[Advaita-l] Some basic questions on self realisation

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

Vijayaji - My PraNAms
You have asked very pertinent questions.  I have answered these from my perspective and posted here some time back. You may be able to get the info also in the website www.advaitaforum.org or .com 

I will try to briefly address based on my understanding. I am sure others will address from their perspectives.

--- On Fri, 9/17/10, vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk <vijaya1.kambhampati at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:

>  
> I have a few questions::
> 
> 1)Could you please tell me whether it is possible for a
> person to 
> attain self realisation whilst living as a professional
> person in the 
> phenomenal world or is it necessary to exclude onself in
> the himalayas 
> or some other wilderness????

In principle I do not have to go anywhere or do anything to know that I am existent and conscious entity. But what I need to do is first understand that existent-conscious entity is also infinite entity - and therefore Brahman which includes everything including the phenomenal world and the Himalayas or downtown Chicago. If the mind is purified enough then it first sees the viswarauupa of the Lord - as His presence everywhere. The all pervading Lord cannot be only in Himalayas, right? For that I need to understand the nature of Brahman and the nature of this world as mithyaa - it is an understanding as understanding as a fact not just as a thought. For that only we need to prepare the mind or the mind needs a conducive environment for it not to get carried away by external attributive world and for it to recognize the substantive sat chit ananda swaruupam of the Lord. If the mind is not prepared going to Himalayas will not help also. Calm and quiet
 environment is helpful for any serious study and contemplation and more so when I am trying to divert my mind to the subtlest of all- the self that I am. 

> 
> 2)Self realisation should be possible if one acts in the
> world without 
> ego but on their higher intelligence for the betterment of
> all. Am I 
> correct??

Yes you are absolutely correct. However also ask - who realizes what. Self does not need to realize since it always pure. Non-self cannot realize since it is inert. Hence realization involves I am who is currently identifying with non-self as I am, has to recognize my true identity of who that I am is. Ego involves two components I am part and this part as I am this, where this is anaatma starting from buddhi, mind, body etc or to be technical the pancakoshaas. What I need to do is what BRigu did, discard the pancakoshaas as I am not this - neti and identify that I am as the existence-conscious entity because of which I am even conscious of the pancakoshaas. That process of negation and subsequent assertion is possible when I am not extrovert and the environment also is conducive for the mind not to get distracted. 

Hence if you can act all the time without the notion that I am doer or sufferer etc and I am the pure consciousness and in my presence only the BMI is acting, then you have realized the truth; even staying in downtown.   

> 
> 3) Is it possible for a person to be self realised and not
> know it???

No. Self realization is realization that I am not this and this and I am pure sat chit ananda swaruupam and therefore I do not depend on anything for my happiness - I will be reveling myself in myself - atmanyeva aatmanaa tuShTaH. 
 
> 4)I have heard it said many times that there are very few
> people who 
> are self realised but it seems to me that out of the six
> billion world 
> population there must be quite a few who act in the world
> without ego 
> other wise there would be wars everyday. It also seems
> strange that god 
> would make something as evolutionarily necessary as self
> realisation so 
> rare that very few people attain it. Could you please
> comment on this.

Lord himself gives the statistics - manushyaanaam sahasreshu ... 
Self realization is not based on just statistics - there is self-effort to turn the mind towards the higher, leaving the lower. tyaagenaike amRitatvam - by giving up my raaga and dveshas to the things and being only I can turn my attention to the higher. The moment you give up all your wrong notions about your self and the world, it is guaranteed that you will realize immediately. Now you tell me how many are ready to give up their attachments to the BMI.
 

Hari Om!
Sadananda