Aditya, Wednesday, January 18, 2017 2:16 am

Train Strikes & the nature of I

If you wish to travel from south London to central London – how will you do it? By train? Well, given the recent train strikes you will probably have to catch a bus! Ok, let us assume you do catch a bus. So the destination = central London. The means (the instrument) to reach the destination = bus. Agreed? OK, this is a simple example. Now, let me switch the terms slightly here – if you wish to achieve lasting happiness in life (known as ‘Moksha’), then your life destination = Moksha. So what is the ‘means’ you can use by which you can arrive at your destination? Ermm…the bus? No. Unfortunately there is no bus to Moksha. The Vedas teach us that the means to Moksha is only in the form of ‘Self-Knowledge’. Self-Knowledge involves knowing the true answer to the question ‘Who am I? Just like the famous 10^th man story (http://advaita-academy.org/blogs/from-emotional-maturity-to-moksha/).

So can anyone get this ‘Self Knowledge’? Yes. As long as you really want it. This ‘really wanting self-knowledge so I can gain Moksha’ is called ‘mumukshutvam’ in the Vedas. An intense desire for Moksha. Along with this, there are a number of other pure (satvika) mental qualities a seeker of Moksha requires before he or she is ready to fully grasp Self-Knowledge (http://advaita-academy.org/blogs/the-4-qualifications-for-limitless-happiness/ )

So now I understand what qualities I need to get Self-Knowledge and why I need it. But what actually is Self-Knowledge? Vedanta answers: Self-knowledge is the understanding that “the entire universe depends upon me (Atma) for its existence. I am Satyam, the Universe is Mithya”. Confused? The beautiful example given in the Vedas for this is a ‘clay pot’. The pot depends upon the clay for its existence, but the clay does not depend upon the pot. Clay is Satyam. Read a full explanation here: http://advaita-academy.org/blogs/clay-pot-the-reality-of-the-universe/

Wait a second, how can the universe depend me? It doesn’t make sense – I’m only 5ft 9 and was born just 30 years ago! The universe is vast and complex and has existed much longer than I have? No, this thinking is confused – who is 30 years old? who is 5ft 9 ? The body. This physical body (sthula sharira) born from your mother’s womb. But is this physical body really ‘you’ (Atma)? The Vedas answer: No. You are not the physical body. You are not even your mind. The Vedas teach you who you are not, using a few different models: