Seeker of truth has to go much deeper and beyond “WHO AM I?, to reach the non-dual destination.

There is no vessel to ferry man across the ocean of worldliness except Gnana. But what is Gnana? Gnana is the full and firm realization of the self – a realization beyond all doubt, confusion, change and contradiction.

 The Gnana will not dawn -neither by control of mind or breath, nor by karma or action, neither by devotion to conceptual god, nor by rituals and penance, nor pilgrimaging nor by surrendering to physical guru nor  by glorifying god men, Because all these are part of the ignorance. Whatever is related to sense of ‘I’ is ignorance.

The Gnana dawns only when the self, wakes up to its formless non-dual nature and comes out of the sense of the sense of ‘I’ by realizing ‘I’, which is mind is mere mirage.   

The self is ‘I’-less, formless, deathless existence. One has to inquiry in to truth carried on with deeper reasoning, is the chief means of attaining the self-Knowledge. One pointed deeper self –search, receptiveness, sharpness to grasp the truth, inner urge and humility are necessary to attain truth.  If a seeker enters upon the life of deeper thinking with all these necessary equipment, he will certainly reach the non-dual destination. Gnana or wisdom is the result of contemplation; it annihilates the ignorance. Until one reaches the climax of Gnana or wisdom he cannot be said to have attained the firm realization of the self.

Sri, Ramana Maharshi’s teaching is helpful to the seeker to remove many obstacles in the pursuit of truth but seeker of truth  has to go much deeper and beyond “WHO AM I?, to reach the non-dual destination.   

“Arise, awake; and understand the supreme Goal” (Kathopanisad)

Sri, Ramana Maharishi said: scriptural knowledge is conceptual divisions invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. Where do all these concepts end? Why should confusion created and then explained away? Fortunate is the man who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, but goes straight to the source from which they all arise.

Ramana Maharishi indicated the direct path to the truth, is the source from which the false arises. Thus the source is the soul or  Atman, which is the true self. Atman itself is Brahman.  Thus it is necessary to view the worldview on the base of the source, which the true self, and formless substance and witness of the experience of diversity. Thus deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base, one can acquire the self –knowledge in lesser time and effort.  The unity in diversity is possible only through self-knowledge not by mastering the scriptural knowledge.

Ramana Maharishi said:- this self –inquiry is not the critical study of the scriptures. When the source is reached the ego gets merged into it. The result of self-inquiry is the cure for all the sorrows. It is the highest of all the results. There is nothing greater then it.  It only indicates there is no necessity to study the scriptures to acquire self-knowledge. [Page-66-practicle guide to know yourself c/e by A.R.N].

Ramana Maharishi said:-

Q by D:- Is not necessary to study the Vedas or at least the Prasthanatraya [the Bhagavad Gita,Dasopanishad and Brahma Sutras, all with commentaries]to ensure firm realization?

Ramana Maharishi:-No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual wealth, useful in explain doubts and difficulties if others rise them or if you yourself encounter them in the course of thinking. But to attain realization, all that is not necessary. You want fresh water to drink, but you do not require all the water of the river Ganges to quench your thirst. [Page 111/112 of Practical guide to know yourself c/e by A.R.N].

This surely indicates Sri, Ramana Maharishi’s path is independent path nothing to do with the religion and scriptures.

I have the highest reverence for Sri, Ramana Maharishi a sage of highest order. 

 As one goes deeper in self- search he becomes aware of the fact that, the Sri, Ramana Maharishi’s Self-inquiry is not enough to reach the non-dual destination. 

In my deeper self-search I became aware the Self-Inquiry prescribed by Sri, Ramana Maharishi is inadequate to reach the ultimate end.  This is because he might have prescribed it to the beginners and as they go deep enough they will work it on their own. Most of his followers are of the orthodox back ground. 

Sri, Ramana Maharishi's teachings are very valuable for seeking world.  But serious seekers have to move much deeper and beyond Who am ‘I’? , to realize the ‘I’ itself is illusion.  

Pursuit of truth starts from inquiring “Who am ‘I’?  but wisdom dawns only  by   knowing the mind, which is in the form of universe  and the self ,which is in the form of consciousness. Who am ‘I’ inquiry helps to unfold half-truth. To leave out one of these parts is to prevent attainment of non-dual 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 universe still faces us. It must also be looked at. If the universe is ignored, then "Who am I” cannot give the full truth. It is the yogic enquiry; not the spiritualistic; the latter deals with the whole of life whereas the former deals with a part only.

"Who am I" is dualistic, because there, is no person in the realm of truth but only in the illusion the ‘I’ exists. . It should be "What is “I”?"  To meditate on the formula “What am I?" can only yield the thought 'I'. I never cease even after long years of practice of “Who am I?” inquiry.  The question "Who am I” is an egocentric, not a soul-centric question. It is a based on the physical self. It is on a par with "What shall I be after death?" and "What shall I get if I do good deed in this life?" It is purely ego-cantered: it is an appeal to the interest in egoistic only. Only the soul-centric -minded can lift their thoughts above ego and inquire;-What is this mind?  "What is the universe?" “What is the substance of the mind?  

 All the experiences of the three states put together make the Atman[self], not merely the ego questioning itself ''Who am I.” 

Meditation on the whole is the best meditation: meditation on the parts is only steps towards that.  The first thing that one sees is the world. The yogis and religionist disregard this in order to think of self because they are unaware of the fact that self is not the ‘I’.  They think ‘I’ is the true self and they continue their spiritual pursuit without verifying what ‘I’ is?.  The deeper inquiry analysis reveals the fact that, ‘I’ is not the self, but ‘I’ is mind and mind is the universe, which appears as whole waking experience of dream.  Thus, people who limit the ‘I’ to the physical entity or ego will never be able to reach their non-dual destination. 

Those who jump at once to Atman disregarding the world are yogis or religionists, not seekers of truth.  If one don’t see the world, it does not mean he have wisdom. One who looks at objects alone, at the external world, he is wholly ignorant. But he who is able to witness his body and the world together without the physical apparatus is a Gnani.  

We have to analyze both mind and its source to get at truth. Two things are necessary in pursuit of truth:-

  (1) Knowledge of the object (mind or universe)

 (2) Knowledge of the subject [true self].

  When one begins inquiry he does it to please himself, not for truth; hence he asks "Who am I?" It is an elementary stage of discipline because ego-bound but aiming at loosening ego.  But one has to become aware of the fact that, the body, ego and universe appear together and they disappear together. Therefore just trying to get rid of the ego alone is impossibility.  

Those seekers who inquire “Who am I?" may succeed in finding the common factor in all ‘I’s, the I-ness but they have to come back afterwards to the world or duality. Their task is incomplete. They do not know the world also is consciousness. 

"What is ‘I’? is " a spiritualistic  interrogation. What is the universe? What is mind? What is the whole? One becomes aware of the fact that ‘I’ is the mind and mind is the universe. After having examined deeply; one becomes aware of the fact that the universe is noting to with self that is the experience of birth, life and death has nothing to do with the self, which is in the form of consciousness. The self is the formless and   witness of the universe, which is in the form of ‘I’, which comes and goes as waking or dream.   The self is the one witness in all and are really ever free.  Therefore there is a need to become aware of the fact that ‘I’ is not the self but the formless substance and witness of the ‘I’ is the true self. 

When the self is not the body then the inquiry will not go further, it stops there because self is formless, but just by knowing the self is formless the sense of ‘I’ will not vanish.    The sense of ‘I’ will prevail.   Until sense of ‘I’ prevails, the ignorance prevails. Until ignorance is there, duality is there. Until duality there, the illusion is there. Until illusion is there, the unreality will be experienced as reality.  Thus one has to think beyond “Who am “I”? in order  to realize Brahman or ultimate truth. 

People find self-inquiry is difficult and drop it without going deeper enough. 

I admire David Goodman who has done deeper research on Sri, Ramana Maharishi  and contributed much information about  Sri, Raman Maharishi and Papaji  to seeking world :- 

In an Interview with David Godman by Rob Sacks:- 

It's fashionable nowadays to be very positive about one's spiritual experiences. People like to jump up and down and exclaim, "I'm free! I'm free!" I prefer the refreshing honesty of a devotee, Sivaprakasam Pillai, who, after fifty years of being with Sri Ramana, was still lamenting about his faults and his lack of progress. This is the person who first got Bhagavan to record his teachings on self-enquiry in 1901. I admired his honesty, his humility and his integrity in admitting that he still couldn't control his mind.  (An Interview with David Godman by Rob Sacks for Realization.org Page 1)

This proves that even after long years practice of self-inquiry a sincere and serious devotee like Sri, Sivapraksam Pillai, who, after fifty years of being with Sri Ramana, was still lamenting about his faults and his lack of progress.  Thus with the practice of self- inquiry, it is difficult to reach the ultimate end.  Thus one has to find out on his own what is blocking his realization and remove the blockades on his own.  

 And also in that interview:- 

RS: I often wonder whether Westerners misunderstand Ramana Maharshi. What are the most common misconceptions about his teachings?

DG: I am not sure how much understanding there is of Ramana Maharshi and his teachings in the West. He is an iconic figure to a vast number of people who are following some sort of spiritual path. I think that for many people he epitomizes all that is best in the Hindu Guru tradition, but having said that, I think that very few people know much about him, and even fewer have a good grasp of his teachings. Not many people read books about him nowadays � I know that from trying to sell my own �and even fewer would profess themselves to be his devotee. I find there is very little interest in his teachings even among the people who come to visit Ramanasramam. Nowadays, many of the people who come are spiritual tourists, pilgrims who just travel round India, checking out all the various ashrams and teachers.About twenty years ago I met a foreigner here who had come to the ashram for advice on how to do self-inquiry properly. For several days he couldn't find anyone who was practicing it, even in Ramanasramam. The people he asked in the ashram office just told him to buy the ashram's publications and find out from them how to do it. Eventually, he had what he thought was a bright idea. He stood outside the door of the meditation hall at Ramanasramam, the place where Sri Ramana lived for over twenty years, and asked everyone who came out how to do self-inquiry. It transpired that none of the people inside were doing self-inquiry. They came out one by one and said, "I was doing japa," or "I was doing vipassana," or "I was doing Tibetan visualizations."  

How can there be misunderstandings among people who have never even bothered to find out the teachings in the first place, or put them into practice?


 (An Interview with David Godman by Rob Sacks for Realization.org Page 2)

Until the seeker is serious and sincere in pursuit of truth it is difficult to reach the ultimate end. Seeker has to find what is blocking his realization even after many years of practice of self-inquiry and find out the reason for what is blocking his realization of the self.

One has to find answers for all the doubts and confusion in Sri, Ramana Maharishi's "Who Am I? inquiry

If mind is same as Atman, how can it vanish? How can Atman vanish? [Page 4 Para. 3]

Ramana Mahrshi says: - "Whenever any thought leads you outward" etc. What can you be certain of when you leave the external world? And why leave the world if you say everything is Brahman? [Page 6 –middle]

Mind ceases to struggle" Yes, if I commit suicide I shall also cease to struggle! How can you say the world ceases to exist if you don't look at it? [Page 6]

Who has seen the subtle mind projecting through the brain and the senses? Can you see it? Is not brain also a piece of gross matter? Then how can it come into existence after the world is created, if latter, depends on brain. [Page 6 last Para]

How can you say the world vanishes when you are introspected? The world is still there; whether you see it or not. [Page 7 top]

Heart is an idea created by mind, so how can Mind emerge from it? [Page 7 Line 4]

"One should unquestioningly follow guru"--This is the very reverse of what Sri Ramakrishna taught. What if the guru happens to be a fool or a rascal? Sri Ramakrishna said "Test me![ Page 11, Para 2]

"In deep sleep, trance, swoon, mind turns inwards and enjoys atmasukam." Why should any man study or inquire or practice if in sleep he can easily get the Atman? If sleep gives Brahman why trouble with Vedanta? [Page 12: middle]

Page 16 middle: "If this truth is appreciated who can refrain from being good?" This is opposite of real Vedanta. Vedanta says it is not enough to be good, you must serve the world and relieve suffering. [Page 16 middle]

 Page 16 last para. Is the vanishing of ego to be the end of life? [Page 16 last para]

Only after one finds answers for all above doubts and able to clear all his doubts he will be able to move forward in his pursuit of truth. 

EGO, I must indeed go but thou must come one must know Brahman is everywhere. It is only half to say ego must vanish. This is only a step, not highest.

 One must realize everything is consciousness. Sri, Ramana Maharishi's teaching is most useful in elementary stages in pursuit of truth, but one has to do his own home work to reach the ultimate end.

2

Self -inquiry prescribed by Sri,Raman Mahrshi is a good tool  in  the beginning of the pursuit of truth. But seeker will find it inadequate to in latter stages. However, it creates lots of doubts and confusion.  The seeker has to find the answers on his own through deeper reasoning, then all his doubts and confusions will be cleared, and he will be able to move ahead in the path of inquiry, and he will be able to reach his non-dual destination.

The doubts and confusion in Self-Inquiry:-

The seeker has to overcome the doubts and confusion in in later stages in self-inquiry, the seeker finds some doubts and confusion, which cannot be overcome if inquiry practiced on the present format prescribed in self-inquiry book. As per my personal research the self-inquiry in the present format will not yield any fruits. 

 If mind is same as Atman, how can it vanish--when the mind appears and disappears as Waking or dream?

How can one be certain when one leave the external world--when the person is within the world?

 Why leave the external world when everything is Brahman---when everything is Brahman why crate division between the world and its perceiver? 

How can the world alone cease to exist if one does not look at it—how can the person remain without the world and where he will exist without the world?

Who has the subtle mind projecting through brain and senses? How can one see his subtle mind?--when the brain also piece of the gross matter? ---then how can the brain come into existence after the world is created if the later depends on the brain.

Heart is idea created by mind, how the mind can emerge from it---when the heart disappear along with the mind and reappears along with the mind, how the mind emerge from it. 

In deep sleep, swoon and trance, the mind turns inwards and enjoys its natural state--if so why should one inquire if one gets Atman in sleep. With drug one can get sleep and peace or bliss.  If sleep gives Brahman then why trouble with inquiry--better get it through sleeping pills or ganja.

There are many seekers practicing inquiry for many years and waiting for something mystical to happen, why nothing happens and why their inquiry does not yield fruits.

Since Sri, Ramana Maharishi is not present physically to guide us, seeker to overcome these obstacles in the path of inquiry on his own.  

In the waking or dream, the objects of experience like sound, touch etc. are varied and different from each other. The one which is aware of the coming and going of the waking or dream is apart from them. The one which is aware of them is   consciousness.  Thus the experience of diversity [waking or dream] is created out of single stuff, which is consciousness. Thus everything in diversity [waking or dream] is mere mirage created out of consciousness. Thus the form and names within the duality [waking or dream] has no value therefore, everything is one without the division of forms and names.  

Man experiences the world within the waking or dream. The world is reality for man within the world. The man and world are unreality for the formless witness of the three states, which is also the formless substance of the three states. Thus the individual experiences such as birth, life, death and the world or pain and pleasure are mere illusion from the ultimate standpoint.  Thus basing on the waking entity and judging the truth is erroneous, because the self is neither the waking entity not the dream entity but the self is the formless witness of all the three states. 

Thus 'I' and 'I Am' which is limited to the waking experience or dream is not the self, because the consciousness which is the true self pervades all the three states as their formless substance and witness.   Thus, all the sense organs belong to the physical entity. And physical entity is reality within the waking experience, but the waking experience itself is unreal from the ultimate standpoint.  

The difference within waking or dream does not affect their formless witness in any way. Within the waking or dream the objects may be different from each other. But there is a single witness of them all because the witness witnesses the waking or dream as a whole.

When one says 'I hear', 'I touch', 'I see', etc. the hearing, touching and seeing are experiences within the waking or dream. But all these are experiences experienced by the false self within the false experience, because within the waking or dream the physical apparatus is considered as self, whereas the true self has no physical apparatus.   Thus all the experiences are falsehood.

 

 The three states are an object to the subject, which is consciousness.  The objects are also different. But the 'consciousness ' that knows them all one and the same in and through all the experiences. Only within the waking or dream one is able to know distinctions like form, time and space and pain and pleasure, etc. But the knower is undivided and undifferentiated in and through all the experiences of the three states.

Formless knower [witness] is not differentiated from the known. It is because the knower and the known are one and the same. Since the experiences are varied when do we know the formless knower, to be undifferentiated?

 When self is mentally separated from the three states after realizing the subject object relation.   The Consciousness is hidden within the three states as their form less substance. Consciousness is apart from the three states as their formless witness.  It is apart because it is neither the waking entity not it is the dream entity but the formless witness of all the three states.

When the three states, which are mere object to the formless subject is dropped mentally, then the Consciousness alone prevails in its formless non-dual true nature. 

 It is just like one and the same water becoming snow, and cloud. The substance is one and the same. If it is not cloud or snow it remains as water. In the same way, without the three states consciousness alone prevails because all the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness.

 The three states come and go in succession but the knowing principle, the Awareness, remains one and the same in all the three states. The formless, witness, who is in the form of consciousness, remains same through all the experiences.

The dream is parallel waking and waking is parallel dream. The formless knower that knows the coming and going of the three states is one.  Thus on the base of the formless knower, the three states are mere mirage. When the mirage is mentally dropped after realization of their unreal nature, than the duality will never be experienced as reality again.

 The unreal nature of the experience of form, space, time & objects within the dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. The reality of the unreal nature of   form time and space of the waking experience is exposed, when the waking entity becomes aware of the fact that, it itself  is not the self, but the true self is that which sees all the three states without the physical apparatus  as passing show.  

The form, time and space are reality within the waking or dream. But from the standpoint of the formless source, from where waking or dream arise and subside the three states are non-existent.  The formless source is consciousness. The consciousness is the true self. Waking or dream or mere mirage created out of the consciousness.  The nature of the Consciousness is oneness.  Thus, the waking or dream not differs from each other because they are mere mirage created out of consciousness. Thus they are both are one in essence.

 The witness, the Consciousness, in the waking is not different from the one in the dream. The waking objects are varied but their witness is one and the same. The dream objects are varied but their witness is one and the same. In other words the witness of the waking and the dream is one and the same.

In deep sleep state there is a continuity of the Consciousness. In the deep sleep state, the witness is in its formless non-dual true nature, that is, it is in self-awareness.  In waking or dream it is ignorant of its true nature.  Thus there is emptiness in the deep sleep. This cognition is recollected by when it is again enters in to state of ignorance and wakes up as waking or. Dream entity .thus it is erroneous to view and judge the worldview on the waking entity because the witness is present in all the three states.

 To overcome all the doubts and confusions, one has to mentally trace the existence of the formless witness, which sees all the three states, which comes and goes in succession. Without that witness the three states are non-existent because it is also the formless substance of the three states.   When the waking entity becomes aware of the fact that, it is not the self but the self is the witness of the three states in the midst of waking experience, then the form, time and space within the waking experience ceases to be real.  Thus the waking entity realizes the fact that, form, time and space are mere division created out of consciousness. Thus the form, time and space are mere mirage created out of consciousness.  Thus there is no division in consciousness.  The divisions are mere mirage without the division there is only oneness.     

The confusion arises when one says, 'During deep sleep there was neither waking nor dream. The whole waking or dream experiences were absent. But the formless witness was present. The witness was present without the waking or dream. In waking it was witnessing the waking as whole and in dream it was witnessing the dream as whole. The individual happenings within the waking or dream are nothing to do with the formless witness. Thus judging the truth on the base of individual happening within the waking or dream is erroneous, because the witness is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the one that witnesses the waking or dream as a whole without the physical apparatus.

Man experiences the world within the waking or dream. The dream is an experience. Similarly the waking also is an experience.  The dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. The waking and dream becomes unreal in deep sleep. The one which is aware of the three states is hidden within the three states but it is without the three states. It is hidden within the three states as their formless substance and it is without the three states as their formless witness.  Thus mentally tracing the formless substance and witness of the three states is necessary, in order to realize the substance and witness are one in essence. And that essence is consciousness.

 Thus it is very necessary to investigate “What is it that, becomes waking or dream?” and “What is it that becomes deep sleep?” rather than  finding answers for the meaning of life or inquiring “Who am I?”, What am I?’, “Whence am I?” which are helpful only  in preliminary stages in pursuit of truth. 

The pursuit of truth is to know the truth of the whole not the part.  Birth, life and death takes place within the world. The world is reality within the waking experience but the waking experience itself is mere mirage.  By knowing and realizing, with what this mirage, which is in the form of mind or universe came into existence; one becomes aware of the ultimate truth, which consciousness. Thus consciousness alone is real and all else [universe or mind] is false created out of consciousness.    

Advaitic or Nondualistic Truth is un-contradictable

Consciousness pervades not only this body but it pervades the whole universe.  Consciousness pervades through and through" the three states inside, outside, in and through the three states too, because the formless substance and witness of the three states is consciousness.

Scientific inventions say:- 

Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness
by :AlvaNoë. Hill and Wang, 2009

Alva No, 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."

If the brain [body] is not the self then what is self?  Therefore, there is a need to understand and assimilate the knowledge of the self through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning in order to unfold the mystery of the ‘I’. 

One cannot know the truth until one knows the stuff from which the mind is created. The goal of pursuit of truth is to realize the fact that, the true self is not physical but it is the formless soul/ spirit/consciousness.

When one puts aside the imagination and has the thinker-- what does he get with thinking—he can get only a thoughts. Meditation is only an effort; it is imagination, an idea; the soul/consciousness   remaining the same with or without ideas. 

As a person perceiving the world one is unaware of the fact that, he and his experience of the world are within the object.  He as a person is completely unaware of the fact that, he is not the subject at all. The subject is formless and it is apart from the three states.  The subject is not an entity or identity within the three states.   Therefore, judging the truth on the base of the object as self is erroneous.  Such judgement leads to all sorts of speculation, doubts and confusions.  

When one is absorbed in thinking of anything, he is thinking within the object [mind] that which witnesses all these three states is within but always apart.

In the state of ignorance one is unaware of the consciousness because the consciousness is in ignorance of its formless non-dual true nature. 

The moment one knows that the whole universe is consciousness, there is no ignorance. If one knows the self is not the body but the self is formless consciousness, than he becomes aware all the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness.

The universe is consciousness because it is created out of consciousness.  In ignorance the universe is reality.  Because everyone considers the universe as reality the experience of the birth, life and death, which takes place within the universe, prevails as reality. 

Sri, Sankara says:-

Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation. [63- VivekaChudamani ]  

Universe will not remain as reality when wisdom dawns. Universe is mere mirage created out of consciousness and there is unity in diversity because there is no second thing exist other than consciousness. 

One thinks he is imprisoned within this body; whereas the body and his experience of the world are within the mind. The consciousness is hidden within the three states but it is without the three states.  The one, which has the awareness of the three states, is not the body but the soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Thus consciousness is not limited to waking experience alone because it pervades all the three states.

The inner most self is God. The inner most self is in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the true self.  Consciousness is of the nature of knowing.  It is this Universe, which confronts one is the main hurdle. The seeker has to stand on this universe with a firm foot and inquire; and he should include the universe in his inquiry.  Excluding the universe   is not the way to self-knowledge.

Till one knows the ultimate truth is consciousness, one has only the mind, which is in the form of universe. The universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. As person within the waking experience, one believes that he is an individual separate from the world and world existed prior to him and he is born in it later on. Until this conviction is there he believes the experience of the birth, life and death as reality.  Until one believes in birth, life and death the form, time and space will prevail as reality. If the form, time and space prevail as reality than the ignorance prevails. If ignorance prevails than the duality prevails. If duality prevails than the illusion prevails as reality.

If one goes beyond form, time and space, it is nothing but consciousness. Inside and outside universe everywhere is only consciousness. Knowledge, the capacity to know, the consciousness itself makes one aware, of his body, ego and his experience of the universe.

When this universe manifests itself, verily it is consciousness that shines. Consciousness is the formless substance and witness of the universe. When one analyze the ‘mind’ then he will be able to understand this.

Everyone mistake body to be matter and exclude the universe, whereas, the body including the universe is mind.  If the mind is present, than only the universe with all its contents are present.  If the universe and its contents are absent then the mind also is absent.

People think their body alone is matter; they cannot understand that their body and the universe also is matter and the matter is mere illusion created out of consciousness.  They think their body is unreal because they believe in the birth, life and death, which happen within the world and they take world to be real.   Until one takes the world to be reality it becomes difficult to cross the threshold of duality.

Mere saying everything is Brahman is of no use. One has to realize it. If everything is Brahman why does one want anything?

That is why Sri, Sankara says in VivekaChudamani   :- 

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

One is attached to body he thinks the universe to be real because he is unaware of the fact that,  the universe is within the waking or dream.  The dream universe is limited to dream and waking universe is limited to waking experience. The dream is parallel waking experience and waking is parallel dream.  One thinks the universe is reality is not an appearance but waking and dream are appearances, so he will remain in ignorance experiences the duality as reality.

When the three states are product of ignorance than whatever seen, known, believed and experienced as person of the world is also is product of ignorance.  Thus all accumulated knowledge based on the false self [ego] within the false experience [universe or waking or dream] is falsehood because in reality nothing exist other than consciousness.  Without consciousness the duality ceases to exist. The duality is dependent on non-dual material, which is consciousness. When the self, is in the form of consciousness, consciously remains in its formless non-dual true nature in the midst of duality it is the state of wisdom.   

The ignorance is ever present in waking or dream. Without ignorance the three states ceases to exist as reality. One has to be receptive and have humility to accept the truth. If one sticks to his egocentric attitude it is impossible to grasp, understand, and assimilate and realize the nondual truth.  By getting stuck to orthodoxy and trying to snub others by saying whatever their guru is saying as ultimate truth misleads others who are in search of the truth.

Seeker of truth has to direct realization of the true self, through deeper, inquiry, analysis and reasoning   and avoid losing precious time and effort loosing himself in philosophical studies. 

 Both modern science and religion offer hypotheses and theories but there is one vital difference--science begins with facts which it collects; religion begins with fancies. Science evolves its hypotheses from such facts, religion from fancies.

Science declares that oxygen combines with hydrogen to give water. And it also declares oxygen is protons or electrons. But in pursuit of truth the whole physical existence [universe or mind] is considered as illusion and science and their inventions, which are based on the physical existence is limited to physical existence. The truth is within but it is beyond the physical existence.  The science demands physical proof.  But the physical proof is part of the illusion. Hence science cannot go beyond physicality because the truth cannot be traced with laboratory conditions.  Deeper Inquiry, analysis and reasoning  is required if one  wants to push its quest deeply enough.

Common people and primitive minds fall into faulty thinking through their inherited conditioning , such faulty thinking and reasoning  makes them accept the experience of birth, life and death as reality ; taking what one sees through  the senses  as real, taking what is apparent obvious and superficial as true because it is less troublesome.

Many People adopt the attitude that what   they know is truth. And what others say id false. This attitude makes them not to verify anything other then what they know.   One needs to be rational, not merely logical. Logic is has its value only in physical plane.

As one advances towards spiritual plane he sees the logic underlying experience and becomes more rational. His reasoning is two-fold--implicit and explicit.

There is a need of facts of physical proof in scientific invention, whereas in pursuit of truth the proof has to be grasped mentally and realized.  Therefore, the truth is realized only by few who take this mental pursuit.  “Whatever facts revealed, which is un-contradictable has to be accepted as truth.

The truth based on the formless soul/self is worthwhile; without it, one has something else, not truth.  Most people refuse to venture into pursuit of truth; because they do not want to go into the root of things.

The seeker of truth has to study, inquire and reason in the beginning of the pursuit of truth, because it is absolutely necessary in pursuit of truth.

One has to know the true self is not physical but the formless spirit.  The spirit or soul or the self is in the form of consciousness. Consciousness gives one the awareness of the three states. 

The ignorance of the true self is the cause of experiencing the duality as reality.  The ignorance vanishes through realization of the true Self, which is the soul/spirit. 

Consciousness [true Self] does not lie in our body, in our brain, or our ego, but it is the essence of the dual and non-dual experiences, which comes and goes as waking dream and deep sleep. Thus consciousness pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states.  Thus limiting the consciousness only to the physical entity is the cause of the ignorance.

Only way to get rid of the ignorance is through non-dual wisdom or self-knowledge.

Getting rid of the ignorance is renunciation. Inhering in the Self is Gnana or Self-realization. Duality is mere illusion.  And non-duality is ultimate reality.  Realizing the experience of the duality is created out of non-dual material, which is consciousness, leads one to self-awareness.

Ego is consciousness, body is consciousness, and mind is consciousness, whatever seen, known, believed and experienced as a person of the world is consciousness. Thus the universe and all its contents are also consciousness. Therefore everything is consciousness. Thus consciousness alone is real and eternal.

The consciousness is the true self. The true self is   only that which is conscious of all these. ‘I’ is not the self.  Thus one has to drop holding the false self as real self. People hold the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self and trying to know the truth but they will never succeed in their venture because it revels only half truth.

 ‘I’ comes and goes and that which is permanent is I-less consciousness; beyond form, time and space.  Thus it is beyond Study of psychology and physics and chemistry because psychology and physics and chemistry are based on the ‘I’.

One has been duped by experiencing the illusory duality as reality, which comes and goes.  Duality is not reality because everything in the experience of illusory duality is created out of consciousness, which is the true self.

It is the awareness, which is the cause of the existence of the three states. Mind is in the form of universe. Universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. Universe is consciousness because it is created out of consciousness. Consciousness is the innermost self and cause of everything that exists and it itself is uncaused.  Thus, the universe is mere illusion on the standpoint of innermost self. The individual experience of birth, life and death that takes place within the universe is also part of the illusion.  Thus holding the birth, life and death as reality is holding the false self and false experience as reality which is the cause of ignorance.  thus inquiry based on the ‘I’ or ‘I AM  which is false self ,will not yield fruit.

The whole universe is mental, because the universe itself is mind.  The universe is mere illusion. Man is an individual and he experiences universe as reality.  In ignorance man has the inborn samskara or conditioning he is and individual separate from the world and world existed prior to him and he is born in it later on. Until this inborn conditioning which is ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is there the ignorance will prevail. Thus getting rid of ignorance is possible only when one gets rid of ‘I’ or ‘I AM.  Getting rid of ‘I’ or ‘I am possible only when one drops holding the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self. 

The consciousness is within the universe but it is without the universe.  If one confines ‘I’ to the body than he is ignorance and experiences the duality as reality. If one recognizes ‘I’ as mind and the mind as the whole universe than the truth will start reveling on its own. Therefore one has to drop all accumulated knowledge and start a fresh in order to grasp, understand, assimilate and realize the nondual truth. In deeper self-search come to know ’I’ is Mind is this entire Universe.

This means that only in the state of ignorance [waking] the consciousness can be recognized. But in the state of noting ness [deep sleep] it is impossible to recognize it. 

Duality is reality if one thinks universe is reality.  Universe is reality only on the standpoint of ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self.  If one recognizes the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is not the self , than the universe is mere illusion.   Therefore, ‘me’ and mine are reality within the duality.  There is nothing to say that this is mine when there is nothing beside consciousness; when whatever is, is consciousness alone. Deep sleep illustration, when waking or dream is converted into consciousness.

All is consciousness, meaning no second thing exist other than consciousness.  If God is everything, how can there be anything other than God. Hence nondual silences the nature of the self.  

The inner most self is God. Consciousness is the inner most self. Therefore if God is everything, then there is nothing else than God. Duality limits God. If one want to avoid conceptual God, either “keep quiet" or admit “non-duality." There is no room for duality in reality.  There is no God other than consciousness.

Considering the Universe - as something separate from the consciousness is cause of ignorance. One has to give up the idea of difference" That is what is meant by "Renounce" That is the value of Sanyasa.  Renunciation must be the renunciation of the idea of separateness or difference. 

Now what about the body? Body too is conciousness, for the Gnani, as the Universe, is equally consciousness. i.e. renounce the body as separate from consciousness, which is ultimate truth or Brahman.

Heaven is non-duality and hell is duality thus heaven and hell are side by side. Separation is ignorance. Hence one is in hell or duality because he is in ignorance. "Through wisdom" --i.e. wisdom consists in knowing ultimate truth.  That is “all is consciousness and consciousness alone is real and eternal.

"Non-dual freedom or Mukti is always there and yet one doesn’t know it, But to those whose reason, has turned away from external phenomena, who have grasped and assimilated the knowledge of the consciousness attained the serenity of the self, there is nothing else so well-known, so easily knowable, and quite so near as self.

To think one's own body and his experience of the universe as consciousness is a very difficult matter, and unless this is realized, one can’t have any glimpse of truth. When one realizes his body to be consciousness   than the whole experience of the universe naturally becomes consciousness.

The believers will not accept this truth because they have accepted their belief as their truth. People of faith have so much of faith, that they will not accept anything other than their conceptual God. Of course, faith is necessary at a certain stage. But faith is like poison at another stage.

Deeper Analysis shows Universe emanating from the soul, which is in the form of consciousness means universe being the effect from the consciousness is not different from it.  Analysis needs deeper thinking. Wave has form; but where is the form in water? Where did the form come from? All that one e can say is that the water, which is ocean, is not different from the ‘wave’. The universe is the same as consciousness, as ocean produces waves, so consciousness produces the mind, which is in the form of universe.  One has to know this through deeper self-search.  

There must be rational analysis without religious theories. Not the universe seen in dream but this waking world. The method of analysis is the essence of rational method, meaning ‘inquiry.’ Deeper self-search revels the fact that ultimately the mind itself is matter and matter is created out of consciousness or spirit.  The matter or mind or universe is mere illusion, and further we go, there is no second thing exist other than consciousness, which is ultimate truth or Brahman. Hence there is no second thing it is non-dual.  

If one does not fully self-search, he can’t know that this universe is nothing but consciousness. And those who do not want ultimate truth or Brahman, advise people to resort to take religious or yogic path of sanyasa.

Thus religious and yogic prescription of sanyasa or renunciation is not the means to liberation. How can one give up anything when everything is consciousness, how can one give up anything. Without getting rid of the ignorance    the freedom from experiencing the duality as reality is impossibility.  By being as ordinary householder without any philosophy one can get self-knowledge. Without the self-knowledge the ignorance will not vanish.

By living in the mountain cave o forest or by leading orthodox oriented life the ignorance will not vanish. Only in ignorance man wonders from one ashram to another and one guru to another. Wherever he goes ignorance follows him because man and his experience of the universe is product of ignorance.  

Those who live in caves or Ashrams or leading orthodox way of life will not be able to understand that the whole universe is consciousness and consciousness itself is ultimate truth or Brahman because they have accepted the false self [ego] as real self and false experience [universe] as reality.

The point is Self-knowledge or Atma Gnana or Brahma Gnana is quite different from Sadhanas and practices.  The sadhana is physical practice whereas wisdom dawns through mental effort of grasping, understanding, assimilation and realizing it as such.

Speaking of the ultimate truth or Brahman and then opining that one need not self-search through deeper investigation is   meaningless nonsense. Even as a method to get at ultimate truth Brahman one has to analyze the mind, which is present in the form of the universe. Lecturing is different from realization.

This can be understood only through the illustration waking, dream and deep sleep. The body is within the universe.  The mind is in the form of universe. The universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep. It is the consciousness, which becomes the waking or dream.  And waking or dream disappears as consciousness, which is recognizes as deep sleep in waking, which is state of ignorance.  Until the ignorance remains the waking experience will prevails as reality.   Only way  to get rid of the ignorance is through non-dual wisdom or self-knowledge.

 That is why Sri Sankara, in Bhaja Govindam says: - [Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena] - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.