This is the advait (non-dual philosophy) philosophy, which is studied on the path of Gyān yog (path of knowledge). And if somebody is qualified to actually meditate on this philosophy and meditate on me being (Absolute reality), this is an actual path of Gyān yog (path of knowledge), but you have to be qualified. You have to be completely renounced from the world, not just physically but mentally, and you have to have total control over your mind, your emotions, your thoughts.
So the qualification to even start, to even hear this advait philosophy, shravaṇ (listening to spiritual truth), and then do manan (deep reflection), and then reach the stage of nididhyāsan (deep meditation), and then enter into samādhi (complete absorption), you have to be qualified for that. Otherwise, what happens? Confusion.
It’s not a practical philosophy that can be followed while living in the world, nor does this philosophy completely explain the whole from all the angles of existence. It works if somebody is completely focused on that and qualified for it.
But for us to think, “I am God, I am Brahm.” Well, first of all, as mentioned, if there’s only one thing, there’s only Brahm. So then how did Brahm get confused and start thinking of Himself as a soul, As many souls, uncountable souls?
If there’s only one thing that exists, Brahm, then how did Brahm get confused? You get confused about something else. So that means there must be a second tattva (fundamental principle). So that in itself undermines the premise of advait. Advait means only one - no other, no second. So there has to be some other thing that caused the confusion. We’ll say agyān (ignorance).
So let’s say agyān is a tattva that is more powerful than God because it created this confusion in God’s mind, and He started thinking of Himself as souls. So now He has to meditate,
“I am not a soul, I am Brahm, I am Brahm, aham brahmāsmi (I am Brahm).”
And then Brahm, that got confused, will remember,
“Oh, I’m Brahm.”
And now His confusion will be gone, and He’ll remember that He is blissful Brahm.
So then the question comes: when did this confusion of Brahm begin? If you say it’s an eternal confusion, then that means that this Brahm has always been confused. That defies the very definition of Brahm.
Okay, then the confusion happened at a certain point. Brahm was Brahm, but then got confused at a certain point. So then this second tattva came in and caused this confusion to Brahm and then Brahm has to meditate to remember that He’s Brahm. It doesn’t make sense.
We are the third tattva, and we are confused about the second tattva, māyā (material illusion). Māyā causes the confusion. Because we’re turned away from God, māyā has the effect of making us think we’re the body. We’re turned towards māyā and away from God. Therefore, māyā has us under bondage. Therefore, we forget our true identity as a soul who belongs to God, not who is God, but who belongs to God. And because of that, we identify with the physical body. And that leads to us performing all the selfish karm (actions) and having to take birth after birth, and getting farther and farther from God.
This is the actual full philosophy. So when we try to bring this advait, when we’re not even qualified to study it, and we try to bring it into practical life, thinking,
“Okay, I am Brahm.”
Then what does it matter? You’re teaching me about God. Why do you have to teach me about God? I am God. You are God. So you’re teaching yourself about yourself.
See, nothing practical can come out of this advait. You can’t apply it in practical physical life.
