SOME THOUGHTS ON ATMA---119

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Loving SAI RAMs,

 

" The all-pervading Atma is seen as existence-consciousness by those having the 'Eye-of -wisdom', (Gyanachakshus) whereas those having the eye-of-ignorance do not see It just as the blind do not see the resplendent Sun " , declare the scriptures. That

'Brahman is all-pervading and that the universe is nothing but Brahman' is also the declaration of scriptures. The enlightened one has the eye-of-wisdom to recognise the one Supreme Brahman. But those who lack this intutive vision see the pluralistic world. The knowledge of the world or of any object can arise only when the object'exists' and the knower is 'conscious' of its existence. The two aspects of knowledge viz., 'existence' and 'consciousness ' are gross expressions of the Suprme. The eye-of-wisdom has the capacity to penetrate through the gross expressions and perceive

Brahman alone in this world. One acquires the intutive vision of Truth by carefully practising two essential factors of religion viz., devotion and philosophic enquiry through mind and intellect. Devotion bereft of of philosophic enquiry is mere superstition. On the other hand philosphic enquiry with out devotion tantamounts to madness. But when we practise both these simultaneously, one reinforces the other and together they lead us to greater spiritual unfoldment. Thus when intellectual discrimination is applied in an atmosphere of devotional feeling it penetrates into the unknown and develops intutive subjective vision of Truth.

 

 

Those who do not make use of their head and heart are steeped in ignorance . To them the vision of Truth is obscured. Truth exists everywhere at all times. The ignorant do not perceive truth because they lack the instrument of perception, viz., the

GyanaChakshus. Denying the existence of the Omnipresent Reality is like the blind declaring that there is no sun even at midday. The sun is ever shining with its bright and brilliant light. But the visually impaired person has no eyes to see its resplendence and glory. In the

Kathopanishad , the teacher spells out the universality of of the truth of Atma and its verifiability in life. The relevant Mantra says, " the Atma though hidden in all beings is not manifest to all. But it can be realized by all those who are accustomed to inquire into subtle reason ,that is, by the one-pointed minds of those who are capable of seeing subtle truth, by minds which have been trained to grasp subtler and subtler facts. "

(Esha sarvabhuteshu goodo Atma na Prakasate drisyate tvagrayya budhhya sookshmaya sookshma darsibih). Atma is present in every being. It is not an object, but the subject or knower. As the eternal subject, it is an ever-present datum of experience. But it does not reveal itself as such to one and all. Not to speak of ordinary people, even great scholars fail to comprehend Atma. It does not reveal itself to one whose intellect is not purified.

 

(to be continued)

G.Balasubramanian