Digital Blackboard - September 28, 2004

The Self is apart from any deed, yet no deed can be accomplished without it. It is the Self (Atman), which animates all of the organs, yet is far above the work of the body, or manifestation (Prakriti). All the of senses are limited to their particular field, but the Self excels in all fields. Even ignorance itself is only pure Consciousness. It is called ignorance only because the true form of Knowledge, or Consciousness, is not known. The Self is far superior to the work of the body (manifestation). It is the illuminator of the state of the body, and the controller of the attributes and organs associated with it. The ties, or bonds, with objective knowledge are the ties of the "Nonexistent."

The chief qualities of a good disciple are faith in the Master and detachment. What is detachment? Detachment is to be aware of the fact that there is nothing worth achieving other than the Self. The absence of desire is conducive to the gaining of knowledge. Together, detachment and lack of desire help one to gain the wealth of "Knowledge."

"I am Brahman" (Ahambrahmasmi) is a science, and Knowledge of the Self is the only "Truth." Nothing here is based on emotions. That we are not the body, is an open fact. Just as the owner of a house is distinctly apart from the house, and walks in and out of it, so is the Self apart from this body. Some day we will discard this body and leave it. From this, it can be concluded that the body and the owner of the body are entirely different. When one says "this body is mine," it proves that the Self is distinctly apart from the body.

Who then, resides in this body? "You." The one whom you address as "Me," is you. The one, who is named as "I," is "I." All of the various organs are not named "I." No, never. The "I" who resides in this body is the real "I." When everything is eliminated, there remains nothing. And when even that nothing, the ignorance (causal body), is given up, the one who says "nothing is left" still remains. He, who remains, when nothing is left, is the Self. The Self can never be eliminated. You are the Self. "Tatvamasi" means "You are He," "I am That."

The gross body is not the real "I." It is Awareness, "Ahambrahmasmi," "I am Brahman," that is the real "I." Tatvamasi, "I am That" is the weapon granted to you by the Master. Sage Vasishtha, the Master of Lord Rama told him "Do whatever you want, but engrave the advice on the mind that I am not the body, I am Brahman." We are the pure, ever free Paramatman, yet we call this bag of flesh and bones, which is the doer of all actions, as "I." What an amazing thing!

The one who holds the weapon of "Tatvamasi" and is well conversant with "Ahambrahmasmi" is one and the same. Used in this way, thinking eradicates the pride associated the body.

In ignorance one clings to the belief that "I am the body." Give it up. Abandon it. It is this belief that paves the way for all doubts. Influenced by it, we remain oblivious of the fact that we are the Self (Shiva) and start believing that we are the individual (Jiva). This belief fuels lust and anger (byproducts of an external search for happiness). It is because of this belief that the individual is hounded by bad thoughts, and births and deaths. It is the mother (origin) of all disasters, and "affection" is its daughter, and it is "illusion" which is the governess who looks after this daughter. This belief and all that accompanies it, must be brought down with a blow of the weapon, "I am Brahman."

To sum it up, the threesome "I am the body," her daughter "affection," along with "illusion," the governess of "affection," should all be destroyed with the help of Knowledge.

From a talk given by Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj - June 28, 1933