Jnaneshvar's Amritanubhav

Chapter Five:

Existence, Consciousness, Bliss

The Absolute is beyond all contraries, and cannot be expressed in language. We can only say, "not this, not that."

These three attributes, Sat, Chit, and Ananda (Existence, Consciousnes~ and Bliss) Do not actuallY define Brahman. A poison is poison to others, But not to itself.

Camphor ir white; Not oniy that, it is soft. And not onlY that, it is jragrant as well. Just as these three qualities signify One oo/ect--camphor;and not three objects; So the three qualities, Sat, Chit, and Ananda, Are mntained in one reality.

It is true that the words, Sat Chit, and Ananda, Are different, But the three are united in one Bliss.

The scnptures desClibe Reality As Sat, or Existence, In order to negate Its non-existence. They call It Chit, or Consciousness, In order to negate its uncomciousness.

The Vedas, Which are the very breath of the Lord, Declare It to be Ananda, or Bliss, Only in order to negate the possibility Of pain existing in It. Thus the word, Satchidananda, Used to refer to the Self, Doe,r not rea~!y desen'be Its nature, But merelY signifies That It is not the opposite of this.

In blissfulness There is no feeling of unhappiness; But can it,for that reason be called 'Bliss?"Existence vanishes along with non-existence, Consciousness along with unconsciousness, And bliss along with misery; In the eJld, nothing remains.

Discarding the veil 0f duality And all the pairs of opposites, That alone remains In Its OJvn blessed state.

If a face does not look into a mirror, There is neither a face before it Nor behind it. Likewise, He is neither happiness nor misery,

Truly, there is neither bondage nor freedom; There is nothing to he accomplished. There is only the pleasure of expounding.