The Implied Meaning of Words

Somesh: Please clarify for me just one thing that, what is the difference between oneness and nonduality. I am confused about these two words. Please help me to understand the difference.

Sundari: ‘Oneness’ implies ‘twoness’.  It is a dualistic term.  Nonduality means ‘nothing other than’.

Somesh Please can you give me an example. Because in oneness does not suggest two.

Sundari: As I said to you in my last email, all words have implied meanings because all words are mithya, duality.  Oneness implies twoness, twoness implies threeness, etc. You can use ‘Oneness’ to refer to Awareness if you like it and know what it is referring to, there is nothing wrong with it really. But Non-duality is a better term because it literally means ‘nothing other than’. Although it too has an implied meaning, which is duality. But as we must use words to teach the truth that is not based on subjective experience, words must be as accurate as possible. 

Vedanta is a valid means of Self-knowledge called a sabda pramana, which means an oral tradition. It gives direct knowledge of the true and eternal nature of reality, which is that it is a non-duality and not a duality.  It does this through words, using irrefutable logic. In spiritual circles this will be generally criticized with the argument that the eternal Self, enlightenment, the ‘absolute’, Brahman, the Tao or whatever you want to call Awareness, is beyond words and indescribable. Therefore, some people come to the conclusion that it is impossible to get direct knowledge and to know your “real” Self through words.

Vedanta scripture agrees that Awareness is not describable by words, because the one trying to describe Awareness is the object: the effect, and Awareness is the subject, the cause.  The effect and the cause exist in different orders or reality: that of the real and the apparently real.  The subject, Awareness is that which is real, meaning always present and never changing.  The object is that which is apparently real: meaning that which is not always present and subject to constant change.  The object cannot know the subject because the subject (Awareness) is subtler than the object, meaning the person or any object. 

Because words are so open to interpretation, for self-inquiry to work, where the ostensible meaning does not work (the ostensible meaning is the meaning stated but not necessarily true), we must take the implied meaning, based on logic. For instance, if we say that there is an identity between Isvara and Jiva which is the nondual Self/Consciousness, what do we mean?  We can’t work this out with the ostensible meaning of this statement because Isvara is Consciousness plus the world and Jiva is consciousness plus the Subtle body. Isvara is omniscient and the jiva only knows its subjective reality.  We must take the implied meaning by removing all the non-essential variables (duality) to get to what is non-negatable, the fact that both Isvara and jiva are nondual Awareness. 

Luckily for us, because Vedanta is a valid, complete and independent means of knowledge for Awareness, it is possible to get direct knowledge through the implied meaning of words, when they are unfolded correctly by a qualified teacher.  Vedanta is also called a “brahma vidya” which means the Science of Consciousness.  It is an objective and scientific analysis of the true nature of reality, and your experience, based on the facts. Like any other science, it is not personal, and it has a methodology, which, if followed with great dedication and commitment, will provide irrefutable knowledge that is moksha, if the inquirer is qualified.

Om, Sundari