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.)
(From the previous two editions, we began a new series of articles in this section entitled Vedanta Praveshika: an Entrance to Vedanta. This is a guided discussion on the essence of Vedanta which shows us how to deliberate and reach the conclusion that we are actually Premaswaroopas and not the mind-body-intellect complex.)
I AM NOT THE INTELLECT.
Egotism and mind are different forms of the inner-instrument; and the intellect is another form of it. Organs of sense supply information of external affairs and the duty of the mind is to know the information’s one by one; and the mind collects the information and sends them to the intellect. It discovers what is what. Then, the egotism prides that ‘ I have this experience, I knew this’. Then, by knowing the external affairs, we obtain either happiness or sorrow. Hence, even the intellect is a means alone like the mind and the egotism; the intellect is known by us; and it is clear that the intellect is different from our own form. As the mind, the intellect, the egotism- are changes in the inner-instrument so happiness, sorrow, desire, anger, fear, shame, etc. Are the changes in it? All these changes are called conditions (Vrittayah). The mind, the intellect and the egotism are the conditions related to awareness. Happiness, sorrow, etc. are the conditions related to the experience of the external-affairs; and these are the conditions of perception. All these conditions appear in the inner-instrument and this instrument is a means alone. This is my instrument. Hence, my own form is different from the instrument and its conditions. Therefore, the discriminator should decide that his own form is different from either the instrument or any condition.
I AM NOT THE GROUP OF VITAL-AIRS
A few people consider that they are different from the body and organs of sense; and are also different from the mind, the intellect and the egotism. They think that they are the users of these conditions. An example can be given: If I want, I can lift my hand; if it is enough, I can bring it down; I take any object if I am in need of it; and I give it up if I don’t need it. I listen attentively any discourse if I feel the value of it; if I am not interested I can forget it scornfully. I dissolve the mind and the egotism in the deep sleep or I can stop thinking and concentrate the mind at a particular subject. Thus, I am that object under whose control body, organs of sense, etc. work.
This is also not the correct opinion. For, the energy that activates body organs of sense, etc. Is called the Vital-Air (Praana). I, alone, am the shelter to the vital-air. In the statement: ‘ I know this’- we have discovered that ‘ I ‘ is the egoism, my mind knows and my intellect decides. Similarly, we can find out that all activities of body, etc. Are conducted by the vital-air. For an example: ‘ I am doing this work’ is another statement. Here, I am the agent of the work and that is egotism. The mind wishes to do the work; and the intellect decides to do it. After this decision alone the vital-air works. We have already proved that egotism, etc. are the non-self-objects; and these are not our own form. Therefore, the vital-air that works soon after the decision is also the non-self. Thus, it is proved.
In the wakeful-state, the vital-air has two types of works: volitional and non-volitional. Breathing, heart-beating, blood-circulation, secretion of juice from glands, evacuation of excrement and urine, etc. Are non-volitional works that take place incessantly? Thus, this vital-air has different conditions: Praana, Apaana, Vyaana, Udaana and Samaana. In the wakeful state we can imagine the connections of different conditions of the vital-air. And it is clear that in deep-sleep we never feel the relation of any activity. In our wakeful state, we imagine that all the activities of the vital-air take place without our knowledge in the deep-sleep. It is true. But in the wakeful state we cannot understand what the deep sleep is. When we have the experience of the deep-sleep we don’t notice any activity of the vital-air. The experience is a stronger means than the imagination for the determination of the knowledge of the truth. Therefore, our own-form doesn’t have any connection with the vital-air or the inner-instrument; and our own-form is its shelter.
Anyhow, the vital-energies are many in number. These vital-energies change themselves; and these subjects are known by us; and these vital-energies never exist in the deep-sleep. Therefore it is proved that these are of the inert form; and our own conscious form is different from these vital-energies.
I AM AWAY FROM WIFE, CHILDREN, FIELD, MONEY, ETC.
In this manner, it is clearly deliberated on the basis of the experience that neither body, organs of sense, nor mind, egotism, intellect; nor vital-airs - any one of these is our own form; and this truth comes forth easily. For, as long as we identify with the non-self body, organs of sense, etc. Belong to us. A few inconsiderate who identify themselves with body, organs of sense, etc. become proud to identify themselves with their wife, children, etc. such people, if their respective wife and children are happy, feel happy; otherwise, they feel sad. If they have an extensive field, a palacious residence, a huge mass of money; they think that they have improved a lot and they need not worry; and if they loose everything what they have, they worry; that they are utterly ruined. Those who know that identifying with body is wrong and they know that body, vital-air, mind intellect, egotism- anyone of these doesn’t really belong to their Own-Self. Those who know the truth through the circular deliberation only understand that wife, children, etc. that related to body don’t belong to the Self. These wife, children, etc. really seem to belong to us; and this is true. If these relatives are seen in the dream, then also they seem to be related to us; still, are we not decided that none of them is really related to us? Similarly, we have to decide that the relation what we see now is also a mere appearance and that is not real.
I AM THE WITNESS, THE ETERNAL, AND THE INNER-SELF.
Now, another question may arise: In the day to day activities we identify with body, etc. If we are not any one of the non-self and not even the egotism, then which is our own form .that is bereft of anyone of these non-self ! How do we decide that the Self does exist?
Those who question like this, have a strong look towards the non-self. For, body, organs of sense, vital-air, mind, intellect and egotism are non-self-objects. These objects are known; and our own form that knows the non-self is totally different from the known-objects. This is an object of our experience being told again and again. Such being the case, if I am not any one of these known body, etc.; how is it decided that ‘ the knowing my Self ‘ is not at all existing?
( Objection ):- Even if we accept that body, organs of sense, etc. don’t have consciousness; all of us should agree that the inner-instrument is having consciousness. For, without using the inner-instrument we never know the external-objects. Such being the case, I is the egotism which is the shelter for awareness; and giving up this egotism, if it is told that another own form exists; how do we believe the existence of that form? Sir, you have told that the egotism doesn’t exist in the deep-sleep. That is true; but, then, we don’t have the consciousness, too. From that experience also, we don’t find any higher real estate other than the inner-instrument, isn’t it? ( Relief ):- It is true that the awareness appears in the inner-instrument. But, we know the o inner-instrument. That becomes an object of our experience. Hence, the inner-instrument, too, is a known object; and it is proved that our own form that knows it is different from the inner-instrument. Suppose, if you agree that the egotism has awareness because it knows the external objects; why don’t you decide that the organs of sense have awareness because these organs know their respective objects? The organs of sense appear to the inner-instrument; and knowing and not knowing of these organs depend upon the inner-instrument alone; and, if it is told that the awareness of organs belongs to the instrument; then, the inner-instrument appears to our own form; and our own form which knows the knowing and not knowing of the inner-instrument is different from it; and the inner-instrument depends upon our own form and its awareness really belongs to our own form alone. And, it is established that the Awareness is our Form.
This Awareness Form of ours is the Witness, that is, the Witness knows directly all the non-self-objects. The mind, the organs of sense, etc. don’t know their respective objects directly. If the mind, etc. have some assistance alone, these know their respective objects. For an example: If the mind wants to know a beautiful picture, it needs the assistance of the organ of sight and that organ should be located at the eyeball; and the eye should have the assistance of light. In this manner, rest of objects are known with some intervention. But our own Form, the Witness knows the inner-instrument, or all the non-self-objects directly without any intervention. The Witness illumines its object without any intervention and without expecting any motive.
For this reason the Witness is Eternal. Here, eternal means that which is not time-bound. The time is a principle that appears to our intellect in the wakeful state. All the objects that we see in the wakeful state should be seen in the domain of time alone; therefore, these objects should be considered as transient ones. But our Witness-Form illumines all non-self-objects including the time by its consciousness; and the time cannot bind our own Form. Therefore, this Awareness doesn’t have changes as the time-bound-objects have. For this reason, the Witness is called the Eternally the same one ( Kootastha-Nitya ). Here, ‘Koota ‘ means the summit of a mountain. The word ‘ Nitya’ ( eternal ) has another meaning in the popular use, that is, continual one. An object, even if it obtains many changes and continues to be called as the same object; and that object is said to be a continual one. For an example: We believe that the earth on which we live remain the same from thousands of years; but the external shape of it is being changed perpetually and still we continue to call the Earth. Scientists, today, tell that a substance may obtain physical changes and its matter continues to remain in other forms. According to that opinion, even if this earth is destroyed, the substance of it will remain in another form. Such objects obtain the name: Perpetually-changing-objects. But our own Form is eternally the same. It is neither time-bound, nor obtains changes. That is Unchangeable One ( Nirvikaara ), that means, that is the Same One ( Kootastha Nitya ).
Not only that, this Consciousness is the Inner-most Self ( Pratyagaatmaa ); and it is our Inner-Real-Form. As already explained, many a time, in our daily affairs, we identify with our bodies and sometimes with our organs of sense. But the existence of the body depends upon the awareness of the organs of sense. Therefore, we can consider that the organs of sense are the essence of the existence of the body; and we can consider that is our real form. If we continue to deliberate thus, vital-air, mind, intellect and egotism will become our real forms in the higher sense. For, we understand that latter has the higher existence than the former and the existence of the latter depends upon the former. By this deliberation we can go up to the egotism that appears as the I-feeling. But, even if we go up to the egotism, we have not reached our real Self, that is, we have not obtained our own Form; for, the Witness illumines by His consciousness all right from egotism to body; and the Witness has given existence to the egotism. Therefore, this Conscious Witness itself is our the Inner-most-Self. In reality, this Self should be called as ‘I ‘. A little light of the Conscious Witness falls on egotism, etc.; that is why these non-selves are called as ‘ I ‘. Really speaking, these egotism, etc. Are not our Self. By the wrong understanding these egotism, etc. Have become our selves. Therefore, the Conscious Witness exists as the self of egotism, etc.; and He is the Supreme Self; and, really, He is the Inner-most-Self ( Pratyagaatmaa ) in the midst of wrongly understood selves. ……to be continued
