Class 33, Tattva Bodha

In this foundational and paradigm-shifting class, Acharya Tadany completed the exposition of anātmā (non-self) by reviewing its 11 subdivisions — 

three bodies (sthūla, sūkṣma, kāraṇa), 

three states of experience(jāgrat, svapna, suṣupti), 

and five sheaths (pañca kośas: annamaya, prāṇamaya, manomaya, vijñānamaya, ānandamaya) 

All material, made of gross or subtle elements, inherently inert (jaḍam / acetanam), and incapable of producing consciousness. 

Acharya Tadany addressed the student’s question “Where does consciousness go?” by showing the question itself is flawed — it assumes consciousness is an object separate from us (like a mountain), whereas from the absolute perspective, there is only consciousness; no second thing exists. 

Acharya Tadany emphasized two core messages: 

(1) the body-mind-sense complex is inert matter that borrows consciousness from a non-material source (ātmā), whose very nature (svarūpa) is caitanya (pure consciousness) — illustrated again by the moonlight analogy (moon appears bright but borrows from sun); (

2) every individual is a mixture of ātmā (the real Self, the unchanging “I”) and anātmā (temporary, inert instrument for transaction). He highlighted the paradigm shift: the body is not the experiencer but an object of experience — use it, care for it, but don’t identify with it or become attached, as it is transient and returns to the elements. 

The class concluded that thorough assimilation of this knowledge reduces body-identification, frees us from over-attachment, and prepares the mind for ātmā meditations (to be covered next), noting that even those clinging to life (like 90-year-olds) must eventually release the body — true freedom comes from recognizing ātmā as the real, eternal Self.

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