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This is Part 8 of a serialized commentary on “A Method Of Enlightening A Disciple” from Shankara’s Upadeshasahasri–A Thousand Teachings

12) “Verily, that Imperishable is never seen but is the Seer; It is never heard, but is the Hearer; It is never thought of, but is the Thinker; It is never known, but is the Knower. There is no other seer but This, there is no other hearer but This, there is no other thinker but This, there is no other knower but This. By this imperishable is the unmanifested akasha pervaded.” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3:8:11)

Brahman and the Self are akshara–imperishable–because they are unchangeable, untouched by anything. Further, they “see” all, but themselves are never seen–as an object. They can be “known” only by themselves, by immediate perception. That is, they can know themselves by themselves, but none else can know them.

The final sentence is of great importance to yogis. Normally we think of there being a sharp demarcation between the Spirit–universal or individual–and Prakriti, the energy of which all levels of relative existence consist. But here we are told that the Spirit interpenetrates the ether (akasha). Here the Chidakasha is being referred to. In Om Yoga I have written this: “In advanced yoga treatises we frequently encounter this term, ‘Chidakasha,’ which means ‘the Space (Ether) of Consciousness.’ This is the level of existence and consciousness so pure and subtle, so interwoven with Spirit, that it is indistinguishable from Spirit.…Various texts inform us that both Om and the breath arise directly from the Chidakasha. For this reason in Om Yoga meditation we join intonations of Om to the breath.”

13) “It is Brahman, which is absolute Knowledge and Bliss.” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3:9:28)

Here we find one of the happy paradoxes of the upanishadic philosophy. Having been told that Brahman is indefinable, we are given a definition! One of the best approximate definitions or descriptions of Brahman and the Self is sat-chit-ananda. Brahman and the Self are: a) sat–existence, b) chit–consciousness, and c) ananda–bliss (joy). They are blissful, conscious existence itself.

This is a valuable definition, for those that are knowers of Brahman, of the Self, must then of necessity be blissful, fully conscious, and unshaken in the perception of reality.

14) “Brahman is Reality [Satyam], Knowledge [Jnanam] and Infinity [Anantam].” (Taittiriya Upanishad 2:1)

Brahman is eternal, infinite, conscious Reality. And so are we, though eternal, finite, conscious reality. The more we know our Self, the more real, knowing, and eternal we are.

Read previous installments of A Catechism of Enlightenment.