नेति नेति
Neti neti
neti neti
In simple words
Neti neti means 'not this, not this'. Since the deepest reality cannot be captured in words, one can approach it by setting aside everything it is not — every object, thought or label.
What is it?
Neti neti is a phrase from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad used to point to Brahman or the Self by denying every finite characterisation. Whatever can be seen, named or defined is an object, and the Self, being the knower, is not an object. Advaita Vedanta uses it as a method of inquiry: body, senses, mind and ego are successively recognised as 'not the Self'. Other schools read the negations differently.
Scholar’s note
The formula occurs in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad in Yajnavalkya's teachings (commonly cited at 2.3.6 and in book 4). Shankara (Brahma Sutra 3.2.22) interprets it as negating superimposed forms, not Brahman itself. Ramanuja reads the negation as denying that Brahman is limited to the forms previously mentioned, not as denying all attributes. The method is sometimes compared with apophatic theology elsewhere and with Madhyamaka negation, though aims differ.How its meaning differs
Neti neti removes all superimposed attributes, revealing the attributeless (nirguna) Brahman that is identical with the Self.
Ramanuja reads the negation as saying that Brahman is not exhausted by any finite description, while affirming that Brahman possesses infinite auspicious qualities.
Madhyamaka also proceeds by negation, refuting every view about inherent existence, but does not arrive at a positive absolute.
Where it appears in the Gita
ज्ञेयं यत्तत्प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वामृतमश्नुते।
जो ज्ञेय (पूर्वोक्त ज्ञानसे जाननेयोग्य) है, उस (परमात्मतत्त्व) को मैं अच्छी तरहसे कहूँगा, जिसको जानकर (मनुष्य) अमरताका अनुभव कर लेता है। (वह ज्ञेय-तत्त्व) अनादिवाला (और) परम ब्रह्म है। उसको न सत् कहा जा सकता है (और) न असत् ही (कहा जा सकता है)।
2.25Unseen, unthinkable, unchanging — so do not grieve
अव्यक्त, अचिन्त्य, अविकार्य—अतः शोक मत करो
अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।
The Self is not visible, not an object of thought, and is called changeless; knowing it so, you should not grieve.
यह देही अव्यक्त, अचिन्त्य और अविकार्य कहा जाता है; इसे ऐसा जानकर शोक नहीं करना चाहिये।
Where else it appears
Follow this idea
Trace the idea from one source to the next.
- 1Textबृहदारण्यकोपनिषद्Brihadaranyaka UpanishadYajnavalkya's 'not this, not this'.
- 2Gita verseBhagavad Gita 13.12Brahman is said to be neither being nor non-being.
- 3Thinkerआदि शङ्कराचार्यAdi ShankaracharyaShankara's reading: negation of superimposed forms.
- 4Textनिर्वाणषट्कम्Nirvana ShatakamA hymn traditionally attributed to Shankara that negates each identification in turn.
- 5Thinkerरमण महर्षिRamana MaharshiRamana's inquiry as a practical form of negating the non-self.
- 6Thinkerनागार्जुनNagarjunaCompare Madhyamaka's method of negation.
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