Sage Sankara: - Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread.(Disussion)+

Sage Sankara: - "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." (Select Works of Sage  Sankara" also his commentary on Brihad)

Thus, the above passage proves that all those who were the sanyasin robes are wearing them for the sake of bread.~ Santthosh Kumaar

• Natesh Mahadevan, Yonah Bey, Rose Bud, and 4 others like this.
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  Rose Bud Do you mean they are wearing robes in order to survive?

  7 hours ago ·  
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  Natesh Mahadevan this is the most stupid interpretation of the original Sanskrit work... Adi Shankara, in all his simplest of wisdom, would never mean that robes are for bread... the correct perception is that robes are to indicate monkhood and livelihood that depends on alms and food given out of love and devotion...
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  And it is even more stupid to think that all who wear robes are doing it for bread... there are many realized ones who do it so that their message gets accepted faster...
  
  please correct this post soon - let it not give a totally misguided interpretation to a global audience... Adi Shankara's works have gone through so many interpretations that the wrong ones have come to be considered true !!?
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  Santthosh Kumaar When the Self is formless there is no need for Pada Pooja (feet worship) of Advaitin gurus to get freedom. A guru, who preaches conduct (action or karma) as the means to freedom, believes in birth, life death, and the world as reality, whereas the Advaitic Sage Sankara declares the world as unreal. Therefore, how actions performed in the unreal world can get Moksha or freedom. Therefore, there is a need to know the fact that, the Self is not physical in order to understand and assimilate and realize the truth beyond physicality.
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• Vedas bar human worship:~
  
  Translation "They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal Prakriti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the Prakriti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time."- (Yajur Veda 40:9.)
  
  Then why worship and glorify the GURUS and YOGIS (human form) in place of God when Veda bars such activities and it also warns people who indulge in such activities are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.:
  
  That is why Sage Gaudapada said: ~ The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.  Sage Gaudapada suggests that the religious paths and worship of the guru and conceptual god are lower and middling intellect. But in this modern world, people are sharp enough to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. Thus people who want higher truth then it is high time to discard the lower knowledge and move ahead to realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God.
  
  That is why Sage  Sankara says:- VC-65- As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.
  
  66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.
  
  When one realizes the fact that, the whole universe and its contents, movable and immovable, are known to be consciousness, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, there is then any room to say that the universe is the universe. The universe and its contents are bound to be consciousness.
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  Natesh Mahadevan:~  kindly review the post - it is giving a totally wrong perception of monkhood and bread and such errors of interpretation lead to further delusions.
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  Santthosh Kumaar:~  That is what Sage  Sankara says. it means whoever is wearing robes is doing it from bread and modern gurus are using it for collecting wealth to serve society.
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  Santthosh Kumaar:~  Mr. Natrajan it is not what I am saying,  it is Sage Sankara himself saying. It is for Sage Sankara to review his view. The orthodox mindset will not agree with Sage Sankara's own words.  thank you.
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  Santthosh Kumaar When the Self is formless there is no need for Pada Pooja (feet worship) of Advaitin gurus to get freedom. A guru, who preaches conduct (action or karma) as the means to freedom, believes in birth, life death, and the world as reality, whereas the Advaitic Sage Sankara says the world as unreal. Therefore, how actions performed in the unreal world can get Moksha or freedom. Therefore, there is the need to know the fact that, the self is not physical in order to understand and assimilate and realize the truth beyond physicality.
  
  That is why Sage Gaudapada said: - The merciful Veda teaches karma and Upasana to people of lower and middling intellect, while Jnana is taught to those of higher intellect.
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• Sage Gaudapada suggests that the religious paths and worship of the guru and conceptual god are lower and middling intellect. But in this modern world, people are sharp enough to understand and assimilate the ultimate truth or Brahman or God. For people who want higher truth then it is high time to discard the lower knowledge and move ahead to realize the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God.
  
  That is why Sage  Sankara says:- VC- 65- As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.
  
  66. Therefore the wise should, as in the case of disease and the like, personally strive by all the means in their power to be free from the bondage of repeated births and deaths.
  
  When one realizes the fact that, the whole universe and its contents, movable and immovable, are known to be consciousness, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, there is then any room to say that the universe is the universe. The universe and its contents are bound to be consciousness.
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  Natesh Mahadevan:~  the robes are not for bread - it is only an indication of monkhood... avatars like Shankara can live without food for many days... my concern is about the wrong interpretation which comes here - to mean that robes are a means of earning bread alone... maybe good to add the further subtle meaning too... 
  
  pls understand - this is only to ensure clarity of perception to everyone who reads your inspiring posts...
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  Santthosh Kumaar:~ Brahmin is the one who has realized the Brahman (ultimate truth) and helps fellow seekers towards the inner path. The one who knows Brahman knows his body and his experience of the world are mere illusion and also he knows his body and his experience of the world are also Ataman (consciousness), which is Brahman. Thus, the priestcraft which is crafted on the body-based theories will lead one to hallucinate moksha. But real moksha or freedom is possible only through nondualistic or Advaitic wisdom. 

  
  
• That is why Bhagavad Gita says: ~ “Don't unsettle the minds of the ignorant by revealing the esoteric truth."
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  That is why Isa Upanishads indicate that: The time one spends in ritualistic practices is wasted; one can spend some time moving forward towards Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, which is the main goal.
  
  Thus it is necessary to follow the path of Brahman not the path of the orthodox priest-craft. Only by dropping all the accumulated priest-crafted baggage, one has to move forward to reach the nondual destination in lesser time and effort.
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  Santthosh Kumaar:~  Sage  Sankara' gave religious, ritual, or dogmatic instruction to the mass, but pure philosophy only to the few who could rise to it. Hence the interpretation of his writings by commentators is often confusing because they mix up the two viewpoints. Thus they may assert that ritual is a means of realizing Brahman, which is absurd.
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  Natesh Mahadevan:~ do you agree that Shankara has meant that He is wearing robes for the sake of his bread ?!?!
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  Santthosh Kumaar:~  When Sage Sankara himself says so then why to argue about that.  Sage Sankara himself said: ~ A Gnani "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).

  
  Sage Sankara: ~ "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread."
  
  So he wore a Guru's robe only for the sake of the ignorant. So he was identified as Guru with parampara by religious people. For the truth seekers, Sage Sankara is a Brahma Gnani.
  
  Thus, it proves that the religious gurus and yogis are not Gnanis because they identified themselves as holy people.
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  The so-called Gurus and yogis focus their ambition on seeing that their daily life goes on comfortably. Nobody is ready to inquire about the truth of their true existence.
  
  Sage Sankara clearly indicates in Viveka Chudamani (2) that the Knower of the Atman (A Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539).
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• Most people will not understand what I am driving at because they are seeking something which they can enjoy in this world. The ambition of the true spiritual seeker is to realize the Self, which is beyond form, time, and space. People are looking for the advantage in the practical world, to take care of their practical life~ that is the maximum they expect out of spirituality.
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  Natesh Mahadevan:~  but he appears to be contradicting his own words by saying wears robes for bread... is that contradiction clear now. 
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• Santthosh Kumaar:~  I respect your views and opinion and wisdom.  
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• Your observation is based on a dualistic (matter or body or ego and intellect) perspective, whereas my judgment is based on the nondualistic (Soul or Spirit or consciousness) perspective.  
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• You may be right on the dualistic point of view and orthodox point of view. What is the use of discussing about the religious robe within the unreal world? Instead, one has to find how this world is unreal (illusion). In Atmic discussion, the body and the world are merely an illusion. Why discuss the robe (body), when the Self is not the body.  
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• Dearest Mr. Natarajan Sage  clearly mentions ~ Sage  Sankara: - "Though I wear these robes of a Sanyasin, it is only for the sake of bread." Exploring if an outside observer can, in all cases, determine if a person is Enlightened or not, the venerated Indian Sanyasin, Sage  Sankara, in his work The Crest Jewel of Discrimination (1) or as it is sometimes known, Viveka Chudamani (2), states that the Knower of the Atman (i.e., a Gnani) "bears no outward mark of a holy man" (Stanza 539). Continuing, although there are variances found in the actual wording between various translators and translations the gist behind the words remains the same, Sage  Sankara writes: - “Sometimes he appears to be a Fool, sometimes a wise man. Sometimes he seems splendid as a king, sometimes feeble-minded. Sometimes he is calm and silent. Sometimes he draws men to him. Sometimes people honor him greatly, and sometimes they insult him. Sometimes they ignore him. 
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• Santthosh Kumaar:~  If you seek reality you must set yourself free of all backgrounds, of all cultures, of all patterns of thinking and feeling. Even the idea of being a man or woman or even a human should be discarded. 
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• Without breaking away from religion and ancient traditions it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Religion and tradition will keep one locked in ignorance. 
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• When the Upanishad says: the human goal is to acquire Self-Knowledge, and they indicate that personal gods, scriptures, worship, and rituals are not the means to Self –Knowledge, then why anyone should indulge in it. The religion, concept of individualized god and scriptures are the greatest obstacle to realizing non-dual truth or Self-realization because they are based on the false self. 
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• The seeker of truth has to search for the ultimate truth without losing himself in religious rituals and worship. the seeker has to strive through deeper self-search and assimilate and realize it.  
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• That is why Sage Sankara, indicated in Bhaja Govindam says: - (Jnana Viheena Sarva Mathena Bajathi na Muktim janma Shatena) - one without knowledge does not obtain liberation even in a hundred births, no matter which religious faith he follows.

The ‘I-centric' Gurus and their teachings are not a yardstick in the path of wisdom.+

The ‘I’-centric' Gurus and their teachings are not a yardstick in the path of wisdom. ‘I-centric teaching will not lead the seeker to the ultimate end of his inner journey.

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures.  There is no need to study first, then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. One has to make discoveries through the process of rational thinking.

That is why Sage Sankara says: ~V-C-65. As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it, and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

People say I AM THAT ~ I am God, I am Brahman. But when Brahman is, how can "I" remain? Only Brahman remains, not I.  The Self cannot be expressed with words because it is a formless, timeless, spaceless, and wordless existence.

When the Soul, the innermost Self is genderless then the Self is not he or she, therefore using the word ‘I AM’ for the Self is erroneous because it is ever formless. The formless, timeless, and spaceless nature of the Soul has to be grasped mentally.  

The ‘I’ is not within you. But the ‘I’ is within the soul, the innermost self.  The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. The mind is present in the form of the universe. The universe appears as waking or the dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (non-duality).  Till one thinks the ‘I’ is within the body he will never be able to get the Advaitic truth. 

‘I’ –awareness is not self-awareness. ‘I’- awareness is an illusion. Self-awareness is ‘I’-less awareness.   ‘I’-less awareness alone will overcome the illusion. Ignorance is the cause of experiencing,  the dualistic illusion as a reality.

The Self is not the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind.  The mind (I) is present in the form of the universe. And the universe (I) appears as the waking (I) or the dream (I) and disappears as deep sleep(I-LESS-Soul).  

The duality (I) is present only in waking or dream. The duality (I) is absent in deep sleep. That is the duality (I) is present and the Nonduality is absent. 

Nonduality is the nature of the Soul. Therefore, the Soul becomes the mind. And the mind becomes the Soul. The soul and mind (I) are one, in essence. That essence is the Soul which is present in the form of consciousness. The consciousness is the ultimate Truth or Brahman.

The seeker has to realize: ~

The Self is not the ‘I’. The ‘I’ is present in the form of the mind. By limiting the mind or the ‘I’   to the waking entity (you),  is the main hurdle in the pursuit of truth.  

It is necessary for the seeker of truth to investigate ‘what is the mind?’ to realize the mind ('I')  is not limited to ego or waking entity but ‘I’ is the mind. 

The mind is present in the form of the universe. And the universe appears as a waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (Nonduality).   

The Self is not the ‘I’, but the Self is the formless soul. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the substance and the witness of the ‘I’. When one realizes the Soul is the Self, then he is freed from experiencing the dualistic illusion as a  reality.

When he recognizes that, consciousness is everywhere and in everything, in all the three states than that,  the very recognition leads to a total dissolution of ignorance and leads to nondual Self-awareness.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Ashtavakra.+

We are embarking on a rare journey.

Man has many scriptures, but none comparable to the Gita of Ashtavakra. Before it the Vedas pale, the Upanishads speak with a weak voice. Even the Bhagavad Gita does not have the majesty found in the Ashtavakra Samhita -- it is simply unparalleled. 

The most important thing is that neither society nor politics nor any other institution of human life have had any influence on the sayings of Ashtavakra. They are such a pure expression -- transcending emotion, transcending time and death -- there is nothing comparable. Perhaps this is why Ashtavakra's Gita, the Ashtavakra Samhita, has not had much impact.

It is very  necessary to know a few things about Ashtavakra. Not much is known as he was neither a social nor political man, so no historical record exists. Only a few incidents are known -- and they are just wondrous, hardly believable. But if you understand them deeply the significance will be revealed.

The first incident happened before Ashtavakra was born. Nothing is known of what came afterwards, but this is an incident while he was still in the womb. His father, who was a great scholar, would recite the Vedas every day while Ashtavakra listened from the womb. One day a voice came from the womb saying, "Stop it! This is all nonsense. There is no wisdom whatsoever in this. Mere words -- just a collection of words. Is wisdom found in scriptures? Wisdom is within oneself. Is the truth found in words? Truth is within oneself."

Naturally his father was enraged. First of all he was a father and on top of that a scholar. And his son hidden in the womb was saying such things! Not even born yet! He exploded in anger, became engulfed in fire: The father's ego had been hit. And a scholar's ego... he was a great pundit, a great debater, knowledgeable in scriptures....

In anger he uttered a curse: When born, the boy would be deformed; his limbs would be bent in eight parts. Hence, his name: Ashtavakra means one whose body has eight bends. He was born crippled in eight places; eight places hunchbacked like a camel. In a rage his father deformed his son's body.

The second incident known about Ashtavakra happened when he was twelve years old. Only these two incidents are known. The third is his Ashtavakra Gita, or as some call it, the Ashtavakra Samhita. When Ashtavakra was twelve years old, Janak hosted a huge debating conference. Janak was an emperor, and he invited the pundits of the whole country to debate on the scriptures. He had one thousand cows placed at the palace gate and had the horns of the cows plated with gold and decorated with jewels. He proclaimed, "Whoever is victorious, shall take possession of these cows."

It was a great debate. Ashtavakra's father also participated. As dusk was falling, the message came to Ashtavakra that his father was losing. He had already defeated all the others, but he was about to be defeated by a pundit named Vandin. Receiving this message Ashtavakra went to the palace.

The hall was decorated. The debate was in its final stage and the decisive moment was fast approaching. His father's defeat was a complete forgone conclusion -- he was on the very edge of defeat.

The pundits saw Ashtavakra as he entered the royal court. They were all learned scholars. His body was bent and deformed in eight places: he had just to move and anyone would start laughing. His very movement was a laughing matter.

The whole meeting broke into laughter. Ashtavakra also roared with laughter. Janak asked, "Everyone else is laughing. I can understand why they laugh, but why did you laugh, my son?"

Ashtavakra said, "I am laughing because truth is being decided in this conference of butchers" -- the man must have been extraordinary. "What are all these skinners doing here?"

A deep silence fell over the meeting. Butchers? Skinners?

The king asked, "What do you mean?"

Ashtavakra said, "It is simple and straightforward: They only see skin, they don't see me. It is difficult to find a man more pure and simple than me, but they don't see this; they see a bent and deformed body. They are skinners, they judge by the skin. Your Majesty, in the curve of a temple is the sky curved? When a pot is smashed, is the sky smashed? The sky is beyond change. My body is twisted, but I am not. Look at the one within. You can't find anything more straight and pure."

It was a very startling declaration. There must have been pin-drop silence. Janak was impressed, astounded: "Absolutely right, why had he gathered a crowd of skinners there?" He became repentant, he felt guilty that he too had laughed.

That day the king couldn't manage to say anything, but the following day when he was out on his morning ride he saw Ashtavakra on the way. Janak dismounted from his horse and fell at his feet. The day before, in front of everyone, he couldn't find the courage. The day before he had said, "Why do you laugh, my son?" Ashtavakra was a boy of twelve years, and Janak had considered his age. This day he didn't notice the age. This day he got down from his horse and fell at Ashtavakra's feet, spread-eagled in prostration.

He said, "Please visit the palace, and satisfy my eagerness for the truth. Oh lord, be so gracious as to come to my home. I have understood! I couldn't sleep the whole night. You spoke truly: what depth of understanding have those who recognize only the body? They are debating the being, but attraction and repulsion for the body still arise; hate and attraction still arise. They are looking at death while talking of the deathless! I'm blessed that you came and disturbed me, that you broke my sleep. Please come to the palace!"

Janak had the palace decorated magnificently. He welcomed Ashtavakra and seated him on a golden throne -- this twelve year old Ashtavakra. Then he put his questions to him. The first sutra is Janak's inquiry. Janak asked and Ashtavakra explained. Beyond this, nothing is known about Ashtavakra. And there is no need to know more, it is more than enough! Diamonds are not many; only pebbles and rocks are so common. A single diamond is enough.

These are two small incidents. One before birth: a voice from the womb with the proclamation, "What madness have you fallen into? Confused by scriptures... by words? Wake up! This is not wisdom, this is all borrowed. It is all snares of the mind, not experience. There isn't the slightest bit of reality in it. How long are you going to delude yourself?"

And the second incident: the pundits in the palace laughing and Ashtavakra's saying that in life there are two visions: one is to see being and the other is to see skin.

Butchers see skin, the wise see being.

Have you noticed? A shoemaker doesn't look at your face, he sees only your shoes. Actually a shoemaker can know everything about you just by looking at your shoes: How your economic situation is, if you are successful or a failure; how your luck is.... The condition of the shoes tells him. Your autobiography is written on your shoes -- the shoemaker can read it. If the shoes are shiny, if the shoes are clean and new, the shoemaker is happy to meet you. For him your shoes are the proof of your being. A tailor looks at clothes. Seeing how you dress he understands your situation. All have their own narrow vision.

Only one full of his own being sees being. He has no fixed vision. He has only seeing, darshan.

The first sutra....

Oh

Janak asked: " Oh Lord, how does one attain wisdom? And how does liberation happen? And how is nonattachment attained? Please tell me this."

Tell me, Oh lord! Explain it to me.

To a boy of twelve King Janak says, "Oh lord! Bhagwan! Please explain! Give some understanding to an unknowing person like me! Awaken an ignorant person like me."

Three questions are asked....

"How does one attain wisdom?" Naturally, we might wonder: Why does he need to ask? There are books filled with these things. Janak also knew this.

Janak also knew that the scriptures are filled just with information. But he asked, "How does one attain wisdom?" -- because no matter how much you know, wisdom is not attained. You can go on gathering more and more knowledge, learn the scriptures by heart, become parrots, memorize each and every sutra, let the complete Vedas be imprinted in your memory -- but still there will be no wisdom.

"How does one attain wisdom? How does liberation happen?" He asks because what you call wisdom, knowledge, binds you instead -- how can this be liberation? Wisdom is that which liberates you.

Janak asked, "How does liberation happen? What is liberation? Explain to me the wisdom which liberates."

Freedom is man's most important longing. Achieve everything, but if you are still unfree, it hurts. Attain everything, but if freedom is not attained, you have not attained anything. Man wants the open sky, unbounded. This is man's innermost longing, most secret longing -- for a space where there are no limits, no barriers. You may call it the longing to become divine or call it the longing for Moksha, liberation.

In Sanskrit we have chosen the right word, Moksha. Such a lovely word does not exist in any other language. There are words like heaven, paradise, but those words don't have the melody of Moksha. Moksha has a unique music. It simply means a freedom so ultimate that it has no barrier; a freedom so pure it is unlimited.

Janak asked, "And how does liberation happen?

 And how is nonattachment attained? Oh lord, please tell me this."

Ashtavakra must have looked carefully at Janak -- because this is the first thing a master does when someone inquires. He observes attentively: from what source is this inquiry arising? Why has the questioner asked something? The master's answer can be significant only if he understands clearly why the question is asked.

Ashtavakra must have observed carefully, looked into Janak and seen this person is not a gyani, he has not attained the meditation; otherwise his inquiry would be silent, there would be no words in it.

Ashtavakra must have looked carefully.

When you come to ask me something, you yourself are a question, more important than what you ask. Sometimes you may also feel that I have answered a question you didn't ask. And perhaps you may even feel I have avoided your question, side stepped it and answered something else. But for me your inner need is always more important, what you ask is not important -- because you yourself don't really know what you are asking, why you are asking. The answer is being given only for your need; nothing of the answer is decided by your question.

Ashtavakra must have seen that Janak is not a gyani. Is he ignorant then? No, he is not ignorant either... because the ignorant person is arrogant, he stands proudly erect. He doesn't even know how to bow down -- and this man has bowed at his feet, stretched himself full length at the feet of a twelve year old boy. This is impossible for the ignorant. The ignorant thinks he already knows -- who is going to explain anything to him? If an ignorant person does ask, he asks just to prove you wrong, because the ignorant presumes he already knows and wants to see whether you know or not. The ignorant person asks to test you.

Ashtavakra must have thought, "No, Janak's eyes are very clear. Even though he's an emperor he asked me, an unknown, unfamiliar boy of twelve years, 'Oh lord! Please explain to me....' No he is humble, he is not ignorant. Is he an idiot then? Idiots never ask. Idiots don't have any idea that there are any problems in life."

Ashtavakra says passions are poisonous, because by indulging them we simply die. We never get any life from them.

"Oh Beloved, if you want liberation then renounce the vishayas, the passions as visha, poison, and take forgiveness, innocence, compassion, contentment and truth as nectar."

Nectar means that which gives life, that which gives immortality, ambrosia -- when one has found it, one will never die again.

Then forgiveness. Anger is poison -- forgiveness is ambrosia.

Innocence. Deviousness is poison. Simplicity -- innocence is nectar.

Compassion. Hardheartedness, cruelty, is poison -- kindness, compassion, is nectar.

Contentment. The worm of discontent goes on eating up everything. The worm of discontent sits in the heart like a cancer. It goes on penetrating into it, it goes on spreading poison.

Contentment. Satisfaction with what is, no desire for what is not. What is, is more than enough. That it is, is more than enough. Open your eyes a little and see.

This is an extremely valuable key Ashtavakra is giving. It will slowly become clear to you. Ashtavakra's view is very revolutionary, very unique. His revolution is from the very root.

"Take contentment and truth as nectar" -- because one who lives in falsehood will go on becoming more false. One who tells lies, lives in lies, will naturally be surrounded by lies. His connection to life will be shattered, his roots will be cut.

Do you want roots in existence? Those roots are possible only through truth. You can be linked to existence only through authenticity and truth. Do you want to be cut off from existence? Then create a smoke screen of lies, make great clouds of lies around you. The more you become false the farther away you will be from existence.

"You are neither earth, nor air, nor fire, nor water, nor ether. To attain liberation, know yourself as the witness, conscious of all these."

These statements are so immediate, not even an introduction. Ashtavakra has hardly uttered two sentences and meditation comes in; he begins to talk about samadhi, about deep meditation. One who knows has nothing except samadhi to share. He said two sentences first because if he had immediately started talking about samadhi, perhaps you would have been too startled to understand. But two sentences -- and immediately he is talking about samadhi.

Ashtavakra does not even take seven steps. Buddha took seven steps and on the eighth step, samadhi. Ashtavakra brings up samadhi on the very first step.

"You are neither earth, nor air, nor fire, nor water, nor ether." Let yourself relax into this truth. "To attain liberation, know yourself as the witness, conscious of all these."

The witness is the key.

There is no more valuable key than this.

Be the observer. Whatever happens, let it happen. There is no need to interfere with it. The body is composed of earth, air, fire, water and ether. You are the lamp within by which all these -- earth, air fire, water, ether -- are illuminated. You are the observer. Go deeply into this.

"Know yourself as the witness."

This is the most important sutra in existence. Be a witness. Wisdom will happen through it. Nonattachment will happen through it. Liberation will happen through it. The questions were three, but the answer is one.

"If you can separate yourself from the physical body, and rest in consciousness, then this very moment you will be happy, at peace, and free of bondage."


Listen to Ashtavakra: "If you can separate yourself from the physical body, and rest in consciousness, then this very moment you will be happy, at peace, and free of bondage."

Right here, right now, this very moment. "If you can separate yourself from the physical body, and rest in consciousness." If you begin to see the fact, "I am not the body, I am not the doer and enjoyer: I am that one hidden within me who sees all.... When childhood came it saw childhood, when youth came it saw the youth, when old age came it saw old age. Childhood did not stay, so I cannot be childhood. It came and passed, still I am. Youth did not stay, so I cannot be youth. It came and passed, still I am. Old age came, and it is also going, so I cannot be old age. How can I be that which comes and goes? I am always. The one to whom childhood comes, to whom youth comes, to whom old age comes... to whom thousands of things have come and gone. I am that one eternal, everlasting."

Hence, Ashtavakra says "Rest in consciousness." Relax, let yourself unwind. Let go of this tension. Where are you going? There is nowhere to go, there is nowhere to reach to. "... and rest in consciousness," then right now, "this very moment you will be happy, at peace, and free of bondage."

The statement is unique. There is no other scripture comparable to it.

"You are not a brahmin or other caste, you are not in any of the four stages of life, you are not perceived by the eyes or other senses. Unattached and without form, you are the witness of the whole universe. Know this and be happy."

How can a brahmin write a commentary on this? "You are not a brahmin or other caste..." How can a Hindu take this scripture to heart? His whole religion is based on caste and stages of life. And from the very beginning Ashtavakra is cutting the roots of these beliefs. He says you are not a brahmin, not a low caste Sudra, not a kshatriya warrior -- this is all nonsense. These are all projections. This is all the play of politics and society. You are simply Brahma, not a brahmin, not a kshatriya, not a Sudra. "You are not a brahmin or other caste, you are not in any of the four stages of life...." And you are not a Brahmacharya student, or a householder, or at the stage before sannyas -- you are not in any of the four stages of life. You are the observer, the witness who is inside passing through all these situations.

The Hindus cannot claim the Ashtavakra Gita as theirs, the Ashtavakra Gita is everyone's. If there were Muslims, Hindus and Christians in Ashtavakra's time, he would have said, "You are not a Hindu, not a Christian, not a Muslim." Who will build a temple for Ashtavakra? Who will champion his scripture? Who will claim him?... because he is denying everyone. It is a direct declaration of truth.

"Unattached and without form, you are the witness of the whole universe. Know this and be happy."

Ashtavakra does not say after you have known this you will become happy. Listen to the statement carefully. Ashtavakra says, "Know this and be happy."

"You are not a brahmin or other caste, you are not in any of the four stages of life, you are not perceived by the eyes or other senses. Unattached and without form, you are the witness of the whole universe. Know this and be happy."

Be happy. Be happy right now. Janak asks: How can one be happy? How can liberation happen? How can wisdom happen?

Ashtavakra says it can happen right now. There is no need to delay even a single moment. There is no reason to leave it for tomorrow, no need to postpone it. This happening does not occur in the future, it happens now or never. When it happens it happens right now, because there is no time except now. Where is the future? When it comes, it comes as now.

Ashtavakra's religion is not by installments. It is cash in hand, hard cash.

"Oh expansive one, religion and atheism, happiness and misery, all are of the mind, they are not for you. You are not the doer nor the enjoyer. You have always been liberated."

Enlightenment is our inherent nature. Wisdom is our inner nature. Godliness is our way of being. It is our center. It is the fragrance of our life, our being.

Ashtavakra says, "Oh expansive one, oh bringer of joy, oh luxurious magnificence, religion and atheism, happiness and misery, all are of the mind. These are all waves of thought." You have done evil or good, committed sin or done good deeds, built a temple or given alms -- all this is of the mind.

"You are not the doer nor the enjoyer. You have always been liberated."

You are eternally free, you have always been free.

Liberation is not a happening which we have to work for.

Liberation has already happened in our being.

The whole existence is made of freedom. Every particle of it, every pore of it is made of liberation. Freedom is the material from which the whole existence is produced. Freedom is its very nature.

This declaration -- just understand it and the transformation take place. There is nothing to do except understand it. If it descends into you if you listen with your whole mind, it is enough.

With Ashtavakra there are no steps. It is not a gradual evolution but sudden. It can happen this very moment. - Maha Gita by OSHO

Buddhism says: Nothing exists, but Advaita avers that it is not so. Advaita says there is Brahman.+

Sunyavadin Buddhists declared the nonexistence of Entity, a Void. This is just as much unwarranted finality, for it means one is viewing it from a particular standpoint as to declare its existence. Silence alone is called for. The absence or presence of the objective world and even existence and non-existence is always referred to witnessed only; it still leaves the formless witness untouched.

Existence means existence in the sense of the formless witness. When one reduces everything to consciousness, formless witness, Gnana, or even Mind, giving up all imaginations in truth it is unborn. One sees the waking experience come and go, but that is not the same as seeing him come and go, which one can never do.

First, one has become aware of the existence of a formless witness to distinguish it from the changeable objects in this world, but finally discards that position and rejects even the idea of Atmic existence after perfect understanding and assimilation of what is what. Then we may assert nothing about it. Not even existence or nonexistence i.e. silence alone is demanded by the truth.

“All is consciousness” meaning: “the whole universe is consciousness” because the universe is created out of consciousness. If consciousness is everything, how can there be anything other than consciousness? Hence silence is the nature of the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

The understanding comes after one becomes aware the Self is not the form, but the Self is the formless Soul or consciousness when all doubts have been cleared, all discussions ended, nothing more to assimilate.  There is no initiation for the realization of truth. 

Bhagvan Buddha also holds that this world which changes from moment to moment is not real, it is only a reflection, and a thing of which it is the reflection alone is real. Buddha was not an atheist. He never denied the reality. There is nothing in his words or teaching to show that he considered the truth to be non-existent like the horns of a hare. He could not have held the foolish view that something came out of nothing. It is true; some of his disciples misunderstood and misinterpreted him. his idea was that the truth which cannot be designated by a name or described is words and of which one cannot even say whether it is existent or none extent, is like non-existent.  The idea is quite in agreement with the view of the Upanishads. 

An object which cannot even be talked about, is, for all practical purposes, as good as non-extent. But it is not non-existent in the sense that the son of a barren woman is non-existent.  This subtle idea, Buddha's contemporaries and even his disciple fail to catch. In one passage Buddha says clearly: Srmana Gautama was an atheist. It is the annihilation of the non-existent of truth that he teaches. So will people attribute to me atheism, which is not mine? So will they ascribe me to the theory of non-existent, which again is not mine? 

From these similar statements of Buddha, it is clear that he was not an atheist. All philosophers old and new arrives at the same point. Orthodox Advaita (monism) is inevitable; the people of thoughtful temperament cannot find peace and quietude until they do so. Moksha (liberation) is in the realization of oneness with God. They speak of God Goddesses, devotion, and devotee, only in an accurate way only from the standpoint of dvaithi.  After realization of oneness with God, there is no distinction between God and devote, and the word "devotion" has no meaning.   

Sage Gaudapada’s rational exposition of Advaita:~ Whatever is seen, whether external or internal, whether by the ordinary persons or yogis, is unreal.

If you are seeking truth you must set yourself free of all backgrounds, of all cultures, of all patterns of thinking and feeling. Even the idea of being a man or woman or even human should be discarded.

Advaitin disagrees with Buddhists who say, there is nothing - a nonentity. Advaitin believes there is some reality, even though things are not what they appear to be. If one knows the truth, he will know what to do to find inspiration for action. The seeker of truth‘s subject is to know what is it that is Real.

Buddhism says: All things are illusory, and nothing exists.  However, Advaita avers that it is not so.  Advaita says that the universe, of course, is illusory, but there is Brahman, that exists forming the very substratum of all things.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.+

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta or Buddhism to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.  All accumulated knowledge is of no use to realize the Advaitic truth beyond the form, time, and space. 

There is no need to study Advaita Vedanta to realize the Advaitic truth beyond form, time, and space. Advaita is not a theory or a philosophy. Advaita is the nature of the soul, the innermost self.  There is no need for any theory or philosophy or scriptures to acquire self-knowledge. Only a  perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ is needed. 

There is no need to buy books of Sage Sankara in order to acquire self-knowledge. A perfect understanding of 'what is what' is needed. Nothing else is a need other than realizing the fact that, the form, time, and space are one in essence and that the essence is the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness in order to get the Advaitic Self-awareness.

Self-knowledge cannot be attained by the study of the scriptures and intellectual understanding or by bookish knowledge.  Therefore,  there is no use of studying the scriptures and other scriptures in order to acquire the non-dual wisdom.  That is why Buddha rejected the scriptures, and even Sage Sri, Sankara indicated that the ultimate truth lies beyond religion,  the concept of god and scriptures.

Fortunate is the one who does not lose themselves in the labyrinths of philosophy. The conceptual divisions were invented by teachers of philosophy by their excessive analysis. Fortunate is the seeker who does not lose himself in the labyrinths of philosophy but goes straight to the source from which the universe arises. 

There is only one Reality to be known, the same for all seekers, but the ways to it, are hidden by religion.  Self-discovery is the only way, towards the  non-dualistic absolute without any religious doctrines, which will help the seekers to unfold the mystery of the illusion in which we all are searching for the truth of our true existence.

Sage Sankara said:~Neither by the practice of yoga nor philosophy, nor by good works, nor by learning, does liberation come, but only through the realization that Atman and Brahman are one in no other way. (1) VivekaChudamani v 56, pg 25

The citations from scriptures are not proof.  The ultimate truth has to be proved without the scriptures.  The ultimate truth is the universal truth and it does not belong to any religion.  The religion causes diversity in unity, whereas, the ultimate truth brings unity in diversity.  

That is why Sage Sankara himself says ~ VC 59. The study of the Scriptures is useless so long as the highest Truth is unknown, and it is equally useless when the highest Truth has already been known.

60. The Scriptures, consisting of many words are a dense forest that merely causes the mind to ramble. Hence men of wisdom should earnestly set about knowing the true nature of the Self.

61. For one who has been bitten by the serpent of Ignorance, the only remedy is the knowledge of Brahman. Of what avail are the Vedas and (other) Scriptures, Mantras (sacred formulae), and medicines to such a one?

It is not that one should pore over the ancient scriptures.  There is no need to study first, and then realize. One has to realize first, then only he will know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’. One has to make his discoveries through the process of rational thinking. 

That is why Sage Sankara says:~ VC-65- As a treasure hidden underground requires (for its extraction) competent instruction, excavation, the removal of stones and other such things lying above it and (finally) grasping, but never comes out by being (merely) called out by name, so the transparent Truth of the self, which is hidden by Maya and its effects are to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, followed by reflection, meditation, and so forth, but not through perverted arguments.

He who has not rectified his reasoning base from the ‘I’(form) base to soul(formless) base and one who does not have the intense urge to know the non-dualistic or Advaitic truth,  and who is not tranquil and subdued and whose mind is not receptive, cannot acquire Self-Knowledge or brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar