Arunachala - Sri Ramana Maharshi and devotes
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Kavyakantha Ganapati Sastri:
Does the aspirant after he attains firm Enlightenment (Sthitha Prajnatvam) retain a sense of his personality (self-consciousness)? Is he aware then that he has attained perfectly firm Enlightenment; and does he perceive that (1) from the entire effacement of his knowledge of the objective world or non-self, or (2) from perfection of his Enlightenment (Prajnatvam)?
Maharshi:
Yes, the perfectly Enlightened, the fully attained Jnani, the Self-realized, certainly realizes himself as such. There can be no doubt there. Doubt or uncertainty is for the mind or intellect, and has no place in that perfection of Realization or Enlightenment.
Perfection is seen: (1) by a negative sign, the cessation of all vasanas, i.e., tendencies of the mind to act in consequence of previous "attached karma" (action), and (2) by the positive sign of his incessant consciousness: (Chidatmakaratha), which is also termed "Mownam".
As for perfection of Jnana [1], the distinction is often drawn between Jnana and Vijnana [2], the latter referring to realization. The Jnani is said to be not merely Jnana-Swarupa, i.e., of the nature of Enlightenment, but also Swatmarama or Anandamurti, which means that he is experiencing and enjoying the Self as Jnanam or Anandam. But this is a dualistic metaphor. In point of fact, “that which is” (Sat), is but one. There is no separate thing as its enjoyment, or an object, or a quality for it to enjoy. But thought has to be expressed to others "in matter-moulded forms of speech" and so we proceed into finer and finer analysis by means of similes, metaphors, etc., even as the Reality defies expression. On account of the use of such figurative language, however, the question is raised whether the Jnani experiences or realizes his Jnanam.
What remains after all elimination is best described as
Sat - that which is,
Chit - consciousness or illumination,
Anandam - happiness
— all three terms referring to one and the same substance.
That is really not existence, nor illumination, nor happiness, nor substance, nor personality as we conceive them now. But these are the expressions or ideas which suggest to us that Supreme State, that goal, "Sa kashtha sa para gatih." That is Supreme, That is the highest goal. (Katha Upanishad I-3-11)
The Sri Ramana Gita, of B. V. Narasimha Swami - Ch. I
https://archive.arunachala.org/newsletters/2009/jul-aug#article.1
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[1] Jnana: Clear and abundant knowledge, which is Self (‘I am’). The power of knowing. Knowledge of the true nature of God.
[2] Vijnana: Consciousness. The faculty of discernment or of right judgement. The organ of knowledge (equals manas-). Worldly or profane knowledge.
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(The concept of Jnana, Vijnana and Prajnana according to Vedanta philosophy: http://www.ijoyppp.org/article.asp?issn=2347-5633;year=2015;volume=3;issue=1;spage=5;epage=8;aulast=Sridhar)
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