" That says "I am John Smith"--or any
other name. The awareness of this kind of selfhood, this personal self, is
like looking at one's reflection in the mirror and saying, "Ah, I have on a
becoming attire," or "my face looks sickly to-day." It is the same "I" that
looked yesterday and found the face looking excellently well, so that there
must have been consciousness behind the observation, that could take
cognizance of the difference in appearance of yesterday's reflection and
that which met that cognizing eye to-day.
Eagerness to retain consciousness of the personal self blocks the way of
Illumination which uncovers the real, the greater, the higher Self--the
_atman_.
This constant adjuration to sink the self into The Absolute, is what has
given rise to so much difference of interpretation as to the meaning of
_mukti_, liberation. It sounds paradoxical to state that it is only by
giving up all consciousness of self, that immortal Self-hood is gained.
Thus has arisen all the confusion as to the meaning of "absorption into a
state of bliss.
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