Question:

Dear Ekta,
If God is the totality of all that is, and is all things (conditioned) as well as unconditioned (The Absolute), how can God self-manifest and distinguish “himself” in a given situation? God is thus showing a conscious, individualistic separation of sorts in bounded space time (albeit a superior one to us, no doubt). I like the idea of God being able to do this, but I’m still somewhat confused by it.

Answer:

On deep self-inquiry on the Buddhadvaita part, it is revealed that there is only Consciousness or Oneness or Nothingness [the word is immaterial], devoid of an ‘I’, ‘you’ or ‘other’ [which includes God]. Hence, I would not be able to support an answer about the absoluteness of an individual entity addressed as God unless Consciousness is what has been given the title of God here. 

If that is the case, then Consciousness can manifest as whatever it wants, as it is the only ONE. I AM THE CONSCIOUSNESS.

I see, every night, the dream world is manifested out of Me-the-Nothingness.

I see, every morning, the waking world is manifested out of Me-the-Nothingness.

All manifestations are ME alone. I am in my pure nothingness state in deep sleep. I recognize my Nothingness there. 

It gets easy when you see, not believe. What helped me is Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana [Wisdom that arises after the effacement of the conditioning of Dream and Sleep]. That enables the SEEING. However, remember that it requires great self-interest and self-love to undertake the work necessary to experientially discover the inner truth.

Self-interest means being able to sacrifice worldly interests and prioritize oneself. Self-love means being able to sacrifice worldly love and prioritize oneself. Sacrifice does not mean running away. Sacrifice is an involuntary inward-turning, like a natural magnetism of an inner quest. It is a natural innate of seeking that which is dearly loved – the answer to the question, ‘Who am I?’

In Gnyana Sangha, we attempt to get to this experiential recognition of ‘Consciousness’, rather than attempting to solve the puzzle of God, intellectually.

In experiential seeing, it becomes clear that God is everything and everyone and nothing and no one. The SEEING is what is said explicitly in the Ishavasya Upanishad. “Īśāvāsyam idam sarvam yat kiñca jagatyāṁ jagat” – All this, whatever moves in this world, is pervaded by the ABSOLUTE.

This direct seeing does not leave any room for new desires to arise, as the futility of desiring for oneself is revealed. 

Sage Ashtavakra says, “īśvaraḥ sarvanirmātā nehānya iti niścayī | antargalitasarvāśaḥ śāntaḥ kvāpi na sajjate|” – On realization that there is nothing other than God, an unknown peace consumes all desires, leaving behind no attachments. 

May I reiterate that you asking this question, I answering it, and other people benefiting from this exchange by reading it on the blog, are all simply a game that Consciousness plays with itself? It manifests all that it desires. But desiring happens only until the truth is not revealed. Once revealed, the futility of desiring oneself gobbles up all desires that have not yet arisen. It is all seen as a game. Once you see it as a game, life transforms from a question to simply joy and fun.

So go on, dive deeper into your self-inquiry. The instructions for Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana are available for free on the website – https://gnyanasangha.com/. and in books by Ekta Bathija on Amazon US – https://tinyurl.com/3ecv48jt and Amazon India – https://tinyurl.com/45ksny9s

Drop intellectualization and get to the truth by direct self-inquiry! That is the only path that brings certainty and relief that you are seeking. Belief is always shaky; it has no spine of its own. Direct experience is unshakeable. Don’t believe Ekta blindly; Dive into Swapna Nidra Gnyana Sadhana and see it for yourself.