Saccidānanda

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Saccidānanda (

Sanskrit: सच्चिदानन्द; also Sat-cit-ānanda[1]) is an epithet and description for the subjective experience of the ultimate unchanging reality, called Brahman,[2][3][note 1] in certain branches of Hindu philosophy, especially Vedanta. It represents "existence, consciousness, and bliss"[5][7] or "truth, consciousness, bliss".[8]

Etymology

Saccidānanda (सच्चिदानन्द; pre-sandhi form sat-cit-ānanda) is a compounded Sanskrit word consisting of "sat", "cit", and "ānanda", all three considered as inseparable from the nature of ultimate reality called Brahman in Hinduism.[9] The different forms of spelling is driven by euphonic (sandhi) rules of Sanskrit, useful in different contexts.[9]

  • sat (सत्):[10] In Sanskrit, sat means "being, existence", "real, actual", "true, good, right", or "that which really is, existence, essence, true being, really existent, good, true".[10][note 2]
  • cit (चित्):[12] means "consciousness" or "spirit".[13][14][15]
  • ānanda (आनन्द):[16] means "happiness, joy, bliss", "pure happiness, one of three attributes of Atman or Brahman in the Vedanta philosophy".[16] Loctefeld and other scholars translate ananda as "bliss".[13][14]

Satcitananda is therefore translated as "truth consciousness bliss",[8][17][18] "reality consciousness bliss",[19][20] or "Existence Consciousness Bliss".[7]

Discussion

The term is contextually related to "the ultimate reality" in various schools of Hindu traditions.

Prajna which leads to the state of "ultimate consciousness" referred as sat-chit-ananda and subsequently Moksha, however as long as a being identifies with Maya which is finite, material and tangible, they will continue to gather Karma and remain in Saṃsāra.[25] Satcitananda or Brahman is held to be the source of all reality, source of all conscious thought, and source of all perfection-bliss.[9] It is the ultimate, the complete, the destination of spiritual pursuit in Hinduism.[9][3][26]

Textual references

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (c. 800–600 BCE) is among the earliest Hindu texts which links and then discusses Atman (Self), Brahman (ultimate reality), awareness, joy and bliss such as in sections 2.4, 3.9 and 4.3.[27][28][29] The Chandogya Upanishad (c. 800-600 BCE), in section 3.14 to 3.18, discusses Atman and Brahman, these being identical to "that which shines and glows both inside and outside", "dear", "pure knowing, awareness", "one's innermost being", "highest light", "luminous".[30][31] Other 1st-millennium BCE texts, such as the Taittiriya Upanishad in section 2.1, as well as minor Upanishads, discuss Atman and Brahman in saccidananda-related terminology.[32]

An early mention of the compound word satcitananda is in verse 3.11 of Tejobindu Upanishad,[33] composed before the 4th-century CE.[34][35] The context of satcitananda is explained in the Upanishad as follows:[36]

The realization of Atman.

(...) I am of the nature of consciousness.
I am made of consciousness and bliss.
I am nondual, pure in form, absolute knowledge, absolute love.
I am changeless, devoid of desire or anger, I am detached.
I am One Essence, unlimitedness, utter consciousness.
I am boundless Bliss, existence and transcendent Bliss.
I am the Atman, that revels in itself.
I am the Sacchidananda that is eternal, enlightened and pure.

— Tejobindu Upanishad, 3.1-3.12 (Abridged)[36][37]

Vedanta philosophy

The

Vedantic philosophy understands saccidānanda as a synonym of the three fundamental attributes of Brahman. In Advaita Vedanta, states Werner, it is the sublimely blissful experience of the boundless, pure consciousness and represents the unity of spiritual essence of ultimate reality.[7]

Satcitananda is an epithet for Brahman, considered indescribable, unitary, ultimate, unchanging reality in Hinduism.[2][38][39]

Vaishnava philosophy

Tulsidas identifies Rama as Satcitananda.[40]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Brahman is "the unchanging reality amidst and beyond the world",[4] which "cannot be exactly defined", but is being-consciousness-bliss[5] and the highest reality.[6]
  2. ^ Another translation is offered by Sugirtharajah, who suggests a "palpable force of virtue and truth".[11]

References

  1. ^ "Sat-cit-ananda definition and meaning". Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
  2. ^ , page 365, Quote: "Saccidananda, being-consciousness-bliss, a threefold epithet attempting to describe the unitary, indescribable Brahman".
  3. ^ a b c Jones & Ryan 2006, p. 388.
  4. ^ Puligandla 1997, p. 222.
  5. ^ a b Raju 2013, p. 228.
  6. ^ Potter 2008, p. 6-7.
  7. ^ a b c Werner 2004, p. 88.
  8. ^ , page 303
  9. ^ , page 578
  10. ^ , page 1134
  11. ^ Sugirtharajah 2004, p. 115.
  12. , page 395
  13. ^ , page 35
  14. ^ .
  15. .
  16. ^ , page 139
  17. ^ Vasant Merchant (2000), Savitri: A Legend & a Symbol-Sri Aurobindo's Modern Epic, International Journal of Humanities and Peace, vol. 16, no. 1, pages 29-34
  18. , page 71
  19. , page 201
  20. , page 324
  21. , page 246
  22. , page 44
  23. . Shankara philosophical system is based on a monistic ontology in which brahman, the universal wholeness of existence, is alone declared to be real. In its essential nature as nirguna (without attributes), brahman is pure being (Sat), consciousness (Cit), and bliss (Ananda) and is completely formless, distinctionless, nonchanging, and unbounded. As saguna (with attributes), brahman assumes the form of Ishvara, the lord, [...] Moksha is attained through knowledge (jñåna, vidyå) alone, for when knowledge dawns the individual self awakens to its true nature as Atman, the universal Self, which is identical with Brahman.
  24. . Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  25. , page xviii
  26. , pages 433-437, 464-475, 484-493
  27. , pages 40-43
  28. , pages 68-70
  29. , pages 110-117
  30. , pages 227-228
  31. .
  32. ^ Hattangadi, Sunder (2015). "Tejobindu Upanishad" (PDF) (in Sanskrit). p. 8. Retrieved 12 January 2016.; Quote: नित्यशुद्धचिदानन्दसत्तामात्रोऽहमव्ययः । नित्यबुद्धविशुद्धैकसच्चिदानन्दमस्म्यहम् ॥
  33. , pages 128-129
  34. ^ a b Ayyangar, TR Srinivasa (1938). The Yoga Upanishads. The Adyar Library. pp. 42–43.
  35. ^ Hattangadi, Sunder (2015). "Tejobindu Upanishad" (PDF) (in Sanskrit). pp. 7–8. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  36. .
  37. , Chapter 1
  38. ^ MacFie 2004, p. 26.

Bibliography