Satyopanisad

[Guest guest]

Swami! Illusion is a non-atmic feeling or worldly approach. To identify myself

with that which I am not is illusion. Truly ­speaking, the " I " we often speak of

is in reality only atma. Nothing else. How is one to know this truth, to

recognise and experience this truth? Kindly tell us about this Swami!

 

Actually, `I' is only atma or brahman. A sincere attempt to know this truth is

called `enquiry'. Self-enquiry is most essential in the spiritual path. Puja,

namasmarana , dhyana, tapas, yajna, yaga, and such rituals are not truly

spiritual. They are good activities to attain purity of heart. True spirituality

indeed, is self-enquiry. I do not mean that you should give up all rituals and

sacred actions. Self-enquiry is the most important in my view. Since you do not

have people properly experienced in this field of knowledge to teach you, you

find it tough and difficult to move in the right direction.

 

If this question, " Who are you? " is put to a group of people you get different

answers. One says in reply, " I am an Indian " . This is not correct, because you

may shift to America and then you become an American. If you go to Russia, you

are a Russian and so on. India is the country where you are born. But you are

not the country. So to say, " I am an Indian " is wrong. To the same question " Who

or you " ? Another would say, " I am an engineer " . This is not correct, because you

are an engineer by virtue of your profession. You are not the profession you are

in. Some answer in a different way, saying, " I am so and so ...I am Ram, I am

Syam. " It is a name given to you by your parents. You are not born with that

name nor did you come to this world with a signboard on your forehead. You are

not the name as you may change it according to your taste at any time.

 

One may prefer to answer the question " Who are you? " in another way saying, " I

am a young man " , " I am an aged person'. " I am a boy " and so on. This is also

wrong. Why? Boyhood, youth, and old age are the different stages that you pass

through in your life. But you remain one and the same person all along. At one

time, you were a boy. Then, a man. Later a father and finally a grandfather. But

you have been the same person throughout. Then, how can you identify yourself

with your age which does not remain the same? Another person may feel like

saying, " I am a tall person " , " I am a handsome man " , " I am a lean man " . These

are again the replies related to the nature of the body. This is not correct,

you are not the body, which is merely an instrument, because while you are in

deep sleep your body is passive and static, and you are not aware of its

existence. You are not the mind also.

 

If you think you are the mind you lead the life of ego and pride. Even the mind

does not exist in susupti, deep sleep. You are not the intellect either. You may

be intelligent but you are not the intellect. Intellect is God's gift for you to

discriminate, judge, decide and thus to be discreet. But, when it turns selfish,

it is called " individual discrimination " . But, what is expected is " fundamental

discrimination " , which is universal, and is good to everybody. You will also

know that buddhi, intellect, does not exist in deep sleep. So, definitely you

are not the intellect which is only an instrument like the body and the mind.

 

So, what is the correct answer to this question, " Who are you " ? It is " I am

atma " . This atma is the eternal witness and is the experiencer of all. This

exists in all the three states of consciousness, jagrata - waking state, svapna,

dreaming state, and susupti, deep sleep. You may be named in any way, you may

belong to any country, you may be of any age group or profession, etc., but as a

matter of fact, you are the `Eternal Atma' only. This is the correct answer you

get in the path of self-enquiry. This is true spirituality.