Types of Aathmajnjaanis

1/13/09

Even before discussing about the four types of jnaanis and two types of Jnaanam, let us read what Ramana Maharshi said about Jnaanis: 

the apparent distinctions between jnanis exist solely in the eyes of those ajnanis who look at them." 

Also "Brahman can never be an object to be known".

 

So an  Ajnaani myself, I am trying to explore the four terms used for Jnaanis.

 

There are two types of Brahmajnaanam or Knowledge about Brahman. One is called Brahmavishaya Jnaanam and the other one is called Brahmaakaara Jnaanam.

 

Brahmavishaya Jnaanam: This stage is attained when all the acitivity or vritti of the mind is utilised for contemplating Brahman. There is no activity happens in the mind other than contemplating Brahman. This is possible only when the chitanya of brahma reflects in the intellect. A jnaani at this stage is called a Brahamvid. Brahmavid realizes that brahma alone is real and this world is unreal or Maaya. Some residual mental activity is left in him.

 

Second type, Brahmaakaaara janaanam not only burns other thought processes, but when it reaches a certain point, this activity or vritti also will completely ceased or the vritti acquires the nature of Brahman. This is the superior type of Brahmajnaana and they are called Brahamavid-varishta. He is liberated and remains in the thuriya state or perpetual samadhi. There is no mental activity left and all vrittis are completely ceased

 

Now in between the Brahmavid and Brahmavid-varishta there are two more type of Jnaanis. One who is slightly ahead of Brahavid is called Brahmavid-vara. Brahmavidvara rises from his samadhi, according to his will and residual mental activity is less than Brahmavid.

 

Third jnaani is not activity-free like Brahmavid varishta, but very little residual mental activity is left. He is called Brahmavid-varya. Brahmavid-varya has to be awakened from his samadhi by an outsider.

 

Vara, varya, varishta, do not indicate whether their knowledge is complete or incomplete. Brahmajnaanam cannot be incomplete. They refer to the Anubhoothi mandalam or field of experience and degree of mental activity.

All the above jnaanis have experienced Brahman. But their degree of mental activity is not the same. The supreme Jnaani with zero mental activity will not come into the midst of common man because he is in perpetual samadhi unaware of everything around him and lives until the body he took due to prarabdha karma falls.

May all these give us food for more thought and lead us from darkness to light.

ThamasO maam jyOthirgamaya!