Miscellaneous - Religion   

Knowledge of the Self

CHENNAI : The Absolute Reality (Brahman) is described in the scriptures as beyond the ken of the mind, intellect and the senses, which are the instruments through which man gains all knowledge. According to Advaita Vedanta the plurality (the universe) that is experienced is the creation of the mind (of the Absolute Self) and is not absolutely real.

Knowledge of the Self (Atman, Brahman) enables one to grasp the unity of existence and hence the illusion of duality, which is responsible for the mind to perceive the diversity, disappears with spiritual knowledge. The logical doubt that arises when a spiritual seeker tries to grasp this truth is how the mind creates this delusion.

In his discourse, Sri Mani Dravid Sastri said that in the Yoga Vasishta Sage Vasishta explained to Rama that the ideation in the Absolute (Brahman) was experienced as the vast universe when He raised this doubt. The example of a rope being mistaken for a snake due to illusion can be applied to understand this to a certain extent. This common misapprehension is overcome the moment the person knows that it is only a piece of rope, while in the case of the mind which is the instrument of knowledge in a person, its delusion ceases only with Self-knowledge. As long as the Self is not known it is only possible to indicate it by resorting to the famous Vedantic way of negating what it is not (Neti neti, meaning not this).

The Absolute is the cause of all and eternal in nature. It is called variously in different philosophical systems but irrespective of what it is called it is one. It is not insentient like the rope but the basis of all sentient beings and the inner witness. It is of the nature of consciousness and all- pervasive. It is because of the Self that all beings and the cosmos function.

Spiritual insight also happens because of the Self. But the Self is untainted by the body. The Self is spoken of as an entity because it is due to this that everything else functions in this universe. Another doubt that can arise is: "What is the use of Self-knowledge?" Liberation, which puts an end to transmigration, is possible only when the Self is realised. All other austerities and spiritual practices will lead to knowledge (Jnana), which alone can remove ignorance and result in Self-realisation.

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