Ultimate Truth is higher
than everything, perfect understanding and assimilation is the only
way to acquire non-dual wisdom. Neither the caste nor the orthodox living is the
qualification for liberation. There is
no one of low caste or higher caste because everyone and everything
is created out of single stuff. One realizes the ultimate Truth not through
one’s deeds but by getting rid of ignorance.
Self-Realization
is not an experience. People who think self can be experienced are still
infancy because they are not personally self-searched. Their understanding and
assimilation are dependent on intellectual spoon feeding form whatever they
have read, heard and assumed. Since
their egocentric outlook, they refuse to accept or verify anything other than
their accepted truth. Discussing with
such people is waste of time.
Discussions on the subject are more important than mixing up every
teaching or quotation of some great thinkers or scriptural authority.
It is
beyond all experience. Experiences imply duality. Duality is mere illusion from
ultimate standpoint. The consciousness beyond experience and it cannot be
experienced because it is cause of all experiences and it itself is uncaused
because it is non-dual in its nature.
The grace
cannot be experienced. It is emotionally hallucinated people propagate to
experience the grace by plying with people feelings of people hallucinating
them with ornamental words promising them with the experience of the self. Such hallucinated experience is not
wisdom.
Birth, life
and death, Virtue and voice, pleasure and pain are of the waking or dream not of
the formless witness of the waking or dream. The formless witness [self]
pervades in everything everywhere, in all the three states as their formless
substance. The true self is neither the
doer not enjoyer because it is not an individual. Doing and enjoying is an individual
experience within the illusion.
People
think that their chosen path is right path. And it is foolish to tell them they
are not in right path because until they themselves become aware that their
chosen path is inadequate and useless in quenching their spiritual thirst they
will not accept anything other then what they think is right. Pursuit of truth is personal journey and it
cannot be imposed on others. The people who have inner urge will find the right
path, at right time with right people and move ahead in their mental [inner]
journey.
Consciousness
is the true Self and it does not belong to any religion or race and creed. It is not perceived by the senses. It is
unattached, formless and witness of all the body and universe.
Consciousness
is the Eternal Truth, the real Self and the only Universal Reality or
Omnipresent Reality which is the Truth of all life and existence whether
visible or invisible.
Consciousness
has no beginning and no end it is the eternal ageless Consciousness is the One
besides which there is nothing else existent.
In
Consciousness is the essence of the illusory universe in which the birth, life
and death takes place. There is no experience or conception by which one can
limit it.
The formless
is form, the timeless is time, and the space-less is space. The form, time and space are mere mirage
created out of consciousness. Thus
form, time and space are created out of single stuff, which is
consciousness.
The cause
and effect is the theory based on the false self. When the birth, life and
death and the world are mere illusion on the ultimate standpoint, how the
physical based theories such as creator and creation, cause and effect, karma
can be real.
Illusion is the nature of consciousness. It is
in ignorance the illusion becomes reality and when the consciousness remains in
its formless non-dual true nature the duality is mere illusion. The universe is
in the form of mind. The mind is mere
mirage created out of consciousness.
Without the mirage it is pure awareness. The mind appears as waking or
dream. The dream is parallel waking and waking is parallel dream. Mind and spirit are one in essence.
One has to
burn down the ignorance with the fire of conviction that “I AM is the self but
the self is I AM-less existence. Until one hold the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self he is
duped by his own egocentric outlook and
he will remain hallucinating that he knows the truth and what he knows
as ultimate truth. Until and unless one
comes out of hangout from I and I AM
base, it is impossible to cross the threshold of duality. ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ or
words used in duality to indicate the self. Deeper self-search reveals the fact
that neither the ‘I’ nor the ‘I AM’ is self because the sense of ‘I’ or ‘I AM’
is present only in physical existence whereas the self is beyond ‘I’ or I
AM. In the past some sages must have
used it to help the seekers to reach up to the level of ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ by
revealing only half wisdom and kept the other halfway to reach the destination as
a secret. People who are stuck with ‘I’
or ‘I AM’ remain in the stagnant water if they do not proceed beyond ‘I’ or ‘I
AM’.
Because
People hold their teacher, guru, god men or scriptural scholar as authenticated
authority on truth and treat only the words of religious robed god men or gurus
as a final say, and they miss their inner track. If one is seeking truth then it is
necessary for him to investigate all the facts, on his own by deeper reasoning
to realize the fact that, the path of
religion and path of yoga are not the means to realize the ultimate reality,
because theses paths are egocentric paths. Thus all the egocentric paths lead
to hallucination not towards the ultimate realization. Thus, it is wrong declaration to say that, every
path leads one to the same destination because egocentric paths leads one to hallucination and only soul-centric path
leads one towards the ultimate
realization.
Self
–Realization is Self - awareness that is, realizing the self is not form but self
is formless consciousness and being aware of the true self in the midst of
duality, which is mere illusion.
Therefore
one has to become aware of the true self, is neither the waking entity nor the
dream entity but the formless substance and witness of the three states.
Therefore, one has to dropping all the baggage of the accumulated dross, which
is blocking his realization of his formless true identity by starting a fresh
in his pursuit of truth.
Advaitin Orthodox people think
themselves as great Gnanis and they are very pure and think that whatever they
know is ultimate truth but they are unaware of the fact that their conduct
oriented preaching and practices are part and parcel of the illusion.
They try to snub other by quoting scriptural citation which they have
mastered and try to prove that they are right.
They try to establish their philosophy as the only right vision, the
only right perspective: that all is Maya, illusion.
They propagate
rituals and theories as the means to get freedom or Moksha.
An old story about the Advaitic
orthodox and untouchable:-
Ancient day’s orthodox
people used to take dip in the river. An Advaitic orthodox took a dip in the river. And
as he was coming up the steps, a man touched him on purpose, not accidentally,
and told him, "Please forgive me. I am a low caste, I am untouchable. I am
sorry sir, but you will have to take another dip in the river to clean
yourself."
The orthodox Advaitic
scholar was very angry. He said, "It was not accidental, the way you did
that; you did it on purpose. You should be punished in hell."
The man said: - “When all is
illusory, it seems only hell remains real." That took the orthodox scholar
aback.
The man said,
"Before you go for your dip, you have to answer my few questions. If you
don't answer me, each time you come up after your bath, I will touch you."
It was lonely and nobody else was there, so orthodox Advaitin said, "You
seem to be a very strange person. What are your questions?"
v He said, "My first question is: Is my body
illusory?
v Is your body illusory?
v And if two illusions touch each other, what is the
problem?
v Why are you going to take another bath?
v You are not practicing what you are preaching. How,
in an illusory world, can there be a distinction between the untouchable and
the Brahmin? -- The pure and the impure? -- When both are illusory, when both
are made of the same stuff as dreams are made of? What is the fuss?"
The Advaitin scholar could not answer this simple man because any answer
was going to be against his understanding of philosophy. If he says they are
illusory, then there is no point in being angry about it. If he says they are
real, then at least he accepts the reality of bodies... but then there is a
problem. If human bodies are real, then animal bodies, the bodies of the trees,
the bodies of the planets, the stars... then everything is real.
The man said, "I know you cannot answer this -- it will finish your
whole philosophy. I will ask you another question: I am a low caste,
untouchable, impure, but where is my impurity -- in my body or in my soul? I
have heard you declaring that the soul is absolutely and forever pure, and
there is no way to make it impure; so how can there be a distinction between
souls? Both are pure, absolutely pure, and there are no degrees of impurity --
that somebody is more pure and somebody is less pure. So perhaps it is my soul
that has made you impure and you have to take another dip in the river?"
That was even more difficult. But he had never been in such trouble --
actual, practical, in a way scientific. Rather than arguing about words, the low
caste had created a situation in which the Advaitic scholar accepted his
defeat.
The low caste said, "Then don't go take another dip. Anyway there
is no river, no me, no you; all is illusory. Just go in the temple -- that too
is an illusion -- and pray to God. He too is an illusion, because whatever
appeared as waking experience is also as unreal as the dream.
Orthodox Advaita is not the means for Self- Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
That is why Sri, Sankara says in VivekaChudamani :-
56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by
learning, but by the realisation 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.
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
splendour 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.
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 scriptures 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.
Sri,Ramana Maharishi
indicated the direct path to the truth, is the source from which the false
arises. Thus the source is the soul or consciousness, 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.
One has to
bifurcate the orthodox Advaita 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 Atman 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 Atman cannot be attained
through study of the Vedas, nor through intelligence, nor through much
learning. He who chooses Atman—by him alone is Atman attained. It is Ataman
that reveals to the seeker Its true nature. (3
–page-70 
Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada)
The scriptures indicate that Ataman
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 nondual 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.
