Beyond the Ego: Unmasking Your True Self Through Adhyasa & Meditation

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The question that often arises about meditation is why meditate? For that we have to understand the essence of Vedanta: Aham Brahmasmi – My nature is infinite. If that is true, how can we prove it?

We often use identification theory to understand the world around us. When the entity A identifies as entity B, then the properties of B appear as the properties of A.

This is known as the concept of Adhyasa – Super Imposition in Advaita Vedanta. Wikipedia says, Adhyasa in Advaita Vedanta means a false superimposition of the characteristics of physical body (birth, death, skin color etc.) onto the atman, and also the false superimposition of the characteristics of Atman (sentiency, existence) onto the physical body.

In Sanskrit it means:
Adhyāsa (अध्यास): – [adhyā+sa] (saḥ) 1. m. Presiding over; sitting on; transferring.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

For example, when we go to a movie theatre, as we watch the movie, we become one with the story, we begin to feel that the movie is real and we start identifying with the characters of the movie. We cry when the characters cry, and laugh when they laugh.

The main reason for sorrow is this mis identification that we indulge in and this is what Vedanta says is our biggest mistake in life. The solution is to dis identify. For that we have to understand how Vedanta talks about two distinct entities in our life.

The two entities are: Consciousness and Matter. In medical terms though, when we talk about consciousness, we talk about it as a property of the mind.

Also known as Brahman and Maya or Atman and Unatman, or Purusha and Prakriti, or Druk and Drishya, or Chaitanya and Jada, or Kshetragna and Kshetra, or Prana and Rayi.

Anything that is made of the 5 elements is called matter. The body is matter where as the mind is made up matter too, although it is a flow of thoughts, it’s also made up of the 5 subtle elements.

You might have a question here: Is mind matter? Try fasting for 15 days and see if your mind is working. That’s why we say that the mind is made up of matter: because it is nourished by food.

Consciousness is the only entity that has an independent existence. It is our true nature. Tat Tvam Asi – You are that (consciousness). And its properties are Sat Chit Aananda.

Sat: the truth
Chit: the knowing principle within us. *
Ananda: bliss

* Knowing is thought based, but consciousness is nothing something we think about, it is pure knowing itself. Just as fire burns because it is its true nature, just like that pure consciousness is just pure knowing. Just as fire burns based on its true nature, consciousness never gets tired of its true nature, as such it never ages and dies.

So, then the question arises, if we are pure consciousness and nothing else, why are we not experiencing Sat Chit Ananda all the time?

That is because we are experiencing Adhyasa: Instead of identifying with consciousness, we are identifying with our BMI (body mind and intellect). If I identify with the six Bhava-Vikaras or modifications of the body: Asti (existence), Jayate (birth), Vardhate (growth), Viparinamate (change), Apa kshiyate (decay), Vinasyati (death), we will experience them as our own properties.

Let’s look at: Chapter 2, Verse 13:

dehino ’smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati

Just as the embodied soul continuously passes from childhood to youth to old age, similarly, at the time of death, the soul passes into another body. The wise are not deluded by this.

So, the consciousness doesn’t change even the body ages and the mind changes. That’s why Consciousness is referred to as Kutastha Chaitanya. Kutastha: that which remains unchanged like an anvil.

Why we do we experience sorrow? As we just discussed, instead of identifying with the deathless, birthless and changeless consciousness, we identify with the imperfect body. When we identify with our body, it is called samsara – that which changes. And something that changes constantly, there’s no rest. Moreover, why identify with something that changes and ultimately ends in death?

But, if we continue to identify with consciousness that is changeless, we will not be attracted to sorrow anymore, because we are moving towards our true nature. And just as consciousness, we will become infinite and joyful.

How do we achieve this sort of identification with the pure consciousness?

Through meditation, we can detach from what we are not and attach to what we truly are. When we sit with our eyes closed, we should understand about two entities.

1. Thoughts of the mind where our likes and dislikes are intense.
2. Consciousness that is witnessing those thoughts.

Ask yourself, do I want to be a witness to the thoughts or a witness to that pure consciousness? And what is the proof that this meditation is working? The intensity of your ananda (bliss) increases. Because when you truly identity with the consciousness, you will not worry about Labha and nashta etc.

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Before getting started with meditation, we must also understand that there are three obstacles that we face when we sit down for meditation. They are:

“Laya , Vikshepa , Kashaya and Rasasvada are the other four obstacles. Laya is sleepiness. Vikshepa is excessive tossing of mind from one object to another object. This is the excessive monkey-nature of the mind. Kashaya is Goodha Vasana (hidden subtle desires). Rasasvada is the bliss of Savikalpa Samadhi (lower Samadhi). This is an obstacle so long as it prevents you from enjoying the Highest Nirvikalpa Bliss. Vichara, discrimination, prayer, Pranayama, further earnestness and struggle in meditation will remove these four obstacles.”

SOURCE: https://tantramag.com/tantric-yoga/meditation/meditation-guide-4-obstacles-in-meditation/

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NEXT: How To Purify The Mind And Prepare For Meditation

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About Sanatana Dharma

ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवो ब्रह्मैव नापरः।
अनेन वेद्यं सच्छास्त्रमिति वेदान्तडिण्डिमः॥

Brahman alone is real; the universe is mithya – neither fully real nor unreal, but an appearance. The individual self (jiva) is none other than Brahman itself, not separate or different. This is the true teaching of the scriptures, as revealed by Vedanta. ~ Verse 20 from Brahma Jnānavali Māla