Ashtavakra Gita Chapter 6 Commentary and Contemplation - 14th August 2017

And continue with exploration of our self. And we are looking at Chapter 6. Janaka says: 'I am infinite space, the universe the jar. This I know, no need to renounce, accept or destroy.' Just let's all sit slowly. 'I am infinite space, the universe the jar. This I know, no need to renounce, accept or destroy.' Just let's play for a moment to zoom the big picture together. Infinite space. Not even just space, but the space in which this space arises. We can supposedly now look again using the clues, using all the tips you heard in Satsang. Find this Self. How to find it? For that which is the witness of all things. If some ideas are coming in response to the question 'Who is it? Who witnesses everything?', look at the witness even of these ideas. Don't buy into any concept just for a little while and stay with your experience of what you find. You play with ideas all the time. Just for a little while, stay with just your insight of what you find here with that which witnesses everything that is phenomenal, everything that can change.

Who witnesses space and the objects within space? The answer is something that you know already. Then forget about it. Look fresh because the truth is vast. It is the unchanging. Second truth also: that which witnesses everything, that which is aware of everything, I can say it is unchanging. So because it's unchanging, if I see it, I see it now. We don't need to refer to any past idea of this. This is what I mean by the third clue is that it must be your direct insight, what you find for yourself. And the truth about yourself, if you are having great spiritual experiences, forget about this. Find out who is witnessing that. We are not clamoring for any experience now. We are going to the source of all experiencing now.

From this unchanging Self, look at your dynamic as a phenomenal aspect. That which is moving, that which is changing. Notice that there is nothing here in the phenomenal play which can affect the Self. As you are discovering, the unchanging remains untouched by whatever the movement might be. 'I am a shoreless ocean, the universe makes waves. This I know, no need to renounce, accept or destroy. I am the mother-of-pearl, the universe is the illusion of silver. This I know, no need to renounce, accept or destroy. I am in all, all beings are in me. This I know, no need to renounce, accept or destroy. I am in all beings, all beings are in me. This I know, no need to renounce, accept or destroy.'

The 'accept' part is also very beautiful because I think many were struggling to feel like everyone is one. Then I heard this in Satsang and it is Advaita after all, so you can feel like the other is us. So when this one is being rude or this one will behave in a certain way, if we think our service on Satsang is also to check both of me, so I am meant to look like that. And you discover yourself to be that. And all play is happening and you can see all of it is you. Does it have to be in this outward way? Well, some what happened that leading this time is it good, but don't pick up this as 'I must be one with everyone' in this way because even in that, your concept about yourself is still limited. So one that is trying to be one with everyone else already feels like they are different from everyone else. And in the trying to be one with everyone else, it is reinforcing that concept of individual difference, individual before you use the mind to live and work. Let's find out who we are. Who is here? Given so many clues to verify our answer. He has given us the map. I didn't go fishing for the horns. Great little edge of the golden summit, everything. Let's follow with innocence of a child, ask ourselves: 'Who am I?' and it gets them down and use the pointing, use the clues that give us the great freedom of Brahman.

I did, you did, it's a beautiful one. And of course, he wasn't asleep. Somehow it became the theme for today's people. Mind can say, 'So what is the advantage of this discovery? Why can't I just understand something conceptually and then let my question move away?' Then what is the advantage? It is only the recognition of this Self which makes this tasting of this Divine Presence so palpable. Taste of being, the taste of God, taste of consciousness. 'I am that I am' did not come as a result of some conceptual answer.