The Argument In Brief

Death is a thought and thus is of the mind. All movements appear only in the mind. See clearly that all multiplicity and diversity–or, in a word, duality–appear only in the mind.

The statements above set up the central going interest: to wit, the nature of the mind.

The error is to think (notice the word “think”) that one can “control the mind.” Jnana yoga, pace raja yoga, does not speak of “mind control.” 

What, then, does it offer after initial setup? So simple! Find out whether the mind, or ego, or ego-mind, or ego-self, or jiva actually exists. That inquiry into whether the mind is actually real (or exists) is called “atma vichara.” Indeed, it is the first part.

The first part’s “finding”: the mind is not actually real; that is, the mind doesn’t actually exist. The second part’s recognition: only the Self, or Consciousness, is real. In other words, the I-thought (ego) is really just I alone. The thought part is unreal; only the I is real. 

In short, atma vichara “funnels” the inquiry back to the mind. Then when the mind (or ego, etc.) is “destroyed” or “vanishes,” then only the True I (the Self) remains. (One must be careful, however, with the metaphor of destruction. What is really meant is that there is and has never been any such thing as mind. That is all.)

A Second Pass

See clearly that all objective experiences or states are like clouds. Think, in particular, of the finite mind as though it were cloud cover. And what does it “cover” the sky with? With concepts: space, time, movement, objectivity, causality. 

Self-inquiry “reverses this process” by carefully inspecting the thought-I or I-thought. 

When the I-thought is clearly looked it, it’s discovered that there are no clouds. There’s only–there has only ever been–the blue sky.

You are the blue sky. You have never been a cloud or cloud cover.

Self-inquiry In Two Stages

You can regard self-inquiry as unfolding in two stages.

In the first stage, we scrutinize our concepts, our I-concepts in particular. Like:

• Psychological samskaras (e.g., “I am alone.” “I am beyond redemption.” Etc.)
• Metaphysical vasanas like “I am the thinker,” “I am the doer,” “I am the knower,” and so on.

And what is the discovery? There is no such thing as any of these ego-I’s. None. There’s, as it were, nobody home. 

In the second stage, self-inquiry gives way to Self-abidance. One abides as Oneself, as the Self.

A Question: Can The Self Dance?

You posit that there is a “dance” of the Self between stillness and movement, between samadhi and daily life. 

Cease believing that this is true. Give up the belief that the Self “goes out of itself” and “thereby becomes” something other than Itself. This is simply impossible.

The Self can only ever be Itself. In which case, it cannot actually dance; it can only seem to dance. It cannot leave Itself; it can only appear to become some other (e.g., I am the body; I am the mind; etc.). 

To begin with, then, have the firm conviction that the Self–that is to say, your inherent nature–is omnipresent. This means that the Self is hereness-nowness.

Secondly, dive in right here. Right here, right now, dive into the Self that you always already are. 

Know, in brief, that the Self cannot dance.

Summa Iru

The “second stage” of atma vichara, as said, amounts to “Just be” or “Be” or “Be as you are” or “Just be still.” 

Know this.