Supreme Be-ing Even persons who are acquainted with the historic literature on nonduality (especially English translations) are often familiar with only a few of the terms which are traditionally given in Sanskrit. Advaita, which means “not two,” would probably be at least one of those known. An important word, Samadhi, is one of the least understood. It refers generally to what we might think of as a state of consciousness, and it is characterized in basically three “stages.” The first two relate to an effortful or deliberate intent, but whose achievement remains impermanent. Savikalpa, the initial phase (also sometimes called Kevala, which Ramana Maharshi defines as “practitioner”) is when the aspirant for Self-realization has grasped the insight that “Brahman and I are the same actuality.” Howerver, in this perspective, there still remains an idea that there is an “I” and a “Brahman” which can conceivably coalesce to become a “One”; in other words, there is still a subtle sense of duality in the aspirant’s mind. Nirvikalpa is the state whereby the aspirant’s view would have enlarged to, “all is Brahman.” But this recognition is temporary, it “comes and goes.” For example, this might dominate one’s awareness when sitting in meditation, but at varying times later—“back in real life”—the unitive awareness is occluded. Beyond Nirvakalpa is Sahaja, which means “natural”— in the sense of ordinary (Buddhists would say, “nothing special” about it). Such distinctions even as “all” and “Brahman” are transcended: “Not two, not one,” as the Vedas say. Since “there is nothing from the start,” there
227
