Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the destroyer of ignorance. The self is the inner guru,god, the all-pervading principle and the cause of all three states.
The serious seeker should constantly reflect on the true self constantly through inquiry, analysis and reasoning, which is in the form of consciousness because it is the only means to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the only tool for the acquisition of final freedom from experiencing the illusory duality as reality.
The Seeker has to have the indifference mentally to all the three states because the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness. Holding the three states as reality is great hindrance in pursuit of truth. Thus one has to remove all the obstacles and mental barricade one by one by realizing the self is not the form but the self is formless. The three states are perishable in their nature because they are mere mirage created out of consciousness. The consciousness, which is the formless substance and witness of the mirage, is real and eternal. Thus the consciousness is the inner most self. And knowing and realizing consciousness as self is the means to the attainment of Self- Realization or Truth Realization.
Consciousness is the true self is the formless substance and witness of the three states is alone real and permanent.The three states are an object opposed to it, which is transient – such a settled conviction is truly known as discrimination.
Turning attention completely from all the three states and concentrating only on consciousness which is the formless substance and the witness of the three states is the only means to acquire non-dual wisdom.
Intense urge to become free from the bonds of this birth, life deaths and world, leads one to indulge in pursuit of truth.
Only serious seekers who have an intense urge to acquire Self- Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana should have courage to discard the false-knowledge with a view to attaining non-dualistic wisdom.
Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is not brought about by any other means than inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base. Trying to attain Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana through other means is like trying to find fish in the desert sand.
v What is ‘I’?
v How this universe is created?
v Who is its creator?
v Of what material is this universe made?
This is the first step of Inquiry, analysis and reasoning.
True Self is neither the body, nor the ‘I’, nor the universe. The true self is within the universe but it is apart from the universe and its contents. This is the way the seeker must proceed in deeper self-searh.
When serious
seeker reaches a stage with all his baggage of accumulate knowledge, then uncertainty
haunts him. Whether he is right?"
Where is the certainty that he is proceeding on right lines?" Thus doubts
arise and the inquiring spirit comes and impels to search elsewhere for truth
where it will not be possible even to have doubt. The test is therefore in
experience. And only in non-duality, where there are no two to argue about
views or to have difference of opinion can such doubtlessness be possible. Belief depends upon unstable bases whereas
certainty depends on proof.
Seeker of truth
has to get rid of his doubts through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on
his own, to realize the fact that, the self is not the form but self is
formless. Thus his analysis and reasoning has to be based on the formless not
on the form. By simply go on believing
and accepting whatever said by the punditry will not lead one towards path of
wisdom. All the doubt has to be got rid of "by the sword of Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana." The scriptures, yoga
are not necessary if one follows the inner (formless) path. Religion and yoga are not the means to path
of wisdom.
They alone in this world are endowed with the
highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and
birthlessness of Atman. The ordinary man does not understand their way. (Chapter IV — Alatasanti Prakarana
95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada)
This passage
indicates the fact that everything is Atman(spirit). The one who views and
judges the worldview on the base of his birth will not realize the fact
that, the man including the world is created sustained and finally dissolves as Atman. Thus Atman alone is, and all else is mirage.
Thus Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the aim of every human being. Since everyone thinks the
physical body is the self, their aim is misdirected and they focus their attention
on materiality which makes one feel the duality (waking)as reality.
Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the aim of every
human being. Since everyone thinks the physical body is the self their aim is
misdirected and they focus their attention on materiality which makes one feel
the duality [waking] as reality.
