Jiva-Atma enquiry process
THIS person (body mind sense complex ) is Jiva. But who am I?
From Taittiriya upanishad study, we understand that beyond the changing/objectifiable koshas (coverings ) – I come to appreciate the non-changing Awareness Chit
From Mandukya upanishad study , we understand that the common factor to all 3 states (waking/dream/sleep), is the Turiya/ consciousness/ awareness – Chit.
(So Chit/Conciousness is the main focus of enquiry).Sat-Chit ananda – atma ( unchanging self of Jiva)
I am – I exist (Sat)
I know I am – I am awareness of my existence (Sat + chit)
I know I am and complete in myself – I am unaffected by changes in body/mind/senses. ( Sat + chit + ananda)
Ishvara-Brahman enquiry process
Ishvara is the creative principle of the cosmos; both the intelligence that shapes the universe (efficient cause) and its very substance (material cause). Ishvara means ‘Lord’ and refers to Saguna Brahman; the Self associated with Names/Forms,(Maya shakti).
Brahman is the formless, unchanging substratum. Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam – Brahma.
Issness (Being) is common to all changing Names/forms of objects (object IS, idea IS). – Satyam
Knowing that N/F are changing, and ‘appearance’ only, is the Jnanam. Forms and objects appear to have a static “transactional reality” in the time space that human’s interact with and appreciate (this is the power of Maya shakti)
Scientists continue to prove that what is observed / measured is momentarily static otherwise it is constantly in flux – quantum theory
However the Issness/being of all objects and ideas of the world is space and time independent. Satyam is nityam (even space -time is changeable).
(Issness /being is the main focus of enquiry)
Aikyam (Tattvamasi)
The process of THAT is THIS enquiry, understanding Tattvamasi.
THAT outside world of Names/Forms and ideas (Ishvara’s creation), is sensed/perceived by me as Thoughts in my mind (e.g. Pot exists as a Pot Thought in me, otherwise the world does not exist for me, as in deep sleep). this is very important to understand and validate for oneself. Every individual’s perception of the world is unique to oneself due to the mind’s conditioning baggage from the past.
Similarly, I am, I exists is also in me.
Now applying the process of bhAga tyAga lakShaNa. The oneness that is pointed to (lakShaNa) is understood by ‘giving up’ (tyAga) the contradictory parts (bhAga) in the perception of world and I. By discarding the Names and Forms added (adhyasa) to the issness of world and also to I, one comes to understand the oneness of the Being/Issness.
This way the mahAvAkya “Aham Brahmasmi” points out that “I am Brahman” (removing the superimposition of the saguna Ishvara and Jiva ). Also “Tattvamasi”- That (Brahman Conciousness without Maya) Thou (Atma Conciousness) Are (the same oneness)”
From Drk-Drshya Viveka, we understand the subject/ object relationship, and discard what is observed, and continue to investigate the subject, who am I. Even at the level of witness thought of the mind, there is duality of witnessing subject and thought movement in the mind. But mind itself is an appearance and object too. For complete non-duality, one needs to understand the Beingness and Knowingness that is beyond any thoughts contained in the mind. This is transcending the mind and abide in that understanding. So just BE.