The soul or spirit or consciousness or self 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 formless soul, the innermost self (subject) is independent and apart. The subject[soul or consciousness or self] 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 or universe or 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 is an 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.
