The thinker and the thought are
present only in duality. There is neither thinker, not the thought in
reality. Thus the nature of the thinker
and thought is formless and non-dual, because both are created out of the same
stuff, which is formless and non-dual.
The duality (waking or dream) becomes
non-duality (deep sleep). We are unconscious about it, because we view and
judge on the base of physical entity which present only in duality. The
dream entity is not the waking entity, because we call the whole dream as false
hood when the waking takes place.
The dream and waking experience has
to be considered as duality, because the duality is present only in waking or
dream and duality is absent in deep
sleep. Since we limit the mind or ’I’ to
the physical entity, we become ignorant of the true self and we experience
duality as reality.
The mind or ’I’ is not limited to the physical
entity alone but to the whole experience of waking or dream. If mind or ’I’ is
present then the waking or dream (duality) is present. Absent of mind or ’I’ absent
of duality. Thus mind or ’I’, which appears
as waking and dream is unreal. And the formless knower of the appearance and
disappearance of the mind is real, permanent and eternal. This has to be grasped mentally.
The religious thinker cannot think
beyond their belief system. Therefore, the Hindu or any other religious thinkers
cannot cross the threshold of duality. Advaita[non-duality] and Dwaita or duality
is the nature of the self/soul. When the soul, the innermost self is in waking/dream it is
Dwaita or duality and when the soul the innermost self is in its formless non-dual true nature it is
Advaita or non-duality.
The Advaita philosophy is based on the scriptures and
religion and god is not the means to Self knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana because the scriptures it
self declare that:-
Katha Upanishad:
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 Atman attained. It is Atman that reveals to the seeker Its true
nature. (3
–page-70
Mundaka Upanishad Upanishads by Nikilanada)
Second-hand knowledge of the self gathered from books or gurus can never
emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only
direct realisation will do that. Realise yourself, turning the mind inward. – Tripura
Rahasya, 18: 89
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 Sage Sri Ramana Maharishi 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)
Sage Sri, Ramana Maharishi further explains (in page 111/112- practical guide to know
your self) :-
Q:
D: Is it not necessary to study the Vedas or at least Prastnatraya[Bagvad Gita. Dasoponishad and Brahma Sutra all with commentaries] to ensure firm realization?
A:
Bhagvan: - No. Do you need all that to see yourself? All that is intellectual
wealth, useful in explain doubts and difficulties if others rise them if you
yourself encounter them in 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 quest.
Therefore, the seekers of truth need not lose themselves in the labyrinths of philosophy, but go
straight to the source from which they all arise. Truth pursuit is an inner
journey without the physical baggage.
Sage Sri, Sankara himself says (VC) 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.
Mundaka Upanishad :- The study of the Vedas,
linguistics, Rituals, astronomy and all the arts Can be called lower knowledge.
The higher Is that which leads to Self-realization. The eye cannot see it; mind
cannot grasp it. The deathless Self has neither caste nor race, Neither eyes
not ears nor hands nor feet. Sages say this Self is infinite in the great And
in the small, everlasting and changeless, The source of life.
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 Atman, which is in
the form of consciousness.
Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana 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 ultimate truth lies beyond religion,
concept of god and scriptures.
There is only one Reality to be
known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by the religion. Self-discovery is the only way, towards non-dual
Absolute without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold
the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching the truth of our true
existence.
The beliefs of god, religion, yoga are
based on the false self, is nothing to do with the mental [inner] journey. The religious, rituals, worships, prayers
god and guru glorification may be useful in the worldly life, for those who believes in the birth, life, death and the
world as reality, but they are not useful tools in realizing the ultimate
truth. On the base of consciousness (soul) as self, everything other than the
consciousness is mere mirage. Thus, man
and his experience of the world and his belief of god and religion are part and
parcel of the mirage created out of consciousness.
