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Why should we study Tattva Bodha?
There are three kinds of people, the first kind (paristhithi vaadins) try to change careers, change their family situation, try to seek happiness by changing their environment, but any such change will not provide permanent fulfillment. The second kind (manasthithi vaadins) are obsessed with fixing the mind. They try various approaches to improve the mind, such as becoming vegan, taking a lot of classes for yoga etc but the reality is that the mind, no matter what you do, will always go up or down. It is influenced by sattva, rajas and tamas.
The third kind of person realizes that changing circumstances or changing the mind will not result in permanent everlasting peace. The only way to get permanent everlasting peace is by obtaining the knowledge of the self.
Author of Tattva Bodha
This text was written by Shri Adi Shankaracharya who lived about 1200 years ago. He wrote commentaries to three major texts in Hinduism: the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahmasutra. In addition to writing these commentaries, he wrote books containing precise definitions so as to remove any confusion about the meanings of technical terms in these three texts. These are called the Prakarana Granthas or topical texts. Tattva Bodha is an introductory topical text.
Invocation Verse (Mangalacharan Shloka)
Invoking the grace of the guru benefits both the teacher and the student. The teacher needs the invocation to remove their biases, and to ensure that the teaching is as per the tradition of the guru and not influenced by personal likes and dislikes. The student needs the invocation so that they can get into the right frame of mind to receive the teaching. And lastly, both the student and the teacher need to be in tune with each other so that the teaching happens efficiently.
In the invocation verse of the Tattva Bodha text, the student recognizes that something is lacking in them, and therefore prostrates to the ultimate teacher or the sadguru, the one who gives liberating knowledge. This invocation verse also contains the fourfold description in regards to whom the text is for (the qualified student), what is the subject matter (knowledge of the reality), what is the goal (moksha or liberation) and what is the relationship of the text to the subject matter and the goal – study of this text helps the student gain knowledge of the truth which leads to moksha or liberation.
Verse 1: Outline of the text
The first verse covers three major topics: the qualifications of the ideal or qualified student, and the mode of inquiry into the nature of reality, which is the primary means towards liberation.
The ideal student has nothing to do with any outward characteristics such as race, religion, gender. The mind is a true student. If the student has the qualifications, the knowledge of the truth is attained quickly. Otherwise it takes a somewhat longer period of time.
Verse 2: Qualifications of the ideal student
There are four qualifications of an ideal student, also known as the 4Ds: Discernment, dispassion, discipline (which has six sub-components), and desire for liberation.
Verse 3: Discrimination or discernment
What is discernment? Discernment is the ability to distinguish between what is permanent versus what is impermanent. Before this deeper level of discernment arises, one must first learn to discern at a more outwardly level. The acronym for this kind of discernment is “SMILE”.
S stands for “shreyas” which refers to what is morally or generally good.
M stands for what benefits most people versus what benefits a lesser number of people.
I stands for intellect, using intellect as a guide versus impulsiveness.
L stands for long-term versus versus short term.
E stands for evolve – what makes us grow.