Psychology is based on physicality. Physicality is dependent on consciousness. Consciousness is independent and consciousness is cause of physical existence [universe] and it itself is uncaused.
Psychologist apply consciousness only to awareness of objects whereas India has specific Sanskrit words, whose equivalents in English do not exist for pure, transcendent, objectless consciousness, inclusive of deep sleep, dream and waking.
Deep sleep is "The Unconsciousness" of the psychologists: they have absolutely no idea of formless soul or Atman, which is objectless awareness.
Modern thinkers have not yet risen to the level of understanding "objectless consciousness." Only deep sleep can help them here. However they are groping their way to it with notions of "the unconsciousness", the “subconscious” etc. Mind is objective awareness. And true self is objectless awareness.
One does not know how far mind extends. He knows only that he has got consciousness, that he has it, etc. one is thus certain it exists. Hence in scriptural language, "Consciousness is" --beyond that one can say nothing provable.
How does one know that there is a mind? That which makes one think or aware of anything—his body and the universe is what one becomes aware of. One uses the word 'mind' when he is aware of his body and his experience of the universe.
Psychology limits the mind to physical entity alone, whereas the mind is the whole physical existence, which includes the universe. There is no agreement among psychologists about the nature of mind. They have different theories about it. Hence it is only ordinary or superficial persons who have the conceit to say that they know what mind is. But what mind is in itself none can tell without contradiction. Only when they can get an idea subject and object relation can they get out of their troubles and begin to understand mind.
Mental means that which has no length, breadth or thickness, for you cannot measure mind. It is impossible for anyone to understand ultimate view of consciousness unless he has previously given long and patient thought and inquiry along right lines into his own mind. Therefore it is useless to discuss on it to people totally unprepared.
It is absurd to hold with materialists that the mind is entirely dependent on the body, is a part of it, is born and dies with it. For how does one know that he has a body? Not before the mind itself tells you. Your mind therefore is the principal factor here, and the body is really dependent on the mind, not vice versa.
Since we judge and reason on the base of false self within the false experience we merely assume of the consciousness. Therefore, deeper study is required to know the existence of the formless witness of the three states which is within the three states but it is without the three states.
And all this scientific proofs are not needed in pursuit of truth because the scientists themselves unaware of the fact that how their body is able to function and perceive the world as a person. With what? They have to say it is consciousness. That same consciousness exists without the body and world in deep sleep and it becomes aware of the body and world in waking or dream. Thus the knower of the body and the world is not the body; therefore, one has to mentally trace the knower of the body, which is without the body in order to become aware of the fact that existence of the consciousness, which exists with or without the body and world. This is only for the beginner to know. As one goes deeper in the subject he becomes more and more aware of the ultimate truth, which is consciousness. This declared this truth Sri, Sankara 1200 years back: - Atman is Brahman. And everything is Brahman. World is unreal and Brahman alone is real. This Advaitic truth can be realized without religious scriptures in lesser time and effort with well-directed inquiry, analysis and reasoning on true base.
The path of religion, path of yoga and the path of wisdom were intended for different classes of people. The wisdom is for the advanced seekers of truth. It deals with the nature of the ultimate Truth and Reality. It is meant for superior aspirants who have inner urge to know the truth and it is not for those who are immersed in earthly desires.
The scientists now concluded that you are not the brain (body). Consciousness requires the joint operation of brain, body and world. "You are not your brain. The brain, rather, is part of what you are."
The Biology of Consciousness
by Alva Noë. Hill and Wang, 2009
Alva Noe, a University of California, Berkeley, philosopher and cognitive scientist, argues that after decades of concerted effort on the part of neuroscientists, psychologists and philosophers "only one proposition about how the brain makes us conscious ... has emerged unchallenged: we don't have a clue." The reason we have been unable to explain the neural basis of consciousness, he says, is that it does not take place in the brain. Consciousness is not something that happens inside us but something we achieve it is more like dancing than it is like the digestive process. To understand consciousness the fact that we think and feel and that a world shows up for us we need to look at a larger system of which the brain is only one element. Consciousness requires the joint operation of brain, body and world. "You are not your brain. The brain, rather, is part of what you are."
Thus, science is going in the right direction in its invention and one day it will declare that everything is consciousness, which sage Sri, Sankara declared 1200 years back –everything is Atman- because Atman is in the form of consciousness.
Thus we have to know the fact that Buddha, Goudpada and Sri,Sankara are not only reformers but also the greatest scientists. Since there original thesis have been lost in the labyrinths of philosophy and mutilated by pundits and priest craft, it becomes very difficult understand and assimilate the wisdom expounded by the great masters. In addition, the conservativeness of the orthodox scholars will not allow any research other than playing with the words, which suits the mass mind sets, because of their egocentric outlook.
All the add-ons have to be deleted, in order to understand and assimilate the real fragrance of the wisdom expounded by the great masters of Advaith, but it is hurricane task. Thus, it is no use going through all the scriptures, when there is direct path to non-dual truth. The same time and effort can be used to reach the non-dual destination, in lesser time and effort.
Thus, self-knowledge is meant only for those who have intense urge, and courage to accept the truth with humility and reject the untruth. Since people start comparing with their scriptural knowledge, it becomes impossible to assimilate and realize the non-dual or Advaitic truth. Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own-self to get the firm conviction.
