What does spirituality mean?
Spirituality is man’s relation to soul/spirit, nothing else. It is not about religion, it is not dogma. The soul is one divine force pervading all the three states and a direct relation to that soul is what it is all about, beyond any duality.
Things that are impossible for man are possible with soul. There is no doubt about it. Moreover, even though one never sees the soul, he knows it always is with him.
Once the quest starts, one begins to understand that there are things beyond the physical life, and he begins to exploring spiritual realms.
People think themselves, over time; by reading countless books on all religions and philosophies of the world, they will acquire self-knowledge. However, it is not so ‘A wise person should glean knowledge from inquiry and reasoning on the base of the soul as self and assimilate it. Just like honey bee collects nectar from all flowers, big or small’. Seeker of truth must think that he is that bee.
There is no such thing as permanent happiness in the experience of duality [waking/dream]. Joy and sorrow are part of the illusion and are so intertwined.
There is not much information on Self-knowledge but there is plenty of information on cults, gurus and their film flam, scandals etc. Real Self-knowledge requires that one find out for himself. This also means discovering, exploring, and thinking for oneself.
Looking for mystical gurus and yogis are not related to finding real Self Knowledge. A vast majority of these spiritual problems disappear as one takes full responsibility for his own "enlightenment"-- free of religion, god glorification, scriptural knowledge, cultural dogma, and burnt out historical traditions.
On pursuit of truth, everything all summed up in inquiring, analysing and reasoning on the base of soul as self, that is something one try for himself, and find out for himself.
Therefore, once one has that pointer, that direction, there is no need to waste time and effort. If one is interested in the history of gurus/yogis, or if one finds his transcribed talks entertaining or soothing, that is OK. Otherwise, once one becomes aware of the fact that ‘I’ is not the self, but the soul is the true self, he will be able to drop all the accumulated dross.
What is Truth?
Truth is hidden in everything and everywhere as formless substance and witness of the waking/dream experiences. To be enlightened is to know the formless substance and witness as ultimate truth. The formless substance and witness is the soul/spirit. The experience of diversity rises and subsides from the soul. Thus, the soul is the source the waking/dream experience. The three states are unreality on the standpoint of the soul as self. Thus, the true self is not the physical entity [ego] within the waking and dream, but the soul is the true self. Therefore, there is a need to learn to view and judge the three states on the base of soul as self, in order to know and realize the ultimate truth.
Truth is to know the Facts of one’s true existence. To Know the Facts is to know the Truth. Most people are unaware of the fact that physical existence is mere mirage and live in a delusion. Ultimate Truth is the Gateway to freedom from experiencing duality as reality, therefore there is a need to find the fact that the soul is the self, and soul is the ultimate reality. One has to remember that, and there is no Truth without soul.
Truth realization is a very deep topic. One might ask what truth -realization is? Truth realization is realization of the knowledge of the true self to get unity in diversity. Identifying the fact that the Soul/self is the unified Whole.
Self- knowledge is not theoretical knowledge based on the physical self [ego] but the knowledge of the ultimate truth on which the physical existence [illusion] is dependent. Self-knowledge is the True Knowledge.
What is Self -Knowledge?
Self - Knowledge is Knowledge of the true self. Self-knowledge is required to overcome the duality. Self-knowledge comes when one learns to deeper inquire, analyze and reason on the base of the soul as self, the self- Knowledge reveals to the Seeker after Truth.
Gnanis have this self - Knowledge. People think there are many sources to acquire the self-knowledge, but fail to acquire it from many sources. Those who are lucky will follow the path of inquiry and reasoning. It is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge from any other source, other then the path of inquiry and reasoning on the base of the soul as self.
Only those serious seekers of truth do not leave a stone unturned in their quest of ultimate truth, will realize the fact that, only through inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the base of the soul as self, it is possible to acquire non-dual wisdom
There is no other Reality other then realizing the fact that, the soul is the true self. Everything in the experience of diversity is created out of the soul and sustained by the soul and finally everything dissolves as soul.
Seeker has to remember self-knowledge is the Gateway to get unity in diversity. Self-knowledge is the key to know the illusion and reality are one in essence.
We are talking about duality within the duality. The duality exists until the mind exists. Absent of mind is absent of duality. Therefore, by understanding “What is mind?” and “What is the substance of the mind?” one becomes aware what is reality, and what is illusion. Only by perfect understanding and realization of the non-dual truth, one will be able to overcome the duality.
Since we are conditioned to view, judge and conclude the truth on the base of ‘I’, which is the false self, within the false experience, we are unaware what is truth, and what is illusion. Man and his world exist within the illusion. Therefore, it is erroneous to view and judge the truth on the base of illusory entity.
Truth cannot be got in world. The truth is hidden within the three states as their formless substance and witness. The formless substance is the soul. And the soul is the true self.
The true self /soul is not an entity, or identity within the waking /dream, but it is the source of the three states, from where the three states erupt and subsides.
When one is able to view and judge the worldview on the standpoint soul as self, then he will realize there is neither the creation, nor the creator, but only non-dual soul /spirit will prevail as ultimate reality. Therefore, it is erroneous to conclude the truth on the base of religion and god.
All religious and yogic practices are based on the `I' as self, which is false identity within the false experience [waking/duality]. The Waking experience is mere illusion, same way as the dream. Hence, it is very much necessary to verify truth of the ‘I’, to realize the fact that ‘I’ itself is mere illusion. ‘I’ is not the self, because it comes and goes as waking/dream. Absent of ‘I’ absent of waking/dream/mind. Absent of waking/dream is absent of illusion/duality. The knower of the ‘I’ is formless soul. When one who realizes the soul as the true self, and then he becomes free from experiencing the duality as reality.
This formless path is very difficult for those who stick to their inherited or accepted truth, but not for the serious seekers who are in search of only non dual truth nothing but non dual truth.
Intellectual understanding is based on the false self within the false experience. The dual and non-dual is the nature of the soul/self/spirit. When the self is in illusion, it is duality/mind. When the self is in its formless non-dual true nature, it is Ataman. Consciously becoming aware of the true self [soul/spirit] in the midst of duality is self- realization.
Whatever seen, known, believed and experienced on the false self/ego is mere illusion on the standpoint of the soul, which is the true self. Thus the soul, which is the formless substance and witness of the falsehood alone is real, and all else is mere mirage. Therefore, it is necessary to know the physical self is not the self, but the soul/spirit is the true self, in order to know the physical existence is mere illusion.
