Wk03 Monday, Apr 9. Intro wrap up; Bṛhadāraṇyaka Up. 3, 4

Transcription

1 Wk03 Monday, Apr 9 Intro wrap up; Bṛhadāraṇyaka Up. 3, 4 1

2 Today Intro to Upaniṣads, wrap up Olivelle s Upaniṣads Bṛhadāraṇyaka 3 & 4 (Mon) Supplemental readings: Lindquist (2010) Literary Lives and a Literal Death Wednesday Olivelle s Upaniṣads Taittirīya 2-3??? Chāndogya 6 Supplemental readings: Freedman (2012) Altar of Words: Text and Ritual in Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2. Bodewitz (2001) Uddālaka's Teaching in Chāndogya Upanisad 6,

3 Key Upaniṣadic Ideas (Review) Self, ātman, beyond self Single reality underlying manifoldness Karma & rebirth freedom from rebirth Yoga, meditation Asceticism, tapas Progression of Ideas Vedas Brāhmaṇas Āraṇyakas Upaniṣads Further development Jñāna vs. karma-kāṇḍa, knowledge vs. ritual Brahma-sūtras Śaṅkara, Advaita Vedānta (Non-duality) Other Vedāntas Rāmānuja, Viśiṣṭādvaita (Qualified Non-duality) Madhva, Dvaita (Duality) 3

4 Different Vedāntas Advaita, non-duality Viśiṣṭādvaita, qualified non-duality Dvāita duality Śaṅkara 7 th cent. CE Rāmanuja CE Madhva 13th cent. CE Integrative Vision of the Upaniṣads One who comprehends the whole Is the whole This knowledge = mastery over world, fate Transforming vision One is not what one appears to be Beyond death, fear Intellectual reflection of experience signposts to the destination 4

5 How & Why did such a Vision Develop Then & There? Speculations in Vedas, Brāhmaṇas Social & Political Changes Urbanization Priests vs. Rulers Individuality vs. Wholeness Bṛhadāraṇyaka Up. 3-4 Yājñavalkya Kāṇḍa 5

6 Who was Yājñavalkya? Composer of parts of Śukla Yajurveda Śatapatha Brāhmaṇā (94 brāhmaṇas) + BU (6 brāhmaṇas) Also known as Vājasaneya Legend: breaks with teacher Vaiśampāyana Author of Yājñavalkya Smṛti law books Uddālaka Āruṇi (CU6, BU3.7) his teacher/peer Court of Janaka of Videha Reputed as authoritative, innovative, victor in debates King Janaka King of Videha Ideal karma-yogī Resisted brahmins claimed right to offer sacrifice directly In ŚB, granted boon by Y. to ask any question Father of Sītā 6

7 What s in a name? Aśvala (3.1) Āśvalāyana rescension of RV Kahola Kauṣītakeya (3.5) Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇa RV Vidagdha Śākalya (3.9) = author of RV padapāṭha YV vs. RV rivalry Uddālaka Āruṇi (3.7) = Yājñavalkya s teacher; important in CU; from Kuru-Pañcāla region YV rivalry vs. SV Brahmodya, Debate Rehearsed vs. Unrehearsed Private vs. Public Competition for material gains (cows!) Reputation at stake, even head! 7

8 Yājñavalkya s tactics Doesn t give best answer first Uṣasta Cākrāyaṇa: That s a fine explanation! Calling a cow a cow, a horse a horse (3.4.2) Kahola repeats Uṣasta s question, asks for a plain and non-cryptic answer (3.5.1). Gārgī: You really cleared that up for me (3.8.5)! Then repeats the same question. Doesn t always give same answer Does breath depart on death? to Ārtabhāga (3.2.11): No to Janaka (4.4.2) Yes Shattering heads! Figurative? losing/blowing one s mind Literal? Curse of death? Warning not knowing answer to ones own question not admitting defeat 8

9 Yājñavalkya s tactics, cont d Doesn t answer directly on death once all parts have dispersed? Take my hand, Ārtabhāga in private (3.2.13) Uses humor and sarcasm At the beginning of Ch. 3 Aśvala: Do you think you are the most learned among us? Y: We bow humbly to the most learned. We just want the cows! (3.1.2) He told you that? That s a one-legged brahman. (4.1, 6x) Threats: Gārgī (3.6), Śākalya (3.9) BU 3: The First Debate 3.1: Aśvala on Ritual Mysticism Release from death: Hotṛ, fire, speech Release from day, night: Adhvaryu, sun, sight Release from fortnights: Udgātṛ, wind, breath Heaven: Brahman (priest), moon, mind Verses: wins whatever supports life in this world Oblations: worlds of gods, ancestors, men Deities: limitless mind Hymns: in/out/inter breaths (prāṇa/apāna/vyāna), win earthly, intermediate, heavenly worlds 9

10 5 Breaths 1. Prāṇa - centered in the nose, responsible for respiration. 2. Apāna - works downwards, responsible for the excretory organs, organs of generation. 3. Vyāna - pervades whole body, supplies energy necessary for hard work. 4. Udāna - situated in the throat, movement upwards. Helps leave body at time of death. 5. Samāna - situated in central region of body, responsible for digestion/ assimilation of food. BU 3.2: Ārtabhāga - Senses 8 Graspers, over-graspers (double meaning) 1. Breath, odors (sense organ #1, object) 2. Speech, word 3. Tongue, flavor (sense organ #2) 4. Sight, visible appearances (sense organ #3) 5. Hearing, sounds (sense organ #4) 6. Mind, desire 7. Hands, action 8. Skin, touch (sense organ #5) 10

11 BU 3.2: Ārtabhaga - Death Death = fire, food of water Breaths do not leave body on death (!) Name survives death speech fire breath wind sight sun mind moon hearing directions physical body earth ātman space hair plants body fluids water Then what happens to man puruṣa?! Answered in private! BU end: Seed of karma theory BU 3.3: Bhujyu Lāhyāyani Where have the great men of the golden age gone? Kāpyā s daughter possessed by Gandharva To where the horse-sacrificers go wind = cosmic breath 11

12 BU 3.4: Uṣasta Cākrāyaṇa Q: Explain to me the brahman clear and direct, the ātman within all. A: That who breathes UC: That s like a cow is a cow, a horse is a horse! Y: It is the subject: seer, hearer, thinker, perceiver. Cannot be the object The self within all is your self. All else is grief BU 3.5: Kahola Kauṣītakeya Q: Which is this ātman within all? A: Beyond hunger, thirst, sorrow, delusion, old age, death Obviates desire for: sons, wealth, worlds mendicancy / asceticism Pundit child sage (muni) Brāhmāṇa, knower of Brahman 12

13 BU 3.6: Gārgī, pt. 1 World is woven on ( ) water Water air intermediate regions worlds of Gandharvas worlds of the sun worlds of the moon worlds of the stars worlds of the gods worlds of Indra worlds of Prajāpati worlds of Brahman? Don t ask too many questions Your head will shatter! 13