Science has been searching for the basic building blocks of the universe for hundreds of years in an attempt to explain everything observable in the material universe. As part of particle physics, it has been trying to identify the most fundamental or elementary particles that cannot be divided into smaller, simpler particles. The earliest significant discovery came in 1803 and it was prematurely named atom, which means uncuttable or indivisible. But as the capability of instruments increased, the indivisible got divided and more fundamental particles got discovered. The tally currently stands at 29 particles, classified at a high level as 24 fermions i.e. 12 matter particles and corresponding antimatter particles, and 5 bosons or force particles. This won’t be the final list though as the constituents of these particles will be identified in future once the instruments become even more sophisticated. Since there are many phenomena observed in the universe that are still inexplicable by these particles, the search is far from over. These unexplained phenomena are not just rare exceptions but constitute almost 95% of the universe in the form of dark matter and dark energy. Even for the 5% of the universe that the current particle model tries to explain, it still cannot explain gravity which is one of the most observable phenomena across the universe. Various alternate theories, such as string theory, have been proposed in an attempt to address these deficiencies and more. But even these theories are trying to identify, in one form or the other, the most fundamental building blocks i.e. tiny entities not made of smaller constituents or parts. Even though there is a simple reason why such finite partless entities cannot exist, science has overlooked it and is stuck in this futile unending quest. Let’s understand why it is impossible for such entities to exist.
Any entity which is finite, no matter how big or small, is bound to have a particular shape or form, irrespective of how nondescript that might be. This is because a finite entity always has a limit or a boundary that determines its finitude, and boundaries give rise to a form. And since anything with a form has different sides to it, it can come in contact with another entity from one side while its other sides remain untouched. Moreover, with a suitable instrument, an entity with a form can be observed from one side while its other sides remain unobserved, which means that only those particles or waves that are reflected or emitted by a part of the entity that is facing one side reach the observer. Therefore, since it is possible to contact or observe only one side or only a part of such an entity, it has to be made of parts and cannot be partless, otherwise how would it be possible to contact or observe only a part of it if it does not have any parts. So, finite entities, irrespective of their shape or size, have to be made of parts, and any part of such an entity must itself be finite and have a form and hence be made of smaller parts, which themselves must be made of even smaller parts and so on ad infinitum, making it impossible to come across any fundamental building block that is finite and also partless, no matter how small it might be. In fact, since it is not possible for such an endless depth of smaller and smaller entities to actually exist, no finite entity of any shape or size can really exist. But the universe seems to be full of finite entities with all sorts of shapes and sizes, so how to explain that?
It is important to understand that what meets the eye is not always the truth and sometimes requires a deeper investigation, like in this case. It is safe to say that since the universe is being experienced, something definitely exists because if absolutely nothing existed then the experience of a universe would not have been possible at all. So, if something exists and if it cannot be finite, the only other possibility is that it has to be infinite and that too in every possible dimension. Because if it is limited even in one dimension, it will have a boundary and a form, thereby encountering the same problem as described previously for finite entities with form. Moreover, the infinite entity has to be partless, because if it has parts and even if the parts are themselves infinite (as finite entities cannot exist), they will still have to be limited in at least one dimension in order to accommodate the other parts, thereby encountering the same problem of having a boundary and a form. And, if the entity is partless and infinite in every possible dimension, only one such entity can actually exist as there is no room for any other entity to exist. Hence, an infinite partless formless entity has to be the one and only nondual reality that actually exists, and a universe that seems to be full of finite entities must only be a false appearance within this infinite partless nondual reality.
It is important to note that the nondual reality is not something like energy that science talks about. That energy is not partless, as parts of it can be converted into mass or other forms of energy while the rest of it remains as is. Moreover, that energy is insentient and there is no possibility of a conscious experience within an insentient entity, whereas it is undeniable that we have a conscious experience of a universe. This is only possible if sentiency or consciousness is inherent in the nondual reality, because consciousness cannot be added to it from outside as there is nothing outside the infinite nondual reality. And it is this infinite consciousness that knows itself as a false universe. It only appears as a false universe and does not transform to become the universe because it is changeless, as change can either be induced externally by something else from outside, or induced internally by one part on another, neither of which are possible in the case of infinite partless nondual reality.
An immediate corollary to this is that we are also none other than the infinite nondual consciousness. We only take ourselves to be a living being because when consciousness knows itself, it basically knows itself as a false mind in which there is an appearance of a false body that is somewhat controllable by the mind, and a false world. It is very much like a virtual reality simulation or a dream in which we take ourselves to be a particular being living in the dream experiencing a dream world that seems to be separate from us. We take it to be real while we are in the dream but after waking up we know that it was all a false appearance within us. Similarly, we take the universe that we experience in the waking state and the living being we take ourselves to be as real but after awakening to our real nature, we realize that it is all just a false appearance within the real us, the infinite nondual consciousness. It is very hard to believe as this dream-like virtual reality appearing within the infinite reality is itself infinitely intricate with a lot of apparent systematism and structure that we keep discovering which makes it appear very real and keeps us engaged in endless pursuits.
This is not a farfetched theory. It is a well-established fact that has been known for thousands of years. The ultimate reality of the universe has been revealed and thoroughly expounded as infinite nondual consciousness in the most ancient scriptures called Upanishads and many more subsequent scriptures on the basis of logic, reasoning and experience. This reality is referred to as Brahman (which means the Vast) and is known to be identical with Atman (which means our real Self). Countless sages and saints from various traditions have realized and attested this truth through the centuries and millennia and continue to do so even now.
Spirituality and philosophy have known for thousands of years what science can only hope to discover. But science has not been able to get to it so far and it doesn’t even seem likely that it will ever be able to, because science relies on observing something directly as an object whereas the infinite partless reality can not be known directly as an object either entirely (because it is infinite and anything that can be known entirely has to be finite) or partly (because it doesn’t have parts). In fact, even the infinite consciousness cannot know itself directly as an object and that is why it knows itself as a false universe because if it cannot know itself as a real finite object, it ends up knowing itself as fake finite objects. Since there are infinite possibilities of the type of fake finite things that the infinite can be known as, every possible imaginable and unimaginable fake finite thing is known.
Now that doesn’t mean infinite consciousness cannot be known directly at all though. It can be known directly but only as the knower i.e. the one which is knowing. At this very moment, irrespective of what you are knowing, be rest assured that you are the infinite consciousness only that is knowing itself as whatever it is that you are knowing. Just to repeat as it is very important to get this: at this very moment… irrespective of what you are knowing, which should basically be a set of things you are seeing, hearing, sensing, thinking, etc… you are the infinite consciousness that is knowing itself as whatever it is that you are knowing, all of it — the mind, the body, the world, everything — it is all you and you alone being known by yourself in so many different ways. This is exactly how you know yourself… directly, naturally, effortlessly.
This is not something you just learn and understand intellectually. That is the first step but then you need to assimilate this truth and live life accordingly as this truth is about you and your ultimate reality. This is your real nature so every thought, word and action of yours should be based on this truth, just like it is currently based on the wrong notion that you are a finite individual. This truth has to be assimilated so deeply that this wrong notion is completely replaced with the right fact that you are the infinite nondual consciousness and there is nothing else apart from you. This Self-realization is accompanied with immense unshakeable bliss as it dissolves all problems of life born out of the wrong identification with a limited individual and its conflicts with other things that it assumed to be separate from itself.
A few questions might arise like isn’t it the mind or the brain that produces consciousness which enables it to know other things? And don’t different brains know different things? You can find answers to these questions and more in the video titled “It is Impossible for the Brain to Know or Experience anything. Consciousness cannot be a product of the Brain.”.