"Who am I” cannot give the full truth.

People are most interested in themselves before they gets interested in the world therefore, the "Who am I?" inquiry leads only to reveal half truth.    The “Who am I? – inquiry is useful as a first stage to show the illusoriness of ego and thus help seeker to get rid of it. It helps the seeker to prepare him to consider the higher question: What is the world, what is mind, what is “Self” the truth about which cannot be learnt by those attached to their ego, with its prejudices against idealism, etc. 

If one has doubts about why there are so many different animals and natural objects in the world he may regard them as teachers, there are lessons to be learnt from them by using reason. Why did Brahman produce all these varied forms? It is so that the ignorant man may study them and get wisdom. One has to study the all the three states and realize the fact that, so many different animals and natural objects and the world exists only in waking and dream.

The people who are on the path of “Self-Inquiry”  "Who am I?" may succeed in finding the common factor in all ‘I’s, the I-ness but they have to come back to the world. Their task is incomplete. They do not know the world is mere mirage created out of the Ataman and Ataman is ultimate truth.  

"What Am l?" revels only illusory nature of the ego/physical self.

“What is mind?” and “What is the substance of the mind?” revels the truth of the whole.  In pursuit of truth deeper understanding and sharpness to grasp the truth is necessary.  

The three states have to be analyzed and examined separately; and realize the fact that the witness of the three states is formless and apart.  The three states are mere mirages is arisen from the soul and witnessed by the soul and finally it dissolves as the sou. So the experience of diversity is mere mirage created out of the soul, which is the true self and it dissolves as the soul. Therefore there is no second thing other then the soul exits, which is in the form of spirit or consciousness.

The deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning revels the truth that the self is not physical and on the standpoint  of formless self the diversity is mere mirage.  Therefore, the mirage cannot be considered as reality but the formless substance and witness of the mirage is real and eternal.   

Meditation on the formless witness is the best meditation: meditation on the parts is only steps towards that.  Man becomes aware of himself and the world only in waking experience. With what one becomes aware of the waking and dream and deep sleep, when the waking entity is limited to waking experience. What witnesses the dream as a whole without the physical eyes because the dream does not arise until the waking entity and waking world disappears. The, one which is aware of the three states, which comes and goes in succession is apart and eternal.

The mystic and religionist disregard this in order to think of self.  Yogis, who jump at once to Atman disregarding to include the world in their inquiry will not be able to get wisdom.  Mystics or religionists are based on their belief not truth.  If one does not see the objects or one gets thoughtlessness, it does not mean he has wisdom.

Whoever looks at objects alone, at the external world, he is wholly ignorant. But he, who looks at both the outside and inside, inquires, analyzes and reasons; he is led towards knowledge. 

One has to analyze both mind and matter to get at truth. Two things are necessary to get the non-dual truth: -

 (1) Knowledge of the mind

(2) Knowledge of the substance of the mind which is the true self or the subject.

 When one starts inquiry he does it to please himself, not for truth; hence he asks "Who am I?" It is an elementary stage of discipline because it is   based on ego/physical self, but aiming at eliminate the ego.  It is impossible to eliminate the ego, because ego is false self within the false experience. Therefore, there is need to understand “What is mind” in order to assimilate the true self-knowledge.

The formula "What is  I?" presupposes the existence of an ‘I’. But this is only an assumption. Before proceeding to act on such a formula one ought first to inquire whether there is such a thing as an ‘I’.

Those who have been baffled by unsuccessful enquiry, reading, intellection, have to find out what are the obstacles on the way what is blocking them from grasping ,understanding and assimilating the non-dual truth.

Yoga is intended to remove the hindrance in pursuit of truth such as sexual desire, worries, anxieties, desire for wealth etc. Also to enable the one  to keep out irrelevant thoughts whilst making inquiry, analysis and reasoning .

 All this has to be done before indulging in pursuit of truth. Therefore yoga has only a negative value and is a preparatory stage. Pursuit of truth  starts from what is  seen, i.e. the three states.  Wisdom  comes from both  knowing the the three states  and the the formless witness of the three states.

To leave out one of these parts is to prevent attainment of wisdom. "Who am I” is useful no doubt, it has certainly a value in its place, and gives some knowledge of self as, the Witness. But what about the witnessed? The three states  are mere object to the witness. It must also be looked at. If the witnessed [ three states] is ignored, then "Who am I” cannot give the full truth.

“Who am ‘I’” is   yogic enquiry; not the spiritualistic ; the latter deals with the whole of life whereas the former deals with a part only.

"Who am I"  inquiry limits only to the physical entity , because there, is no person in truth but only in the illusion of mystics.  ‘It should be "What is  I?"

 

The question "Who am I” is a religious, not a spiritualistic  question. It is a most selfish one. It is on a par with "What shall I be after death?" and "What shall I get  in return for my good karma in next life  ?" It is purely egocentric and it is based on the false self.

Only the people who are serious in knowing the truth  can lift their thoughts above ego and ask "What is the mind .?"  All  the three states  put together make the soul/self, not merely the ego questioning itself ''What is  I.”

Soul or consciousness is one and the same thing.

Hi, , if I said that it was consciousness that prevades everything and is everything; would you say that it is the same thing or is the concept of soul someting different?
Now there are many states of consciousness, such as that in sleep, dream state , waking state and the higher more alert and all compassing states such as 'unity' consciousness, pure consciousness, etc. which can be achieved through meditation.
Because when you say 'soul' the word is often interpreted as per one's conditioning from many a religious texts. For example Christianity and Islam says there is but Budhism does not believe or rather propogates that there is no such thing as an 'individual soul'; though all of them try to say the same thing. So it leaves one rather confused.
So I would prefer the word consciousness which is more understandable. Please clarify this.:)

Thank you,

SK. 

Soul  or consciousness is one and the same thing.  The nature of the soul/spirit is consciousness.  There is no forth state or many more states.  Nothing can be achieved from meditation other then temporary peace. The temporary peace achieved through meditation is not wisdom.  On the ultimate standpoint there are  no states. The waking, dream and deep sleep are mere mirage created out of the consciousness[soul]. The consciousness is the subject and the three states are an object to the the subject. The subject[soul] and object [three states] are one in essence. There is no second thing exists other then the consciousness. Therefore, the dual[waking/dream]and non-dual [deep sleep] experiences, which comes and goes in succession is mere mirage.

  The true  nature  of the consciousness is like deep sleep.  The three states[object] is dependent on the subject for their  existence but the self/soul[subject] is independent and apart.  The subject[self/soul] can exit without the three states but the object[the three states] ceases to exist without the subject.   The great hurdle in understanding the truth is, because the object is considered as subject and the truth is judged on the physical entity within the object. Therefore, one never becomes aware of the formless subject[consciousness] which is within the object[three states] but is apart from the object[three states].   It is apart, because it is not an entity or identity within three state.  As one goes deeper research he becomes aware of the fact that , there is “mind”[object] and there is no “mind”[subject].  Therefore, we have to analyze the object [three states] very deeply  to realize the fact that , the object is mere mirage created out of the subject[consciousness].

 The mirage has no value.  The object[diversity/mind] is mere mirage.  Thus, subject exists with or without object[three states].  There is lot of homework involved in this, seeker has to use his thinking faculty  and verify all the facts, until all his doubts and confusion gets cleared, on his own. And accept it only if it is un-contradictable truth.   Since, it takes a long time and the reasoning faculty has to be rectified from form  base to formless base, to grasp, understand and assimilate the non-dual truth.  

Some modern Masters used new English  words for the Sanskrit  words. And different pundits from different religious schools give different interpretation for the same word. Only few words are needed to grasp , understand and assimilate the non-dual truth. Since most people are trying to assimilate it on their own point of view , it becomes difficult for them to accept anything other then their accepted truth, because they are not ready to verify the   validity of their accepted truth.

The soul is not individual it is universal. Making the soul as an individual is the cause of the ignorance. The soul is the formless clay of the three states.    Until one limits the soul to the physical entity, he will be thinking the birth ,life and death as reality.   As a person every one thinks that he as individual separate from the world  and he is born in this world and world existed prior to him --- until this conviction is there it is impossible to grasp the non-dual truth. One has to go deeper research and realize the fact that, the self is not physical but it is formless spirit[consciousness]. On the base of the formless self, the birth, life ,death  and the world are mere mirage. Therefore, one has to learn to view and judge, the truth on the formless base. This does not happen with mere bookish knowledge, because it is purely mental work.

Until one drops all accumulated dross ,which he is holding as truth, it  becomes impossible to grasp, understand  and assimilate the non-dual truth.  The path of truth is path of verification , nothing should be accepted as truth without verification.

Take care

Love  

Santthosh.

For one who is aware of the fact that, the self is not physical but formless Spirit, for him the question of being Christen, Hindu, Jew or Muslim does not arise.

In the realm of truth, the belief system has no place. The birth, life and death itself is mere illusion on the ultimate  standpoint.  Therefore, the reincarnation, resurrection and rebirth theories are mere intellectual speculation.  For one who is aware of the fact that, the  self is not physical but formless Spirit, for him   the question of being Christen, Hindu, Jew or Muslim does not arise.

The man who is aware of the truth, for him,  the intellectuality is mere speculation or imagination on the base of physical self within the illusion. 

Until one remains stagnant with his accumulate knowledge as truth, he will  not be  ready to verify anything other then his accepted truth, because he is in the clutches of his  physical based/egocentric truth/knowledge. 

Until one throws the accumulate knowledge he will not be able to cross the threshold of physicality.

Zen is like a meditation in and unto itself. You will throw off the accumulated 'knowing' of a lifetime; let go of physical, mental, and emotional tensions; relax into the flow of an extraordinary energy; and become silent. As you do this, you will be receptive to the present moment and the potential therein.

Until one throws the accumulate knowledge he will not be able to cross the threshold of physicality.  Until one becomes aware of the fact that , the self is not physical but it is formless spirit,  he will not be able to drop the accumulated knowledge and he also cannot become receptive to self knowledge.  

In the Chinese Taoist Tradition, they have a method known as ‘Tai Chi'. It is a method of centering, a method of witnessing. They say: do whatsoever, but remain conscious of the canter at the navel. Walking, be conscious of the canter at the navel. Eating, be conscious of the canter at the navel.

Fighting, be conscious of the canter at the navel. Do whatsoever you are doing, but remain conscious of one thing: that you are cantered at the navel. Again, if you are conscious of the navel, you cannot think. The moment you begin to think, you will not be conscious of the navel.

This is a body technique. Buddha uses breathing, breath. Taoists use hara. They call the canter at the navel hara.

All this methods based on physical self.  Therefore, they are egocentric. They consider the physical self/ego  as true  self , therefore they will remain unaware of the true self ,which is not physical. The self ,which is in the form of spirit/consciousness  pervades  in everything and everywhere in the three states, as their formless substance and witness.   The true self  is within and  it is without the body and the world.  Therefore this body and breath based techniques are not the means to acquire non-dual wisdom.

Some thinkers  says: "Remain conscious of your thought process." Whether it is the process of the breathing, or the palpitation of the hara, or the thought process, it makes no difference. The basic thing remains the same. Remain conscious of your thought process: A thought arises: know that it has arisen. A thought is there: know that the thought is there. When the thought moves and goes out of existence, then know, witness that it has disappeared. Whenever a thought goes, and another thought comes, there is a gap inbetween: be conscious of the gap. Remain conscious of the thought process; a thought moving, a gap, again a thought ... Be conscious! Use thought as an object for your witnessing. It makes no difference: you can use breathing, you can use thought, you can use the hara - you can use anything.  There are many methods and each country has developed its own. And sometimes there is very much conflict about methods, but if you go deep, one thing is essential and that is witnessing - whatsoever the method can be.

What is the use of witnessing  the thoughts, when  the thoughts arise to the physical entity. Without the physical entity no thoughts will arise. The breathing happens to physical entity, without the physical entity there is no breathing. Deeper inquiry, analysis revels the fact that, the self is not physical, then what is the use of witnessing the thoughts and breath when the self is not physical but it is the formless in its nature.  The thoughts and breath are mere illusion on the standpoint of the formless self.   Thus,  realize the fact that the true  self has no physical apparatus, and make  the thinking faculty, think on that line. The truth will start unfolding on its own when one learns to think on the formless base.     

The true  witness is which witnesses the body and the world together. It is always apart and eternal.   It is nothing to do with thoughts and breathing because the experiences,  the breathing and thoughts are mere illusion on the standpoint of the true witness. When one reaches the ultimate understanding and assimilation  he realizes the truth there is no second thing exists other then the spirit./self/consciousness.