Self Enquiry
An article by Shri Lakshminarayan Aithal
(Shri
Lakshminarayan Aithal has served for over 3 decades in Swami’s institution and
is the former Principal of the Sri Sathya Sai Loka Seva Institutions at
Muddenahalli. Inspired by Swami’s direct message to study the Upanishads, he
first learnt Sanskrit and then studied the direct works of Adi Shankaracharya
and Swami. Sincere perseverance led him to the reality of Aham Brahmasmi and He
realized and experienced Swami’s words: “I am God and so are you”. He shares
the import of the Upanishadic teachings with us in this series of articles.)
(In the last edition, we had discussed about the need to
deliberate on all the three states of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep. We had
concluded that this Self appears as in the form of awareness (Jnaana Swaroopa).
Therefore, He is in the Form of Existence (Satya Swaroopa). Awareness
automatically implies existence of the knower. We carry forward this discussion
to understand the nature of the Self further).
17, 18 Qs:
Here, Jnaana means the action of knowing, isn’t it? This is action of the mind;
then, how do we
tell that
this is the Form of the Self?
A: Those
objects appear in our wakeful-state, can
not appear by themselves. Hence, they appear in connection with the mind. Therefore, some cause should
exist because of which all objects appear. We cannot tell that they appear
because of the nature of the mind. This is because, even the mind has different
forms; in order to know these forms some light should be needed. This
cause (the Light) itself is the Self.
Q: I don’t
think that is the right explanation. This is because, all objects except the
mind don’t illumine by themselves; therefore, the mind should illumine them.
But, the mind is a pure real substance; it is well-known that mind knows
everything. In order to know that mind why do we require the assistance of
anything else? You have given the example of a burning lamp. Do we need any other
light to illumine the mind?
A: Then, eye, nose,
etc. Themselves know their respective
objects .Therefore, the eye should know itself or the nose should know itself.
Or, the eye should know the nose or the vice-versa. But such a procedure doesn’t occur anyhow.
Q: This
objection can be attached to the Self too, isn’t it? If you accept that the
Self has the nature of awareness, how does the Self know Himself? In order to
know the Self if you accept some other self; to know that self still another
self should exist. In this case, there is no cessation at all.
A: It doesn’t happen
so. Eye, ear, etc. are useful for the mind which is different from them.
Similarly, even the mind has many forms according to different objects; and
these forms of objects in the mind for the use of the Self. But the Self is One
alone; and He is not associated with anything else. The eye, the nose, etc.
know their respective objects; and each organ cannot know the object of the
other organ. But the Self knows everything simultaneously. In the case of the
mind, it knows its objects one at a time; it doesn’t know all its objects
simultaneously; and the mind takes the form of different objects. Though the mind knows different objects, it
doesn’t know the Self. Not only that, even
when we tell that the mind knows everything; it is the Self alone that
knows it. A person who is having the capacity to see alone can see the objects
through his spectacles; the spectacles don’t have the capacity to see.
Similarly, the mind doesn’t have the capacity to know. The Self, himself, knows
through the mind. Therefore, the nature of knowing belongs to the Self,
himself.
Q: Then,
how do we explain the experience that the mind has understood such and such
things?
A: The mind takes
the form of respective objects through
the organs of sense. These forms are called
conditions (Pratyayaas, the expositions or, the notions). Through each
condition the Self knows the respective object. In this manner, different conditions
appear and disappear in the mind; in spite of that, the Self doesn’t give up
His Form of Awareness (Jnaana Swaroopa). Due to this constant awareness of the Self, the mundane
conditions like: “then, I understood that; now, I am going to understand this
“- are possible to hove. If the conditions understand
themselves , because each one is
different from the other ; the mundane conditions
like : ‘ I myself
knew ; the very same myself , am
understanding ; and I will understand
in the future ‘ –cannot appear .
Therefore, in the statement: ‘I understand this ‘, here, the action of
understanding is that of the mind; and the action is to have a condition in the
form the object in the mind. And the knowledge
or the real awareness is
the Form of the Self; and
this Awareness is always the same
unlike the different forms of
conditions. Objects may be seen
in different colours according
to the colors
of the spectacles
of the wearer . To show
different colors in the objects is the
duty of the respective colors of the
spectacles , and the
capacity to see is
the power of the
eye , itself .Similarly , the
conditions are the changes of the mind;
the awareness alone the nature of the Self, itself.
Q: Agreed.
What conclusion is drawn out of this type of deliberation?
A: It is concluded
that the Self remains to exist always in the Form of Awareness in the
wakeful-state though the mind obtains different changes. The Self is the Truth
and He is of the Form of Awareness.
19. Q:
Yes, sir! How does the Self become the Aananda Roopa, the Form of Bliss?
A: The mundane and
routine activities of ours prove that everyone of us is in the Form of Bliss.
People wish to have wife and children; wealth and money; and land and house-for
the sake of their Self. Similarly, they use their body, organs of sense and mind etc. for the sake of their
Self alone. People are ready to give up any thing if it is adverse to them; and
if it is favorable they are ready to acquire it. By this we understand that
they love their Self more than the objects.
None loves anything that creates sorrow. Therefore, people always love
their Self; hence the Self is of the Form of Bliss.
20. Q:
Some people are ready to loose their life and suicide themselves. If the Self
of the Form of bliss, how is it possible?
A: Some people are
ready to loose their life and they try to give up their body and life thinking
that these non-self – objects have created sorrow. They imagine that if they
get rid of their troublesome body and life, then only they can take rest; and
then they commit suicide. Therefore, let their life and body be sorrowful; and
these non-self –objects are not the Self at all. Therefore, for the sake of
their Self, they are ready to give up their much attached body and life. Hence,
it is proved that they have much more love towards their Self.
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