This entire world, along with its changes, is certainly just a Play of the Self´s Power. The Self, which is a compact mass of Absolute Freedom and Bliss, is not even slightly affected by the world. Before the birth of the atomic self—the limited individual—as well as after his death, the Self remains as Consciousness.
Furthermore, the Self remains as Consciousness even in the intermediate stage, whose shape is the life of the atomic self invented by His Supreme Power. The Non-Dual One never deviates even slightly from the Supreme State. Absolutely immutable and constantly filled with infinite Bliss and Will free of obstacles, the Self always remains in solitude; that is, He remains as the only and uninterrupted Core of everything. Accordingly, the person who has realized the Self´s State is always and everywhere solitary like the Self. Whether that person's body is surrounded by crowds or is completely isolated, he remains continuously in solitude. His residence is indeed Kailāsa, the Abode of Bliss in the Sahasrāra.
As that sage considers body and mind as the non-Self and thus does not associate the Self with these two—body and mind—then he is Free as the Self and rests beyond the luck or destiny of body and mind. Moreover, such a wise person, realizing that the Self is one with all, is not afflicted by anyone. The Self cannot be known by the mind since He is the Knower of it (of the mind). For this reason, the acquisition of the State of the Self is always connected with a true recognition (pratyabhijñā) of one's own Self, without a doubt. (note 1)
When Sahasrāra becomes fully active, it is a sign of soon Liberation. At first, Sahasrāra lights up completely for short periods of time, but subsequently, these time periods gradually become longer until the Liberation of that spiritual aspirant, actually. If Sahasrāra were to become immediately fully active at all times from the very beginning of the spiritual path (sādhanā), the aspirant's body would be taken by force toward death. That would be Videhamukti, or Liberation (mokṣaḥ) associated with the abandonment of the body.
However, if the body is not abandoned at the moment of Liberation, that would be Jīvanmukti, liberation associated with retaining the body. A Jīvanmukta—someone who is liberated in life—is continuously absorbed in trance until their body falls. After that, entering into their great trance, this great soul remains here as the Highest Reality or Paramaartha, there is no doubt about it. (note 2)
Nevertheless, at first, even such a sage had to be a spiritual aspirant, and this is not otherwise; in summary, this process necessarily occurs so. Generally speaking, these are the three categories of spiritual aspirant (sādhaka): beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Of course, each category of spiritual aspirant inherently has special characteristics.
The aspirant who is a beginner often says: "As my spiritual teacher taught me that I am the Self, therefore, there is nothing to be done undoubtedly except to remain in the Self."
Even so, he cannot do all that due to his complete identification with the state of the atomic self (limited individual). "I am the Self," this statement from him, although true, is merely theoretical, as he lacks a true recognition of his own Self.
Like a eunuch proudly declaring in this way: "My wife is the most beautiful woman," the beginner aspirant certainly acts in the same way, since just as the wife is not enjoyed by the first, in the same manner, the State of the Self, whose nature is Absolute Freedom and Bliss, is not even slightly enjoyed or experienced by the second, due to his incapacity.
Although the beginner is the Self, due to his incapacity caused by his own impurity, which consists of Āṇavamala—of which more will be discussed later—such a spiritual aspirant is always dependent on another and not at all Free like the divine Self indeed. (note 3)
The intermediate aspirant says: "Although I am the Self, I still do not recognize—do not realize—the state of the Self; consequently, I must meditate every day on the Self to realize the Self."
The intermediate aspirant also says: "At the end, when there is realization of the Self, I enter into a state of void devoid of Bliss… nevertheless, since the Self is indicated by the spiritual guide and by the scriptures as filled of Bliss, therefore, what should I do to realize the State of the Self that is full of Bliss…?"
This category of spiritual aspirant is characterized by karma or action as these intermediate aspirants are always engaged in actions to achieve the State of the Self. Through the sixty-seventh aphorism in the venerable Śivasūtra-s, it is taught: "However, the one who is a compact mass of delusion is merely involved in actions (karma)." Thus, the intermediate spiritual aspirant is also deceived by ignorance due to his incapacity. This way, he is not able to fully enjoy or experience his own Self due to ignorance manifesting as the void of Māyā.
Due to a false satisfaction, even some intermediate aspirants, thinking that the Self is a state of emptiness, consider themselves as Jīvanmukta-s or liberated in life, but in reality, he is merely confused with respect to the Highest Reality, because Liberation is always the State of the Glorious Self, which is filled of Absolute Freedom and Bliss, and never a state of void without Complete Freedom and Bliss.
The same has been expressed in the venerable Spandakārikā-s:
“Then, moon --i.e. apāna-- and sun --i.e. prāṇa-- get reabsorbed in that Great Ether. To the partially awakened one, that condition is like the state of deep sleep, and thus he remains stupefied. However, a Yogī who is not covered by the darkness of ignorance remains awakened and enlightened in that very condition.”
Furthermore, in the venerable Spandanirṇaya, it is also said:
"According to the abovementioned precept, the state of void is manifested by only imagining what has never existed. The state of void is shown by the Supreme Lord in that way -as a goal to be achieved— to the fools, in order to conceal and protect Knowledge. Such is the purport."
There is an experience of void in the case of an intermediate aspirant due to his lack of competence. Therefore, instead of being occupied in inventions with reference to the Highest Reality, he should certainly strive to achieve a true realization—awareness— of his own Self. Since all of this is always the Supreme Self, consequently, why should He give anything to anyone? (note 4)
The advanced spiritual aspirant says: "The Self Is." He says this because he realized that the Self is the protagonist of this universal drama. For this very reason, whether the atomic self is the Self or whether the atomic self is not the Self, etc., he is no longer interested in all that. Because of this, the advanced aspirant is always occupied in vigilance regarding udyama or emergence of the Self whose nature is Absolute Freedom and Bliss, which will be discussed later. When there is a realization of the Self at the beginning and end of the states of wakefulness, dreaming, and deep sleep of a certain advanced spiritual aspirant, then he is undoubtedly fit for Liberation consisting of an uninterrupted realization of the Self.
This same truth has been taught by the illustrious Kṣemarāja in his venerable Spandanirṇaya:
“Since, for the one who is not fully awakened, there is perception of the That -the Self-- at the beginning and end of the three ordinary states of consciousness, for this very reason, he is here fit to be transformed into one who is perfectly awake through the teachings about Spanda."
When does this advanced aspirant become a liberated being or perfectly awake? When there is for him a realization of the Self—a perception of the Self—in the midst of those states.
My teaching is confirmed by the illustrious Vasugupta in his venerable Spandakārikā-s:
“To the perfectly awakened one, there is always and constantly, the perception of That --i.e. the Self-- and this perception of the Self stays throughout the three states of consciousness. However, to the other one --i.e. to the one who is not fully awakened-- there is that --i.e. the perception of the Self-- only at the beginning and end of each state.” (note 5)
Nevertheless, on one hand, the progress from the condition of the advanced aspirant to the state of perfectly awake or liberated in life, proceeds gradually according to various intensities of Śaktipāta or descent of Power—Grace—and on the other hand, the realization of the Self—the perception or realization of the Self—in the case of that aspirant, occurs exactly as mentioned in the fifth aphorism of Śiva:
"Bhairava —the Supreme Self— is a sudden flash or elevation of divine Consciousness."
When Bhairava—the Self—emerges, the Power of the Self that has risen to Brahmarandhra, after penetrating into the śikhā or flame, dissolves completely into Unmanā, at the tip of the śikhā. This Liberation (mokṣaḥ), which will be discussed later, is certainly the acquisition of the State of the Self. Since a liberated being in life is characterized by the absence of Delusion, therefore, he is never confused about the Self—Why? Because this perfectly awake one always possesses knowledge about the Self based on direct perception, and for this very reason, his knowledge never depends on testimony and inference. (note 6)
The state of a liberated being in life is clearly indicated in the venerable Spandakārikā-s:
“The all-pervading Self shines forth in the two states of wakefulness and dreaming accompanied by His Supreme Power —paramaśakti— whose nature is knowledge and knowable. Nevertheless, in the other state, apart from these two, He appears only as Consciousness.”
True spirituality is not at all based on the knowledge of the conceivable atomic self, which is always determined to conspire against the Self, but rather is entirely based on the realization—awareness—of the solitary and inconceivable Self, achieved by one who is truly perfectly awake. (note 7)
Continued: Categories of Spiritual Aspirant (Part 2)
Source of this scripture: Svātantryasūtravṛtti
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