramatman, supreme self,  I am only of the nature of spiritual wisdom, I am only of the nature of Sat (truth),  There is nothing like the fear of world’, and Where is that conception of Jiva and Iswara (god)?  I am the Vedas (scriptures) and sciences,  I am the consciousness and this thought of consciousness is also going away from me (not bound to).

To be continued…