By Promod Puri
Question: Do you have an explanation of “Sat- chit- ananda?”
Answer: “Sat-chit-ananda” is a three-word moral thesis or maxim which has several philosophical explanations based on Hindu spiritual understanding. In all these interpretations its cardinal message promises divine contentment and bliss.
Peace, pleasure, and fulfillment in every aspect of life are the objectives one seeks. The maxim “sat-chit-ananda” is the awareness and consequence of those pursuits.
The quest begins with ‘sat,’ the first directive of the sutra. It means truth or reality. In our thoughts and actions or karmas, an analytic assessment is a requisite to realize and retrieve truth.
Seeking truth is an exercise which is influenced by mindset attitudes towards different issues or situations.
In that maze of mindset prejudiced sentiments, ‘chit,’ meaning mind, plays the guiding role to establish truth or reality.
‘Chit’ connects with consciousness. The latter is an inward awareness of an external object or fact, and these could include perceptions, thoughts, and feelings. Consciousness also relates to activities of mind and senses.
In our simple understanding, consciousness or ‘chit’ delivers guileless notice reacting to a situation or an event going to happen or being witnessed or experienced.
In Hindu rationalistic contemplation “sat’ and ‘chit’ together coordinate to produce the harvest of Ananda or bliss
In short Sat + Chit = Ananda.
Question: Would you say “sat-chit-ananda” is a Key Concept in Vedanta?
Answer: The Vedanta school of thought in Hinduism is a comprehensive study with philosophies from the Upanishads which are part of the Vedas, the ancient Hindu texts.
The axiom “Sat-chit-ananda” is one of the key divine approaches in the Upanishadic collection.
However, the message of “sat-chit-ananda” finds more rational residency in the Mimamsa school of Hinduism. A forerunner to Vedanta, Mimamsa school is a pioneer of Hindu thought of realism.
The concept is based on karma or action to achieve ‘ananda” or bliss. When consciousness and realism (truth) work together, the realization of God begins.
Please note, the God here isnot a personified figurehead. It is blissful,‘Ananda,’ feeling created by righteousactions.
Promod Puri is the author of Hinduism Beyond Rituals, Customs And Traditions -progressivehindudialogue.com
