Suffering

paramātma-vaibhava-gaṇane ca taṭastha-śakti-rūpāṇāṁ cid-eka-rasānām

paramātma-vaibhava-gaṇane ca taṭastha-śakti-rūpāṇāṁ cid-eka-rasānām api anādi-para-tattva-jñāna-saṁsargābhāvamaya-tad-vaimukhya-labdha-cchidrayā tan-māyayāvṛta-svarūpa-jñānānāṁ tayaiva sattva-rajas-tamo-maye jaḍe pradhāne racitātma-bhāvānāṁ jīvānāṁ saṁsāra-duḥkhaṁ ca jñāpitam | … tatas tad-arthaṁ parama-kāruṇikaṁ śāstram upadiśati | tatra ca ye kecit jīvā janmāntarāvṛtta-tad-arthānubhava-saṁskāravanto, ye ca tadaiva vā labdha-mahat-kṛpātiśaya-dṛṣṭi-prabhṛtayas, teṣāṁ tādṛśa-para-tattva-lakṣaṇa-vastūpadeśa-śravaṇārambha-mātreṇaiva tat-kālam eva yugapad eva tat-sāmmukhyaṁ tad-anubhavo’pi jāyate | … athānyeṣāṁ tac-chravaṇa-mātreṇa tādṛśatvaṁ bījāyamānam api kāmādi-vaiguṇyena bījam api doṣeṇa pratihataṁ tiṣṭhati | … tato mukhyena tātparyeṇa para-tattve paryavasite’pi teṣāṁ para-tattvādy-upadeśasya kim abhidheyaṁ prayojanaṁ cety apekṣāyāṁ tad-avāntara-tātparyeṇa tad-dvayam upadeṣṭavyam | tatrābhidheyaṁ tad-vaimukhya-virodhitvāt tat-sāmmukhyam eva | tac ca tad-upāsanā-lakṣaṇaṁ, yata eva taj-jñānam āvirbhavati | prayojanaṁ ca tad-anubhavaḥ | sa cāntar-bahiḥ-sākṣātkāra-lakṣaṇaḥ, yata eva svayaṁ kṛtsna-duḥkha-nivṛttir bhavati | … tad etad ubhayaṁ yadyapi pūrvatra siddhopadeśa evābhipretam asti, yathā “tava gṛhe nidhir asti” iti śrutvā kaścid daridras tad-arthaṁ prayatate labhate ca tam iti, tadvat, tathāpi tac-chaithilya-nirāsāya punas tad-upadeśaḥ | tad evaṁ tān praty anādi-siddha-taj-jñāna-saṁsargābhāvamaya-tad-vaimukhyādikaṁ duḥkha-hetuṁ vadan vyādhi-nidāna-vaiparītyamaya-cikitsā-nibhaṁ tat-sāmmukhyādikam upadiśati |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 1)

“Also further made known during the consideration of the potencies [i.e., the three śaktis] of Paramātmā [in the discussion thereof in Paramātma Sandarbha] was the suffering in saṁsāra of the jīvas, forms of [his] taṭastha-śakti, who, although solely consciousness (cit) in constitution, have their awareness of their true nature (svarūpa-jñāna) covered by the Para-tattva’s [i.e., the Supreme Entity’s] māyā on account of the acquired fault of obliviousness (vaimukhya) of that [Para-tattva] based on a beginningless absence of the existence of awareness of that [Para-tattva, i.e., a beginningless prior absence (prāg-abhāva) of awareness of the Para-tattva, which can be removed, that is, dispelled by becoming aware of the Para-tattva], and thereby are possessed of a fabricated sense of self (ātma-bhāva) within inert primordial matter (pradhāna) constituted of [the guṇas of] sattva, rajas, and tamas. … Therefore, the supremely compassionate śāstra teaches that object [i.e., the Para-tattva]. Furthermore in that regard, for some of those jīvas, that is, those possessed of a latent saṁskāra of experience of that object [i.e., the Para-tattva] from another birth, and those who alternately then [i.e., in that birth, alt., in this present birth] have received a glance and so forth of profuse grace from a great soul, just by their beginning to hear such teachings about the entity designated as the Para-tattva, intentness (sāmmukhyaṁ) upon that [i.e., the Para-tattva], and experience (anubhava) of that [i.e., the Para-tattva] as well, simultaneously arise at that very time [of hearing about the Para-tattva]. … Now, for others [i.e., those who have no saṁskāra of experience of the Para-tattva from a prior birth, and those who have not received the grace of a great soul capable of leading one to such experience], such [intentness upon and experience of the Para-tattva], even though capable of germinating like a seed [i.e., coming into being] just by hearing of that [i.e., by hearing the teaching of the śāstra about the Para-tattva], remains obstructed [from sprouting, i.e., manifesting] by the faults [in the minds of embodied jīvas] of the defects beginning with kāma. … Therefore, although by the primary intention (tātparya) [of śāstra] the Para-tattva is determined [i.e., although in the course of the first four sandarbhas the nature of the Para-tattva has been determined in this way], in expectation of [the questions], ‘What is the abhidheya [i.e., the principal directive, the means to attainment] and the prayojana [i.e., the objective, the goal to be attained] of that teaching [of the śāstra] about the Para-tattva and so forth for them [i.e., for the jīvas]?’ these two [i.e., the abhidheya and the prayojana] are necessary to be taught [also] by the secondary intention (tātparya) thereof [i.e., of the śāstra]. In that regard, the abhidheya is intentness (sāmmukhyam) upon that [i.e., the Para-tattva], because of [its] being negating of obliviousness (vaimukhya) of that [i.e., of the Para-tattva]. That [i.e., the abhidheya], further, is indicative of upāsanā [lit., ‘sitting near,’ i.e., engaging oneself in] that [i.e., the Para-tattva], on account of which awareness of that [i.e., the Para-tattva] appears. The prayojana is experience of that [i.e., the Para-tattva], and that [i.e., the prayojana], further is indicative of internal and external direct perception (sākṣātkāra) [of the Para-tattva], on account of which alone the complete cessation of suffering occurs of its own accord. … Therefore, although these two [i.e., the abhidheya and prayojana] are implied in the siddhopadeśa [i.e., implied instruction] in the former [i.e., in the earlier discussion in these sandarbhas of the nature of the Para-tattva], just as after hearing, ‘There is a treasure in your home,’ a poor person seeks that object and attains it [without having to be instructed to do so], still again teaching regarding them [i.e., the abhidheya and prayojana] is [given] to dispel laxity regarding [one’s endeavor to attain] them. Thus in this way śāstra tells them [i.e., the jīvas] about the cause of [their] suffering, that is, obliviousness and so forth of that [i.e., the Para-tattva] based on a beginninglessly existent absence of the existence of awareness of that [i.e., the Para-tattva], and teaches [them] intentness (sāmmukhya) upon that [i.e., the Para-tattva], which resembles a treatment consisting of negation of the cause of a disease.”

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sasarjāgre’ndha-tāmisram atha tāmisram ādi-kṛt

sasarjāgre’ndha-tāmisram atha tāmisram ādi-kṛt |
mahāmohaṁ ca mohaṁ ca tamaś cājñāna-vṛttayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.12.2)

“At the beginning [of the emanation of the universe], the original creator [i.e., Lord Brahmā] emanated the functions of ajñāna (ignorance): andha-tāmisra (blinding darkness), tāmisra (darkness), mahāmoha (severe delusion), moha (delusion), and tamas (dimness).”

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aśeṣa-saṅkleśa-śamaṁ vidhatte

aśeṣa-saṅkleśa-śamaṁ vidhatte
guṇānuvāda-śravaṇaṁ murāreḥ |
kiṁ vā punas tac-caraṇāravinda-
parāga-sevā-ratir ātma-labdhā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.7.14)

“Hearing and recounting the qualities of Murāri produces destruction of suffering completely, so how much more does attachment (rati), attained of its own accord, to service to the pollen of his lotus feet [produce]?”

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parama-tattva-sākṣātkāra-lakṣaṇaṁ taj-jñānam eva paramānanda-prāptiḥ

tata idaṁ labhyate—parama-tattva-sākṣātkāra-lakṣaṇaṁ taj-jñānam eva paramānanda-prāptiḥ | saiva parama-puruṣārtha iti | svātmājñāna-nivṛttiḥ duḥkhātyanta-nivṛttiś ca nidāne tad-ajñāne gate sati svata eva sampadyate | pūrvasyāḥ parama-tattva-svaprakāśatābhivyakti-lakṣaṇa-mātrātmakatvāt, uttarasyāś ca dhvaṁsābhāva-rūpatvād anaśvaratvam | uktaṁ ca pūrvasyāḥ parama-puruṣārthatvaṁ ‘dharmasya hy apavargasya’ ity-ādinā, ‘tac-chraddadhānā munayo’ … ity antena, svataḥ sarva-duḥkha-nivṛttiś ca tatraivoktā—‘bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ’ ity ādinā |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 1)

“Therefore, this is gathered: awareness of him [i.e., Bhagavān] in the form of direct perception (sākṣātkāra) of the Supreme Entity [i.e., direct perception of the Supreme Entity as Brahman, or as Bhagavān, as is discussed ahead] is alone the attainment of paramount bliss. This alone is the supreme puruṣārtha. When the cause, the absence of awareness of him, ceases, then the cessation of the absence of awareness of one’s own self (ātmā) and the absolute cessation of suffering occur automatically. The former’s [i.e., the cessation of the absence of awareness of him] being permanent is because of its being constituted in form solely of a manifestation of the Supreme Entity’s self-luminosity (sva-prakāśatā) [i.e., because the cessation of the absence of awareness of him only occurs as a result of a self-manifestation of the Supreme Entity and thus is effectively synonymous with it], and the latter’s [i.e., the cessation of the absence of awareness of one’s own self (ātmā) and one’s suffering in saṁsāra being permanent] is because of its having a form of non-existence after [its] destruction [i.e., because it ceases to exist entirely after being destroyed]. The former’s being the supreme puruṣārtha is stated in dharmasya hy apavargasya … [i.e., SB 1.2.9–11], and tac-chraddadhānā munayo … [i.e., SB 1.2.12], and the automatic cessation of all suffering is stated there in bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [i.e., SB 1.2.13].”

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yad yat prītikaraṁ puṁsāṁ vastu maitreya jāyate

yad yat prītikaraṁ puṁsāṁ vastu maitreya jāyate |
tad eva duḥkha-vṛkṣasya bījatvam upagacchati ||
kalatra-putra-mitrārtha-gṛha-kṣetra-dhanādikaiḥ |
kriyeta na tathā bhūri sukhaṁ puṁsāṁ yathāsukham ||
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa: 6.5.55–56)

“O Maitreya, indeed every object pleasing to a person that comes about [in the course of saṁsāra] becomes [later] a seed of the tree of suffering. Not so much happiness is produced by one’s wife, children, friends, possessions, houses, lands, wealth, and so forth as is unhappiness [i.e., these aforementioned aspects of saṁsāras produce more unhappiness than happiness].”

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nirastātiśayāhlāda-sukha-bhāvaika-lakṣaṇā

nirastātiśayāhlāda-sukha-bhāvaika-lakṣaṇā |
bheṣajaṁ bhagavat-prāptir ekāntātyantikī matā ||
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa: 6.5.59; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 1)

“Attainment of Bhagavān, which is characterized purely by a state of happiness filled with superlative delight [i.e., a delight that surpasses all other forms of happiness and neither contains nor causes any form of suffering], is the medicine [to cure the disease of suffering in saṁsāra] and is accepted as exclusive [i.e., free from any admixture of suffering] and absolute [i.e., everlasting].”

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tāvad bhayaṁ draviṇa-deha-suhṛn-nimittaṁ

tāvad bhayaṁ draviṇa-deha-suhṛn-nimittaṁ
śokaḥ spṛhā paribhavo vipulaś ca lobhaḥ |
tāvan mamety asad-avagraha ārti-mūlaṁ
yāvan na te’ṅghrim abhayaṁ pravṛṇīta lokaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.9.6)

“So fear, grief, longing, humiliation, and immense greed on account of wealth, the body, and companions, and so the false [alt., wicked] temperament of ‘mine’—the root of distress—remain as long as a person does not embrace your fearless feet.”

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ye hi saṁsparśajā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te

ye hi saṁsparśajā bhogā duḥkha-yonaya eva te |
ādy-anta-vantaḥ kaunteya na teṣu ramate budhaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 5.22)

“The enjoyments produced by contact [of the senses with their respective objects] are verily causes of suffering and possess a beginning and end. O Kaunteya, an intelligent person [i.e., one who properly exercises one’s discernment] does not enjoy them.”

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