the view of Self...

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

How often do you hear this word Self on HDF? When we mention Self what are the ways this can be considered?

• ātmán - the individual soul , self ; essence
• jivātmā - is the view of 'many individual souls'
• kṣetrajña - individual self or 'knowing the body' i.e. the soul
• jñānatā or jñātatā - being the knower
• ahaṁ - 'I'
• sākṣin - internal witness
• sārīrin - having a body... what has this body ? the soul or Self.

There are a few concepts one may encounter. If I were a cārvāka¹ I would just say the Self is the living body - end of story. Once you are dead all the components disintegrate and one is no more. This consciousness we experience comes from the collection of stuff the body is made of... that is consciousness is the product of our assembly . When we dis-assemble there is no more consciousness , no more Self.

Others think the stream of thoughts ~mind~ is the Self. There is only the empirical (provable or verifiable by experience) Self and no more.

From an advaita point of view the Self is One Self-shining luminous (prakāśa) intelligence. There is One, we see many. There is the ignorance. Once this prakāśa is realized there is One Self that is experienced. Yet it is neither subject nor object - beyond 'I' or 'me'.

Now there is a slightly different view of this that this Self as an Intelligent subject of the highest , or Supreme 'I'. It is not mere consciousness but a Supreme Knower some may call ahankārāśaya or even the Ultimate Enjoyer (mahā-bhukta , Ultimate + that which is eaten or enjoyed)

Some think there is One universal Self, others think there are multiple Selves - one per body. Hence begins the different schools or teachings (śikṣā-s&#185.

So were does this Self-awareness ( pratyaktva -towards one's self ) come in ?

praṇām

words

• cārvāka - a materialist point of view; follower of cārvāka
• śikṣā - teaching , training ; learning study knowledge