Pranamas,
Thank you. I respect your views but when the one goes in deeper self-search he becomes aware of the fact that:-
All kosha are mere imagined theory based on the ego or waking entity, which is false self, within the false experience(waking). Because everyone thinks the mind is within the body, whereas the body is within the mind, which is in the form of universe.
If mind is there then only the universe is there. If universe is there then only the all its contents are there. Absent of mind is absent of universe and its contents. Absent of universe is absent of individual experience of birth, life and death. The universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. The formless witness of the appearance of waking and dream is consciousness, which is the true self.
On the base of soul or consciousness as self, the universe or mind is mere mirage. The formless witness itself is the substance of the mind. Thus the mind (universe) and the self, which is consciousness, are one in essence because the mind, which is in the form of universe, is erupted out of the consciousness. Thus everything within the mind is created out of consciousness. Thus everything is consciousness. Therefore, there is no scope for second thing other than consciousness because the body and the universe are also consciousness. Therefore the universe, which is in the form of mind, is mere mirage created out of consciousness.
Therefore, kosha are mere divisions imagined and assumed because, when the self is not the body (form)but self is consciousness (formless) there is no scope for division. Only when one thinks the physical body as self then only there is scope for division within the consciousness.
Wisdom leads to Self- Awareness in the midst of waking experience. Wisdom dawns when waking entity realizes the self neither the waking entity nor the self is dream entity but the self is the formless soul. Soul as the innermost self . The world, the body, relationships – all are external to the formless soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.
Thus all these scriptural theories hold no water when one becomes aware of the fact that the body is not the self. Thus all the theories based on the body as self-hold no water.
When the Vedas and Upanishad declare that Consciousness or Atman is actually nothing but Brahman, then why go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. One has to realize the fact that, the mind is in form of universe. Trace the source of mind and realize that source is consciousness. The mind rises from consciousness as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep.
In Mandukya Upanishad Brahman and Atman are defined as same:-
सर्वं ह्येतद् ब्रह्मायमात्मा ब्रह्म सोयमात्मा चतुष्पात् / sarvam hyetad brahmaayamaatmaa brahm soyamaatmaa chatushpaat –
Mandukya Upanishad, verse-2
Translation:
sarvam(सर्वम्)- Whole/All/Everything; hi(हि)- Really/Just/Surely/Indeed; etad(एतद्)- This here/This; brahm(ब्रह्म)- Brahm/Brahman; ayam(अयम्)- This/Here; aatmaa(आत्मा)- Atma/Atman; sah(सः)- He; ayam(अयम्)- This/Here; chatus(चतुस्)- Four/Quadruple; paat(पात्)- Step/Foot/Quarter
Fragmented Verse:
सर्वम् हि एतद् ब्रह्म अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म सः अयम् आत्मा चतुस पात् / sarvam hi etad brahm ayama aatmaa brahm sah ayam aatmaa chatus paat
Simple Meaning:-
All indeed is this Brahman; This Atman is Brahman; He, this Atman has four steps/quarters.
While Brahman lies behind the sum total of the objective universe, some human minds boggle at any attempt to explain it with only the tools provided by reason. Brahman is beyond the senses, beyond the mind, beyond intelligence, beyond imagination. Indeed, the highest idea is that Brahman is beyond both existence and non-existence, transcending and including time, causation and space, and thus can never be known in the same material sense as one traditionally 'understands' a given concept or object.
Imagine a person who is blind from birth and has not seen anything. Is it possible for us to explain to him the meaning of the colour red. Is any amount of thinking or reasoning on his part ever going to make him understand the sensation of the colour red? In a similar fashion the idea of Brahman cannot be explained or understood through material reasoning or any form of human communication. Brahman is like the colour red; those who can sense it cannot explain or argue with those who have never sensed it.
Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (brahmano hi pratisthaham, Bhagavad Gita 14.27)
In Advaita Vedanta: - Brahman is without attributes and strictly impersonal. It can be best described as infinite Being, infinite Consciousness and infinite Bliss. It is pure knowledge itself, similar to a source of infinite radiance. Since the Advaitins regard Brahman to be the Ultimate Truth, so in comparison to Brahman, every other thing, including the material world, its distinctness, the individuality of the living creatures and even Ishvara (the Supreme Lord) itself are all untrue. Brahman is the effulgent cause of everything that exists and can possibly exist. Since it is beyond human comprehension, it is without any attributes, for assigning attributes to it would be distorting the true nature of Brahman. Advaitins believe in the existence of both Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman; however they consider Nirguna Brahman to be the absolute supreme truth.
Chandogya Upanishad:- One who meditates upon and realizes the self discovers that everything in the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation--all come from the Self.
So, it clearly says the one who meditate upon the self (consciousness) discovers that everything in the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation--all come from the Self. Therefore , there is a need to know the fact that ,the true self is not physical but the soul in order to realize the fact that : the cosmos-- energy and space, fire and water, name and form, birth and death, mind and will, word and deed, mantram and meditation--all come from the Self, which is in the form of consciousness.
Atman is Brahman. Brahman /Christ/the Absolute is alone real; this waking is unreal; and the three states are non-different from Brahman/Christ.
Whatever is, is Brahman/Christ. Brahman/Christ itself is absolutely homogeneous. All difference and plurality are illusory." Brahman/Christ is not a person, as the Absolute is not this. But if one wants to call it God/Paramataman, then fine. But it is not a person. Personifying it can make it easier to understand.
To realize the ultimate truth is the prime goal.
All the scriptures indicate that Ataman is Brahman, and Brahman is ultimate truth. Therefore the consciousness, which is in the form of consciousness, is ultimate truth. Thus to realize the ultimate truth is the prime goal. A well-directed inquiry, analysis and reasoning will lead one to his nondual destination.
Studying of scriptures is not necessary
The Upanishads clearly indicate:-
This Atman 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 Atman reveals Its own form. (Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20)
This Atman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3 –page-70 Mundaka Upanishad (Upanishads by Nikilanada)
Ramana Maharishi explains [in page 111/112- practical guide to know yourself]:-
Q: D: Is it not necessary to study the Vedas or at least Prastnatraya (Bagvad gita.Dasoponishad and Brahma Sutra all with commentaries) to ensure firm realization?
A: Bhagvan: - No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explain doubts and difficulties if others rise them if you yourself encounter them in course of thinking. But to attain realization, all that is not necessary. You want fresh water to drink, but you do not require all the water of the river Ganges to quench your quest.
Ramana Maharishi said fortunate are the one who do not lose themselves in the labyrinths of philosophy. Bhagwan says: Take Vedanta, for instance: it speaks of 15 pranas the names and functions of it which the student is asked to commit memory. Will it not be sufficient if he thought only one prana does the whole work of maintaining the body? Again the antakaran is said to think, to desire, to will, to reason etc. Why all these details? Has anyone seen antakarana, or all these pranas? Do they really exist? They are conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. Where do all these concepts end? Why should confusion created and then explained away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, but goes straight to the source from which they all arise. (GURU RAMANA .By S.S Cohen -vii Danger of philosophy-Page -58-59)
The above passages further prove that: Self-Knowledge cannot be attained by study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore there is no use of studying the Vedas and other scriptures in order to acquire the non-dual wisdom. That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sri, Sankara indicated that, the ultimate truth lies beyond religion, concept of god and scriptures.
They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Ataman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)
Therefore, there is no use of taking strain to understand assimilate the conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. There are more and more doubts and confusions, if one tries to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth through scriptures.
Why to follow the path of doubts and confusion by losing oneself in the labyrinths of philosophy, when one can realize the ultimate truth without them. By mentally tracing the source of the mind from where it rises and subsides one becomes aware of the fallacy of the mind, which rises as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep. The mind raises form consciousness and subsides as consciousness. Therefore, there is a need for perfect understanding assimilation of non-dual truth.
There is no need to renounce the worldly life to get Self-Realization. Any householder can attain it if has the inner urge.
ASHTAVAKRA SAMHITA: - "The man of knowledge, though living like an ordinary man, is contrary to him and only those like him understand his state.
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