To know “what is reality” one has to know “what is not reality”. To know what is not reality one has to become aware of the formless substance and witness of the three states. Until one investigates the fact that the ‘i’ is not the self, it will remain unaware of the true self. Only when one becomes aware of the fact that the waking entity is not the self , then the focus of attention will be shifted on the formless witness of the three states and realizes the fact that, the formless witness ,which is the soul/spirit is the also the substance of the three states. One becomes aware of the fact that, on the base of the soul as self the three states are unreal.
Thus, the birth, life and death become part of the unreal. The man and world becomes part of the unreal. Pleasure and pain becomes part of the unreal. Joy and sorrow becomes part of the unreal. Whatever seen, known, believed and experienced as person within the waking also becomes unreal. Whatever prevails without the three states, as the witness is real and eternal. Thus, the soul/spirit/self, which is the substance and witness, is real and eternal.
