To illustrate the profundity of this concept, connect it to three of humanity’s deepest philosophical questions:
1) What is real? (Ontology/Metaphysics)
2) How do we know anything? (Epistemology)
3) What is the point of it all? (Axiology/Ethics)
Vedanta answers all three with a single phrase: Sat-Chit-Ananda (Existence, Consciousness, Bliss).
Sat (Existence): This is the ultimate reality, the ground from which all real things emerge.
Chit (Consciousness): This is the pure consciousness that makes all knowledge and experience possible.
Ananda (Bliss): This is the ultimate, limitless bliss that is the source of all joy and happiness. That is the goal.
These three aspects are not separate entities but are one, indivisible reality.
The main obstacle to this vision: our everyday experience of difference, which is termed in terms of “object limitation. (vastu pariccheda)” . Space-time limitation of all “objects” of the world.
We see ourselves as separate from others, from objects, and from the world. The goal of Vedanta is to negate this sense of separation, not by making everything a “homogeneous sludge,”
but by realizing the underlying unity that exists even while things appear different.
Isha Upanishad, states, “Pervade all this… with God.” This isn’t about covering the world with God, but rather uncovering the divinity that is already present.
This process is one of inquiry, much like scraping away the outer layer of sandalwood to reveal its inherent fragrance.
The ultimate goal is to realize that “the seer and the seen are one,” and “the enjoyer and the enjoyed are one.”
The ultimate result of this realization.
When a person truly sees oneness—when they see all beings within themselves and themselves in all beings—sorrow and delusion vanish. This leads to a life of profound joy, where one cannot hate, discriminate, or exclude anyone. It is a state of loving all beings as God, leading to a life infinitely more fulfilling than one focused on fleeting worldly pleasures.
In the famous snake rope analogy. The rope is mistaken to be a snake. The snake appears in the rope. The rope is the reality (Anyvaya). Snake is false (Vyatireka, because snake projection can be falsified). It’s not a snake. It’s a rope. Though it looks like a snake.
Similarly, It’s not different beings. I am separate from you. Different realities all separate from each other. NO! This difference is an appearance. What’s real here? That one consciousness in which all different entities are appearing. That one consciousness you are. This is the logic to establish oneness of consciousness. What did we accomplish in all of this? This is called the negation of object limitation. All beings only appear to be separate.
Suppose in a mirror all things appear to be separate from each other reflections. Just that mirror alone is real. So the differences in the reflections are negated by realizing it’s mirror (which is merely reflecting).
In our dreams everything seems different from each other. People, places, dogs, plants, sky, earth. But when you wake up, they all become one. Why? They are all the dream one dreaming mind.
Similarly, here in one consciousness, all beings are seen in the self. It means they are not all beings. It is the self alone. You alone. Self means you. You alone which appears as all beings.
And how is this accomplished? This movement by the idea of superimposition appearance that which appears and changing (Vyatirekha) must be false in which it appears that must be true (Anyvaya).
However, subtle an important point next:
First you see all beings in the self , then, next mantra 7 (of Ishavasya Upanishad) says you see the self in all beings. Could lead to confusion.
That which appears is false (Vytireka) . In which it appears that is true (Anvaya).
Now we said all beings appear in the self. So all beings are not there. The self alone is appearing as all beings.
Now if mantra says self in all beings. Now what is the ground? All beings (Anvaya??). And what is imposed on it? The self/conciousness, that which is imposed must be false (Vyatireka??) – NO! Atman will become false. Brahman will become false. Satan will become false and all these different beings, that will become real.
Then, what is meant here? This is a very crucial and subtle point. We are often taught what does vedanta teach? Brahman is real. world is false. But it’s a teaching methodology. The goal is not to teach the falsity of the world. The goal is to teach that one consciousness only. That’s all. It’s that one consciousness and all beings are one and the same reality. One and the many are the same reality seen by different persons in different levels of spiritual realization. So, this is the grand conclusion that we come to now. You abandon that talk about falsity just stay with the oneness of all beings in the self.
It is not saying all beings are false I only exist. There is no all beings. NO. All beings are there, and they are Shiva which you are also so. You find the oneness of all. It is not one real existence which I am and everything else is false (not one real Brahman one real consciousness and lots of false entities – not like that.)
How does an enlightened person see all this?
Does that enlightened person see that one Brahman is there and the whole world is like a shadow or a like a dream or like the mirror and reflection example the one underlying reality and everything is superimposed?
Enlightened Swami’s answer: There is only one. It’s not that there is one Brahman and one false world. Ramana Maharashi the great non-dualist, he says it is only the enlightened one who can say that the world is real.
We think after reading a lot of vedanta, the enlightened one will say, “Oh, Brahman is real. The world is false.” NO. It’s the enlightened one can say that the world is real. What do you know of reality? The enlightened one knows reality. The enlightened one can say the world is real. In what sense? He sees the spiritual reality that oneness in all beings.
For such an enlightened person what “sorrow or delusions” remain? He abides in peace!!