Who are you? and Who am I?

Introduction: 

The questions above are ones which face each one of us in our life on a daily basis. 

• Do we pause to answer this question or take an answer for granted? 
• Is our answer the truth or is it an answer given based on the situation and the person asking the question? 
• Is identity constant or ever changing? 
• Are we forever searching for home or a final destination where we truly belong? 

I will try to make a sincere attempt to answer based on experiential knowledge, scientific and Vedantic principles. 

Definition: 

If one were to define identity in a true sense of the word it would be attributes associated with a person based an answer to Who am I? and Who are You? The distinction is based on what you think of yourself and what the others who meet you think of you. Since the answer to both these questions is vague and complex I would divide this into the identity one is born with over which one cannot have any control and the identity one acquires over time based on the life one lives and experiences. In medical parlance this can be congenital or acquired. 

Identity we are born with:

The identity we are born with are related to our parentage which gives us a religious identity. Then comes the identity of gender male, female, transexual, honosexual, lesbian. Then comes the identity related to caste and economic status. Identity related to congenital developmental disorders or genetic defects. Now the fundamental question is that except gender and developmental or genetic disorders over whivh we have no control, the rest are certainly man-made labels which have become embedded in society and accepted as the norm. Man is a social creature and has a need to belong to some group in life. It is this which has led to creation of tribes, sects, movements, castes and religions. Does all this occur by random selection or is a result of some design? The answer to this is certainly not clear as if we consider us a combination of elements or matter then there is no difference at the cellular level between all creatures live dead animate and inanimate. Matter is indestructible it only changes name and form. 

Identity which is acquired: 

The acquired identity is the one we acquire over time in which we really start belonging to different groups and labels which are partly a matter of choice but more often driven by circumstances or happenstance. To simplify matters we identify with the body, mind or intellect in one sense and identify with our nature which is of three types. The inactive type called tamas, hyperactive type called Rajas and serene peaceful unactive meaning action in actionlessness which is called sattva. 

After we are born we are exposed to objects and experiences which at the body level we percieve with our sense organs like eye,ear,nose, mouth and skin and act with the organs of action hands, feet, tongue, organs of excretion and sexual organs. Most of us live a life of sensual pleasures and run after what we like and avoid what we dislike.This is the identification with the gross external elements. 

Then come the subtler internal elements At the level of the mind we identify with our emotions and feelings. Love, hate, joy, sorrow, fear, anger and jealousy. So the mind restlessly vacillates in a see saw of emotions are arising from our body mind connection. These are processed by the intellect which gives a signal to react  based our our beliefs and discrimination. We identify with the intellect and get attached to our beliefs and thoughts based on the conditioned consciousness. 

Besides all this are gross elements of nature earth, water, fire air and space progressing from gross to subtle. 

All  these are creating an Ahamkara or ego which makes us believe in "I the doer". 

The Individual consciousness is connected with the Universal Conscuiousness. 

Each one of us feel and experience separation based on our nature which is made of elements Tamas which when predominant is identifying with elements which are inert inanimate. These are lazy indolent persons who barely act and even if they do they act their actions a selfish and harmful to onsself and to society. 

The Rajasic nature is of an extroverted mind which makes one act to fulfill ones selfish desires without pause or reflection. Such people are agitated in turmoil constantly on the move and they adopt right or wrong means to get what they want. 

The last element of nature is the balanced Satvik nature which is serene tranquil peacful balanced personality. Such persons act with discrimination selflessly for the benefit of one and all.They are aware of the connection between their consciousness and the Universal Consciousness. 

Now come the identity related to the states of consciousness, namely awake, dream and deep sleep and in each state we are conscious of that particular state and believe that to be true to the exclusion of  the other two states. In case of the dream state we find it easy to understand that what appears absolutely real in the dream state disappears as soon as one wakes up, even though we can swear that what we saw in our dream was for sure real. As far as the deep sleep state is concerned also we do have a great rested sleep and get up refreshed with the sure belief that that state was real to the exclusion of the state of the awake and dream state. While as an identity we are made of elements which on the surface appear inanimate to the naked eye but actually have an enormous amount of motion even at a basic microscopic level and much more at electronmicroscopic level. All this means that as we go from gross to the subtle to the causal we progress to higher levels of consciousness. In the same manner the natural states or qualities relate to Tamas Rajas and Satva relate gross subtle and causal and a metaphor of ice gross, fire melting ice to water subtle and the production of steam being representative of the causal is appropriate. 

So after all this reasoning it is clear that what we identify with at all levels is something ephemeral temporary and therefore unreal. What is real is the permanent consciousness in the form of Sat (Knowledge of Self) Chit (Consciousness) and this leads to Ananda (permanent Bliss). 

Gandhi made this very subtle observation by sayng Truth is God as against God is truth.The Hindu relgion has 4 MahaVakyas. They convey the true meaning of identity. Again by my quoting a Hindu text I do not wish to identify with this view as a Hindu or an Indian identity but a Universal identity. 

Prajnanam Brahma

Meaning : Consciousness is Brahman - Brahman is that which is Absolute, fills all space, is complete in itself, to which there is no second, and which is continuously present in everything, from the creator down to the lowest of matter. It, being everywhere, is also in each and every individual. It therefore is the universal identity, it is permanent unchanging unlike all other identities which change over time. It is infinte and not bound by time space or form.  

Ayam Atma Brahma

Meaning : This self is Brahman - This Self is Brahman, which is the substance out of which all things are really made. That which is everywhere, is also within us, and what is within us is everywhere. This is called ‘Brahman’, because it is plenum, fills all space, expands into all existence, and is vast beyond all measure of perception or knowledge. On account of self-luminosity, non-relativity and universality, Atman and Brahman are the same.

Tat Tvam Asi

Meaning : Thou art That , You are the one - The term Tvam stands for that which is in the innermost recesses of the student or the aspirant, but which is transcendent to the intellect, mind, senses, etc., and is the real ‘I’ of the student addressed in the teaching. The union of Tat and Tvam is by the term Asi or that. The chapters of the Gita are 18 and groups of 6 of them xpound on these themes.

Aham Brahma Asmi

Meaning : I am Brahman , I am Divine - In the sentence, ‘ Aham Brahmasmi,’ or I am Brahman, the ‘I’ is that which is the One Witnessing Consciousness, standing apart form even the intellect, different from the ego-principle, and shining through every act of thinking and feeling. This dictum is the final statement of identity. 

So in conclusion the statement I am Brahman or God in common parlance seems a statement of arrogance and conceit, it is not because it the most humble statement in that when we see Brahman in oneself and Brahman in all. 

A society where identity is defined by Unuversal Consciousness is a society on the rise and progressive, whereas a society defined by narrow identities like caste, creed, religion, gender and name etc. is on the downward path. Complex as all this may sound it is quite simple and allows one to live a full life for a hundred years. The fall of the human intellect and ignorance of this true identity is the biggest proble in the world today. So I am Bhahman and so are you is the single real answer to the question Who am I? and Who are you? 

Vispi Jokhi