Advaita Vedanta - A Path to Realization of Truth

 

55. D.: If the Self has three forms as Being, Knowledge and Bliss, are there then three selves?

M.: No.

It is only one.

Just as the fire showing forth as heat,

light and redness, is not three but only one, or water appearing as coldness, fluidity and taste is only one,

so also the Self shining forth as Being-Knowledge-Bliss is not three

but only one.

56-58. D.: If the Self is only one, how can It be said to be `all permeating'?

M.: It is correct to say that the Self,

being only One, is all permeating,

because It is all knowing,

It,

as Knowledge, can permeate all.

D.: Being the inmost Self aware of the five sheaths of the body, can It be all knowing?

M.: Yes. It can.

The whole universe made up of the five elements,

their combinations and mutations is seen by Itself and by no other.

Being insentient, the others cannot know. Otherwise the insentient like a pot etc., should be knowing.

But it is not so.

Only It knows all of them but they do not know It.

It is the All knower.

D.: The Self perceives only such things as are within the ken of the senses and not those beyond.

Where does It perceive Mt. Meru or Heaven?

M.: It knows all.

In the Self which is but the Ether of Knowledge,

all that is non-self i.e., insentient,

appears in both manners, as

perceived or unperceived.

Just as in the Ether of Knowledge and not

elsewhere, the home, lands, village, town and country seem perceived by the senses, so also things beyond the senses such as Mt. Meru or heaven appear as unperceived by them.

D.: Can anything unperceived by the senses appear at all?

M.: Yes, it can.

Though non-existent like the son of a barren woman,

yet in the Ether of Knowledge,

the home etc., appear as objects of

perception, because the latencies of the mind present themselves so.

In the same manner, though unreal and unperceived, Meru etc., are fancied by the mind and appear in the Ether of Knowledge.

D.: How?

M.: Before the witnessing consciousness in dreams the mental phenomena present themselves as objects of perception such as the home etc., and also others beyond perception like heaven etc.

In the same way

they do so in the waking state too. Otherwise one cannot say

"I do not know heaven, Meru etc."

However one says "I do not know heaven, Meru etc."

This means that heaven, Meru etc., appear as objects unperceived by the senses.

Thus the Self which knows all the

insentient nonself, like Mt. Meru etc.,

is this Self only.

If not found in all (everywhere) but seen only within, as the inner Self witnessing the five sheaths,

how can It know all?

Certainly It cannot do so.

In itself the mind fancies things far and near,

perceptible and imperceptible,

known and unknown.

As their substratum the Self runs through and knows them all.

The Self is thus all-pervading.

Therefore the same Self only is in all and there can be no doubt of this.

ADVAITA BODHA DEEPIKA

[LAMP OF NON-DUAL KNOWLEDGE]