The theory of fate (Prarabdha) is for the ignorant one because those who accept the waking entity as self and waking world as reality will remain in believing in the theory of birth, death and rebirth. The waking entity and the waking world are reality within the waking experience. The waking experience itself is illusion from ultimate standpoint.
The body being in this universe , does not also exist because the world is mere illusion from ultimate standpoint., and due to this, Prarabdha also does not exist, Though the Vedas speak of Prarabdha, For the understanding of the ignorant.
The Mundaka Upanishad tells that:-
Ksheeyanthethasyakarmanithasmindrushte cha paravare,Bahuthwam than nishedarthasruthyageetham cha yathsphutam. 98
The body being in this world does not also exist and due to this, Prarabdha also does not exist, though the Vedas speak of Prarabdha, for the understanding of the ignorant.
All actions of man including Prarabdha,perishes when one is able to see,Brahman which is in the higher and also lower,Thus tell the Vedas with clarity,*Cause and effect . If fate does not get destroyed, ignorance gets never destroyed and spiritual realization never comes.
One has to destroy the ignorance together with its effect, the mind (phenomenal universe). One has to discrimination of ultimate Truth (consciousness) from untruth (mind or universe). For the easy understanding of those who have intense urge to know and realize the truth.
Theobjects of knowledge, viz., sound, touch, etc., which are perceived in the waking experience , are different from each other because of their peculiarities; but the consciousness of these, which is different from them, does not differ because of its homogeneity. Similar is the case in the dream. Here the perceived objects are transient and in the waking experience they seem permanent. So there is difference between them. But the (perceiving) consciousness in both the states does not differ. It is homogeneous.
In waking experience the waking entity awaking from deep sleep, consciously remembers its lack of perception during that experience. Remembrance consists of objects experienced earlier. It is therefore clear that even in deep sleep ‘want of knowledge’ is perceived.
Thisconsciousness (in the deep sleep experience) is indeed distinct from the object (here, ignorance), but not from itself, as is the consciousness in the dream experience. Thus in all the three states the consciousness (being homogeneous) is the same. It is so in other days too.
Through the many months, years, ages and world cycles, past and future, consciousness is the same; it neither rises nor sets; it is self-revealing. This consciousness, which is the true Self, is formless and eternal in its nature. It is established by reasoning that the self is not physical but the self is consciousness, which pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states.
If the non-dual peace, which is the nature of the true Self, is not known, there cannot be the highest love for it. It is ever present. If it is known consciously, there cannot be attraction for worldly objects because the whole universe with its contents becomes mere mirage.
Non duality ‘is known yet unknown. Non-duality is unconsciously known as deep sleep in ignorance and it is consciously is known through wisdom as consciousness.
Just as the dream entity and the dream universe in the dream,is an illusion, which appeared and disappeared, for the realized one, this waking entity and the waking world,is mere illusion created out of consciousness because he is fully aware of the fact that the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the formless knower of the three states.
Whenthe waking entity and the waking world are mere illusion then the experience birth,life,death and the world are mere illusion created out of consciousness. These beings so, how can Prarabdha,come along with birth,when birth itself takes place within the illusion?
Ignorance prevents one from seeing the truth.Ignorance is the cause of the illusion. Illusion is cause of the universe. Universe is cause of experiencing birth, life and death as reality. Until one becomes aware of the fact that, the universe, which is in the form of mind, is myth, it is impossible to assimilate the self-knowledge.
If there is no ignorance, then where can be the universe be?Seeing myth instead of truth, due to utter confusion, one only sees this universe, without realizing the reality.
Once the real nature of the “true Self” is realized,the“Universe” will not be seen as real. Once knowledge of the “true Self” is gained and one establishes in his formless true identity ,which is consciousness , then the birth, life, death and the universe will never remain as reality .
Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, that which is born out of consciousness is consciousness. Like gold is the permanent thing, in ornaments made of gold, similarly, the mind, which is in the form of the universe is born out of consciousness, is consciousness in its essence.
People see God is different from them;they fear him similar to a tiger fearing its own shadow in the well. The ignorant thinks the birth, life, death and the universe as reality because he is unaware of the fact that the universe is reality within the waking experience but the waking experience is mere illusion from the ultimate standpoint.
Since people have the inherited conditioning of believing the birth, life, death and the world as reality they are unaware of the fact that their human experience within the universe is mere mirage created out of consciousness.
The ignorance of the true self makes them to accept the false theories based on the false self and people accept whatever theory suits their mind set and keep manipulating their false life within the false experience.
Some are intoxicated with theory of karma; some are with the theory of cause and effect, some with love alone, some with humanism, some with service, and some with rituals, worship, some with glorifying and surrendering to the guru, some with their logical and intellectual conclusions, some with their orthodoxy and some with their Yogic Samadhi. But all these are biggest hindrance not qualification to acquire non-dual wisdom. It is waste of time to convince these people because they have already have accepted something else as truth. Thus they will not have any urge to know the ultimate truth. Therefore, it is no use discussing with such crowd and it is better avoid such mind sets if one seriously seeking truth.
There is no use criticizing any belief system or teacher or guru. But one has to highlight how they cause hindrance and becomes obstacle in pursuit of truth. People who think they are rebelled against belief system are mere intellectual speculators. They are not serious about seeking truth. They are more interested in time pass with their intellectual acrobatics with the information collected from whatever they have read and heard. Such accumulated knowledge is not the means in pursuit of truth. Thus discussing with such mind set will neither help the seeker of truth or those who think intellectuality and logical conclusion as the means for Self–Realization.
Due to ignorance created because of illusion the duality appears to be real. And within the illusion one is conditioned to think that, he is an individual separate from the universe and universe existed prior to him and he is born in it. This inherited conditioning of the birth conviction is very dominant in waking experience. Until this conviction is there it is impossible to assimilate self-knowledge. When one realizes all the three states to be consciousness, then no second thing exist other than consciousness.
In that state of oneness, everything is identified,as consciousness and when this is done, there is no desire, no sorrow and no duality because they are part of the illusion. The ultimate truth is in the form of consciousness and it is consciousness which is the true self.
The dream experiences are true within the dream and when one does not have enlightenment, the waking experience appears to be true.
Though we seem to experience the world,for all practical purposes of perception, but its reality is limited to the waking experience because the waking experience itself is an illusion when wisdom dawns, same way as the dream becomes unreal when waking takes place.
The dream becomes unreal on waking,and waking does not exist in a dream,and waking and dream are absent in a deep sleep.
For those ignorant who believe the birth, life, death and the world as reality, think that, the effect of action done in previous births,as Prarabdha in this birth, but for the realized one the present birth, life, death and the universe itself is mere illusion because they have realized the fact that, waking experience itself is mere illusion created out of consciousness.
People who argue that soul does not exist are not aware of the fact that, their own existence is dependent on the soul, which is in the form of consciousness.
One should not conclude because some great thinker said so or some philosophy says so. Without consciousness the mind, which is in the form of universe ceases to exist. Man ceases to exist without the universe.
The soul is in the form of formless consciousness. Formless consciousness is the formless substance and witness of the mind or universe, which appears as waking or dream,
Seeker of truth has to inquire, analyze and reason deeply by discriminating between the dual 9[waking or dream) and non-dual (deep sleep) experiences and understand and assimilate this existence of consciousness, which is beyond the form time and space. Consciousness is the very form of existence,though one would find it difficult to understand because of the intoxication of experience of duality.
This formless non-dual consciousness, which is beyond the mind and it, is never subject to any change by any cause, but the waking is subject to change as deep sleep or dream, and when this is realized than one becomes aware of the fact that, the subject and object are one in essence.
Thedifference between mind (universe) and soul (consciousness) is only when one considers the waking entity as self. From the ultimate standpoint there is no second thing exist other than consciousness, because the formless substance and witness of the mind or universe is consciousness. The mind and soul are one in essence.
Universe or mind does not have a separate existence without Consciousness. Only in illusion there is diversity but in reality there is always unity.
It is not proper to identify self as form.The universe in which man perceives the world is only an illusion and is really the consciousness itself.
Inwaking or dream the duality appears as a real,due to the ignorance of its real nature. Consciousness appears,to be the whole universe in waking or dream.In deep sleep it is in its own formless non-dual nature. Since one becomes aware of the deep sleep experience only in waking experience, which is the states of ignorance therefore no one identifies it as the nature of the consciousness which is true self.
Consciousness is the cause for the universe. There is no cause for this universe except consciousness. So the entire Universe with its contents is consciousness and nothing else, by clear understanding one becomes aware of the fact that, the cause and effect theory is based on the ego, which is the false self within the false experience.
The universe one sees is consciousness, and the difference between consciousness which pervades,and the universe in which it is said to be pervading, in nonexistent and the difference is a result of an illusion. The illusion exists as reality, because man is unaware of the fact that he and his experience of the world are within the illusion.
There are no different forms of consciousness,and there is nothing else except the consciousness, so how can there be difference between soul (consciousness) and the mind (universe).
Themanifoldness of consciousness is mere mirage these differences are seen. The ignorant who are cheated by illusion think that, their experience of birth life, death and world are reality because they are unaware of the fact that, the three states are mere illusion created out of consciousness on the ultimate standpoint.
The source of the mind is the soul. Mind, which is in the form of universe, is erupted from the soul, which is in the form of consciousness. So the universe or mind should be considered as consciousness, which is ultimate reality or Brahman.
The action and activities are mere happening within the illusion. Thus, the birth, life, death and the world will prevail as reality for those who are not self-realized. Thus they are caught up in the cycle of birth, life and death. Thus the karma theory is reality for those who believe their body or ego as self. Therefore they are no qualified for self-knowledge because they have accepted form (body or ego) as self, whereas the self is formless (soul or consciousness). Love, Virtue, nonviolence, action and conducts are not the qualification for self–realization, but they are very essential and valuable tools for humanity to live in the practical world.
If one thinks the self is an individual then the individual travels from death to death. Thus the living in practical world is nothing to do with the ultimate truth. And both should not be mixed if one is seeking truth. The truth is nothing to do with the individual experiences of life, because from the ultimate stand point the birth, life, death and the world are mere illusion. Thus if one wants realize the ultimate truth or Brahman he should not bring the individual experiences of the world in Atmic discussion.
If one mentally detaches the self from the three states by realizing the fact that, the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity than he became free from experiencing the form, time and space as reality. If one becomes free from experiencing the form, time and space as reality than he becomes free from experiencing the universe as reality. If one becomes free from experiencing the universe as reality than he becomes free from experiencing the birth, life and death as reality. If one becomes free from experiencing the birth, life and death as reality than he becomes free from experiencing the duality as reality.
If one becomes aware of the fact that, the duality is mere illusory reality then he sees the self, which is in the form of formless consciousness in everything and everywhere the sameness in the illusory reality.
Consciousness is the only one, true existence beyond all thoughts, consciousness is the knower, the witness, the truth, the indivisible, and there is no doubt whatsoever that, the universe is within the self, which is consciousness. Because one hold the ‘I’ as self is the reason for the universe, which is in the form of mind to exist as reality.
Self is in the form of formless consciousness is one and does not have any parts, the body is not the self and the body is divisible in to various organs, by considering the body as self , one is in ignorance, by thinking that these two are one.
The problem arises because everyone identifies themselves with their body with the name as self within the world, which appear as waking experience but they are unaware of the fact that, the waking experience is perishable. A Gnani is always aware of the fact that the true self is not the form but formless consciousness the body and the world are mere mirage created out of consciousness, thus they are illusory in their nature. By limiting the consciousness to the waking entity alone is the cause of ignorance, because the consciousness pervades all the three states as their formless substance and witness.
The very purpose of pursuit of truth is to break this illusion of experience of birth, life and death and form, time and space by constant drawing attention to the formless substance and witness of the three states by providing seekers of truth with the path which would enable them to be free of experiencing the illusory duality as reality.
ForGnani the “self” shines without the form, name and experience of the universe, because he is fully aware of the fact that, his body, name and his experience of the universe are mere mirage created out of consciousness therefore he treats his body, name and his experience of the universe to be consciousness. Thus for a Gnani consciousness alone is real and any second thing other than consciousness is mere illusion.
Theconsciousness is the formless substance and exists within the universe or mind. The universe or mind is an object to the formless subject. Thus holding the object as reality without being aware of the formless subject, which is consciousness is cause of the ignorance.
Thesoul or self is in the form of consciousness and the mind or universe is mere mirage created out of consciousness. Holding the mirage as reality and judging on the base of the body as self and thinking that these two are one is cause of the ignorance.
Consciousness is sentient, mind, which is in the form of universe, is insentient. Therefore all the contents of the universe are insentient. Thus holding the insentient as sentient is cause of ignorance.
Consciousness is eternal and ever existent, Mind, which is in the form of universe, is transient and nonexistent, it is due to self - ignorance, the duality is experienced as reality. Only through self-awareness, the self becomes aware of its formless non-dual nature. Thus it is the self that has to become aware of itself by realizing the fact that the mind or universe is mere mirage. Thus it is the self that has to become aware of the fact that, it is not the waking entity, which perceives the world to realize the waking experience is mere mirage in the midst of waking experience.
The ignorant thinks that, the self is the body,and perceives the world without being aware of the fact that, his body, ego and universe are mere illusory experience created out of consciousness. Thus trying to judge the truth on the false entity within the false experience is erroneous. Until one makes sure of the true self, it is erroneous to judge and conclude the ultimate truth on mere speculation and assumption. Thus one has to make sure of the fact that the true self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the formless knower of the three states, which comes and goes.
A Gnani say that the true knowledge is that,“Self” is definitely neither the waking entity nor the dream entity because the waking and dream both are illusory. The true self is consciousness and its nature is formless, non-dual peace, and equanimity. Consciousness is the existence and knowledge.
Illusion’s "concealing power" merely means that when one looks at an ice block he thinks only of the ice block. But a Gnani will think of the substance of the ice block too. That is a wise man has the knowledge of the substance plus of the ice block. Similarly a Gnani has the knowledge of the universe and its formless substance also. The consciousness is concealed because of ignorance because as a man one is not aware of the fact that, his body and the world are mere mirage created out of consciousness. When one becomes aware of the mirage then there is no body and no universe there is only the formless consciousness, which is the true self.
Onehas to get firm conviction that, the Self is definitely not the waking entity which is an illusion but self is without change, without any form, without any blemish and without any decay, without disease, beyond all comprehension, beyond any change and consciousness is all pervading.
Self is definitely not the waking entity within the waking experience which is an illusion but self is without properties and without any activity, self is permanent, forever free and imperishable.
The self is not ‘I’ which an illusion is, but the self is the formless knower or witness of the ‘I’,which is the mind and mind is in the form of universe and universe appears as waking or dream. The consciousness is without moment and limits, it is pure. It is ageless because it is formless, birth less and deathless.
AGnani has the firm conviction that, all the three states are an object to the formless subject. And the three states are but transient experience. He identifies self with the Formless Witness, he is unaffected by the individual experiences happening within the waking or dream because he knows that self, the soul, can never be lost or lose anything in itself. Thus noting is lost or gained because everything is consciousness therefore Gnani sees only consciousness in everything and everywhere in the experience of diversity, thus for him no second thing exists other than consciousness.
Knowing the three states as a part of self, which is consciousness, he no longer considers it as an object such distinction exists only when inquiring. The ignorant man imagines he is related to objects, imagines there is causal relation with them and then imagines his sufferings because of their transiency. He foolishly believes that anything can go away from his self, because he separates his-self from them.
Unity is here and now, always has been and always will be. so long as one is ignorant of this truth, he will not see unity he sees only diversity.
Till one realizes the difference between soul, which is in the form of consciousness and the mind which is in the form of universe,he cannot attain realization.
One has to become aware of the fact that, the waking experience in which one exists along with his experience of the universe is mere illusion.
Thus whatever one sees, knows, believes and experiences as person of the universe is mere illusion created out of consciousness, which is the true self.
Waking experience; appears and disappears. Where does it go? The dreams appear and disappear. Where do these go? That into which all these go is soul, which is the source. The soul is in the form of consciousness and consciousness is indescribable. One cannot say what it is ultimately, but he knows it is.
Consciousness is beyond the three states. Consciousness is the absolute and ultimate truth. The ignorance of the true self is the cause of such illusion, which is experienced as reality.
Consciousness is the ultimate truth, and also God, which pervades everywhere, and which is the cause of this illusion, which is in the form of the mind or universe.
Direct realization of the ultimate truth leads one to freedom from experiencing the illusion as reality. The seekers of truth can constantly reflect on this non-dual truth to get firm conviction.
Seekers who are after truth can propitiate through constant reflecting on the true self, which is consciousness,and attain their desired aim of reaching.
Only consciousness is perennial,all others are impermanent, arriving at such a conviction, is truly the capacity for discrimination.
Knowledge is never attained without reflection, like an object is never seen without a bright light. The inquiry, analysis through deeper reasoning that needs to be done is:-
1.Why man and his experience of the world are present only in waking or dream?
2.Why the universe is present only when the mind is present?
3.With what the mind has it been made?
Thoughts like “I” and “I am” will not cease until one understands What is ‘I’.One has to understand the fact that, the thought will not rise without the waking or dream therefore, the waking or dream has to be there prior to real thought process. Thus thoughts are nothing to do with the formless witness of the waking or dream. Thoughts are concerned to the individual not to the formless witness. Thus whatever is part of the mind has to be falsehood.
Thus the thoughts, which arise to the false self within the false experience is bound to be falsehood. Thus it is erroneous to trace the source of the thought instead on has to first realize the fact that the ‘I’ is not the self. And ‘I’ is not the limited to the physical entity but ‘I’ is whole universe, which appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep.
If ‘I’ is there then the mind is there. If mind is there then the universe is there. And the universe is present only when waking or dream is present.
One see differences between things because of ignorance, all these differences would vanish when one gets wisdom and the various thoughts rises because one considers ‘I’ as self.
The cause for this ignorance and the universe, is subtle and one without second and unchanging existence,Similar to the water being the cause of clouds and snow.
One must be desirous of knowing the ultimate truth. Pursuit of truth is most difficult. But it is not difficult for those serious seekers who want nothing other than the truth. Receptivity is needed in pursuit of truth. Accumulated knowledge or scriptural mastery or logical conclusions are not yardstick in pursuit of truth.
One cannot imagine the truth and imagination is not truth. Imagination is possible only when there is duality. Duality is false hood. All our individual experiences are part and parcel of the duality. Therefore our individual experiences of birth, life, death and the world are falsehood. To realize it is falsehood one has to realize the fact that, the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the self is the formless substance and witness of the three states.
Getting rid of world does not mean that it must become imperceptible to the senses. It means that one must know that it is destructible, it is ever-changing. One must know its real nature; its unreality. He must give up the notion that it is real.
The knowledge of consciousness cannot destroy the objective world, but can only give him the idea that it is unreal. Modern science proves that everything is changing every moment.
When one is searching for truth he is not aware of the fact that, he is searching for the truth within the false experience(waking) with his the false identity(ego or waking entity). There is no I, me or you or us, no seeker, no enlightenment, no disciple and no guru, no teaching, when one becomes aware of the fact that, the true self is not ‘I’ but the formless soul, which is in the form of consciousness.
From ultimate standpoint:- there is no birth, life and death, no purpose of life, and nothing that has to be achieved when one realizes and becomes aware of the fact that, his physical identity and his experience of the world are mere illusion.
Allthat appeared as three states or illusion is mere mirage created out of consciousness. Soul is the true self and also it is the source of the mind from where it rises and subsides as waking or dream . All that apparently manifests in the illusion creates ignorance.And ignorance creates separation. This separation is the cause of duality, which cause division within the consciousness. Man and his world, his belief of god, the search for truth is part of the illusion. The ignorance makes one appearing as two. Absent of ignorance absent of duality. Whatever prevails without duality is non-dual reality.
All past, present and future are reality in ignorance. Absent of ignorance absent of diversity/illusion. The wisdom brings unity in diversity. Destiny is part of the illusion, because birth, life and death itself is illusion.
All the happenings are part of the illusion. Seeker has to discover the source of the illusion. The source is the soul or consciousness which is uncaused, unchanging, formless and non-dual.
The nature of true self is oneness is incomprehensible and so any communication about it can only be an interpretation of the ideas based on the false self (waking entity or ego). Ignorance generates doubts and confusion. Ignorance makes one experience the duality as reality. Ignorance makes one view and judge on the standpoint of false physical self (waking entity or ego). Whatever is based on false physical self (waking entity or ego) is bound to be falsehood because everything is viewed and judged believing the duality as reality. Thus, one is unable to think beyond duality.
Deeper understanding and assimilation is required for self-realization. It becomes difficult to understand and communicate about the oneness on the base of false self. Thus rectifying the true base is necessary from form base to formless base to understand and assimilate and realize the non-duality.
Ego is well established as the subject of perception whereas the body is the object within the “mind” which appears as waking or dream. This is learnt from the fact that when one speaks of his body within the universe. Man and the world exist within the waking or dream.” Thus the man cannot be the self, because the self, pervades everywhere and in everything in all the three states.
It is a fact of direct experience that the “self”, which is in the form consciousness, is without any change, whereas the waking or dream is always undergoing changes. Thus the physical entity (waking entity or ego), which is within the waking or dream, cannot be the self. The true self is that witnesses all the changes but it itself is changeless.
Seeker of truth has to ascertain the real nature of the true self through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base then only they become fully aware of the fact that, “There is nothing higher than consciousness. Thus consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman.
All the three states are verily the consciousness. Thus this waking entity cannot be the self, because the waking entity is limited to the waking experience, whereas the consciousness pervades all the three states.
Consciousness is completely unattached” from the universe, because it is not an entity or identity within the universe. Universe is mere mirage created out of consciousness. All the forms and names within the mirage have no value from the ultimate standpoint. Thus the division created by the forms and names are within the illusion. Absent of division there is unity in diversity.
Consciousness is within the universe but it is without the universe. It is within the universe as its formless substance and witness.
