'WHO AM I?' - inquiry becomes inadequate and useless as one goes deeper into self-search.+

'WHO AM I?' - inquiry becomes inadequate and useless as one goes deeper into self-search. However, it creates lots of doubts and confusion.

The seeker has to find the answers on his own through deeper reasoning, then all his doubts and confusions will be cleared, and he will be able to move ahead in the path of inquiry, and he will be able to reach his non-dual destination.

The first seeker has to find answers to the following doubts and confusion which arise in a deeper investigation of Sage Ramana Maharishi's ~ “Who Am I?-inquiry”

v If the mind is the same as Atman, how can it vanish? How can Atman vanish? (Page 4 para. 3)

v "Whenever any thought leads you outward" etc, says Sage Ramana Maharishi. What can you be certain of when you leave the external world? And why leave the world if you say everything is Brahman? (Page 6 ~center)

v The "Mind ceases to struggle" Yes if I commit suicide I shall also cease to struggle! How can you say the world ceases to exist if you don't look at it? ~ (Page ~ 6)

v Who has seen the subtle mind projecting through the brain and the senses? Can you see it? Is not the brain also a piece of gross matter? Then how can it come into existence after the world is created, if later, depends on the brain? (Page 6 last para)

v How can you say the world vanishes when you are introspected? The world is still there; whether you see it or not. (Page 7 top)

v Heart is an idea created by the mind, so how can the Mind emerge from it? (Page 7~ Line 4)

v One should unquestioningly follow guru"--This is the very reverse of what Sri Ramakrishna taught. What if the guru happens to be a fool or a rascal? Sri Ramakrishna said "Test me! (Page 11, Para 2)

v "In deep sleep, trance, swoon, the mind turns inwards and enjoys atmasukam." Why should any man study or inquire or practice if in sleep he can easily get the Atman? If sleep gives Brahman why trouble with Vedanta? (Page 12: middle)

v Page 16 middle: "If this truth is appreciated who can refrain from being good?" This is the opposite of real Vedanta. Vedanta says it is not enough to be good, you must serve the world and relieve suffering. ~ (Page 16 center)

v Is the vanishing of ego to be the end of life? Aham, I must indeed go but tuham (thou) must come; you must know Brahman is everywhere. It is only half to say the ego must vanish. This is only a step, not the highest. (Page 16 last para).

The seeker has to find answers to clear doubts and confusion which arise in a deeper investigation of Sage Ramana Maharishi's ~ “Who Am I?”

Deeper self-search reveals that the Self is not the ‘I’, therefore ‘WHO AM I?- will not help to unfold the truth beyond form, time, and space.

By inquiring WHO AM I?- it unfolds the fallacy of the form, therefore, only half of the truth is revealed.

The ignorant who fail to apprehend the ‘Self’ is caught in the web of illusion experience, the birth, life, death, and world as reality.

People who think the ‘I’ or ‘I AM’ as the 'Self' are caught up in the web of duality and experience pain and pleasure as reality.

The one who holds the ‘I’ as the Self never will be able to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

Thus, it is necessary to realize first the ‘I’ is not the Self, but the Soul the witness of the ‘I’ is the Self.

The ‘I-centric' teaching and teachers are not a yardstick in the path of wisdom. ‘I’ based teaching will not lead the seeker to the ultimate end of his inner journey.

A deeper investigation reveals that the Self is neither the waking entity (you) nor the dream entity but the Self is the Soul, which witnesses the coming and going of the three states.

Remember:~

When you limit the 'I' to an individual it becomes the ego. If you inquire who am 'I' then you come to the final conclusion that you are the ego.

Sage Sankara: ~ VC-63- "Without knowing and examining the universe, one can’t know the Truth, as the idea that the external world exists, won't go. It can go only by an inquiry into the nature of the external world.

If the inquiry does not include the universe then it is incomplete.

Sage Sankara’:~ VC ~293 The whole objective world is non-real. Neither is the ego real, for it is seen to be momentary. How then can the apparent notion "I know all" be true when the ego etc., are themselves momentary? :~Santthosh Kumaar