The body and the world are not apart from the mind.

The body and the world are not apart from the mind. If mind is there then only  the body and the world are present. Absent of mind, is absent of body and world. Therefore, limiting the mind to the physical entity alone creates the sense of separation. Separation is the cause of egocentricity. The egocentricity  is the cause of ignorance. Ignorance is cause of experiencing the illusion(duality) as reality.

Till one thinks he is and individual separate from the world, he will remain in the grip of duality/illusion, and he will not be able to assimilate Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. The one who bases himself on the birth entity will think,he is born in this world and world existed prior to him.

For the soul is the innermost  self. the soul is present in the form of consciousness.   Soul is birthless and deathless.  Nor having once been, does it ever cease to be. It is unborn and eternal, ever existing, undying and primeval. It is does not die when the body and the world dies. The true “ Soul, the innermost Self” is hidden within the three states as their formless substance and witness. In reality the formless substance and witness are one in essence.

Mind (body and world) and soul are one in essence. The mind rises from the formless  soul or consciousness, the innermost self and subsides as soul or consciousness. There is neither body nor the world in the realm of the soul, the innermost self. 

The body and the world is part of the waking experience, which is present in the form of mind. Same way as the dream body and the world are part of the dream. The body and the world of the dream or waking appear together and disappear together. The one which is aware of the appearance and disappearance of the three states is not body but the formless soul. Thus, on the standpoint of the soul, the innermost self, the three states are unreal, because the three states are  mere mirage created out of the formless soul, the innermost self. Therefore, there is neither the body nor the world exists when one becomes aware of the fact that, the  the soul, the innermost self.

The meaning of the words meaningless in the realm of truth.

The meaning of words  are meaningless in the realm of truth. The words have meaning only in physical existence.  The words are only for communication purpose until one enters the wordless existence.  If one calls it, soul or spirit or Brahman or consciousness or ultimate truth or self, it is one and same thing.   By using the word soul  or spirit need not belong only to the belief system.   

Soul means the center on which the whole physical existence(universe) is based on. One cannot acquire self knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  without analyzing "What is truth" and "What is untruth".   To get rid of all accumulated dross and reach the ultimate truth, one has to indulge in deeper self-search Without deeper self-search  one will not be able to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  .  

Deeper self-search revels that, the self is not form, but it is formless.  The thoughts cannot rise without the form. The form exists within the illusion. Thus all thoughts and forms are part and parcel of the illusion. Therefore, whatever is seen, known, believed and experienced as a person is bound to be illusion.  The formless substance and witness of the illusion is real and eternal. the formless substance and witness is soul or consciousness. formless soul or consciousness  is the innermost  self and ultimate reality.  Therefore, the formless substance and witness, which is the innermost  self is real  and all else is falsehood. 

One has to realize  the fact that, the thoughts cannot rise without the illusion.  The illusion is apart from the soul or consciousness, the innermost self. The illusion appears as waking or dream  and disappears as deep sleep.  The substance and witness of the three states is the consciousness. Thus the consciousness is within the three states and it is apart from the three states. It is within the three states as their formless substance and it is apart from the three states as their formless witness.In realm of truth the formless substance and witness  of the three states are one in essence.

 Some of the great thinkers think that,  there is no difference between the ‘thinker’ and ‘thought’; the ‘observer’ and the ‘observed’ emphasizing the correlation between the internal and external worlds, for a complete understanding of Truth. This understanding would bring about a radical transformation of the mind, by the mutation in our brain cells and would change our perception of the world.

But they fail to understand the thinker and the thought are part of the illusion or duality. There is neither thinker nor thought in reality.  The thought will not rise without the form; therefore the thought will rise only when the physical self is present. The physical self is present only when the   waking experience or dream is present. The waking or dream is present only when the mind is present. Therefore, there is a need to understand all these facts, before moving ahead in pursuit of truth. 

 When the self is not physical then there is no question of basing it on brain cells psychology, because they are based on physical self.  The physical self is false self . If thinker and thought of the dream and observer and observed of the dream disappears along with the dream. Same way the waking ‘thinker’ and ‘thought’; the ‘observer’ and the ‘observed’ disappears in deep sleep.  It is not the waking entity which is aware of the coming and going of the three states but it is the formless soul, the innermost self.

The formless witness of the three states is apart from the three states. The three states are unreal on the standpoint of the formless witness of the three states. And the formless witness is also the substance of the three states.   Therefore, the one which is aware of the three states is not physical; therefore, question of mutation of brain cells does not arise. 

Since the thinker and the thought exist with in the duality and thinker and the thought both are object to the formless witness. Therefore, one need to understand the fact that ,the subject(soul or spirit) is formless and the object is form (three states).  The subject and the object is one in essence,because the object is created out of the formless subject. 

Since, scientific inventions are based on the physical self and physical existence; there invention will not go beyond the physical existence. And they can only discover the truth of the fragments within the consciousness, not of the whole. Until and unless they discover the fact that, the self is not physical, their understanding will not go beyond physicality. When the self is not physical but it is the formless spirit, searching truth within the physical body or brain cells is of no use. 

To assimilate the self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  effectively, seeker needs to be receptive.  He has to have patience and humility and allow the person to speak freely express himself about the Self-Knowledge, without hindrance or interruption. In return, seeker will receive free expression and then, try to grasp what he is saying. Seeker should not be judge on the base of his accumulated knowledge and simply argue on his own point of view. Seeker has to accept others views, if finds them un-contradictable truth.

 Seeker has to verify the validity of all claims by using his own reason. Seeker has to get all the doubts cleared by questioning patiently, and point out all the doubts and confusion with humility. Argument is greatest obstacle in pursuit of truth, therefore never indulge in arguments.   Therefore, discussion with humility is the way towards the ultimate truth.    This will enable him to provide understanding and to see the fellow seekers perspective that is not to say that, he has to agree to their point of view, however it will offer or enable one to consider another option. And it helps seeker to think deeper when he is not satisfied with the answers and find answer on his own reasoning, till un- contradictable answer is found.  

If one can truly understand “what is Mind”? “What is substance of the mind?” it would lead to resolving a lot of perhaps unnecessary trouble, and conflict.

If we look closely at the nature of the mind, what it is really, how it has come into being, and what constitutes it, it will become clear of the fact that, mind is mere illusion; the formless substance of the mind, which is the spirit, is real and eternal. 

Yoga is based on imagination. One has to imagine that there are seven chakras and practice which leads only to hallucinated Samadhi experience.

Pathanjali Yogasutras are meant for the lower web. Yoga is not the means to self-knowledge, because it is practiced on the base of the physical self is false self(ego or waking entity)  within the false experience(waking). 

Yoga is based on imagination. One has to imagine that there are seven chakras and practice which leads only to hallucinated Samadhi experience.  And all the yogic recommended yogic  prescriptions are impossible to practice in this materialistic  world.  

 

BRIH. UPANISHADS: page 32.:- "Yoga does not yield truth or liberation."

BRIHAD UP. Page 133 1st para :-  even yoga cannot give perfect concentration and that the only way to gain it is philosophical realization. 

 Mandukya Upanishad:-  yoga can no more succeed than the ocean can be emptied with a blade of grass.

 
Sri, Sankara says in VivekaChudamani   :- 56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realisation of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means.

The deeper inquiry revels the fact that, the “Self” is not physical therefore  it  is no use yoga because it the ultimate  truth lies beyond physicality. Thus whatever is based on physical self is bound to be falsehood.  Yoga is only good for physical fitness and temporary peace. 

v  The idea of detaching oneself from the world of senses and sense impressions is deeply embedded in Yoga.

v  Patanjali’s yoga Sutras specifically mention the various steps in reaching Enlightenment including Pratyahara. Pratyahara means to withdraw the senses from the outer world.

v  The great yogis say that without detachment, one cannot make clear progress towards the goal of Self-Realization.

v  Practice of yoga, meditation, and detachment from the world is central to many traditional teachings on Moksha, NIrvana, and Liberation.

Radical non-dual texts like Ashtavakra Gita also speak about dispassion. For example, after King Janaka asks the Sage Ashthavakra how to attain liberation (Chapter 1, verse 1), Ashthavakra immediately says, “If you are seeking liberation, my son, avoid the objects of the senses like poison and cultivate tolerance, sincerity, compassion, contentment, and truthfulness as the antidote.” (Chapter 1, verse 2).

However, later in Chapter 15 (verse 12), Asthavakra says, “My son, you consist of pure consciousness, and the world is not separate from you. So who is to accept or reject it, and how, and why?”

When we review the Advaitic texts, they seem to alternate between religious based Advaitic  teachings and non-religious  teachings. It appears that different verses are meant to appeal to aspirants at different levels of understanding. The highest and the most subtle teaching of the Self typically comes after one rejects the religious based Advaitic teaching and  bifurcates all religious add-ons  from them .

Indeed, if one inquires  into the nature of the mind , it becomes clear that, there is no need for physical based  practice of  detachment, because the self is not physical.  People  have the conviction that  they are individual separate from the world due to  inborn ignorance. This is ignorance is the cause for experiencing the birth, life ,  death and the world  as reality. When one becomes aware of the fact that, the self is neither the waking entity nor the self dream entity but the self is the formless soul,which witnesses the the coming and going of the three states without the physical apparatus  then he also becomes aware that in reality the “ Soul the innermost Self” is birthless and deathless.

One has to mentally detach the illusion from the formless witness and become aware of the fact that, to realize that there is neither  witness nor witness on the ultimate standpoint.

 The  the whole notion of detachment is religious idea based on the physical self or ego. Whatever is based on religion is mere  assumption that there is something to be detached from.  This has to be understood very clearly.

All religion based non-dualism is also is dualism, because their preaching is based on non-duality and practice is based on duality. If dualism is sought to be rejected as a philosophy or a world view, it only ends up reinforcing dualism. The very attempt to reject implies a holding on, an attachment to something perceived as real and important. This is not the way of Oneness.

Only  through wisdom  the ignorance  vanishes  and reality is realized . the reality  is the formless substance and witness of the three states ,which is illusion. What is required is awareness of that formless substance and witness.

One need to understand the body and the world together is illusion therefore, there is a need to mentally  negate them both together in order to grasp and realize the non-dual truth.  Yoga keeps one in the grip of individuality. Individuality makes one think he is an individual separate from the world. Until the world is not included in his realization, one will remain in the conviction that, the birth, life and death as reality. Till birth, life and death is accepted as reality one cannot cross the threshold of duality or  illusion or mind.

  

 Therefore, there is a need to know the “mind” and the substance of the “mind” in order to overcome the illusion in which I , you , others and the universe exists.   When one becomes mentally become aware of the formless substance and witness of the illusion, then  he will  be able to assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.