From the standpoint of the mind's working, one says that its thoughts are transient and illusory; from the standpoint of ultimate result when he seeks the essence of the objective world he has to resolve it into the One mind.
Is this mind also illusory, although longer lasting than individual thoughts? To ask such a question is to think about the mind i.e. to set it up as an object, to remain in the world of duality. Hence one cannot get a correct answer about it--only a thought. The mind as knower cannot be known by thought; only by non-thinking, by silence, question- less.
The meaning of consciousness has not been found. So how can one know that divine Consciousness is infinite? When one is conscious he sees a thing, a second thing. The latter is a finite idea; where is the infinity of it?
Consciousness is thus beyond the known and the unknown. Nothing can come near this consciousness. The Gnani knows that the universe is only consciousness, after all, but this is the final position.
Bondage is something which you have imagined. Hence if one wishes to force himself from it, he needs only free his-self from his imagination.
Even the highest thought of consciousness must disappear in deep sleep. Thought is changing and unreal. It passes away like dreams. It is impossible to eliminate thought entirely in the waking experience. No one has ever succeeded in doing so. If he does he will at once fall asleep. It is impossible to see any differences or distinctions in the witness.
The nature of consciousness is always wisdom, knowing, whether in death or life, sleep or waking. But to understand this knowledge is hard because the world-objects worry one. So one has to get rid of this worry which prevents his insight, he must analyze the mind, to realize the ultimate truth.
From the standpoint of worldly communication through words one strives to know ultimate truth. But from the highest standpoint words can only be applied to an object. When one say 'I do not know the ultimate truth, there must be something in him which knows him do not know, a Witness, and which thus contradicts him.
The consciousness in me, the consciousness in him, the consciousness in someone else, are all one and the same; not separate from each other. Nobody has ever seen more than one consciousness.
The consciousness can be realized wherever one is, whereas if he goes to mountains in search of ultimate truth he finds only universe. It is within the mind (universe) rather than without.
He
who knows the witness is consciousness, he remains satisfied. Not he
who is concerned with universe. Birth, life and death are part of the
illusory universe.
Birth,
life and death are happening within the illusory universe, the universe
disappears as deep sleep. Birth, life, death and universe are an idea
exists in waking and dream states only. Without the consciousness they
cease to exist as real. The consciousness can exist with our without
the waking or dream. The witness which sees the three states is
consciousness is immortal.
