Self (Atman) is Beyond the Witness
INQUIRER: Is there a stage beyond the witness?
RESPONSE:
If by “witness” you mean the individual person, or the ego (ahamkara), then yes, there is something beyond — which is your true nature.
If by witness you mean Awareness in whose presence every experience, sensation, thought and emotion is revealed, then no — that is your true nature. In this case, the witness in Sanskrit is referred as “sakshi“, which does not refer to the ego (ahamkara) as most seekers in individual world unfortunately mistake for the final reality (Brahman). Their language is “Whose observing the thoughts?”. The answer is always ego. Then they'll take the ego to be the final sakshi (witness), mistaking that for liberation.
INQUIRER: Would this also be called “I AM”?
RESPONSE: “I AM” refers to existence-consciousness-limitlessness (sat-chit-ananda). This is what you are.
INQUIRER: Here I’m referring to that which witnesses all the coming and goings of changes, without interference. I believe this would be called reflected-awareness [pratibimba caitanya / cidabhasa], or ego in short. The only stage I could think of that would be next is just knowing you are THAT always. Although there is a shifting going on throughout the day from the witness perspective and the person.
RESPONSE: The body-mind-sense mechanism (the apparent person) is reflected awareness or ego. The “next” step beyond is the self, or awareness.
INQUIRER: Also, I’m aware that “original” awareness is always present, permeates everything, is the background (like a screen) of all there is, and is called the Witness [sakshi]. I know my thoughts, knowledge and ignorance depends upon awareness, but awareness doesn't depend on them.
RESPONSE: Correct.
INQUIRER: So, I would say that the “witness” or “I AM” associated with this body-mind complex, is as far as one can go, in the sense that I can recognize that I am always present prior, during and after a change has occurred.
RESPONSE: The “I” that is always present is pure awareness, or limitless conscious existence, which is indicated in Sanskrit by the word “Brahman.” While the apparent person you appear to be is a modification within Brahman that makes you appear to be a limited individual. But you are never limited.
INQUIRER: I was misunderstanding “reflected awareness.” Is awareness (atman) just our ordinary everyday awareness?
RESPONSE: Yes, awareness (atman) is the ordinary awareness by which you are conscious right now.
INQUIRER: So when the mind recognizes awareness – that's just a reflection of the original awareness, right? Because the mind is inert and can't actually grasp awareness directly?
RESPONSE: Yes, the mind being inert can only reflect awareness, it cannot grasp it.
INQUIRER: And when I know myself AS awareness – that's pure awareness, the Self. All these terms people use like “I am” and “witness” – they're all just pointing to the Self (atman), unless they're talking about the person (jiva), correct?
RESPONSE: Yes, that's correct. All these terms point to the same reality – your true nature.
