- Question
Do non duality students take a leap of faith and believe in oneness after reading scriptures, or do they accept the non-dual nature of existence only after experiencing oneness?
*Sri Prabhuji*
For undertaking any activity faith/faith is required in life. Belief leads to actions which leads to experiencing. For example if I believe that going to Himalayas is joyful, I will start my journey to Himalayas. Hence faith/belief followed by action leading to experiencing is the approach for any subject.
It is no different in case of advaita vedanta. Faith is beginning and experience is the result. Faith in competent Spiritual Master and Vedanta is a beginning.
What is faith required in Master ? Master is realized ( Brahma nishta) and has the ability to unravel the teaching of Vedanta in a systematic way (Shrotriya).
What is the faith in Advaita Vedanta scriptures ? Faith that teachings of Upanishad will give me deep peace. Teaching of upanishad is about my self. Upabishads unravel my own essential nature.
A student of vedanta undertakes spiritual journey with faith in teaching ability of Master and essential teaching of Upanishads.
Spiritual journey involves listening to teachings (Shravana), getting rid of doubts (manana) and contemplation and meditation.
As far experience of non duality is concerned, it is not a new experience. Our day to day experience is non-dual. Due to our mental noise created by ego we are not able to experience the Reality of non-duality in our day to day life. As vedatic teaching and Self enquiry unravels the nature of mind, nature of world and Self, mental noise reduces leading to discovery of existing One reality.
In summary faith in scripture, Master leads to study of Vedanta which in turn helps to drop the ignorance of self leading to unraveling of non-duality.
- Question
Many gurus say that if a seeker is sincere in his search for the self, he instantly finds God. I have been seeking for many years. Does this mean that I am not sincere in my search?
*Sri Prabhuji*
What is seeking ? What are we seeking ? Everyone is seeking Peace and Love. Peace and love can be realized only when we recognize our True Infinite SELF. This is called SELF realization. We live with illusory self called ego. Ego has to be transcended to realize True SELF.
What are the steps in realizing Truth ?
1) Good Mastery over mind through process of Yoga.
2) Gaining Self knowledge to remove self ignorance under the guidance of Competent Master.
3) Transcending the ego (self) through the process of listening to teaching (shravan), getting rid of doubts (manana) and contemplation (nidhidhyasa) under guidance of competent teacher.
Seeking is to realize the Truth. A sincere seeker in Vedanta is called Mumukshu. As per Bhagavadgita “Tadviddi Pranipatena, pariprashnena … ” Bhagavadgita 4.34 A sincere seeker should approach Realized Master. Surrendering to the realized Master and doing service he/she should receive the teachings of SELF Realization. This is the process.
This process is no different from any other system of knowledge. If I have desire to know physics, I should approach a good physics teacher to learn. When I say I am seeker, what I am seeking ? I am seeking my True SELF. Why I am not able to recognize my True SELF ? That is because of SELF ignorance. For removing SELF ignorance, SELF knowledge from authentic teacher will help.
Only authentic Vedantic process of Shravana Manana Nidhidhyasa under guidance of competent Guru can help. Science cannot help.
- Question
What is the relationship between objects and awareness?
Sri Prabhuji
Objects are appearances in awareness. Any object is nothing but a thought. A thought is nothing but conditioned consciousness. Let us take example of a flower in dream. I saw a flower in dream. When I woke up I realized that there was no flower in the dream. Flower was a mental projection of name and form in my consciousness creating a dream. In other words, flower as an object was not real. Flower was perception of an object based on impressions of mind.
Same thing applies in waking state. There are no objects. All objects are nothing but mental projections in consciousness. Mere appearance of name and form. It is like being in waking dream. We have to wake up from this waking dream to realize Truth.
- Question
What is the meaning of Brahmachari?
Sri Prabhuji
Brahmachari means different level of meaning. In earlier days, students studying in Gurukul are called Brahmacharis.
In other words Brahmachari means student as first level of meaning. Charya means life style. Brahma charya means life style suitable for SELF realiztion. It involves austerities, meditation, tapas etc. Brahma charya also means sexual abstinance or moderation.
Brahma Charya also means Brahmani charitam manasam – mind constantly focussed on Brahman for SELF realization.
- Brahman & Ishwara
Brahman is nirguna formless and unconditional, – no upadhi (no conditioning). Brahman appears as Ishvara due to Maya upadhi. Brahman in the role of creation is called Ishwara. Brahman as Ishwara is the cause (nimitta karana) for the appearance of Universe. Universe can be manifest or unmanifest.
Brahman with unmanifest universe or creation is called Ishwara. When the ideas (creation in unmanifest mode) take shape, Brahman appears as Ishwara. Ideas have not yet manifested (in causal form). Universe can be manifest or unmanifest in Ishwara. Brahman with Maya Upadhi is called Ishwara, where Maya has still not appeared. Maya is called avyakta – unmanifest form of Universe.
Manifest form of universe is called Prakriti. Ishwara is Brahman with unmanifest Maya. Unmanifest prakriti or nature is called Maya.
-Sri Prabhuji
- Question
What is the purpose of life/existence? Is it so that Source/God (we) can get lost in its creation in an eternal adventure spanning infinite worlds, dimensions and universes or is Brahman desperately trying to wake up through spiritual enlightenment?
Sri Prabhuji
All living beings want to be happy and avoid suffering. We seek happiness because intuitively we know bliss (ananda) is our essential/fundamental nature. All living beings seek good sleep. Bliss of deep sleep is pointer to our essential nature of Ananda.
Ananda comes from the Sanskrit word – Anantha which means Infinite. Bliss is infiniteness.
Ananda which is our essential nature gets covered by the feeling of Duality – feeling of limitedness because of identification with the body-mind-intellect, feeling of separation from the world and God.
- Question
Isn’t advaita implausible compared to dvaita? If I am the supreme self (already described to be above maya) then how can the supreme self be covered by ignorance/maya? Doesn’t advaita and its followers defy logic and experiential reality altogether?
Sri Prabhuji
Many times what is experientially true is factually untrue. There are many examples in life which are experientially true but factually false. Let us take following examples 1). Water appears in mirage. There is no water really. 2). Sky appears blue. But there is no blueness in sky. We can give lot more examples of illusion created by sense organs and mind.
A genuine seeker will try to go beyond experiences to understand reality. This is the approach of Science and Advaita Vedanta. Let us take example of scientific approach. Water appears liquid and has certain property. Water has experiential quality of quenching thirst. Scientists go beyond appearance of water and discover true nature of water which is Hydrogen and oxygen molecule. Hydrogen and oxygen are invisible while water is visible.
Similarly Vedantic approach is to go beyond optical illusion of visible world and to realize true nature of existence as awareness – Brahman.
As far as Brahman having maya etc. proper understanding of Advaitic teaching under the guidance of competant teacher will resolve doubts and confusion.
- Question:
In Self enquiry, which ‘I’ is referred to in the question ‘who am I’, the separate ego self or the Self? Is the question meant to help one look for the separate self and find no such thing? Or to shift awareness to the Self?
Sri Prabhuji :
Ramana Maharshi’s “Who am I” is to trace the source of “I thought”. I-thought is the ‘me’ feeling. Its the root thought for all the other thoughts. “I thought is ego.”
When you enquire “who am I”, you are finding the source of Ego – Atma
Source of “I-thought” is SELF is Atma – real I.
The question is meant to shift awareness to real SELF.
- Question:
When I am a witness, the mind stops. When the mind is there, witnessing stops. Why does that happen?
Sri Prabhuji :
The witness (Sakshi) is beyond the mind. Witness (sakshi) powers the mind. Witness illuminates the mind when there are thoughts in the mind (waking state/dream state) or no thoughts ( deep sleep/coma, unconsciousness etc )
“Witnessing” is a spiritual practice in which mind takes the role of witness. Function of mind is such that mind can take one role at a time not two. Hence mind can play the role of witness or involve in thoughts – one at a time but not both simultaneously. The practice of witnessing helps in purification of mind.
- Question
Why does advaita vedanta feel like an incomplete philosophy? How am I the supreme self if the upanishads describe the supreme brahman as devoid of ego, above maya and free from avidya? Surely, we are just a separated spark of the supreme self?
Sri Prabhuji
At the outset “spark of Supreme Self” appears to be good observation. Supreme SELF is non dual (advaita) and has no parts (akhanda) and hence we have to investigate in to our observation to find reality. We are attracted by forms of “me”, “world” etc. Brahman and me are like water and wave. Wave is in essence water and water has no parts called wave. Brahman is consciousness having no parts.
First of all Advaita Vedanta is not a philosophy – mental speculation. It is a body of knowledge for realizing the Supreme Truth about SELF. Advaita is not about a set of new belief systems. Teaching of Advaita is to investigate into the nature of self and world with an open mind and recognize the true nature of SELF. We see the world through the glasses of social, religious, political and spiritual conditioning we have accumulated during the process of upbringing. How to look at the self and world without the preconceived conditioning and notions is the teaching of advaita.
Advaita Vedanta or for that any subject be it Physics, chemistry or engineering has to be studied under the guidance of competent teacher before making any judgment about the subject.
- Question:
Thanks for kind response. Let me ask my question in another way. If we consider example of the house Prime Minister lives in, I do not control that house so I can’t say that building is “mine or self or I am”. But In the same way, if I can ask you about awareness, do we control awareness? If we could really control awareness, it would be possible to say turn my awareness off, turn my awareness on etc. Since you do not control awareness, is it logical to call it self or I am?
Sri Prabhuji:
SELF atman is not individual. It is universal like space. SELF is like space – all pervading. It is awareness. One who wants to control awareness is the ego. Ego derives its power from awareness. Ego has no independent existence. Awareness cannot be switched on or off. It is the eternal reality . Everything depends on awareness but awareness does not depend on anything. It is like saying wave (ego) depends on water (awareness) not the other way. Wave cannot control water.
- Question:
So long as one retains a trace of individuality one is a seeker still – Ramana Maharishi what does this mean?
Sri Prabhuji:
All seeking is for the sake of attaining fullness (purnatva). Fullness can be realized only when the non-duality is realized. When the subject object duality disappears in realization of Brahman, the individual ceases to exist – only Brahman remains. In that realization, seeker is no more there. Seeker (jiva) has become one with the sought (Brahman) like river merging with ocean. When river merges with ocean, there is no more river – only ocean remains. As long as individuality is there, merger has not happened, seeker continues.
- Question:
Is causal body, karana sharira a dark space? When I asked once you told the outer space which we see is not dark, only it’s full of light, only things nothing is there to illumine, so its appearing as dark.Can you please clear my mind of the above doubt????
Sri Prabhuji: Causal body or Karana Sharira is body of ignorance – Avidya. Not knowing Atma and idea that I am Body-mind-intellect is called causal body.
2)With knowledge of SELF atmajnana causal body is destroyed. Hence there is no more birth.
3)Causal body is like seed which causes tree, ignorance (causal body) gives rise to subtle body and gross body. This causes rebirth.
4)If atmajnana is there , causal body is like burnt seed. It cannot give rise to plant (new bodies).
5) Whole universe is pervaded by light of Self Atmajyothi – Awareness. Atmajyothi is non physical – spiritual light.
What we call light and darkness in outer space is physical light and darkness. There can be physical darkness in outer space but non physical light atmajyothi illuminates it.
- Question –
If we accept there is no “doer” then how would things get done? Wouldn’t someone use this principle to justify laziness or escape life’s responsibilities?
Sri Prabhuji –
Things happen due to power of God. If you observe carefully all the functions of body heart, brain, ….kidney are functioning perfectly. By what power these organs function ? Entire cosmos is functioning in a orderly manner. By whose power this is happening ?
Any action involves a thought/desire followed by action. How much do we know about thought. A thought to arise some million cells of brain to connect in certain way. Which power creates thoughts. To lift our hands for action blood supply has to flow into hands. How does this happen ?
When all these are happening ego makes a claim “I think”. It is just a false claim of ownership since we don’t know mechanism of brain functioning. Similarly I am doing is also just a claim.of ownership by ego.
Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa explains about non doership in following talk.
Vaidyanath: “Sir, I have a doubt. People speak of free will. They say that a man can do either good or evil according to his free will. Is it true? Are we really free to do whatever we like?”
Master: “Everything depends on the will of God. The world is His play. He has created all these different things—great and small, strong and weak, good and bad, virtuous and vicious. This is all His maya, His sport. You must have observed that all the trees in a garden are not of the same kind.
“As long as a man has not realized God, he thinks he is free. It is God Himself who keeps this error in man. Otherwise sin would have multiplied. Man would not have been afraid of sin, and there would have been no punishment for it.
“But do you know the attitude of one who has realized God? He feels: ‘I am the machine, and Thou, O Lord, art the Operator. I am the house and Thou art the Indweller. I am the chariot and Thou art the Driver. I move as Thou movest me; I speak as Thou makest me speak.
- Question
If according to Advaita philosophy, the ‘I’ or the ego is an illusion, then why is this realisation itself not considered illusory as there has to be another ‘I’, to reject the false ‘I’?
Sri Prabhuji :
Realization involves discrimination of real (satya) from non real (mithya), SELF (atma) and non-self (anatma), eternal (nitya) and temporary (anitya). The discrimination is done by intellect. This is the process of negation – neti, neti, neti followed in some of the teachings. The negation goes on until the pure existence (sat) which cannot be negated in any way is reached. There is no another “I” to reject finally. What remains is pure existence – nameless, formless reality. This is the SELF.
On the other hand, Sri Ramana Maharshi suggests the positive way. Seek the source of I thought. In this process, the mind seeks the source of thought SELF. In this process ignorance of mind is destroyed (mano nasha) and no mind state is realized. Destruction of ignorance of mind ( mano nasha) is the real solution.
- Question:
Some say “you are already enlightened here and now”. Yet they themselves did awaken, did have some kind of profound inner change and ego identification ceasing permanently. What does this saying mean? Is it just that we are all part of existence?
Sri Prabhuji : The word ‘you’ has three levels of meaning. 1) What world things of you based on your interaction with the world. World treats you as body or engineer/doctor based on your profession. 2) What you think of yourself – I am smart, I am suffering etc. 3) The real ‘you’ – which is Consciousness. Of these three levels of meaning level 1 and 2 are relative and keep changing. The real ‘you’ never changes. The real ‘you’ is existence-consciousness-bliss (sat-chit-ananda).
The teaching ‘here and now’ enlightenment is about real you. Real ‘you’ is never changing – eternal Now. Real you is like background screen of a movie. Screen never changes while movie of world keeps changing. The movie of world is called Maya. In any scene of the movie, screen is available in the background all the time – Here and Now. Seeking enlightenment is happening in movie. The character in movie is trying to find screen in the movie by doing lot of spiritual practice. In other words, he is trying to find the screen in the movie-time without realizing the screen is always there Here and Now in all the scenes of movie.
It is true that enlightened beings had some experiences. For example Buddha did intense spiritual practice. He stopped taking food. He became very weak. He fell down into a small river stream. He got his sanity. He realized that punishing body is not needed for enlightenment. He accepted food that day from a lady called Sujata. He sat silently – his seeking for enlightenment had stopped. He had reached home – Here and Now. That was his awakening.
We need to understand the value of experiences in spiritual domain. All experiences are in the domain of Maya. The Maya of movie is playing on the screen. Experiences can shake you from your deep rooted notion/belief system about the reality of movie. In our dream, we may see a tiger and get scared and then wake up. If we say waking up is reality, the value of tiger is causing the scare in the dream which is triggering waking up. They may appear as cause and effect. In reality the consciousness of the waker was not at all effected by the dream – like screen not affected by movie.
Any experience is not enlightenment – however profound it may be. Enlightenment is your nature. Experiences are temporary. SELF nature is eternal. Enlightenment is not a new experience. Enlightenment is recognition of eternal awareness which is background of all changing experiences.
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Deep sleep state is not a state of absence of awareness. It is a state of awareness of absence
– Sri Prabhuji
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- Question –
In general, is Enlightenment not difficult? That’s why so few people realise, throughout history of the world
Sri Prabhuji – It is not about difficulty! It is the motivation required for realization! Motivation required for realization is called Mumukshatva – desire for liberation. In general people are engrossed in their life – in their dream world. Very few people get a desire to wake up from dream called life. Even those who desire to wake up they start searching for enlightenment in their dream world!
They try to find a solution in the dream world. They consider enlightenment as an experience in the dream world. The conditioning or habit pattern is difficult to get over. To understand real nature of enlightenment, waking up from dream – real Master/real guidance is needed. That is difficult to get.
In other words why enlightenment is rare – a) Most of people are not interested – they are happy with dream. b) Someone interested in enlightenment searches for enlightement in dream. c) Very few people get realized Master. d) Very few people understand the real nature of enlightenment Here and Now and keep searching for enlightenment in dream world.
- Question:
How do I know if I should surrender to the divine and “go with the flow” or fight for what I want and overcome obstacles?
Sri Prabhuji – Let us understand “surrender”. What is the meaning of surrender. Surrender is accepting a given situation – however good or bad it is. We have to understand that situations in our life is result of totality of existence functioning. You can call this totality of existence as God/Ishwara/Universe. The situations will keep changing in life be it weather, financial conditions, job or disease like corona. In other words external conditions in our life keeps changing and we don’t have control on what happens in our life due to external conditions.
How do we face life in such a situation. We have to maintain calmness in any circumstances in life. How can you be calm in the presence of storm. “Acceptance” is the key. Accepting anything happening in our life is functioning of totality of existence – Gods play/gift is the real acceptance of life. Once you accept calmly, you will be able to act reasonably – this is the meaning of surrender. Surrender is inner state of mind. Surrender is not about external action. When you surrender internally, your mind is calm and with the background of calmness in the mind appropriate action can be chosen. This is the real meaning of surrender.
What is the other alternative. Most of the people react to the situation in life instead of accepting. Reaction is programmed behavior/conditioned response rather than appropriate response.
The question about fighting/accepting does not arise when there is surrender. Any situation is neutral event – neither good/nor bad. When we label the situation already we are biased. Any biased perception will lead to reaction/inappropriate action. All events and situations are neutral and impersonal. Good or bad, fight or flight are not the questions – these are based on labelling of situation. Acceptance involves no labelling of situation as good/bad/fight or flight. Acceptance is internal while situation is external. Labelling is based on conditioned habit patterns. When you drop labelling and accept situation, appropriate action will happen. With that calmness of mind if you have to fight you will fight, you have to run, you will run. The key is acceptance, non-labelling, non-judgement and appropriate action.
- *Question*
When consciousness becomes conscious of itself, liberation happens. Who is the one that got liberated? Who feels the ease of “getting rid of it all”? Is it the mind?
*Sri Prabhuji*
Ego (mind) is the cause for feeling of separation. Ego creates a sense of separate individual. It is the ego which suffers. When ego traces its source to pure awareness, sense of separation disappears along with the separation.
Who gets the relief ? The false identity of ego is suffering. After enlightenment the ego continues as sublated ego. We can call this as enlightened ego or burnt ego. Enlightened ego is like a burnt rope. Burnt rope appears like a real rope but has no ability to bind. Similarly enlightened ego is harmless. Enlightened ego claims liberation.
Unenlightened ego identifies with body-mind-intellect. Enoghtened ego identifies with pure awareness and claims freedom. In reality, there is no more an individual.
The situation is more or less similar to suffering in a nightmare(dream). Enlightenment is like realizing in the dream that it is all a dream. Dream character is no longer afraid of the nightmare knowing well that both he/she and dream is unreal. Dream may continue for some time but dream character loses suffering.
- Question
According to advaita , we all are the same infinite consciousness bliss and through that consciousness we experience this body and mind. My doubt is, Why as universal consciousness I am unable to experience others’ minds ?
Since we all are same universal consciousness, we should be able to experience all minds but we are not. We can experience only one mind
Sri Prabhuji
Following is the answer.
1. Only finite can experience the other. Infinite cannot experience anything ! Let us take example. I want to see apple. I can see apple from one angle. I can take a photo. Let us say I take photo from 2 angles and then superimpose on each other what will happen. The apple photo gets blurred. If I take infinite photos of apple and superimpose on each other, – I cannot see any apple. Everything is blurred. Universal consciousness is infinite. Imagine observing any object from infinite view points – inside, outside, and all angles. The object is not at all visible. Infinite consciousness cannot know anything specifically because it is everything !
2. Infinite consciousness wants to know something in particular, it has to take a limitation. That limitation is unreal. That limited view point is your view point. Then you can see other. Obviously you can see objects because you have taken limited identity. In this case both are not real – your limited identity and the observed object. Hence what you see is mithya or unreal. But off course you are able to see something which you are not able to do when you are infinite consciousness.
3. There are two levels of reality. Absolute reality ( Paramarthik satya) and transactional reality (vyavaharika satya). Infinite consciounsess appears as limited individual in transactional reality to experience world. Both the limitation and the world are unreal. An analogy can be given. A person is sleeping in the bed. He has a dream. He sees dream forest, dream tiger, dream river. There are two levels of reality here. Sleeping person and person in the dream. Sleeping person does not know anything about the dream because he is the dream ! Sleeping person is like infinite consciousness. The dream character is able to see tiger, forest etc. without knowing that everything in the dream is unreal and everything in the dream is nothing but sleepers consciousness. Dream is equivalent of transactional reality.
Is the answer clear ?
Q You said, sakshi only illuminates
Sri Prabhuji Sakshi only illminates. Sakshi is infinite – Brahman. Sakshi cannot see anything in particular it is infinite. Sakshi is atma jyothi. You
- Question
In Advaita Vedanta, a pot example is given, pots reality is clay, but its reality should be the brahman. How can this be proved?
Sri Prabhuji
Brahman is consciousness – Prajnanam Brahma. Clay and pot are thoughts in mind. Thoughts appear in consciousness. Pot and clay are objects in consciousness. Consciousness (Brahman) are reality of pot and clay.
- Question
How do I stop trying to become enlightened? I know intellectually that the ‘me’ cannot become enlightened but I can’t stop. Am worried it will drive me crazy. Do I continue till the ‘me’ gets exhausted?
Sri Prabhuji:
We have to understand “Being” and “becoming”. Your true nature is “Being-Atma-Brahman”. Ego is an imposter claiming to be you. Ego identifies with the limited body and suffers. Ego wants to get out of suffering by becoming “Enlightened”. While real you has no problem, false you “ego” has no solution. Ego continuously tries to become enlightened.
What is the solution ? Ego has to find its root. This is the meaning of Self enquiry – who am I ? When ego finds its real nature – pure awareness, ego merges with the source. This is called enlightenment – no mind etc. No mind is the solution. Enquiry into your true nature and merge ego with the source – that will end the struggle.
Intellectual conviction is very important. Listening to vedantic teaching from an authentic master will help to get clarity and conviction. This is called Shravana (listening). Internalizing by clarifying doubts ( manana) will help. Abiding in SELF through the process of Nidhidhyasa helps to get rid of your previous impressions. Shravana-manana-nidhidhyasa has to be repeated until all impressions are eradicated.
- Question
According to Vedanta, all the 3 states of wakefulness, sleep, and dreaming are illusions. If so, why do we have karma for what we do only during the waking state but not in other states?
*Sri Prabhuji*
According to Vedanta there are 3 levels of Reality. Absolute reality which does not change is called paramarthik satya and transactional reality called vyavaharika satya. The individual reality is called pratibhasika satya.
God-Brahman-Atma is absolute reality – non transactional.
Waking state falls under transactional reality. Karma is only possible in transactional reality. Ego assumes the responsibility of doership. Ego is dominant in waking state. Ego takes up credit for all waking state transactions and gains karma because of doership.
Dream state and deep sleep fall under the category of pratibhasika satya or individual reality. No transaction is possible in this state and hence no karma. Dream state is based on mental impressions. Ego is present in a dream state but transactions are limited to mental impressions and hence no karma. In deep sleep ego is dormant and hence no karma.
*Student* – But you always said that there is no difference between the waking state and dreaming state. In Fact there are only two states, dream state and deep sleep state. Also, in sleeping dream, there is an ego present. And you said, when I am inside a dream it will be as real as a waking state till I come out of the dream. When ego is there, doership, ownership and karma should also be present for actions done in the dream state.
*Sri Prabhuji*
Two states is a higher level understanding. But a beginner might not understand that. In deep sleep and dream no additional karma is possible. The actions happening in the dream state are nothing but the manifestation of your waking state impressions. So, there cannot be any new karma. Also, when you wake up and realize that it was unreal, how can there be karma? In dream if you kill a non real person which is your mental impressions? Where is new karma?
*Student*
Jnani has no karma for waking state actions also.
*Sri Prabhui*
When you wake up from a dream, you realize the dream as unreal, hence karma will not be there. In case of a jnani, he wakes up from the waking state itself, hence Jnani has no karma for anything that happens in the waking state also. Jnani woke up from the waking state and realized it be unreal. That very moment, all his karma drops.
- Question
sir, whatever prarabda karma we are born with, can we overcome it with will power. do we have the power to overcome it, for eg: how can an addict overcome his craving, should he just give in saying it’s beyond me to overcome my karma ( this is what i have reaped) or should he work towards bettering himself
Sri Prabhuji
He should work towards bettering himself. Prarabdha karma is of different types – some you can change some you cannot. For example being born in certain family cannot be changed. Having a genetic structure cannot be changed. Accident cannot be changed. Business loss, exam failure etc can be changed.
- Question
Ramana Maharishi said, Self Realization dawns when the ‘I’ disappears? But when the ‘I’ disappears, there will be nothing. Am I the nothingness? And how does manifestation arise out of nothing?
Sri Prabhuji
Nothing means no + thing. No thing is no object. One who is aware of the nothing is you – pure awareness. Awareness is not an object, thing. That awareness is real you.
Manifestation does not arise out of nothing. It arises out of consciousnes. Power of creativity, imagination of consciousnes is the cause for manifestation.
- Question
Even after awakening happens from the dream of illusion, why do awakened individuals experience thoughts and emotions which actually belong to the ‘dream experiencer ‘ and not to Awareness or Being which these ‘ individuals’ are?
Sri Prabhuji
Awakened beings witness the dream. They donot identify with dream body or mind.
For the observers, it appears as though awakened beings are experiencing thoughts.
View point of awakened being is different from observers view point.
- Question
If Brahman is consciousness, doesn’t there always have to be something for Brahman to be conscious of?
Sri Prabhuji
Existence-Consciousness-Bliss (sat-chit-ananda) is the intrinsic nature of Brahman. Consciousness is not an attribute of Brahman.
Words can only point to Brahman, words can not objectify Brahman. By saying Brahman is consciousness, we are only negating non-consciousness aspect. Consciousness cannot be known as object. Any description of Brahman is not to objectify Brahman. Words are like the finger pointing at the moon. We should not catch hold of the finger but look at the moon.
If Brahman is not an object, then how can the mind know it ? It is said that “mana Eva karanam manushyanam Bandha mokshaha” which means mind alone causes bondage and liberation. Mind is the cause of bondage when SELF which is nothing but Brahman is objectified as body.
How can mind be the cause of liberation? By understanding the intrinsic nature of Brahman as sat-chit-ananda we negate non-existence (asat), inertness (jada) as essential nature of Brahman. Since consciousness is not an object, the mind has to recognize consciousness not as an object but negating all objects. This is recognition by the mind “I am Consciousness – Aham Brahmasmi” by negating all objects like body-mind-intellect associated with “I am”. Mind cannot know Brahman as an object but as the pure subject SELF.
It is true Brahman being non-dual, there is nothing for Brahman. But the knower – sakshi is Brahman. Sakshi is with reference to sakshyam (witnessed). A person is weight lifter when he lifts weight in Gymnasium, he is called weightlifter. If the weight lifter does not lift weight at home, he is still called a weightlifter. Similarly sakshi is Brahman while witnessing. Sakshi is consciousness. Brahman is consciousness even though there is nothing to witness.
- Question: Non-dualists assert that one consciousness is all that really exists. Everything is an illusion except for you (your awareness). Therefore, how does one avoid slipping into the trap of solipsism
Sri Prabhuji:
Solipsism is based on the idea that an individual mind is the only reality.
Advaita goes beyond the individual mind. Basis of the individual mind is consciousness. Consciousness is transcendent.
By analyzing three states of waking dream and deep sleep, Advaita points out reality of consciousness transcending the mind.
- Question
In Advaita Vedanta and according to the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, how can a person make decisions as the self and not as the ego?
Sri Prabhuji
Decisions are made by intellect. Ego influences decisions before realization. After realization purified ego guides intellect. Before realization ego was identifying with the body. After realization ego is one with the SELF and it continues for only transactional purpose in the world. This is burnt ego like a burnt rope. Now the intellect works under guidance of witness – Sakshi
- Question
If desire for moksha is needed, how is it different from desire for karma phala. If desires is not needed how can one put in effort for scripture study or for liberation?
Sri Prabhuji
Wonderful question. Vedanta teaches all desires for objects should be dropped but desire for liberation (mumukshatva) to be developed. How to reconcile these two statements ?
We have two types of desires.
Desire Type 1: Desire for objects. Here you are trying acquire something which you don’t have. For example a car. Vedanta does not teach you to drop the Desire for car, house etc. Understand the limitation of Desire for objects. All Desires for objects give limited happiness followed by pain. For example Desire is for a job. After getting job pain of “when will I get promotion. Somebody else got promotion ” starts. In other words Desire type 1 leads to pain+pleasure. It does not give you eternal happiness which you seek. No need to drop Desire. Understand limitation of benefit of Desire. Also Understand that the happiness which you are getting from objects like car, money etc are reflection of infinite happiness of Atma. There is no happiness in objects at all because objects are inert (Jada). Now let us take second type of Desire.
Second type of Desire – Desire for Liberation Mumuksatva
This is not a Desire for acquisition of objects. It is Desire for knowing yourself. Knowing yourself is not an action but understanding. You think you are a limited being – body, mind, intellect. Vedanta teaches that “know your SELF. SELF is infinite. Existence-consciousness-Bliss – Brahman. Tatwamasi.” By knowing yourself, you will attain Supreme Peace (Para shanti).
While type 1 Desire leads to infinite varieties of activities each with finite happiness and result, Type2 Desire (mumukshatva) leads to Self knowledge ( no action involved) and Supreme Peace. Cultivate Mumukshatva – Desire to know Self.
- Question
In shat Sampatti, why is it that Shama comes first in the order and then comes Dhama?
Sri Prabhuji
Shama is related to control of mind and dama is related to control of sense organs. Mind is the master of the sense organs. Mind has to have clarity and focus before it can control sense organs. Mind is totally distracted by thousands of thoughts and goals in life. When the mind starts getting clarity about goal of SELF realizaton, mind is able to focus internally. This is called shama. With shama, the mind is able to control external sense organs. It is called dama.
Shama comes first because clarity in the mind is important and then dama follows.
- Question
Prabhuji, one question that came up is related to the statement of Self being witness of the three states. How can Self witness Sleep? There is no experience and no proof that consciousness exists in sleep. We only know when we are awake and it is an inference.
Sri Prabhuji:
Very good question. Understanding the deep sleep state is important.
Let us look at the experience of sleep.
1. Is sleep an experience ? What is the experience in sleep ? Is it a state of no experience?
2. Deep sleep is a state of deep relaxation and peace. Because of this deep relaxation and peace every living being seeks peace of sleep. Absence of sleep causes psychological disturbance.
3. When someone wakes up from sleep he says I had blissful sleep/sound sleep. Is this statement based on inference or experience ? Everybody has clarity about peace in deep sleep. Unless it is your own experience of sleep how can anybody make a confidant statement about nature of sleep. Not a single human being has doubts about peace in deep sleep. Any inference will require deliberation. Peace in sleep is not inference but experience. The peace is called Ananda
4. Any inference will have element of doubt associated with it. For example there is smoke on mountain top and inference is where there is smoke there must be fire. But there can be doubt – the smoke can be due to chemical not fire. About peace in sleep not a single person in 8 billion people have doubt and hence it is not inference but experience.
5. When we ask someone what do you see in sleep. He will say “nothing”. Nothingness is a statement of fact. It is not inference. Inference will have an element of doubt. In sleep there was an awareness of absence of things (nothing). Hence sleep is a state of awareness of absence of objects and not absence of awareness. The awareness is called chit.
6. When a sleeping person’s name is called he will wake up. This means there was awareness in sleep not absence of awareness.
7. Does a person exist in sleep ? Obviously he does. Otherwise person who slept and woke up are not same. The existence is called sat
8. Thus sleep is a state of existence – consciousness – bliss (sat-chit-anand). In sleep I cannot express myself and something. If I do that I will wake up and no longer sleeping. Sleep is a state of experience without expression. We should not mix up expression, experience and existence.
Student: Sir, on point 3 I request you to kindly clarify.
It is true that when I wake up from deep sleep i feel peaceful, refreshed and blissful.
But this blissfulness is not experienced during deep sleep but experienced at the moment of waking state, just after waking up from sleep and we infer and derive that it must be the result of Good Deep Sleep i had before waking up.
Also during sleep there is no experience of objects, space or time, so we cannot have peace as an seperate experience during sleep but we are in our real true nature as Peace or Ananda, which we express as experience of bliss and peace after waking up.
Sri Prabhuji: “But this blissfulness is not experienced during deep sleep but experienced at the moment of waking state, just after waking up from sleep and we infer and derive that it must be the result of Good Deep Sleep before waking up.”
# This is not a fact. Blissfulness experienced after waking up is called relaxation. It is no way comparable to peace in sleep. No person in the world has any doubt about peace in sleep. Peace in sleep is not an inference – actual experience.
“Also during sleep there is no experience of objects, space or time, so we cannot have peace as an seperate experience during sleep but we are in our real true nature as Peace or Ananda, which we express as experience of bliss and peace after waking up.”
# There are two types of experiences – experience of objects and experience of SELF. Happiness from the experience of objects requires mind. It is called – vishyayananda. In sleep there are no objects and no mind. The peace experience is the peace of SELF – called swarupa ananda. Swarupa ananda does not need a mind.
Student: Sir, kindly also clarify when you say peace of the SELF.
1. Is Peace or Ananda a separate experience, experienced by the SELF or the SELF itself.
2. What is this relaxation, we feel after waking from deep sleep, is it the Consciousness or bliss filtered through our mind.
Sri Prabhuji:
1. “Is Peace or Ananda a separate experience, experienced by the SELF or the SELF itself.”
The word Ananda comes from “Ananta” which means limitless – no limitation of space, time, or objects. The word ananda translated into regional languages gives a feeling of “lot of happiness” – this is not correct. We can use the word “Peace” instead to denote limitless SELF. It is not a separate experience. It is the nature of SELF itself – limitlessness.
2. “What is this relaxation, we feel after waking from deep sleep, is it the Consciousness or bliss filtered through our mind.”
Relaxation is the reflection of peace of SELF in body, mind, intellect.
Student:
On the same line of thought also please clarify the meaning of the word “Atmajyothi”, The Light of the Self. Is the SELF different from the LIGHT.
Sri Prabhuji
Prajnanam Brahma – Awareness is Brahman. Awareness is light. SELF is light – atma jyoti. All perceptions, thoughts, feelings ( inner and outer) are seen in this light. Hence the light “of” the self is used with reference to the manifest universe.
Ego thinks I am seeing the world. It is communication to the ego that the world is seen in the Light “of” the SELF.
Student: That is, the world is not separate from the self but is the product of the SELF and resides in the SELF and is known by the SELF. Till ego understands that “Light of the SELF” is none other than SELF itself. Ego is like a shadow which will disappear in the presence of this light of understanding.
Sri Prabhuji: Yes
- Question
Is enlightenment sudden or gradual?
Sri Prabhuji
There is a mango tree. One day a ripe mango falls. Is fall sudden or gradual ? Fall is sudden only. But ripening of mango takes time. Only ripe mango falls.
Similarly, enlightenment is sudden. But for the enlightenment to happen, the soul (jiva) has to ripen. The ripening process takes time. Ripening of the soul is over many lifetimes going through a variety of experiences. Ripening of soul also involves learning karmic lessons over many lifetimes. That is the reason Shri Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita – “Bahunam janmnamante jnanavan mam prapadyate” – Bhagavadgita 7.19. It means, after many life times, one realizes the Supreme SELF with wisdom (jnana). After many life times of maturity due to experiences in life, the soul takes up spiritual practices. The practices ripens the soul.
A ripe soul has inner qualities called shat sampatti -“shama ( control of mind), dama (control of sense organs), titiksha (ability to bear pain/dualities of life), uparati (withdrawal of mind), shraddha (faith in Guru and Scriptures) and samadhana ( fixing of mind on goal of SELF Realization).
A mature soul is a ripe soul for enlightenment. Such a soul when it receives the clarity of spiritual teaching “Tat Twam Asi – That Thou Art” from a competent master recognizes the oneness of the individual with the universal – jivatma with paramatma. Thre process of recognition involves discrimination (viveka) and dispassion (vairagya).
The maturity of the soul and liberation of soul is described beautifully in Viveka Chudamani (Crest Jewel of discrimination) by Shri Shankaracharya.
Without the inner maturity, the knowledge of That thou art is mere intellectual understanding.
- Question:
Is it wise to say that consciousness or atman manifests itself as non-living and living universe and it produces and experiences itself in it??
Sri Prabhuji:
An analogy can be given to the above question. You get a dream. In your dream, you become a king and rule kingdom. You fight with enemies as king and then you wake up. After waking up you realize that in dream everyone and everything is nothing but your consciousness only. You only appeared as king, kingdom, enemies… The dream is because of the power of consciousness called nidra shakti.
Similarly, Brahman (Atma), has a dream due to the power of consciousness called maya shakti. Entire universe, living and non living beings appear in the Universe. Brahman as Ishvara ( like a king in your dream) rules the universe. Everything in the universe – living and non living is nothing but Ishvara – nothing but the appearance of Brahman (atma).
Student: The “I” here is the pure self awareness which is consciousness…and the perceptions I experience i.e the objects, smell etc don’t really exist in the external world rather they are inside the consciousness…is this statement right to say?
Sri Prabhuji: In deep sleep the external world, mind, individual ego does not exist. Only awareness exists. Everything that we call as ‘external world’ is in dormant condition in deep sleep state consciousness.
Student: Right…now because advita says that there is duality here, other people don’t exist in this dormant condition. But how does this work when a person is awake, and sees me sleeping in deep sleep
To me there is no world but for that person world exist
Sri Prabhuji: Let us take person A and person B. Person A is asleep for him there is no world. Person B sees person A sleeping in his world. Is that your question ?
Student: Yes since both are same consciousness witnessing different reality?
Sri Prabhuji: Here we have to be clear about 2 entities. 1). Consciousness 2). Ego of person A, Ego of Person B. One who has merged with awareness in deep sleep is individual ego A. One who is awake is individual ego B. Ego B is seeing the world because ego has not merged with consciousness. Consciousness is the substratum. You can consider ego A and ego B as two waves rising and falling into ocean. Ocean is consciousness.
Student: When person A ego is merged with consciousness, theoretically that awareness will experience everything including person B right?
Sri Prabhuji: Awareness is everything. Ocean is all waves. When awareness is everything there is no question of experiencing anything other than itself. Seeing/experiencing requires individual ego. Each individual ego A or B are like waves in ocean. Ocean cannot see anything because the ocean is everything – infinite. Individual wave A or B can see other because they are finite
Student: Then the question is can we become aware of this vast awareness through meditation and samadhi state??
Sri Prabhuji: When we say “we” it is individual ego. Question is can wave become aware of the ocean – answer is “no”. Wave can merge with the ocean. Individual can merge with infinite. That is why it is said “Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavati.” – Knower of Brahman becomes Brahman only.
Student: But isn’t knowledge of the ocean exist and I am just a wave inside it enough?
Sri Prabhuji: Any knowledge is about an object. Atma/Brahman is never an object. Brahman cannot be objectified. Only way to know Brahman is to be Brahman. Mere knowledge is conceptual. Being Brahman is called realization.
Student: So If we can somehow transmit memory or information from person A, merge with consciousness and rise back in another form, we can theoretically wake up in another body, is this how Sri Shankaracharya did parakaya pravesha?
Sri Prabhuji: Parakaya pravesha can be explained in many ways. 1). If a individual A can access memory of individual B then he gets all experiences. This process is called mind reading. You might have seen magic shows – mind readers. 2). If individual lives his gross body as jiva and enters into another body then he can access memory of that person. Shri Shankaracharya took option 2.
- Question
What is the relation between jiva and atman? Ideally jiva must also be part of atman right?
Sri Prabhuji
In your dream, you become a young boy and go to school. What is the relationship consciousness of a young boy and your consciousness? Your consciousness appeared as all objects in the dream including a young boy. Young boy is nothing but your consciousness appearing as a limited entity. Wave is nothing but the appearance of water. Similarly jiva is nothing but a limited form of appearance of Atma. However, atma is not limited to jiva. Atma is appearing as all that is there. Hence atma is not individual but individual jiva is atma. It is like saying all necklace is gold but gold is not necklace.
Jiva is not part of atma. Atma is infinite. Infinite cannot have parts. If infinite has parts, it becomes finite. Jiva is an appearance of Atma like a wave is an appearance of water.
- Question
I was thinking, is a bird dreaming that it is a bird, an ant is dreaming that it is an ant when we say the world is a dream?
Sri Prabhuji:
Bird and ant are dream characters. Consciousness is dreaming I am a bird/ant using its power of Maya
Student: So we have to say that consciousness is thinking of itself as a bird?
Sri Prabhuji: Not thinking, it is imagining.
- Question
The waking state and dream state being equal, yes, they are experientially equal but not sure if they are equal laws of physics wise. Our consciousness is largely dependent on physiology and psychology. For example look at anesthesia, we are out of consciousness by change in chemical composition in the body. And when we talk about death its complete annihilation of physical processes, so there is no individual at all. Also look at the planets where there is no life like Jupiter. I think the waking state = dream state is given only to point to the truth that, experientially both are the same and one cannot find happiness there. One has to find reality in Turiya only.
Sri Prabhuji
We are mixing up two different domains – matter and consciousness.
Science has defined consciousness as a ” hard problem”. Science by definition is search for objective reality. Consciousness by definition subjective reality. Hence Scientists have no clue about consciousness. All studies about consciousness by science is based on brain response etc.
Consciousness is not epiphenomena or a product of the brain. Search “consciousness as a hard problem of science” you will get views of Scientists. Quantum physics is somewhat closer to vedantic thought.
Vedanta is science of consciousness and Science by definition search for matter. Just like we have to rely on science for material nature even eminent Nobel Laureates, Heisenberg and others depend on Vedanta for knowledge of consciousness.
Student: I understand the hard problem of consciousness. There is a mistake which all the Vedantins make I feel, ignoring the objective reality. Suppose if go into Sun and get burnt up what happens then ? Will Sudheer remain ?
Wakefulness (consciousness) by definition is material otherwise it would not have been effected by anesthesia. So consciousness goes out of existence along with Sudheer’s body in Sun’s heat
I think people are getting confused with consciousness and Awareness(The Absolute). Consciousness needs a form because it is a reflection of awareness in matter. When the form collapses consciousness goes out of existence. But the impersonal awareness remains, without an instrument to express. There is no sense of existence in a new born child. He is not aware that he exists. There is only existence.
Sri Prabhuji:
Sudheer as body-mind is matter. Suddheer gets burnt in sun which is matter. Sudheer as reflected consciouness ( chidabhasa) disappears. Sudheer as awareness (prajnana) – nothing happens.
Confusion is created by translation of words in sanskrit and marathi. Awareness (prajnana), consciousness ( chit), reflected consciousness (chidabhasa) etc are translated as consciousness in english (because of limitation of vocabulary). Same thing is true for teaching of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj. He uses the word consciousness (chidabhasa) and awareness (prajnana). Possibly he has spoken those words in Marathi which is more closer to sanskrit. However english transaltors of marathi words and sanskrit words create confusion.
Chidabhasa (reflected consciousness) is affected by reflecting surface. Hence anaesthia effects chidabhasa. However pure awareness – non dual is not affected.
Absolute (awareness), Consciousness (chidabhasa) etc. – there is no confusion if we use proper terminology in sanskrit, Marathi. The confusion is in translation.
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj teaches in a nice way – Vedantic truths. I dont think there is any inconsitancy in his teaching and Vedanta. Offcourse, there is confusion in terminology – due to translations.
- Question:
Everything is Made up of Consciousness
Would like to understand this phenomena of Creation of everything out of Consciousness
Is consciousness moulded like mud to create forms, colours, thoughts, and feelings.
Or like Potter creating forms out of Consciousness but remaining separate from the it.
Does Consciousness lose its original nature when converted to things?
From colorless to colorful, formless to form, limitless to limited, nondual to multiplicity etc.
How can Consciousness retain its original nature while creating objects (with opposite characteristics) out of itself.
Sri Prabhuji:
Matter is the creativity of consciousness. Using creativity (imagination) matter is created. Imagination does not change anything in consciousness. World is a mere appearance in consciousness just like in your dream dream world appears. Dream world does not affect the dreamer consciousness. Dreamworld is the imagination of dreamer consciousness projected as a world. Potter and pot concepts have duality. Incase of consciousness and world there is no duality. It is similar to water and wave. Wave is the appearance of water. Wave does not change properties of water/does not affect it.
Student:
Thanks Sir,
1. Is the dream world created only out of Consciousness or some other factor like intelligence or memory is also required.
2. To form a wave, water is the principal content but waveform or some energy is also required to create a Wave.
3. How can Consciousness retain its original nature while creating objects (with characteristics opposite of itself) out of itself.
4. What impulse or factor leads the Non Dual Consciousness to Multiplicity and diversity, is it available in potential form in the non dual Consciousness before creation or imagination.
Sri Prabhuji:
1. Consciousness uses 3 powers – Ichcha shakti, Jnana Shakti & Kriya Shakti to project this universe. Intelligence, memory etc are all included in this powers.
2. Kriya shakti is energy.
3. Can water retain original nature while forming a wave ? Is your original consciousness altered if you imagine something or dream ?
4. Maya Shakti is the potential form of universe. Available to consciousness.
Student:
Actual in question 3 i mean to ask does Non Dual, Unlimited and Formless Consciousness know about Limitations, Diversity and Forms which are completely opposite to its own nature.
Sri Prabhuji:
No. Non dual absolute reality does not know anything. However non-dual reality participating in the projection of Maya as Ishwara knows everything.
It is like person who is sleeping is not aware of dream going on because he is the dream. However the character in the dream seems to know the dream well.
Student:The dreamer without losing its original nature, imagines the dream world and dream character.
And knows the dream world as limited and diverse only through the window of dreamed character. By imagination the dreamer has become this dream without loosing its original nature of Sat Chit Ananda.
And by the illusion of thought assumes itself (not actually) as a limited character in the dream knowing and acting in a dream world, seperate from it.
Limitation and Diversity is from the vision of a dream Character and not the dream or dreamer’s vision.
Even the desire for Liberation is also by the dreamed character and not by the dreamer.
Sri Prabhuji: Yes
- *Question*
Sri Ramana Maharshi, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and even Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj reject free will, then how does one acquire freedom?
*Sri Prabhuji*
Sri Ramana Maharshi says everything the body does is predetermined including small things. Sri Ramana Maharshi says one has a choice to identify with the body and and experience fruits of action (karma phala) or not to identify with the body and be free from fruits of Karma phala. The choice of not identifying with the body is there at any point of time.
Shri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa says all actions are done by God, man thinks he is the doer. When he was asked how can we explain evil behaviour in the world. Shri Ramakrishna says for the person who is ignorant there is a sense of doership (free will) for actions. God has kept the sense of doership and consequently ownership for fruits of action (karma phala) in human beings until they attain wisdom. Wise one knows everything is done by God, he is just an instrument. With this understanding, wise man cannot do any evil.
From the teaching of above two Masters we can conclude following.
1. Body is result of prarabdha karma. Every experience body has to undergo is predetermined at the time of birth.
2. There is apparent sense of free will for all human beings. Everyone believes that they have free will, they are doers and enjoyers. Due to this apparent sense of free will, everyone owns up action of bodies and consequently owns up the fruits of result (karma phala).
3. Everyone has freedom at any point of time not to identify with body and consequently be free from fruits of action – karma phala.
4. Free will is there always “to be free from apparent free will”.
*Student:*
What is the difference between thoughtless state (i.e to live blindly and dont think at all) and no-thought state (rise beyond all thoughts and live in enlightenment)? How does one know he is in thoughtless or no-thought state?
*Sri Prabhuji:*
Deep sleep and samadhi are states of thoughtlessness. The thoughtlessness is limited to samadhi or sleep. In waking state thoughts appear again. These states are non-transactional – no interactions with outer world is possible. In these state mind is dormant – non functional.
However enlightenment is no mind state. The root of all thoughts is I thought. The I thought is traced to source. Source is awareness. One who is established in on dual awareness. The mind is silent for enlightened one. There are no thoughts of past or future. He/she lives in eternal present.