The True Guru Is Within. "Master of Self-Realization, An Ultimate Understanding," by Shri Sadguru Siddharameshwar Maharaj

Why Read It

Shri Sadguru Siddharameshwar Maharaj was an Indian mystic, who lived in the early 20th century. He was initiated into the path of Advaita Vedanta in 1906 at the young age of 18 and spent years under the teaching of his gurus, Bhagavan Nityananda and Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj.

Siddharameshwar started teaching in 1914 upon the passing of Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj. A large gathering spontaneously grew up around him, and two of his notable disciples, Nisargadatta Maharaj and Ranjit Maharaj, went on to spread the key teachings of Advaita Vedanta around the globe in the mid-20th century. Nisargadatta writes in the preface of this book, “Every sentence in this book as the potency of giving you the fruit of Self-Realization. One who will read regularly and ponder over these discourses will himself become the channel for the expression of the inherent spirit of these words. Every line in this book has the power to eradicate the reader’s ignorance about his True Self and bring forth the True Nature of his Being.”

The teachings presented in this book delve deeply into the nature of reality, consciousness, ego and the True Self, themes central to the Perennial Philosophy. Siddharameshwar’s approach is non-dogmatic and universal, focusing on the direct experience of the True Self as the ultimate reality. His discussions on overcoming mental constructs and recognizing the illusory nature of the ego resonate with the Perennial Philosophy’s view of transcending individual differences to uncover universal spiritual truth. For anyone seeking a practical and experiential approach to understanding the core principles of the Perennial Philosophy, this book serves as a valuable guide, offering clear and direct teachings that can be applied in the pursuit of spiritual wisdom.

Overview

Master of Self-Realization: An Ultimate Understanding” by Shri Sadguru Siddharameshwar Maharaj is a profound exploration of non-dualistic philosophy, presented in a manner that is clear, accessible and deeply insightful. The book serves as a compilation of Siddharameshwar Maharaj’s teachings, offering readers a lucid exposition of Advaita Vedanta. Through its pages, the book delves into the nature of reality, consciousness, and the self, presenting these complex concepts in a manner that encourages practical personal reflection and spiritual growth.

At the heart of the book is the theme of Self-Realization, where Siddharameshwar Maharaj emphasizes the importance of understanding one’s true nature as beyond the physical (body) and mental (mind) realms. He advocates for a direct approach to spiritual enlightenment, one that transcends religious and cultural boundaries, thus embodying the essence of the Perennial Philosophy. The teachings are rooted in the principle that the ultimate truth is non-dual, and they challenge readers to transcend the illusion of separateness that is often perpetuated by the ego and societal constructs.

Another key aspect of the book is its practical approach to spirituality. Siddharameshwar Maharaj does not merely provide philosophical insights but offers practical guidance for spiritual practice. He underscores the significance of meditation as a tool for realization, encouraging readers to engage in Self-Inquiry and introspection. The book’s main focus is to guide souls into how to identify Maya or illusion, so that one may wake up into realization of the True Self.

Key Takeaways

Non-Dual Nature of Reality: The book emphasizes that the ultimate reality is non-dual, meaning it transcends the usual distinctions of self and other, observer and observed. This aligns with the experiences often reported in psychedelic journeys and the Perennial Philosophy’s view of a fundamental unity underlying all existence. Understanding this helps in transcending the illusion of separateness, a common goal in spiritual pursuits.
The Illusion of Ego: Siddharameshwar Maharaj discusses the ego as an illusory construct that creates a sense of individual identity, separate from the rest of existence. This concept is crucial in both psychedelic experiences and spiritual practices, where dissolving the ego is often seen as a path to experiencing a greater universal reality.
The Concept of Maya (Illusion): Maya, or the illusory nature of the world, is a key theme. The nature and cause of Maya is examined and techniques to dispel the ignorance are discussed in-depth. This concept is vital in understanding the psychedelic experience, where the usual perceptions of reality are often altered, revealing the transient and illusory nature of everyday experience.
Importance of Direct Experience: The book stresses the importance of direct personal experience in spiritual realization, over theoretical knowledge. This mirrors the emphasis in both psychedelic experiences and Perennial Philosophy on personal, experiential understanding as a means to grasp deeper truths about reality.
The Method of Self-Inquiry: Siddharameshwar Maharaj highlights meditation and self-inquiry as a crucial practice for self-realization. Ego shrouds the True Self in confusion and duality, and self-inquiry is offered as a solution to this problem. At the end of the journey, we find out there never was a problem, but self-inquiry and meditation are tools that shed layers of ignorance that blind us to this ever-present reality.

Quotes

~ “What has priority, the attachment to objects, or the ‘Awareness of Reality?’ One must meditate on this. Think along the lines that objects are unreal, and detachment from objects is itself awakening to Reality. You should study like this. The disciple asks, ‘For how many days should this be done? The answer is ‘Just do it to such as extent that Reality is not forgotten.’ It should never be forgotten, that is all. There is no separate ‘I’. According to the scriptures, ‘There is only Freedom.’ You can be free only because you are already free. You should feel that you are free, because you are not bound. If you go to the root of God and the devotee, duality disappears. Everything is One.”

~ “Discard the world with the help of Knowledge. Anything that is ‘second,’ or ‘other,’ the imaginary person, the individual, etc, all of these things, are worldly and based only in Illusion. The imaginary person who is of this world must die. The ego must be dissolved. The concept that I am a separate individual, a jiva, must be destroyed. To do that is the ‘True Spirituality.’ It is not necessary to recognize what Brahman is. Only remove the ‘I’ that is in between. It is enough if this ‘I’ is gone. This ‘I’ is itself the imaginary person. In fact, there is no such thing as ‘I’ at all, yet it comes into being. Brahman is something quite different from this ‘I.’”

~ “In order to attain ‘godliness,’ to attain the conscious awareness of being the Self, you should never do anything for worldly gain that will jeopardize your aspiration for Self-Realization. That act may be desirable from a worldly point of view but anything that undermines the state of Brahman is completely undesirable. This is possible only for one who practices diligently. What will be the accomplishment of one who does not study hard? To develop the sense of being the Self is itself merit. To lose that state is what is called sin. What do you think devotion to the Guru means? By devotion to the Guru, and devotion to God, means to realize your own Self, your own ‘Completeness.’ Even if we practice but a little of devotion to the Guru, we attain Self-Realization. What has happened to those who have had devotion to their Guru? They have become Brahman, they have achieved Reality. Devotion to the Guru must be very one pointed. Only then is Brahman realized. Some say, ‘I do service to my Guru. I do devotion to my Guru. To such a man I ask, ‘What do you do in this devotion? Do you realize your True Nature? Do you gain what is your own ‘True Possession?’ You yourself become the Self, God (Atmaram). This is true devotion to the Sadguru. The Guru is so powerful that all of these lesser deities are afraid of him. Remain as your own Self. Do not lose your dignity. ‘I am Brahman’ is your dignity. Never forget that.”

~ “Once there was a disciple, who although he had received instruction from his Guru, he had not given up his former attitude. He had a peculiar sense of cleanliness. His concept was such that in order to avoid the touch of the dirty earth, he climbed up a tree. He lived in the tree, drank only rainwater, and continued to believe that the earth was impure. When the Guru came to see him, he called to him up in the tree and said, ‘You come down.’ The disciple said, ‘I will not touch the earth.’ The Guru asked, ‘Where are your sitting at present?’ The disciple said, ‘On this tree.’

With this, the Guru said, ‘The tree is part of the earth and you remain on this tree. The tree and the earth are not separate. You have separated them by your imagination, but the tree cannot be separated from the earth. The tree is the offspring of the earth and therefore, it cannot be separated from it. It is in its entirety a par tof the earth. You are smothered by your imagination and in this way, you yourself have become impure. I gave you a mantra so that you would become pure, in unity with the whole world, but you, by your imagination are holding on to ideas of separateness and of purity and impurity. Because of that you have become impure. You are now unfit for the realization that there is nothing other than Brahman. This is why you have no Self-Knowledge, and you will not be able to realize that everything is only one Absolute Brahman.’

As the disciple listened to this, he understood his folly and with fear, he climbed down the tree.

~ “All imagination is projected according to the eg, the sense of ‘I.’ We have to leave that path of ego altogether. Only then can you reach Paramatman. Snap your doubts in the company of the Saints. Compare the Saint and yourself. Reduce and finally completely remove, the ego. Learn, and find out how this can be done…the sense of ego is difficult to get rid of. Only the teaching of the Sadguru can do it. Devotion is destroyed by an egotistic attitude. By the ego, the Self, which is self-evident, is shrouded. Because of ego, many have roamed around naked, many have taken a topsy-turvy approach to yoga, many have gone hidden in the mountains, and many have enshrouded themselves with long beards and tresses (dreadlocks) hardened by neglect. All of this so-called spirituality is based on ego. One cannot say what havoc ego will play. Because of ego, there is no spiritual life. On the contrary, it is damaged. In God Consciousness, ego cannot be tolerated. The devotee of the Sadguru drops ego. How is ego to be dropped? It is dropped by being aware of it. It is only be understanding that it is going to be dropped. When you know the Reality, you can be rid of ego. We have to be Brahman, and then we can have direct experience.”