The great declaration of Sri ,Sanakra's - Brahma Sathya Jagan Mithya is scientific truth , rational truth and also ultimate truth.

Many seekers in this path of inquiry is still struggling even after long years and waiting for something to happen. Even after reading and inquiring deeply enough, still they are unable progress further.  Even they are unable to get any benefit in their spiritual pursuit through self – inquiry. And also they are unable to give up the self-inquiry due to the attraction of Ramana.  Many seekers end up with using “Who am ‘I’” as mantra and become stagnant without being aware of the purpose of the self-inquiry.

I was surprised to know after reading the interview of Mr. Sivapraksh Pillai who expressed that even after 50 long years he was unable to achieve his goal through inquiry, hats off to his sincere and honest statement. It is very difficult to get masters like Maharishi Ramana, Papaji or Nisrgdutta  Maharajah to get guidance in the present world.

In my honest opinion with all the due respect to every soul which was involved in recording and publishing the self inquiry, which is greatest treasure, and which opens the golden gate to  the seeker to enter into spiritual world, from religious world. Still there is lots confusion and doubts which are impossible to get answer the way the inquiry is presented in the books. But one will be able to overcome the same after lots of research. But it is impossible to do research in the present framework of the Self-inquiry. Since everyone is expecting and waiting for some mystic experience to happen and refuse to verify and accept the truth, because of there conservative outlook.

Even the intellectual- class, who have authored many books are viewed and judged Sri, Ramana on mystic point of view were unable to deliver goods due to their inherited religious background. Sri, Ramana was mystic for the mass, but he was Gnani for the class.

Religious based Advaita  is nothing to do with spiritual Advaita . Orthodox Advaita was diluted version  to suit the mass mind set by Sri, Sankara to uplift the Santana Dharma  which was in ruins in the clutches of Buddhism and Jainism. Even Sri, Sankara also says the religion, scriptures and yoga are not the means to self realization. 

Original spiritual  Advaita  of Sankara must have been  lost in time, but we find traces of it in the scriptures. Spiritual Advaita  is nothing to do with orthodox  Advaita, since the aim of spiritual Advaita a is to acquire only non-dualistic or Advaitic wisdom. the orthodox Advaita is based  on the physical self whereas the  spiritual Advaita is based on the soul,which in the form of consciousness. soul or consciousness is the innermost self.    

 It also becomes evident that different people who have interviewed Sri,  Ramana Maharishi at different time had different back ground and mind set. Therefore, it is necessary to bifurcate religious views of Sri Ramana Maharishi  from his spiritual views to get the hidden essence of Sri Ramana Maharishi ’s teaching.

S.S. COHEN, Nisrgdutta Maharajah  Poonjaji and Osho‘s books are more helpful in pursuit of truth.  But any way one has to do his own home work and research. I find not only inquiry, but reasoning is most important in unfolding the mystery.

Nisargadutta Maharajah clears many doubts and hurdles but still one cannot reach the ultimate truth since there are little confusions for which the seeker will not find reasonable reasoning. 

Many seekers have done excellent research on  Sri, Ramana Maharishi  but still there are many hidden massages which can be unfolded if the inquiry is well directed if reason is used.

The seeker cannot sit expecting some mystic experience to happen and which will unfold the mystery and helps one to experience the bliss.

All the mystic experience is based on yoga and religion. Yoga is necessary for preparatory stages and yoga is not means for self realization. Religion is used in the past as a tool condition the mind, to be, to behave, to believe, to live and create its own pedigree of mindset to  help the society to live in harmony with its own code of conduct. Religion is nothing to with spirituality. Spirituality is the tool to unfold the mystery of the mind. Therefore religion and god or guru glorification, scriptural studies are not necessary in pursuit of truth.

Soul-centric reasoning  only will help the seeker to unfold the mystery of the mind or human experience.

The conservative religious background in which every seeker is sentimentally involved is the main hurdle and obstacle in realizing the truth. Therefore it is necessary for everyone to know how they are hurdle and create fatter in truth pursuit. It is necessary for the seeker of the truth to have the courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth, when the truth is unfolded through inquiry and reasoning and analysis. Ramana‘s and Sage Sri Sankara‘s grace will pour only when the seeker accepts the truth and rejects the untruth.

The main hurdle one has to cross when one inquires “WHO AM ‘I ?” and proceeds further as per the instruction in the book, one finds it difficult in the latter stage and finds something is inadequate and wrong somewhere. Therefore it is necessary to find and remove the obstacles to reach the goal.

When one gets the answer I am not the body then the inquiry ends there. If ‘I’ is not the body then one cannot inquire on the physical base. Since the mind, ego senses whatever one experienced as a person of the world, god, religion, scriptures and whatever seen and known loses its meaning because ‘I’ itself cannot exist without the physical body.  Therefore, there is no meaning in carrying out inquiry on the physical identity saying I am not the senses, I am not the mind, and I am not this I am not that etc. because along with body the mind sense and ego and the physical experience of the world is rejected. When the physical body is not ‘I’ there is no entity to practice Self -inquiry  Then if you accept there is nothing further, then it becomes Buddha’s emptiness. But it cannot be empty because still something remains to say it is empty as Goudpada declares.  Therefore it becomes difficult to inquire on the physical base. 

Self -inquiry prescribed by Sri, Ramana Maharishi is a good tool  in  the beginning of the pursuit of truth. But seeker will find it inadequate to in latter stages. However, it creates lots of doubts and confusion.  The seeker has to find the answers on his own through deeper reasoning, then all his doubts and confusions will be cleared, and he will be able to move ahead in the path of inquiry, and he will be able to reach his non-dual destination.

 The doubts and confusion in Self-Inquiry

The Seeker has to overcome the doubts and confusion in later stages in self-inquiry, the seeker finds some doubts and confusion, which cannot be overcome if inquiry practiced on the present format prescribed in self-inquiry book. As per my personal research the self-inquiry in the present format will not yield any fruits.

 If mind is same as Atman (consciousness), how can it vanish--when the mind appears and disappears as Waking or dream?

How can one be certain when one leave the external world--when the person is within the world?

Why leave the external world when everything is Brahman---when everything is Brahman why crate division between the world and its perceiver?

How can the world alone cease to exist if one do not look at it—how can the person remain without the world and where he will exist without the world?

Who has the subtle mind projecting through brain and senses? How can one see his subtle mind?--when the brain also piece of the gross matter? ---then how can the brain come into existence after the world is created if the later depends on the brain.

Heart is idea created by mind, how the mind can emerge from it---when the heart disappear along with the mind and reappears along with the mind, how the mind emerge from it.

In deep sleep, swoon and trance, the mind turns inwards and enjoys its natural state--if so why should one inquire if one gets Atman in sleep. With drug one can get sleep and peace or bliss.

If sleep gives Brahman then why trouble with inquiry--better get it through pills. There are many seekers practicing inquiry for many years and waiting for something mystical to happen, why nothing happens and why their inquiry does not yield fruits.

Since Maharishi Ramana is not present physically to guide us, seeker to overcome these obstacle in the path of inquiry on his own.  

WHO AM 'I'? inquiry reveals  only the false nature of the ego. It is inadequate to reveal the truth of the whole.  

Sage Sri, Sankara is rightly  indicated :- VC- 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.

Sage Sri, Sankara is the only Sage Scientist  expounded the non-dual  truth 1400 years ago but it  is buried under  labyrinths of philosophy.

So much of conceptual divisions invented by pundits, thinkers and philosophers by their excessive analysis and these concepts are never ending.  So much of confusion created by mixing orthodoxy and then trying  to  explain  the  hotch potch wisdom by egocentric  pundits and scholars the real essence of  the great sage Sri, Sankara is lost.

Sage Sri, Sankara is the only Sage Scientist  expounded the non-dual  truth 1400 years ago but it  is buried under  labyrinths of philosophy.

The great declaration of  Sage Sri ,Sanakra's -  Brahma Sathya Jagan Mithya  is   scientific truth , rational truth  and also ultimate truth. 

The orthodoxy is nothing to do with the ultimate truth declared by the great sage Sri,Sankara.   

“Soul 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.

There is not  so  much on Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  but there is plenty of information on cults, gurus and their film flam, scandals etc.  Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana requires that one find out for himself. This also means discovering, exploring, and thinking for oneself.

Looking for mystical gurus and yogis are not related to finding real Self Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. A vast majority of these spiritual problems disappear as one takes full responsibility for his own "enlightenment"-- free of religion, god glorification, scriptural knowledge, cultural dogma, and burnt out historical traditions.

On pursuit of truth, everything all summed up in inquiring, analyzing and reasoning on the base of soul as self that is something one try for himself, and find out for himself.

Therefore, once one has that pointer, that direction, there is no need to waste time and effort. If one is interested in the history of gurus of yogis, or if one finds his transcribed talks entertaining or soothing, that is OK. Otherwise, once one becomes aware of the fact that ‘I’ is not the self, but the soul is the true self he will be able to drop all the accumulated dross.

Even after many years of practice of WHO AM 'I' and WHAT AM 'I' , does  not yield fruit   one can conclude  that the 'WHO AM 'I' OR WHAT AM 'I'  is inadequate to realize the ultimate truth or brahman.   

A religious guru or yogi is too enthusiastic to have everyone as his disciple, and he will push himself on others with his advices, authoritative scriptural knowledge. Religious guru or yogi wants to keep everyone in the domain of religion and yoga. 

Yoga is practiced on the base of physical self or ego. When the yogi sits down to meditate, he is thinking first of his posture, i.e. his body; next he tries to get rid of his thoughts," i.e. he is already thinking of those thoughts. Thus his mind is filled with body and the thoughts [ego], never of the formless witness. 

More than he wants to help people, he wants to help his ego. A serious seeker of truth will he  only uses people and impose his inherited idea of religion and god on them, usually unintentionally because he himself is more unconscious than others of the ultimate truth.

A Gnani is not enthusiastic to have anyone as his disciple. He never identifies himself as guru.  He does not impose his ideas on anyone. However, he identifies the serious seeker and guides them as a fellow seeker. It is very difficult to identify a Gnani, because he never claims himself to be guru or teacher. 

Most people are not aware what really they are seeking. They start there pursuit with their inherited religious ideas and as they go deeper they will feel that religion and yoga are inadequate to quench their thirst.

A serious seeker will realize the fact that, he is looking for something else, and he is now sure it is not self-assurance, fulfillment of dreams, fulfillment of social demands.   He will realize the fact that religion and yoga are means to quench his inner thirst.  

A Gnani dearly cares about the serious seeker but will stay aloof, he knows that if seeker needs to be assisted by him, he will approach or rather be drawn to approach him. He has no self interest whatsoever and so anyone considered equally for his love as anybody else, who ever comes, comes and if no one comes it is also fine.

 There are no divisions in consciousness or soul, the soul pervades everywhere and in everything in experience of diversity.  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 consciousness) to know there is only unity and the diversity is mere illusion.  “Soul  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.

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The God of Mind : Exploring the Implications of Neurotheological Research

The God of Mind : Exploring the Implications of Neurotheological Research

by Rs Mani on Friday, November 4, 2011 at 6:46am

The God of Mind : Exploring the Implications of Neurotheological Research

WRITTEN BY JONATHAN PARARAJASINGHAM OCTOBER 26, 2011 11:54 PM 3 COMMENTS

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth part of “Mind’s Matter”, a series by Dr. Jonathan Pararajasingham exploring the Neurobiological basis of behaviour.

Neuroscientists have discovered curious truths about religious experience and their potential enhancement through drugs, disease or even practice. In this article I explore the implications of the apparent malleability and non-universality of religiosity.

A relatively new area in neuroscience gaining momentum rapidly is neurotheology – a field which investigates the notion that within the brain are neural structures which give rise to the potential for religious experience. More studies are beginning to show not only that neural correlates exist, but that they have susceptibility to pharmacological and pathological modification and potentiation, much as the same as we have found for many of the complex emergent properties of the brain.

The neuroscientist VS Ramachandran has extensively investigated a curious condition known as temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Studies have shown that after TLE patients undergo an epileptic seizure, they uniquely describe having a profound “spiritual” experience. They claim to understand their place in the cosmos, and how everything suddenly becomes saturated with significance and meaning. Such experiences occur independently of prior beliefs held by the patient. Ramachandran has explained that the phenomenon is not evidence for “God module” as the media initially popularised. Rather that there are perhaps a variety of structures which work together to give rise to such spiritual experiences, which is the case with other specific systems of the brain. The visual system for example has many quite distinct components (colour, movement, object recognition, facial recognition) working together to produce vision, rather than a “vision module” located in a single area. TLE patients also show a reduced response to normally provocative images (such as sexual images), but a heightened response to religiously-loaded words or imagery.

The serotonin (5-HT) system has long been of interest in biological models of human personality. Psychopharmacological research has investigated the effect of psychedelic drugs in relation to religious experience. The drugs which have been studied include adrenaline derivatives (e.g. mescaline) and serotonin derivatives (e.g. LSD, psilocybin, DMT). It has been found that these drugs cause transcendental or spiritual experiences as well as intense visual hallucinations. The remarkable finding is that all of these drugs act on one specific type of neuroreceptor called serotonin 2A (or 5-HT2A) receptors, which are found all over the cortical surface of the brain. 5-HT2A receptors are stimulatory, which means when these drugs acts on them they increase production of serotonin in the brain, and this gross overstimulation of the 5-HT2A receptors leads to what are interpreted as religious experiences.

A second line of evidence regarding the serotonin system was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2003 on the effect of 5-HT1A receptors, which are inhibitory. They showed that the binding potential of 5-HT1A receptors correlated inversely with scores for “self-transcendence”. Self-transcendence is a personality trait covering religious behaviour and attitudes originally described by Washington University psychiatrist Robert Cloninger. He found that spiritual people tend to share a set of characteristics, such as feeling connected to the world and a willingness to accept things that cannot be objectively demonstrated. This result implies that there is a dysfunction in the 5-HT1A receptors in spiritual people resulting in less inhibition of the effects of serotonin, which in turn would lead to increased susceptibility to spiritual experiences. This was further evidence that the serotonin system may serve as a biological basis for spiritual experiences.

In “Why God Won’t Go Away”, radiologist Andrew Newberg describes his studies on the religious experiences of Tibetan Buddhists in meditation and Franciscan nuns in prayer. Using PET scanning, Newberg revealed a number of mental traits which all seem to play a part in an overall religious experience in the brain. The most interesting of these processes is the feeling of cosmic unity. The parietal lobe contains an area called the “orientation association area” (OAA), which processes information about space and time, as well as the orientation of the body in space. It determines where the body ends and the rest of the world begins. The left OAA creates the sensation of a physically delimited body. The right OAA creates the sense of the physical space in which the body exists. An injury here destroys your ability to navigate around in physical space.

Sensory input is essential for the OAA to function, which is blocked during intense meditation or prayer. The left OAA cannot find any boundary between self and non-self, resulting in a sense of oneness. Without sensory input, the right OAA defaults to a feeling of infinite space, where meditators feel that they have touched infinity.

The obvious interpretation of such findings is that there is neural architecture in the brain which includes the temporal lobes that are specialized for what we understand as spirituality, which may be selectively and transiently enhanced by pathological (epileptic storm) and artificial (5-HT2A agonists) factors. However, it is quite specific in these studies that what is described is an overwhelming feeling of meaning or significance. I would speculate that such religious experiences feed into our mind’s innate teleological sense, eventually culminating in a deep religious belief which is used to elucidate the experienced emotions. The focus therefore is in meaning – an idea which ties in elegantly with native teleology, explaining the obsession with meaning and purpose explanations among intellectual theists.

The most significant question that arises from these discoveries is the implications on the theistic account of free will in choosing faith. In other words, the typical monotheistic description of a God who gives us the ability (free will) to choose to worship him becomes problematic, since we find that the capacity for religious experience seems to be as varied among the population as any other personality trait, individual characteristic or innate ability. Some people are simply born with a brain that has a greater chance of finding God, as they are “wired up” that way. We are restricted in our choice, much the same as we are restricted in our choice to prefer chocolate or vanilla, Bach or Mozart, men or women. Neuroscientific studies have consistently shown that all the choices we make in life are far more greatly influenced by genetic makeup, rather than our environmental influences. In this regard, we are certainly not equal in finding pathways to God.

The potential of religiosity to be enhanced through drugs, disease or even practice, reminds one of similar effects on other abilities such as music or art. Certain brain conditions such as autism or schizophrenia lead patients to express heightened artistic or musical abilities. Perhaps we should think of deeply religous individuals as having a keen “religious ability”, much like we do with other types of artistic temperament.

But like art, such religious abilities may be rationalised now as being secondary to natural rather than divine processes, though I concede that those with strong religious abilities would be unlikely change their view that their stunning experiences have no supernatural component. Having said that, I would still hope for an intellectual purification of such feelings, perhaps first by discarding words such as spiritual, transcendent or religious in their description, as these have all been tarnished by the brush of supernaturalism. Instead, I would propose we begin to use phrases such as “numinous ability”. We can learn to appreciate this creative numinous ability as something intrinsically rather than mystically stunning, much the same as we appreciate music or art without linking their intrinsic beauty with supernaturalism.

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  4 people like this.
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    Tony O'Clery religion, mind and neuroscience are all mind and equally an illusion...as is the concept of god ulitmately.
    

    22 hours ago · · 5
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    Shw Bhardwaj
    

    All scientists and doctors are in the queue...their turn will come.. technical study can give us outer aspect....Technical education using the same divine energy and later on giving the outer conclusion of the matter which is already nothin...See More

    
    

    22 hours ago · · 2
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    Tony O'Clery Only life force is the tangible god.
    

    22 hours ago · · 2
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    Chris Elam All doctors . scientists,are an expression of the Self,A luminous brain experience, could be linked to the divine shakti, an expression of Kundalini, the investigation on the deathless nature would be more insightful.
    

    16 hours ago ·
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    Santthosh Kumaar
    

    God is dependent on man for his existence . For god to exist man has to exist first. Thus man has to discover the truth of the universe in which he exists, to realize man and universe are created out of single stuff and that stuff is consc...See More

    
    

    7 hours ago ·
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    Tony O'Clery siva/sakti
    

    7 hours ago ·
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    Santthosh Kumaar shiva and sakti are path of the illusory duality[mind or universe or waking] . In reality there is neither siva nor sakthi because the siva and sakti are one in essence. That essence consciousness . The consciousness alone is real and all else is mere illusion created out of consciousness. There is no second thing exists other than consciousness. Thus consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman.
    

    7 hours ago ·
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    Chris Waller
    

    The brain is a filter which if wired right allows what is real to shine through. If it is not wired right it is a veil which only allows one to experience certain facets of reality. The physical world obviously exists without any brain. Alt...See More

    
    

    7 hours ago · · 1
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    Santthosh Kumaar
    

    The brain of the dream entity is reality within the dream. same way the the brain of the waking entity is real within the waking experience. the dream becomes unreal when waking takes place. similarly waking becomes unreal when waking entity realizes the fact that it itself is not the self. but the self is formless witness of the three states ,which is beyond for,time and space. thus the function of the brain is reality within the illusory waking experience. What is it that really deciding on Physical action – is it ‘I’ -consciousness or something else within the brain? Who is the "doer" of the action? Is there a power beyond the brain?
    All these doubts and confusion are based on the physical self. The physical self is the false self. To understand non-dual truth it is not possible through scientific invention in present form, which is based on physicality, because the truth lies prior to physicality. The one which is aware of the physical existence is not physical, therefore investigating on the physical base and trying to discover, assimilate and realize the truth on laboratory condition is impossibility. The brain and Nero science is part of the physical existence, and truth lies beyond physical existence. Thus there is a need to know what exists prior to physical existence to unfold the mystery of the true existence.
    Deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning revels the fact that the self is not physical. The modern scientific inventions are based on physicality.
    Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness
    by :Alva Noë. Hill and Wang, 2009
    
    Alva No, a University of California, Berkeley, philosopher and cognitive scientist, argues that after decades of concerted effort on the part of neuroscientists, psychologists and philosophers "only one
    proposition about how the brain makes us conscious ... has emerged unchallenged: we don't have a clue." The reason we have been unable to explain the neural basis of consciousness, he says, is that it does not take place in the brain. Consciousness is not something that happens inside us but something we achieve it is more like dancing than it is like the digestive process. To understand consciousness the
    fact that we think and feel and that a world shows up for us we need to look at a larger system of which the brain is only one element. Consciousness requires the joint operation of brain, body and world.
    "You are not your brain. The brain, rather, is part of what you are."
    If the brain is not the self then what is self? Therefore, there is a need to understand and assimilate the self-knowledge through deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning in order to unfold the mystery of the ‘I’ or universe.
    When the scriptures itself suggest that:-
    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]
    
    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 Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada]
    The above passages further prove that: Self-Knowledge cannot be attained by study of the Vedas and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge. Therefore, there is no use of studying the Vedas and other scriptures in order to acquire the non-dual wisdom. That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sri, Sankara indicated that, the truth lies beyond religion, concept of god and scriptures.
    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 him self 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).
    Thus, the truth is beyond physicality. One has to discover, grasp and assimilate it only by deeper thinking through inquiry, analysis and reasoning on the true base.

    
    

    6 hours ago · · 2
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    Chris Elam The one which is aware of the physical existence is not physical, ...In a nutshell
    

    6 hours ago · · 2
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    John Troy Thanks, Santthosh.
    

    3 hours ago · · 1
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    Santthosh Kumaar U R welcome John.
    

    about a minute ago ·
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Man is unaware of the fact that, he is not the witness of the three states

In general we do not observe the coming and going of the three states.  Man is unaware of the fact that, he is not the witness of the three states, which comes and goes in succession because he thinks only intellectual way which is limited to waking experience. 

 Man thinks he is an individual separate from the world and world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterwards. But he is unaware of the fact that, he and his experience of the world are within the waking experience.  The waking experience appears and disappears, same way as the dream. When there is dream than there is no waking. When there is waking than there is no dream.  When there is neither the dream nor the waking it is identified as deep sleep in waking experience.   One is aware of the dream or deep sleep only in waking.  The one which is aware of the coming and going of the three states is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity but the formless witness of the three states.  

 It is not waking entity because waking entity was absent in dream and also in deep sleep.    Thus one has to trace the existence of the formless witness of the three states, which is aware of the coming and going of the three states in order to realize the waking is parallel dream and dream is parallel waking.  The one which witnesses the waking or dream as a whole without the physical apparatus is formless consciousness, which is the innermost self.  When innermost self-witnesses neither the waking nor the dream than it is in its formless non-dual true nature, but  its true nature is identified as deep sleep in waking experience ,which is the state of ignorance. 

 Until one becomes aware of the existence of the formless witness of the three states the ignorance will prevail and the three states are considered as individual experiences.  Thus it is necessary mentally trace the existence of the formless witness in order to realize the formless witness, which is in the form of consciousness alone is real and the three states are mere mirage created out of consciousness.    

How man and his world can exist without waking experience. Whatever we are discussing, we are discussing within the waking experience.  One has to know: whether physical body and the world are within the mind or the mind is within the physical body?  The mind, physical body, ego and the world are present only, when the whole experience of the waking or dream is present.  And mind is absent, when the waking/dream experience is absent.  Thus one has to conclude the mind as the whole waking/dream experience.  Thus the mind appears and disappears as waking or dream experience. All your arguments are truth only on the base of the ego, which is the false self, within the false experience [waking].  The individual experiences within the waking are as real as dream.  

  

seeker has to  think:  suppose the same subject, if we are discussing in the dream and you asked me the same questions in the dream, then whatever you said in dream becomes unreal, when the waking takes place.  Whatever you are saying now, you are saying within the waking experience. The waking is unreal on the base of the formless witness, which is soul or Atman or consciousness.  Thus it is necessary to realize the soul, which is in the form of consciousness is the innermost self. Thus all our conclusions and judgment and conclusions has to be based on the formless witness of the three states no the on waking entity, which is limited to the waking experience.     

How does one see various objects, scenes and persons during dreams? If the dream is experienced without the physical body, then what is it that experiences the dream? Therefore, there must be an invisible [formless] experincer [witness/knower] of the dream world. This invisible [formless] experincer [witness or knower] is the same experincer that is experiencing this Waking experience. Therefore the Waking experience and dream both are experienced by one and only invisible [formless] experincer of which the seeker is not aware of.  Since he considers the physical body [ego] is the self [experincer or witness or knower] and views and judges the worldview on the standpoint of false self, within the false experience.  The formless experincer [witness or knower] can exist with or without the waking or dream. But waking or dream cease to exist, without the formless witness. 

The gross Waking experience is merged into the mental experience in the sense that, when it is analyzed, it is found to exist inseparably in and as the mind alone. All "spiritual" planes are really mental: those who regard them as different or higher are deceiving themselves.  The dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place; similarly the waking becomes unreal when the wisdom dawns.  Therefore everything has to be grasped mentally, not argued on the intellectual point of view, which is limited to the false physical entity within the false experience. 

The unreal is created out of real, and when one views and judges on the standpoint unreal [ego] then there is duality. When one is able to view and judge on the standpoint of real [soul or true self] then there is only non -duality.  Therefore, when the wisdom dawns then there is neither duality, nor non duality, only reality. This is my views and conviction. 

All these confusion will go on, until man thinks, he is an individual and apart from the world, and the world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterwards. Therefore, it is necessary to know the fact the true self is not ego, but the true self is the soul, and stop viewing and judging the worldview on the standpoint of the physical self [ego], and one has to view and judge on the true self [soul or consciousness] to realize the fact that, the world along with man is illusion. The formless substance from which the illusion is created is consciousness. Thus formless soul or  consciousness  is Brahman or ultimate reality.  Thus no second thing exists on the standpoint of consciousness as self.

Deeper inquiry and reasoning on the true base reveals the fact that, the mind, which is in the form of universe is an appearance.  Only on the standpoint of physical entity or ego the universe is reality.  But on the base of the soul, which is in the form of consciousness the universe is unreal. The formless witness or consciousness itself is the substance of the universe.   The man perceives the world within the mind or waking or duality. Therefore, man, ego, world together is mind.  

Thus mind appears and disappears as waking or Dream. The consciousness is the innermost self and witness of the mind or universe. The universe appears as waking or dream disappears as deep sleep.   The waking or dreams are dualistic appearance and deep sleep is non-dualistic. The one which witnesses the three states is formless, apart and eternal.  The mind or universe is mere mirage created out of consciousness.  on the standpoint consciousness which is the  formless substance and witness of the three states the three states are not real.  

  The substance witness is Atman, which is in the form of consciousness. Therefore nothing exist other than consciousness. The objective awareness is mere illusion created out of consciousness , the true self. Therefore, formless  soul or  consciousness  itself is the Brahman or ultimate reality, because there is no second thing exit other than consciousness.

One may be a great sage, king, dictator in waking experience, but in sleep all his individuality and his experience of the world vanished, everything has become one with the whole

Advaita (non-duality) and Dwita (duality)   is  state of  the self. It is not some intellectual theory.  Advaita declares  the Atman [soul] is Brahman; and the world is illusion. Orthodox Advaitins and dwitins believe the body as self, and they believe world is reality, and they believe in creator and creation theory. 

In orthodox Advaita and Dwita are  mere a religious tradition, which they inherited from their ancestors. No one questions their validity, because it is considered blasphemy to question any guru and god-men or pundits. 

People who are attached to their religious  code of conduct and trying to preach Advaita , that is mixing the individual life, and concept of god, and all mixed up hotchpotch  religious doctrine and feed the seeking minds, are themselves not aware of the fact that  the individuality,  and the worldly life is part of the illusion.

After studying and going through all the rigorous training from the religious scholars in Theosophical Society, J.K was confused about all these, and when he started verifying with deeper introspection, he found everything was priest-craft hotchpotch. Thus, he refused to become the world guru, rejected it, and walked out.   

Every Upanishad says something as truth and prescribes some practice. If  one Upanishad say the yoga is the tool to realize the truth, another says the breath is everything, yet another say following ardently religious code of conduct in day today life is the only way, and yet another say something else. All Upanishads are interpreted by both the Dwitins and Advaitin and also Vishita- Advaitins.  Moreover, their argument never reaches the end, each one trying to prove their views are right and ultimate. 

Buddha rejected Vedas concept of god and religion, after verifying the facts and found them useless  and got enlightenment. Religion is  are meant for the worldly mass who are immersed in practical life within the practical world , to live in the religious regulated life, with the fear of god, to live in peace and harmony in the world. However, they are not the means to self-realization. 

When body is not the self, what remains is the soul, thus the soul is the self, and the formless  soul has no religion, because it has no form, no ego. It is ever free.  Soul is our true identity. The ‘I’ is mere illusion. Thus arguing the ultimate truth on the base of false self, (ego) is like our own shirt   is arguing itself as self. The waking experience is mere shirt to the formless soul, the innermost self.   The waking experience is as insentient as our shirt without the soul, the innermost self. Considering the ‘I’ as self, is considering the insentient as self.  Until this is properly understood and grasped, it is impossible to assimilate the Self-knowledge  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.    

One may be a great sage, king, dictator in waking experience, but in sleep all his individuality and his experience of the world vanished, everything has become one with the whole. That is why there is need to understand the fact that, all the three states are unreal just mental. The one, which is aware of the unreal, is consciousness, which alone is real.   

Therefore, one has to know what becomes dual (waking or dream)and what becomes non-dual (deep-sleep). When the body is not the self, what is it that sleeps? and what is it that wakes up? and what is it that dreams?  Judging the truth on the waking entity, which is physical, and concluding the truth and accepting as truth is erroneous. Thus seeker has to make sure the fact that the soul is the true self and learn to judge the truth on the base of  soul as self to realize the fact that , there is no second thing exists other then the soul or consciousness , hence it is non-dual.  Since there is only soul or consciousness nothing ever exited, never existing and will exist in future.  Thus soul which is in the form of consciousness  alone is real. whatever is real and permnent is Brahman.

The ignorance is present in the form of ‘I’.

Every religious sect has its own philosophy, individualized God god , way of living ,code of conducts,    rites and rituals. On account of  these diverse  differences people look  down upon the religion of others, and indulge abusing each other and fight among themselves. Such religious based differences lead to violence,terrorism,wars and unrest in the world.   Thus religion  has become cause of concern in the modern world.   The only remedy is realizing the ultimate truth ,which will expose all religious  fable and  brings unity in diversity in everyone's understanding.   Thus the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the universal tool  to eradicate the unrest, violence ,wars and terrorism going on  in the name of God and religion.

Every kind of knowledge or experience is not Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  Most People believe that, Religion, Yoga, Theology, Scholasticism, Mysticism, Metaphysics and Science or path of love and path of humanism, is thought by many sages in the past to be the tools, to realize the ultimate truth or Brahman. But the fact is that, truth realization is not confined to form, time and space. It does not dependent on any of these old tools prescribed by the sages of the past, because it is apart from, time and space.  Truth realization is the truth of the whole not of the part. ‘WHO AM ‘I’ AND ‘I AM THAT’ revels only half truth.

The truth realization is to investigate the truth of the physical existence of universe.  It seeks the meaning of all that is seen, known believed and experienced as person and of the world that confronts him.

Man learns from his experience that he is ever liable to err, which leads to disappointment and suffering. It naturally, therefore seeks to avoid a repetition of error. Thus he has to make efforts at seeking truth or freedom from error.  But because of ignorance he fails to investigate of his true existence. The ignorance is present  in the form of ‘I’.

Deeper self-search itself is meditation. People think they don’t make progress. It is because they are not gone deep enough and they assume self- realization is some physical experience like yogic Samadhi or yogic bliss.   The self-awareness comes naturally when one becomes fully aware with the firm conviction of the existence of the formless witness of the three states.   The formless witness, which is consciousness, exists prior to the three states. Thus it is necessary for the seeker to realize what exists prior to the appearance of the three states.     

Though man is able to exercise his reason, yet he does not get to a stage at which there can be no disappointment or suffering. He has to make his "trials" as often as is necessary.  But the pity of it is that he does not realize that he has not attained truth, unless doubt arises as a result of disappointments or sufferings, of his own or of others.