Purusha: The Self which abides in the heart of all things.
Prakriti: Original, uncaused cause of phenomenal existence.
The Three Gunas (aspects of cosmic energy):
1.) Sattva or Sattwa: Light, purity, being, existence.
2.) Rajas: Passion, restlessness.
3.) Tamas: Ignorance, darkness.
The Five Elements:
1.) Aakash (Space/Ether): is the space which the protons and neutrons occupy as well as the space in which the electrons revolve.
2.) Vayu (Air): represents the force of movement of the electrons around the nucleus.
3.) Agni (Fire): represents the latent energy in an atom as well as the released energy when an atom is broken down.
4.) Jala (Water): gives the force of cohesion that allow the protons, neutrons and electrons to remain attracted towards each other.
5.) Prithvi (Earth): contributes the solid portion of the atom (i.e. the electrons, protons, and neutrons)
The emergence of this beingness itself constitutes time. Everything is beingness, but I, the Absolute, am not that. In meditation, there was space, when suddenly two forms appeared out of no-form, Prakriti and Purusha, and the quintessence of these forms was the knowledge “I Am”. There were no forms, then suddenly forms appeared, just as in the dream world. You as a dreamer are sleeping on the bed, but in your dream world you see a body and you think it is you, and you are doing everything through this dream body. In that same way, bodies are created in the so-called waking state. The Prakriti and Purusha state has no form and is eternal, having neither a beginning nor an end. But from it come the five elements, and with them, simultaneously, the body is formed at the moment that time is first experienced. This process is ever continuing, with the body-form merely indicative of the opportunity to experience time. This explanation will not reach home to everyone. At the moment of so-called death, with what identity would you like to depart?
This consciousness and “I Amness” are due to what? What is the basic material necessary for that to sprout? It is the five elements, three gunas, and prakriti-purusha. All those result in this space “I Am”. What do you have except memory? The memory is the result of the five elements and three gunas, the eight-aspects. So when that basic material is available, only then is memory there-memory of anything, and finally, most important, the memory that you are. Presently, the feeling that you are is also a memory. To sustain that memory of “I Am”, all these raw materials are necessary. You are not that “I Am”. You are, as the Absolute, prior to this “I Am”. This “I Amness” is the product of these raw materials, but you, as Absolute, are not that. At the most you might say “I Am”, but what is this “I Am”? “I” is merely a word. In the first instance, there are words and then there is merely a memory. Memory you are not. Who has been able to retain his memory as “I Am”? Once all that raw material has gone, where is that memory “I Am”? Your most essential step is to stand firmly on your identity as the dynamic, manifest consciousness principle. You stabilize only here. This is your first step. There is nothing else but the knowledge that you are, just be that. Nothing more, nothing less. One cannot see rays of light, as such, they reflect only when they encouter another object. Similarly, “I Amness” is the interruption because of these five elements and three gunas. That is why the feeling “I Am” is felt; but without the feeling of “I Am”, still you are. Light itself emanates from the sun. Everything is stored, the five elements are there; therefore, it is reflecting as the sun. Brightness is seen as the sun because something is there; if something were not there, the rays of light would be spread all over and become invisible as a source of light. Mahakash is the infinite space. The infinite space is dark. It is as dark as when you close your eyes. In that physical space all the universe arises and sets and is destroyed. Finally, what is the result of all the experiences that are going on in the play of consciousness? They are just gone, ending up in pure space. The whole world is in an ever-changing state. No form will remain permanently. Finally all the forms will vanish in space and become formless. I am talking directly from my own experience, not from any books. Millions of people, animals and other beings have come and gone. But the sum total of the universe—has it become more or less? It remains unchanged, has They have never become less. They are always there. With all these millions of forms in the world, can “my” image be left permanently? Presently you have only the feeling of “I Amness” and because of that feeling the whole world is manifested. Once the millions of people have gone, what traces are left of them? Let us forget spirituality for the time being. Among all of my experiences, I had occasions for joy, happiness and miseries. What part of the miseries or happiness still remains. One who has transcended the consciousness, or one who has seen the end of this, for such a one, where is there the question of any gain or loss? I know full well that this knowingness will not remain. I abide in that no-knowing state. So, this being the case, where is the question of one’s engaging in activity? With such a spiritual orientation, can one be affected by worldly or family life?
How did I get to the truth that I prevail everlastingly? By meditating on the meditator, by “I Amness” merging into “I Airiness”. Only then did I understand what my true nature is. The great Sages meditated in the same way. Nobody had told me how to do it. I did not seek this knowledge externally. It sprouted within me. I meditated like the Sages and saw a vision. Initially, there was space, and in the space I saw the principles embodied. Actually, they have no bodies, but in my vision they had bodies. I called them Prakriti and Purusha, the male and female aspects of cosmic consciousness. Until the union of Prakriti and Purusha, the dynamic, all-pervading consciousness lay in a dormant state. In the union of the male and female aspects, emissions were planted in the female of these figures. When these emissions merged in the womb they started taking form. After nine months of gestation, an infant was delivered. That consciousness which was planted in the womb was the causal body, the “lingadeha”. In that “lingadeha”, the knowledge “I Am” was in a dormant condition. This is what I saw in meditation.
~Nisargadatta
