Staying on this same topic, let us further explore how we can investigate the subject of birth and death and get to the Truth. As we already learned, the body is nothing but the combination of five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space). After so called 'death' of the body, the elements mix back with the universal elements. Meaning thereby that there is no such thing as "my individual water" or "my individual space" (although myspace.com may object to that statement!!) or "my individual air". Air is air, water is water and space is space. In the same way, consciousness is consciousness. There is nothing like individual consciousness or universal consciousness. However, for the sake of understanding and clarity, a Guru may use such terms. After so called 'death', the consciousness no longer having a vehicle for its expression (i.e. the body), returns to universal consciousness. There is no actual return as such. For example, the space inside an earthen pot is the same as the space outside the pot. On breaking the earthen pot, the space inside does not actually 'return' to the space outside. Space inside mixes up with space outside, really? You get the point.
As already explained elsewhere in this blog, consciousness is like electricity. Electricity is electricity. There is no essential difference between electricity in Mexico and electricity in Holland or electricity in China or Russia. Just like electricity can function in different forms and produce different effects, consciousness does so too. Electricity functioning through a fan produces a breeze, through an oven produces heat, through an air-conditioner produces cooling, through a radio produces sound, or through a motor produces motion. In the same way, consciousness expressing through different forms like humans, dogs or worms produces different effects. The consciousness expressing in the body through various permutations and combinations of the gunas (attributes or gunas are Sattva, Rajas,and Tamas) give rise to unlimited personalities in the same species. The effects can be many but the cause is one.
For something to die it must be born. Keeping it simple, we can see that the elements are not born for they were there before the so called birth of 'my body'. Similarly, the consciousness is not born with the birth of "my body". So, what exactly is born? Can you not SEE the obvious? Nothing is born and therefore nothing dies. What happens is that the consciousness no longer expresses itself through that particular body. Where is the question of birth and death other than a concept created in the mind based on the primary concept of being 'born' as a separate and independent body-mind entity called "me"?
Having heard and digested all of the above, who and what are you? In what capacity are "you" going to change or do anything?
