Guru and disciple are one in essence . The essence is consciousness. Difficulty with people that they consider the self as their body and also their guru's body as guru. Thus they follow whatever their guru says and they blindly accept whatever the the guru declares. They do not accept anything other than their accepted truth. Such mindsets are not fit for pursuit of truth. Deeper self-search is needed to know what is truth and what is untruth.
For Gnani, who is
aware of the fact that the self is not physical but self is consciousness,
there is no illusion, even though; he is in the midst of illusion, because he
is fully aware of the fact that, all the three states are consciousness. Therefore he is conscious of consciousness in
the midst of illusion.
The language of
the duality, invented by the within the duality, for use in the dualistic
world, when used to describe non-duality, produces these apparent
contradictions, because there no apparatus in non-duality, because noting exist
other than the soul, which is in the form of consciousness.
Non duality is
the state of oneness of existence and there is no scope in its philosophy for
anything like non-existence.
Gaudapada’s rational
exposition of Advaita: - that whatever is seen,
whether external or internal, whether by the ordinary persons or yogis, is
unreal.
One has to respect every ancient teaching and also
everyone’s viewpoint but he should not accept them blindly without verifying
their validity from the ultimate point of view.
Most of the teachings are amazing and they lead us nearer to the truth,
but to reach the ultimate they are inadequate and useless. Thus we have to drop
all accumulated dross on that point, and move ahead without any baggage using
our own reason and reach the ultimate end.
It is wrong to say the world arise from the mind. The mind itself arises from the soul, which
is in the form of consciousness. The
man and the world are within the mind. Until one thinks the mind is within the body
he will not be able to go beyond duality.
Therefore, there is a need to understand what is mind, which appears as
whole experience of waking or dream [duality] and disappears as deep sleep
[non-duality].
When the self is not the body, then what is the use of body
based practices like tantra. They speak
of tantric sex but when the true self is formless and it has no gender and in
the realm of wisdom no second thing exist other then consciousness. When there is no man & woman and the
world in reality how one can get non-dual ecstasy in sexual climax. The self is always apart from the
appearance. And whatever is happening
within the appearance is nothing to do with the true self.
Meditation is not wisdom. When self is formless and nature of the self itself
is meditation then what is the use of doing meditation as physical body? The
self is always apart from the physical
body and the world, because, it witnesses the body as well as the world
together. The self is the formless
witness of three states. Therefore, the
main agenda of pursuit of truth is to realize the self as consciousness
[formless], and then only it is possible to understand and assimilate the
self-knowledge.
There is only consciousness, which is the true self;
however when the consciousness is conceptualizes with different concepts and
ideas, so it becomes difficult to understand and assimilate the non-dual truth.
Therefore there is no attainment of goal outside of consciousness, which is the
formless substance and witness of the three states.
Consciousness is the center of the physical
existence or mind, and it pervades in everything and everywhere in all the
three states. Deeper inquiry, analysis
and reasoning revels the fact that, consciousness is the true self.
Holding on to the awareness that the consciousness is the
real Self is the goal. The consciousness is already there. The veil of
ignorance has to be lifted to overcome the illusion. Therefore Self-Knowledge
is the only tool to know and realize the fact that, the veil mere mirage.
One can find answers to all questions if one first realizes
the fact that, the self is not physical body but the self is that, which
witnesses the physical body and the universe together, without the physical
apparatus.
The ultimate answer to all the questions comes only after
one realizes the self is not physical but self is consciousness. One will be able to understand and assimilate
the non-dual truth only after he becomes aware of the fact that, the
consciousness is the true self. Therefore, there is a necessary to realize the
fact that, “consciousness” is the true self, in order to realize, the body and
the universe are mere mirage created out of consciousness. Therefore the whole
experience of diversity is nothing but consciousness. Thus consciousness is
second to none. Therefore, to
understand and assimilate and realize the consciousness is ultimate truth
nothing else will help other then the knowledge of the true self.
Without knowing the nature of the world, it is impossible
to know truth. What is the use of trying to find the inner self before one
understands the world, which confronts him? One has to know the world which
confronts him is also consciousness.
First one must inquire into the nature of the body. Second he
must inquire into the nature of the mind.
Seeker has to look at everything in nature because in everything
there is consciousness. One should not avoid them, or shut his eyes to Nature; one
should not shut himself away from the world, which is as much consciousness, as
anywhere else. But people who are not sharp say to be non-observant and to
withdraw, but keen observation are desirable and will help, not hinder one’s
pursuit of truth. Seeker has to Take experiences as they come to him, he should
not run away from the world in ascetic fear or shyness of them.
To say universe is illusion without
first examining it, and inquiring into them thoroughly is to delude himself.
This universe is common to all; therefore one must begin his inquiry with it first.
It is only after he has inquired into the nature of the objective universe,
that he should inquire into who is the knower. If, however he inquires into the
knower before the inquiry into the universe, then it is mere mysticism. What is
the world?, must precede what is mind ? What is the substance of the mind?, in
pursuit of truth.
To know whole truth, one must
know the whole universe as consciousness, otherwise he gets half-truth. Renouncing
the worldly life to get the truth means incapacity to think, an impotency of thinking
faculty.
One is primarily interested in himself. Hence, to get started
on a higher quest he has to go to the root of his own self, i.e. to ask
"What am I?" When as a later consequence of this practice he gets
more impersonal he has to go to the root of the whole existence, i.e. to ask
"What is mind?"
He who loses touch with the world,
which confronts him and gives himself over to his thoughts alone takes his
illusions to be realities and will never be able to go beyond his illusory
reality.
Truth is “What is this universe”
“What is physical body or ego? ” What
are these three states” “What is the meaning all these together?"
What happens when thoughts are stilled? It is not the Self
that is found. It is only mind. Therefore, through yoga, it is not possible to
acquire non-dual wisdom. Therefore the
yogi does not know ultimate truth. Yoga is good to give peace and
concentration, but only in order to start reasoning, i.e. thinking again to
find the ultimate truth.
It is not enough to see a mere blank, in meditation. One
has to see the body, ego and the universe as consciousness. One is free from
ignorance not when he sees nothing at all, as in meditation but only when he
sees the entire universe as consciousness. Hence one must know “What is mind,
which appeared as universe?”, in order to unfold the mystery of the mind.
References of such commands are replete in scriptures like Manusmriti, Vedas, Upanishads, Brahmins, Grihsutras, Dharmasutras and others.
Few citations from different scriptures are imperative to bring home the point and clear the misconceptions:-
Manusmriti (Chapter 5 / Verse 30) says, “It is not sinful to eat meat of eatable animals, for Brahma has created both the eaters and the eatables.”
Manusmriti (5 / 35) states: When a man who is properly engaged in a ritual does not eat meat, after his death he will become a sacrificial animal during twenty-one rebirths.
Maharishi Yagyavalkya says in Shatpath Brahmin (3/1/2/21) that, “I eat beef because it is very soft and delicious.”
Apastamb Grihsutram (1/3/10) says, “The cow should be slaughtered on the arrival of a guest, on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ of ancestors and on the occasion of a marriage.”
Rigveda (10/85/13) declares, “On the occasion of a girl’s marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered.”
Rigveda (6/17/1) states that “Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse and buffalo.”
Vashistha Dharmasutra (11/34) writes, “If a Brahmin refuses to eat the meat offered to him on the occasion of ‘Shraddha’ or worship, he goes to hell.”
Also, comments of some great pundits of Hindu belief system are also worth noting:
Swami Vivekanand said thus: “You will be surprised to know that according to ancient Hindu rites and rituals, a man cannot be a good Hindu who does not eat beef”. (The Complete Works of Swami Vivekanand, vol.3, p. 536).
• Mukandilal writes in his book ‘Cow Slaughter – Horns of a Dilemma’, page 18: “In ancient India, cow-slaughter was considered auspicious on the occasions of some ceremonies. Bride and groom used to sit on the hide of a red ox in front of the ‘Vedi’ (alter).”
• A renowned scholar of scriptures Dr. Pandurang Vaman Kane says, “Bajsancyi Samhita sanctifies beef-eating because of its purity”. (Dharmashastra Vichar Marathi, page 180)
• Adi Shankaracharya’ commentary on Brihdaranyakopanishad 6/4/18 says : ‘Odan’ (rice) mixed with meat is called ‘Mansodan’. On being asked whose meat it should be, he answers ‘Uksha’. ‘Uksha’ is used for an ox, which is capable to produce semen.
• The book ‘The History and Culture of the Indian People’, published by Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan, Bombay and edited by renowned historian R.C.Majumdar (Vol.2, page 578) says: “this is said in the Mahabharat that King Rantidev used to kill two thousand other animals in addition to two thousand cows daily in order to give their meat in charity”.
A great majority of the followers of Hindu belief system are not in contact with their religious scriptures. i just want to highlight so many add-ons and adulteration has taken place in the past thus the Hindu belief system is not pure Vedic religion or Sanatan Dharma.