That Which Neither Changes Nor Is Unchanging
Acharya Prashant: That which remains continuously changing in time is called asat ; that which remains unchanging in time is called Sat . So, what is Sat ? Give me an example of Sat or a name for Sat ? Truth. So, the Truth is Sat because Sat is defined as that which remains unchanging in time.
No, sir. Truth is not Sat . There is a great difference between Satya and Sat , and that has to be understood.
Mūla Prakṛti is Sat . You will not find this mentioned or written at most places, so it's all the more important that you get this: Sat is Mūla Prakṛti . If you want to be even more exact, then you should say Sat is Mūla Ahamvṛtti . The fundamental ego tendency that is Sat , that does not change.
What is asat ? All the forms that the Ahamvṛtti takes keep changing- houses, trees, persons, places, planets - all these are asat . Because over the passage of time, we can see them changing. What is it that we cannot see changing over the passage of time? The Mūla Prakṛti itself - so that is Sat that doesn't change.
Brahaman or Satya is neither Sat nor asat; Truth is neither Sat nor asat; Why? It remains neither unchanging in time nor does it change over time, because it is not there in time at all. Because it is not there in time at all.
So, Satya is beyond Sat and asat . Both Sat and Asat pertain to existence; within existence, there is the changeable and within existence, there is the unchangeable.
Truth is the central point of existence; it is not within existence, it is the origin of existence, but not contained in existence. Even, to say that the Truth is permanent is a fallacy; it is not temporary or changing, temporal, but timeless.
Do you get the difference between permanence and timelessness? Permanence acknowledges time, timelessness discards time; Permanence is not able to transcend time, timelessness discards time, it transcends and goes beyond time. The Truth is not permanent, Truth is transcendental.
So, that great foundation is the entire existence consisting of its myriad mutable forms, as well as its unchanging core. What is the unchanging core of existence? It’s tendency to exist; what does existence unfailingly do? It exists; it may exist in whatever way possible, but it exists. So, that’s what remains unchanged in that Sat : it exists. It exists.
Therefore, you can’t even say that Truth exists. Truth does not even exist, or if you want to say Truth exists, then you’ll have to say Truth alone exists, then you’ll have to say that you don’t exist. But you say you exist; this desk exists, this chair exists, and wall exists, then you must say that Truth doesn’t exist. Because of the word ‘existence’ we are using it for everything within time. This mic exists, the surface exists, then you must say Truth does not exist, or if you want to say Truth exists then you must say Truth alone exists, then you say none of this exists. But if none of this exists then who are you to say all that?
Since you are there to say something about existence, therefore, you are implying at least your existence. I am the one who is talking so much about existence. So at least I do exist. And if you do exist then Truth does not.
You and Truth cannot concurrently exist. ta mein do na samāye Remember that? The two cannot exist at the same time. If you are there, then you are there, be happy with your own existence, don't drag the Truth into your universe. Your universe is just too small, it can’t accommodate the Truth.
Or if you want to talk of Truth, then first of all have the honesty to say that “I don’t exist; only the Truth does.” That is a great foundation and Truth is at the root of all existence, both Sat and asat . Both elementary and manifested. And why do we say that Truth is at the root of all existence? Because existence cannot exist on its own; existence cannot exist on its own. What you call existence is just an infinite number of dualistic pairs, all the pairs derive their sustenance from their dualistic counterparts. All the elements in the pair.
So, you can’t be there without the world. The world cannot be there without you. You remain incomplete, and the world remains incomplete. You are on a journey, and the world is on a journey. You cannot be here on your own, and the world cannot be here on its own. And this difference is the suffering of mankind. Truth is, that which bridges this distance, this useless division.
Both of you are really one, and both of you arise from a single source. That source is there when the two of you are one; therefore, the Truth is expressed as the common source of both the perceiver and the perceived. Truth is the destiny and the origin of both the perceiver and the perceived.
Why? We just said destiny and we came across the word supremely desirable, that’s why it is the destination because it is super desirable; you want to reach there.
You want to reach there, it is the greatest and highest, but it is beyond your knowledge. You cannot reach there using your knowledge, that’s the thing with the foundation. With knowledge, you can .. you will only keep backing your knowledgeable center. There is a knowledgeable center, there are things to be known around it, and the center of knowledge keeps feeding on all the things that are available to be known. The knowledgeable center has no capacity to know where it comes from and what it’s looking for; therefore, it remains in the dark about its desire. Therefore, the sage says that the Truth is the most desirable one; and at the same time, we remain in darkness about it.
We don’t even know what we want; we are extremely unsorted people, acting against our own deepest desires. You desire it deeply and love it deeply. And you act then in a way that violates, obstructs, and insults your love. Why? Because you operate from a knowledgeable center. You ascribe consciousness to the knowledgeable center, whereas the center of knowledge is not conscious at all. You see, what is information at the most basic level? Information is memory. Whenever two physical elements interact with each other, that results in memory, and that’s how our consciousness operates. It’s very material.
When you say you know something, can you know without memory? Of course, you can argue that it’s not only memory but something beyond memory in terms of intellect, analytical ability, and so much more. However, all of that builds upon memory. Consciousness is a very materialistic play; there is no need to even call it conscious. Consciousness, as we talk of it and experience it, is hardly conscious.
Once you see that, you stop giving undue respect to your consciousness, you come to the foundation. That’s where your deepest desire is met. When your deepest desire is to go beyond the material, how will it be fulfilled in the material? When your deepest desire is to go into a unity, how will it be fulfilled through a process of division?
Attention involves knowing your desire. The more you know your desire, the more you see there is very little of you in the desire. It is not your desire at all; it is just an inner uprising, something swells up; like the flow of a stream, like a high tide.
When you have seen where your desires come from, you are very close to fulfilling your real desire. Your real desire is not attainment; it is liberation. That desire to be liberated unfortunately, it expresses itself as the desire for a thousand things.
It’s catastrophic; the fundamental desire is for liberation from things, whereas the expression is in the form of attraction or aversion towards things. If you go close to it and investigate, it becomes clear that is not the thing that you want; it’s just that the thing has falsely promised you liberation from all things, including itself. Is that thing really honest in its promise? Is that thing even capable of carrying out its promise? If not then it is unworthy of your desire.
