Real-Being

                  REAL-BEING

From being a human-being, one must ultimately become aware of one's

REAL-BEING.

What must one do to attain this?

In every human-being, there appear to be two observers:

The observer associated with the ego — the individual person.

The silent observer beyond the ego — Consciousness itself.

Through our experiences and through our contact with holy books and holy people, we may gradually come to recognise this silent observer as the Consciousness that illumines our entire life.

Can we call this individual experience of Consciousness the REAL-BEING?

Not exactly.

According to the principle of Advaita, what we experience as Consciousness within ourselves is not separate from the Ultimate Reality. It is only seemingly limited by the body, mind, and ego.

The Absolute Consciousness may be called the REAL-BEING.

Different people call this Ultimate Reality by different names according to their faith—Brahman, Sivam, the Father in Heaven, Allah, and so on.

The Absolute Reality is beyond manifestation. When viewed in relation to manifestation, we may speak of Pure Consciousness, which illumines all beings.

For the sake of understanding, we may compare these with the ocean:-

Absolute Consciousness — the Ocean

Pure Consciousness manifesting in creation — the Waves

Individual consciousness apparently limited by the body and mind — the Foam

The foam appears to be separate, yet it is nothing but water.

Likewise, the individual appears to be separate, yet the Consciousness that illumines the individual is never truly separate from Pure Consciousness.

At the level of ordinary life, we indulge in various activities, resulting in action, reaction, response, and experience.

At the same time, we behave as observers and witness the happenings taking place around us.

But the Consciousness that illumines us does not itself act.

It gives the body and mind the capacity to function, yet it remains untouched by their activities.

It illumines not only the happenings of the outer world but also the thoughts, emotions, and movements taking place within us.

The problem arises when the ego identifies itself with all these activities and says:

“I am doing.”

“I am experiencing.”

“This is happening to me.”

Therefore, the first step is to weaken and eventually transcend of this ego-centred identification. 

But merely eliminating the gross feeling of ego is not the end.

Even after the sense of doership begins to disappear, the body and mind may continue to function in the outer world.

Physically, we may perform various activities; but inwardly, we remain unattached to them.

When action is performed without egoistic identification and without the feeling of personal doership, no new binding impressions are created. Thus, the creation of fresh vasanas gradually comes to an end.

Even when the feeling of doership disappears, there may still appear to be an observer witnessing the happenings of the world. This is a significant stage.

One must continue, with perseverance, the disciplines that helped weaken the ego until even the subtle sense of individuality loses its hold.

The individual self does not literally travel somewhere and merge with another Reality.

Rather, the apparent limitation gradually disappears.

Just as the foam does not have to travel anywhere to become water, the individual does not have to travel anywhere to become Brahman.

It was never anything other than That.

The individual is covered by various sheaths, or layers.

As identification with these sheaths gradually disappears, the individual ceases to experience himself merely as a limited person.

When even the subtle identification with the bliss-sheath is transcended, the sense of being a separate observer also disappears.

Then there is no ego left to say:

“I am observing Consciousness.”

There is only Consciousness.

This is the state of the liberated sage—the Jeevan-mukta.

Such a sage continues to live and function in the world, but without the sense of individuality, ownership, or doership.

The body may act.

The mind may respond.

The world may continue to appear.

But inwardly, there is no separate person claiming: “I am the doer.”

What, then, happens after the death of such a liberated sage?

Advaita says that there is no individual entity left to undergo another birth.

The apparent individuality has already lost its separate identity.

Therefore, liberation is not the journey of a small consciousness into a great Consciousness.

It is the removal of the mistaken idea that Consciousness was ever divided.

The wave appears to be separate.

The foam appears to be separate.

But both are only water.

Likewise, the individual appears to be separate.

But in Reality, there is only the REAL-BEING.

The seeker must strive to transcend the ego and all identification with the body and mind.

Beyond that point, there is no separate individual left to witness the disappearance of individuality.

There is no one left to say:

“I have merged with the Absolute.”

There is only— REAL-BEING.