The Secret Doctrine of Goddess Lalita
(Sri LalitaAṣṭottara Rahasyārthamu)
30. nirmamā 31. nirahaṅkārā
She who has no self interest in anything.
She who is without egoism; She who is without the concept of “me” and “mine.”
When the world no longer appears differentiated, the notions of “I” and “mine” disappear. Since names and forms dissolve in ātmā, there is nothing remaining to claim as “mine.” When there is nothing left to be attached to, there is no scope for a “me,” the separate self to arise. When ātmā reigns supreme everywhere, there is no scope for thieves like “I” and “mine” to enter.
Before the rise of Self-Knowledge, the jīva thinks it is a finite self, limited to the body-mind. It perceives an external world and calls it “mine.” Now, after attaining the knowledge of the Self, the body-mind and the external world transform into ātmā. There is no separate entity “I” left to be attached to and to claim anything as “mine.” Only when there is a cause, there is an effect. When there is no cause, there is no effect. Similarly, when there are no body and world to get attached to, there is no sense of “I” and “mine.”
A question arises at this point. Even after everything transforms into the Self (ātmā), won’t the seeker consider the Self as “me” and the world as “my śakti?” In that case, is it possible for the notions of “I” and “mine” to be completely annihilated? This is a valid question. When everything is experienced as ātmā, even if the notions of me and mine continue, there is no problem because they are both experienced as Pure Consciousness. The Self is experienced as Pure Consciousness and not as a body-mind organism. Similarly, since the world is also experienced as Consciousness (śakti) even though it appears as “mine,” there will be no attachment. śakti is not different from śiva (Self). Hence, when everything is being experienced as Pure Consciousness, if śiva and śakti manifest as “I” and “mine,” it is only joy. This is the essence of these two nāma-s. The prefix “nir” can be interpreted either as total absence or complete presence.