SAT-CHIT-ANANDA

Based on Teachings of Swami Paramarthananda

Summary by Sri VLN Prasad

This work is done by Swamiji’s disciple with the blessings of Swamiji.

Swamiji has not verified the document.

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 Sat-Chit-Ānanda
sadāsiva samārambhām sankarāchārya madhyamām
asmad āchārya paryantām vande guru paramparām
I propose to consolidate the teaching given by Swāmiji, during the last
four morning talks. Swāmiji has been explaining the Mundaka
Upanishad Mantra - sayōhavaisat paramam brahma vēda brahmaiva
bhavatai etc. In this Mantra, the first quarter of the Mantra deals with
Brahma Gnyānam, the knowledge of Brahman.
The later three quarters deal with Brahma Gnyāna Phalam, the benefit
of this knowledge. Swāmiji talked elaborately about Brahma Gnyānam.
As a part of that, Swāmiji explained what Brahman is, taking the well
known Taitrīya Mantra - satyam gnyānam anantam brahma. It is
otherwise known as Sath Chit Ānanda Brahma.
Swāmiji explained that Brahman is Gnyānam or Chit, which means pure
consciousness and Brahman is Satyam or Sath, which means pure
existence. And Brahman is Anantam or Ānandam, which means that
Brahman is Pūrnaha, full and complete. This definition of Brahman is
little bit subtle. Therefore, a beginner may feel difficult to comprehend.
But if we dwell upon the teaching more and more, it will become clear.
Because this topic is subtle, the Upanishads themselves give an example
with whose help we will be able to grasp this definition of Brahman.
Brahman, the Chaitanyam or Consciousness is often compared to light
or Jyōtihi - Chaitanya Jyōtihi or Chaitanya Prakāshaha.
In Mundaka Upanishad itself, this expression comes - hiranmayē
parēkōshē virajam brahma nishkalam tat shubhram jyōtishām jyōtihi
tadyadātmavidō viduhu. Brahman, the consciousness principle is like
the light principle which we experience. This is a beautiful example
because there are several features which are common to the light and
Chaitanyam or consciousness.
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We will study some of the common features which will help us grasp
the Brahma Chaitanyam. Firstly, we find light is that principle which
spreads over every object and because of that, every object is
experienced by me. When I am seeing or experiencing this mike, this
experience is possible because the mike is pervaded by, spread over by
the light beam, which comes from the source.
Light, in the form of a ray or in the form of beam, spreads over the
entire stage and spreads over every object on this stage. Because of that
alone, I am seeing this object. So, when I am seeing the mike, I am
experiencing two things. I am not only experiencing the mike, but I am
experiencing the light also which falls, which spreads over the object.
Not only when I experience the mike, but when I experience any other
object on the stage, I am experiencing the light also. So, when I am
experiencing the clock, I am experiencing mixture of the clock and the
light which spreads over the clock. When I am experiencing this glass,
there also I am experiencing the object along with the light.
Thus, the light is an ever experienced principle, because of which every
other object is experienced. So, light is ever experienced throughout this
one hour. Not only the light is ever experienced fact, but because of the
light alone, every object is experienced on this stage. Therefore, the
uniqueness of the light is that it is ever experienced cause of every
experience.
The light is ever experienced. By ‘ever’, I mean that this experience also
includes light experience, this mike experience also includes light
experience. Thus, light is ever experienced by me and it is the cause of
every experience. Because it is ever experienced, we always take it for
granted.
When I ask you what is here, you will say there is a clock. If I ask what
else is there, you will say there is a frame. You will mention everything,
but you take for granted the experience of the light, because of which
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you are experiencing the clock. We take the experience of the light very
lightly. It is not to be taken lightly.
It is ever experienced cause of every experience on this stage. In the
same way, the Upanishads say that ‘I am a conscious human being’ or
‘a consciousness being’ is an ever experienced fact. At no time, I feel
that I am an inert entity. Throughout the day, I experience the fact that I
am a conscious being.
Therefore, the scriptures say that consciousness is an ever experienced
fact. When I am conscious of the first sentence, consciousness is
experienced by me. Similar is the case with the second and the third
sentence. What I am conscious of, varies, but that I am a conscious
being, is an invariable, continuously experienced fact.
Therefore, the scriptures say that consciousness or Chaitanyam is an
ever experienced fact in the form of - I am a conscious being. It is not
only an ever experienced fact, but because of this consciousness alone, I
am able to have every other experience.
All the varying, variable experiences are possible because of the
invariable, continuous experience of the fact that I am a conscious
being. Therefore, we can understand consciousness as the ever
experienced cause of ever experience. Just as the light principle is ever
experienced cause of every experience on the stage similarly,
consciousness is ever experienced cause of every experience.
This is one feature, Sādharmyam between the light principle and
consciousness principle. Then, we will go to the second common
feature. Even though the light spreads over every object, the beam of
light or the ray of light spreads intimately over every object, the light
principle is an independent entity which is not connected to any object.
Light spreads over the mike. If I show my hand, the light spreads over
the hand. Because of that alone, you are experiencing the hand. Even
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though, the light is intimately associated with the hand, it is not

connected. It is an independent principle. Light is not a part of the hand.
If light is a part of the hand, when the hand goes away, the light also
will go away.
Light is not the part of the hand. Light is not a property, an attribute of
the hand. Hand is not naturally bright. So, light is not even a property.
And light is not even a product of the hand. Light is neither a part nor a
property nor a product of the hand. It is an independent principle, but
intimately present in the hand.
Similarly, the Upanishads say that when I say that I am the conscious
being, consciousness is intimately on the body. Any part of the body I
touch, there is the sensation and there is the sentiency. Thus,
consciousness is intimately associated with the body, but the Shāstrās
say that it is an independent entity like the light.
It is not a part of the body like the nail or hair. Consciousness cannot be
and should not be taken as a part of the body. It is not even an intrinsic
property of the body. If Chaitanyam is natural property of the body,
body will always be sentient. In fact, no death will take place. I don’t
know whether it is good news or bad news. It can be either way.
The very fact that the body later becomes insentient indicates that
consciousness is not an intrinsic quality or property of the body. It is not
a part, it not a property and it is not even a product of the body. Body
does not produce consciousness. Therefore, Shāstrās say that
Chaitanyam is not a part, product or property of the body.
It is an independent entity like the light, which spreads over and which
pervades the body, because of which I experience this body. Because of
the independent light pervading the mike, I experience the mike.
Because of the independent Chaitanyam pervading the body, I
experience this body. Therefore, the second common feature is that light
is independent principle. Consciousness is also independent principle.
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What is the first common feature? Light is the ever experienced cause of
every experience. Similarly, consciousness is ever experienced cause of
every experience. Then, the third common feature is that light spreads
over every object upon the stage. The objects themselves have got finite,
limited dimension or boundary.
The mike has got its own boundary and limitation. This teapoy has got
its own limitation. Thus, the objects are finite and limited whereas, the
light principle spreads over every object on the stage, extending beyond
the boundaries of every object. So, light is not only on the mike, but it
extends beyond the mike also.
Light is not only on the clock, but it extends beyond the clock also.
Light is not only on the mike and clock, but the light spreads in between
them also. Similarly, the Shāstram says that Chaitanyam spreads over
my body. The consciousness pervades your body, an elephant’s body,
an ant’s body.
Therefore, consciousness is not limited by the boundaries of any object.
It extends beyond the boundaries. It is boundless, Sarva Vyāpakam. So,
the third common feature is - just as the light spreads over all the objects
uniformly, without the limitation of the objects, similarly, Chaitanyam
pervades uniformly. samam sarvēshu bhūtēshu tishthantam
paramēshwaram.
It is all pervading. This is the third common feature. The fourth one is -
when the hand is here, the light spreads over the hand and it illumines
the hand. The hand is experienced because of the light. When I remove
the hand, the hand alone disappears. The light continues to be in the
very same place.
The removal or disappearance of the hand is not the disappearance of
the light. Therefore, when one person goes away, the person alone goes,
but the light continues to be there. How do we know that? When the
second person walks through, the light continues to be there, spreading
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over the second person. When the second person goes away and the
third person comes, the same light continues.
People appear, and disappear. The light continues. na udēti na astamēti
ēkā samvidēsha swayam prabha. The appearance and disappearance,
arrival and departure belong to the objects and people who come and go,
but the light is continuously present. Similarly, the Upanishads say na
jāyatē mruyatēvā kadāchit -
The body appears and disappears, but the Chaitanya Tatvam itself does
not appear and disappear. It is ajō nityah shāshwatōyam purānaha na
hanyatē hanyamānē sharīrē - disintegration of matter or the material
body is not the end of the consciousness. Thus, like the light, the
Chaitanyam is also continuous, eternal.
At least, in the example, the light may be switched off after one hour,
but Chaitanyam is eternal. What are the four common features between
the light and Consciousness?
1. Both are ever experienced cause of every experience, but taken for
granted.
2. Both are independent of the objects over which they spread. In
short form, both are independent.
3. Both of them extend beyond the objects that they pervade. Both of
them are extensive or all pervading - Sarvagataha.
4. Both of them are enduring or continuous entities. Of course, I
cannot say that light is eternal, but in the case of consciousness, it
is eternal, Nityaha.
nitya anubhūtaha sa nityōpalabdhi swarūpōhamātma - nitya anubhūtaha,
swatantraha, sarvagataha and nityaha. These are four important features
of consciousness, which we have to grasp with the help of the light
principle.
yathā prakāsha yatyēkaha kritsnam lōkamimam ravihi
kshētram kshētrē tathā kritsnam prakāshayasi bhārata
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This light example is given by the scriptures all over. So, whenever I
used the word ‘I’, I should remember that I am experiencing two things.
One is the body principle and another is the consciousness principle,
which is pervading the body. Remembering the example, when I
experiencing this clock, I should remember that there are two principles
- the clock and the light. We don’t mention it, but it is.
Similarly, whenever I say ‘I am’, there is the experience of the mixture.
It is the mixture of ‘I’, the body principle and the Chaitanya Tatvam -
nitya anubhūtaha swatantraha sarvagataha chaitanya tatvam. Of these
two factors or two components (the body and the Chaitanyam), which
one should I claim as myself?
Should I say I am the body with consciousness or should I say I am
consciousness with the body? Which statement is correct? Which
perspective is correct? What is our habit? Our habit is that we always
say - I am this body because we talk about the date of birth, we talk
about growing-graying-going.
We talk about the growing body, graying body, going body. So, the
scriptures say that you have to reverse your self-perspective. Instead of
claiming that I am the body with consciousness, learn to claim that I am
the consciousness principle with an incidental body. Somebody nicely
said - you are not a human being looking for a spiritual experience. You
are a spiritual being having an incidental human experience.
vāsāmsi jīrnāni yathā vihāya navāni grunhāti narōparāni
thathā sharīrāni vihāya jīrnāni anyāni samyāti navānidēhi
I am the eternal, all-pervading consciousness principle, functioning
through the incidental medium called the physical body. I use this body
only during the waking state, the Jāgrad Avastha. Once the dream
comes, I change this body and I put on another body for dream
experience. It is just as people have two glasses, one for distant vision
and the other for close vision.
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For seeing distant things, they will put one glass and will put another
one later. Similarly, I am carrying two types of spectacles. During
Jāgrad Avastha, I put on this physical body and experience the Sthūla
Prapancha, the gross universe. When I am tired of this waking state, I
just shed or keep aside this body and I put on Swapna Sharīram, the
dream body.
I have got dream spectacles there also. Thus, I have a different body
through which I experience the dream state. Once I go to deep sleep
state, I set aside both the bodies. When I set aside these two bodies, I
don’t stop to exist. In deep sleep state, ‘I’, the consciousness principle
continues to exist.
What ends is not myself, but what ends is the transaction. Transaction
requires the medium of the body. This body is for waking transaction
and dream body for dream transaction. In sleep, I set aside both the
bodies. Transaction ends, but I don’t end. I continue to exist in deep
sleep state also.
When I don’t have a body, the only difference is that I cannot do
transaction with you and you cannot have transaction with me, but the
end of transaction is not my end. Non-transactingly (if such an English
word is possible), I continue to exist. Vēda says that even during death,
when I shed this body, after dropping one body and before putting on
another body, I continue to exist without a transaction.
Even during Mahā Pralayam, transactions end, but I am - nityaha
sarvagataha chaitanya rūpaha asmi. Therefore, I am Gnyāna Swarūpaha
Chidrūpaha Asmi. Once I have grasped that I am consciousness
principle then, I have to understand that I am Sadrūpaha also. Each of
these three words is very solid.
Each of the words Chit, Sath and Ānanda is a solid word. If we
understand these three words, Vēdānta is over. Now, we have seen what
Chit Chaitanyam is. How am I to understand Sadrūpaha? For this, we
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have to note an important law. What is that law? If any object in the
creation is to be existent, it has to be knowable.
I can talk about the existence of any object only when it is a knowable
or experientiable object. You can never talk about the existence of
anything which can never be known by anybody, at any time. Imagine
an object which can never be known by anybody, including God, at any
time!
If there is such an object, you can never talk about its existence because
to talk about the existence, it has to be known to someone, at some time.
Therefore, the important law is - anything is existent because it is
knowable. If any object has to be existent, it should be knowable and if
it has to be knowable, somebody must be conscious of it.
What do mean by knowable? It falls within the consciousness of
someone or the other. So, a thing becomes an existence because it is
knowable. A thing is knowable because of consciousness. Therefore,
existence is because of knowability. It is little bit subtle. You will have
to reflect on it.
Existence is because of knowability. Knowability is because of
consciousness. Therefore, everything depends on consciousness to
reveal its existence. Everything in the creation depends on
consciousness for revealing its existence. Therefore, everything has got
existence depending on consciousness.
Everything enjoys existence depending on consciousness alone.
Therefore, Shāstra says that consciousness lends existence to everything
in the creation. I say ‘the clock is’ because I am conscious of the clock. I
say ‘you are’ because I am conscious.
We say ‘the world is’ because someone or the other, at some time or the
other, can be conscious of that. Therefore - mayyēva sakalam jātam
mayi sarvam pratishthitam mayi sarwam layam yāti. Consciousness
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lends existence to everything. Therefore, Pūjya Swāmiji said - ghataha

sann pataha sann.
When I talk about existence of everything, it only is the existence lent
by consciousness. That is why when I wake up from the dream, the
dream world loses its existence. I don’t say - I have woken up. But in
the dream, somebody was starving. I don’t know whether he has got
food or not. I will have a special prayer for him.
Therefore, I am consciousness principle and I am also the existence
principle who lends ‘is-ness’ to everything. Therefore, chidrūpaha
ahamasmi, sadrūpaha ahamasmi; The third one is Ānanda Swarūpaha.
In Chāndōgya Upanishad, it says - yōvai bhūmā tat sukham na alpē
sukham asti. It is very a important statement.
Happiness is only possible in a complete and limitless entity. No finite
object in the creation can have happiness as its nature. yōvai bhūmāt -
infinite alone can have Pūrnatvam or Ānandam. No finite entity in the
creation can have Ānandam - alpē sukham nāsti.
Naturally, we will have a question that if the objects in the world do not
have happiness, how cum we are getting joy from various objects?
When I eat a nice dish, when I listen to nice music, how do I get
happiness? Vēda says that if music has got happiness in it, everybody
who listens to the music should be happy.
Heat is there in the fire. Whoever touches the fire, will experience the
heat because heat is in the fire. Similarly, if joy is in the music, anybody
who listens to the music must be happy. At home, the teenagers have
their own noisy music. They find joy in that and they jump with joy, but
the parents who are traditional Carnatic Musicians, close their ears.
So, the very same music which gives joy to the teenagers, doesn’t give
joy to their parents. So, from that it is clear that the joy is not in the
music. Therefore, Vēda says that nothing in the creation has got
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happiness as an ingredient. Then, how do I experience happiness? Vēda

says that whatever I experience something which confirms to my
expectation, the mind becomes quiet.
In the quite mind, the Ānanda which is my own nature, which is my real
nature, alone appears or manifests in the mind. So, the objects only
create the condition for my own Ānanda to manifest. We generally give
the following example. A dog bites a very dry bone. When it bites, it
experiences blood.
Before biting the bone there was no blood. After biting the bone, there
is blood. Therefore, the dog makes a logical conclusion. What is that?
Before biting, there was no blood and after biting, there is experience of
blood. Therefore, bone is the source of blood. yassatvē yassatvam
yadabhāvē yadabhāvaha.
If the dog thinks that the bone is the source of blood and runs after the
bone to enjoy blood, what will we say? We say that the dog is
unintelligent. The bone does not produce even a drop of blood. Bone
has only served as a means for its own blood to come out, manifestation
or experience. Similarly, Vēdānta says that the whole Universe is like
the dry bone.
Just as a dry bone, it doesn’t have even a drop of Ānanda, but when I
come in contact with certain objects, the Ānanda which is inside, comes
out. I am wrongly attributing that Ānanda to the object. That
experienced Ānanda, is my nature. In English also, we have nice word
called ‘Enjoy’.
Knowingly or un-knowingly, they have used the right word. Whenever
you enjoy, you should say En - joy. ‘En’ is Tamil ‘En’. That is why
Pūjya Swāmiji said - Vishyānandē Brahmānandaha, Vidyānandē
Brahmānandaha, Ice-cream Ānandē Brahmānandaha, Meditation
Ānandē Brahmānandaha. Any happiness that you enjoy is
Brahmānandaha.
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It is not that Gnyānis have got a separate Brahmānandaha. The

difference between Gnyāni and Agnyāni is that whenever Ānanda is
experienced, an ignorant person says that I am experiencing
Vishyānanda whereas, when a wise person experiences any Ānanda, he
says that I am experiencing Ātmānanda.
Even when the experiential joy goes away, a wise person doesn’t
conclude that happiness is over. He concludes that the condition for the
manifestation of Ānanda is over. Therefore, unhappiness is un-manifest
happiness. Therefore, happiness is always there as my very nature. It is
sometimes expressed and sometimes unexpressed.
It is just as blood is there within the dog. It is sometimes expressed and
sometimes, it doesn’t come out. But blood is there inside. Therefore, the
scriptures say that whatever is Chit, is Sath and whatever is Sath, is
Ānandaha.
Therefore, we are all of the nature of Sath-Chit-Ānanda which is
experienced or expressed in the world through the medium called the
body. Sath-Chit-Ānandaha happens to be the definition of Brahman
also. Therefore, I can claim that I am Brahma Asmi.
ahamasmi sadā bhāmi kadā chinnāhamapriyaha
brahmaivāhamatah siddham sachhidānanda lakshanam
I am Sacchidānanda. Brahman is Sacchidānanda. lakshana aykyāt vastu
aykyam. Therefore, Aham Brahma Asmi; The Upanishad says that
whoever gains the knowledge of Aham Brahma Asmi is Brahman
because the knowledge happens to be Aham Brahma Asmi. Therefore,
the Upanishad says - sayōhavaisat paramam brahma vēda brahmaiva
bhavati.
Further benefits are said in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th lines of the Mantra. The
same Phalam or benefit is given elsewhere also in the Upanishad.
Swāmiji asked me to tell the following Mantra.

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bhidyatē hridaya grandhihi chidyantē sarva samshayāh

kshīyantē chāsya karmāni tasmin drushtē parāvarē
When that Brahman is claimed as Aham Brahma Asmi, hridaya
grandhihi bhidyatē, all the knots and knotty problems in the heart are
snapped. Swāmiji will be explaining that tomorrow. chidyantē sarva
samshayāh - all doubts regarding myself are completely gone.
I am not the body with consciousness, but I am the consciousness with
an incidental body. I have no doubt about it. kshīyantē cha asya karmāni
- All the Punyams and Pāpams belong to the body only. The body is
born because of the Punya-Pāpam and the body goes through varieties
of situations and the body dies.
Since I am different from the body, I am not connected to any Punyam
or any Pāpam. tadā vidvān punyapāpē vidhūya niranjanah paramam
sāmyamupaiti - Karma belongs to the body. I am different from the
body. Therefore, I am free from all forms of Karma. kshīyantē cha asya
karmāni; this freedom alone is called Mōkshaha.
Thus, a person attains brahma gnyānēna mōksha phala. This is the
essence of this Mantra which Swāmiji has been explaining and which
Swāmiji will conclude tomorrow. With these words, I conclude my
session today.
Pūrnmadah Pūrnamidam Pūrnāth Pūrnamudachyatē.
Pūrnasya Pūrnamādāya Pūrnamēvāvasishyatē..

Om shānti shānti shāntihi

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