Chitanda Rupam

मनोबुद्ध्यहङ्कार चित्तानि नाहं
न च श्रोत्रजिह्वे न च घ्राणनेत्रे ।
न च व्योम भूमिर्न तेजो न वायुः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥१॥
Mano-Buddhy-Ahangkaara Cittaani Naaham
Na Ca Shrotra-Jihve Na Ca Ghraanna-Netre |
Na Ca Vyoma Bhuumir-Na Tejo Na Vaayuh
Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||1||
                                                                              

1.1: Neither am I the Mind nor Intelligence or Ego,
1.2: Neither am I the organs of Hearing (Ears), nor that of Tasting (Tongue), Smelling (Nose) or Seeing (Eyes),
1.3: Neither am I the Sky, nor the Earth, Neither the Fire nor the Air,
1.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness

                                                                                                 -Nirvana shatakam 

Advaita is the only meta physics which teaches us this. You are not what you think you are. That is the only problem you have. All your problems can be traced back to this simple ignorance or primal ignorance.

When we start understanding this principle, there is a doubt that comes. You have said that the brahman is unknowable because it is beyond our senses , it is not an object of knowledge etc etc. Then how do we know it ?. This slokam tells you the general idea in advaita vedanta. There are certain things we know. Like the mind, the intellect , the ego , the elements that constitute our body etc. All through our life we have been thinking the I is something of this sort. What Sankaracharya is telling us is that the real I is not anything that you think. So it means we come to know what we are NOT. By denying what we are NOT , we come to realize what we are. This process is often called deconstruction  or deconstructive inquiry . Also understand that we cannot know  the real self because it is not a thought in the mind . It is prior to the mind. It is from which the mind itself works.

We can only identify ourselves with that by dropping our veil.

There are many methods that sages have followed to make people understand this simple fact through denial of what we are not . Some disciples trust the guru absolutely and are realized. Some are left with doubts always . It is natural to have both kinds of attitude. In fact doubts are always good in that it removes the last resistance to truth . There is only one thing that is required. An unfailing curiosity to know about the reality and to accept things once they are realized through your own experience. 

The first doubt that we students have is , i understand that i am pure consciousness or awareness. But how do i live in this world?. How do i live in this world as pure consciousness?. There is a need to dispel these doubts. 

First let us understand this problem. This comes from confusing two levels of reality. In vedanta there are two levels of reality. One is the absolute or parmarthic reality. That is where we say ,  everything is one and that one is you. One is the brahman and you are identical with that . That is the real truth. Now on top of this we have something called vyavahara or transactional reality. This is the ordinary world or life. We need to remember that this is a world which exists relative to the absolute reality. It is also called relative reality. Its truth depends on the absolute. So in its truest sense it is not a new reality but a modification of it. An appearance in it. So what do we do while living in this transactional reality?. We need to remember that there is an underlying absolute reality which is what really matters and whatever i am doing in this world is just a temporary phenomenon . So this knowledge about our true nature while transacting is what makes our life different. We dont attach much importance to transient phenomenon. We begin to enjoy it with the real underlying knowledge.

There is a simple principle which we can use here. If we live with the firm identification of unreal or relative real things your life is always miserable. If we live with the correct identification of the real there are no issues . So we establish ourselves in the real one or brahman and transact in the relative world detaching ourselves as much as possible from unreal things . So we dont deny this transactional world . We do live in this world only. But underneath we know what is true and what is not. 

The following slokam from Nirvana shatakam helps

न मे द्वेषरागौ न मे लोभमोहौ
मदो नैव मे नैव मात्सर्यभावः ।
न धर्मो न चार्थो न कामो न मोक्षः
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥३॥

Na Me Dvessa-Raagau Na Me Lobha-Mohau
Mado Naiva Me Naiva Maatsarya-Bhaavah |
Na Dharmo Na Ca-Artho Na Kaamo Na Mokssah
Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||3||

3.1: Neither do I have Hatred, nor Attachment, Neither Greed nor Infatuation,
3.2: Neither do I have Pride, nor Feelings of Envy and Jealousy,
3.3 I am Not within the bounds of Dharma (Righteousness), Artha (Wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Liberation) (the four Purusarthas of life),
3.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

All the emotions , feelings thoughts that arise in me are understood to be the unreal or temporary arising in my awareness. Since they are unreal , i know  that i am not that . So it doesnt affect me. So this is the key. In any situation think of this , Is the thing that is affecting me real or unreal?. You will always see it is unreal, because the real never touches you. It is always sublime and blissful. So if it is unreal why worry. It will come and go. 

Now that the problem of life is settled it is time to think of what happens when i die. I have heard that i would be reborn because of my karma . Is it true?. What we need to understand again is this. Is there anything apart from the brahman?. No. That is the whole idea of advaita . All things are merely appearances in it. To say that you are reborn itself is the acceptance that there is something apart from brahman which is doing this birth and rebirth. What is that thing?. Is it  the body ?. Is it the mind?. Havent we seen all these phenomenon are unreal in that they are merely appearances?. So why worry.

So abandon this notion of rebirth etc which are merely stories for people who dont understand the lofty principles of vedanta.

Here is what shankara tells you 

न पुण्यं न पापं न सौख्यं न दुःखं
न मन्त्रो न तीर्थं न वेदा न यज्ञाः ।
अहं भोजनं नैव भोज्यं न भोक्ता
चिदानन्दरूपः शिवोऽहम् शिवोऽहम् ॥४॥

Na Punnyam Na Paapam Na Saukhyam Na Duhkham
Na Mantro Na Tiirtham Na Vedaa Na Yajnyaah |
Aham Bhojanam Naiva Bhojyam Na Bhoktaa
Cid-Aananda-Ruupah Shivo[a-A]ham Shivo[a-A]ham ||4||

Meaning:
4.1: Neither am I bound by Merits nor Sins, neither by Worldly Joys nor by Sorrows,
4.2: Neither am I bound by Sacred Hymns nor by Sacred Places, neither by Sacred Scriptures nor by Sacrifies,
4.3: I am Neither Enjoyment (Experience), nor an object to be Enjoyed (Experienced), nor the Enjoyer (Experiencer),
4.4: I am the Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness; The Ever Pure Blissful Consciousness.

All the so called principles of jivatma papam punyam etc make sense only from the ego sense. From the paramarthic or absolute view point , just understand that you are the ever present pure consciousness. Living in this way gives you the ultimate freedom. You will see that once you have this true knowledge , the thoughts , emotions etc are also purified. In a clear mind the pure consciousness reflects itself. 

There is one more thing to be understood . Whether you realize this or not , whether you live like this or not , it doesnt make an iota of difference as far as truth is concerned. Only thing is our transactional life becomes difficult. But the fact remains that you are pure consciousness. You are always that and you will remain always that .