Introduction to Vedanta by
H. H. Swami Paramarthananda Saraswathi
Chapter -8
Sadhana - Chatustayam

The text Tattvabodha first talks about the qualifications required for a student of the scriptures, especially of Jnana-yoga. These qualifications are listed as a group called sadhana-catustayam - the four-fold qualification. The person who has this four - fold qualification is called an adhikari (an eligible student).

Now what is this four-fold qualification?
1. Viveka (discrimination)
2. Vairagyam (dispassion)
3. Satka-sampatti (six - fold discipline or discipline in general)
4. Mumukshutvam ( desire for freedom)

Remember, all begin with ‘D’ - Discrimination, Dispassion, Discipline and Desire. These four ‘D’s put together is called four - fold qualification and the one who has these four qualities is called the qualified student or adhikari.

Viveka (Discrimination)
Viveka is recognition of the superiority of sreyas and the risks involved in preyas. The discrimination between sreyas and preyas is viveka. Unpredictability, risks, problems and potential sorrows are associated with preyas. Sreyas gives peace, and happiness. Preyas - sreyo-viveka. Discrimination between preyas and sreyas helps me choose the right path, that is sreyas.
How do we get this discrimination? Only by going through the experiences of the life without being mechanical will help us get this intelligent experience of life will make me mature and help me learn lessons. This intelligent living is the life of karma-yoga. Somebody has said that our life is a university from which I can learn a lot. Our schools and colleges teach us how to read and write without teaching us what to read or write. What my goal is and how I can attain it, is not made clear. The scriptures say that a person should examine every experience he goes through. He should ask whether his problem is because of the external world or whether it is because of his dependence on the external world. An external condition can cause a problem only when I depend on it. External world by itself can never be a cause of a problem. Therefore the problem is with myself. To realize this it may take a lot of time for some people, many years for some people, for some even a few janmas may be required. Take your own time but one day you should be clear about the priorities of life and know the superiority of sreyas.

Vairagyam (Dispassion)
Viveka leads to vairagyam or dispassion with regard to preyas. After understanding that preyas is only dependence which is not healthy for me, I decide not to dedicate my life for the pursuit of preyas. At least it does not remain as top priority. We cannot totally drop earning money, nor can we totally drop our recreations. We need them for survival and health. But that cannot be the primary goal of my life. It is like a pickle for a meal, helping me to eat the main dish. Earlier preyas was my main “dish”, now it has been replaced by sreyas. While pursuing that, I make use of other things merely as support. They remain secondary. They are not given up. Such a healthy attitude towards preyas as a secondary thing in life, as something merely like a stepping stone, as an intermediary stage is called vairagyam. Vairagyam does not mean hating preyas. Preyas is to be used as the means and not as an end in itself. It is said money is a good servant but a bad master. Similarly preyas is a wonderful means but it is grievous if you take it as a sadhyam, an end. Preyas as sadhanam is healthy, as sadhyam it is a bondage. Sadhanam is the means while sadhyam is the end. The growing out the dharma, artha and kama is vairagyam.

MumukSHutvam (desire for freedom)
This is also a consequence of viveka. When I discern the fact that srseyas (moksa) is superior to preyas (dharma, artha, and kama), I choose sreyas as my primary goal. Suppose a child is holding a five - rupee note. You ask the child if it would take a 100-rupee note. The child will answer that it does not want the 100-rupee note and will hold on to the 5-rupee note. The child does not know the difference between a 5-rupee note and a 100-rupee note. Once the child grows up, it gets the most important viveka in life that this is a 5-rupee note and this is a 100-rupee note, that the 100-rupee note is more valuable. Now if you ask the child if he wants the 100-rupee note, he will immediately drop the 5-rupee note and ask for 100-rupee note.

Dropping the passionate hold on preyas is vairagyam. Stretching ourselves to reach sreyas is mumuksutvam. Both are possible because of viveka. Viveka leads to vairagyam and mumuksutvam. Thus, intelligent living i.e., a life of karma-yoga alone leads to viveka, vairagyam and mumuksutvam.

Samadi-satka-sampatti (The six-fold discipline)
The next qualification is the six-fold inner discipline. This is to be accomplished through upasana-yoga, the second sadhana. Through karma-yoga, viveka, vairagyam and mumuksutvam are obtained and through upasana-yoga we have to get the qualification called satka-sampatti or six-fold discipline. What is the six-fold inner discipline?
1. Sama (mind-control)
2. Dama (sense - control)
3. Uparama (withdrawal or the capacity to withdraw)
4. Titiksa (forbearance)
5. Sraddha (faith in the scriptures and the guru)
6. Samadhanam (concentration)

Sama (mind - control)
Mind - control is the capacity to regulate and direct our mental energy, which includes all our powers - iccha-sakti, jnana-sakti, kriya-sakti. We have the power to regulate them. Redirect them so that there is no wastage of energy. It is like damming a river and channeling the water. Unless water is channeled floods cause havoc in one place while there is untold suffering due to drought in another place. Both lead to loss. Both types of destruction are to be avoided.
In the same manner, I have to channelise my mental energy. Mind-control, therefore, does not mean suppression. Psychologists say it is dangerous. By control we mean regulation, channeling, directing the thoughts. It is similar to a driver controlling the steering of the car, directing the car through the roads.

Dama (sense-control)
Sense - control means directing the sense organs in the chosen field. I decide what the things are to be contacted. Let us remember Gandhiji’s three monkeys here. See only what is proper, hear only what is proper, and speak only what is proper. This does not indicate suppression. On the other hand, it indicates direction. For example, there are so many channels in the T.V. I should know what I should see and what I should avoid. Thus sense-control is regulation of sense organs.

Uparama (withdrawal)
The third one is uparama or withdrawal, not being too much of an extrovert. Extrovertedness is a very big obstacle because an extrovert will not find time for any higher pursuits of life. He will have time for artha and kama only, dharma and moksa will not mean anything to him. Therefore an extrovert person may enjoy life, perhaps, but he cannot grow in life. Even if his physical body withdraws, his mind does not withdraw. The success of life is not in enjoyment, it is in growth. This withdrawal, however, is not total. If I totally withdraw and go to a cave and sit, I will become insane. This withdrawal is such that I have time for the pursuit of upasana-yoga and jnana-yoga. Therefore withdrawal must be not only physical but also sensory and mental. When you are listening to Vedanta you are supposed to be dead to your family, your business, your future plans. This capacity to physically, sensually and mentally withdraw is called uparama.

Titiksa (forbearance)
Titiksa means the physical and mental capacity to experience the pairs of opposites without seriously getting affected. It is the toughness to withstand the ups and downs of life. All the austerities like fasting, pilgrimages etc. are to make the person tough. Otherwise, when the Lord is all-pervading why should our forefathers build temples in inaccessible places like Badrinath, Kedarnath and so on? After all, if God is everywhere you can invoke God in your house. The idea behind building such temples is that as you walk and eat all types of food and sleep anywhere under the sun or rain, your body and mind become tougher and tougher. This is required for any success. As they say “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Living in an air-conditioned room will not make the body tough. Hence, vratams and tapas are advised. These will help in withdrawal from other activities also.

Sraddha (faith)
Faith is the trust in the validity of the scriptural teachings. We develop faith in anything by worshipping it. Faith is developed through worship even if it is mechanically done. I can worship something only if I have faith in its glory. Unfortunately faith can be developed only if I worship. Here is a problem of mutual dependence. We try to find a solution by mechanically worshipping even if we don’t have faith. That is why we are asked to worship in childhood itself before we learn to question things. Later, after growing up, questions start. A chld learn to worship God, the scriptures and the mahatmas (noble souls) without undue questioning. Actually worship is two-fold, mental worship which is a reverential attitude and the other is physical worship like namaskaram. A child cannot do mental worship. Therefore introduce the physical worship in childhood itself and the chances are, as the child grows, it will develop faith in God, the scriptures and the mahatmas. However, there is no guarantee, after the child grows up the worship may be dropped. We can only pray that the child develops faith. If one nourishes faith during childhood, later, it will be reinforced. Until then it is openmindedness alone. Therefore, develop faith by worship, worship of the three-God, the scriptures and the mahatmas.

Samadhanam (concentration)
By concentration, we mean both short term and long term focusing. By short term focusing we mean freedom from distraction. When I listen to the scriptures I should be able to keep my mind in that subject without distraction. For different people the duration of concentration is different. A child will play with a toy for a minute and then throw it away, it needs a change very frequently. Some people cannot watch one show on TV for 2 minutes. They keep changing the channels. It is called channel - surfing. At least for an hour I should be able to focus on any field.

The second thing is long term focusing. In and through my various pursuits, I should not lose sight of the ultimate goal, the moksa, which should be at the back of my mind. This is like a long train-journey. The immediate goal is the next station. At each station, I may get down. But whatever I do at each station, in and through all of them, I remember it is an intermediary station. I have to reach my destination. I do not lose sight of it. Similarly I may raise a family, earn money, build houses, travel abroad etc. None of them is the final goal of my life. The success depends on whether I have achieved the real thing, In other words, I should die with total fulfilment without lacking anything, as a purna-purusa. According to the scriptures, a person who discovers fullness in himself before dying is a true brahmana. A person who does not discover that fulfilment is an unfortunate person who has to be pitied because he has wasted this wonderful life. And therefore constantly I should remember, mahata punyapanyena kriteyam kayanaustvaya - you have bought this body - boat from the Lord by paying a lot punyam as cash, param duhkhodadhergantum - it is for crossing the ocean of mortality. In other words, to cross the ocean of samsara you are given this wonderful boat. Before the boat disintegrates, cross the ocean, tara yavanna bhidyate. This goal must be at the back of my mind. This is also known as samadhanam. All types of meditations, japa and sastanga are meant for this long term concentration and short term concentration alone.

Thus the six-fold discipline has to be acquired by following the necessary sadhanas, the main sadhana being upasana-yoga. One who has acquired these four qualifications is called adhikari. He is the one who has sadhana-catustayam.