Stages of Enlightenment and the Seer-Seen Distinction in Advaita Vedanta

• Enlightenment requires resting as pure awareness, distinct from body and mind.
• The seer/seen distinction is foundational and observable in everyday experience.
• The mind is an object of the witness consciousness.
• The witness (sakshi) is consciousness itself, the ultimate subject.
• The witness is never an object and cannot be grasped or known as one.
• Awareness persists even when senses or mind temporarily cease functioning.
• Advaita Vedanta teaches maintaining awareness with open eyes and active mind, discerning the witness behind all experience.
• According to Shankaracharya, the self is consciousness and bliss, identical with Shiva.
• Aspirants are urged to boldly claim their identity as the witness, even if initial certainty is lacking.

Conclusion

This exposition presents a clear and experiential path to enlightenment grounded in Advaita Vedanta. It emphasizes the subject-object distinction through four developmental stages, culminating in the realization of the witness consciousness (sakshi) as the true self—unchanging, ever-present, and beyond all objects, including mind and body. This awareness is not merely theoretical but a living, accessible experience, available amidst worldly and mental activity. The teaching offers seekers the confidence and empowerment to identify as pure consciousness and bliss, transcending suffering and bondage.

In the first stage, it is emphasized that the seer and the seen are always distinct. For example, the eyes (seer) see the book (seen), illustrating that the experiencer is always different from the object being experienced. This distinction applies to all sensory experiences, and the eyes themselves cannot directly see themselves—they can only perceive external objects, even when viewing a mirror image or a photograph.

Expanding the Seer-Seen Distinction to Mind and Body

In the second stage, the mind becomes the seer, and the body (including the eyes) becomes the seen. Here, the mind observes both the body and the senses, making the body an object of the mind’s awareness. The subject—the sense of “I”—identifies with the mind, as it is the experiencer at this stage. The speaker highlights that these insights are not merely theoretical but can be verified through direct personal experience. The listener is encouraged to observe for themselves: the eyes function as seer to the world, while the mind is seer to the body.

The third stage delves deeper, where the mind itself becomes the seen, and something beyond the mind emerges as the seer. Thoughts, emotions, and feelings—contents of the mind—are recognized as objects of experience. The question then arises: Who is it that experiences the mind? The answer is the “knower” or “seer” of the mind—an entity distinct from the mind itself. Drawing upon the teaching of Vidyadhar Maharaj, the speaker notes that attempting to go beyond the mind leads to a state of blankness or silence. Yet, beyond this blankness lies the ultimate experiencer—the self—which cannot be grasped but is always present. This ultimate seer is referred to as the sakshi (witness), the consciousness that observes the mind’s movements without itself being a thought.

In the fourth stage, it is revealed that the ultimate seer, the sakshi, is never seen. While at earlier stages the seer can become the seen (for instance, the eyes can be observed by the mind, and the mind can be observed by the witness), the sakshi itself is never an object of experience. It remains the pure subject, the unchanging witness. The importance of identifying with the sakshi as the true self is stressed. Echoing Swami Vivekananda, the teaching asserts that the self is never an object of knowledge but is always the knower. The real identity is not the body, senses, or mind, but the witnessing consciousness.

The speaker reinforces these stages with accessible examples: the eyes see a book, the mind observes the eyes, and the mind experiences thoughts and emotions. These are all direct experiences, confirming the key realization that one is not the mind or the body, but the subject who witnesses them. This realization is a crucial step toward enlightenment. The speaker acknowledges that confidence in this realization may vary, but even partial confidence marks significant progress

Consciousness is described as the witness of all sensory and mental activities. Even when sensory input ceases (such as with closed eyes) or when thoughts stop (resulting in a blank mind), awareness continues unbroken. Without this witnessing consciousness, no experience would be possible. The continuity of awareness persists regardless of the presence or absence of sensory or mental activity

The speaker contrasts the approach of Advaita Vedanta with that of yoga. In yoga, practitioners endeavor to shut down sensory input and the mind to experience pure awareness. In contrast, Advaita Vedanta teaches that pure awareness can be realized with open eyes, in the midst of the world and ongoing mental activity. The key is to discern the seer from the seen at every level—eyes versus the world, mind versus body and senses, and witness versus mind and intellect. The witness remains constant throughout all experiences.

Drawing upon the teachings of Shankaracharya, the self is identified with Shiva, representing both consciousness and bliss. This identity is not a theoretical concept but an experiential confidence. Advaita Vedanta encourages the aspirant to boldly affirm, “I am not the body, not the mind; I am consciousness and bliss itself.” The speaker concludes by highlighting the empowerment and confidence that arise from this teaching, even if certainty is not immediate.

• Enlightenment requires resting as pure awareness, distinct from body and mind.
• The seer/seen distinction is foundational and observable in everyday experience.
• The mind is an object of the witness consciousness.
• The witness (sakshi) is consciousness itself, the ultimate subject.
• The witness is never an object and cannot be grasped or known as one.
• Awareness persists even when senses or mind temporarily cease functioning.
• Advaita Vedanta teaches maintaining awareness with open eyes and active mind, discerning the witness behind all experience.
• According to Shankaracharya, the self is consciousness and bliss, identical with Shiva.
• Aspirants are urged to boldly claim their identity as the witness, even if initial certainty is lacking.

Conclusion

This exposition presents a clear and experiential path to enlightenment grounded in Advaita Vedanta. It emphasizes the subject-object distinction through four developmental stages, culminating in the realization of the witness consciousness (sakshi) as the true self—unchanging, ever-present, and beyond all objects, including mind and body. This awareness is not merely theoretical but a living, accessible experience, available amidst worldly and mental activity. The teaching offers seekers the confidence and empowerment to identify as pure consciousness and bliss, transcending suffering and bondage.