Mind means subject and object together.

Mind is universe. The mind or universe is only an object to the subject. Mind means subject and object together.  The self is only the subject without the object.   The "Who am I?" quest naturally troubles people first because everyone is most interested in himself before he gets interested in the world ,which confronts him.

The “Who am I?” inquiry is useful as a first stage to show the illusoriness of ego and thus help seeker to realize ego is false self. This prepares him to consider the higher question: What is the universe, the truth about which cannot be learnt by those attached to their ego, with its prejudices against idealism, etc. 

If one asks why there are so many different creatures and things in the universe one may regard them as teachers, there are lessons to be learnt from them by using reason. Why did God produce all these varied forms? It is so that the ignorant people may study them and get wisdom

One has to study the whole world, which confronts him.   People think that their duty to the world to remove their personal sufferings thus their belief system becomes important to them. Seekers of truth want to get rid of all their doubts and confusion to get freedom from duality.

A yogi,  who goes on uttering “I am within everyone" or "I am Brahman" is merely repeating like a parrot words which he has read in the Upanishads or heard somewhere. It does not prove that he has realized Brahman/Ultimate truth. He will be unable to prove that everything is” I AM” if hold I AM as self.

Who am ‘I’ inquiry helps to unfold half-truth.

Sri, Ramana Maharshi’s teachings are very valuable for seeking world.  But serious seekers have to move much deeper and beyond Who am ‘I’? , to realize the ‘I’ itself is illusion.  

Pursuit of truth starts from inquiring “Who am ‘I’?  but wisdom dawns only  by   knowing the mind, which is in the form of universe  and the self ,which is in the form of consciousness. Who am ‘I’ inquiry helps to unfold half-truth. To leave out one of these parts is to prevent attainment of nondual wisdom.

"Who am I” is useful no doubt, it has certainly a value in its place, and gives some knowledge of self as the Witness, but what about the witnessed? The universe still faces us. It must also be looked at. If the universe is ignored, then "Who am I” cannot give the full truth. It is the yogic enquiry; not the spiritualistic; the latter deals with the whole of life whereas the former deals with a part only.

"Who am I" is dualistic, because there, is no person in the realm of truth but only in the illusion the ‘I’ exists. . It should be "What is “I”?"  To meditate on the formula “What am I?" can only yield the thought 'I'. I never cease even after long years of practice of “Who am I?” inquiry.  The question "Who am I” is an egocentric, not a soul-centric question. It is a based on the physical self. It is on a par with "What shall I be after death?" and "What shall I get if I do good deed in this life?" It is purely ego-cantered: it is an appeal to the interest in egoistic only. Only the soul-centric -minded can lift their thoughts above ego and inquire;-What is this mind?  "What is the universe?" “What is the substance of the mind?  

 All the experiences of the three states put together make the Atman[self], not merely the ego questioning itself ''Who am I.”

Meditation on the whole is the best meditation: meditation on the parts is only steps towards that.  The first thing that one sees is the world. The yogis and religionist disregard this in order to think of self because they are unaware of the fact that self is not the ‘I’.  They think ‘I’ is the true self and they continue their spiritual pursuit without verifying what ‘I’ is?.  The deeper inquiry analysis reveals the fact that, ‘I’ is not the self, but ‘I’ is mind and mind is the universe, which appears as whole waking experience of dream.  Thus, people who limit the ‘I’ to the physical entity or ego will never be able to reach their nondual destination.

Those who jump at once to Atman disregarding the world are yogis or religionists, not seekers of truth.  If one don’t see the world, it does not mean he have wisdom. One who looks at objects alone, at the external world, he is wholly ignorant. But he who is able to witness his body and the world together without the physical apparatus is a Gnani.  

We have to analyse both mind and its source to get at truth. Two things are necessary in pursuit of truth:-

 (1) Knowledge of the object [mind or universe]

 (2) Knowledge of the subject [true self].

  When one begins inquiry he does it to please himself, not for truth; hence he asks "Who am I?" It is an elementary stage of discipline because ego-bound but aiming at loosening ego.  But one has to become aware of the fact that, the body, ego and universe appear together and they disappear together. Therefore just trying to get rid of the ego alone is impossibility.  

Those seekers who inquire “Who am I?" may succeed in finding the common factor in all ‘I’s, the I-ness but they have to come back afterwards to the world or duality. Their task is incomplete. They do not know the world also is consciousness.

"What is ‘I’? is " a spiritualistic  interrogation. What is the universe? What is mind? What is the whole? One becomes aware of the fact that ‘I’ is the mind and mind is the universe. After having examined deeply; one becomes aware of the fact that the universe is noting to with self that is the experience of birth, life and death has nothing to do with the self, which is in the form of consciousness. The self is the formless and   witness of the universe, which is in the form of ‘I’, which comes and goes as waking or dream.   The self is the one witness in all and are really ever free.  Therefore there is a need to become aware of the fact that ‘I’ is not the self but the formless substance and witness of the ‘I’ is the true self.

Illusion, which is in the form of universe or mind, is the veil over the consciousness, which is the true self.

Illusion, which is in the form of universe or mind,   is the veil over the consciousness, which is the true self. Mind or universe hides the consciousness, which is the true self. Mind or illusion is erupted from consciousness. Until one thinks the body as self he is bound to experience the illusion or universe as reality.   Illusion is based on the individuality and   full fear, attachments, dreams. Whatever experienced as an individual is all illusion.  Without the individuality there is no illusion. From the ultimate perspective there is only the consciousness, which is the true self. Illusion or universe is the creation of consciousness and consciousness itself.

To know the universe is mere illusion one has to learn to view and judge the three states from the perspective of the formless substance and witness of the three states, which comes and goes. The witness is formless, apart and eternal. The freedom from experiencing the duality or illusion is possible only when one is able to witness the three states from nondual perspective.        

 There is no dividing line between mind, which is in the form of universe and the soul, which is in the form of consciousness, because illusion or universe is the veil over the consciousness, which is the true self.

One has to overcome illusion by knowing the self in truth.

The self is neither form, nor time, nor space.  In order to grasp and assimilate the ultimate truth one has to know the witness of all these.  

The self is seeking itself within the illusion.  In ignorance it is unaware of its true nature.  Until it holds itself as a person perceiving this world, which is a pitfall that has to be avoided by perfect understanding led by deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning. All accumulated wealth of scriptural knowledge has to be dropped only then, one will be able to overcome the all the obstacles and able to grasp the nondual truth in lesser time and effort.   

The pursuit of truth is a mental journey. Deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning makes one aware of what truth is and what is untruth and only then  the subconscious  will be able to reject the untruth after knowing, what is Truth. Whatever prevails after rejecting the untruth mentally is the ultimate truth.

The universe, individual experience of birth, life and death, thoughts, words, pain and pleasure are part and parcel of the illusion.  One has to overcome illusion by knowing the self in truth.   The birth, life, death and universe are nothing to with the self, which is in the form of consciousness.  But egocentric orthodox scriptural knowledge will not allow accepting anything other than their egocentric knowledge.

The path of orthodoxy is not straight. Their conduct based practices and concepts based on imagination mixing dual and nondualistic ideologies and indulging in Non-Vedic activities are great obstacles in pursuit of truth.  Thus, shunning all of them is necessary for those who want the ultimate truth or wisdom.

Illusion contains the truth but without any things, forms and names.   If seeker aspires for self-knowledge he has to shun the three states mentally by realizing the three states are mere mirage and realize the self as the formless substance and witness, of these three states.   The formless substance and witness is the soul, which is in the form of the consciousness.    Thus, consciousness alone is real and eternal.  Therefore, one has to know the three states as mere mirage. The mirage contains his body and his experience of the world. And realize the mirage as consciousness because mirage is erupted out of consciousness to bring unity in diversity.   The diversity is mere mirage created out of single stuff, which is consciousness. Thus everything is consciousness.

Sankaracharya and Maya

VlSHNUVARDHANA, the King of the Hoysalas, was a Vaishnavite and was greatly incensed at the doctrine taught by Sankaracharya that everything here below is an illusion. He wanted to teach the exponent of this doctrine a lesson. So he invited the then Sankaracharya to his palace. That holy man went there and stoutly maintained that everything in this world was illusion. The king had arranged to let loose an infuriated elephant against Sankaracharya. The beast rushed at Sankaracharya who took to a precipitate flight to save himself.

'Oh, Venerable Sir,' shouted the king, 'why do you run so fast seeing that the elephant is only an illusion?'

 
'Oh, king,' said Sankaracharya in his course of his flight, 'my running too is an illusion. Everything in this world is an illusion.’

Similarly, we all are searching truth within the illusion not being aware of the fact that, the illusion is created out of single stuff which is: Consciousness, Atman/soul/ Spirit/Self/Christ/Brahman/Emptiness.

Thus searching the truth in illusion with the illusory self, within the illusory experience, has to be illusion.  The illusion is created, and sustained, and finally dissolves as Spirit, which is Soul/Self.  Since, there is no second thing other than the Spirit or consciousness; the Spirit itself is God/ Brahman/Christ.  This conviction can be derived only from deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning.

One has to trace the source of the mind mentally and realize the fact that, the source itself is the self,

One must be desirous of knowing the ultimate truth, consider the ultimate truth as means to freedom. Truth is the most distasteful, bitter and unpleasant thing; but there cannot be any question of “satisfactions” in truth.   Many think what they know is truth. But they never question or verify what they know is truth.  Imagination is not truth.

Self-knowledge means realizing the nondual nature of reality.  Sharpness is needed to grasp and assimilate the nondual understanding. By perfect understanding one becomes aware of the fact that the soul, which is in the form of consciousness and the mind, which is in the form of universe are eternally not separate, because the mind  is erupted from consciousness, sustained by consciousness and finally dissolves as consciousness. Therefore, the mind, which is in the form of universe is mere division created out of consciousness.  The division is mere mirage from the ultimate point of view.    

Nonduality can be ascribed to the true Self or the Consciousness alone. It is not accessible to reason, for the ego-bound experience in the waking condition cannot step out of the duality of subject-object relationship.

Soul is in the form of Consciousness alone, is real and eternal. And consciousness is ultimate truth.  The mind, which is in the form of universe, is mere   illusory appearance and it is impermanent. The Self is nothing but consciousness, which is ultimate truth.

The names and forms are present only in duality. The duality is mere mirage on the ultimate standpoint. Therefore there is a need to know the ultimate end from where the duality, which is in the form of mind or universe, rises and subsides.  When the mind rises all the names and forms are present and when the mind subside all names and forms subsides. The knower of the mind or universe, which comes and goes, is apart and eternal. Thus the knower of the mind or universe is formless and nameless and apart and eternal. The mind or universe, which comes and goes, is impermanent. The formless witness of the mind or universe is real and eternal.  Thus there is a need to realize the existence of the formless witness apart from universe or mind, which appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep.

Whatever are named are part of the illusion because noting can be named in reality because there is no duality in reality. The nonduality is the source of the duality. Universe has a source and it has a no name.

Thus the nondual nature of reality is recognized by identifying the source of the mind or universe. No name is the same name as that nondual nature or eternal name. But the universe contains names and forms.  Until people recognise the nameless by giving it name as “I AM” it becomes impossible to cross the threshold of duality.    One can talk about nondual reality with words, but one has to grasp its existence mentally because it exist prior to the appearance of the universe or mind.   The duality or universe emanates out of nondual reality.

Until we discard the universe from its source mentally the reality will not be revealed.  Buddha kept silent when asked about the Ground of Being. Only his   Noble Silence would simply reflect one back upon his -self, challenging him to awaken in the moment, in the now, which is universe or waking experience.

The words and thoughts are mere tools to move towards nondual reality. Little use for words doesn’t precipitate or point to, awakening because words and thoughts are part of the duality, they ceases to exist in nondual reality. Even logic must take a far, far, second place to the all-important task of a personal realization of the unborn, undying, pure wisdom source which is the birthright of everyone.

Seeker of truth should not to become attached to words as being in perfect conformity with meaning, because Truth is not in the letters. When a man with his finger-tip points to something, the finger-tip may be mistaken for the thing pointed at; in like manner the ignorant, are unable even to the day of their death to abandon the idea that in the finger-tip of words there is the meaning itself. They cannot realise Ultimate Reality because of their intent clinging to words which were intended to be no more than a pointing finger. Words and their discrimination bind one to the duality or birth, life and death; meaning stands alone and is a guide to nondual freedom. Meaning is attained by much learning, and much learning is attained by becoming conversant with meaning and not with words; therefore, seekers of truth have to avoid the sticklers for particular words.

Consciousness without division is Ultimate Reality defies all description or characterization." "All characterizations of consciousness, in short, are intended in their experiential dimension to aid those who are searching for ultimate truth or reality but have not yet realized it.

"Human language has its source in phenomenal experience; hence, it is limited in its application to states of being that are beyond that experience; logic is grounded in the duality as it relates to the phenomenal order; hence, it is unable to affirm, without at the same time denying, what extends beyond that order." Whatever is expressed is ultimately non-Brahman, is ultimately untrue.

Inquiry, analysis and reasoning is necessarily to reach the wordless reality, one must place himself in the source the mind or universe to realize the all the thoughts and words are part of the mirage hence I they are meaningless on the standpoint of the source which is consciousness.  Once one is able to view on the standpoint of the source of the mind the words, thoughts and experience becomes, meaningless and lifeless because there is no division in the consciousness only oneness.

One has to understand the without the mind there is no universe. Without the universe there is  no individual experience. Without the individual experience there is no duality. Without the duality there are no thoughts and words. Without the thoughts there is no separation. Without the separation there is no illusion. Without the illusion there is no ignorance. Without the ignorance there is no urge for wisdom. Without the wisdom there is no reality. Without knowing the reality there is no non-duality.

All the words are having the meaning within the illusory world. If there is no words and thoughts then there is no division. When there is no division then there is duality. When the there is no duality then there is oneness.  Thoughts and words are present only in waking or dream. Waking experience is parallel dream and dream is parallel waking experience. Waking experience is parallel dream. The experience birth, life, death and the universe within the waking experience is mere mirage on the ultimate stand point because the self is neither the waking entity nor the dream entity, but the self is the formless substance and witness of the mind, which is in the form of waking or dream which comes and goes.

Thus, the words and thoughts have their value within the false experience of waking or dream. When one becomes aware of the false hood of this waking or dream by becoming aware of the true self, which is consciousness, the awakening happens and one becomes aware of the fact that, the forms and names thoughts and words are mere mirage created out of consciousness. Thus the all the experiences of the three states are mere mirage created out of single substance, which is consciousness.  Thus consciousness alone is real and eternal. Consciousness alone is ultimate truth, which is identified as God/ Brahman/Buddha/Christ/Allah. Thus the universe, which is in the form of mind emanate out of consciousness, sustained by consciousness and finally dissolves as consciousness.   

People read so much, hoping to have an inkling of Truth, but more they read the more Truth recedes from their ken. All the philosophies are all useless and inadequate  in the quest of truth. Philosophers differ among themselves.   Therefore one has to trace the source of the mind mentally and realize the fact that, the source itself is the self, which is in the form of consciousness.