SADHANA CHATUSHTAYA & SHATKA SAMPATTI [4 MEANS & 6 VIRTUES]

2014-15  Sadhana Chatushtaya & Shatka Sampatti  [4 Means & 6 Virtues ]

Adi Shankar with disciples  -- by Raja Ravi Varma

Tattva Bodha  by Adi Shankara

Adi Shankara's  works can be broadly classified into 3 categories -- Sthotras [Hymns], Bhashyas [Commentaries]  and Prakarana Granthas [Primers to Vedanta].  

He wrote detailed commentaries on the Prasthana Thrayee [three cannonical works -- Upanishads, Brahma Sutra and Bhagavad Gita] of Veidika [Sanathana] Dharma.

Tattva Bodha, Viveka Chudamani and Atma Bodha of Adi Shankara, are examples of Prakarana Granthas.

Tattva Bodha is an elementary prose work, which explains  the Vedantic terminology, in a simple question answer style.

'Tattva' [तत्त्व] means the essence or reality.  'Bodhah' [बोधः]  means knowledge.  Tattva Bodha [तत्त्वबोध] is the knowledge of the ultimate Reality.  The purpose of Tattva Bodha is Liberation.

Who is qualified to seek liberation? One who has sadhana chatushtayam [साधन चतुष्टयं] and shatka sampatti [षट्क संपत्ति] [4 means and 6 virtues].

What are the [ साधन चतुष्टयं ] four-fold qualifications [4 means]?

1. Viveka [ विवेक ]
    Discrimination between the permanent and the impermanent;

2. Vairagya [ वैराघ्य ]
    Dispassion to the enjoyment of the fruits of actions here and hereafter;

3. Shatka-sampatti [ षट्क संपत्ति ] 
    Disciplline or six-fold inner wealth [6 virtues] starting with 'sama'; and 

4. Mumukshutvam [ मुमुक्षुत्वं ]
    Desire or yearning for Liberation.


What are the [षट्क संपत्ति  ] six-fold inner wealth [6 virtues] ?

1. Samah [ शमः ]
    Mastery over the mind;

2. Damah [ दमः ]
    Control of the external senses;

3. Uparama [ उपरमः ] 
    Observance of one's own dharma [duties];

4. Titiksha [ तितिक्षा ]
    Endurance of opposites [heat and cold, pleasure and pain, etc]

5. Sraddha [ श्रध्दा ]  
    Reverential Faith in the words of the Scriptures and the Guru;

6. Samadhanam  [ समाधानं ] 
    Focussing or single-pointedness of the mind.


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Tattva Bodha  Full Text with English Commentary PDF [Click here] 

Swami Paramarthananda:
Audio [Englih]Talk on Sadhana Chatushtayam and Shatka Sampatti [Click here]

Swami Guruparananda:
Audio [Tamil] Talk on Sadhana Chatushtayam and Shatka Sampatti [Click here]


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