Bondage or Liberation Do Not Apply to Consciousness!

What is the relation between 'jnāna' (direct Knowledge), 'moksha' (Liberation) and Consciousness? Is there any 'moksha' in Consciousness? Is it Consciousness that you have to liberate? If there is bondage and suffering, then of whom are they? Of the mind! Suffering is only in the mind. You can’t find suffering in Consciousness. Concepts of ‘bondage’ and ‘liberation’ do not apply there. In your pure Presence you are free from suffering already. For the mind, however, when 'jnāna' arises, there is 'moksha'. But is there anyone that has been liberated? Who is the 'mukta'? Is there anyone now who stands free? No! Because 'jnāna' in other words means the realization that all there is, is Consciousness, that there was never an individual being existing by itself. So therefore, in absolute terms, there is no 'bandha' (bondage) and there is no 'moksha' (Liberation). These categories belong to the journey of the seeker, because a seeker starts from a place of incompleteness. When the dream of being someone is totally dropped, all you see and experience is that one Reality beyond words.

Swami Atmananda Udasin is a teacher of Advaita (Non-duality) and the Spiritual Head of Ajatananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India. This video is a third extract from a retreat given at the ashram on October 23, 2018.

http://www.ajatananda.org