The ‘I’ is merely an illusion.++****

The ‘I’ is merely an illusion. The ‘illusion ceases to exist without the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness because the illusion is created out of consciousness. 

Deeper self-search reveals the fact that: ~ If ‘I’ is here then the mind is here. If the mind is here, then the universe is here. If the universe is here, then the waking experience is here. If the waking experience is present, then you are present. 

Without the ‘I’, the mind ceases to exist. Without the mind, the universe ceases to exist. Without the universe, the waking experience ceases to exist. Without the waking experience, you cease to exist. 

The ‘I’ or the mind, or the universe or the waking experience ceases to exist without the soul, which is present in the form of the consciousness. Thus, everything is consciousness. Consciousness alone is real and all else is merely an illusion. : ~Santthosh Kumaar

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• Bharat Sharma, Nand Kumar Behl, Roshan Maraseniand 4 others like this.
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  Lily Fdz in all experience the "I" is, so how is possible the so-called enlightenment?

  
  
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  Santthosh Kumaar First the seeker has to realize the fact that, the ‘I’ is not the self. And ‘I’ is not limited to the physical entity but ‘I’ is the whole universe. The universe appears as waking or dream (duality) and disappears as deep sleep (nonduality). There is no ‘I’ in deep sleep. 

  
  
• If ‘I’ is there then the mind is there. If the mind is there then the universe is there. And the universe is present only when waking or dream is present. 
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  The seeker has to realize ‘what is it that becomes ‘I’ (waking or dream)? and ‘what is it that becomes ‘I –LESS’ (deep sleep)? to realize the three states are made of single stuff. That single stuff is the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 
• The knowledge of the single stuff leads to Self-awareness in the midst of the duality (waking experience). in Self-awareness, the formless soul remains on its own in the midst of the duality (experience).
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  Santthosh Kumaar Enlightenment is the soul waking up from the sleep of ignorance, and remaining in its own awareness in the midst of the diversity. There is unity in diversity when the soul remains in its own awareness. 

  
  
• Enlightenment is freedom from experiencing the illusion (duality or the universe or waking) as a reality.  Enlightenment is soulcentric Gnana. 
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  Enlightenment happens when the soul, the innermost self, witnesses the whole universe in which you exist. On the non-dualistic perspective, you and your experience of the universe are made of the same stuff. That stuff is the soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Thus, the Soul or consciousness is the ultimate truth or Brahman.
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  Lily Fdz Thanks! so enlightenment is own awareness

  
  
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  Lily Fdz I see it very clear now. Thank you!

  
  
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  Santthosh Kumaar __/\__
    :)))

The belief of God is not God.****

People are not aware of the fact that, there is no individual God can exist, apart from  the soul, the innermost self. The soul is  present in the form of  the consciousness.

Thus, the consciousness is the consciousness.  Consciousness is the true self.   If there is no consciousness, then there is no body, no ego, no universe, no religion and no conceptual God.  

People think that there must be a creator of this universe. If one thinks  ‘I’ as the self, then there is a creator, but if one thinks, the soul as the self, then there is nothing exists other than the soul,which is present in the form of the consciousness.

If one objectifies and sees a universe, then he is bound to see many things beside himself and postulate a God, the creator. Body, God and world rise and set together from, and into, the soul, the innermost  self. If God is apart from the  soul, the innermost self, then He would be selfless, that is, outside existence, that is, non-existent.

The belief of God is not God. Holding belief as God is holding illusion as reality, because the belief is possible only within the realm of duality. Duality is mere illusion from the ultimate standpoint.  Without the belief of God the belief system holds no water.  Belief is not God. Belief needs the believer.  The believer needs to be born in this world. If the  believer is born than he is part of the illusion.   Without the believer there is no belief.  The believer and his world and his belief of GOD are the part of the illusion because the self is birth-less because the self is formless. The one, which is born, lives and dies, is not the self.    The innermost self is formless substance and witness of the falsehood (universe or waking or illusion), which is soul or consciousness, consciousness is ultimate truth or Brahman or Christ.  ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Ish Upanishads:~ Vidya and Avidya both are hindrances to Self-knowledge, but Vidya is even worse than Avidya. The word Vidya is used here in a special sense; here it means worshipping Gods and Goddesses.

 By worshipping Gods and Goddesses you will go after death to the world of Gods and Goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spend there is wasted, because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards Self-knowledge, which is your goal. Inthe world of Gods and Goddesses you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Avidya is Karma and therefore a hindrance. You perform Avidya - i.e., you perform Agnihotra and other sacrifices. This is a roundabout way of purifying the mind, and it is also groping in the dark. But it may not have as heavy a toll on your time and energy as the other. 

Ishopanishad "They are steeped in ignorance and sunk into the greatest depth of misery who worships the matter, instead of the All-Pervading God and those who worship things born of matter like trees, animals, man, etc. are sunk deeper in misery." 

Getting rid of the ignorance is necessary  in order to know and realize  what is truth and what is untruth. 

Katha Upanishad says:-

(Upanishads Nikhilananda)

Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking themselves wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Ch II-5 P-14)

It indicates that the one who is ignorant (darkness) of the true self (Atman) searches truth by accumulating knowledge of every path and practice and uncertain about the truth, and thinks every path leads towards reality. The ignorance of the true self leads one towards unreality or hallucination.

Whenever one talks of God, he refers it to his belief. Hence, any idea of God, he forms is entirely based on his belief. The belief is not God.  The soul, the innermost self is God.   And God has no reality apart from the soul, the innermost self. Hence,    the religious believers are unable to give proof of their God and are merely hallucinating based on their inherited belief.  The truth is hidden within the universe. Thus,  one must know the whole universe is created out of the soul, which present in the form of the spirit. And the spirit is God.

The Upanishads say in effect that: ~ if you believe that you are one and God is another you cannot understand Truth.

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No conceptual God can exist, apart from consciousness. People are not aware of the fact that, there is no individual God can exist, apart from the soul, which is in the form of the consciousness. Thus, the soul or   the consciousness is the true self.   If there is no consciousness, then there is no body, no ego, no universe, no religion and no conceptual God.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God,  there is no truth."

People think that there must be a creator of this universe. If one thinks physical entity or ego  as self, then there is a creator, but if one thinks the soul  as the Self, then there is nothing exists other than the consciousness, which is the innermost  self.

If one objectifies and sees a universe, then he is bound to see many things beside himself and postulate a God, the creator. The Body, the idea of the God and world rise and set together from, and into, the soul or consciousness, the innermost self. If God is apart from the ‘Self ‘, then He would be Selfless, that is, outside existence, that is, non-existent.

The Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahman is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (brahmano hi pratisthaham, ( 14.27)

In Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~   It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions. Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

The Bible says: ~ “God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24)”,

Mythreyi Upanishad 2:26 says: ~ All those who desire to have salvation without taking several births, should worship God in spirit and truth.  

In Vedas the God has been described as: ~

v  Sakshi (Witness)

v   

v  Chetan (conscious)

v   

v  Nirguna (Without form and properties).

v   

v  Nitya (eternal)

v   

v  Shuddha (pure)

v   

v  Buddha (omniscient)

v   

v  Mukta (unattached).

So, it clearly indicates that God is formless thus there is no scope for form based God. The religion and its ideas of gods, and its theories of karma, heaven, hell, papa, Punya, rebirth, reincarnation are based on the false self (ego), within the false experience (waking). Therefore, they are meant for lower mind-sets, they are of no use for those who are seeking higher truth as indicated in the scriptures.   : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The cause and effect is a reality, only on the base of false self.+

Discussion

Lochar  says:~

I request you to listen to my humble understanding of the Law of Karma.

Karma is the universal principle of cause and effect. Our actions, both good and bad, come back to us in the future, helping us to learn from life's lessons and become better people. 

Karma is basically energy. I throw the energy out through thoughts, words, and deeds - mano vaakkaya karma, and it comes back to me in time, through other people. Karma is our best teacher, for we must always face the consequences of our actions and thus, improve and refine our behavior, or suffer if we do not. The bondage of this karma or karmabandham is the root for repeated births and deaths and experiencing the pleasures and pains - sukhadukhaalu. Beyond this bondage is salvation. 

Bhagavadgita suggests that the moment the fire of knowledge -jnaagnihi manifests itself the whole stock of sanchita karmas in the form of latencies disappears and one is above experiencing prarabhdha and aagami.

Understanding the way karma works, we seek to live a good and virtuous life through the right thought, right speech, and right action and this is called dharma. We must also be very careful about our thoughts because thought creates, and thoughts make karmas - good, bad, and mixed -

.Pranamas

SK:~  Karma is a universal principle only based on the false self [ego], within the illusory universe or Maya. The cause and effect are a reality, only on the base of the false self (ego or you).  The fact is formless  Atman is the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is the cause of the illusory universe and it is uncaused.

 Buddhism says, there is nothing - a nonentity. Advaita says there is some reality, even though things are not what they appear to be. If one knows the truth, he will know there is neither cause nor effect. Advaita is to know, what is it that is Real, and base the reasoning on that real.

When reasoning is done on the true base, one has the yardstick to know 'what is the truth?'  and 'what is the untruth?'  and he will be able to reject the unreal or untruth.  Therefore, one has to make sure whether the true self is body or ego or the true Self is Soul or Atman.

 If one accepts the Self is the body, then as you say karma is a universal principle. If one accepts the Soul as the Self, then the physical body, ego, world, and whatever one has seen, known and believed, and experienced, as a person becomes an illusion, from the standpoint of the Soul as the Self.  

By accepting karma theory, one is accepting the unreal, as real, and permanently remains in the clutches of duality, thinking the cycle of birth, life, and death as a reality.  Therefore, to overcome the illusory cycle of birth, life, and death, one has to know that, the body or ego is not the Self, but the Soul.

Sage  Sankara in Aparokshanubhuti:~

   88. When the whole universe, movable and immovable, is known to be Atman, and thus the existence of everything else is negated, where is then any room to say that the body is Atman?

  89. O enlightened one; pass your time always contemplating on Atman while you are experiencing all the results of Prarabdha; for it will becomes you to feel distressed.

90. The theory one hears from the scripture, that Prarabdha does not lose its hold upon one even after the origination of the knowledge of Atman, is now being refuted.

91. After the origination of the knowledge of Reality, Prarabdha verily ceases to exist, since the body and the like become non-existent; just as a dream does not exist on waking.

92. That Karma which is done in a previous life is known as Prarabdha (which produces the present life). But such Karma cannot take the place of Prarabdha (for a man of knowledge), as he has no other birth (being free from ego).

93. Just as the body in a dream is superimposed (and therefore illusory), so is also this body. How could there be any birth of the superimposed (body), and in the absence of birth (of the body) where is the room for that (i.e., Prarabdha) at all?

94. The Vedanta texts declare ignorance to be verily the material (cause) of the phenomenal world just as the earth is of a jar. That (ignorance) being destroyed, where can the universe subsist?

 95. Just as a person out of confusion perceives only the snake leaving aside the rope, so does an ignorant person see only the phenomenal world without knowing the reality?

 96. The real nature of the rope being known, the appearance of the snake no longer persists; so the substratum being known, the phenomenal world disappears completely.

 97. The body also being within the phenomenal world (and therefore unreal), how could Prarabdha exist? It is, therefore, for the understanding of the ignorant alone that the Shruti speaks of Prarabdha.

 98. “And all the actions of a man perish when he realizes that (Atman) which is both the higher and the lower”. Here the clear use of the plural by the Shruti is to negate Prarabdha as well.

 99. If the ignorant still arbitrarily maintain this, they will not only involve themselves in two absurdities but will also run the risk of forgoing the Vedantic conclusion. So one should accept those Shrutis alone from which proceeds true knowledge.

The above proves that karma is a reality only on the base of the false self, where one thinks the body and the universe as reality. When one becomes aware of the fact that, the true Self is an unborn eternal Soul, then the karma becomes part and parcel of illusion.   

My point is that, if one accepts the karma theory as reality, he will never be able to come out of ignorance. Ignorance makes him believe the cycle of birth, life, and death or pain and pleasure as reality.  Thus, the freedom that one is seeking will remain a distant dream. For the one who accepts birth, life, and death as a reality, Self-knowledge is impossible.

Thus, the seeker of truth must know the fact that the body that is born, lives, and dies is not the self. Since he is taking the body to be the Self, he is experiencing the dualistic world as reality. :~Santthosh Kumaar 

God in truth means eternal existence hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.+

God in truth is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. God in truth means eternal existence hidden by the illusory form, time, and space.

God in truth expresses in two ways, dual and nondual. God in truth is the unmanliest source of the dual. The manifested dual existence is mere an illusion.

You cannot call God in truth “he,” you cannot call God in truth “she, because he or she individualizes God in truth whereas God in truth is not an individual because God in truth is formless, timeless and spaceless existence.

For centuries the word ‘he’ has been used for God. God is present in the form of the Spirit. The Spirit is present in the form of consciousness.

If you really want to go deep into the phenomenon of God, Then God does not exist at all ~as an individual because God pervades in everything and everywhere. God is only a presence.

In other words, there is no religious God but only one consciousness. Consciousness pervades, permeates, in the world in which we all exist.

Once you start thinking of God as consciousness, your whole outlook on life, on religion, on love, will be totally different. The real existence consists not of the dualistic illusion but nondualistic reality.

God in truth is not physical. God in truth is present in the form of the Spirit. The Spirit is the cause of the world and the Spirit itself’ is uncaused.

From the standpoint of the Spirit, the form, time, space and name are merely an illusion. The Spirit alone is real and all else is an illusion. In reality, the Spirit (God) matter (the world in which we exist) are one.

The Bhagavad Gita: ~ ‘Brahmano hi pratisthaham’ ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness (Spirit) , which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness (Spirit) which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness.

Lord Krishna Says Ch ~V: ~ “Those who know the Self in truth.". The last two words (tattvataha) are usually ignored by pundits, but they make all the difference between the ordinary concept of God and the truth about God.

The dualistic worship of "God” is only for ignorant populace. The God in truth is only Atman, the ‘Self’. In reality, there is no dualities, no differentiation. Only Atman exists.

The Vedas confirms God is Atman (Spirit), the ‘Self’.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32: ~ God is Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. He cannot be seen directly by anyone. He pervades all beings and all directions. Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Yajurveda: ~ There is no image of God in truth. God in truth is unborn and eternal. (Chapter 32, Verse 3)

Yajurveda: ~ God in truth is nondual and pure."

Yajurveda: ~ "They are entering darkness, those who worship the natural things (like air, water, fire, etc.), they are sinking more in darkness who worship created things." (Chapter 40, Verse 9)

Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the ‘Self’. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why to believe and worship in place of real God.

Rig Veda: ~ 'Prajnanam Brahma': - Consciousness is the ultimate reality or Brahman or God in truth.

God in truth is the Atman, the Self. Atman is present in the form of consciousness. Do not accept any other God other than Atman not worship other than Atman, which is ever nondual. Let these words be inscribed in your subconscious.

Nothing is real but God in truth. Nothing Matters but love for God in truth. God in truth is everywhere and in everything.

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God there is no truth."

Chandogya Upanishad: ~ Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad).

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God) is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as It is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not the distinction of substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

Sage Sankara: ~"That which permeates all, which nothing transcends and which, like the universal space around us, fills everything completely from within and without, that Supreme non-dual Brahman (God)."

Thus, truth realization is Self-realization. The Self -realization is God realization. God -realization itself is real worship. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar