One has to study the whole world, which confronts him.

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 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.

 The first thing one is aware of after waking is the world, which confronts him. Therefore the first thing he ought to study is the world, not the self; to that of which he is aware, not that which is aware. 

Self-Knowledge is not anthropocentric like mysticism for the simple reason that it takes away duality eradicates the ignorance.

Nondual wisdom deals with the whole, this not only totalizes all natural phenomena in the universe but their witness must also be included under this term.

If one speaks of sleep or Samadhi, he is still in duality for he knows that he was in those states only afterwards when awake. Hence Yoga, teaches duality, not non-duality. 

Panchadesi, P.509 v,109, shows the impossibility of yoga arriving at a successful end to its practices. 

Yoga is intended to remove the hindrance and obstacles in pursuit of truth such as sexual desire, worries, anxieties, desire for money etc., and also to enable the mind to keep out irrelevant thoughts and prepare one for the mental [inner] journey. All this has to be done before the starting of the inner journey. Therefore, yoga has only a negative value and is a preparatory stage. It is quite unnecessary in pursuit of truth itself.

The mind is in the form of universe. In this mind dwells the soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Man, who is dwelling in the universe, must attain freedom from experiencing the duality as reality. The universe contains divers’ animate and inanimate beings or things; in the invisible (subtle) all is one, indivisible.

Sri, Ramana Maharshi’s teachings are very valuable for seeking world.

Sri, Ramana Maharishi'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 non-dual 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 inquiry; 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 ultimate truth or Brahman  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 non-dual 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 analyze 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. 

Sri, Ramana Maharishi   has indicated many other ways to Self-Realization other than WHO AM 'I'? .There is a need for deeper research to understand assimilate the truth beyond form,time and space.

“Self is not “I”. To know the ultimate truth of one’s Self as the sole Reality, and to merge and become one with it, is the only true realization.

“Self is not “I”.  To know the ultimate truth of one’s Self as the sole Reality, and to merge and become one with it, is the only true realization.

Just realize the Self, is not” I” but self is the formless substance and witness of the “I”, which is mere illusion.   Because people want something elaborate and mysterious, so many belief systems have come into existence. Only those who are mature can understand the matter in its naked simplicity.

The ultimate truth is so simple; it is nothing more than being in natural, original state of the self, which is the soul. The soul is in the form of consciousness.

When one realizes the body is not the self, the soul is the true self, and then he realizes the experience of his body and the experience of world are mere illusion created out of the soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Therefore, there is only oneness, there is no second thing exists other than consciousness in the realm of the true self.  By realizing the true self is not “I” one becomes free from experiencing the duality as reality. 

Realization comes only when one realizes the self is not the body or ego, but the self is consciousness, and it pervades all the three states as their formless substance and witness.

One should not look for truth within the religion.  The truth is beyond religion because the religion is based on the ignorance. Ignorance exist because of one thinks the false self ( ego or waking entity) as true self and false experience (world)as reality.    

There is no permanent peace in the duality; there is eternal peace only in the non-duality. Nothing can satisfy one but reunion with his real Self by realizing the fact that, the self is not form but self is formless.

The ultimate goal, aim or purpose of human existence is to become linked or re-established in his true identification, the unconditioned consciousness.

All the conditioning belongs to false physical self, which has been named. All experience of the pleasure and pain are experiences of the false self, within the false experience (waking or universe). The true self has no form, no name, no conditioning and without experience of the universe.   It is the formless witness of the universe.  The universe  or mind, is an object for the witness.

The formless witness is like a metro station and the mind or universe is like train, which come and go.  The metro station is unaffected of coming and going of the train. Similarly the witness  or soul, the innermost self, is unaffected of coming or going of the mind or universe.    

Knowing consciousness as self, mind becomes known.  Knowing consciousness as self, nothing else remains to be known. Knowing consciousness as self, one attains to immortality that is the beginningless ultimate reality.

A Gnani is fully aware, and sees the consciousness in all beings and in everything, existing equally and deathless in the living and the dying.

Consciousness is present within all the three states but without the three states. Consciousness is present in all the moving and unmoving, incomprehensible, far and near, impartible, sustaining everything in the waking and dream experiences. 

Until one recognizes the source of the mind, one is bound to believe his birth entity as real self and his experience of universe as reality. This body one is so proud of is not the self.  The body and universe exist within the mind. Therefore there is a need to know the source of the mind. The body and the world are within the waking experience.  And the waking experience also will permanently vanish same way as dream, which is called death.   

One has to know that the body and the world are within the mind. And mind is made of consciousness. Thinking the body is   made of five elements one becomes ignorant of the consciousness. By becoming ignorant of consciousness one is conditioned to believe the birth, life and death as reality. By believing the birth, life and death as reality one has strong conviction that the universe in which he is born is real, thus he experiences the illusion as reality. And all his reasoning and judgement is based on physical self, which is the false self within the false experience.  

Mind merges into the source, from where it is originated. Therefore there is a need to mentally trace the source in order to discover the ultimate truth.

 

The true self is consciousness and consciousness is  devoid of attributes yet it  existing as if divided in beings, sustaining beings, devouring as well as generating beings within the illusion.  

The consciousness is the light of all lights, beyond all darkness, the goal of knowledge, dwelling and pervading everything and everywhere   in all the three states as their formless substance and witness. Consciousness is the One to be known as ultimate truth. 

These three states are temporary - they will pass away. One should not be so proud, looking at his beautiful body and the beauty of the universe, which are within the waking experience. When the time ceases the waking ceases,    like the snake shedding its skin, the consciousness sheds the three states. 

 The mind is like perishable.  Like   frail and perishable; the paper is limited. When the drop of water falls upon it, the paper crumbles and dissolves instantaneously same way the reality of the mind which appears as waking or dream and disappears as deep sleep dissolves when their unreal nature is exposed through wisdom. 

Even though the self is something other than this material body, the majority of people still identify themselves with it. Why? The main reason people identify the physical body as self, is because of the ignorance of the Real Self, which is consciousness.

Whosoever identifies his-self with this bundle of bones and flesh is ignorant.  Now the question arises: If self is not this body, then what is self? If body with the name is not self then what is one’s true Identity which is without the body and name?

Self is the consciousness and consciousness is ultimate truth.  One has to recognize the consciousness as the true self in order to know the three states are unreal.  

The three states are temporary, while the true self ,which is  consciousness , is the  formless substance and witness of the three states  real  and  Immortal Therefore, this mind is  false and impermanent, and the  Soul or consciousness ,which is  the real Self is True and permanent.

Consciousness is not human, and it is not a demigod. Consciousness is not celibate, or a worshiper. Consciousness is not a Yogi, and it is not a hermit. Consciousness is not a mother or anyone's son because it is formless and one without the second. 

Consciousness dwells in all the three states.  No one can find its limits. Consciousness is not a house-holder, and it is not a renouncer. Consciousness is not a president of the country, and it is not a beggar. Consciousness is neither the guru nor disciple.  Consciousness has no body, no drop of blood. Consciousness is neither a Hindu, nor Christen, nor a Muslim.

Consciousness is not called a man of austere self-discipline, or an orthodox. Consciousness does not live, and it is not seen to die. When the ignorance [Birth, life, death and world] vanishes through wisdom consciousness alone will prevail as non-dual existence. 

Mind is formed of the same essence as the soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is stable it like the ink on the newspaper which cannot be erased.

The ultimate goal, aim or purpose of human existence is to become linked or re-established in his true identification, the unconditioned consciousness. This is Self-Realization — the realization of man's True Self, the Soul, which is in the form of consciousness. Once one attains this pure awareness within, then he recognizes that "consciousness is the real self, and self is consciousness ". 

Consciousness is Soul, and the mind is in soul or consciousness. This is realized through reflecting constantly on the consciousness which is the formless substance and witness of the three states. .

Seeker has to recognize mentally that "consciousness is self”. He who knows this secret through deeper inquiry, analyses and reasoning become free from experiencing the illusion as reality.

Consciousness is within the mind, and the mind is within the consciousness but it is without the mind. This is realized through reflecting on this subject.

The consciousness is the formless essence of the mind.  Therefore, the mind and soul are one is essence.

Many of us associate the all the three states is an experience limited only to the physical body.

In deep sleep we are aware of neither the body, nor of the world. Only in waking or dream we are aware of the body and of the world. Yet we are aware of the dual and non-dual experiences of all these three states.  The three states are necessary to understand our true existence.

 We experience duality only in waking and dream, whereas we experience non duality in deep sleep state. Many of us associate the all the three states is an experience limited only to the physical body. This is the cause of the ignorance. We are ignorant about the existence of the formless witness  or knower , which witnesses the three states.

When deeper inquiry, analysis and reasoning revels the fact that, neither the physical body, nor the `I', is the true self , then how can we say all the three states is experience of the physical body. In waking we experience the waking entity and waking world, and in dream we experience the dream entity, and dream world, and in deep sleep there is neither the entity nor the world.  

Therefore, it is necessary to verify the facts about the formless entity which is aware of the three states without any break. There has to be the one witness, which witnesses, the three states, and is fully aware of these three states, which appear and disappear in succession.

 The waking entity and the waking world are absent in the dream, likewise the dream entity and dream world are absent in waking. And waking and dream experiences are absent in deep sleep.  Therefore we have to hold all these as mere experiences, which comes and go, like the train comes to the station and goes. The formless witness is like station and it is unaffected by the coming and going of the experiences.  

From this we can come to conclusion our experiences (three states) are like a motion picture and the witness (consciousness) is like a screen. The screen is unaffected by whatever is projected on it.  The screen, that gives power for these experiences.  Without the screen, there is no experience of any sort. The experiences are insentient, but the screen is sentient.   The screen can remain with or without the experience, but the experience is dependent on the screen for their existence. 

 Until man thinks all the three states is experience as his own experience, he is bound to remain in ignorance.  From the spiritual point of view, the level of one's spiritual maturity determines how one sees 'worldview ' whether as form (I) or formless (I –less). When one sees the worldview on the base of form, the physical body and the world, seems to be real, and the duality is experienced as reality. But when one is able to view it on the base of formless self (soul or consciousness) one becomes aware of the fact that the whole experience of diversity is nothing but Atman, because there is no second thing exist other than consciousness.  Thus the duality is mere mirage on the base of formless self.

The consciousness is always consciousness, for some, consciousness is form [god] and for others consciousness is formless! Consciousness is above all attributes and the spiritually speaking, God is the intellectual perception of consciousness, and formless self or consciousness is beyond the human perception!