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LESSON 20

Sapta-jna-bhmiks

PIRITUAL UNFOLDMENT IS attained by sustained effort and it is the

gradual flowering of the inner personality. Often seekers wonder how far

they have progressed and when they will finally reach the Goal. For the benefit
of spiritual seekers, Vedntic texts such as Yogavsiha1 describe the saptajna-bhmiks or the seven stages of spiritual unfoldment. In this lesson,
we shall get a glimpse of the pinnacles of Self-Experience reached by the
Mahtmas (great souls).

Sapta-jna-bhmiks
The term bhmik means plane or stage. Jna (knowledge) is indicative
of spiritual pursuit and sapta means seven. Thus the term sapta-jnabhmik means the seven stages (or planes) of spiritual unfoldment. The
following verses (Laghu-yogavsiha, verses 13.113 and 114) list these seven
stages:
}anUim> zuCe DaOya wma smudata,
ivcar[a itIya Syat! t&tIya tnumansa.
svapituwIR Syatae=s<sinaimka,
pdawaRaivnI ;I smI tuyRga Sm&ta.

1. Yogavsiha or Jnavsiha is a composition of Sage Vlmki and is a voluminous book of 32,000

verses. This text has been condensed as Laghu-yogavsiha with 6,000 verses. A further shortened
text called Laghutara-yogavsiha with 1,000 verses is available. Swami Tejomayananda has given
the essence of the text in 86 verses in his compilation Yogavsiha-srasagraha.

Lesson 20

jnabhmi ubhecchkhy pratham samudht,

vicra dvity syt tty tanumnas.
sattvpatticaturth syttatosasaktinmik,
padrthbhvin ah saptam turyag smt.
The seven stages of spiritual unfoldment (sapta-jna-bhmik) are as
follows:
(1) ubhecch Auspicious resolve
(2) Vicra Reflection
(3) Tanumnas Attenuation (thinning) of the mind
(4) Sattvpatti Attainment of the Real
(5) Asasakti Absence of attachment (or non-union)
(6) Padrtha-abhvan Objectlessness
(7) Turyag Transcendence

First Stage ubhecch Auspicious Wish

The following verse from Laghu-yogavsiha (13.116) explains ubhecch:
iSwit> ik< mUF @vaiSm e]e=h< zasnE>,
vEraGypUvRimCDeit zueCDeTyuCyte buxE>.
sthiti ki mha evsmi prekeha strasajjanai,
vairgyaprvamiccheti ubhecchetyucyate budhai.
Why do I live like a deluded being? Let me understand with the help of the
Scriptures and virtuous people. This type of desire preceded by dispassion
is termed ubhecch or auspicious resolve.
There comes a stage in an individuals life when he or she feels an
overwhelming sense of purposelessness in the worldly life of sense pursuit
and mere material advancement. Such an individual raises basic questions on
life and seeks answers to them: Why am I doing this? What am I going to gain
by running after wealth? Why am I attached to these things and beings? Why
am I so restless? What is it that I want in life? and so on. Such an individual

Sapta-jna-bhmiks

seeks a way to get out of the shackles of his ignorant way of life. His wish is:
I want to free myself from these attachments, master my mind and reach the
state of Perfection envisioned by the Scriptures and Mahtmas. Such a person
becomes a mumuku or the one endowed with the burning desire for
Liberation.
This first stage of spiritual unfoldment is indicated by the term ubhecch
(ubha - auspicious; icch - desire). Note that this ubhecch is not an overnight
change in thinking; it indicates a prior life marked with nobility, the practice
of karma-yoga 2 and the cultivation of sdhana-catuaya, such as viveka
(differentiation between the Real and the unreal), vairgya (detachment from
the unreal), ama (mind control), dama (sense control), titik (forbearance)3
and so on.

Second Stage Vicra Reflection

This first state of ubhecch (auspicious resolve) leads to the next higher plane
of spiritual unfoldment, an introspective state, that is termed vicra or
reflection. This stage is defined as follows (Laghu-yogavsiha, verse 13.117):
zasnsMpkRvrE aGya_yaspUvk
R m!,
sicarv&iyaR aeCyte sa ivcar[a.
strasajjanasamparkavairgybhysaprvakam,
sadvicrapravttiry procyate s vicra.
The enquiry into the Reality arising from the study of the Scriptures, the
association with virtuous people and the practice of dispassion is termed
vicra or reflection.

2. To do our duty with the feeling that through our knowledge, talents, strength and so on, we are
serving the Lord and accepting with equanimity the results of ones actions whether success or
failure as the prasda of the Lord is termed karma-yoga. For further elaboration, refer to the
subtopic Yaja or Worship in Lesson 13 (Methods to Purify the Mind)
3. Refer to Lesson 3 on Sdhana-catuaya for elaboration of viveka, vairgya, ama, dama and
other disciplines.

Lesson 20

The auspicious ubhecch (resolve) propels the individual to completely

change his ways of thinking and his life undergoes a U-turn. If the earlier state
of ubhecch is auspicious because of right resolve, this state involves the
implementation of such an auspicious resolve. The seeker gains guidance from
the Wise and starts the devoted study of the Scriptures (svdhyya). He
becomes reflective and spends time reflecting upon the words of the Scriptures
and the Guru. This state of spiritual enquiry of study (ravaa) and reflection
(manana)4 is the second plane of spiritual unfoldment and is termed vicra
or reflection.
Note that in this stage there is a greater expression of dispassion or vairgya
in the seekers heart. Initially, when dispassion is forced on the mind, there
may arise even a sense of regret at having given up something of ones liking.
But as one gradually begins to understand the pain ridden nature of worldly
happiness, starts enjoying the various spiritual practices and gains blissful
glimpses of the Self in moments of serene meditation, desires loosen their
grip and attachments wither away. The power of the mind to enamour and
entice the seeker with images of joy is laid to rest. Thereafter, the seeker even
wonders how in the past he or she was ever attached to the world. Such an
individual reaches the state of mental equanimity wherein the presence or
absence of sense objects that would earlier have been a source of excitement,
disturbance, or worry evokes no response from him at all. For such a mature
seeker, even if the mind, by the strength of strong past experiences and
tendencies (vsans), were to occasionally generate forceful thought-ripples,
he immediately exercises his firm intellectual knowledge of the unreality of
the world and quells them.

Third Stage Tanumnas Attenuation of Mind

The Laghu-yogavsiha (verse 13.118) describes the next plane of tanumnas
or attenuation or thinness of the mind as follows:
4. For elaboration on ravaa and manana, refer to Lesson 14 Six Steps to Liberation.
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Sapta-jna-bhmiks

ivcar[azuCe Da_yaimiNyawe:R vsta,

y sa tnutameit aeCyte tnumansa.
vicraubhecchbhymindriyrthevasaktat,
yatra s tanutmeti procyate tanumnas.
Attenuation or thinning of the mind is that state wherein the mind has
attained thinness or subtlety due to dispassion arising from the strength of
the earlier states of vicra and ubhecch.
The sign of having advanced to this third stage of spiritual unfoldment is
this: the mind no more throws up unwanted distractions on the spiritual path
and the seeker remains ever established in the quiet contemplation of the Self.
This stage of tanumnas is equated to the states of nididhysana and savikalpasamdhi 5. Such an advanced seeker spends many hours in the quiet
contemplation of the Self and remains undistracted by external happenings
whatsoever. As mentioned in the above-quoted Laghu-yogavsiha verse,
tanumnas is the direct result of the advancement the seeker has made in
dispassion (vairgya) through the strength of the preceding stages of ubhecch
(auspicious resolve) and vicra (discrimination).

These three states (ubhecch, vicra and tanumnas) are the stages of
mumukus, that is of the seekers who are striving for Self-Knowledge. In
these stages of ubhecch, vicra and tanumnas, since there is the
perception of the world the Yogavsiha collectively calls them as jgrat
(waking). Inspite of the spiritual progress that has been made, the seeker has
still not attained the direct Experience of the Self and hence these stages fall
under the realm of the bound.
But the following four stages sattvpatti, asasakti, padrtha-abhvan,
turyag are the planes of the Jvan-muktas, that is of those who even while
5. For elaboration of nididhysana and samdhi, refer to Lesson 19.
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Lesson 20

living are liberated from the dualities of pleasure and pain. The Varhopaniad
states: Saptabhmiu jvanmuktcatvra Of the seven stages (the next) four
pertain to Jvan-muktas. We shall presently examine these four planes.

Fourth Stage Sattvpatti Attainment of the Real

When the advanced seeker diligently abides in the state of tanumnas or
attenuation of the mind, that is nididhysana and savikalpa-samdhi, he reaches
the next stage sattvpatti, literally attainment (patti) of the Real (sattva).
This stage is equated to the state of nirvikalpa-samdhi wherein the mind is
utterly still. In this plane, there is firm abidance in the Knowledge I am
Brahman (aha brahmsmi) and the utter dissolution of the subject-object
duality (tripu)6.
Sattvpatti is explained in Laghu-yogavsiha (verse 13.118) as follows:
Uimkaitya_yasat! ice=wRivrtevz
R at!,
svaTmin iSwit> zue svapidata.
bhmiktritaybhyst citterthaviratervat,
sattvtmani sthiti uddhe sattvpattirudht.
When, by the practice of the above-mentioned three stages, the mind has
withdrawn from all objects and abides in the Self, which is of the nature of
pure Existence, such a stage is termed sattvpatti or attainment of the
Real.
The meditator who has reached this state is termed Brahma-vit, literally
knower of Brahman. To him, the world appears as a mere dream. Hence
Yogavsiha terms this fourth state svapna (dream). Even while being engaged
in lokasagraha activities (i.e. activities that guide and protect the society
such as teaching, serving and so on), the Brahma-vit remains untouched by
desire and selfishness because of his crystal clear Self-Knowledge. He ever

6. Refer to the topic Nirvikalpa-samdhi in Lesson 19 (Nididhysana and Samdhi) for further
elaboration on the dissolution of the tripu.
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Sapta-jna-bhmiks

knows that the desire to serve as well as the world that he serves are both
false and illusory.
If he knows that the very world that he is serving is illusory, why at all
does he serve? He serves because of his prrabdha (destiny) or because of the
will of the Lord. If there were no Brahma-vit to teach us the Adhytma-vidy
(Self-Knowledge), how could we ever gain this Knowledge? The compassion
of the Brahma-vit is verily the expression of the Lords infinite grace on us.

Fifth Stage Asasakti Absence of Attachment (or Non-union)

The next stage, asasakti, is attained by the sustained practice of nirvikalpasamdhi. The Laghu-yogavsiha (verse 13.120) describes this fifth stage as
follows:
dzactuya_yasads<sgR)la tu ya,
FsvcmTkara aea=s<sinaimka.
dacatuaybhysdasasargaphal tu y,
rhasattvacamatkr proktsasaktinmik.
The increased awareness of the splendid Reality, the fruit of non-union,
is termed asasakti. This state is attained by the continued practice of
the four previous stages.
The term asasakti means absence of attachment (sasakti connotes
affection or attachment and the negative participle-prefix a denies its
presence). Sasakti or attachment is characterised by the notions of I-ness
and my-ness. By the repeated practice of nirvikalpa-samdhi, all I-ness in
the updhis (conditionings) such as the body, mind and intellect as well as
my-ness with respect to objects and beings associated with the updhis, such
as house, relatives, authorship of ideas and so on disappear completely. Hence
the description of this state (in the verse) as the fruit of non-union with the
body, mind and other updhis asasarga-phal (asasarga - non-union; phala
- fruit).

Lesson 20

The Jvan-mukta who has reached this fifth stage is called Brahma-vidvara,
literally, the superior knower of Brahman. Due to the strength of the minds
dispassion, he is ever established in nirvikalpa-samdhi, though once in a while
he does wake up (from samdhi) of his own accord. During these short spans
when he is not in samdhi, he does take some food and water for the sustenance
of the body. The Yogavsiha describes the mind of the person established in
this state as having dissolved in the pure Existence like a cloudlet that dissolves
in the autumn sky. (cittam tu aradbhravilaya pravilyate).
The term Brahma-vidvara, that is the superior knower of Brahman is
not to be construed to mean that he has a better knowledge of Brahman than
the afore-mentioned Brahma-vit or knower of Brahman. What is meant is
that the Brahma-vidvaras mind is mostly merged in Brahman without even
the perception of the world, unlike the Brahma-vit who ever perceives the
world, albeit as false, because of the strength of his Self-Realisation. To explain
the difference between the Brahma-vit and Brahma-vidvara with an example:
the Brahma-vit can be likened to an individual who, even while seeing the
mirage, does not give reality to it, whereas the Brahma-vidvara is similar to
one who does not see the mirage at all. Though both of them are equally
established in the knowledge of Brahman, the difference is with respect to the
extent to which their minds are engaged in nirvikalpa-samdhi. While the
Brahma-vidvara is mostly drowned in the bliss of nirvikalpa-samdhi, the
Brahma-vit is seen to be participating in the activities of this world.
While the Yogavsiha has termed the fourth stage pertaining to the Brahmavit, that is sattvpatti, as svapna (dream), it terms the fifth stage of asasakti
pertaining to the Brahma-vidvara as suupti (sleep). That is because the
Brahma-vidvara has reached the state wherein all differences have ceased to
be perceived.
The Jvan-muktas (i.e. the liberated the Brahma-vit or Brahma-vidvara or
those belonging to the next two planes) do not feel any difference among
them. To them, the presence or absence of the mind is inconsequential when
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Sapta-jna-bhmiks

it exists, it is false, and when it ceases to exist or operate, it really does not
matter. The differences of Brahma-vit, Brahma-vidvara and so on are only
from the outsiders angle, not from the perspective of the Wise.

Sixth Stage Padrtha-abhvan Objectlessness

Now the description of the sixth stage of padrtha-abhvan (Laghuyogavsiha, verses 13.121,122):
Uimkapka_yasat! SvaTmaramtya &zm!,
Aa_yNtra[a< baana< pdawaRnamavnat!.
pryuen icr< yenavbaexnm!,
pdawaR=avnI nam ;I vit Uimka.
bhmikpacakbhyst svtmrmatay bham,
bhyantar bhyn padrthnmabhvant.
paraprayuktena cira prayatnenvabodhanam,
padrthbhvan nma ah bhavati bhmik.
By the practice of the earlier five stages and the absence of all internal and
external objects, abiding delight in ones own Self is attained. He can be
aroused from his meditation only by the persistent effort of others. This
stage is termed padrtha-abhvan.
Whereas in the fifth stage of asasakti or absence of attachment, the
Jvan-mukta awakes of his own accord, in this sixth stage of padrthaabhvan, he can be woken up from samdhi (absorption) only by the
persistent efforts of others. Such is his abidance in nirvikalpa-samdhi.
The term padrtha-abhvan means absence (abhvan) of all objects
(padrtha). In this state of dissolution of the mind wherein there is the cessation
of all mental activities, there is neither the perception of the internal world of
thoughts nor the external world of sense perceptions. Such a Jvan-mukta,
when he is forced by others to get up from his samdhi, being indrawn, looks
as though tired or intoxicated. This Jvan-mukta is called Brahma-vidvaryn,

Lesson 20

that is the one who is higher than the Brahma-vidvara of the asasaktiplane7. This state is designated as deep-sleep (gha-suupti) as compared to
the fifth stage of asasakti, which was called sleep (suupti).

Seventh Stage Turyag Transcendence

This seventh stage is the stage of no-return to the awareness of the world.
This Jvan-mukta remains in the state of samdhi or absorption and does not
come out of it even when woken up by others forcefully. The body of such a
Jvan-mukta remains as though dead and continues to exist by the force of
destiny (prrabdha). Once the destiny has exhausted itself, the body perishes.
The Laghu-yogavsiha (verse 13.123) describes this stage as turyag or
transcendence as follows:
Uim;qkicra_yasad edSyanuplMnat!,
yTSvavEkinTv< sa }eya tuyg
R a iSwit>.
bhumiakacirbhysd bhedasynupalambhant,
yatsvabhvaikanihatva s jey turyag sthiti.
By the sustained practice of the previous six stages and because of the
absence of plurality, one gets established in ones own nature. This stage is
to be known as turyag (transcendence).
The word turyag literally means attaining (g) the fourth (turya).
Compared to the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep that we
experience, the Self is called the fourth (turya) in the Upaniads. This term
turyag only indicates that it is the state that transcends the waking, dream
and deep sleep.
The Jvan-mukta who has reached this pinnacle of samdhi is called Brahmavidvariha or the most exalted knower of Brahman.
7. We have already explained in the earlier paras how the terms high or low are not indicative of
the Jvan-muktas Knowledge of Brahman. There is no question of knowing Brahman less or more.
You either know or dont! These terms only indicate the states of the mind established in nirvikalpasamdhi.
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Sapta-jna-bhmiks

Overview
The following Table gives you an overview of the sapta-jna-bhmiks:
Sapta-bhmik

Description

ubhecch

Deisre for Liberation

(auspicious resolve)

(mumukutva)

Appellation

Jvan-mukta

Jgrat (waking)

Still a seeker

Vicra (reflection)

ravaa and manana

Jgrat (waking)

Still a seeker

Tanumnas

Nididhysana

Jgrat (waking)

Still a seeker

(attenuation of mind)

and savikalpa-samdhi

Brahma-vit

Sattvpatti

Experience of

Svapna

(attainment of the Real)

nirvikalpa-samdhi

(dream)

Asasakti

Wakes up from

Suupti (sleep)

Brahma-vidvara

(non-attachment)

nirvikalpa-samdhi

Wakes up from

Gha-suupti

Brahma-vidvaryn

nirvikalpa-samdhi

(deep sleep)

on his own accord

Padrtha-abhvan
(objectlessness)

only on the persistent

effort of others
Turyag

Does not wake up

No special

(transcendence)

from nirvikalpa-

name given

samdhi at all

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Brahma-vidvariha

Lesson 20

Conclusion
The seed is the direct cause of the sprout. But the seed will not sprout in the
absence of conducive environs like right soil and moisture and the required
amount of light. In the same way, the knowledge of I am Brahman bestowed
by the mahvkyas fructifies into Mukti (Liberation) in the right environs of
samdhi. The purpose of the Scriptures elucidating the sapta-jna-bhmiks
and classiying even those who have attained Knowledge is not for us to see
differences among those who have risen above all differences. It is rather to
impress upon us, the seekers, to not rest content with mere intellectual
Knowledge of the Self but diligently strive in the seat of meditation to establish
oneself firmly in Self-Knowledge. The one who has become fully established
in Self-Knowledge as I am the Self of all and am all is a Jvan-mukta the one
liberated even while living. The world is blessed by the mere presence of
these Jvan-muktas, regardless of whether they act or not.
The next section will describe the state of Jvan-mukti or Liberation even
while living as well as Videha-mukti or Liberation after the fall of the body.

Verses for Reflection

ANt> zUNyae bih> zUNy> zUNy> kM #vaMbre,
ANt> pU[aeR bih> pU[R> pU[R> kM #va[Rve.
anta nyo bahi nya nya kumbha ivmbare,
anta pro bahi pra pra kumbha ivrave.
The Yog remains empty within and without, like the empty jar left in the
open space (ka). He is full within and without, like the water-filled jar
submerged in the ocean. (Laghu-yogavsiha, verse 43.79, describing the sixth
stage of padrtha-abhvan)
AEt< keicidCDiNt EtimCDiNt kecn,
sm< n janiNt EtaEtivvijRtm!.

12

advaita kecidicchanti dvaitamicchanti kecana,

sama brahma na jnanti dvaitdvaitavivarjitam.
Some assert non-duality, some assert duality. Both dont know Brahman, which
is of the nature of sameness bereft of both duality and non-duality. (Quoted
by Svm Vidyraya in his composition Jvan-mukti-viveka source not traced.)

Questions
I. Write notes on
1. ubhecch
2. Vicra
3 . Tanumnas
II. Answer briefly
1. Differentiate between the stages of asasakti and padrtha-abhvan.
2. Explain the stage of turyag.
3 . Why are the first three stages collectively termed jgrat?
4 . Why does Vednta describe the sapta-jna-bhmiks?

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