Evolution from Brahmi to Gupta to sanskrit part 48
There are 2 types of Samadhi:
1. Samprajnata Samadhi (Savikalpa)
2. Asamprajnata Samadhi (Nirvikalpa)
Samprajnata Samadhi (Savikalpa)
Samprajnata Samadhi (or Savikalpa) is a meditative state of peace and quiet. The practitioner temporarily experiences the union of the mind, body and soul only in meditation. Ordinary consciousness and decision-making takes over once the person leaves the meditative state.
There are 4 stages of Samprajnata Samadhi:
1. Sarvitarka Samadhi
In this stage, the mind focuses on every aspect of the object of meditation, such as a flame.
2. Savichara Samadhi
Once the object’s physical aspects are understood, the mind moves to understanding the more subtle aspects of the object, such as beauty, love, aura, etc.
3. Sa-ananda Samadhi
In this stage, the mind focuses on the joy and peace felt by one’s power of perceiving every aspect of the object of meditation by leaving behind the object and concentrating on the mind itself.
4. Sa-Asmita Samadhi
In this stage, only the satvic (pure) ego remains. The mind is now fully aware of the divine consciousness, and it’s connection with the higher Supreme power.
Asamprajnata Samadhi (Nirvikalpa)
In Sanskrit, a vikalpa is a thought-construct. Nirvikalpa translates to ‘without thought constructs’. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the ego is now dissolved, and only pure and empty consciousness remains. The mind transcends into a state of blissful self-awareness, leaving behind all attachments to the material world.
There are 3 stages of Asamprajnata Samadhi:
1. Nirvitarka Samadhi
This is the stage in which the mind has a complete understanding of the true nature of consciousness by leaving behind all material aspects. The mind is focused on the artha, or form, and disregards the fact that it is the knower. There is a greater control over the mind, its ideas and knowledge.
2. Nirvichara Samadhi
In this stage, the mind is free of all the thoughts that are not relevant, and concentration is almost laser-focused. The concepts of space and time lose their meaning in Nirvichara Samadhi.
3. Kaivalya Samadhi
This is the final stage of eternal union with the Supreme.
“But by what means does one attain the Kaivalya kind of Moksha? The Mandukya [Upanishad] is enough. If knowledge is not attained from it, then study the Ten Upanishads. Attaining knowledge very quickly, you will reach my abode. If certainty is not attained even then, study the 32 Upanishads and stop. If desiring Moksha without the body, read the 108 Upanishads. Hear their order.”
What Does Samadhi Feel Like?
The philosophy of yoga describes 3 states, or avasthas, of consciousness: waking, dreaming and sleeping. There is, however, a fourth state – the superconscious, or turiya awareness state, which is a union of the 3 states where the true self may be discovered. This is a state of inner peace and pure consciousness.
The माण्डुक्योपनिषद (Mandukya Upanishad) describes the nature and feeling of Samadhi, or the final stage of union with the Supreme.
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 7
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् । अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः ॥ 7 ॥
In English, the above Sanskrit verse can be read as:
naantah-pragyam na bahish-pragyam nobhayatah-pragyam na pragyaa-naghanam na pragyam naa-pragyam, adrishtama-vyavahaarya-magraah-yamalakshanam achint-yama-vyapadesh-yamekaatma-pratyayasaaram prapan-chopa-shamam shaantam shiva-madva-itam chaturtham man-yante sa aatamaa sa vigyeyah ॥ 7 ॥
Mandukya Upanishad Verse 7 Translation from Sanskrit to English
Here’s the translation of each of the above words of the verse:
naantahpragyam (नान्तःप्रज्ञम्) – na + antah + pragyam (न + अन्तः + प्रज्ञम्): Not inward knowable.
na bahishpragyam (न बहिष्प्रज्ञम्) – na + bahis + pragyam (न + बहिस् + प्रज्ञम्): Not outward knowable.
nobhayatahpragyam (नोभयतःप्रज्ञम्) – na + ubhayatah + pragyam (न + उभयतः + प्रज्ञम्): Not both side knowable.
na pragyanaghanam (न प्रज्ञानघनम्) – na + pragyaan + ghanam (न + प्रज्ञान + घनम्): Not unknown / Not unrecognized.
na pragyam (न प्रज्ञम्) – na + pragyam (न + प्रज्ञम्): Not knowable.
naapragyam (नाप्रज्ञम्) – na + a + pragyam (न + अ + प्रज्ञम्): Not unknowable.
ekaatmapratyayasaaram (एकात्मप्रत्ययसारम्) – eka +aatma + pratyaya + saaram (एक +आत्म + प्रत्यय + सारम्): Substance of the conception of the single self.
prapanchopashamam (प्रपञ्चोपशमम्) – pra + pancha + upashamam (प्र + पञ्च + उपशमम्): For extinction to five, where five are the elements of life; air, water, earth, fire and ether.
Compositing the translated words together, the result is:
Neither inward knowable, nor outward; not knowable from both ways. Neither unknown, nor knowable, nor unknowable. Invisible, non-interactable, incomprehensible, not having any characteristics, inconceivable, non-mentionable, the substance of the conception of the single self, the endpoint (of all): peaceful, auspicious, non-dual, deemed as fourth, he is Self (Atma), He is to be known.
Thus, Mandukya Upanishad Verse 7 can be simplified and translated from Sanskrit to English:
न अन्तः प्रज्ञम् न बहिस् प्रज्ञम् न उभयतः प्रज्ञम् न प्रज्ञानघनम् न प्रज्ञम् न अप्रज्ञम् ।
अदृष्टम् अव्यवहार्यम् अग्राह्यम् अलक्षणम् अचिन्त्यम् अव्यपदेश्यम् एक आत्म प्रत्यय सारम् प्र पञ्च उपशमम् शान्तम् शिवम् अद्वैतम् चतुर्थम् मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः ॥ 7 ॥
The fourth quarter is not conscious of the internal nor the external, nor that which is conscious of both, nor that which is a mass of consciousness. It is neither conscious nor unconscious. It is unseen, unrelated to anything, incomprehensible, uninferable, unthinkable, indescribable; it is one with the Self. It is a realm where phenomena cease to exist, which is peaceful, blissful, and non-dual. This Self has to be realized.
This fourth state of consciousness is known as Turiya, which translates to fourth state.
While in Turiya, your mind can be busy or quiet. Your normal thoughts and worries don’t disturb your inner depths. The sages describe it like the waves on the surface of the ocean, that don’t affect the mountains, valleys and creatures that live in the depths. Meditation is your opportunity to dive deep for an inner experience, but its true goal is that you live from that deep and centered level of your own Beingness.
माण्डुक्योपनिषद (Mandukya Upanishad) - Verse 7
नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिष्प्रज्ञं नोभयतःप्रज्ञं न प्रज्ञानघनं न प्रज्ञं नाप्रज्ञम् ।
अदृष्टमव्यवहार्यमग्राह्यमलक्षणं अचिन्त्यमव्यपदेश्यमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः ॥ 7 ॥
naantahpragyam na bahishhpragyam nobhayatahpragyam na pragyaanaghanam na pragyam naapragyam,
adrishhtamavyavahaaryamagraahyamalakshanam achintyamavyapadeshyamekaatmapratyayasaaram prapanchopashamam shaantam shivamadvaitam chaturtham manyante sa aatamaa sa vigyeyah
Translation:
na (न) - No/Not
antah (अन्तः) - Inside/Inner/Internal
pragyam (प्रज्ञम्) - Knowable/Acquaint able/Knowing
bahis (बहिस्) - Outside/Outward/Outer/Excluded/External
ubhayatah (उभयतः) - On both side/In both cases
pragyaan (प्रज्ञान) - Cognisance/Knowing
ghanam/ghana (घनम्/घन) - Dense/Dark/Solid/Hard
apragyam (अप्रज्ञम्) - a (अ) + pragyam (प्रज्ञम्) - Non-knowable/Non-knowing - Unknowable
adrishhtam (अदृष्टम्) - a (अ) + drishhtam (दृष्टम्) - Non-seeable/Non-viewable - Invisible
avyavahaaryam (अव्यवहार्यम्) - a (अ) + vyavahaaryam (व्यवहार्यम्) - Non-actionable/Non-interact-able.
agraahyam (अग्राह्यम्) - a (अ) + graahyam (ग्राह्यम्) - Non-grasp-able/Non-comprehensible - Imperceptible/Incomprehensible
alakshanam (अलक्षणम्) - a (अ) + lakshanam (लक्षणम्) - Non-characteristic - Not having any characteristics.
achintyam (अचिन्त्यम्) - a (अ) + chintyam (चिन्त्यम्) - Non-reflection-able/Non-thinkable - Inconceivable
avyapadeshyam (अव्यपदेश्यम्) - a (अ) + vyapadeshyam (व्यपदेश्यम्) - Non-mentionable
ekaatma (एकात्म) - eka (एक) + aatma (आत्म) - Single self
pratyaya (प्रत्यय) - Conception/Conviction/Notion/Idea
saaram (सारम्) - Substance/Quintessence
pra (प्र) - To/"used as prefix"
pancha (पञ्च) - Five
upashamam (उपशमम्) - Cessation/Abatement/Extinction/Calmness
shaantam (शान्तम्) - Peaceful
shivam (शिवम्) - Auspicious/Kind/Friendly/Gracious/Happy
advaitam (अद्वैतम्) - a (अ) + dvaitam (द्वैतम्) - Non-dual
chaturtham (चतुर्थम्) - Fourth
manyante (मन्यन्ते) - Deem/View as
sah (सः) - He
aatmaa (आत्मा) - Self/Soul/Spirit
vigyeyah (विज्ञेयः) - To be known
Composite words:
naantahpragyam (नान्तःप्रज्ञम्) - na + antah + pragyam (न + अन्तः + प्रज्ञम्); means, Not inward knowable.
na bahishhpragyam (न बहिष्प्रज्ञम्) - na + bahis + pragyam (न + बहिस् + प्रज्ञम्); means, Not outward knowable.
nobhayatahpragyam (नोभयतःप्रज्ञम्) - na + ubhayatah + pragyam (न + उभयतः + प्रज्ञम्); means, Not both side knowable.
na pragyanaghanam (न प्रज्ञानघनम्) - na + pragyaan + ghanam (न + प्रज्ञान + घनम्); means, Not unknown/Not unrecognised.
na pragyam (न प्रज्ञम्) - na + pragyam (न + प्रज्ञम्); means, Not knowable.
naapragyam (नाप्रज्ञम्) - na + a + pragyam (न + अ + प्रज्ञम्); means, Not unknowable.
ekaatmapratyayasaaram (एकात्मप्रत्ययसारम्) - eka +aatma + pratyaya + saaram (एक +आत्म + प्रत्यय + सारम्); means, Substance of the conception of the single self.
prapanchopashamam (प्रपञ्चोपशमम्) - pra + pancha + upashamam (प्र + पञ्च + उपशमम्); means, To extinction to five, where five are the elements of life; air, water, earth, fire and ether - End point.
Fragmented verse:
न अन्तः प्रज्ञम् न बहिस् प्रज्ञम् न उभयतः प्रज्ञम् न प्रज्ञानघनम् न प्रज्ञम् न अप्रज्ञम् ।
अदृष्टम् अव्यवहार्यम् अग्राह्यम् अलक्षणम् अचिन्त्यम् अव्यपदेश्यम् एक आत्म प्रत्यय सारम् प्र पञ्च उपशमम् शान्तम् शिवम् अद्वैतम् चतुर्थम् मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः
na antah pragyam na bahis pragyam na ubhayatah pragyam na pragyaanaghanam na pragyam na apragyam,
adrishhtam avyavahaaryam agraahyam alakshanam achintyam avyapadeshyam eka atma pratyaya saaram pra panch upashamam shaantam shivam advaitam chaturtham manyante sa aatamaa sa vigyeyah