Preliminary note: This is a summary of the book: What is really reality?

1. There is only one reality and there is nothing apart from it

In order to demonstrate that there is a single non-dual reality, it is necessary first to agree on a definition of "reality". Reality is defined in this context as what actually exists, in contrast to what only appears to exist (illusion). This reality must be fundamental and cannot be the product of something else.

For this demonstration, use is made of the certainty that reality must be fundamental and, therefore, everything that exists, or seems to exist, must be reduced to it:

1. Assume that there are two realities
2. If both realities exist, it means that the common factor in both is existence. That is, both realities can be reduced to a common factor, which is existence itself. Even if both realities are different, those differences exist and therefore can also be reduced to existence.
3. Since everything is reduced to existence and existence is unique, since nothing exists apart from existence, two realities cannot exist.
4. Existence is reality and reality is existence.

In this way it is shown that reality is existence and reality is one or unique. Moreover, it should be noted that existence, also called "The Being" does not have an opposite, because such a thing as non-existence (Nothingness or Non-Being) does not really exist and cannot be taken into account. Everything that is known has an opposite, for example, light has an opposite, which is darkness, but existence is the only thing that does not have something to be contrasted with. Thus, existence is non-dual.

2. All the diversity of things and beings is nothing but illusion

By recognizing that only existence is what truly exists, one must also admit that all the multiplicity of objects and beings is only apparent and illusory.

Furthermore, if the reality or existence is unique, that implies that:

1. Existence has no limit, because for something to have a limit, it must be limited by something other than itself, but since there is nothing other than existence, it follows that existence is unlimited.
2. It is self-existent or exists by itself, unconditionally, without depending on anything.
3. It does not have a beginning and no cause could have given rise to it. Therefore, it is uncreated and uncaused.
4. It is eternal, ever existing, without end.
5. It is immutable because it cannot be transformed into something other than itself.
6. It is complete, because nothing can be missing.
7. It is indivisible and is not composed of parts, being a homogeneous whole.

That is, by recognizing existence as the only non-dual reality, it is necessarily implied that reality is: unlimited, unconditional, uncaused, without beginning nor end, eternal, immutable, complete, indivisible, independent, continuous, absolute.

Only reality meets these criteria and everything that does not meet them cannot be called reality. That is to say, everything that is limited, what has a beginning or an end, what is conditioned, what depends on something else, what is changeable, what is divisible or composed, is necessarily unreal or illusory. That is, duality or multiplicity is illusory.

It can be said that if something has an opposite, that something is necessarily illusory. For example, if we say that a star exists but at the same time we know that there are other things that are not a star, such a star and everything that is not such a star are illusions.

Only existence does not have something to be contrasted with, since non-existence does not exist. This implies that everything of which we are aware, be it the world, the body, thoughts, feelings, and everything that is known by the mind, is necessarily illusory.

What is real then?

3. The fundamental reality is Consciousness

So far we have seen that there is only one reality, that this reality is existence itself and that everything else is nothing more than illusion or appearance.

To discover what this "existence" is, it is necessary to note that we have two apparently antagonistic concepts. On the one hand, we have reality, which is what really exists, and on the other, we have the illusion that only seems to exist but does not really exist. Since reality is the only thing that exists, illusion must appear solely because of reality, since there can be no other cause. That is to say, it is reality that gives illusion apparent existence.

It should also be noted that all illusion appears only in the mind and is produced only by the mind. Therefore, the mind is the foundation of the illusion, that is, the mind is the condition without which the illusion could not seem to exist. This suggests that reality is the mind or something more fundamental than the mind. Is there something more fundamental than the mind?

What is called mind is the set of all impressions or experiences, whether in the form of perceptions, thoughts, imaginations, memories, feelings, emotions, etc. What is the origin of all these impressions or what is the condition without which none of them could take place? The foundation of the mind is consciousness, since without consciousness none of this could appear or be experienced.

If consciousness is the ground of mind, what is the ground of consciousness? Consciousness has no foundation apart from itself. How to test this? Consciousness can be assumed to have a non-conscious foundation. If such a foundation has given rise to consciousness, then that foundation must be conscious, for nothing can be created without consciousness. This leads to the absurd, therefore, there is nothing more fundamental than consciousness, that is, consciousness is based on itself and exists by itself.

If consciousness is self-grounded and exists by itself, then it follows that consciousness is existence and existence is consciousness.

Consciousness is the single non-dual and fundamental reality.

4. Illusion is reduced to Consciousness

As we have said, the illusion does not exist by itself but is sustained by reality, which is existence-consciousness. Consciousness is the origin, substance, appearance and perception of illusion. The illusion is therefore reduced to the only thing that truly exists, which is consciousness. Illusion is not and cannot be anything other than consciousness. This is so both for things that are mental, such as thoughts and feelings, as well as those of the physical world, such as matter, energy, time, space, etc. For example, a tree is not a tree as such, because a tree does not exist by itself; it is only consciousness, appearing in the form of a tree; even the appearence (illusion) is only made of, made by and appears in consciousness.

Everything that exists, or appears to exist, is made of nothing but consciousness. Furthermore, everything appears in consciousness and there is nothing outside of consciousness. Although there seems to be a world outside of consciousness, in reality there is not. Since there is nothing apart from consciousness, everything is reduced to consciousness. That is to say, the world that we observe “outside” of us is not different from what is “inside”. For consciousness does not apply such categories as inside or outside, because it is the only "thing" that exists.

Ultimately, all illusion does not originate from anything other than consciousness. Consciousness is the only primary cause of illusion. That is, everything that is experienced, including thoughts, sensations, the body, the universe, etc., all of this originates from the only possible cause, the uncaused cause, which is consciousness.

To illustrate this, the case of dreams can be studied. In a dream, there are mainly two things: 1) a dream world and 2) a subject of observation. The dream world includes all things, such as objects, people, and events, that are perceived outside of the observing subject. The observing subject perceives the dream world as something outside of himself and also perceives everything that appears in his mind as sensations, thoughts, emotions, etc. However, both the dream world and the subject of observation originate from the same mind of the dreamer. That is, everything that appears in the dream, both the world and the subject, originate from the mind, appear in the mind, and are made solely of mind. As consciousness is the foundation of mind, the same is true for consciousness. Namely, a single consciousness creates a world and a subject, with the multiplicity of things and experiences. In the same way, all this experience of a physical world, bodies and beings, which we call as a whole "reality" is in nature similar to that of a dream. The reality of the dream is only consciousness and the reality of what we call the "real world" is also consciousness.

That is, the illusion is actually the only Consciousness manifesting itself in multiple forms and multiple experiences. Multiplicity is illusion and multiplicity is reduced to unity, which is existence-consciousness.

5. The real "I" is Consciousness

Having discovered that the only reality is Consciousness and taking into account that I have the absolute certainty of Being or Existing, as a self-evident fact that needs no proof, it is necessary to conclude that what I truly am is Consciousness itself. That is, the true identity of the Self is Consciousness and nothing else. The Being that I Am is existence itself: consciousness.

Furthermore, the true identity of all beings apparently separate and distinct from one another is none other than the one all-encompassing Consciousness. That is to say, there are not multiple beings or multiple consciousnesses, but the only consciousness, the only being, manifested as multiple beings. The apparent differences and apparent separation between beings are nothing more than illusory. All beings are actually the same being, the same consciousness.

This implies that the true Being that I Am is unique, unlimited, immutable, imperishable, uncaused, without beginning or end, independent, unconditioned, indivisible, complete, without lack. My true identity is the same as that of all beings and all things. There is nothing separate or different from the Being that I Am. Being is everything and everything is Being. I am that.

If this is true with certainty, necessarily the habitual concept that we have of ourselves is wrong and false. That is, we believe we are something or someone that we really are not. The notion of being a limited individual, different from other beings and different from the world, is wrong and must be discarded. Taking oneself as a limited being is a mistaken identification, since it identifies the Self with something that is illusory.

It is normal to believe that the following story is true: "I am a limited individual, who is born and dies, who is always changing, who is not complete by himself, who has needs, who depends on other things, who has a history, that I am influenced by my environment, that I must protect myself and my loved ones, that I must seek happiness”. But this story lacks reality because it only speaks of the illusory. Recognizing yourself as the only reality, existence itself, consciousness itself, is the right thing to do, even though the senses and the mind strongly suggest otherwise.

It is only because of the limitation of the mind, which is covered with forgetfulness, that the limitless nature of being cannot be seen. The mind is limited in terms of what it can know or experience, however, consciousness, which is the sustenance of the mind, is always the same regardless of whether its knowledge is limited, since all knowledge or experience is essentially consciousness.

Recognizing consciousness as the only Self, is recognizing the truth and undoing the error of the mind that identifies with a personal and limited Self.

6. The inherent nature of reality is happiness

Since there is nothing apart from the Self, the Self is complete, with nothing missing, nothing in excess, nothing contrary to it, nothing wrong in itself, nothing needed. Being complete unconditionally, the Self is always self-satisfied. This is the inherent happiness of Being, the bliss of existence.

This happiness is always present, since it is the very nature of the Self. This is true happiness, unconditional happiness. It does not depend on anything, since it is proper to existence itself and existence cannot stop being. Neither can this happiness be achieved because it is already present now, without fail. It is only covered in oblivion by the mind that loses sight of his true identity. Misidentifying with a limited, personal Self, the mind is doomed to feeling limitation, need, lack, fear, desire, and restlessness. That is, by taking yourself as a limited individual, suffering is inevitable. The dissolution of suffering in the bliss of existence is through the recognition of the Self as existence itself, the pure impersonal consciousness.

Having the total certainty that the Self that I Am is the only existence and that there is nothing apart from it, the ever-present peace is discovered in which there is nothing to gain and nothing to lose. Absorbing the sense of Self in pure impersonal and limitless existence-awareness, all sense of lack and restlessness dissolves, revealing the inherent happiness of self-existent Being.

Before this body is, I am. Before the entire universe is, I Am. I am what exists independently of the body, the universe and all experiences. I am the background or foundation on which all things appear and disappear. This being so, what could I lack?, what could complete me?, what could harm me?, what could be the cause of suffering?

Not only the Self that I Am is the foundation of everything, but it IS everything. There is nothing that this Self that I Am is not. What is fortune and misfortune but the Consciousness that I Am? What is joy and misery but the bliss that I Am? What is birth and death if not the Existence that I Am? Everything dissolves in the essence and the essence is I. What are pleasure and pain, anger and calm, stillness and conflict but different names for the same existence, the true identity of all, true happiness?

Everything is Me, nothing is separate. This is the sweetness of unity.

7. Therefore: You are Reality, Consciousness and Happiness itself

You are the only reality and there is nothing apart from you.

You are existence itself, the only thing that truly exists.

You are that which exists by itself and cannot cease to exist.

You are the only true Self, the impersonal pure consciousness.

You are the reality in which all illusion dissolves like ice in the ocean.

You are the truth itself.

You are that which nothing can affect.

You are the peace that nothing can disturb.

You are the treasure that no one can steal.

You are the total opening that no one can close.

You are the fullness from which nothing can be taken away.

You are the yes to everything.

You are the yes in everything.

You are the intelligence that does not discriminate.

You are the love that integrates everything in itself.

You are the bliss of existence.

You are unconditional bliss.

You are always free.

You are the happiness you seek.

You are the happiness you strive for.

You are happiness ever present.

You are complete and without fault.

You are what you love the most.

You are the being in everything.

You are the only reality.

It all comes down to you.

Acknowledge this.

Live this.