[The daily Blogs presented here have been available as duplicates at another site listed below.  For a time, at that other site, the Science aspect of “Non-Duality & Science”, the title of this Blog, will be satisfied in a presentation of pages from a PDF also cited below. These fanciful & playful mixtures of Science & Philosophy, from half a decade ago, will serve to fulfill the Science “requirement” that has been absent of late from this “Non-Duality & Science” blog, though available in the Word – Press Archives.]

Mind & Happinesd 26

Even more rare than those highly mature souls who are able to experience the Truth as soon as they hear it, there are some people who without ever hearing the Truth experience it spontaneously.  But such people are very rare indeed.  The sage known as Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi was one such extremely rare Existence who experienced the Truth spontaneously

without ever having heard or read anything about it.  He spontaneously attained the experience of true Self-Knowledge one day in July 1896, when he was just a 16-year-old schoolboy.  That day he was sitting alone in a room in his uncle’s house in the south Indian town of Madurai, when suddenly & with no apparent cause an intense fear of death arose within him.

Instead of trying to put this fear out of his Mind, as most of us would do, he decided to investigate & discover for himself the truth about death. “All right, death has come !  What is death ?  What is it that dies ?  This Body is going to die – let it die.”  Deciding thus, he lay down like a corpse, rigid & without breathing, & turned his Mind inwards to discover what Death would actually do to him.  He later described the Truth that dawned upon him at that moment as follows:

“This Body is dead. It will now be taken to the cremation ground, burnt, & reduced to ashes. But with the destruction of this Body, am I also destroyed ?  Is this Body really “I” ?   Although this Body is lying Lifeless as a corpse, I know that I exist. Unaffected in the least by this death, my Existence is shining clearly. Therefore I am not this Body which dies. I am the ‘I’ which is indestructible. Of all things, I alone am the Reality. This Body is subject to Death, but I, who transcend the Body, am that which lives eternally. The Death that came to this Body cannot affect me.”

Although he described his experience of Death in so many words, he explained that this Truth actually dawned upon him in an instant, not as reasoning or verbalized thoughts, but as a direct experience, without the least action of Mind.  So intense was his fear & consequent urge to know

the truth of Death, that without actually thinking anything he turned his attention away from his rigid & Lifeless Body & towards the innermost core of his Existence – his essential, unadulterated & Non-Dual Self–Consciousness “I exist”.  Because his attention was so keenly focused on his Consciousness of Existence, the True Nature of that Existence-Consciousness revealed itself as a flash of direct & certain Knowledge – Knowledge that was so direct & certain that it could never be doubted.

The above themes & 2500 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com 

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

Different blogs, with graphics available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Mind & Happiness 25

That which thus mistakes this Body to be “I” is our Mind. Our Mind comes into existence only by imagining itself to be a Body. In Deep Dreamless Sleep we are unaware of either our Mind or our Body. As soon as we wake up, our Mind rises feeling “I am the Body”, “I am called so-&-so,” &  only after thus identifying itself as a particular Body does it perceive the external World through the 5 Senses of that Body.

Exactly the same thing happens in Dream – our Mind identifies itself as a particular Body & through the 5 Senses of that Body it perceives a seemingly real & external World. When we wake up from a Dream, we understand that the Body we mistook to be “I” & the World we mistook to be real & external were both in fact only figments of our imagination.

Thus from our experience in Dream we all know that our Mind has a wonderful power of imagination by which it is able to create a Body, to mistake that imaginary Body to be “I” &  through that Body (via the Senses) to project a World which, at the Time we perceive it, appears to be every bit as real & external to us as the World that we now perceive in this Waking State.  Knowing that our Mind possesses this wonderful power of creation & self-deception, is it not reasonable for us to suspect that the Body we take to be “I” & the World we take to be real in our present Waking state may in fact be nothing more than a mere imagination or mental projection, just like the Body & World that we experience in Dream ?

What evidence do we have that the Body & World we experience in this Waking state are anything other than a creation of our own Mind ?  We may be able to point out certain differences between Waking & Dream, but on analysis we will discover that those differences are superficial, “existence” concerned with quality or quantity rather than with substance.

If we compare the World drama we see in Waking or Dream to a drama we see on a cinema screen, we may say that the drama seen in Waking is a better quality & more impressive production than that seen in Dream, but both are productions none the less – productions not of some external agency but of our Mind which sees them.

In substance, there is no essential difference between our experience in Waking & that in Dream. In both states our Mind rises, attaching itself to a Body by taking it to be “I” &  through the Senses of that Body it sees a World bound within the limits of Time & Space, & filled with numerous people & other objects, both sentient & insentient, all of which it is convinced are real. How can we prove to our self that what we experience in the Waking state exists at all outside our own imagination, any more than a Dream exists outside our Imagination ?

When we carefully analyze our experience in our 3 States of Waking, Dream & Deep Dreamless Sleep, it is clear that we are able to confuse our Consciousness “I” to be different things at different Times. In the Waking State we mistake our present Body to be “I”, in Dream we mistake some other imaginary Dream–Body to be “I”, &  in Deep Dreamless Sleep we mistake un–consciousness to be “I” – or at least on Waking from Deep Dreamless Sleep what we remember is that “I was unconscious.”

What we were in fact un–conscious of in Deep Dreamless Sleep was our Mind, our Body & the World, but not our own Existence. Our experience in Deep Dreamless Sleep was not that we ceased to exist, but only that we ceased to be aware of all the thoughts & perceptions that we are accustomed to experiencing in the Waking & Dream States.

The above themes & 2500 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com 

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 102    Ego   [further continued from sometime past]

Spiritual instruction should not be interpreted so as to say that the Ego is really Born or that the Self actually gave birth to it.  The Ego cannot be self-produced.  To imagine so would be to suppose its pre-existence, which is absurd & which would lead to the consequent question as to what caused that pre-existent Ego ?

This in turn would lead either to the Delusion regarding the Effects causing the Cause or modification in the eternally common, changeless Self, which possibilities have already been negated by Self-Inquiry.  Or else it would lead to an infinite regression.  But the Self alone is Infinite, & Causality is not Real.  One cannot actually recall when this Ego, the root of maya, began, was created or was born, though there is knowledge of Perpetual Existence, which is of the Self alone. Never was there a time when you are not, & never will there be a time when you will cease to be.  [Similar to Bhagavad–Gita quote]

Thus the Self is ever the Un-born – neither coming from another State or thing, nor giving birth to any – & Ego is also “unborn” in the sense that it never comes to be.  This may be regarded as the final significance of Ramana Maharshi’s Self-Inquiry as to: “Whence am I ?”  This is graciously given to show the method of tracing inwardly from the Identity, where the Identity of “I” derives, as well as: “Who am I ?”

How can there be the Ego’s Effect (Delusion), as the supposed Cause itself is never come to be ?  The Ego is an assumption. Who assumes this assumption ?  No one.  Who knows the Knowledge of the Self ?  The Ego I cannot know the Self, since the Self alone is capable of knowing.  The “I” is inert, & the “known” is a mere notion, a vacuous imagining, an assumption that is non-existent. There is no Ego to be ignorant or to be bound, to attempt to know the Self, or to return to It, or to unite with It.  The Self is what you are, & It is innately Ego-less.  Let this is Ego-less Knowledge of the Self abide.  Let the Knowledge of the Non-Dual, In-divisible Nature of the Self, the only true “I”, in which there is never an individual–”I”  – that true “I” alone exists.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Mind & Happiness 24

That which thus mistakes this Body to be “I” is our Mind. Our Mind comes into existence only by imagining itself to be a Body. In Deep Dreamless Sleep we are unaware of either our Mind or our Body. As soon as we wake up, our Mind rises feeling “I am the Body”, “I am called so-&-so,” &  only after thus identifying itself as a particular Body does it perceive the external World through the 5 Senses of that Body.

Exactly the same thing happens in Dream – our Mind identifies itself as a particular Body & through the 5 Senses of that Body it perceives a seemingly real & external World. When we wake up from a Dream, we understand that the Body we mistook to be “I” & the World we mistook to be real & external were both in fact only figments of our imagination.

Thus from our experience in Dream we all know that our Mind has a wonderful power of imagination by which it is able to create a Body, to mistake that imaginary Body to be “I” &  through that Body (via the Senses) to project a World which, at the Time we perceive it, appears to be every bit as real & external to us as the World that we now perceive in this Waking State.  Knowing that our Mind possesses this wonderful power of creation & self-deception, is it not reasonable for us to suspect that the Body we take to be “I” & the World we take to be real in our present Waking state may in fact be nothing more than a mere imagination or mental projection, just like the Body & World that we experience in Dream ?

What evidence do we have that the Body & World we experience in this Waking state are anything other than a creation of our own Mind ?  We may be able to point out certain differences between Waking & Dream, but upon analysis we will discover that those differences are superficial, “existence” concerned with quality or quantity rather than with substance.

If we compare the World drama we see in Waking or Dream to a drama we see on a cinema screen, we may say that the drama seen in Waking is a better quality & more impressive production than that seen in Dream, but both are productions none the less – productions not of some external agency but of our Mind which sees them.

In substance, there is no essential difference between our experience in Waking & that in Dream. In both states our Mind rises, attaching itself to a Body by taking it to be “I”, &  through the Senses of that Body it sees a World bound within the limits of Time & Space, & filled with numerous people & other objects, both sentient & insentient, all of which it is convinced are real. How can we prove to our self that what we experience in the Waking state exists at all outside our own imagination, any more than a Dream exists outside our Imagination ?

When we carefully analyze our experience in our 3 States of Waking, Dream & Deep Dreamless Sleep, it is clear that we are able to confuse our Consciousness “I” to be different things at different Times. In the Waking State we mistake our present Body to be “I”, in Dream we mistake some other imaginary Dream–Body to be “I”, &  in Deep Dreamless Sleep we mistake un–consciousness to be “I” – or at least on Waking from Deep Dreamless Sleep what we remember is that “I was unconscious.”

What we were in fact un–conscious of in Deep Dreamless Sleep was our Mind, our Body & the World, but not our own Existence. Our experience in Deep Dreamless Sleep was not that we ceased to exist, but only that we ceased to be aware of all the thoughts & perceptions that we are accustomed to experiencing in the Waking & Dream States.

The above themes & 2500 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com 

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Mind & Happiness 23

The Knowledge of Existence is fundamentally unlike all other Knowledge because it is not a Knowledge that involves doing anything. It is a Knowledge of not of doing but of non–doing – a Knowledge of just Existence.

The state of just Existence is one in which our Mind does not rise to do, think or know anything, yet it is a state of full Consciousness – Consciousness not of anything else but only of Existence. The skill that is to be learnt in this Knowledge is not simply the skill to exist – because we always exist & therefore require no special skill or effort to exist – nor is it merely the skill to exist without doing or thinking anything – because we are able to exist so each day in Deep Dreamless Sleep. The skill to be cultivated is the skill to remain calmly & peacefully without doing or thinking anything, but nevertheless retaining a perfectly clear Consciousness of Existence – that is, Consciousness of our own Existence or essential “am“-ness. Only in this pristine state of clear Non-Dual Self–Conscious Existence, unclouded by the distracting agitation of thought & action, will the True Nature of Existence become perfectly clear, obvious, self–evident & free from even the least scope for doubt or confusion.

Our first &  most direct experience of Existence is that of our own Existence.  First we know that we exist, & then only can we know of the existence of other things. But whereas our own Existence is Self-Conscious, the existence of each other thing depends on us to be known.

We know our own Existence because we are Consciousness. In other words, our Existence is itself the Consciousness that knows itself. It knows itself because it is essentially Self-Conscious. Thus it is reasonable to hypothesize that Consciousness is the primal &  essential form of Existence. Without Consciousness, Existence would be unknown, & without Existence, Consciousness would not exist.

Our Existence & our Consciousness of Existence are inseparable – in fact they are identical – &  both are expressed by the single phrase “I exist”. This Existence-Consciousness, “I exist”, is our most fundamental experience, & the most fundamental experience of every sentient Existence.

“I exist” is the one basic Consciousness – the essential Non-Dual Self-Consciousness – without which nothing would be known.  “I exist” is therefore the source & foundation of all knowledge.

What then is the use of knowing anything else if we do not know the Truth of our own Existence-Consciousness, our Self-Consciousness, “I exist”, on the basis of which all else is known ?  All that we know about the World & all that we know about God – all our sciences &  all our religions – are of no real value to us if we do not know the Truth about our Self, that who desires to know the Truth about the World & God.

We are the Existence-Consciousness “I exist”, yet our knowledge about this “I exist” is confused. We all believe “I am this Body”, “I am a person”, “I am called so-&-so, & was born on such-&-such a date at such-&-such a place.” Thus we identify our Consciousness “I exist” with a particular Body.

This identification is the result of a confused & unclear knowledge of the True Nature of Consciousness.  Our Consciousness “I exist” is not something material, whereas our Body is merely a bundle of physical matter, which is not inherently conscious. Yet somehow we are deluded into mistaking this material Body to be our Consciousness “I”. As a result of our unclear knowledge of Consciousness, we mistake matter to be conscious, &  Consciousness to be something material.

The above themes & 2500 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com 

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 101    Ego  [continued from sometime past]

If the Ego were an attribute of the Self, the Ego would be Eternal, in which case all Liberation, all Scriptures, all spiritual life, all spiritual practice, all sayings of Sages, & such would be futile & false.  This would be absurd.  It is better to give up the notion of the Ego than to hold to it as alone being Real.

The Ego is not a temporary quality of the Self.  The Truth cannot be like the case of an unripe fruit becoming a ripe fruit, in which there would be 2 stages, or States for the Self, one with an Ego & one without.  The Existence of the Self is Absolute & unchanging.  If the Ego were ever the Existence, as part of it, or sharing in it in any way whatsoever, Existence would be changeful & transitory & would cease to exist. Existence is always Ego-less & has no Ego quality whatsoever.

And where is the Ego ?  It is not in the World, which is unreal & it is not in the Body, which is unreal & not the Self.  It is not in the Senses, which is unreal & not the Self.  It is not in thought, which is unreal & not the Self.  It is not in the flawless, unmodified, perfect Self.  The Ego is never actually experienced by itself & is not actually experienced in any of these.  The Ego dwells nowhere.

The Ego is not a thing in itself, does not reside anywhere, & is not inherent in anything. The remaining possibility is that it’s supposed “existence” is an effect produced by something else.  The Ego is not produced by the World, the Body, the Senses, the Life–Force prana, or the Mind. These produce phenomena, sensations, physical, subtle & mental experiences, & thoughts.  These appear after the Ego is differentiated, & so they cannot produce it, for the Effect does not produce a Cause.

The Ego is not produced by the Self, which is the Absolute. The Absolute Self does not produce or create at all, but ever just exists as It is. That the Ego is said to rise from the Origin, or Substrate, of the Self is expedient Teaching intended to guide those desirous of Liberation onward to the Origin, the one Substrate, in order to realize its Ego-less Nature.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Mind & Happiness 22

Happiness lies deep within us, in the very core of our Existence. Happiness does not exist in any external object, but only in us, who are the Consciousness that experiences Happiness. Though we seem to derive Happiness from external objects or experiences, the Happiness that we thus enjoy in fact arises from within us.

Whatever turmoil our Mind may be in, in the Center of our Existence there always exists a state of perfect peace & joy, like the calm in the eye of a storm. Desire & fear agitate our Mind, & obscure from its view the Happiness that always exists within it. When a desire is satisfied, or the

cause of a fear is removed, the surface agitation of our Mind subsides, & in that temporary calm, our Mind enjoys a taste of its own innate Happiness.

Happiness is thus a state of Existence – a state in which our Mind’s habitual agitation is calmed. The activity of our Mind disturbs it from its calm state of just Existence, & causes it to lose sight of its own innermost Happiness. To enjoy Happiness, therefore, all our Mind need do is to cease all activity, returning calmly to its natural state of inactive Existence, as it does daily in Deep Dreamless Sleep.

Therefore to master the Knowledge of being happy, we must master the Knowledge of just Existence. We must discover what the innermost core of our Existence is, & we must learn to abide consciously & constantly in that state of pure Existence, which underlies &  supports (but nevertheless remains unaffected by) all the superficial activities of our Mind: thinking, feeling & perceiving, remembering &  forgetting, & so on.

The Knowledge of just Existence, remaining fully conscious but without any activity of the Mind, is not only Knowledge – a practical skill that can be cultivated & applied to produce an experience of inexpressible beauty & joy – but also an attempt to acquire true Knowledge by keen observation & rigorous experiment. And this Knowledge of Existence is not only the Knowledge of Happiness, but also the Knowledge of Consciousness, & Self-Knowledge.

The Knowledge of Existence is incredibly simple & clear. To the human Mind, however, it may appear to be complex & abstruse, not because it is in any way complex in itself, but because the Mind which tries to comprehend it is such a complex bundle of thoughts & emotions – desires, fears, anxieties, attachments, long-cherished beliefs &  preconceived ideas – that it tends to cloud the pure simplicity & clarity of Existence, making what is obvious appear to be obscure.

Like any other knowledge, the Knowledge of Existence begins with observation & analysis of something that we already know but do not fully understand, & proceeds by reasoning to formulate a plausible hypothesis that can explain what is observed, & then rigorously tests that hypothesis by precise & critical experiment. However, unlike all other Knowledge, this Knowledge does not study any object of knowledge, but instead studies the very power of

Knowing itself – the power of Consciousness that underlies the Mind, the power by which all objects are known.

Hence the Truth discovered by means of this Knowledge is not something that can be demonstrated or proved objectively by one person to another. It can, however, be directly experienced as a clear Knowledge in the innermost core of each person who scrupulously pursues the necessary process of experiment till the True Nature of Existence – which is the True Nature of Consciousness, & of Happiness – is revealed in the full clarity of pure unadulterated Self-Consciousness.

The above themes & 2500 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com 

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Mind & Happiness 21

Since the testimony of Sages challenges us to question & doubt all the beliefs that we have cherished for so long about what we are & about the reality of our Life in this World, we may initially find it difficult to trust their words. That is why, rather than asking us to believe anything that we do not already know, Sri Ramana based his teachings upon an analysis of our own everyday experience.

When we critically analyze our experience of the 3 States of Consciousness (Waking, Dream, & Deep Dreamless Sleep) that we undergo each day, we cannot reasonably avoid doubting most of what we normally take for granted about who we are & about the reality of all that we experience in these 3 States.  In order to acquire knowledge that we cannot reasonably doubt, we must

first disentangle our self from all the confused & uncertain knowledge we now have about our self.  Such disentanglement can be achieved only by turning our attention away from all objects of knowledge & towards our self, the Consciousness by which everything is known. This process of disentanglement is the journey of Self-Discovery that all Sages urge us to undertake.

The purpose of this philosophical analysis of our everyday experience of our self is only to enable us to obtain a clear theoretical understanding of who we really are, & thereby to ascertain the practical means by which we can attain direct experience of our own Real Nature. Though in this journey of self-discovery we will be guided by the revelations of Sri Ramana & other Sages, we will nevertheless be relying primarily upon our own personal experience of our Existence or Consciousness, & thus we will as far as possible avoid the need to rely upon belief in what we our self do not actually know.

If we take this journey depending always upon our own experience of our self as our guide, we will be able to verify for our self the Truth of all that has been revealed through the words of Sages, who have taken this journey before us.  However, while we are proceeding on this journey of Self-Discovery, & before we complete it, we are likely to discover that our rational analysis of our already existing experience of our own Existence & Consciousness, together with our experience of practicing the art of Self-Conscious Existence, will inspire in our Mind a steadily increasing trust in the words of Sages.

Such trust should not be mistaken to be mere “blind belief”, because it is a trust born not of intellectual blindness but of a deep inner clarity of Mind gained by dwelling repeatedly upon the true light of Self-Consciousness, which ever shines in the core of our Existence, as the core of our Existence, but which till now we have always habitually ignored due to our infatuation with the external World of Sense Perceptions.

Though it is possible for us to turn our attention away from the external World & towards our own essential Consciousness “I exist” in order to discover our true nature even without our placing our trust in the words of anyone, in practice while pursuing the journey of Self-Discovery, & while confronting all the obstacles that inevitably arise on the way, we can derive much benefit by trusting & learning from the testimony of those who have taken & completed this journey before us.

We attempt to turn our attention away from the external World & towards our essential Self-Consciousness “I exist” in order to remain merely as this fundamental Consciousness of our own Existence.  However, even if we are unwilling to trust anything that we do not already know for certain, we can still pursue this journey of self-discovery by taking all our doubts to their logical conclusion – by doubting the reality of our doubting Mind, & therefore turning our attention towards the Consciousness that underlies it in order to know the ultimate source from which it has arisen along with all its doubts.

We are to question critically our habitual view of our self, the World & God, & to embark upon the journey of Self-Discovery by investigating our Consciousness “I exist”, which is the centered & fundamental basis of all our experience & knowledge, to verify for our self the Truth revealed in the words of Sri Ramana & other Sages.

The above themes & 2500 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com 

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 100:   Self-Inquiry –  (Atma Vichara) [contnued]

Self-Inquiry reveals the nature of one’s Existence. Existence is undeniable at any time. Even the attempt to doubt it presupposes its existence.  What is that Existence  ?  It cannot be known objectively, that is, as an object of perception or conception. Inquire as to “Who am I ?”  Negate from your sense of Identity all that is objective: the Body, senses, the life energy (prana), the Mind (inclusive of all its permutations such as cognitions, thoughts, emotions, memories, .abstract ideas, & such), & the assumption of existing as an individual being (Ego or “I” notion). That which alone remains & which can never be negated is the self-existent Self, the formless true Being, unborn & imperishable.

Self–Inquiry reveals the nature of Consciousness, itself consciousness is always present as the silent, un-changing Witness & is knowledge, itself. Inquire by negating the perceiving & conceiving, which are but mis–interpretations of Knowledge imagined within the context of dualism (such as Subject & object). By this Self­-Inquiry, come to abide in certain Knowledge, which is the Knowledge of Reality, in which there is neither knower nor known & in which Knowledge is not a function. By Self­-Inquiry, trace out that which is actually aware. It is the senses & not thoughts, & it docs not dwell in any state of Mind. By Knowledge, remove the objectified mis–identification regarding Consciousness. That which remains is the Non-Dual, infinite Consciousness, formless & eternal.

With each thought that arises, one may inquire, “For whom this” The inquirer should already know that all experience is occurring only within his own Mind. The answer to the question will invariably be, ”To me.” This signifies the return of all sense of Reality & Identity simultaneously to within, to the “I.” Then, one should inquire, “Who am I?” Tracing the true significance of “I,” the assumption of individuality vanishes, being unreal, & the real Self alone remains, uncreated, imperishable, & One without anything else whatsoever.

Requisites signify what is necessary. Realization signifies Knowledge of What Is. One thing is necessary: to realize the Self. One thing is real: the Self, itself.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.com/ or jstiga.wordpress.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 99:   Self-Inquiry –  (Atma Vichara) [contnued]

The 4 Requisites for Realization are valuable those who are practicing Self-Inquiry. The practice of Self-Inquiry will be aided by the development of these, & the Self-Inquiry itself causes these to develop.

The Self-Inquiry uses Discrimination & causes Discrimination. Self-Inquiry is strengthened by Detachment & brings about Detachment from all that is un-real or not the Self.  Peacefulness & Equanimity give the opportunity to inquire, & the Self-Inquiry results in enduring Peace & seeing all equally. Self-control allows one to direct oneself toward the Self-Inquiry, & the Self-Inquiry yields the ability to guide oneself wisely. Renunciation turns the Mind inward to inquire while dissolving the bondage to samsara, & Self-Inquiry causes one to relinquish the possession of the unreal & the mis–identification with the not–Self in light of the non–dependent nature of the Self. Fortitude enables one to consistently persevere in the Self­-Inquiry while overcoming all apparent obstacles, & the Self­-Inquiry yields the transcendent strength of the knowledge that all obstacles are unreal. Faith in the Absolute enables one to inquire with the support of true teachings & one’s own inner capacity, & the Self­-Inquiry results in the certitude of the Truth of the Self. Deep, profound Meditation yields the experience of Self­-Inquiry, & Self­-Inquiry, making the Meditation profound, reveals that the formless nature of the Self is ever present & not Subject to any change or condition.

The requisites may be regarded as several or may be regarded as one whole. They will be naturally present in one immersed in the Knowledge of the Self. It may be necessary for any particular aspirant to meditate on & develop one of them, several of them, or all of them, or they may be found to be spontaneously manifesting in the aspirant as a result of the practice of Self-Inquiry. It is for the seeker to examine himself & observe which need growth or deepening. They are all within the context of Knowledge & the path of Knowledge to realize the Self Basic Meditations to foster these requisites are briefly stated here in the description of each requisite. Actual practice will, itself, reveal the actual experience with precision. The best way to develop practice is to practice. The best way to strengthen these requisites is to practice them. The best way to deepen the Self­-Inquiry is to actually inquire.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 97:  Self-Inquiry –  (Atma Vichara)

Since very ancient times, seekers yearning for Self-Realization, or Enlightenment, have sought instruction to assist them. Instruction from genuine sages established in the Knowledge of the Self has generally been in 2 ways: instruction about the nature of the Self, the Absolute, & instruction regarding the way to abide in, or realize, this Supreme Knowledge. The latter forms the instruction regarding a Path or Spiritual Practice.

In the Teaching of Non-Duality, which clearly reveals the identity of the Self & the  Absolute (Brahman, God), Liberation or Self­Realization is recognized to be of the nature of Self-Knowledge. A Path of Knowledge results in Self-Knowledge, & the primary method of the Path is that of Self-Inquiry. The Self-Inquiry is the introspection, or Meditation, that ascertains in the most experiential manner what it is of which one’s true Identity consists. It is the Self-Revelation of the nature of Being, or Consciousness itself, un-obscured by any definition or mis­identification.  Questing inwardly as to “Who am I ?” one realizes one’s true state of Non-Dual Existence, which is ever free, ever at Peace, un-changing, without modifications, Illimitable, Timeless, Indivisible, forever unconditioned, Formless, Un-Differentiated – the One Reality.

In practice, the actual Self-Inquiry, itself, involves the relinquishment of the false super-imposition of forms & attributes upon the Self.  This involves the recognition of the false definition & the discernment of how it is not actually one’s Identity.  It is the shifting of Identity from where it has been misplaced, such as being associated with the Body or with thought, & restoring it to its natural position, which is the Self alone.  It is the ceasing of the confusion regarding what is Real & what is unreal, so that the erroneous attribution of Reality to the un-reality, such as conceiving the World, objects, events, sensations, & thoughts to be Real or to be the means of determining what is Real, is relinquished.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 96:  Desire for Liberation   mumukshutva  [further continued]

The Desire for Liberation arises within all who consider the facts of life & death, who see the futility of Worldly life, who observe the sufferings created by ignorance, who comprehend that they can truly be free, who understand that there is a state of complete freedom & Peace in which delusion & suffering are no more, & who are convinced that they can find this for themselves. The rise of the Desire for Liberation depends on the settled conclusion that the external World, inclusive of other people, objects (or lack of the same), wealth, fame (personal acceptance or popularity), reputation, situations, & other phenomenal conditions are in no way the cause of suffering or Happiness.

The Desire for Liberation has never been an obstacle for anyone, though lack of Desire for Liberation has caused the stagnation of many. The Desire for Liberation prompts the Self­-Inquiry to know the Self & causes one to discern what Liberation actually is.

Ignorance alone is the cause of bondage, & bondage alone is suffering. If there is suffering, there will be the concomitant desire to be happy, to eliminate that suffering, because misery is contrary to our nature. If there is the clear perception of the cause of suffering being one’s delusive bondage, there will be the Desire for Liberation. If there is the understanding that bondage is only mis–identification or ignorance, there will be the Desire for Self-Realization, or Self-Knowledge. Ramana Maharshi has said, “Self-Inquiry into the Nature of one’s Self that is in Bondage & realizing one’s True Nature is moksha, Release (Liberation).”

So long as one is bound, there will be the Desire for Liberation on the part of the spiritual seeker (or the pursuit of delusive, Worldly desires by those who do not know any better). When, through the Self­-Inquiry, “Who is bound ?”  one realizes the Egoless real nature of the Self which is ever free, the Desire for Liberation is fulfilled & ended. The Self was truly never bound & has no separate state of Liberation.

Then the Truth is self-evident as the only 1–without–a–2^nd, without an alternative. Thus the Ramana Maharshi’s statement, “Who is to realize ‘what’, when all that exists is only the Self?” This Truth is realized by those who desire to realize it with all their heart & not otherwise.

The Desire for Liberation is ultimately the inner yearning to Be as one truly is. Since Being is neither an object nor an activity, the practice can only be that of Knowledge. The result of the Self­-Inquiry is Knowledge identical with Being. The Desire for Liberation is the motion for the Self­-Inquiry into the Self.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 95:  Desire for Liberation   mumukshutva  [continued]

That which seems to extend between the Self & the Body, deludedly regarded as an Ego & illusorily manifesting as the Mind, gives rise to bondage. One should free oneself of that bondage, mis–identification, too. The Mind itself alone has the ignorance, as the real Self never has trace of ignorance or bondage whatsoever, & the Body has no ignorance, as well. The Mind alone has it, so it is said that the Mind should get rid of it or that one should get rid of the Mind. The Desire for Liberation arises in the Mind as the intuition of what the natural state of the Self is. This desire causes the Mind to examine itself, to relinquish its own imaginings, to destroy its own form, & to find its source or real nature.

“Indulgence of the Mind,” mentioned by Sri Shankara above, is the pursuit & maintenance of the mental tendencies that are the substance of delusion. Desire for Liberation is contrary to them. To concoct any excuse, ranging from the idea that it is too difficult to the concept that there is nothing that can be done to realize, that perpetuates or validates delusion or bondage is indulgence of the Mind. To have unbreakable reasons to be free is Desire for Liberation. Lack of self-examination is indulgence of the Mind. Similarly, pursuit of Worldly desires & diffusion during Meditation is indulgence of the Mind. Freedom from forcing the Mind along the paths of such ignorance is brought about by Desire for Liberation. The Mind’s stagnation in mis–identification with the Body is “indulgence.” Freedom from such comes to those who desire Liberation. Following the whims of the Ego, fabricating & clinging to the Ego’s opinions, & Worldly attachment are indulgence of the Mind. The Desire for Liberation opens a different path, the way to the blissful freedom of Self-Knowledge.

The rise of the Desire for Liberation within one is the beginning of the end of the Ego & its delusions. It is the motivation for sincere spiritual practice. It is the call of the Self to itself to be awake to itself. The surging higher of the Desire for Liberation makes the further development of the other requisites possible. It causes one to develop one’s practice & brings one into deeper spiritual experience. The peak of the Desire for Liberation is to want nothing else & to place none of one’s effort into the creation of ignorance. With Self­-Inquiry, it causes the veil of illusion to vanish like a mirage vanishing into nothingness.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 94:  Desire for Liberation    mumukshutva

The final & 4^th Requisite for Realization is known as the intense Desire for Liberation.  Sri Shankara has said, “It is the desire to free the Mind from the bonds extending from the Ego to the Body created by ajnana (Ignorance) by means of Knowledge of one’s own Real Nature (svarupa), not indulgence of the Mind.”

The Desire for Liberation functions as the fuel for one’s spiritual practice. If all sorts of spiritual attributes are present, even the other requisites above mentioned, but there is a lack of Desire for Liberation, actual advancement, as determined by the degree of freedom from mis–identification, will be slow, if at all. If, though, the aspirant would have none of the other requisites or beneficial attributes, but was endowed with an intense Desire for Liberation; the other needed requisites & such would manifest in due course of the practice of Self­Inquiry. When the requisites are practiced fueled by the Desire for Liberation, the highest good results.

Erroneous interpretations of Non-Duality may lead one to assert that the Desire for Liberation will foster or produce a continuance of duality, for it may posit the notion of something for which to search & the seeking for it. This, though, represents an error in reasoning due to lack of direct experience, for there is no “rule” that Liberation must be conceived or treated as if an objective goal apart from oneself. Since Knowledge of the Self is alone Liberation, ignorance is entirely “self­imagined”, the Self is forever non-objective, & Knowledge is One with Being, therefore, the Desire for Liberation is actually a profound recognition of what truly is one’s natural state & the discernment of what is not that natural state. Understanding this results in fervently seeking within. Within is the Self. The Desire for Liberation leads one to inquire & to thus know the Self as it is, in which there is no duality whatsoever. For one who is to realize the Self, this inner, intense desire to realize & its corresponding search via Self-Inquiry represent no duality or difficulty, but rather attention is focused upon the nature of the seeker himself. When the nature of the seeker is known, revealing an utter absence of the individual & only the real Being of the Self-existing, the Desire for Liberation has been fulfilled & vanishes of its own.

The Desire for Liberation should be as intense as possible. If there is clear discrimination, all the force of the desire for Happiness that drives the person’s life while caught up in illusion becomes the intense desire for Realization alone is full satisfaction, the fulfillment & the end of the desire. The more intense the Desire for Liberation the ardently one will pursue the Self­Inquiry & the more adamant one will be about retaining the freedom found through dis–identification.

The Desire for Liberation means the desire for complete spiritual freedom. It is the indomitable intention to snap the fetters of ignorance that seem to bind one’s Identity, & consequently one’s experience, to what is not the Self, that is, from the very notion of an Ego, or the assumption of individuality, to the mis–identification with the form of the Body. The mis–identification is composed only of ignorance. Knowledge of the Self, which is one’s own Self, & this is Knowledge being the Self alone & not any of those other things, is the destruction of ignorance & the attainment of Liberation.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 93:  Deep, Profound Meditation   samadhana   [continued]

Samadhi is always a state of absorption, a merging or dissolution of one’s Identity. In some descriptions, samadhi is classified in various ways, yet, in samadhi itself, no such classifications or the means to conceive of such exist. If the state is prompted by or is inclusive of some differentiation, such as Meditation on the whole universe being pervaded by That or the Self as the Universal Witness, it is savikalpa, that is, “with differentiation.”  If it is prompted by Meditation of the nature of Non–Differentiation, such as the Self & the Absolute are identical or the Self alone is & there has never come to be any objective thing whatsoever, & is an undifferentiated state, it is known as nirvikalpa, “without differentiation.”  Such is characterized by an absence of illusory, objective perception, inclusive of time, space, & matter. It is bodiless & without mental activity. If the absorption is so complete as to eliminate the possibility of an alternative, a samadhi of Knowledge of the Reality in which there is no such thing as an existent un-reality, the natural state of the Self as it innately is without any further effort to be applied or anyone to apply it, it is, as Ramana Maharshi stated, Sahaja Samadhi, which is the Natural, Innate, effortless State. This is Self-Realization. It could be said that savikalpa retains a unity of knower & known, the meditator at one with the ideal or object of nirvikalpa  is a dissolution of the knower & the known; sahaja  is “no creation” in which there are no such things as knower, knowing & known. The experience of all these is available for those who one-pointedly focus on the Self-Inquiry to know the Self, though the sahaja state is alone the final goal, a goal which is found to be at no distance but to be one’s very Being by those who realize the Self.

Though the Absolute Self is not dependent upon any condition or state of Mind, being ever transcendent of all modes of Mind & the Mind itself, & though Self-Knowledge is thought-transcendent, or free from thought, it is extremely rare to find anyone who has realized this who has not engaged in deep, profound Meditation.  Meditation should be understood as the invaluable opportunity to be awake to Reality, the chance to be with full focus on the Truth of the Self, the auspicious moment to dismantle & destroy the illusions of the Ego, & the time to turn the Mind from its own delusive creations to the clarity of understanding what is true.  It is the opportunity to be with oneself, not in relation, response, or reaction to anything else, but to see clearly what one’s Self actually is, free of every supposition.  In the profound Knowledge that thus shines, one finds that there is truly no alternative state, & the Meditation is found to be perpetual. Meditation, as Self-Inquiry, should be practiced by the aspirant for Liberation until there is no possibility of ever being bound again & the Truth of the Self has been conclusively realized.

There are innumerable forms of Meditation. Meditation that does not have Self–Knowledge as a clear orientation will not result in Self-Knowledge. If one meditates upon worldly interactions, one may improve those transient interactions, in a changeful universe that is akin to last night’s dream, to a certain extent.  If one meditates upon sensations, gross or subtle, one will come to dwell temporarily in those transient sensations. If one meditates upon thought or in a thought­dependent manner, one will arrive at a corresponding mental state, which certainly cannot be Eternal.  If one meditates by Self-Inquiry, the result is Self-Knowledge, or Self-Realization. That is the Non-Dual Self, upon realizing which there remains nothing more to realize, the freedom of which leaves no trace of a possibility of bondage, the perfect fullness of which leaves no dissatisfaction whatsoever, the time­lessness of which cannot be measured or terminated, the formlessness of which has no comparison or contrast, & the Reality, or Existence, of which leaves no other “existence”.

The prime way of developing Meditation ability, assuming one has access to Non-Dual meditate, is to meditate. Even if there is no such access, if one ardently meditates with sincerity & the intense desire to realize, the Self-Inquiry will make itself known within, & if, one perseveres in the Self-Inquiry, the Self, which is one’s true nature, will be realized.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 92:  Faith  shraddha

The final of the “6 Essentials” is profound Meditation. What is implied is an inwardly concentrated Meditation. What is explicit is that it is a formless Meditation. It is sometimes referred to as a practice of samadhi, a state of intense absorption in the Absolute.

Sri Shankara has defined this as the perfect establishment of the Mind (buddhi) always in pure, nirguna (attribute–less) Brahman (the vast Absolute).

Meditation is invaluable for discovering & securing for oneself experiences of deeper spiritual states & for Self­Inquiry of Self-Knowledge.

In a path of Knowledge, Meditation consists of Knowledge & the primary means of experiencing such Knowledge is Self-Inquiry. Knowledge is formless. It is ignorance when one mistakes sensations, moods, emotions, thoughts, & any other mental phenomena for Knowledge.  When one believes that such are knowledge, one is prejudiced by the unexamined beliefs in the Reality or truthfulness of the senses (the process of sensation) & of the objects of those senses; one also believes something is so because one has thought of it.  Self-Inquiry reveals the invalidity of such & their utter non–dependability for discerning Reality. Indeed, for purposes of fine Discrimination, that which is conceivable or an “object of thought,” has the characteristic of un-reality. Therefore, for Real Knowledge, one must know That which is not an object of the senses or thought, & the means of knowing must not be a mere sensation or thought construct. So, the Meditation must necessarily be of this same nature of formless Knowledge if it is to be fruitful. If your Meditation itself assumes the existence of the ignorant limitations that your are attempting to transcend, how can it be of much help ?  If your Meditation is that of Self-Inquiry, it is not concerned with the products of the Senses or of thought, & it is not relying on such for Knowledge.  Only Self-­Inquiry to know oneself can be regarded as truly inward, &, as such, it is preeminently useful for Self–Realization. Self-Inquiry is the significance of this deep Meditation.

Concentration per se is not Deep Meditation. Deep Meditation, though, implies being concentrated. If one’s attention is usurped by every wayward thought, is compelled to run with every idea & whim, & is caught up in every day-dream the Mind can imagine, when will there be the opportunity to meditate in order to gain Knowledge of the Self ?  When one is aware of the purpose of life & aware of the purpose of Meditation, concentration manifests. It is just as, when one’s Life is in jeopardy, one does not at that moment become lost in idle day-dreams or meaningless mental imagery. Similarly, when the aspirant is aware of the importance of Realization & the importance of Meditation, aware of how to fulfill life’s purpose within the ever-narrowing window of time left for it & aware of how precious is the opportunity to meditate on Truth & set oneself free, concentration is present in the Meditation. Tracing & holding the sense of “I” as taught in Self­Inquiry will simultaneously produced one-pointed  concentration & Deep, Profound Meditation. The concentration is, ultimately, actually derived from the undivided intensity of Reality itself & the Self’s innate Transcendence of all thought.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 91:  Faith  shraddha

The 5^th Essential is known as Faith. It is also defined as a clear understanding & as an affirmative attitude of Mind inclusive of humility, sincerity, earnestness, single-Mindedness, reverence, & an unwavering determination to find the Truth at any cost.

Sri Shankara defines this as “ascertainment of the scripture & instruction of the Guru with conviction about their Truth, that by which Knowledge of Reality is obtained.”

Faith is considered to be the belief in something that is yet unseen. In the path of Knowledge, the aspirant is concerned with the transformation of faith into conviction, & that into the certitude of Self-Knowledge by virtue of Self-Inquiry. It is the development of a clear understanding & a conviction in that which is understood. Such may be said to be Faith fused with Wisdom,

The Truth does not accept the arrogant into itself, for it is Ego-less by nature. So, only those who are endowed with humility & who hold it in the highest reverence realize it. Those who hold the teachings in deep reverence retain them. Those who are humble find their Egos to be insubstantial & their own Nature to be Formless & Vast like Space.

Sincerity & earnestness are necessities in the pursuit of Supreme Truth. With insincerity, who fools whom ?  If one is in earnest to find the Truth, he will be always undaunted & will destroy the illusory fetters that appear to keep him bound, so that his deepest yearning is fulfilled.

Being single-minded in the pursuit of Self-Knowledge comes to those aspirants who recognize the utmost importance of realizing the Self, understanding that in no other way will one abide in enduring Peace, genuine freedom, & unending joy.  The conviction in the Truth drives one to realize it. If one’s own Mind is undivided concerning this, that is, if faith is beyond doubt regarding the fact that the Absolute Self, indeed, exists & is realizable, the Self­-Inquiry into the Self rests upon solid ground.

Faith can be in the existence of the Absolute.  Faith can be in the Knowledge of Truth that reveals that the Absolute & one’s own Self are identical.   Faith in the Non-Dual Teachings that reveal this Identity is of immense help. Once one has a conviction in them, one can directly that Truth for oneself by Self­-Inquiry into the nature of the Self & this inwardly verifies the Truth in which one originally had faith. Faith can be in those wise ones who have gone before & realized this Knowledge & in those Sages who, having realized, proclaim the Truth & the way to realize it within oneself.   Faith in one’s own ability to realize, when fused with the humility mentioned earlier, is in keeping with the Truth that all are only the Self & there is no one who cannot realize it. If one has a Guru, the faith mentioned by Sri Shankara is of the of the deepest trust.  The result of Faith in the Guru’s instruction, which implies full practice of it, is the Realization of the Self in which one’s own Identity, the Truth, & till very Being of the Guru are one & the same.

In a Path of jnana Knowledge, Faith is generated from hearing the teachings & meeting with those who practice them or who have realized their meaning. Faith is generated when reading the instruction left behind from earlier times. Though a certain degree of Faith may be needed to even start a spiritual practice – one cannot be so enamored of one’s own doubts that one cannot even make a try at it – the practice, itself, will yield the conviction in Truth & in the means to be adopted for realizing it. From a higher perspective, faith is an intuition of one’s Self or Natural State, & its strength is derived  from the irrefutability of Reality.

In Self-Inquiry, faith merges with deeper understanding. In Non-Duality, faith is further strengthened by discrimination.  When faith is joined by the practice of Self-Inquiry, it becomes conviction.  When conviction is joined with direct experience, it is Knowledge.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 90:  Fortitude / Forbearance   titiksha  [contnued]

The 5^th of the 6 Essentials, Forbearance signifies freedom from lamenting or making a grievance over what does not please one. One can cultivate an-reactivity toward persons, situations, & that previously upset him, at least to the degree sufficient  he opportunity to commence discrimination regarding the real source of Happiness & Peace. It is, though, easily & directly attained through clear discernment as to the real source of Happiness & Peace. In either case, the aspirant develops forbearance, & this results in an absence of suffering due to things & events in the World. It results in not bemoaning what has happened in the past, including absence of seeking any sort of revenge against those who have done something not to your liking, & not being anxious over what mayor may not occur in the future. All such delusions are based on the false belief that the World is real & the misidentification with the Ego, the desires of one’s own Mind, & the Body. A seeker of Realization cuts these delusions down with Self-Inquiry while bringing forth from within the fortitude to address all of this delusion, adamantly refusing to blindly follow the tendencies that would drive the Mind toward such grief, anxiety, n. seeking redress, & such

The way of samsara  is to cast the responsibility & the blame for one’s own experience upon the World rather than to recognize that suffering is self-created & oneself alone can destroy it. For Liberation, the aspirant does not want to carry the mode of approach used to create samsara into his attempts to transcend it. If he does, the aspiration is hampered or becomes interminable. If the mode of Mind is dissolved & replaced with the fortitude here described, the obstacles are destroyed by practice of the Self­Inquiry, & Self-Knowledge is realized.

The strength in spiritual practice ultimately derives from the immutability & indestructibility of the Absolute Self, & the forbearance from the transcendent, unaffected nature of the Self. Strength of practice comes by practice itself. Strength leads to greater strength; perseverance to a great ability to persevere.

When confronting an apparent obstruction in one’s spiritual practice, be it an external circumstance or an interior mode of Mind or concept, one is set with a choice. The aspirant can either carry forward with fortitude, by applying himself more intensely than previously to the spiritual practice & perhaps redirecting the efforts in a wiser way than previously through clearer Self­-Inquiry, or he can abandon the practice. In the latter case, there may be a temporary, emotional relaxation as the seeker begins to settle & stagnate in the familiar quagmire of Worldly ignorance. If this state of affairs is further exacerbated by the tendency to misapply Non-Dualistic terminology to it, the seeker will actually take pride in falling into ignorance & will begin to concoct all sorts of absurd interpretations of the essential teachings & invent all sorts of explanations to account for the mentalities, emotions, interactions, & such that are not found in the true freedom of Realization. It is a state of indolence mistaken for Peace. Provided the seeker does not exacerbate the situation by claims to a superior state in such a way, he will, sooner or later, tire of the recurring ignorance & will again commence spiritual effort, with greater fortitude than before, for no one can be fully satisfied except in the natural state of complete Self­Realization. If the situation has been exacerbated as above mentioned, the Egoism of such will first need to collapse before genuine spiritual progress resumes. The direct path is not to take such a detour to begin with &, with unremitting enthusiasm & energy, pursue the Knowledge of the Self, led on by increasing joy & freedom, until the Self is conclusively realized.

For those who, with fortitude & endurance, turn within to realize the Self by Self-Inquiry, that which is indomitable & inde­structible is revealed within them.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 89    Fortitude   titiksha

The 4^th of the 6 Essentials is Fortitude. This has been described also as Forbearance, Endurance, & the ability to withstand the opposites of phenomena such as pleasure & pain. It is also described as being always free from anxiety or lament over those phenomenal opposites or any afflictions & remaining in a state of Equality without struggling for revenge or redress.

Self-Realization itself is effortless, as it is the innate, natural state or the Self. It is Existence pure, & there is no effort required for Existence, nor is there anyone apart from it to apply such effort or to desist .from such effort. When ignorance veils that Existence so that there seem to be two states, that of Realization & the unrealized state, & so that one seems to be an individual apart from that Self, an effort is made to end that ignorance. Cessation of ignorance is the purpose of practice on the path of Knowledge. It is the reason to inquire. It is not the attainment of any new thing, but the removal of Ignorance by Self­Inquiry to reveal the ever-present Reality of the Self to which the effort is applied.

Though there is, in Truth, nothing obstructing one’s Realization of the Self, it is usual in the course of spiritual practice to experience obstacles. These obstacles are the tendencies in one’s own Mind, manifesting as attachments & such. Due to the long-standing habit of misidentification & attachment, such tendencies may not necessarily be destroyed upon the first meditative examination of them. The obstacle to one’s freedom seems to remain or to return even if one has glimpsed beyond it. The seeker must, therefore, apply effort with perseverance.

In Meditation, the Mind may not be steady in its introspection. There may be a plethora of ideas, idle daydreams, or disturbing repetitive concepts. The aspirant must have endurance & apply the necessary strength to overcome these so that the precious opportunity of Meditation is not lost upon such meaningless or bind­ing mental delusions.

In phenomenal life, events & circumstances are a mixture of the pleasant & the unpleasant, the pleasurable & the painful, the fortunate & the unfortunate. To realize the immovable Self, the aspirant for Liberation must develop the power of Self-Inquiry, the spiritual Fortitude, to not be swayed by such transient circumstances. Freedom from being swayed means detachment & equanimity. If, at first, one is caught in the storm of being buffeted by such external phenomena, to persevere in Self­-Inquiry & Meditation until one is no longer so swayed is fortitude. The Body is undoubtedly Subject to the experiences of pleasure & pain.  Self-Inquiry so as to no longer suffer thereby, to no longer be so much bemoaning one’s plight that does not take the opportunity to turn within, is spiritual fortitude.

The above themes & 2S600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 88:  Renunciation   uparati

The 3^rd of the 6 Essentials is known as Renunciation. Though this may or may not be carried out in a formal way with spiritual symbolism or vows, the spirit, or true practice, of Renunciation is an essential support of the Self­-Inquiry to know the Self .

This Renunciation on the path of Nondual Knowledge is also known as the cessation of action & the withdrawal of the senses from the external. Sankara has defined it as the non–dependence of the Mind on anything external.

For those who practice this Non-Dual Self-Inquiry, there is no set of specific actions essential for this spiritual path. No particular action can be proclaimed to be universally applicable to all seekers, let alone at all times, yet the aspirant’s actions must be guided by the spirit of Renunciation. Moreover, Liberation from the imagined bondage is a matter of Knowledge & is not a matter of performing certain actions. No action can produce Realization. Knowledge alone yields Realization, &, indeed, Knowledge is itself Realization. It is a path of Knowledge that yields the state of Supreme Knowledge. This understanding is the cessation of action, that is, the cessation of dualistic action-orientation in one’s practice. The mere reduction of bodily activities is not what is meant & such would be unrelated to Self-Inquiry & Self-Realization. Nevertheless, one might very well renounce Worldly activities, useless activities, & unnecessary activities to provide more time for Meditation & the receiving of spiritual instruction, & this would yield tremendous spiritual benefits.

The cessation of action, as above described, in this Renunciation naturally leads to the Knowledge that one is not the Body. Dis–identification from the Body implies the corollary understanding that one is not the performer of action. The Body alone is active, & the Self is free of movement, change, or action. This is Renunciation of Doer–ship.

Renunciation is part of every aspirant’s practice. Detachment must become total for complete spiritual freedom. Renunciation is its expression or reflection. How that expression manifests varies among those who are detached, but there is always some expressed Renunciation. It is not reasonable to say that as one liberates oneself from attachment & ignorance that one will still maintain every habit, cling to every object & relationship, & continue to harbor the same delusive notion of possession as previous to such spiritual development. When a person joyfully & wisely relinquishes old habits, objects, & such for the purpose of spiritual advancement, such is known as Renunciation.

Renunciation is born of contemplation upon the source of Peace & Happiness. It is born of observation of the facts of Life & Death. It is born of recognition of the futility of Worldly gain, be it objects, wealth, fame, or anything similar. It is born of Meditation upon the dreamlike nature of the experience of the World. It is born of Meditation upon the transitory nature of all things. It is born of the intense yearning to know & be the Truth at any cost. It is born of the comprehension that clinging is worrisome bondage & detachment is blissful freedom. It is born of the Knowledge of the immediacy of the Truth of the Self

Non–dependence of the Mind on anything external means to no longer have one’s state of Mind determined by outer circumstances, such as how many or few one’s possessions, whether or not one’s desires are fulfilled, or whether or not situations are to one’s liking. Even more so, it is the abandonment of seeking Happiness externally based upon the clear Discernment (Discrimination) of the real source of Happiness. It is the means for the Equanimity called Peacefulness. Further, it means the cessation of the projection of the sense of Happiness, Reality, & Identity upon things extraneous to the Self, which is the abode of Happiness, one’s true Identity, & the one Reality. It is the abandonment of superimposition of the attributes of unreal things upon the Self When the Mind turns inward in search of true Knowledge, regarding outer so-called knowledge as just so much ignorance, the delusive collection of opinions & insubstantial concepts, such is Renunciation in Knowledge. Ultimately, this non–dependence or Renunciation, as it is known in practice, is of the very nature of the Space-like, Formless Self as realized in Self-Knowledge.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 87

4–Requisites: the 6–Essentials shatsampati: Self–Control dama

Self-control is the 2^nd of those 6–Essentials forming the 3^rd Requisite. Sri Shankara declares its significance to be the control of the means of sensory perception & the means of action.

By Self-control is meant the ability to direct one’s Mind, speech (interactions & communications involving words) & bodily actions wisely. When a person is in Ignorance & is overwhelmed by his own Delusion, even Self-control is lacking for him. The actions thus taken are thoughtless, foolish, impulsive, compulsive, & productive of bad {karma; the ways of relating are also karma-producing &, being tainted with Attachment, manifest as increasing Bondage; the ways of thinking are erroneous & unreasonable & lead to further & further Delusion.

Lacking Self-control, one generates & spins in craving, frustration or anger, & blind Ignorance.  Without Self-control, even if one knows better, he does not do so. Being introduced to deep Teachings, he does not retain them. Knowing of Love & compassion, he or she seems unable to consistently relate on that basis.

Life is short & the opportunity to engage in that which is spiritually beneficial is rare & precious.  Lack of Self-control leads one to squander one’s effort, energy, & time upon worthless things.  Without Self-control, one’s life & experience seem driven as it were by forces beyond one’s control, like dried, dead leaves before strong gusts of wind.  Without Self–control, one becomes arrogant & egotistical, thus missing the opportunity to develop that extremely beneficial quality of Humility. Without Self-control, it appears that those things that are actually inert instruments & vacuous Illusions, such as the Mind, the Senses, the Body, & the World, are one’s masters.  The seeker of Self-Realization, therefore, seeks to govern himself.

For the aspirant on the Path of Non-Dual Knowledge, Self-control is a conscious directing of oneself.  Self-control is not the conjuring up of imaginary battles with one’s Body, Senses & Mind. It is, rather, contemplating how to best use these instruments to support one’s spiritual practice & deliberately acting upon that Contemplation while deliberately ceasing to follow the previous habitual patterns of conduct.

Self-control will manifest for the seeker as a positive sense of Self-discipline & a directing of oneself to all that is spiritually uplifting.  Self-control is based upon the recognition that Ignorance is ultimately a matter of choice & is Self-produced, as are all its phenomenal manifestations.

Because the responsibility is entirely one’s own, Freedom is also entirely one’s own.  For if it were nor so, that is, if one were not entirely responsible for one’s own Illusions, one could not be entirely free; in other words, Liberation would not be possible. But if one exercises the power of directing oneself in a wiser & wiser manner, Liberation is not only possible, but with Self-inquiry, it is revealed to be the Natural State of the Self

If the seeker does not exercise this Self-control, either there will be no solidity in the endeavor to have the manifest Life shine with the light of Knowledge found in Meditation or there will be no Meditation at all.  Not exercising this Self-control will mean one’s Life is governed by whims & random opinions. One will experience the extremes of good insight contrasted with states of Delusion in which it is as if the insight had never occurred.

The 2^nd option [good insight contrasted with states of Delusion] means no interruption in the samsara, the repetitive, illusory cycle of Birth, Suffering, & Death.  While Self-Knowledge, being Unborn, 1–without–a–2^nd  & devoid of Causality, cannot be said to depend upon a Meditation practice, for the Self & its Knowledge of itself depend on nothing else whatsoever.  Still, where can someone has Self-Realization, not merely a conceptual grasp of intellectual theory or a mere memorization of spiritual terms, that one has engaged in intense Meditation.  Such Meditation is Self-Inquiry, which should he carried on in an intense, consistent manner by those who desire Self-Realization.

The significance of Self–Control & the actual experience for those on the Path of Knowledge are far-reaching.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 86

4–Requisites: the 6–Essentials shatsampati: Peacefulness sama

The 6–Essentials shatsampati, is a combination of a number of factors that are instrumental in spiritual progress with Self-Inquiry, the 6 are all interrelated among themselves & are interwoven with discrimination and attachment in the practice of Self-Inquiry.

The 1^st Essential is known as Peacefulness. It is Tranquility & composure.  Sri Shankara defines it as “resting the Mind permanently on one’s spiritual objective & detaching it from all that is sensed.”

Peace is of the very nature of the unchanging Self, yet, when in the throes of mis-identification, one does not seem to experience Peace. Just as though the Sun does not really vanish when there are dense clouds, one who is in or under the clouds does not see the Sun.  When one places undue importance on the things of the World, when one is attached to one’s own ideas, & when one conjures up one’s own emotions, one disturbs one’s own innate Peace. When all depends on the changeful, then Peace is lost sight of, since Peace can be only in the Consciousness which at no time changes.

With change & dependence, Peace is lost or is very insecure.  All external changes are delusively viewed as either desirable in the hope of different phenomena causing a better state of Mind, or as threatening in the fear of the transience of all things.  Change is of no consequence to the Changeless. The Changeless alone is one’s True Nature.

Following the whims of the Mind, its desires & fears, offers no Peace. Applying the Mind steadily toward the purpose of Self-Realization leads to Peace. The very practice of Self-Realization yields considerable Peace in one’s experience.  If one is composed in oneself, the difficulties of the phenomenal Life do not overwhelm one.  Such composure belongs to those who are focused upon the Goal of realizing the Self.  The means are of the same nature as the End, which is the innate Peace of the Self.

The composure is Equanimity in the midst of all things & is directly related to Detachment.  One should abide in Equanimity in the midst of all occurrences.  If there is loss of Peace, it is due to Attachment & lack of Discrimination.  Dettachment & Discrimination should be thoroughly practiced & meditated upon in order for there to be Equanimity.

One should not ignorantly disturb or preclude Peace by fostering & adhering to one’s opinions about things, events, & other people.  By the practice of Equanimity, abundant opportunities to inquire are found.  One’s Mind is introspective & does not engage in futile interactions that only lead to creating burdensome karma.  By Peacefulness, one’s interactions become beneficial, & the World, with its events, ceases to be conceived as an obstruction to one’s spiritual advancement.

Self-Inquiry yields supreme Peace, yet Peacefulness, itself, is integral to the successful pursuit of Self-Inquiry. To set aside the frantic antics of the Ego-ridden Mind, if only for the reason of desiring to dive within to realize, is Peacefulness.  To abstain from concocting the brew of Ignorance, craving, & frustration or anger or hatred is Peacefulness.  To be Peaceful within oneself & to relate to others on the basis of Peacefulness & not unnecessarily agitating the Mind enables one to better pursue Self-Inquiry to know the Self.

Meditation on this Essential will endow the aspirant with the quality of Peacefulness, both within & in relating to others.  One should meditate upon being the unmoving, ever-peaceful Witness of all, the Self, of the nature of Consciousness, & so attain Peace.  The significance of this Peacefulness & the actual experience for those on the path of Knowledge are far-reaching.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 84

6–Requisites: Detachment vairagya (continued)

In the book, Who am I ?, Sri Ramana Maharshi states, “Desirelessness (detachment, vairagya) is wisdom. The 2 are not different; they are the same. Desirelessness is refraining from driving the mind toward any object. Wisdom means the appearance of no object. In other words, not seeking what is other than the Self is Detachment or Desirelessness; not leaving the Self is Wisdom.”  In 1955 edition of the text, the passage appears thus:

“Not to Desire anything extraneous to oneself constitutes vairagya Dispassion, Detachment) or Desirelessness (nirasa). Not to give up one’s hold on the Self constitutes jnana (Knowledge). But really, vairagya & jnana are one & the same.  Just as a pearl–diver, tying stones to his waist, dives down into the depths & gets the pearl from the sea–bed, even so every aspirant, pledged to vairagya, can dive deep into himself & realize the precious Atman (the Self).”

The passage above stands Self-evident in its clear meaning & advice for those who are in earnest about Self-Realization. The reference to “no object” relates to the Knowledge of  “no creation”. the Realization that the Self alone is & that there has never been anything else. When one abandons the objective outlook, Illusion ceases & the Self is known. The aspirant is to experience the fusion of Detachment & Knowledge by relinquishing the pursuit of what is extraneous in the vain hope of achieving Happiness or Peace in such a manner.  Instead, one turns within to abide in their Real Source by knowing the Self.  In practice, this means becoming detached & finding that the poise in the Self & Detachment toward all else are of the same degree & are of the same nature.

Nothing objective is alluring.  In practice, one turns or drives the Mind inward to find the source of Happiness in the Self. As Self-Inquiry deepens, one perceives that he, himself, had been driving the Mind toward Illusion. Illusion has no power or Reality of its own, & if one ceases to driving the Mind toward Illusion, Knowledge dawns.  Indeed, the Freedom of complete Detachment is of the very nature of Liberation.  The significance of Detachment & the actual experience for those on the path of Knowledge are far-reaching. The significance of Detachment & the actual experience for those on the path of Knowledge are far-reaching.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 83

4–Requisites: Detachment vairagya (continued)

Sri Shankara has stated that Detachment is “from all transient objects from the Body to Brahman” & “from all things seen, heard, & such.”  The latter, phrase means that one has to abide free from Attachment to anything perceived by the Senses & one must also be detached from the sensing itself, be it seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, or touching.  One should know That within oneself that does not depend on these Senses or their objects.  And one should Discern the wondrous source of Happiness within that remains whether or not the Senses are appearing.

For real Freedom & Peace, one must be without Attachment to, without confusion regarding, the objects that are perceived, which though perceived are yet unreal like the water in a mirage.  For real Freedom & Peace, one must be detached from, non-dependent upon, the Senses (the sensing).  So that whether or not one’s Senses are functioning, such as able to hear or deaf or able to see or blind, one’s Abidance in the real source of Happiness & Peace is undisturbed.

For Realization of the Self, one should recognize that the Self, of the nature of Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, can never be an object of Sensory Perception. The Self cannot be seen, heard, tasted, smelled, or felt as a tactile sensation.  The Self has no color or size, no sound, no feeling, no fragrance, & such. The Self is Existence without any such forms & is free from all such transient sensations, be they pleasurable or painful.

The Path of Knowledge, itself, which is Self-Inquiry into the Self, is not a sensory process. The Meditation is not performed by the. Senses or with the Senses as instruments, & the experience that results from Self-Inquiry is of Self-Knowledge & not of a sensory character. Using Discrimination, if the aspirant has experiences of a sensory character as a result of meditation, such as seeing, hearing, or feeling differently, he will discern that these are transient illusions & will remain detached from them, while continuing the actual Self-Inquiry into the Self to know it as it is.

The Knowledge of the Self, which is the Knowledge of Reality, actual Existence, is not of a sensory character. Therefore, the seeker of Self-Knowledge who is endowed with Detachment understands that the Senses are not the means of knowing Reality. The Senses are never the measure of Reality. One who comprehends this Knowledge is no longer confused about Reality & remains unattached to the entire World.

The 1^st phrase quoted from Sri Shankara’s instruction regarding Detachment states that one is to be detached from “transient things from the Body to Brahman [Saguna].”  Just as other objects are dependent upon the Senses to even appear, so is with the Body. Just as other objects have a creation & a destruction, so does the Body have a Birth & Death. Just as there is no Happiness inherent in any object, but all Joy is of the Self alone, so Happiness does not depend upon the Body.  Just as real Existence is not perceived as long as one believes in the Reality of objects, so one does not know the Real Self, which is Existence itself, as long as one mis-identifies with the Body.

Just as Sense perception is objective, so the Body itself is objective, while the Self is the non–objective Consciousness.  In this manner, the aspirant should meditate on the Self as being free of the Body & its related limitations. The significance of Detachment & the actual experience for those on the path of Knowledge are far-reaching.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 82

4–Requisites: Detachment vairagya (continued)

The greater the Detachment, the greater the sense of Peace & Freedom, even while one still imagines the World to be real or conceives of himself as if in a World. Moreover, the Detachment enables the aspirant to meditate on the Truth regarding Existence itself, the Self, & thus transcend the World entirely, including the very notion that it exists or is a Reality apart from the Self.

No one who is still attached to the things of the World will wish to proceed to meditate on World–transcending Truth for fear of losing what he considers to be the source of Happiness & Peace & what he conceives to be real.  One who is Detached, though, is not bound or impeded in such a manner, & free from clinging to particular things, is capable of liberating himself from the entirety of the Illusion, Discovering by immediate experience that Happiness, Peace, & Reality are of the very Nature of the Self.

Lack of Discernment regarding the Real Source of Happiness & Peace, the actual way to be free & contented, the Real Source of Love & satisfaction, & such produces Attachment. Attachment produces Suffering.  Indeed, Attachment is Suffering. Discrimination leads to detachment.  Detachment yields Freedom & Joy.  Indeed, detachment is Freedom & Joy.

Detachment is declared to be “from the results of action here & hereafter; it is Detachment from all Worldly things & all other things.” The significance is that one who is in pursuit of Self-Knowledge, the Realization of the Absolute, should not have Attachment to any material thing, Worldly circumstance, or personal relationship of any kind. It also means that one should not be attached to the obtaining of religious reward, whether conceived as being reaped in an after-death state or within the context of that aspect of Illusion manifesting as the present Life & its experiences.

The Attachments are based on mis-identifications & are a hindrance to the destruction of the illusory Ego, which is Liberation, or Self- Realization. Therefore, one who yearns for Self-Realization &, thus, seeks to know himself as he truly is will abandon Attachment.  One who comprehends this Knowledge is no longer confused about Reality & remains unattached to the entire World.

The first phrase quoted from Shankara’s instruction regarding Detachment states that one is to be detached from transient things from the Body to Brahman. Just as other objects are dependent upon the senses to even appear, so is with the Body. Just as other objects have a creation & a destruction, so does the Body have a birth & death, a creation & a destruction, so does the Body have a birth & a death. Just as there is no Happiness inherent in any object, but all Joy  is of the Self alone, so Happiness does not depend upon the Body. Just as real Existence is not perceived as long as one believes in the Reality of objects, so one does not know the real Self, which is Existence itself, as long as one misidentifies with the Body. Just as Sense perception is objective, so the Body itself is objective, while the Self is the non-objective Consciousness. In this manner, the aspirant should meditate on the Self as being free of the Body & its related limitations.

The significance of Detachment & the actual experience for those on the path of Knowledge are far-reaching.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 81

4–Requisites: Detachment vairagya

If Discrimination does not lead to Detachment, it is not sufficiently deep, & its purpose, which is the experience of lasting Happiness remains unfulfilled.  Discrimination with Detachment leads to Liberation, which is full of Bliss & Peace.  Discrimination yields the ability to become detached, & Detachment enables the seeker to become further discriminating.

Detachment comes by clarity regarding the nature of Happiness & the nature of that which endures. Attachment occurs due to Ignorance regarding the source of Happiness & because one believes that that to which one is attached, be it an object, a person, an event, a situation, or any other thing, will endure & never change or perish. Meditation upon the transient nature of all things, relations, events, & situations helps to develop Detachment.  Further Meditation that ascertains the Truth about Happiness, be it called Peace, satisfaction, love, or by any other term, results in Detachment.  The seeker of Self-Realization should meditate upon being Detached & then meditate with Detachment upon the essential Self-Inquiry into the Self

If one is attached, one suffers.  It is not possible to be free & truly content as long as one is attached. Attachment creates Suffering, obscures Wisdom, & gives the false sense of bondage. One should not be confused about Attachment & feel that it is integral to Love.

Love is of the Unity of the Truth of the nature of all beings, but Attachment actually produces an Illusion of separation & merely obstructs that very Love.  Similar is it with the sense of “security” that one in Delusion may regard as dependent on Attachment. Attachment makes for the absence of Peace, the sense of insecurity. Even if, in delusion, one supposes these provide security or Love, the anxiety over these, which is evident to anyone who is discerning, is Suffering & a very insecure state.  If there is Freedom from Attachment, Peace is present within.

Attachment is a mode of Mind & not a particular action or the possession of something. Though Renunciation has been used by many spiritual beings to enhance, help, or express their becoming Detached, the Detachment, itself, is an inner state & not a particular action. With Detachment, one can abide free & at Peace in the midst of pleasant or unpleasant circumstances, with friends or with those who carry animosity, among others or all alone, with wealth or with poverty, & when active & when inactive.

The significance of Detachment & the actual experience for those on the path of Knowledge are far-reaching.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 80  [reprint of  Reality 75 & 76]

(for continuity if a Past thread going forward)

Reality 75

6–Requisites: Discrimination viveka

Discrimination refers to the ability to Discern what is true & what is not true. It may commence with deep thinking or contemplation, yet as it becomes clear & firm, it is a matter of actual inner experience. It may start with what is very basic, yet continues to be instrumental in the Knowledge until Realization itself.  Unless a person Discerns the Source of Happiness, there is not much of a possibility of finding that Happiness, let alone retaining that Happiness without subsequent loss.

Unless a person Discerns the purpose of Life, it will not be fulfilled. It is only for a person exercising keen Discrimination regarding what constitutes Realization that a corresponding clear way of realizing will become evident. Otherwise, the seeker will practice in a random fashion, practice will not correlate to unexamined ignorant tendencies.  Rather serving to destroy such delusive notions & patterns of conceptualizing, the practice will overlook the unexamined ignorant tendencies (vasanas).

It will not be possible for one to know oneself without releasing the mis–identifications that currently bind or obscure.  It will not be possible to thoroughly release such mis–identifications unless they are discerned as being mis–identifications rather than being assumed to be one’s actual nature, which instead is the Absolute Self ?

Discrimination enables one to know Reality as it is. Ignorance consists of taking the Real to be unreal & the unreal to be Real.  One must Discern which is Real & which is unreal in order to be free of Illusion Maya or Ignorance (avidya, ajnana) or Superimposition vivarta , or moha Delusion.

Freedom from Ignorance is true Knowledge, the non–conceptual Wisdom that sees Reality as it is. This Discrimination cannot be a sensory activity. As long as one assumes that the Senses determine what is real, so long one imagines a supposed external World to be existent & objects to be real.

The Senses display only tiny impressions – minute & momentary, no matter how varied, complex, or large they may appear to be – & not the ever–present Existence as it is. The Senses are incapable of determining the Real Nature of the Existence that is the Self.

One cannot expect to see the formless Self, to hear the silent Self, to touch the intangible Self, etc. Moreover, what is Real must always be Real, in order to be Real. If it is not always be Real, a thing is entirely unreal or a mis–perception of what is Real.

The transient Senses are incapable of perceiving the eternal Reality. The Self which one seeks to realize is the eternal Reality. Therefore, Self-Inquiry utilizing Discrimination to know the Self is not a sensory activity, does not depend on the Senses, & eliminates the belief in the validity or reality of the sensory “perceptions”.

Reality 76

4–Requisites: Discrimination viveka (continued)

Discrimination may manifest as a practice of comparison & contrast in meditation & as the elimination of the Super–imposition of various things & ideas upon the Self, which alone is the source of Happiness, one’s identity, & Reality. Discrimination causes these – Happiness, Identity, & Reality – to be known where they truly abide: as One & as the Self alone. This comparing & contrasting takes the form of discerning the unchanging from the changeful, the Eternal from the transitory, the continuous from the sporadic, the non-objective from the objective, the non-dependent from the dependent, the indivisible from the multiple or divisible, & by similar distinctions between the Real Self & the unreal mis-identifications or things with which one mis-identifies. At its zenith, Discrimination reveals that which has been negated as utterly non-existent & that the Reality alone is.

Discrimination should not be wrongly associated with mere intellectual learning, cogitation, & theory. On the contrary, Discrimination reveals that which is beyond the Intellect, what is not a product of thought, & destroys the personal opinions of the pseudo–entity, the Ego, to reveal what actually exists. In practice, Discrimination may be subtle or vivid revelation, but it always signifies a shift in what one feels one’s Identity is.

If one supposedly knows better but cannot live up to it, sees Attachment but cannot abandon it, recognizes a binding emotion but continues to dwell in it, understands a concept to be such but continues to mis-identify with it, such is a lack of Discrimination or Knowledge. Indeed, such means that one has only added the new term to the old Delusion, Illusion, Bondage, & Suffering. That is not Discrimination. No such thing occurs in real Discrimination, just as one does not run for water in a mirage  when one knows it to be a mirage, does not touch something burning  hot when one knows it be hot, & is not fooled or frightened by a supposed Snake when one knows it to be only a Rope.

Spiritual Discrimination may come quickly or slowly, in a flash or after repeated Contemplation & Meditation, entirely on one’s own or after detailed instruction.  What is essential is that one develops the ability to keenly Discern.  Without such Discrimination, the light of Wisdom, or Knowledge, will not dawn, even though the Reality is ever present & within oneself.

Spiritual Discrimination reveals the Truth, which transcends all forms & actions, all words & thought. The aspirant should exercise Discrimination to arrive at the actual experience & true meaning of the Teachings of Sages, using one’s best reasoning powers for an inner­most purpose. The seeing of the Self beyond all notions is a result of Discrimination.

It is only that which one truly knows that is actually experienced.  It is only that which is actually experienced that one truly knows.  Spiritual Discrimination commences when one abandons any illusory division between understanding & experience, & they are one & simultaneous.  The Path is the fusion of understanding & experience.  One’s own Existence is simultaneously known & experienced, & it is precisely at such inner depth that spiritual Discrimination should be practiced.

Spiritual Discrimination gives rise to the other Requisites for Realization.  It is the cornerstone of spiritual advancement.  It is a like a bright lamp taken with one. It illumines the way & in the hunt for shadows, everywhere it is brought, no darkness is seen to exist.

Discrimination is of the very essence of the path of Knowledge, & it is such a way in Knowledge that results in Self-Knowledge.  The significance of Discrimination & the actual experience for those on the path of Knowledge are far-reaching.

The above themes & 2600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Mind & Happiness 20

In spite of all the confusing complexity found in the spiritual literature of the World, running throughout that literature there is a common thread of simple Truth, which we can easily discern if we are able to understand the original teachings of the real Sages.  Because the same fundamental truth of Non-Duality has been expressed in the recorded words of Sages from so many diverse cultures throughout the ages, modern students of Philosophy often call it the “perennial philosophy“, a term that corresponds to the ancient Sanskrit term sanātana dharma, which literally means “that which always upholds” or “that which is ever established“, & which therefore by implication means the “eternal truth“, the “eternal law“, the “eternal principle“, the “eternal support“, the “eternal foundation“, the “eternal nature“, the “eternal essence“, the “eternal way” or the “eternal religion“.

Fortunately for us, Sri Ramana’s Teachings were not only recorded in his Life-time by many of his followers, some of whom understood them very clearly, but were also written by him in various poems & other works.  Since he composed poetry not only in the language of allegory & mystical love, but also in the language of philosophy, & since in his poetry he described the reality & the means of attaining it in very clear & unambiguous terms, he has made it extremely easy for us to understand the simple truth that underlies the Teachings of all Sages.

Having read & understood his Teachings, if we read the Teachings of any other real Sage, we can easily recognize that the same Truth is expressed in all of them.  Moreover, his Teachings also serve as a key that enables us to unravel & extract the true Teachings of the Sages from the dense mass of extraneous Theologies, Cosmologies & Philosophies with which they have become mixed in every religion & spiritual tradition.

Therefore readers who are already familiar with the sanātana dharma, the timeless & universal truth or “perennial philosophy” taught by all Sages, will find that the Teachings of Sri Ramana also express that same basic Philosophy.  However, they will also find that his Teachings throw a clear & fresh light upon that Philosophy, elucidating many subtle & profound truths that have seldom been expressed so explicitly by other Sages, particularly with regard to the practical means by which we can attain the true experience of Non-Dual Self-Knowledge.

Because the teachings of Sri Ramana are a simple yet very profound revelation of the fundamental & Absolute Reality that underlies the appearance of all multiplicity & diversity, they express the Ultimate Truth that is the inner essence of all religions & spiritual traditions.  Hence people of many diverse religious & cultural backgrounds have recognized that his Teachings are a profoundly insightful & authentic exposition of the true import of their own religion or spiritual tradition, & have understood that after studying his teachings they need not study any other spiritual texts.

Though the same simple truth of Non-Duality can be found expressed in all the spiritual literature of the World if we search for it hard enough, it is not necessary or advisable for us to waste our Time searching for it in the scriptures & sacred writings, where it is usually hidden among a dense mass of extraneous ideas. That is why in verse 60 of Vivēkacūḍāmaṇi Sri Adi Sankara warned all serious spiritual aspirants to avoid excessive study of the scriptures or śāstras, which he described as a “great forest of delusive snares of noisy words” (śabda jālaṁ mahāraṇyaṁ) & a “cause of unsteadiness, bewilderment & confusion of Mind” (cittabhramaṇa kāraṇam), & advised us that with the guidance of a Sage who knows the Truth we should instead try to investigate & know the Truth of our Self through direct experience.

For us to attain such direct non-dual experience of our own Real Self, all the guidance required can be found expressed in an extremely clear & simple manner in the teachings of Sri Ramana. If we read & understand his Teachings, there will be no need for us to study any other scriptures or sacred writings, because from his Teachings we will learn that the Truth does not lie outside us in any books, but only within us, in the innermost core of our Existence, & that the only means to experience it is therefore to turn our attention self-wards to know the reality of the Consciousness by which we know all other things.

This detailed analysis derives from 3 principal sources.  In part it consists of ideas from the writings & recorded sayings of Sri Ramana, in particular from the most comprehensive & profound record of his sayings that his pre-eminent disciple Sri Muruganar preserved in the form of Tamil verses in Guru Vācaka Kōvai.

In part it consists of ideas from Sri Sadhu Om, who was one of the closest disciples of Sri Ramana (by which term I mean not those who merely lived close to him physically, but those who followed his Teachings most closely & truly), who was a lucid & extremely profound exponent of his Teachings.

However, for the most part it consists of Sri Ramana’s Teachings. However, as Sri Ramana himself emphasized, mere belief in certain ideas is not True Knowledge, so we must all hold our beliefs tentatively, & must endeavor to verify them for our self by seeking to attain true experiential knowledge of the fundamental & absolute reality through empirical research, that is, through practical Self-Investigation. Therefore, the sole aim of all the theory discussed is to guide us & encourage us in our practical quest for the direct, immediate, Non-Dual & Absolute experience of True Self-Knowledge.

When we begin to study any Knowledge, such as Self-Knowledge, which is concerned not with knowing any object but only with knowing the Consciousness by which all objects are known, it is necessary for us to have tentative trust in the experience & testimony of those who have already acquired that practical knowledge.

All learning requires a keen, inquisitive & questioning Mind, but just as honest doubt plays an important part in the learning process, so too does tentative trust. Knowledge is acquired most efficiently & effectively by an intelligent use of both doubt & trust.  Discriminating students know what is to be doubted, & what is to be tentatively trusted.

More than in any other Knowledge, in this Self-Knowledge, doubt is essential, because to know the Truth that underlies all appearances, we must doubt the reality of everything – not just the reality of the objects known by our Mind, but the reality of our knowing Mind itself.  However, though doubt plays such a vital role in the process of acquiring self-knowledge, tentative trust in the testimony of Sages, who have already attained the experience of true Self-Knowledge, is nevertheless extremely helpful.

The above themes & 2500 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through  www.jpstiga.com 

short-cut: http://sdrv.ms/YPOgkX or http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58  link directly to free E-book PDF files

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

http://www.blogger.com     as  “Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality – new & final version” with link:

http://Being-as-Consciousness.blogspot.com/

“There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth.”

–  the “no creation” school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

 for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/