Question:

Didi, is it a correct understanding that a Jivanmukta interacts with the world in Sakshibhav whereas for Videhamukta the world does not exist?

Answer:

For the convenience of all, let’s define the terms before we describe them further.

Legend:

• • Jeevanmukta – Dead while living
  • Videhamukta – Free from body [even the assumption that I am the body]

Jeevanmukta is the one who has realized that: 

• • He is NOT the body-mind, but he is the all-pervading awareness.
  • He clearly sees [not intellectually but experientially] that he is the all-pervading awareness.
  • He recognizes that awareness is infinite and there can only be ONE infinity.
  • He recognizes that there is no personal ‘I’. The ‘I’ that arises is simply a thought. It is a joker. There is simply awareness/consciousness.
  • It is his realization that the body-mind is simply an image in himself-the-field-of-consciousness just like the dream character is simply an image in the dreamer’s mind.

After all these realizations, the body-mind continues until its shelf-life is exhausted but he does not identify with the body-mind as ‘I’ or ‘mine’ anymore. That is why he is called a Jivanmukta – liberated while living in the body.

Clarification – A Jivanmukta has gone beyond to the point where he sees both the witness & the witnessed as ONE. He does not recognize them as two. He is NOT in Sakshibhaav [Witnessing] because that still requires a subtle duality. Therefore, he is never witnessing as that would imply seeing an arising as the witnessed. He simply recognizes every arising as his own self. Just like you recognize your bowel sounds as not other than you, just like the Ocean recognizes the waves as not other than itself; similarly, the Jivanmukta recognizes every arising in this Jivan as not other than himself. He has attained Advaitam [non-duality].

When this Jeevanmukta’s body-mind dies, he is called Videhamukta [liberated from body-mind totally]. This is because he already knew that he is not the body at the time of self-realization so he is clear that even if the body-mind dies, he-the-consciousness is deathless. The Jeevanmukta realizes that he did NOT exist, to begin with; the world does NOT exist, to begin with; he is as good as already dead while living. He does not have to wait to be a Videhamukta. But when he attains Videhamukti, it means that he was free of fear and suffering totally. 

When an ignorant persons’ body-mind dies, he is NOT called Videhamukta because he does not die knowing the highest truth that ‘he is not the body’. He dies with the ignorance that he is the body. Thus he dies in fear and suffering.

Hope the distinction between a Jivanmukta and Videhamukta is clear. Only a Jivanmukta can be called a Videhamukta, others simply die! 

#AdvaitaVedanta #Non-Duality