Atma is Its Own Proof

June 3, 2002

Jaya Guru Datta,

Here is today's saying:

“Because the Almighty has devised the three states of consciousness, two facts

become clear to us. 1. That none of the three states is permanent and 2. The

'I' who sleeps, the 'I' that dreams and the 'I' that wakes up is one and the

same. Only 'I' exists in all the three states. Here a question arises - 'who

told you that you alone existed in all the three states?"

'No one need say this. The knowledge that it is I who is seeing a dream, it is

I who is sleeping and it is I who is waking up comes to me automatically" is the

answer to the above question. "Is some sort of testimony not necessary to

establish and understand any subject?" is the next question.

Here, let us discuss carefully about various kinds of testimonies.

Testimony or evidence is necessary to understand something, which is not eternal

and omnipresent. For example, a hill is neither eternal nor omnipresent. To

know its existence, we need to see it. Our eyes have to testify its existence.

This is called 'pratyaksha pramana' (direct observation).

We see smoke on the hill. To know as to why there is smoke, one needs

imagination. Our deduction is 'there is fire, therefore there is smoke.' This

is called 'Anumana' (inference). To understand about heaven and hell, we need

the testimony of the Vedas. Thus, all objects, which depend on a testimony to

prove their existence are non-permanent and limited.

But Atma is not like that. It is continuously present in all the three states

of consciousness and pervades everything. Therefore, it is its own proof. No

other proof is necessary to establish its existence. If one were to insist upon

proof, one will face a fresh impediment."

Sri Swamiji

Lessons in Vedanta - 14 part I

Sri Guru Datta,

Swamiji Says

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