Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands
10th February 2016
Life is a process of awakening
“Enlightenment”
The awakening process of enlightenment in life is spontaneous, uncontrollable and unpredictable, and the process happens every moment. The moment is spontaneous, uncontrollable and unpredictable as well, and neither the moment in life nor in the mind is made by man.Therefore, the awakening process of enlightenment cannot be achieved by man, but enlightenment nevertheless happens, and it happens the moment it is meant to happen.As everything evolves, it is obvious that the awakening process of enlightenment evolves as well. This is the reason why man cannot achieve enlightenment, because man cannot achieve evolution. It is important to understand that in an evolving process, the old evolves as the new. This implies that there can never be the new without the presence of old. The significance is that the old is within the new and not separate from the new. If the old were separate from the new the new could never evolve.Now, enlightenment refers to a state of mind. The enlightened state of mind is that everything and everyone are interconnected as one, though they appear dissimilar and diverse.The clue to the process of awakening is the mind itself. The mind has evolved in man, and this indicates that the mind is present in matter, vegetation and the animal kingdom. If the mind were NOT present in matter, vegetation and the animal kingdom, the mind would not be present in humans either, because life is an evolutionary process and the old, which is present in everything, evolves as the new, and the new is not separate from the old.The basic element-energy in life is light. Light is intelligence that: makes matter and vegetation feel and respond instinctively in the mind, makes the animal kingdom feel and respond instinctively and intuitively in the mind, makes humans feel and respond instinctively, intuitively and intellectually in the form of thoughts in the evolved mind.Matter and vegetation have a dormant mind, the animal kingdom has an active mind that responds to light and sound, while humans have an evolved, active mind that responds to light and sound as illusory words. Everything, i.e. matter, vegetation, the animal kingdom and humans are interconnected because everything is an illusory manifestation of light.Matter responds instinctively to human touch. Vegetation responds instinctively to human touch and sound, which is human talk. Animals respond instinctively and intuitively to touch, light and sound, which is human talk. In short, it is life’s intelligence which is life’s response, albeit illusory.The human body wakes up the moment it is meant to wake up in the morning and no cause can be identified for the body waking up. Similarly, the mind awakens to enlightenment the moment the mind is meant to awaken to enlightenment, which happens when understanding evolves in the mind that everyone and everything is interconnected as one, though they appear dissimilar and diverse.Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2016
Editor’s Note:
Suddenly it is crystal clear that all appearances and experiences in life are illusory. This does not mean that they cease to appear, nor that they cease to be experienced – yet they are illusory. Suddenly it is crystal clear that all forms that are manifested in life are a unity – yet they experience and are rooted in their individuality. It follows that this must apply to the sentient and insentient. The individual cannot experience enlightenment for he ceases to experience individuality when the mind awakens to enlightenment. The process of awakening revealed in this article is a blessed gift from the wise for all to receive.
Julian Capper. UK.
German Translator’s Note:
Enlightenment is commonly misunderstood, especially in spiritual circles. Enlightenment is most wanted as it means an escape route from daily frustration, anger, fear and depression; not only to those who try to achieve freedom from bondage through spiritual or worldly practice but also, or even more, to those who, in addition to still striving for it themselves, teach and sell enlightenment as something to have and carry along. The one who really has it, as part of life’s evolutionary process of awakening, would not sell it nor practice anything. Dr. Shankar shares a deep understanding of the mind as part of nature in matter, vegetation, animals and humans which is enlightenment itself. The understanding may happen or not, it is not in man’s control. But even with little understanding, gratitude would be the first and foremost emotion of a reader who is really interested in enlightenment.
Marcus Stegmaier, Munich