Question: When I use thought to drill down about, “What am I?“ I ultimately arrive at: “I am consciousness.”

However, the question I cannot answer is: “Is consciousness fundamental, or has consciousness sprung from this self-replicating system of matter?”

It seems to me that my brain supports consciousness and that when this physical body dies, this localized consciousness at least, will be no more. I suppose if I had an experience of Oneness, the question would be settled, but I have not.

1.) When you ask, “What am I?“ just be silent. Of course, you might be simply conveying, in your question above, what it wordlessly the case for you during meditation. For that reason, I may misunderstand your answer: “I am consciousness.”

And yet, if I’m not misreading your question and so if that thought often arises during meditation, then just let it go and sink naturally into the silence of being.

2.) “Is consciousness fundamental or has consciousness sprung from this self-replicating system of matter?” One could wade through a lot of absolute idealist philosophy and then one could vigorously go through trenchant critiques of materialism or physicalism–but such is not necessary! The direct path teaching of Advaita Vedanta cuts right through this question–and helpfully, elegantly so.

Let me elaborate:

a. See clearly that this question is just a thought.

b. And now see that all thoughts are simply arisings.

c. To what are all of these thoughts, including the one above, arising? To consciousness!

d. Therefore, simply be conciousness wakefully!

e. “But I have more doubts!” Then go through, gently and not mechanically, a-d above.

3.) The answers to your questions will come experientially once you let vritti–or mental activity–naturally (not forcefully) come to a halt.