The Soul is indeed the supreme
Self but due to its association with ignorance it finds itself under the
bondage of the illusory duality, which is the sole cause of experiencing birth, life , death and the world as a reality .
Sage Sri,
Sankara says: -
VC-47 All
the effects of ignorance, root and branch, are burnt down by the fire of
knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the
not-Self.
Sage Sri, Sankara says: - VC-162- There is no liberation for a person of mere
book-knowledge, howsoever well-read in the philosophy of Vedanta, so long as
one does not give up the false identification with the body, sense-organs,
etc., which are unreal.
The false identification of the Self with the non-Self is
considered to be the root cause of the universe. When through deeper
self-search this false identification removed, it is called liberation.
The soul, the innermost self is of
the nature of the objectless awareness. This truth is self-existent and cannot
be denied, for to deny one‘s self is to actually prove its existence! The
experiential realization of this truth is the goal of the seeker of truth.
There is no difference between
self-knowledge and self-realization, for to know the true self is to realize
the true self is not the waking entity (ego) but the formless soul, which
is present in the form of consciousness.
Since the ultimate goal of the
seeker of truth is to attain liberation from experiencing the duality as
reality. Through Self-Knowledge, leads to the liberating the soul, the
innermost self from experiencing the form, time and space as reality.
Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or
Atma Gnana has been explored since time immemorial attests to its perennial
interest and universal value.
Long before Socrates’ injunction: - “Know Thyself”, Indian sages
have been exploring for long the question of the truth of the man and his experience
of the universe. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is
fundamental since all other knowledge is dependent upon this knowledge. It is
important for one to know “what is truth” to realize “what is untruth”.
Without first knowing the true self,
one can never understand truly where he stands in the cosmic scheme of things. Ignorance
of the innermost self is seen as the root cause of experiencing the birth,
life, death and the world as reality.
Due to ignorance of our true self
and consequent lack of correct valuation of things, one is stuck with the
illusory reality of the universe because they take it as real.
Without knowing the true self —the
truth of one’s existence—one can never overcome the ignorance.
Advaita only means negation of
duality. The soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is ultimate
truth or Brahman. The consciousness is the cause of the origin, maintenance,
and withdrawal of the universe is Advaita (i.e. non-dual), it means that the
consciousness transcends all conceptions, positive and negative. Nothing positive
can ever be imagined or said about it.
The
consciousness is existence absolute, awareness absolute. Existence absolute means that consciousness
is not unreal or non-existent. And it is not unconsciousness. Nothing positive can be stated about consciousness.
In one of the Upanishads the disciple
says to the Master: "Lord, tell me the nature of Atman". The Teacher
remains silent. Again the question is asked, and again the answer is silence.
By his silence the Teacher indicated that the nature of Atman is in
inexplicable, indescribable and unimaginable.
The soul, the innermost self is the
One without a second. There is not the least shadow of multiplicity in the
soul, which is present in the form of consciousness."
