In Vivekacudamani, a work by Shankara, the student asks (in my paraphrase): “I understand that I am to discriminate between the Self and the non-self. The non-self includes the gross body, the subtle body, and the causal body. All right, but isn’t there just voidness left after all phenomena have been negated?”

After all, one might be quite afraid that the way of negation/discrimination will reveal that there’s just void staring one in the face. And wouldn’t that be scary?

The teacher says, in essence, that such is not and cannot be the case. Indeed, hundreds of slokas (or verses) are then devoted to showing that Atman or Brahman remains. “All this,” as Advaita Vedants says, “is verily Brahman.”

It seems to me that a more modern reply to this sticking point is offered by Sri Ramana Maharshi. For one who comes to a so-called blank state, void state, or a laya state, he would have one ask: “Who is it that knows this state?” For whoever knows this state cannot be this state.

Just find out what the knower truly is. THIS is beyond affirmation and negation.