Discovering the Limitless

 

Discovering the Limitless

ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं यत्किञ्च जगत्यां जगत्।

तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जीथाः मा गृधः कस्यस्विद् धनम्॥ (Isavasya 1)

The Duality

The whole universe is in front of us. A part of the universe is perceived through our senses. We see colours and forms. We hear sounds. We perceive smell, taste and touch. A great part of the universe is not available to our senses. We can know them through other means like reasoning and verbal testimony.

 An invisible object can be inferred by seeing a visible object associated with it. I can infer the presence of fire in the mountain on seeing smoke. We can also know about the remote objects through words. A man comes from a far away land and tells me about the land. Then I come to know about the presence of the land as well as some details about the land. Otherwise, I was not even aware of the presence of such a place.

Thus, we know the universe through various means. Yet, a part of the universe remains unknown. We do not know how many stars, planets, galaxies, blackholes etc. are there in the universe. A boundless portion of the universe remains unknown due to its remoteness.

The entire universe, known or unknown, is comprehended as the object. When I think of the universe, I recognise the difference between the universe and myself. I am different from the universe. I am the subject and universe is the object. Therefore, I am not the universe and the universe is not me. I refer to myself as “I” and the universe as “this”.

The Subject

The subject deserves to be referred to as “I”. An assemblage of the physical body, mind and senses is generally identified as the subject. On a closer analysis, we can find that the physical body is also objectified. Therefore, it does not deserve to be the “I”. It deserves to be “This”. It is a mistake to refer to the body as “I”. Therefore, the body is not myself. It is not my true nature. It is as much external to me as any object in the universe. Similarly, the properties of the body are not my properties. The height, weight, age, gender etc. do not describe my true nature.

The five senses of knowledge form another component of the subject as it is generally understood. The sense of sight, sense of smell etc. The senses are different from their physical components. The physical components like eyes, ears etc. belong to the physical body. The senses are subtle entities working through these physical accessories.

The senses are also subject to changes. Sometimes they function properly. Sometimes they may not work properly. Sometimes they do not work at all. Also, the senses resolve at the time of sleep and reappear at the time of waking. I am the witness of the appearance and disappearance of the senses. Therefore, the senses are also objects. They do not deserve the reference “Ï”.

The mind is the seat of all emotions, imaginations, memory, cognitions and so on. The mind is constantly changing. Thoughts come and go every moment. Therefore, the mind and its modifications are objectified. It is not the true “I”.

On the negation of the body, senses as well as mind, there remains the consciousness, the witness of all these. It can never be objectified. It is the one which objectifies everything. It is the true “I” – the true self – the Atma.

The Limitless

Unlike the objects we see around us, the consciousness does not have parts or divisions. It is indivisible, free from differences. Therefore, it is free from all limits. A limited object must have parts. Being free from parts, it has to be limitless.

One may argue that consciousness has parts. We ask him a question: What is the nature of the parts of consciousness? Are they consciousness or non-consciousness, i.e., insentient? The parts cannot be consciousness, because a consciousness is not composed of many consciousnesses. They can’t be insentient either. Because, an assembly of insentient do not make consciousness. Therefore, this objection does not hold its ground.

Infinite does not allow the presence of another. The presence of two is possible only in the realm of limited. There can be two or more limited. There can be multitudes of limited. There cannot be a limitless plus a limited. Also, there cannot be another limitless.

Therefore, the consciousness is the only substance. It is the Brahman – the all-pervasive, the limitless. The universe is projected on the Brahman. The universe consists of limited objects. The limited is projected on limitless. On understanding this, the limited is swallowed up by the limitless. Then limitless alone remains.