Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord_Viskey
contemplating - Swami Sarvapriyananda's 12 min discussion ...
To say that .... "yes. ... I am pure awareness..." might seem "practical" at first.
But then, the question arises; "why is it an erronous move to objectify anything in reality, if awareness itself is reality in the first place?"
For that matter; why is it okay for Brahaman to experience reality through our objectification of it, but for humankind to do the same, is apparently a de-evolutionary step?
Neti. Neti....?
Why must pure awareness (at the human end of the equation) be accused of "improperly" negating everything that it is inherrently mechanized to interpret?
... how can one find an interest in reaching a "purely" aware state of consciousness, if to be human, by its nature, means no such thing as "pureness"?
How loudly does a silent thought ; a quiet contemplation ; an intimately personal self-awareness speak, so as to cause such deafness that purity cannot be heard?
All opinions welcome.
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Swami's saying Awareness itself cannot be objectified. If something can be objectified it's not Awareness. Awareness is the Unmanifest. Nameless and formless. Vast, Infinite and Absolute. Existence, Consciousness, Bliss. Brahman.
Anything with form and name is the manifest appearing within the Unmanifest. They are the objects that is the power of Maya to project. The multiplicity. The One manifesting Itself as the many.
Why? It's how Brahman can experience Itself. It's the only way Brahman can experience Itself. Just like the eye cannot see itself or the face needs a mirror to see itself.
At the human level, the level of mind-body, there is not pure Awareness, as mind-body is but another name and form within Maya.
Neti Neti is simply a practice of negation within the path of Jnana Yoga whereby in theory, negating all that can be objectified reveals the one thing that cannot be objectified, which is pure Awareness.
At that point it's still an intellectual realization and other practices such as Karma, Raja and Bhakti are paths to realizing that truth through direct experience, which is beyond mind.
Of course this is the Advaita Vedanta view.