Difference between revisions of "Mahavakyas (महावाक्यानि)"

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'''Mahavakyas''' (''sing.:'' mahāvākyam, महावाक्यम्; ''plural:'' mahāvākyāni, महावाक्यानि) are "The Great Sayings" of the [[Upanishads]], as characterized by the [[Advaita]] school of [[Vedanta]]. They are:
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'''Mahavakyas''' (''sing.:'' mahāvākyam, महावाक्यम्; ''plural:'' mahāvākyāni, महावाक्यानि) are "The Great Sayings" of the [[Upanishads]], as characterized by the [[Advaita]] school of [[Vedanta]]. They are<ref name=":0">Swami Krishnananda, The Philosophy of the Panchdasi, "Chapter V: Discrimination of Mahavakyas"</ref>:
 
# ''Aham Brahmasmi (''अहं ब्रह्मास्मि) ([[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्)|Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]], 1:4:10, [[Yajurveda]])   
 
# ''Aham Brahmasmi (''अहं ब्रह्मास्मि) ([[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्)|Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]], 1:4:10, [[Yajurveda]])   
 
# ''Ayam atma Brahma (''अयं आत्माब्रह्म) ([[Mandukya Upanishad]], 1:2, [[Atharvaveda]])   
 
# ''Ayam atma Brahma (''अयं आत्माब्रह्म) ([[Mandukya Upanishad]], 1:2, [[Atharvaveda]])   
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# ''Prajnanam Brahma (''प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म) ([[Aitareya Upanishad]], 3:3, [[Rigveda]])   
 
# ''Prajnanam Brahma (''प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म) ([[Aitareya Upanishad]], 3:3, [[Rigveda]])   
  
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==The four principal Mahavakyas==
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==Mahavakyas - Detailed Discussion==
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Though there are many Mahavakyas, four of them, one from each of the four [[Vedas]], are often mentioned as "the Mahavakyas".{{sfn|Saraswati|1995|p=4}} According to the Vedanta-tradition, the subject matter and the essence of all Upanishads is the same, and all the Upanishadic Mahavakyas express this one universal message in the form of terse and concise statements.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}} In later Sanskrit usage, the term ''mahāvākya'' came to mean "discourse", and specifically, discourse on a philosophically lofty topic.<ref group=web>[http://www.lisindia.net/Sanskrit/Sanskrit_struct.html Sanskrit Structure]</ref>
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=== ''Aham Brahmasmi (''अहं ब्रह्मास्मि)<ref name=":0" /> ===
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([[Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद्)|Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]], 1:4:10, [[Yajurveda]])
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Literal Meaning: I am Brahman.
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In the sentence (Aham Brahma asmi) or I am Brahman, the 'I' is that which is the One Witnessing Consciousness, standing apart from even the intellect, different from the ego-principle, and shining through every act of thinking, feeling, etc. This Witness-Consciousness, being the same in all, is universal, and cannot be distinguished from Brahman, which is the Absolute. Hence the essential 'I' which is full, super-rational and resplendent, should be the same as Brahman. This is not the identification of the limited individual 'I' with Brahman, but it is the Universal Substratum of individuality that is asserted to be what it is. The copula 'am' or (asmi) does not signify any empirical relation between two entities, but affirms the non-duality of essence<ref name=":0" />.
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Though there are many Mahavakyas, four of them, one from each of the four [[Vedas]], are often mentioned as "the Mahavakyas".{{sfn|Saraswati|1995|p=4}} According to the Vedanta-tradition, the subject matter and the essence of all Upanishads is the same, and all the Upanishadic Mahavakyas express this one universal message in the form of terse and concise statements.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}} In later Sanskrit usage, the term ''mahāvākya'' came to mean "discourse", and specifically, discourse on a philosophically lofty topic.<ref group="web">[http://www.lisindia.net/Sanskrit/Sanskrit_struct.html Sanskrit Structure]</ref>
  
 
According to the [[Advaita Vedanta]] tradition the four  Upanishadic statements indicate the ultimate [[unio mystica|unity]] of the individual ([[Atman (Hinduism)|Atman]]) with Supreme ([[Brahman]]).{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}
 
According to the [[Advaita Vedanta]] tradition the four  Upanishadic statements indicate the ultimate [[unio mystica|unity]] of the individual ([[Atman (Hinduism)|Atman]]) with Supreme ([[Brahman]]).{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}

Revision as of 16:49, 16 January 2018

Mahavakyas (sing.: mahāvākyam, महावाक्यम्; plural: mahāvākyāni, महावाक्यानि) are "The Great Sayings" of the Upanishads, as characterized by the Advaita school of Vedanta. They are[1]:

  1. Aham Brahmasmi (अहं ब्रह्मास्मि) (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 1:4:10, Yajurveda)
  2. Ayam atma Brahma (अयं आत्माब्रह्म) (Mandukya Upanishad, 1:2, Atharvaveda)
  3. Tat tvam asi (तत् त्वम् असि) (Chaandogya Upanishad, 6:8:7, Samaveda)
  4. Sarvam khalvidam Brahma (सर्वं खल्विदं ब्रह्म) (Chaandogya Upanishad, 3:14:1, Samaveda)
  5. Prajnanam Brahma (प्रज्ञानं ब्रह्म) (Aitareya Upanishad, 3:3, Rigveda)

Mahavakyas - Detailed Discussion

Aham Brahmasmi (अहं ब्रह्मास्मि)[1]

(Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 1:4:10, Yajurveda)

Literal Meaning: I am Brahman.

In the sentence (Aham Brahma asmi) or I am Brahman, the 'I' is that which is the One Witnessing Consciousness, standing apart from even the intellect, different from the ego-principle, and shining through every act of thinking, feeling, etc. This Witness-Consciousness, being the same in all, is universal, and cannot be distinguished from Brahman, which is the Absolute. Hence the essential 'I' which is full, super-rational and resplendent, should be the same as Brahman. This is not the identification of the limited individual 'I' with Brahman, but it is the Universal Substratum of individuality that is asserted to be what it is. The copula 'am' or (asmi) does not signify any empirical relation between two entities, but affirms the non-duality of essence[1].

Though there are many Mahavakyas, four of them, one from each of the four Vedas, are often mentioned as "the Mahavakyas".Template:Sfn According to the Vedanta-tradition, the subject matter and the essence of all Upanishads is the same, and all the Upanishadic Mahavakyas express this one universal message in the form of terse and concise statements.[citation needed] In later Sanskrit usage, the term mahāvākya came to mean "discourse", and specifically, discourse on a philosophically lofty topic.[web 1]

According to the Advaita Vedanta tradition the four Upanishadic statements indicate the ultimate unity of the individual (Atman) with Supreme (Brahman).[citation needed]

The Mahavakyas are:

  1. prajñānam brahma - "PrajñānaTemplate:Refn is Brahman"Template:Refn, or "Brahman is Prajñāna"[web 2] (Aitareya Upanishad 3.3 of the Rig Veda)
  2. ayam ātmā brahma - "This Self (Atman) is Brahman" (Mandukya Upanishad 1.2 of the Atharva Veda)
  3. tat tvam asi - "Thou art That" (Chandogya Upanishad 6.8.7 of the Sama Veda)
  4. aham brahmāsmi - "I am Brahman", or "I am Divine"Template:Sfn (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10 of the Yajur Veda)

People who are initiated into sannyasa in Advaita Vedanta are being taught the four [principal] mahavakyas as four mantras, "to attain this highest of states in which the individual self dissolves inseparably in Brahman".[2]

Other Mahavakyas

Prajñānam Brahma

See also: Prajna

Several translations, and word-orders of these translations, are possible:

Prajñānam:

  • jñā can be translated as "consciousness", "knowledge", or "understanding."[3]
  • Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as "higher", "greater", "supreme" or "premium",[4] or "being born or springing up",Template:Sfn referring to a spontaneous type of knowing.Template:SfnTemplate:Refn

Prajñānam as a whole means:

Related terms are jñāna, prajñā and prajñam, "pure consciousness".Template:Sfn Although the common translation of jñānamTemplate:Sfn is "consciousness", the term has a broader meaning of "knowing"; "becoming acquainted with",[web 5] "knowledge about anything",[web 5] "awareness",[web 5] "higher knowledge".[web 5]

Brahman:

Most interpretations state: "Prajñānam (noun) is Brahman (adjective)". Some translations give a reverse order, stating "Brahman is Prajñānam",[web 2] specifically "Brahman (noun) is Prajñānam (adjective)": "The Ultimate Reality is wisdom (or consciousness)".[web 2]

Sahu explains:

Prajnanam iti Brahman - wisdom is the soul/spirit. Prajnanam refers to the intuitive truth which can be verified/tested by reason. It is a higher function of the intellect that ascertains the Sat or Truth in the Sat-Chit-Ananda or truth-consciousness-bliss, i.e. the Brahman/Atman/Self/person [...] A truly wise person [...] is known as Prajna - who has attained Brahmanhood itself; thus, testifying to the Vedic Maha Vakya (great saying or words of wisdom): Prajnanam iti Brahman.Template:Sfn

And according to David Loy,

The knowledge of Brahman [...] is not intuition of Brahman but itself is Brahman.Template:Sfn

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Swami Krishnananda, The Philosophy of the Panchdasi, "Chapter V: Discrimination of Mahavakyas"
  2. ↑ kamakoti.org, The Upanisads
  3. ↑ See, e.g., Monier-Williams (1899), "jña," p. 425 (retrieved 14 Aug. 2012 from "Cologne U." at http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/scans/MWScan/MWScanpdf/mw0425-jehila.pdf).
  4. ↑ See, e.g., Monier-Williams (1899), "prā," p. 652 (retrieved 14 Aug. 2012 from "Cologne U." at http://www.sanskrit-lexicon.uni-koeln.de/cgi-bin/monier/serveimg.pl?file=/scans/MWScan/MWScanjpg/mw0659-prajalpana.jpg)


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