Atma Vidya आत्मा विद्या

ATMA VIDYA आत्मा विद्या is a teaching like no other. Handed down from generation to generation from teacher to student through an unbroken chain Self-knowledge declares that long before we can even think of overcoming death, our immortality has already been won: pre-ordained by birth. Immortal already just by being born human, the problem of death has been solved already, we just haven’t found out.
Having stood the test of time, ATMA VIDYA आत्मा विद्या confirms what prophets, saints and sages have been saying for thousands of years: ‘The proof is already in the pudding!’.

While most religious philosophies define an eternal destination for mankind as some extraordinary destination yet to be reached and yet to be confirmed and accomplished, Self-knowledge of the Veda/Upanishads tears this idea apart.

Simply stating that being born human you are the eternal destination you are looking for, already reached. That all before we can even think of searching for a solution for ourselves, we already are the solution. That truth being ourselves already ever reached, other than knowing the truth of ourselves, no solution is needed. Declaring that being born human in creation we cannot escape being the truth. That man’s nature being absolute already means the eternal destination is already won and goal already accomplished. That looking for solutions when we are the solution doesn’t work. And looking in any other direction when it is already ourselves means we never find it. Self-knowledge points out for the absolute, immortality being our nature, only knowledge is needed.
Not knowing what we are doing here, what creation has in mind for us or where the universe is taking us creates all our difficulties and problems. But this is a problem for us only as long as we don’t know ourselves.
Seeing everything around us as dying and impermanent, and that change and dying is the only constant in an ever fluctuating universe, we forget that: for change to occur, there has to be something permanent, something undying and changeless. That we are that permanent undying absolute, and that our very nature is one of permanence, that to be the eternal and undying principle requires absolutely no effort. That no matter what conditions apply we survive!
Having always pointed out the truth of mankind, Self-knowledge uses one word ‘I’ to explode the truth of who we are. One word is enough. For the eternal to be understood and its meaning made clear, the meaning of only one word needs pointing out.
Brainwashed by our education into believing that we are limited, while the east has always understood and had and taught this knowledge for generations, it is time for the truth of who we are to emerge in the west. Having always taught that man being part of the eternal creation; part of the universe is already the truth, while a civilisation flourished 5000 years ago built on this knowledge, in the west limited to a relative point of view, our education has forgotten to include us. Focused on individuality, already the ‘Sons and daughters of immortality’, forgetting to include us, until our education includes us and introduces us to the truth of who we are and points it out, we don’t know it.
Remaining absolutely invisible our innate nature secret, because we have never been so focused on it, preoccupied and obsessed with our individuality, hidden behind every individual lies the absolute truth: the secret and mystery of the universe.
Not having any appearance, because Self in which everything seen as an appearance, cannot be seen, it needs a teaching. While seemingly non-existent, it is in the presence of self that everything having an appearance appears real. While everything else may seem permanent, on closer examination, once we put ourselves under the microscope by examining this ‘I’, we discover self alone exists. Self proves to be nothing but the fullness of permanence the provenance of creation/life itself. That regardless of how conscious or unconscious we are as human beings, the self being eternal and universal and already the nature of human, means our outcome is already assured. That truth applying to all of us is one and the same and our destination, while not being obvious is already won – already gained. Ignorance being all that is in our way, knowledge: Self-knowledge is all that is missing.

Should we believe it?

If someone can prove it by showing I am immortal, why not? In any case, accept it or not, like it or not, already inseparably part of the unbound universe, already the living proof, until we escape being bound, truth already holding us all captive and being all of us, being everywhere, means we cannot hide .

If a teaching tells me that I am limited and dying and death and change is all there is, is it telling me anything that I don’t know already? Telling me that change is the only constant in an ever fluctuating universe or, that death alone is permanent, is not telling me anything. Not showing me anything new, I don’t need a teaching for this.

If someone can show me the opposite; that I am immortal; that instead of being ephemeral, in amongst all that is busy dying, something absolutely changeless and permanent exists. Not only this; shows me in that this changeless permanence is nothing but myself already without me doing anything – If it can do this, surely I should be a little interested!

Self-knowledge teaches me something completely different. It shows me beyond all shadow of a doubt that I alone am constant and permanent. But, despite me experiencing it 24 hours a day in every waking, sleeping, dreaming moment until it gets pointed out, I don’t know it. No matter how hard I try, while the timeless is touching me 24/7, because experience is blind, and nothing in our experience of ourselves and our experience of creation tells us anything about the nature of what we are experiencing or, anything about the nature of ourselves, the Truth remains absolutely hidden, elusive and unknown. Existing in between two unseens, truth remains invisible !
Brainwashed and blindfolded by all our ideas, as long as our ignorance holds us captive, hiding in plain sight is the myself – the Truth. If ignorance is still getting the better of me, still my bliss, still thinking my innocence is a virtue, ignorance keeps creating a vacuum the size of the universe. As long as I remain ignorant, the weight of the universe keeps pressing down on my shoulders.
Trying to fill the vacuum, once the truth gets pointed out, the whole vacuum disappears and weight the size of the universe lifts off mys shoulders.

Until I get in a crisis my ignorance being my bliss and innocence is still a liability.
If the crisis that comes along is mild, then if I think I’ve been saved by some kind of miracle, reinventing myself I think I can keep on avoiding the truth. If the crisis though is big enough, then ignorance no longer blissful becomes a huge burden, and my innocence a massive liability. We being the only thing in crisis, getting conflicted only one thing is full of doubt: ‘I’ Dragging the ‘I’ onto myself it keeps pulling me into crisis. Wanting the lift the conflict of this ‘I’ and crisis to end and confusion to disappear, once the truth of the ‘I’ is made known, it makes all the crises go away.
‘I’ no longer the mystery unravels the secret of myself.

We all being the truth and the solution already, finding out that I have always been the solution is Self-knowledge.
The architect and reason for the conflict and thing in crisis being myself, then I must be the solution! To resolve the conflict and for the crisis to disappear, all I need to know is the truth of who I am.

Ourselves already being the Truth, already the solution, knowledge being all that’s missing is the only option.
As human beings, we either accept the truth that we are, or we keep on struggling. It is literally that simple. Up to us. Either we get the teachings and survive or left staring into an abyss, not only individually, but as a society our society can’t survive.
Right now our civilisation is in crisis because of one thing. Not the corona virus. The virus of ignorance. Ignorance of ‘I’ is the special virus. Corrupting and replicating itself over generations, the question of ‘I’ needs answering. Not only then do we solve the problem of human behaviour. Once we have the vaccine of knowledge, answering the question of itself, society recognises itself as the only solution.
We being the only thing in crisis and only thing in question, to answer the question of ourselves, all we need is for Self-knowledge to be the vaccine that points out the truth that has always existed as ourselves.

Pointing out in amongst all that is apparently changing and dying something constant, permanent and changeless, that is all powerful and eternal. That this ever still, permanence that this ever present, constant is all there is, regardless of the constantly changing universe. Not only this, showing me beyond all shadow of a doubt that this changeless, undying principle is nothing but myself, without me having to do a thing.
Until someone points it out, my secret remains an absolute mystery and me a mystery and secret to myself. No wonder we all get in a mess. Unknown, hidden only by ignorance, the eternal gem of creation having yet to be found being myself is the universal truth.

If Self-knowledge can show me this, beyond a shadow of a doubt, shouldn’t I be a little curious. Interested?
Surely having heard about it, I should take all the steps necessary to investigate and do all in my power and whatever it takes to see for myself?

Perhaps, creation has not yet yielded a crisis big enough to make us want to find out its secret. Perhaps we have not yet been challenged and threatened enough to question the true meaning of ourselves and our existence.
But that is all changing. Covid pandemic and Climate Crisis escalating exponentially is forcing us to question everything that is happening to society and forcing us to look at ourselves.
Looking for answers, challenging our existence, answering the only question that is important and answerable: Who are you? What am I doing here? Knowing yourself as that constant, permanent amidst all of the changes is a life changing and the saviour of the whole human race.
To resolve the question of ourselves Self-knowledge challenges us to question whether indeed our ideas of who we are, are the truth. To resolve the eternal riddle and unravel the mystery that is mankind, I have to first resolve the question of myself.
Because the truth has never been farther than ourselves, uncovering man’s timeless secret and mystery is easy.
To save ourselves and leave no doubt we only need to be convinced. What is more convincing than our own existence?
Using our own experience, rationale and pure logic, ATMA VIDYA आत्मा विद्या uses the experiencer to reveal the eternally present. Leaving no doubt, no longer left shivering in fear out in the cold, feeling excluded and totally inadequate, Self-knowledge proves that, for nothingness to exist, there must also be something else; something permanent, changeless and undying; something absolute.
That the Absolute has always been ourselves means, not even death can touch us. The answer to the crisis being yourself, changes the whole human perspective forever. Because advaita vedanta points out the truth which has never been truer or closer than yourself it solves all of our problems.
Self, already being won, who we are already, being universal and already self-evident, being limitless turns out to be the very nature of freedom itself.
Discovering the sweetness that is eternal, the essence of all beauty and joy in the universe, stops your search. Finding out that is yourself, is the miraculous gift of the universe. To find out that you alone are what the universe and nature have been hiding. To find this out and get the truth creation has kept for you you don’t have to look further than yourself.
Freeing what is always free, in and through every single moment – is the beauty of the teaching called Self-knowledge.
Until it is pointed out and truth is recognised, seemingly hidden in endless and invisible darkness, hidden in the mystery that is ourselves, we don’t know it.

That you are nothing but the fullness of existence and life itself, and all it needed was pointing out, is the great irony and paradox of our existence and all that needs to be revealed.

Asking me to own up to my previously hidden nature, the teachings of advaita vedanta offer a way out.
Making the invisible visible, the magic of Self-knowledge is that it reveals the unseen in which everything is seen.
This has always been its job and the job of the teacher. Suddenly upon hearing the truth, the intangible and invisible becomes instantly tangible and the only thing visible, the only reality finally all that is recognisable.
Being recognised, the truth of who you are can no longer remain dormant. Existence no longer a cold mystery, not void and invisible, you being the very nature and reality of life itself have no further to search.

Because the Truth has always been, it is the purpose and job of all scriptural teachings and job of the teacher to point this out and reveal the truth to us.
Of all our studies, whether it is the study of a flower or ourselves, the one thing that is all important and yet to be studied in all our studies is: the Self. Subtler than subtlest, the one who is studying; the one knowing, making all our studies meaningful is ourselves. Starting with ourselves, once we get to know ourselves and the truth of our existence, our whole existence becomes meaningful.

Until we get knocked off our perch
Getting the knock of our lives, ending up shaken and confused, in crisis, if we get hit hard enough, we start questioning the truth. Wanting answers to which there are no more questions, once we get such a wake up call, awakening to ourselves in Self-knowledge, we find the answer and can never fall asleep to ourselves again.

No longer taking life for granted, in crisis we discover, it is the very nature of existence to push us into crisis.
Otherwise we would never bother to ask question about anything.
Wanting to know the truth where do we go?

In crisis we stop dead in our tracks. Until then, our ignorance being complete, ignorance continues to be our bliss and innocence is still a virtue. Like a child playing in the universe, neither do we know that we know, nor don’t know – nor do we want to know. Wanting to keep on enjoying our journey, playing and enjoying the never ending cosmic spectacle of creation, thinking there is no end, we want to keep on seeing happiness and completeness in every direction and destination. All we want is to keep on enjoying and god help anything that gets in the way.

However There Comes A Time –
When ignorance no longer blissful becomes a huge burden. And, innocence no longer a virtue becomes a liability.
Human ignorance being the size of the universe means, only when our enjoyment gets threatened, and man gets conflicted, getting forced to question and seek answers, we discover our ignorance leaves us defenceless. And dropping all our ideas. As the sense of darkness and foreboding the size of the universe fills our lives pressing down on us, wanting our conflict and crisis to end, in desperation all we want is to hear the truth.

As the perennial presence in whom all is present in whom all existence is taking place – as large and as real as the creation is and our existence in it, no matter how small or simple we may feel, that big is the universal truth of mankind.
There is nothing else like the human being. The truth, being one and same for all of us, other than the truth of our existence, no other truth is important.

‘One without a second’, whenever mankind has wanted to know about himself and nature of reality, he has only had to look at himself.

No longer taking our lives for granted, in crisis we discover, it is the very nature of existence to force us into crisis.
Otherwise no one would bother to seek answers and to question.
Wanting to know the truth where do we go?

Man’s existence in the universe is real. It’s no use saying it is not. But more subtle and meaningful; more real than the gross physical universe of appearances and what is being experienced, is the one experiencing. Who is that?
Without you existing in it, the gross physical universe existing or not means nothing. It does not matter. While we still make everything else matter and more real to us, and forget to include ourselves in that reality and ignore ourselves we suffer. Making everything more important, we take our lives and existence for granted. Until it is threatened and getting conflicted we get in crisis. Then we discover our existence alone is important and is all that matters. While Self is still unreal and unknown, held hostage and a prisoner of our own ignorance, the universe can do and does what it likes. Holding us ransom, is only one thought, one idea: ‘I’. Until the universal truth of who this ‘I’ holding us ransom is known, ignorant of the meaning of existence, our ignorance is bliss and innocence not yet a liability.
But this is our only liability.
Once you know yourself, once ignorance wears off, the bliss never stops.
There being nothing more real or important than yourself in this universe – nothing the universe can do or throw at you can ever mess with you again.

Until recently locked in sanskrit Self-knowledge was kept ‘in house’. Kept locked in an exclusive bubble where only the few who could understand and read sanskrit could benefit. Self-knowledge and it’s methodology has now been taken out of exclusivity and been translated into English, so everyone, even children in primary school are benefitting.

Clearly humanity is in a crisis. Even the mosquitoes are laughing at us.

Having arrived at a crossroad, we have reached a precipice; a tipping point. It’s like the universe has pulled the brake on humanity and has put all our lives on hold. Putting us all on notice, creation has taken the wind out of all our sails and given us this time of Covid to pull together and get our act together as human beings. Or face the consequence of our possible extinction.
The time bomb is ticking. This is our wake up call! Challenging our ideas, creation is challenging us to wake up to the reality of ourselves as human beings and the reality of our own existence. Or face the consequences.
We either face up to the challenge and change our human behaviour, or it pulls the plug.
It’s our choice.

The scary thing is, other than the human being, nothing else is in crisis.
Looking at the creation you would never say there is even a crisis. Creation is not in crisis. Climate is not in crisis.
Nor is covid.
Only humanity is in a crisis.

Not only is humanity in crisis, being its cause and only thing in crisis, we are the crisis itself.
So we must also be the only solution.

The time for rebirth and renewal.

In India the crisis of the human being has always been seen as holy. To honour this most sacred time in every person’s life when life throws you a curved ball, India’s oldest and holiest cities are built. Located where the massive river Ganges, after plummeting headlong down through the endless valleys and crevices up high in Himalayas, cascading through waterfalls, on finally reaching the flat plains of India below, it takes a huge u-turn. As though the river itself is getting in crisis and has reached a crossroad, a turning point and is desperate to get back to its source. Signifying a time in everyone’s life, when life reaches a crossroad and everything; our very life is at stake. Being threatened, when our life gets thrown in a balance, crisis is the only time when our mind opens up and we are ready to ask questions and risk everything and anything to get the answers. Wanting answers to life’s deepest questions, to honour this time of crisis in mankind, India’s holiest city Varanasi, the oldest city in the world, is built. Known as ‘The city of light’, where the huge river Ganges, after plunging onto the plains of India turns back on itself, Varanasi originally called ‘Kasi’, meaning ‘giving up that which you love the most’, honors the crisis and plight of the human being. When man is at his weakest and most vulnerable. Honored as being the most sacred point in every human journey, a point in the journey is reached, where we are forced through circumstance to face up to the darkness. Facing our darkest fears, facing the unknown, we are ready to face our fear of death. It is then that we are ready to give up everything and anything, including ourselves as and our beliefs and ideas as individuals, just to hear the truth.
Forced to backup our lives take a U-turn. And turning within, traditionally it is the time when the person seeking answers seeks out the teacher and teaching.
Immersed in fear and doubt, immersing themselves in the quest for knowledge; wanting to know the knowledge of truth and the truth about knowledge, if the person is lucky, the crisis points them in the right direction and leads to the teacher of Atma Vidya or Atma Gnanam, (knowledge of the Self). The teacher revealing that the Self being nothing but the truth and, ignorance of ourselves being the only cause of conflict; ‘I’ being all that is ever getting conflicted and in crisis, points out the truth that has always been. Pointing out that man’s destination has always been eternal, the teaching resolves all our fears and difficulties once and for all.
Drawing all our life’s questions to their rightful conclusion, the teacher and teaching by pointing out the truth, draws our crisis to a close.

Like the river Ganges already being the water itself, has no farther to turn and look for its source than itself, so too, in searching for the truth of being human, we have only ever had to look as far as ourselves.
Thirsty for knowledge, desperate for our life crisis to be over, looking for an oasis, hoping for a little water to quench our thirst, in Self-knowledge we reach the perpetual oasis of the teacher and teaching and discover that we are the water itself.