Self-realization is knowing our true nature as it is, without being contaminated nor conditioned by all the qualities of names and forms...

There are contradictions or confusions about whether there is "something" to be realized or there is nothing to be "realized" in the spiritual path towards self-realization...

There is, and there's not...

When "we" are deluded by ignorance in our mind and are identifying with the impermanent qualities of names and forms of this body and this mind, then "we" need to "realize" who "we" really are...

When the mind is free from ignorance, and "we" are not being determined by all the qualities of names and forms of this body and this mind, then there is nothing to be "realized"... We are what we are... We are not something else that we are not... We are not becoming, or turning, or changing into something else that we are not...

The space is always the same space, colourless... Whether there are some colourful substances spread into the space and make the space appears to be colourful, or when all the colourful substances are abstracted and what left is just the colourless space... But it is still the same space... Never increase nor decrease... Never became colourful nor colourless... It never changed, even though from the appearance it changes colour depending on what type of colours fills up the space at that moment...

The space is always the same space, odourless... Whether there are different fragrances or smells exist in the space, and through the sense of smell we smell different types of fragrances or smells in the space, but the space itself has no fragrances or smells, it does not smell of any fragrances or smells... It will not be contaminated, nor conditioned, nor changed into something else by whatever types of odour that passing by...

The only "hindrance" that "hinders" us from knowing our true nature is ignorance...

When ignorance presents in the mind, "we" think "we" are the mind, "we" think "we" are the body... "We" think "we" are the one who is doing the thinking, feeling, sensing, recognizing, analyzing, asserting, choosing, deciding, like and dislike, want and don't want, believing and disbelieving, agreeing and disagreeing, happy and suffering... "We" think "we" are the one who is the doer of the actions and inactions that comes from the body and the mind... "We" think "we" are the one who is enjoying the fruit of all the actions and inactions... We are ignorant of our true nature which is not contaminated nor determined by all the actions and inactions of this body and this mind...

When the mind is absent of ignorance, all the qualities of names and forms including the impermanent conditions of this body and this mind, they are just being what they are... They are not something "good". They are not something "bad"... They are not something "positive". They are not something "negative"... They are not something "happy". They are not something "suffering"...

And thus, if "someone" who is still being conditioned and affected by all the qualities of names and forms that are being perceived in the mind through the body and the function of the senses, and is identifying with the actions and inactions of the body and the mind, and is associating with all the reactions of the body and mind towards what they perceive or come in contact with, and is experiencing happiness and unhappiness in all these experiences that arising and passing away from moment to moment, then this being needs to "realize" his or her true nature, of who he or she really is... And be free. Free from restlessness that derives from being ignorant of not knowing who we really are... That's all.

Om shanti.