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Atma and the Soul

The essence is realizing the non-dual Self, Ātmā Anubhūti. Ātmā is the individual Self, identical to the supreme Paramātmā. Like space is one though occupying different forms, the one Ātmā is within all entities. What is commonly called the soul is individual, a mixture, but the pure Ātmā is beyond desires and is consciousness itself. For this realization, Śaṅkarācārya taught Advaita, non-duality. He illustrated this with the reflection of one moon in many cups of water; the reflections are many, but the moon is one. Duality is ignorance, like mistaking a rope for a snake, which creates fear. When knowledge dawns, the illusion vanishes. This ignorance is removed by the light of knowledge within. Therefore, practice is essential through resolve and discipline to experience this unity. Do not delay practice with excuses. "There is only one moon, and that one is reflected in the different bodies, the ātmā." "When our viveka, our knowledge-light dawns... Ignorance is darkness; knowledge is the light." Filming location: Vép, Hungary

Welcome to this beautiful atmosphere. As Krishnanandaji said, for more than twenty-five years in our ashram, thousands of bhaktas have come to practice, departed, and returned again. This seminar is special, held in our beautiful hall. Please feel free to open the windows if you wish. This is our first summer retreat; we had one last week, and this is the second. Our program follows "Yoga in Daily Life," which offers a complete yoga training. Within Europe, we have more than 2,000 teachers for this system. Many practitioners take advanced courses, one of which is special: the Kriyā Anuṣṭhān. Anuṣṭhāna means we take a saṅkalpa, a resolve, and practice according to it to achieve certain aims—be it for health, family harmony, spiritual development, or what we call Ātmā Jñāna, Ātmā Anubhūti. Ātmā is our Self, the individual Self. Though the ātmā is one, like space is one, that one space is occupied by different caves, forests, and man-made buildings. Similarly, there is no difference between Ātmā and Paramātmā. Paramātmā is the highest, and that Ātmā is one with Paramātmā. Yet, it is also called the individual soul. Every entity has the same Ātmā. Every entity is myself. That Ātmā is the Paramātmā, the highest one. What we commonly call the "soul" is different; it is individual. Consider this: we sit under a tree that bears fruit. Inside the fruit is a seed with the ability to grow into a tree exactly like its parent and multiply. Though a single, individual seed, it possesses the quality and ability to grow and produce more seeds. These seeds are like our vāsanās, our desires. But the ātmā is above the vāsanās. The jīvātmā is called Jīvātmā. The soul is known as a mixture of ātmā and... so that ātmā is Jīva. And Ātmā is that super energy or consciousness. Thus, we all are one. Every entity is our Ātmā. For Ātmā Anubhūti, Ādi Guru Bhagavān Śaṅkarācārya said... It is said that one philosopher—a German philosopher whose name I do not know—remarked that never has a human walked this earth with such high knowledge and intellect as Śaṅkarācārya. He did not live long, but after the Vedas and Upaniṣads, he brought forth the philosophy of non-duality, Advaita. He said all is one. So there is duality and non-duality, a constant debate between the philosophies of Dvaita and Advaita Vāda. Dvaitavāda says "there are two," there is multiplicity. Advaita says "only one." Śaṅkarācārya explains this with beautiful examples. For instance, he said: There are several cups, each of different form, color, and capacity. You place them in a garden and fill them with water. The water is one element, though it may appear different due to the cup's color. But his point is unity; there is only one. When the full moon rises, and there are forty cups filled with water—some making the water appear green, yellow, black, or clear—we have forty cups. How can we say all is one? He said: Look at the sky. There is only one moon (in our solar system). Now look into the cups. You see the moon reflected in every cup. So, how many moons are there? One might argue there are forty moons. But Śaṅkarācārya shows it is not forty. There is only one moon, and that one is reflected in the different bodies, the ātmā. It does not matter what kind of living being it is within; that is the jīvātmā. In that jīvātmā, there is only one, and that is God itself. But you must overcome this duality. If you perceive duality, you are in ignorance. Therefore, you are—or we are; who am I to say "you"?—we are in ignorance. This ignorance can be removed. He gave another example: You are walking on a path, and a rope lies there. As you walk, you suddenly exclaim, "Oh, it's a snake!" In that moment, the snake is real to you. You stop, hold yourself back. Your thoughts create a snake, and with it comes fear; otherwise, you would not stop. Fear arises within us very quickly; the mind follows afterward. So fear is quicker than the mind. Then, you look properly, slowly approach from twenty meters, and see it is only a rope. You think, "How stupid I am." From where did the snake come? How did the fear awaken? How were you frightened? That was ignorance. When our viveka, our knowledge-light dawns... Knowledge is light, and no knowledge is ignorance. Ignorance is darkness; knowledge is the light—not sunlight, but the light within ourselves, our knowledge-light. So, from where did the snake come? How did the fear come? How was he frightened? And suddenly, how did the snake become a rope? Where did your ignorance go? Now, where is the fear? The fear is also gone. That's it. Thus, Śaṅkarācārya said there is duality in matter, but unity is in oneness in Ātmā. In diversity, there is unity. Therefore, Śaṅkarācārya called it Vedānta philosophy, Yoga Vedānta philosophy. Indians have six philosophies, and Vedānta is considered the best. So, Śaṅkarācārya spoke of "Ātmā Anubhūti"—that ātmā, which is Paramātmā, and we must realize this Anubhūti, experience that yes, it is like that. This Anubhūti will remain for a lifetime; it will be with you. Finally, it will be called the self-inquiry meditation of yoga, and that daily life will awaken you to that ātmā anubhūti. That is the time of the light of knowledge which will delete all our illusions, our suffering, our karmas, everything. I am Śuddhātmā, I am pure Ātmā. It is neither born nor will die. It is, and it will be—everlasting, one without a second. That is the Ātmā. Therefore, this Yoga in Daily Life Retreat, which we are having with that anuṣṭhān, with saṅkalpa kriyānuṣṭhān, is for experiencing the Ātmā, ātmā-anubhūti. Śaṅkarācārya has many beautiful books. You must read. The knowledge we typically have about yoga is only 6%. That's called ṣaṭ karma. And they reduce one more, so it's only Pañcakarma. We are lost in Pañcakarma. In Pañcakarma, you don't have the experiences of the Ātmā, but of course, without the body, there is no experience. Without a vessel, you can't see that moon. So the body is very important. We know all that. In summer, we plan a beautiful Anuṣṭhāna. But we say, "Tomorrow I will practice. Next week I will begin. This month I am busy." Likewise, twelve months pass, and we have done nothing. We are lost. There is a story: A little greedy man had to perform a pūjā with a paṇḍit. Panditjī said, "You must bring a coconut for the ceremony." The man agreed. He went to a shop and saw a very nice coconut. He asked the merchant, "What is the cost?" The merchant said, "Two thousand forint." The man said, "I am a poor man. Do you think it will be cheaper tomorrow?" The merchant said, "Yes, the economy is falling. It will be cheaper in a few days." After one week, the man returned and asked the price again. It was 1,000 forint. He thought, "God is so gracious! For poor people, do you think it will be cheaper?" The merchant said, "Yes, the coconut crop is plentiful, and nobody is buying." He waited one more week and returned. The price was 300 forint, down from 2000. He exclaimed, "Oh God! God is great! Thank you, God! Thank you. My kismat." A Christian would say, "Thank you, God." A pandit would say, "God, thank you." It doesn't matter how you call God; God accepts everything. He said, "I will come next week." He returned, and the price was 50 forint—not even one rupee. He thought, "My God, Panditjī will be so happy and will make a good pūjā. I will bring two coconuts. But I will wait." After another week, he came and asked the merchant, "What is the price of the coconut?" The merchant said, "One and a half forint." The man asked, "Don't you think it can become just one forint?" The merchant replied, "Yes, it could be, but I can show you how to get a coconut without money." The man asked, "Where?" The merchant said, "There is a water well. On its edge, a beautiful coconut tree is hanging over it. That is one of the best, most beautiful, and powerful coconuts. Do you think Panditjī will like this?" The man said, "Yes! You will not offer only the coconut to Paṇḍitjī, but you will offer yourself also." So he went there, climbed the coconut tree, and tried to break the coconut loose. He could not break it. He lost his grip on the trunk and was left hanging, because the coconut plant was leaning out over the well. Below was the water, about one or two meters deep, with a few cobras inside. He called out, "Panditjī, help! Help, Panditjī! Help!" Panditjī came and said, "You can't get liberation like this." The man pleaded, "Please liberate me. Please, help me." But how could Panditjī help? The man begged, "Please, Panditjī, help me." Panditjī said, "Okay, but you will give me the coconut and the donation." The man promised, "Yes, Panditjī, I will give you a big donation. I will offer my whole life for you." The greedy pandit climbed the tree. He held on with his legs and thighs and tried to catch the man. He caught the man's legs to pull him, but Panditjī lost his own grip too. Now both were hanging there, with no coconut in hand. Such is greed. Panditjī then said, "Okay, I will chant mantras, and all will be well." The man asked, "And will we take our coconut with us?" Panditjī said, "I have many coconuts at home. I can give you many; I will give you dozens." Panditjī instructed, "When I tell you, leave your hands free." Both were hanging, swinging back and forth in a big swing. Panditjī gave the signal, they let go, and came out of this predicament. Where was the swāhā in the water? Well, they could swim. The cobras did not attack them. They came out. So we think, "I will do tomorrow, I will do tomorrow, I will do tomorrow." Suddenly we are here, and there are only a few hours left before you have to sit in a new posture. On the first day, you will sit straight. In half an hour, you will slump a little. In two hours, you will slump more. By the fourth hour, you will be sitting completely differently. How can you get Ātmanubhūti? Abhyāsa, abhyāsa, O Kānte, abhyāsa. O son of Kunti, Arjuna, practice, practice, practice. Prepare yourself for a whole year. Then, through the anuṣṭhāna, kriyā anuṣṭhāna, you will have a kind of anubhūti. You will have the light of Ātmā, as Mahāprabhujī said. Chant, chant. Vāmī ne dikhlā diyā Devapurī, chilakā dil par māyā kapāl. Bigar gyān me yandā thā, bilkul bol me phirvā diyā Devapurī. Chant, chant. Dāthā najarose noor diyā, Devapurī sāth batlā diyā, Devapurī sāth. Chetan kā chilka swāmī dikhlā diyā, Devapurī sāth. Tab duniya ke ausum dasvā par dhyānadhāraṁ samjhā, tanlakā swāmī ne. Dīkṣā dīyā Devapurīṣad, cetanaka svāmī ne dīkṣā dīyā Devapurīṣad, tabu purāṇa brahma vijñā. Diya Deva Purisaane Parasa. Diya Deva Purisaane Chetan Ka Chilka Swami Ne. Diya Deva Purisaane Diya Deva Purisaane Agam Ek Niradharitha, Chau Disa Ek Saritha. Swami Dipasundas Suddhaitha. Vadiya Deva Purīśa Chetan kā chilakā Swāmī ne dikhāyā. Deva Purīśa ne Chetan kā chilakā Swāmī ne dikhlā diyā. Dev Purī vachan kā de karke chetā diyā. Dev Purī upadeś bhajan kā de karke. Chetad Diya Devpurījī. We will have nice programs. There will be anuṣṭhāna and many different activities. Do not miss them. There may be no more chance to practice like this again. We came here for practicing, not merely for worshipping, not only for sleeping or chatting. So do your best. Ātmanubhūti—this is our Kriyānusthāna retreat for Ātmanubhūti. I wish you all the best. Thank you.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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