了悟真我（Atma Bodha）
中译：钟七条
商羯罗阿闍黎著有《了悟真我》（Atma Bodha），一位弟子将其泰米尔语译本献予室利·薄伽梵，薄伽梵收到后，以泰米尔语重新翻译了这部作品。他进展神速，甚至夜间亦借手电之光继续工作，毫不停歇！
“那位揭示真我之光的商羯罗，难道异于我自身本有的真我吗？今日以泰米尔语宣说此法者，除了那安住于我内在最深处的真我本身外，又能是谁？”
——拉玛那·马哈希
正文
1. 这本《了悟真我》是为追求解脱的人而准备的——他们经过长期修行，已经净除了自身的垢染，内心平静，远离了欲望。
2. 在所有通往解脱的方法中，智慧是唯一直接的途径——就像做饭必须要有火；没有智慧，就无法获得解脱。
3. 业（karma）与无明并不相违，因此无法消除无明；而智慧却能如光驱散黑暗那样，彻底消除无明。
4. 由于无明，真我似乎被遮蔽；一旦无明消除，纯净的真我便将自现，如乌云消散之后的太阳。
5. 个体生命（jiva）与无明混杂在一起；通过持续地实践智慧，个体生命将变得纯净，因为智慧会（与无明一起）消失，就像净化水质的坚果会随水中杂质一起沉淀。
但这里明明有个世界，真我如何可能是唯一真实且不二的呢？
6. 轮回充满爱憎等对立。就像梦境，暂时显得真实；但醒来后就会消失，因为它本不真实。
梦醒后梦被否定，我知道它非实；但这世界持续存在，我仍然觉得它很真实。
7. 只要未见到一切现象的依托——那不二的梵（Brahman），世界便看似真实——如同母贝上出现的幻银。
但世界如此多样，你却说只有“一”。
8. 如海面泛起的泡沫一般，所有世界皆从那至高的主宰（Paramesa）中产生、存在并最终回归——“他”是一切的根本因与支柱。
9. 在那遍布一切、永恒的“存在-能知-极喜”（sat-chit-ananda），也就是毗湿奴之中，所有这些不同的物体显现出来，就像用黄金打造的各种饰品。
好吧，但那些无数的个体生命，又当如何理解？
10. 正如遍满一切的虚空，在不同物体（比如坑洞、罐子、房屋、剧院等）中看似被分割，但当限制被移除后，虚空依然完整无缺；同样，那个唯一、不二的感官主宰者（虽然貌似在诸如神、人、畜等中分化运作）也是如此。
但个体有各种特征，其作用也随环境而异。
11. 特征等也是叠加的。纯净的水（本身无味）会根据其中的附加物（upadhis）而尝到甜、苦、咸等味道。同样，种姓、头衔、地位等也都是叠加在不二真我之上的。究竟是什么样的附加物在真我上施展了这种错觉呢？它们有粗、细与极细三种，如下所述。
12. 由五种粗重元素（地、水、火、风和空）构成的“粗重身”，它的存在，是为了收获过往行为所结的苦乐果实。
13. 由五种命气、心（manas）、智（buddhi）、十种感官，以及五种精细元素构成的“精微身”，它是用来体验和享受的（比如梦境中的体验）。
14. 无法言喻且无始的无明，被称为“因基身”（即深度睡眠状态）。须知，真我迥异于此三种附加物（upadhis）。
既然如此，为何真我未向我显现？然而圣典（Sruti）中却说：“此神我（Purusha，旧译为‘原人’）乃由食物精华（annarasa）所成。”
15. 正如透明的水晶（本身无色）会根据其背景显现出红、蓝、黄等色彩，真我也是如此——纯净、无染的它，因接触身体、感官、心、智或无明之乐（即五层“鞘”，panchakosas），看起来就好像与它们合而为一了。
16. 正如剥去稻壳才能看见其中的稻米，智者也应当从包覆真我的层层壳鞘中，审慎地剥离出那纯净的真我（Atman）。
据说真我（Atman）无处不在。那么，为何还要特别在这五层“鞘”中细细辨析、寻找它呢？
17. 虽然真我恒常存在于一切之中，但却没有在每一处都显现出来。就像光只会在透明的媒介中折射一样，真我也唯独在众生的智/分辨智（buddhi）中清晰显现。
18. 真我是在（众生的）分辨智中被认知到的，作为身体、感官、心、智及自然界的一切（Prakriti，旧译为“原质”）的见证者，始终超然独立，如同君王看着其臣民的活动一般。
既然真我看似参与了这些活动，那它就不可能与之相异，也无法成为它们的见证者。
19. 就像月亮周围的云彩移动时，月亮似乎也在移动一样，在无辨识力的人看来，真我似乎也在活动，但实际上是感官在活动。
如果身体等要活动，它们就必须具有觉知；但据说它们是“无生命的”。若没有具有觉知的真我的参与，这些无生命之物如何能运作呢？
20. 就像人们在阳光下从事活动，而太阳本身却并不参与其中一样，身体、感官等也是在真我的照耀下运作的，而真我却丝毫不参与它们的行为。
的确，只有真我才具有觉知。但我确实知道自己出生、成长、衰老、快乐或痛苦等等。我说得对吗？
21. 并非如此。身体和感官的生老病死等特征，其实是被叠加在“存在-能知-极喜”之上的，就像天空在不加辨别的人看来是蓝色的一样。
22. 同样，心的种种特征，如“我在行动”这类做者感，也是由于无明而被附加在真我上的，正如水面上月亮的倒影随水波看似在晃动，实则月亮并未移动。
23. 只有当分辨智运作时，才会有喜欢、厌恶、快乐、痛苦等感受。在深度睡眠中，分辨智隐而不显，这些感受也随之不现。因此，这些只是分辨智的作用，并不属于真我。真我之所以是真我，就在于此。
24. 光是太阳的本性，清凉是水的本性，热是火的本性；同样，永恒、纯粹的“存在-能知-极喜”也是真我的本性。
每个人或多或少都会在某个时刻体验到“我很快乐”。这种“存在-能知-极喜”的体验非常明显。那么，要怎样才能让这种体验持久不变呢？
25. “存在-能知”属于真我的范畴，而“我”这一模式，或说这种“扭曲”，则属于分辨智的范畴，两者完全不同。但由于无明，人们把它们混为一谈，认为“我-知道”，并以此为基础开展行为活动。
26. 真我从来不会改变或行动，分辨智本身也不具备真正的认知能力。只是个体生命被迷惑，错误地认为自己是认知者、行动者与观察者。
27. 就像把绳子错看成蛇一样，如果真我误认为自己是个体生命，便产生了恐惧。反之，如果认识到自己不是个体生命而是至高的真我，便能彻底摆脱恐惧。
28. 唯有真我才能照亮感官、心、智等，正如灯光照亮瓶罐等物品；而反过来它们却无法照亮真我，因为它们本质上是无知觉的。
如果说分辨智不能认知真我，那就没有“认知者”能认知真我，真我也就无法被认知。
29. 要看见一道光，并不需要另外的一道光。同理，真我是自明的，无需依靠其他认知手段——它本自明耀。
如果是这样，每个人都应该很容易就能了悟真我，但事实并非如此。
30. 根据吠陀“非此，非此”（neti-neti）的教导，应当剥离一切附加物（upadhis），再借助大真言/大句（mahavakyas）来了悟到“个体真我”（jivatman）与“至上真我”（paramatman）的同一性。
31. 整个客观世界，包括身体等，皆源自无明，如同水面上的泡沫般转瞬即逝。要知道，真我是与之截然不同的，并且与梵（Brahman）同一不二。
32. 我有别于粗重之身，故生、死、老、病等都与我无关；我也不同于感官，我与声音等感官对象亦无任何关系。
33. 圣典明确指出：“我并非命气（prana），也非是心，而是纯粹的本然存在。”既然不是心，自然就超越了爱憎、恐惧等情绪。
34. （圣典还说：）“我超越一切属性，永恒不动，无有分别，永不染污，恒常不变，无形无相，始终自由而纯净。”
35. “如同虚空，我无所不在，内外遍满，不偏不倚，在万物之中恒常平等，纯净无染，澄澈不动。”
36. “那永恒、纯净、究竟自由、独立无依、不间断的喜悦，不二、‘存在-能知-极喜’、超越的梵——正是我。”
37. 长期、持续地实践：“我唯是梵”，能摧毁所有因无明而生的潜在习气，如灵药般彻底根治疾病。
38. 应当离贪、约束感官，使心不散乱；独坐静处，冥思那无限且唯一的真我。
39. 令心清净，以敏锐的分辨智将一切客体融归于真我，恒常安住于那如虚空般澄澈一体的真我。
40. 摒弃一切名称与形相之后，你现在就是那至高“存在”的认知者，并安住于圆满的“能知-极喜”中。
41. 与“能知-极喜”合一，不再有认知者与被认知者的分别；真我便以其本来面目显现。
42. 若通过持续不断的冥想，使真我与自我如同两块木柴相互摩擦，智慧之火所生的烈焰便能烧尽所有无明。
43. 如同黎明之光驱散黑夜的幽暗，当智慧摧毁无明时，真我便如旭日般升起，辉耀四方。
44. 诚然，真我始终存在于当下此地，但由于无明，它未能显现。一旦无明被摧毁，真我便仿佛被重新获得了一般，恰如误以为遗失的项链，原来一直都挂在自己颈上。
45. 在无明的遮蔽下，人们错将梵误认为是有限的个体（jiva），如同黑暗中将一根木柱误认为是人。然而，当个体生命的真实本性被领悟时，迷妄即告消散。
46. 体认真相时生起的智慧，将立即摧毁“我”与“我的”的愚昧认知，这种认知类似于黑暗中方向感的错乱。
47. 一位智者，即彻底了悟真我的瑜伽士，以智慧之眼观见万象，见一切客体现象皆根植于真我、属于真我；因而明了：唯有真我存在。
那么，他又是如何处世的呢？
48. 正如任何器皿（如罐、瓶等）皆由黏土构成，他亦见整个宇宙皆由真我构成，除真我之外别无他物。
49. 为了在活着的时候就获得解脱，圣者应该如虫蛹化蝶一般，完全摒弃“附加物”（upadhis），从而证得“存在-能知-极喜”的真实本性。
50. 穿越幻相之海，斩灭爱憎之魔，瑜伽行者与寂静合一，于真我中得大欢喜，安住于本具的荣光中。
51. 得享解脱而仍具有肉身的现世解脱者（jivanmukta），已断除对外界短暂享乐的所有欲望，安住真我之乐中，如置于罐中之灯焰，澄澈不动。
52. 就像虚空不受其中所含物体的染污，圣者也不受覆盖在他之上的附加物（upadhis）的染污。虽是遍知者，却好似什么都不知道；如风穿行万物，却不被所触之物沾染。
53. 当身体、感官等附加物消融，圣者超越个体局限，融入遍在的至高存在（毗湿奴），如水归水、空入空、火归于火。
54. 此得之外，别无更得；此乐之外，别无更乐；此知之外，别无更知。当知，此即是梵。
55. 见此后，更无可见；证此后，不复轮回；知此后，更无可知。当知，此即是梵。
56. 遍布上下四方，充满一切，本即“存在-能知-极喜”，不二、无尽、永恒、唯一。当知，此即是梵。
57. 恒常不变、无间断的至乐、唯一的真实，连圣典也只能以“非此，非此”的否定方式间接地指认。当知，此即是梵。
58. 众神如梵天，皆凭借真我无尽至乐之一隅，依其境界层次，得享相应之福。
59. 如酥油蕴藏于牛奶，现象界也包含于梵；一切活动皆依赖梵而得以运作，故梵无所不在。
60. 非细非粗，非短非长，非生非灭，无形无相、无属性、无种姓、无名称。当知，此即是梵。
61. 太阳与群星，皆因其光而得辉映；而它本身，却不为任何光所照。正是在此光之中，一切万象得以显现。当知，此即是梵。
62. 如炽铁中蕴藏着火焰，梵亦渗透整个世界之内外，使万物显现，自身亦显发辉光。
63. 梵虽与宇宙截然不同，但梵之外不存在任何事物。梵之外若别有它物显现，不过如海市蜃楼中的水影一般虚幻。
64. 一切所见、一切所闻，无非梵的显现。唯有真实智慧，方可领悟梵即“存在-能知-极喜”，唯一无二。
65. 唯有智慧之眼方能见到那无处不在的“存在-能知-极喜”；无明之眼则不能，如同盲者不能见日。
66. 如熔炼真金去除杂质，修行者凭借闻、思、修点燃的智慧之火，焚尽一切垢染，如今他焕发出光辉。
67. 智慧之日既已升起，驱尽幽暗，真我便在心源处的广阔虚空中朗然显现，作为万有的支柱，光照一切。
68. 谁若沐浴在真我那清明、温润、常新的甘泉中——这泉水可随时随地得享，无需另择时节与地点——他便息于无为，但却又无所不知、无所不在，永恒不灭。
英译
Atma Bodha
After a devotee sent to Sri Bhagavan a Tamil translation of Shankaracharya’s Atma Bodha, Bhagavan composed a new translation in Tamil. He did this translation very rapidly, working even at night, using a flashlight!
‘Can Shankara, the enlightener of the Self, be different from one’s own Self? Who but he, does this day, abiding as the inmost Self in me, speak this in the Tamil language?’
— Sri Bhagavan
1. This — Atma Bodha — is meant to fulfil the want of the seekers of liberation who, by their prolonged tapas, have already cleansed themselves of impurities and become mentally peaceful and free from desires.
2. Of all the means to liberation, knowledge is the only direct one — as essential as fire to cooking; without it, liberation cannot be gained.
3. Not being opposed to ignorance, karma does not destroy it. On the other hand, knowledge destroys ignorance as surely as light does darkness.
4. Owing to ignorance, the Self now appears to be covered up; on the removal of ignorance, the pure Self will shine forth of Itself, like the sun after the dispersal of clouds.
5. The jiva is mixed up with ignorance. By constant practice of knowledge the jiva becomes pure, because knowledge disappears (along with ignorance), as the cleansing nut with the impurities in the water.
But here is the world, how can the Self alone be real and non-dual?
6. Samsara is full of likes and dislikes and other opposites. Like a dream, it seems real for the time being; but, on waking, it vanishes because it is unreal.
Because the dream is negated on waking, I know it to be unreal; but the world persists and I find it only real.
7. So long as the substratum of all, the non-dual Brahman is not seen, the world seems real — like illusory silver in a piece of mother-of-pearl.
But the world is so diverse; yet, you say there is One only.
8. Like bubbles rising on the surface of the waters of the ocean, all the worlds arise from, stay in and resolve into the Supreme Being (Paramesa) who is the root cause and prop of all.
9. In the Being-Consciousness-Bliss, which is all permeating, eternal Vishnu, all these diverse objects and individuals appear (as phenomena) like various ornaments made of gold.
Yes, but what about the numberless individual souls?
10. Just as the all-pervading akasa (ether) appears fragmented in different objects (as in a pit, a jar, a house, a theatre hall, etc.) but remains undifferentiated on the limitations falling away, similarly with the single, non-dual ruler of the senses (seeming to function as gods, men, cattle, etc.).
But the individuals have different traits and function according to different conditions.
11. The traits, etc., are also superimposed. Pure water (tasteless by itself) tastes sweet, bitter, salty etc., according to the admixture in it (upadhis). Similarly, race, name status, etc., are all superimposed on the non-dual Self of all. What are these upadhis which play such tricks on the Self? They are gross, subtle and very subtle as described here.
12. The gross body made up of the five gross elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) is meant to reap the fruits of past actions in the shape of pleasure and pain.
13. The subtle body consisting of the five airs, the mind, intellect, the ten senses and made up of subtle elements is also meant for enjoyment (as in dreams).
14. Inexpressible and beginningless ignorance is said to be the causal body (as in deep sleep). Know the Self to be other than these three upadhis.
If so, why is the Self not evident to me? On the other hand, Sruti says, ‘This Purusha is made up of annarasa (essence of food).’
15. Just as a clear crystal (itself colourless) appears red, blue, yellow, etc., according to the background, so also the Self, pure and untainted, seems to be identical with the body, the senses, the mind, intellect or blissful ignorance (panchakosas) when in contact with them.
16. Just as husking the paddy exposes the grain within (the rice), so also should one judiciously separate the pure Atman from the sheaths covering it.
Atman is said to be everywhere. Why should it then be judiciously looked for within the five sheaths?
17. Though always and everywhere present, the Self does not shine forth in all places. Just as light is reflected only in a transparent medium, so also the Self is clearly seen in the intellect only.
18. The Self is realized in the intellect as the witness of the activities of, and yet separate from the body, the senses, the mind, intellect and gross nature (prakriti) as is a king in relation to his subjects.
The Self seems to participate in their activities; so he cannot be different from them, nor be their witness.
19. Just as the moon seems to move when the clouds around her move, so also the Self seems to the indiscriminating to be active, when actually, the senses are active.
To be active, the body etc., must also be intelligent; they are said to be inert. How can they act without the intelligent Self participating in their actions?
20. Just as men do their duties in the light of the sun (but the sun does not participate in them), so also the body, senses, etc., function in the light of the Self without its participating in them.
True, the Self alone is intelligence. I know myself to be born, growing, decaying, happy, or unhappy and so on. Am I right?
21. No. The characteristics (birth, death, etc.) of the body and the senses are superimposed on the Being-Consciousness-Bliss as is the blue in the sky by those who do not discriminate.
22. So also the characteristics of the mind, such as agency, etc., are by ignorance superimposed on the Atman, as are the movements of water on the moon reflected in it.
23. Only when the intellect is manifested, likes and dislikes, pleasure and pain are felt. In deep sleep, the intellect remaining latent, they are not felt. Therefore, they are of the intellect and not of the Atman (the Self). Here is the real nature of the Atman.
24. As light is the very sun, coldness the water, heat the fire, so also the eternal, pure Being-Consciousness-Bliss is the very Self.
At some time or other, every individual experiences, ‘I am happy’, and thus Being-Consciousness-Bliss experience is plain. How can one make the experience permanent and unchanging?
25. Being-Consciousness is of the Self; the ‘I’ mode or modification is of the intellect; these are distinctly two. However, owing to ignorance, the individual mixes them together and thinks ‘I know’ and acts accordingly.
26. Never is there any change (or action) in Atman nor knowledge in the intellect. Only the jiva is deluded into thinking itself to be the knower, doer and seer.
27. Like the snake in the rope, mistaking the jiva for the Self, one is subject to fear. If, on the other hand, one knows oneself not as a jiva but as the supreme Self, one is altogether free from fear.
28. Only the Self illumines the senses, intellect, etc., as a lamp does objects such as pots. The Self is not illumined by them as they are inert.
If the Self cannot be made known by the intellect, there will be no knower to know the Self and the Self cannot be known.
29. To see a light, no other light is needed. So also, the Self being self-effulgent, needs no other means of knowledge. It shines of itself.
If so, every one must be Self-realized, effortlessly, but it is not so.
30. On the strength of the Vedic teaching, ‘Not this, not this’, eliminate all the adjuncts (upadhis) and with the help of the mahavakyas, realize the identity of the jivatman (individual self) with the paramatman (the supreme Self).
31. The whole objective world such as the body, is born of ignorance and transient like a bubble on water. Know the Self to be distinct from it and identical with Brahman (the Supreme).
32. Being distinct from the gross body, birth, death, old age, debility, etc., do not pertain to me. Not being the senses, I have no connection with the objects of the senses such as sound, etc.
33. The srutis declare: ‘I am not the vital air (prana), not the mind, (but) pure (Being).’ Not being the mind I am free from likes and dislikes, fear, etc.
34. ‘I am free from qualities and actionless, eternal, undifferentiated, untainted, unchanging, formless, ever free and pure.
35. ‘Like ether, I am always pervading all, in and out, unswerving, ever equal in all, pure, untainted, clear and unshaken.
36. ‘That which remains eternal, pure, ever-free, all alone, unbroken bliss, non-dual, Being-Consciousness-Bliss, transcendent Brahman (the same) am I’.
37. Long, constant practice of ‘I am Brahman only’ destroys all vasanas (latent tendencies), born of ignorance as an efficacious remedy (rasayana) eradicates a disease.
38. Be dispassionate, keep the senses under control and let the mind not wander; sit in a solitary place and meditate on the Self as infinite and one alone.
39. Keep the mind pure; with keen intellect, resolve all that is objective into the Self and always meditate on the Self as clear and single like ether.
40. Having discarded all names and forms, you are now the knower of the Supreme Being and will remain as perfect Consciousness-Bliss.
41. Being the same as Consciousness-Bliss, there is no longer any differentiation such as the knower and the known; and the Self shines forth as Itself.
42. If in this manner by process of constant meditation, the two pieces of wood, namely the Self and the ego are rubbed together, the flames from the fire of knowledge burn away the whole range of ignorance.
43. On knowledge destroying ignorance in this way, like the light of dawn scattering the darkness of night, the Self will rise like the sun in all its glory.
44. True, the Self is always here and now; yet it is not apparent, owing to ignorance. On ignorance being destroyed the Self seems as if it were gained, like the necklace on one’s own neck.1
45. Just as in darkness a post is mistaken for a man, so is Brahman in ignorance mistaken for a jiva. If, however, the true nature of a jiva is seen, delusion vanishes.
46. Knowledge arising on the experience of reality immediately destroys the ignorant perception of ‘I’ and ‘mine’, which resemble the delusion of direction in darkness.
47. A jnani who is a perfectly Self-realized yogi, sees by the eye of wisdom all objective phenomena to be in and of the Self and thus the Self to be the sole being.
How does he then act in the world?
48. Just as clay is the only material from which different utensils are formed (such as pots, jars, etc.), so he sees that the Self, too, is the whole universe and there is nothing but the Self.
49. In order to be liberated while yet alive, the sage should completely eschew the adjuncts (upadhis), and thus gain the real nature of Being-Consciousness-Bliss, like the maggot that turns into a wasp.
50. Having crossed the ocean of illusion and having killed the demons of likes and dislikes, the yogi, now united to shanti (peace), finds delight in the Self and so remains in his own glory.
51. The jivanmukta, freed from all desire for transient, external pleasures, delights in his own Self and remains clear and steady a like lamp in a pot.
52. Like the akasa (ether) which remains untainted by the objects contained therein, the muni (sage) remains untainted by the adjuncts (upadhis) covering him. Being the all-knower he remains like one that knows not, and moves about like the air uncontaminated by the objects it touches.
53. On the dissolution of the adjuncts (the body, senses, etc.), the sage now freed from particularities merges in the all-permeating Being (Vishnu), like water in water, ether in ether or fire in fire.
54. There is no gain over and above this gain, no pleasure over and above this bliss, no knowledge over and above this knowledge, know this to be Brahman.
55. That on seeing which nothing remains to see, on becoming which there is no more return to samsara, on knowing which nothing remains to know, know that to be Brahman.
56. What fills everything, above, below and around, itself Being-Consciousness-Bliss, non-dual, infinite, eternal, one only, know that to be Brahman.
57. What remains as immutable, unbroken Bliss, and as one only, that which even the scriptures indirectly denote by the process of elimination as ‘not this, not this’, know the same to be Brahman.
58. Dependent on a fraction of the inexhaustible Bliss of the Atman, all the gods such as Brahma enjoy bliss according to their grades.
59. Like the butter in milk, the objective universe is contained in it; all the activities are based on it alone. Therefore Brahman is all-pervading.
60. What is neither subtle nor gross, short nor long, produced nor spent, what is devoid of form, attribute, caste and name, know it to be Brahman.
61. By whose light the sun and other luminaries shine forth, but which is not itself illumined by them and in whose light all this is seen, know it to be Brahman.
62. Like fire in a piece of red-hot iron, Brahman permeates the whole world in and out and all through, makes it shine and itself also shines by itself.
63. Brahman is distinct from the universe, yet there remains nothing apart from Brahman. Should any other than Brahman appear, it is only an illusion like water in a mirage.
64. Whatever is seen or heard, it cannot be different from Brahman. True knowledge finds Brahman to be Being-Consciousness-Bliss and one without a second.
65. Only the eye of wisdom can see the omnipresent Being-Consciousness-Bliss, but not the eye of ignorance for a blind eye cannot see the sun.
66. Like gold freed from dross, the jiva (sadhaka) has all his impurities burnt away by the fire of knowledge bursting into flames fanned by sravana, manana and nidhidhyasana (hearing, reflection and contemplation) and now he shines forth by himself.
67. Because the sun of knowledge, the chaser of darkness has risen, the Atman shines in the expanse of the Heart as the omnipresent sustainer of all and illumines all.
68. He who bathes in the clear, warm, ever-refreshing waters of the Atman, which being available everywhere, here and now, need not be sought for in special centres and seasons; such a one remains actionless. He is the knower of all; he pervades all and is ever immortal.