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Source: The Hindu

(http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/04/10/stories/2002041000730800.htm)

Miscellaneous

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Religion

 

 

The Self, not an object of knowledge

 

 

 

 

CHENNAI

APRIL 10.

 

A spiritual aspirant must observe himself again and again to realise the Self

(Atman), which is not apparent to him due to ignorance. Enlightenment and

ignorance are not emotions and do not pertain to the physical body also. When a

person says he is ignorant of an object, the object of his ignorance exists

outside and has not yet been perceived by his sense organs. Hence, the thought

of the object does not exist in his mind. He has to use the corresponding sense

to gain knowledge of it. But, ignorance of the Self is different because the

five sense organs cannot give the knowledge of the Self. This difference must be

understood.

 

In the case of the Self, one cannot create a thought of the Self in the mind.

The paradox of this has to be grasped as the "I" thought itself is ignorance and

is already existing in the mind. To see the Himalayas one has to travel in space

and in time, whereas in the case of the Self it is there always. The subtlety of

Self-knowledge can be appreciated from the fact that the sense organs are

incapable of even perceiving the thought of an object. What then can be said of

Self-consciousness? It is akin to the shadow looking for the object that is

responsible for its existence. The moment one realises that the search "Who am

I?" is redundant, it becomes clear that it is not an object of perception.

Consciousness is. It is eternal. Consciousness neither resists a thought nor

seeks it. It is the "I" which searches for thoughts.

 

In his discourse, Swami Suddhananda said every individual should see this truth

for himself and there was no choice in this matter. This understanding sets one

free and no more is there fear of life or death. This freedom is a discovery

within; one cannot become free. The "I" is a veil, a symbol of ignorance, just

as the feeling "I am rich", "I am poor", "I am healthy", "I am sick" and so on.

Hence one cannot say, "I am bound." There is nothing by which one becomes

unbound. The Self is; the Self is absolutely free and eternal like space. Space

can accommodate anything in it and yet remain boundless. So also can one who is

poised in the Self. Such a person is untouched by flattery or blame because

emotions are not natural. Fear, love, hatred or anxiety is created in the mind.

Perceptions are natural while emotions are not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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