It is most difficult to grasp in understanding
Advaitic or Non-dualistic truth because it is been judged on the base of waking
entity, which is the false self within the false experience. And people hold the scriptures as a yardstick,which creates more and more confusion.
That is why Sri, Sankara says in Viveka Chudamani :-
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 realisation 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.
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.
One doubt
that keeps propping up again and again and that is: How has the consciousness,
become the universe? To get answer to
this question one has first know:-
v “What is the
‘I’?”
v “What is mind?”
v “What is the
substance of the mind?”
v “What is the source
of the mind? “
The Atman ,which is in the form of Consciousness
[non-duality] becomes the mind, is in the form of universe and universe appears as waking or dream
[duality] and disappears as deep sleep
[non-duality]. Thus the appearance as
waking or dream and disappearance as deep sleep is consciousness. The one that
becomes duality and non-duality is single formless stuff that is
consciousness. By knowing that stuff in
the midst of duality [waking] by tracing its source, the waking entity, which
is seeking the truth of its true existence, will realize the fact that, it is
not the true self but the formless substance and witness of the three states is
the true self. The formless substance
and witness of the three states are one in essence. And that essence is
consciousness. Thus consciousness is the
true self and ultimate truth or Brahman.
When the self, which is in the form of
consciousness becomes aware of its formless nondual true nature in the midst of
duality it is self-awareness. In self-awareness the self is fully aware of the
fact that, the body, ego and the world [waking] are mere mirage created out of
itself. Thus in self-awareness the waking experience [our practical life within
the practical world] becomes unreal. Same way as the dream becomes unreal when
waking takes place. Until one is stuck with the reality of the waking
experience the self-awareness is impossibility. Thus until one realizes the three states are
mere mirage by tracing the formless substance and witness of the three states,
and the formless substance and witness are one in essence, and that essence is
consciousness, and consciousness is the true self , the wisdom will not dawn. Without wisdom
self-awareness is impossibility.
If our judgment is based on waking
entity than it leads us to intellectuality and intellectuality is
individuality. The self, which is
formless consciousness, is not an individual because it pervades all the three
states as its formless substance and witness. Thus there is necessary to
realize the fact that, the self is neither the waking entity not the dream
entity but the formless substance and witness of all the three states.
Thus our understanding and
realization has to be based on deeper self-search without any yardstick of any
teaching or teachers or path. When one learns to view the worldview on the
based on the source from where the mind rises and subsides the truth will start
revealing itself, which leads to self-awareness.
One has receptive to grasp the Advaitic
or non-dualistic truth. Deeper self-search reveals the fact that: - Atman ,which is in the form of Consciousness alone
is real; this mind, which is in the form of universe which appears as waking or
dream is unreal; and the mind or universe is non-different from consciousness,
which is ultimate truth or Brahman.
The Atman, which is in the form of consciousness,
is self-evident. It is not established by extraneous proofs. It is not possible
to deny the Atman or consciousness, because it is the very essence of the one
who denies it. The Atman or consciousness
is the basis of all kinds of knowledge, presuppositions and proofs.
Consciousness is the subject not
an object, as it is invisible, beyond the reach of the physical eyes.
Consciousness is not a second thing.
It is infinite, changeless, self-existent, self-delight, self-knowledge. It is essence.
It is the knower. It is the Seer, Transcendent, and formless Witness.
Consciousness is the inner most
self. Consciousness is ultimate truth or
Brahman is impersonal, without attributes, formless, without special
characteristics, immutable, eternal and non-agent.
Atman or Consciousness is above all needs and
desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as it
is beyond the reach of the senses.
Consciousness, which is ultimate
truth Brahman, is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside itself.
It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Consciousness cannot
be described, because description implies distinction.
Consciousness cannot be
distinguished from any other than itself. In consciousness, there is not the
distinction of substance and attribute.
The ultimate
truth is one without the second, the one is not in the sense half or two, but
the one that remain forever One, without the second. The consciousness is all pervading. There is
no place where consciousness is not.
Consciousness is
in everyone, consciousness is in everything .consciousness is one behind many.
Consciousness alone is. It means the universe and its contents are the visible
form of consciousness. And consciousness in turn is invisible form of the
universe, which appears as mind.
Since people all are not aware of the fact
that, they are an experience within another experience [waking/dream]. The mind
is an experience, which contains everyone and everything and the universe.
Since one limits the mind to the physical entity, he forgets the fact that, his
body and the universe is an experience, within waking or dream experience. It
is impossible to unfold the mystery of his true existence without realizing the
fact that, the self is not physical but the self is consciousness. If the self is not physical then it is
erroneous to judge and conclude the truth on the base of the physical self or
ego. The ego [waking entity] is false
self within the false experience [waking]. Thus the truth has to be judges on
the base of the true self, which is formless consciousness which is not an individual
but it pervades all the three states as their formless substance and witness.
Until and unless one rectifies the reasoning base
from form [ego] to formless [soul or consciousness], the ultimate truth
[Brahman] will not be revealed.
