Kaivalya Upanishad
With Advaita Commentary
9,902 words
The Kaivalya Upanishad is an advanced philosophy and is in reply to the plea of Ashvalayana, already advanced in both years and practice. Ashvalayana askes for the full understanding and realisation of the truth of his non-dual identity with the Absolute Brahman or God....
Verse 17
17. "That which manifests the phenomena, such as the states of wakefulness, dream and profound sleep, I am that Absolute" Realizing thus one is liberated from all bonds.
"That which manifests the phenomena, such as the states of wakefulness, dream and profound sleep"
That Absolute Alone Exists. Without this Absolute Consciousness there could not be this dream state. Without this Absolute Consciousness there could not be the conscious experience of these different states.
"I am that Absolute"
This is the most basic of logical statements but it is still difficult for the mind to encompass. After coming to terms with the reality of Existence being a unity of all things then Consciousness itself becomes Non-Dual then Absolutely all beings must see themselves as "I am that".
"Realizing thus one is liberated from all bonds"
When through proper discrimination the Absolute is perceived and Realised as the One substratum upon which all apparent states or dreams are manifest then one can drive a wedge between the real and the unreal and gain liberation from desire, the unreal will no longer form any desires or bonds.
There are two fundamental truths which need to be realised from this verse.
One is that all apparent changes of consciousness are not real. There is only One Consciousness and that is unchanging, unmoving and Absolute. The apparent experience of birth sleeping or waking and so forth are just that, simply the conscious experience of the knowledge of such change, nothing actually happens or changes.
The second fundamental truth here is that you are "That" or "This" consciousness. This Solitary Consciousness of Absolute Knowledge is Existence Itself. This material life that you are experiencing is taking place because you desire to flourish within this unreal experience. Until you Alone Realise this and wake up from this desire into the Truth and Bliss of Absolute Consciousness you will continue to experience the Consciousness of your desires, the changing states of a worldly life.