Beyond the Mind (Amritabindu Upanisad)

The Amritabindu Upanisad directly unfolds the goal and path of spiritual life: realization of Truth and the means for attainment. In 22 terse, powerful verses, the text reveals the nature of non-dual Reality. The very name of this upanisad declares its lofty vision -”amritabindu” meaning “a drop of nectar” the nectar of spiritual knowledge and direct Self experience.
Found in the Atharva Veda, the Amritabindu Upanisad is one among the group of minor upanisads. The term “minor”, however, does not… Show more refer to the text’s subject matter. Rather, the term is used to distinguish these upanisads from the 10 well known major upanisads which have commentary by Adi Shankaracharya.
The sections of this upanisad unfold spiritual knowledge in a logical sequence. The nature of the mind is the first topic: impure and pure mind, and related states of bondage and liberation. The text analyses our common experience of subject/object duality, and the removal of this duality by knowledge and meditation to merge the mind in its source, “the heart”. Methods of meditation are given: meditation on the meaning of OM (AUM); meditation on the Self as the 4th state (turiya) beyond the usual three states of waking, dream and deep sleep; pot and pot-space; and the “churning” of the mind with the rope of knowledge to kindle the flame of direct realization.
In conclusion, the upanisad clarifies the significance of the scriptural text: the words of the scriptures are to be clearly understood as “pointers” indicating the Truth. The student must come to experience That which the words reveal. This vision the sage declares in the final verse of the text... “I am That alone”.

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