Contemplation / Essence of the previous post form chapter IX
Swami Starts with a
question
“How could God become
these walls, these tables? Here is another doubt that comes uppermost to some:
God is supremely pure, so how could He become these impure things”
And Swami answers when
He explains the Advaita school of philosophy,
“God is not outside the
cosmos, that He became the cosmos, and that He is all that is. There is nothing
except God, no other, no second. This truth has to be accepted by all. This is
the highest truth.”
Swami further reveals this beautifully
when He writes,
“The cosmos is the effect, God is the
cause — these statements stress only the fact that the cosmos is but God in
another form. To the argument that the body is limited and subtle and that it
leads one to the cause (God), or it was from God that it evolved and took shape,
the non-dualists would reply that it was God Himself who manifested in the form
of the cosmos.”
Now, coming to the
objects of the world, not only walls / tables etc. as pointed by Swami but all
objects, including living and non-living objects, the question of “How they can
be God?” essentially arises because the one who is asking this question is not
existing as God/SELF.
One has to realize SELF
and exist as SELF, abide in SELF and then, another one who sits at His feet,
would realize that in his master’s state, the thought of whether the tables/
walls/birds/ animals/ human beings are all divine or whether they are all not
divine, cannot arise at all.
For any such thought, he
knows that the master must come down from His state of abidance in SELF
and the disciple knows it is not possible for his master to come down to ever
have these questions in his mind.
The master sees the
table as table, bird as bird, human as human exactly in the same way as the
disciple is seeing.
But the disciple or let
us say, a visitor, an on looker, yet to evolve spiritually to higher level,
sees all objects and his senses carry the sight of these objects to his
mind and the mind draws an experience and he comments about the objects seen,
out of such an experience.
But when the master sees
the objects, with that sight, the process gets over and there is nothing
carried to his mind to draw any experience at all.
The mind itself is
rendered pure to the extent that there is no difference between his mind and
the state in which He exists as (SELF).
So, it can only be
inferred that since the master does not have varied experience / perception of
various objects / human whom He faces / sees / interacts with, all of them
are same for the master and all of them are nut consciousness.
Here, the following expression of Swami comes true - “There is nothing except God, no other, no second.”
Sri Ramana explains the above truth in
His answers to couple of questions, thus: -
Question:
In the Vedanta of Sri Sankaracharya the principle of the creation of the world
has been accepted for the sake of beginners, but for the advanced the principle
of non-creation is put forward. What is your view on this matter?
Maharshi:
"There is no dissolution or creation, no one in bondage, nor anyone
pursuing spiritual practices. There is no one desiring liberation, nor anyone
liberated. This is the absolute truth." This sloka (verse) appears in the
second chapter of Gaudapada's Karika. One who is established in the Self sees
this by his knowledge of reality.”
Question:
Is not the Self the cause of this world we see around us?
Maharshi:
“Self itself appears as the world of diverse names and forms. However, Self
does not act as the efficient cause (nimitta
karana), creating, sustaining, and destroying it. Do not ask `Why does the
confusion of Self, not knowing the truth that it itself appears as the world
arise?' If instead you enquire `To whom does this confusion occur?', it will be
discovered that no such confusion ever existed for Self.”
Ramana further says – “Where are you now?
Are you in the world or is the world within you? You must admit that the world
is not perceived in your sleep although you cannot deny your existence
then.
The world appears when you wake up. So
where is it? Clearly the world is your thought. Thoughts are your projections.
The "I" is first created and then the world.
The world is created by the "I"
which in its turn rises from the Self. The riddle of the creation of the world
is thus solved if you solve the creation of the "I". So, I say, find
your Self.
Again, does the world come and ask you
`Why do "I" exist? How was "I" created?' It is you who ask
the question. The questioner must establish the relationship between the world
and himself. He must admit that the world is his own imagination. Who imagines
it? Let him again find the "I" and then the Self.”
Love.
