Sadhana Chatushtaya: The Four Qualities For Vedanta Practice
Sadhana Chatushtaya is the basic qualification for learning Advaita Vedanta. Vedanta is one of the six main systems of Indian philosophy. Advaita is a sub-school of Vedanta that teaches non-dualism, the idea that everything is one and not separate
The Sanskrit term Sadhana translates to “practice,” while Chatustaya means “four-fold.” Together, they refer to “the four-fold practice.”
These four-fold qualities are essential for engaging in the practice of Vedantic philosophy. Without these qualities, one is not considered prepared for the path of Vedanta. So, it is crucial to cultivate these four qualities to become eligible for Sadhana.
What are these four qualities? In this guide, we will explain them in detail.
Let’s dive in.
Basic Texts On Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta is grounded in three foundational texts:
- Sadhana Panchakam: An introductory guide to the study of Advaita, authored by Adi Shankaracharya.
- Tattva Bodha: A text that defines and explains the fundamental concepts of Vedanta.
- Atma Bodha: A work that elaborates on the foundational principles and concepts.
In this guide, I will use Tattva Bodha as a reference to explain Sadhana Chatushtaya.
Tattva Bodha
Most people believe that Tattava is the work of Sri Sankara. It explains the basic ideas and terms of Advaita Vedanta. The text is mainly in prose, with an opening Mangala Sloka and a few verses at the end. It is in the format of question and answer. It is divided into five sections.
- Adhikari Vichara: Discusses who is eligible to study this text.
- Atma Vichara: Explains the nature of the Self.
- Iswara Vichara: Describes Brahman.
- Atma-Iswara Ikya Vichara: Teaches the unity of Atman (Self) and Brahman.
- Phala Vichara: Explains the benefits of studying this text.
Anubandha Chatustaya
Indian classical Texts commonly start with a Mangala Sloka, the poetical invoke of a teacher or deity for blessings for successful completion. Then, the Anubandha portion with four key information of the texts. These four key details are called Anuandha Chatustaya which means four information about the text. The four details are:
- Qualifications of the reader
- Subject of the text
- The basic connection between the reader and the text
- The benefits of learning
After the Mangala Sloka of Tattva Bodha, the text reads thus:
साधनचतुष्टयसम्पन्नाधिकारिणां मोक्षसाधनभूतं
तत्त्वविवेकप्रकारं वक्ष्यामः
sādhanacatuṣṭayasampannādhikāriṇāṃ mokṣasādhanabhūtaṃ
tattvavivekaprakāraṃ vakṣyāmaḥ
To those who have the wealth of four qualities
(Sadhana Chatustayam), henceforth we give the
wisdom that gives the method of attaining freedom.
What is Sadhana Chatushtayam?
Next, there is a question and answer in the text.
साधनचतुष्टयं किम् ?
नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः |
इहामुत्रार्थफलभोगविरागः |
शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिः |
मुमुक्षुत्वं चेति |
sādhanacatuṣṭayaṃ kim ?
nityānityavastuvivekaḥ
ihāmutrārthaphalabhogavirāgaḥ
śamādiṣaṭkasampattiḥ
mumukṣutvaṃ ceti
What is Sadhana Chatushtayam?
The wisdom to discriminate between eternal and impermanent |
Dispassion from the affinity for the pleasure of using
material things, lust, attachement and desires, both during
this lifetime and beyond.|
The six qualities that starts from Sama |
Desire for Liberation and these are |
What is Nitya Anithya Vasthu Viveka?
Then, further questions come with answers.
नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः कः ?
नित्यवस्त्वेकं ब्रह्म तद्व्यतिरिक्तं सर्वमनित्यम् ।
अयमेव नित्यानित्यवस्तुविवेकः ।
nityānityavastuvivekaḥ kaḥ ?
nityavastvekaṃ brahma tadvyatiriktaṃ sarvamanityam .
ayameva nityānityavastuvivekaḥ .
What is Nitya Anitya Vasthu Viveka?
Nitya Vasthu Ekam Bramha (Only Brahman is Eternal)
Tad Avyatiriktam Sarvam Anityam (Except that, all are impermanent)
Ayam Eva Nithya Anithya Vasthu Vivekah. (This is the wisdom of
discrimination between eternal and non-eternal.)
Viveka is the wisdom of differentiating one from another while Jnana is knowledge of one aspect.
What is Viragah?
The text goes to the next question.
विरागः कः?
इहस्वर्गभोगेषु इच्छाराहित्यम् ।
virāgaḥ kaḥ?
ihasvargabhogeṣu icchārāhityam
What is Viragah?
Iha Svarga Bhogesu iccharahityam. (Dropping desire on Bhoga
in this world and in the next world/birth.)
What is Samadhi Shatka Sampattih?
शमादिषट्कसम्पत्तिः कः?
शमो दम उपरमस्तितिक्षा श्रद्धा समाधानं च इति ।
śamādiṣaṭkasampattiḥ kaḥ?
śamo dama uparamastitikṣā śraddhā samādhānaṃ ca iti .
What is Samahi Satka Sampatti?
What are the sixfold wealth that start from Sama?
Sama, Dama, Uparama, Titiksa, Sraddha, Samadhanam, these are.
शमः कः ?
मनोनिग्रहः ।
दमः कः ?
चक्षुरादिबाह्येन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।
उपरमः कः ?
स्वधर्मानुष्ठानमेव ।
तितिक्षा का ?
शीतोष्णसुखदुःखादिसहिष्णुत्वम् ।
श्रद्धा कीदृशी ?
गुरुवेदान्तवाक्यादिषु विश्वासः श्रद्धा ।
समाधानं किम् ?
चित्तैकाग्रता ।
śamaḥ kaḥ ?
manonigrahaḥ .
damaḥ kaḥ ?
cakṣurādibāhyendriyanigrahaḥ .
uparamaḥ kaḥ ?
svadharmānuṣṭhānameva .
titikṣā kā ?
śītoṣṇasukhaduḥkhādisahiṣṇutvam .
śraddhā kīdṛśī ?
guruvedāntavākyādiṣu viśvāsaḥ śraddhā .
samādhānaṃ kim ?
cittaikāgratā .
What is Samah?
Manonigrahah. Control over the mind.
What is Damah?
Chaksus Aadhi Bhahya Indriya Nigrahah.
The control of the organs of external perceptions
that start from eyes.
What is Uparamah?
Svadharma Anustanam Eva. Observance of Own Dharma
or duty, that alone.
What is Titiksa?
Sitah Ushna Sukha Dhukka Aadhi Sahisnutvam.
Endurace of dualities like heat and cold,
pain and pleasure.
What is Sraddha?
Guru Vedanta Vakya Aadhi-shu Visvasha Sradhha.
The faith in the words etc., of Guru and Scriptures.
Etc. means teachings, instructions, prohibitions
and the like.
What is Samadhanam?
citta Ekaagrata: the one pointedness of the mind.
These are the Samadhi Satka Sampatti.
What is Mumuksutvam
Now, let us go to the next question.
मुमुक्षुत्वं किम् ?
मोक्षो मे भूयाद् इति इच्छा ।
mumukṣutvaṃ kim ?
mokṣo me bhūyād iti icchā
What is Mumuksutvam?
The desire of "Let me get Liberation"
The Benefit of Sadhana Chatushtayam
एतत् साधनचतुष्टयम् ।
ततस्तत्त्वविवेकस्याधिकारिणो भवन्ति ।
etat sādhanacatuṣṭayam .
tatastattvavivekasyādhikāriṇo bhavanti
This is Sadhana Chatushtayam.
Tatah Tattva Vivekasya Adhikarino Bhavanti.
Thus, one becomes eligible for the enquiry into Truth.
Summary
Sadhana Chatushtaya in Sanskrit means four qualities required for the spiritual seeker to engage in the path of Vedanta. The four qualities are discrimination, dispassion, discipline, and desire.
The seeker should have the capacity to discriminative between the permanent and the impermanent.
Secondly, he should exercise dispassion towards the worldly enjoyments of the present and the future.
Thirdly, he should possess the discipline of having control over the mind and organs of external perceptions, observance of his duty as prescribed by the scriptures, the endurance of dualities like heat and cold, pain and pleasure, praise and scold faith in the words of his Guru and scriptures, and one-pointedness of the mind.
Lastly, he should have the desire to the conviction that I will attain liberation.
By having these four qualities, the seeker is eligible for the practice of Vedanta.