Question:

What is a physical sensation? What is a mental feeling? Are they different or the same?

Answer:

A physical sensation is mere ‘knowledge’. A pleasant physical sensation is mere knowledge of pleasantness. An unpleasant physical sensation is mere knowledge of unpleasantness. A mental feeling is mere ‘knowledge’. A mentally pleasant feeling is mere knowledge of pleasantness. An unpleasant mental feeling is mere knowledge of unpleasantness. All sensations and feelings are mere knowledge… Knowledge is nothing but made of the stuff called awareness…

Sensation = Vedana in the Pali language. The root of the word ‘Vedana’ is ‘Ved’. The meaning of the word ‘Ved’ is Bodh or Knowledge. A simple translation of Bodh = Knowing.

• • Sukha Vedana – Knowledge of pleasant physical sensation
  • Dukha Vedana – Knowledge of unpleasant physical sensation
  • Somanassa Vedana – Knowledge of pleasant mental feeling
  • Domanassa Vedana – Knowledge of unpleasant mental feeling
  • Upekkha – Equanimity [Absence of the knowledge of sensation and feeling]

Sensations are simply knowledge. Feelings are mere knowledge.

There is no direct experiential proof of the existence of a physical body-mind made of matter that experiences sensations and feelings. There is only direct proof of knowledge of sensations and knowledge of feelings. Knowledge is mere thought. Knowledge is not personal. Hence, sensations and feelings are not personal.

The world of sensations and feelings is merely a thought. One is never in control of sensations and feelings, as one is never in control of thought. Thought only appears to be, just like a dream appears to be. The idea of a physical body-mind made of matter experiencing sensations and feelings is merely an illusion.

The only issue with the world of perceptions, sensations, thoughts, and feelings is that it is assumed to be made of solid matter. It is assumed to be an inherently independent entity existing outside of me and apart from me. This could not be further from the truth.

The only truth in one’s direct experience is ‘I am, therefore the world is’. Attempt to see this in your own direct experience through self-inquiry.

Start with recognizing that holding on to the unproven idea of a world made of matter is called belief. Justifying the belief in the existence of a body-mind made of matter with the proof of sensations and feelings is pointless, as it is exactly the opposite of my direct experience revealed by the following truth experiment.

Truth Experiment with sensations and feelings: Ask yourself:

• • Closing my eyes and focusing only on touch, can I figure out where the sensation of touch ends and the object begins?
  • Can I demarcate between the toucher, the sense of touch, and the object of touch, or are all these simply knowledge of sensation?
  • Does touching prove that the object exists independent of my awareness?
  • Have I directly experienced a world separate from my awareness/consciousness/witnessing field?

Similarly, do a self-inquiry for the feelings that you see arising at the moment.

Once this becomes experientially clear after experimenting on sensations and feelings, you will recognize that there is only proof of knowledge and nothing else. No proof of existence. No proof of a body-mind. No proof of a world. You will see that the same sensations and feelings exist in the dream state as well. It will be clear that there is no difference between the waking and the dream worlds.

Thus, the supreme truth is that the world as I conceive of it is an illusion – Jagat Mithya! This is the sweetest Nectar that antidotes the poison of the belief of an assumed world of sensations and feelings!

May you gather the wisdom to relish this Nectar!

#AdvaitaVedanta #Non-Duality #AstavakraSamhita