Neti neti
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Neti Neti (Sanskrit : नेति नेति) is a Sanskrit expression which means "not this, not that", or "neither this, nor that" (neti is sandhi from na iti "not so"). It is found in the Upanishads and the Avadhuta Gita and constitutes an analytical meditation helping a person to understand the nature of Brahman by negating everything that is not Brahman. One of the key elements of Jnana Yoga practice is often a "neti neti search." The purpose of the exercise is to negate all objects of consciousness, including thoughts and the mind, and to realize non-dual awareness.
Significance of neti neti
Neti neti, meaning, "Not this, not this", is the method of Vedic analysis of
"Here, then, is the rule of substitution: 'not ____, not ____,' for there is nothing beyond the 'not.'" BU II iii 6[7]
"About this self, one can only say 'not ____, not ____.'" BU IV v 15[8]
Another explanation is in the book Introduction to the Vedārthasangraha of Sri Ramanujacharya by S. S. Raghavachar based on the Vishishtadvaita view:
That the enumerated forms exhaust the forms of Brahman is what is denied in 'neti neti'. Far from denying the forms of Brahman the statement (by
Badarayana) asserts the infinity of the forms of Brahman. 'Neti neti' is negative in the letter but embodies a super-abundance of affirmation in spirit.— Introduction to the Vedārthasangraha of Sri Ramanujacharya[9]
This implies an extremely interesting aspect of the various possibilities an entity can go through. The fact that a person didn't know the alphabet as a baby is true, but whether s/he will not know it even as an adult depends on the person, who being nothing else but the manifestation of Brahman can become the causation to manifest into a highly literate person or illiterate, whichever personality the person desired for, subject to Karma/causality which is nothing else but Brahman again; Brahman itself being the cause of all Karma.
Avadhuta Gita
The following was extracted from Avadhuta Gita 1.25 on Wikisource:
Sanskrit in Devanagari:
तत्त्वमस्यादिवाक्येन स्वात्मा हि प्रतिपादितः ।
नेति नेति श्रुतिर्ब्रूयाद अनृतं पाञ्चभौतिकम् ।। २५।।
tattvamasyādivākyena svātmā hi pratipāditaḥ /
neti neti śrutirbrūyād anṛtaṁ pāñcabhautikam //25//
By such sentences as "
See also
- Anatta
- Apophatic theology
- Buddha-nature
- Dharmadhatu
- Dharmakāya
- Fana (Sufism)
- I Am that I Am
- Kenosis
- Mahavakya
- Para Brahman
- Śūnyatā
- Tathātā
- Ta'til
References
- ISBN 9788120816152.
- ISBN 9781608821389.
- ISBN 9788122411874.
- ISBN 9780981925547.
- ISBN 9780791409633.
- ISBN 9788130705545.
- ^ Upanisads, a new translation by Patrick Olivelle. Oxford University Press. p. 28.
- ^ Upanisads, A new translation by Patrick Olivelle. Oxford University Press. p. 71.
- ^ S. S. Raghavachar, The Philosophy of Reality, Introduction to the Vedārthasangraha of Sri Ramanujacharya, Sharada Press, page 49