The Soul, the Self is that witnesses the coming and going of the 'I'.+

Mundaka Upanishad 1.3:~ Complete knowledge includes knowledge of the phenomenal world, the spirit behind it, and the source of both of them.  When the cause of all causes becomes known, then everything knowable becomes known, and nothing remains unknown.”

Bhagavad Gita: ~ The permanent is always there, only the transient 'I' comes and goes. (2.18)

It is erroneous to identify the Soul, the innermost self as 'I' or 'I AM' because the Soul, the Self is not 'I' or I AM’. The Soul, the Self is that witness of the 'I'. 

It is impossible to get rid of any conditioning without getting rid of the inborn samskara or conditioning.   ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is the inborn samskara or conditioning. ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ is the mother of all conditioning. Because of this inborn conditioning, one thinks he is an individual separate from the world and the world existed prior to him and he is born in it afterward. 

Until this inborn conditioning is present one is in the grip of duality and he experiences the birth, life, death, and the world as reality.  This inborn conditioning makes one experience the illusory duality as reality. 

First, the seeker has to know ‘What is the mind” What is the substance of the mind? And ‘what is the source of the mind? , in order to realize ‘what is what’?  The ego is the physical mind, whereas the mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep).  Thus, a  perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is necessary to realize that form, time, and space are merely an illusion created out of single stuff. 

A deeper self-search reveals the fact that: ~   

The duality is present only when the mind is present. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe is present in the form of form, time, and space.  Without form, time, and space, there is no duality.

The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe is present in the form of form, time, and space.  Without form, time, and space, there is no duality. The duality is not a reality from the standpoint of the soul, the innermost self.

The mind is present in the form of the form, time, and space. Thus, whatever belongs to form, time and space is a falsehood. Thus, the universe in which we exist as a reality is a falsehood.   

Thus, there is a need to know ‘what is what’ in order to realize the truth beyond the form, time, and space.

The ‘I’ disappears as deep sleep, so what is the use of being attached to it? It is impermanent and illusory because ‘I’ is physical awareness. Physical awareness is not self-awareness. ‘I-less awareness is self-awareness.

There is really no ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. And the mind is in the form of the universe. And the universe appears as a waking or dream. The ‘I’ or mind or the universe or waking or dream disappears as deep sleep.  

Thus, one that appears as ‘I’ or mind or the universe or waking or dream is consciousness and it disappears as deep sleep is also consciousness.  In deep sleep, it is in its formless nondual true nature.  The one, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states, is also the consciousness.   Thus, the witness and witnessed are one in essence.   

Thus, the universe is a reality on the base of individuality (ego) and the universe is unreal on the base of the Soul, the Self. The seeker gradually will grasp and realize the unreal nature of the universe or mind. Individuality is illusory because the Self is not an individual because the Soul, the Self is formless,  and it pervades everything and everywhere in all three states.

An ignorant observation is based on the dualistic (matter or body or ego) perspective, whereas a Gnanis judgment is based on the nondualistic (Soul or Spirit or consciousness) perspective.  There is neither the stone, nor the animal, nor does the world exist as a reality, when the Soul, the innermost 'Self' remains in its own awareness.

When the Self is not the form (ego or waking entity or you) then the reason based on the form (waking entity or you) will not yield truth. Thus, one has to learn to reason on the base of the formless soul, the innermost self to reach the ultimate end of understanding. 

Where is the duality in the nonduality?  From the standpoint of the soul, the innermost self, the manifestation is merely an illusion.  The illusion has no value in the realm of the ultimate truth or Brahman.  And also the manifestation is the consciousness because it is,  it is created out of consciousness.

When the whole waking, movable and immovable, is known to be the soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, then there is no room to say the waking is real, because the Soul and the three states are one in essence.

Only when the duality is present there is a manifestation. The manifestation is merely an illusion (duality).  The illusion is there only when there is ignorance. When there is no ignorance, then there is no illusion. When there is no illusion, then there is no duality. When there is no duality, then there is no manifestation. When there is no cause and effect,  then there is the nondualistic or Advaitic reality.  

Remember:~  

 The Soul, the  Self is that witnesses the coming and going of the  'I'. 

The Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the witness that experiences the action, the actor, and the world of separate things. It is like a light that illuminates everything in a theatre, revealing the master of ceremonies, the guests, and the dancers with complete impartiality. Even when they all depart, the light shines to reveal their absence.

The waking entity (ego or you) is not the witness.  The waking entity and waking world are merely an illusion. A Gnani is in Advaitic awareness in the midst of the illusory world; he used to witness everything on the base of the Soul the innermost Self. For a Gnani his body, his ego, and his experience of the world are merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

‘I’ is not the witness.   ‘I’ is witnessed. The witness is the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. 

Consciousness is real and eternal. The Self is not ‘I’, but the Self is the Soul which is the witness of the ‘I’.  Holding the ‘I as the 'Self' leads to hallucination based on the dualistic imagination.

In Self-awareness-- the witness and witnessed are one in essence. That essence is consciousness. There is no second thing that exists other than consciousness.

Thus whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person is a reality within the waking experience (duality) but the waking experience (duality) itself is merely an illusion. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar