Wednesday, November 2, 2011

What are the obstacles in Sri,Sankara’s teaching? Where the scholars are going wrong? How to overcome all the obstacles in the path of truth ? in order to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.



Everything in non-duality refers to consciousness, because everything (three states)is created out of single stuff, which is formless soul or consciousness, the innermost self.   On the standpoint of soul or consciousness there is nothing exists other then the soul.  Thus everything, which is formless consciousness, is perfectly perfect.

 People who view and judge on the standpoint of the physical self or waking entity or ego will not understand this because they see diversity as reality. They think ‘I’ is self and body is illusion, whereas, the body and the ‘I’, both are part of the illusion.  

 They think whatever exists within the waking experience that is, man and his experience of the world is perfectly perfect reality.  There are so many obstacles if one tries to reach non-dual destination through Advaita because of   add-ons and adulteration. Therefore, Advaita is roundabout way to reach the non-dual destination. Since, the scholars are sentimentally and emotionally involved with Advaita philosophy which is based on the Vedas they will not be able to grasp the non dual truth, without bifurcating the religion, scriptures and god glorification.  


That is why Sri, Sankara says in VivekaChudamani   :-
58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but are no good for Liberation.


59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.


60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.


61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae) and medicines to such a one?


62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utter the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realisation one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.


There is nothing more rational, more intelligible and more un-dogmatic insights of Sri, Sankara, is to drop all the theistic non-duality or Advaita which is meant for those who are incapable and not receptive to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman.


If one merely theorizes, tries to understand through his intellect and there contended he cannot become a Gnani but he becomes a scholar or pundit.   Seeker of truth must make what he has understood and assimilated has to be  realized, to get firm conviction of the non- dualistic truth or ultimate truth or Brahman,   than only it is possible for him to transcend all the limitations of the experience of form, time and space.    


The existence beyond limitations of form, time and space is known as Moksha or Nirvana. Spiritual freedom or self-realization is the goal of every seeker of truth. 

Upanishads Nikhilananda

Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. [Ch II-5 P-14]


 Only Deeper self-search helps the seeker to remove all the obstacles in pursuit of truth.  They are so many scholars in India who mastered Advaitic philosophy.  It is impossible to acquire self-knowledge in the present form of Advaitic philosophy. Because their preaching is based on non-duality and practices is based on duality. Rational way is the only way.  

Katha Upanishad:
  This Ataman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Ataman reveals Its own form. [Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20]

It is very difficult to talk to people about Advaita because everyone thinks he is scholar and authority on Advaita. This- I know business is dangerous.  And whatever his reached conclusion is second hand stuff.

Second-hand knowledge of the self gathered from books or gurus can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realisation will do that. Realise yourself, turning the mind inward.Tripura Rahasya, 18: 89


The essence of Advitha is:

"DVI" means two. DVI" connotes dual existence and "ADVAITA" the non-dual, which of these two is non existence? People think that there is God and that the jivas--souls-- like them form the second, other then them. There is no such duality at all. "Brahman” is the only reality and there is nothing other then this Absolute Supreme Being. That Brahman through Maya or the multiplying power of illusion appears as many Jivas. But this is just the play of Brahman, even as an actor in a drama remains unchanged throughout although Brahman   plays different roles. The seemingly obvious duality between Brahman and Jiva does not actually exist because both are one and the same Atman. If only one transcend this phenomenal illusion and experience of duality with Brahman, he would then be not the individual souls with all his little failings but one with it--the Absolute, infinite Reality. This is the tenet of Advaith philosophy thought by great master Sri,Sankara.

One has to  think deeply and reason,  than only is it possible to overcome the illusion with all its diversity. Seeker has to find out :-  What are the obstacles in Sri,Sankara’s teaching?   Where the scholars are going wrong? How to overcome all the obstacles in the path of truth ?  in order to realize the ultimate truth  or Brahman. 

Most thinkers point of view of nonduality is based on the physical self or ego or waking entity



Most thinkers  point of view of non-duality is based on the physical self or ego or waking entity. The thinker and the thoughts are part of the illusory duality. The individual experiences are happening within the waking experience. The waking experience itself is mirage created out of the formless consciousness, which is the innermost self. The ego/physical self and the world are part of the mirage.  The ego is the false self within the false experience. Thus, the individual experiences within the waking experiences are mere mirage. Thus birth, life and death are part of the mirage. 

If someone kills someone within the waking experience is as good as killing is taking place in the dream.  The killer and killing and the world are one in essence.  Until the ignorance is there the waking experience prevails as reality.   Only when wisdom dawns the waking experience becomes unreal. The man who believes himself as a person born in this world and world existed prior to him will not be able to assimilate self-knowledge because he is unaware of the fact that, he is part and parcel of the waking experience, which is illusory reality.  Thus his understanding is limited to form, time and space.

 The formless witness of the three states is not the physical self or waking entity or ego, but the formless soul, which is in the form of consciousness. On the standpoint of the soul as self, the three states are unreal.  Thus, if someone kills someone, is reality, within the waking experience. But waking experience itself is unreal.   The unreal appears and disappears as three states. The witness of the three states is unaffected and apart.  To realize this truth it takes quiet a lot of mental effort.  A proper and perfect understanding in this regard leads the seeking mind, towards non dual reality.  The one who is able to grasp this truth is a Gnani.  

What is known must always be different from knower itself, or else it could not be made known by it.



The unknowable can be known. It is neither unknowable nor remains unknown at any moment. A man of truth can   guides the seeker to something which always remains unknown. If a man of truth can guide, it means that he knows about it. This transcendental state is quite easy or may be well-nigh impossible, it depends entirely on seekers receptiveness and intense urge to know the truth of his true existence. It is very difficult for the people whose has materialistic outlook and stuck with their own idea of truth. It cannot be grasped if it always remains unknown.


"Whatever one experiences becomes known by the formless knower. Seeker carefully has to analyze the underlying substance which, though abstract and apart from known, yet illumines them all the same. Know it to be the truth.


What is not self-luminous can only fall within the orbit of knower and cannot be knower itself. Knower is that by which objects are known; it cannot be what it is if it becomes the object of knowledge.


What is known must always be different from knower itself, or else it could not be made known by it. Intelligence in the abstract cannot admit of parts, which is the characteristic of known. Therefore known comes into existence. Seeker has to carefully observe the knower after eliminating all the known from it.


"Just as a mirror takes on the hues of the images, so also the formless knower assumes the waking or dream objects by virtue of its holding them within itself.


"Formless knower can thus be made manifest by eliminating from it all that can be known. It cannot be known as such and such, for it is the formless substance witness of the known.


This, being the Self of the seeker, is not cognizable.  Seeker has to investigate his true Self in the aforesaid manner. There is no other agent to neither know the Self nor light by which to know it.


"Self the formless knower is not the body, but the knower of the waking or dream which contains the body and the world, which are all transient. Waking or dream is known, so how can knower be the known?


Knower surpasses the known, at the time of ability to acquire knowledge of the known.The Self illuminates the ‘I’ or waking or dream. The waking or dream does not. The 'self ' is within and also beyond the waking or dream. The self has to exist prior to the appearance of waking or dream. Without self the waking or dream is non-existent. The waking or dream exists when ‘I’ or mind, exists. When ‘I’ or mind disappears the waking and dream disappears. Thus ‘I’ is not the self, the knower of the ‘I’ is the true self.


"Moreover everyone feels 'I see the objects' but it is not so, the self which sees the’ I’. The ‘I’ is present as mind.  Mind is in the form of universe. Universe appears as waking and dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality). If it were not for the innermost self which is the formless soul consciousness, the appearance and disappearance of the three states is impossible. The formless soul or consciousness is the innermost self is knower of the coming and going of the three states.


It is because of identifying the self as body the sense of ‘I’ which is ego rises. The ego will dominate as self, until the seeker realizes the ‘I’ also is not the self. The ego,body, world exists together, and dissolves together. Thus it is erroneous to treat the ‘I’ as self. 

Whatever is born, lives and dies within the illusory waking experience


All thinkers and intellectuals and yogis, gurus  hold,  the ‘I’ as self, and base their teachings and theories to realize the truth of the whole but without investigating   the  nature of the mind,   the truth will not reveal. Seeker has to think deeply and realize the fact that, the consciousness is the innermost self and it is  unborn witness.  Thus the body, ego and the world are nothing to do with unborn witness, which is ever formless. But body, ego and the world are mere mirage created out of consciousness, which is the innermost self.

Seeker gradually begins to accept the unreal nature of the mind or universe, which appears in the form of waking experience. 

That which blocks the way of acceptance of non-dualistic truth even the most thinkers is the ego. If thinkers realize the fact that ,  their  body, ego and their experience of the  world are created out of  single stuff than  it is possible for them to   grasp the non-dualistic truth  in lesser time and effort . One has to verify whatever he knows is truth or not before declaring whatever he knows is ultimate truth or Brahman.

The main reason why egocentricity prevents such understanding is that it causes a person to be strongly attached in the belief that consciousness is the support of the individual.

Dualist sages could not distinguish between ‘I’ and ‘formless witness.’ The 'I' was the witness. Their highest was the Jiva. One is so much attached to the 'I' that he do not want to think that 'I' does not exist. Again one is unable to detach the ‘I’ from the Real witness.

 Whatever is born, lives and dies within the illusory waking experience.  The birth, life, death and the world are reality within the waking experience The waking experience is mere falsehood from the ultimate stand point.  There is no use thinking how the body functions or with what body functions. The dream body functions within the dream and waking body functions within the waking experience.    One has to find out what powers the dream as a whole to realize the same power, powers the waking as whole.  The one who knows all the three states are one is essence also aware of the fact that the form, time and space are one in essence and that essence is consciousness, which is the innermost self.  When one realize the inner most self is not the body but formless consciousness than: where is the body, where is world in taintless consciousness. They are or have become consciousness, which ultimate truth or Brahman.

That is why Jesus said:- "Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. (THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS- Saying 5)
It means one has to know the world which confronts him  to realize his body and world are made of the same essence and that essence is Spirit (father).  

Sri, Sankara said :- one must first know what is before him. If he cannot know that, what else can he know or understand? If he gives up the external world in his inquiry, he cannot get the whole truth.

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech(Sri, Sankara says in Viveka Chudamani )

"Jesus said:-"Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all." (Gospel of Thomas 2)

"The Kingdom of God is inside you and all around you, Not in a mansion of wood and stone.  Split a piece of wood and God is there, Lift a stone and you will find God." (Gospel of Thomas)

 
It is for the seeker to mentally excavate by deeper self-search and realize 'what is truth' and 'what is untruth' and accept only un-contradictable truth.  Truth is not some theory or teaching but it has to be ascertained by the seeker himself.  


The self is not 'I' .  Deeper self reveals the fact that, 'I' is mind and mind is present in the form of universe  because the  universe exists only when the mind exists. The universe ceases to exist without the mind (I).  When there is no mind there is no universe. In deep sleep there is no mind therefore there is no universe. Therefore mind itself is universe the universe appears as waking or dream. The waking experience is parallel dream and dream is parallel waking experience.  The formless substance and witness of the waking or dream or universe is soul . Soul(Atman)  is   is in the form of consciousness.  The formless substance and witness are one is essence. And  that essence is soul or consciousness.  Thus Atman is Brahman that is consciousness is ultimate truth.  Thus on the standpoint of  soul(Atman), the universe (mind)is mere illusion.


 The self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity  but the self is the formless soul or consciousness. The soul or consciousness is birthless and deathless. On the standpoint of the birthless self , the three state are mere illusion. if the three states are mere illusion then   the experience of  birth, life, death and the world  ,which are experienced within the waking or dream are  part of the illusion. 

  If  the experience of birth, life ,death  and the world are illusion then all conducts actions and their fruits are mere illusion. If waking  experience is mere illusion , then the existence of God, heaven and hell is mere illusion.  If  the self is not the  waking entity  then all religious beliefs of god based on the waking entity  is mere illusion.  

 If  the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the self is the  Atman (soul),  which is present  in the form of consciousness , then there is no scope for second thing other than consciousness.  The soul or consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman or ultimate truth.  Consciousness   alone is real and eternal.  Thus whatever is real eternal has to be identified as god. To identify the real and eternal, one has to overcome the ignorance caused by the illusion. To overcome the ignorance one has to acquire the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana .      
The individual experience within the dream is reality within the dream. Therefore waking reality is also is reality within the waking. This waking is parallel dream and dream is parallel waking. 
Only when self-wakes up in waking  or  dream  it is in ignorance of its formless non-dual true nature. When the self-consciously wakes up in its formless non-dual true nature in the midst of waking experience  then all the three states are  mere mirage created out of formless consciousness.
The form time and space within the dream are falsehood when waking takes place. Similarly the form, time and space of the waking are also falsehood when wisdom dawns. The wisdom dawns only when one realize the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity. Thus it is erroneous to judge and reason and conclude the ultimate truth on the base of waking entity and waking world because waking experience itself is illusion.

By becoming more and more intellectual one becomes more and more intoxicated to individuality.



By becoming more and more intellectual one becomes more and more intoxicated to individuality. The intellectuality is limited to duality.  In realm of truth the intellectuality is replaced by non-dual wisdom.  There is nothing exist other than formless non dual existence. Therefore, there is   no individual to become sane or insane. There is no second thing exists, other than consciousness.  Everything is one, that is, unity in diversity. The curiosity, urge cannot be imposed on others.  It has to sprout within. 

One need not become holy Shepard because the holy Shepard is within in to guide every seeker. Until one is aiming to be a master, Guru or teacher, he will never reach his destination.

 One has to share his knowledge with the fellow seeker not to make them his followers but only direct them if they are interested to travel beyond form, time and space.  It is foolish to impose our idea on others because everyone is not in same level of understanding.  Every one's inner work is on. When they are ripe enough they will understand, assimilate and realize on their own. 

 If they are ready and sharp enough they will grasp it instantly and they will reach their destination with lesser time and effort. Thus preaching, teaching is not wisdom, but by very careful reasoning, seeker has to determine the nature of reality. Thinking in right direction alone helps seeker determining the nature of reality.

The sugar cannot know itself its sweetness. The true self without ignorance is without the experience of duality or illusion. Thus one has to base on the sugar not on its sweetness. Without the sugar there is no sweetness. Similarly without the consciousness, the three states cease to exist as reality.

Seeker of truth is in the in the quest of the knowledge  of  ever being conscious of  eternality of one self , and understanding, assimilating and realizing  it inextricably linked to the what constitute bondage and liberation. 

Non-attachment for the three states is freedom or liberation from experiencing the illusory birth, life, death and world as reality. Love for practical life within the practical world is bondage. 

By deeper thinking and realizing the self is not the form but self  is formless consciousness and mentally shifting the attention from the objectified subject to the formless subject ,which is consciousness the inner most self. By realizing the formless consciousness as the inner most self, one realizes the consciousness alone exists the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness.   Thus the three states are unreal created out of consciousness, which alone is real.    

The one who discriminates between the Real and the unreal, whose focus of attention is turned away from the illusory physical existence, who possesses calmness and who is longing for freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality, is alone considered qualified to take path of reason.

People who are yearning for spiritual truth will not find it through intellectual speculation and assumption. Intellectual truth is individual truth. Love implies duality and love is individual feelings within the falsehood. Love is necessary and valuable in the stated of ignorance but it is not the means to acquire wisdom.  Love is religious tool to lead life in practical world.  And Religious truth is individual truth and it is not universal truth because the religion is based on individuality. 

It becomes difficult for the orthodox cult to accept anything else as truth other than their accepted belief, which they hold as truth. Although all religious followers are participants alike in the spiritual endeavour of the world, overzealous   followers of each religion are not prepared to accord equal status to other faiths and assert the superiority of their own. Thus universal brother hood is total impossibility because it is difficult to accept anything other than their inherited belief system.        
Most of the pundits are egoic and they try to snub others who question them.  They think they are unquestionable authority.  They quote the citation from the scripters as proof without verifying the validity.  All punditry is a great obstacle in realizing the Advaitic truth expounded by the Sri, Sankara and Goudapada. 

One finds lots of differences between Advaita preaching and practice. There is need to bifurcate religion, concept of god and scriptures from Advaitic philosophy to assimilate the essence of Advaita.    

Sri, Sankara says in Brahma Sutras: that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Mandukya he denies it. This is because he says that at the lower stage of understanding, the former teaching must be given, for people will get frightened as they cannot understand how the world can be without a cause, but to those in a higher stage, the truth of non-causality can be revealed. 

Sri, Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words, and to practice semantic analysis in his book "Definition of one's own Self  (Page 199, v.24 of "Sankara's Selected Works)

Sri, Sankara founded his Advaita Vedanta either on reason independent of sruti or on sruti confirmed by reason."   Sri, Sankara's commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad, II, 1:  This [the unreality of duality] is borne out by the Srutis ... But it is possible also to show the unreality of the object world even from pure reasoning, and this second chapter is undertaken for that purpose.

 Sri, Sankara himself had often said that his philosophy was based on Sruti, or revealed scripture.  This may be because Sri, Sankara addressed the ordinary man, who finds security in the idea of causality and thus in the idea of God—and Revelation is indispensable to prove the latter.  He believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can therefore dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason. 

Non-duality does not need the support of any Scripture or Revelation like the Veda. For it is based, not upon the varying theological fancies, which are as numerous as the sands of the sea, but upon reason, the common heritage of all mankind, irrespective of colour or creed or clime.

When Upanishad itself declares:-   sarvam khalvidam brahma - all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad).  


Then it is no use going roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman. 



Thus Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  is meant only for those who have intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.   Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own-selves to get the firm conviction. 









Only thing which remains eternally is formless witness, the formless consciousness,which is the innermost self




·    Q;-   Sri, Sankara says that whatever thing remains eternal is true and whatever is non-eternal is untrue. Since the world is created and destroyed, it is not real (true).


·  SK:-  Only thing which remains eternally is formless witness, the formless consciousness,which is the innermost self .  The non eternal is the  mind ,which is in the form universe and universe appears  as waking  or dream. The waking  experience  appears and disappears same way as the dream appears and disappears.  Thus one has to learn to view and judge the truth on the base of eternal identity (Atman or consciousness) to realize the waking experience is non-eternal like dream. The world cannot be destroyed because it mere mirage [not real] only the ignorance is destroyed when the wisdom dawns.


·         Q:- Truth is the thing which is unchanging. Since the world is changing, it is not real (true).



·     SK. Consciousness is the ultimate truth or brahman. consciousness  is the formless substance and witness of the three states.  When the consciousness  is in its formless non-dual true nature than it is unchanging. Within the mirage [waking experience] everything changes moment to moment. But when the wisdom dawns the waking experience does not exit at all, same way as the dream world does not exist in reality. Thus change is felt only on the base of false identity within the false experience


·         Q:-Whatever is independent of  form , space and time is real (true), and whatever has form  space and time in itself is real (true).



·    SK.  Mind means form time space together.  The form, time and space are within the universe. universe appears as   waking experience. The waking experience is unreal and  the formless witness of the waking experience which  is consciousness is real and eternal.


·      Q:-Just as one sees dreams in sleep, he sees a kind of super-dream when he is waking. The world is compared to this conscious dream.



·        SK:  The witness is formless whether it witnesses the waking or dream . The world and man are within the waking or dream. Thus man cannot be separated from the world. The author of the dream or waking is not man but the formless witness  ,which is consciousness. the consciousness is the innermost self. Thus to hold only the world alone as dream and man as the witness of the dream or waking is erroneous.


·   Q:The world is believed to be a superimposition of the Brahman. Superimposition cannot be real (true).


·     SK. The world is not superimposition on the consciousness  but the whole waking experience is superimposition on consciousness .Superimposition cannot be real . thus the waking experience is not real.


Q: On the other hand, Sri, Sankara claims that the world is not absolutely unreal (false). It appears unreal (false) only when compared to Brahman. In the pragmatic state, the world is completely real€”which occurs as long as we are under the influence of Maya. The world cannot be both true and false at the same time; hence Sri, Sankara has classified the world as indescribable. The following points suggest that according to Sri, Sankara, the world is not false



·         SK.The world is not unreal on the base of the false self within the false experience. The world and its perceiver are reality within the waking experience.  But the waking experience, in which the world and man are present, is unreal. until one becomes aware of the existence of the  formless witness of the three states it becomes difficult for one to realize the Advaitic truth expounded by great Sage, Sri Sankara.  
·        


I   Q: If the world were unreal (false), then with the liberation of the first human being, the world would have been annihilated. However, the world continues to exist even if a human attains liberation.



·         SK. Until man thinks he is born in this world and world  existed prior to him he will remain in this confusion.  One has to apply the same argument to the dream world.  The dream world also had the millions of year history and  dream entity was born in the dream world and as soon as the dream disappear the dream man and the dream world disappears. Where was the waking world and  the waking entity  when the dream was present? Thus one has to trace the witness of the whole dream to realize the witness is formless. And the same formless witness witnesses the waking also. It is not the man who has to be liberated because the man is part of the illusion.  It is to realize the true self is not man but the consciousness or Atman.  Only with the knowledge of Atman (F.W)the liberation from experiencing duality as reality will happen. 

·       Q;- SriSankara believes in Karma, or good actions. This is a feature of this world. So the world cannot be unreal (false). 


SK:- Only for the mass he prescribes karma. He clearly mentions  that religion, scriptures and yoga god glorification and karma and good deeds are not the means to self realization. When the body is not the self but  self is formless and  is apart  form the  three states how can the karma done by the false entity, within the false experience can yield fruit.  


·     Q:--   The Supreme Reality Brahman is the basis of this world. The world is like its reflection. Hence the world cannot be totally unreal (false).

·     SK.  The basis means the substance of the world. All this confusion is created because they think world is unreal and man is real or world is permanent and man is impermanent.  Until they include man and the world together they will not be able to say anything is real or unreal. [This has been explained in the F.P blogs  to the core].

·        Q:- False is something which is ascribed to nonexistent things, like Sky-lotus. The world is a logical thing which is perceived by our senses. Consider the following logical argument. A pen is placed in front of a mirror. One can see its reflection. To one's eyes, the image of the pen is perceived. Now, what should the image be called? It cannot be true, because it is an image. The truth is the pen. It cannot be false, because it is seen by our eyes.

·        SK: The formless witness is the one which sees the world and man together ( waking or dream). Thus the logical argument on the physical base will not yield truth. The one which witnesses the waking or dream as a whole without the physical apparatus is the soul. Only people who are not aware of the Formless Witness bases their theories on the physical self or waking entity (false self).