Awe-inspiring gigantic mountains, all-engulfing vast oceans,
eye-filling evergreen forests, ever-expanding inexplicable deserts,
all-mellifluous sweet chirping birds, endless mass of individuals
- all of the above - constitute this beautiful world that we live
in - or atleast we seem to live in.
Despite this multi-various pleasing features of this ever-patient
earth, we still see that each and every individual goes thru a
cycle of emotions in his or her life. The emotions can generally
be classified into two categories - Happy and Unhappy. This
implicitly indicates that the "Individual" does not have a control
over his or her own "Happy" moments or "Unhappy" moments.
It is the hope, aspiration, desire of each and every individual
to be happy always. No Individual wants to go thru the motions
of Unhappiness for even a fleeting moment.
In order to understand why an Individual does not want to go
thru the phase of Unhappiness, one has to understand the very
nature of "Individual." That is, "Who or What is an Individual?"
What does the word INDIVIDUAL signify?
An "Individual" can best be defined as comprising of following
attributes : A physical body, the senses that operate through
the various components of the physical body, an Intellect that
directs these senses and a Mind, whose function is defined in
a later section of this article.
As it is observed, that an "Individual" does not have a control
over the cycles of his or her "Happiness" or "Unhappiness", one
has to extend one's faith to an all-knowing, all-controlling,
all-pervading, ever-existent power. It is from this power from
where the individuality has spawned out.
This all-knowing, all-controlling, eternal power is termed as GOD
in the reverred scriptures/revelations.
An "Individual", being limited in his/her embodiment, is naturally
pulled towards knowing the nature of that "all-knowing",
"all-controlling", eternal power. Since this individuality has
spawned out of the eternal power, it is natural for the Individual
to break the shackles of the Individuality and live in the
state of That Eternal Power.
How does this "Individuality" present itself?
Upon raising this question, it is observed that it always
is the "I" thought that arises first and then all other thoughts
follow suit. When this "Individuality" is actually a part
of the eternal power (Whole), then where did this "I thought"
come from? Thus the question arises -
WHO AM I? or WHAT IS THIS "I" ?
Why does this quest of "WHO AM I?" even lurk in the heart
of the Individual? Why this Quest for knowing the "I" ?
The only reason could be that, since the "Individual" is working
within the limitations of the "Individuality", becomes discontent
with the daily events, and the pleasures & the pains that go with
those events.
The "Individual", having come to realize that nothing is in his or
her control and everything is in the control of That Superior Power,
begins the attempts to surrender or merge the "Individuality" into
that "Supreme Power." Thus "The Quest" has begun.
Examining, as to how the daily events result in pleasures & pains,
it is revealed that the "Individuality" - in other words, the senses,
of a person leads him or her to develop a bonding towards the
objects around. The bonding slowly turns into an ownership
or attachment. This trait (ownership) is one which leads the
Individual to believe that the objects around him/her are HIS or
HERS. This in turn leads to feelings of insecurity over losing
the newly acquired attachment. The insecurity due to the imaginary
loss leads to fear. By now, the attachment is so strong that
the insecurity is deemed very real by the Individual and the fear
leads to anger (to prevent an impending loss, or as a reaction to a
loss). This is a perfect story of building a castle out of thin air.
However, the eventual loss of the "so-called" acquisition itself
results in sorrow.
Therefore, it becomes clear that, an Individual becomes "Happy"
or feels fear or anger or sorrow, because of the senses that the
"Individuality" is associated with.
The above statement is only half-true. The "Happiness" does arise in
an "Individual" after the "so-called" acquisition. However,the
"Happiness" is not because of the "so-called" acquisition itself.
Since the senses have completed their job of "so-called" acquisition,
the "Individuality" goes back and resides in its true nature - that
"Eternal Power". The true nature being "Happiness", the Individual
feels happy. However, the "Individual" wrongly identifies the
"Happiness" to the acquisition. Therefore it will be appropriate
to infer that the "Individual" wrongly identifies himself or herself
to his or her "Individuality" as the true nature. This thought
of "WRONG IDENTIFICATION" with the body that leads to the
bonding/attachment of the "Individual" is generally termed as
the "MIND."
An "Individual", realizing the inadquacies and therefore being
fed up with "Individuality", begins "The Quest. - WHO AM I REALLY?".
The Search of "True Nature - Happiness" thus has begun for the
"Individual."
The past propensities of the "Individual" are to draw the senses
towards the objects around. The propensity of "The Quest" is
to work beyond the framework of "Individuality", meaning, work
beyond the senses. Thus, The Quest itself appears to be a
strenuous effort on the "Individual" in the initial stages. Slowly
and steadily, The Quest becomes a preoccupation of the Mind. The
Mind, which was initially having its play in this wondrous
"Individuality", when is deprived of such "Individuality", now has no
place else to go, but to go back to where it came from. That is,
"The Individuality" merges back into that "Eternal Power - GOD."
This process of merging back is termed as SELF-Realisation.
Thus SELF-Realisation is not something that is to be gained. On the
contrary, it is everything about "An Individual" to lose - "To Lose
Individuality" and reside permanently in "GOD"
Once the Individuality is lost, it becomes meaningless to say
"I should be like this OR I should be like that." The only
meaningful statement that can be said, is a statement of SILENCE.
The only state is to BE.
Would it make sense to say that, "This is Ramana Maharishi" - OR
"This is Ramakrishna Paramahansa", - OR "This is Jesus Christ" -
pointing to a physical body? There are no physical bodies to initiate
a talk, nor there are any physical bodies to talk to.
Then what are these individual physical bodies working in the
Universe for?
In order to facilitate "The Quest."
