The Advaita and I‑Sense
By Ram Murti Sharma
Summary
This essay explores the notion of “I‑sense” (ahaṃkāra) in the context of Advaita Vedānta. Ram Murti Sharma begins by distinguishing the empirical sense of individuality from the pure “I” (ātman) and the egoic faculty (ahaṃkāra) that appropriates experiences. He poses four questions: what is the state of I‑sense and how does it differ from selfhood and ego; in what sense is it a “sense”; where does it reside – in the Self, the not‑self, or the internal organ; and what force underlies its functioning. Drawing on texts such as the Pañcadaśī and the Vivekacūḍāmaṇi, the author argues that the I‑sense arises as a vṛtti (modification) of the antaḥkaraṇa (mind–intellect complex) due to ignorance. Unlike the external senses, ahaṃkāra does not perceive objects but mistakenly superimposes agency and ownership onto the witness consciousness. The essay shows how Advaitins interpret statements like “I do not see” and “I do not know” to demonstrate that ignorance belongs to the mind and cannot taint the pure Self. Sharma also considers objections from other schools and clarifies why the I‑sense is dissolved in deep sleep and samādhi. By analysing linguistic usage and introspective evidence, the article elucidates why Advaita denies the reality of a separate “I‑sense” and instead treats it as an adventitious covering over the Atman.
Conclusion
The article concludes that what we commonly call the “I‑sense” is neither a substantive sense organ nor an enduring self but a transient mental modification born of ignorance. For the Advaitin, liberation involves recognising the I‑sense as a false attribution and resting in the witnessing consciousness that is ever free. Once ignorance is dispelled through knowledge, the sense of individuality collapses and the true Self shines.