Sadhana Chatushtaya (साधनचतुष्टयम्)

The Upanishads lay down that one prepares oneself for Jnana (Knowledge or Truth) by adopting a life of Vairagya in all worldly ideals. The prerequisites for gaining the knowledge of tattva (reality) are described by Acharyas of all the three major sampradayas. It is an ethics of self-culture relating to the development of spiritual temper or disposition. This is the inner ethics of personality required by a sadhaka.

Shri Adi Shankaracharya (Advaita Sampradaya), describes the prerequisites of an aspirant of Jnanayoga under the heading of Sadhana Chatushtayam, in Tattvabodha, a prakarana grantha. He clearly outlines and defines what these prerequisites are and how they play a role in achieving the final goal of Moksha.

Shri Jayatirtha (Dvaita Sampradaya), in his commentary on Vishnu-tattva-vinirnaya, lists four attitudes as making up the ethics of personality required of a sadhaka.

Shri Ramanujacharya (Visishtadvaita Sampradaya), quotes in his Sribhashya, the Sadhana Saptakas which are meant for the sublimation of the feelings and the training of the intellect in the sadhana of Bhaktiyoga.

साधनम्॥ Sadhana

Every sampradaya discusses the important characteristics and requirements for a person to gain the knowledge of Reality (Brahman or Atman).  Brahma-vidya or Atma-vidya is required for the attainment of the fourth and the last purushartha namely, Moksha. But this vidya, also called Para-vidya, is not a subject that can be understood and realized by mere intellectual study; it is beyond logic, reasoning, or rationalization. Along with the textual study there are some requirements such as perfect discipline that is not found in university, college or any theoretical theological education. It is a Sadhana (साधनम्), the practical experience where one must undertake (mostly) a psychologically transformative journey, alone with the guidance of a Guru, to reach a realm where there is neither light nor darkness, neither East nor West, neither any gain nor loss – a realm which can never be reached by either the mind or senses. In such a situation, Vedantins have laid down some qualifications that Sadhakas must possess, special mental and physical abilities, to undertake this path.

साधनचतुष्टयम् ॥ Sadhana Chatushtaya

साधनचतुष्टयसम्पन्नाधिकारिणां मोक्षसाधनभूतं तत्त्वविवेकप्रकारं वक्ष्यामः ।

Meaning: We shall explain to those who are endowed with the four-fold requirement, the method of discriminative inquiry which is the means of Moksha.

साधनचतुष्टयं किम् ? What are the four-fold requirements?

Sadhana Chatushtaya or the four-fold practices, is a training of the mind and senses, as a prerequisite for those Sadhakas aspiring to acquire Jnana Yoga. A Sadhaka must equip himself with these four qualifications to become fit for the enquiry into the Truth. They include, Viveka, Vairagya, Values, and an Intense longing to attain Moksha, - all these qualities drive and sustain the Sadhaka on his quest for Truth.

1. नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः । Viveka - Discrimination between what is time-bound (Sat) and what is not (Asat) constitutes nitya-anityaviveka.
2. इहामुत्रार्थफलभोगविरागः । Vairagya - Dispassion towards the enjoyment of the fruits of one’s actions herein and hereafter.
3. शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिः । Virtues - The six-fold virtues or accomplishments namely Shama etc
4. मुमुक्षुत्वं चेति । An intense longing for Moksha (limitlessness, freedom from becoming).

Sankaracharya continues to explain each of these qualifications subsequently.

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः ॥ Nitya-anitya Vastu Viveka

नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः कः? नित्यवस्त्वेकं ब्रह्म तद्व्यतिरिक्तं सर्वमनित्यम् ।

What is meant by Nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka? Nitya vastu, is eternal, an infinite vastu; everything else is ephemeral (timebound), so anitya is something that is temporary, empirical, and finite. What is nitya is a real entity, rest of everything else is all temporal. Later, in Tattvabodha, the nitya vastu is proved to be the Atman or Brahman. This discrimination is important for the reductional analysis where everything is discussed and resolved as Satyam or Mithya. For example, a pot is mithya because anything which undergoes changes is said to be mithya. Here the clay which is the material cause of the pot does not undergo any change and always remains clay in all forms of clay pots. So, at this level, clay is satyam. When clay is further analysed, the chemical composition of clay, and further the atoms are satyam and everything else is mithya, at this microscopic level. Discrimination of what is eternal and what is not, constitutes nitya, anitya viveka. This is a psychological processing that a Sadhaka must undertake to ascertain and eliminate all the intermediaries in understanding the Atmatattva.

Psycho-spiritual Analysis

Nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka involves making a wise discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent with regard to the Self. Fundamentally, one should critically examine what remains unchanged within us throughout life and thereby provides a firm basis for our personal identity. One should try to find out what it is that allows the ever-changing “me”s to be reincarnations of one and the same “I.”

The Advaita Vedanta provides a simple guideline for the quest for identity: the true Self is that which always remains the same; the continually changing self-definitions are manifestations of the ego, which is not the true Self. What remains unchanged in an individual is only the self-as-subject (drk); every single aspect of the self-as-object (drsya) changes now or later in life. A firm basis for one’s personal identity cannot be found in one’s “empirical selves” such as the body, material possessions, social roles, or the attitudes and images about oneself. The only thing that remains unchanged in a person throughout the life cycle is the “center of awareness,” not one’s ego identity.

It must be noted that a cognitive understanding, or a scholarly understanding of what remains the same in a person, and what undergoes a change is not adequate. Recognition that social selves, material possessions, and physical body are impermanent, yet being emotionally attached to them does not make it realization of Self.

विरागः ॥ Viraga

विरागः कः ? इहस्वर्गभोगेषु इच्छाराहित्यम् ।

What is meant by Viraga? Viraga means indifference or disinterest, absence of raaga. Raaga means longing for something, an attachment to it believing that its presence will solve the problem. Viraga is absence of such anchoring things, binders to the worldly things, with the false notion that such a thing is required to make one happy. This freedom from raaga, or attachment is directed towards what is the question. It is directed towards Kartrtva and Bhoktrtva bhavas of a person. Raaga and desires motivate one towards performing more and more Karma, generating positive and negative karmaphalas. Karmaphala (in a positive sense of punya) must be enjoyed and this leads to the concept of Bhoga. However, while everyone performs karma with an intention of procuring benefits (punya) many a times it leads to undesirable phala (papa) which must also be endured and experienced. Bhoga or enjoyment of fruits of karma happens in this and the other worlds (after death, the svargaadi lokas). It is to be understood by the Sadhaka that Karma chakra drives the person through many janmas until he learns to break free from that cycle of deaths and rebirths (punarjanma). This knowledge must be gained by a Sadhaka by developing the attitude of indifference towards experiencing the materialistic world. Being dispassionate he consciously turns inwards in search of Atmajnana but performs only Prarabdha karma and attains the Jivanamukta stage eventually. Viraga is one who performs karmas without having any raaga or attachment to the karmaphalas, thus he breaks free of worldly limitations and can navigate on the moksha marga by overcoming worldly fetters.

Psycho-spiritual Analysis

As long as one is convinced that wealth, power, a place in the higher worlds, or other such worldly or other worldly gains are truly worth attaining, one is wedded to a pursuit of “external” goals. Success in attaining them depends only partly on what is within one’s control, and when attained they do not guarantee complete and permanent satisfaction. According to the Advaita Vedanta, lasting peace or tranquility does not depend on any external objects; it lies in the deepest regions of inner subjectivity.

This path is chosen by those who have recognized the transience of object-dependent gains or pleasures, have set out in search of a lasting peace of mind, and are prepared to cultivate a dispassionate outlook toward worldly gains such as power or wealth.

षट्सम्पत्तिः ॥ Shat-sampatti

शमादिसाधनसम्पत्तिः का ? शमो दम उपरमस्तितिक्षा श्रद्धा समाधानं च इति ।

Meaning: What are the Shama etc., six-fold virtues constituting the inner wealth? They are Shama, Dama, Uparama, Titiksha, Shraddha, and Samadhana.

These six virtues shape the character of a person. Having these virtues indicate the capability of a Sadhaka to endure, control the mind and senses, concentrate and finally have unswerving faith in achieving his goal. The six attributes are taken as one unit because they pertain to the various psychological aspects involved in bringing about mental control and discipline.

After discrimination dawns on a person, he has awakened to the real purpose of his existence. It moves internally to drive the person to seek more than what he sees in the transient world. However, he has his old traits that distract him. Then comes Vairagya which prompts as an inner restraining voice at every passing appearance. The mind applies Viveka to sort out satyam and mithya, but the old self simultaneously exists with all its weaknesses, urges and habitual tendencies to experience the temptations of the objective world. A person needs to stabilize and strengthen himself from the attacks of the subtle mind’s desires and other innate tendencies (such as Arishadvarga – the six enemies). To stand against the temptations means grievous vexations and after a period of slips and retreats, there is a danger of the sadhaka giving into those temptations. To generate a withstanding force from within, a sadhaka must develop the Shat Sampath. A sadhaka must imbibe the different ways to control and stabilize the mind, this again is a psychological process but more of practice, imparting balance, and equipoise to the mind. It gives the power to arrest the outgoing mode of the mind-function and firmly roots him in strong faith and one-pointed adherence to his goal.

1. शमः ॥ Shama

What constitutes the Shat Sampat? Shri Sankaracharya explains

• शमः कः? मनोनिग्रहः। Equanimity of the mind. It is state of being in peace, unruffled, and calm. The mind is looked upon as a karana, antahkarana, an instrument to know.

Desires and cravings produce restlessness. At peace, the serene mind has evenness of temper and restraint of emotions. It is well known that the sense organs report back to the mind. It is the center for cognition based on the inputs received from the sense organs.

2. दमः ॥ Dama

• दमः कः? चक्षुरादिबाह्येन्द्रियनिग्रहः। Restraint of the Sense organs such as eyes, etc.

Dama is restraint in external expression. It is only the abuse or misuse of the organs that brings misery and untoward results. He who is slave to the senses is subject to passions and cravings that can never give ultimate happiness. Dama is the withdrawing of the senses from the (external) objects of pleasure; a mental ability to resist temptations and wrong actions. It establishes a person in self control, the highest virtue in the world.

Kathopanishad (1.3.3-9) gives a wonderful analogy of how the body and mind are related.

आत्मानँ रथितं विद्धि शरीरँ रथमेव तु।बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥ ३ ॥ इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुर्विषयाँ स्तेषु गोचरान्।आत्मेन्द्रियमनोयुक्तं भोक्तेत्याहुर्मनीषिणः ॥ ४ ॥ (Kath. Upan. 1.3.3-4)

Here the mantra above describes the relationship between the various entities as shown below.

Chariot (रथम्)	Body (Sharira)
Rider in Chariot (रथितं)	Atma (Jivatma)
Charioteer (सारथिः)	Intellect (Buddhi)
Reins (प्रग्रहम्)	Mind (Manas)
Horses (हयाः)	Senses (Indriyas)

We see that the senses (horses) are roped and handled by the mind (reins) and thus the important controlling entity is the mind. If Sama advocates restraint on inner end of the sharira (chariot), Dama advocates restraint on the outer end of the sharira. Thus, both Sama and Dama are extremely sensitive elements, whose practice gives stability of mind which is of utmost importance in the pursuit of knowledge. Forgiveness, patience, abstention from injury, impartiality, sincerity, alertness, mildness, humility, sweetness of speech, contentment, compassion, freedom from malice, respect to the elders, - all such virtues combined make up self-control.

3. उपरमः॥ Uparama

• उपरमः कः ? स्वधर्मानुष्ठानमेव । Engaging strictly in acts of dharma, i.e., doing whatever must be done or restraining from what should not be done at a given place and in a particular situation; whether pleasant or unpleasant to the person.

This makes a person gain mastery over personal choices of likes and dislikes. Uparama presents the discriminatory function of the mind, teaching one to take charge by overriding the sensual as well as the subtle temptations of the mind. Uparama is best exemplified by followers of Sanyasa ashrama, where we find renunciation of all actions, but the difference here is that there is an engagement with the outer world with discrimination and conviction in Satyam. He is unaffected amidst distractions of diverse objects of temptations.

4. तितिक्षा ॥ Titiksha

• तितिक्षा का ? शीतोष्णसुखदुःखादिसहिष्णुत्वम् । What is titiksha? Endurance of sukha and dukha (with equanimity) in polarized situations such as heat and cold.

Titiksha is the capacity to bear distress without a complaining attitude. Fortitude in adverse situations is Titiksha. It develops will-power and patience to remain calm in the face of calamities. It is also the capability of a person to show forgiveness to one who deserves punishment for some wrong-doing.

Shri Krishna rightly explains in Bhagavad Gita (2.14-15), the sole reason – their impermanentness, because of which one should learn to endure adverse situations.

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः।आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत॥२-१४॥ यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥ २-१५॥ (Bhag. Gita. 2.14-15)

The contact of the sense organs with objects, which cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain have a beginning and an end, they are impermanent. It is only one who is not afflicted by these dualities, for whom the pleasure and pain are the same, is fit for realizing the Atman.

5. श्रद्धा ॥ Shraddha

• श्रद्धा कीदृशी ? गुरुवेदान्तवाक्यादिषु विश्वासः श्रद्धा । What is Shraddha? It is the trust in the statements of Vaidik texts and teachings of the Guru.

It is an intense faith that Vaidika teachings are the pramana, the means of knowledge to attain Brahman. A pramana is an accepted means of knowledge, it is not a speculation or a theory yet to be proved. Shabdapramana is the pramana for Brahmajnana and Sravana, Manana, Nidhidhyasa of their statements will lead to it. It is a well-researched way to reach Nihshreyasa or Moksha, as laid out by the visionary seers of Bharata. A Guru is best qualified to train the seeker in this path using Shabdapramana, but ultimately it is the seeker who must put it into practice and experience it. In this process there arise many questions which pose a danger of straying away from the path. At that juncture a seeker who has Shraddha does not loose faith and trust in the Shabdapramana and the Guru. Belief in the words of Veda, Vedanta and surrender to the Guru not knowing what it is going to do to further the inner quest is Shraddha.

Mundakopanishad (3.2.6) emphatically states that Atman has to be understood by Vedanta, वेदान्तविज्ञानसुनिश्चितार्थाः । so a firm resolve that the statements made therein are true, in spite of the many questions that arise, and will reveal the nature of Brahman – is Shraddha. Satya-buddhi towards the words of the Guru and not relying on the sense perceptions only, indicates Shraddha. We have the stories of exemplary shishyas – such as that of Uddalaka Aruni whose unswerving faith in his Guru, Dhaumya made him an outstanding shishya and eventually he became an expert in shastra. A Guru is the one who shows the seeker what is already there, but lost in the drsthti-path of the shishya, likened to the analogy of showing the lost tenth man. It is to be realized that mere pratyaksha, anumana etc., pramanas, observations and their logical processing, reasoning, hypothesizing as proposed by modern scientific methodologies lead us nowhere in the spiritual realms. This is the fundamental difference between a shastra and science. Shraddha transcends reason, does not originate from logical deductions but from an innate inner experience which is totally personal and exclusive solely to the seeker. Faith in Ishvara, existence of a higher source of rtam are the hallmarks of the principles of Sanatana Dharma and it reinforces the mumukshatvam in a seeker.

6. समाधानम् ॥ Samadhana

• समाधानं किम् ? चित्तैकाग्रता । What is samadhanam? It is the single-pointedness of the mind.

The last of the six-fold virtues required for a seeker, Samadhana is the state of equipoise, being unruffled at all costs (having total faith), to be in perfect concentration to attain the Brahman. Being able to apply all the other five virtues, a seeker who is engaged in Sravana, Manana and Nidhidhyasa, wanders to any worldly objects or desires and finding it worthless, returns to the performance of the three exercises – such a reposing back on the path overcoming all distractions is Samadhana. By working on the above 5 virtues, one must develop that single-pointedness, the focus, that complete absorbing attention on only one goal. To keep the mind in a particular track of thinking for a length of time takes an enormous effort, because the tendency of the mind is to move constantly. In this state, the ability to bring back the mind back on track is Samadhana. Arjuna faced the problem that every seeker has, how do we control that mind which has the prvrtti to move constantly,

चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम् । तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् ॥ ६-३४॥ (Bhaga. Gita. 6.34)

O! Krishna, the mind is verily restless, turbulent, strong, and unyielding; I find it quite as difficult to control as the wind.

A seeker possessing this invaluable quality of Samadhana is unperturbed and is not lead astray by the opposite pairs of dualities, in the world. It is a distinctive feature of the man of spiritual attunement.

मुमुक्षुत्वम्॥ Mumukshatva

मुमुक्षुत्वं किम् ? मोक्षो मे भूयाद् इति इच्छा ।

What is Mumukshatva? A (burning) desire, an intense longing to realise the Self. Achieving the sthiti of limitlessness is the true aim of all human aspirations. To aspire is to rise or reach upward; it is an earnest desire that is above one’s present reach or attainment, especially for something noble and spiritual. This earnest desire is usually accompanied by the endeavor to attain it with the result being released from the wheel of births and deaths and its concomitant evils of old age, disease, delusion, and sorrow. If one is totally equipped with the previous three previous qualifications, Viveka, Vairagya and Shat Virtues – Mumukshatvam will come by on its own accord because the mind no longer holds on to external objects. When purification of the mind and mental discipline is affected the longing for freedom from a limited nature, dawns by itself. Mumukshatvam is a value to which one becomes committed. A mumukshu should have the patience and motivation over a long time period to succeed in his attempts to experience the higher states. Shankaracharya expresses the intenseness of this desire using the analogy of a person whose head is totally immersed in water. The speed and intensity of desire with which such a person wants to come out of water and breathe again should be the same for a person immersed in the ocean of samasara (to come out of samsara sagara). While immersed in water in spite of the great turbulence, there is a total focus on how to come out of it, he forgets everything in the world. The only concern is to come out of water. A mumukshu should have a similar intense pining for Self-realization.

An aspirant should practice all the four means to the highest degree, proficiency in any one Sadhana does not suffice and make him whole.