THE VISION OF NON-DUALITY IS TRUE WISDOM

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ADVAITHA DARSHANAM GYANAM"The Vision of Non-Duality is True Wisdom"

Our Swami, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, often declares “Advaitha Darshanam Gyanam”

meaning, the vision of non-duality is the highest wisdom. We shall now try to

elaborate upon its significance, and gain some precious insight into this

profound proclamation. The ancient seers, sages and rishis of the upanishadic

times, like Yajnyavalkya, Astavakra, Vashistha, Gaudapada, etc., were all such

men of highest wisdom.

The Gyani (or the Man of Wisdom)

The Gyani, with this non-dualistic vision, reposes in the state of Being. He

symbolises Being, Awareness and Bliss of the Atman (B-A-B-A). We use the term

“Gyani”, generally referring to a man of wisdom, in several ways, and with

different connotations, which do not truly convey the grandeur and the glory of

the exalted one, who has realized the state of Non-Dualism or Advaitha (also

called Monism). For, it is only when one has the realization of the Atman, “the

One without a Second” that one can be truly termed a Gyani and a sage. It is

quite difficult to express in words, this pure non-dualistic state, which is

beyond words, nay, beyond sound itself. It is in the Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the

highest level of Samadhi (state of divine merger), that such a one, reposes,

and symbolizes, true “Love” as spoken about by Swami.

Studying the mango is not the same as eating and enjoying it. Or, like “showing

a pebble and saying, a mountain is million times its size” does not really

convey the true vision of the mountain. One way of arriving at a humble

understanding in some measure, is, to study what our Swami, as well as other

great Masters of Monism, have to say.

Ways To Achieve Non-Dualistic State

1. The Ramana Way

Sri Ramana Maharishi, the great Gyani and seer of modern times, asked every

seeker who came to him, to probe into the “Who Am I?” principle. The process of

negation, of “Not This-Not this” (Neti-Neti) principle, is the direct approach

in Gyana Yoga, and the individual discards all that is ephemeral, transient and

changing (illusory), by realizing that he is not the body, the mind, the organs,

etc., to arrive at the eternal Truth.

Our Swami puts this one basic question, in the form of 3 questions, for the

benefit of the novice. Swami says “A Gyani is one who has found the answer to

the 3 basic questions: “Where do I come from?, Who Am I? and Where do I go?”-

The answer also Swami provides for our benefit: “I come from the Atman! I am

the Atman! and, I go back to the Atman!”. “The Atman”, Swami says -“is One”,

and therefore going and coming of the Atman does not arise! Swami says, this is

the Absolute Being or Existence, the Non- dual state, not bound by time, space,

cause and effect - The Satchitananda. This, then is the Blissful state of a

true Gyani. Swami says Love is God. This Love is none other than the

Satchitananda nature of the Atman.

2. See Sai in All – The Easiest Way

Baba says “Brahman is Satchitananda while Maya is Satchitananda plus Name and

Form (Nama- Rupa).” The Advaithist rises above this limitation of Name and

Form, (caused by sense attachments) to realize the pure Satchitananda aspect

i.e. the Brahman. One way to overcome this limitation caused by Name and Form,

is for the seeker, (in this case, the devotee) to try and visualize Swami’s

name and form in all that he perceives, as all names and forms finally merge in

Swami. Swami being the Master of Maya and hence, of all names and forms. This

way the senses are purified, controlled and sublimated. (Presence of the

Avataar amidst us, elevates us profoundly, towards this realization).

Adi Shankara on Non-Dualism

The great master of Non-dualistic philosophy, seer and yogi, Adi Shankaracharya,

states - “Brahma Sathyam, Jagat Mithya -Jeevo Brahmaiva Na Paraha” - i.e.

“Brahman is Truth, the world is an Illusion.” And that “The Jiva (or the

individual) is not different from Brahman”.

This appears, contradictory to the views of the worldly man. For, the worldly

man believes this world to be very real and the truth and God, appears to him

as an imagination of fertile minds! The worldly man therefore clings to duality

and the world of senses, which is of temporary and transient nature. As Shankara

states “When Truth is known, where then is this world (of duality)? The question

is:- if the Atman (or Brahman), is one without a second and It is all pervading,

etc, the individual by itself would have no standing!

But this is not the fact, as Shankara’s explains further that :- the Jiva is not

different from Brahman, provided it has shed its self-imposed limitations,

attachments, illusory presumptions, prejudices, predilections, the transient

individuality, ego, and negative thoughts. And thereby he develops Purity of

the Intellect and the Mind, before he realises, through Divine Grace, the

non-dual state of Advaitha, which is the Jiva’s true and eternal nature. Swami

sometimes mentions that He is the ‘Chitha- Chora’, i.e., the stealer of such

pure minds and hearts!

Man’s Empty Fear

This individuality is the great Maya or Illusion, to which man clings

(consciously or unconsciously), while vending his way towards Truth through the

process of self- purification. It is important to emphasize here that, the

seeker, if not advanced or mature spiritually, will be afraid to lose his

identity, and thus fail to plumb the very depths of his soul. For Example,

observing the ‘not-this’, ‘not-this’ principle, of ‘I am not the body’, ‘I am

not the mind’, etc. with the fearful thought and imagination of becoming “void”

or “nothingness” (which is really a spiritual state of Being, Bliss and all that

is glorious). This basic fear of man towards dissolution of ego, is what makes

him cling to duality and hence ignorance.

Man is bound basically by (not one), but eight types of pride and ego, says

Swami. The ego, on its part is therefore very tricky. Along with the connivance

of the mind, they enact and play a thousand tricks, to keep themselves alive,

and the individual succumbs to these tricks, in moments of weakness and

inadvertence. For, the ego wants to keep itself alive. Death of the ego, is

nothing short of Liberation/Immortality. This is what is meant when Swami’s

says, “Love is selflessness.”

Service – A Powerful Tool

Service as spiritual practice is a very powerful tool, but this should result in

purification of the mind and the intellect, and there has to be the erasement of

the sense of doership on the part of the Jiva. “The one who serves, the one who

is served and the act of serving - should become One,” for complete

fulfillment, or freedom from illusion. This way, the individual enters the

final state of Consciousness (or Samadhi where there is perfect equanimity and

perfect peace).

The Perpetual Enquiry

The individual seeker, therefore needs to question at every stage - “Who is it

that enjoys?”, “Who is it that suffers?”, “Who is it that serves?,” etc. This

is the inner quest and the constant enquiry that has to be done perpetually and

persistently by the seeker. As Maharaj puts it “Liberation is not of the

individual - but from the individual!” The Buddha has declared “The Buddha is

not a person, but a principle!”

The Path of Wisdom – Not for the Weak

The individual is perpetually caught in the vicious cycle of birth and death,

ignorance, dualities like joy-sorrow, good-bad, etc, and falls a prey to the

vicissitudes of life. Buddha’s statement “Sarvam Dukham, Sarvam Kshanikam,

Sarvam Anathmam” (meaning, all is temporary, full of sorrow and far for

reality), applies totally in its state of bondage.

To dive deep within, overcoming these obstacles, (which are basically illusory

in nature), and to arrive at the Truth, constitutes spiritual practice of the

Gyana yogi (Spiritual aspirant on the path of wisdom), which is otherwise not

possible for one who is “afraid.” (Due to negative forces like body

-consciousness, worldly desires and attachments, Swami says the path of

devotion is easier, though slower). This only shows what great treasures are in

store for one who is not afraid - for “This Atman cannot be realized by the

weak” but by the brave, is the true scriptural statement.

It takes great courage on the part of the sincere seeker, (a courage that comes

only with positive qualities of deep devotion, faith, selfless action,

surrender, self-introspection, and self-purification), to delve deep within, in

order to arrive at the Truth. As Swami says, “the winds of Grace are ever

flowing, but the boat sails need to be unfurled”. One great quality of the man

of wisdom therefore, is his state of utter fearlessness.

My Story is to make you ‘Storyless’

Let me end with Swami’s glowing, parting words - “I bring you close to Me, so

that your thoughts and mind are centered around Me, and your story becomes My

Story!-- but My Story is to make you-- Storyless!”

This is the glorious ideal of the state of oneness, the vision of the

non-duality, which every individual has to someday or the other finally

realize, through Divine Grace!

- S Suresh RaoPrashanthi Nilayam

With Sai Love Sent by Ram.Chugani

Ram ChuganiKobe,

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