SrI: SrImathE satakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImadh varavaramunayE nama:
சித்தென்கிறது ஆத்மாவை
(chiththengiRadhu – AthmAvai)
Meaning: The term chith refers to the individual self (AthmA).
Why does the discussion begin with chith?
In the previous sUthram, piLLai lOkAchArya identified the three realities as chith, achith, and Ishwara.
He now begins the detailed explanation of these three thathvams. Since chith was mentioned first, he starts with chith-thathvam and says:
சித்தென்கிறது ஆத்மாவை
(chiththengiRadhu – AthmAvai)
“The term chith refers to the self.”
At this point, a question may arise.
Earlier AchAryas such as naduvil thiruvIdhip piLLai bhattar and AchchAn piLLai began their discussions of thathva thrayam with achith. Why then does piLLai lOkAchArya begin with chith?
Why did some earlier AchAryas begin with achith?
Those AchAryas began with achith for a specific reason.
achith-thathva is something that has to be properly understood and set aside as distinct from the self. Similarly, ISwara has to be understood as the supreme reality to be attained.
Between these two stands the chEthana, the conscious self that seeks this knowledge.
Their reasoning was that one cannot properly understand the self’s distinction from prakruthi unless prakruthi itself is first understood.
Therefore, they first explained prakruthi and other aspects of achith. After that, they explained the self, which is distinct from prakruthi. Finally, they explained the supreme lord, who is the inner ruler of the self and who stands in relation to both chith and achith as their controller.
Thus, their order was:
- achith
- chith
- ISwara
This approach gradually leads the student from matter, to the self, and finally to the supreme lord.
Why does piLLai lOkAchArya begin with chith?
piLLai lOkAchArya follows a different approach.
The one who seeks to know achith and ISwara is the chEthana himself. Therefore, it is appropriate that he first understands his own nature.
Since the seeker is the subject who must know the other two thathvams, beginning with chith is also natural and meaningful.
For this reason, piLLai lOkAchArya begins with chith-thathvam.
Both orders are supported by vEdhAntha
The commentator explains that both methods are supported by scripture.
The order beginning with achith corresponds to the well-known upanishadh method that proceeds from lower levels to higher levels, beginning with annamaya and culminating in Anandhamaya.
The order beginning with chith is supported by passages such as:
[SvEthASvathara upanishadh] भोक्ता भोग्यं प्रेरितारं च मत्वा
(bhokthA bhogyam prErithAram cha mathvA)
“Knowing the experiencer, the experienced, and the controller.”
Here, the experiencer (bhokthA), namely the conscious self, is mentioned first.
Therefore, both approaches have support in vEdhAntha.
Neither can be rejected as un-vEdhAnthic.
Support from ALavandhAr and bhAshyakAra
The commentator next cites respected authorities whose statements accommodate both approaches.
ALavandhAr says:
[sthOthra raththinam 4] चिदचिदीश्वरतत्स्वभाव
(chidhachIdhISwara thath svabhAva)
bhAshyakAra says:
[vEdhArtha sangraha 1] अशेष चिदचिद्वस्तुशेषिणे
(aSEsha chidhaachidh vasthu SEshiNE)
These statements mention chith, achith, and ISwara together.
However, they are not intended to establish a mandatory order of explanation.
Why do these statements support both orders?
A question may arise.
If ALavandhAr and bhAshyakAra mention chith before achith, does that not prove that the chith-first order alone is correct?
The commentator answers that this conclusion does not follow.
In those contexts, the intention was not to prescribe the sequence in which the thathvams should be taught. The purpose was simply to refer to all three realities together.
Therefore, those statements can be accepted by those who begin with chith as well as by those who begin with achith.
They do not establish an exclusive order.
Why does the word chith appear first?
When the three thathvams are mentioned together in a compound expression, the order may follow grammatical considerations rather than philosophical priority.
The commentator explains that in such expressions a word may be placed first because it is more distinguished (abhyarhitha) or because it contains fewer syllables (alpAkshara).
Here, the word chith comes first because it is shorter.
The grammatical principle is:
अल्पाक्षरं पूर्वम् [From nighaNtu (lexicon)]
(alpAksharam pUrvam)
“The shorter word comes first.”
A question may arise here as well.
If distinction or greatness were the deciding factor, should not ISwara be placed first?
The commentator’s answer is that the order here is not intended to indicate superiority. It follows grammatical convention.
Therefore, the fact that chith appears first does not diminish the greatness of ISwara in any way.
Why is chith explained as AthmA?
The commentator now turns to the word chith itself.
A traditional list of words connected with knowledge and consciousness includes:
प्रेक्षोपलब्धिश्चित्संवित्प्रतिपज्ज्ञप्तिचेतनाः
(prEkshopalabdhiS chith samvith prathipajgyapthi chEthanA:)
These are all words associated with awareness, cognition, knowledge, and consciousness.
Because of this association, the word chith naturally suggests consciousness.
However, the commentator points out that the word chith is not commonly used by itself to refer directly to the individual self.
Its association with the conscious subject is not as widespread and explicit as that of the word AthmA.
Why does piLLai lOkAchArya explicitly say “AthmA”?
The word AthmA is widely used throughout Sruthi and smruthi to refer to the individual self.
For example:
[SvEthASvathara upanishadh] क्षरात्मानावीशते देव एकः
(ksharAthmAnAvISathE dhEva Eka:)
[bruhadhAraNyaka upanishadh] य आत्मानमन्तरो यमयति यमात्मा न वेद यस्यात्मा शरीरम्
(ya AthmAnam antharO yamayathi yam AthmA na vEdha yasya AthmA SarIram)
आत्माशुद्धोक्षरः
(AthmA SudhdhOkshara:)
आत्मा ज्ञानमयोऽमलः
(AthmA gyAnamayO’mala:)
Because scriptural usage overwhelmingly associates the word AthmA with the individual self, piLLai lOkAchArya chooses to remove any ambiguity.
Therefore, he explicitly states:
சித்தென்கிறது ஆத்மாவை
(chiththengiRadhu – AthmAvai)
“The term chith refers to the self.”
Thus, the reader is left with no doubt regarding the meaning of chith in this context.
Conclusion
Some AchAryas begin the discussion of thathva thrayam with achith, while piLLai lOkAchArya begins with chith.
Both approaches are accepted within the vEdhAnthic tradition and are supported by scriptural reasoning.
piLLai lOkAchArya chooses to begin with chith because the seeker of liberation is himself a conscious self and must first understand his own nature.
He further clarifies that the chith spoken of here is none other than the individual self, the AthmA.
Having identified chith as the AthmA, he now proceeds to explain the nature of the self in greater detail.
adiyen vAsudhEva rAmAnuja dhAsan
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