SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
தத்வத்ரயமாவது – சித்தும், அசித்தும், ஈச்வரனும்
(thathva thrayamAvadhu – chiththum, achiththum, ISvaranum)
Meaning: The three realities are chith, achith, and ISvara.
What is thathva-thraya?
In the previous sUthram, piLLai lOkAchArya established that a mumukshu must possess thathva-thraya gyAnam in order to attain mOksham.
Having heard this, a natural question arises:
What is thathva-thraya, the knowledge of which is necessary for liberation?
It is in response to this expectation that piLLai lOkAchArya declares:
தத்வத்ரயமாவது – சித்தும், அசித்தும், ஈச்வரனும்
(thathva-thrayamAvadhu – chiththum, achiththum, ISvaranum)
“The three realities are chith, achith, and ISvara“.
chith, achith, and ISvara
chith
chith is the conscious reality.
The commentator defines it as:
சித்தாவது சைதந்யாதாரமான வஸ்து
(chiththAvadhu chaithanyAdhAramAna vasthu)
That is, chith is the entity that serves as the substratum of consciousness.
In simple terms, it refers to the conscious self (AthmA), that possesses knowledge and awareness.
achith
achith is the non-conscious reality.
The commentator defines it as:
அசித்தாவது சைதந்ய அநாதாரமான வஸ்து
(achithtAvadhu chaithanya-anAdhAramAna vasthu)
That is, achith is the entity that is not the substratum of consciousness.
Unlike chith, it possesses no awareness, knowledge, or experience.
Everything that is insentient belongs to the category of achith.
ISvara
The third reality is ISvara.
The commentator carefully clarifies what is meant by this term.
ஈச்வரனாகிறான் யோக வைசேஷிகாதி தந்தரத்திலுள்ளார் சொல்லுகிற கணக்கிலே ஒரு புருஷ விசேஷமன்றிக்கே
(ISvaranAgiRAn yOga vaiSEshikAdhi thantharaththil uLLAr sollugiRa kaNakkilE oru purusha viSEsham anRikkE)
The lord referred to here is not merely a special purusha as described by systems such as yoga and vaiSEshikam.
Rather,
வேதாந்திகள் சொல்லுகிற சிதசித் நியந்தா
(vEdhAnthigaL sollugiRa chith-achith niyanthA)
He is the controller of both chith and achith as taught by the knowers of vEdhAntha.
Thus, ISvara is not simply one conscious being among many. He is the supreme lord who governs and controls both sentient and insentient realities.
Scriptural support for the three realities
The commentator cites vEdhAnthic passages to establish these three realities.
SvEthASvathara upanishadh क्षरं प्रधानम् अमृताक्षरं हरः । क्षरात्मानावीशते देव एकः ॥
(ksharam pradhAnam amruthAksharam hara: | ksharAthmAnAvISathE dhEva Eka: ||)
This passage teaches:
- pradhAna (matter) — achith
- akshara (the conscious self) — chith
- the one lord who rules both — ISvara
Another scriptural statement declares:
SvEthASvathara upanishadh प्रधानक्षेत्रज्ञपतिर्गुणेशः
(pradhAna kshEthragyapathir guNESa:)
He is the Lord of pradhAna (insentient matter), the lord of kshethragyas (sentient selves), and the master of all qualities.
These passages establish the reality of chith, achith, and ISvara, and also establish the lord’s sovereignty over the other two.
Beginning the detailed discussion
Having identified the three thathvas, piLLai lOkAchArya now intends to explain their respective svarUpa and svabhAva-viSEshas.
Since the three realities have been introduced in the order of chith, achith, and ISvara, he begins with chith-thathva.
The commentator therefore says:
சித்தென்கிறது ஆத்மாவை
(chithtengiRadhu AthmAvai)
“The term chith refers to the self.”
With this, the detailed discussion of chith-thathva begins.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
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