Understanding Non-Duality From Standpoint of Duality

One of the most perplexing things is to try to understand non-duality or advaita, from the viewpoint of duality.  Let us explore this a bit more in detail.

All communication via language, writing etc. happens in the sphere of duality. There is a subject -i.e. me, who understands the object explained in a language that I understand. This is true for all aspects of knowledge including the arts, literature, sciences and common every day communication. It is based on developing certain concepts of language communication. When someone says the word "water" in the English language, the person hearing it or reading it understands that the word refers to a colorless, clear liquid. The mind translates the word into a conceptual understanding of the meaning of the word heard or read.

The very nature of communication implies the existence of a subject, "I" - which implies identification with a body and a name- trying to explain an object using concepts and ideas. The problem arises when the teacher of non-duality tries to explain an abstract idea of non-duality to another body-name identity using the same principles of communication as explained above. Non-duality encompasses all of duality and non-duality. So, how does one go about trying to wrap the so called head around it?

The main problem is the seeker who tries to understand Non-duality while still maintaining his or her identity as an individual. The seeker tries to maintain his identity as a separate individual and tries to attain or obtain non-duality. Do you realize the paradox of the situation? There can be no duality in non-duality. No question of a subject and an object. No question of a "me" attaining. No question of a "me" understanding the ONE essence that is everything.  Just this ONE without a second.

As long as the seeker refuses to let go of his continued misidentification with the body-mind entity, he or she will never get around to understanding the simplicity being explained in advaita or non-duality. The seeker wants to take credit for having finally "Understood". Presumably also wanting credit for the many hours and years of meditation and spiritual process involved to reach the understanding. Do you see the paradox here?

It helps to get back to the very basics of advaita teaching. First comes the sense of presence, or consciousness or sense of beingness. Prior to everything else. Every thing, including the concept of individuality and the subsequent dualism, and all other concepts come only because of the sense of presence. No presence - no things, no concepts, no you. Think about it for a moment.  Are you currently present or not? There is no way you can deny your presence at this very moment. All thoughts including the thought "I am" can only arise if you are present. Now, if somehow your thoughts would cease (if only for a moment), would you stop being present or stop existing? Try it. You will know the answer. Did you disappear?

However, if you were asked to explain your experience in that moment of thoughtlessness, you would come up with a blank. That is because you are trying to explain that sense of presence or consciousness or beingness, with concepts and words. Concepts and words are an expression in duality. When presented with this nonconceptual awareness or sense of presence, the mind draws a blank. Hence, the seeker who identifying with the mind, tries to comprehend this sense of presence, fails miserably.

As a result, the seeker falsely believes that there is a process or doing involved in trying to get to this 'sense of presence'. The frustrated seeker says " I know I am present but surely there must be something wrong I am doing as I cannot conceptualize this presence or beingness". The mind can go around and around in circles or get lost in a maze of concepts trying to grasp non-duality. The seeker remains in a state of seeking as a result of trying to conceptualize the nonconceptual.

So, what is the way out? - asks the seeker. It is quite simple. Don't try to conceptualize the nonconceptual. Realize that only consciousness understands consciousness and in doing so transcends consciousness. There is no individual here to take credit.

Realize that there is no alternative presence apart from this presence - which is evident right here and right now. Don't fall prey to the endless games and tricks that the mind plays. There is no future time that you will be present than this very moment. Watch the mind and realize that you are not the mind but the silent, unchanging witness of the mind.

JUST STOP. In doing so, you ARE. Got it?

Only the Rare One

Please consider this as the blog for the month of November 2013.

Although the Knowledge of Nonduality and the Truth is freely available and accessible, it is but a few who will ever approach it with a sincere desire. A few curious people may be inclined to dig a little deeper into the subject matter. Most will listen to the teachings of non-duality with a detached interest and then subsequently completely forget about it.  Out of the many, perhaps one person may actually feel an unquenchable thirst to not rest until the Truth is realized. Such a one is indeed very rare and fortunate. Such a one may look and behave like any other individual but make no mistake that once one has a conversation with him/her, there is no doubt about the profundity of his/her statements and observations.  Only a Jnani will recognize another Jnani immediately. All others will perhaps hear out the Jnani and come away with either nothing or else an observation that the talk was "deep" or "way over my head".

Despite the obvious simplicity of these teachings, one may not comprehend what is being pointed to. The reasons are many, but the main ones are the persistent identification with the body, lack of unquestioned faith and trust in the Guru, lack of a sincere desire, looking for some sort of gain from this Knowledge, feeling of superiority over others even if the knowledge gained is limited,  failure to continue to be devoted to the Guru, lack of eternal gratitude to the Guru, lack of humility and lack of compassion for others who may not understand this teaching. Basically, most of these reasons point to the fact that one believes himself or herself to be an entity, a person, despite the repeated explanation by the Guru that you are NOT an entity and all that you really, really are is the limitless Consciousness.  Keeping the ego alive and well fed is perhaps a major cause for the Understanding not to occur.

But, the rare one will drop all objections and obstacles to allow for the pointers from the Guru to penetrate deep inside. With continuous nurturing, analysis and meditation over the teachings of the Guru and with a sense of deep gratitude and reverence towards the Guru, the rare one will develop a deep conviction about the Truth. Once, the teaching has taken root, it will continue to grow no matter what one does and does not do. Unlike other kinds of knowledge, this Knowledge of the Truth continues to grow and get stronger. To go around thinking that one is the body and the mind, despite all the instructions and teachings of the Guru is indeed foolish.

Are You Ready to Lose Yourself?

Right now you are immersed in your identity with this body and mind. Based on years of conditioning of the mind, you have established yourself to be the body and the mind.  A body with a name. You believe yourself to be an entity, a body-mind entity with a name.  The name could be John, Josh, Arjun, Akbar or whatever else your parents told you. On asking about who you are, you have no hesitation in pointing to this body and saying "this is who I am".  You look at yourself in the mirror and take pride in saying " my body". Yet, you have never given careful thought about your own TRUE IDENTITY. If inquired into, you will realize that you are neither this body nor this mind. But, before you come to this realization, you may have abundant questions. Questions about non-duality, about why the world is like this or that, about religion, about various rituals and religious practices, or about which practice or sadhana you must follow in order to attain this Realization. Questions, questions and more questions.  Never ending questions. Why? Only to add to your already existing base of knowledge.  Often, armed with this added knowledge you may want to impress your friends and show them how spiritually advanced you have become. By throwing this jargon of words around, you no doubt impress some people.  But all along you very well know within yourself that all of this is just a facade. You are still trapped with the strong conviction of being this body and mind and the story that comes along with it. All this knowledge from the wrongly directed questions will have only resulted in the strengthening of your identity of a form with a name, you ego.

If you happen to be in such a situation, do not get dejected. It is an all too common scenario and you just have to look around in the world of spirituality to see how many people fall into this situation. The main question you must ask yourself at this stage is whether you are really, really willing to get to the bottom of this quest or is this quest just to boost your ego and self worth. If you are really, really willing to get to the bottom of this quest for knowing your True Identity, in that case you must be willing to lose everything that you have gained so far.  You must be willing to plunge yourself whole heartedly into this venture. You must be ready to lose yourself completely. You must be willing to give up your current identity and surrender it at the feet of the Guru. You must be completely humble and not take credit for anything or any action. When you have thus left the load of your identity and the suffering associated with this identity to be carried by the Guru, you immediately become free. All problems and suffering is directly associated with an identity to the body and mind. You suffer only because of problems related to the body or thoughts (the mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts).

Now, if you do not identify yourself with the body or the mind, what questions can you have? All questions arise only when you identity with form and a name.  No identity of form and name = no questions = silence or absence of thoughts.  This thought-less state is the state of Just Being.

You are truly formless and without any identity but you are suffering only because you have falsely taken upon yourself this identity with the body and the mind(thoughts).  Don't waste any more time in acquiring more outside knowledge. All the knowledge you want is within your own self.  Just inquire as to who you really, really are.  That is all that is needed.

For God's Sake

The message that is published in this blog is nothing new. The same message has been dished out by thousands, if not millions, of mystics and ordinary people from all around the globe over the past many many centuries. This is not a message restricted to a few cultures, religions or race or geographical location.  The message has come out spontaneously in all who have made the simple effort to look within. It may have been spoken in many different languages but the language of love for God is the same.  Just so that one does not get the impression that Advaita is from the East, this author has selected some poems and brief excerpts from the Western mystics who have spoken the same message of Non-duality or Advaita.  For those of us who have an unquenchable thirst to know God and be in union with God, these simple and succinct messages will hit the message home.  These are not messages from  individuals. These are messages from Consciousness as there is nothing apart from Consciousness.

This is just a small sampling of some of the poems and brief messages out there. The earnest seeker will understand the simplicity and bluntness of these messages.

GOD WHOSE LOVE AND JOY

God, whose love and joy
are present everywhere,
can't come to visit you
unless you aren't there.

          --Angelus Silesius


GOD IS A PURE NO-THING


God is a pure no-thing
concealed in the now and here:
the less you reach for him,
the more he will appear.

       --Angelus Silesius


EFFORTLESSLY


Effortlessly,
Love flows from God into man,
Like a bird
Who rivers the air
Without moving her wings.
Thus we move in His world
One in body and soul,
Though outwardly separate in form.
As the Source strikes the note,
Humanity sings--
The Holy Spirit is our harpist,
And all the stings
Which are touched in Love
Must sound.

       -- Mechtild of Magdeburg


THE SUM OF PERFECTION


Creation forgotten,
Creator only known,
Attention turned inward
In love with the Beloved alone.

      --Saint John of the Cross


UNSOPHISTICATED TEACHERS SAY


Unsophisticated teachers say that God is pure being.
He is as high above being as the highest angel is above a gnat.
I would be speaking as incorrectly in calling God a being,
as if I called the sun pale or black.
God is neither this nor that.

          --Meister Eckhart


AND THEREFORE I AM UNBORN


And therefore I am unborn, and
in the manner in which I am unborn
I can never die.

In my birth all things were
born
and I was the cause of myself
and of all things; and
if I would have wished it,
I would not be nor would all other things be.
And if I did not exist,
"God" would also not exist.
That God is "God",
of that I am a cause;
if I did not exist, God too
would not be "God".
There is no need
to understand
this.


          --Meister Eckhart       



YOU WHO WANT


You who want
knowledge,
seek the Oneness
within

There you
will find
the clean mirror
already waiting.

        --Hadewijch II
     

Mind In, Mind Out

The mind, which is nothing but a bundle of thoughts, is the window to perceive the world outside. But, the mind is not what perceives the world. It is only a window.  The one who perceives the world is behind the window, so to speak. The consciousness "I am" is the cause for the perception of the world. No consciousness, no world.  Simple.

When the mind is focused or turned outwards, it perceives the world of objects. In fact, objectification is through the mind only. The sense organs are the conduit for the mind to objectify the world outside. The mind creates the false identity of being a person, a "me".  A false entity that believes itself to be the 'seer', the subject. Because of the belief in this false entity, one goes about thinking that it is "me" who is actually perceiving, seeing, hearing, thinking, talking, etc. Now, you may notice the word 'thinking' is in italics. That is because the false subject "me" is nothing but a thought. No thoughts, no "me". Yet, despite the absence of a "me", the perceiving goes on none the less. Only, there is no one (no "me") claiming to do the perceiving. This is obvious proof that the "me" is NOT the one who is doing the perceiving.  The world appears to be, only as long as the mind is turned outward i.e. towards the sense objects.

To know who you really, really are, it is essential to turn the mind inwards. In this case, the mind is turned away from the sense objects to the source of the mind itself. The easiest way to do so is Self-Inquiry. On asking the question "Who am I?", the mind subsides into its source. The source is consciousness. When the mind is turned inwards, there is no mind left. Only consciousness prevails. The mind has submerged itself into its source, i.e. consciousness.  There is just this Being, being Itself. Just being is bliss.

The path to bliss is simple. Just turn the mind inward to its Source.  

The Sounds of Silence- Part 2

How does one ever understand what the sages were trying to convey in their description of the Absolute as Silence or Stillness? Well, there is a way. The way to go about is to renounce or discard every concept that the mind tries to bring up in description of the Truth. Whenever we communicate, including here, we have to use words or sounds to do so. But what exactly are words? They are just ways for the mind to create a concept or imagination or image. For instance, if someone says 'computer', the person hearing it immediately conceptualizes a 'box with a screen showing images and a keyboard attached to it'. But the word itself is nothing but a sound or an image on paper. Without this ability to conceptualize, it is impossible for communication to occur between people. All communication is at the level of the mind. All words and sounds are in duality.


In asking the student to merge into Silence, the Sages gave an easy solution to finding the Truth. They have asked the seeker or the student to give up or negate all concepts or imaginations. In fact, the sages were speaking from their own experience of  Nirvikalpa samadhi.  In the state of nirvikalpa there is absolutely no concept and yet it is still a state of the mind and therefore limited in time. In this state of the mind, there is utter stillness or silence. Silence means absence of concepts or absence of any mental modifications or vritti (vritti-activity of forming concepts in the mind). 'Nir' means 'no or without' and 'kalpa' means 'aeon or a long period of time'. We know that time is a concept of the mind and there can be no creation without time.  Vikalpa is impression of thought or concept. Therefore, Nirvikalpa is the absence of thought, absence of time and concepts; a state where there  is no thought, no movement in consciousness or awareness of any concepts or images. But as soon as we describe this state, we begin to conceptualize and imagine this state and immediately move away from what is being pointed to. All concepts are a result of movements in consciousness. So, when the student returned to the Sage to ask if this state of nirvikalpa samadhi is the Truth, the Sage replied "neti"- meaning 'not this'. The Sage was asking the student to renounce or discard even this experience and what is left over is Blank- indescribable but intuitively understood as That which is prior to or beyond all concepts including the conceptual experience of nirvikalpa.

But, the student was not able to grasp this abstract answer given by the Sage. The Sage then had to tell the student that it is through Knowledge of Discrimination (viveka) that the mind can finally get the intuitive understanding of the Truth. This is called intuitive understanding (or Understanding as this author likes to call it- with a capital U) by careful use of the Knowledge of Discrimination. For the majority of seekers of Truth who are likely mired in the endless concepts created by the mind, the discrimination between the false and the Truth is the way to empty the mind of all the useless concepts one by one. In this endeavor, complete faith in the words of the Guru or the Sage is vital. The words of the Guru are the way to the Truth.  For many a student, the way to Silence is through the sound or words of the Guru. When one hangs on to the words of the Guru with complete unconditional faith, there is utter Stillness and Silence for one merges with the Guru. In hanging on to the words of the Guru, one loses his/her identity and merges into the Silence, the very Silence from which all the sounds of the Sadguru emerge.

Reconciling the Truth with the Illusion

A common criticism for the philosophy of Advaita or Non-dualism is that it is not practical. Many a seeker feels that this teaching cannot reconcile with what is the perceived reality of the world. This is because, to the seeker, what is called the Illusion or the world and its activities goes on despite the assertions of the Guru that it all nothing but an illusion. When carefully probed it becomes clear that the problem is not in Advaita. On the contrary, it is obvious that the very problem lies in the seeker having not found out his True Nature. On realizing one's True Nature, the Truth remains and the Illusion remains only as an illusion. The Illusion does not disappear for the so called "me' since the "me' and the illusion are one and the same. The "me" is part of the illusion.  One cannot be a part of the illusion and see the illusion for what it is.  Just like a person who is sleeping cannot tell you that he is sleeping well.  The seeker wants to maintain his identity while investigating into the nature of the Truth. How can the seeker realize the Truth with this condition of maintaining a separate identity? Only when the feeling "me' as being a separate entity with independence subsides does the Truth become apparent and obvious immediately. Yet, there is actually no one to claim observance or realization of the Truth. Truth is not an object to be realized. Truth is itself the grounds or the substratum upon which all of manifestation arises. Because it is difficult to put Truth into words for communication, one has to rely on commonly used words in language to point to the Truth. Yet the word is not the thing and this must be borne in mind when investigating into the nature of Truth. The question of reconciling Truth with the Illusion can only arise for a seeker who has not fully Realized the Truth. For upon Realization, there is no one to put forward any questions. The seeker has merged in the Truth. Only Truth remains.

May be this analogy will help in understanding your True Nature. A wave is nothing but the water of the ocean with a form.  In reality, the wave is nothing but water. The ocean is nothing but water. When a wave has merged into the ocean, it is nothing but the ocean itself. Can a wave that has merged in the water of the ocean ever make claims to being a wave? Can the wave that has merged in the ocean and can never be apart from the ocean, have any identity now? In the same way, a wave which Realizes its own True Nature as being only the ocean (or the water of the ocean), can calmly relax being a wave without worrying about its future and its own impending destruction as a form. The wave on Knowing its own True Self does not get destroyed as a form immediately but continues on its journey as a wave. Such a Realized Wave can tell other non-realized waves that they are in reality just the water of the ocean. Such a Realized Wave can tell other non-realized waves that they did not choose to be born as a wave and they have no control on when the form as a wave will subside. The wave form has appeared on the surface of the ocean and will spontaneously merge back into the ocean when its time is up. The non-realized waves, assuming themselves to be forms with different shapes and sizes, have overlooked the fact that they are after all nothing but the water of the ocean in reality. The non-realized waves have falsely taken the form to be the reality and ignored their true nature which is water. Such a Realized Wave can tell other non-realized waves not to worry about themselves or their future of possibly being relentlessly thrown  against a rock or destroyed otherwise against their will. Such a Realized Wave can tell other non-realized waves that they are not apart from the ocean in any way and have never ever been apart from the ocean.  In fact, the ocean is the substratum of their existence as a wave. In fact, the waves all arise and subside into the ocean. The ocean remains as it always has been, unchanged as a body of water.

Your True Nature or your True Self is like the water, the water at the bottom of the ocean, Still and Peaceful and undisturbed by the world of activities and turmoil which is apparent on the surface.  Be Your Self.

No Questions About IT

"I clearly understand all that is taught in Advaita philosophy, but.....". This is perhaps the most common comment from a true seeker and most will admit that while this teaching in some way resonates with them, they still continue to have doubts and as a result continue to suffer.  Why is that? The reason is quite simple enough.  Almost all seekers look at this teaching as something to attain. They somehow have this notion that once they intellectually understand the teaching, then everything will automatically fall in place. The problem is that they have started out with the wrong belief of being an individual, an entity that has some substance and is independent of the world around them. They look at themselves as being separate.  To them, THAT is some 'thing' that can be attained and added to their list of achievements. To them, God is a separate entity, an entity that can be KNOWN. They fail to realize that anything that is known is an object.  And all objects can exist only if there is a SUBJECT that can know them.  They have failed to understand the very foundation of the entire teaching of Advaita or Non-Duality.  Instead of turning their ENTIRE ATTENTION TOWARDS THE SUBJECT i.e. "I", they look to the world of objects, reading material, talks, and sensual experiences for an answer.  As long as there is this feeling of being a separate entity, there is no way that one can REALIZE one's True Nature.  Give up this concept of being a conceptual entity. Enquire into the nature of this concept called 'me'.  Giving up all concepts, what and who are you?  Without a form or name or a label, can you please describe your self?  Any description has to be related to a concept.  Because you believe your True Self to be also a concept, you look for conceptual understanding.  You are not a concept. YOU ARE THAT!  How can THAT which is beyond all concepts be ever described or grasped?

So, what can one do to REALIZE?  One can only let this Knowledge sink in deep within, without trying to conceptualize. Thereafter, the intellect is given up in favor of intuition. Intuition comes from the Heart. Heart is what one has to rely on to Realize one's True Nature. Heart is where the Grace is.  When one gives up the intellectual battles and relaxes, leaving everything to Grace, then Grace takes over and Self-Realization is natural. In fact, you can never be apart from Grace. All struggle, including the struggle for Realization is by the ego. Giving up the struggle means giving up the ego.

One who has REALIZED will never say " I understand IT!".  He or she will just keep quiet. When there are no further doubts or questions, then one can be sure that there has been UNDERSTAND-ING.  The one who has questions dissolves as soon as Realization occurs.  Who is there to have any questions? There can be no questions about IT.

Faith-the Link Between Man and God

 This is a story that this author recently came across and wanted to share with you all.  It goes as follows:

An atheist Professor of Philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty.

He asks one of his new students to stand and.....

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Studen: Yes.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof :You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student:Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student: No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From...God.. .

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student:Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof:  Yet you still believe in Him?

Student:Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold . Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student :You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is that your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant
of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a
monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the
argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class is in an uproar by now.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir.  With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room is silent.. The professor stares at the student, his face
unfathomable. )

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it, sir... The link between man and God is FAITH.  That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

This is a true story, and the student was none other than.........Swami Vivekananda.

God is the breath of all breath- Kabir

O servant, where dost thou seek Me?
Lo! I am beside thee.
I am neither in temple nor in mosque: I am neither in Kaaba nor
in Kailash:
Neither am I in rites and ceremonies, nor in Yoga and
renunciation.
If thou art a true seeker, thou shalt at once see Me: thou shalt
meet Me in a moment of time.
Kabîr says, "O Sadhu! God is the breath of all breath."

Kabir was a Saint and a weaver by occupation born in 1440 A.D. in medieval India. His poems are an expression of the simplicity of non-traditional Advaitic teachings. In this poem, he extols the simplicity of SEEING your True Nature. He emphasizes the fact that discovery of your True Nature is not in the acts of renunciation or yoga or some ritual or ceremony. For a true seeker, the Truth is at NO distance from your own self. There is no involvement of time in discovering your True Nature. True devotion is the hallmark of a true seeker.

Why Am I Suffering?

Question: I seem to understand all that is said about Non-Duality or Advaita, but I am still suffering. Why?

Advaitin: That is a fairly common question that arises for a seeker. It is essential that one must understand what is suffering and what are the components of suffering. It is essential that for one to claim that he/she is suffering, there has to be a 'me'- the individual that suffers i.e. the Subject of this suffering. There has to be an event or occurrence or Object that causes suffering to this subject. And lastly, the process of suffering itself.

Let us first start with the Subject. Who is this ‘I’ that claims to suffer.  Leaving the two other components, if one concentrates only on this ‘I’ and solves the puzzle of this ‘I’, it would automatically resolve the other two components namely the object and the process.  Therefore, question your self as to who is this ‘I’ or ‘me’ that is claiming to suffer. LOOK FOR THE SUFFERER.  Were you suffering in your deep sleep? Why not?  Is it not because there was no ‘me’ to suffer? So what happened to this ‘me’ or ‘I’ during deep sleep?  Since there was no ‘I’ in deep sleep, there was no suffering either.  That means that the appearance of the ‘I’ is concurrent with the appearance of suffering (or for that matter any other feeling).  On investigation, it becomes obvious that this ‘me’ or ‘I’ is nothing but a thought, the thought of being an independent and separate entity called 'me' or 'I'.  Can a thought really suffer? On sincerely looking for this ‘me’, the ‘me’ vanishes, leaving behind the state of pure thoughtless Being. In this state of pure thoughtless Being, there is no entity ( a 'me' or 'I') to claim suffering.  In this state of pure thoughtless Being, there is neither the sufferer, the suffering, or the object causing the suffering.  With the disappearance of the false ‘I’ or the ‘me’, there is no one to make the claim to suffer. So, it becomes obvious, that it is imperative to seek out the seeker for an end to suffering. The loss of individuality is the end of suffering.

The God in the House

Why is it that many a seeker or aspirant is unable to grasp or apperceive (have conscious perception of or comprehend) what is repeatedly told on this subject of non-duality? The main problem or obstacle is that most seekers approach this subject from a perspective of an individual. An individual who wants to 'attain' or 'gain' something like Self-Realization or Nirvana or Enlightenment. While it is understandable that at the stage of the seeker, it is natural to still identify oneself with the body and the mind, one must be prepared to leap on to the next stage of an advanced seeker- a seeker who is totally convinced and has the conviction of NOT being the body or the mind, but is still unsure as to who he or she really really IS. While, for the purpose of relative description, the language of time and process is used, there is actually no such thing as stages of a seeker. When understanding occurs, it is usually almost instantaneous.  Therefore, it is imperative to approach this subject with no preconceived notions or concepts and just an open mind, so that the knowledge can percolate all the way down to the deep level of consciousness without any effort from the seeker. Just let the Knowledge flow in.

The other problem is that the seeker is unwilling is lose himself/herself.  Meaning, the seeker is still hanging on to the identity that he or she is some body with a name and form.  When the seeker is ready to give up everything including the identity with a name and form, then the 'Enlightenment' happens naturally and effortlessly!

Here is an analogy.  What an average individual notices in a house is four walls, a roof and contents of the house. What the individual ignores is the fact that the house is actually an enclosure of space.  There was space first and then in that space, four walls and the roof were built to enclose a portion of the space and then it is called 'my house'.  One is so engrossed in the contents of the house that the fact that it is nothing but preexisting space is forgotten. The space inside the house is the same as the space outside the house. There are no boundaries or margins for space.

You are looking for God. You have looked everywhere outside, in the temple, church, mosque, and in the caves and mountains and all to no avail. You give up and come back home, disappointed that God could not be found despite your extensive search outside.  In your state of desperation, you ask God to reveal himself as all your efforts so far have been unfruitful. At this point, God in the form of a Guru's sayings appears to you. The sayings are 'God is already in the house. All you need to do is step out of the house'.  What the Guru means is that unless you vacate this house, God will not come out of hiding to occupy the house. How can God occupy the house when you are currently a resident?  Nobody wants to live in a house which is already occupied (including God)!  But the fact is that God is already in the house, but not visible (or perhaps in the basement?!).  Once, you step out of the house and give up ownership of the house, the house automatically becomes a House of God and also very obvious. What has changed? God was already in the house and is now in the house and will be in the house.  The only difference is that you have vacated the house and the rightful Owner just took over. Your search ends with you returning to the house and handing over the house to the rightful Owner.  You return home to the home you never left!

What this analogy reveals is that unless you are willing to completely give up all your identities, there is no way the Truth will reveal itself (Truth being God itself). When you are willing to lose your self (the little self-your ego- note the small 's'), the True Self (note the capital 'S') will reveal itself automatically and effortlessly, for the Self( or God or whatever name you want to give IT) is already there and always there. Just like space.  God is like space, without form or boundaries, and is everywhere, both inside and outside.  The space inside the house will be obvious only when you empty the house of all of its contents including yourself (empty the mind of all its contents including the ego- which is nothing but the thought of being the body and the mind).  When the little self (the ego) surrenders completely and without any conditions, the Real Self (or God) who is already present and all there IS, becomes obvious.  No one actually attains God, or Godhood, for God is all there IS.  Where is the question of a 'you' or a 'me' to attain or know God?  Once 'you' have completely surrendered to God, who is there to claim " I have become Enlightened" or " I know God "?

The question is 'ARE YOU READY TO VACATE THE HOUSE?'

No Action Required, Only Understanding

One major obstacle that keeps coming up in the seeker's mind is the nature of action that will eventually reveal this Knowledge to the seeker. This is perhaps one of the most misunderstood aspects of this path to Self Knowledge. Unfortunately, despite repeated hammering away at the fact that you are not the body nor the mind, the idea that you are an individual that actually does actions and thereby reaps the rewards of the action is hard to dispel for many a seeker.

Non-duality or Advaita is not a topic to be studied or memorized. It is not a play of words. On the other hand, it is purely intuitive knowledge. The words once listened to or read, will suddenly strike somewhere deep inside of you and the clarity of this teaching will become immediately evident. It also becomes clear that there is nothing actually done by anybody and there is actually no one to attain anything (including this Knowledge). What is evident is that what you are seeking, you already ARE. Then what is it that has happened? What actually happens is the realization that you are not an individual entity and all that is happening is happening in consciousness. No one has, can, or will ever DO anything. All happening is just a play in consciousness.

It is imperative that the seeker keep his/her mind constantly focused on where he/she came from. Obviously, the "I-thought" (or the ego) was not there in deep sleep and suddenly spontaneously it arose and thereafter the idea of an entity called "me" came with it. What cannot be denied is the fact that the one who is awake is also the one who was sleeping. There is no denying the fact that you existed in deep sleep and the one reading this article is the one who was sleeping last night. However, in deep sleep there was no "I-thought" or for that matter any thoughts. That means the "I-thought" is discontinuous and you are continuous ( for you know that you are the same one that existed in deep sleep as well as now). Anything that is discontinuous, or which appears and disappears is not real. What is continuous and always exists is the real. This 'you' that the author is pointing to is the Real You. No effort was needed by this entity called 'John or Ashok or Ali' to be Present through all the three states of deep sleep, dream and wakeful state. Also, this John/Ashok/Ali (or whatever name you want to give to the entity called 'me'), did not do any action to wake up. Wakefulness came spontaneously. In the same way, seeing is happening. Before any thought can arise, seeing is happening. However, a thought comes along and translates the natural happening of seeing into the thought "I see". The thought has divided this happening into a subject (I), the action (seeing) and an object (seen). This is the way the mind works. In the same way, Understanding happens spontaneously. There is no question of any entity called 'me' (which does not exist in any case) doing something to make understanding happen. In the same way there is no question of an entity claiming "I understand". There is just Understanding.

THAT Awareness is always present, irrespective of the supposed 'actions' of this entity called 'me'. Just think over this carefully. You are always aware and present.

What action are you doing to beat the heart, or to make the lungs move, or to digest the food, or to make the liver metabolize the food? Is this not happening spontaneously, right now? Yet is it not uncommon in terms of language to say "I am digesting my food"? This is because, the ego believes it IS the body. The ego gives rise to the idea that it is a Do-er of all actions. Hence the quest to 'do some action or practice' to get this Realization. The entity thinks that if he/she does some practice or ritual over some period of time, then "I will get Self Realization". All through, there is nothing but the Self and yet it is ignored.

Having said that, as long as the idea that you are the body/mind entity exists, the above statement that no action is required will not fly. This is almost like a 'catch 22' situation. Hence, the ancient sages insisted on first investigating the very existence of the ego. This is done by asking oneself the question "who am I?" or "where did I come from?". When looked for, the ego is like a ghost which just vanishes and yet functioning continues in the ego-less state. This ego-less state is your state of Pure Beingness or Pure Consciousness. Once there is this understanding, what is there is to be done and by whom?