Self-inquiry is finding out the ‘Self’ which is hidden by the illusory universe, in which we exist. By inquiring ‘Who am I?’, the ignorance will not vanish. Without getting rid of ignorance, the Advaitic wisdom will not dawn. Without Advaitic wisdom, it is not possible to realize the truth, which is hidden within the world in which we exist.
That is why Sage Sankara says: ~ VC-63- Without causing the objective universe to vanish and without knowing the truth of the ‘Self’ how is one to achieve Liberation by the mere utterance of the word Brahman? — It would result merely in an effort of speech.
Sage Sankara says ~ “What is accepted without a proper inquiry will not lead a person to the final goal. On the contrary, such acceptance will result only in evil, in something detrimental to our spiritual progress.
Sage Sankara says the transparent the truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani).
By inquiring Who is that you. Noting is gained. The inquirer himself is the ego. Without the ego, you do not exist. The Self is not you because you are the ego.
The Self is not you but the Self is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.
The seeker has to drop all his egocentric accumulated knowledge and only then he is fit to grasp Self-knowledge.
Remember:~
There is only the mind that is present as the universe. Thus, we have to investigate the world that confronts us.
Sage Sankara: ~ The unreality of the universe is exposed only when one inquires into the nature of the universe.
Sage Sankara: ~ VC-63- "Without knowing and examining the external world, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.
After verifying through deeper inquiry if one finds the world is the reality within the illusion then he cannot again say the world is not an illusion.
If one is frightened to accept the world is an illusion (waking) then he is unfit to acquire Self -knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.
Those who stuck with the reality of the world are stuck with the reality of the individual experiences of birth, life, and death, which take place within the unreal world. Thus the pursuit of truth is for those who have the courage to accept the reality as it is, that is the reality without form, time, and space.
All is consciousness. The whole universe is consciousness. From consciousness, the universe comes. When the universe disappears, the consciousness still remains without form, time, and space.
Sage Sankara: ~ “VC~ All this universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms, is nothing else but Brahman (Consciousness) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of human thought.
When you finally realize the ‘‘Self’ ‘is not you but the ‘‘Self’’ is the Soul then you will realize the world in which you exist is merely an illusion created out of the Soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness.
Sage Sankara says: - VC-47- All the effects of ignorance, root, and branch, are burnt down by the fire of knowledge, which arises from discrimination between these two—the Self and the non-Self.
Until you think you are an individual separate from the world and the world that existed prior to you and you are born in it afterward the ignorance will prevail as a reality. Until ignorance is there the universe prevails as reality.
The Soul is the ‘Self’. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. The consciousness is that which knows everything, that which sees. Consciousness alone remains after one gets rid of all thoughts and ideas by identification with ‘Self’.
Consciousness is only the seer; it is not Brahman that is an error. It becomes Brahman only after a deeper inquiry and Soulcentric reasoning. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar
