Objects, which have no life, are called Jada (inanimate) in Sanskrit. Because there is no life in the inanimate objects, there is also no knowledge in them. Thus, for the existence of any knowledge in an entity, the existence of life is a prerequisite. In other words, life (the five vital airs or Praanaas) are the first to enter a body – and then only mind (which contains the knowledge), enters.
Mind is the place where knowledge is located in a body-mind complex. Mind always thinks – thoughts (Aalochanas) are always passing through the mind. Mind is also the instrument in our body mind complex, which experiences (Anubhava) pain or pleasure. When the surgeon, for instance, gives anesthesia during a surgery, the mind gets numbed and you do not feel any pain. Thus, amongst other things, Aalochana (thinking) and Anubhava (experiencing - pain or pleasure) are the main characteristics of the mind.
For any knowledge, there must be a person who wants to know; he is the subject and is known as Jnaata in Sanskrit. Also, for any knowledge, there must be an object about which this person (Jnaata) wants to know. This object is called Jneyam in Sanskrit. Knowledge (Jnaanam) is the bridge between the Jnaata and the Jneyam. If either of them (Jnaata and Jneyam) is missing, there cannot be any knowledge. If the person wanting to know something does not exist, there can be no knowledge; similarly, if this person does not know what he wants to know, there cannot be any knowledge.
Thus, for any knowledge to take place, the three entities, Jnaata, Jneyam and Jnaanam must come together. In Vedaanta, these three are called “Triputi”.
Jnaanam (Knowledge) is basically divided into two categories – Vaasana Jnaanam and Vivechana (which is also known as Viveka) Jnaanam.
Vaasana Jnaanam is what the animals and birds have. They only know that they need food when they are hungry; they only know that they need water when they are thirsty; they only know that they have to sleep when they feel sleepy; they know their enemy and duck for safety when they see danger from their enemy; they only know that they have to mate when they sense the need for it. Beyond these basic needs, the animals and birds do not have any knowledge. Since they do not have Buddhi (intellect), they have no choice in action – which means that they cannot exercise discretion in nay matter. They only know to act as programmed by the good Lord before they are sent here.
Man also has Vaasana Jnaanam. He also has basic physical needs such as hunger, thirst, sex, security, etc. Additionally, man also has Vivechana Jnaanam. He has Buddhi (intellect), which brings this Vivechana Jnaanam to him.
Vivechana means separating clearly two things, which are the opposites – such as what is Neeti (morality) and what is Avineeti (immorality), what is evil and what is righteousness, what is Nitya (eternal) and what is Anitya (ephemeral), what is Anukuulam (advantageous) and what is Pratikuulam (disadvantageous), what is Satya (Satya) and what is Asatya (unreal), etc. When you are able to clearly separate these opposites, it is known as Vivechana Jnaanam. It is said that a swan has the skill to separate milk and water from a mixture of milk and water. Man has this Vivechana Jnanam because he is endowed with Buddhi (intellect), which the animals and birds are denied by the good Lord.
Vivechana Jnaanam is again classified into five separate categories and they are
Loka Jnanam (Common sense)
Saastra Jnaanam (Scientific knowledge)
Kala Jnanam (Aesthetic or artistic knowledge or sense)
Dharma Jnanam (knowledge of religion, basically consisting of Karma and
Upaasana)
Brahma Jnaanam (knowledge about the supreme god, Brahman)
The purpose of life is happiness and we acquire all knowledge for gaining happiness through it. If that is so, we may ask ourselves the question, “Does the acquisition of any or all of these five branches of knowledge give us happiness?” People may have their short bursts of happiness but his happiness is momentary - like the soap bubble. We know that happiness and unhappiness are mutually exclusive; if one exists, the other does not - and vice versa. Thus, since the happiness one gets occasionally does not last long, it follows that we are unhappy most of the time, even if we have any or all the five branches of knowledge.
For instance, people who have common sense are also unhappy like any other person who does not have much of it. Eminent scientists like Abdul Kalam are also unhappy. Most artists are mavericks, who are generally unhappy - except when they are fully immersed in their art work. Similarly, the religious persons are also unhappy. Even those who know about Brahman (those having Brahma Jnaanam) are also unhappy; they no doubt know that the supreme god Brahman is the Paramaatma, who is everywhere, but they think that they are the limited Jeevatma - and gaining the Paramaatma is a problem for them, since they are not able to succeed in this endeavor in spite of long and sincere efforts. Whenever there is a problem, one cannot be happy.
When you have any of these five branches of knowledge, you also know that you have not reached the end yet. You can never say about any of these branches of knowledge that there is nothing more to be known; there is always something remaining to be known. The last word has not been said in any of these branches of knowledge; it will never be said in future also. That is why we still keep getting research degrees (Ph. D.) in every branch of knowledge and we can never visualize the day, when we can say, “Aha, at last there is nothing more to be known in this subject.” Because there is always something to be still achieved in each of these branches of knowledge, you keep asking “What next” (which is called “Aakaanksha in Sanskrit) at every stage – and as long as this question “What next” looms large in front of you and as long as you are “seeking” something, you cannot feel happy.
There is another “Triputi” about which you must also know. This refers to Jeeva, Jagat and Isvara. Jeeva is a living being. You are a Jeeva. I am a Jeeva. There is no need to prove that “I” exist. There is also no need to prove that the Jagat (world) exists – because we see it always in front of our eyes. Who created these two – the Jeeva and the Jagat? They cannot come into existence all on their own? Vedaanta says that the all powerful Isvara created them. This Isvara is the supreme Brahman with three Saktis – Iccha Saki, Kriya Sakti and Jnaana Sakti.
Having theoretical knowledge of this supreme Brahman (Isvara) is not enough. You want to gain or become this Brahman, which is Moksha. Vedaanta says that you cannot become Brahman – because you are already Brahman. You did not know this truth earlier. You thought that you are the Jeeva, who is different from Brahman. Therefore, you seek Brahman – to gain Him. This is a problem, and thus, even Brahma Jnaanam (theoretical knowledge about the supreme Brahman) does not give you happiness.
When you discover that you are the Brahman, who is the Paramaatma, there is no more seeking for you. Then, what happens to the Jeeva and Jagat? They are not there in reality; they are unreal and therefore, do not exist. Paramaatma (you) is like the screen in a movie theater and the moving pictures that you see are like the Jeeva and the Jagat. These pictures keep coming and going – on the screen. Can you separate the pictures from the screen in a movie theater? Not possible. They are an inseparable part of the screen. This means that the Jeeva and Jagat are an inseparable part of the Paramaatama - and there are no such things as the Jeeva and the Jagat apart from the Paramaatma. Every thing is the Paramaatma – and no second thing (other than the Paramaatma) ever exists. This is Advaita Jnaanam, which is the mother of all knowledge.
The permanent thing is the screen. Because the pictures keep coming and going, Vedaanta says that they are unreal - and the screen or the Paramaatma is the only Reality there is. And you are this Paramatma, the Ultimate Reality. Since the Jeeva and the Jagat are unreal, they do not exist for you any more. Thus, this Triputi (Jeeva,Jagat and Isvara) does not exist for you any more.
Once you know that you are no other than the Paramaatma who is the all pervading Awareness (Jnaanam), you do not need to know anything else. Hence, the Jnaata automatically disappears for you. Because you alone exist and nothing other than you ever exists, you do not need to seek knowledge about anything else. Therefore, the Jneyam also disappears for you. There is no “what next” (Aakaanksha) for you now. When the Jnaata and Jneyam disappear, the Triputi does not exist for you. The Triputi exists only when all the three components, Jnaata, Jneyam and Jnaanam exist. Thus, all the three (Jnaanam, Jnaata and Jneyam) have now merged into one and therefore, this Triputi also does not exist for you.
The nature of Paramaatma is happiness (Aananda). All this while, you were under the false notion that you are the body-mind complex with all its limitations - and you were unhappy. Once you come to realize that you are no other than the limitless Paramaatma, there is no more seeking for you. You have reached the ultimate end; you realized the ultimate truth; you have come to know at last that you are the happiness that you have been seeking all along. That happiness, which you have been seeking hitherto everywhere in the world - you have now discovered is right within you. You have at last realized that you are not different from the happiness that you seek. This is the Advaita Jnaanam, which is the mother of all knowledge.
The next thought is about “You are pure knowledge”
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