sushil soni
31st October 2013, 14:14
Attachment or hatred leads to suffering and misery. These emotions arise from the incorrect view, often called ignorance, of the nature of the Self. The nature of the Self is pure existence. Here, there is no knowing, no action, not even bliss. Self only Is. Self alone is real. The rest is illusion or apparent reality, like the waves arising from the ocean. The shapes and forms that arise have an apparent reality but not the Self, which alone is real.
Any object to be real has to have an existence of its own, without dependency, without relative existence with another and without the witness or even the knower. However, the Self cannot be an object because it can neither be witness nor can it be known by the senses. Anything that is based upon sense perceptions leads to inference and presumption.
Since the Self is existence, God, Consciousness, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, no words can define its nature. When we say the word “cat”, it evokes an image of a cat in the mind. Cat is associated with an image because we know it is an object of perception and that we can describe it with words. On the other hand, the Self does not evoke any image since it is not an object of perception. You cannot say, “Look at that Self”, but you can say, “Look at that cat”.
Now then, what is this Self that we speak of, and why does it have a name if we cannot describe it or explain it or see it? Then why is there a language which is being used for the Self? To understand this, we must go to the question: whether we see any object at all. We must take into account that we receive impressions from an object seen through our sense data but Vedanta deals with this conundrum in a very peculiar and convincing way. It takes recourse to language. Words give form to an object in the physical world. So, what we see is from the standpoint of language, rather an object is a product of the language. This means that unless we translate into words whatever data from an object our senses receive, our mind will not be able to identify that particular object. Surely, we cannot know anything about a perceived object unless we know its attributes. You don’t need any formula or scientific theory to prove this.
Having said that, we know that there is a common and accepted notion that Self or Atman or Soul enters our body at the time of our birth and leaves the body at the time of our death, though we do not know about the truth of it. Some have even called it the vital force or prana. It is apparent that the formula “to each one his own reality” is working very well here. However, this may not be the case. Whatever we may think may be something else, after all.
Consider the obvious first. We have a body, we have eyes that can see, we have ears that can hear, we have nose which can smell, we have tongue which can taste and we have skin which can feel. In addition, we have feelings, emotions, ideas as well as notions – we can think and create also. Remember, through these senses we are experiencing the outside, material world as well as what is happening inside of us, that is, in our minds. So, what do we make of ourselves? Who are we? If you say you are a body, then you must also remember that anything can be taken away from you, including your body.
Similarly, in this way, you must find the Self. Perhaps, the easiest way to do this is by removing all the cobwebs from your mind which have been gathering since your childhood. These include the books you have read, the lessons you have learnt from teachers, the theories you have known, the formulas you have crammed, the news you have heard, including the breaking news as well as the concept and ideals you have till this time believed in. Question everything and find out the origin of all that you know and all that you have been told about, and still are being told. A stage will come when you will reject everything, including your body. Your understanding of your real identity has been hidden because of your identification with your body. The body has no identity – it is an object which in itself is limited. Now, when you identify with your body you also confine yourself within those limitations. Reality has no limitations. Thus, by identifying yourself with your body, you are putting limits on the Self. But your real nature, your Self, is formless, limitless, bodyless and mindless.
The problem that arises here is in our approach – you want to reach that stage rather than become what you already are. In reality, you are That all the time, you are the Self all the time. You do not become that what you are: the Self. Because of the wall of material world that has been erected, you think Self-realisation is something that comes to you, that you must experience it, that you must know it, and that you must become aware of. This is not the case. Does the fish know about the ocean in which it is swimming?
Your occupation with your mind is the stumbling block. Your mind is the greatest distraction, rather your greatest enemy. You have to give up this thought that you have a mind. You must go beyond your mind – rather, when you give up your mind, you will realize that you already are in that pristine state. You never left it in the first place.
When you become aware of this stage, you will realize that you are nothing but the Self, Pure Awareness. This internal progression will lead you to where you have come from – the origin of all origins, the source of all sources. There are no concepts, no notions, no ideals, no time, no space, no place, no movement, no nothing here. You are all-pervading and all-embracing. You have now become yourself.
Any object to be real has to have an existence of its own, without dependency, without relative existence with another and without the witness or even the knower. However, the Self cannot be an object because it can neither be witness nor can it be known by the senses. Anything that is based upon sense perceptions leads to inference and presumption.
Since the Self is existence, God, Consciousness, omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, no words can define its nature. When we say the word “cat”, it evokes an image of a cat in the mind. Cat is associated with an image because we know it is an object of perception and that we can describe it with words. On the other hand, the Self does not evoke any image since it is not an object of perception. You cannot say, “Look at that Self”, but you can say, “Look at that cat”.
Now then, what is this Self that we speak of, and why does it have a name if we cannot describe it or explain it or see it? Then why is there a language which is being used for the Self? To understand this, we must go to the question: whether we see any object at all. We must take into account that we receive impressions from an object seen through our sense data but Vedanta deals with this conundrum in a very peculiar and convincing way. It takes recourse to language. Words give form to an object in the physical world. So, what we see is from the standpoint of language, rather an object is a product of the language. This means that unless we translate into words whatever data from an object our senses receive, our mind will not be able to identify that particular object. Surely, we cannot know anything about a perceived object unless we know its attributes. You don’t need any formula or scientific theory to prove this.
Having said that, we know that there is a common and accepted notion that Self or Atman or Soul enters our body at the time of our birth and leaves the body at the time of our death, though we do not know about the truth of it. Some have even called it the vital force or prana. It is apparent that the formula “to each one his own reality” is working very well here. However, this may not be the case. Whatever we may think may be something else, after all.
Consider the obvious first. We have a body, we have eyes that can see, we have ears that can hear, we have nose which can smell, we have tongue which can taste and we have skin which can feel. In addition, we have feelings, emotions, ideas as well as notions – we can think and create also. Remember, through these senses we are experiencing the outside, material world as well as what is happening inside of us, that is, in our minds. So, what do we make of ourselves? Who are we? If you say you are a body, then you must also remember that anything can be taken away from you, including your body.
Similarly, in this way, you must find the Self. Perhaps, the easiest way to do this is by removing all the cobwebs from your mind which have been gathering since your childhood. These include the books you have read, the lessons you have learnt from teachers, the theories you have known, the formulas you have crammed, the news you have heard, including the breaking news as well as the concept and ideals you have till this time believed in. Question everything and find out the origin of all that you know and all that you have been told about, and still are being told. A stage will come when you will reject everything, including your body. Your understanding of your real identity has been hidden because of your identification with your body. The body has no identity – it is an object which in itself is limited. Now, when you identify with your body you also confine yourself within those limitations. Reality has no limitations. Thus, by identifying yourself with your body, you are putting limits on the Self. But your real nature, your Self, is formless, limitless, bodyless and mindless.
The problem that arises here is in our approach – you want to reach that stage rather than become what you already are. In reality, you are That all the time, you are the Self all the time. You do not become that what you are: the Self. Because of the wall of material world that has been erected, you think Self-realisation is something that comes to you, that you must experience it, that you must know it, and that you must become aware of. This is not the case. Does the fish know about the ocean in which it is swimming?
Your occupation with your mind is the stumbling block. Your mind is the greatest distraction, rather your greatest enemy. You have to give up this thought that you have a mind. You must go beyond your mind – rather, when you give up your mind, you will realize that you already are in that pristine state. You never left it in the first place.
When you become aware of this stage, you will realize that you are nothing but the Self, Pure Awareness. This internal progression will lead you to where you have come from – the origin of all origins, the source of all sources. There are no concepts, no notions, no ideals, no time, no space, no place, no movement, no nothing here. You are all-pervading and all-embracing. You have now become yourself.