Individual self finding super self; the paradox and its resolution

Putcha V. Narasimham
Knowledge Enabler Systems Founder Professor & Proprietor
1405, Aparna Aura, Road No 79 Shaikpet
Hyderabad 500104 India
kenablersys@yahoo.com or putchavn@yahoo.com
Individual Self finding Super Self; The Paradox and Resolution Page No 1 of 5
The Best Anywhere Must Reach the Needy Everywhere
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Date: 15 OCT 16
Individual Self finding
Super Self WITHIN:
The Paradox and its
Resolution
I tried to write a story per the suggestion of
Kerri but I am at a loss to identify the
characters and objects and setting of the
story. So, I am presenting what I wrote
earlier with some modifications. I have
defined the key terms in the Glossary
below. I have taken many definitions from
Wikipedia. I have added my notes.
Atman: Ātman (Hinduism), meaning 'self, soul', a
philosophical concept common to all schools of Hindu
philosophy (Wikipedia).
Brahman: In Hinduism, Brahman (/brəhmən/; ब्रह्मन्)
connotes the highest Universal Principle, the Ultimate
Reality in the universe.[1][2][3] In major schools of Hindu

philosophy it is the material, efficient, formal and
final cause of all that exists.[2][4][5] It is the pervasive,
genderless, infinite, eternal truth and bliss which does
not change, yet is the cause of all
changes.[1][6][7] Brahman as a metaphysical concept is
the single binding unity behind the diversity in all that
exists in the universe.[1][8] (Wikipedia)
I: This is the person or individual named PVN in this
write up. Also called, myself or me by PVN. The body,
mind and intellect of PVN are also loosely called PVN.
Infinite: In mathematics Infinity (symbol: ∞) is an
abstract concept describing something without any
bound or larger than any number. (Wikipedia)
Infinite I, Super Self: Atman and also Brahman
(according to monist or advaita school of philosophy).
Paul Brunton calls it “Overself”
Note of PVN: I have been using these expressions to avoid the
use of Sanskrit words.
Intellect and Intelligence: In
modern psychology and neuroscience, intelligence and
intellect are used as terms describing mental ability
(or abilities) that allow people to understand. A
distinction is sometimes made whereby intellect is
considered to be related to "facts" in contrast to
intelligence concerning "feelings".[3] Intellect refers to

the cognition and rational mental processes gained
through external input rather than internal.
(Wikipedia)
Notes of PVN: In meditation one is expected to distinguish
“one’s own mind which projects itself as “me or I” from
“Infinite I or Super Self”. So, the mediator may have to be
aware of his own intellect and intelligence distinctly.
Mind: The mind is a set of cognitive faculties
including consciousness, perception, thinking, judgeme
nt, and memory. The mind is the faculty of a human
being's reasoning and thoughts. It holds the power of
imagination, recognition, and appreciation, and is
responsible for processing feelings and emotions,
resulting in attitudes and actions. (Wikipedia)
Notes of PVN: This is not specific about “intellect or
intelligence” directly but they seems to be implied in “power
of”. However, to distinguish I (which is mind) from Infinite I, it
appears to me (PVN) that the meditator has to identify
“intellect with mind” and “intelligence with Infinite I”.
Meditation is a practice where an individual trains
the mind or induces a mode of consciousness, either to
realize some benefit or for the mind to simply
acknowledge its content without becoming identified
with that content,[1] or as an end in itself.[2] (Wikipedia)
Notes of PVN: To me this is a good description of meditation
(act of intelligence) in contrast to mechanical mental chanting
of any expression (mantra) or recall of any image or scene or
emotion or imposition of prefabricated network of concepts

(the acts of intellect). Meditation is a process of becoming
aware of “what is happening in one’s mind” and “discovering
what it really is”. We will eventually figure out “who” is
becoming aware of “what”. For the present let us agree that
some part of the individual being, other than the mind, is
capable of knowing “what and how mind is thinking”. This is
possible if that part of the being steps out of mind instead of
flowing with the thoughts mind creates. That is the meaning
of “acknowledging the content (the thought “I am mind”)
which is the “first thought that mind thinks” as it (mind) enters
wakeful state and remains in the wakeful state. (Excellently
explained by Paul Brunton in “The Wisdom of the Oversel”
under seventh meditation). Although all this is happening in
the mind, it is the “intellect” which is doing all the surface
thinking, not giving “intelligence” a chance to bring what it
(intelligence) knows to the surface. That is why some
meditations methods recommend slowing down the thinking
and watching what exists between thoughts in a stream of
thoughts.
Now the write-up
Individual Self finding and Super Self
WITHIN, The Paradox and its Resolution
It is said that every person or individual is Super Self,
though the individual is apparently confined within the
limits of his or her body. This is the view most
individuals including myself (PVN) have. For
enlightenment an individual is advised to “turn
inward” and “meditate” “I am that, I am” or “Aham
Brahmasmi” or “I am the Super Self”. One is told that
after sufficient meditative contemplation the

individual would discover the Infinite I or Super Self
within oneself. The paradox is “How can the Infinite
(bigger than the biggest) be within an individual (body)
which is finite and limited?” This paradox blocked my
meditation and so I re-examined the concept of
Individual. After some time, it dawn on me that I am
“holding on to my current view that I am limited to my
body” which is what could be “wrong and limiting”.
So, I told myself, “Relax and expand the notion of
myself" beyond my physical body in all directions
without any limits or bounds, and explore what
happens. It is just a thought experiment. From that
moment the raging conflict of concepts of myself and
Super Self, simply dropped off. I have NOT become
Super Self. I am still thinking of myself and Super Self
separately but I find “myself expanding” without any
conflict of concepts.
Another way of correctly thinking of the infinite is to
shed the notion of "inside" and "outside". A truly
infinite entity can have nothing outside (because it
extends beyond everything). So, the notions of inside
and outside, individual self and Super Self etc.,
cannot COEXIST as valid concepts at the same
time. This clarity helped me to remove my meditation
blocks.
---III---

Individual self finding super self; the paradox and its resolution

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