Oneness Awakened: Embracing the Universal Self

Once there was a king who led a life of virtue, always committed to honesty and truthfulness. He was deeply pious. One night, he had a frightening dream in which his kingdom was conquered by an enemy ruler. Though the enemy spared his life, he was chained and cast out of his own land. Injured, thirsty, and starving, the king begged for food. Suddenly, a crow dropped a piece of human flesh before him. Driven by hunger, he ate it.

The king woke up, sweating heavily from the nightmare. The following day, he faced an important decision about the kingdom’s affairs. Yet, from the moment he awoke, he kept murmuring, “Is this truth or that truth?” When the ministers and the people gathered to hear his verdict, he repeated the same question without giving an answer.

Nearby lived a wise sage, known for his deep insight, compassion, and love for all beings. One of the ministers invited him to the palace to assist the troubled king. Upon arrival, the sage heard the king’s persistent question and responded, “Both the dream world and the waking world are illusions. The only true reality is the self that witnesses them.”

Hearing this, the king’s confusion lifted instantly. He awakened from his inner turmoil and attained enlightenment.

You might be wondering how just a few words—"Both the dream world and the waking world are illusions. The only true reality is the self that witnesses them."—can lead someone to enlightenment. Before we delve deeper into the meaning of this profound statement, let’s first understand the basics of life.

The Self is not this, not that. It is the witness of all, the eternal seer, the knower of the field. Upanishads

We are so entangled in the web of life that we forget our true nature. We rarely take the time to reflect on questions such as: Who am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of working if I will die one day? Is there anything beyond death? What is the meaning of life?

We have only a short time in this beautiful galaxy. We become so caught up in non-essential things that we forget to focus on what truly matters. Life is slipping through our fingers, and death draws closer with each passing day. We often believe that death will come to us someday in the distant future, but not now. As a result, we keep postponing the things that are truly valuable in life.

Do not listen to thoughts that tell you, "Don’t be in a hurry." No—take immediate action that will move you beyond the cycle of life and death, or at least bring you closer to your true nature. The technique we are about to discuss for attaining enlightenment is useless unless you apply it in your life. Always act promptly after gaining knowledge, so that you can put your understanding into practice.

Shiva (the Lord of Creation and Destruction) taught this technique to Shakti (the Divine Feminine Energy) as a means to attain enlightenment. The technique is

"Each thing is perceived through knowing. The self shines in space through knowing. Perceive one being as knower and known."

Let's delve deeper to understand this beautiful and profound sutra.

Whatever we know is known through the process of knowing. There is always a known (object), a knower (subject), and knowledge itself. Knowledge bridges the gap between the knower and the known. This concept is easier to understand with a real-life example.

A few weeks ago, I was roaming in the forest when suddenly a young and beautiful peacock spread its wings and began to dance. Everything else disappeared from my sight, and the peacock immediately captured my attention. I experienced a brief pause in the chain of my thoughts—a meditative state, if only for a few seconds. My mind became still, almost as if it were no mind at all. I felt a deep ecstasy and silence within my being. In this experience, the peacock is the object (the known), my mind is the subject (the knower), and my knowledge of the peacock creates the relationship between subject and object.

The moment you become the watcher, you have moved beyond the mind. Adyashanti

We generally focus on the object and rarely pay attention to the subject. Humans have evolved in such a way that our senses are designed to observe the external world, but we have little to help us experience the inner world. We become so accustomed to focusing on objects that we forget about the subject. We seldom take the time to understand or explore the subject—the self.

We live miserable lives because we have never explored our inner world. We rarely pay any attention to the knower—the self. Focusing solely on objects has created an imbalance in our lives.

Now the technique says,

"Each thing is perceived through knowing."

Every object is known through the process of knowledge. Knowledge bridges the gap between the subject and the object. Do not remain focused solely on objects; pay attention to the subject as well. Concentration is the first step in meditation. Focusing on the face of a beloved or on a peacock, for example, is just the beginning. As time passes, gradually shift your attention from the object to the subject. This may be difficult at first, but with practice, you will begin to move in that direction. Attention can create wonders in one’s life. Always be aware of whom you are paying attention to. Wise people intentionally remain ignorant about certain things.

When the peacock is present, everything else immediately fades from awareness. When attention shifts toward the subject, the peacock (the object) disappears from existence. Being aware of both the subject and the object creates balance, because having two points of reference (subject and object) is more balanced than focusing on just one (either subject or object).

Materialistic people chase worldly things. They are too focused on objects like money, power, fame, and status. But alas, they rarely find happiness in these pursuits. Anything outside of yourself can never truly give you happiness. When they become disillusioned with worldly and materialistic objects, they often move to the other extreme: they renounce everything and go to the Himalayas. Yet, they still face the same problem, just in the opposite direction.

In the Himalayas, material things are no longer present to distract them. Previously, they were identified with the object, but now they become obsessed with the subject. However, there always exists a midpoint between these two frames of reference. Similarly, there is a point between the subject and the object known as turiya, or the witnessing self. The witnessing self is different from both the subject and the object. For example, I may look at the peacock (the object) and then observe my mind (the subject). Yet, there is something within me that observes both—one after the other—and cannot be transcended. Anything that cannot be transcended is the ultimate and only truth.

Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don’t claim them. Feel the artistry moving through and be silent. Rumi

Enlightened individuals are aware of their witnessing self and have therefore transcended the world of both objects and subject. They go beyond both. External objects no longer hold any power over them. The witnessing self is pure consciousness, like an open sky. Thoughts are like clouds that come and go. Enlightened beings observe both their positive and negative thoughts and remain unaffected by them. Thoughts no longer have any power over them.

Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha when he experienced the witnessing self within. For the rest of his life, he taught the path of the Middle Way. The human mind understands the language of extremes. It is easy to either love or hate a person, but it is extremely difficult to cultivate indifference. The mind dissolves in the Middle Way, which is why it tends to cling to extremes.

Buddhism is not concerned with the origin of life, rituals, or methodologies. It is focused on transforming human psychology and putting an end to human suffering. Buddhist philosophy is based on the Four Noble Truths:

1. Human suffering arises from our unwillingness to accept the impermanence of things. Everything around us is impermanent and subject to change. Decay is inherent in all compounded things. We, too, will leave this planet after a period of time. We falsely cling to ideas, people, titles, images, and status, and this attachment brings suffering.

2. Grasping and clinging to objects is the cause of human suffering. We possess what we love and become slaves to it. We all desire freedom, and moksha (freedom from the cycle of birth and death) is our ultimate goal. Trying to make fluid things static brings suffering. Everything around us is in a state of constant flux, yet out of ignorance, we attempt to hold onto these ever-changing things, which is impossible. As long as we do not accept the reality of change, we remain entangled in the endless chain of cause and effect. Karma does not liberate us; instead, it keeps us bound in the vicious cycle of birth and death.

3. Nirvana (moksha) is possible through right mindfulness. The Middle Path helps us attain liberation. Maya—the veil of ignorance that creates the illusion of separateness—and the ego both dissolve, and we become one with all in a state of superconsciousness.

4. Nirvana can be achieved through the eight fold path of self development that leads to Buddhahood. The following are the eight fold paths of self development:

   
   

   1. Right View: Understanding reality as it is, including the Four Noble truths(suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path to cessation). It involves seeing things without delusion, recognizing impermanence, and understanding karma.

   2. Right Intention: Cultivating wholesome intentions, such as renouncing harmful desires, fostering goodwill, and embracing non-violence. It's about aligning the mind with ethical and compassionate motives.

   3. Right Speech: Speaking truthfully, kindly, and constructively. This means avoiding lying, slander, harsh words, and idle gossip to promote harmony and understanding.

   4. Right Action: Acting in ways that are ethical and non-harmful, such as refrain from killing, stealing, or engaging in harmful behaviors. It emphasizes compassion and respect for all beings.

   5. Right Livelihood: Earning a living in a way that doesn't harm others or oneself, avoiding professions that cause suffering, like those involving violence, deceit, or exploitation.

   6. Right Effort: Making a conscious effort to cultivate positive mental states and abandon negative ones. This includes preventing unwholesome thoughts, overcoming them, and nurturing wholesome ones.

   7. Right Mindfulness: Developing awareness of the present moment, observing body, feelings, mind, and phenomenon without attachment or aversion. It's often practiced through meditation techniques like mindfulness of breathing.

   8. Right Concentration: Cultivating focused, one-pointed attention through meditative practices leading to deep states of mental clarity and tranquility which support insight and liberation.

Now the next part of Sutra,

"The Self shines in space through knowing. Perceive one being as knower and known."

When a person becomes aware of both the subject and the object through knowledge, he comes to realize the witnessing self. The witnessing self shines within him, just as the stars shine in the night sky. He transcends the world of objects and subject through the light of the witnessing self. He is in the world, yet the world does not affect him. His presence is like a lotus leaf in water—though it is in the water, the water cannot wet it. Similarly, he is in the world, yet nothing can taint him. You are not your name, job, status, mind, or body. You are the witnessing self who observes your birth, childhood, youth, and old age, yet remains unaffected by them.

How does suffering cease to exist when one is rooted in their being?

Suppose someone abuses you and calls you bad names. His words become objects, and your mind reacts to these words, evoking emotions. By practicing the above technique, you become aware of both the object (the person who hurts you) and the subject (your mind’s response to the stimulus). The witnessing self observes both the subject and the object as a passive watcher, without reacting. The witnessing self remains unaffected throughout the entire situation.

If you can sit as a witness to your mind, you are free from all suffering. Sadhguru

Lord Krishna says in the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, “The sword cannot cut the soul, water cannot wet it, and fire cannot burn it.” In Hinduism, the witnessing self is referred to as the soul. That is why suffering does not affect the enlightened soul. Similarly, an enlightened being remains unaffected by pleasure. An enlightened being moves beyond both pain and pleasure—beyond duality. So much may be happening around him, but nothing affects him.

Girls are very close to enlightenment. Every month, they experience significant pain during menstruation. This pain can serve as a wake-up call for them to pursue enlightenment. During their periods, changes occur within their bodies that cause discomfort. These internal changes are the objects, and the mind’s reaction to these stimuli becomes the subject. Their witnessing self observes both the subject and the object. In the presence of the witnessing self, pain holds no power.

By feeling the pain as deeply as possible and simply observing it, the very act of awareness can transform their being and help them move toward enlightenment. Observe and feel all negative emotions as a passive watcher, and notice the changes this brings to your life. Work diligently on yourself and strive to turn every negative experience into a positive one.

Does it ring a bell? Do you remember what the sage told the king in the anecdote?

Yes, you got it right! The waking and dreaming worlds are unreal; the witnessing self is the only truth. The king understands the futility of both the object and the subject, returns to his center—the witnessing self—and becomes enlightened.

Practice this sutra every day and observe the changes it brings to your life. Gradually, you will develop the ears of tolerance, the eyes of compassion, and speak the language of love. In the final stage, you will be liberated and become one with the universe.

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