Unveiling the Infinite Self with Vedantic Insights

Rate it 5 stars , please , and do like this video right now . Press it right now and do leave a comment if you feel like doing so . There are two ways of looking at awareness . One way is I'm aware of an object .

Now , when one is aware of an object , there is still a subtle duality there , but one understands that they are the awareness and there is an object that one is observing . So that can be the thoughts in the mind . That can be literally an object right in front of you .

That is one type of awareness which is good in the beginning , necessary in the beginning , because you want to create a bit of a detachment . Otherwise what happens really is like . For example , it goes from like my car to I'm aware of the car , you know from you know my body to I'm aware of the body .

So what we see there is , there is a distinct , an interesting duality , but there's also the understanding that maybe they're in the background , that all of this is that one substance , that one existence , that one being . Now , the other awareness , although there isn't another awareness , it's still one and the same . It's still one and the same .

But how to understand the non-dual truth effectively is to understand the difference . So you have the sarkshibab , which is the , the witness , consciousness . So that's there in the intellect , kind of .

You know that goes through the intellect and the mind , and you know there is , I am observing , I am the witness of these thoughts , I'm the witness of the images , I'm a witness of the images on this , I'm aware of what's going on around me .

You know there's a , there's a perceptual awareness that's going on and I'm going to use an analogy of the screen in a minute . But there is the aspect where and this is the highest level , so on the , on the relative reality , level , level of reality which is , like you know , where we are transactioning with the world there is that awareness which is kind .

We are in meditation , when we are in absorption , so we may be reading a scripture , but eventually it leads us to understanding our true nature . Once that's understood , then it's about just resting in our true nature . Now , this awareness is simply aware of itself . This awareness does not need anything to be aware of itself , it's enough unto itself .

So what happens is where it's . Like you know , rupert Spira says this a lot it's obviously being in the scriptures a lot being aware of being aware . Now , it's not that there is another awareness , aware of awareness , it's literally the same awareness , but the residue of the object is no longer there .

So , on that changeless substratum , both awarenesses , on both levels that we've been talking about , the one aware of the object and one aware of its own awareness , they both are one and the same in the sense of there is not a separate awareness . One is function through some level of the mind , because one is aware of the mind .

This one is when you dissolve into awareness , when you surrender into awareness , and there is only awareness there . You surrender into awareness and there is only awareness there . So literally , it's like awareness is just being awareness .

And this was relatively nicely put and uh , I'm going to try and find it , but it was nicely put by Ramana Maharishi and I hope I have this somewhere , but I do have it written down . Yes , so Ramana Maharishi would say that this reality , so this Brahman that we're talking about , the paramatika level , is .

What we're talking of is that this awareness is not awareness of anything other than ourself or itself . So in that awareness , there is only awareness present . There is no such thing as any notion existing . There isn't anything before that awareness . There's nothing after that awareness .

Now , this awareness is constantly there , even in the relative reality , but we can easily forget about it . Hence , in Vedanta , we talk about having a strong understanding of how everything else is transient and temporary , and therefore only this consciousness , this Brahman , is complete in itself .

But to get to that level , you have to literally be logically shown that everything else is illogical , that everything else is transient . Everything else is an object that you can be aware of , therefore separate to you , and this separation is what causes the ego , creates the ego , and this ego is what enforces this separation continuously .

And therefore this separation is also given by ignorance , avidya . And then also , even if we are aware of our true self , we could be mistaking the rope for a snake or the snake for a rope , shall I say . You know , there's a rope in front of us , but we've imposed , superimposed , a snake , and that's what we've done .

We think consciousness is produced by the brain , as some neuroscientists believe , but Advaita Vedanta would suggest otherwise , that consciousness is prior to the brain , to the mind .

Now , that's not the topic I was discussing , but I think it was very important that we understand when we're talking about Brahman , when we're talking about the highest non-dual realization of what we abide by and what truly is enlightenment . None of this other stuff that people claim is enlightenment .

Like if you believe that enlightenment is about you not being disturbed by anyone , that's not enlightenment . Awareness cannot be disturbed . So to imply that there could be disturbance there is not disturbance is ridiculous , of course , even if one turns around , say but , but the mind is cleaned . Therefore , if the mind is pure , it will not get disturbed .

Somewhat true , but there are certain tendencies that are maintained for the body to function . So there will always be some level of disturbance . Whether this becomes anything , that's our sadhana , that's our spiritual practice . But has it got anything to do with actual realization ? Very little . There's a correlation , for sure , I would say , but it's not the causation .

Like . Enlightenment does not cause you to not be disturbed . This is my honest opinion . Enlightenment does not cause you to not be disturbed . This is my honest opinion . All I find is that enlightenment is understanding who you really are now , who you really are . To say it is not disturbed by anything is true , but then do not neglect the human experience .

The human experience is very important and the human experience , the human experience is very important and the human experience is what is beautiful . You know , if I choose to be happy about something , that's my choice .

The mind has made that choice , the intellect has guided that choice and that intellect is strengthened by my vivek , that vivek which is my discernment , and that's you know . The Bhagavad Gita is a perfect text because it shows you how to live in the world and how to function as an enlightened being .

Right , so , yes , there's qualities of an enlightened being that shri krishna has talked about . But yes , and that person is to be free from agitation . Yes , now , if you see from the physical point of view , then you're missing the point . Yeah , what shri krishna is describing is that person who has removed every aspect of personal identification .

Now , that can not be the body and mind . There are still vasanas , latent tendencies , there's still samskaras that can come up . There's still akarma , aparabdha , karma . So all those need a response of some sort . Even not responding is a response and that also has its effect . So , yes , going to the screen example .

So you have a screen , a blank screen , a cinema screen , a theatre screen . If you're in America and you have a movie being played , countless movies have been played on that screen . Has the screen been influenced by any of those movies ? No , it remains as it is , a screen that will project movies .

Now , that screen , obviously , if we imply that it is aware of itself , that screen will always return back to itself as it is , pure and simple . It's just a blank screen . The moment a movie is played on it , the screen can be , the screen is showing that movie , is allowing the movie to project , to be projected , and , again , it's not impacted .

So , likewise , this is how to understand what Ramana Maharishi was talking about . So when he says that this awareness is not awareness of anything other than ourself or itself , what's implying is that that pure awareness that is the screen , regardless of the images being shown , it doesn't matter , it is , it knows that it is awareness itself . That's it .

And then , when I say self , remember , I'm not talking about somebody , don't mistake or some supernatural element like the soul . I'm not talking about that like something separate . I'm talking about that which is an indivisible , but if I'm aware of an object , it can be like the screen being aware that the movie is being projected . If it could be .

I know it's not the greatest analogy , but it was an analogy I wanted to share because I want us to understand what really is self-realization , what really is God-realization , what really is enlightenment .

And it's simply I think Ramana Maharishi says it beautifully it's this awareness that this reality is , that this awareness is not awareness of anything other than ourself or itself . The reason why I say ourself is because Vedanta is all about knowing who you really are , and it's not like you adopt a higher self . You are already the higher self .

You've always been the higher self . You superimposed a smaller self , or I have superimposed a smaller self , or I have superimposed a smaller self . This limited being , what I was , what I am , is something limitless , but what I think I am is something limited , and self-realization is when you break away from that limitation .

So it's not about you gaining another kind of self . No , there is only that one self , and that's it . That one self is the same in all of us . All of us are literally like waves upon the ocean of the self , that's all . But the wave is the ocean and the self , all these limited selves , are all that one ocean .

So you can be a wave , but understand , you're the ocean . That's Jivan Mukti and that's what Advaita Vedanta offers . That's what it plans to do . But again , what I've talked about today is probably really high level , kind of top level , kind of non-duality .

Not this non-duality that you hear on YouTube these days , or these people , neo-advitants , who , in my opinion , their message is confusing . In my opinion , their message is confusing . But the clarity required to be in awareness , where we are not aware of anything else other than our true self , our true nature , our atma , there's nothing beyond that .

But how do I deal with this world ? That's the main question . That if I know that I am awareness , that I am Brahman , that that's what I am truly , if I truly believe , if I truly realize this , if I truly am abiding in this , then how do I deal with the world ? And that's why Sri Krishna mentions the whole world being a lila .

All this is a lila , all this is a play , a world , the jagat , the world is presenting a play upon itself . Now do I cry that the play has finished or the play is not going the way I wanted it to go . I'm not the director , I'm not even the actor . If you simply go with the flow , you see , life is very beautiful , even the pains , the struggles .

Even that is beautiful because it makes you appreciate life . And that's what we have to do . Appreciate life In this limited time that we have to do . Appreciate life In this limited time that we have . It's a blip in eternity . Appreciate it , and first , get to know who you really are and see with the vision of the sages , the tattva darshis .

You know the ones that are the seers , as they call it . See as they see and you will find this world to be magnificent . You don't need a psychedelic trip , you don't need no substance to bring this to you . It can be seen right now , right here .

All you need is that wisdom to see it , to unveil it , to unveil that which is already here , to unveil that which you already are . That's all . And again , to make this something that will remain with you . See , we can get maybe from what you've heard today , you may get an awakening by my words big deal , you know . Wow , great .

But how do you abide in it , how do you remain in it ? How do you make sure the mind doesn't come back to make self-realization into this event that's just happened , because it's not an event . Think about it . How can you make an event of something you already are ?

Don't make an event out of this , but the mind does that , the ego does that and that's why we go back into the cycle . Then we have to defend what we've realized , what awakening we've had . Don't bother to do any of this nonsense . The main purpose is first get our knowledge correct .

That's why we have Vedanta to stabilize us in the time that self-realization occurs in time . And obviously I'm saying occurs in time , in inverted commas . It's always hard to use language with this , but I'm trying my best . I'm trying my best to be very careful with my language and no matter how refined it gets , still you find some things missing .

But yes , that's why we have Vedanta . You know I was . I've been obviously working on my course and I realised , like 14 weeks that's half of the course In fact 13 , sorry , 13 weeks is purely dealing with duality and how it's not real , how it's a changing phenomena that we should not invest too much in .

You know you have to earn your bread and butter , so that has to be understood and then the rest of it is the lead up to non-duality . Most of it is all then the non-dual realization and the nididhyasana of it . The first 13 weeks is shravanamanana listening and then addressing doubts . You know we address the doubts in the weekly meetings that will happen .

But this is important . Do not bypass any of these steps . There's a reason why there's a structure , because for this to be permanent , for you seeking transcend samsara , we have to have full understanding . We have to have a purified mind that is able to stabilize fully in this truth and to realize that this body and mind has its use .

But it's not who I am Realize what I am is important On this podcast . What we do is we address both . But those that are of the higher understanding will understand exactly what I'm talking about . They don't need to be told that this world is , that you need to at least function in this world .

That should be a natural byproduct of understanding , if we've understood Vedanta , if you've understood whatever tradition we follow . But yes , that's all I really want to say . I'll see you in the next episode

. But one thing I do want to kind of point out and mention . So there was , there was a YouTuber . Well , there was a youtube channel of a non-dual teacher called Nirgun John . I found out that he passed away on the 10th um . I only found out yesterday and I'm really sorry for his loss . You know he was a great teacher .

He had a lot of clarity not very well known , but regardless those , even if they're not well known , they've done so much for humanity and they should be celebrated . All my sympathy to the family and friends and disciples of Nirgun John . And I don't need to say , for someone who has a first name , nirgun , I was thinking do I say rest in peace ?

Do I say may the Atma be at peace ? But then , whenever I think of the word Nirgun , I'm like , well , they've already reached where they need to reach . His teachings are there . His channel is called Nirgun John , so you can check it out . But you know it's always a sad time when genuine teachers pass on .

I always thought there's a genuineness to him and but yeah , so my humble sympathies to the family and friends and disciples of nirgunjan and any of his disciples who may also follow my content . Just know that I put him in high regard and I fully respect such great beings . So , yes , anyway , take care everybody . Namaste .