there are no unenlightening beings in existence, anywhere, anytime. the term 'unenlightened being' is itself oxymoronic, since there are no beings in existence other than brahman. this is the core message of advaitam. therefore who is there to save, and from what? one of the first things learned in advaita is how to hunt down the source of the alleged jiva. and the process [of Self-enquiry] instantly reveals the jiva [ego] is only a locus that is however unsubstantial. that is, it is only a means for *expression* in a world that can only function through relative multiplicity. one is hence and straight-away given the answer to the entire dilemma. ironically however, the problem is that it's too easy a solution. and it's a unique problem because the mind is geared toward grappling with complexity, and [this simplistic] discovery proves anticlimactic for it. thus the habit of the mind [which is *by habit* steeped in complexity, resists stubbornly and vigorously. so the advaitin must stick to his guns and disallow the ancient tendency to dwell in the idea of a separative jiva, centered on its attending attributes of ignorance and bondage. yet, the pursuit of the Self exposes one very basic and unavoidable fallacy: IS THERE A REAL, *ISOLATED* ENTITY THAT IS IGNORANT AND BOUND? from this one has no choice but to conclude that only an entity that doesn't exist can be ignorant and bound. ridiculous? yet this is, in effect, what we've been conditioned to believe. since as it's ordinarily left uninvestigated, it doesn't dawn this way. yet, after x numbers of firing the divine weapon on the chimera of jiva, the outcome is inevitable...where here, seeing one's true nature in *Being* goes beyond believing. tat tvam asi