"The very first step in understanding what this is all about is giving up the concept of an active, volitional 'I' as a separate entity and accepting the passive role of perceiving and functioning as a process." - Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

Friday, October 9, 2015

The Real Eye

Sri Annamalai Swami

Bhagavan wrote in Ulladu Narpadhu that perceived objects are of the same nature as the one who perceives them. In the waking state the gross physical eyes see gross physical objects. In the dream state the subtle eye sees subtle dream-world objects. Beyond that there is the eye of the Self. Since the Self is infinite and immaterial, what it 'sees' is infinite and immaterial. The jnani, being Self alone, sees and knows only the Self.

[AS was referring to verse 4: 'If one is a form, the world and God will also be so. If one is not a form, who can see their forms and how? Can what is seen be of a different nature to the eye? Self, the eye, is the limitless eye.'

Bhagavan's explanation of this verse can be found in Maha Yoga 1973 ed. p. 72.

'If the eye that sees be the eye of flesh, then gross forms are seen; if the eye be assisted by lenses, then even invisible things are seen to have form; if the mind be that eye, then subtle forms are seen; thus the seeing eye and the objects seen are of the same nature; that is, if the eye be itself a form, it sees nothing but forms. But neither the physical eye nor the mind has any power of vision of its own. The Real Eye is the Self; as He is formless, being the pure and infinite Consciousness, the Reality, He does not see forms.'

AS now continues with his answer:]
The Self shines all the time. If you can't see it because your mind has obscured it or fragmented it, you have to control your vision. You have to stop observing with the eye of the mind, because that eye can only see what the mind projects in front of it. If you want to see with the eye of the Self, switch the projector of the mind off. The infinite eye of the Self will then reveal to you that all is one and indivisible.

No comments:

Post a Comment

सर्वभूताधिवासं यद्भूतेषु च वसत्यपि।
सर्वानुग्राहकत्वेन तद्स्म्यहं वासुदेवः॥

That in whom reside all beings and who resides in all beings,
who is the giver of grace to all, the Supreme Soul of the universe, the limitless being:
I AM THAT. -- Amritabindu Upanishad