1. Introduction to the concept of Self

The concept of self has been studied in philosophy from multiple perspectives in both the East and the West. Socrates, a classical Greek philosopher and credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy says that the goal of philosophy is to ‘know thyself,’ which in ancient Greek aphorism means ‘Gnothi Seauton.’ Rene Descartes, a French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist, who is dubbed as the father of modern western philosophy also laid down his philosophical maxim as ‘I think, therefore I am,’ which in a Latin philosophical proposition means ‘Cogito Ergo Sum.’ Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, a German philosopher and an important figure of German idealism also identifies the human with the divine self-consciousness, which is a unification of consciousness (self and other) in a single, universal self. He says, ‘What then of us as units of existence? Each of us is a self in that we exist for ourselves as well as for others-we are both objects and subjects, part of one reality, and we come to know selves through our interaction with others in a common Form of Life.’^[1] A renowned British idealist philosopher, F. H. Bradley traces the origin of the distinction of self and not-self to the principle of pleasure-pain. Pleasurable experiences form a group of their own called as self and the unpleasant experiences are rejected to form the solid core of not-self. On this basis an individual carves out the notion of self from the initial blur. Besides, numbers of philosopher like Immanuel Kant, Locke, Hume etc, also discusses the concept of self in their own perspective.

The problem of the self is also the most important issue discussed in the Upanishads. It is used in various terms to denote the notion of self. The three common terms are the ‘Jiva,’ ‘Atman’ and ‘Brahman.’ ‘Jiva’ also called ‘jivatman’ is the individual self. It is ego-centric and infinite being, conditioned by the body, senses, and the mind. It is embodied self, and is the biological aspect of a man. It is the constant and unchangeable essence of a being. It acts as the common factor of a being in all the states of waking, dream, sleep, death, rebirth and liberation. It does not perish with the destruction of the body but takes one birth after another and continues through rebirth.

The ‘Brahman’ indicates the Absolute, the Supreme and is therefore, termed as the Universal Self. It indicates that the essence in man and the essence of the universe are declared as one and the same. One who exists in man and one who dwells within the sun are one and the same. In other word, the ‘Existent’ manifested the universe and entered into it as the individual self. When one realizes one’s identity with the absolute, one feel one’s presence everywhere and finds no distinction of oneself and others, and between living and non-living. In that state, there is no difference between the subject and object.

The term ‘Atman’ indicates both the individual self and Universal self. The premise is that, the essence or real self of the individual is non-different from the essence of the world–the ‘Brahman.’ In that state, the self exists as pure transcendental consciousness and bliss, freed from ignorance. It is the real nature of the self which is realised in liberation through total freedom from ignorance.

In short, the real nature of self according to the Upanishad is pure consciousness and pure bliss. It is eternal, unchangeable and imperishable. It is devoid of any body and is free from birth and death. It is free from sin, old age, death, grief, hunger and thirst. It is infinite, all-pervasive and is everywhere and pervades everything. It could not be measure in any way and it transcends all the limitation of space. The self is subject-object-less entity and has no object to be known or enjoyed. It could not be known by the senses and the mind, nor could it be expressed by words. That means, the self is ever free and is never bound in the world.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Berenson, F. (1982). ‘Hegel on Others and the Self.’ Philosophy, 57 (219), pp. 77-90. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4619540, dated, 27^th December 2016.