Self- knowledge is the destroyer of ignorance, soul is the true self. The soul is in the form of consciousness. The soul itself is the guru. , the soul is all-pervading One and the Cause of all the three states.
The means of attaining to Self-Realization is to free one’s self from illusion. Only the seeking mind should constantly and with all effort reflect upon the nature of the self.
The preliminary qualifications the means to the attainment of knowledge of the true self, such as dispassion and the like are acquired by men by propitiating the soul, through perfect understanding of the self and the performance of duties pertaining to their social order and stage in life.
The indifference with which one treats the excreta of a dog – such an indifference to the mind from the realm of consciousness to this mind in view of their perishable nature, is verily called pure dispassion.
Consciousness the witness in itself is alone permanent, the mind [the three states] is opposed to it i.e., transient – such a settled conviction is truly known as discrimination.
The burning desire to be free from the bonds of birth, life, death and world leads the seeker to indulge in pursuit of truth. Only that person who is has intense urge to know the truth of his true existence should constantly reflect with a view to attaining Knowledge, desiring his own good.
Self- Knowledge is not brought about by any other means than inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base, just as an object is nowhere perceived (seen) without the help of light.
What is this ‘I’? How is this ‘I’ created? Who is its creator? Of what material is this ‘I’ made? This is the way of that enquiry, analysis and reasoning.
True Self is neither the body nor combination of the five elements nor matter, nor is true self an aggregate of the senses; true self is something different from these. This is the way of that inquiry, analysis and reasoning.
Mind is produced by ignorance, and dissolves in the wake of Knowledge of true self, which is consciousness is the One without a second, subtle and unchanging Existence. Just as the water is the material /cause of the ice block and the like. Soul is material (cause) of the ignorance. The ignorance is the cause of the mind. Mind is cause of the duality. Duality is the cause of illusion. When the material is traced mentally one becomes aware the mind is mere mirage.
As soul, the true self is also the One, the Subtle, the Knower, the Witness, the Ever-Existent, and the unchanging, so there is no doubt that true self is consciousness.
Soul, the true self is verily one and without parts, whereas the body consists of many parts; and yet the people see /confound these two as one! What else can be called ignorance but this?
Soul or consciousness is the ruler of the internal /external of the waking/dream experiences. The waking/dream is external to the soul. Soul the true self is all consciousness, the body and world are mere mirage created out of soul.
