The Hidden Secret of Your True Self Revealed | Swami Sarvapriyananda #vedanta #swamisarvapriyananda

Added: 2026-06-07

[00:00:00]Oh may Oh shanty shanty shanty whom lead us from the unreal to the real. Lead us from darkness unto light.

[00:00:34]Lead us from death to immortality.

[00:00:38]Om peace. Peace. Peace.

[00:00:44]So the second session going to carry on with the verses in sequence.

[00:00:55]Verse number four.

[00:01:20]for shi ma.

[00:01:54]It is only because of ignorance that the self appears to be finite. When ignorance is destroyed, the self which does not admit of any multiplicity whatsoever truly reveals itself by itself like the sun when the cloud is removed.

[00:02:15]Very profound verse.

[00:02:18]This verse it tells us the vantic analysis of our problems really what's going on a deep analysis of our problems why we are unhappy why we are unfulfilled and what the solution is.

[00:02:35]It tells us the real nature of the atman or Brahman which we are and also the method or the the very nature of spirituality. What exactly does spirituality do? So all of this is there in this verse. It's a very interesting and important verse.

[00:03:00]Means limited.

[00:03:03]This limitation is the source of all our problems.

[00:03:12]We don't usually use that language. We don't think about it that way. What's the source of my problems? The source of my problems? Well, I'd say um annoying neighbor. That would be in top 10. And then I'm not getting parking. You don't have that problem in Calgary. In Canada, you lots of parking space. Maybe not not in Toronto, but but in Manhattan, that's a very that's a biggie source of unhappiness.

[00:03:45]Um, maybe it's my health, maybe it's my financial status, maybe it's my relationship status or my Facebook um likes or dislikes or whatever.

[00:03:57]These are my problems. These are my problems and there are the big ones like old age, disease, death all these problems but all of them shankarachara reduces to limitation cut off. Think about it. Limitation means what? What? What do you mean by limited? Well, I am um this body. I am this person and I'm limited in time. There was a time when I was born and there's a time I'm going to die.

[00:04:36]This mortality, this inevitable death, this is called limitation.

[00:04:46]Limitation in time. And this is this is maybe the greatest source of all of our problems.

[00:04:54]This fear of mortality, this fear of death.

[00:04:59]RD Lang who was a psychotherapist psych psychologist in England 1950s60s.

[00:05:09]She said something which I like. He said uh that human beings are afraid of three things.

[00:05:17]One our death. We are really afraid of our death.

[00:05:24]that although we express in expressed way we don't think about it but we um that's the underlying source of lot of our psychological problems in an expressed way thinking about it that's one of the practices a monk is supposed to undertake think about it somebody asked Swami Vivean and when Viveandanda they told him to think about your own death inevitability and that he'll be very soon and it'll we'll be gone. So the person said but won't a person become uh depressed when you think about it and Vive Gandhi said initially yes but later it will set you free if you persist with it it'll give you a great deal of freedom but anyway Adi Lang said one thing we are afraid of is our own death the second thing we are afraid of is other people other people we are afraid of people um people who are potentially threats to us. Yes, certainly we are afraid who might do us harm, who might insult us, who might disappoint us. We're also afraid of people who are close to us, whom you are the people you whom you love very much, who are very close to you, they are also potentially sources of sorrow and trouble for you. The more you love a person, the more suffering that person can put you through.

[00:06:54]Anybody who's a parent knows that children.

[00:06:59]So other people, we are afraid of other people. And finally he said we are afraid of our own minds.

[00:07:10]All of this shankarachara reduces to limitation. Death is is limitation that one day this body is going to die. Not only that, another kind of limitation I am only this body and everybody else is an other to me. So other people I'm afraid of other people there. They're all otherred to me.

[00:07:34]The French existentialist S defined hell is other people.

[00:07:40]Definition of hell other people. other people is hell.

[00:07:46]Um, so what is this other people? It's limitation. I am this. I don't identify with them. They're all different from me.

[00:07:56]So there among them some I like, some I do not like. And in each case it's a problem because I like means I have expectations of them. I do not like I have anxieties about them. In each case it's a problem. Limitation. I am only limited to this and nothing else.

[00:08:16]Limitation in space. I am this and not anything else. Um limitation in time. My time on this world is so limited.

[00:08:27]Limitation in object. Only this much is mine. The rest is not mine. So on. So all these limitations are at the root cause of our problems.

[00:08:38]So what do you do about it? Apparently, you can't do anything about it. What can you do about the aging and death of the body? You can manage it a little bit.

[00:08:47]Maybe you do a lot of yoga and gluten-free, you'll be it go a little easier, but still it's downhill. It's always downhill. After 50, after 60, it's all downhill. You can have a managed downhill slide or uncontrolled downhill. So, uh this is limitation.

[00:09:10]Then Shankarachara adds a word which is the source of all adanta. One tiny little word eva.

[00:09:21]Eva as if limited as if as if limited.

[00:09:29]You see limitation we all understand in the moment it's pointed out. What is meant by limitation? Limitation sounds like a philosophical term, but when you point it out in graphic terms in our own lives, how our um our lifespan is limited, our health is limited, our wealth and power are limited, our capacity for enjoying is limited.

[00:09:55]All of that limitation that's a source and really that is the source of all our problems. deep underlying source that much is easy to understand. The next thing is the dramatic claim made by Eva as if limited.

[00:10:15]You are not limited.

[00:10:18]Adita Vanta wants to something so radical.

[00:10:23]You are Brahman. You are limitless existence. You are not born and you will not die. Body was born and body will die. It's nothing to you. Viveand says it's as little as a little bit of hair falling off from your head. You don't care about it.

[00:10:38]And all the hair falls off. I'll be most happy. I don't have to keep shaving all the time. [laughter] You don't care about it. Similarly, body one body falls up. What is it to you? If you are a Hindu or a Buddhist or Jane or seek you know from an Indian um background you believe that we have had thousands of bodies earlier we have been born and we have died so many countless number of times in fact if there's an expert we if we are an expert in anything it's in dying we have died so many times it it should be nothing to you by this time you're a past master of dying But we are so terrified of it. So we feel this limitation. We understand.

[00:11:30]But Adita Vanta wants to tell us that you are not limited. You're immortal.

[00:11:34]You have never been born. You'll never die. Bodies are born and bodies die.

[00:11:39]Minds are continuously changing. You are the limitless and unchanging witness of the mind.

[00:11:47]All problems are body related, mind related problems. But you are not body and mind.

[00:11:56]This is so radical. In fact, if you say believe in God, it's easy to believe in God. [clears throat] It's not so difficult. Millions and billions of people believe in God. But to to believe to even conceive that you are limitless existence consciousness place that you are Brahman that's much more difficult.

[00:12:16]Why is it difficult? Because we have a deep rooted feeling that I know what I am.

[00:12:22]I don't even I never question it. I am this person. That's all.

[00:12:29]What's the point in questioning it? Ada vanta questions. begins by directly questioning your idea about yourself and it wants to say these limitations you think you have in your lifespan in your dependence on others that others are the source of my happiness and sorrow all of these limitations even as if that's not true why as if again because of ignorance of your real nature It's like being in a dream. Another example which will come soon full of examples. So another example will come soon is a dream example. In a dream suppose I am running through the forest and being chased by a tiger or something like that or you are more more uh realistically it's unlikely that you'll be running through a forest and being chased by a tiger in Calgary. um more realistically, maybe you're rushing to catch a flight or a train and you're about to miss it.

[00:13:36]Anxiety. Many of us have anxiety dreams.

[00:13:39]Many kinds of anxiety dreams. Um or there's an important appointment and you're just having problem after problem unable to get to it. These are mind subconscious mind generates these things. All right.

[00:13:54]Now a wise ma person comes in your dream and says as if you have this problem. You really don't. What do you mean as if I have to catch the pro train? Get out of my way. It's all important. As if.

[00:14:10]It's because of something called sleep.

[00:14:13]You are dreaming. You wake up. You will realize none of these problems are real.

[00:14:20]There is no train to catch. Nothing at stake. If you missed that um dream train nothing and this realization when ignorance is destroy destroyed when knowledge arises who am I even in the midst of this world means one nonduel when ignorance is destroyed you realize you are one and non-dual. One and non-dual means these other people I'm limited this one and they're all other than me. No, they are not other than me.

[00:15:02]They are all me. All of them. Just as I feel I am this body, I am all of them.

[00:15:09]And in fact, there is no all. There's only one.

[00:15:13]Like one sun shining through many windows and many rays of light coming through. There's one consciousness shining through many minds and many bodies and we are all interacting as if we are all different. In the Bhagavad Gita it is said the one Lord shining through all of us as if divided in all sentient beings.

[00:15:36]The billions of sentient beings here as if but really bodies are many. You can count them. Even minds and personalities are many but beyond body mind and personality is this one consciousness and you are this one consciousness becomes or realizes I am the one limitless nondual nondual means non-dual no second reality apart from you though it appears to be a second reality so this limitlessness we realize It's already there.

[00:16:17]It's not that I am limited. I will become unlimited.

[00:16:22]This is no it your limitless nature is hidden as if by the like the cloud hides the sun as if even the cloud when you don't see the sun and the cloud come seems to cover and come and cover the sun. First of all, a little bit of a patch of cloud cannot cover the sun which is much bigger than the earth itself.

[00:16:48]Second, even that cloud is revealed by the sun shining behind it. Right? Who by which light are you seeing the cloud? By the sunlight. It is by your own limitless nature as consciousness that even the problems which come to you old age, disease, death, unhappiness, problem from other people, all of these, how are you experiencing the problems in your life? How are you experiencing the sufferings in your life? It's only because you are this limitless consciousness that I am. I am. Nobody doubts it. We all feel that.

[00:17:33]I'm putting this whole teaching in another way. I am. Nobody doubts it.

[00:17:41]But what we do is we immediately associate the I am with a body, with a mind, with a story and then the problem starts. It be the I am becomes limited.

[00:17:55]Without those we'll the whole thrust of this self-nowledge will be to show how this I am is actually unlimited.

[00:18:07]Notice even the I and the am. The am is existence. Am the isness and the I is consciousness.

[00:18:18]The sat chit limitless existence consciousness is your nature is by nature. It's there right now. Just like the sun is shining.

[00:18:28]If the cloud seems to obstruct it, the cloud is blown away by a gust of wind and the sun shines unobstructed.

[00:18:41]Here the youngest student Shankarachari himself was young and all his students were older than him except one was a young boy and uh he was a strange little boy. He wouldn't speak.

[00:18:59]So today you have lot of diagnosis as autistic and so many things will be done to help the kid. In those days in a little village the parents couldn't didn't know what to do with this little boy who wouldn't speak who wouldn't go to school who would just go and sit under a tree and and while away his time when they heard that a great sage Shankarachara your master has come to their village they thought maybe he can help. So they went to him and said can you come and see our boy? So he comes and by immediately seeing that little boy he realizes this is an enlightened being and he asks that boy who are you why have you come here what is your purpose in life and the boy replies in perfect Sanskrit and in verse obviously uh he replies I am not um you know a brahmachari I'm not a grihasta I'm not not a student, not a householder, not uh a forest dweller, not a monk. I'm not a Brahman or ahatria or auds.

[00:20:06]Um I am uh not the body, not the mind.

[00:20:12]Ima I am the limitless existence, consciousness, bliss which is continuously being experienced.

[00:20:24]always I'm being experienced and then he gives this series of verses which is highest adic knowledge the little boy expresses and then he says towards the end of that series [music] one verse is there just as to the foolish one when the cloud comes and obstructs his vision he thinks that the sun is obstructed. His sun is hidden.

[00:20:55]When the cloud comes and obstructs my vision, I think that the sun has been covered.

[00:21:02]Similarly, that they think the foolish ones think that bad yohati which appears as bound and in samsara this ever present, ever free, ever [music] experienced atman that I am.

[00:21:21]So this is what is said here when the clouds are blown away as the sun shines forth as if the sun was as if the sun was covered as if you were limited as if limited.

[00:21:40]When the clouds are blown away, how the clouds will be blown blown away?

[00:21:49]How do we see ourselves without body mind? That will be shown. It's there.

[00:21:54]It's coming.

[00:22:02]The atman is selfreveal. Like the sun reveals itself. You don't need anything.

[00:22:07]All you need to do is to remove the cloud which seems to obstruct it. So what is the nature of our problem?

[00:22:16]Limitation.

[00:22:17]But very luckily apparent limitation the word ea why is it apparently limited because of our ignorance of who am I when I realize who am I what will happen it becomes one and nonduel you realize yourself as one reality nondual same in all beings immortal no problem no question of dying ever fulfilled no need No dependence on the world, body or mind for your fulfillment and one with all beings and revealed by yourself. Not dependent on the mind to reveal you.

[00:23:03]Just as all that the mind can do is remove the ignorance in the mind. All that we need to do to see the sun is to remove the cloud, not to reveal the sun.

[00:23:13]You don't have to focus a flashlight on the sun. Right?

[00:23:18]So this verse is very important. Nature of our problem limitation but apparent limitation caused by ignorance. Solution to our problem knowledge. What knowledge?

[00:23:31]Self-nowledge. Who am I? What am I?

[00:23:34]And that self-nowledge also does not reveal you the atman. You are always self-revealed. It's always shining like the sun self luminous.

[00:23:46]What will spiritual practice do? Remove the cloud. The cloud of ignorance. It will not reveal the sun.

[00:23:53]Need need not. It cannot and it need not. The gentleman asked a question. So it cannot. No spiritual practice can um reveal the atman or Brahman. But it need not reveal because you are self-revealed. So that's all. This is a very important thing. It shows you what adita vant is trying to do.

[00:24:15]The number five.

[00:24:33]Valam Jalam.

[00:24:52]Through repeated practice, knowledge purifies the embodied soul stained by ignorance and then itself disappears as the powder of the kataka nut disappears after it has cleansed muddy water. One possible question is taken up here somewhat related to the question that uh I think Paramita asked about the persistence of knowledge after death. So related to the question will after becoming enlightened you realize that you are Brahman will knowledge stay that I am Brahman. See then two things will be there. You are Brahman right? Yes.

[00:25:35]And then you realize that I am Brahman.

[00:25:40]So what's the problem now? There are two things Brahman and the knowledge that I am Brahman. All right. What's the problem?

[00:25:49]How is it non-dual then?

[00:25:52]Non-duality means there should be no second thing. Brahman only you say atmaha aren't there two words don't they mean two things atman means consciousness pure consciousness satan you are satan finished but the is also there the realization that I am satan and the realization now that realization will it stay after enlightenment will there be a real knowledge I am Brahman and really that you are Brahman. Two things you see the subtle question which is being asked.

[00:26:30]This is a question on this is an attack on the nonduality of the self.

[00:26:36]You are saying Brahman is nondual. No second reality apart from it. Now I'm here's an objection. What about your knowledge that you are Brahman?

[00:26:47]Won't ultimately won't there be two things? You are pure consciousness plus the the knowledge that you are pure consciousness. I am awareness itself also I know that I am awareness by itself. Two things and the answer is no.

[00:27:07]After enlightenment that enlightenment that knowledge itself will go away and uh we [laughter] we immediately think hey that means then you'll become ignorant. So you're trapped. Either give up your non non-duality or give up your enlightenment. One of the two. Which one will you sacrifice?

[00:27:30]The answer is you don't have to sacrifice anything. You will be enlightened. You are the non-dual reality and non-duality is not affected by the knowledge that you are enlightened that you are Brahman. How?

[00:27:42]So here another example he gives. So these very nice whole spectrum of examples Jalam Katakare.

[00:27:52]So this was before there were modern filtration systems. Even now some places these things are used.

[00:27:59]Um what are they called?

[00:28:02]>> Alum.

[00:28:02]>> Alum. So it it takes away all the impurities in the water and makes it settle down or you can filter it out and that itself is also dissolved that also can be it also settles down at the bottom. So there's a there's a nut called kataka. I haven't seen it but we talk about it here and that is powdered and that is scattered in the water which has to be purified. So all the dust particles in the water most of it it will be pulled down by this nut. I guess it somehow bonds with the particles or something and it's all settles at the bottom and the particles of that dust of that nut also that will also settle at the bottom. So when you carefully pour it out or you filter it out with a cloth then you will get pure water and the dust and the nut particles they will also be exp they'll also go away they'll also be removed filtered out. So you see as water is purified that dust of the nut the powder of the nut it purifies the water by removing helping to remove all impurities but now your question is what about the that powder of the nut will it remain in the water suspended in the water? No, that will also settle down along with the impurities. Exactly like that the knowledge arises. I am Brahman. What does it do? It removes the ignorance.

[00:29:39]The ignorance is that I am not Brahman.

[00:29:42]I am body. I am mind. I am a person.

[00:29:48]So body, mind, person will persist.

[00:29:51]But you realize you are not that.

[00:29:54]There's a nice saying the person will never become free but you become free of the person while the person is persisting world will keep on appearing body will keep on appearing mind will also keep on functioning and yet you're free of it it's an appearance in you like a movie playing on a movie screen samakrishna gave another example the two thorns which I mentioned so there's a thorn of ignorance in my flesh. A thorn of knowledge is taken removes a thorn of ignorance. Both thorns are thrown away because this idea that if knowledge goes away I'll become ignorant. It's not like that. you realize what you are then ignorance cannot come because not only the world is falsified the body mind where ignorance may come that's also falsified you know what will happen is won't there be any doubts at all after you become enlightened even if there is a doubt you will see without any without any hesitation you will see uh clearly that in your radiance the mind is functioning and in that mind A viti of a doubt has arisen.

[00:31:15]That very doubt proves you that that you are at Shankarachara's famous uh there's one line which says You will see without any doubt. Whatever doubt comes up that's also revealed by you. The consciousness that's also given existence by you the uh existence itself.

[00:31:46]You are the one who lends existence to the mind, body and the universe. And you are the one who lends light to the mind, body and universe.

[00:31:57]Three kinds of impurities.

[00:32:00]We did that this little while ago. First deepest impurity ignorance then restless then impurity of the mind. Um so in Sanskrit aana ignorance restless ignorant mind restless mind and impure mind all three can be considered impurities but the deepest impurities is ignorance.

[00:32:29]So he says Kalusham G sentient being is afflicted by the impurity of ignorance and which is removed by Ghana by knowledge.

[00:32:41]What knowledge? I am Brahman.

[00:32:44]Just a little addition here. Interesting wording is used. Ghana by the practice of knowledge the ja sentient being is purified.

[00:33:01]impure in the impure condition with the with ignorance what does the sentient being feel or think I am this person when the it's purified when ignorance is gone what does the sentient being feel or think I am Brahman it uses the same mind to point back to its Brahman nature how is it done abhasad interesting use of the word abha Asa practice didn't I just say in the earlier session if you say practice you haven't understood adita vedant so what is the role of practice here if it is karma yoga it has to be practiced the essence of practice is repetition the essence of practice is repetition so karma yoga has to be practiced meditation has to be practiced devotion also has to be practiced um until real devot Quotion comes knowledge itself doesn't have to be practiced but what has to be practiced is shana manana repeated hearing this studying this text once twice thrice thinking about it again and again from various different angles and then when we get clarity staying with that clarity again and again that is vantic meditation you know The difference between vantic meditation, yogic meditation, yogic meditation is focus, concentration, not allowing the mind to get scattered.

[00:34:40]So is focus on say suppose a mantra omash. What do you do with that? Repeat, repeat, repeat omnash.

[00:34:50]It the mind can only do one thing at a time and you are giving it that one thing to do. Omash. So it will not allow the mind to get scattered. That's yogic meditation. Mantra meditation, image meditation, many kinds of meditation are there. Breath following the breath and so on. All of them are training of the attention focus. In adic meditation, nidhasana what happens is it's more different words have been used to describe it.

[00:35:23]Viveananda called it assimilation.

[00:35:27]It's not so much trying to realize Brahman. You already have got clarity through hearing and reasoning. You have got clarity. Now staying with that clarity until it's assimilated, until you can say that honestly I am Brahman.

[00:35:42]You don't have to say it but you can feel it. You it's clear to you. Now another term used is somebody said marinated. You know when you cook After cooking, you don't immediately take it off the fire. You put a lid on it so that the masala or the spices are absorbed in the food. Similarly, after your listening, thinking, you got the clarity. Don't pack up immediately and leave. You stay with it. Day after day, you think about it and then stay with it. Let it marinate. You soak into it.

[00:36:23]Another term used is familiarization.

[00:36:28]It's not to find something. You already found it. Once you have got clarity about what the teaching is, you found it. Now you familiarize yourself with it. Because we have become familiar with body mind. Now become familiar with yourself as awareness. It's present now.

[00:36:43]But become familiar with yourself as awareness. Note its special features that it's limitless. It's not born. It does not die. It does not have old age, disease, death. It does not have unhappiness, depression. It does not have uh um excitement or boredom.

[00:37:02]You familiarize yourself with yourself.

[00:37:05]So this is vantic meditation.

[00:37:12]Now number six.

[00:37:24]So number six will introduce us from now on two very important concepts. All of this so far has been a kind of general introduction to advita vanta.

[00:37:41]Now the study is starting from six onwards. First a very important concept is going to be introduced. This concept is called adasa adhasa English superimposition.

[00:37:56]What is superimposition?

[00:37:57]Taking something to be what it is not.

[00:38:01]You take a rope to be mistake a rope to be a snake. That's adihasa.

[00:38:08]If you see something on a movie screen and you don't know it's a movie, you think it's a real car and a cops and robbers chase, that's a it happened to me once. I should have known better. I was in Hollywood and I was new there. So that's my excuse.

[00:38:27]I I was in the ashram and then from a parking lot I heard a commotion. So I rushed out into the parking lot. It was evening and I saw this car come rushing in through the gate which was open and this lady was standing near the gate.

[00:38:45]She had overcoat. She whipped out a gun and started shooting at the car.

[00:38:51]I was stunned. I just I didn't know what to think and only when I heard cut then I realized there was a movie shooting going on and then again the car backed out and again it came back in again the lady shot at it she was firing blanks.

[00:39:09]Now what was my adhasa my superimposition?

[00:39:14]I took it for what it looked like. Just it's a real real it's happening.

[00:39:19]Somebody's coming and there's this person who's shooting at it's a real shootout. It wasn't. There was a car.

[00:39:25]There was this lady and there was she was firing a gun. But none of it was real.

[00:39:31]I attributed reality to the appearance there. At least there is a car and there is that lady and there are uh the parking lot and there's a gun actually it's there only the action is uh it's acting but here in this case of the world this entire physical world this um body this mind all of them are actually not out there according to Vedanta they are all appearances in awareness and nothing but awareness. So you are that awareness.

[00:40:14]One Sadhu said first of all you are the witness of all of this. That's the thing to be understood. Second that your witness but not like I was the witness of the shootout at in the Hollywood parking lot. No it your witness like a dream.

[00:40:34]The one sadu put it nicely.

[00:40:38]I'll tell you in Hindi and what he said and translate.

[00:40:44]You are the witness. This is the first thing to understand.

[00:40:53]What he said is this. First of all understand that you are not part of it.

[00:41:00]You as awareness you are the one which is illumining it. You means not this body mind. The body is very much part of the samsara.

[00:41:08]So is the mind. But you as awareness you are illumining it. You are the you are the dasha the witness. You don't have to try to be the witness. You are choicelessly the witness. You can't be anything else.

[00:41:21]Now what is it that you're witnessing?

[00:41:25]Is it really out there? Something out there? Is it like a Broadway show? As you said, theater Broadway show. What's the difference between a movie and a Broadway show?

[00:41:37]So, in the Broadway show, there's actually a stage and there are actually actors. They're coming up on stage and doing things.

[00:41:45]You are still a witness. You're not part of the play, but they are there. Those people are there. They're acting. And in a movie, even that is not there. They just looks like that.

[00:41:58]There are no real actors there. There's no real stage there. There are no real props there. It's an appearance. Light and pictures on a screen.

[00:42:08]If you say actually those things are there and I am the witness of it that sank here procriti and purusha. Purusha is consciousness and procriti is a real material nature apart from consciousness interacting with consciousness. Prorit and purusha that's sank here. And if you say it's not really there, it's all appearing in consciousness.

[00:42:32]There's nothing outside consciousness, then it is adita.

[00:42:37]Why adita? Because in Sanka, material nature exists as a second to consciousness. In Adita, whatever appears in consciousness does not exist as a second to consciousness, just as waves in the ocean do not exist as a second to the water.

[00:42:56]It's the water alone which is appearing as the waves. It is consciousness alone which is appearing as its objects. It is you appearing as your universe.

[00:43:08]Okay.

[00:43:11]Now this this is adasa the concept of superimposition. What is not there is seen to be there or is understood to be there. Look at the verse number six.

[00:43:25]Samsaps rais Swagy sav the world samsara filled with attachments and aversions and the rest is like a dream. It appears to be real as long as one is ignorant but becomes unreal when one is awake.

[00:44:23]So here we are introduced to adhasa superimposition a central concept of adita vanta also jagatwa the falsity of the world much malign much misunderstood concept in adita vanta both are introduced here very important so all right I understand I'm consciousness of some sort something is there what is this world. What is this universe? He says thing to understand about sams about the places we are in time our own bodies other people living beings non-living things everything in this universe one thing to understand is it's an appearance in consciousness and he gives an example luckily for us so many examples here is one example Like a dream.

[00:45:24]Like a dream. What happens in a dream?

[00:45:30]We fall asleep and then the mind projects a new world with its own space, with its own time.

[00:45:41]You may be lying down on the bed and sleeping, but the space you are in in the new world, the dream world is a different space.

[00:45:49]You may be in Delhi or Mumbai or uh you may be walking in the park out there but you're sleeping on your bed. Space is different. Time is different. Maybe it is sometime in the past you're relieving something and you have a body there in the dream and other people are also there in the dream. Living and non-living things are there in the dream. So is this I'm describing a dream.

[00:46:14]So the dream entire dream world new time new space new body populated by other sentient and inscentient beings. This is how a dream functions and you are there in the dream also.

[00:46:29]And also none of this would be a problem but then the problem starts is why see if you're dreaming or experiencing a world of imagination. What is the problem? It's enjoyment. It's like watching a movie. No.

[00:46:45]Then the second problem comes. The second uh element comes in the dream.

[00:46:49]You forget that it's a dream. [music] You forget that you are lying on the bed safe and sound and sleeping.

[00:46:58]You are in the dream. Now exactly like that what happens is [clears throat] so here is some vantic metaphysics.

[00:47:09]Pure consciousness in association with the power of maya.

[00:47:14]Maya is the power of consciousness.

[00:47:17]Consciousness plus maya is how God is defined in ada vanta is bhagavan saguna brahma.

[00:47:27]This power of maya has two capacities or two shis. The shy is called um this ashy vikashi. Vikshaki means the power to project.

[00:47:47]What this power to project does is it projects pure consciousness. Brahman atman it projects it as a world. It projects it as sky and fire you know wind and fire and cosmic elements water and earth. It projects it as the worlds there. It projects it as living beings.

[00:48:11]It projects means maya through the power of vikshapa projecting power. It projects what? Brahman. Brahman itself is projected in that way. Yeah. This whole universe.

[00:48:25]Who is this Brahman? This consciousness it's you. And as I said, it shouldn't be a problem. You should enjoy the display.

[00:48:33]Oh, by my power of maya, by its viki, I am seeing a universe. Very nice.

[00:48:42]But no, the second function of maya, second capacity of maya comes into play. Now this is called aaraki, the veiling power. Just like in a dream, the fact that you are sleeping on a bed safe and sound is veiled from you and you consider the dream to be real.

[00:49:05]Similarly, in this universe um that I am pure consciousness is veiled from me.

[00:49:17]I am pure consciousness but it is veiled from me. Aana aana means veiling being veiled from me. Now what is appearing to me? This world is appearing. Here is a body. Here is a mind. I am this body mind. And I am interacting with other bodies and minds who are different from me.

[00:49:37]But the truth is just like a dream in the dream the dream space and the time and all the beings none of them are different from you. You the dreaming mind are appearing in those ways exactly like that here. I the consciousness through my power of vika and aarana by vshapa with by the projecting power I am appearing as all of this and all of you and this body and mind but because of the veiling power just like in the dream you are not aware that it's a dream you're not aware that you are actually in the bed and sleeping similarly I not aware I'm pure consciousness and then what happens I become identified with this body mind so then raves the sala or samsara sankula means turbulent afflicted by raada likes and dislikes inevitable the moment you you limit yourself to a personality you will have likes and dislikes. If I'm a body, I will like it if it is not too hot, not too cold. I if I am a mind, I will like it if people are nice to me and not nasty to me. It is inevitable. Likes and dislikes are there. And through lifetimes of conditioning, strong desires are there.

[00:51:16]And then I chase those desires seeking fulfillment. Never possible, never in many lifetimes. Never possible samsara starts for me because I have strong likes and desires and I try to fulfill my likes and avoid my dislikes.

[00:51:35]Raad raa means likes, da means dislikes, aversions.

[00:51:41]Sometimes I do it within the limits of dharma, ethics, morality.

[00:51:47]Sometimes I exceed the limits of dharma or ethics or morality because my likes are so much I really want it. I don't care somehow I must get it or my fears and anxieties are so much that I really do immoral things to protect myself tell a lie or something and so dharma adharma moral immoral actions and that will give rise to the papa merit and demerit good deeds give rise to pun merits bad deeds deeds, naughty deeds give rise to demerits, papa and that gives rise to sukaduka future lives in which pleasant and unpleasant experiences keep coming to me just like they're coming to me now. This is all generated by my past. So here is the chain of a here's the chain which I just mentioned ravesa likes and dislikes leading to dharma adharma moral and immoral actions leading to merit and demerit. This is the law of karma leading to sukaduka pleasant and unpleasant experiences in this life and beyond. This is samsar all due to what? Due to this projection and veiling because of veiling this projection and veiling together it causes what something called adhyasa superimposition.

[00:53:27]The rope is veiled and it looks like a snake to me. This is superimposition. Superimposition is a fancy word just just means taking something to be what it is not.

[00:53:42]Shankarachara defines it as what is not there you see it there or you think it's there is uh this is a crucial concept in advant and then he defines As long as it exists, as long as I'm not awake, as long as I'm under the influence of the veiling power, it seems to be real. As long as I am in the sleeping in the dream, whatever is happening in the dream seems to be real.

[00:54:22]What's the difference between seeing a dream and seeing a movie?

[00:54:27]When you are watching a movie, you're aware it's a movie.

[00:54:31]No matter how terrible, how tragic, how scary, it's all enjoyment for us. It's all enjoyment for us. It's an aesthetic experience. It's art.

[00:54:47]Even if it's terrible, but even a fraction of that, if you see in your dream, you get very agitated. Why?

[00:54:54]Because the dream feels real while it's happening. Soal during in its own time in its own duration shines as if true then once you awaken once you wake up snap out of it immediately becomes unreal false what do you say oh thank god it was a dream if it was a nightmare or if it was something Nice. You won the lottery or something like that. Oh no, it was a dream.

[00:55:35]So you awakened. Snap out of it. It is falsified. What seemed real to us as long as it lasted. When you awaken from it, it is what what we experienced is falsified.

[00:55:51]So this is an example. Now apply to adwita.

[00:55:57]As long as we are under the influence of our shaky the veiling power we as long as we do not realize we are Brahman it this will seem real seem real not real even while it is going on even while it seems real it's still not real and when we realize so notice here you don't have to snap out of this state into some other state enlightenment ment is not a state. Enlightenment is the realization of reality right here in this state. That's why it's an example.

[00:56:34]If you stretch it too far, you will say, "Oh, I woke up from the dream into the waking. So, I have to wake up from the waking into something else." No, you have to wake up to your real nature which is present in waking, in dream, in deep sleep. There's one nature which you are which is called the fourth waker and wake waking world one dreamer and dream world two deep sleeper and deep sleep world within quotes three and you the reality fourth but it's not a fourth actually it is the one which is appearing as the three yeah so this is the definition of falsity satyadha seems to be real as long it's going on when you awaken from it it becomes false that is the definition of falsity that means when it was going on also it was not true didn't really happen that's what is meant by a dream it didn't really happen that's what's made by meant by a movie only thing is our enlightenment realization will be more like a movie than a dream because when in dream you awaken from the dream then it stops then you awaken to some other world this world waking world but in enlightenment when you awaken you awakened in this world itself so it's like a movie it will go on but you realize it's not true what's true is the screen what's true is you the consciousness in you the whole thing is appearing How do we awaken? He says praodi. Praodi means to awaken. But how do we awaken? I understand what is waking up from dream to um waking. But how do I awaken to I am Brahman here. What's the way? Answer will be given in the seventh verse.

[00:58:57]Yan Brahad Sadhan.

[00:59:15]The world appears to be real as long as the nondual Brahman which is the basis of all is not known. It is like the illusion of silver in an oyster shell.

[00:59:28]Another example these are all classic Adita examples.

[00:59:35]So what's this example? The example is somebody's going along on the seashore and sees something glittering in the uh seashore and he rushes towards it. It's a sea shell, but it looks like silver to him. And he wants to pick up the silver.

[00:59:55]And um when he goes there, he realizes, oh, it's just a shining sea shell. Actually, what he's calling here.

[01:00:06]>> Oyster shell. Yeah. Illusion of silver in an oyster shell.

[01:00:12]Exactly like the snake in the rope. The snake in the rope is an example of dha something that creates fear and anxiety in you. This is an example of uh something that creates desire. I want it raa.

[01:00:29]Both of these are illusions. Both of these are appearances.

[01:00:33]Now, how do you get out of it?

[01:00:37]Here's the crucial thing. You have to realize, you have to see for yourself the ground of that illusion. What is the ground of the illusion? Remember what is this illusion? This adasa, what is this illusion? Something appearing as something else.

[01:00:56]You are seeing something there which is not there. When you see what is really there, illusion is broken.

[01:01:04]So how will the ropes snake illusion be broken? You have to see the rope. How will the sea shell and silver illusion be broken? You have to see the sea shell.

[01:01:16]How will Brahman and world illusion be broken? You have to see Brahman. C means realize Brahman.

[01:01:24]How will this superimposition adasa that I am body mind be broken? I have to realize I am not body not mind. I am pure consciousness.

[01:01:34]Now you understand when Shankarachara sings I am the nature of Shiva and pure consciousness pure bliss. What does he sing before that?

[01:01:50]I'm not mind, not intellect, not memory, not even the ego. Crucially, not even the ego.

[01:02:03]I am not even the sensory functionings of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue.

[01:02:13]I'm not the five elements. These are the things which are appearing to us. Look, here is a material world. Here is earth and sunlight and air and water. Here is a organic body and look inside. You will find thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories, ego.

[01:02:35]None of them I am. They are all appearing in me. I am the underlying awareness.

[01:02:42]This has to be realized.

[01:02:45]You have to realize the ground of the illusion. You have to see through to the ground of the illusion.

[01:02:55]Now this is the meaning of the word adhishtan.

[01:03:01]You have to realize Brahman which is the ground of this world illusion.

[01:03:10]Brahma as until you realize Brahman. What is Brahman?

[01:03:19]The ground of everything. What is everything? Entire physical universe here including this body.

[01:03:29]Entire mental universe. Thoughts, feelings, emotions, ideas, knowledge, desires, all of that.

[01:03:39]and entire causal universe when we fall asleep blank that's the causal seed state all three universes causal universe subtle universe gross physical universe in Sanskrit all three are the appearance and the ground of all three is Brahman oh where is it you so until you realize that you are sarvadishtana. You are the ground of this entire cosmos.

[01:04:13]You're not a tiny little organic being, you know, a little creature in a vast place, really vast place. You know, when you come to Canada, you realize how vast the world is.

[01:04:25]I just have to stand outside in the gate here and look at the endless farmlands and the ever receding horizon. You realize how vast it is.

[01:04:35]I'm a tiny being in all of this. No, no, no. The whole universe is in you. Not in your body.

[01:04:45]Not in that sense. Not even in your mind. Body, mind and universe are in you. The consciousness.

[01:04:53]This is what is meant by the falsity of the world. Jagat mita. What is reality of the world? It's a separate material physical reality outside. Yes. If you consider yourself to the body, it truly is. This bottle is as real as this body.

[01:05:10]And the bottle is outside the body. The water is outside the body. If I drink it, the water will be inside the body.

[01:05:16]All that is true.

[01:05:18]But body, bottle, water, all of them are appearing in consciousness.

[01:05:25]This is what you have to wrap your head around.

[01:05:31]A monk once you know we challenge each other sometimes.

[01:05:36]He's entering the main temple in in Balor but he stands with one foot on the temple stairs and one looking at me.

[01:05:45]How does Adwita say world is false?

[01:05:50]Here I see it. Here is the temple. Here is the sun. Here is the sky. Here is the Ganga.

[01:05:57]I see myself. I see you. How do you see the How do you say world is false?

[01:06:03]I'm literally seeing it.

[01:06:07]What is your answer?

[01:06:09]My answer was notice your language.

[01:06:14]What did you say? You didn't say the world is real. You say I see it.

[01:06:24]equal to mathematically derive the world appears in my experience.

[01:06:33]Does it appear outside your experience?

[01:06:38]The very word appear means experience.

[01:06:44]You say no it might be in somebody else's. There might be a planet or a star uh you know plan in which you know just now the Indian space mission landed the Chandraan space vehicle in on the dark side of the moon south pole no uh spaceship had landed there earlier so that was unknown now we are beginning to get um knowledge of it so how do you say it was in in or consciousness in consciousness.

[01:07:19]These are questions you must be able to answer this. There is a difference between knowledge and awareness.

[01:07:28]The whole world exists in awareness as the known and the unknown. A tiny bit of it is known. See for example right now this slice of reality is something I can see but that which is back there you can see it but I can't see it.

[01:07:46]It's unknown. Now I turn my eyes towards it and now I can see it.

[01:07:54]I deploy my instruments of knowledge.

[01:07:57]What are my instruments of knowledge?

[01:07:58]Eyes and I deploy it and see that. But now I can't see you.

[01:08:06]Turn around and I see you. My knowledge changed. You faded into the unknown.

[01:08:12]That became known. that fades into the unknown. You became known to me. But this and that as the known and the unknown was in my awareness.

[01:08:24]Let me put in another way. In your dreams, when we when we are in the dream, we are walking around seeing something, talking with people, we also have the sense that we are in the midst of a vast world. Let me repeat that. In our dreams also, we have the sense we are in a world. It seems like a real waking word, isn't it? We don't feel in the dream that I'm talking to you only you exist and I exist and this is there's nothing else around. That would be very weird.

[01:08:55]We feel we are in the dream. I mean we don't feel we are in the dream. We feel I'm talking to this person and of course the whole universe is around us that is unknown. This person is known but when you wake up what will happen?

[01:09:11]What will happen is you'll realize that which was known to you, this person and the vast universe around you, which was unknown to you, all of it was appearing in you, the dreaming mind.

[01:09:27]Similarly, this entire universe is appearing in consciousness and you are that consciousness.

[01:09:35]Lovely example I'll give you. Our senior most member in the vanta society in New York is Bill Conred.

[01:09:43]He is a veteran of the second world war his 99 years this month last month.

[01:09:50]Now he is a trained physicist and quite skeptical. So he said Swami um it is not true that the world exists in your consciousness or my consciousness. The world exists out there. It's a real world and you come into it and then you see it. The realist world view. That's how common sense approach.

[01:10:14]You come into it and you see it.

[01:10:19]So he asked this question often and somebody else told me don't be in a hurry to answer it Swami. He's been asking this question before you are born. So you are not going to solve his doubts. But I solved it. At least I said something to which he had no answer.

[01:10:36]He said, "I will prove it to you. The world exists outside your consciousness."

[01:10:42]How?

[01:10:44]Let's put a camera here just like this.

[01:10:46]Let's put a camera in this room. Then both of us will leave this room. Then we will come back into this room and I will show you the picture in the camera where you will see an empty room existing without any conscious being.

[01:11:01]room exists. No conscious being is there. Similarly, universe exists whether life is there or not, consciousness is there or not. This is the materialist claim.

[01:11:11]What is the answer? I said, Bill, in your consciousness, you devised this experiment. In your consciousness, you put a camera in your consciousness. You said, swami, let's go out of the room.

[01:11:24]In your consciousness, you said, "Swami, let's come back into the room." In your consciousness, in your awareness, in your experience, you showed me the picture of the empty room in the camera.

[01:11:34]At which point did you step outside your consciousness?

[01:11:43]If you make the distinction between knowledge and consciousness, you will see knowledge requires consciousness.

[01:11:52]But both known and unknown are in consciousness.

[01:11:56]All right?

[01:12:00]Again one more little point falsity of the world you know advita vanta has been taught in this way Brahman is real the world is an appearance and ja sentient beings you are none other than Brahman this is the whole summon substance supposed to be smon substance of adita vanta but people ask what is Use of this teaching of world as false two uses I'll tell you first the surface level and second the deeper point of it first um the use of this teaching it's pedagogical it's helpful why falsity of the world develops your vaga dispassion our likes and dislik likes which are so strongly connected with the world is only because we take it to be real.

[01:13:04]Why do we react with likes and dislikes, terror and temptation in a dream but not in a movie? Movie we enjoy it fully but we don't take it seriously.

[01:13:18]Why? Because we feel it's not there.

[01:13:20]It's a picture.

[01:13:23]Just sounds and light and light and sound show.

[01:13:28]And in a dream although dream is equally false we feel it is real. So we react to it. We get scared.

[01:13:38]We get terrified in a dream.

[01:13:42]Only when you attribute reality to what you experience you will have likes and dislikes. Raadisha in a movie also you will react you will cheer for the hero you will boo the villain but that's also in you know you understand there's no real hero no real villain there it's part of your enjoyment but not in a dream nightmare you are really suffering until you wake up from it because you attribute reality to it we attribute reality as long as we attribute reality there'll be real raada pull and push likes and dislikes samsara will be real for us. So it develops vaya dispassion when we see the world as false as an appearance in consciousness.

[01:14:33]That's one reason but not the most important. Here is the crucial most important stunning reason why we should regard the world as false. What are you looking for in advant the ground of that illusion in the snake rope? You're looking for the rope.

[01:14:54]In the shell silver, you're looking for the shell. In Brahman world, we are looking for Brahman.

[01:15:03]Okay. Now let me ask you if the ro if the snake is false and the rope is real you're seeing a snake there where is the rope >> look it look it where where the snake >> where the snake is >> why because the snake is false it is the same thing in reality rope in mistake snake that is the meaning of falsity when you're looking when the man is tempted by the silver and someone tells him it's just the sea shell or the oyster shell. He asks where where is the oyster shell? There there you are seeing the silver. See clear clearly you will understand.

[01:15:48]Where is Brahman?

[01:15:53]Where is Brahman?

[01:15:56]If the world is real then Brahman has to be elsewhere. God is in heaven.

[01:16:03]If the world is an appearance then the question will be what is it truly? It's Brahman. Then where is Brahman?

[01:16:12]Here.

[01:16:14]Here we are. Here right now.

[01:16:18]Which object is Brahman? Every object though it Brahman is not an object. None of the objects are anything other than Brahman.

[01:16:27]When is Brahman? You strange question.

[01:16:30]When is Brahman? You'll say when is heaven? When is God? After death.

[01:16:36]But now if I say world is an appearance of Brahman. When now and in the past and in the future all the time and now here there everywhere but here.

[01:16:52]And which object? Everything but especially you.

[01:16:59]So the teaching of the falsity of the world is a direct pointing to the reality.

[01:17:05]If the world were real and there is some reality called Brahman God, then you have to search elsewhere, elsewhere, else when in some other thing.

[01:17:17]But if the world is false, it's really Brahman, then you have to look investigate here, here, here means not physically into the table in our own experience of this world. And that investigation is the methodology of Adita.

[01:17:37]Here is the word word occurs nonduel.

[01:17:40]See understand what is meant by nonduel again and again nonduality. What is this nonduality?

[01:17:47]It means that the appearance is nothing but the ground of that appearance.

[01:17:54]The ground of that appearance is nondual with respect to that appearance. The rope is nondual with respect to the snake. When I use two words rope snake, how many are there?

[01:18:07]One.

[01:18:09]But the snake is it looks different.

[01:18:12]It's something different, isn't it? It is not a second thing apart from the rope. Nondual rope is nondual with respect to the snake. Shell is nondual with respect to the false silver.

[01:18:26]Brahman is nondual with respect to the universe. You are nondual with respect to the entire universe.

[01:18:35]Nondual means there nothing here is other than you. Nobody is other than you. We understand Sri Shria's very beautiful last teaching.

[01:18:46]The world is your own my child. There is nobody here who is an other to you.

[01:18:53][music] Learn to make it your own.

[01:18:58]Sounds very simple. It is a very deep um I mean if you look at it deeply that means what appears to be other is an illusion.

[01:19:13]All right, we should go into question answers.

[01:19:19]We have about 20 minutes.

[01:19:23]All right.

[01:19:31]So the concepts of adhas superimposition concept of falsity of the world concept of ground of that illusion nonduality all heavy duty concepts we have come across use the examples snake rope silver naker uh that sea shell um the sun and the uh cloud and uh the That nut which pulls out all impurities and also goes away itself. All of these use these examples to understand what's going on. Yes. Tell us your name and ask the question.

[01:20:12]>> Hello. My name is Shiva. My question is as self illuminates like from self it's we reveal self that what we learn right self reveals self.

[01:20:26]>> Yes. So self is re revealing self through through illuminating power is so when when then the word power is coming it is becoming um an attribute so isn't it the sank philosophy is coming in >> all right so question is shria is asking you talk about the self illumining itself or self-revealing itself.

[01:21:02]That's a power right there. We have to say no.

[01:21:07]It's consciousness itself. It's not a power of consciousness.

[01:21:13]So the light is shining. Sun is shining.

[01:21:17]Is the shining a power? No. It's the very nature of light itself. It's the nature of light to shine. It's not an additional power.

[01:21:27]not an attribute.

[01:21:29]Power can be more or less power can be there or not there. But can the light be there and it not will not shine? No, it cannot be. Similarly, pure consciousness or awareness or consciousness, its very nature is to shine. Its very nature is to reveal itself. Praasha that's the nature praasha swarupa so it's not a power of consciousness to reveal itself yes >> this is maya right >> sorry sorry [music] sir then uh this becomes maya >> what becomes maya >> so uh isn't it uh when like uh the creation happens because the consciousness manifested through its power. Then this and then purusha and prai is the maya right you spoke that >> so purushi is not maya praiti is maya is right so consciousness manifest this universe because of maya viki so now here's subtle thing consciousness manifests that's its very nature But as universe as space and fire and earth as living beings as samsara that is the projecting power of that is viki that is maya shining is not maya it's a very nature of consciousness but shining as this and that why this and that that is maya vshapa vshapa means the uh projecting power or um which makes it various.

[01:23:28]It appears as human beings and animals and stars and quarks and quazars all of that entire material nature why Vikshaper the projecting power of Maya so it's a power that's a power and that's why it's not ultimately real but the manifestation itself that consciousness shines forth see here is a question Gapa this is answer from Mandukarika Why at all all of this is happening?

[01:24:03]Why at all consciousness is appearing as all of this? Answer will be Maya.

[01:24:10]But why may also then the answer is God says this is the very nature of that shining reality to shine forth. Now when it shines forth, it'll shine forth as something.

[01:24:27]Our problem is not with it shining forth.

[01:24:31]We don't want it to all stop shining.

[01:24:35]I don't want this universe. This is terrible. No, no, no. This is a wrong understanding of Adita. Adita does not want to shut out the universe. Adwita does not say that you should not see, hear, smell, taste, touch. Adwita does not say that you should not earn money, drive a car. Um no adita has no problem with anything in the universe. After all if adwita is true in this universe with all its good and bad with all its terrible things and beautiful things it must be Brahman. So Brahman has no objection with anything anything here.

[01:25:14]Only problem is the veiling power the aana which stops you from seeing that it is Brahman. stops you from seeing that it is you. Once it is you, once it is Brahman, problems are solved.

[01:25:30]Somebody suffers terrible injustice, maybe is killed or murdered or something. It's terrible.

[01:25:38]How can Brahman permit this? But suppose that one who was murdered. That one who suffered that injustice is also Brahman is also limitless existence consciousness place did not die with the death of the body. Was not born with the birth of the body. The one who committed that that sin that terrible act is also the same consciousness. You and I that one are the same.

[01:26:05]So it's like going to a police station and say I have a complaint. What's your complaint? That guy. See, I was punched.

[01:26:13]Oh, who punched you? I Why? There was a punch.

[01:26:22]Then why will the policeman get Why? Why are you laughing? Why don't you get indignant?

[01:26:28]It's not a complaint when there is oneness.

[01:26:36]All right.

[01:26:41]An Swami G I'm S.

[01:26:43]>> Yes.

[01:26:44]>> Uh so my question is how would you define not real? Because is it because of the temporary nature of the world the manifestation manifestation? How would you define the world?

[01:26:57]>> A very good question. So when this is a this is real philosophical thinking when you're talking world is real. Now a world is not real. Brahman is real.

[01:27:10]First question should be please define reality.

[01:27:14]What is what is the criteria for something to be real? How will you judge something is real or not? [music] Then we will see whether Brahman is real or world is real or not. Because without this kind of precise definition it all becomes vague. What are you talking about?

[01:27:33]All right. So this is a very big topic one and it's an ancient topic.

[01:27:41]Vanta and all the other philosophies in dashas in India they have to give a criterion of reality define reality then we will debate and they have done it. So it's a wonderful study to see how the different dashana's philosophies define reality. But if you want a modern contemporary uh overview from a western perspective, I would highly recommend this book reality plus David Chamas. He is well known as the person who coined the term hard problem of consciousness. He's the head of the mind brain consciousness unit in NYU.

[01:28:20]His latest book is reality plus.

[01:28:23]Basically he wants to say even virtual reality you should consider it to be real. Anyway, quite apart from that and there's a lot of Indian philosophy there. There's a cartoon of Narada and Vishnu there and so on. Um, but my point here to your replying to your question, there's a very good and thorough section on various definitions of reality. How do you define it? Let me give you one or two examples. I'm going back to ancient Indian philosophy. Uh, what are the definitions of reality? One definition of reality for example the the Buddhists give they call it ara kria practical efficacy does it work as expected I'm going rushing towards water I'm feel I feel very thirsty and I go to drink that water if I drink that water and it quenches my thirst it works as expected it's real but if I go and find that and find only And then I realized it's a mirage. It's not real. It didn't work. So practical efficacy does it work? It's amazing that the leading American philosopher from the 19th 19th 20th century.

[01:29:44]William James um I mean the philosophy itself is called pragmatism. That's Charles Pierce. Charles Andrew Pierce he started it. William James is the one who popularized it and put it into action was John Dwey.

[01:30:01]What is the criterion of reality according to pragmatism? American school of pragmatism. Does it work? It's very American.

[01:30:11]Then somebody joked oversimplified joke that it's a cash value philosophy.

[01:30:17]Does it actually work then it's real?

[01:30:22]to this the Vantin Abdin says that ah I see. So if you drink water it quenches your thirst it's real. Yes.

[01:30:32]Well my dear Buddhist you rush to this lake and you drink water it quenches your thirst would come to the conclusion it's real. Yes. Next moment you sit up on the bed and you realize you were dreaming all along. Huh? In your dream you felt thirsty. In your dream you drank water and your dream you felt quenched. Will you say now that water is real? No.

[01:30:59]So what is so the practical efficacy cannot be is not a foolproof criterion of reality and like this many other theories are there. So the Buddhist will ask okay wise guy ad non-dualist tell me your criterion of reality. Our criterion of reality. This is answer direct answer to your question.

[01:31:29][music] That which cannot be negated in the three periods of time is real. What is negation? Negation is correction.

[01:31:41]What is correction? That which I thought to be real is false. This flash of realization this should not happen. If this does not happen, cannot happen then that thing is real.

[01:31:58]Now see snake rope. I have a flash of correction. Oh, it's not a snake. It's a rope. Therefore, the snake is not real.

[01:32:08]Silver naked. It's not real because it's not silver. It's just a sea shell. Oh, correction got corrected. Dream I woke up. Oh, it was a dream. None of that happened. Corrected.

[01:32:23]So, anything that can be bother means correction, negation that the earlier thing which I thought to be real is now understood to be error. All right. Now, here someone might might ask a question.

[01:32:38]Okay. You are saying that something that um is corrected is not real. I understand that. That's understandable.

[01:32:47]But what you consider to be real, how do you know it will not be corrected in future?

[01:32:52]You might get another bit of knowledge which will correct it that it it is not real. Brahman is not real. I now realize I have realized Brahman plus. So the old Brahman is discarded. It's not real.

[01:33:09]How do you know it will not happen?

[01:33:11]So therefore, can you think of something that cannot be corrected?

[01:33:18]There is something which is consciousness itself. What does all correction depend on? Consciousness.

[01:33:29]What does all existence depend on?

[01:33:32]Existence itself. S cannot be corrected. chit cannot be corrected by definition.

[01:33:41]Even to correct it, you will never never it's impossible to have a cognition like this. Oh, consciousness is not real. Now I have consciously realized it.

[01:33:53]It's impossible.

[01:33:57]Every correction depends on consciousness. Consciousness does not depend on correction.

[01:34:03]So consciousness must be by definition real. Oh, I see this very nice. What is this consciousness? It's you.

[01:34:12]It's you.

[01:34:14]Our problem is to mix up to take up something limited and put it on consciousness, body, mind, personality and then weep.

[01:34:24]Adita says take a look at yourself as that uncorrectable consciousness, unlimited consciousness and then live your life as body, mind, personality. No problem at all. It'll be like watching a movie.

[01:34:42]You'll be a blessing to yourself. You'll be a great help to others for the first time.

[01:34:47]Swami Brahmanandanda says after this realization your spiritual life starts because it's real then it's real before that you are seeking okay very good question one one should think about this what is real what is the definition of reality and there are many other definitions of reality offered by the other schools so Adita cuts all of them down and then gives this definition And interestingly David Chamas I'm sure not going through this process he has come to his conclusion also it's this this uh non-correctability that should be the final uh one of the at least he says it's one of the criteria of reality namaskar my name is I'm from Calgary >> uh thank you for your time being here uh swami from from the previous session I had a question. Um the dash as you mentioned offers the path to achieve the final outcome which you enlightened us of the two the duki and the prati >> and one single term for that is moka >> moa >> freedom >> thank you swami you also what was very beautiful in the session was you gave us the 3x3 matrix you know we work in framework so that give us a great framework for you know that which are all the yogas that you mentioned. Now in is this 3x3 only an adic framework?

[01:36:25]>> Only an adic framework because if you go to some other school of vanta, if you go to a mada school or they will completely disagree with this.

[01:36:35]>> I was going to ask that question.

[01:36:36]>> Yes. So if you go to Rammanuja he will not say karma yoga then bacti and then ghana. No he will say karma yoga then ghana and then bi.

[01:36:48]The basis is selfless action. Then um next will come knowledge of yourself as consciousness and then bacti towards the supreme consciousness that is God that is Rammanuja. So you will privilege bi over Ghana.

[01:37:06]And if you go to Chaitanya Maha Prabhu he will say just forget all this stuff.

[01:37:14]You need only one thing that's bi just love of God that will do the trick.

[01:37:20]And if you come to Sri Raak Krishna he will say all of them work.

[01:37:26]He doesn't have a hierarchy. Shankara has a hierarchy. Rammanuja has a hierarchy.

[01:37:33]In that sense Chaitanya Maharu also has a hierarchy only one only. But Sri Ramak Krishna says all of them work.

[01:37:42]You can and you can take this hierarchy or that hierarchy or that hierarchy but what he adds sram Krishna adds is that not that this particular adic hierarchy is true it's true it's good if you follow it it'll work it'll lead you to liberation but always what samakrishna would add is that don't think this is the only path and that's a fact if you go to you know shriishnab so many great saints are there in the madas sra so many great saints in the jetanyahru so many great saints are there throughout their history how is it possible that it's all wrong and how did they become enlighten the philosophy has no connection with your spirituality that also seems silly so it must be that through different paths in and why only within Hinduism in Islam in Christianity in Buddhism in Every religion, every major religion of the world, you have had uh saints and enlightened being. So different paths do work, different frameworks do work. And we are living in this age where we are comfortable with the idea of multiple frameworks.

[01:38:57]Earlier the idea was truth is one. So the framework must be one and others must be wrong or subservient. That's what by all sorts of dialectics used to go on.

[01:39:09]So just one more on that same topic is so why do certain people get attracted to certain dashas?

[01:39:16]>> Yes. Yes. That's the beauty of Hinduism that we realize uh we have different constituency constituents of our psyche. We are different people. We have come across we have journeyied across ancient lifetimes. So many lifetimes. We have developed in different ways. So you will see some are attracted to the ad this path of insight it's very attractive what it promises as one as Krishna says one flash of light destroys a mass of darkness who doesn't want instantaneous everybody else says you have to work for years many lifetimes no says one flash one instant of course you have to read the fine imprint [laughter] then all other paths seem to say so much effort is required ada says effortless you are Brahman what effort is required for you to be yourself it's very attractive many people they want to understand without understanding people you know especially in today's age why adita was stressed by vivean in one place he says it is a it is the religion most suited to a modern mind in general. However, another person may have may not find very much be very inspired by these things.

[01:40:49]>> But but bi devotion can inspire such a person. Another person may find all of this bi to be sentimental, adita to be just philosophizing and all this speculation. I want to do good to the world. The world is suffering and here is my lord in all these forms.

[01:41:12]Vive Gandhi said, "My God the hungry, my God the sick, my God the illiterate, my God the wicked, these are the god that I worship."

[01:41:23]Viveand was vast. So he he could teach adwita at the highest and show you that that is the only path. And when he taught bi would seem that's the only thing to do. when he taught karma it seemed only thing to do and he was of course a meditator past ex par excellence so you would if you read raji yogi you feel the only way is through meditation but all of these work so and they are our mental constituencies are different and very easy to see when you approach these paths you will see you feel a pull towards one one seems living and interesting and exciting to you. The others seem all right, not bad.

[01:42:07]And we are not all exclusively organis or bhtas or we are a mix of some of that. Viveananda had the last word. He recommended a harmony of all four. Have constituents of knowledge, devotion, um action and meditation in your life.

[01:42:28]And notice even this classical ada framework it has it has all these attributes it sanatana dharma always has all the yogas always but it may be put in different frameworks yeah I'll wrap up very beautiful verses there was the followers of the As the worshippers of Shiva all go to thee my lord as various rivers wending their ways in different ways run to the same ocean. Thus all beings run to you my lord.

[01:43:13]But then he adds because of the diversity of taste and opinion and of mental makeup constitution you have a variety of ways and that's beautiful there should vive said each person should be a sect unto himself let as many religions be there as there are 7 billion people there that's good only thing is there should not be a clash or uh disagreement or fight among each other.