To be able to see all things as equal, one has to be in a state of mind that does not differentiate between likes and dislikes that are manifested in those we are looking at. “Sages see with an equal eye, a learned and humble Brahmin, a cow, an elephant or even a dog or an outcaste,” said Krishna to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita (5.18).
A merchant goes to a wood sculptor and asks him to make an idol of Krishna in sandalwood. The sculptor requests for 15 days’ time to locate the right sandalwood to commence work. Not finding a suitable piece of wood, he goes to the merchant’s house to tell him of his inability to make the idol. The merchant is away and his wife asks him to wait. The sculptor’s eye falls on a wooden log in a corner of the room. He asks the merchant’s wife if he could take it. With her permission, he chisels out an enchanting image of Krishna. On seeing the idol the merchant praises the work; he could not believe that the wooden log which was there all the time in his house was used to make the fine idol. Then the sculptor says that all he had done was to remove the unwanted parts of the wood so that what remained was the image of Krishna. Similarly, we have to remove all irrelevant identities in us so that the Self in us shines forth.
That homogeneous mass of pure consciousness that is present in all of us is termed as Atma. It is timeless and eternal, says Krishna in the Gita. The nature of Self is SAT, CHIT and ANANDA. Pure consciousness continues to survive after the death of the body. It is immortal; hence it is called SAT. Consciousness is called CHIT in Sanskrit. It is also known as Chaitanya. It is not limited by time or space and hence is limitless, that is, Ananta. Hence it is known as ANANDA which means a sense of completeness, a sense of fulfillment.
Awareness of Sculpture in the Wood is Advaita Philosophy.
Act of Chiseling to make the Sculpture manifest is Dvaita Philosophy.
Both are correct from their point of view.
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