#atmananda

Atmananda Krishna Menon

"In every activity, there is only object and no subject. Examine any activity. There seem to be two ‘I’s, functioning simultaneously: the ego or apparent ‘I’ as the doer, and the ‘I’-principle or real ‘I’ as the knower. The former is ever-changing and the latter is never-changing. Therefore I am always the knower and never the doer. Thus there is no doer or subject, and there is only action without an actor. The real ‘I’-principle is present in all action. You believe that an actor or subject is indispensable for every action; therefore you conclude that the ‘I’-principle is acting. Really, the ‘I’-principle is not concerned with the acting at all. Thus you are no doer, enjoyer or perceiver, but only the knower. At every step, the presence of Consciousness is absolutely necessary, in all thoughts, feelings and sensations. This Consciousness is unconcerned with the object or the activity. For further corroboration, you may examine the deep sleep state. You had no thinking, feeling, or sensation in the deep sleep state. Therefore the ‘I’-principle, as pure Consciousness, alone was there. So this is true of all the three states. Therefore the ‘knower Consciousness’ should rightly be called ‘non-doer Consciousness’. Hence, if you say you are sleeping, it means you are not sleeping; and if you say you are doing, it means you are not doing."

Greg Goode, The Direct Path (2013)