Advaita, Nirakara, and Nirguna

[Recorded on Nov 18, 2014.]

Someone asked Guruji what is dvaita (duality) versus advaita (non-duality.)

Indian philosophy is inundated with long-winded discussions, explanations, and arguments about these basic terms. Numerous text books have been written and so many schools of thoughts started by self-proclaimed philosophers, acharyas, expounding their subtle philosophical differences – advaitashuddha (pure) advaita, vishishta (special) advaita, dvaita-advaita, etc.

Guruji gave a simple answer which cut through all the smog. “There will be dvaita, duality, within you as long as your conscious and subconscious are separate. When your subconscious is also conscious and you have full consciousness that will be advaita, non-duality.

“Sākāra and Nirākāra: What we have not seen or don’t know yet is nirākāra, formless. When we see them and know them it is sākāra, with form.

“Saguṇa and Nirguṇa: Whose guṇa, qualities, we are not familiar with is nirguṇa, without qualities. When we become familiar with their qualities it becomes saguṇa, with qualities.”

Reflections

“What is life? Transforming future into past is life.
“What is death? When all future has been transformed into past is death.
“What is immortality? Having limitless future is immortality.”
                                                                                 – Guruji