Non dual Truth is very simple. But it is very difficult to grasp because of our excessive accumulation of physical based knowledge. One has to understand and assimilate and realize the fact that the whole experience of diversity [waking or mind] in which I, you, others and the whole cosmos is present, is created sustained by Atman or spirit and finally dissolves as Atman or spirit. Thus it is proof that the illusion [mind or `I'] is created out of spirit or Atman. Thus everything in the illusion is spirit thus nothing exists other then the spirit. To understand this simple thing we have struggle because our conditioning to view and judge the worldview on the illusory base and struggling to realize the truth on the false base. The wisdom has to come from within; there is no need to search the truth outside of the self.
The practical knowledge of the dual and non-dual experiences
What is known as the mind is waking or dream experience, and after all mind always it is a restless state. It is the state burden and bondage is always afflicted with pleasure and pain. Everybody experiences restlessness in this state duality; whereas one is in peace in sleep in the absence of such restlessness caused by duality. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the dual and non-dual nature of the mind in order to unfold the mystery of the mind [duality].
Many feel that duality is good, what is wrong with duality. Duality is good when everything is in order in the physical life and life is going on smoothly. However, at the time of great suffering and misery one tries to get rid of pain without realizing the fact that the pleasure and pain is product of duality.
Since man is pleasure hunter he wants to get rid of only the pain and wants to enjoy the pleasure. Thus he indulges in all sorts of things to get only the pleasure of life. The whole life is wasted in the intoxication of pleasure or hunting for the pleasure. In the end when duality disappears on its own and merges in non-duality then they call it death in ignorance, without realizing the whole experience of duality [mind or waking] is erupted from non dual source. Therefore, man has to realize that fact Duality [illusion] is impermanent and merges in the permanent.
Seeker has to be receptive when he read the F.S messages. Reading with a distracted and judgmental mind is as good as not reading, for the words serve no useful purpose, resembling the rain water accumulated in a painting. Reading F.S messages itself is the spiritual practice, which diverts the seeking minds focus of attention to its formless core.
One may get irritated and angry because of repetition reading these messages, but they are unaware of the fact that the constant insistence and suggestion are creating a new base of thinking process that moves in the reversal mode [form to formless] which is necessary in the pursuit of truth.
Seekers are quickly benefited if he turns away from dry, ruinous logic and engages in purposeful understanding. Appropriate mental effort of thinking process must follow right understanding; for a seeker profits according to the zeal accompanying his efforts.
Seeker of truth has to realize the fact, that aimless discussions on the base of `I' [form] are fruitless and that earnest efforts on the base Atman [formless] are fruitful in pursuit of truth.
Discriminating zeal is necessary in pursuit of truth. No practical work will be done if seeker spend all their lives in vain reading alone thinking and reasoning is very much necessary in order to assimilate the self knowledge to realize the self. Therefore, seeker should discard aimless talk and begin immediately to accomplish the goal as ascertained by perfect understanding. A seeker who is in earnest need never be at a loss; will sustained effort ever fail in its purpose?
Guided by proper deliberation, accompanied by zeal and engaged in individual efforts, seeker must take his own unfailing way to emancipation.
There are said to be many ways but none of them transport the seeker to his non dual destination. Choose inquiry and reasoning on the true base which is the surest. Right Choice leads to the perfect understanding. Then seeker has to adopt it immediately.
Whatever has the impress of duality on it cannot be real. Such are wealth, children, wife, power, fame, learning, intellect, body, beauty and prosperity. For they are all of them transient and part of the illusion called time. From Non dual truth from which the seed of unreal sprouts and grows.
The truth lies beyond duality. However, the desire to possess the non dual truth is born of delusion.
Just as there are a few who know how to see through the illusory tricks of the duality and are not mystified by them, so also men can learn to overcome the universal illusion if only the Atman is gracious to them. They can never escape from illusion, without its grace.
"Therefore seeker should constantly reflect on nature of Atman by seekers who are anxious to cross the Ocean of illusion.
The grace of Atman will help the seeker to acquire the supreme knowledge by means of which his crossing of the Ocean of illusion is certain.
Other methods are not the means to reach supreme end, but they are bound to fail in their purpose because there seeking truth on the false base.
Therefore finding the source of the mind [I or waking experience] is the starting point; seeker has to focus his attention of the formless witness of the waking experience; it will soon enable seeker to succeed in his attempts to overcome the illusion.
Seeker must realize the fact clearly that the mind [waking experience or `I'] must have some origin.
Although the origin is shrouded in mystery, seeker must investigate through inquiry and reasoning on the true base; and then the conclusion will be reached that there is no creator or creation everything is one and non dual.
That system which admits only sensory evidence is merely an apology for pursuit of truth and leads nowhere. Dry logic based on the `I' base also must be condemned.
The illuminations gained by yoga or by trance states are always temporary because they are practiced on the base of `I' which is the false self. Although a trance may produce a feeling of exaltation, this feeling goes away and one must repeat the experience daily.
Trance is a way of escape–the body is made quiet, the physical mind is in a state of torpor, the inner consciousness is left free to go on with its experience. The disadvantage is that trance becomes indispensable and that the problem of the waking consciousness is not solved, it remains imperfect. Therefore trance is not wisdom.
The true self is Atman, because whatever prevails with or without the illusion has to be the true self. When the waking and dream are illusion, the formless witness of the illusion has to be the true self. The illusion means which does not exist in reality. That means the formless substance and the witness of the illusion prevails as eternal existence.
The goal of the truth pursuit is to discover and realize the fact that the Atman [self] and the illusion [mind or waking or `I'] are one is the essence. Therefore there is no second thing other then Atman. I, you, others and the universe, sun, moon, stars and sky are illusion created and sustained and witnessed by Atman. Thus the illusion is reality only on the base of false self. Therefore, the false self and its experience of the universe is mere illusion on the base of Atman the true self.
The religious view of the Self identifies the self-hood with something that is temporal. So we wrongly identify our self with something temporal. The true Self (Atman) is beyond time and individuality. It is also not to be identified with any of physical functions, such as thought or emotion or as an entity or identity within the waking or dream, because it is the formless substance and witness of the waking or dream.
The self is not to be identified with the objects within the waking experience. Waking experience or mind is in the form of objective awareness, whereas, the self [Atman or spirit] is the subjective awareness, the source of the objective awareness or mind. The objective awareness is mere illusion created out of subjective awareness. The illusion is impermanent and the "Self" [subjective awareness] is permanent.
