“Man is crazy without Self-realization. When he knows the Self, only then he comes to know One God (sggs 855). Within the Gurmukh (Self-Relaized being) is Intuitive Peace and Poise; his mind ascends to the Tenth Plane of the Akaashic Ethers. No one is sleepy or hungry there; they dwell in the Peace of the Ambrosial Name of God. O Nanak, pain and pleasure do not afflict anyone, where the Light of God, the Supreme Soul, illuminates (sggs 1414). From the One Pure Bliss, God, we have come. In that Pure Bliss we evolve. In the end, in that Pure Bliss we melt again. Whether we fully know it or not, Pure Bliss is the nature of the real Self, our Soul. Realizing this, while living in this body, is Self-realization. In that sense, we are the Divine Story. In the teachings of the Realized Beings and the true scriptures, this Story only becomes more conscious and purposeful. They tell us that the Inner Fulfillment we seek does exist and can be experienced by anybody, "here" and "now".
The Word of uncompromising Truth urges us to go within; for there is no difference between us and the Absolute Self (Joti Svaroop). Since the Self is always within, we are never apart from it. Further, there are not two selves. The Self is only one, and we can't live without it. As such, it is not the matter of Realizing the Self, but of Realizing that we never were not the Self! It is the Self experiencing itself. In our Original state we are Absolute Beings which is spaceless, nameless, and timeless. On this Absolute, "movement" or the knowledge "I-ness" (false ego-sense) rises and out of that comes illusion (Maya) and that illusion covers the Truth. False ego is the quintessence of the body. But underneath this false ego we ever remain the Absolute. And after the disappearance of the body and elements, the false ego will be gone, and only that Absolute will remain. For example, in the cinema hall the screen is fixed, whilst the pictures move on it. The screen, however, ever remains unaffected by the movement of these pictures. Likewise, the Spiritually Awakened person is fully aware that the true state of his inner Being ever remains unmodified and that all activities go on around him. Hence he considers only the screen and not the moving pictures! So, Self-realization is the understanding and conviction that I am not the body but I am that Pure Being indwelling in this body. It is impossible for one to reach something within which he is not. To put it otherwise, upon Spiritual Realization one realizes that, all along, the one-who-wanted-to-realize was the same one he has been looking for; but he did not know it! In other words, the one who seeks answers is the answer! In essence, Liberation (Mukti), Realization, Enlightenment, opening of the Tenth Gate (Dasam Dawaar), attainment of Chauthaa Pada (fourth state or Turiyaa Avastha), awakening of the True Guru or Saadh within, Spiritual Knowledge, Love, Joy, Peace, Bliss (Anand), Spiritual Perfection, and so on is none other than our own fundamental Ultimate Self. To fully realize this — not just as an intellectual philosophy but as an actual experience by which one lives his daily life — is what Self-realization is all about. Thus Self-realization is not be given on a silver platter. It is always there.
To help us Realize this Truth, the Enlightened Men and genuine scriptures inspire all thoughtful human beings to ask fundamental questions: "Why I am here in this world? What is the purpose of this human life? Who am I? Where did I come from, and where am I going? What is my true Support or Aadhaar?", and so on. There is only one real goal, the final purpose: Realizing that we are not the body and that we are the Pure Being wich is attributeless, timeless and "Joti Svaroop". That is Self-realization. It simply means I am Wholeness. However, the man blinded by his ignorance, conditioned consciousness or "I-ness" is involved in the externalities of material existence which inhibits his turning inward. So long as the Self is not known, till then there will be no Freedom from repeated suffering and delusion. Thus, Realization of the real Self "here" and "now" is the purpose for being here this very moment. This Self is without name, form, attributes and conditioning. Even though the Self is within all, It is beyond all senses, beyond all intellect, beyond all forms, beyond time, and beyond space. The Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) says:
Among all the living species, the human form is most fit to be instructed about the nature of the Absolute Truth, the Essence of Divinity. In this human form, we have this rare opportunity to understand the Truth which is the Substratum of everything in the universe including our false ego or conditioned consciousness. Upon disappearance of the body, false ego also disappears, but the Substratum remains.
Under the spell of "I-ness", ignorance or delusion (Maya), however, we have confounded the Self with the body-frame. This is our error. The essentials of Self-realization is knowing that we are not this material body but we are different from it, and that our True Happiness is in Eternal Life, Bliss, and Spiritual Wisdom. We are already that. Hence the perfection of Self-realization means attaining a Blissful, Eternal Life full of Divine Knowledge — experience of the Totality. This leads to a question: Even though the all-pervading Divine Presence dwells within, why are we unable to experience this Truth? What might be the obstacle to our Self-unfoldment? The obstacle is the rise of the veil of false ego (Haume), conditioned consciousness or "I am the body-mind". Because of self-limitations and conditioning, the Self becomes superimposed or covered by the false phenomena called egoism. As soon as the cover of false ego is removed, all concepts disappear and the Unlimited, Timeless, Spaceless and Formless Reality shines forth. Therefore, Self-realization is simply the loss of false ego. To put it otherwise, the Self is attainable through purification and control of the mind. All that is needed is detaching the mind from without and turning it within.
To better understand it, we can look at the analogy of mirror and dust. One can not see himself in a dust-covered mirror. Similarly, it's not possible to perceive the atomic Self due to the dust of ego covering the mirror of the mind or heart. Further, since the atomic Self or Pure Awareness is subtler than the space, it is beyond the reach and comprehension of our limited mind and physical senses.
What is this "dust" that blocks our perception and stops us from experiencing the Divine Light within? What is it made of, and where does it come from? The Gurbani reveals to us that all living entities in this world are covered by the three-modes of material nature or Maya (illusion, ignorance, false ego, delusion, wrong identity, etc.). In other words, the dust on the mirror of our mind consists of material contamination — ignorance born false ego, desires, fear or Vaasnaas (unceasing demands for sense gratification). Consequently, we can neither see nor understand our True Nature.
Sometime it so happens that the morning clouds or fog cover our eyes from seeing the sun. It's not that the sun is not there. In fact the sun is always there. We simply do not see it because clouds block it from the limited view of our eyes. In the same manner, even though God is always present within and without, the clouds of Maya's contamination blocks Him from our vision.
Maya is very strong. We must realize that, after all, it is the inherent power of the Supreme Being! The deception ("Chhal") of Maya creates a division in consciousness which gives rise to the phenomenal world of subject-and-object. Surpassing this Maya is like chewing steel-balls! The powerful soldiers of Maya include attachment, pride, jealousy, ignorance born ego, lust, pain and pleasures, sin, desires, anger, blind sense-mind, the pleasure of taste and flavors, worldly attachments, doubts, corrupt intellect, greed, and so on. With such mighty soldiers, Maya is a formidable foe indeed! Then, how one can conquer the mighty fortress of this Cosmic Delusion? The function of Maya's mighty soldiers is to cover the mind-mirror by placing the "dust" of material contamination on it. As this "filth" of false ego thickens, we become unable to see the effulgence of the Divine Light (Pure Awareness) within. Therefore, the goal is to become free from the influence of the material nature.
Becoming free from the three modes of material nature is to attain the Self-Realization. Thus, secret in becoming a Self-Realized person (Gurmukh) lies in cleansing of our heart. We are lacking. Therefore, we need to be purified. Without cleansing of the heart, it's impossible to understand the true nature of God-consciousness or link with Him. The Gurbani reveals to us the mystery of this process of Self-realization.
The way to transcend Maya or destroy false ego is to surrender our falsehood unto the Self within. Man's unconditional surrender brings relief from the onslaught of Maya. We can also use the power of Vichaar (Spiritual Inquiry) for seeking ego's real nature. In the end we will come to know that the ego is nonentity! For example, a mirror reflects a face held close to it, but the real face is beyond the mirror! Similarly, man's attitudes and character reflect as the ego-sense in one's Self, but his attitudes and character is not his True Self. In that sense, it's said that false ego does not exist anymore than a son of a barren woman; because, there is in truth nothing else but the Self (Waheguru, Allah, God, Parmaatmaan, etc.). The Gurbani, therefore, calls false ego "homeless".
There are different processes meant for cleansing of the heart. The process of Baabaa Nanak is the practice of meditation (Japa or Naam-Simran) coupled with selfless service, the act of giving, Self-inquiry, diligent study of scriptures, truthful living, keeping constant Spiritual Company, and so on. With the cleansing of the heart, (a) one's activities (Karma) become pious; (b) Divine knowledge (Giaana) comes to abide in the mind; (c) senses become tame, making contemplation and meditation easy; and ultimately (d) one becomes absorbed in Pure Consciousness. In other words, this "I" consciousness, which resides in the body has mistakenly assumed itself to be the body, gradually realizes its True Nature which is without any inherent limitations.
God is the Shabad and the Shabad is God. Therefore, Intuitive Realization of the Shabad-Surti is God-realization. We are all God's servants; and one attains this understanding through the Shabad-realization. By becoming Shabad-conscious, one tastes the sublime essence of the Pure Being deep within the cave of his heart.
A man suffering from Jaundice finds sugar to be very bitter. However, as we know it, the nature of sugar is sweet; but, because of his Jaundice condition, he can not realize the true taste of sugar. The same sugar with bitter taste becomes his medicine. Once cured, he realized the sweet nature of the sugar. Similarly, because of our Jaundice condition (desires and fear) we find the Divine Name to be bitter and tasteless in the beginning. However, once we become cured (purified) by chanting and meditating It, we find it sweet, Tasteful, Pleasing, and Blissful. Thus, the practice of love, devotion, Simran, concentration, contemplation, meditation, Self-inquiry, selfless service, etc., is to realize our True Nature which is Joti Svaroop. Our attachment to Maya makes us separate from this Truth. Upon becoming conditioned (Manmukh), we cut ourselves off from our very Source; the All-pervading Universal Consciousness.
Every limb of our body is very valuable as long as it is attached to the body. If any limb is cut off from this body, it becomes worthless. We are "Ansh" or a part-and-parcel of Pure Consciousness. The moment we are cut off from that, we also become worthless as well.
Therefore, the goal of human existence is to become linked or reestablished in one's True Self, the Soul-consciousness within. This is the ultimate aim of living: Realization of man's True Nature, as made in the image of Divine Light, ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new bliss of Spirit. What ever has come upon this Unconditioned Consciousness is time bound, thus illusion. The Gurbani guides us as follows:
Thus, the Self-realization is none other than knowing within "Soham" (I am That or He is me). It is not considering oneself the body while acting this world, but to identify with the Pure Consciousness. It is the "Yoga" or linking with the Divine Spirit which dwells in the body. It is the direct experience or perception of the Truth by the All-aware intuitive faculty of the Soul. This Intuitive Realization of the Spirit is the Essence of real Dharma.
Self-realization is the opposite of ignorance. Simply put: Realization is to get rid of the ignorance that you are apart from the Self. To take the world of names and forms with their qualities and differences as real and one's Self as unreal is the ignorance, the cause of pain and suffering. To know the Self as the only Reality (Joti Savroop) and all else as temporary (Jhooth, Koor or Mithiyaa) is Self-realization, the source of Intuitive Peace or Bliss (Anand). It is like cleansing the cloudy mirror — the same mirror that shows us the world of plurality will also show us our real Self when polished by the cloth of affirmation "Soham".
What does happen upon becoming Enlightened or Self-realized again? Does it mean one's problems and strives will disappear? Does it mean that one retires from all activities of life and meditate twenty-four hours on his naval, or between the eyebrows, or at the tip of his nose? No. Upon enlightenment, one's problems still will be there, one's duties still will be there, life's strife still will be there, body's diseases and sickness and death still will be there. This is the reason for undergoing suffering even by the Self-realized Souls! "Then, what does change upon Realizing the Self?", one may ask. What changes is the perception or angle of vision of approaching life, that is, one becomes witness to his life, without any trace of emotional attachment. He accepts everything he undergoes as due to God's Hukam (Will or Grace) with equanimity of the mind. He is like the water drops which do not adhere to the lotus leaf! Simply put: The mind of a Realized Being becomes open to everything, but remains ever detached from everything! In the following hymn, we have a glorious description of this Transcendental State.
T. Singh
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