Inquirer: I know the physical world doesn’t stand by itself. I understand it just fine. I know there is no we in terms of individual people but it’s convenient language to explain things while living in what is the dualistic world to most. + 99% of people won’t have a clue of what we’re talking about without using dualistic language.
Non-duality language sounds like mumbo jumbo to most. Who did you write that post for? The people who already understand this or the people who don’t? There’s no point in explaining it to the people who already know this. They have experienced it. That leaves explaining it to the people who probably don’t get non-dual language.
James: Good question. I teach Vedanta. It’s 6-8 thousand year old science of Existence shining as Consciousness. It is Sanskrit based. Sanskrit was designed in a very calculated and sophisticated way to (1) unfold the knowledge of the laws human psychology, (2) the laws operating in the field of karma (action) and dharma (values) and (3) the apparent “features” of existence shining as consciousness also known as the Self. Vedanta teaches individuals who think in the dualistic mode…people who have problems with “others” because they think that they are separate from the world and are unable to resolve inner conflict…how to resolve unwanted thoughts and emotions by assuming a non-dual perspective, without trying to fix the so-called problems in the world. It is a “subjective” science that set me free. Because I live according to its common-sense principles, I have been perfectly satisfied with myself and the world for 51 years and counting.
It isn’t for everybody because it requires constant vigilance. Certain qualifications are required. I lived in India for over twenty-five years with sadhus and mahatmas and at a certain time my teacher who was a very famous mahatma sent me to the US to teach Vedanta, which is not a philosophy, but a means of Self-knowledge. It works because the language is impersonal and scientific. Once you learn the basic terminology, your understanding of the three factors above grows exponentially, assuming a commitment to actualize the knowledge. At the same time your life is transformed by the knowledge until it is in line with the truth of your non-dual nature.
Most of the people who think they know non-duality only know it intellectually. They don’t walk the talk. They still suffer from unwanted thoughts and emotions. Dualistic thinking is personal memory-based ignorance, picked up from the family, society and later in life from the Neo-advaita crowd, masquerading as objective impersonal evidence-based knowledge. Dualists are deluded and tend to be sensitive, defensive and basically unteachable, as you know. There are a few, however, who for various reasons realize that their suffering is on them, not on the world, and take to non-dual knowledge like ducks to water, which heals the problems caused by the belief that reality is a duality.
I enjoy teaching sincere humble people who persevere and discover that they are pure reflections of the light of God, i.e. unborn existence shining as whole and complete consciousness. I don’t get personally involved with the lives of the people I teach although it sometimes seems as if I do. I don’t tell people what to do. I abhor power and fear. I make suggestions consistent with Vedanta’s impersonal non-dual point of view and leave the results to God. That doesn’t mean that Vedanta is a religion, only that the definition of God is “everything that exists” so there is nothing personal involved. I’m completely detached, beyond praise and blame, so I’m a good teacher. Å lot of people listen to me because what I say makes sense. It’s hard teaching in this forum because non-sense is alive and well. The best example is the idea I don’t exist. Anyway, leaving the results to the impersonal dimension inhabited by our bodies and minds keeps my mind pure and clear so it can think from the non-dual perspective when non-dual thinking is appropriate and from a dualistic platform when dualistic thinking is appropriate. I remain as I have always been…the only knower of the mind.
