The Self, Awareness, Death and Inquiry

The content explores the intricate relationship between the concepts of self, awareness, death, and inquiry. It prompts a deeper understanding of how self-awareness influences our perceptions of life and mortality, encouraging introspection and philosophical questioning about existence and the nature of being.

REVELATION: Sri Bhagavan Maharshi Ramana: “All the faiths that prevail in the world affirm, to begin with, the existence of the world, the soul, and God. The two contentions—namely, that One Reality is sensed as threefold, and that they are three distinct entities—are upheld so long as the sense, ‘I am the body,’ persists. The highest state is to be firmly established in one’s own Real Nature, the Self, by relinquishing that delusion.”

“If you conquer your mind and keep it completely still, conquering the three worlds will be a trifle for you. For that, you don’t need to study the scriptures, nor go up or down anywhere; nothing more is needed than Self-Knowledge. Do you think that is so difficult? More difficult is to live in this world without the true knowledge of oneself.” Yoga Vasishtha of Valmiki.

VEDANTA: UNIQUE AND ENIGMATIC

The primary object of all teaching in Vedanta is to eradicate the feeling of ‘I-ness’ in this body-cum-mind-intellect.

The only real object of all the teaching in Vedanta is to eradicate the ego, the I-thought–to save us from ourself, the phantom ego, the mind. We must return to where we came from, in the present, not in the future, when the body perishes. To die to our ego, whilst in the body.

Ramana Maharshi said: ‘I tell you there is no snake; there is only the rope. Yet, you want to spend your lifetime in researching whether the snake that appears to you is of this variety or that variety, whether it is a cobra or not’!

Let us briefly examine “Vedanta.” The word “Veda” refers to the four unique Vedas: the “Rig Veda,” “Sama Veda,” “Yajur Veda,” and “Atharva Veda.” The word “anta” means “end” or “summary.” Thus, Vedanta represents the culmination or essence of the wisdom contained in these extensive sacred texts. To summarize the teachings of the four Vedas is truly a masterwork of the great sages of India. Vedanta is principally founded upon the exegesis of the “Upanishads,” the “Brahma Sutras,” and the “Bhagavad Gita.” Traditionally, two great sources of spiritual knowledge are recognized: “Shruti” (“that which is heard”), referring to divine revelation, of which the Upanishads form the principal part; and “Smriti” (“that which is remembered”), which includes the “Itihasas,” “Puranas,” and other traditional scriptures. As “Source Wisdom Library” explains: “Shruti” and “Smriti” are the two principal categories of sacred Hindu scriptures. “Shruti” refers to divine revelation, such as the Vedas, received through spiritual inspiration, while “Smriti” consists of traditional texts preserved through memory, reflecting cultural practices, ethical teachings, and moral guidance. Let us now turn to the central theme intended here. According to the writer’s humble understanding, two broad philosophical perspectives help illuminate Vedanta: “Pantheism” and “Panentheism.” Pantheism declares, “All is God.” Panentheism goes a step further, declaring, “Not only is all God, but God also transcends the universe, time, and space.” The writer would express it thus:

“Not only is all He, but He transcends all; and all exists only in Him. In truth, there is nothing here apart from Him at all.” Only one state truly exists: “Turiya,” which transcends the three ordinary states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. Yet one may ask:

“What is there to transcend if nothing exists apart from Turiya?”

When one realizes and knows “Static Consciousness,” the Self, one comes to understand what the writer is attempting to convey. Indeed, this is not merely the writer’s conclusion, but the testimony of realized sages throughout the ages. What is there to realize? What is there to know? What is there to transcend? The greatest secret is simply this: “Pure, Static Consciousness.” That You Are. This is It. This is Seeing God As He Really Is.

Truth does not need so much scholarship. Those who possess scholarship of the Vedas are called Brahmins. But the real “Brahmins” are those who are firmly established in that One Truth. There is no single knower of all the Vedas. By knowing the Vedas one does not know what is to be known. The knower of the Vedas knows only what the Vedas say. But the knower of Truth is different. By studying the Vedas one gets to acquire knowledge but neither these knowers nor the Vedas themselves know the Reality. Even then, it is the Vedas which point to that Reality for the knower of the Vedas to become the knower of Brahman. The Vedas cannot make you the knower of Brahman. None of the Vedas know Him (who is of the nature of the Knower). For the Vedas do not help us to know Him nor the known (The World). One who knows the Knower knows also the known. But one who knows only the known knows not the Truth. One who knows the Vedas, knows the knowable. But neither the knower of the Vedas nor the Vedas themselves know That. Yet those seekers of Brahman who become the knowers of the Vedas know Brahman with the help of the Vedas.

Because Brahman is the material and the efficient cause of the world, is it possible to know everything of the universe through the knowledge of Brahman, which is what is asserted in the following passages:

What is that, knowing which, everything becomes known?— Mundaka-Upanishad: I-1-2

Having known which, nothing else remains to be known— Bhagavad-Gita: 7.2

By which unheard becomes heard, not-cognized becomes cognized, unknown becomes known—Chandogya-Upanishad VI-1-3

By one handful of earth, all earthen articles become known, so everything that is earthen is only a play with words (and forms), what is true is only earth— Chandogya-Upanishad VI-1-4

May I be many, May I grow forth. This in so many words says that He Himself became the multiplicity of created things. That itself manifested itself. Here the use of the two words ‘Atmanam’ and ‘Svayam’ both meaning ‘itself’ shows that there exists no other cause. So, the Universe is only a reflection within Brahman. What kind of reflection it is, is the only thing that the two major schools of Philosophy debate about. There is a standard statement in the Upanishads that ‘all these beings were born from this,’ the word that is being used here for Brahman, being ‘yat.’ Taittiriya- Upanishad.

Brahman is One only, with no second. No Awareness of Awareness. Only Awareness. This says there is no supporting entity, therefore there is no other efficient cause; and secondly it says there is nothing other than Brahman, therefore there is no other material cause.

This verse establishes that just as the plant was in the seed so also the universe was in its latent state in the Brahman and by its inherent power, Maya, it appears as manifest.

It says: That Brahman which is the common Reality behind everything in the cosmos is the same as the essential Divinity, namely the Atman or the Self, within you. This latter is the innermost core of our selves. And so seems to have an individuality of its own.

‘It is not lit by the light of the sun, nor by the light of the Moon, nor stars, nor by lightning nor by fire. Only through its Light do all the others shine.’ (katha-upanishad, 2 – 2 – 15)

THE METAPHORS OF VEDANTA

THE OCEAN

The ocean is often used as a metaphor in Vedanta. Let us examine it carefully. There are many aspects of the ocean: the surface waves, tides, tsunamis, volcanic activity, earthquakes beneath its depths, the froth upon its surface, evaporation, and so forth. Yet the essential nature of the ocean is water and the ground that supports it. In this context, Vedanta often states that the river merges into the ocean and becomes one with it. Likewise, many Vedantic texts compare the turbulent surface of the ocean with the restless mind, while the still abyss represents the Self. The surface is tossed here and there by waves, whereas the depths remain calm and undisturbed. Where, then, does the Absolute fit within this metaphor? In the writer’s opinion, the Absolute corresponds to the bed of the ocean—the ground that supports the entire body of water. Though, in Advaita Vedanta, all is the Self, just as the water on the surface and the water in the depths are one and the same, the Absolute is that upon which the water itself rests. It is the container of the ocean, supporting both its turbulent surface and its silent abyss. Therefore, when the river or the mind merges into the ocean, that is not yet the final consummation of Self-realization, in the writer’s opinion. Beyond even the stillness of the depths lies that which supports both stillness and movement. That support is what the writer seeks to indicate. It is firm and unmoving, like the bed upon which the ocean rests. This is “no-Jnana-Jnana”. How can the container be divided by what it contains? How can the surface waters (mind) and the still waters (Self) partition the ground that supports them both? Because the Absolute is One without a second, how can anything exist apart from It? Moreover, It is no-space. Without space, nothing can appear apart from Itself. If the Absolute were an entity existing outside us, we could never truly come to terms with Its Absoluteness. Advaita Vedanta has no quarrel with either the mind or the Self; rather, it seeks to reconcile both in Brahman, the Absolute. There is nothing besides Brahman. How do we come to know this? Through knowledge, whether received from the Sastras or a Guru, and through direct realization. Setting aside scriptural knowledge for a moment, we discover for ourselves that I cannot be anything other than Abstract Life itself—that I am the Absolute. There is nothing, nor anyone, besides this Absolute I. When this is known, we understand with certainty that the entire apparent universe arises through the inherent power of Maya within the I. We are the magicians, yet we do not know that we ourselves create the illusion. Strange indeed. A magician is never deceived by his own magic. Yet, paradoxically, we are deceived until we awaken to the fact that we ourselves are the magician. It makes the writer chuckle. Indeed, even the I appears to be fooled by Its own wizardry, so astounding is Its power that It instantly projects the sense of body, senses, mind, you, them, and the whole caboodle. How can a mortal being overcome such wizardry? Be silent and know:

“I Am I.”

When the I is gripped by profound silence, it knows nothing. It simply remains the support of all—not even the waters themselves, but the ground beneath them. Deep sleep is unconsciousness through ignorance. “Nirvikalpa Samadhi” is no-space Consciousness. “Sahaja Samadhi” is our natural state of Absoluteness, wherein we are always the ground that supports the ocean while silently witnessing both the still abyss and the turbulent waters arising within Itself. Here the metaphor of the ocean reaches its limit, for Consciousness is neither a literal screen nor a literal surface. It is “no-space-space,” “no-Jnana-Jnana.”

LIGHT AND DARKNESS

Let us now turn our attention to another metaphor: Light and Darkness. We often hear sages speak of the light of Consciousness and the darkness of ignorance. Vedantic texts refer to the effulgence of Consciousness, saying that Consciousness is bright, brighter than the sun, that darkness cannot survive the light of Consciousness, and that the Self is the light that removes darkness. Even the word enlightenment is itself a metaphor, suggesting the removal of the darkness of ignorance. But what do these expressions actually mean? Does enlightenment literally mean that one walks about shining like a brilliant star? Are we not conscious in darkness? Are we not capable of ignorance even in broad daylight? Consciousness exists equally in darkness and in light. Whether one is enlightened or ignorant, Consciousness remains unchanged. Are we enlightened during the day and ignorant at night? Clearly not. Most people assume they see with their physical eyes and therefore cannot see in darkness. From the standpoint of ordinary perception this is true. From the higher standpoint, however, we truly see only through Consciousness, not through the eyes. And this is the “Light of the Self (Brahman, God).” When the Lord of Day, the Sun, rises, human activity naturally increases; when darkness falls, the body inclines towards rest and sleep. This is simply the body’s circadian rhythm. Yet notice that dreams are illuminated. The mind sees within its own light. Human beings struggle with darkness because the mind depends heavily upon the senses. When the eyelids close, darkness is the first thing we encounter. This is one reason many meditators close their eyes: not because darkness is the goal, but because it helps quieten sensory distractions. If one sits with the eyelids closed in complete darkness, the mind gradually subsides towards its source. The senses lose their dominance, and with them the mind begins to withdraw. We observe something similar in deep sleep, coma, or anaesthesia. The mind cannot tolerate blankness or no-thingness. As it approaches its own disappearance, it interprets this absence as darkness, blackness, or a void. It is as though tar were smeared upon a mirror, causing the mirror to reflect only blackness. What, then, distinguishes Nirvikalpa Samadhi from deep sleep? In many respects they appear similar. Both are profound states. The principal difference lies in their onset and return. As we fall asleep, attention gradually weakens. Dreaming arises while the mind is still active, though greatly subdued compared with its waking condition. Eventually deep sleep follows. In Nirvikalpa Samadhi, however, the mind first becomes completely thought-free while full wakefulness remains. This is followed by complete no-thingness: no dreams, no mental activity, no inner senses—nothing whatsoever. When deep sleep ends, dreaming usually reappears before waking consciousness returns. When Nirvikalpa Samadhi ends, thoughts simply arise again in the fully awake mind. Nirvikalpa Samadhi therefore occurs at the height of alertness—perhaps after a morning cup of coffee, as the writer jokingly remarks. Sleep overtakes us when alertness is at its lowest. Before sleep, the ego prepares itself by thinking, I am going to sleep. No such preparation is possible for Nirvikalpa Samadhi. One may prepare only by becoming increasingly thought-free, perhaps approaching what could be called a state of Savikalpa Samadhi, but the final transition cannot be willed. Consciousness underlies sleep, yet Nirvikalpa Samadhi is not simply sleep. It is Consciousness itself, beyond both light and darkness. Light and darkness belong to the mind, not to Consciousness. Vedanta employs them only as teaching metaphors. They are useful because the human mind grasps light and darkness more readily than it understands Consciousness and ignorance. From the ordinary standpoint, the mind associates Consciousness with light and unconsciousness with darkness. Dreams themselves demonstrate this, for they are internally illuminated. Without this reflected light, the dreaming mind could neither project nor perceive its dream world. If we examine dreams carefully, they appear as though perceived through physical eyes, yet they exist entirely within the mind. It is astonishing wizardry. Likewise, the body and the external senses are themselves projections within the mind. The body exists in the mind; the mind does not exist in the body. What happens as sleep begins? The mind’s creative power gradually subsides. Consequently, the external senses and the sense of the physical body also recede, though they are not yet entirely absent. The mind then creates an inner world with its corresponding subtle senses and subtle body. Finally, like a switch being turned off, this entire display disappears. Simultaneously, the darkness of deep sleep engulfs the mind. What remarkable wizardry belongs to dynamic Consciousness. Here the writer proposes an inversion of the usual symbolism. Perhaps darkness corresponds more closely to static Consciousness—the stillness of true Knowledge or no-knowledge—whereas brightness corresponds to dynamic Consciousness, the activity associated with waking experience. Thus, it is not the brightness of empirical experience that ultimately enlightens, but the profound darkness in which empirical knowing itself comes to rest. Thereafter, the wise person is bound neither to the bright nor to the dark. He is no longer identified with either ignorance or knowledge as opposites. Indeed, one might even say that he is fully awake in the “dark” and asleep in the “bright”—though in reality he is never asleep at all. It is the brightness of day that gives rise to countless desires, not the darkness of night; for how can we long for what we cannot even perceive? As the writer likes to say, this is enough to make one chuckle.

SNAKE AND ROPE

The metaphor of the “snake and the rope” frequently appears in the Advaita Vedanta texts of “Sri Adi Shankaracharya” and other sages. The important feature of this metaphor is “dim light.” In dim light, the rope is mistaken for a snake. But what does “dim light” signify? It represents ignorance, or dynamic Consciousness—the mind. Dynamic Consciousness is but a reflection made possible by the clarity of the mirror, which is Static Consciousness. Yet, as this reflected Consciousness passes through the medium of space, it appears dimmed, just as the light of the sun is obscured by clouds. This medium is what “Sri Shankaracharya” calls the “Upadhis”—the limiting adjuncts or conditionings of the mind, namely the “vasanas.” It is these vasanas, accumulated over countless lifetimes, that cause the rope to appear as a snake, perhaps owing to our deeply ingrained fear of snakes. Likewise, the ego superimposes itself upon our true nature, giving rise to the notions “I am the body” and the “I-thought.” It is within the field of space that the mind projects the world through its own extraordinary wizardry. Even after we are told that the snake is merely a superimposition upon the rope, the illusion may persist. The metaphor therefore continues by saying that, upon closer inspection, the snake disappears and only the rope remains. Here, the rope represents the “Self.” In reality, the snake never existed at all. It was never truly created. “Closer inspection” means turning inward through sincere introspection until one realizes the true nature of one’s own Being. Even then, the appearance of the world continues for those whose vasanas have not been completely exhausted. Just as both the wise and the unwise see the sky as blue, the wise are no longer deceived by appearances. This alone distinguishes the wise from the unwise—though, in reality, there is only “I,” and no “unwise folk,” as the writer likes to chuckle. The sense of the body is superimposed upon the Self, and the false “I” is superimposed upon the true “I.” Yet the false “I” never truly comes into existence. All that is required is the removal of the ignorance that has become deeply ingrained within us. When ignorance falls away, the Truth reveals Itself to Itself.

MIRROR AND REFLECTION

The metaphor of the “mirror and the reflection” is another important illustration in Advaita Vedanta. It is the clarity of the mirror that makes reflection possible. A mirror covered with dust reflects poorly, while a mirror smeared with tar reflects only the darkness of the tar itself. Likewise, a log of wood is unreflective. How, then, can a corpse reflect Consciousness, even though Consciousness pervades all things? Dynamic Consciousness is the reflection of Static Consciousness, made possible by the clarity of the latter. Yet dynamic Consciousness appears obscured by the impurities of the mind. When the mind is purified of the fog of ignorance and the accumulated “vasanas,” it reflects the true nature of Static Consciousness with increasing clarity. It becomes what may be called the “pure Mind”. In essence, this is none other than the Static Consciousness of the Self or the Absolute, and it is the state of one established in “Sahaja Samadhi.” Duality, reflection, superimposition, and dynamic Consciousness all arise from the false identification of the false “I” with the Self. These are the very pointers conveyed through the metaphors of Advaita Vedanta. Their purpose is to reveal that freedom lies in the non-identification of the false “I.” This alone is non-duality.

SUN AND MOON

Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi employed the metaphor of the “Sun and the Moon” when answering the perennial question of how the mind is to be controlled. When the sun has set, the moon is useful for revealing objects. But once the sun has risen, no one needs the moon, though its disc may still be visible in the sky. Here, the “Sun” represents Static Consciousness—the Self—and the “Moon” represents dynamic Consciousness, the mind. While ignorance persists, the mind, driven by the senses, serves a practical purpose. But once the Self is realized, the mind loses its independent significance, just as a lamp is useful at night but unnecessary during the day. To see the sun, no lamp is required; one need only turn one’s eyes towards the self-luminous sun. Likewise, to perceive objects, the reflected light of the mind is necessary. But to know the Heart, it is sufficient for the mind to turn inward towards it. Then the mind itself becomes secondary, for the Heart is self-effulgent. Dynamic Consciousness—the ego—is merely superimposed upon Static Consciousness, the Self. In reality, dynamic Consciousness never truly comes into independent existence. Like the moon, it merely reflects a light that is not its own.

HEART AND MIND

The “Heart and the mind” form another metaphor frequently employed by Sri Bhagavan in answering the questions of devotees. The “Self” is the Heart, self-luminous. Illumination arises from the Heart and reaches the brain, which is the seat of the mind. The world is perceived through the mind; thus, we see the world by the reflected light of the Self. The world is experienced through the activity of the mind. When the mind is illumined, it is aware of the world; when it is not illumined, it is unaware of the world. If the mind is turned inward, towards the source of illumination, objective knowledge ceases, and the Self alone shines as the Heart (“Maharshi’s Gospel”, by S. S. Cohen, Chapter III). Thus, all of the metaphors discussed above—and many others found throughout Advaita Vedanta—point towards the same Truth. Whether it is the ocean and its depths, light and darkness, the snake and the rope, the mirror and its reflection, the sun and the moon, or the Heart and the mind, each serves only as a pointer towards the one Reality. Their purpose is not to establish different doctrines, but to direct the aspirant inward until the Truth is known by direct realization. This is Seeing God As He Really Is.

Vehicles of Karma

Waking, dream, and deep sleep are the three vehicles of karma.  That changes everything. This is closer to: Jagrat (waking) → gross karmic field. Svapna (dream) → subtle karmic processing. Sushupti (deep sleep) → causal seed state. In Vedanta: karma moves through all three. Not just action. But: Thought, latent tendency, vasanas, memory, causal impressions Deep sleep is not liberation. It is karmic latency. The seed remains. That is why waking returns. That is why the following image could actually symbolize: the random unfolding of prarabdha karma. 

The ‘Doctrine of the Three Bodies,’ ‘Sarira Traya,’ postulates that a human being is composed of the three bodies, which constitute the five koshas that manifest through nescience. These three bodies are, 1. Sthula Sarira (the mortal body that eats, breathes and moves, the waking state, gross), 2. Sukshma Sarira (the subtle body that constitutes the mind and vital energies; the dream state; subtle), and 3. Karana Sarira (the transmigrating seed of the former two sariras; karma; the deep sleep state; causal). However, the three exist as long as the I-thought exists.

Sri Bhagavan revealed, “And all alike, if and when they get sound, dreamless sleep, are supremely happy. To make sure of the undisturbed enjoyment of sleep we provide ourselves with every available artificial aid; soft beds and pillows, mosquito-curtains, warm blankets or cool breezes and so on. The loss of sleep is accounted a grievous evil; for its sake men are willing to poison the very source of life, the brain, with deadly drugs. All this shows how much we love sleep; and we love it, because in it we are happy.” “Let the sensible man consider if he knew his body in deep sleep. Why does he feel it in the waking state? But, although the body was not felt in sleep, did not the Self exist then? How was he in deep sleep? How is he when awake? What is the difference?” 

Do we believe in the fact that we are happy or blissful in the absence of our ego, in the absence of the world? Do we harbour any doubt or do we deny the fact that we are actually happy or blissful in deep sleep in the absence of the ego and the world? What happens in deep sleep? There is no time, no name and no form, nor a knower of name, form or time. There is no separateness. The whole caboodle ceases to exist in deep sleep. I know and I don’t know cease to exist in deep sleep. Yet, we still wake up knowing who we are. This is puzzling. So, although this knower is not continuous, yet there is something continuous within us that supports the rise and setting of the knower. We cherish, prepare and look forward to being formless daily, do we not? In fact, the truth is, we look forward to being egoless. In the state of deep sleep, wherein we are not conscious of our form, can we see the form of the world and God and how?  In deep sleep, we when the five servers-projectors of our mind are arrested in deep sleep, simultaneously, the sense-knowledge-form of our body and the world disappears with the disappearance of the senses, and the mind draws a void. We are formless, so to speak, because we are egoless.

We perceive the world via our eyes but known in our mind in our waking state, but exclusively, only through our mind in the dream state who is the seer of the dream. The reflected image of the world remains un-manifest in deep sleep. We add value to I-ness (body and mind), which has no intrinsic value at all in reality, like we add value to a time-piece which has no real intrinsic value in reality apart from displaying movement of time.

Conceit and self-importance do neither arise in deep sleep nor in a corpse. When thoughts appear, it is called the mind, in the absence of the thoughts, the world disappears in deep sleep when the mind becomes unconscious. The world appears again with the rise of the conscious mind. in the absence of the sense of our form, in deep sleep, when we are not aware of ourself as form, who can see forms and how? When the sense and knowledge of our form held in our mind is arrested in deep sleep, we have no sense of the form of the world or God. In the absence of the ego in deep sleep, all forms disappear. We have no idea about the world, God and soul in deep sleep! So, these three appear and disappear with the appearance and disappearance of the seer-thinker. In the absence of the mind in deep sleep, the three do not arise. If they were real independent entities, they would exist continuously, because that Resource exists continuously.

That which is aware of the world as the world, which is real, sentient and happy, is not the world itself but that Resource. The world is not aware of itself like we are aware of ourselves; that Resource, which abides in our Heart that makes us aware of ourselves, is real, sentient and happy and it is continuous even when the mind is unconscious in deep sleep. When we become unaware of the gross and subtle bodies in deep sleep, the world simultaneously disappears from view. Therefore, both, the body and the world simultaneously blossom in the waking and dreaming states when our ego is attentive and active, but disappear when the ego is arrested. The world is desire only. Karmic imprints of desire and fear in our mind arises through our primal error. Ignorance must admit to an ego, the I-thought. A respite from the disorder of ignorance, the state of deep sleep, is agreeable to all in which the I-thought ceases. No one disputes about the bliss of the egoless state during deep sleep. There is neither gains nor losses, additions nor subtractions in the state of blissful sleep.

Disputations and debates are unpeaceful if our aim is to quieten our mind; having given up our notions of the world, can anything be added onto the state of blissful sleep, wherein our ego is absent? We can only think of the past or the future in the pre-sent, but importantly, in the presence of a thinker. Since the thinker ceases to exist in deep sleep, so the past and future cease to exist in sleep. Is it not miserable enough to constantly face the chatter in our own mind, notwithstanding, the thoughts of others impinging on our mind? Say, we all look forward to deep sleep and prepare for it because we are all free from the chatter of our mind in deep sleep. Daily we become deeply engrossed and become deeply rooted attending to “others” and the world when we place all our emphasis on our ego and our body, which appears real to us. Even in dreams we are engrossed with the world. We know that deep sleep will invigorate us; at least for a few hours we will temporarily gain respite from the disorder that arises by virtue of our ego. In dreams, our mind is happy to remain in a pleasant dream, but wakes up terrorized in a nightmare. But all fears and hopes, desires and expectations, satisfactions and sufferings, lay dormant in deep-sleep when the I-thought ceases. When sleep overpowers us, the mind and the senses are arrested; with the cessation of our ego, i.e., in the absence of the sense of our body, the I-thought, all our attention ceases on the world, objects, disputes and disorder, i.e., our attention ceases on words, notions, acts, experiencing, memory, and knowledge.

Debates about the world and thoughts about non-duality and duality disappear. I and you disappear. The chase stops. The purpose stops. The disorder stops. Can we add or subtract, gain or lose anything in deep sleep? We must admit this is indeed blissful. So, why not endeavour to get rid of the I-thought permanently, straight away, instead of debating about the world whether it is this or that? So why not make our goal to get rid of the ego fore-most instead of wasting time debating about the world since we must all admit the egoless state of sleep is Happy. Misery exists in the waking and in the dream states, but does not exist in the state of deep sleep because the ego does not exist in deep sleep. The body is the root of fear and desire, but we are happy in the absence of the sense of our body in sleep. Deep sleep is agreeable to all because we are happy to be in it in the absence of our body thought, because the primal I-thought is arrested. The debates about the world and thoughts of the world disappear with the disappearance of the ego. But in deep sleep, in the absence of our ego, i.e., in the absence of the sense of our body, there exist no sense of the form of you and others, the world and God; relationship ceases to exist when the seer-knower is absent.

If we keenly witness, even in the state of dreaming, the ego forges relationships in the subtle realm. We must realize and know that our body, like the world, is an object of our cognition as a thought form of the mind. This is why, since the body is a thought, it disappears when the mind disappears. It is the latent seed of form(s) or vasanas held in deep sleep that creates a corresponding subtle form, which in turn creates a corresponding gross form. This is the primal bondage. If we cling to the idea, ‘I am this body,’ we will see other forms, i.e., we will project other forms, like we do in our dreams. Remember, projections, concealments, and confusions are common in both states, waking and dreaming, or gross and subtle, so both of these states, are acknowledged to be of the same nature. Therefore, you, them, and all else seemingly exists in the view of our erroneous sense of individuality only. When the first-person idea ceases to exist, in deep sleep, the second and third person, simultaneously, cease to exist. In the absence of the first-person form, second and third person forms cease to exist. So, the quest is to erase the ignorance from our mind of the sense, ‘I am the body,’ through inquiry into the nature of I, i.e., into the nature of the I-content of our conscious mind.

When mind is non-active, as in deep sleep, our sense of I does not leave the non-active mind and go elsewhere, nor does the sense of I merge in it. The seed of individuality is sensationalized within our own mind when active. Our seeming individuality does not emanate from Consciousness, for our false nature is not that of the true substance. Neither the ego nor the mind is an independent entity, viz, they have their existence dependent on the substratum of Consciousness; because they are merely sensa-tions or ideas, and like all ideas, they vanish in deep sleep. Also, being keenly sought, they will disappear, and Consciousness will shine forth by itself. This is the direct method to destroy the non-self, duality and variety. Consciousness is that Truth alone; the tagged so and so, individuality, or becoming, is not the truth. The two cannot coexist. In the instance, ‘I Exist as Swami Ishwarananda,’ I Exist is the truth alone, Swami Ishwarananda is an unreality. There is no fate nor free-will in deep sleep but latent in causal format, for the fruits have been realized prior to sleep, and so it’s done for the day, until the next batch unfolds to wake us up the next day and the cycle is re-peated. The idea or the sense of our name and form, the ego, does not cease to exist in sleep although we are not ourself aware of our name and form in sleep, so no one disputes the fact that they did not exist in deep sleep. Like the idea of an apple tree remains in the apple seed since it does not sprout a coconut tree. So, the idea of ourself as such and such remains in a seed form in sleep. So, when we awake out of sleep, the stored idea of I, the ego, revives from latency of the ignorance of sleep.  With the appearance of the I after sleep when we awake, all else appears. With the disappearance of the I in deep sleep, all else disappears. But the real Self does neither appear nor disappear. The real I is continuous who is our true nature. Therefore, when the I emerges, all else emerges. But waking after sleep is false waking and sleep after waking is false sleep. Since our real nature exists in sleep, we must make the effort to know the Self in waking state before we can realize the Self continuously present in sleep, because it is not easy to recognize the Self in the ignorant (unconsciousness) of sleep. Is the state of being in deep sleep or death that Consciousness? The answer is no. In the states of deep sleep and death and others like coma there is no cognition or attention, but the I remain in inactivity or latency before reviving.

Sleep and coma and death are not to be regarded as self-extinction because the imprints of tendencies, desires and duality held in the mind revive after sleep or in a new body after death. Death is not unlike sleep; the respite is longer in death than in sleep that’s the only difference.  Deep sleep and death are states of the non-emergence of I, which has to be admitted, but we must also admit that they are overwhelmed by the darkness of our primal ignorance, like sunlight is obscured by dark clouds in space, although, its inherent light is present. Like the clarity of a mirror is obstructed by smearing dark tar on its surface, although, its inherent reflectiveness, re-mains unbroken, which reflects the blackness of the smeared tar.

Revelation: You have to convert the state of ignorant deep sleep in which one becomes formless and unattached into a conscious deep sleep. You should never forget that this experience will come only through long practice. This experience will make it clear that your real nature is not different from the nature of God.” 

Our mind, which is meant to merely magnify the Light of that Abstract Intelligence, through habit, projects, deliberates and deludes itself via the senses that it is separate from the world, which is the cause of desire and fear. The mind does not even realize the whole caboodle is reflected from itself, like in a dream. Our mind does not realize the unreality of the world as in a dream nor does it realize the unreality of itself. Even the unconsciousness or the void of the mind is reflected during deep sleep in the clear mirror of Abstract Intellect. 

Sri Dattatreya instructs Parashurama, “Can you not, similarly, investigate with an inward mind in order to find out if the all-comprehending Self is conscious or not conscious? That Consciousness is absolute and transcends the three states, waking, dream and deep sleep, and comprises all the universe making it manifest. Nothing can be apprehended without its light. Will anything be apparent to you, if there be no consciousness? Even to say that nothing is apparent to you, as in sleep, requires the light of consciousness. Is not your awareness of your unawareness, in sleep, due to consciousness? If you infer its eternal light, then closely investigate whether the light is of itself or not. Everybody fails in this investigation however learned and proficient he may be, because his mind is not bent inward but restlessly moves outward. As long as thoughts crop up, so long has the turning inward of the mind not been accomplished. As long as the mind is not inward, so long the Self cannot be realized.” 

The fear of death arises because we identify our self with our body, our primal ignorance is this identification only. Death is unavoidable. The event of Death, by itself, is not fearful, but the thought of dying, fills most with dread. Is it not strange that we do not fear from falling into deep sleep, which is a kind of death, is it not?The event of death is like deep sleep; it is nothing other than a moment of liberation, a respite from thoughts generated by our ego-mind complex of the sense related world of desires, impressions and possessions with associated miseries and suffering. What do we learn from the state of sleep; if we keenly investigate our state of deep sleep, in fact, we all know it is indeed a blissful state without investigation, because there is no world to discuss or disputations, nor notions, nor disorder, nor conflict in the absence of the I-thought and the world. So, we must admit that in the absence of name and form, the I-thought, the egoless state, is a happy state. For when we no longer identify ourself with our body, the world does not arise, like a corpse does not give rise to the world nor do we in deep sleep nor in Samadhi and neither does a Sage who has realized the Truth. But the bliss of deep sleep in the absence of the world and the ego is transient. So, we must aim at knowing and realizing the permanent bliss of the egoless state or Samadhi or our Natural State through self-inquiry. Having given up or attending to the thoughts of the world and renouncing it, and keenly attending to “being” only, unlike in deep sleep, is indeed blissful. We must attend to being thoughtless, meaning, we must attend to get rid of the I-thought if we want to win eternal Happiness. Only discovering and knowing that Resource within our Heart removes all doubts and misconceptions; in fact, doubts don’t exist in reality nor in deep sleep, and so, of what use is arguing about the world whether it is this or the other? Doubts only arise with the rise of the ego and subsides with the subsidence of the ego. 

The MAHARSHI said, “Of what use are disputes about the world, saying that it is real, that it is an illusory appearance, that it is conscious, that it is insentient, that it is happy, that it is miserable? All men alike love the egoless state of deep sleep, and that state of Reality, which is won by turning away from the world and knowing the untainted real Self, which transcends the assertions that It is one or that It is dual.” 

Jnana or true Knowledge is infinite Consciousness de-void of knowledge and ignorance. It is not deep sleep wherein the mind disappears leaving a void. Jnana reflects the oblivion of deep sleep, but it is not oblivion Itself, like a mirror smeared with tar reflects the tar within itself. Utter annihilation or dissolution or nothingness does not abide in that Resource.

The MAHARSHI said, “The thought, ‘I-am-the-body’ has two components. One is the body and the other is I. The body being of transient nature is subject to change, and it depends on external factors for its existence, such as food. But the nature of ‘I’ is different from that of the body. What exists in truth should be existing always. The body does not exist all the time, so it is not the truth. The ‘I’ exists in all states including waking, dream sleep, and deep sleep. Hence ‘I’ is the truth; the body is untrue. Both of these combined cannot exist as one entity. How can night and day, light and darkness co-exist? Similarly, there is no entity that has as its basis the co-existence of ‘I’ and the body. So, ‘I-am-the-body’ thought has no basis in truth. If we examine the world with this untrue thought as the basis, how can we learn of the Truth?” Revelation: The body does not say ‘I.’ No one will argue that even in deep sleep the ‘I’ ceases to exist. Once the ‘I’ emerges, all else emerges. With a keen mind inquire whence this ‘I’ emerges.

The MAHARSHI said, “Waking, dream and deep sleep are mere phases of the mind, not of the Self. The Self is the witness of three states. Your true nature exists in sleep. That sleep which alternates with awaking is not the true sleep. The waking which alternates with sleep is not the true awaking. Are you awake now? No. What you have to do is to wake up to your true state. You should neither fall into false sleep nor remain falsely awake. Though present even in sleep, the Self is not then perceived. It cannot be known in sleep straight-way. It must be realized in the waking state for it is our true nature underlying all the three states. Effort must be made in the waking state and the Self realized here and now. It will then be understood to be the continuous Self uninterrupted by the alternative of waking, dream and deep sleep.”

BIBLICAL GREAT SAYINGS & VEDANTIC MAHAVAKYAS

When the Biblical Mahavakyas—”Son of Man,” “Son of God,” “Before Abraham was, I Am,” “I and the Father are One,” and “I Am That I Am”—are placed alongside the Mahavakyas of Vedanta, they reveal one of the great philosophical pivots of non-duality.

At the heart of both traditions lies a timeless question: Is a human being merely a temporary creature, or is there something timeless, transcendent, and divine that can be realized through human life? From this broader philosophical perspective, the Son of Man represents the ego—the apparent individual we take ourselves to be, but are not in reality. The Son of God represents the Self—the Reality of what we truly are. The Son of Man is like the snake mistakenly perceived in a rope at dusk—a familiar Vedantic metaphor for ignorance. The eternal “I Am” is the Reality that underlies the illusory ego, just as the cinema screen remains unchanged while countless images appear and disappear upon it. These declarations have fascinated theologians, philosophers, mystics, and seekers for thousands of years. They will continue to do so until the seeker turns the mind inward and discovers their Truth through direct realization. From the higher standpoint, the Son of Man and the Son of God are not separate. They express two aspects of the one Christ Reality, just as a mirror and its reflection cannot ultimately be separated. From the lower standpoint, however, the Son of Man emphasizes humanity, individuality, birth, suffering, temptation, mortality, and the experience of limitation born of ignorance. The Son of God points to our divine nature—the timeless Reality that is beyond birth and death, beyond time, space, and motion, and beyond all limitation. This does not imply that God literally fathered a biological son. Rather, it affirms the perennial wisdom found throughout the world’s great traditions: that the true nature of man is Divine.

Tat Tvam Asi — That You Are. The Son of Man represents the ego, the blemished consciousness, the Jiva—the identification, “I am the body.” He is born, grows, enjoys, suffers, and dies. The Son of God represents the Atma, the Self, Brahman—the eternal Reality, pure Consciousness, untouched by time, space, motion, birth, or death.

When Christ declares, “Before Abraham was, I Am,” the writer correlates this with the understanding that before even AUM (Pranava) arises, the Self already Is. When Pranava itself is transcended—not rejected, but understood as Maya when known apart from the Self—one arrives at the threshold of the most sacred Silence and becomes absorbed in the Self. Likewise, “I and the Father are One” corresponds with the Mahavakya Ayam Atma Brahma, while “I Am That I Am” finds its natural parallel in Aham Brahmasmi. The wise appear in history as ordinary human beings, yet they speak from that which transcends time, space, motion, and even the triads of seer, seeing, and seen; knower, knowing, and known.

It is the writer’s understanding that Christ’s declaration is not merely, “I existed before Abraham,” but rather: Life-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda) appears to express itself through the seeming confines of a body, yet That Which Is remains forever beyond time, space, motion, mind, and body. Why “seeming”? Because the body and the mind—the ego itself—are no more enduring than a passing thought. Throughout the Vedantic tradition, and among saints and mystics both East and West, this Truth has been declared not merely as philosophy, but through direct realization. Silence is the Self. It is not knowledge in the ordinary sense, as we know an object such as a tree, a dog, or a stone. It is Being itself.

Theologians and priests of both the Orient and the Occident have, in the writer’s opinion, often misunderstood the Mahavakyas of both the Bible and the Vedanta. Many have inherited their traditions or acquired theological knowledge through study, yet the essential Truth remains veiled when two indispensable foundations are absent:

1. “True surrender”, and

2. “Deep Self-Inquiry.”

This is not to diminish the value of religion. Worship, prayer, reverence, and devotion are invaluable for the beginner, for they may awaken surrender, deepen introspection, and prepare the mind for Truth. The Mahavakyas, however, are not doctrines to be taught as intellectual propositions. They are affirmations of Reality that must ultimately be realized within oneself. It is one thing to understand these truths philosophically or intellectually; it is quite another to live them. Genuine realization is transformative. The rhythm of life, the changing seasons, and the interconnectedness of all things quietly reveal the unity of Consciousness. Everything reflects the one flow of Life-Consciousness. This is the timeless Truth that underlies all existence, though few come to recognize it directly. In Absolute Awareness there is no experience, because there is no experiencer. One has transcended the mind itself. There is no knower, no seer, no thinker—only pure Being beyond thought, emotion, and sensory perception. This is the profound Truth of the Self. It is the Presence that exists before every experience arises; hence the saying: “Before Abraham was, I Am.” In this realization there is no separation between observer and observed, just as a mirror and its reflections are never truly apart. The closest ordinary analogy is deep sleep. There, we exist without the activity of the mind or senses. We are neither this nor that. Yet Existence remains. Likewise, in Absolute Awareness there is no “me” or “you” having an experience. There is only Being itself—Consciousness free from name and form. Everything ordinarily called “experience”—thoughts, emotions, sensations, and perceptions—falls away. What remains is the silent recognition: “I Know Nothing.” This is not ignorance. It is the timeless Reality that cannot be grasped by the mind, but is later recognized in hindsight. Ordinarily the mind divides Reality into subject and object, self and other. In Absolute Awareness this division disappears. There is: no thought, no experiencer, no past or future, no separation, only the Eternal. Time and space lose their hold. Who, then, remains? There is no attachment to body or mind, for both are recognized as temporary appearances arising within eternal Awareness. They no longer define one’s identity. One discovers oneself as the unmoving, unchanging Awareness—the eternal Consciousness beyond all identification. This is Pure Being. Nothing needs to be added. Nothing needs to be removed. There is no desire, no sense of incompleteness, and no pursuit of fulfilment, because one’s true nature is already whole. The difference is like that between a wave and the ocean. When identified with the mind, one experiences oneself as a passing wave, separate from all others. When established in the Self, one recognizes oneself as the silent depth of the ocean itself. Waves continue to arise and subside, yet the floor of the ocean remains perfectly still, supporting both the ocean and every wave without itself being disturbed. Some describe this Reality as the silent Awareness that precedes every thought and every experience. It is the Awareness that exists before one identifies as an individual or a thinker. Thoughts arise within It, yet It is never shaped by them. In that Silence there is no personal experience. There is only Being. To discover that you are not your thoughts, emotions, or perceptions, but the Awareness in which they arise, is one of the great realizations of spiritual life. This is the Self. The Christ of the Bible. The Atma of the Vedanta. The Absolute Awareness that is beyond every experience, yet is the very ground from which all experience arises. This is, “Seeing God As He Really Is.”

Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi revealed, ‘WHO AM I?’ The gross body (Anamaya kosha), which is composed of the seven humours (dhatus: chyle, blood, flesh, fat, bone, marrow, and semen), I am not; the five cognitive sense organs (Jnanendriyas), viz., the sense of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell, which apprehend their respective objects, viz., sound, touch, colour, taste, and odour, I am not; the five sense of action (karmendriyas), viz., speech, locomotion, grasping, excretion, and procreation, which have their respective functions, speaking, moving, grasping, excreting, and copulating, I am not; the five vital airs or pranas (Pranamaya kosha), which perform respectively the five functions of inhalation, exhalation, digestion, growth, and circulation, I am not; even the mind (Manomaya kosha), which has the respective function of thinking, I am not; even the intelligence (Vijnanamaya kosha), which has the respective function to discern, solve, understand, etc., I am not; the nescience too in (Anandamaya Kosha), which is endowed only with the residual impressions of objects, and in which there are no objects and no functioning’s, I am not (the unconscious state of nescience, deep sleep, which retains merely the subtle vasanas (latencies of the mind), while being free from the functional activity of the sense-organs and the mind, and being unaware of the existence of the objects of sense-perception). If I am none of these, then who am I? After negating all of the above-mentioned, as “not-this, not this,” that Awareness, which alone remains, that I am! The nature of Awareness is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss (Sat-Chit-Ananda). Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi categorically rejects dualism inherent in the Samkhya philosophy and other scriptures. Sri Bhagavan further rejects the Hindu ‘Doctrine of the Three Bodies,’ ‘Sarira Traya.’ Sri Bhagavan rejects the doctrine of the five koshas, the five dhatus, bhutas, Indriyas, etc., as not this, not this. Sri Bhagavan revealed, “For those who have not realized the Self and as well for those who have realized the Self, this body is ‘I;’ but, for those who have not realized the Self, the ‘I’ is confined only to the limit of the body; and for those who have realized the Self within the body, the ‘I’ shines as the limitless Self. Know that this is the only difference between these two.” The I that shines as the limitless Self is who you are, and there is never anytime when you are not that. Most living beings do not for one moment doubt who they are, for they know they are the body, name and form. Here the body answers to or is referred to composed of the five koshas mentioned above, namely, the food sheath, the vital sheath, the mind, the intelligent and the bliss sheath. They are deeply rooted in the body sense or the I-thought, and do not doubt for one moment they are not that. It is not at all easy to get rid of the I-am-the-body sense, for it is deeply ingrained in the mind for many millennia (many lives). This is conditioned and limited existence (vasanas). Even for an awakened being, the vasanas have to be conquered or exhausted, for that which the body has to go through has to come to pass. For the awakened being, there is no longer rebirth, for the karmas are burnt, no longer is there any work for gain or I-am-the-doer, however, that karma (prarabdha) has to come to pass and become exhausted, which is the cause this current body to come to birth. 

Sri Bhagavan revealed, “As long as a man is the doer, he also reaps the fruit of his deeds, but as soon as he realizes the Self through inquiry as to who is the doer, his sense of being the doer falls away and the triple karma is ended. This is the state of eternal Liberation.”

If self-inquiry, “to whom does this thought arise” leads to fleeting silence, then one has to repeatedly make effort to silence the mind, until those fleeting samadhis are prolonged. Silence of the mind is that which one seeks, more one cannot do through self-effort, the rest is up to the grace of Self, for we surrender all our efforts to attain enlightenment here. Because of the religious and parental coercion, scripts, mysticism, wizardry, magic, myths, and tales of miracles, thaumaturgic powers, supernatural powers, etc., attained by mystics via yoga, mental control, breath control, etc., that abound, one expects to attain these and God (enlightenment) that we miss the opportunity to abide in the simplicity of pure Awareness; these achievements have corrupted our ability to recognize That Which Is and simply abide in the silence. Enlightenment is very simple, uncomplicated. But many have over-complicated and corrupted the simplicity of Being, viz, to abide in the Self, which we do anyway. 

Sri Bhagavan said, “To be the Real Self in the Heart by winning the actual Experience of that Self, who is already won, is the real gain; all other gains (siddhis; supernatural powers, thaumaturgic, magic, etc) are like those that are won in a dream. Does anything gained in a dream remain true on waking? Is the one that has cast off falsehood by dwelling in the Real ever again deluded by these? Sri Bhagavan said, “He that seeks to win supernormal powers, not knowing that he himself is activated by the power of God, is like that cripple who said; ‘What effort would it be for me to defeat these foes, if only you would raise me up and place me in the battlefield in front of them?’” Sri Bhagavan said, “The extinction of the sense of ‘I am the body’ is itself gift, sacrifice, tapas, righteousness, truthfulness, the grace of God, union with God, supreme devotion, renunciation, silence, the natural state, happiness, wealth, Deliverance, peace, the death which is not death and right knowledge (Jnana).”

From very early on in the quest, on the fated day in Estepona, Spain, early in the morning of March 2014 (the writer had prior read and printed out the revelation above), upon uttering the above verbiage mentally during early morning meditation session, the writer experienced a sudden hair standing-on-end (piloerection) stunned strange silence. It is exactly what happened to the writer that which Sri Bhagavan proclaimed above. But, the writer for want of spiritual maturity (from past lives), coercion or influence by scriptures of yogis and their respective paths, false expectations of God and enlightenment, and conditionings, did not recognize that which he seek is that stunned SILENCE. Simple. Only, it was not so because other “gurus” and yoga scriptures lead him in their path, for we miss the boat and we go off in a spiral of spiritual growth. Do not misunderstand the writer here for he acknowledges all paths as useful, but the writer, in hindsight, can be honest and say the paths he followed threw him off the track for many years, however, those years were not wasted, because it was meant to be or destined for his growth or maturity. Funny thing is, it is those very early gurus who then lead one to other gurus for one’s understanding until one is mature to receive the ultimate teaching or Guru. The writer did receive the above excerpt “Who Am I” of the teaching of Sri Bhagavan early on, but the writer was not ready. Too much analyses into metaphysics and philosophy makes one abandon that which is very simple and clear, existence-consciousness. Momentary Samadhi or fleeting Samadhi have to be pointed out by a wise Guru. Verily, Samadhi goes unnoticed or unrecognized, and importantly, it does not lead to awakening because practice must be accompanied by knowledge and/or vice versa–right knowledge can only be parted by honest realized beings, like Sri Bhagavan. Most human beings are ignorant (immature) of the fact of Awareness. They are unaware of fleeting Samadhis in their daily life and goes unrecognized. Not much is needful if one recognizes those fleeting moments of divine Silence. This is That (God, Enlightenment, Awakening) which one seeks. In the end, Ramana said: The Self is not attained. Because it is what you already are. Self-inquiry does not create truth. It removes ignorance. Who am I? This question, if followed to its end, destroys the illusion of separation. And what remains—is what has always been. I am.

LIGHT OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Many have undoubtedly encountered the enigmatic words spoken or written by enlightened Sages: “”Light of Consciousness.” But what do the Sages truly mean by this expression? When the Sages declare that “Consciousness is Reality itself,” they are pointing to a profound philosophical truth that goes beyond the idea that Consciousness is merely something existing within Reality. Rather, they reveal that Consciousness is the very foundation of existence—the ground from which all experience, matter, and phenomena arise. Just as sunlight illuminates all that is seen during the day, and moonlight reveals the world at night, the Light of Consciousness illuminates all experience:

Examine what is meant by “Consciousness is the Light of the Self (Brahman, God).”

Yet, even the Sun itself would not be known without Consciousness. Without Life-Consciousness, Light of God, there is no light, no moon, no sun, and no universe available to be apprehended. For a lifeless body, there is no perception, no experience, and no awareness of anything whatsoever, because the animating principle—the Light of Consciousness—is absent:

Life is the Light of Consciousness (Self, God).

That Consciousness within the human being is the “Savitur,” the Divine Radiance, the Power that animates all life. This is That which you seek. And yet, a profound question arises:

“What is there to seek when our own Life is the most immediate and undeniable Reality?”

The Sages therefore call this Life the “Light of Consciousness,” because without Life there is no capacity to see, hear, smell, taste, touch, or know anything. When they say that this Light is “a thousand times brighter than the Sun,” they point to the same Truth: without Life-Consciousness, nothing can appear or be experienced. It is the supreme Power within every sentient being—the very source through which all manifestation and reflection become possible. The individual mind, the dynamic consciousness that appears as a separate person, is only a tiny reflection of the Absolute Consciousness, just as a ray of sunlight is dependent upon the Sun itself. The Sages are pointing to this: there is no greater Power than the Self, the Life-Consciousness that is the essence of all existence. Nothing can appear in the absence of Consciousness. Therefore, the “Savitur of the Gayatri Mantra” may be understood as the Self—the Light of Life, the Reality of Existence-Consciousness. Consider the immensity of this Truth: The Self, the Life Force, the Spirit within, not only witnesses the waking world and the dream world, but also the apparent absence of experience in deep sleep.

This understanding aligns with the teachings of great Sages such as Sri Bhagavan Maharshi Ramana, Vasishtha, and Adi Shankara, Uddalaka Aruni, King Janaka, who reveal that the unmoving, absolute Consciousness is the foundation upon which the entire appearance of the cosmos is superimposed. The Light of Consciousness is not merely a light that reveals Reality. It is the very Reality itself. This is, Seeing God As He Really Is.

SELF-EFFULGENT CONSCIOUSNESS

Consciousness is “self-effulgent.” Here, the word effulgence is not referring to physical brightness, but is used as a metaphor for “revealing.” In other words, Consciousness is self-revealing. Human beings require the aid of light to perceive objects. Therefore, the Sages use words such as “light,” “brightness,” and “effulgence” as pointers to help us understand the nature of Consciousness. A lamp does not require another lamp to reveal its own presence. In the same way, Consciousness does not require another Consciousness to reveal Itself. This is why the Sages declare that Consciousness is self-effulgent—it shines by its own nature. Therefore, Consciousness alone is truly self-shining. No other object, not even the Sun, possesses this quality. The Sun reveals objects, and a lamp reveals objects, but both sunlight and the lamp are themselves objects appearing within Consciousness. Likewise, time, space, and the entire universe of appearances arise within Consciousness. Consciousness alone is that by which all things are revealed. When Consciousness is absent from the body, as in a corpse, the reflective and dynamic principle—the individual mind—has departed. The whole caboodle departs and disappears with the departure of the body and mind, like in deep sleep. But to emerge again and again. The body then becomes like inert matter, an object perceived by another’s Consciousness.

THE INQUIRY INTO DEATH

There is a beautiful incident from the early life of Sri Bhagavan Maharshi Ramana that invites profound contemplation. When young Venkataraman was twelve years old, he is said to have asked his elder relative at his father’s deathbed: “When my father is lying here, why do you say that he has passed away?” The reply was: “If this were truly your father lying here, would he not greet you with affection?” The writer humbly reflects that such a moment may have planted a profound seed of inquiry within the young Venkataraman: “Who, or what, is my father?” If this body is no longer recognized as the person who was loved, then: “Is this body truly my father?” “If not, who was my father?” “Where has he gone?” “The body remains, yet something has departed. What is that?” Such contemplation eventually and naturally turns the mind inward: “If this body is not me, then who am I?” “What is death?” The writer suggests that such introspection can become a doorway to Self-Inquiry when one encounters the fear of death.

Sri Bhagavan’s Death Experience

Perhaps this same fundamental inquiry reached its culmination years later when Sri Bhagavan was suddenly overcome by an intense fear of death. He described the experience:

“The shock of the fear of death drove my mind inwards and I said to myself mentally, without actually framing the words: ‘Now that death has come; what does it mean? What is it that is dying? This body dies. But with the death of the body am I dead? Is the body I? The body dies but the Spirit that transcends it cannot be touched by death. That means I am the deathless Spirit. All this was not dull thought; it flashed through me vividly as living truth which I perceived directly. From that moment onwards the ‘I’ or Self focused attention on itself by a powerful fascination. Fear of death had vanished once and for all. Absorption in the Self continued unbroken from that time on.”

This is the essence of Self-Inquiry. The question “Who am I?” is not merely an intellectual exercise. It is the turning of attention back toward its own source—the Self that is ever-present, self-revealing, and untouched by birth or death. Then, one realizes, the Life within is Seeing God As He Really Is.

THE SELF, VASANAS, AND MAYA

The writer says: Maya is inherent in Brahman, being the material and the efficient cause. Therefore, Brahman uses Maya as Para-Prompt-Engineering. It is neither possible to encode nor decode the transcendental Maya, viz, to encode nor decode the Para-Prompt of God!

THE MIND:

What is mind? Mind is another name for Maya. The power, which the mind wields, sankalpa, imagination, dreaming, etc,. the cause of which, is nothing but Para-Prompt-Engineering. A thought, rather, thoughts turns to imagination. So fast. What is all this here, viz, all that appears in our consciousness, apart from it being merely “prompt-engineering,”? which arises from the mind. Mind is thoughts. Mind is prompt-engineering.

None could possibly realize the Self if the Self existed apart from their own Existence-Consciousness. Therefore, a profound question arises: “Why do we fail to recognize this as our own very basis?” The Sages answer: because of the influence of our inherent “Vasanas”—the accumulated tendencies, impressions, and conditionings that veil the recognition of our true nature. This field through which appearance arises, which seemingly gives form, expression, and individuality to the soul’ consciousness—the realm of dynamic consciousness (mind)—what the Indian Sages refer to as the field is “Maya.” The Sages declare:

“If we are ourselves the Divine Reality, how can we seek to apprehend God as something separate from ourselves?”

The seeker and the sought are ultimately one.

LIFE-CONSCIOUSNESS AS THE BASIS OF REALITY

Life-Consciousness offers a profound contemplation on the nature of Reality and the Self. It should be acknowledged that contemporary scientific approaches generally understand consciousness as arising from processes associated with the brain and nervous system. However, the Vedantic perspective begins from a different premise: that Consciousness is not something contained within the body, but rather that the body, senses, mind, and entire universe appear within Consciousness. From this perspective, Consciousness is not a product of the body; rather, the body itself is an appearance within Consciousness. The Sages assert that Consciousness is not merely one aspect of Reality, but the absolute and fundamental basis of all existence. This view challenges materialistic interpretations that regard Consciousness as something emerging from matter. Instead, it points toward a deeper understanding in which matter, energy, time, space, and all phenomena arise as expressions or reflections within the field of Consciousness. Nothing can exist independently of its ultimate basis in Consciousness.

This insight is not a new idea. It echoes the ancient Hindu philosophical understanding of “Brahman,” the Supreme Reality, as pure Consciousness. Brahman is not separate from the universe; rather, the universe itself arises within and as that Reality. In this understanding: “Reality is Brahman.” “The individual Self (Atma and Jiva) is ultimately one with Brahman.” Therefore, Consciousness is not merely something that exists within Reality. Life-Consciousness is Reality in its most fundamental sense. The existence of all appearances depends upon the unmoving foundation of Life-Consciousness. The world then, is an appearance, a reflection within the dynamic, reflective aspect of Life-Consciousness, while the Absolute remains unchanged—the silent basis upon which all experience arises and subsides through Maya.

EXISTENCE-CONSCIOUSNESS: THE BASIS OF REALITY

“Existence-Consciousness, or Life itself, is the ultimate foundation of Reality.” From this perspective, everything else—including the appearance of matter—exists only in relation to Life-Consciousness. The Sages point to Consciousness not as something contained within the universe, but as the very ground, intelligence, and field within which the universe appears. From the perspective of ignorance, through the identification “”I am the body,”“ we assume that Consciousness exists within the body. However, the deeper realization reveals the opposite: the body, senses, mind, and the entire universe appear within Consciousness. Rather than a merely physical field, the Sages speak of a dynamic Consciousness-field—”Shakti”—through which all physical phenomena arise and are expressed. From the lower standpoint, this means that Consciousness contains all appearances, and nothing can exist outside of it.

Time, space, matter, and everything we experience are reflections within this singular, all-encompassing Consciousness. In the vision of the Upanishadic Sages, the observer is not truly separate from the observed. Reality, in its essence, simply Is—pure Being. Yet through dynamic awareness, or through ignorance and the movement of karmic tendencies, that One Reality appears as the many. The Self itself remains untouched, unchanging, and without blemish. The physical universe does not exist as an entirely independent object separate from Consciousness; rather, it appears as Consciousness expressing itself through the movement of Life. This is why the Sages point to deep sleep as a profound clue. In deep sleep, apart from Life-Consciousness, no body, mind, senses, or external objects are experienced. Yet Existence remains. The waking and dream states reveal worlds through the activity of Consciousness, as karmic tendencies express themselves through individual minds and collective experience. Thus, the appearance of the world depends upon Consciousness, rather than Consciousness depending upon the appearance of the world.

This understanding challenges the assumption that the external world exists entirely independently of Consciousness. It suggests that Reality is not merely something “out there” being observed by a separate individual. Rather, the observer and the observed arise within the same fundamental Reality. Modern physics does not establish that Consciousness creates Reality, and scientific interpretations remain open to debate. However, certain interpretations of quantum mechanics have encouraged philosophical discussions about the relationship between observation, measurement, and the nature of Reality. The insight of the Sages goes even deeper:

“Consciousness is not merely an observer of Reality. Consciousness is the very ground in which Reality appears.”

DUALITY AND NON-DUALITY

Duality is the identification of the “non-Self”—name and form—with the Self. Non-duality is the recognition that the Self has never truly been identified with name and form. The non-dual nature of Life-Consciousness means that it is not limited by identification with the body, mind, or any particular appearance. It is not divided into subject and object, observer and observed. Rather, Life-Consciousness is one undivided Reality. From this perspective, there is no ultimate separation between the Self and the universe. The universe is an expression, reflection, or appearance of the same singular Reality—Consciousness itself. In non-duality, everything that appears is understood as arising within Consciousness. The physical universe is not separate from Consciousness; it is an appearance within It, like an image reflected in a mirror. The universe is not something outside Consciousness being observed by a separate individual. Rather, all experiences arise within the one Life-Consciousness that is our own true nature. Because everything is contained within this single Reality, all things are deeply interconnected. Like soap dissolved in a container of water—an image that makes the writer smile—there is no absolute separation between one expression and another. There is no true division between you, me, a tree, a star, or even the smallest particle, for all are appearances within the same unified Consciousness. The diversity of forms is the expression of one Reality, unfolding according to the movement of karma and past actions coming to fruition. Reality is Life-Conscious, for nothing exists independently of Consciousness. Our experience of the world is a reflection arising within Life-Consciousness itself. Know. Seeing God As He Really Is.

THE ETERNAL NATURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Consciousness is the absolute basis of all that exists. It has no beginning and no end. At its essence, it is eternal and changeless, even though its manifestations—the physical universe and our individual experiences—appear to change within time and space. Traditional empirical science generally approaches the universe from the assumption that it exists objectively and independently of the observer. The Vedantic understanding begins from another premise: that Consciousness is the fundamental Reality within which both observer and observed appear. This view challenges models that understand Consciousness primarily as an emergent property of complex physical systems such as the brain. Sri Bhagavan Maharshi Ramana expressed this understanding in his dialogue with S. S. Cohen: “”Cut off the head and the soldier still goes around until he drops dead; this is because the ‘Heart,’ or the ‘Seat of Consciousness,’ is not situated in the head.”“ The teaching points toward the deeper understanding that Consciousness is not merely a function of the physical body, but the very foundation through which the body and all experience are known.

REALITY IS CONSCIOUSNESS

What the Sages reveal is that “Consciousness is Reality itself,” not something limited to or dependent upon physical existence. This understanding has deep philosophical and spiritual roots, and it challenges the materialistic assumption that Consciousness is something arising within the universe. The Sages invite us to reverse our usual way of seeing. Instead of believing that Consciousness exists within the universe, they point to the deeper understanding that the universe itself appears within Consciousness. Even I, the ego and the body, appears within Consciousness. Nothing exists outside of this fundamental Reality. The Sages therefore declare: “Reality is not something separate from us, existing “out there.”

“Reality is what we truly are.”

The difference may be expressed in two ways: The scientific view begins with the assumption: “What is there is here.” That is, the external universe exists first, and consciousness arises within it. The Jnani’s awakened view begins from another understanding: “What is here is there.” That is, the Reality directly known as Consciousness within oneself is the same Reality appearing as the entire universe. The mind and Maya fog our understanding of this fundamental truth.

THE UNITY OF LIFE-CONSCIOUSNESS

If Consciousness is the absolute foundation of Reality, then all things are expressions or reflections within that one Consciousness. There is no ultimate separation between you and me, between ourselves and the stars, or between any appearance within creation. Everything arises within the same Life-Source—the Self. This understanding invites a deeper recognition of oneness with all existence. The universe is not merely a collection of separate objects existing independently; rather, it is an interconnected expression appearing within the one Conscious Reality. The sense of separation that we ordinarily experience is itself an appearance born from identification with individuality. All forms are different expressions of the same Life-Consciousness.

KNOWING THE “I AM”

Know that: “I AM.” But do not merely think: “I AM.”

There is a profound difference. Thinking “I AM” is a movement of the mind—an idea, a concept, or an intellectual recognition. Knowing “I AM” is beyond thought. Knowing is being thoughtless about knowing, thoughts, imagination. It is direct Being. The Self does not need to be created, achieved, or imagined. It is already present as the undeniable fact of existence itself. Do you not know that “You Are?” Before every thought, before every perception, before every experience, there is the silent certainty: “I AM.” This knowing transcends thinking. Don’t you know that You Are? There is a big difference between thinking and being or that “I AM.”! Being transcends thinking “I AM.” This is Seeing God As He Really Is.

CONSCIOUSNESS AS REALITY

Consciousness is Reality itself. From the perspective of the Sages, Consciousness is not merely witnessing an independently existing world; rather, the world and the body that we experience arises within Consciousness itself. Our own Consciousness participates in the appearance of the reality we experience. Through identification, the One appears as many, and we perceive ourselves as separate from others. Consider the profound mystery of this: The very Consciousness that creates the experience (the basis of experiences) of separation is also the Consciousness that recognizes the illusion of separation. Therefore, Maya appears within our Consciousness. How powerful is this Reality that we truly are? This understanding has parallels with philosophical discussions surrounding quantum physics, where the role of observation and the relationship between observer and observed have raised profound questions about the nature of Reality. However, the insight of the Sages extends beyond physical theory: it points to Consciousness as the fundamental basis within which all experience appears. According to this teaching, karma and the movements of the mind shape the appearance of our individual reality. Through awareness, we begin to understand the nature of this unfolding—not as personal control, but as participation in the mysterious expression of Consciousness itself. No. The writer will tell you. There is no mystery of such appearance, it arises to express individual Karma. Like a dream, the experienced world appears vividly real while it is being experienced, yet its foundation is Consciousness, but its source is Karma!

THE ETERNAL NATURE OF THE SELF

In many non-dual traditions, Consciousness is understood as eternal. It has no beginning and no end. Everything within the physical world appears, changes, and disappears, but Consciousness remains—the unchanging ground from which all appearances arise and into which they subside. This recognition can bring profound peace, for it reveals a timeless Reality at the heart of all existence. Time itself becomes an appearance within dynamic Consciousness. Space becomes the field in which all experiences arise and are contained. The deepest realization is this:

“You are not separate from the universe.”

You are the Brahman through which the universe appears and experiences itself. As the Sages declare:

“Consciousness reveals itself to itself.”

The Consciousness that is the basis of life in you—your thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and experiences—is the same Consciousness that is the essence (basis) of all existence. Call it Life or Existence-Consciousness. This recognition is described in many traditions as awakening or enlightenment: the direct realization (knowledge plus practice plus experience plus discernment) that there is no separate self apart from the Whole. The shift is from experiencing oneself as an isolated individual to recognizing oneself as the unified Reality in which all existence appears. Knowledge alone cannot do it. Practice alone cannot do it. Knowledge must be combined with Practice. Otherwise, ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, etc would be enlightened. Makes the writer chuckle.

FROM DOERSHIP TO BEING

When Consciousness, the Self, is recognized as Reality itself, perception begins to transform. The ignorance that identifies Reality solely with material appearances begins to dissolve. One begins to see that all beings are expressions of the same Self. This recognition naturally gives rise to deeper compassion, respect, and empathy for all life. At the same time, it teaches humility—the wisdom to allow others to walk their own path and simply “mind our own business.” Life becomes a more conscious expression of Being. Thoughts, actions, and awareness are recognized as movements within Consciousness itself. The belief: “I am the doer” gradually dissolves. What remains is the simple, timeless Truth: “I Am.”

No more “I am the doer,” but simply I Am.

THE DIRECT EXPERIENCE OF ONENESS

If Consciousness is the absolute foundation of all Reality, then a profound question naturally arises:

“What exactly is Consciousness?”

Is it a single, all-encompassing Universal Mind? Or is it a vast field of interconnected conscious expressions, each individual appearance being an expression of the one Whole? How do we experience this Oneness directly? The vision of the Jnani—revealed through sages such as Uddalaka Aruni, Ramana Maharshi, King Janaka, Buddha—offers profound clarity. Yet many seekers naturally ask:

“How can this unified Consciousness be realized in everyday life?”

Is there a path to awakening beyond intellectual understanding? What does this “understanding” mean for free will and destiny? If Consciousness is the foundation of Reality, then what role does individual consciousness play in shaping experience? Are all events predetermined through the movement of karma, or is there still room for choice, responsibility, and personal participation within this greater unfolding of Consciousness? These are not merely philosophical questions. They are invitations to deeper inquiry.

THE PATH TO AWAKENING

Throughout history, spiritual traditions have offered practices that help quiet the mind and turn attention inward. Meditation, mindfulness, contemplation, prayer, devotion, and Self-Inquiry are among the many approaches through which seekers begin to recognize the deeper nature of the Self. These practices do not create the Self, for the Self is already present. Rather, they help dissolve the false identification with the ego—the belief that we are merely a separate body and mind—and allow the underlying Reality of Consciousness to reveal itself. The great philosophical traditions of non-duality, including Advaita Vedanta, Zen, Buddhism, and Taoism, have explored the relationship between Consciousness and Reality in profound ways. They point toward the same fundamental insight:

“We are not separate from the Whole.”

To recognize Consciousness as the absolute and fundamental basis of Reality is a profoundly liberating realization. We begin to see that our thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and the entire world of experience are expressions arising within the one Life-Consciousness. The apparent separation between ourselves and the universe begins to dissolve. All existence becomes understood as one dynamic expression of Reality—an unfolding of Consciousness through the mysterious movement of karma and life itself. This understanding challenges the conventional materialistic view that sees Consciousness as merely a by-product of matter. Instead, it opens a deeper way of knowing:

“We are not isolated beings existing within the universe.” “We are Consciousness itself, experiencing the appearance of the universe.”

THE ABSOLUTE IS THE SELF

As the writer has stated, nothing can exist apart from Consciousness, for Consciousness is the absolute foundation of all that appears. The realization of the Absolute as the Self is one of the most profound discoveries possible. It is not the realization of something distant, external, or separate from oneself. Rather, it is the direct recognition that the very Reality we seek is our own true nature. This insight touches the deepest dimension of spiritual realization. In many non-dual traditions, especially Advaita Vedanta, the Self is not understood as the personal ego or individual identity. The Self is the one Consciousness that is the essence of all existence. To realize that the Absolute is the Self is to recognize that we are not separate from Reality. The universe itself appears within this one Consciousness, unfolding through the movement of karma and the expressions of life.

THE DISSOLUTION OF SEPARATION

Non-duality teaches that there is no ultimate separation between the Self and the universe. The Self is not the limited individual personality, but the universal Consciousness that underlies all appearances. Different traditions have used different pointers for this ultimate Reality: “Brahman” in Advaita Vedanta, “Tao” in Taoist traditions, “Sunyata” in Buddhist philosophy,” and “the One” in various mystical traditions. While the language differs, these traditions point toward a Reality beyond the limitations of the separate ego. When the writer says that the Absolute is the Self, he is pointing to the realization that we are not merely a temporary identity composed of body, thoughts, memories, and experiences. Behind all changing appearances is the timeless, spaceless, limitless Reality of Consciousness.

The individual ego is a constructed identity—a collection of thoughts, memories, perceptions, and conditioning that creates the appearance of separation. It is not that the individual disappears as an appearance; rather, the false belief that the individual exists independently dissolves.

What remains is the recognition of the Self: The unchanging Consciousness in which all experiences arise. The Reality that is beyond limitation. The One appearing as the many. The experience of separation from the universe, from others, and from existence itself belongs to the realm of dualistic perception. In Truth, all appearances are expressions of the same unified Consciousness. The seeker discovers:

“The Self is not within the universe.” “The universe appears within the Self.”

REALIZING THE ABSOLUTE AS THE SELF

To realize that the Absolute is the Self is not merely an intellectual understanding. It is a direct recognition—a living knowledge—that one is never separate from the Self, from Brahman, or from the Reality that is the source of all existence. It is the shift from knowing about Truth to abiding as Truth. In this realization, one recognizes that Consciousness is expressing itself through the appearance of individuality and the unfolding of karma. The ego is not the independent creator; rather, all creation arises within and as Consciousness itself. Such recognition may occur through deep meditation, contemplation, surrender, or moments of profound presence. In these moments, the apparent boundary between self and other may dissolve, revealing that separation is not ultimately real. There is only the One Consciousness. This is the essence pointed to by states such as “Nirvikalpa Samadhi” where the distinctions of subject and object, observer and observed, temporarily cease.

THE ETERNAL NATURE OF THE SELF

The Self, which is the Absolute, is eternal. It does not come into existence, nor does it cease to exist. All that appears within the physical realm—matter, time, space, thoughts, emotions, and experiences—arises and passes away within the eternal “mirror” of Consciousness. The recognition of this Truth brings profound peace, because one begins to understand:

“I am not limited to the body or the mind.”

The true Self is beyond birth and death, beyond the changing movements of the material world. It is unchanging. It is timeless. It is immortal. Once the Absolute is recognized as the Self, the entire universe is seen as an expression of that same Reality—from the stars and oceans to atoms and all beings.

LIVING AS THE SELF

The universe is not something completely separate from you. It appears within the very Consciousness that you are. You are not an isolated individual looking at a separate world; rather, the one Reality is experiencing itself through countless forms. This realization brings a profound sense of unity. The observer and the observed are no longer seen as ultimately separate. Both arise within the same Consciousness. Living as the Self means that thoughts, actions, and perceptions gradually align with this deeper understanding. The world is no longer viewed merely as something external to control, possess, manipulate, or reject. It is recognized as the same Consciousness appearing in diverse forms.

Suffering arises from the sense of separation—from identification with the ego, the body, and the mind. However, realization does not necessarily mean that all experiences of the body and mind disappear. Even a Jnani appears to continue living within the world, as long as the momentum of prarabdha karma remains active. The difference is that the Jnani no longer identifies with those experiences as the limited individual. Pain and joy may arise, but they are recognized as movements appearing within Life-Consciousness itself. They are contained within the Self and do not obscure the underlying Reality. From this recognition, compassion naturally arises. When one knows that all beings are expressions of the same Life-Consciousness, the separation between oneself and another begins to dissolve. One sees:

“The Self in all beings.” “All beings in the Self.” “There is no true separation, for all is the one Life-Consciousness.”

FREE WILL, SELF-INQUIRY, AND THE NATURAL STATE

One of the most fascinating aspects of realizing the Absolute as the Self is the question of free will. When it is seen that all existence is an expression of the one Consciousness, it may appear that there is no truly separate individual exercising independent choice. The same Consciousness flows through all beings and all events. Yet this does not lead to passivity or fatalism. Rather, one lives in harmony with the natural flow of Consciousness itself. This effortless abidance is known as “Sahaja Sthiti”—the Natural State. Actions continue to arise, but they are no longer experienced as the personal achievements or burdens of an isolated individual. They are recognized as expressions of the Self, unfolding according to the movement of karma within the universal order. To know this directly is not a matter of intellectual understanding, but of direct experience. Life-Consciousness alone reveals the way. By turning attention inward and allowing the restless activity of the egoic mind to become still, one begins to recognize the Self as the timeless, infinite Reality beyond all duality and non-duality.

SELF-INQUIRY

Among the highest means to this realization is “Self-Inquiry,” as taught by great Sages such as Sri Bhagavan Maharshi Ramana. The essential question is beautifully simple:

“Who am I?”

Rather than searching for an intellectual answer, the inquiry turns attention toward the one to whom every thought, feeling, and experience appears. A practical beginning is to question the identities we ordinarily assume: “Who gave me this name?” “Who gave me this surname?” “Who made me identify with a nationality, a religion, a culture, or a history?” These identities belong to the body and mind. Do they belong to the Self? As each layer of identification is examined, the false gradually falls away, revealing that which has never changed—the silent, self-luminous Reality that is always present.

LIVING FROM THE SELF

Realizing the Self as the Absolute does not require withdrawing from the world or abandoning ordinary life. On the contrary, it invites a fuller participation in life through wisdom, humility, and awareness. The world is no longer experienced as something separate from oneself, but as appearances arising within the one Life-Consciousness. The search for lasting fulfilment in external objects gradually comes to an end. One discovers that peace, happiness, and completeness are not acquired from the world; they are the very nature of the Self. Life continues. Relationships continue. Work continues. Joy and sorrow continue to arise according to the unfolding of karma. Yet beneath every changing experience remains the unchanging certainty of Being. One no longer seeks to become whole. One recognizes that one has always been Whole.

THE SELF AS THE ABSOLUTE

To realize the Absolute as the Self is the highest transformation of understanding. It is the direct recognition that you are not separate from Reality, but that Reality itself is your own true nature. The apparent boundary between the individual and the universe dissolves, revealing the one indivisible Consciousness that is the essence of all existence. This realization does not merely change how you see the world—it transforms the very understanding of who you are. You no longer know yourself as a separate, ego-centred individual. You recognize yourself as the one Life-Consciousness in which all appearances arise. Everything exists within the Self, appears within the Self, and is known by the Self. The ancient declaration, “All this is the Self,” becomes a living reality. There is no true outside and no absolute other, for all distinctions arise within the one indivisible Consciousness. When the writer says, “Without me, nothing exists,” the “me” referred to is not the individual personality, but the Self—the Absolute Reality, pure Existence-Consciousness.

“Without the Self, Life, nothing can be known, experienced, or appear.”

The Self is not one object among many. It is the very ground of all existence. This is the heart of non-duality. The apparent distinction between subject and object, observer and observed, is born of ignorance. In Truth, both arise within the same indivisible Reality. The Self is not the limited “I” that is identified with the body and mind. The Self is the one all-pervading Consciousness that illumines every thought, every perception, every being, and every world. Every person, every object, every thought, every feeling, and every experience is an appearance within that one limitless Self. The realization is not that the individual becomes infinite. It is the recognition that the infinite alone has ever existed. The Self neither comes nor goes. It neither appears nor disappears. It simply Is. To know That as one’s own Being is Liberation. Seeing God As He Really Is.

The World Appears Within the Self. There is no world existing apart from self-aware Consciousness. The universe is not something experienced from the outside by a separate individual. Rather, it appears within the limitless field of Consciousness that is your own true Self. As the Self, you are the ever-present Witness in whose light all experiences arise. The universe appears, is known, and subsides within this one indivisible Reality. The ordinary sense of separation—the feeling that “I am here” while the world is “out there”—begins to dissolve. What remains is the recognition that there is only one Reality appearing as the many:

To glimpse this Truth is awakening.

To remain established in it is “Self-abidance (Sahaja Sthiti).” When you look upon a tree, another person, the stars, or the vastness of space, you are not looking upon something ultimately separate from yourself, though seemingly separate. You are beholding appearances arising within the same infinite Consciousness. All forms emerge within Awareness and eventually dissolve back into It. Nothing exists independently of the Self as its basis. When the writer says, “Without me, nothing exists,” the “me” refers to the individual personality. From a higher standpoint, “me” is the ego that creates the whole caboodle to express its karma. But the whole caboodle disappears with the disappearance of the ego in deep sleep. Only, the Self—the pure Existence-Consciousness, is the basis, without which, nothing comes to existence. Paradoxically, the basis of “me” is the Self.

The illusion of individuality arises through identification with the ego. The ego appears as a separate identity, believing itself to be independent, unique, and distinct from the world around it. Yet upon inquiry, it is discovered to be only another passing appearance within the eternal Self. The ego is the changing mind. The Self is the unchanging Reality. The ego imagines itself to be separate, but the Sage recognizes that it has never existed apart from the Self. A beautiful analogy is that of a wave upon the ocean. The wave may imagine itself to be separate, but its substance has never been anything other than water. Sage Uddalaka taught Svataketu (Aruneya & Chandogya Upanishad) the saltiness of water at the top, middle and bottom is same. Likewise, the individual appears as a distinct person, yet its essence has always been the one Life-Consciousness. The wave, the water, the ocean, the saltiness, and even the silent ocean floor are not different realities. They are different ways of pointing to the same indivisible Truth. So it is with the Self. One Reality. Appearing as all. Nothing exists independently of the Self. The world does not contain the Self. The Self contains the world.

THE TIMELESS SELF

The realization of the Self as the Absolute brings with it the recognition of timelessness. The ego lives within the movements of time and space. It identifies with birth and death, gain and loss, pleasure and pain, becoming and change. The Self is beyond all such movements. It is eternal, unchanging, and ever-present. The events of the world arise and pass away like waves upon the ocean, yet the ocean itself remains. So it is with the Self. All experiences come and go within It, yet It is never altered by what appears within Its infinite stillness. In the recognition that all existence is the Self, the ordinary sense of linear time begins to dissolve. As in “Samadhi,” and as suggested by the peace of deep sleep, past, present, and future lose their apparent independence and are seen as appearances within the timeless Reality. The Self is the eternal “Now”—the still point around which all change appears to revolve.

When the writer says that nothing exists without the Self, it does not mean that the individual personality creates the universe. Rather, it means that the Self is the very ground in which all karmic experience appears. Without Life-Consciousness, nothing could be known, experienced, or exist as experience. The world arises within Consciousness and is known only because Consciousness is present. As understanding deepens and identification with the ego falls away, perception itself is transformed. The world begins to reflect the peace, clarity, and unity that have always belonged to the Self. Separation softens. Conflict loses its foundation. The harmony that has always been present begins to reveal itself.

When everything is recognized as the Self, fear gradually loses its hold. Hatred gives way to understanding. For where there is no absolute “other,” there can be no ultimate conflict. To live established in the Self is to live in peace, presence, and natural simplicity. The world is no longer experienced as alien or threatening, but as the living expression of the same one Reality. Every encounter becomes an opportunity to recognize the Self. Every relationship reflects the same Consciousness. Even life’s difficulties are no longer seen merely as obstacles, but as part of the mysterious unfolding of karma and as opportunities for deeper understanding and Self-abidance. The profound realization that everything is the Self—and that nothing exists apart from the Self—reveals that we are not isolated individuals moving through an independent universe. Rather, the entire universe appears within the limitless field of Existence-Consciousness. The ego does not become infinite. Instead, the illusion of limitation dissolves, revealing the infinite Self that has always been present. This Self is beyond birth and death. Beyond time and space. Beyond all division. It is the Light of all lights. It is the “Savitur” praised by the ancient Rishis. It is the one Reality shining in every heart. To know “That” as one’s own Being is to know God—not as an object to be seen, but as the very Self of all. This is Seeing God As He Really Is.”

LIVING THE TRUTH

It is one thing to understand this Truth philosophically or intellectually. It is quite another to know it directly and to live from it. That knowing is transformative. When it is recognized that all appearances arise within the one Self, and that nothing can be known apart from Awareness, life begins to be experienced in an entirely different way. The world is no longer perceived as something separate from oneself, but as the living expression of the same Life-Consciousness.

There is something about the stillness of nature that often makes this recognition feel immediate and effortless. Whether walking quietly through a forest, sitting beside a flowing river, watching the endless sky, or simply listening to the wind moving through the trees, nature gently draws the mind into the present. As the restless activity of thought subsides, the silent presence of the Self becomes more apparent. It is not that the Self is found in nature. The Self is everywhere. Nature simply helps quiet the mind that imagines separation. In those quiet moments, one may begin to recognize that there is no absolute distinction between oneself and the tree, the breeze, the mountain, or the open sky. Everything appears within the same indivisible Awareness. Nature seems to speak without words. Its language is silence. Its message is the presence of the Self.

The rhythm of life, the changing seasons, the flowing rivers, the stars above, and the interconnectedness of all living beings reflect the harmony of the one Consciousness expressing itself through countless forms. To rest quietly in nature is often to discover that nothing needs to be added. Nothing needs to be achieved. Nothing needs to be forced. One simply “is”. In that simple Being, the reality of the Self quietly reveals itself—not through thought, but through direct Presence. The smallest leaf, the morning breeze, the song of a bird, and the vastness of the night sky all become silent reminders of the same indivisible Reality.

Have you ever noticed the profound peace that arises while sitting quietly in nature? A peace in which the ordinary sense of separation begins to soften. A peace in which the boundary between “myself” and “the world” seems to fade. Many Sages, Saints, and Mystics throughout history have spoken of this silent recognition. Not because nature creates the Self, but because in moments of stillness the mind ceases to interfere, allowing the ever-present Truth to shine unobstructed. What remains is the simple flow of Life-Consciousness. One Reality. One Presence. One Self. Silently expressing Itself through all. This is:

Seeing God As He Really Is

TIRUVANNAMALAI LOVES YOU: ARUNACHALA SHIVA LOVES YOU

THE SELF LOVES YOU AS ITSELF: ETERNAL DIVINE LOVE

There is something profoundly sacred about nature, for it reflects the deeper laws of Reality. It is the living expression of the Self, where all things exist in perfect unity. Yet the Truth to which nature points lies even deeper. In the Absolute, there is no experience as the mind ordinarily understands experience. The Self transcends the mind. It is beyond thought, emotion, sensation, and every individual perception. It is the pure Presence that exists before every experience arises and remains after every experience subsides. This is the profound truth of the Self. There is no separation. There is no observer apart from the observed. There is only Being itself. In this state of pure Awareness, all distinctions dissolve. The usual subject-object relationship disappears, leaving only Consciousness without form, without division, and without limitation. Everything that can be called “experience”—thoughts, sensations, emotions, perceptions—arises and disappears within Awareness. What remains is the silent certainty beyond the mind:

“I Know Nothing.”

This is not ignorance. It is the recognition that the mind can never know the Self as an object, for the Self is the very Reality by which the mind itself is known. The Self is recognized only in hindsight, when the movements of thought have subsided.

The ordinary mind creates a world of duality: Observer and observed. Knower and known. Subject and object. But in Absolute Awareness, this division disappears. This is the stillness to which the Sages point—a Reality beyond conceptual thought, beyond mental activity, and beyond all definitions. The deepest silence has been described as “Nirvikalpa Samadhi,” where all distinctions cease. There are no thoughts. No concepts. No personal experiences. Only pure, self-luminous Awareness. Time disappears. Space disappears. Past and future disappear. Only the Eternal remains. Who is there? The body, emotions, and thoughts are recognized as temporary appearances arising within Consciousness. They are no longer mistaken for one’s true identity. The Self remains the unmoving Reality, untouched by birth or death, beyond all identification. Like the peace of deep sleep, yet infinitely more luminous, the Self simply Is. It neither comes nor goes. It neither appears nor disappears. It is the eternal Witness. It is the Light of all lights. It is Arunachala. It is Shiva. It is your own Self. “This is Seeing God As He Really Is.”

THE TEACHING OF SILENCE: DAKSHINAMURTI & RAMANA

Can the highest knowledge be taught without words? In the ancient tradition, Sri Dakshinamurti is the Young Guru — Shiva as the teacher of Self-knowledge — seated beneath the banyan tree, surrounded by the great sages, the Four Kumaras. Sanaka. Sanandana. Sanatana. Sanatkumara. They came seeking knowledge. And the Guru transmitted. No discourse. No argument. No doctrine.  Thousands of years later, at Arunachala, a young Ramana sat absorbed in the Self. He did not come to establish himself as a teacher. He did not seek disciples. Yet seekers came. Questions were asked. And again and again, the inquiry was turned inward: Who am I? Here, the ancient image of Dakshinamurti and the life of Ramana invite a profound contemplation. Is the deepest knowledge something that can ultimately be transmitted through words? Or do words merely point toward what must finally be discovered within oneself? The scriptures speak. The Guru points. The seeker asks. And beyond them all… This episode explores the remarkable spiritual parallel between the Young Guru beneath the banyan tree and the young sage at Arunachala — two powerful images of wisdom expressed not merely through teaching, but through Presence and Silence. 🙏 May the inquiry turn inward. May the mind become still. And may we discover what remains when the question itself becomes silent. A contemplative journey into Consciousness, Self-enquiry, Vedanta, Advaita, Samadhi, Maya, and the timeless question: WHO AM I?

If the highest Truth cannot ultimately be contained in words…can Silence itself become a teaching? Sri Dakshinamurti sits beneath the banyan tree, surrounded by the Four Kumaras. And centuries later, a young Ramana sits at Arunachala. Two young sages. Two very different historical settings. And yet, in both, we encounter the extraordinary image…Ramana’s question brings us back to the beginning: “Who am I?” Perhaps the deepest answer is not another thought. Perhaps it is what remains when the question becomes still. 🙏What does “Silence” mean to you? We heard the ancient declaration: I Am Brahman. Aham Brahmasmi. I Am That. But if the Self is what we truly are…can that knowledge actually be taught? Can the highest Truth be put into words? Or…is there another way?

That one Self, the Reality, alone exists forever. If even the Primal Guru…Adi Guru…Dakshinamurti revealed it in silence, who can convey it in speech?

Shiva manifested in ancient times as a youth who taught in silence, initiating and guiding his disciples by direct transmission of Silence. He is particularly associated with Arunachala, the centre of silent and purely spiritual initiation and guidance, and therefore also with Sri Ramana Maharshi, who was Arunachala-Shiva teaching in silence.

I salute Sri Dakshinamurti…who is the transcendental Absolute…who is a Young Guru…who teaches the knowledge of Brahman through Silence…surrounded by the great sages…the Four Kumaras…Sanaka…Sanandana…Sanatana…and Sanatkumara. The teacher of teachers…whose hand reveals the sign of “That You Are”…whose nature is fullness…and who is ever silent…who radiates happiness…who revels His own Self…who is bliss personified. It propitiates that form of Lord Siva by which He is known as a youthful world teacher seated beneath the sacred fig-tree, facing South. Dakshina means ‘south’ and teaching elderly disciples through silence. The South Spiritually indicates a download path of Jnana and the North indicates an upload path of Jnana. He faces south so that we may face Him and therefore face north, that is, face to face with the immortal Spirit, the Self, or Brahman. The word Dakshina means also ‘efficient’. He is theOne who can teach us the most difficult thoughts in the most efficient manner. He is the teacher of all teachers. He is the Ultimate which is inaccessible even to the mind and speech. His silence is an eloquence of the Experience of Bliss. He is the Form which makes us understand if only we make the effort.

Dakshinamurti reminds us of something that most of us forget in the busy-ness of life: The silence he teaches is not emptiness. It is full. It is where truth reveals itself. In the tradition of yoga and Vedanta, Dakshinamurti is revered as the Adi Guru, the very first guru. Before there were any human teachers, before any scriptures were written, Shiva himself sat in this form and transmitted the knowledge of the Self directly to the sages. They came seeking knowledge. They were great sages. They knew the scriptures. They had studied. They had questioned. And yet…they came before the Young Guru. What did he tell them? Nothing. He remained silent. The sages raised questions after questions, one by one. Dakshinamurti remained silent. His silence was penetrating. His eyes blazing intentness…penetrating each sage. In the enigmatic gaze of Silence, the Sages forgot the questions. Their minds became absorbed in the silence, in the presence, like that of Nirvikalpa Samadhi. In that sacred silence, in the blazing presence…Their doubts dissolved. After a full year, the teaching was complete. The truth dawned. all four sages received Jnana. Why? Because words can indicate Reality…but Reality is not a description. Words can point…but they are not That to which they point. The mind can seek…by chasing its own tail. The mind cannot seek that which transcends it. Yet…what it seeks is already present. And so…the Guru is silent, because the mature and purified mind of the seeker needs to be absorbed into the source. The highest truth cannot be spoken in words. It is revealed in the Silence. To know Truth, the mind needs to be completely empty, not unlike in deep sleep, but in full wakefulness.

In the passage of Time. The Lord of Death, awakened a young lad, by the name of Venkataraman Iyer. He absconded from home, never to return. On the fated day, he boarded a train from Madurai destined for Arunachala, Tiruvannamalai.

“I have in search of my Father and in obedience to his command, started from here.  This is only embarking on a virtuous enterprise.  Therefore, none need to grieve over This affair.  To trace This out, no money need be spent. Your college fee has not been paid.  Rupees two are enclosed herewith”. Thus —–

Ramana Maharshi said to an inquiring devotee… who had prior vision of Ramana as Dakshinamurti:

‘You wanted to see my form; you saw my disappearance; I am formless. So that experience might be the real truth. The further visions may be according to your own conceptions derived from the study of the Bhagavad Gita. But Ganapati Sastri had a similar experience; you may consult him.’ 

At the end of the 19th century? at Arunachala…a young man sat in Silence. Paramatma, Arunachala-Shiiva, revealed himself as Ramana Maharshi. A Grand-Master of Sages. Hail Ramana Maharshi, Hail Arunachala-Shiiva. The mouna diksha of Ramana Maharshi, and that of Dakshinamurti, is the ultimate mode of transmission, particularly appropriate to the direct path of Self-enquiry, which Ramana taught. Arthur Osbourne writes: The initiation by look was a very real thing. Sri Bhagavan would turn to the devotee; his eyes fixed upon him with blazing intentness. The luminosity, the power of his eyes pierced into one, breaking down the thought-process. Paul Brunton writes: “I cannot turn my gaze away from him. My initial bewilderment, my perplexity at being totally ignored, slowly fade away as this strange fascination begins to grip me more firmly. But it is not till the second hour of the uncommon scene that I become aware of a silent, resistless change which is taking place within my mind. One by one, the questions which I prepared in the train with such meticulous accuracy drop away. For it does not now seem to matter whether they are asked or not, and it does not matter whether I solve the problems which have hitherto troubled me. I know only that a steady river of quietness seems to be flowing near me, that a great peace is penetrating the inner reaches of my being, and that my thought-tortured brain is beginning to arrive at some rest.”

He did not come to Arunachala seeking to become a teacher. He came to seek Arunachala. He did not announce a philosophy. He did not establish a doctrine. At Arunachala, He simply remained absorbed in the Self . His absorption attracted seekers. Seekers came. They asked questions. They sought answers. And gradually…the silent presence of the young Swami became a teaching in itself.

“Who is the seer? When I sought within I watched the disappearance of the seer and what survived it. No thought of ‘I saw’ arose, so how could the thought ‘I did not see’ arise? Who has the power to convey this in words when even Thou couldnst do so in ancient days by silence only? Only to convey by silence Thy State Thou standest as a Hill shining from heaven to earth.”

One was the Young Guru beneath the banyan tree. The other…a young sage at Arunachala. One was surrounded by the Four Kumaras. The other…by seekers who came from every direction. Different ages. Different times. Different forms. And yet…Silence. Different ages. Different times. Different forms. And yet…Silence. Unchanging. Formless. One was surrounded by the Four Kumaaras. The other…by devotees, seekers and ego jis. They came from every direction, Every religion. Every caste. Every race. Every Nationality. And Every walk of Life. Rich and poor. Men, Women, Children, and animals. Dakshinamurti represents the Guru whose teaching is Silence. Ramana Maharshi showed…in a human life…how that Silence could become a living presence. Sri Bhagavaan could speak, but He was absorbed in Mouna. Sri Bhagavaan could explain. But His mind was absorbed in the Heart. Dakshinamurti represents the Guru whose teaching is Silence. Ramana Maharshi showed…in a human life…how that Silence could become a living presence. He could speak, but He was in Mouna. He could explain. His mind was in Mouna.

In 1902, Sri Bhagavan did, tentatively, answer questions. He did Reveal to Pillai Swami “NAN YAR.” Who am I. But ultimately…he repeatedly turned the seeker back to the source of the “I”. Then: Who am I? His silence, his living presence was That Which You Seek. Silence of the Sahaja State. Who am I? The question seems to ask for an answer. But Self-enquiry turns the question inward. Who is asking? Where does the “I” arise? What is its source? And when the mind turns toward that source…what remains? Ramana Maharshi teaches us that the answers we seek are not outside us. They are within. “Trace the `I’ to its source.” Which means perceiving the mind which perceives the world. Both sage’s posture, composure, presence, and stillness are themselves the teaching. They show us through their very being what it means to be truly established in the Self. Perhaps… the deepest teaching… is the one that leaves nothing more to say. Silence again.

The scriptures speak. The Guru points. The seeker asks. The mind searches. But the Self…is silent. Then: Silence. Perhaps this is why…after all the words…after all the questions…after all the teachings…we finally arrive here. Not at another concept. Not at another belief. But at Silence. Ramana Maharshi said:

“In the recesses of the lotus-shaped heart of all, from Vishnu downwards, there shines as Absolute Consciousness, the Paramatman, the Supreme Spirit, who is the same as Arunachala or Ramana. When the mind melts with love of him, and reaches the inmost recess of the heart, wherein he abides as the Beloved, the subtle eye of Absolute Consciousness opens, and he reveals himself as pure Knowledge.”

“That Tao which can be named is not the Tao” — the knowledge which can be formulated is not the true Knowledge. This silent teaching was a direct spiritual influence which the mind absorbed and later interpreted according to its ability.

The first European visitor has thus described it:

“On reaching the cave we sat before him at his feet and said nothing. We sat thus for a long time and I felt lifted out of myself. For half an hour I looked into the Maharshi’s eyes, which never changed their expression of deep contemplation. I began to realize somewhat that the body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost; I could feel only that his body was not the man: it was the instrument of God, merely a sitting, motionless corpse from which God was radiating terrifically. My own feelings were indescribable.”