The ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is intoxication of illusion

The ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is intoxication of illusion. Until and unless one comes out of this intoxication the self-realization is impossible. It is not ‘I AM THAT’ it is ‘SELF IS THAT’ because ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is not the self. 

“I “or “I AM” is not the true self. “ I” or “I AM” is mere illusion. The self is not “I” or “I AM” but the self is the formless witness or knower of “I” or “I AM”. Clinging to “I” or “I AM” as self leads to hallucination. 

People are not ready to investigate and verify deeply to know the facts. They sentimentally involve with the teacher and teaching and get stuck. They think they are self-realized because they know “I AM THAT”.     

Mind is consciousness, and consciousness is mind   . The three states are absorbed in the consciousness.

Even the Vedas indicate that the Self is consciousness:-

v  Tat tvam asi: -Thou art That (Sam Veda). “Self is  that”

v  Prajnanam Brahma: - Consciousness is ultimate reality (Rig Veda).

v  Ayam Aatma Brahma: -The Self is ultimate truth (Atharva Veda).

v  Aham Brahma Asmi: -Self is ultimate reality (Yajur veda).

People have the notion that more and more they gratify their senses for attaining worldly pleasures, the happier they will be is not true at all, because they think the physical self is real self, therefore they are unaware of the fact that the self not physical but formless consciousness. The consciousness can stay with or without the mind/’I’.  

It is the illusory sense-pleasure that is responsible for the forgetfulness of the Self, which is in the form of consciousness, which result in one’s sorrows and sufferings.

Suffering is the reminder to search for the remedy to overcome the suffering caused by the ignorance of the true self. Pleasure is the cause of ignorance .but if the real self is realized, and then, illusion will not prevails as reality.   

Why do mortals then become attached to worldly pleasures in the first place? 

It is the illusion that allures one to enjoy the mundane objects in a futile effort of satisfying the unceasing demands of his senses within the waking or dream. A person within the illusion becomes intoxicated of lust, greed, anger, attachment, false ego, enviousness, stubborn mindedness, and their numerous variations within the illusion.

 Consequently, the individual self gets caught in the illusory cycle of birth, old age, disease, and death within the illusion. This is illusion, by which the consciousness is forgotten; emotional attachment and love of duality is born. 

The ignorance of the true self is cause of duality. The duality is cause of illusion. The illusion is the cause of experiencing unreality as reality. 

 Because of this pluralistic phenomena of illusory -vision, the material happiness appears to be followed by sorrow. If there is laughter, there is a cry; if there is a birth, there is a death; if there is a rich, there is a poor; so on and so forth.

Everything in the waking or dream experience is in the state of constant flux; there can be found no everlasting happiness. The ego is in the control of evil passions, evil intent, and duality.

Everyone wishes for happiness, pleasures, joy, peace, etc. and none asks for suffering, misery, etc. But in the wake of pleasure, there comes suffering. The pleasure and pain co-exists within the illusion.  People do not understand this.  Therefore, there is necessary to realize the fact that mind, which appears as waking or dream is mere illusion. 

The individual self is not real, is not accepted by many.  The non-dual wisdom is based not on the individual self [ego].  Until people hold the waking entity or ego as witness, they will not reach the ultimate understanding.  

When Upanishad itself declares:-   sarvam khalvidam brahma - all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality [ Chandogya Upanishad].  

Then it is no use going roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman. 

 The true Self is not perceptible to the senses. It is perceived by Reason. It is not perceptible as a thing with form and attributes. To those whose attention is fixed on the body and the world, it is very difficult to attain Self-knowledge. It is also very difficult for them to see the consciousness as self. The attention towards the universe [mind] should be lessened by realizing the self is not the body. The attention has to be focused on the formless substance and witness of the universe [mind] should be increased. So long as the attention is directed towards the universe, the experience of birth, life and death will prevail as reality. But when the attention is directed towards the formless witness, the ignorance vanishes and sense of duality will disappear. Then there is unity in diversity. 

What is the state of the ego or physical self when it has realized that the self is not the body? Such souls have attained their pristine condition. “Self” is not visible to the physical eyes. “Self” is not to be found in the world as a thing, entity or an object. Self is above these, has neither beginning nor ending.

 A visible object has a beginning and an ending. Since Atman, which is in the form of consciousness is invisible to the physical eye; Atman or consciousness is without beginning and ending. Atman is always constant. Just as space is homogeneous everywhere, so is the Atman the same everywhere. 

By becoming more and more intellectual one becomes more and more intoxicated to individuality. The intellectuality is limited to duality.  In realm of truth the intellectuality is replaced by non-dual wisdom.  There is nothing exist other than formless non dual existence. Therefore, there is no individual to become sane or insane. There is no second thing exists, other than consciousness.  Everything is one, that is, unity in diversity. The curiosity, urge cannot be imposed on others.  it has to sprout within. One need not become holy Shepard because the holy Shepard is within in to guide every seeker. Until one is aiming to be a master, Guru or teacher, he will never reach his destination. One has to share his knowledge with the fellow seeker not to make them his followers but only direct them if they are interested to travel beyond form, time and space.  It is foolish to impose our idea on others because everyone is not in same level of understanding.  Every one's inner work is on. When they are ripe enough they will understand, assimilate and realize on their own.  If they are ready and sharp enough they will grasp it instantly and they will reach their destination with lesser time and effort. Thus preaching, teaching is not wisdom, but by very careful reasoning, seeker has to determine the nature of reality. Thinking in right direction alone helps seeker determining the nature of reality.

The sugar cannot know itself its sweetness. The true self without ignorance is without the experience of duality or illusion. Thus one has to base on the sugar not on its sweetness. Without the sugar there is no sweetness. Similarly without the consciousness, the three states cease to exist as reality.

Seeker of truth is in the in the quest of the knowledge  of  ever being conscious of  eternality of one self , and understanding, assimilating and realizing  it inextricably linked to the what constitute bondage and liberation.

Non-attachment for the three states is freedom or liberation from experiencing the illusory birth, life, death and world as reality. Love for practical life within the practical world is bondage.

By deeper thinking and realizing the self is not the form but self  is formless consciousness and mentally shifting the attention from the objectified subject to the formless subject ,which is consciousness the inner most self. By realizing the formless consciousness as the inner most self, one realizes the consciousness alone exists the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness.   Thus the three states are unreal created out of consciousness, which alone is real.    

The one who discriminates between the Real and the unreal, whose focus of attention is turned away from the illusory physical existence, who possesses calmness and who is longing for freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality, is alone considered qualified to take path of reason.

People who are yearning for spiritual truth will not find it through intellectual speculation and assumption. Intellectual truth is individual truth. Love implies duality and love is individual feelings within the falsehood. Love is necessary and valuable in the stated of ignorance but it is not the means to acquire wisdom.  Love is religious tool to lead life in practical world.  And Religious truth is individual truth and it is not universal truth because the religion is based on individuality. 

It becomes difficult for the orthodox cult to accept anything else as truth other than their accepted belief, which they hold as truth. Although all religious followers are participants alike in the spiritual endeavour of the world, overzealous   followers of each religion are not prepared to accord equal status to other faiths and assert the superiority of their own. Thus universal brother hood is total impossibility because it is difficult to accept anything other than their inherited belief system. 

      

Most of the pundits are egoic and they try to snub others who question them.  They think they are unquestionable authority.  They quote the citation from the scripters as proof without verifying the validity.  All punditry is a great obstacle in realizing the Advaitic truth expounded by the Sri, Sankara and Goudapada. 

One finds lots of differences between Advaita preaching and practice. There is need to bifurcate religion, concept of god and scriptures from Advaitic philosophy to assimilate the essence of Advaita.   

Sri, Sankara says in Brahma Sutras: that Brahman is the cause of the world, whereas in Mandukya he denies it. This is because he says that at the lower stage of understanding, the former teaching must be given, for people will get frightened as they cannot understand how the world can be without a cause, but to those in a higher stage, the truth of non-causality can be revealed.

Sri, Sankara himself has warned us not to use ambiguous words, and to practice semantic analysis in his book "Definition of one's own Self. [" Page 199, v.24 of "Sankara's Selected Works]

Sri, Sankara founded his Advaita Vedanta either on reason independent of sruti or on sruti confirmed by reason."   Sri, Sankara's commentary on the Mandukya Upanishad, II, 1:  This [the unreality of duality] is borne out by the Srutis ... But it is possible also to show the unreality of the object world even from pure reasoning, and this second chapter is undertaken for that purpose.

 Sri, Sankara himself had often said that his philosophy was based on Sruti, or revealed scripture.  This may be because Sri, Sankara addressed the ordinary man, who finds security in the idea of causality and thus in the idea of God—and Revelation is indispensable to prove the latter.  He believed that those of superior intelligence, have no need of this idea of divine causality, and can therefore dispense with Sruti and arrive at the truth of Non-Dualism by pure reason. 

Non-duality does not need the support of any Scripture or Revelation like the Veda. For it is based, not upon the varying theological fancies, which are as numerous as the sands of the sea, but upon reason, the common heritage of all mankind, irrespective of colour or creed or clime.

When Upanishad itself declares:-   sarvam khalvidam brahma - all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality [ Chandogya Upanishad]. 

Then it is no use going roundabout way, trace the Brahman which is the formless substance and witness of the universe, which is in the form of mind.  By tracing the source of the mind or universe one will be able to realize the Brahman. 

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 truth.   Therefore, there is no need to convince anyone other than our own-selves to get the firm conviction. 

Gaudapada says :- the merciful Veda teaches karma and upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

So they clearly indicate rituals and theories are not meant for those who are searching for the higher knowledge or wisdom.  

All the orthodox Advaitins indulge and immersed themselves in ritualistic oriented life style and preach theoretical philosophies which are obstacle in realizing the Advaitic truth.  Many chose these orthodox scholars as their gurus. But these gurus are good to learn the conceptual Advaita meant for those orthodox who believe their conduct oriented life style leads to liberation.  But those who are seeking truth have to do their own homework in order to acquire self-knowledge.

That is why in Ish Upanishads declares  :-

Vidya and Avidya both are hindrances to Self-knowledge, but Vidya is even worse than Avidya. The word Vidya is used here in a special sense; here it means worshipping gods and goddesses. By worshipping gods and goddesses you will go after death to the world of gods and goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spend there is wasted, because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of gods and goddesses you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

Avidya is Karma and therefore a hindrance. You perform Avidya - i.e., you perform Agnihotra and other sacrifices. This is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the dark. But it may not have as heavy a toll on your time and energy as the other.

Therefore, self-realization is necessary in order to realize the ultimate truth or god.  Self-realization is real God realization.

People are ignorant and they are unaware of the reality of their true existence. Man and his experience of universe is simply a mirage created out of   the consciousness, Consciousness is the real Self, the real Atman, is the reality.

That is why in Mundaka Upanishad indicates: - The rituals and the sacrifices described in the Vedas deal with lower knowledge. The sages ignored these rituals and went in search of higher knowledge. ... Such rituals are unsafe rafts for crossing The sea of samsara, of birth and death. Doomed to shipwreck are those who try to cross The sea of samsara on these poor rafts. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise In their own esteem, these deluded men Proud of their vain learning go round and round Like the blind led by the blind.

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/ 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  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana in lesser time and effort.  The unity in diversity is possible only through Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana not by mastering the scriptural knowledge.

One has to bifurcate the physicalized Advaita or orthodoxy   which is meant for the mass mind set, who are incapable inquire to verifying their inherited beliefs.  But for the seekers truth, to get the pure essence of non-duality which is based on the formless soul. The path of inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base, leads one towards the non-dual destination.  Therefore, there is need to rectify the seeking base from ego base to soul base to understand, assimilate and realize the non-dual truth.

Even Ramana Maharishi also says: 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  says:

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 with the religion and scriptures.

Even Upanishad say:

  This Ataman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. [Katha Upanishad Ch-II -23-P-20]

Mundaka Upanishad  :-

This Ataman cannot be attained through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much learning. He who chooses Ataman—by him alone is Ataman attained. It is Ataman that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. [    3 –page-70]

The scriptures indicate that Atman is Brahman, and Brahman is ultimate truth. Therefore the soul, which is in the form of consciousness, is ultimate truth.  Thus to realize the ultimate truth is the prime goal.   A well-directed inquiry, analysis and reasoning will lead one to his non-dual destination. 

Self-Realization is direct realization of the ultimate truth or real god, in contrast with traditional paths, which are indirect. And the other paths cannot lead to the ultimate destination because they are based on the false self, which they hold as real self and false experience as reality. 

Until and unless one overcomes physical shackle it is impossible to understand and assimilate the nondual truth, which is beyond the physical existence or the universe.  Consciousness itself is lord of itself though not of the universe. And having nothing it has all.

Gaudapada quotes from the Upanishads: "There's no plurality here"; "The Lord [Atman] through his powers appears to be many"; "those who are attached to creation or production or origination go to utter darkness"; "the unborn is never reborn, for who can produce him [Atman]?”

It is only who base on ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self, argue and quarrel amongst themselves. The people who are fully aware of the fact that, the form, time and space are mere mirage created out of consciousness have no reason to quarrel, because for them everything is consciousness and no second thing exist other than consciousness.

 2

The one who discriminates between the Real and the unreal, whose focus of attention is turned away from the illusory physical existence, who possesses calmness and who is longing for freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality, is alone considered qualified to take path of reason.

Enumerated discrimination between the Real and the unreal yearning for freedom . A firm conviction to the effect that the soul, which is in the form of consciousness, is real and the mind, which is in the form of universe is  unreal, is designated as discrimination between the Real and the unreal.

The ‘I’ or ‘I Am’ are mere words.  The reality is beyond thoughts and words. The words have meaning in duality. Duality exists until mind exists. Mind exists where there is division of form, time and space. If there is no division of form, time and space, than there is no mind. Words are used as a tool to name individual objects and feelings within the duality. The words become meaningless when one becomes aware of the formless substance of the mind, which is consciousness. Consciousness is our inner most self. From the standpoint of our inner most self, the mind is mere mirage.

If mind is mere mirage then the form, time and space are mere mirage. If form, time and space are mere mirage than the thoughts and words which rises within the scope of form, time and space are also part and parcel of that mirage. Thus body, ego, words, thoughts, and whatever the contents of the universe are within the mirage created out of single stuff that is consciousness. Thus it is necessary to know 'What is mind?' and 'What is the substance of the mind?' and 'What is the source of the mind?', in order to realize the words are meaningless in the realm of truth.

Deeper self-search revels the fact that, the ‘I’ is not the self.  ‘I’ is in the form of mind. Mind is in the form of universe. And universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep.  The formless substance and witness of the three states which is formless consciousness is the true self.

 If the self is form [I or waking or dream] than the evolution theory holds water. If the self is formless [soul] than all the theories based on the form is of no value. Until one thinks 'I' or I AM' as self all these theories cannot transport anyone beyond form, time and space. The theory of evolution is based on individuality, whereas the self, pervades in everything and everywhere in the universe. Individuality is reality within the falsehood. Thus all the theory based on individuality is bound to be falsehood. Thus our judgment and reason and conclusion has to be based on formless self not on the form[I] as self to realize Illusion is where one is bound to:

Freedom is becoming free from experiencing the illusion or duality as reality by realizing the fact that, the self is not the form but self is formless.  It is possible to   realize this without realizing the fact that, the individual self or ego is reality within the false experience.  Thus all the knowledge accumulated by judging on the base of false self, is false knowledge.      

The ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is physical prison.

If ‘I’ is not the physical body, what is it?

Since the sense of ‘I’ is present only when the mind is present and it disappears along with mind. The seeker will come to conclusion after thoroughly verifying this fact through inquiry, analysis and reasoning and then come to firm conviction that ‘I’ is mind.

If ‘I’ is mind and mind is universe and universe appears as waking or dream are one and the same thing. 

It is wrong to identify the self as he or she because it refers to physicality. The self is genderless because it is formless. Identifying “Self” as he or she, leads to all sorts’ of doubts and confusion.  When the self is identified as he or she it becomes physical self /ego.

When the ego is not the self, it is erroneous to judge the truth on the base of ego/physical self and come to some conclusion of finality on the physical base is erroneous because the truth is prior appearance of the physical existence. Thus, the truth has to be judged on the ultimate point of view, not on the base of what appeared later on.

Man has been conditioned to think and be and behave and believe and live as an individual separate from the world. Therefore, the self has been identified with physical body with the name within the waking experience.

The ‘mind’ is the Waking or dream experience. The Waking or dream is not the experience of the physical body but of the Soul/Self. The man and his world are within the mind; therefore mind is not within the brain. This has to be understood to assimilate the self-knowledge. Without understanding this fact the assimilation is impossibility.  

The nature of the Self is formless non-dual.  The nature of the mind is duality or diversity. The self is the formless substance of the mind /duality /diversity. Therefore, the whole experience of the diversity created out of single stuff.  Therefore, there is no division in ultimate standpoint is the self, which in the form of consciousness. Viewing the worldview on the base of the physical self is the cause of division and separation.  

  When the seekers become aware of the fact that the true self is not physical but the soul, he becomes aware of the fact that the mind is mere illusion.   The one who is ignorant of the true self experiences the duality as reality.

A person perceives the world within the mind.  Absent of mind is absent of waking or dream. Thus waking or dream is mind.

One thinks he is an individual separate from the world within the mind. He is unaware of the fact that the mind is not within his brain, but he and his experience of the world are within the mind.  Thus, he thinks he is born in this world and world existed prior to him. Thus this conviction makes him believe the birth, life and death as reality.  Until this conviction is thee he will   views and judges the worldview on the physical base, which is the cause of ignorance of the fact that, the true self is the soul.

This ignorance of the true self is the main hurdle in pursuit of truth. Therefore, it is very much necessary to rectify the seeking base from physical [form] to spirit [formless] before proceeding further in pursuit of truth.

If the seeking base is not rectified it will lead one towards hallucination. When the mind itself is myth then the man and his experience of the world is bound to be myth. Therefore perfect understanding of the mind will help one to unfold the mystery of the mind.  It is impossible to unfold the truth on the base of false self within the false experience, because the truth is prior to the appearance of the falsehood.  And falsehood creates ignorance.

Seeker has to burn down the ignorance by rectifying the base of reasoning by realizing the fact that self is not physical but it is the formless consciousness.

THE ‘I’ OR ‘I AM’ IS CAUSE OF THE IN IGNORANCE. Thus one has to get rid of the ignorance by overcoming the intoxication of ‘I’ or I AM which intoxication stuff in pursuit of truth is.

That is why Sri, Sankara says in( VC) :-

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae) and medicines to such a one?

62. A disease does not leave off if one simply utter the name of the medicine, without taking it; (similarly) without direct realization one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

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.

64. Without killing one’s enemies, and possessing oneself of the splendor of the entire surrounding region, one cannot claim to be an emperor by merely saying, ‘I am an emperor’.

65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.
 

People who are yearning for spiritual truth will not find it through intellectual speculation and assumption. Intellectual truth is individual truth. Love implies duality and love is individual feelings within the falsehood. Love is necessary and valuable in the stated of ignorance but it is not the means to acquire wisdom.  Love is religious tool to lead life in practical world.  And Religious truth is individual truth and it is not universal truth because the religion is based on individuality.