Digital Blackboard - September 26, 2004

What is the difference between the mind and the Self (Atman)? That which is laden with curiosity, and which is occupied with classifications of objects, is the mind. That which says something, is called the mind. Whereas, that which is conscious of everything, is the Self.

Existing quietly on its own, the Self alone is conscious of everything. No entity other than the Self ever exists. When the Self approves of the existence of something, it becomes our concept and when it denies, or disapproves of it, it turns into a doubt. It is the mind, which conceives all doubts and concepts. The mind is full of concepts, whereas the Self is free from them. The Self is the ultimate "resting place." What is this rest? That which remains after forgetting everything is called rest. There lies bliss in the forgetting of everything. That which remains after giving up the distinctions such as "I" and "you," is bliss. After giving up pride, one can enjoy the undifferentiated happiness.

Why do we find happiness in sleep? Because the feeling of "I" (ego), and "mine" (attachment), is absent in sleep. All pride is given up while going to sleep and then we can get rest. While we are asleep we repose in our "True Nature" (Swaroopa) and bask in happiness. But due to ignorance, we cannot appreciate the bliss and we call it sleep.

It is the Self who sees through all of the happenings in all the three states; the waking, the dreaming, and deep sleep, and so it is called the "Lord of the three worlds" (Trailokyanath). The waking world is itself the world of Truth (Satyaloka*), and the intellect (Lord Brahma) is the creator of this world. At night, the intellect takes leave of the waking world, and the three worlds are destroyed. Yet, the consciousness remains, due to which, we dream. Desire is the creator of this dream world. The deep sleep world can be identified with the "nether world," or ignorance.

The one who has realized the Self stands beyond all activity and consequences. The "inner-consciousness" (Antahkarana**), has three attributes (gunas). It tends to be peaceful when governed by Sattvaguna, it is inclined towards worldly enjoyment when influenced by Rajoguna, and is possessed by anger when stricken with Tamoguna. All of the three attributes are characterized by objective knowledge. They sprout from the conceptual pride "I am a body." This pride associated with the body is the generator of the transient world and it is due to this pride that we are oblivious of the Self.

The illusory transient world, which has been brought forth by the Self, has proliferated to such an extent that it has pushed the Self out of sight. All have become fascinated with this material world. Lord Vishnu, the sustainer of this world, has thus acquired the form of a temptress. Our inner-consciousness has become mesmerized. The Self that resides in the body has been fascinated by the temptress, objectivity. Just as the earth casts a shadow on the moon, making the disc of the moon appear dark, so does the illusion shadow the Self. However, the moon is still there above, unaffected. In the same way, the Self always remains unaffected by the illusion.

Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj - From a talk given June 26, 1933

* In Hindu mythology, Satyaloka is the said to be the world, or "loka," where the "Creator," Brahma resides

** Antahkarana is a word that has no English equivelant, and is difficult to define. It is generally considered to be that consciousness which is the "spark" or genesis of manifestation arising out of formless existence. It is characterized by the motion of the attributes arising out of the attributeless. In English terminology, we might say it is the source of the psyche, or one's innermost mind or heart. It is the origination of, or assertion of, attributes or objectivity. It is the mind at it's most subtle.

___________________________________________________