A photographic exhibition by Paulette
At Pitanga
Feb 9th – 25th
Matrimandir: As Below So Above (Upanishads Texts for the Photographic Exhibition)
By Paulette, 10 Feb 2017 / 04:58 am
AS BELOW SO ABOVE
Matrimandir is a state of consciousness, a living temple within our heart that is the heart of the world, the Self in its myriad manifestations. Where without and within are one, below and above are one, microcosm and macrocosm are one, there is Matrimandir: our utmost Self, one with the Atman, eternal, imperishable.
These are the two texts, from the Chandogya Upanishads, underlying the exhibition:
The city of Brahman
Within the city of Brahman, which is the body, there is the heart, and within the heart there is a little house. This house has the shape of a lotus, and within it dwells that which is to be sought after, inquired about, and realized.
What then is that which, dwelling within this little house, this lotus of the heart, is to be sought after, inquired about, and realized? As large as the universe outside, even so large is the universe within the lotus of the heart. Within it are heaven and earth, the sun, the moon, the lightning, and all the stars. What is in the macrocosm is in this microcosm.
All things that exist, all beings and all desires, are in the city of Brahman; what then becomes of them when old age approaches and the body dissolves in death? Though old age comes to the body, the lotus of the heart does not grow old. At death of the body, it does not die. The lotus of the heart, where Brahman exists in all his glory – that, and not the body, is the true city of Brahman. …
Absorbed in the Self, the sage is freed from identity with the body and lives in blissful consciousness. The Self is the immortal, the fearless; the Self is Brahman. This Brahman is eternal Truth.
The Self within the heart is like a boundary which divides the world from THAT. Day and night cross not that boundary, nor old age, nor death; neither grief nor pleasure, neither good nor evil deeds. All evil shuns THAT. For THAT is free from impurity: by impurity can it never be touched. Wherefore he who has crossed that boundary, and has realized the Self, if he is blind, ceases to be blind; if he is wounded, ceases to be wounded; if he is afflicted, ceases to be afflicted. When that boundary is crossed, night becomes day; for the world of Brahman is light itself.
What then is that which, dwelling within this little house, this lotus of the heart, is to be sought after, inquired about, and realized? As large as the universe outside, even so large is the universe within the lotus of the heart. Within it are heaven and earth, the sun, the moon, the lightning, and all the stars. What is in the macrocosm is in this microcosm.
This Infinite is the Self
Where one sees nothing but the One, hears nothing but the One, knows nothing but the One – there is the Infinite. Where one sees another, hears another, knows another – there is the finite. The Infinite is immortal, the finite is mortal. …
The Infinite is below, above, behind, before, to the right, to the left. I am all this. This Infinite is the Self. The Self is below, above, behind, before, to the right, to the left. I am all this. One who knows, meditates upon, and realizes the truth of the Self – such one delights in the Self, revels in the Self, rejoices in the Self. He becomes master of himself, and master of all the worlds. Slaves are they who know not this truth.
He who knows, meditates upon, and realizes this truth of the Self, finds that everything – primal energy, ether, fire, water, and all other elements, mind, will, concentration, speech, sacred hymns and scriptures, indeed the whole universe – issues forth from it.
It is written: He who has realized eternal Truth does not see death, nor illness, nor pain; he sees everything as the Self, and obtains all.
The Self is one, and it has become all things.
When the senses are purified, the heart is purified; when the heart is purified, there is constant and unceasing remembrance of the Self; when there is constant and unceasing remembrance of the Self, all bonds are loosed and freedom is attained.
Thus the venerable Sanatkumara taught Narada, rada, who was pure in heart, how to pass from darkness into light
