The Advaita in the Light of the Vedas: Thirty-Four

But—

That which is the soul of all existence, for which the entire universe exists, which is self-luminous bliss incarnate, dependent upon nothing else—tell me, how can such a supreme Self be excluded from the ultimate goal of human life? This very Self is the fundamental basis of our existence, the pulse of every living being, and the driving force behind every particle in the cosmos. Its unalloyed bliss holds creation together, and its self-manifested glory is the source of all knowledge. To ignore this Self is to deny the very purpose of our own existence.

That which is the existence of all things—outside of which whatever appears different is mere non-existence, as illusory and unreal as 'horns on a man's head'—how can such a Self be rejected? This Self is the ultimate truth, without which everything else is either illusory or relative. It is the only fixed point upon which all reality rests. To stray from it and consider something else as truth is as futile as building a house upon shifting sand. This Self alone dissolves all duality and brings about the realization of unity.

Under whose dominion all creatures—from Brahmā to the tiniest insect—exist, who is the ruler of all, who is himself the creator and controller—how can he be excluded? This Self is not merely an observer but actively governs every process in the universe. It is the fundamental cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution. Its control is so subtle and all-pervading that nothing remains separate from it. To ignore this Self is to deny the fundamental order of the universe and its supreme controller.

Whom the wise know as the eye of all eyes, the mind of mind, the light of lights, the brilliant all-pervading being—that supreme source of wisdom and consciousness—how can such a Self be disregarded? This Self is the very source of our consciousness, perception, and knowledge. It is that light which illuminates our minds and reveals truth. The wise worship this Self as ultimate truth and supreme knowledge. To disregard it is to deny our own capacity for understanding and the deepest truth of existence.

That Self which is bliss incarnate, which on two wings—ānanda and mahānanda—pierces through darkness to give life to the entire world, that life-giving, supremely blissful being—how can such a Self be rejected from human aspirations? This Self is the joy of our existence, the pulse of life, and the celebration of creation. It transcends all sorrow and limitation, being pure and eternal bliss. This very bliss sustains us and makes every experience of life meaningful. To reject this Self is to deny the fundamental joy and purpose of life.

(Compare: Taittirīya Upaniṣad, 2.7)

The Quest for Self-Knowledge: The Path to Supreme Bliss and Ultimate Goal

At the heart of creation's deepest mystery lies an ineffable ocean of bliss, of which we can experience but the smallest fraction in this worldly life. That supreme ocean of happiness in whose bliss Brahmaloka and all other realms are pervaded—can anyone reject it? This bliss, which transcends all sorrow and limitation, is the true nature of the Self. Its realization is life's supreme attainment.

This very Self is life's ultimate goal—knowing which makes even the glory of Hiraṇyagarbha seem insignificant. All human aspirations, all endeavors find their ultimate fulfillment in this Self-knowledge. How can humanity not accept as its goal that supreme Being who exists at the root of all existence? This Self is that ultimate truth which, once known, leaves nothing more to know; which, once attained, leaves nothing more to attain. It is the highest limit of all human goals, whose pursuit is the noblest vow of human life.

Even Indra, king of the gods, and other deities abandoned their blissful realms to seek discipleship in quest of that Self, though they themselves were happy. Their sacrifice and search prove that even earthly pleasures or heavenly joys pale before the ineffable happiness of the Self. They understood that their acquired happiness was relative and temporary, but Self-realization provides steadfast and eternal bliss. How then can this supreme Self not be humanity's goal? It is that higher state for which even the gods were prepared to sacrifice all their pleasures and positions.

All the various activities prescribed in the Vedas, such as sacrificial rites, have but one result: the desire to know that Self. Every Vedic mantra, every form of worship, every ritual guides humanity toward that supreme Self. If the fundamental purpose of the Vedas is to unveil the path to Self-knowledge, then how can you disregard that Self? At the heart of all religious observances and rituals lies an indomitable urge for Self-discovery. These are not merely external activities but successive steps in establishing connection with the Self.

(Compare: Taittirīya Upaniṣad, 2.3.4 and Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 8.7)

These Upanishadic teachings make it even clearer that Self-inquiry and attainment of Self-knowledge is the supreme purpose of human life. The Taittirīya Upaniṣad declares "ānando brahmeti"—"bliss is Brahman." The Chāndogya Upaniṣad describes the Self as all-pervading and supreme, realizing which severs all bonds and grants ultimate liberation. These ancient scriptures unanimously declare that the fulfillment of human life lies in Self-knowledge, which opens the path to supreme bliss, peace, and liberation.

Indeed, the true goal of Vedic sacrifice is not temporary heaven but purification of mind, through which the Self—eternal bliss incarnate—can be directly realized. Heaven is merely an intermediate stage; one who performs sacrifice but knows not this great truth remains only halfway.

What is the ultimate goal of human life? This question has stirred the minds of philosophers and spiritual seekers for ages. Various doctrines and beliefs have offered different answers to this question. But according to Advaita Vedānta, that Self whose knowledge instantly dissolves all causes of desire and suffering—that alone is the ultimate goal of human life. How can a person deny such ultimate truth as the fundamental purpose of their life? This is not only illogical but also a deviation from our true nature.

The Self is not merely an abstract concept; it is a directly experienced truth. In dreamless deep sleep, all beings directly experience the Self as unified bliss. In that state, there are no worldly anxieties, desires, or sorrows. In this condition, we remain immersed in an ocean of undivided bliss. This blissful experience itself is proof of the Self's nature. Does not one who rejects this direct evidence run merely after sensual pleasures like an animal? Animal-like existence aims only at temporary gratification, but as humans, the Self within us seeks a higher goal and bliss.

In determining the goal of human life, our opponents had raised an important argument: something's acceptability depends on its independence from other things. That is, only what is self-reliant and not dependent on others is worthy of being a goal. This argument is very powerful because true happiness and absence of suffering apply to the Self alone. Were it otherwise, humans could adopt others' happiness and absence of suffering as their own goal. But we see that each person is most sensitive to their own happiness and sorrow. We feel sympathy seeing others' pain, but we cannot make that pain our ultimate goal. Because true happiness and absence of suffering lie within our own Self.

Therefore, based on this reasoning, it can be said that the Self alone is humanity's highest goal. Because the Self is the true source of real happiness and absence of suffering. Some might oppose this argument saying, "Since the Self is a positive entity, it cannot represent absence of suffering." Their reasoning strays from the profound understanding of Advaita philosophy. According to Advaita, the Self is supreme bliss incarnate. This supreme bliss removes all our suffering and provides ultimate satisfaction. When the Self becomes one with supreme bliss, no room remains for absence of suffering. This supreme bliss is the ultimate goal of human life. It is not an external achievement but realization of our inherent truth.

Self-knowledge alone dissolves all desires and suffering and grants supreme bliss and liberation. To deny that Self which all beings experience as bliss in dreamless sleep is tantamount to denying our true nature.

This would be a weakness in our position if suffering were actually and inherently connected to the Self. But it is not so. That person who has poisoned the vision of the Self with the burning of toxic emotions—emotions arising from that serpent's fang-like identification with body, senses, etc., which again emerges from ignorance's cobra hood—that person actually imagines in the Self those sufferings which are not really connected to the Self, but are the torments of Raurava and other hells. Just as someone imagines darkness in the sun!

And what is falsely imagined—its removal is nothing other than that very ground in which that false object was imagined. Because it was imagined as identical only with the ground; separated from the ground, it is mere non-existence; and the removal of non-existence means the manifestation of existence (i.e., the ground).

Therefore, even that thinker who believes "removal of suffering is humanity's sole goal"—their true goal is actually the Self alone. Because the Self is the destruction of this entire suffering-filled world.

Nor can it be said—"Since the Self cannot be accomplished as a result, it cannot be humanity's goal." Because we have already shown that humanity's goal need not necessarily be an object produced as a result.

Again it cannot be said—"One seeking liberation would not engage in prescribed practices like listening [to scriptures] if their aim were absence of suffering (i.e., the Self), which is already established and independent of human effort." Rather, this accords with our view—because when the liberation-seeker directly realizes the Self as identical with Brahman, no activity remains for them since the result (absence of suffering) has already been achieved. But prior to this direct realization, their practice (listening, reflection, contemplation, etc.) bears fruit only when that practice gives birth to knowledge of Self-Brahman non-difference, which completely destroys suffering.

Nor can it be said—"Knowledge too is not an object produced as a result, so it cannot be a goal either." Because here 'knowledge' refers to mental modification (vṛtti), which is actually false imagination, while true knowledge (consciousness, Brahman) is the Self itself. And the judgment that this mental modification is false comes only when complete knowledge (i.e., direct realization of the identity of Self and Brahman) has dawned.