The Deepest Self in Man
Divine Life
Society Publication: Chapter 8 Light on the Internal Self- The
Philosophy of the Panchadasi
The body is illumined by a
twofold consciousness in the same manner as a wall, for example, can be
illumined by two types of light. Just as a wall can be lighted up directly by
the sun as well as by the reflection of the sun through a mirror, and we can
observe the natural sunlight on the wall existing in the middle of the
different patches of reflected light, so also we can observe the natural
consciousness of the Atman between different thoughts and feelings, in the
short span of time when one thought subsides and another thought has not yet
arisen.
Generally speaking, the human
mind gets attached to certain objects, and its perception is always colored by
the nature of the object to such an extent that there is no time left for the
mind to contemplate the Consciousness as it is in itself, unconnected with the
objects. It is possible by careful and thorough investigation and psychological
processes to differentiate between the factors that belong to the object and
those that belong to Pure Consciousness.
In the waking, the dreaming,
as well as in the deep sleep states, it is possible to make this analysis by
which we are enabled to dissect consciousness from the object. An object is
known by the mind with the assistance of Chidabhasa-chaitanya (consciousness
reflected through the intellect, or the psyche), and it is by this that we know
there is such a thing as an object or a form, but the Consciousness behind the
‘I’, which is at the background of even the object consciousness is
Brahma-chaitanya (Absolute Consciousness), designated here as Kutastha
(internal Self).
The knowledge, “This is a
body” is brought about by the Chidabhasa, and the knowledge, “I know the body”
has its reference to Kutastha. Even the knowledge of the absence of an object
is based on the Consciousness of the Kutastha, and it is this very
Consciousness that enables, later on, the particular form of perception in
relation to an object.
As an arrow may be sharpened
with a pointed steel-head for the sake of hitting objects, the Buddhi, or the
intellect, has in itself the projecting form of Consciousness of the
Chidabhasa. It is when this Chidabhasa begins to act that we have object-consciousness;
otherwise there is ignorance of it, the Consciousness not being particularized.
Both the unknown and known conditions of an object are, thus, finally rooted in
Brahman-Consciousness, as Kutastha-chaitanya.
The intellect by itself cannot
know an object, because it is, after all, a modification of Prakriti (cosmic
matter). Just as matter cannot know matter, the intellect cannot know an
object. What is known is material and what knows is Consciousness. The freedom
of the Consciousness lies in its Self-realization that it is independent and
absolute and is not really tainted by the nature of any object at all. (Ver
1-9).
Excerpts from:
Chapter 8 Light on the Internal Self- The
Philosophy of the Panchadasi by Swami Krishnananda
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