Dispel Doubts with Discrimination

As with any knowledge, doubts arise and need to be cleared routinely. Similarly, it is not uncommon for the seeker of liberation to have doubts about the teachings of Advaita or non-duality. In fact, there can be a feeling of despondency when doubts overwhelm the mind of the seeker. There is even the doubt if pursuit of Self-Knowledge is worth the effort. Especially, when statements like " It does not matter if one is knowledgeable or ignorant. Both are the same and equal" are heard or read, it makes the doubts even stronger. Why struggle for Knowledge if eventually it is all the same. At the same time, one realizes the lingering feeling of discontent and lack of peace and even if the idea of further pursuit of liberation through Knowledge is temporarily given up, one continues to seek contentment. Feeling of bondage results in discontentment. As long as there is lack of contentment, one cannot claim to be free or liberated. It is at such times that power of discrimination helps. The power of discrimination helps achieve Knowledge. Discrimination between the true and the false. Discrimination between the self and non-self. Discrimination between the gross and the subtle. Discrimination between the transient and the permanent. Discrimination between the changing and the unchanging.

Realize that work does not get done without effort. Hunger does not get satisfied without food. Liberation does not come about without Knowledge. In the same vein, if I eat, only my hunger gets satisfied and not everyone's hunger. Only if I swim, will I not drown in water. If someone else is swimming in the same body of water, it will not prevent me from drowning. In the same way, if I want liberation, I must be the one to get Self-Knowledge. It is the individual, who imagining himself to be in bondage, has to put in the effort through the power of discrimination to attain Self-Knowledge. One who has attained Self-Knowledge may then exclaim that all of humanity is already liberated. But, the fact remains that for those who feel they are in bondage, this statement does not help. Only when they who are not content, use the power of discrimination to achieve Self-Knowledge, will contentment become possible. Liberation is available to anyone and everyone who uses the power of discrimination to attain Knowledge of the Self. Just like only light can dispel darkness, only knowledge can dispel ignorance.

One who knows nothing is said to be ignorant (ajnani). One who knows everything is said to be Knowledgeable (jnani). One who has given up all knowledge after attaining it, becomes one with the Supreme (vigjnani).

The Paths of Knowledge and Devotion are Inseparable

As already mentioned previously by this author and others, the path of Jnana (Knowledge) and the path of Bhakti (Devotion) are one and the same. In fact, they are inseparable. True Devotion means complete surrender to God. The word "complete" means that there should be no vestige of a "me" anymore. A true Bhakta (Devotee) would say "I have surrendered everything to God including myself. There is no "me" to perform any action". A true Bhakta Realizes that all there is, is God. In surrendering, the Bhakta has Realized the True Peace and Bliss, which is the nature of God/ Self. He is one with the Knowledge of his own Being.

The Jnani (Realized) has essentially surrendered to God through Knowledge. The Jnani also has come to the same Realization that all there is, is God. There is no thing apart from God. The Jnani is also a Bhakta, since his attention is always focused on God. Devotion is none other than attention to Self or God. In essence, the Jnani and Bhakta are one and the same. The Jnani cannot not be a Bhakta and vice versa.

Differentiation and discussions regarding the same, between these two so-called paths is merely for the ignorant. A true Bhakta and Jnani know that there is no question of a path since there is absolutely no question of any entity or thing apart from Self (or God). All is ONE and ONE is All.

Jnana versus Bhakti- Knowledge versus Devotion

Eventually, there are two ways to Self-Realization- if that term can be used in the first place.  The path could be Jnana (Knowledge) or Bhakti (Surrender). Let us assume for matter of this discussion that there is an entity called "me", who wants to know what is the way or path to Self Realization.

A person who is a true Bhakta (devotee of God), eventually reaches a state of complete surrender to God.  The Bhakta has given up all and says that there is nothing that he does, can do or ever done without God.  He surrenders himself completely to God, including the idea of being a separate individual.   In surrendering his ego, or the sense of a "me", he Realizes his True Nature to be none other than the God that he is praying to.  So, eventually, the Knowledge dawns on the Bhakta.

The one who embarks on the path of Self Enquiry or Jnana, continuously questions the validity and existence of this sense of "me" or the ego or "I-thought".  When the Realization dawns on him/her, the sense of a "me" vanishes. There is only the Self and no question of a "me' apart from the Self. That is,  he Realizes his True Nature to be none other than the Self.

The end result of both paths is the same. Therefore, Bhakti and Jnana are one and the same.  The one who has surrendered to Jnana is a true Bhakta.

The World is like a Mirage

The World and the Universe are like a mirage. This statement raises eyebrows when a seeker or non-seeker hears it.   An object looks different depending on the distance and the angle from which it is viewed. In the same way, this statement may sound preposterous to many but to a tiny minority there is complete truth in this statement. It all depends on the perspective.

Let us take this example.  A man and his goat were walking back home in the desert one hot sunny afternoon.  He had taken his goat with him to see if it could be sold in the market place. It was a long walk back from the market that they had gone to visit. On the way home, they are fairly tired, hungry and thirsty.  The sun was shining brightly and it was a hot day.  Out in the distance, they both see what appears to be an oasis. The water in the oasis looks real to both the man and his goat.  Unfortunately, it is only a mirage. The goat thinks it is water and rushes out to the mirage. The man uses his knowledge and the power of discrimination (his intellect) and knows it is only a mirage. He cannot deny that the appearance of the water in the mirage is very realistic. Yet, because of his intellect the man can differentiate the real from the unreal and hence he does not run towards the mirage.  The goat on the other hand, does not have the intellect to differentiate or discriminate and rushes towards the mirage.

From the point of view of the goat, the mirage is real. From the point of view of the man, he knows that the mirage is unreal. From the point of view of the sun, where is the question of real or unreal, mirage or no mirage, man or goat, world or no world?  The sun shines regardless of anything.

The non-seeker is like the goat, not using the power of discrimination and intellect that nature has given him.  He takes the world to be totally real and does not even question it.  He suffers with the ups and downs that the world presents to him.

The man who has heard and understands the Truth, is one who uses his intellect to discriminate between the real and the unreal.  Yet, he believes that 'he' has understood and uses the statement " I understand the Truth" and needlessly argues about the reality or non-reality of the world.  He has not yet given up on the idea of being an individual.

The Jnani (the Realized) on the other hand,  is like the sun. Just the self shining Self, with no question of reality or non-reality of the world. The Jnani has merged in the Absolute, where there is no question of knowledge or ignorance. The Jnani just IS.