respond to classmate

I found the lecture this week extremely interesting. From the information given in the lecture, I must say that I quite enjoy both darshans and would love to explain why. From my own interpretation it seems that each darshan is explaining reality from the subjective experience from two different perspectives. The Advaita Vedanta darshan seems to be interpreting the Life Cycle of Vishnu myth as a way to explain the happenings in a person’s life as well as his external world. The Samkhya darshan seems to be explaining the Purusha myth from the perspective of introspective awareness. I must say I enjoy both perspectives and think that they are explaining both external and internal experience in an interesting way.

Learning about the realm of Nirguna – this reminds me of experiences which I feel when I am just coming back into my body from a dreamstate. Especially the lotus and the long stem. Though, I didn’t seem to interpret it in such a way during my dreamlike state, it felt more like that I was a kite and I was connected to my body by a kite string, and slowly I was making my way back to my body as the winds of my dream state subsided. Further, the fact that Nirguna is considered to be a realm without qualities also reminds me of this level of awareness, where I am just waking up, and the images of my dream state have subsided and I am aware that I am waking up but not yet in my body and all I can see is darkness.

The myth of the churning of the ocean – I interpreted the ocean as the substratum of subjective physical reality. The frame of reference for which everything is subjectively perceived. I found it quite interesting that in Nirguna the ocean was white but in Saguna the ocean is clear, so that things may appear in it. Reminds me of a projection screen for which things are projected on it. The whiteness of the projection screen is no longer visible once the projector turns on. I thought that the interpretation of duality in that good and evil are cooperative was quite thought provoking, considering the interpretation of each event that happens in ones’ life may be a growing experience to build upon. Either a growing experience or perhaps an experience in which previous thoughts and beliefs are bulldozed through the decision to try something new. Perhaps they are cooperative to produce change in a person’s normal way of action? I think that this supports the Advaita Vedanta darshan under the concept of Maya.

Regarding being ‘good’ and ‘bad’ considering we may be in the degenerate age, perhaps the interpretation of the word ‘good’ should be considered. For example, a ‘good’ response would be considered a suitable response that would support an end goal. According to this darshan, the end goal would be Moksha – so perhaps during the degenerate age, good simply means that the general population has an extreme amount of trouble making suitable decisions and suitable action to support the end goal of Moksha. Perhaps due to the inner narratives we subscribe to in any given situation. What makes me curious about this is, for what purpose is there to reach Moksha? Further, what happens when you achieve Moksha? Does your existence end?

I do feel that the viewpoint of the Advaita Vedanta darshan is quite interesting in explaining this myth, however, the idea of Self and elimination of the ego is interesting. However, I do enjoy the Samkhya darshan in the sense that having a small portion of the atman to distinguish between the Atman and the atman. The reason I say this is because the atman would be conditioned by society and the culture which it is raised in, which allows it to operate and stay within the in-group. Also, with the union with the Atman and being able to tell the difference allows for a more fruitful experience, in my opinion. After all, embracing a dualistic viewpoint in a dualistic world would perhaps be imperative. Being able to distinguish between the ego and the God self while being able to live as the ego would perhaps bring comfort to a person in regards to the fears that are constantly bombarding us within society.

I do quite enjoy the Samkhya darshan, I feel like it accurately displays the different states of awareness in which a person experiences throughout the day or their life. The explanation of the Purusha myth had me thinking a little bit. If according to this myth, God is in everyone, there has to be a common thing that we all have, something that is the same. I had a question of well… What could that be? Upon further thought, I thought that perhaps it is the fact that I am a subject of the subjective experience with which I am living in. That seems to be a universal thing for human beings and perhaps all beings – that whether they are aware of it or not, they are the subject of their subjective experience. The thought processes and connections they make will always be about themselves and their immediate experience. Perhaps the sun which shines on the water is the subject that shines through the different aspects of experience. Can there be an experience without the experiencer? Either way, this myth was quite thought provoking for me as well.  

Considering that perhaps Purusha is almost the same as the clear ocean within the Saguna; the frame of reference for which all subjective experience is perceived, according to how I interpreted it. The budhi state perhaps is like the experience that I’ve had where I felt like a kite, knowing that I was waking up but not in my body. I thought of Ahamkara as sort of like the part of conscious awareness that resonates with this avatar that we inhabit and accepts the life in which we play in. Perhaps Manas is the same as the ‘flow state’ in which all the thoughts about the future and the past are diminished and your primary objective is ‘now’. I think the Pakrti level of mind is quite interesting, and clearly shows the uncatchable thought processes of a state of mind that seems to be normal.

I’ve started meditation the last two years or so and only have recently been able to make sure it is a daily thing, I have been able to watch my thoughts and realize when I am feeling wired is when my thoughts seem to go and are almost uncatchable. I’ve noticed if I allow myself to be stuck in this storm of thought, it hinders my ability to enjoy the current moment, especially if I am spending time with my daughter.

The gunas really interested me because based on my own perspective and experience, I’ve noticed that if I have a piece of cake, my meditations on the next day are extremely difficult to stay aware in. I think both of these darshans hold nuggets of wisdom that can be used upon each experience I have and they both seem to explain different aspects of experience, for me. I resonate with the Advaita Vedanta darshan in the sense that it explains that each experience could be a growing experience with which would guide you to achieve Moksha. I resonate with Samkhya darshan because it accurately depicts my internal experience with which I have introspected on.