Atma Bodha By Shankaracharya: Knowledge of the Self

Traditionally, 'Who am I' has been the central quest of Vedic texts. Knowing 'I' without any external attributes such as body, mind, age, etc. is termed as self knowledge. Or, we can say that knowing what we are and what we are not constitutes the complete answer. For example, a transparent crystal placed near a hibiscus flower appears to be red. Until we see it without the flower, we'll not know that it is transparent and not red. Similarly, if our notion about ourselves is mixed with some external attributes, which are different from us, we'll perceive our reality differently. This wrong perception will give rise to various conflicts like death, pain and anxiety. So, it looks imperative to know our fundamental reality and taste the immortal bliss within. Once we accept that there is something we need to know, we talk about the ways in which the correct understanding can be reached. We find ways to test that we have reached. And, we also want to know how this reality actually is. In this short, original and profound work, Shankaracharya has answered these questions and shared his insight about non-dual reality.