Questions and Answers

All visitors are cordially invited to ask questions, which may be answered by any or all of the bloggers. The list of questions below have already been answered and it is very likely that you will find something of relevance. However, as yet, they have not been sorted into categories so that you may have difficulty locating something! Accordingly, if you want to ask a question, and do not object to its being included in this section, please email me. (Note that all Q & As are posted anonymously, although you will receive a personal response.)

The following are questions that I have answered via email or comments I have made in discussions on email groups. I will eventually group questions into related topics. From around Q. 320, other bloggers may also provide answers.

Question (or topic of question):

  1. Why has no realized man written a book?
  2. Do thoughts create our reality?
  3. Purpose, satyam and mithyA.
  4. Watching and thinking.
  5. Feelings.
  6. Is watching thoughts/feelings of any value?
  7. What is the practice of Advaita Vedanta?
  8. Does it rely on faith? Is it a religion?
  9. What is your view on free will?
  10. Do you have any comments on the (reported) sex/money behavior of Ramesh?
  11. Is enlightenment personal?
  12. Why am I not all-powerful?
  13. Does the acceptance of Advaita lead to a life of passivity?
  14. How did being come into being?
  15. Can meditation bring about enlightenment?
  16. Is it impossible to do anything that Brahman doesn’t want?
  17. If so, then there is no way we can do anything ‘wrong’?
  18. Everything is ‘scripted’ and known by Brahman?
  19. Are jIva-s reincarnated until they realize?
  20. Does our “sense of self” have the egoic power to manipulate reality?
  21. If there is no free will, how can our attitude to life change?
  22. Doesn’t this contradict the idea that there is no thinker or doer?
  23. Do those who have awakened live in reality?
  24. Is suffering ‘necessary’?
  25. Is there an ego involved in the spiritual teacher who has a ‘calling’ to teach?
  26. Who (in my opinion) most embodies the principles of Advaita today?
  27. Similarities between Christian Science and Advaita. Concern with results.
  28. Christian Science continued – Nature of reality.
  29. The monastic lifestyle.
  30. Is it true that nothing matters? How do we know the Self is not another mind construct?
  31. A satsang teacher ‘laid his hands’ on a disciple. Could you explain what was going on?
  32. Isn’t enlightenment a permanent state of peace and happiness?
  33. Discussion on terms ‘happiness’ and ‘suffering.
  34. (Sanskrit) Why is the ‘m’ in saMsAra pronounced as an ‘n’?
  35. Is study of the scriptures a waste of time?
  36. Meditation – One without a second?
  37. Does the World exist independently of the perceiver?
  38. A question about depression and anti-depressants.
  39. Would you please tell us about your own Awakening?
  40. How can the elements and guNa-s be both real and unreal?
  41. Does the mind exercise self-preservation?
  42. What is knowledge?
  43. How can one replace ordinary desires by a desire for the Self?
  44. How can the mind help us to achieve enlightenment if it is illusory?
  45. Is it possible to ‘transmit’ enlightenment?
  46. Who is it who awakens?
  47. What would happen to the soul if a person were cloned?
  48. Should we be happy, no matter what we are doing?
  49. Is the ‘Law of Attraction’ a useful tool?
  50. If lIlA is true, why is there enlightenment?
  51. Why can’t I feel your sensations?
  52. Is truth relative?
  53. On the teaching of Ramana Maharshi.
  54. Floating with the stream of life.
  55. Stopping the mind.
  56. Is a still mind important?
  57. What is the difference between non-dualism and monism?
  58. The simplicity of ‘not two’.
  59. Communicating with others (about advaita).
  60. How do we reconcile the actionless Self with action in the universe?
  61. What is the mind?
  62. Could you explain the words of the Buddha, regarding suffering?
  63. Could you say something about practice with reference to bhakti and j~nAna in bringing about enlightenment?
  64. Reality of the world.
  65. Another question regarding free will.
  66. How does the message of Advaita deal with the possibility of spirits?
  67. Don’t traditional and neo-Advaita point to the same thing?
  68. Destruction of the ego.
  69. Why is there so much misinformation about enlightenment?
  70. Further questions on the dialog with Jeff Foster (see Q67).
  71. A question on Ramana Maharshi’s method of Self-inquiry.
  72. What should be the life-style of an “enlightened” person in todays world?
  73. Language and reality.
  74. More on Life after enlightenment.
  75. More concerns about the teaching of neo-Advaita.
  76. A question about Michael Langford’s interpretation of Ramana Mahrshi’s teaching.
  77. A little investigation is all it takes‘ (Charlie Hayes) .
  78. Experience versus faith.
  79. Do we have a choice about whether to become enlightened?
  80. Is ‘I am’ the content?
  81. Meditation Technique of Michael Langford.
  82. What does it mean to say that we are ‘one with God’?
  83. You really seem to have got it in for the modern nondualism teachers.
  84. ‘No-path’ teaching and neo-advaita.
  85. svadharma and Hitler.
  86. How can I be brahman yet not know brahman?
  87. Pairs of opposites.
  88. Traditional Vs Neo-Advaita Debate.
  89. Why should I be afraid of a thought?
  90. What is the difference between samAdhi and the deep sleep state?
  91. (A long question and answer about) knowledge, science and enlightenment.
  92. (A very long question and answer about) Ignorance and Enlightenment (continuing from the previous Q & A).
  93. Concerns for the environment.
  94. Are some people unable to be sufficiently detached from the suffering of the world?
  95. Insight and spiritual paths.
  96. The qualities of Krishna in Advaita.
  97. Meditation on objects and asking ‘who am I?’.
  98. ‘Giving up on the relative’.
  99. On the existence of Consciousness.
  100. Is there evil in brahman?
  101. Some questions about karma yoga.
  102. How did we become ignorant?
  103. On the relationship between brahman and mAyA.
  104. On reading a single text as a practice.
  105. On experiences, enlightenment and contentment.
  106. On the confusion between liberation and enlightenment.
  107. How do you pronounce advaita?
  108. On being in the present and j~nAna yoga.
  109. Studying the Upanishads and goal of man.
  110. Experience of dying.
  111. ) Questions on
  112. ) neo-advaita ‘teaching’
  113. ) and the new book.
  114. ) Is Ramesh
  115. ) enlightened?
  116. Does mAyA have a context?
  117. Some comments on ‘Enlightenment’ E-Book.
  118. Reading (Back to the Truth) and practice.
  119. Lots of questions on the ‘Enlightenment’ E-Book.
  120. Problem of good and evil.
  121. Can one ‘get it’ overnight?
  122. Why do you have links to neo-advaitins?
  123. Does nothing matter?
  124. More questions on Enlightenment E-Book (Continuation of Q. 119).
  125. On Happiness and Choice.
  126. Is there only knowledge?
  127. On the desire for making money.
  128. Where is the ‘bliss’ of pure being?
  129. How does one move towards enlightenment in advaita?
  130. Does advaita endorse man’s dominion?
  131. Is there room for individuality in Brahman?
  132. Anti-depressants and spiritual progress.
  133. An alcoholic looking for happiness.
  134. Is my understanding  of Advaita correct?
  135. Are there other people having subjective experiences?
  136. Are teachers x and y neo-advaitins?
  137. How do you rationalize your lack of belief in free-will with traditional advaita?
  138. Body, memory and reincarnation.
  139. j~nAna yoga and the Brahma Sutras.
  140. On shabda pramANa and knowing the Self.
  141. Question about mAyA and its origin.
  142. On the notion of a ‘witness’.
  143. On the ‘silly arguments’ between traditional and neo.
  144. On Near Death Experiences and communication with the dead.
  145. Do the enlightened suffer pain?
  146. Surely individuals cannot have multiple lives?
  147. On the merits of neo-advaita, with particular reference to Jeff Foster.
  148. Why do people have near-death experiences?
  149. Was Nisargadatta a neo-advaitin?
  150. I’m not sure that my goal is enlightenment.
  151. [I’ve had a powerful religious experience and wonder if it is enlightenment.]
  152. Who is it who awakens?
  153. How can brahman be indescribable and yet be said to be sat-chit-Ananda?
  154. After realization, can one simply enjoy reading books by neo-advaitins?
  155. Why do you recommend books by neo-advaitins? (See also question 122)
  156. Is there a distinction between consciousness and awareness?
  157. Is our sense of ‘being’ only a reflection of the absolute?
  158. Is there an easy translation of the Mandukya Upanishad?
  159. What are your top 10 (5) books? Which would you most want to keep (not including ‘Back to the Truth’?
  160. How does one convert ‘partial’ enlightenment into ‘complete’ enlightenment?
  161. If a teacher has not completely eradicated his saMskAra-s, can he call himself enlightened?
  162. Do you feel the need to write about advaita? Is this the ego?
  163. Are dreamed people real?
  164. How can traditional be ‘better’ than ‘neo’?
  165. Some more short questions on my criticism of neo-advaita.
  166. Regarding mAyA.
  167. Am ‘I’ the ‘sense of I’?
  168. If one person becomes enlightened, why does not everyone else?
  169. Are only unenlightened jIva-s reincarnated?
  170. More criticism of the traditional versus neo-advaitin debates.
  171. I have problems with the notion of ‘choice’ and ‘doing’.
  172. Could you give me your opinion of Gangaji?
  173. How does one cope with anger?
  174. Do I need to learn Sanskrit?
  175. Can one still attain enlightenment if one blasphemes against brahman?
  176. After all jIva-s have attained enlightenment, might lIlA start all over again?
  177. Does Self-realization arise as the result of dissolution of all beliefs?
  178. Is there choice at the moment of awakening?
  179. On Ramana Maharshi’s ‘Who am I?’
  180. Why is ‘OM namo…’ sometimes written ‘OM namaH…’?
  181. What does chidAbhAsa mean?
  182. A question about adhyAsa.
  183. A discussion on kuNDalinI yoga.
  184. On functioning in the world post-enlightenment.
  185. Why do we suffer, while God does not?
  186. Further objections to the criticism of neo-advaita.
  187. Everyone is as enlightened as everyone else.
  188. How do we know that the seat of awareness is not in the brain?
  189. Aren’t ‘truth’, ‘justice’, ‘faith’ etc real?
  190. What is the relation between ‘waking consciousness’ and brahman?
  191. The experience of a j~nAnI.
  192. Do you make a distinction between Awareness and Consciousness?
  193. Is advaita fatalistic?
  194. A question about the enlightened ‘person’.
  195. On the need for a teacher.
  196. On shravaNa, manana and nididhyAsana.
  197. How can different philosophies derive from the same sciptures?
  198. On traditional teaching and ‘methods’.
  199. ‘The sound current.’
  200. On the freedom to dedicate bhAvana (mental attitude).
  201. On the Ramakrishna Order.
  202. Various paths to enlightenment.
  203. Getting rid of the false sense of ‘I’.
  204. My understanding is only intellectual.
  205. Can one ‘lose’ enlightenment?
  206. The role of the mind in enlightenment.
  207. On the ‘changelessness’ of brahman.
  208. On selfishness versus selflessness and svadharma.
  209. What is meant by ‘Consciousness is not the final reality’?
  210. On the mind, brain and Buddhism.
  211. How should one reconcile spiritual seeking and career?
  212. What does Nisargadatta mean by Consciousness ‘coming out of’ Awareness?
  213. On the mind, brain and reality.
  214. On the concept of ‘Beingness’.
  215. On requesting payment for teaching.
  216. How does one reconcile ‘right action’ with helping others?
  217. Is it necessary to practise karma yoga etc in order to understand the higher teaching?
  218. How can I be the creator of the world and yet the world is an illusion?
  219. Why don’t I come to know everything on enlightenment?
  220. Are the vAsanA-s stored in the causal or subtle body?
  221. If given the choice between liberation from rebirth, and rebirth with self-knowledge, which should one choose?
  222. What about people who are clearly enlightened but claim they are not?
  223. Is there a difference between the observer and the observed or not?
  224. I have difficulty trying to ‘see’ my thoughts.
  225. The nature of jIvanmukti.
  226. The concept of shabdha pramANa.
  227. The perils and pitfalls of Neo-Advaita.
  228. Is Advaita a cure for life?
  229. The Release Technique?
  230. Nondualism – a question of definition.
  231. Neo versus traditional Advaita… again.
  232. Consciousness, brahman and samAdhi.
  233. Awareness vs Consciousness Part I of II.
  234. Awareness vs Consciousness Part II of II.
  235. brahman and the mind.
  236. Enlightenment.
  237. The relative status of jIva, world, Ishvara and brahman.
  238. The mind and the I-thought.
  239. The content of enlightenment.
  240. Enlightenment, meditation and mithyA.
  241. Karma and reincarnation.
  242. apauruSheya.
  243. The last rug.
  244. Teachers.
  245. The enlightened dream?
  246. Knowledge versus experience.
  247. Neo-Advaita.
  248. Free will.
  249. Ignorance and existence.
  250. Finding a teacher.
  251. Neo-Advaita and meditation.
  252. Choice.
  253. Behavior of the guru.
  254. Near-death experiences.
  255. Enlightenment and the brain.
  256. Self-realization – why bother?
  257. Enlightenment and the nature of reality.
  258. Traditional Advaita versus Neo-Advaita… once more.
  259. Describing brahman.
  260. Different approaches and practices.
  261. Ignorance.
  262. Consciousness and the Brain.
  263. Death.
  264. Japa.
  265. Rituals.
  266. samAdhi.
  267. No more questions…
  268. ‘Knowledge’ series.
  269. Why is not everyone interested in Advaita?
  270. The Void.
  271. Inquiry into the nature of ‘I’.
  272. How does a plant grow without an observer?
  273. nirvANa.
  274. Practical requirements for studying advaita.
  275. Who is the individual?
  276. Who is afraid/angry?
  277. Need to ‘resonate’ with a guru.
  278. Enlightenment at the end of the universe.
  279. Does an object exist before we see it?
  280. Direct Path and the ‘intellectual mind’.
  281. saMskAra and memory.
  282. Qualified guru.
  283. Consciousness.
  284. brahman and mAyA.
  285. Shankara and advaita.
  286. Nothingness.
  287. Choice.
  288. Enlightenment.
  289. vyavahAra.
  290. Self-knowledge.
  291. Truths.
  292. Do we have to read certain scriptures?
  293. prArabdha karma and reincarnation.
  294. Suffering and neo-advaita.
  295. Does a j~nAnI still see the world?
  296. Emotions and enlightenment.
  297. Cause of creation.
  298. I am not the reflection.
  299. Ignorance and the Self.
  300. Advaita and Buddhism.
  301. Why do we see duality?
  302. Meditation.
  303. Pursuing enlightenment and rebirth.
  304. How did ‘I’ come to deceive itself?
  305. Spiritual Progress.
  306. Meaning of ‘Advaita’.
  307. Where the mind cannot reach.
  308. Nothing Dies.
  309. When is an experience ‘true’?
  310. Objectification.
  311. Clearing the Mind.
  312. How can we know Advaita is right?
  313. Under Anaesthesia.
  314. Being a bhakta.
  315. Does practice make any difference?
  316. Repetition of Practices.
  317. Self ‘knowing’ the Self.
  318. Gunas and History.
  319. Apparent contradictions in Advaita.
  320. saMskAra-s, svadharma and karma.
  321. Experience and Knowledge.
  322. Seeking – Giving up Pleasures?
  323. Advaita for Mothers.
  324. Enjoying Being Brahman.
  325. mAyA and Ishvara.
  326. brahman and AkAsha.
  327. Vegetarianism.
  328. Non dual reality.
  329. Bhagavad-Gita and Advaita. 
  330. Depression.
  331. Beyond Stillness.
  332. Creativity.
  333. Incomplete Enlightenment.
  334. Different Teachings.
  335. Reincarnation.
  336. Reality of the World.
  337. The Changing World.
  338. Not the Doer.
  339. What is the point of enlightenment?
  340. Witnessing Consciousness.
  341. Positive Thinking.
  342. Teaching of Nisargadatta and Ramana.
  343. Meaning of Ishopanishad mantra.
  344. Death of the small I.
  345. What is the purpose of life?
  346. brahman, Ishvara and mAyA.
  347. Stone consciousness.
  348. Temporary realization.
  349. Guru’s grace.
  350. Heaven and Hell.
  351. Attributes of Brahman.
  352. Sexual desire and happiness.
  353. Witness to the boredom.
  354. Consciousness and reality.
  355. Faith in a Path.
  356. Signs Along the Way.
  357. Existence of Objects.
  358. mAyA and avidyA.
  359. Some potential practices.
  360. Suffering.
  361. Advaita and the Brain. (Answered by Ramesam)
  362. Knowledge and Belief.
  363. Divine Grace.
  364. Dispassion.
  365. Free Will and mumukShutva.
  366. Self-knowledge – should we bother?
  367. shraddhA – Is it necessary?
  368. vAsanA-s.
  369. mokSha.
  370. nirvikalpa samAdhi.
  371. Deep-sleep state.
  372. Superimposition and Memory.
  373. Ego, soul and mithyAtva.
  374. Ramesh.
  375. Conditions affecting next life.
  376. Is preparation necessary?
  377. Desire and suffering.
  378. Existence and Experience.
  379. Practice, Enlightenment and Reincarnation.
  380. FInding a teacher.
  381. Knowledge, belief and experience.
  382. Art and Vedanta.
  383. Alzheimer’s.
  384. Dark night of the soul.
  385. Is enlightenment meaningless?
  386. Has enlightenment been ‘dumbed down’?
  387. Value of Self-knowledge.
  388. Fear of Deep Sleep.
  389. Enlightenment is not an experience.
  390. karma and judgement.
  391. Dissociation.
  392. Traditional lineages.
  393. Idealism or Realism?
  394. Becoming One.
  395. Person vs Consciousness.
  396. Atman cannot be known.
  397. Why are scriptures needed?
  398. Use of metaphors.
  399. Self-evident Atma.
  400. Consciousness and the person.
  401. Who is the doer/enjoyer?
  402. Witness vs jIva.
  403. The Enlightenment Perspective.
  404. Practising Advaita.
  405. Persistent Vegetative State.
  406. Multiverse.
  407. Why not commit suicide?
  408. Ramana’s ‘Who am I?’
  409. Materialism and Consciousness.
  410. Teaching the blind.
  411. Action and Knowledge.
  412. Definition of ‘Enlightenment’.
  413. Yet more on free will.
  414. Is liberation guaranteed?
  415. Having the same thoughts.
  416. More on evil.
  417. Value of practices.
  418. When enlightenment occurs.
  419. E.S.P.
  420. Honoring the truth.
  421. Creation and lIlA.
  422. loka-s – planes of existence.
  423. Logical proof.
  424. Paradox of the Illusory Self.
  425. Truth and reality.
  426. Flow.
  427. pramANa and reason.
  428. A dialog on getting to know brahman.
  429. Discussion on ‘I am That’.
  430. brahman=changeless, eternal?
  431. Emergence vs. Consciousness.
  432. ‘Definition’ of brahman.
  433. Seeking ‘nondual experiences’.
  434. Modern debates about Advaita principles.
  435. How can we be sure?
  436. Ishvara and the existence of fossils.
  437. Daydreaming and jAgrat vs svapna.
  438. Could a computer become enlightened?
  439. Universe is Consciousness.
  440. Is advaita provable?
  441. Creation and Morality.
  442. Witnessing and the Self.
  443. A ‘simple summary of Advaita’.
  444. Prior to Consciousness.
  445. Experience and Brahman.
  446. satyam j~nAnam anantam brahma.
  447. Realizing Brahman.
  448. Are Animals Real?
  449. Definition of Consciousness.
  450. Witness – mind or Brahman?
  451. Nothing to be done.
  452. Why is non-duality teaching cold?
  453. Consciousness is Happiness?
  454. How should one live one’s life?
  455. Physical Changes on Enlightenment.
  456. The ‘Hard’ Problem.
  457. Using Meditation to ‘find the Self’.
  458. Taoism.
  459. The Unbridgeable Gap.
  460. Is reality really real?
  461. A jIvanmukti’s prArabdha.
  462. Consciousness and rocks.
  463. Individual consciousness.
  464. Laws of nature.
  465. Enlightenment, cause and effect.
  466. Creation Theories.
  467. Clarifying pratibimba.
  468. Roles versus Witness.
  469. Consciousness versus consciousness.
  470. Aah!
  471. More on Consciousness versus consciousness.
  472. Embodied Atman.
  473. TM.
  474. Psychology and happiness.
  475. Witness-Consciousness.
  476. Metaphors.
  477. Meditation and Brahman.
  478. What is love?
  479. What should I read?
  480. Being ‘present’.
  481. Robert Adams and Reincarnation.
  482. What happens after videha mukti?
  483. Inert elements?
  484. Sense of Self.
  485. Enlightenment is Self-knowledge.
  486. Desires.
  487. Suicide.
  488. Reading Minds.
  489. Creation and reincarnation.
  490. Consciousness and the Brain.
  491. Individuality and the world.
  492. Consciousness and consciousness.
  493. Sanskrit expression.
  494. Brahman and the world.
  495. ahiMsA.
  496. Karma and subtle body.
  497. Knowledge and Understanding.
  498. Brahman and Appearance
  499. Svadharma.
  500. Thinking about chidābhāsa.
  501. Experiencing AtmA.
  502. Brahman and Awareness.
  503. Seer-seen discrimination.
  504. Covid and Enlightenment.
  505. Creation and Enlightenment.
  506. Prayer.
  507. Mumukshutva.
  508. Direct Path vs Traditional – Pt.1, sAdhana
  509. Direct Path vs Traditional – Pt.2, Free Will
  510. Direct Path vs Traditional – Pt.3, Free Will (cont)
  511. Direct Path vs Traditional – Pt.4, Experience
  512. Direct Path vs Traditional – Pt.5, Teaching Method
  513. Negating the negator.
  514. Some thoughts on ‘Truth’.
  515. Mechanism of chidAbhAsa.
  516. World outside of perception.
  517. Karma and morality.
  518. Reincarnation and Enlightenment.
  519. How can one experience the bliss?
  520. Perception and the witness.
  521. External Objects.
  522. Metaphysics.
  523. Science and Reality.
  524. Time and Timelessness.
  525. Consciousness is prior to the universe.
  526. MithyA.
  527. Experiencing Brahman.
  528. Confusions in Advaita.
  529. Comments on mithyā.
  530. Maya, Brahman and Ishvara.
  531. Consciousness and reality.
  532. Brahman, name and form.
  533. Value of practice.
  534. Purpose and Meaning.
  535. Transmigrating Soul.
  536. Experience of death.
  537. Need for a Guru.
  538. Duḥkha and Stress.
  539. Māyā and Brahman.
  540. Following Bhakti Yoga.
  541. Knowledge in the Vedas.

Disclaimer:
All my books take the stance that ‘I have been looking into advaita as a teaching that explains the nature of self and reality and this is what I have found so far’. I do not teach – hold no satsangs or residential courses. I just write books. I have never claimed to be a teacher of any sort nor do I claim to be writing/replying according to purely traditional methods. In fact, ‘Back to the Truth’ quotes from all manner of teachers, including neo-advaitin ones. It is certainly the case that ‘Enlightenment: the Path through the Jungle’ advocates traditional teaching as the only reliable system and I stand by that. It is possible, therefore, that some readers may have made the assumption that I have some (traditional) authority – but this is their assumption, not my claim.

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