Sunday, September 18, 2011

Witness and the witnessed or observer and the observed are one in essence.



"The observer is the observed" It is difficult to understand it on the base of ego, which is the false self within false experience because  the egocentricity is dualistic.  The observer is the formless subject and observed is an object to the formless subject.  The object is the mind. Mind is in the form of universe. Universe appears as waking or dream [duality] and disappears as deep sleep [non-duality].  The intellectuals only accept the subject as subject and object as object, because they take ego as subject and world as an object. Therefore they are unaware of the formless subject. Man and the world exist within the universe, which is an object to the formless subject. The mind or universe is subject and object together.  The formless subject is hidden within the universe as its formless substance and witness. 


Witness and the witnessed or observer and the observed are one in essence.  Man and his experience of the world exists within the witnessed or observed but  man  is unaware of the formless witness or observer because he belongs to witnessed or observed.


The judgment on the false self within the false experience leads to hallucination based on intellectuality.   On the base of the soul[consciousness]  as self, there is neither witness nor witnessed   and there is neither observer nor the observed. 


The intellectual approach towards reality is that of division: the witness and the witnessed have to be separate. Only then is there a possibility of knowledge between the two. The scientist cannot become science; the scientist has to remain separate from his invention based on the form,  because the truth is beyond form, time and space. The experimenter is not allowed to become the experiment itself because all the experimenter and experiment are part of the duality or illusion. The logic based intellectuality cannot transport the seeker to ultimate end because intellectuality is based on individuality whereas the self is not an individual because it pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three state.  There is a knowing that goes beyond form, time and space. 


Self-knowledge is knowledge beyond form, time and space; it is possible to acquire the self –knowledge only when the seeker is able to think from a right direction. 


Science divides the whole of human experience and existence into two parts: the known and the unknown. That which is known now was unknown in the past that which is unknown today may become known in the future, but the knowledge of the true existence, which is beyond form, time and space is impossible through laboratory conditions because no scientific instrument reaches the inner core because the science, scientists and scientific inventions cannot go beyond form, time and space because science needs physical proof based on the physical self, whereas the truth is beyond physicality.  Until science base itself on physical self or ego so the realization of ultimate truth or Brahman is impossible. As the inner conviction starts growing and one realizes the fact that the ‘self’ is not the form but formless consciousness, than the truth starts revealing on its own. And as his knowledge grows the inborn ignorance diminishes. 


As he knows more about the consciousness, which is inner most self, one starts becoming aware of the reality of his true existence and unreal nature of the three states are exposed.    
If one follows the right path, which is the path of the consciousness, which is the ultimate truth or Brahman, the ultimate result will be that, when the reality appears this ignorance which one thinks as reality becomes unreal.

For a Gnani there is be nothing left as unreality because everything is consciousness. As seekers understanding grows slowly, slowly, the unreality will change into the reality, and the moment will come when there is nothing left as unreality. That is the goal of pursuit of truth, to destroy ignorance -- but to destroy ignorance means to destroy all the obstacles which are blocking the realization of truth and move forward in mental or inner journey.


The destruction of ignorance means the death of all intelligence which is based on individuality, because there will be no need for egocentric intelligence because it is replaced by the non-dual wisdom. The egocentric intelligence   is useful in the practical life within the practical world. 


The consciousness is the innermost self or God. It is possible everyone to realize consciousness, which is ultimate truth or Brahman or God.  In deed it is the goal of every seeker of truth.   The mind or universe sprung of from consciousness, which the shore-less ocean of infinite power, knowledge.  


In practical world very few people care to think deeply of this vital question ‘what is ultimate truth or Brahman or God. Only few feel the urge to know ‘what ultimate truth is’. And still fewer have realized the truth with deeper self-search.   


But ultimate truth is realized by only few.  And Buddha was right in saying: - There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: not going all the way... and not starting.

And people are stuck with their accumulated egocentric knowledge and also inherited samskara or conditioning without verifying their validity. And Buddha was right in his advice: - Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe  nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true.

The soul centric inquiry goes beyond form, time and space.   Until one inquiry into the world which confronts him it is impossible to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. 


That is why Sri, Sankara says in Viveka Chudamani:-
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.


The orthodoxy scholars are stuck with the scriptures holding the scriptures as yardstick the secondhand knowledge inherited from one generation to the next.  


That is why Sri, Sankara says in Viveka Chudamani:-
56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realization of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means


58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but are no good for Liberation.


59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.


60. The Scriptures consisting of many words are a dense forest which merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.


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.


That is why In Mundaka Upanishad 1:2:8
“Remaining in the fold of ignorance and thinking “we are extremely wise and learned,” the fools with boastful nature ramble about like the blind led by the blind alone.”

 
The people who follow religion think that by following their inherited religion is their duty.  And questioning the guru or scholars is irreligious.  Thus they indulge in rituals and hearing of religious discourses.   They are weak and timid. 


That is why Katha Upanishad 1:2:23 The Soul cannot be realized through hearing scholarly explanation of the discourses, not even by the intellect.


Mundaka Upanishad 3:2:3
The Soul cannot be realized by the weak and timid.

 
Mundaka Upanishad:-
The study of the Vedas, linguistics, Rituals, astronomy and all the arts Can be called lower knowledge. The higher Is that which leads to Self-realization. The eye cannot see it; mind cannot grasp it. The deathless Self has neither caste nor race, Neither eyes not ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great And in the small, everlasting and changeless, The source of life. .

In pursuit of truth the ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed. Pundits who take scriptures for granted are not Gnanis. 


When Advaita declares Atman and Brahman then direct realization of truth is possible without the scriptures.  Know the soul to be the true self. And true self is in the form of consciousness and realize consciousness as ultimate truth or Brahman.  
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.
Therefore there is no need to study scriptures, or indulge in god and guru glorification or performing religious rituals.  Since, they are not the means to acquire non-dual wisdom. It is only waste of time and effort to indulge in those things. 

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 ‘I’ [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.

But he who is truly wise Always sees the absolute Self. Celebrated, he is not delighted. Spurned, he is not angry. Pure of heart, He watches his own actions As if they were another's. How can praise or blame disturb him?
- Ashtavakra Gita 3:9-10