When one is instructed to focus on the Self, one believes that it means to focus the mind on an objective Self. The reflected light of the mind allows one to perceive objects of the outer world. But, that is not what the Guru has told you to do in the process of Self Inquiry. In fact, the Self being called by various names including the Heart, leads one to believe that it is some thing inside the body. In fact, there is confusion created in the mind of the seeker, when he/she hears of the Heart being on the right side of the chest, whereas we all know that the physical heart is on the left side of the chest. But that is not what the Guru is pointing to. The Guru is only trying to guide your mind towards the source of the "I". The reason as to why the right side of the chest is pointed to is obvious when you consider that in every culture, a person will always point to the right side of the chest when he/she wants to point to himself or herself.
The Self (or the Heart) is actually neither inside nor outside the body and both inside and outside the body. It is like space without any conditioning whatsoever, including the objective description of space. It is beyond or prior to time and space. Time and space are concepts created by the mind.
In fact, what is self luminous, like the Self, does not need the reflected light of the mind to be seen. Just like the sun does not need the light of a lamp to be seen. It is only in darkness (of ignorance) that one needs a light to be able to see. Similarly, the reflected light of the mind is needed only to see one's own ignorance.
To find your self you have to focus your mind on IT. What then does focusing the mind on the Self mean? It means that instead of focusing the mind on what is outside, such as the body or the objects in the world, one has to TURN the MIND INWARDS towards its SOURCE. As the mind turns its attention inwards it loses itself, leaving the glory of the Self to shine forth effortlessly. What you really, really ARE, is OUT of your Mind!!
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Thursday, April 30, 2015
The Imperfect and the Perfect
When your True Nature is supposed to be so perfect why is it that you feel imperfect? This is a very common question that arises in the mind of the seeker. To answer that question it is important to qualify what is imperfect. Well, a person may say that his or her life is "perfect the way it is right now". In that case, what is the need for searching for any perfection? That is a valid way of thinking and it is perhaps true for some persons to make that statement with a fair amount of certainty in what they are saying at that moment. The question is for how long can one be certain of the status of the current environment that makes one say that it is "perfect as it is right now"? A small calamity may change one's circumstances in a dramatic way and then would it be possible to say that his or her life is "perfect the way it is right now"?
As long as there are desires of the mind, or the body, or the intellect, there is bound to be imperfection. There is imperfection, as long as there is a need for more knowledge, need for more material wealth, need to be loved, need to be appreciated, need to be accepted, need for recognition, need to add or remove something from what is. Imperfection is the lack of satisfaction with the current status or what is or the lack of certainty of satisfaction of the current status continuing into the future. Nothing in this material world is permanent and all is subject to change, like it or not.
Imperfection is the very nature of one's individual identity or ego (jeeva). Imperfections are associated with the material envelopments of your True Nature i.e. the body-mind-intellect. When identified with the body-mind-intellect, you are no longer your True Nature. In your state of Perfection, i.e. your True Nature, you no longer have any association with the material envelopments. There are no needs to be fulfilled, there are no desires to be met, and there is nothing that can be added or removed. Yes, that is perfection.
As long as there are desires of the mind, or the body, or the intellect, there is bound to be imperfection. There is imperfection, as long as there is a need for more knowledge, need for more material wealth, need to be loved, need to be appreciated, need to be accepted, need for recognition, need to add or remove something from what is. Imperfection is the lack of satisfaction with the current status or what is or the lack of certainty of satisfaction of the current status continuing into the future. Nothing in this material world is permanent and all is subject to change, like it or not.
Imperfection is the very nature of one's individual identity or ego (jeeva). Imperfections are associated with the material envelopments of your True Nature i.e. the body-mind-intellect. When identified with the body-mind-intellect, you are no longer your True Nature. In your state of Perfection, i.e. your True Nature, you no longer have any association with the material envelopments. There are no needs to be fulfilled, there are no desires to be met, and there is nothing that can be added or removed. Yes, that is perfection.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Neti- Neti or Not This Not This
Water is water, whether it is in a stream, a lake, a river or in an ocean. Space is space whether it is the space in a vessel or the space in a house or the space out in the open. In the same way, consciousness is consciousness and there is nothing apart from consciousness. There is no such entity as individual consciousness and universal consciousness. Yet, this distinction is made in the process of teaching a student so that he or she can comprehend what is being pointed to. You may question as to why if every one is the same consciousness, should there be the perception that you are a separate being. The answer would be because of ignorance. Because of ignorance, consciousness believes itself to be limited to a particular body and mind, giving rise to the idea of being a separate entity or person. Ignorance is indeed the cause of this false identification. It is this essential false belief that is the basic cause of all suffering. This belief in separation from who you really are. So, how do we get out of this bind? Luckily, we do not have to reinvent the wheel. The ancient Rishis (sages) have already found many ways in which one can unravel this puzzle.
One of the ways to do so is to use the method of discrimination. By using a discriminating intellect can one begin to identify the self from the not-self. In ancient Advaitic literature, this method was called "neti- neti" or " not this-not this". By careful analysis of what is self (atman) and what is not (anatman), one can gradually eliminate all that is not the self. If this method of analysis is done properly and by avoiding any conceptual digression, one can eventually apperceive the Truth.
In fact, you can only know what you are not. Anything that is known can never be the knower since it would immediately become an object and hence does not qualify as a knower anymore. In fact, eventually it becomes clear that there is just "knowing" without a knower and a known. When all that is known has thus been eliminated as not the self, there is just the pure sense of being, the Knowledge of Existence which still persists. One can never eliminate the fact that one exists. This knowledge that "I am" is self evident. It is obvious that you are none other than this Beingness. Don't try to qualify beingness or you will be back in the trap of falseness. Beingness has no quality. Just be.
One of the ways to do so is to use the method of discrimination. By using a discriminating intellect can one begin to identify the self from the not-self. In ancient Advaitic literature, this method was called "neti- neti" or " not this-not this". By careful analysis of what is self (atman) and what is not (anatman), one can gradually eliminate all that is not the self. If this method of analysis is done properly and by avoiding any conceptual digression, one can eventually apperceive the Truth.
In fact, you can only know what you are not. Anything that is known can never be the knower since it would immediately become an object and hence does not qualify as a knower anymore. In fact, eventually it becomes clear that there is just "knowing" without a knower and a known. When all that is known has thus been eliminated as not the self, there is just the pure sense of being, the Knowledge of Existence which still persists. One can never eliminate the fact that one exists. This knowledge that "I am" is self evident. It is obvious that you are none other than this Beingness. Don't try to qualify beingness or you will be back in the trap of falseness. Beingness has no quality. Just be.
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