A technical–indeed, keystone–term in Advaita Vedanta is pratyaksha, which is translated as almost always “direct experience,” only on occasion as “self-evident” or “direct knowledge.” All translations in Advaita Vedanta refer to the same experience.

The term appears in the nondual teaching of jnana yoga just when the question is put: “How am I to know Atman, my inherent being?”

To be sure, it may be said that Being is not an object and thus that it is neither a sense perception nor a mental object. Accordingly, Being is neither sensible nor conceivable.

Then it may be added that one does not infer the existence of Being. Being is not inferable not because it doesn’t exist (it is, in fact, “the only thing” that truly exists) but rather because its existence is “prior to” rational argument and therefore “prior to” proof.

At which point, an exasperated objection: “Well, if it can’t be known by the senses or by the mind, then it doesn’t exist. It’s probably just a chimera, a mere fancy. How could I know that it isn’t?”

The keystone term, pratyaksha or direct experience, saves the day. Ask yourself, “When the words ‘I am’ disappear, what is THIS that they disappear into?” THIS that they disappear into is direct experience.

Hence, Ramana Maharshi states that “pratyaksha is the Self.” Direct, unmediated, nonrelational, nondual, pure experiencing is none other than Atman.

And the direct experience of Atman, or Pure Consciousness, is the direct experience of yourself. Said differently, the very essence of the mind is the very Heart of the Self.