Question:

Didi, what is self-inquiry or inner investigation?

Answer:

If the witness is trapped as the Waker in the Waking, he will have to begin his self-inquiry at the level of the Waker. Words operate at the level of the mind of the Waker.

Words formulated into a question format about the nature of Consciousness can aid the dissociation of the Witness from the Waker. E.g., ‘Who am I?’ Breaking the tadatma [false identification] is key.

Then there is only witnessing, only observation, as if nothingness is observing somethingness [inquiry question]. And then the somethingness dissolves and dissipates into Nothingness.

• • Self-Inquiry is simply the process of burning down Vasanas by the fire of observation.
  • Self-Inquiry has nothing to do with words. Thinking is not inquiry. Intellectual analysis is not inquiry.
  • The space of nothingness in which there is non-interference of thought that quietly reveals the reality is Self-Inquiry.

Where words dissolve, inquiry begins. Mere observation is investigation. Where there is no Waker, no Waking World, and no Waking objects, that is Self-Investigation. 

Where there is a quiet search devoid of words or objects, that is self-inquiry. Where there is only the space of Nothingness, investigation begins there. Words can be used to get to the space of nothingness, but those words are not considered as inquiry. The movement within the emptiness seeking one’s true nature is Inquiry!

Ramana Maharshi has explained the same in detail. Videos are available freely on https://ektabathija.com/

Happy self-inquiry!