Klapa

ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA

[LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE]

Sri Ramanasramam Tiruvannamalai 2002

FOREWORD

Originally Sri Shankaracharya and other great Sages had written several works like the commentary on the Vedanta Sutras and thus furnished the methods for those engaged in Self enquiry to accomplish their purpose. From those, Sri Karapatra Swami later condensed the salient points into Sanskrit verse in a work of twelve chapters, called Sri Advaita Bodha Deepika. Still later, some great man seems to have translated this into Tamil prose. For some unknown reasons only some eight chapters of the same are found published. They are: 1. Adhyaropa = Super imposition. 2. Apavada = Its removal. 3. Sadhana = The means of accomplishment. 4. Sravana = Hearing, reading, talking about God. 5. Manana = Reflecting on sravana. 6. Vasanakshaya = Annihilation of latencies. 7. Sakshatkara = Direct Realisation. 8. Manonasa = Extinction of the mind. In this work the author has explained how Ignorance obscures the true nature of the Self which is non-dual only; how by its veiling aspect it covers It (the Self) with two effects — ‘that It does not exist’ and ‘that It does not shine forth’, how by its other aspect, in the shape of the mind, projecting individuals, Iswara and the world and presenting them as real, thus giving rise to illusion; how one fully qualified is alone fit to obtain this knowledge; how a bare scholar of the shastras cannot be fit; how enquiry is the chief means for knowledge; how this enquiry consists in hearing of, reflecting upon and contemplation of TRUTH, and Samadhi; how the indirect knowledge gained by hearing puts an end to the idea that ‘It does not exist’ and the direct knowledge gained by reflection, which means enquiry ‘WHO I AM’ and seeking within, destroys iii

the wrong notion that ‘It does not shine forth’; how the knowledge of THOU in THAT THOU ART is identical with the knowledge of THAT; how by meditation the different latencies perishing...