Thought for today

In its quest for "enlightenment", can a false entity (called "me") ever transform itself into something "better"? Wouldn't the "better me" still be false?

Can an appearance be liberated?

Why are you reading this? The answer is "You" want something, am I correct? Well, before "you" proceed any further, the warning is that "you" will get nothing from reading this blog or for that matter any other book, blog, audio, video, related to the notion or concept of what "you" are looking for ( call it Advaita or Non-dualism etc.). This is because "you" are approaching this as an individual. Remember an individual can never ever come to know the Reality/ Truth/ Brahman or whatever else one may call THAT. Why is that? Quite obviously, because the individual is nothing but an appearance, a phenomenal object. An appearance can never know the Subject to whom it appears.

The problem with the seeker is that the seeker has been led to believe that Reality or Brahman is something that can be objectified. He/she has read or has been told that there is something or entity or state which is better or more blissful than the one that he or she is experiencing. The descriptions of this may vary and include a state of permanent bliss, emptiness, immutable, eternal, spaceless, timeless etc. All of these descriptions( or pointers) are obviously attempts to convey to the reader/seeker in the form of concepts what is really beyond conceptualization. Again, the seeker cannot but understand at the level of the mind anything that is not in the form of concepts. All concepts are based on the two pillars of space and time. Without space and time, no concept is possible. Therefore, the seeker is perplexed and confused why he/she cannot understand or attain this Knowledge. He/she has come to believe that with effort any knowledge is attainable. Then why not this Knowledge? By itself, all knowledge and understanding at the level of the mind is in the form of concepts. Therefore, what is beyond conceptualization, beyond time and space, and therefore beyond the mind, can NEVER be understood. Even logically, what is timeless cannot be essentially attained by any entity in a period of time. The thinking that one day sometime in the future, "I will attain Self-Realization", itself is a ludicrous and self defeating thought. The thought that this unbearable suffering bondage of an individual, will in some distant future (or hopefully not so distant future), be released or liberated is a myth. Is not true that an "appearance"(the phenomenal object called individual) thinking it is in "bondage" hopes to attain "liberation"? But, it is this very mis-conception, that results in the constant search. The "seeker" hopes to change this fictitious entity ( body-mind) into something better by attaining this Knowledge. Perhaps, the "seeker" hopes to emulate the sages that he/she has heard so much about in the various books and scriptures. So, the fictitious "seeker" who is in fictitious "bondage" seeks fictitious "liberation" by trying to change this fictitious entity (body-mind) or even better "go beyond" this body-mind entity!!

One day, the fictitious "seeker" realizes that the "seeker" is a fictitious entity, a concept, a character in a fictitious story and may actually laugh out loud at his/her foolishness in not realizing that the "seeker" itself is the sought and there is actually no need to seek for any one.

What can I do to Realize? How long will it take for me to know the Truth?

This is a very common question that comes to mind. As noted in the previous blogs, the root cause of all problems is the mistaken identity with this body-mind concept. Once again, let us look at this very entity that is trying to achieve realization. When it is clearly seen that the very entity(seeker) that is trying to achieve realization is a false, phantom entity, then the seeker will automatically "disappear" thereby realizing that the seeker itself is the sought.

It is only a matter of Understanding (not at the level of the mind as a concept but deep within with conviction) and seeing the false as false and the Truth becomes obvious. Seeking itself is only a thought in the mind. From the previous blogs, it should become very clear that the body mind entity is only an appearance in consciousness. There is no question of an individual, autonomous, entity with volitional control, existing apart from the consciousness. Is it not then true that an apparent seeker (the individual, who is nothing but an object, an appearance arising in consciousness) is trying to "liberate" itself from an apparent "bondage" and eventually attain Self-Realization? Once this is perceived while being conscious of perceiving (or apperceive), what else is there for "any one" to "do" anything? This apperception will also happen spontaneously without any effort on part of "any one".

You are perhaps reading this blog wanting to know your True State or Awareness. You cannot know what "you" are wanting to know ( the non-conceptual Awareness). One can only BE it. You already are what you are seeking. Comprehension at the level of the mind is only in the form of conceptualization. All concepts are based on the premise of space and time. What we are talking about is non-conceptual Awareness. How can the timeless be known in a matter of time? Can the eternal be known in a few years or months, if "you do" certain physical or mental disciplines? Isn't that itself a ludicrous assumption? Is it not obvious now that the "seeker" is another concept in the mind that wants a conceptual knowledge of the non-conceptual Awareness? Is this endeavor ever going to be successful? Think about it. Is it not better to focus the energy on establishing the reality of the entity called "seeker" and find that it is a false, phantom, entity with no substance whatsoever independent of the consciousness?

In brief, any discipline or activity done for any length of time will not yield the final "goal", since the final "goal" is already here and now. Nothing has been done by a "you" to be present here and now. All disciplines like meditation, japa ( recitation of a mantra), etc. are only to purify the mind to accept this final answer with certainty and conviction that there is no "you". So, just BE as you already ARE.

Awareness and its contents

What I am is pure Awareness. I will use the word Awareness or Presence-Awareness as it reduces the conceptualization to a large extent and makes understanding easier. Since my True Nature is beyond conceptualization, there is no way for it to be described in words.

Let us take another analogy here. There is space all around. In this room where this computer sits are multiple other objects including furniture items, lamps, books and other objects. All of these objects are contents of space. Remove the objects and the space is unaffected and unchanged. The space in the room is no different than the space outside the room, right? Space is space and cannot be given a name or form.

In the same way, there is Awareness and contents of Awareness. Ponder over this carefully. All the objects that one is aware of are contents of the awareness. I am aware of the body and the mind, and therefore it is a content of awareness and not awareness itself. Whatever, I am aware of cannot be me, since it is the content of awareness. I cannot say I am aware of awareness, since that would objectify the "awareness" (i.e. make it the content of awareness) and cannot be the awareness. Therefore I am simply Awareness- That which has no attributes of its own.

From the above discussion, is it not true that the "seeker" has been identifying (mistakenly) with the objects of Awareness, rather than abiding as the Awareness!

I am not what I appear to be

The title says it all. Let's analyze this statement. Let us keep this simple and not get dragged into a metaphysical discussion. For anything to appear, there has to be someone to whom it appears. That is, the object is an appearance (or perception) in some entity's mind. When I say, I see an apple, I mean that the apple is perceived by my mind. Meaning, the apple is an "appearance" in the mind. Now, if I am in deep dreamless sleep and the apple is on the table, would I be able to perceive it? Not at all, since the mind is in abeyance in deep dreamless sleep. The apple is still there though ( but I would not know it unless I wake up- that is unless consciousness returns to the body!!)

Can the mind be there without consciousness? Not at all, for the mind is fueled by the consciousness. A dead man has no consciousness and therefore no mind and therefore cannot perceive the world. Consciousness can also be equated with the sense of presence or "I am". Therefore, without the "I am" or consciousness there is no mind and as a result thereof, no perceptions of the world of objects, emotions or thoughts is possible. So, would it not be fair to say that all that is perceived ( i.e. objects, thoughts, emotions, feelings) is an "appearance" in consciousness. Yes, the perception occurs through the sensorial apparatus called body-mind. The body is also an object that is perceived by the mind and hence would be an appearance in consciousness. It becomes clear from the above simple discussion, that what I appear to be ( this psychosomatic apparatus called body-mind) is not who I really am. Instead, the body is just an appearance in consciousness, just like the rest of the world. The body is therefore like any other object out there. Again, it is clear that what we think we are is a case of mistaken identity!!

Going further, the objects that appear cannot affect the substratum on which they appear. Let's take an example of a television. The various images appear on the television screen. The image of a raging fire does not "burn" the screen!! The image of water does not "wet" the television screen. Indeed when the images stop appearing on the screen altogether, the screen is still unaffected and remains the same. Taking this analogy, the screen is the consciousness on which the various images appear. They however do not affect consciousness and it remains "pure and untainted". In the same way, another analogy can be made about the sky being unaffected by the clouds (large, small, dark, light or whatever type of clouds). The sky remains as an unaffected and unchanging witness to the changing and moving clouds. You ARE the unchanging, unaffected witness to the changing world including the changing body and mind ( which you mistakenly call "my body and mind"!!). You cannot deny this statement if you carefully contemplate on it. You know your body and you know it has changed over the years. You know your mind and know its contents including its changing emotions, feelings, thoughts. Aha!! So, you ARE the unchanging observer or witness of the changing body and mind. Simple. Keep it simple.

I am neither the body nor the mind

A few weeks ago, I wrote on the issue of Subject-Object relationship and how this can clarify the reality of who one really, really is. For example, when one says "my car", it implies that the "my" is the subject or the knower and the car is the object or known. In the same way, when one says "my chair or my desk", it is obvious that the "my" is the subject (let us call it "I") and the chair or the desk is the object (let us call it "not-I"). How about when one says "me body"? The "my" is the "I" and the body is the object "not-I". The same with "my mind", the "my" is the subject "I" and the mind is the object "not-I". It is obvious that "I" knows this body and also know the mind, the thoughts, the feelings of sadness or happiness, the emotions of anger etc. Therefore, the body, the mind, the thoughts, emotions, feelings are the known , the objects( not-I), which are known to this Subject "I". If the mind and body are not me, then who and where is the subject "I"?

Is it not obvious that this "I" which is the same nameless, shapeless, formless, undescribable, universal "I" , has been mistakenly identified with the body-mind apparatus to give rise to the false concept called "me"? What is obviously nameless and formless and unlimited, has been falsely assumed to have a name(Robert or whatever) and form( the body) and therefore limited. Is it not obvious that the Real I, has been modified by the mind to create a false"I" identified with the body and mind? As noted above, the body and mind are "not-I". All that is needed is an earnest desire to know the true nature of one's own self and the riddle is solved. It is indeed very simple and yet very difficult for many because of the very prolonged conditioning of the mind which is responsible for the false identity. When the mind is dormant as in deep dreamless sleep, where is the question of an identity with the body? Just enquire into " who am I' or "where did I come from?" and discover the true identity. It will literally blow "you" away! That is Liberation, the absence of an entity to be liberated.

The false "seeker"

After this knowledge of "I am" came about, I then identified myself with this body and mind. Thereafter, started the suffering for this entity that is called "me". It is obvious that both the body and the mind are subject to significant changes. The mind itself is always jumping from one topic to another- also called the "monkey mind" since it jumps from one object to another- always restless. It is only during moments of extreme happiness or life threatening fear that the mind is temporarily "fasting" or stilled. In that stillness, there is peace.

The "I am" is the primary concept followed by the " I am the body" concept and thereafter came "my world" and associated concepts. Years later, when the objects of perception would not bring any lasting peace, this entity called "me" became a "seeker"- a "seeker" of peace and started practicing hatha yoga initially and subsequently went deeper into the philosophy of Raja Yoga. Despite meditative practices which gave a temporary state of peace, it was always the return to "my world" which was inevitable, which resulted in the loss of the peace. As a result, the entity called "me' was once again submerged in the problems associated with life in the world.

For no reason whatsoever, the inner Sadguru guided this entity called "me" to the eternal Knowledge laid out by Nisargadatta Maharaj, Shankaracharya, and Ramana Maharishi. Initially, the entity called "me" was hoping to obtain something from their teachings, so that one day sometime in the future, the "me" would be "liberated (moksha)" or "enlightened" or "Self-realization (whatever that meant)" and then there would be no more problems of life and neither its ups and downs. It would be all an utopia.

But the inner Sadguru had better plans for this "me"!! It became obvious that the "seeker" was just another concept among the many concepts. The "seeker" that the entity called "me" thought it was, wanted something that it did not have- the peace, enlightenment, etc. But the "seeker" itself was transient as its appearance depended entirely on consciousness. The "seeker" or the "me" could not claim to have any substance of independent nature whatsoever, apart from the consciousness. The "seeker" or the entity called "me", was after all an appearance or an object like all other objects in consciousness. The entity called "me" was actually just a concept in the mind and it was impossible to find it anywhere.

Upon further investigation, it became very clear (to "no-one" really) that what is actually the universal and the only Subject was creating this phantom object called "me"( identified with the body-mind psychosomatic apparatus) as an appearance in Itself (consciousness) and this object was similar to all other objects ( humans, animals, trees, stones, the world itself). The consciousness had, for lack of a better term, misidentified itself with the body-mind psychosomatic apparatus, thereby falsely creating this entity called "me", which assumed the mantle of being the subject which was perceiving the objects other than itself. This resulted in a false "me" being apart from "you", "him", "her", "them" etc. That was obviously the cause of lot of suffering, since this "me" felt isolated from the rest of the world. The world was a threat to the "me" as it was the "other". The "me" had to somehow protect its interests against what it perceived as "others". With the dropping off of the false entity called "me", the "seeker" became the sought. The "seeker" itself was a false entity, a concept, and all the search was going on in the mind!

In the absence of the "me", there is just pure being. I cannot be this or that, I can only BE.