ONE SUBSTRATUM — AADHAAR

O my mind, meditate on the One
who's the substratum of all (sggs 51)
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The material world of gross objects, names and forms is finite, temporary and ever changing. But the Infinite Consciousness, on the other hand, which is the Substratum of this fleeting world is Changeless, All-pervading, and Eternal. Behind the apparent multiplicity of this manifold universe, the One Unchanging Substratum (Adhaar or Support) persists in all its splendor. That's the True Self. The Gurbani asks we must embrace and meditate on this One Divinity, which is Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omnipotent. The scriptures, and the Mahaatamaans of the world generally seem to concur on this point. For example, in the very beginning of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, there is the declaration "Ik Oankaar", meaning "There is One God".

Also, it is not as this Sublime and Subtle Substratum is only located "there yonder" or "up there". In fact, there is nothing "up there", which is not within, here and now. In other words, this Substratum is situated within each person — all beings, places and things — equally, here and now. The very Support of our life, it is this Infinite Factor, the Homogeneous Oneness, the highest plane of Pure Consciousness, which runs in and through all and everywhere. This is the Supreme Truth. However, owing to our present conditioned state, we do not see this Truth.

To further understand this point of Oneness, consider some of these illustrations mentioned in the Gurbani. Though the ocean is one; however, it is the substratum for countless waves, wave-lets, foam, ripples and bubbles. These waves and wave-lets, ripples, foam and bubbles have no existence apart from the ocean. They all merge out of the ocean, exist in the ocean and ultimately sink themselves back into the ocean. So too is life. The matter ripples out of the Supreme Consciousness to form the universe, and ultimately we all merge back into the Homogeneous Oneness. Gold is the substratum for all ornaments made of the gold. As all golden ornaments are expression of the one gold, upon melting of all ornaments, the gold still remains as gold; nothing happens to it. Golden ornaments have no existence independent of the gold. Similarly, the endless forms of the One Eternal Subject are expression of the very same One Divine Cosmic Power, and they have no existence separate from Him. Clay or mud is the cause of all clay-pots. These clay-pots of countless shapes, colors, efficiencies, names, etc., are possible only when the support of these pots, the clay, exists. So too is the same Divine Consciousness; which is cause and support of individuality in all of us. Beads or pearls of a rosary are fashioned in many shapes and sizes. However, they are strung on one thread common to all. Similarly, the One Supreme Essence or Creator is woven into His creation, by His multi-energies (Adi Shakti). He Himself is the sun and the rays emanating from it. As the rays of the sun spread out everywhere, the One Divine Spirit pervades each and every heart. In the night, one may see a thousand images of moons reflected in as many different pots filled with water. Although the reflections are many, but they are each reflecting the same one moon. Similarly, the One Akaal Purukh, the One Timeless Principle, reflects through all beings, things and places.

When we say that the One Creator (Kartaa Purukh) is the Substratum of all, it simply means there is no difference between the Creator and His creation, just as there is no difference between the ocean and its waves, gold and the gold-jewelry, clay and the clay-pots, and so on. Our body and mind create the barrier, which is the cause of apparent differences or diversity where there is none. When the barrier is transcended, the notion of differences disappear. In other words, if we are one with the Supreme Consciousness (Gurmukh state), there is the sense of "Sabh gobind hai sabh gobind hai", and we see the whole universe as our own Self. As the flower is composed of many petals, but is one flower. Similarly, the world consists of many regions, countries, cultures, religions, languages, races, and people, but there is just the One — "Sabh gobind hai sabh gobind hai".

No one knows the complete expanse of this non-dual Supreme Factor, but He is the knower of all. Further, this All-pervading Eternal Essence is mentioned in the Gurbani to be the Creator (Kartaa Purukh), Timeless or Undying (Akaal Moorti), Unborn (Ajoonee), Self-existent (Saibhang), Unmanifest (Nirguna Roop), Changeless (Nihachall), Formless (Nirankaar), Inaccessible(Agmaa), Unreachable or Unapproachable (Agamm), Unrivaled or Incomparable (Apaaraa), Incomprehensible (Agochar), Invisible (Alakh ), Inscrutable (Abhevaa), Infinite (Beant), Unfathomable (Athaahaa or Agaadh or Agaah), Immaculate (Niranjan), and so on. He contains nothing other than Himself, hence Ever-Pure. He is the Dynamic Truth and Absolute Freedom.

Why this Truth is not apprehended by all of us, all the time? It is because the thick veil of our false ego-sense or Haume (I-am-ness) has blinded us. In other words it is because we have superimposed false self (limitations of the psycho-physical personality) on top of the Real Self (Joti-Svaroopa)! To put it otherwise, in the Infinite Ocean of the formless and peaceful Self, the wind of the finite ego-mind generates the playful waves of manifold names and forms — the phenomena of the universe and empirical Jeeva (individual selves). These all vanish and return to the Ocean of the non-dual Self as the illusion is overcome. The subject of superimposition is further dealt with in the separate article entitled "Superimposition".

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

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Updated on Tuesday, September 23, 2008 12:24 PM (PST)

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