I’ve been contemplating the question “Who am I?” for some time now. Am I merely a human being? The answer cannot be this simple. In my quest for understanding, I delved into various philosophies. My curiosity led me to the works of Shankaracharya and the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. Many notable scholars, thinkers, and philosophers have sought to understand Advaita Vedanta and have provided their interpretations.
‘Advaita’ means non-duality. The philosophy that explains the non-duality of the mind and Brahman is Advaita Vedanta. It is important not to confuse ‘Brahman’ with ‘Brahmana.’ Swami Sarvapriyananda, in a talk at IIT Kanpur, beautifully explains ‘Who am I?’ using an analogy.
According to Swami Sarvapriyananda, the knower (also termed Atman, I or the ego) experiences the world in three states. First is the waking state, where one is the Waker. Second is the dream state, where one is the Dreamer. Third is the deep sleep state, where one experiences Sleep Blankness. He asserts that the answer to “Who am I?” is “You are Turiya.” Turiya, meaning ‘The Fourth’, is the state of mind observing the waker, dreamer, and sleep blankness. This can also be described as Witness Consciousness.
Absolute and relative realities hold validity and truth within their respective contexts but only from their specific perspectives. John Grimes illustrates this Advaita doctrine using the analogy of light and darkness. From the sun’s viewpoint, it neither rises nor sets, and there is no darkness-only light. Conversely, for someone on Earth, the sun does rise and set, and there are both light and darkness, with varying shades in between. Each perspective represents a valid reality and truth, even though they seem contradictory. What is true from one perspective may not be true from another, according to Grimes.1
Shankaracharya believes it is obvious and needs no proof that Atman, the ‘I’, is completely different from non-Atman, the ‘you’ or ‘that’, much like light is different from darkness. He explains that people mistakenly attribute the qualities of the material world to Atman. This superimposition leads individuals to believe notions such as “I am this” and “This is mine”, mixing up the true self with the changing external world. This confusion hides the true nature of Atman, which is pure, constant, and separate from the physical and mental traits of the material world.
Shankara’s teachings stress the need to understand this difference to gain true insight and freedom. By recognizing and separating the self from these false beliefs, one can understand the true nature of Atman, which goes beyond the limitations and imperfections of the material world.2
Further Reading
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advaita_Vedanta ↩︎
- Shankara, Adhyasa-bhasya ↩︎
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