THE GLORY OF VEDANTA, THE SCIENCE OF NOT-TWO!

Karl Jaspers (1883-1969) the famous Austrian existentialist philosopher once told
Professor K. Satchidananda Murthy that, there is no metaphysics superior to that of
Shankara.
Understanding Pure Existence-Consciousness is the subject-matter of Vedanta.
The Western philosophy mostly feels daunted explaining pure existence, and so does
the modern science in explaining or understanding pure consciousness.
Vedanta handles both subjects (pure existence-consciousness) with aplomb. According
to Vedanta, these two are not really two, but actually one entity. We experience
existence as consciousness only; and we experience consciousness in the form of
our felt sense of being or existence. This is denoted with the expressions: ,
: sadeva chida, chideva sada: Verily, existence is consciousness, and
consciousness is existence.
Vedanta says existence-consciousness can only be experienced in relation to objects in
the form of their name and form (nama-rupa). It cannot be experienced in its pure
form devoid of name and form. Why? Because consciousness is the very Subjectand
subject, by definition, cannot be objectified. And that Subject, says Vedanta, is You
the formless, nameless conscious-principle.
The great sage Yajnavalkya conveyed this supreme understanding to his wife Maitreyi is
his final instructions:
"Through what should one know THAT owing to which all this is known!"
~ Brhadaranyaka Upanisad 4.5.15
The pure witness-consciousness is the individual self (Sakshi Chaitanyam is
the jivatma) and the pure existence is the universal Self (Suddha-Satta-rupa is
the Paramatma). The great statements or equations of identity, mahavakya-s, like You
are That, Tatvamasi, and I am That Infinite-Absolute, Aham Brahmasmi, declare
their oneness.* These are like Einstein's E = mc2.
You are that is the declaration of the teacher; I am That is the realization of the
student. The experiential realization of this oneness/identity of the individual self

(jivatma) with the universal Self (Paramatma) is called liberation, moksa or mukti,
according to Vedanta. Once the adjectives "jiva" and "param" are removed, what
remains is atma = Paramatma. Attaining this understanding is liberation.
Like the tenth man in the story, it is discovering what one already is. Once this is
understood--that i am essentially eternal, pure, and of the nature of consciousness and
free (nitya-shuddha, buddha, mukta), one does not have to "do" anything extra to attain
liberation. It is owning up to our status or attaining the ever-attained. Do we need any
practice to realize that we are human beings?
Attaining this liberation is the ultimate end and purpose of human existence, according
to Indian philosophy. Vedanta declares that this liberation is possible within this very
lifetime.
There are only two near-examples** of the experience of objectless pure existenceconsciousness:
1. Space: although not strictly pure existence-consciousness, space is the nearest
example. [Space has dimensions and has the property of sound; consciousness is
utterly without any property and attributes]
2. Deep Sleep: You obtaining/experiencing yourself in deep sleep is another
nearest example of objectless pure-consciousness.
* & ** Based on Swami Paramarthananda, Discourses on ri Daki mrti Stotram,
discourse # 10 of 16.