THE I CONCEPT

In the Sanātana Dharma (eternal order or righteousness), the concept of "I" or the inner spirit or ātman seems to be a multifaceted one. It is central to Advaita Vedanta. It is also central to many great sayings (Mahāvakyas), philosophical, and spiritual traditions within the Sanātana Dharma. Self or "I" is the ātman (inner self or inner spirit) within every being and not the objects outside. The purpose of the perceiver is to perceive the ātman. The inner spirit is eternal, invisible, imperishable, and unchanging. It exists beyond the grasp of our ordinary senses and can only be perceived by a true perceiver.

The Sanātana Dharma connotes eternal order or righteousness. Every creature or being derives from this conception alone. The "I" concept intrinsically emanates from this conception alone. That way, it is an undifferenciated part of the universal Self, or Brahmān (Cosmic Self). It is the core self of every creature or being. It transmigrates on the demise of the ephemeral gross body (sthula sarira) to remain unmanifest until its migration to another one. This process goes on until full liberation, or moksha. It is well articulated in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.

dehino ’smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati

Just as the embodied soul continuously passes from childhood to youth to old age, similarly, at the time of death, the soul passes into another body. The wise are not deluded by this.

1. Outline

One important concept related to the "I" concept in the Sanātana Dharma is "Ātman," which does not have any exact English translation but is often related to "inner spirit" or the "soul" or the "self." Ātman is the enduring, eternal, unchanging, ceaseless essence of a creature or being. It exists beyond the tripod of body, mind, and intellect sense mechanisms. It is the true nature of a being, and the ultimate goal of spiritual elevation is to realise this true nature. Swami Vivekananda rightly says the ultimate aim of all practises and efforts is to discover the inner self, or the inner spirit. The internal universe, the real, is infinitely greater than the external one, which is only a shadowy projection of the true one. This world is neither true nor untrue; it is the shadow of truth. It is imagination—the gilded shadow of truth, says the sage philosopher. We enter into creation, and then for us it becomes living. Things are dead in themselves; only we give them life, and then, like fools, we turn around and are afraid of them or run after them.

“I-ness," through its misadventures, identifies itself with the "ego," or Ahamkāra. The "I-ness" arises from this mis-identification of oneself with the body, mind, and intellect sense mechanisms. In this misidentification, Swami Sivananda says there are three defects, viz., mala, or impurity, vikshepa, or tossing, and avarana, or veil. The impurities of the mind should be removed by the practise of Karma Yoga, through selfless service. The tossing of the mind should be removed by worship, upasana, japa, and devotion. The veil should be torn down by the practise of Jñana Yoga, i.e., by the study of Vedic literature, inquiry, self-analysis, service to the Guru, and deep meditation. Only then is self-realisation possible.

The concepts of "Māya" (illusion) and "ego" are also closely related to the idea of the self when the "I" in its embodied existence tries to perceive and savour the external world through the sense perceptions (sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste) based on the body, mind, and intellect sense mechanisms. This perceived sense of separateness and attachment to the material world is the source of all suffering and pain. It gets trapped in the illusionary existence of māya and away from the path of eternal bliss, or Sat-Chit-Anand (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). It is well observed in the Srimad Bagavad Gita

evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā sanstabhyātmānam ātmanā

jahi śhatruṁ mahā-bāho kāma-rūpaṁ durāsadam

Thus knowing the soul to be superior to the material intellect subdue the lower self (senses, mind, and intellect) by the higher self (strength of the soul), and kill this formidable enemy called lust.

Ramana Maharsi says to all deep-thinking minds, the inquiry about the "I" and its nature has an irresistible fascination. Self-enquiry is the only infallible means, the only direct one, to realise the unconditioned, absolute being that you really are. The term "I-I" represents the union of the individual self (the "I") with the ultimate reality (also the "I"), which is said to be identical with the self. According to this philosophy, the true nature of the self is not limited to the individual ego, but rather is a universal consciousness that underlies all of existence. Swami Sivananda teaches that God is within us, and whatever we see, hear, touch, or feel is also a manifestation of God alone. He saw only God in all existence.

2. Scriptures

There are astounding descriptions of the "I" concept in many great sayings (Mahāvakyas) and philosophical and spiritual traditions within the Sanātana Dharma. The Katha Upanishad (a conversation between the sage Naciketas and Yama (god of death) highlights on the need for perception by the true perceiver.

parāñci khāni vyatṛṇatsvayambhūstasmātparāṅpaśyati nāntarātman |

kaściddhīraḥ pratyagātmānamaikṣadāvṛttacakśuramṛtatvamicchan || 1 ||

The creator (Brahma), created the senses out-going: therefore, one sees outside and not the ātman within. Some intelligent being, with his senses turned away from their object, desirous of immortality, sees the atman within. Therefore, the perceiver sees the external objects which are not the ātman, such as sound, etc., and not the ātman within. The senses go outward to enlighten their objects, such as sound, sight, smell, etc., as they are of this nature only. Paramesvara (the Supreme Being) has damned them. He is the self-existent, the Being of all beings, the Lord of all, as He alone is always independent and never dependent on others. An eager aspirant for Self-knowledge applies his Viveka (inner spirit) to discriminate between the real “I” and the unreal “I”. This has been vividly explained by Adi Shankaracharya in his Vivekachudamani:

durvārasaṃsāradavāgnitaptaṃ

dodhūyamānaṃ duradṛṣṭavātaiḥ |

bhītaṃ prapannaṃ paripāhi mṛtyoḥ

śaraṇyamanyadyadahaṃ na jāne || 36 ||

Save me from death, afflicted as I am by the unquenchable fire of this world-forest and shaken violently by the winds of an untoward lot, terrified and (so) seeking refuge in thee, for I do not know of any other person with whom to seek shelter.

In the Vivekchudamani, Adi Shankaracharya puts emphasis on the application of Vivek to discriminate between the inner and outer selves. The outer-self gives sensual gratification, whereas the inner-self gives Sat-Chit-Anand (Existence-Consciousness-Bliss). He says, "One should recover oneself, immersed in the sea of birth and death, by means of devotion to right discrimination."

What is bondage, forsooth? How has it come (upon the Self)? How does it continue to exist? How is one freed from it? What is this non-Self? And who is the Supreme Self? And how can one discriminate between them? -- Do tell me about all these. The Guru replied, Blessed art thou! Thou hast achieved thy life’s end and hast sanctified thy family; thou wishest to attain Brahmanhood by getting free from the bondage of ignorance! ... Faith (Shraddha), devotion, and the yoga of meditation are mentioned by the Shruti as the immediate factors of liberation in the case of a seeker; whoever abides in these gets liberation from the bondage of the body, which is the conjuring of ignorance. ....Neither by yoga, nor by Sankhya, nor by work, nor by learning, but by the realisation of one's identity with Brahmān is liberation possible, and by no other means."

Confusion arises when a being is besieged between the real and the unreal "I". That confusion comes as a form of doubt from Arjuna in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita:

kārpaṇya-doṣhopahata-svabhāvaḥ
pṛichchhāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-chetāḥ

yach-chhreyaḥ syānniśhchitaṁ brūhi tanme

śhiṣhyaste ’haṁ śhādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam

I am confused about my duty, and am besieged with anxiety and faintheartedness. I am Your disciple, and am surrendered to You. Please instruct me for certain what is best for me. 

aśochyan-anvaśhochas-tvaṁ prajñā-vādānśh cha bhāṣhase
gatāsūn-agatāsūnśh-cha nānuśhochanti paṇḍitāḥ

Sri Krishna says: While you speak words of wisdom, you are mourning for that which is not worthy of grief. The wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.

The mind acts as a double edged weapon, so syas the Srimad Bhagavad Gita. It can degrade one or help one in the elevation process. The only action is to realise the “I” within the self and cause it to control the mind.

uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet

ātmaiva hyātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ

Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, and not degrade yourself, for the mind can be the friend and also the enemy of the self.

The Great Sayings, or the Mahāvākyas of the Upanishadas, also aphoristically say so. The Upanishads deal with meditation, philosophy, consciousness, and ontology. The Great Sayings, or the Mahāvākyas of the Upanishadas, tersely say Brahmān (the Supreme Being) is one and infinity, which have a profound significance as pointers to reality.

i. Prajnanam Brahma (प्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म)– Consciousness is Brahmān, Aitareya Upanishad, Rig Veda.

ii. Aham Brahmāsmi (अहं ब्रह्मास्मि ): "I am Brahmān", or "I am Divine," Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Yajur Veda.

Iii. Tat Tvam Asi (तत् त्वम् असि)– That Thou Art, Chandogya Upanishad, Sama Veda.

iv. Ayam Atma Brahmā (अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म ) – This Self is Brahmān, Mandukya Upanishad, Atharva Veda.

This "Brahmān is the Whole," "Brahmān is ātman" and "Brahmān is this very self."

The same is also highlighted in the Srimad Bhagavad Gita:

ya enaṁ vetti hantāraṁ yaśh chainaṁ manyate hatam

ubhau tau na vijānīto nāyaṁ hanti na hanyate

Neither of them is in knowledge—the one who thinks the soul can slay and the one who thinks the soul can be slain. For truly, the soul neither kills nor can it be killed.

nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ

ubhayorapi dṛiṣhṭo ’nta stvanayos tattva-darśhibhiḥ

Srimad Bhagavad Gita declares that the transient there is no endurance, and of the eternal there is no cessation. This has verily been observed and concluded by the seers of the Truth, after studying the nature of both.

avināśhi tu tadviddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam

vināśham avyayasyāsya na kaśhchit kartum arhati

The Bhagavad Gita states that anything that permeates the entire body is indestructible and that no one can destroy the imperishable soul.

3. Remarks:

Ramana Maharshi used the Sanskrit phrase aham sphurana to indicate the ‘I-I’ consciousness or experience. Aham means ‘I," and sphurana can be translated as ‘radiation, emanation, or pulsation'. When he explained what this term meant, he indicated that it is an impermanent experience of the Self in which the mind has been temporarily transcended. This distinction is between the temporary experience of the ‘I-I’ and the permanent state of Self-realisation that follows it.

Even in Western philosophy, the search for "I" is well articulated. Once, Socrates was walking in deep philosophic contemplation when he accidentally bumped into someone. That man reacted in annoyance: "Can’t you see where you walk?" "Who are you?" Socrates answered with amusement, "My dear fellow, I have been pondering over that question for the last forty years." "If you ever come to know who I am, please let me know."

-Asutosh Satpathy