The essence
of Advaita Vedanta
by Swami Chitananda
So, the heart of Vedanta is your divinity, that you are unborn,
imperishable, all-perfect. You are of the nature of existence, consciousness, bliss absolute — Sat-Chit-Ananda Atman (Awareness or Pure Consciousness).
You exist, therefore you are sat.
And your existence is not a dull, insentient existence, an unconscious, inert existence.
You are filled with a luminous awareness, an effulgent awareness of your own
existence, of your own being.
You know that you are. You are conscious that “I am.” Therefore you are
chit.
You are not what is seen as the outer person. That is only nama and rupa—name
and form. Within this name and form, which is the apparent man, which is the
false man, which is the temporary, ever-changing mask which passes away—behind,
beyond and hidden in this name and form, you exist as a radiant centre of
luminous consciousness.
And in that pure state, you are totally free from all imperfect
experiences that pertain to this physical and psychological consciousness,
totally free—no anxiety, no pain, no suffering, no worry, no bondage, no grief,
no delusion, no fear.
You are in a state of serene,
unbroken, continuous, perennial joy, a peaceful, calm bliss that is your essential
nature, your ananda svarupa atma (blissful essential self).
Sat-chit-ananda—existence, consciousness and bliss, that is your true
being. Realise this and be free. Attain this knowledge and become free. This is
Vedanta.
The essence of Vedanta is your divinity, and the practice of Vedanta is
to be constantly aware of your Divinity—Atmachintan.
