Ignorant are struck with awe or reverence at the outer
indications of renunciation, and thus they take a religious scholar or god men
to be a Gnani. But the religious scholar or god men have no connection with the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
By having no wife, no family, and
no possessions" is not the qualification to acquire the non dual wisdom.
By repressing these desires is anything to do in pursuit of truth.
The first step is of knowing “the
true Self." The second is to know the true self is Atman or consciousness." Then
alone one knows the non dual truth and wisdom, i.e. the Atman is the ultimate
truth.
Realizing the fact that, the True Self is not ‘I’, but the Atman or consciousness or soul, is the key that opens the door of non dual reality.
This yoga helps only to stabilize the restless
of the mind. The formula "What is I?" presupposes the existence of an
‘I’. ‘I’ is only an assumption. Before proceeding to act on such a formula
seeker ought first to inquire whether ‘I’ is the self or not.
Pursuit of truth starts from what one sees as a person, i.e. the
world. Non dual wisdom comes from both
knowing the world and the true self. To leave out one of these parts is to
prevent attainment of non dual wisdom.
"What is “I” is useful and certainly
has a value, and gives some clue of the true self as the Witness and the
witnessed. The man and the world face the true self. This truth has to be
grasped. If the witnessed [waking/dream] is ignored, then "What is I”
cannot give the full truth.
Who am ‘I’ is physical based
inquiry; not the spiritualistic; the latter deals with the three states,
whereas the former deals with a part only.
"Who am I" is physical
based, because there, is no person in realm of truth but only in the illusion. The
right way of inquiry is “What is I?"
To reflect on “What am
I?" can only yield the
thought 'I', just as the yogi who says
"I will not think of beautiful bride" will end up by always thinking
of her.
The inquiry “Who am I” is a physical,
not a spiritual inquiry. It is centered on physicality and individuality. It is
on a par with "What shall I be after death?" and "What shall I get
as a reward if I pray to God?" It is purely ego-centered: it is an appeal
to the interest in selfishness only. Seeker of truth has to lift their thoughts
above ego and ask "What is ‘I’ or mind or universe or waking."
All the experiences of the three states put together make the Atman or soul, not merely the
ego which is present only in waking or dream questioning itself ''What am I.”
Reflecting on the whole is the best
way towards non dual destination: reflecting on the parts are only steps
towards that.
- v What is the first thing that one sees when waking takes place?
It is the world. The mystic and believers disregard this in order to think of self.
Those who jump at once to Atman disregarding
the world are mystics or religionists, not seekers of truth.
If one doesn’t see objects, it does not mean he has non dual wisdom.
Whoever looks at objects alone, at the external world, he is wholly ignorant. However,
one, who looks at both the outside and inside, inquires; he is led towards
self- knowledge.
Seeker of truth has to analyze both
mind and matter to get at truth. The knowledge of the objective world and the
knowledge of the truth of the self or the subject are necessary in pursuit of
truth.
In the beginning of path of inquiry
one does it to please himself, not for truth; hence he asks "Who am
I?" It helps the elementary stage of understanding of the fact that body
is not the self and helps in loosening of the ego.
