What does it truly mean that “all are appearances in and of awareness”? This deceptively simple statement — echoing the clay-and-pot analogy of Advaita Vedanta — contains the entirety of the spiritual journey within it. And yet, as Matsuo Basho reminds us, sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows by itself. The real obstacle to Self-realization is the very seeker seeking it — for the “I” that strives to attain liberation is itself an appearance in awareness, nothing more. Gaudapada’s Mandukya Karika 2.32 states this with uncompromising clarity: there is no creation, no destruction, no bondage, no seeker, and no liberated one. This is the Absolute Truth — paramārthatā. Ashtavakra Gita and Sankaracharya’s Nirvana Shatakam echo the same. The knowledge is already here. The only thing left is to stop looking for it.
Tag: Sankaracharya
Is the World Real?
A friend wrote to me: “Trying to understand Reality,By renouncing the world,Is like trying to understand the ocean,By ignoring the … More
Maya – Maayera Antha Maayera (Lovely Song)
Maayera Antha Maayera The Telugu song “Mayera Antha Mayera” conveys a philosophical message that life’s experiences, people, wealth, relationships, and achievements … More
A Systematic Study of Vedanta: Texts to Read
Vedanta, which is the core philosophy of Hinduism, is based on three principal texts or Prasthanatraya (triple canon): Upanishads Gita … More
My Book “Happiness and Consciousness” on Amazon India
My Book “Happiness and Consciousness: Your Guide to Enlightenment” is now available on Amazon.in (Amazon India) in Kindle eBook edition. Those … More
My Book “Happiness and Consciousness: Your Guide to Enlightenment”
My Book “Happiness and Consciousness : Your Guide to Enlightenment” is now available on Amazon.com (those outside the US, check your … More
Shankara: How to Meditate for Self-Realisation| Vivekachuhdamani | Nididhyasana | Samadhi
Originally posted on Tom Das:
Here is a collection of verses I have taken from Shankara’s Masterpiece Vivekachudamani focusing on the last…
FREE e-Books on Philosophy, Spirituality, and Advaita (Nonduality)
Here is a good collection of FREE e-Books for download, on spirituality, Advaita (Nonduality), Indian Philosophy, etc., including books by … More
Vivekachudamani as translated by Sri Ramana Maharshi
Originally posted on Tom Das:
The following text was Ramana Maharshi’s earliest written work, in which he translates the entire text…