If ego comes into existence, then everything comes into existence; if ego does not exist, everything does not exist. Ego itself is everything.

–Ramana Maharshi, “Verse 26,” Ulladu Narpadu

1. Start the inquiry by asking whether the world exists. If it exists, then it must be a solid entity, indeed a substance. Is it?

The world is either an idea, or it is a perception. Consider the first case: The world is an idea, and this idea only appears intermittently. In which case, the world is a mere appearance. Consider the second case: The world, here, is (e.g.) a sound, and a sound is only an arising, one that comes and goes. Consequently, sound is a mere appearance and thus is not a reality.

All other sense perceptions, it can be demonstrated, are also mere appearances. As a result, the world–whether as idea or as a perception–is a mere appearance.

2. Is the body a reality? Does the body exist? The body is either an idea or a sensation. If it is an idea, then it too is a mere appearance. And if it is sensation, then this sensation is also a mere appearance. Thus, the body is a mere appearance.

3. Does the mind exist? The mind is only a thought, and a thought is only a mere appearance. Thus, the mind is only an appearance.

4. Therefore, the world, the body, and the mind are only appearances and not realities.

5. The “hard case” is that of the ego. For even if we take very seriously 1-4 above, it can seem as if when the ego rises, the solidity of the world, the body, and the mind “comes back.” For this reason, the ego must be seen to be non-existent. When the ego is seen to be non-existent, then getting “persuaded” by the apparent solidity of the body-mind-world is no longer possible.

6. Is it true that the ego is non-existent? Yes. For the ego can be said to consist of a “consciousness part” (cit) that’s mixed up with a “form or body-concept part” (jada). Consider first the form part: Whatever this something investigated seems to be, it turns out to be a mere appearance. And a mere appearance is not reality. Consider next the consciousness part: Holding onto the consciousness part alone reveals a surprise, which is that all that remains is only consciousness (cit). That is, what is actually real, or existent, is only consciousness.

7. When it’s discovered that the ego does not exist, it’s simultaneously discovered that only consciousness exists.