The Ideal of Sannyasa
Sri Swami SivanandaSwami Sivananda Saraswati
Sannyasa is a term which is used to denote the formal dedication and renunciation of all objective acts, whether they are psychical or physical. There can be two types of renunciation, the renunciation which precedes the knowledge of truth and that which is simultaneous with the knowledge of truth. The one we call vividisha sannyasa and the other vidvat sannyasa. Naturally, the former kind implies an earnest desire, a longing for the knowledge of the cause, the supreme cause of renunciation.
What is it that fires up in the aspirant the spirit of renunciation? It is the instinctive feeling of the presence of something which is different from what he perceives through the senses. This is the characteristic of the renunciation of the person who has not yet attained knowledge. In a person who has attained the knowledge of truth, renunciation is not instinctive; it is a deliberate act of the consciousness. But in the case of the aspirant who has not yet realized the truth, renunciation is instinctive, and this instinct arises in him on account of purvapunya, the result of past meritorious deeds accelerated by satsanga, the company of the wise and the good persons. It is this that rouses the spirit of renunciation in him. Discriminative understanding
Every kind of renunciation, if it is spiritual, is preceded by viveka or discriminative understanding, because renunciation is the effect of vairagya, and we know that vairagya is caused by viveka. There cannot be true vairagya without viveka. Renunciation has no value at all if it is caused by some frustration or failure in life. It becomes long-lasting only when it is caused by a correct perception of truth. That is why the great rishis have said that viveka should precede vairagya and only after that will the other necessary qualifications be acquired by the aspirant. After acquiring all these qualifications, one must approach a preceptor for the knowledge of the truth. We call all these qualifications together the sadhana-chatushtaya, the fourfold equipment of the spiritual aspirant, and of these four equipments vairagya is one, and it is the cause of renunciation.
Now what does one renounce? We talk of renunciation. But what is it that is to be renounced? What is the object that is not conducive to one’s practising spiritual sadhana? What is the condition or state which is to be abandoned? This can be known only if you analyze your experience properly. Most of the people lack the capacity of this analysis. You are somehow or other caught up in the meshes of life and you confuse all kinds of experiences together. You take things for granted. The objects which the senses make you perceive, the knowledge which you attain through the senses, is taken by you as the basis of everything in this world. You build the edifice of life on sense-experience. Implications of experience
Now let us take the position of the ordinary man, the person who takes sense-experience for granted and considers them to be the only truth. I am only directing your mind from the lower experiences to the implication of those experiences. There are several deeper facts implied in our ordinary experience. We perceive this world, and this perception is a universal fact. Everyone of us knows that there is a perception of what we call the physical world, but a few of us are capable of entering into the implications of this perception.
There is a physical body. Man visualizes that body, and on account of the grossness of the mind, he takes that body to be as it is, as it presents itself to the physical senses, and consequently he develops a particular attitude towards it, an attitude of love or an attitude of hatred. Sometimes an attitude of indifference is developed by him. But the spiritual aspirants who are endowed with true viveka do not take things for granted, and are capable of entering into the meaning of experience.
In every experience we will find that certain fundamental factors are involved. What are those? First, there is a body. Let us take for granted that there is a body. And how is the body made known to us? This body is made known to us through the external indriyas, the karanas, organs of senses, and these senses are animated by the mental consciousness. The intelligence that is present in the mind is the ultimate cause of our knowledge of the existence of an external object.
Here we have to make an analysis not only of the nature of the external object, but of our own self. The knower of the object and the object that is known, both of these have to be analyzed; and curiosity enough, we will find that when we try to analyze the nature of the object, we will be taken backwards to the perceiver of the object. That is to say, the nature of the object cannot be known without a correct understanding of the nature of the knower. Why is it so? Because constitution of the knower very much influences the constitution of the object that is known.
The subject who looks at a particular object outside, is not merely a silent witness thereof. He infuses certain characteristics into that object. In other words, he modifies it to a certain extent. That is why he has got a certain distinct attitude towards an object. There are certain attitudes which we develop towards the object. They cause us to like or dislike the object. These attitudes are not universal. They are changing even in the very same person under different circumstances. This shows that the attitudes which we develop towards the external objects of this world are not present in the objects as such, but somewhere else. Basis of knowledge
Where are these attitudes present? These attitudes, if not present in the objects, must be present in the process of knowledge by which we are able to know the external objects; but wherefrom does this process of knowledge arise? It must have a basis; and that substance which is the basis of the process of knowledge through which we know the external objects is our own Self. If knowledge is to proceed from the Self, the Self should be of the nature of knowledge, because a conscious result cannot proceed from an unconscious cause.
The process of knowledge is consciousness, and, therefore, the basis of the process is consciousness itself. This is what we understand. If the nature of the object, or, to put it in a better way, the objectness of the object, is given to it by the process of knowledge, and if that process of knowledge is inherent in the Self, which is now proved to be the truth, we have to direct our attention to the Self and not to the external objects which are not real in themselves. So here, when we say that there is nothing real in the object, we must understand clearly what we mean by it.
There are two characteristics of an object—its existence and its outward characteristic. Now, existence is not to be negatived. Because God is present everywhere, God is Satchidananda, pure Consciousness which is existence, and this is identical with vishaya-chaitanya. As God is universal in nature, He must be the underlying reality of the external objects also. So, when we deny the natural characteristic of the external objects, we are not to deny in them the fundamental reality which is vishaya chaitanya. Renunciation of the non-eternal
The objects have also nama-rupa, and these are relative in nature. This fact the viveki understands very clearly. In some this knowledge arises instinctively, on account of past meritorious deeds; in others it arises on account of deep study; in some others still it arises on account of company of sages; but it must arise in every spiritual aspirant. The moment this consciousness arises in him, he is automatically drawn away from the shadowy forms of the objects, the vestures in which they are embedded.
To use an analogy of the Upanishads, as one removes the pith of the munja grass for the purpose of performing the ritual and separates it from the stalk in which it is encased, so is the action of the viveki. He separates the pith of the Infinite from the object and the subject which he casts off as the outer shell. But when he casts off the outer shell, does he throw away something of existence? For people feel that if everything is God, there is nothing to renounce. What is renunciation then? The doubter does not understand the fact that nothing real is to be renounced, only that which is apparent, that which does not last long, that which is non-eternal, alone has to be renounced. The eternal is never reached through the non-eternal. So he who is intent upon the realization of the eternal cares not for the non-eternal. Unreality of the relative characteristic
It is the objective character of experience that is called the universe. The universe as such is not unreal, the individual as such is not unreal, but the relative characteristics which are presented to the sense-consciousness are not real. It is one’s taking for granted the realities of these relative factors that is the cause of bondage. Man is bound up by the notion of the reality of sense-experience. The process of transmigration is caused by your attaching yourself to some one or other particular form of experience. It is good if you identify yourselves with all the forms in the world, but this is not possible. For the moment one identifies oneself with the universe, one has practically no consciousness of any particular object. One ceases to be a social being, for the time being, and rises above individuality.
All these factors are brought before the mind of the viveki when he analyses the nature of God, the nature of the world, the nature of the soul and the relation among these, and he goes beyond the apparent forms which shroud him up in this relative world. This analysis has to be made by every spiritual aspirant. It is very difficult to make it, and even if it is made once, it is difficult to maintain it for long.
Steadiness in Yoga comes and goes. No person can be sure of his capability to remain in the state of Yoga continuously. As long as the body is there, the mind will be brought down by some karma of the past. That is why Prajapati says to Indra that, as long as the body is there, pain will be there, belief in the reality of the world will be there; but when the person becomes disembodied, he is freed from all pains and pleasures. Becoming disembodied is transcending the consciousness of the body.
It is not merely the death of the body that is meant here. Whether the body lives or not, the liberated one has no consciousness of it; he is immortal. Therefore, whether one has got a body or not is not what matters. Whether there is consciousness of body or not is what is important. Here we make a distinction between jivanmukti and videhamukti. This difference is made from the point of view of the world, because to the jivanmukta, his state is equal to videhamukti, for he is not in the world. Spirit of Renunciation
The process of the understanding of the difference between the objectivity in the universe and the infinite spirit in it is the background of all acts of renunciation. If you wish to understand what true renunciation is, it is enough if you understand
one statement of the Chandogya Upanishad; and from that you will also understand what the nature of God is. That is a grand statement made by Sanatkumara.
The Infinite is called Bhuma by Sanatkumara. Bhuma means completeness, plenitude. He takes the mind of Narada, step by step, from the lower to the higher, and explains that the Infinite is bliss. It is not merely the reservoir of bliss. It is bliss itself. But what is the Infinite? This question arose in the mind of Narada. What is Bhuma?
Sanatkumara then gives a very beautiful description of it. “Where one sees nothing else, where one hears nothing else, where one understands or knows nothing else, that is the state of Bhuma.” And what is this world? We see something else, hear something else, understand something else. Everywhere there is duality. This is the characteristic of the world. The complete opposite of it is Bhuma. In the Bhuma the universe is not physical. Here it is physical. There the universe is eternal. Here it is changing. Here it is objective. There it is infinite or absolute.
Sanatkumara further adds, “Where one sees something else, hears something else, or understands something else, i.e., something other than the Self, that is the small, the painful, the perishable.” That is why the world is called duhkhalayam, asaswatam, by Sri Krishna. The world is not Bhuma and for the same reason it is painful. Everything in this world is pain. Even the highest pleasure of this world is pain only to the viveki–only to the viveki, not to all. For even the highest pleasure is only a manifestation of the sattva guna.
So even the highest pleasure is not even a drop of the Brahmic bliss. It is less than Brahma-bliss, for it is distorted through sattva guna, which is influenced by rajas and tamas. They lie in ambush like a hooded cobra. The moment the excitement of nerves which causes the appearance of sattva is over, rajas and tamas come, and the result is pain. Play of deception
Patanjali gives various reasons why there is only pain in this world. One of them is the rotation of the gunas in individual experience. There is never only sattva. When a particular quality comes to the forefront, you experience only that, and behind it are present the other qualities. Behind tamas are sattva and rajas. Behind rajas are sattva and tamas. Behind sattva are rajas and tamas.
So the pleasure of this world is only a reflection of the supreme consciousness through the medium of sattwa, which is a characteristic mode of prakriti, changing every moment. The modes of prakriti are changing; therefore, the pleasure of this world must be changing. Not only are they changing, they are false in their essential nature. They are deceptive and tantalizing. Like the currents of water seen in a mirage, are the values of experiences in this world.
When you try to know the nature of the pleasures of the world, you become aware of the foolishness by which you are misled. You think that you have obtained pleasure. Vidyaranya in the Panchadasi describes how man’s pleasures are only his foolishness. “O fool, do not think that you are happy in this world by possessing objects. Try to understand what that happiness is.”
When an object is obtained, what happens? Has anybody stopped and thought over this matter? Temporarily the mind ceases to function. It is very difficult to understand this point. Man does not ponder over that matter, for he has identified himself with the mind. He thinks that the mind is himself. He cannot therefore analyze the mind. But through the grace of God if you are enabled to analyze the mind, you will discover that its happiness does not lie in objects, but in a condition of the mind. Mind derives bliss from atma
The mind goes outward to the object in search of pleasure. At that time there is pain, for the mind thereby is straying away from truth; and when the object is attained, the mind ceases to function, and it rests on its substratum, the Self, and unconsciously tastes the bliss of the Self. The mind thinks that the objects give happiness. It does not know the existence of the Self. It thinks that it has possessed the object and that the pleasure underlies the object. Consequently it concludes wrongly that pleasure is the result of the possession of an external object.
“When the mind turns to the Self, naturally it experiences the bliss of the Self.” Suppose you are able to make the mind consciously turn to the Self, you will be permanently happy, without any resultant sorrow. Yoga bestows on man permanent happiness by arousing that antarmukha vritti deliberately and consciously. By viveka the mind should be educated properly. Without education it will not understand the truth. It will not yield to any kind of force, for it is very subtle. It has to be educated properly and made to understand that the pleasures which it experiences in this world are derived, even in this world, from the Self alone. Then the mind will rest in the atma alone and not in the objects. Need of sannyasa
There is however the illusion which covers the eye of the Self, on account of which it directs itself to externality. The aspirant must open his internal eye and dispel this illusion.
For the sake of this understanding, the aspirant casts aside his attachment to all the objects of this world, and also to the actions connected with them. This is sannyasa, which means systematically and perfectly setting aside all things, perfectly abandoning all that is the cause of bondage, i.e., actions directed to the satisfaction of the individual self. So, renunciation is the abandonment of objects connected with this process. “Sannyasa is the relinquishment of ego-centric processes.”
Selfish actions are performed on account of the craving that is present in the mind for worldly pleasures. This must be completely abandoned, as Nachiketas did. Every guru is like that guru of Nachiketas, Yama, and every aspirant should be like Nachiketas. Nachiketas was offered the most tempting things of this world, but he cast them all aside and said, “Can I become immortal by these?” Maitreyi also put the same question. “Even if I become a ruler of the world, one day the world will come to an end, and I will also come to an end.”
“And what next?” This question will arise. And this question can be answered only by the declaration that I have quoted just now, the declaration made by Sanatkumara that the Infinite alone is bliss. The moment you understand the nature of the Infinite, renunciation automatically follows. This is vidwat sannyasa. The spirit of renunciation comes in when the truth is realized. If the Self is real, all else must be unreal. Now this kind of renunciation can come to a person only in an advanced stage. Process of sadhana
In some persons vairagya dawns early, but others get it through nishkama karma. That is why Shankaracharya has prescribed three processes of sadhana for the realization of the Self. One is nishkama seva. One has to serve the guru and do all things that the guru commands him to do, without grudging, and without using his own intellect. When the guru orders a certain thing to be done, the disciple should obey him implicitly. Such an obedience to the guru is necessary. This is the spirit of nishkama karma, karma done not for the pleasure of the person doing it, but because it is the, command of the guru. Then the impurities of the mind, kama, krodha, lobha, moha, etc., are removed.
Thereafter one must take to upasana or contemplation on the ishta-devata (the second stage). Here vikshepa of the mind is removed. It is no longer distracted. One has to proceed through these two stages first. Japa also comes under upasana. After these two processes are undergone, the sadhaka is asked to equip himself with the sadhana-chatushtaya. Vairagya comes only then, and when one is fully established in the sadhana-chatushtaya, he is fit to hear and ponder the Mahavakyas. The result
One must examine the nature of this world and recognize the fact that it is impermanent and also realize that the permanent cannot be attained through the impermanent.
Spiritual realization is the result of supreme renunciation, renunciation extending up to Brahma Loka. From Brahma down to a blade of grass, you should not have attachment to anything, for all these are non-self. When you center yourself in the one Consciousness, automatically everything flows to you. All objects of the world will come to you of their own accord. The atma is the center. Everything in this universe is nothing. When, as Christ has put it, you seek first the kingdom of God, all else will be added unto you; if you know that One Being, everything will be known by you. When you realize That, you have realized everything. You become immortal. This is the supreme blessedness, which everyone should achieve. This is the supreme bliss.
Once that bliss of Brahman is tasted, there is no fear or desire. Fear exists on account of desire, and desire completely vanishes when the light of the Self dawns. Sannyasa follows perception of truth. Therefore, let us, try to withdraw our attention from the fleeting phenomena of this universe, and recognize the presence of the Eternal in these fleeting phenomena, and adore it to the best of our ability, through worship, service and meditation.More Articles on Sannyasa
• A Brief Life of Swami Sivananda
• Advice to Sannyasins–part 1 by Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• Advice to Sannyasins–part 2 by Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• The Ideal of Sannyasa by Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• Sannyasa Dharma by Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• Perspective of the Renunciate
by Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• Reflections on Sannyasa by Swami Sivananda Saraswati
• The Rugged Path by Swami Sivananda Saraswati
1) Vairagya: Non-attachment, detachment, dispassion, absence of desire, or indifference. Indifference towards and disgust for all worldly things and enjoyments. [Go back]
2) Viveka: Discrimination between the Real and the unreal, between the Self and the non-Self, between the permanent and the impermanent; right intuitive discrimination; ever-present discrimination between the transient and the permanent. [Go back]
3) Sadhana-chatushtaya: The fourfold aids to spiritual practice: 1) the ability to discriminate between the transient and the eternal (nitya-anity-astu-viveka); 2) the absence of desire for securing pleasure or pain either here or elsewhere (iha-anutra-artha-phala-vairagya); 3) the attainment of calmness, temperance, spirit of renunciation, fortitude, power of concentration of mind, and faith (shama-damadi-sadhana-smaptti); 4) an intense desire for liberation (mumukshutwa). [Go back]
4) Sadhana: Spiritual practice. [Go back]
5) Indriya: Organ. The five organs of perception (jnanendriyas) are the ear, skin, eye, tongue, and nose. The five organs of action (karmendriyas) are the voice, hand, foot, organ of excretion, and the organ of generation. [Go back]
6) Karana: “Instrument;” cause; instrumental cause; reason. The means of knowledge and action. The inner and outer instruments (sense organs). [Go back]
7) Satchidananda: Existence-knowledge-bliss Absolute; Brahman. [Go back]
8) Vishaya-chaitanya: Consciousness as objects; the object known; the consciousness determined by the object cognised. [Go back]
9) Nama-rupa: Name and form. [Go back]
10) Viveki: One who possesses discrimination. [Go back]
11) Prajapati: Progenitor; the Creator; a title of Brahma the Creator. [Go back]
12) Indra: King of the lesser “gods” (demigods). [Go back]
13) “This body is mortal, always gripped by death, but within it dwells the immortal Self. This Self, when associated in our consciousness with the body, is subject to pleasure and pain; and so long as this association continues, freedom from pleasure and pain can no man find. But as this association ceases, there cease also the pleasure and the pain. Rising above physical consciousness, knowing the Self to be distinct from the senses and the mind–knowing it in its true light–one rejoices and is free.” This is a passage from the Chandogya Upanishad. [Go back]
14) Jivanmukti: Liberation in this life. [Go back]
15) Videhamukti: Disembodied salvation; salvation attained by the realised soul after shaking off the physical sheath as opposed to jivanmukti which is liberation even while living. [Go back]
16) Jivanmukta: One who is liberated in this present life. [Go back]
17) Narada: A primeval sage to whom some of the verses of the Rig Veda are attributed. [Go back]
18) Abode of suffering. [Go back]
19) Noneternal. [Go back]
20) Guna: Quality, attribute, or characteristic arising from nature (Prakriti) itself; a mode of energy behavior. As a rule, when “guna” is used it is in reference to the three qualities of Prakriti, the three modes of energy behavior that are the basic qualities of nature, and which determine the inherent characteristics of all created things. They are: 1) sattwa–purity, light, harmony; 2) rajas–activity, passion; and 3) tamas–dullness, inertia, and ignorance. [Go back]
21) Patanjali: The author of the Yoga Sutras. [Go back]
22) Prakriti: Causal matter; the fundamental power (shakti) of God from which the entire cosmos is formed; the root base of all elements; undifferentiated matter; the material cause of the world. Also known as Pradhana. [Go back]
23) The central figure in the Katha Upanishad. [Go back]
24) Vidvat sannyasa: Renunciation after the attainment of the knowledge of Brahman. Asceticism resorted to by the wise (jnanis) and perfected ones (siddhas). Renunciation by the wise. [Go back]
25) Nishkama karma: Desireless action; disinterested action; action dedicated to God without personal desire for the fruits of the action; selfless action. [Go back]
26) Disinterested service. [Go back]
27) Kama: Desire; passion; lust. [Go back]
28) Krodha: Anger, wrath; fury. [Go back]
29) Lobha: Greed; covetousness. [Go back]
30) Moha: Delusion–in relation to something, usually producing delusive attachment or infatuation based on a completely false perception and evaluation of the object. [Go back]
31) Upasana: “Sitting near” or “drawing near;” worship; adoration; contemplation of God or deity; devout meditation. [Go back]
32) Ishta-devata: Beloved deity. The deity preferred above all others by an individual. “Chosen ideal” is the usual English translation. [Go back]
33) Vikshepa: The projecting power of the mind, causing external involvement; the movement of pushing outward or away; the projecting power of ignorance; mental restlessness resulting from the awareness moving out from the center that is the Self. [Go back]
34) Japa: Repetition of a mantra. [Go back]
35) Sadhaka: One who practices spiritual discipline–sadhana–particularly meditation. [Go back]
36) Mahavakya: Literally: “Great Saying.” The highest Vedantic truth, found in the Upanishads, there are four Mahavakyas: 1) Prajñanam Brahma–“Consciousness is Brahman” (Aitareya Upanishad); 2) Ayam Atma Brahma–“This Self is Brahman” (Mandukya Upanishad); 3) Tat Twam Asi–“Thou art That” (Chandogya Upanishad); 4) Aham Brahmasmi–“I am Brahman” (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad). [Go back]
37) The world of Brahma, the Creator. [Go back]
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