19. Adhyātmajñānanityatvam
The nineteenth value of jñānam is adhyātmajñānanityatvam, which translates to constancy in the knowledge centered on the Self.
The phrase breaks down as follows: adhyātma means “centered on ātmā” (the Self), jñānam means “knowledge”, and nityatvam indicates “constancy”. While the twentieth value (tattvajñānārthadarśanam) establishes the ultimate goal of life as the knowledge of Truth, this nineteenth value provides the valid, effective, and appropriate means to gain that knowledge.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of this value based on the teachings:
Constancy in the Right Means of Knowledge Knowledge of the true Self cannot be gained by simply sitting quietly under a tree, nor can it be found in standard academic disciplines like mathematics, physics, or psychology. The specific subject matter of the Self is found exclusively in the tradition of teaching called Vedānta or the Upaniṣads. Therefore, adhyātmajñānanityatvam is a value for the constant, dedicated study of Vedānta scriptures until Self-knowledge is gained perfectly clear and completely free from doubt.
The Threefold Process of Gaining Knowledge The constant study of Vedānta involves three specific practices:
- Śravaṇam (Hearing/Study): This is the primary means of gaining knowledge. It involves listening to the words and great statements (mahāvākyas) of the Vedānta scriptures as they are systematically unfolded by a qualified teacher. The teacher creates a precise context to reveal the ultimate vision of Vedānta: that the individual (jīva), the world (jagat), and the Lord (īśvara) are not separate, but are in fact one absolute, non-dual Reality.
- Mananam (Reflection): This is a secondary aid to śravaṇam. It is the use of reasoning to eliminate any doubts raised by the intellect. Because our ordinary sense perception only shows a world of duality, the intellect will naturally question the non-dual Truth revealed by Vedānta. Mananam uses logic to expose the fallacies in these doubts and in opposing philosophical systems, purifying the knowledge until it is completely free from vagueness or questions.
- Nididhyāsanam (Contemplation): Even after all intellectual doubts are removed, a person may still struggle with “habitual thinking” or viparīta bhāvanā (opposite attitudes). These are old, mechanical thought patterns that mistakenly seek security or happiness in external objects. Contemplation is the practice of repeatedly seeing and highlighting the fact of oneself as limitless, which gradually weakens and eliminates the hold of these deep-seated mental habits.
The Necessity of Śraddhā (Suspension of Judgement) To effectively engage in this study, the seeker must approach the words of Vedānta with śraddhā—a profound confidence or faith. The teachings emphasize that the truth revealed by our ordinary sense organs is often incomplete or negatable (like the blind men who each felt only one part of an elephant and mistakenly claimed to know the whole truth). Vedānta, however, acts as an independent means of knowledge (pramāṇa) that reveals an absolute Truth which cannot be contradicted.
Therefore, śraddhā does not mean blind belief; rather, it means “suspending the judgement pending discovery”. It is the willingness to hold old notions, prejudices, and prior conclusions in abeyance so that one can approach the teachings with a fresh, open mind, trusting the words of Vedānta to reveal the ultimate Truth of oneself.