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  • Neti Neti Series No. 16: Exploring the Relationship Between Atman and Brahman

    Question:

    In Advaita Vedanta, we often hear that Atman is Brahman. But considering that Atman might be seen as a purified reflection of Brahman—similar to how the Buddha is an emanation of the Dharmakaya—would it be more accurate to say that Atman is an expression of Brahman rather than being Brahman itself?

    Dear friend,

    Your reflections on the relationship between Atman and Brahman in Advaita Vedanta, and how it might be understood in light of the Buddha’s relationship with the Dharmakaya, open up a rich field of contemplation. You have touched upon a subtle aspect of the teaching that invites us to explore the nature of the self and the ultimate reality in a deeper and more nuanced way.

    In Advaita Vedanta, the teaching that “Atman is Brahman” seeks to convey the profound truth that the individual self and the ultimate reality are not two separate entities but are, in essence, one and the same. This realization of non-duality (Advaita) is the heart of the teaching, where all distinctions between self and other, between the individual and the absolute, dissolve into the unity of pure awareness.

    And yet, your suggestion that Atman might also be seen as an “expression” or “reflection” of Brahman resonates with a certain truth. Just as the Buddha is an emanation of the Dharmakaya, so too can we understand Atman as the individual manifestation of Brahman within the world of forms and experiences. This view allows us to appreciate the functional relationship between the individual self and the universal reality, while still holding to the ultimate truth of their non-difference.

    Consider, if you will, the metaphor of reflection—a mirror that reflects the light of the sun. In this metaphor, Atman, when purified and free from the distortions of ignorance, reflects the light of Brahman, revealing the true nature of the self as non-different from the absolute. Until this purification occurs, the mind perceives itself as separate, much like seeing many reflections of the same sun in different bodies of water.

    In this way, Atman can be understood as a perfect reflection of Brahman, a reflection that becomes clearer and more accurate as the mind becomes more purified, more aligned with the truth of its own nature. This does not negate the teaching that Atman is Brahman but rather enriches it, providing a way to understand the process of realization as one of aligning the individual self with the universal reality it reflects.

    And yet, in the ultimate sense, the teaching of Advaita Vedanta invites us to move beyond all distinctions, beyond all metaphors, to the direct experience of unity. In this experience, the individual self dissolves into the infinite, and what is realized is that Atman and Brahman are not two, but one. The idea of expression or reflection fades away, leaving only the undivided awareness that is the true nature of all things.

    Dear friend, your reflections invite us to dwell in the mystery of this teaching, to explore the nuances of what it means to realize that “Atman is Brahman.” It is a realization that goes beyond words, beyond concepts, into the heart of what is real and true. Continue to contemplate this truth, and let it guide you ever deeper into the understanding of your own true nature.

    🙏🕊️🙏

  • Neti Neti Series No. 15: The Buddha as a Mirror of Enlightenment

    Question:

    The Buddha is considered an enlightened being, but does that mean he was a perfect mirror of enlightenment? Even though he had a personality and a sense of “I” or ego, was he a perfect emanation of enlightenment, like an expression of Dharmakaya? If so, does that mean the Buddha wasn’t actually Dharmakaya, but rather an emanation of it, perhaps as a Nirmanakaya?

    Dear friend,

    Your reflections on the nature of the Buddha and enlightenment bring us to the very heart of what it means to embody the truth in this world. The Buddha, as you have so insightfully observed, was not merely an enlightened being but an emanation of the deepest truths of existence—a perfect mirror, if you will, for the light of enlightenment.

    In the person of the Buddha, we see the qualities of enlightenment fully realized—wisdom, compassion, clarity, and non-attachment. And yet, the Buddha was not devoid of personality or a sense of self; rather, his personality was a vessel for the expression of these qualities. The “I” that remained in him was not the egoic self that we typically associate with suffering and delusion. It was an “I” that was fully aligned with the Dharma, an “I” that existed only to serve, to teach, and to guide others toward the same realization.

    This “I” was not driven by the usual attachments or aversions, but was instead a pure expression of the truth—like a clear mirror reflecting the light without distortion. In this way, the Buddha’s personality was a manifestation of enlightenment, a perfect embodiment of the principles that he taught.

    The concept of the Dharmakaya as the formless, ultimate reality—what we might call the truth body—helps us to understand the nature of enlightenment itself. The Dharmakaya is not something that can be grasped or embodied in the ordinary sense; it is the ground of all being, beyond all dualities, beyond all distinctions.

    And yet, this ultimate reality finds expression in the world through the Nirmanakaya—the manifestation body. The Buddha, as a Nirmanakaya, was an emanation of the Dharmakaya, taking on human form to teach and to guide. In this way, the Buddha was both a part of the world and a perfect reflection of the ultimate truth that underlies it. His teachings, his actions, and even his very presence were all expressions of the Dharmakaya, made accessible to those who sought the path.

    To see the Buddha as an emanation of Dharmakaya allows us to appreciate the depth of his compassion and the significance of his teachings. He was not separate from the ultimate truth, but rather a manifestation of it—a beacon of light in the world, showing the way to those who were lost in the darkness of ignorance and suffering. His sense of self, his personality, was not something to be transcended, but something to be used as a tool, a vehicle for the transmission of the Dharma.

    In this understanding, we see that the Buddha’s life and teachings were not about attaining something outside of ourselves but about realizing what has always been true—that we, too, are emanations of the Dharmakaya, capable of reflecting the light of enlightenment in our own lives.

    Dear friend, your reflections bring us closer to the essence of what it means to walk the path of the Buddha—to live in such a way that our own lives become mirrors of the truth, emanations of the light that shines at the heart of all things. Continue to explore these insights with an open heart, and allow them to guide you ever deeper into the understanding of your own true nature.

    🙏🕊️🙏

  • Verse 2: The Deathless Ones — Insights from Ramana Maharshi

    “Deathless are they who know the Self. Those who know intense fear of death seek refuge only at the feet of the Lord who has neither death nor birth. Dead to themselves and their possessions, can the thought of death occur to them again? Deathless are they.”

    — Ramana Maharshi, Forty Verses on Reality

    In the silent expanse of existence, a profound truth emerges: those who truly know themselves are untouched by the shadow of death. Their awareness transcends the fleeting nature of the physical, awakening them to a reality where the Self shines eternally, free from the confines of birth and demise.

    Fear, that primal instinct which grips the emotional self, leads many to seek solace at the feet of the Divine. Here, in surrender, they find refuge in the Lord—the embodiment of timelessness, the one who remains unscathed by the cycle of life and death. In the presence of such love, the urgency of worldly attachments falls away, revealing the deeper essence of being. I look forward to resting in the presence of such love, revealed within our mind—our true heart—where all attachments dissolve into the stillness of pure awareness. To realize this ever-present pure love is to know the deeper essence of what we are, the part of us that remains untouched by the fears and desires of the world.

    As one becomes “dead” to the clamor of possessions and the incessant desires that bind the soul, the thought of death loses its power. No longer a specter to be feared, it becomes a mere whisper, an echo of a past long forgotten. In this state of liberation, the deathless heart pulsates with the rhythm of life, embracing the eternal now.

    To know the Self is to awaken to the infinite, to dance beyond the duality of existence, where life and death are but two sides of the same coin. In this awakening, we find the courage to let go—to release the chains of identification with the transient and embrace the essence of who we truly are. Here lies the secret of the deathless ones, an invitation to live fully, unencumbered by the fears that often confine us.

    And yet, when we speak of the deathless state, we do not turn our gaze away from the undeniable truth of death. The body, like all things that come into being, will one day return to the earth. Those we love will pass, as will we. But the wisdom of this teaching beckons us to look beyond the visible horizon, beyond the fragile shell of the physical.

    Death, as we know it, is but a passage in the realm of form. What truly passes? Not the Self. Not the essence of who we are. This teaching whispers to us that the grasping after what is fleeting—the desires, the aversions, the worldly attachments—these are the threads that weave the illusion of permanence where there is none.

    In the letting go, in the softening of our hands from the things we thought we needed to hold so tightly, there is a kind of renunciation. But not a renunciation of life itself, rather, a release from the belief that life’s changing faces can define us. We release, not into emptiness, but into fullness—the fullness of the pristine mind, the quiet, undisturbed expanse of the deathless.

    To recognize this is to taste the sweetness of a deeper truth: the Self is untouched by the passing of days, by the birth and death of forms. This is where we find our liberation—not by denying the body’s end, but by resting in the awareness that transcends it.

    And so, in this gentle abiding, we come to understand: death may touch what is temporal, but it cannot lay a finger on what is eternal. Here, in the heart of this realization, there is peace—a peace that no worldly circumstance can steal away, for it is woven into the very fabric of our being.

    Coming Up Next: Verse 3

    In our next exploration, we will turn our attention to the third verse, where we will reflect on the nature of true knowledge and how it reveals the interconnectedness of all beings, inviting us into a deeper understanding of existence.

    🙏🕊️🙏



  • Verse 1: The Heart of Reality — Insights from Ramana Maharshi

    “Reality exists as the Heart, your very Being. If Reality did not exist, could there be any knowledge of existence? Free from all thoughts, Reality abides in the Heart, the Source of all thoughts. It is, therefore, called the Heart. How then is one to contemplate it? To be as it is in the Heart, is Its contemplation.”

    — Ramana Maharshi, Forty Verses on Reality

    The Heart of Reality

    In the stillness of our being, where thoughts dissolve like mist under the sun, we come upon the essence of reality—the Heart, our very existence. This Heart is not a distant concept, a mere abstraction; it pulses with the life that courses through us, inviting us to recognize that our true nature is intricately woven into the fabric of all that is.

    What if reality, in its purest form, did not exist? Could we then grasp the very notion of existence, the flicker of awareness that dances in our minds? Each thought, each fleeting moment of recognition, springs forth from this source, the Heart, which abides in silence beyond the noise of our incessant chatter.

    To contemplate this truth is not to embark on a journey of the mind but rather to return home, to dwell as we are in the Heart itself. Here, in this sacred space, contemplation transforms into a state of being, a surrender to the profound simplicity of what is. We find ourselves not as separate seekers but as the very essence of the inquiry—a realization that calls us to rest in the Heart, to know ourselves as we truly are.

    For many years, I carried a fog of confusion around the word “heart,” a tangle of meanings that seemed to obscure more than they revealed. I remember being in circles where people would say, “Come from your heart,” and I would listen, trying to grasp the depth of what they meant. Often, it seemed to point toward emotion, to some form of deeper truth that was still bound in the personal—an authentic expression of ego, perhaps a sincerity in feeling, but still caught in the dualities of love and pain, fear and longing.

    But what did it mean, really, to come from the heart?

    In the midst of this confusion, Ramana’s words come like a gentle clearing of the fog. The heart, as he speaks of it, is not the emotional center we so often equate with the word. It is not the place of fluctuating feelings, nor is it simply a retreat from the mind’s logical discourse. What Ramana points to is something far deeper: the heart as the essence, the source of pure awareness itself.

    This reminds me of the self as Carl Jung describes it—not just the conscious mind, but the unconscious, and not just those personal aspects, but everything, the entire universe and reality. Jung’s idea of the Self expands far beyond the individual, reaching into the totality of existence itself, much like Ramana’s use of the word heart. In this sense, Reality, the Self, and the Heart all point to the same fundamental truth—the essence that underlies both duality and non-duality, the very nature of what is.

    In both Jung and Ramana’s teachings, we see that the self, or reality, is not something to be sought outside of ourselves or separated from the world. As Jesus says, we are to be in the world but not of the world. This aligns perfectly with the non-dual teaching: there is no need to escape the dualities of life to realize non-duality. Instead, we are invited to recognize that the essence of duality itself is non-dual.

    To come from the heart, then, is not merely to speak from personal truth or emotion, but to rest in the deeper awareness that embraces all experience without attachment. It is to be anchored in the non-dual essence of Reality, knowing that even in the world of forms and opposites, the underlying truth remains whole, undivided.

    And yet, how often we use the word “heart” to point to something else—something closer to our personal feelings or opinions, mistaking emotional honesty for the deeper truth of our being. But here, in this teaching, the heart is revealed as the true source of non-dual clarity, the place from which true forgiveness, compassion, and love naturally arise—not as personal qualities, but as emanations of our most pure self.

    As I reflect on this teaching in, it becomes clear that the heart Ramana speaks of is not a center of personal feelings or emotion, but the eternal essence that transcends the body and mind. This heart, or true Self, is the witness that remains even when personal identity fades. In some ways, this description feels similar to the concept of the Holy Spirit or God, which abides within and beyond us.

    When we speak of the heart as Ramana does, we are pointing to the essence of pure awareness, the unchanging “I” that exists beyond the temporary forms of the body and ego. This teaching invites us to recognize the heart as the source of non-dual awareness, a presence that continues even when the personal self dissolves.

    Coming Up Next: Verse 2

    In the next reflection, we will explore how those who know the Self are deathless, transcending the fear of mortality. We’ll delve into the liberation found in surrendering to the Divine, awakening to the eternal nature of existence beyond the physical realm.

    🙏🕊️🙏

  • Poem: Look to the Moon

    The finger points to where the moon does shine,
    But gaze not at the hand that beckons you.
    Let go the grasp of thoughts that claim as mine,
    And turn your sight to what is pure and true.

    Ramana speaks of Self, the quiet core,
    Where all the world and mind do gently fade.
    Orgyen’s Pristine Mind, and Buddha’s lore,
    Reveal the light that nothing can degrade.

    In God’s vast silence, there you’ll find the key,
    A truth that words and thoughts cannot contain.
    Release the need to seek, just let it be,
    For in the stillness, all is clear and plain.

    Stop searching for the truth outside, afar,
    The moon is shining, constant in the night.
    Turn inward now and see just where you are,
    The light you seek is your own inner light.

    Midnight.
    No waves,
    No wind,
    The empty boat
    Is flooded with moonlight.


    — Zen Master Dogen

    🙏🕊️🙏

  • Book Review: The Unchanging Nature of Our Pristine Mind

    “The luminous nature of mind, like the changeless sky, is unaffected by temporary events.”

    — Bodhisattva Maitreya

    Imagine for a moment a vast, clear sky—limitless, unbounded, and pure. No matter how many clouds pass through, how fierce the storms, or how thick the fog, the sky itself remains unchanged. It is always there, spacious and untouched by the ever-changing weather. This metaphor, beautifully articulated by Orgyan Chowang in his book The Pristine Mind, offers us a powerful insight into the nature of our own mind. While the events of our ordinary mind—our thoughts, emotions, and experiences—may shift and change, the pristine mind, like the sky, remains clear and constant. This realization is fundamental to our spiritual growth and inner peace.

    The Metaphor of the Sky and Clouds:

    Chowang’s analogy is simple yet profound. The sky represents our pristine mind—our true nature, which is inherently pure and spacious. The clouds, on the other hand, symbolize the thoughts and emotions that arise within us. These clouds can be dark and stormy or light and fleeting, but no matter their nature, they never alter the sky itself. The sky doesn’t cling to the clouds or resist them; it simply allows them to pass through. In the same way, our pristine mind is untouched by the transient mental events that arise and dissolve within it.

    The Ordinary Mind vs. the Pristine Mind:

    In our day-to-day lives, we often operate from what Chowang calls the “ordinary mind.” This is the aspect of our consciousness where thoughts, emotions, and perceptions arise. It’s where we experience the ups and downs of life, the stress, the joy, the anxiety, and the pleasure. This ordinary mind is reactive, constantly shifting in response to external stimuli. But beneath this ever-changing surface lies the pristine mind—clear, stable, and unchanging. It’s the essence of who we are, untainted by the mental chatter and emotional turbulence that often dominate our awareness.

    Realizing the Pristine Mind:

    The journey toward realizing and connecting with our pristine mind begins with awareness. By observing our thoughts and emotions without attachment, we can start to see them as clouds passing through the sky of our mind. Meditation is a powerful tool in this process. By sitting in stillness and watching our thoughts come and go, we begin to disidentify with them. We realize that while our thoughts and emotions are transient, there is a deeper part of us that remains unchanged—this is our pristine mind. With practice, we learn to rest in this unchanging awareness, experiencing a profound sense of peace and clarity.

    The Importance of This Realization:

    Understanding that our true nature is the pristine mind brings immense benefits. It allows us to navigate life’s challenges with greater ease and resilience. When we recognize that the storms of thoughts and emotions are temporary, we are less likely to get caught up in them. We can face difficulties with equanimity, knowing that, like clouds, they will pass. This realization also fosters compassion—for ourselves and others. When we understand that everyone’s ordinary mind is subject to the same fluctuations, we can approach each other with greater kindness and understanding.

    Practical Application:

    To begin connecting with your pristine mind, try this simple meditation: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Imagine your mind as a vast, clear sky. As thoughts and emotions arise, visualize them as clouds passing through this sky. Don’t try to push them away or hold onto them; simply observe them as they come and go. Notice that no matter what clouds appear, the sky—your pristine mind—remains unchanged. Practice this regularly, and gradually, you’ll find yourself less caught up in the drama of your ordinary mind, and more grounded in the peace of your true nature.

    Closing Reflection:

    In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it’s easy to get swept away by the ever-changing events of our ordinary mind. But by remembering and connecting with our pristine mind—the clear, spacious awareness that remains untouched by life’s storms—we can find a deep and abiding sense of peace. This realization, as Orgyan Chowang so beautifully explains, is one of the most fundamental insights on the path of spiritual growth. As we move through life, let us strive to remember the sky within us, always present, always pure, no matter the clouds that may pass through.

    “The luminous nature of mind, like the changeless sky, is unaffected by temporary events.” As we deepen our understanding and connection to this luminous, unchanging aspect of our being, may we find peace and clarity even in the midst of life’s storms. Like the sky that holds all weather, may we learn to hold all our experiences with the spaciousness of our pristine mind. May this awareness illuminate our path and our interactions, bringing light and compassion to ourselves and others.

    🙏🕊️🙏

    If you’re interested in exploring this transformative approach further, I highly recommend Orgyen Chowang’s book The Pristine Mind. His teachings provide a clear, compassionate path toward uncovering the inherent purity of our mind, offering a source of deep fulfillment and lasting peace.

    https://www.amazon.com/Our-Pristine-Mind-Practical-Unconditional/dp/1611803276?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7h2Mn6nGCEvNAtdxqXJFEQ.cfS41GPBpvKD48wuy3LsI9fZn2JzlZfM62Tiwc8nRd0&qid=1723623894&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=globa0f5-20&linkId=2fe82111567d0e297438f98043c1392e&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

  • Beyond Objects: The Paradox of the Ever-Present Subject in Self-Inquiry

    In the practice of self-inquiry, particularly when meditating on questions like “Who am I?” or “What am I?”, a profound paradox often arises. The goal is not to discover another object—another thought, concept, or identity—but to realize the ever-present subject, the pure awareness that is always observing but is itself never observed. This exploration can lead to confusion as the mind, accustomed to dealing with objects, struggles to grasp something that cannot be grasped.

    The Subject and the Object

    In our daily lives, we interact with the world primarily through objects. These objects include not just physical things, but also thoughts, emotions, and even our sense of self. When we engage in self-inquiry, asking “Who am I?” or “What am I?”, the mind instinctively begins to search for an answer within the realm of objects. It looks for another label, another identity that it can understand and define. But the subject—the true Self—eludes this search because it is not an object that can be categorized or comprehended by the mind.

    The Ever-Present Subject

    The subject is the awareness that perceives all objects. It is the constant, unchanging presence that observes everything else that changes. This subject is not a “who” or a “what” because it does not belong to the realm of objects. It is the essence of our being, the ground of all experience, yet it cannot be objectified, labeled, or defined.

    The Confusion of Objectifying the Subject

    As we delve deeper into self-inquiry, confusion often arises. The mind, which is designed to understand and manipulate objects, finds itself at a loss when it tries to apply the same approach to the subject. It’s like trying to see your own eyes without a mirror—the subject cannot see itself because it is the one doing the seeing. This confusion is not a failure but an indication that the mind is approaching its own limits.

    This paradox is a critical aspect of self-inquiry. It signals the point at which the mind must cease its usual operations and simply rest in awareness. The subject, or true Self, is not to be found as an object out there, but recognized as the very awareness in which the search is taking place.

    Embracing the Paradox

    To move beyond this confusion, it’s essential to let go of the need for an intellectual answer. The question “Who am I?” or “What am I?” is not meant to yield a concept or a new identity. Instead, it serves to turn the mind back on itself, leading to the realization that you are neither a “who” nor a “what,” but the pure awareness that is aware of all things.

    The confusion that arises is a natural and necessary part of this process. It is the mind’s way of signaling that it cannot turn the subject into an object, and this realization opens the door to a deeper understanding. By allowing this confusion to be, without trying to resolve it into a tidy intellectual answer, you can begin to rest in the pure presence of awareness itself.

    Alternative Mantras for Self-Inquiry

    If the traditional self-inquiry questions “Who am I?” or “What am I?” lead to a sense of dead end or confusion, you might find it helpful to use a different approach. Here are some alternative mantras or inquiries that can help guide you toward the reality of the subject—the pure awareness that is your true nature:

    1. “I am That” (Soham or Tat Tvam Asi): This mantra emphasizes the non-dual realization that your true Self is one with the ultimate reality, Brahman. It helps dissolve the identification with the mind and body, guiding you toward unity with infinite consciousness.
    2. “I am” (Aham): Focusing on the phrase “I am” without any descriptors can tune you into the presence of pure awareness, the basic sense of existence before it becomes entangled with thoughts and identities.
    3. “Be Still and Know”: Inspired by the biblical phrase, this mantra encourages you to settle into stillness and recognize the presence of awareness, leading to a deeper understanding of your true nature.
    4. “Pure Awareness” or “Consciousness Only”: These mantras directly affirm the nature of the subject as pure awareness, allowing you to focus on the awareness in which all experiences arise and dissolve.
    5. “Not this, not that” (Neti Neti): The practice of Neti Neti involves negating all that is not the Self, guiding your awareness back to the subject—the pure, unchanging consciousness.
    6. “I Am Presence”: This mantra emphasizes the feeling of existence without attaching it to any identity or role, helping you anchor in the experience of pure being.
    7. “Silent Witness”: Focusing on “Silent Witness” helps shift your attention to the observing presence within you, reminding you that you are the silent witness to all that occurs.
    8. “Who is aware?”: If “Who am I?” feels too abstract, “Who is aware?” can be a more direct pointer, helping you realize that the awareness observing everything is not an object but the subject itself.

    Each of these mantras offers a different pathway to recognizing the ever-present subject, the awareness that is your true Self. By choosing one that resonates with you and practicing it consistently, you can deepen your understanding and experience of pure awareness.

    Conclusion: Resting in Awareness

    Meditating on “Who am I?” or “What am I?” is not about finding an object or a new identity but about recognizing the ever-present subject—the pure awareness that is your true nature. This subject is beyond all concepts of “who” or “what,” and any confusion that arises is a natural part of the mind’s journey towards self-realization.

    By embracing this paradox and resting in the awareness that is always present, you move closer to the realization of your true nature—beyond all objects, beyond all concepts, as the pure, unchanging awareness that you truly are.

    🙏🕊️🙏