There
are no divisions in consciousness or soul, the soul pervades everywhere and in
everything in experience of diversity or universe.
In addition, waking entity is not the base to decide where the Presence
is and where it is not. It has to be viewed, judged and concluded on the
base of the formless witness [soul or self] to know there is only unity and the
diversity is mere illusion. “Soul, which
is present in the form of consciousness is all-present and everywhere and in
everything and connects everything to everything and finally becomes nothing
other then itself.
For
those who have learned how to see, and judge the three states on the base of
the soul as self, find the truth is perfectly hidden and perfectly revealed in these
three states.
Instruction
to the group members most of the orthodox non- dualistic discussion forums:-
The purpose of the
discussion is to arrive at a clear understanding of Advaita using scriptures as
pramaaNa or means of knowledge. From time to time questions will be
raised and answered to stimulate the discussion. In addition, some on-going
talks will be posted for listening and for contemplation.
People who head these
discussion forums are orthodox scriptural scholars or people who have been
trained under these scholars. More than
discussion there is only argument takes place citing the scriptures’. Such discussion will not lead the seeker anywhere because the seeker has to prove his standpoint citing the scriptures whereas Upanishads say by studying Veadas one will not get self-knowledge.
Punditry explains Advita in orthodox non-dual forum :-
Duality and Non-duality
We live in a world of
apparent duality. There is “I” and there are other people, objects, ideas and
emotions. Time, space, causality and language all depend upon and relate to
this world. Whilst every “thing” else changes, however, “I” who witnesses and
knows all of these experiences remain the same.
This separation is grounded
in our use of language. At the earliest age, we are taught to differentiate and
“name” the things around us – “me”, the subject, and “something else”, the
object. But these names are actually “attributes” and not things-in-themselves.
We refer to a “golden ring” with “ring” as a separate noun but the ring is
actually only a transient form of the gold – we should really call it “ringy
gold.” Form is the “attribute” of the object and should be expressed as an
adjective and not a noun.
But gold is only a
particular and temporary configuration of protons, neutrons and electrons, so
that it too is an adjective or attribute. Similarly, protons etc. are themselves
made up of still smaller particles, called quarks. Ultimately, everything is
only name and form of that fundamental reality which is changeless – the only
noun which is not an attribute of something else.
There is a famous quotation
in the Chandogya Upanishad - 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.
By reading this, one will become aware the scholars from his non-dualistic
forum have not reached anywhere, but.
They hold the ‘I’ itself as self, and they will never reached anywhere. Scholastic
knowledge is not wisdom. Most of them write big volume of books and indulge
self-glorification. It is waste of time and effort to indulge
discussion with people who are conduct oriented and based on karma theory. It
is meant for those who are not seeking truth but for those who are born in
orthodox cult. There is no need to condemn them because they
are conditioned to accept whatever they inherited from one generation as
ultimate truth.
This
non-dualistic scholars or pundits like Dualist
sages could not distinguish between ‘I’ and ‘formless witness.’ The 'I' was the
witness. Their highest was the Jiva. One is so much attached to the 'I' that he
do not want to think that 'I' does not exist. Again one is unable to detach the
‘I’ from the Real witness.
Scholastic arguments and orthodox attitude is out-dated and not
fit for the modern mind-sets who are capable of thinking using their own
reason. It is no use of arguing with
people who live in self-imposed orthodox prison and who impose their false
inherited baggage to the next generation.
It is high time for the orthodox cult to wake up and indulge is
self-search their belief to realize the non-dualistic truth expounded by the
great sage scientists, Sri, Sankara and Goudpada.
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 endeavor 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.
The foreign disciple come to India
to study scriptures and write great books to feed the seeking crowd but all
this bookish knowledge of ornamental words can satisfy only the emotions and
feelings of an individual. The truth is beyond emotions and feelings because
the formless self is not an individual.
The religious path is emotional
path and it is for those who has the conviction that the practical life within
the practical world as reality. Considering the traditional path as path of
truth is great mistake. There is no need
to condemn the traditional paths but seekers of truth have to realize the fact
that, they are not the means for Self-Realization. Thus it is necessary to
realize the fact that, traditional path which are based on the scriptural
authority cannot transport the seeker to their non-dual destination as declared
by the Upanishads.
Self-Realization cannot be bought in
spiritual super market because truth cannot be patented as individual property because
the ultimate truth or Brahman is declared by the sage scientists Sri, Sankara and Goudpada 1400 years
back.
Orthodoxy which is meant for the lower stage of understanding, who are incapable of grasping the
non- dualistic truth, but to those who are capable must use their own reason.
Thus nondual
truth can be attained by scientific or rational inquiry and reasoning without
guru, without scriptures by anyone who has urge to know the universal truth or
Brahman.
Thus if one is seeking non-dual
or Advaitic truth he need not go
anywhere because it is within his mind and it is without his mind. Thus perfect
understanding is necessary to assimilate and realize it.
Seeker of truth has to avoid
getting involved with the guru or teaching if wants acquire Self-Knowledge
because emotionally getting involved with guru or teaching becomes great
hindrance and one will permanently remain in the prison of physicality or
duality.
One finds lots of differences between traditional Advaitic
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.
Sri, Sankara, in debates with Buddhists
and others who did not recognize the authority of the Vedas, had been obliged
to prove the truth of Advaita by means of reason alone. Mandukya
Upanishad, a scripture which appealed to reason to the exclusion of
Revelation.
Nonduality 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.
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.
In pursuit of truth seeker has to use
his reason in order to have knowledge and understanding. First one must become aware of the fact that,
‘I’ is not the self and realize the fact that holding ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self is
obstruction his realization. This is
possible only when one becomes aware of the fact that ‘I’ is not limited to
body but to the whole world confronting him.
Seekers only goal is to remove all the obstacles which his
blocking his realization. Thus whatever
blocks his realization has to be mentally discarded to realize the ultimate
truth or Brahman. Orthodox
or theist non-duality is no means to self-realization.
That
is why Sri, Sankara says in Viveka Chudamani:-
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.
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’.
Thus Sankara
clearly suggests direct realization of truth is not possible through punditry
or orthodoxy. Why to follow the
traditional path, which does not yield any fruit. Therefore, Seeker of truth has to take the
direct path and avoid losing precious time and effort loosing himself in
philosophical studies and traditional path.
When Sri,Sankara declares:- the world is myth and Brahman alone is real
then why worships the guru and gods of
this unreal world . That is why Veda bars such worships and
people who indulge in such activities will suffer and sink into darkness. And Upanishads says self-realization is the
human goal. Therefore, one has to strive only for self-realization or truth
realization.
When the
self is formless there is no need for pada pooja [feet worship] of Advaitin
gurus to get freedom. A guru, who preaches conduct as the means to freedom, believes
in birth, life death and the world as reality, whereas the Advitic sage Sri,
Sankara declares the world as unreal. Therefore, how actions performed in
unreal world can get moksha or freedom. Therefore there is need to know the
fact that, the self is not physical in order to understand and assimilate and
realize the truth beyond physicality.
That is why Gaudapada says that: - The merciful
Veda teaches karma and Upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect,
while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.
Thus Goudapada suggest that the religious paths and worship of guru and
conceptual god are lower and middling intellect. But in this modern world people are sharp
enough to understand and assimilate ultimate truth or Brahman or god. Thus people
who wants higher truth then it is high time to discard the lower knowledge and
move ahead to realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God.
They alone in
this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction
of the sameness and birthlessness of Ataman. The ordinary man does not
understand their way. [Chapter IV — Alatasanti
Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada]
Therefore, if one
is seeking truth he has to know his true self is not physical but it is the Ataman,
which is in the form of consciousness.
That
is why Sri, Sankara says in Viveka Chudamani:-
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.
66. Therefore the
wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all
the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and
deaths.
Most people who write books on nonduality are borrows idea from
punditry have commercial interest to sell their books or ideas. They have not
expounded anything new other than presenting the eastern concepts to suit the western
seekers in ornamental words.
Their arguments and orthodox attitude is out-dated and not fit
for the modern mind-sets who are capable of thinking using their own reason. It is no use of arguing with people who live
in self-imposed orthodox prison and who impose their false inherited baggage to
the next generation. It is high time
for the orthodox cult to wake up and indulge is self-search their belief to
realize the non-dualistic truth expounded by the great sage scientists, Sri,
Sankara and Goudpada.
Mundaka Upanishad
says:- 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.
When sages themselves found rituals are
unsafe rafts for crossing The sea of samsara, of birth and death and ignored
them and they the Mundaka Upanishad further suggest that, such rituals are
unsafe rafts for crossing the realm of duality those who try to cross The realm
of duality on these poor rafts are
Doomed to shipwreck are. Ignorant of their own ignorance, yet wise in
their own esteem, these deluded people (pundits) proud of their vain learning
go round and round like the blind led by the blind.
Therefore, if one wants to acquire Atma Jnana
or Brahma Gnana or Self- Knowledge or
knowledge of consciousness one has to drop all ritualistic and orthodox baggage
to move forward in their pursuit of truth.
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.
When the Sri,
Sankara says in 63- Viveka Chudamani: - 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.
Pundits do not even bother to go deeper in self-search what
really Sri, Sankara declared because there can be no correct exposition
in the Upanishads unless the guru has had realised of the truth. Otherwise it
is merely adding words to words.
That is why Sri, Sankara says in VivekaChudamani :-
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.
Thus what is the use of holding the scriptures as proof or
pramaaNa or source of knowledge? When Sri, Sankara instructed clear cut message
it is foolish to hold scriptures as authenticated authority.
Thus Sankara
clearly suggests direct realization of truth is not possible through punditry
or orthodoxy. Why to follow the
traditional path, which does not yield any fruit. Therefore, Seeker of truth has to take the
direct path and avoid losing precious time and effort loosing himself in
philosophical studies and traditional path.
All the religionists believe in god and goddesses [vidya] and performing rituals and other sacrifices[Avidya] both are hindrance to self-knowledge
according to Ish Upanishads, then why the seeker of truth needs worshiping of god and
goddesses, when essence of Advaita is Atman is Brahman [soul or self as ultimate reality].
Therefore, if one
is seeking truth he has to know his true self is not physical but it is the
Ataman, which is in the form of consciousness.
Isa Upanishads indicates that: By worshiping gods and goddesses and
going to the world of gods after death is of no use. The time one spends
in ritualistic practices is wasted; one can spend same time moving forward
towards Self-knowledge, which is the main goal. One cannot reach the non-dual
destination by glorifying god and goddesses and by doing that, one goes deeper
and deeper into darkness. It surely indicates the fact that, the seeker of
truth has to drop the worshiping god and goddess in order to get
self-knowledge.
It also indicates that, Religious
Rituals [Avidya] is Karma [action] and therefore a hindrance. By
performing Agnihotra and other sacrifices [Avidya] is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the
dark.
In addition, it indicates the karma
is limited only to the religious rituals, not on the whole human life. This
karma theory based on the human conduct must have been adopted from Buddhism
and other theories based on human conducts.
When it says: Perform the obligatory
karmas without any attachment to the fruits, and at the same time worship gods
and goddesses, again without any desire to go to heaven - then you can get the
benefit of both, liberation and bliss. For those who are not yet ready to
renounce, this path is recommended, it mean that the religion and its
idea of god and goddesses and code of conducts, and its rituals are meant for
the mass who are incapable of thinking of the beyond.
In addition, it also speaks of heaven
the abode of gods, where one goes after death, and it speaks of rebirth, this
contradiction, seeker has to conclude that religion, rituals god and its code
of conducts are meant for the mass that is not receptive to
self-knowledge.
When the self is not the form but
self is formless soul, which is in the form of consciousness than how the
physical conduct oriented orthodoxy can get self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Sri, Sankara declares: - the world
is myth and Brahman alone is real then why to worship the guru and gods based
on the ego, which is false self of this false world.
All the karmas performed by the orthodoxy are
non-Vedic and barred by Vedas.
When the
self is formless there is no need for pada pooja [feet worship] of Advaitin
gurus to get freedom. A guru, who preaches conduct as the means to freedom,
believes in birth, life death and the world as reality, whereas the Advaitic
sage Sri, Sankara declares the world as unreal. Therefore, how actions
performed in unreal world can get moksha or freedom. Therefore there is need to
know the fact that, the self is not physical in order to understand and assimilate
and realize the truth beyond physicality.
That is why Gaudapada says that: - The
merciful Veda teaches karma and Upaasana to people of lower and middling
intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.
Thus Goudapada
suggest that the religious paths and worship of guru and conceptual god are
lower and middling intellect. But in
this modern world people are sharp enough to understand and assimilate ultimate
truth or Brahman or god. Thus people who wants higher truth then it is high time
to discard the lower knowledge and move ahead to realize the ultimate truth,
which is Brahman or God.
They alone in
this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction
of the sameness and birthlessness of Atman. The ordinary man does not
understand their way. [Chapter IV — Alatasanti
Prakarana 95-P-188 in Upanishads by Nikilanada]
Therefore, if one
is seeking truth he has to know his true self is not physical but it is the
Ataman, which is in the form of consciousness.
The Upanishads declares
Katha Upanishad delares:
This Ataman 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 Ataman
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 Ataman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker
Its true nature. [3 page-70 upanhsds by Nikilananda
When the Upanishad
says: the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge and they indicate
the personal gods, scriptures, worship and rituals are not the means to Self
–Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it. The religion, concept of
individualized god and scriptures are greatest obstacle to realize non-dual
truth or self-realization, because they are based on ego, which is the false
self. Therefore, one has to search the ultimate truth without losing
himself in the labyrinths of philosophy, he should indulge in deeper, inquiry,
analysis and reasoning and assimilate and realize it.
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.
Seeker of truth has to know that something is inadequate in Buddhist or
Advaitic teachings to reach the non-dual destination because of the add-ons and
adulteration. Thus it becomes difficult to reach destination directed by the
Buddha, Sri, Sankara and Sri,Goudapada.
It is for the seeker to go on his own and remove the obstacle. The
greatest hindrance is mixing religion, god, scriptures, and yogic theories.
Moreover, attachment to scriptures, personal god and religious code of conduct
keeps one permanently in the grip of duality.
For the same reason Raman Maharshi said: fortunate are the one who
do not lose themselves in the labyrinths of philosophy. Bhagwan says: Take
Vedanta, for instance: it speaks of 15 pranas the names and functions of
it which the student is asked to commit memory. Will it not be sufficient
if he thought, only one prana does the whole work of maintaining the body?
Again the antakaran is said to think, to desire, to will, to reason etc. Why
all these details? Has anyone seen antakarana, or all these pranas? Do they
really exist? They are 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. (GURU RAMANA .By S.S Cohen -vii Danger
of philosophy-Page -58-59)
The duality is reality on the standpoint of the false self [ego or body
as self]. The duality is mere mirage on the base of the true self, which
is formless consciousness. This understanding comes only to the serious seeker,
who has real urge to know the ultimate truth, which is beyond the all the
teachings and teachers. There is neither teaching, nor teacher, nor student in
the realm of truth.
