The self is fullness of consciousness.

 

Sri Ramana Maharishi Says:- The self is fullness of consciousness. Therefore, there is nothing apart from it. Ramana would humorously say that if god were to be separate he would be self-less. As for Sadguru his individuality is dead. It is merged in the self like waves in the sea. so, he is the Self. The guru and god are not different for their essential nature as unlimited consciousness is the same.( Page-8 – Practical Guide To Know Yourself).

Anyone puts their hand in fire it is the universal experience that,  the nature of the fire is hot, and that even if a man says it is cold, the fact of heat remains. Same way the one who is aware of the three states in waking is aware of the awareness of the three states.

The "three states" is the totality of man's experience, which gives one the dual and non dual experiences. Waking experience is converted into idea. People do not want to go deeper.  They do not want to know what an idea is. Where has the deep sleep gone? It disappears as consciousness when waking takes place.  The whole experience of diversity (waking experience0 disappears as consciousness. That is the point. That consciousness is what the seeker of truth has to get at.

v  What is experience?

 It implies a second thing, i.e. duality. Unless one rise to a unity, he has no peace.

v  Why does man have wants, peace?

Because, he has sense of duality.

 Absence of experience, then whole experience of duality is converted into feeling of non-duality. When one knows that all the three states is merged into the formless soul or consciousness , the innermost self, and then there is noting to experience because there is no second thing other then consciousness.  

Consciousness creates and in which the creator is dissolved. "Awareness is self”. The three states are dissolved in Consciousness. The waking or dream is a mirage; the waking or dream gets merged in consciousness in deep  sleep.

The whole waking or dream is merged in consciousness in sleep, and then one gets the same position as soul , the innermost self unconsciously in deep sleep.  But consciously becoming aware of the consciousness in the midst of the duality  (waking experience) through wisdom  is Self-Awareness.