'Self' is not an individual because it is formless and universal.

The 'Self' cannot be experienced as an individual. 'Self'  is not an individual because  it is formless and universal.  People think the pundit’s interpretation of Upanishads and get stuck to the idea of experience as a touch stone. One has to realize the 'Self' is not form but 'Self' is formless consciousness, is prior to any experience. Experience implies duality.  Duality is mere illusion from ultimate standpoint.   In reality experience and experiencer are one in essence. Thus there is no second thing exists other than consciousness.  Hence it is non-dual. 

Experience belongs to individuality. And individuality is falsehood. There is neither individual nor his experience in reality. Man and his experience of the world cannot exist without waking experience. Whatever we are discussing, we are discussing within the waking experience. One has to know: whether physical body and the world are within the mind or the mind is within the physical body? The mind, physical body, ego and the world are present only, when the whole experience of the waking or dream is present. And mind is absent, when the waking/dream experience is absent. Thus one has to conclude the mind as the whole waking or dream experience. Thus the mind appears and disappears as waking or dream experience. All your arguments are truth only on the base of the ego, which is the false self, within the false experience (waking). The individual experiences within the waking are as real as dream.

 Suppose the same subject, if we are discussing in the dream and one asks me the same questions in the dream, then whatever he said in dream becomes unreal, when the waking takes place. Whatever one saying now, he is saying within the waking experience. The waking is unreal on the base of the formless witness, which is Atman. Atman is in the form consciousness.

How does one see various objects, scenes and persons during dreams? If the dream is experienced without the physical body, then what is it that experiences the dream? Therefore, there must be a formless witness of the dream world. This formless witness is the same witness that is witnessed this Waking experience also. Therefore the Waking experience and dream both are witnessed by one and only formless witness of which the seeker is not aware of. Since he considers the physical body [I] as the self or witness and views and judges the world-view on the standpoint of false self, within the false experience. The formless witness can exist with or without the waking or dream. But waking /dream cease to exist, without the formless witness.

The gross Waking experience is merged into the mental experience in the sense that, when it is analysed, it is found to exist inseparably in and as the mind alone. All "spiritual" planes are really mental: those who regard them as different or higher are deceiving themselves. The dream becomes unreal when the waking takes place; similarly the waking becomes unreal when the wisdom dawns. Therefore everything has to be grasped mentally, not argued on the intellectual point of view, which is limited to the false physical entity within the false experience.

The unreal is created out of real, and when one views and judges on the standpoint unreal [ego] then there is duality. When one is able to view and judge on the standpoint of real [Atman/true self] then there is only non -duality. Therefore, when the wisdom dawns then there is neither duality, nor non duality, only reality. This is my views and conviction.

All these confusion will go on, until man thinks, he is an individual and apart from the world, and the world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterwards. Therefore, it is necessary to know the fact the true self is not ego, but the true self is the soul, and stop viewing and judging the world-view on the standpoint of the physical self [ego], and one has to view and judge on the true self (soul or consciousness) to realize the fact that, the world along with man is illusion. The formless substance from which the illusion is created is Atman. Thus Atman is Brahman or ultimate reality. Thus no second thing exists on the standpoint of Atman or consciousness as self. Thus there is neither experience nor the experiencer in non-dual reality but only Self-Awareness.

Holding ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self is the cause of confusion.

The ‘I, mind, universe, waking, dream, duality are one and the same thing. Since, ‘I’ is identified as self all the confusion. Holding  ‘I’ or ‘I AM’   as self is the cause of confusion. Holding ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as self is blocking the realization of ultimate truth or Brahman.  The ‘I’  or mind or universe or waking or dream  is an object to the formless subject. Thus it is necessary to include the universe in the inquiry to realize the unreal nature of the ‘I’ or mind or universe or waking.  

When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be consciousness, which is the inner most self and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is the self. 

Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve. 

Dualist sages  could not distinguish between ‘I’ and ‘formless witness.’  They take ‘I’ as self or witness. Their highest is to say ‘I AM THAT’ without verification. They are so much attached to the 'I' that they do not want to think that 'I' does not exist. Again one is unable to detach the ‘I’ from the Real witness, which is ever formless.

The dualist object: - If everything else is false than   the statement I am   Brahman is itself false, the but when one says non-duality is false, there must be the awareness, consciousness, behind the very statement. You will also go, die. One has to rely upon that which is permanent.  Formless witness of the ‘I’ alone is permanent. Anything that one says is a witnessed [waking], but there is the formless witness [consciousness] there before any statement could be made.

Dualist or realists approach is more practical, and they stuck with the reality of the Universe or 'I' , they take it as real.

The dualist or realists   are unaware on what standpoint the world is real and on what standpoint the world is unreal. 

The world is real because it is a manifestation of consciousness, but is unreal, in the sense, that it is not absolute and eternal like consciousness itself. Thus from the ultimate stand point the world is unreal. Therefore whatever seen, known, believed and experienced as person within the practical world is bound to be unreal from ultimate stand point because of their impermanence. And the formless substance and witness of the mind or universe is real and eternal.  

It is the illusion, which is present as mind or universe in which you exist as a person blinds you to realize the fact that "you are" not the self.

It is the illusion, which is present as mind or universe in which you exist as a person blinds you to realize the fact that "you are" not the self.  By investigating what is mind? “What is the substance of the mind?” and “What is the source of the mind? frees the “Self” from experiencing the illusion as reality.   The formless Soul, the innermost self is eternally free. 

The Soul” is the innermost self. Soul is alone and it is unique. Soul never was before; it never will be again because it is ever free from form, time and space.  The form, time  and space are one in essence.  And formless soul, which is consciousness, is the essence of the form, time and space.   Thus the there is no second thing exists other than consciousness. 

Even though there is the body, the  “Self” is not the body.  Even though “Self “is within the world, the “Self” is not of the world. The “Self” is within the world but it is not of the world. The formless soul is the innermost Self. The innermost self is in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the innermost self, witnesses the coming and going of the waking experience, which contains the man and his experience of the world. 

Consciousness is within the three states because it pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states as their formless substance.   Consciousness is apart from the three states because it is formless witness of the three states. It is apart because it is not limited as an entity or identity or anything within the three states.  Identifying the consciousness as limited to form or identity is cause of the ignorance.   

Seeker of truth should not take some teaching or teacher as a yardstick.  Nobody is to judge you here and nobody can pretend to be judge other than your innermost self.  Seeker need not condemn any teacher or teaching but there is a need to know in what way their teaching blocks realization of ultimate truth or Brahman for his own information and such information has to be shared with other fellow seekers, which in truth helps them to realize, what is blocking their realization of ultimate truth or Brahman. 

The  individual experience  of  birth,life, death and the world are part of the illusion. Thus whatever is free from the illusion is reality. Thus it is necessary to realize the fact that, the "Self" is not the waking entity ,  in order to realize,  whatever seen,known ,experienced as waking entity  is bound to to be falsehood,  because the waking experience itself is falsehood.   Thus one has to get rid of the ignorance  to realize the form,time and space are mere illusion.

Ignorance is the cause of binding the soul, the innermost self to the illusory experience of form, time and space.  If ignorance vanishes through wisdom than illusory experience of form, time and space will never prevail again as reality.

When one acquires Self- Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana than the three states become and object the the soul, which is the subject.

Ultimate truth or Brahman is nothing to do with the experience of birth,life,death and the world.  The experience of birth,life,death and the world  are product of ignorance because they are based on the form whereas the self is formless. If there is no ignorance than  the   experience of birth,life,death and the world are mere mirage.

Thus it is necessary to overcome  the ignorance,  to realize the experience of birth,life,death and the world are mere mirage.

As one goes in deeper self-search he becomes aware of the  illusory division between the spirit and the matter.  in reality  there is no division between the spirit and the matter because matter is mere illusion created out of consciousness. Simply recognizing the whole  experience of birth,life,death and the world as matter. And the  formless substance and witness of the whole experience of the experience of birth,life,death and the world  as  spirit. thus the matter is created out of spirit therefore matter is spirit in its essence. this spirit alone is real and matter mere illusion.   

The experience of birth,life,death and the world is mind. Mind is in the form of universe. Universe appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep.   That is matter appears as  mind( universe or waking or duality)  and disappears spirit(deep sleep or non-duality) .

Mind  or universe or waking or duality  is matter.  Matter is created and sustained by spirit and  finally dissolves as  spirit. thus no second thing exists other than the spirit.  the spirit is the soul. the soul is the innermost self. the innermost self is in the form of consciousness.

 

A  Gnani  beholds the  the  consciousness  everywhere and in everything --- be it in mountain rock, flowing river, cloud, trees, sky sun, star, moon and planets in animal and all the creatures.

Gnani fully aware of the fact that the whole universe ,which appears as waking or dream  is created and sustained and finally dissolves as consciousness . for a Gnani the diversity is mere mirage created out of consciousness.

Form the standpoint of the formless soul, the innermost self , the three states are    mere illusion.  The individual  experience of birth, life  death  and the world are part of  the illusory waking experience.  Thus instead of searching the remedy for the suffering  in the practical life within the practical world one has to  realize the waking experience is  mere illusion. 

Seeker has to realize  on what stand point the universe is illusion.  By knowing the existence of  formless witness of the three states one becomes aware of the the fact that, the three states are illusory in their nature. The formless  soul or consciousness , the innermost self is the formless substance and also the  witness of the three states,which comes and goes in succession. On knowing the  formless soul or consciousness, the innermost self,  one  realizes the form,time and space are one in essence.

Soul or consciousness , the innermost self is whole undivided eternal without difference of any kind. But some  hold  that universe is come out of nothing. but they are unaware of the fact that  That nothingness itself is consciousness, the cause of the the three states and it itself is uncaused.  Therefore nothingness or emptiness has no meaning.   In the states of  ignorance, the  formless soul or  consciousness exist in the form of mind or universe or duality but  in reality nothing exists other than consciousness.

When one acquires Self- Knowledge  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  than  the three states become and object the the soul, which is the subject. the subject and object are one in essence because the object is created out of the subject. 

Religionists  think  that the Self-Knowledge  or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana are the private property of the religious scholars. it is meaningless to seek Self-Knowledge through religion and yoga because they are based on the ‘ waking entity ’ as self which is the false self within the false experience. 

 

 That is Sri Sankara, in Bhaja Govindam says: - [Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena] - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows. 

Thus it proves that wisdom is universal irrespective of any religion of faith one belongs.  Thus religion is not the means to self-knowledge.  Thus Sri, Sankara’s Advaita minus orthodoxy is true Advaita. 

Sri Sankara himself says [VC]

56. Neither by Yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realisation of one's identity with Brahman is Liberation possible, and by no other means. 

58. Loud speech consisting of a shower of words, the skill in expounding the Scriptures, and likewise erudition - these merely bring on a little personal enjoyment to the scholar, but are no good for Liberation.

 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 realisation one cannot be liberated by the mere utterance of the word Brahman.

63. Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the Self, how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman ? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.

So long as one is in the realm of duality, one has to explain how or why one thing came from another; and contradictory views are expressed. But when a Gnani shows there is no second, there is no production, and the contradictions do not arise at all, when the ultimate thing is consciousness alone. Thus consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman.

The dualist’ arguments are based on false self (ego or waking entity) and false experience (waking or dream or universe)    to show the weakness of the position of dualistic view point.  They at their wits end to explain.

 Existent cannot be a cause and effect at the same time, from the point of view of the dualist, but deeper self-search shows the Existent is no-two and causality can’t rise at all. Dualistic theory says that whatever was in the cause was also in the effect. They say that the gold brick, the gold medal, the gold ornaments --are in the seed--the gold. Deeper self-search reveals the fact that, if cause and effect are one what is the difference between the two

 

Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana  is the aim of every human being. Since everyone thinks the physical body is the self, their aim is misdirected and they focus their attention on materiality which makes one feel the duality(waking) as reality.

In pursuit of truth the ultimate truth has to be proved, not assumed.  The individual experience bliss is not Brahmic bliss.

Individual truth is not universal truth.  Individual cannot claim that he has experienced the whole.  There is no proof he has seen it, because the whole is not individual experience. The man and the world are within the whole.  Thus such claims of experiencing the  formless soul, the innermost self  is mere hallucination.

Being a house holder and in the midst of the worldly life one can dwell in the spiritual pursuit to acquire the Self-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Whether man dwells at home or forest if he has the intense urge and courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth is the chief requisite for spiritual advancement.

Ultimate truth is based on the soul therefore whatever practiced on the base waking entity will not yield any fruit, because the waking entity is the false self within the false experience.

 One should not  try to judge  ultimate truth holding religious or yogic doctrine as a yardstick.  Religion and yoga is not the yardstick to judge the ultimate truth   because they are practiced on the base of waking entity or physical self or ego.   The waking entity or physical self or ego is false self within the false experience (waking).    The non-dual truth has to be viewed and judged without scriptures, and on the base of the soul, the innermost self.  This formless path is inner path is without the religion or scriptures or god or yoga. The formless path is pathless path is without guru and self – treading towards direct realization.

Ultimate truth is based on the soul therefore whatever practiced on the base waking entity will not yield any fruit,   because the waking entity is the false self within the false experience. The religion and yoga are based on the form therefore they are   based on the matter (form) whereas the spirituality is based on the spirit (formless).  Thus religion and yoga are not spirituality, hence there is need to bifurcate spirituality from matter (form) based religion and yoga.

Advaita refers to non- duality. Non -duality is not a theory or concept it is the nurture of the innermost self, which Atman (soul or spirit or consciousness).  Thus whatever is based on the soul is spiritual. The soul is eternal identity which has no birth, life and death, because it is the formless.  Soul, which is in the form of consciousness, is the formless substance and witness of the illusory experience of birth, life, death and world.

The religion is based on the form. Without the form there is no question of religion. The religion accepts the concept of god, and believes the body itself as self, and injects theoretical code of conduct to live in the world, whereas in spirituality, the soul or consciousness is the true self and body, ego, world, conceptual god are part of the illusion created out of consciousness. 

Swami Vivekananda:-

Creeds and sects have their parts to play, but they are for children, they last but temporarily. Books never make religions, but religions make books. We must never forget that. No book ever created God, but God inspired all the great books. And no book ever created a soul. We must never forget that. (Talk given at Unity Hall, Hartford (Connecticut), USA, on March 8, 1895, as reported in "Hartford Times" (March 11, 1895). Complete Works, 1.324.)

Non-dualistic orthodoxy is based on the form. Thus it is conduct oriented and trying to prove the truth on the base of scriptural authorities, whereas the ultimate truth is based on the soul, the innermost self.  Ultimate truth has to be proved on the base of soul-centric reasoning without the scriptures.

Orthodoxy holds the caste, religious rites, god and guru glorification, scriptural studies, virtues, good deeds and physical conducts as the means to acquire the self-knowledge, whereas in pursuit of truth, only intense urge to know the truth, receptive mind, sharpness to grasp, courage to accept the truth and reject the untruth are necessary.

The guru is needed in only in religion and yoga.  In pursuit of truth there is no need for the guru. Gnani will never accept himself as guru nor does he claim himself as a Gnani.   One who accepts himself as guru does not know the truth. When one inquires in to the nature of the mind or universe    than the truth will start revealing on its own.

That is why Swami Vivekananda said: - “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”

The religion, concept of god and scriptures are greatest obstacle to acquire self-knowledge.  The scriptural knowledge fuels the ego. And ego makes one experience the duality as reality.  Duality makes one blind to the truth, and makes one accept, the egocentric theories based on the false self as authority. 

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.

Gaudapada says that:- The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.

This clearly indicates that religion, which is based on individual conduct, prescribes karma and Upaasana to people of lower and middling intellect, therefore religion is for the lower intellect. And wisdom is for those are capable of inquiring into their own existence.  

Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (brahmano hi pratisthaham, Bhagavad Gita 14.27)

If Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness then, it is necessary to realize, the consciousness as self, which pervades all the three states to realize the fact that there is no second thing exists other the consciousness. Thus, consciousness [Atman] is ultimate truth [Brahman]. 

 

As indicated in ISH Upanishads: - By worshipping gods and goddesses you will go after death to the world of gods and goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spend there is wasted, because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of gods and goddesses you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

It clearly indicates that:-If the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge then why one has to indulge in rituals and glorifying the conceptual gods and goddesses to go in to deeper darkness. Instead   spend that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is one’s prime goal.   

Since it is eternal and infinite, it comprises the only truth. The goal of Vedic religion, through the various yogas, is to realize that the consciousness (Atman) is actually nothing but Brahman.

 The Vedic pantheon of gods is said, in the Vedas and Upanishads, to be only higher manifestations of Brahman. For this reason, "ekam sat" (all is one), and all is Brahman.

Thus, the goal is to realize Atman [consciousness].  If Atman [consciousness] is nothing but Brahman and by realizing Atman [consciousness] as Brahman [ultimate truth] is truth realization or Self-Realization , then there is no need to follow religion, study scripters or glorifying gods and gurus and  follow the path of doubts and confusion by losing oneself in the labyrinths of philosophy, when there is an easier path.  By mentally tracing the source of the mind from where it rises and subsides one becomes aware of the fallacy of the mind, which rises as waking or dream and subsides as deep sleep.  The mind raises form consciousness and subsides as consciousness.

They alone in this world are endowed with the highest wisdom who are firm in their conviction of the sameness and birthlessness of Ataman. 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 is the consciousness, 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. 

Thus it is necessary to follow the inner(mental)  path dropping all the accumulated baggage and move forward to reach the destination in lesser time and effort.