Is Consciousness Fundamental? Is There Something Subtler Than Consciousness?

Om.: I absolutely agree that the world is an activity of consciousness, but if it is so, then could there be a possibility that consciousness is made of something finner? What proves that there is no division in consciousness?

Jagjot.: If there are divisions in consciousness, they have to be discovered. Only when they are discovered, we’ll know that they exist. But you see, the discovery will happen in consciousness only. Consciousness makes the perception possible, so nothing can be known outside of it. Hence, Consciousness cannot be known objectively. Scientists call this the hard problem of consciousness.

Om.: Why can consciousness not be known as an object? What is the proof that it is fundamental?

Jagjot.: There is no proof that I know of, Om. To prove something, you have to reduce it to an object of your perception. Consciousness cannot be reduced to an object of experience because it is fundamental to perception.  Even the “one” that wants proof is also an appearance in consciousness. 

Any proof that you arrive at will be proved in your consciousness. No proof can exist outside of it – you will only know it through the senses (the inputs may come from external sources). And senses and experiences happen in consciousness only.

Om.: Got it, thanks. Can you make a video in which you describe the nature of consciousness through arguments?

Jagjot.: I have lots of articles and videos on my website where you can study this concept (non-duality) in depth. However, I never present my views as arguments but simply as concepts. I do that with an open mind that I can be wrong about everything.

I’m not a scholar, teacher, philosopher, messenger, or Guru. The need to convince someone through an argument usually does not work. The scriptures, philosophies, and Gurus have done it for years, but still, people don’t believe them. 

They say they do, but their actions portray a different picture. If they really understood the scriptures, there would be no wars. No inequality. No racial discrimination. No casteism. No violence. No conflicts in relationships. However, all of the above things happen despite the wealth of knowledge and wisdom available.

My objective in writing articles and making videos is only to share my personal experiences and not to convince anyone of the truth. I don’t claim to know the truth. I only share concepts. The truth, for each one of us, has to come through our personal understanding and verification of the concepts.

You see, I don’t need to prove anything to anybody. I just give the concept with the flexibility that you may completely reject my ideas if they don’t match your personal experience.

Every teaching is a concept. It is up to people how they interpret it. I’m quite comfortable with the fact that a majority of people will not accept my ideas. I don’t even claim that these are “my” ideas. Now, with that approach, the mind becomes flexible and less biased in the investigation of the truth.

The truth cannot be forced through arguments and blanket statements. It has to be realized in the spiritual heart and not the ego-mind-intellect. Need to be a spiritual scholar or Guru or “know-it-all” person is the rise of the spiritual ego, one of the most devastating forms of the ego.

The mind can never be satisfied with explanations, teachings, or Gurus. So, the benchmark I have for spiritual progress is this – are you at peace with yourself and others in your daily living? If not, you perhaps need to explore other options, methods, teachings, and possibilities. Go with the one that resonates with you; otherwise, you are likely to be trapped in the shackles of your thinking mind forever.