Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Simply intellectually speculating saying ‘I AM THIS’ or ‘I AM THAT’ is not Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.




The scriptures have been passed down by hearing from one generation to the next. They were written down only relatively late. So, no one would know whether to rely on the times they give. Also, a lot depends on the translation. Each 'Shloka' (sanskrit verse) is open to many layers of interpretation.

Non-duality has no place for an individualized God or anything supernatural.   The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the innermost self, which pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states.  When wisdom dawns one becomes aware of the fact that the soul is the innermost self and the soul or consciousness witnesses all the three states. The witness and witnessed are one is essence.  

All the name and form has no value from ultimate standpoint, because all the names and forms are mere mirage created out of consciousness.  Consciousness alone is real and eternal. Thus formless soul or consciousness, the innermost self, is ultimate truth or Brahman. Nothing higher than that can be, when there is unity in diversity.

 That universal unity is what Buddha, Sri, Sankara and Sri, Goudpada discovered by investigating the depth of dimension of the mind, which is present in the form of universe. They realized this ultimate truth and enlightened. They achieved Gnana or Bodhi, the Self-Knowledge of Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

 The consciousness is not limited to the waking entity and the waking world because it pervades all the three states.

By inquiring “WHO AM ‘I’?”  , which is limited the waking entity will yield only half truth,   because it exposed only the unreal nature of the form and fails to expose the unreality of the time and space.   Thus ‘WHO AM I? Inquiry will not yield full truth.   Without taking all the three states into account,    it is impossible to realize the ultimate truth of Brahman.

Many People who are stuck with” WHO AM ‘I’? and ‘I AM THAT are unaware of the fact that,  their journey in incomplete. ‘WHO AM ‘I’ and “I AM THAT’ are only stages, they have to go much beyond WHO AM ‘I’? and ‘I AM THAT’ .

When self is not   waking entity and waking experience is false experience than what is the use of assuming of the ‘Self ‘without the form without realizing what ‘self ‘is in actuality.   One has to realize the self is within the form, time and space but self is without the form, time and space.  The form, time and space are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. Consciousness is the innermost self.   On the standpoint of the innermost self, the form, time and space are mere illusion. Therefore, perfect understanding is needed to realize ‘what is what’ to know ‘what is truth ‘and ‘what is illusion’. Simply intellectually speculating saying ‘I AM THIS’ or ‘I AM THAT’ is not Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

That is why Buddha said:-  
Do not believe a spiritual teaching just because:-

1. it is repeatedly recited,
2. it is written in a scripture,
3. it was handed from guru to disciple,
4. everyone around you believes it,
5. it has supernatural qualities,
6. it fits my beliefs anyway,
7. it sounds rational to me,
8. it is taught by a respectable person,
9. it was said to be the truth by the teacher,
10. one must defend it or fight for it.

However, only when it agrees with your experience and reason, and when it is conducive to the good and gain of oneself and all others, then one should accept the teachings, and live up to them."
....Buddha.
 
The seeker of truth is one who is ready verify and has courage to accept and reject the truth when he finds out what is truth and what is untruth. The meek will stick to their inherited conditioning remain experiencing duality as reality.