The nature of the Self and beyond

There are some differences in the understanding of the Atman, Self in different schools. The Vedanta tradition holds a monistic view of the Self. According to it, all individual Selves are parts or reflections of the Supreme Self known as Brahman.

Atman as sat

Atman or Self is of the nature of Sat or Being. Our very sense of existence, the ever present feeling that I exist is due to the Self in us. Existence, life or Being is the unmanifested reality of all that was, is or ill be.

The Atman is our true Self, our true identity, our true unchanging eternal nature. The aggregate of body, senses, mind etc. give rise to the ego, or the false self; it is ever changing. The Atman or Self is different from it, but because of ignorance we identify ourselves with the ego.

It is the Atman, Self that gives continuity to our self identity. From birth to death the body, mind known as the ego, goes on changing; similarly our experiences of the world around us also go on changing. Yet, in the midst of all these changes we have an unchanging sense of self identity in the form of feeling ‘I am the same person who undergoes all these changes’.

Atman as chit

Atman is also of the nature of chit or pure consciousness. It is the ground of all knowledge we gain through the senses and the mind. We get countless types of knowledge and experience of the world around us. But there is one unchanging, basic element common to all these, in the form of objective awareness, ‘I am aware’ is common to all of them. This basic awareness comes from the Atman, Self.

Another important idea is that pure consciousness, chit by itself cannot know empirical objects. In order to know, the Self (which is pure potential only) must be associated with the mind.

Another related idea is that objective knowledge is only possible at the empirical plane of existence. At the transcendental plane the Atman, Self remains in its own nature as pure consciousness.

Atman as ananda

Atman, Self is of the nature of Ananda, Bliss. This is a very important concept which is not found in any other system of thought in the world. What this means is, that the Atman, or the true Self, is not only the substratum of cognitive experience, but also of affective and emotional experiences.

It is important to know, that ananda or joy is not merely a matter of experience but an intrinsic aspect of reality. Ananda or joy is man’s intrinsic nature, and the veiling of this joy by ignorance, is sorrow.

It should be pointed out, that the true nature of Atman, Self, or Sat, Chit, Ananda is not used in Samkhya-Yoga which we discussed in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali under creation. In Samkhya the Atman is known as Purusha and is of the nature of Sat (existence) and Chit (consciousness) only; Ananda (Bliss) belongs to the Chitta or mind.

Atman or the Self is transcendental, pure and content-less, it cannot have knowledge. The mind is unconscious and thus cannot have knowledge by itself either. Only when the Atman and the mind come together, then knowledge arises as an emerging phenomenon. In other words, the Atman or the Self is potential only and in order to express, it requires mind and body.

‘The Self is the essence of this universe, the essence of all souls .We are one with this universe. He who says he is different from others becomes miserable. Happiness belongs to him who knows this oneness, who knows he is one with this universe’.

                                             Author unknown

Importance of Immanent and Transcendent Knowledge

Consciousness is inherent in matter, life and mind. It is immanent and transcendent; both have important roles to play in human life. Immanent knowledge inherent in matter, life and mind is necessary to attain physical health, material well being and mental accomplishments. Transcendental knowledge is necessary to make life meaningful, to attain the highest fulfillment and to serve humanity with unselfish love.

Integral knowledge

For centuries, striving for secular knowledge and worldly well being and striving for spiritual knowledge and ultimate freedom and fulfillment had been regarded as mutually incompatible. World negation and world affirmation were regarded as contradictory ways of viewing the world. Integration of the two world views needs to be a positive step forward in our society. Here we are not speaking of joining religious organizations with the secular world, but bringing of a spiritual perspective into our daily lives.

In order to realize transcendent consciousness, it is first necessary to negate the world as not this, not this. I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am not my feelings, so who or what am I?

After realizing transcendent consciousness, we need to bring our consciousness back to the world and see that every person is potentially divine in nature and that God, or Brahman Itself has become the whole manifested universe.

Humanity is entering a new face of transformation of consciousness. A collective awakening of humanity is now spreading in many parts of the free world. The signs of this awakening can be seen in coming into existence of spiritual movements; in the change of outlook on life of the present generation; from the electronic evolution, the internet and globalization of news. Many young people do not want to be imprisoned by institutionalized religion. They are creating a new cyber culture. They want to celebrate life and attain fulfillment. They take ideas and principles from all religions, all cultures, from all teachers all over the world. This new cyber culture knows no frontier, no barriers, and no division. It is global. It could be bringing about the collective transformation of human consciousness.

What this present generation of awakened mind needs is a practical philosophy based on eternal truth, interpreted in the context of modern thought, which harmonizes all spiritual traditions and follows the path of virtue and service; a path that unifies all human beings in a bond of universal love.