Vedanta Philosophy in the Light of Modern ScienceS.K. DeyProfessor of Mathematics Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL 61920, USA cfskd@eiu.edu Abstract. Aryan sages of ancient India developed the philosophy of Vedanta at least 5000 years ago which logically derives unity from diversity. This unity is divinity. Vedanta states that the colorful display of natural events simply manifest flux of energy. Behind the scene there is a reservoir of energy and an operator who makes nature work. This operator is Brahmanthe Cosmic Consciousnessthat is associated with every facet of nature. This is the common spiritual bondthe perennial presence of divinity, the eternal, unmanifest reality connecting all elements of the universe. Thus Vedanta asserts that we are all divine. Nature emanates from Divinity, stays playful with Divinity and merges with Divinity. Nothing ever truly dies. All are conserved in Divinity. The cosmos moves in a wave with an infinite number of manifest and unmanifest statesgenerated and supported by one holy Cosmic Consciousness that is birthless, deathless and beyond the laws of causation. Vedanta calls it the Light of all lightsinfinitely powerful and dense. Hence it is forever unmanifest. This is the physical description of our consciousness. Consciousness in a finite body and that in the cosmos and beyond are one and the same, according to Vedanta. Thus the part and the whole, the father and the son are all the same. But consciousness operates like a mathematical operator too. It stays detached from all events while transforming a sequence of causes into a sequence of effects continuously. This is Lil, or a game of pain and pleasure, tears and triumphs. By virtue of intense meditation, strictly being detached from the world of sensual pleasure, one can transcend Lil, experience the state of Cosmic Consciousness and realizes that all are in one Divinity and that one Divinity has become all. Some similar concepts are available in quantum mechanics, informatics and neuroscience. This article is focused towards analysis of Vedanta philosophy in the light of modern science. 1. Introduction Over 5000 years ago, Aryans lived in the northwestern parts of India by the banks of the rivers Indus and Sarasvati. They were tall, handsome people whose complexion was fair. They adored most a set of books that are called the Vedas, meaning The Books of Knowledge. These books contained some elaborate studies on astronomy, arithmetic, archery, art, architecture, medicine, music and construction engineering. Vedic hymns reflect the return of the Sun or the [goddess] Dawn after long periods, after many months of darkness (Ref.1). On the basis of this, Tilak (Ref. 2) believes that the Vedas originated in the Arctic region. Interestingly, in May 1999, I visited Lithuania and was rather surprised to watch local people, who are supposedly all Christians, celebrating the Vedic ceremonies, such as worshiping Fire, Sun and Trees with great enthusiasm. There are also some cultural ties of the Vedic origin between the people of Lithuania and the Hindus. In 1870, a geological study conducted by Alex Roger in Rajasthan, a western state in India, showed that once a drainage of Punjab (northwestern state of India) flowed into the Rann of Kutch (in the state of Gujrat). In 1996, Professor Valdiya studied hydrogeological properties of this drainage and confirmed that this was the river Sarasvati, as mentioned in the Vedas. In 1997, Rao and Kulkarni collected water samples from deep wells in this area, conducted tritium analysis and concluded that the age of this water could be between 4000 to 8000 years (Ref. 3). Researchers found from 1200 to 1600 Aryan settlements around the bank of Sarasvati, ranging from at least 3000 to 1500 B.C. on a conservative scale, because during this period Sarasvati started drying up. In RigVeda, the earliest scripture of the Aryan intelligentsia, there is no mention of any catastrophe happening to Sarasvati as a result of becoming dry. In fact it was the primary life-sustaining water resource of the Vedic people. They called this river ambitame, naditame devitame sarasvati, meaning Oh Sarasvati, you are the supreme mother, the supreme river and the supreme goddess. A Rig Vedic hymn to Sarasvati states: Your inexhaustible breast, Sarasvati, that flows with the huge water-resources of life, that you use to nourish all that one could wish for, freely giving treasure and wealth and beautiful giftsbring that here for us to enjoy. Thus the Vedic people in ancient India were not nomads. They were farming communities, like most other ancient civilizations guided ethically, morally and culturally by a religion and philosophy that they called the Santan

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Dharmaeternal religion. Sages, saints and seers developed this religion and philosophy, definitely by conducting years of untiring research and analysis. Rig Veda states: Eternity is sky, eternity is air, eternity is father and son, eternity is all that exists; eternal is consciousness, eternal are all that have been born and shall be born. Why? Because they realized that there exists an unmanifest eternal support of all these and that is Brahmanthe Supreme Reality. All has emanated from It and all must merge with It. Death is truly a delusion. This article studies who could be the Supreme Reality, and why. There are four VedasRig Veda, Sm Veda, Yajur Veda (which has two parts, namely Shukla Yajur Veda and Krishna Yajur Veda) and Atharva Veda. The philosophy of the Supreme Reality is discussed at the end of the Vedas in several books, known as the Upanisads. This is called the philosophy of Vedanta (because it is considered to be the Supreme Knowledge, or the end anta of the Vedas). Etymologically, the word Upanisad means sit close to me (upa=near, ni=down, sad=sit) (Ref. 4,5,6). A group of teachers select a group of students to stay close to them on a one-to-one basis to learn about the all pervading unmanifest operator that governs the state of existence of every element of nature, both physically and psychologically. Sankarcharya (788820 A.D.) the celebrated commentator of the Vedas, gave a somewhat different meaning of the word Upanisad. According to him, Upanisad = Upa + ni + sad + kvip, where the root verb sad means elimination. Thus Upanisad means elimination of ignorance by learning the knowledge about the Supreme. In Yajur Veda, there is a reference to 108 Upanisads. Sankaracharya wrote his commentaries on 10 Upanisads, considered by several philosophers as the principal Upanisads. These are: From Rig Veda: Aitareya Upanisad From Sm Veda: Chndogya Upanisad and Ken Upanisad From Skukla Yajur Veda: Brihadranyaka Upanisad and a Upanisad From Krishna Yajur Veda: Taittiriya Upanisad, and Katha Upanisad From Atharva Veda: Prana Upanisad, Mundaka Upanisad and Mndukya Upanisad. However, studying several other Upanisads, such as Kausitaki-Brhmana Upanisad (Rig Veda), Maitreyi Upanisad (Krishna Yajur Veda), Subla Upanisad (Shukla Yajur Veda), Jbla Upanisad (Atharva Veda), Paingala Upanisad (Shukla Yajur Veda), Kaivalya Upanisad (Atharva Veda) and Vajrasucika Upanisad (Sm Veda), one can find the aphorisms dedicated to the same supreme RealityBrahmanexplaining His aesthetic characteristics with devotion and humility. The underlying essence of all the Upanisads is: Brahman, whose somewhat more practical connotation is Cosmic Consciousness, pervades everywhere in the universe and permeates every elementthe smallest of the small and the largest of the largeof this universe. This is divinitythe unity in diversity, the eternal harmony of all elements, both

animate and inanimate. This is forever unmanifest. It works like an operator in mathematics. Being completely detached, It generates and changes mass and energy of the universe creating myriad natural phenomena. Brahman in us is our Self. When a person understands this basic truth, he/she visualizes divinity everywhere and becomes compassionate and caring, carries malice or bitterness towards none, and respects nature. Life becomes peaceful and pleasant. Schrdinger, the Austrian Nobel laureate in physics, gave an excellent example to prove that Self exists (Ref. 7). He said, assume two human bodies A and B. Put A in a situation that a garden is seen, put B in a dark room. Then let A and B change places. On the assumption that there are not two distinct selves in A and B, the interchange should make no difference. But if A is my body, there is then no view of the garden. Therefore, besides the world the Self must exist. It is Self that makes us see, touch, smell, hear, taste or think. This Self is our consciousness. Scientists are increasingly getting involved in the study of consciousness. Physicists are finding energy fields in the subatomic level which are completely non-classical, not explained by the equations of Schrdinger or Maxwell. They call them quantum fields. How are these being generated? Vedanta states that these are generated by subtle algorithms, similar to neuroalgorithms by consciousness, inherently present in nature. Beyond the quantum field there exists a vacuumoften called the quantum vacuum. Tzoref writes (Ref. 8) The non-local relations between elementary particles have been established by quantum theory. Also general relativity ascribes geometry to immaterial space. These two wellestablished features of reality can be readily ascribed to undetectable medium which occupies the seemingly empty space. Neuroscientist are also finding in the human body that the brain is rather a mechanical instrument beyond the mechanics itself. There is an undetectable energy field that stimulates the brain to stimulate our nervous system by neuro-algorithms. That energy field is consciousness whom Vedanta calls Brahman. Why? That is the primary topic of discussion in this article. Let us first study the fundamentals of Vedanta. In various Upanisads, philosophers expressed their perceptions about Brahman sometimes using mystic language. These must be analyzed logically. In this regard, I have mentioned the teachings of Shree Ramakrishna (Ref. 9) several times in the text. This great saint of India (18361886), who was practically illiterate, attained the state of Brahman, conducting intense meditation, and explained the tenets of Vedanta in a language understandable to a layman. 2. Fundamentals of Vedanta Philosophy Let us study some excerpts (Ref. 4,5,6) from different Upanisads elucidating various characteristics of Brahman. At the outset it will appear that Upanisads assume the existence of Brahman. Later we will see that this is not quite so. This assumption can be validated by stringent mathematical logic. Also Shree Ramakrishna validated most principles of Vedanta in his own life which was

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witnessed by critics, skeptics and friends from elites of India. Brahman: The Origin & Everything. Aitreya Upanisad states: In the beginning this was but the Absolute Self alone. There was nothing else whatsoever He created these worlds He is Brahm [the Creator]. He is Indra [God of the gods and goddesses]. He is Prajpati [Lord of all creatures]. He is all these gods. He is manifest in five great elements like solid, air, space, liquid and light. He is present in the minutest mixture [of chemicals]. He is those who are born out of seeds for moving and stationary beings. He is those born from an egg, from a womb, from moisture and from a sprout. He is in horses, cows, persons and elephants. Whatever breathing thing there is here, whether moving or flying or what is stationary [He is all]. vetsvatatara Upanisad states: He, the One and Undifferentiated, who by the manifold application of His powers produces in the beginning, different objects and beings for a purpose which will never be known, and in the end, withdraws the universe into Himself, is indeed the Self-luminous [Supreme]. Taittirya Upanisad states: The Supreme Being who is in you and the Supreme Being who is in the sun are the same . The enlightened man is not afraid of anything after realizing that Bliss of Brahman Brahman having created the universe entered into that very thing. And having entered there It became the formed and the formless, the defined and the undefined, the sustaining and the non-sustaining, the sentient and the insentient, the true and the untrue. Here formed means elements of the world of physics and formless means elements of the world of metaphysics. Defined denotes phenomena where the law of causation is known. Undefined means those phenomena which are unexplained. Some examples are: Heisenberg's uncertainty principle (to be discussed later), almost an infinite number of biological phenomena and many more. Scientists still cannot ascertain, given the identical conditions, why one person could develop strong immunity against a disease and the other cannot. There are more speculations than proofs in medical science. Nature is full of contradictions which form the true and the untrue. Medicines which cure disease cause side effects. The truth that they are good is also untrue. But all contradictions end in Brahman. Brahman is the Self In Brihadranyaka Upanisad, we see the saint Yjavalka saying: You cannot see the seer of seeing, you cannot hear the hearer of hearing, you cannot think of the thinker of thinking, you cannot understand the understander of understanding. He is your Self which exists in all objects. This Self, according to saint Yjavalka, is the operator in us, which makes us do all that we do. Schrdinger explained the same as I have mentioned in the introduction. If we analyze what exists behind the scene of all our physical and psychological activities, first we may think of

our muscular and neurological systems, and then we may think that these systems are activated by mind. Beyond mind comes the intellect. But intellect works if our brain, a complex mechanical structure that stimulates neurons could work. Certain mysterious energy-fields seem to generate neuro-algorithms behind the brain. The renowned British philosopher Bertrand Russell said: What the physiologist sees when he examines a brain is in the physiologist, not in the brain he is examining. Interestingly, the great Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote: The seat of the soul and the control of voluntary movementin fact, of nervous functions in generalare to be sought in the heart. The brain is an organ of minor importance. In Vedanta, the seat of the soul is the Self, and in comparison with the Self, brain is but an organ of minor importance. Katha Upanisad declares: Know the body to be the chariot, the intellect, the charioteer, the mind the reins and the Self the lord of the chariot. Each instrument of a chariot must function properly so the chariot may be functional. However, the operator of body, mind and intellect is the Self. Brihadranyaka Upanisad states: Aham Brahmsmiti meaning: I am Brahman and that is the last word, and Ayam tm Brahman which means This Self in Brahman. Mndukya Upanisad states: Sarvam etad BrahmanAll of these are Brahman. This implies that all elements of natureboth manifest and unmanifest, both animate and inanimateare Brahman. Altasanti Prakarana states: Each Self is by its nature illuminated from the very beginning and its characteristics are well determined. Each Self from the very beginning is tranquil, unborn and by its nature is completely unattached, equal and non-different. Is the Self, which is supposedly attached to the body, mind and intellect, really detached? That means the Inner Controller (Mnduka Upanisad) is detached from the body, mind and intellect which it controls! This will be justified later applying mathematical logic. Advaita Prakarana states: That highest bliss is located in one's own Self. It is quiescent, coexistent with liberation, beyond description and birthless. Through supreme knowledge one realizes that Brahman is omniscient. These statements have obviously raised some serious questions: Why does Self define the state of the highest Bliss? Why does the knowledge of Self impart the knowledge of liberation, and why is it beyond description? These questions will be considered later and a logical response will be provided. Misconception of Self According to Vedanta, Self or Brahman is the Absolute the ultimate Reality. However there are misconceptions about the Reality which are in vogue. Advaita Prakarana warns: As a rope whose features are not well ascertained is imagined in the dark to be various objects like a snake, a line of water, etc. so is the Self imagined in various ways [by ignorant mass]. The Vedic scholars ascribe the Reality to the Vedas while those who conduct sacrifice [while worshipping gods and goddesses] ascribe it to the sacrifices. Those who are overcome by [physical] pleasure

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consider it to be the Reality whereas those conversant with objects of pleasure consider them to be so. Those who are conversant with the subtleconsider the Reality to be so, while others dealing with the gross consider it to be so. Those who worship images consider them as the Reality, whereas others consider the Reality as formless . The Self-effulgent Self realizes itself by applying its own power. The Self is the cognizer of all objects. This is the mandate of Vedanta. The Aryan sages, who adored the Vedas as the books of Supreme Wisdom, considered it to be a mistake to ascribe the Reality to the Vedas. Why? Because Vedas simply disclose the Highest Truth which is the only Reality. Vedas themselves are not the Reality. Once a person realizes this Reality, he/she does not need the Vedas anymore. For instance, after a person knows all the numbers he/she does not need a book on numbers anymore. Knowledge is the one that we need. Books are significant to a point until the knowledge has been acquired. Vedas teach how to worship images of gods and goddesses, but Vedantists consider these to be an inferior state of knowledge. Why such a conflict could exist in the Vedic culture? Later in this article this question will be addressed. Upanisads claim what we consider to be the Reality is an analysis that is a mental deliberation, whereas the Reality itself is beyond mind. Why? It will be discussed and analyzed logically later in this article. Whether the Reality has a form or not is what an individual's perception describes. Upanisad simply challenges: Who one can perceive the Reality that makes one perceive, and who can describe the Reality which makes one describe? Just as to see an object we need light from the sun, but the sun itself should be seen by its own light; similarly the Self must be realized by the power of the Self that is the sole controller of body, mind and intellect. The very characteristic feature of the Self is that it is transcendent. a Upanisad states: All thiswhatever exists in this changing universeshould be covered by Brahman . It is He who pervades allHe who is bright and bodiless, without scar or sinews, pure and unpierced by evil; who is the seer, omniscient, transcendent and uncreated . How could someone be bright and bodiless at the same time? How could someone be all pervading and transcendent at the same time? These are apparently contradictory and should be carefully reviewed. We will study these later. Brahman: Neither Being nor Non-Being. Contradictions exist in the world of senses. In the transcendent world all merges into one Reality. vetsvatra Upanisad states: When there is no darkness, no day or night, neither being nor non-being, pure Brahman alone exists. His form is not an object of vision, no one beholds Him with the eyes. They who, through pure intellect and the Knowledge of unity based upon reflection, realize Him as abiding in the heart, become immortal. He who knows Brahman, who is all Bliss, extremely subtle, like the film that rises to the surface of clarified butter and is hidden in all beingshe who knows the Radiant Deity, the sole pervader of the universe, is released from all fetters. How neither a being nor a non-

being can ever exist and at the same time how it could be a Radiant Deity? What is the definition of pure intellect that can behold such an entity? Altaanti Prakarana states: Nothing whatsoever is born that already exists, does not exist, or both exists and does not exist. Subla Upanisad states: It [Brahman] was not existent, not non-existent, neither existent and non-existent. In Nasadiya Sukta (Rig Veda) we see that in the beginning the non-existent was not then, nor was the existent, no earth, no firmament other than Him there was nothing before. These seem to be just philosophical tattles causing more confusion than concord. However in this text I will present a logical synthesis of the apparently confusing concepts that Brahman is neither a being nor a non-being. I will prove that it is not a kind of information which one can learn from a book or a teacher. It is a transcendental knowledge not known by standard intellectual analysis. In this regard, Ken Upanisad states: To whomsoever It is not known, to him It is known. To whomsoever it is known, he does not know. It is not understood by those who understand It. It is understood by those who do not understand It. Only that which is knowledge can be understood and described. vetsvatara Upanisad reiterates: He, the non-dual Brahman, who rules over every position who controls all forms and all sources, He is other than both knowledge and ignorance. Shree Ramakrishna said: One must transcend both knowledge and ignorance to attain the state of Brahman. Why? I will discuss this later. Realization of Brahman Vedanta claims that realization of Brahman is an experimental science. Advaita-Prakarana states: When mind does not get lost nor is scattered, when it stays motionless and does not appear in the form of objectsit merges with Brahman. This is the principle of detachment. One must withdraw his/her mind from all material possessions by conducting meditation. This is the only way to attain the state of Brahman. Mndukya Upanisad warns: There can be no perfection for those who possess the proclivity for multiplicity, always follow the path of duality and talk about plurality. These people are subject to pity. Their minds are fully occupied with material thoughts and physical pleasure. These people can focus their attention on practically nothing. Katha Upanisad explains: His form is not an object of vision; no one beholds Him with the eye. One can know Him when He is revealed by intellect free from doubt, and by constant meditation. When five instruments of knowledge [five sense organs] standstill, together with the mind, and when the intellect does not move, that is called the Supreme State. This, the firm control of the senses is what is called the yoga. One must then be vigilant. All the worlds are fixed on Him, none can transcend Him. Mundka Upanisad states: The Self is not comprehended by the eyes, by description or by senses. It is not grasped by austerity or [Vedic] rituals. By virtue of knowledge [of discrimination] when mind becomes pure [withdrawn from the world of senses] a person can conduct meditation and realize the Self. How, by virtue of meditation any person can attain the state of Brahman, will be a topic of

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mathematical study in this article. However, this has been partially studied in (Ref. 10,11,12,13). Physics of Brahman. Quantum mechanics found merging of quantum fields with quantum vacuum. Feynman's operator, which could change a quantum state into another, can simply project a quantum vacuum to itself. What really happens inside it is not known. All that we know is this is a condensed light that does not radiate. Mundka Upanisad claims: In the Supreme, Brahman is the brightest golden condensed light free from any taint or tarnish. It is pure radiance known by the knower of the Self. This radiance is not that of the Sun or the Moon or the flashing of Lightening. What kind of fire exists therein? Everything shines because of Him. Everything is lighted with His Light. Maitreyi Upanisad states: Dve bhva brahmano rupe mrta cmrta ca; atha yan mrtam tad asatyam, yad amrtam tat satyam tad brahma, tajjyotih, yaj jyotih sa dityah. This means: There are two representations of Brahman, one with an image and the other with absence of any image [vacuum]. One with an image is untrue. One which is vacuum is true. Brahman is radiance. It is a condensed radiance having similarity with the Sun. We further notice in this Upanisad: He is that luminous lump of light giving heat in that yonder Sun, wonderful light on the smokeless fire, as also the fire in the stomach which digests food. He who is in the fire and who is here in the heart and who is yonder in the sunHe is ONE. He who knows this goes to the oneness of the one. That is the ocean of light. One should meditate on AUM [Brahman] that boundless light. Chndogya Upanisad: A Dialogue Between a Father and His Son. I would like to present some excerpts from Chndogya Upanisad containing parts of a dialogue between Uddalaka and his son vetaketu. These will reveal some very intricate aspects of Brahman, discussed before, which were explained to Svetaketu by his father through rather simple examples which are easy for us to comprehend. vetaketu returned home after studying all the Vedas. His father Uddalaka asked him: vetaketu, since now you are so greatly conceited, think yourself well versed [in the Vedas] and you are proud [of your accomplishment] did you ask for that lesson by which the unhearable becomes heard, the unperceivable becomes perceived, the unknowable becomes known? vetaketu was rather surprised and asked his father: How, venerable Sir, can there be such a teaching? To this the father replied: My dear son, just by knowing one lump of clay, everything that is made of clay is known, the difference being only in name, and the truth being that all is clay; just by knowing one nugget of gold, all that is made of gold becomes known, the difference being only in name, the truth being that all is gold; just by knowing one nail-cutter all that is made of iron is known, the difference being only in name, the truth being that all is iron, thus my dear is that teaching.

The son wanted to acquire this knowledge. Uddalaka continued: In the beginning, my dear, this was Being alone, one only without a second. Some say that in the beginning this was non-Being alone, one only without a second. From that non-Being [or Being] being was produced. This statement is the same as those we have stated earlier from Altaanti- Prakarana, Subala Upanisad and RigVeda. One who has no second must be non-dual and hence it must be the Absolute and it ought to be unmanifest forever. Because if it becomes manifest then there will be duality, because if I am a witness of the Absolute then I and the Absolute must exist simultaneously and hence dualism ensues and the Absolute ceases to be the Absolute. One that is forever unmanifest may be called a Being or a non-Beingbecause no name can connote its attributes. Attributes exist only in the realm of dualism. Thus vetaketu became more curious to know more about the unmanifest Absolute. His father asked him Bring hither a fruit of that nyagrodha tree [Figtree]. vetaketu brought it. Uddalaka asked him to cut the fruit and look into that. vetaketu cut the fruit and found some extremely fine seeds. Uddalaka said, Of these please break one. vetaketu did it. Uddalaka asked: What do you see there? vetaketu answered, Nothing at all, Venerable Sir. To this the father replied: That subtle essence which you do not perceive, verily my dear, from that very essence this great nyagrodha tree [figtree] exists. Believe me, my dear. Then he continued: sa ya esnim, aitad tmyam idam sarvam, tat satyam, sa tm, tat tvam asi, vetaketu, iti, meaning that which is so subtle [unmanifest], that is the Self of this universe. That is the Truth. That is Self. Thou art that, Svetaketu. Relative to us the only apparent characteristic of the Self is an absolute void or nothingness. Indian philosophy states that that which is apparently nothing is truly the Absolute and that has become everything. Mentioning the invention of zero in India, Vera Sanford (Ref. 17) stated that: It is interesting to note that this invention was made in India where the contemplation of an absolute void and nothingness characterizes native philosophy. We will study later how and why that nothing ought to be present in everything and how everything ought to dissolve into nothing. We will analyze these transformations applying principles of mathematical physics and cybernetics. Brahman is Consciousness. Aitreya Upanisad declares: Sarvam tat praja-netram prajne pratisthitam, prajnam brahma. This means: All this is guided by Consciousness. The entire universe is founded in Consciousness. Consciousness is Brahman. Consciousness is unseen, but its presence in us is undeniable. Brahman: Generator of Matter. Mundka Upanisad states: He is divine and null. He is without and within, unborn, devoid of flow-of-energy and mind, pure and higher than the highest immutable. From Him comes energy, mind, all sense organs, space, air, light, water, earth and [nature which is] the supporter of all universe.

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A Summary Let us first look into the summary of the fundamentals of Vedanta: Brahman is the Self which is Praj or Consciousness. It is the Absolute and forever unmanifest. It is ought and nought, Being and non-Being, existence and non-existence. It has no beginning or end. In nature It is the omnipotent and the omnipresent. In the world of philosophy It is the omniscient. Although It makes us use our minds and sense organs, It is detached. It is infinitely smallunseen, unperceivable, unimaginable, yet It is infinite, holding the entire universe. In fact, according to Vedanta the entire universe has emerged out of a microcosm which emerged out of It. From a somewhat materialistic standpoint Brahman is a condensed radiance whose rays can never be seen. Thus according to physics, It carries an infinite amount of energy. It is in the sun, in the moon, in the stars, in us, in everything, yet it appears to be null. Vedantists state that this state of the Absolute is abnmanasogochar, beyond speech and thought. Yet it is stated that this state can be attained through intense meditation. All these above discussions lead us naturally to the next topic. 3. Mysticism: Contradictions and Inconsistencies In the previous section, we have studied some of the fundamentals of Vedanta philosophy. I have mentioned that logical explanation and synthesis are my main objectives. But let us first study why such an analysis is necessary. Vedanta is the core of Hindu religion. Possibly in every religion one may notice elements of mysticism which will stay forever unchallenged. But philosophers must look into the logical structure of a philosophy before accepting it. As such each statement of Vedantawhich Hindus consider to be the source of the supreme wisdom or ultimate Reality, most splendid and robustmust be challenged from the podium of logic. The first problem is: Theoretically if there exists the Absolute it must be God. Apparently existence of God is simply a postulate. It is faith-dependent. We simply assume that there exists none who is superior to God. Scientists cannot verify this. The words God and divinity are synonyms. Thus, logically, if Brahman is the Absolute, then Brahman must be God and hence Brahman must be divine. But consciousness, that is present in every element of nature as dictated by Vedanta, is Brahman. Hence every element of nature is divine. Thus an evil person is essentially an embodiment of divinity. How can any rational person accept a statement that Evil is divine? In fact all logic should point out that the words Evil and Divinity are antonyms. Furthermore, if everything belonging to nature is conscious, then dead trees, dead animals which are obviously elements of nature ought to be conscious. How can one accept such a ridiculous statement? How can a dead person be conscious?

The concept of God is mysterious. We claim that God is gracious to all. He is benign and benevolent. He is caring and compassionate. If these are correct, why are there so much miseries in the world? Why does a newborn baby die on the lap of his mother in an earthquake? What kind of sin could he ever commit to be murdered mercilessly at the gracious hands of the omnipotent? There is no end to these discussions. Yet we pray and believe in God, possibly more out of fear than out of gratitude. And obviously there exists no logical explanation for all of these. However, some people, while in deep prayers, feel the sublime presence of an aesthetic feeling in them. Is this purely a psychopathy? But when the prayers are over, they behave quite normal. There is no trace of psychopathy in them. Isn't such a phenomenon baffling to modern science? According to Vedanta, however, such an event is possible. A more fundamental question is how Absolute can ever exist? If it exists, then it is defined by a person. Hence it must be relative. Thus in the realms of physics and metaphysics the term Absolute is irrelevant. Vedantists claim that it is beyond any speech or perception. But one must perceive the existence of the Absolute to call it the Absolute. Hence there is a dilemma. Then Vedanta states that the Absolute is neither existent nor non-existent. This brings more confusion. To make matters worse, Vedanta states that through meditation mind can reach that state. Thus perception of the Absolute, which is always done by the mind, is possible. But our perception works exclusively in the world of dualism, the world of Relative. Hence the Absolute is an element of the universe of the Relative. This is a contradiction. If the assumption of the existence of Brahman is only a postulate in Vedanta, then there is no argument. Our objective will be then only to look into the fact whether this postulate is ever violated in the discourses of the Upanisads. If no such violation is found, this is mathematically correct because mathematics is simply a mode of thought. Starting with postulates, chosen arbitrarily, if we derive conclusions so that the postulates are not violated and our logic is free from contradictions and inconsistencies, then this is mathematics. But Vedantists claim that the assumption of the existence of the Absolute can be validated. They called this state one of Sat-Chid-Ananda, meaning the state of the Absolute Existence, Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Bliss. This creates more confusion. The more we know, the more we realize the more we do not know. Or in other words, knowledge is endless. In this regard, there exists not the slightest disagreement among the pundits. Thus by all standard of logic the concept of Absolute Knowledge is totally utopian. Similarly the state of Absolute Bliss is inconceivable. The tale of tears and triumphs, pain and pleasure, is interwoven with the very fabric of our existence. The next interesting inquiry is to understand how Brahman, which permeates every element of nature, can be detached from everything. vetvatara Upanisad states: As oil [exists] in sesame seeds, butter in milk, water in river-beds and fire in woods, so that the Self is realized [as existing] within an object . By making the body the lower piece

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of wood and AUM the upper piece and through the practice of the friction of meditation one perceives the luminous Self, hidden like the fire in the wood. Obviously these statements suggest that Brahman or Self is the integral part of our very existence. Mundka Upanisad states: He moves about becoming the manifold, which means the universe is one with Brahman. But in Bridranyaka Upanisad we see: [It is] undecaying, for It never decays; unattached, for It is never attached . How is He in the manifold and detached at the same time? Are these concepts on Brahman of different Upanisads really contradictory? Around 1500 BC Indian philosopher Charvak denied the existence of the Absolute and stated that the aim of life is to have fun at all cost. He said that when this material body was formed, mind was formed and consciousness is an attribute of the mind. There exists no Self. His ideas are very straight-forward and bereft of any self contradiction. This materialistic viewpoint was rejected by most Indian philosophers. Snkhya system is a great philosophy and admits the qualitative variations of consciousness, which is Self, in nature. We all are different from each other. Snkya states: If the self were one, all should become free if any one attained freedom (Ref. 18). In Snkhya, the Cosmic Consciousness is Purusa which is unrelated to Prakriti (nature). Purusa is an expression of consciousness. Nature works because of Purusa. Each element of nature has a distinct consciousness. Vedanta says we all are qualitatively the same consciousness. This becomes known once we realize the truth that so aham or We are that [Brahman]. At this point nature with all her infinite beauties and bounties becomes an illusion. Each individual Self, which according to Brihadranyaka Upanisad is smaller than the small, is essentially infinite, greater than the great. Divinity-inside, which seems to be bounded, and finite and divinity-outside, which seems to be unbounded and infinite, become the same. Mathematically part becomes the whole. How is it possible? Charvak's philosophy is easy to understand. Snkhya, which has so much similarity with Vedanta, is understandable. But understanding Vedanta is a real challenge! Finally Vedanta states that the Absolute Brahman is condensed light. Hence Cosmic Consciousness must be a form of condensed light and every element of nature is essentially that. If this is so, it should be explained by the principles of physics, applying mathematics, which is the sole language of science. We must now go into scientific analysis of Vedanta to look into the apparent contradictions and inconsistencies which we have just studied. But first, let us start with the Vedantic explanation of the creation of this universe. 4. Origin of the Universe The invocation in a Upanisad (Shukla Yajur Veda) is: Aum prnam adah, prnam idam prnat prnam udacyate Prnasya prnam dya prnam evvaisyate.

This aphorism means: That is full. This is full. This full emanated from that full. But that which was full, is still full. A simple logical explanation is: There exists a universe which is infinite, unmanifest, complete and conserved. Out of this, another universe has come out which is infinite, manifest, complete and conserved. However, the unmanifest universe remains infinite, complete and conserved. I have witnessed endless mystic explanations of this invocation. But let us study its logical aspect. We live in a universe which can be studied by observations and/or experiments. This is the macrocosm. It cannot be born out of nothing. Even a child understands that something cannot be born out of nothing. It must come out of something that may appear to be nothing. Vedanta calls this the microcosm. It is not observable. Both macrocosm and microcosm are infinite, complete and conserved. This logic is mathematically correct. Why? Let S1 be the set of all integers and let S2 be the set of all positive integers. Then S2 is a subset of S1 although both are infinite. If S2 is taken out of S1 then both S2 and (S1 S2) remain infinite sets. The Macrocosm is Complete and Conserved. In the macrocosm we can notice that if we choose any two elements and perform any physical, chemical or biological operation (as appropriate) on them the result is an element that belongs to the macrocosm. Thus the macrocosm is closed. Or in other words, everything which we observe here is an output of combination of elements which already exist here. (A set S is said to be closed with regard to an operation if a b S for all a, b S.) The word complete means if S0 is an event of the macrocosm connected with a given object, and it goes through a sequence of changes S1, S2 attaining a final point or limiting point S*, then S* is also an element of the macrocosm. For instance, if S0 is a seed of a tree, then S0 changes with time and finally becomes the tree that could be called the limiting point of the set of information, and at each state it is a part of the macrocosm. But the tree grows old and dies and could be burnt. It becomes invisible. All of these transformations are still elements of the macrocosm. The words closed and complete imply that the macrocosm is conserved, because everything is being processed continuously and no actual annihilation is taking place. Existence of a Cosmic Operator. According to Vedanta, neither energy nor mass can be created or destroyed. They ought to be projected from one form to another. But a change that requires an operation cannot take place all by itself. There must exist an operator who must cause the transformation. If we denote this operator by F, then Vedanta calls this operator The observer. gama-Prakarana dictates: Turiya is forever, everything and the witness. Turiya means the Cosmic Consciousness which is Brahman, the Absolute. If we denote Brahman by F, then according to Vedanta,

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F : microcosm macrocosm.

(1)

Both the Rig Veda and the Atharva Veda declare that before this macrocosm was manifest Hiranya Garbha was manifest (Hiranya Garbha existed prior to all. It was at the beginning of creation. Rig Veda). In Sanskrit, Hiranya means Golden and Garbha means womb. This means that there was a colorful display of fireworks when our universe, the macrocosm, was created. This is the first manifestation of Brahman. Thus the other name of Hiranya Garbha is Brahm. Hindus worship Fire by calling it the creator. The Holy Bible states that when this universe was created there was light. Physicists believe (Ref. 14) that when this universe was born there was a huge explosion (The Big Bang). Since then the universe is in motion, expanding continuously. Vedanta calls this universe Jagat. Literally it means an object is in perennial motion. According to George Gamow (Ref. 15), this material world came out after all the matter in the universe, which consisted of a natural abundance of atomic species forming micro-matter or tanmtras according to Vedanta, was squeezed to extremely high density and subjected to very high temperatures providing favorable conditions for all kinds of nuclear transformations. This unmanifest micromatter forms the microcosm. Shree Ramakrishna called microcosm the causal body of the universe. This is indeed a form of matter. Matter cannot move itself. Force cannot exert itself. Energy cannot transform itself. Mathematically an operator must exist to do any of the above activities. Presence of heat implies conversion of energy. According to Vedanta, at the state of microcosm, universe was stationary and it was a storehouse of a huge amount of potential energy. Philosophically the unseen microcosm is one with Brahman. From the point of view of physics, however, it is a conglomeration of a huge amount of subatomic particles (tanmtras in Sanskrit). If at a given time t, p(t) = the potential energy of the universe and k(t) = the kinetic energy of the universe, then according to the law of conservation of energy p(t) + k(t) = C (2) where C = a constant, independent of time. If we assume that at t = 0, the universe was just born and motion ensued, then just prior to that, at t = 0 (when time was not even generated) there was no motion (because there was no universe), and k(0) = 0. Thus p(0 ) = C. (3) Thus C in the equation (2) is the vast amount of potential energy, that was transformed into kinetic energy so that the universe could come into existence. Now, wherever there is potential energy there is matter. Thus there was micro matter storing p(0) amount of potential energy (before the universe was born). This is the microcosm. Science is continuously exploring the macrocosm and is finding that there exist an infinite number of phenomenon in it. That is why our research on macrocosm is endless and we claim that knowledge is endless. Since macrocosm is infinite,

microcosm must be infinite, because infinite cannot emanate from finite. Although microcosm is unmanifest, its existence is a scientific reality and it is apparently the cause of the macrocosm, just like we say a dark cloud is the cause of rain. Microcosm is the causal body of macrocosm. Mathematically, however, a cause is changed into an effect by an operator that is neither the cause nor the effect. We need to analyze who this operator could be and why. 5. Operator F is the Cosmic Consciousness Brihadranyaka Upnisad states: He (Brahman) has nothing sticking to Him, for He does not stick to anything . It is never attached . Katha Upnisad states: It [Brahman] did not originate from anything, nor did anything originate from It. Let us examine these statements. If X is a cause, changed into an effect Y by an operator G, we write, G : X Y. G is detached from both X and Y. For example when John buys a book for $20 (dollars), then John transforms $20 into a book. Symbolically, John : $20 Book. John is the operator, and John is neither $20 nor the book. John is detached from them. Similarly, from equation (1), when F transforms microcosm into macrocosm, F is detached from both, and microcosm is the cause or origin of the macrocosm. Just like we say that the book originated from $20 (not from John), similarly we say that the macrocosm (our phenomenal universe) has originated from the microcosm (the unmanifest cause) and not from F (Brahman). This statement is logical. Also, whenever there is an effect, there must exist a cause behind it, known or unknown; and Brahman stays like an operator, being totally detached from both cause and effect. Thus all events in nature good or bad, exceedingly pleasant or ruthlessly cruel take place due to some cause or a sequence of causes, which could be known or unknownwhile Brahman, being detached from all of them, stays like an operator. That is why He is often called an eternal witness in gama-Prakarana, observing all events of nature. Thus relative to our knowledge of the macrocosm, all originated from the microcosm, which is its causal body, and in that sense none has originated from Brahman or the Cosmic Consciousness. Energy cannot exist by itself. It must have a storage or, in other words, energy must be contained in a container by someone, and if there is a flux of energy there must be an operator who must distribute this energy. This logic is quite straight forward and understandable. Thus there must have been a storage of p(0), the vast amount of potential energy of the microcosm, stored by an operator and F is the operator that propitiated this energy. The questions are: Who could store potential energy, and who could transform it into kinetic energy?

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Ken Upnisad declares: That which cannot be expressed by speech, but by which speech is spokenThat alone know as Brahman. That which mind cannot comprehend, but by which mind comprehendsThat alone know as Brahman. That which cannot be seen by eyes, but by which eyes can seeThat alone know as Brahman. That which cannot be heard by ears but by which ears can hearThat alone know as Brahman. That which cannot be breathed, but by which breathing worksThat alone know as Brahman. This obviously means that Upanisads not only consider Brahman as the operator F transforming microcosm into macrocosm, but Brahman also exists in us performing biological, neurological and psychological operations. The first statement from the excerpt of Ken Upanisad states that Brahman is that which cannot be expressed by speech. Thus it must be detached from the speechgenerating mechanism. But this mechanism is activated by Brahman so that a speech may be spoken. Similarly mind, eyes, ears, heart, and all parts of the body are activated by Brahman. Thus Brahman must be our consciousness [as Aitareya Upanisad claimed Prajanam Brahman]. Consciousness works like a mathematical operator; being detached from all biological and psychological organs of the body, it activates them so that they may function. Thus essentially it is consciousness that generates and stores potential energy in us and converts that into kinetic energy so that body, mind and intellect may perform their respective jobs. When potential energy is converted into kinetic energy as we work, we feel warm because heat must be generated in the body. Thus Hiranyagarbha is always manifest when we do any work physiological or psychological. But Vedanta states that Brahman is present even in the inanimate objects? How can this be possible? How can a dead body or a piece of stone have consciousness? Whenever there is a piece of matter, there is energy. In fact matter is a compound of mass and energy. Wherever there is an amount of energy, there must be a container of energy. Wherever there is a container, there must be an operator who must contain the energy in the container. A piece of stone is a piece of matter having some amount of potential energy. Thus an operator is there who is in charge of storing this energy. This operator, according to Vedanta, is consciousness. Furthermore, if we put a piece of stone under a microscope, we will notice there are millions of atomic particles dancing all around it. Thus there is motion, and this motion indicates conversion of potential energy into kinetic energy, done by an invisible operator. In the absence of any external mechanical device, it is only consciousness that transforms potential energy into kinetic energy, and it is only consciousness that can store energy. Hence there is consciousness in the piece of stone. Brihadranyaka Upanisad states that we have a subtle body within our gross body. When a person dies, mind, intellect and the vital organs, which are described as particles of light, start getting united with the subtle body. When the self departs, the vital breath follows, and when the vital breath departs, all organs follow (Brihadranyaka Upnisad). Thus at the time of death of a person all the vital organs do not die

simultaneously. They die slowly. This has been validated by transplantation of vital organs from a dead body into a live person by medical experts of this age. Shree Ramakrishna said that qualitatively consciousness is the same in each element of nature, both animate and inanimate, but its measure of manifestation varies from one object to the other. He said that the state of Cosmic Consciousness is a transcendent statebeyond macrocosm and microcosm. Only man has been bestowed with the power to attain that state. Thus the highest manifestation of consciousness is in man. More on this is discussed later. If we extrapolate the concept of how consciousness works in a human body and study the phenomenal universe around us, we notice thatgenerating potential energy, storing potential energy and converting it into kinetic energyall of these are going on constantly all over the universe. In fact, these functions can be done exclusively by consciousness in the body. There exists no other operator which could do all of them simultaneously. Hence the mathematical operator F in the equation (1) must be the Cosmic Consciousness. In this sequel one question still remains to be answered. The unmanifest microcosm, the causal body of the macrocosm emanated from where ? Microcosm consists of elementary invisible matter [tanmtra in Sanskrit]. How could these be generated? When a baby is born, he/she cannot eat solid food. This fact is well known. If we feed them solid food, they won't be able to digest it. Why? Because their liver is not able to produce certain enzymes required for such digestion. However, after about six to seven months liver starts producing enzymes. These enzymes are chemicals. Where do they come from? The only rational answer is: Consciousness generated these chemicals using the liver. Why is this so? Because the liver of a dead baby, from whom a major part of consciousness has departed, is incapacitated from producing these enzymes. Also, a human cell must float in water (H2O). However, if we look into a cell through a microscope, we will find that there are a number of chemicals, other than H2O, present in the liquid on which the cell floats. Many of these chemicals did not come from the food we eat. Consciousness made the liver generate these chemicals. There are many Yogis that we know who have the vision of consciousness and can control by communicating with their consciousness any malfunction of their body affected by free radicals and other chemicals. They live disease-free for many years. Dr. Weil (Ref. 38) discusses in Spontaneous Healing how to discover and enhance the body's natural ability to heal itself by setting up algorithms for the mind which is obviously done by consciousness. Thus we observe that consciousness has the ability to generate matter. Hence the microcosm was generated by consciousness. When microcosm was there, there was no time, space and causation. Because nothing was changing. But when microcosm was transformed into macrocosm, time, space and causation ensued. Consciousness permeated every element, and a cause is changed into an effect, effect becoming the cause of another event, and so

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on. All of these started happening. Consciousness stayed as the operator, detached, unfettered, and the eternal witness. Taittiriya Upanisad states: All that exists is inalienable from Brahman in time and space, Brahman being the generator of time and space. 6. Properties of Macrocosm Macrocosm is nature, our phenomenal universe. Even though Vedantists called nature My, or an illusion, they attempted a thorough investigation of macrocosm to lay down principles following which one can transcend it and reach the state of Brahman. Their investigation shows that there are nine essential elements of this phenomenal universe: (i) Three fundamental factors of Existence are: Time, Space and Causation;

(ii) Three fundamental modes of Existence are: Projection, Preservation and Destruction; and (iii) Three gunas (subtle primary random forces of nature): Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. In Sanskrit these are called Avyktam, or those which are unexplained. The very first property of an element of nature is that it exists. But if we say that an element exists, we must say Where did it come from? When did it happen?, How long will it exist? Where will it exist?, How was it caused? and finally How, when and where will it dissolve? As I have mentioned earlier, Vedanta states that the macrocosm is closed. That means all of its elements are formed out of chemical, biological or physical operations between elements belonging to itself. Thus nothing is really created. That means if we see a new form of matter, it means that some other matter or different matters are converted or projected into this form. It definitely happened at a given time and space, and the law of causation determines how and why such a projection can take place. Furthermore, Vedanta claims that the whole universe is continuously changing. It is in perennial motion, which Einstein stated only in 1905. There may be many characteristics of these motions. For example, it may be a rectilinear translation, a rotation, a vibration or a combination of all of them. The one which applies to every element of naturefrom the very minutest to the most massiveis vibration. Vedanta states that the universe is projected from the microcosm and will dissolve into the microcosm. No element of this phenomenal world will be lost. No matter will be annihilated. Microcosm is fixed. It is the container of the causal body of each element of nature. Thus at the time of dissolution, all elements will return to their causal existence. Thus matter stays conserved for all time to come. This Vedantic logic for the principle of conservation of matter, well known in physics, has also been discussed before. Quantum Mechanics states that every element of the universe is vibrating. But it has not yet explained why. Vedanta comes out with an explanation. Let us study this explanation.

The second law of Thermodynamics states that entropy is continuously increasing. This simply means that every element of nature is continuously being bombarded by an arbitrary number of subtle random natural forces and these bombardments increase with time. To answer why entropy is increasing, Ludwig Boltzman observed that in a system particles that compose it are moving from a less probable to a more probable arrangement that contains more disturbances than those at the initial condition. In the equilibrium state entropy reaches a maximum, defining the state of maximum probability that is a fully disturbed state of existence or simply a chaos. If a system moves from the state A to the state B and there is no heat exchange and temperature remains the same, then entropy is zero. This is the other extreme where probability of formation of such a state is zero. This state is eternally unmanifest. There exists no natural phenomenon where this rule may be applied. Vedanta states that nature does not consist of an arbitrary number of subtle random forces. It contains three Abyktams namely Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These are three gunas (inclinations) which, according to Vedanta, change the curvature of our space-time manifold, causing the force of gravitation and all other forces of nature. This concept is more in conformity with Einstein's explanation of gravitation. Vedanta states that Sattva, Rajas and Tamas simply behave like three subtle random natural forces. Sattva behaves like a centripetal force attracting every element in a subtle way towards the Self; Rajas behaves like a centrifugal force trying to put every element in a motion away from the Self towards an object of attraction in nature; Tamas is one that attempts to balance both Sattva and Rajas, trying to incapacitate an element from moving towards the Self or going for action in the external world. These three forces are never balanced. Hence each particle must vibrate. Katha Upanisad states: Whatever there isthe whole universe vibrates because it has gone forth from Brahman. This vibration stops if all of these gunas quit working, causing all action to come to a standstill position. This, of course, could never happen in the phenomenal universe. These gunas not only act in the world of physics, they are equally active in the world of metaphysics. Those who are mostly possessed of Sattva, they look for the inner Self. They try to visualize the Self everywhere. Thus they do not harm others. By nature they stay calm and contented. People who are mostly possessed of Rajas are always active and on the run. They always have jobs to do. People who are mostly absorbed by the force of Tamas are the evil-minded ones. They become lethargic, stupid, deceitful and demonic, although the operator which makes them work is Brahman, their consciousness. Thus divinity is present even in the evil. Shree Ramakrishna said, Nature is vibrant with diversities. She is always playful. But when these activities come to a stop nature merges with Brahman. Both are the same. Nature coming to a stop, physically means there will be no heat exchange and no variation of temperature, reducing entropy to zero. If such a state exists, it must be a transcendent state, a state of perfect bliss, because there can be no bombardment by Sattva, Rajas or Tamas. The state of microcosm is the container of

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all elements of nature and in that sense it is also beyond the laws of nature. The root cause of the law of entropy is there although it does not affect the microcosm. Shree Ramakrishna called it the state of enchantment. Brahman is beyond that. 7. Cosmic Consciousness is the Absolute What we have studied so far shows that there are three apparently distinct information: The observed universe [macrocosm], the unobserved universe [microcosm] and the operator [Cosmic Consciousness]. Neither the macrocosm nor the microcosm could exist if the operator did not exist. However if neither the macrocosm nor the microcosm exist the operator must be there, because its existence does not depend on any one of them. We reside in the macrocosm that contains a kaleidoscope of information. Hence all information is relative. There exists no information in the phenomenal world that can be the Absolute. But if macrocosm dissolves in microcosm and microcosm dissolves into Cosmic Consciousness, then there exists only one information: Brahman, the Cosmic Consciousness. At the present time this seems to be possible only theoretically. But this possibility reveals a sublime truth that the state of the Cosmic Consciousness must be the state of the Absolute. One may ask if the Cosmic Consciousness dissolves what remains then? But this is an impossible event. Because Cosmic Consciousness is the only possible reservoir of all mass and all energy. If Cosmic Consciousness dissolves who will store the huge mass and energy of the macrocosm that are conserved forever, and as such cannot be annihilated? If macrocosm dies, matter that must be conserved must exist in some form like tanmtras (according to Vedanta) in the microcosm. And if both macrocosm and microcosm die, matter, which can never be annihilated, must merge with the Cosmic Consciousness and exist in some special form. This brings into light another interesting property of the Cosmic Consciousness. I have presented it as an ordinary mathematical operator. But now it is obvious that It is not an ordinary mathematical operator. When we write F : X Y, no way in mathematics can we prove that when Y is annihilated it merges with X, and if X is annihilated it merges with F. Charlie Dey (Ref. 39) observed this and commented that, regardless of many similarities, F in the equation (1) is very different from a standard mathematical operator. Whereas It is mathematically detached from both X and Y, It is still the origin of X. It existed when nothing else existed and It will exist if nothing else exists. The law of conservation of mass and the law of conservation of energytwo fundamental laws of physicsare inalienable from the Cosmic Consciousness, in which they ought to exist. Thus Cosmic Consciousness, or Brahman, must be deathless and similarly birthless. It must be beyond time, space and causation. Because if It is dependent on time, it must change. Hence It cannot be the Absolute. If It is dependent on space, then It must be located at a definite location at a given time and location must change. But space came to exist when Cosmic Consciousness generated space. Hence It must be beyond space. Thus It is

independent of space. If It is caused by some Super Being, then again It cannot be the Absolute (by the very definition of the Absolute). But It is the Absolute because when there was nothing else it must exist in order that the microcosm may be generated. Thus it must be beyond causation. It is omnipotent because it preserves all the potential energy of the universe and omnipresent because It is the inner operator that changes every element of nature. It must be the source of all information. Hence it must be the omniscient. These are not just assumptions of Vedanta. They are logically correct, derived applying principles of mathematics and modern physics. The attributes existence or non-existence cannot be logically applied to Brahman. If we say a thing exists, then the immediate questions are when, where and how does it exist? None of this is applicable to the Absolute because It is beyond time, space and causation. Similarly if we say It does not exist, the same questions should arise and there are no answers. Thus Vedantic logic is proper when it declares that Brahman is neither existent nor nonexistent (section 2). Mentioning the state of emancipation of Lord Buddha, Shree Ramakrishna told his disciples that Buddha has attained the state which is neither existence nor non-existence. He said these words are applicable only to the phenomenal world. This implies that the transcendent state exists and a person like Buddha can attain this state. This state is not affected by the laws of nature. We have noticed earlier that vetasvatara Upanisad claims that Brahman is beyond knowledge and ignorance. Shree Ramakrishna said that repeatedly to his disciples. We all should agree He is beyond ignorance. But why is He beyond all knowledge? We all understand that all we know is relative to our understanding. Hence all knowledge should be relative, or simply I must exist in order that a knowledge may exist. Now let us assume that Brahman becomes known. Thus Brahman becomes a part of our knowledge. This implies that Brahman becomes an element of the Relative. Hence He cannot be the Absolute which is a contradiction. Therefore, He must be beyond knowledge. In a different way one may imagine that He cannot be known, not because He is at the center of all knowledge, but because He is at the center of knowing. No knowledge can make Him known, because He makes the knowledge known. Then what do we mean by saying that a person has the knowledge of Brahman? This knowledge of Brahman or realization of Brahman means that a person who gets this knowledge is united with Him. In Sanskrit, this is called Yoga or union. Here the knower, the known and the medium of acquiring this knowledge are all united with the centre of knowing. Brahman is not an object to know; It is the subject to be united withthe knower of knowing the known. The doctrine of Vedanta is clearly depicted in the aphorisms of the Bhgavad Gita [16]. In Askshara Brahman Yoga (Chapter 8, verses 19, 20) Lord Krishna says: This multitude of beings, coming forth again and again, merge, O Partha, in spite of themselves, at the approach of death and remanifest themselves at the approach of birth. This is the everlasting vibratory existence of our life in this universe. We become manifest and unmanifest. But then Lord Krishna said, Beyond this

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unmanifest state, there is yet another unmanifest eternal state which does not perish even when all existences perish. This is the state of Brahman that is unmanifest and eternal. Now the question is: How to transcend the laws of nature and attain the state of the Absolute. In order to do this, let us first analyze how mind works. 8. Mind As an Operator In the world of cybernetics, matter is information. We all are pieces of information to each other. Whatever we touch, see, hear, smell, taste or think, mind must be activated. Mind takes this information for processing to the intellect and stores all the results in the memory. These stay in the memory forever, unless due to aging or disease, mind, brain or memory malfunctions. If the body, together with its constituent elements, stays healthy all information gathered in the memory stays there and could be retrieved. To make matters somewhat simple we may consider mind as a master processor that gathers information, gets information processed and stores them in the memory to be used later. This simply means that mathematically we combine all neurological operators into one master operator that we will call our mind and denote it by M. Whatever M does, it means it does with the help of other neurological operators like the nervous system, the brain and the memory. If M cannot do something, it means some of the other operators may be inactive. (Or, in other words, the person under consideration may be sick.) This assumption that mind is the master operator is not inconsistent with the Indian philosophy. In Bibhuti Yoga (Bhgavad Gita, Chapter 10), Lord Krishna says, Indriynam mananschmi (among all the senses, I am mind). In Dhammapada (the Religious Book of the Buddhist), it is written, Manopubbam gam dhamm, manosetth manomay (mind leads one into religion, mind is superior to all, everything is controlled by mind). The nature of mind is to grab information indiscriminantly and process it. Thus for M we can write M : Input Output. (4) Input information is almost always different from the output information. For example, if I see the portrait of my aunt, I think of the portrait of my mom. If I drink tea, I may think of having a cup of coffee instead, etc. This is a dynamical system. It is very random and time dependent. Thus in the light of mathematics, it is an enormously complicated system. We may, however, simplify it to a point, provided the model can be validated experimentally. Definition #1: Information. Information is a set of elements. Such a set must contain at least one element. Assumption #1. Mind generates information. Thus dualism in informatics is a natural output of the trend of mind. If X and Y are two distinct informations that mind is capable of generating, then M(X) = Y and M(Y) = X are always possible.

Dynamical Processing of Information. Let at some time t = t0, X0 = Information that M (mind) receives as an input. Immediately mind processes it and converts that to information X1 and by that time, time also changes from t0 to t1. But M does not stop at this moment; it changes X1 into other information X2 and time becomes equal to t2. Thus we see a dynamical system in progress: X1 = M(X0), In general, Xk+1 = M(Xk) (5) where Xk+1 is the information at t = tk+1. This equation also reveals that whenever there is dualism, which means existence of two information sets, mind must move from one information to the other. Question: Can this dynamical system ever terminate? Can M quit generating information? One may say: Yes, it ends when a person dies. Therefore a more precise question is: Can this process converge to a point and the person not be dead or sick? But before we answer this question we must look into our mind and analyze why our mind cannot stay quiet. Why does it jump from one kind of information to another? I have already mentioned (section 6) how the law of entropy works. In the macrocosm, mind is subject to this law and is being continuously bombarded by the Avyktams. Thus it has to be restless. Avyktams are everywhere in nature affecting us physically and psychologically. Thus regardless where we go, whether in a church, temple, near the sea-side or on top of a mountain or at a party, mind will keep on processing information indiscriminantly and untiringly. In fact, we get bored and tired when we cannot grab new information to process. The root cause for all of these is the clutch of the law of entropy. There is no escape from this relentless decree of nature so long as we are under her commands. Science cannot imagine that there can be a way out, that one can get out of clutter and commotion, that one can transcend nature and be blissful forever. Vedanta shows this royal path and states that this is an omniscience and could be validated experimentally. If mind can attain the state of the microcosm, it discovers the information of the tanmtras, the physical and metaphysical cause of the universe. Here it may move in a virtual space-time configuration away from the law of entropy. This configuration is the realm of ecstasy the causal body of the universe or scientifically, the storage of vast potential energy p(0-). 9. Attainment of the State of Brahman There is a way to express our thoughts and feelings in terms of mathematics. If we have a headache we can tell a doctor how painful it is by choosing a number between 1 and 10. 10 will mean that the pain is excruciating and 1 will mean that it is quite tolerable. Similarly to express how much my mom loves me, how much my dad loves me and how much my brother loves me on a scale of 1 to 10, I may put 10 for my mom, 8.5 for my dad and 2.12 X2 = M(X1), etc.

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for my brother. If we think of a friend or even a blade of grass, we think of some attributes related to the information and thus these may be represented numerically. Thus each state of mind may be associated with unique information having a measure in terms of a unique number. In fact, information may be represented in terms of a unique nonnegative number lying between two numbers arbitrarily chosen. It may be called a measure of information. Hence we may state: Definition #2: Measure of Information Measure of Information is a unique nonnegative number lying between two given numbers to be chosen arbitrarily. Let these two numbers be 0 and 1. Thus if aj is a unique nonnegative number associated with a unique information Xj, such that 0 aj 1 then aj is called the measure of Xj. In general, no information is null information. However, if due to some neurological process, information is erased from the memory, it becomes null information. For example, if a person lost a toy when he/she was a child, that toy could be null information to him/her when he/she is an adult. Also if an information merges with other information it could become null information. An illusion is one which has no existence of its own. In that sense it is considered to be a null information. The measure of null information is zero. Vedanta declares that by virtue of meditation one can transcend nature and attain the state of the Absolute. This must be derived mathematically. Meditation Meditation begins when a person sitting in a posture with his/her spinal cord straight, focuses his/her mind on one and only one object and starts breathing slowly and rhythmically. During the first stage of meditation, mind cannot get focused. Due to the law of entropy, it starts generating and processing information. Some people cannot stay quiet even for just a few minutes. While trying to concentrate, they experience a strong reaction from inside, because mind becomes more and more desperate to process more information. For them meditation ends in smoke. The primary question is: How to start meditation? In the Paingala Upanishad, saint Yjabalka discussed this matter with his disciple Paingala. He said: tat tvam asi, tvam tad asi, tvam brahmspadam brahmsmty anusandhnam kuryt This means: One should engage in meditation with the firm conviction Thou art that (You are divine), That is in thee (Divinity is in you), Thou art the seat of Brahman, and The final word is that I am one with divinity. The one and only one objective to conduct meditation is the realization of divinity in you. Those who can start meditation with these profound tenets of Vedanta do experience an entirely different scenario. Their minds get more and more focused and process less and less information. All sensations, all feelings, all physical, neural and psychological processes seem to be getting quieter and quieter. Mind starts entering a serene (6)

environment of quietude. Eyes do not seem to blink. Ears do not seem to hear. Nose does not seem to smell. Even breathing slows down more and more. What comes next? Assumption #2. Without any loss of generality we may assume that information generated during meditation has a unique measure and vice versa. We can assume that meditation is a dynamic system like (5), where the difference between the measures of two kinds of information, generated by the system does not differ very much. Why? Because if two kinds of information Xi at t = ti and Xj at t = tj are very different (which happens when mind is restless) then their measures may be significantly different. Mind can calm down if and only if it does not process too much information, and a mind getting focused simply means that it is getting glued to one kind of information. Definition #3: Meditation If Xk+1 = M(Xk) is a process of generating information during meditation by M (which is mind) then |measure(Xi) measure(Xj)| < (7) for any two arbitrarily chosen kinds of information Xi (at t = ti) and Xj (at t = tj) i, j K (K is arbitrarily large and depends on ), where is positive and arbitrarily small. The inequality (6) shows that the sequence {measure(Xi)}, i = 0, 1, 2, 3, is a Cauchy Sequence and will converge to a limiting point a. By virtue of our assumption, a must correspond to unique information A. Thus the only information to which mind must converge during meditation is A. Hence A = M(A). (8) What is A? Obviously from (8), A is information which M (mind) cannot change for all time to come. Mathematically we call A to be the fixed point of the mapping M defining the dynamical system (5). Since in no way can mind jump into different information from A, dualism must cease to exist when mind reaches the state of A. One may claim that mind and intellect are totally absorbed in A, although A cannot be recorded else A becomes relative and dualism ensues. As we have said, meditation begins when a person starts focusing on one object. This object is arbitrarily chosen. It can be anything. It can be the sun, the moon, a river, an ocean, a mountain, a picture of a god, an idol of a goddess, a candle, a lamp, or even an animal. There is absolutely no restriction. It depends entirely upon the whim of the meditator. Can A be any one of these objects? No. Why? Because all these elements are elements of nature, subject to the law of entropy. When mind processes any information of any element of nature, mind must change it. Mind must stay active being subjected to the law of entropy. Thus A cannot be any the element to which mind focuses at the outset of meditation. By the same logic A cannot be an element of nature. Can A be the

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unmanifest microcosm? Again the answer is NO. Why? Because microcosm is subject to change because it was transformed into the macrocosm through heat [Hiranyagarbha], and at this state information of both microcosm and the operator F must exist which implies that dualism must exist. Hence microcosm is relative. But at A mind is absorbed in A alone. It cannot move on to a new information. Dualism dies. Hence A cannot be a relative information, subject to any change. Thus A has to be the transcendent information of the Absolute. Since only Brahman is beyond macrocosm and microcosm, A must be the information of the state of Brahman. Since all action, both physical and metaphysical, must come to a complete cessation, there can be no heat exchange and temperature must remain constant. This is called the state of Samdhi. Thus by the definition of Thermodynamics if Samdhi lasts for a length of time from 0 to t, (Q = amount of heat, T = temperature),t 1 dQ dQ Entropy = s = = .dT T dT T 0 0

period of illness. After having a sleep without dreams, a person does not recall any information (like dreams) processed by mind or stored in the memory. But the person remains the same when he/she wakes up. The state of Samdhi is entirely a new scenariototally different from all other events and experiences of life. Here a person is united with the Absolutethe transcendent state of existence. Being away from the torture of entropy, he/she experiences a state of infinite tranquillity that cannot be stored even if the amount of storage in our memory is increased by a million-fold. This awesome experience stops all biological functions while mind is fully absorbed in one and only one thoughtthe thought of the Absolute. Absolute is both the input and the output. No other informationregardless how significant it may becan come in contact with the mind. A person in Samdhi cannot be aware of his/her physical presence. In the true sense of the term, mind is not really blank. It is glued to A as revealed in the equation A = M(A). When Samdhi ends, a person becomes altogether a new personan enlightened one, like a Buddha, a Christ or a Krishna. Such persons are always calm, content, caring and compassionate. Their instincts and passions are completely under control while distractions induced in mind by material comforts and pleasures are totally wiped out. They constantly visualize the eternal harmony of divinity binding all elements of natureboth animate and inanimate. All are in One and One is in all. This One divinity is Brahmanthe Cosmic Consciousness. Wherever they go, they awaken this holy feeling of oneness amongst all peoplepreaching universal brotherhood irrespective of caste, creed, religion and ethnic origin. These are some of the results after a person attains the state of Samdhi. They can never be simulated by drugs, disease or dreamless sleep. Let us now see what Lord Shree Rmakrishna, who went into Samdhi many times, explained as the course of meditation leading towards the state of Samdhi. Shree Rmakrishna says: In deep meditation, the sense organs stop, mind does not look outward. It is like closing the gate of the outer court in a house. There are five objects of the senses: form, taste, smell, touch and sound. They are left outside. At the supreme state of Brahman he says: The mind becomes like a continuous flow of oilit thinks of one subject only and that is God. It does not think of anything else. This is very similar to the mathematical equation A = M(A). In Chndogya Upanisad there is a dialogue between saint Sanatkumar and saint Nrada. Sanatkumar says: The Infinite [Brahman] is bliss. There is no bliss in anything finite [objects of nature]. Only the Infinite is Bliss. One must desire to understand the Infinite . Then he says: Where one sees nothing else, hears nothing else, understands nothing elsethat is Infinite, where one sees something else, hears something else, understands something elsethat is finite. The Infinite is immortal, the finite is mortal. Sanatkumar explains to Nrad that finite needs a support because it contains elements of

t

Since dQ/dT = 0 (because there is no heat exchange) and T = constant, s=0 during Samdhi. No entropy means no random bombardment of subtle forces of nature. It means there exists no disturbance, none whatsoever. Mind stays profoundly peaceful. There exists not the slightest amount of stress. This must be a state of perfect bliss. Vedanta calls it the state of SAT-CHID-ANANDA, state of the Absolute Existence, the Absolute Knowledge and the Absolute Bliss. Drugs or disease can create a state of disorientation causing a sense of total emptiness when mind quits processing any information and memory records none. Also in a sleep without dreams mind seems to stay blank and memory records no information to be retrieved later. The question is: How do these states differ from the state of Samdhi as defined by A = M(A) ? A person gets disoriented when mind is infinitely restless and/or the entire nervous system collapses due to the influence of some drug or drugs. Mind, intellect and memory do not function. All processing of information ceases. After the effects of drugs subside, the person does not recall any information during the time he/she had this disorientation. He/she slowly becomes normal again, having the same character and personality as he/she had before being influenced by drugs. However, if drugs damage any vital organ of the body, results could be disastrous, rendering mind more restless. A disease can cause similar disorder and disorientation of mind, preventing it from conducting normal operations. Mind quits processing information and memory records none during the course of sickness. Thus, when the disease is cured and the person becomes normal again, he/she does not recall his/her state of mind during the sickness. However, with the cure of illness the person regains his/her own characteristics which were lost during the

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nature. But Infinite needs no support. Finally he says that the Self is Infinite. One who realizes the Self, he says wields unlimited freedom in all the worlds. This freedom means freedom from all sufferings which implies entropy reduced to zero in physics. The saint Yjavalkya says (Brihadranyaka Upanisad): It [the state of Brahman] is that which transcends hunger and thirst, grief, delusion, old age and death. Having realized the Self, Brhmins give up the desire for sons, the desire for wealth, the desire for the worlds (objects of pleasure) and lead the life of mendicants. This happens because they find a feeling of deep tranquillity in their hearts. Katha Upanisad explains: The wise man who by means of concentration on the Self, realizes that ancient, effulgent One, who is hard to be seen, unmanifest, hidden leaves joy and sorrow behind. This is the world behind the world of nature. Katha Upanisad warns: This knowledge cannot be attained by reasoning. In Dhyana Yoga (Bhgavad Gita, Chapter 6), Lord Krishna declares: When the disciplined mind rests in the Self alone, free from the desire for objects, then is one said to be in yoga (verse 18). This is mathematically equivalent to the definition of meditation in this text. He further says: As a lamp in a windless place does not flickerThis is the simile used for the disciplined mind of a yogi practicing meditation on the Self (verse 19). This is mathematically equivalent to the equation A = M(A). In the verses 20 and 21, he says: When the mind disciplined by the practice of Yoga, attains quietude and when beholding the Self by the Self, he feels contented, he enjoys the supreme bliss perceived by intelligence which transcends all sense. This refers to the state where entropy is nila transcendental state. In this state of Samdhi a person loses awareness of his existence altogether. Body, mind and intellect all quit functioning and memory records no information. Exactly what Samdhi is, no one can describe. Because whatever memory cannot record and mind cannot process is certainly indescribable. That is why Vedanta calls Brahman the Abanmanasogochar (one who is beyond mind and speech). Surrounded by skeptics, critics and friends, Shree Ramakrishna went into Samdhi several times. When he was asked about his experiences in Samdhi, he said if a doll made of a chunk of salt dives into an ocean to measure its depth, it gets lost. It melts away. It loses its identity. Similarly a person in Samdhi loses his/her identity completely. Brahman is the final origin where mind gets lost at Samdhi because it gets totally absorbed in Brahman. At this state there exists no dualism or any identity. Brihadranyaka Upanisad states: At this state a father is no more a father gods are no longer gods Vedas are no longer Vedas a thief is no more a thief a monk is no longer a monk, an ascetic is no more an ascetic . This form is untouched by good deeds and untouched by evil deeds, for he is then beyond all the woes of his heart. Let us analyze the significance of these statements. From the standpoint of logic the State of Brahman is the very ultimate state of existence. Since at this state one and only

one element, namely the Cosmic Consciousness, exists there is no dualism. In order that a father may exist, a child must exist which means dualism comes in, a contradiction. Also at this state everything merges with the Cosmic Consciousness. No one has any identity of its own. Thus any relationship like father and child identifying two individuals is meaningless. Similarly gods exist provided man exists, which again means existence of dualism. Thus gods cannot exist at this state. But why Vedasthe most adorable books of the Aryans - do not exist? The only objective to study Vedas is to experience the state of the highest wisdom. At this state one experiences that the essential substance of all elements both animate and inanimate is consciousness or Brahman, just like the essential substance of all gold ornaments is gold. Once this knowledge is acquired a person sees divinity everywhere, and experiences oneness with everything. Since all scientific investigations are limited to the events of nature, science cannot elucidate the mandates of the transcendental knowledge. Infinite events of nature keep scientists occupied with their infinite investigations for an indefinite amount of time and still nature remains unexplored. Vedanta states that once we know Brahman, we know all about the microcosm, and the macrocosm, because everything came from Him. Thus there is no longer any need to study the Vedas. At this state a thief is no longer a thiefthis statement has a special meaning. It implies that a thiefan evil personhas the potential to attain the supreme state of Brahman because, just like any other scientific experimentation, any person can learn to do meditation. Both a saint and a thief will experience the same effect if they follow the techniques of meditation with rigor and precision. Just as if two molecules of hydrogen are mixed with one molecule of oxygen, the result will be water. It makes no difference whether this experiment is conducted by an experienced chemist or a novice, the result will be the same. In Rmayana we see that Ratnkar, who was a thief, learnt meditation from saint Nrada and started concentration on the holy word Rm. This meditation led him to the state of Brahman. He became Vlmiki, a great saint of India and the composer of Rmyana. Only a human being is capable of acquiring this transcendental knowledge because only a human being is capable of doing meditation. Thus man is superior to all. Vedanta states that only man has the ability to conquer instincts and reach the state of the Absolute. What is a? Mathematically a is the value of a unique measure corresponding to the unique information Athe information of the Absolute, the Infinite Brahman. Obviously a is a finite number, and by the inequality (6), which is chosen arbitrarily, a lies between 0 and 1. If we consider a literally as the measure of the information of the Infinite, then a being finite could cause some confusion, because a finite quantity cannot measure the In