Citsukha, Citsukhi
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Origin of Citsukha[edit]
Post-Śaṅkara literature on Advaita Vedānta has grown enormously. It has improved in quantity, quality and subtlety. Citsukha is one of the well-known writers on Advaita Vedānta of this period. He lived in the early part of the thirteenth century. He was a pupil of Gauḍeśvarācārya also known as Jñānottama. His works are:
- Bhāsya-bhāva-prakāśikā - a commentary on the Brahmasutrabhāsya of Śaṅkara
- Abhiprāya-prakāśikā - commentary on the Brahmasiddhi of Maṇḍana
- Commentaries on the Naiskarmyasiddhi of Sureśvara
- Nyāyamakaranda of Ānandabodha
- Khandana-khanda-khādya of Śriharṣa
Significance of Tattvapradīpikā[edit]
However his most important work is Tattvapradīpikā commonly known as Citsukhi. It is a unique work for two reasons:
- It effectively refutes the categories of the Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika schools
- It establishes some of the fundamental points of Sankara’s advaita by carrying out a subtle analysis and interpretation of them.
Significance of Citsukhi[edit]
Citsukhi comprises of four chapters.
- The first chapter deals with:
- The Vedāntic concepts like the ātman being self-luminous and pure consciousness
- Nature of avidyā (nescience or ignorance)
- Mithyātva (nature of falsity of the world)
- Nature of illusions
- Etc.
- The second chapter deals with:
- The third chapter deals with:
- The fourth chapter deals with the nature of the ultimate state of liberation.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore