What we actually are is just pure self-awareness: awareness that is aware of nothing other than itself

A friend recently wrote to me: You say that the Self is always self-aware. What about then the concept of Parabrahman (where awareness isn’t aware that it is aware). Isn’t this a contradiction? Ramesh Balsekar used this phrase a lot in his teaching for instance. Can you comment on this please. The following is adapted from the reply I wrote to him: How can we be aware without being aware that we are aware? Can you not see the obvious absurdity in such an idea? ‘Parabrahman’ is just another name for brahman, because if parabrahman were anything other than brahman that would entail duality, and it would mean that both brahman and parabrahman are limited. And what is brahman? According to one mahāvākya (‘prajñānaṁ brahma’) it is prajñāna, pure awareness, and according to another mahāvākya (‘tat tvam asi’) you are that. So brahman is what we actually are, which is just pure awareness: that is, awareness that is aware of nothing other than itself. It is not aware of any objects or phenomena, but it is aware that it is (‘I am’), and since it is awareness (in the sense of being what is aware), its being aware that it is entails it being aware that it is aware, as Bhagavan implies in verse 23 of Upadēśa Undiyār: உள்ள துணர வுணர்வுவே றின்மையி னுள்ள துணர்வாகு முந்தீபற வுணர்வேநா மாயுள முந்தீபற.uḷḷa duṇara vuṇarvuvē ṟiṉmaiyi ṉuḷḷa duṇarvāhu mundīpaṟa vuṇarvēnā māyuḷa mundīpaṟa.பதச்சேதம்: உள்ளது உணர உணர்வு வேறு இன்மையின், உள்ளது உணர்வு ஆகும். உணர்வே நாமாய் உளம்.Padacchēdam (word-separation): uḷḷadu uṇara uṇarvu vēṟu iṉmaiyiṉ, uḷḷadu uṇarvu āhum. uṇarv[u]-ē nām-āy uḷam.அன்வயம்: உள்ளது உணர வேறு உணர்வு இன்மையின், உள்ளது உணர்வு ஆகும். உணர்வே நாமாய் உளம்.Anvayam (words rearranged in natural prose order): uḷḷadu uṇara vēṟu uṇarvu iṉmaiyiṉ, uḷḷadu uṇarvu āhum. uṇarvē nām-āy uḷam.English translation: Because of the non-existence of [any] awareness other [than what exists] to be aware of what exists, what exists (uḷḷadu) is awareness (uṇarvu). Awareness alone exists as we. Likewise in verse 12 of Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu (the meaning of which I discussed in detail in Uḷḷadu Nāṟpadu verse 12: other than the real awareness that we actually are, there is nothing to know or make known) he says what knows or is aware of anything other than itself (namely the ego or mind) is not real awareness, but that since one shines without another to know or to cause to know, oneself is real awareness, implying that what we actually are is only awareness that is aware of nothing other than itself: அறிவறி யாமையு மற்றதறி வாமே யறியும துண்மையறி வாகா — தறிதற் கறிவித்தற் கன்னியமின் றாயவிர்வ தாற்றா னறிவாகும் பாழன் றறி.aṟivaṟi yāmaiyu maṯṟadaṟi vāmē yaṟiyuma duṇmaiyaṟi vāhā — daṟitaṟ kaṟivittaṟ kaṉṉiyamiṉ ḏṟāyavirva dāṯṟā ṉaṟivāhum pāṙaṉ ṟaṟi.பதச்சேதம்: அறிவு அறியாமையும் அற்றது அறிவு ஆமே. அறியும் அது உண்மை அறிவு ஆகாது. அறிதற்கு அறிவித்தற்கு அன்னியம் இன்றாய் அவிர்வதால், தான் அறிவு ஆகும். பாழ் அன்று. அறி.Padacchēdam (word-separation): aṟivu aṟiyāmaiyum aṯṟadu aṟivu āmē. aṟiyum adu uṇmai aṟivu āhādu. aṟidaṟku aṟivittaṟku aṉṉiyam iṉḏṟāy avirvadāl, tāṉ aṟivu āhum. pāṙ aṉḏṟu. aṟi.English translation: What is devoid of knowledge and ignorance [about anything other than itself] is actually aṟivu [knowledge or awareness]. That which knows [or is aware of anything other than itself] is not real aṟivu [knowledge or awareness]. Since it shines without another for knowing or for causing to know [or causing to be known], oneself is [real] aṟivu [knowledge or awareness]. It is not a void. Know [or be aware]. What we actually are is what is called brahman or parabrahman, and obviously it doesn’t think ‘I am aware’, nor is it aware of itself in the same way that we are aware of objects or phenomena, but it is aware, and therefore it is aware of itself being aware. There are so many gurus who teach so many confusing and inconsistent ideas, but what Bhagavan has taught us is clear, simple and coherent, so I believe it is best for us to stick to his teachings and thereby avoid being confused by others. He has taught us all that we need to understand, which amounts to the simple fact that all we need do is investigate what we ourself actually are, because that is the only way to eradicate the ego or mind (the false awareness that is aware of things other than itself) and thereby achieve perfect clarity: clarity of pure self-awareness. - Artículo*: Michael James - Más info en psico@mijasnatural.com / 607725547 MENADEL Psicología Clínica y Transpersonal Tradicional (Pneumatología) en Mijas y Fuengirola, MIJAS NATURAL *No suscribimos necesariamente las opiniones o artículos aquí enlazados
 

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Más info en psico@mijasnatural.com / 607725547 MENADEL Psicología Clínica y Transpersonal Tradicional (Pneumatología) en Mijas y Fuengirola, MIJAS NATURAL.

(No suscribimos necesariamente las opiniones o artículos aquí presentados)