Sunday, August 05, 2012

Dust into dust - that is body's way - mantrA 143

srigurubhyO namahA |

After the initial discourse of the guru termed 'upadEshA', the siddar begins the next section of the first tantrA. In this section, he deals with the topic of the body's mortality. It is an important lesson to learn, not just for the spiritual aspirant but for all of us who are possessed of a physical body. Like thiruvalluvar and other Tamil sages, the author first highlights the plight of the body (i.e. its transitoriness) and then details the methods to overcome this limitation. Whether or not the aspirant is successful in the practise of kAyAkalpA, this section provides enough material for contemplation on the impermanence of this body and as a result serves to point the reader towards the recognition of the true (and eternal) self. The verses occurring in this section are sometimes in plain language and at other times are cloaked in allegories to speak of a more detailed philosophy to those that know the key to these symbols. But almost always they are brutal in their honesty and even abrupt in construct to convey the truth that death is sudden and comes to everyone without partiality, be they mighty kings or petty criminals. When the karma that created the need for the physical body is exhausted for the time being, the body returns to the earth that it took shape from. Thus there is no use in being overly attached to the physical body, it is merely a vessel for the experience of the fruits of actions committed in the past.

This section is titled -


2. யாக்கை நிலையாமை
           or
2 TRANSITORINESS OF BODY

 
மண்ணொன்று கண்டீர் இருவகைப் பாத்திரம்
திண்ணென்று இருந்தது தீவினைச் சேர்ந்தது
விண்ணின்று நீர்விழின் மீண்டுமண் ணானார்ப்போல்
எண்ணின்றி மாந்தர் இறக்கின்ற வாறே. I.2.1.143

The Vessel's clay was one, but of two Karmas made,
Firm-set, until Fate its grim summons gave;
Then the rains poured and back to clay the vessel turned;
Thus countless hordes perish and pass to the grave. I.2.1.143

 
Com - The Vessel's clay was one, There is a clay known as mAyA, but of two Karmas made, and from that clay was fashioned the vessel known as the body, composed of two karmAs. Firm-set, until Fate its grim summons gave; And that vessel when baked in the kiln appeared to be solid and firm, but when left unbaked, Then the rains poured and back to clay the vessel turned; the rains that fall from the sky will eventually dissolve the (unbaked) clay and leave only mud behind. Thus countless hordes perish and pass to the grave. In a similar way, countless beings die due to the body perishing.


*As mentioned above, this short subsection is devoted to pointing out the transitory nature of this body. Here the sage uses the classic metaphor of the clay vessel to illustrate the human body. The clay or substance that is used to fashion this vessel is mAyA. The 36 tattvAs are grouped into three groups – the Atma tattvA (impure tattvAs), vidyA tattvA (mixed tattvAs) and the shiva tattvAs (pure tattvAs). The tattvA known as mAyA belongs to the middle group and using its inherent powers of the 5 kanchukAs (limiting agents) of rAgA, kAlA, kalA, avidyA and niyatI, it creates the limited being (jIvA) appearing as if different to siva. Thus the clay which is used to fashion this vessel is mAyA.The term ‘iru vinai’ translated as two karmAs refers not to the karma of the father and that of the mother, but instead to the two fold nature of karma’s fruit – namely merit (punyA) and demerit (pApA), arising from actions that are good and bad respectively. With this we understand that based on the fruit of the actions committed by the soul in previous lifetimes, the limiting factor of mAyA tattvA produces the appropriate body.

The sage then mentions that while a clay vessel that has been properly and thoroughly baked in the kiln through contact with the element of fire will possess a form that is fairly solid and firm, the clay vessel which has been unbaked does not fare so well. When the rains fall down from the skies on such an unbaked vessel, the water will dissolve the vessel into the mud that it was before taking on the (temporary) appearance of a vessel. He likens the fate of countless beings, like us who live on this earth in bodies that simply perish (when the merit/demerits responsible for the birth of this body end) and go to the grave – i.e the clay that the vessel was made from. This is common sense and we all know that the unbaked clay will dissolve upon contact with water. However, as in the case of the sage we have not taken any measures to preserve this body.The baking of the vessel in the kiln is a suggestion to indicate that if the gross body was conditioned through the proper practises then it can be transformed into a body of light – which will remain healthy for countless years and will not succumb to disease and death. The science of kAyAkalpA and yOgA and the constant meditation on the light on the crown of the head is comparable to the time the vessel spends in the kiln, in contact with the element of fire. And a body thus prepared does not need to perish like the rest.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are kayakalpa, rasamani et al still available? Can it be had by the common man?

mooligai sidhan said...

srigurubhyO namahA |

Namaste,
kAyAkalpA refers to the science of making the body last a long time on earth and not a type of tonic or some such medicine - i.e. it is not a product. kAyA means body in sanskrit and kalpam refers to a period of time:a very very long period of time. Thus the term kAyAkalpA refers to the science of making the normally mortal and shortlived human body last for vast periods of time. This includes the use of certain herbs,prAnAyAma techniques, the eating of specific foods and many other yOgic processes which will gradually transform the body. Many siddars (both of the southern and northern traditions)like gOrrakar,bOgar, thirumUlar, matsyEndranAth,etc have written detailed works on the procedures involved in kAyAkalpA.

rasamani on the other hand is solidified mercury. Though these days it is available on the internet for a few dollars, it is not the silver/lead amalgams that the original term refers to. Real rasamani is made using only some magical herbs and indicates the siddhi of the person capable of gathering mercury together into a solid ball or other shape. This real rasamani has many magical and supernatural powers and is of great use in prolonging life. This also is available today as a few rasa siddhAs do exist, but more than likely it will not be bought for money.

And for your question whether these can be had by the common man, I would say - not so easily. It is not something you would buy in a shop or from some website. And it is not something that can be bulk produced so it is rare too.

Anonymous said...

captioning it as "transitoriness of body", why do we talk here about how to enrich it, if the body is not so important?

However one may say about the body, is not that with which every individual is identified?

the work, the contribution, the literature, etc may be there as records. but the body with which these were produced is gone..

And only the past records, past works, past contributions stay and nothing new happens to give a new work or improve upon the old work.

If i would say, the body is also as important as the mind, would you disagree?

TRR

mooligai sidhan said...

srigurubhyO namahA |

@TRR,
It is thirumUlar who has called this section 'yAkkai nilayAmai' which in english is 'transitoriness of body', and what is being detailed here is the body's mortality and no one mentioned that the body is unimportant.

However one may say about the body, is not that with which every individual is identified?

Yes, it is the body to which the individual is WRONGLY identified to. The truth that the sage tries to make us understand through this section is that the actual life principle is not the body - it is merely possesed of a body for temporary periods of time. The individual is more than just the body and is not limited to it though he is limited BY it.

''the work, the contribution, the literature, etc may be there as records. but the body with which these were produced is gone..

And only the past records, past works, past contributions stay and nothing new happens to give a new work or improve upon the old work.''

I am not too sure I understand your intent behind these words. If you mean to say that the works of an individual stand even when the body is gone, then yes that is true. but even those works and words and contribution will be forgotten some day as it is the nature of time. Nothing is permanent, nothing is eternal - only self or Atman is.

mooligai sidhan said...

srrigurubhyO namahA |

If i would say, the body is also as important as the mind, would you disagree?

I would not disagree to your above statement. But the mind is not seperate to the body. The manas tattvA (what you call mind)along with its discriminatory faculty known as buddhi tattvA and the tanmAtrAs together with ahamkAra tattvA are collectively known as the chittA and this is an internal instrument. This is connected to the external body as it were through the interface of the prAnamaya kOshA or the body of life breath. When this life breath is gone from the body, the internal mind tattvA will also go away from the body.

The body is a means to experience the fruit of karmA in this world which is panchabhUtAtmakA or composed of the five great elements. These are recognised through the cognitive instruments or the gn~yAnEndriyAs and the mind experiences them thinking and feeling that it is the experiencer.

The body, and that too the human body is a boon beyond words. Please do not misunderstand the words of the sages when they speak of the impermanance of the body - that is not to say that it is unimportant. The jIvA is gifted with free will and it is only when possesed of the body is it possible to arrive at what is known as 'mei gn~yAnam' or true knowledge. This is the knowledge that siva and jIvA are one and the same.(tat twam asi, aham braHmasmi). This is braHmavidyA or AtmavidyA and is the product of lifetimes of tapas and punyA - only then does the root ignorance known as delusion or avidyA is destroyed and true knowledge can blossom. For this purpose,the body and mind are extremely important. That is why the siddars and the yOgis and the ancients have revealed innumerable methods that will purify and empower this body and the mind. Chitta shuddi and bhUta shuddi are essential elements of correct sAdhanA and most of our rituals are designed to promote and cultivate this. Even here the siddar is bringing our attention to the mortality of the human body and to the sudden nature of death to goad us into recognising this fact and begin work on gaining self knowledge at once and without any further delay. As the siddars knew fully well that the chance of another human body is so rare and frought with difficulty, they developed methods to enable the seeker to maximise this oppurtunity of having a physical body.

It is for this reason that they developed kAyAkalpA techniques. To prolong the life of this body and to keep it healthy and the mind energised, so that before this body is lost (as it is in the nature of the body to perish)they would be able to evelate to the ground of real self knowledge and fulfill the real purpose of life. It is not their fear of death or desire to enjoy the sensory pleasures that they have sought to prolong life. So again, the body is important and to ensure that it is healthy and that it is ready for the task it is designed for is a very important duty of the individual. But he has to realise and understand its mortal and temporal nature and also know that he is more than just the body. This will help in cutting loose some of the ties of attachment to the physical level of reality and thus get the individual ready to recognise other aspects of himself that are transcendent to the physical body.

Anonymous said...

Great explanation. i have not come across anybody putting forth a case so well, me being an advocate myself, (in the legal sense !! )

Wonderful flow of words, and ideas and thoughts.

Great.

TRR

mooligai sidhan said...

srigurubhyO namahA |

@TRR,
Thank you for your kind compliment! Perhaps being the son of two advocates (in the legal sense again!)is the reason. Thanks again and delighted that these words make sense. Though, I would like to use this moment to mention also that none of these ideas and thoughts are mine. I am merely echoing the words of the masters of our dharmA. Albeit,limited by own understanding of those words.