The eternal supreme consciousness within is the Self. rnParam Pujya Dada Bhagwan , an enlightened being says, “There is a tremendous difference in the Self as described in words and the Self as experienced. One may forget the description written in words, but one would never forget that which has been seen or experienced. My Mahatmas (the Self-Realized beings) are in the bliss of the experience of the pure Self.” He explains, “When I give Gnan, there is a direct experience of the Self. This direct experience is associated with the establishment of the right belief, which is permanent. This is the right belief of the Self.”
The prevailing experience of, ‘I am John (you may insert your own name here), this body, mind, speech, etc. are mine’, is called body-consciousness. After Self-realization, the experience of body-consciousness leaves and the experience of the Soul (the eternal supreme consciousness) begins to prevail. This is the first stage of experience.
There are four stages of this experience:rnIn the first stage, there is not a clear, but a vague and indistinct experience of the Soul. For illustration of how this experience of eternal supreme consciousness is, we take the analogy of ice. The experience in the first stage is like sensing the presence of ice in a dark room. Although we cannot see the ice, we can feel the coolness of the ice, which is spread in the air throughout the room.rnIn the second stage there is a constant, clear and distinct experience of the Soul. This experience is like we are actually touching the ice. Here, a clear and distinct experience of the Soul takes place, but one does not have complete knowledge of all that is to be known as yet.
In the third stage, one attains Absolute Knowledge (Keval Gnan). Here, all and everything that is knowable is completely known. This is their last birth; there shall be no more rebirth now for these fully enlightened beings. In the current time cycle, it is not possible for any of us to attain this Absolute Knowledge from here (this Earth). One can attain only upto the second stage of experience, while living on this Earth. The third and the fourth stage is accomplished from Mahavideh Kshetra (another Earth).rnThe fourth stage is where the ultimate liberation takes place. One becomes totally liberated from the cycle of birth and death.
Pragna is the direct light of the Self; it is the real wisdom. rnLord has said that ‘It is extremely difficult to find the path of liberation from this cycle of birth and death; however, if one were to meet a Gnani Purush, the Enlightened One, it becomes the easiest task of all.’ ...because when Gnani gives us the Knowledge of our Self (Self-Realization), he kindles ‘pragna’ within us.
Pragna alerts us from moment to moment to come into the awareness of the eternal supreme consciousness. It constantly keeps us aware and vigilant and helps us enhance our experience.
How do we cultivate this wisdom?rnPragna is a fraction of Keval Gnan (full light of the Self). As the veils of ignorance over the Self keep getting lifted, there is an increasing light and an increase in the fractions of Keval Gnan. This is how the wisdom gets cultivated more and more. When this progression becomes complete, it becomes full light of Keval Gnan (Absolute Knowledge). In other words, when we attain the power to Observe and Know all the that is to be known in the entire Universe, that is Keval Gnan.
Let’s understand this with the help of an analogy. rnIf there was a thousand watts light bulb fitted in a clay pot and the opening of the pot was closed tight, would there be any light around? No, you would not be able to see any light. This is the case with the ignorant self. Within you, there is infinite light of real Knowledge (Gnan prakash), but the darkness prevails because of the layers of ignorance over the Self.
Now, with the grace and special spiritual powers of the Gnani Purush, if a tiny hole is made in the clay-pot covering the light bulb, the whole room will be filled with the light coming through. That much covering is broken and that much direct light comes out.
This light increases as more of the layers are lifted and as more holes are made in the pot. And when the whole pot is destroyed and separated, detached away from the bulb, there will be a flood of full light everywhere!
When ‘Self’ becomes free of all obscuring veils it becomes capable of illuminating entire Universe To become free from the obscuring veils, all the tubers of anger-pride-deceit-greed will have to destroyed. These tubers are made up of sub-atomic particles (parmanu). Every moment, some particles from the tuber become due to arise and surface for discharge.
Earlier, in state of ignorance of the Self, we believed that we were attached to these atoms and hence thought, “I am angry or I am greedy.” However, after attaining the first stage of experience of the Self, due to Pragna, wisdom prevails that, ‘I am eternal, these atoms are transitory.’ We then persevere to remain in the awareness of the Self (eternal supreme consciousness) and just See and Know the atoms with equanimity as they arise, discharge and part away. This is how we keep getting liberated from the tubers within. Also, the wisdom gets cultivated and becomes stronger with each passing day.
Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan says, “What is the result of this experience? Liberation!”rnOne begins to experience the bliss of liberation through Self-Realization, here itself. The final liberation will come later on, but first we can experience this liberation here and now. So, it is worth taking advantage of. If once this connection is made, there will come an everlasting solution.
Thus, man must avail of the opportunity of meeting the Living Gnani at the earliest, and attain Self-Realization from Him. Then, liberation is in the palm of his hands. Many have been blessed with this step-less path to liberation – Akram Vignan – and that too, in just one hour! Unprecedented, unique, unheard of before, and beyond credulity is this fact and yet a proven verity through experience.
To know more:
https://www.dadabhagwan.org/self-realization/