Reality 09

Aside from Sense–Perception, other activities of Mind could be considered to be Conception.  In Sri Shankara's Bhashya to the Karika composed by his Param–Guru, Gaudapada on the Mandukya Upanishad, the great Sage Shankara expands on a reference to "4 quarters", as comparable to an analogy based on an ancient Indian coin, one with 4 sectors,  each of a different metal. 

In ancient days when coins were hammered together in small numbers, a copper Penny could perhaps be the basis for a Nickel 5 cent piece by adding 4 cents worth of nickel metal around the original Penny.  This composite nickel in turn could be up–valued to a Quarter by hammering an additional 15 cents worth of Silver around that Nickel. 

Finally, the Quarter could be set within a gold $1 piece, from decades past.  The net effect could be envisioned as a bulls-eye of concentric metals, representing concentric realms. 

The overall gold would stand for Enlightenment, Consciousness, the 4^th State, Turiya. Such stands for the  background of silver Quarter, which in turn could stand in for Mind-less, Deep, Dreamless Sleep State of dormant Primal Ignorance, Avidya, appearing within Consciousness. Likewise the 5 Cent nickel represents the Mind, or the Dream State, again contained  within the silver Quarter.  Those portions of Mind, other than dream-like Conception, could stand in for all Perception constituting a Waking State, the copper Penny. Within the Nickel each bit of Penny is an apparent material Perception/Object in the Waking State. 

The point of Shankara's analogy is that Consciousness is the background of all experience & Existence.  Ignorance begins with the aham–idam, Ego–me / Duality. Mind activity seems to appear like a Dream. As in the Dream State which is composed solely of Mind's Conception, so too is the Waking State composed solely of Mind's Perception.  Like copper within nickel, the Waking State Perception appears sporadically within daydream Conception Nickel.  As Dream appears sporadically within Deep, Dreamless Sleep, so do Concepts appears sporadically within the Gaps between thoughts.  Like Perceptions amid  Concepts, so is the Waking State of Perception only an especially vivid & consistent Dream State.

In this way the Universe and the Body are within the Mind as Sense–Perceptions, along with all the other dream-like Conceptions and imaginations of the Mind.  Mind is only a collective term for the bundle of thoughts, each thought an insubstantial nothing within Consciousness.,  All thoughts are referenced, based on the primal Ignorance of the aham–idam, Ego–me / Duality.

Just as dis-identification from the Body constitutes much of Enlightenment, dis–identification from the Mind would be even more inclusive.  But the Body is such a persistent Illusion, that hoping for dis-identification from the Mind without prior dis– identification from the Body might not be a wise course in spiritual practice. 

Ultimately dis–identification from the primal Ignorance of Individual Identity, Ego is tantamount to Liberation.  But in this installment, with the Coin analogy, the emphasis has been dis-identification from the Mind, the bundle of thoughts, were each thought is objective, though subtle, and not the truly "trans–subjective" Atman Self.  Each thought is referenced to the Ego as its Origin.  Whether it be subsidence of thought, or disbelief in the reality of thought, transcendence of the Mind, that still deeper mis–identification, is essential to Enlightenment.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.wordpress.com/

 "There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 08

Within an illusory objective Universe, the Body is like the "token" on a game board, the representative concrete form of an false Individual.  The Body in the Waking State is considered to be composed of Matter, that in the Dream State, composed of Dream– Matter. Or the same Dream– Matter when seen from the Waking State is clearly composed of thought. 

In fact in whatever State of Mind, Waking or Dream, the Body is composed of thought. In the Deep Dreamless Sleep State, there is no Body, there is no Mind, there is no World, and yet there is Peace & Happiness, such as is a topic for further consideration later. 

The Body houses the Brain which is considered to be the source of the Mind, in the objective point of view.  The Body also houses the Sense organs which are thought to perceive Sense data.  The Sense data are said to make us aware of Objects.  But only the Sense data, the Sense–perceptions themselves are directly experienced. 

The Body is born, ages, suffers, enjoys some Pleasure, & dies.  Without the Body there is no physical Pleasure or Pain, lust, Craving, or Aversion.  Without the Body, there is no Individual Identity, for there is no boundary in what would otherwise be formless Mind or seeming Individual self. 

To discriminate the unreality of the Body, to break attachment to the Body, and to dis–identify from the Body is perhaps the single largest step in the process of Self–Liberation.  The Desire for Liberation is the desire for Happiness, & this is what impels in the spiritually mature, what the drives the desire to transcend Identification with the Body. 

On the level of seemingly physical Sensation, one need not expect the Body to vanish or not otherwise diminish, other than in its natural course of aging, decay, & death, or accident.  But Identification with the Body is not only unnecessary, it is illusory & productive of Suffering.  The Body is a "bag of salt water", as it were, in a Universe of sharp objects, ever vulnerable & periodically the focus of suffering. 

Without the body there is no comparison to others, there is no winning & losing relative to others, there is no acquisition of material gain, acceptance, ordinary affection, & so on.  Without the Body there is nothing to hate, nothing to injure, nothing to lose.  The Body is not only unreal, it is an inconvenient, painful Illusion.  More will be said about Identification with the Body & its relinquishment through Discrimination & Detachment.

But just as the Dream Body vanishes upon awakening, so too does Identification with the physical Body vanish upon spiritual Awakening, Enlightenment, Liberation, Release, the goal & purpose of life, perfect & lasting Happiness. 

Without the Body there is no concrete physical Reference Point by which to know the objects in the Universe.  The Universe cannot be known without the Body as that Reference Point, without its included Sense organs which perceive the Universe.

The further confusion posited in the Brain, as a physical symbol of the Mind is a topic for a later installment

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

www.blogger.com     as  "Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality - new & final version" with link:

http://being-as-consciousness.blogspot.com/

"There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 07

How can the previous "theoretical" underpinning be parlayed into pragmatic spiritual practice?  Well, some may skip the next step, after finding it too difficult.  But making some headway here is of an estimable value.  The point being: the World, the Universe is not real.  We mentioned that only Sense–perception thoughts are actually directly experienced, with no proof that there are all the objects of the Universe that they pretend to perceive. 

The analogy of the Dream was briefly introduced, & will appear again here from time to time.  Finally the structure of the Mind, even in some mathematical terms, was initially explored.  The Mind tends to be felt as some kind of vast, empty "Container Space".  The false Ego–self is felt to be the center Origin for the Space if the Mind.

For the stream of thought, the Mind is a 1–D Number Line, like Time or the sequence of Sound.  For the Imagination, there can be there can seem to be a 2–D Screen of the Mind, or a 3–D Theater of the Mind.  In whatever Dimension, the empty Container Space has each object or Point in it referenced to the central Origin.  Each Point has meaning only in terms of that Reference Origin.  So for all of the supposed Perceivers of the Universe, there is a uniquely different Universe that each perceives, being only the referenced Sense–perception thoughts, differing for each Ego Reference. 

And then there is the similarity between this empty Space – central Origin scheme seen, seen not only in 1–D Mind, but also in 1–D Time & Sound.  In 1–D, Now takes the form of the Ego for the central Reference Origin in Time.  It is Here that takes the central Reference Origin in or Ego form for the 2–D Screen of the Mind, the 3–D Theater of the Mind, & 3–D Physical Space. 

And again, the Body takes the extended Reference Origin position as the center of our own World, our own perceived Universe.  The value in seeing through the apparent "reality" of the World is that it is in the World that we erroneously look for our Identity which is actually only pure Existence.  It is in a World that we look for Reality which is actually just pure Consciousness.  It is in the World that we look for our Bliss, our Happiness, our Love.

As a repository for Identity–Existence, Reality–Consciousness, & Bliss–Happiness–Love, the World as an external supposed Source that can never deliver.  Happiness is the very nature of the Absolute Self, Atman which is Brahman, The Absolute.  To remove one's seemingly fundamental belief in a World, a Universe, is to remove the objects of Attachment & false seeking of Happiness, or its loss as Suffering & Aversion.

Likewise, for Reality & Identity in that World.  For those who put off this Discrimination & Detachment, they may instead see the "World" as an aspect of God with Form, while remaining devoted to Brahman, God without form.  But to dispense with the World is cleaner and more direct. 

So it is, that in this installment we look a little further into the denial of the World, as a an initial pragmatic spiritual practice.  Ultimately we want to explore the Ego–Me & find it to be nonexistent, thereby discovering instead the true Absolute Self, Atman–Brahman.  But seeing past the World removes the underpinning of binding & blinding Attachment, & is a good beginning for true spiritual Discrimination of the unreal from the Real. 

The world is also that which is the host or home of the material Body.  Those trillions of separate cells that somehow coordinate to provide one active character, one apparently thinking Brain, that Body, to be further discussed as we proceed, is – this is fundamentally part of the World.

But how can all those trillions of cells somehow coordinate to be one body, with quadrillion's of neural connections that serve as a Mind that can think. As we will so often say, one is "not the Body."  One beginning for this realization, is that there is no World, no Universe. 

Not only is the Body made up of quadrillion's of neural connections among trillions of cells, but across the Universe, at least the Relativity–limited, only knowable Universe, is said to be made up of 10⁸⁰ quantum particles that go into the makeup of Plasma, Atoms, Molecules, Stars, & Planets. 

But between each Atom there is a empty Void of Space,  Parmenides, Zeno, & Melissus, the Eleatic Greek philosophers Sages argued at length against the impossibility of Void "nothingness".  For "nothingness" is not "some thing".  They argued against the contradictions in an empty Gap or Void between atoms.  In fact within Space or within any conceived Continuum, the Gap between 2 discrete entities A & B is neither A nor B, nor anything else.  The Gap simply does not exist.  This does not argue against Continuum as much as it argues against its opposite Discrete Spectrum, for Analog against Digital, for Relativity against Quantum Mechanics.

We further know that the Atom itself is largely empty.  If it were the size of a Sports Stadium, almost all the Mass would be in a Nucleus which would be a tiny Grain of sand in the middle of the field.  If that Grain of sand, that Nucleus, were it is itself a Sports Stadium, then that the Mass contributing quarks that make up each a Nucleon would themselves only be tiny grains of sand in each Nucleon – Sports Stadium. 

Atoms are so tiny & so numerous that if the entire Earth were carved out hollow & stuffed to the brim with Grapes, the hollow Earth would hold as many Grapes as we gaze upon the thumb of one hand.  With all of the emptiness & all of these impossible Void Gaps, the objective Universe is not plausible, never mind the suspicious Container Space – Origin structure so often repeated, & never mind the Ego– referenced Perceptual thoughts which are all that we seem to experience. 

And taking any quark or quantum particle, we cannot assume it is a "solid" thing anyway, emptiness aside.  The Quantum Mechanical Wave Function that describes the concentrated Energy known as Matter does itself only consist only as "Probability Amplitudes" in an unreal realm of what Aristotle called a Realm of Potentia. 

Only when observed by Consciousness, according to the original Copenhagen Convention in Quantum Mechanics, only then for a moment of Observation does the Wave Function "collapse", & only then does the Quantum take on momentary material "existence", seemingly.  So Matter is only abstract Probability Amplitude in an unknown, unreal Realm of Potentia, becoming so-called "real" only instantaneously, during conscious Perception. 

Within the vast empty Space containing Matter are the impossible Void Gaps. Whatever could "be" in aside from that Void Gap is only known as a referenced Sense–perception, and all that is just as a Dream known only in the Mind of the seeming dreamer.

Seeming Waking State experience, philosophically examined in ways like this, can prefigure direct Detachment from a Universe & thus propel one's spiritual practice by erasing Attachment & fall seeking for Happiness, Reality, & Identity in a World. 

Or else, seeing the World as God–with–Form, we can proceed to the next spiritual step as, as we do in the next installment, by looking at the Body that houses the Sense organs that presumably capture in Sense–perception, (but only in thought), the objects of the Universe.  Aside from the individual Reference Origin, different for each apparent Observer, we will further explore the implausible Identity of the Experiencer of the Waking State, the apparent Waking State Body.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.wordpress.com/

"There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 06

In this installment, we wrap up the current "theoretical" aside, prior to taking up more pragmatic matters of spiritual practice in succeeding episodes.  The final item in our current analogies for the split from Non-Duality to Duality, from Brahman– Atman to aham–idam, Me–This, is a brief exploration of the Ananta–bindu Duality, Infinite Space & the dimensionless Point of Reference.

One fanciful discussion could compare the ancient Number–Line & later, René Descartes' 2–Dimensional, 2–D "graph" to a simple model for the Duality of Mind.  The Egyptians used the knotted anchor rope as a ruler for construction of their pyramids.  This 1–Dimensional, 1–D Number–Line is seen expanded into 2–Dimensions, 2-D, in the knotted fisherman's net.  This kind of 2-D "grid" appeared in early Grecian Latitude & Longitude, Geodesy.  Preserved as an idea by Islamic philosophers, the very same grid in European – then – Islamic – then European Spain gave birth to architecture, perspective, & other Realism's in Renaissance art. 

Descartes generalized the "graph", but 1^st we can look at the 1–D Number–Line as a model 1 model for Mind, in the sense of a "train" or sequence of thought.  Each knot or Point on the line is a thought, or the abstract underpinning of thought – moments of Time.  The central Point, Me, or Ego, is the Reference for each thought in the stream.  As originally stated in "Reality 02 & 04":

"What makes thoughts apparent is their limited duration in Time, & the fact that each is a "dyad" a "dipole" of objective thought & reference – "me".  A thought of "bad" is bad for me; good for me; near me; far from me; important to me; etc.  More of this Ego–me at a later point."

That central Point, Me, or Ego, is the central Reference or Origin for each thought in the stream.  The abstract underpinning of thought – moments of Time has "Now" is the central Reference or Origin for each moment of Time. 

In the realm of Sense perception, the 1–D stream of Sound also has is the central Reference or Origin for each "note" or syllable in the stream.

Now just as there is some 2–Dimensional aspects to the Auditory sense of Sound, the Mind has a 2–D aspect in what could be taken as the imaginary Screen of the Mind. 

Likewise the Mind has a 3–D aspect in what could be called the imaginary 3–D Theater of the Mind.  But in each case, Me, Ego is a central Reference Origin Point. All other Points in 1–D, 2–D, 3–D only have meaning as a Dependent Originating Duality referenced to Me.

Moving our Analogy back to Descartes' "graph", each point in the Coordinate Space, Infinite Ananta, is given a numerical address such as (x, y) in 2–D.  In that notation, the central Origin of Reference has the address (0, 0) in 2–D.  For the 1–D aspect of Mind, or Time, or Sound, the central Origin is simply (0).  In the 3–D Theater of Mind, the central Origin of Reference is the address (0, 0, 0).

The point of using these Analogies is to provide some "concrete handle" on the aham–idam, Me–This, Duality & to use the Ananta–bindu Duality, Infinite Space & the dimensionless Point of Reference to highlight the illusory inversion involved.  

Finally, just as Now became the central Origin of Reference for the abstract underpinning of thought stream, & also appeared for Sound, so too Here becomes the central Origin of Reference in the 2–D Screen of Mind & in the 3–D Theater of Mind, as well as in 3–D Space, & the World itself. 

The World brings up an interesting issue in that the Body could be considered the central Origin for all other objects.  But the Body is not a point.  So sometimes the Origin "point" is really a smaller Coordinate Space in itself.  Inside of that Body, that smaller Space could on turn have some central Point in a Brain to be a smaller Origin Point. 

But on the scale of the World, or the Universe the Body is a Reference Origin Point for Objects in the World.  This peculiar duality of extended Origin Points being small Coordinate or Container Spaces in themselves.

In this Macro–Origin / Micro–Container Duality, we see that one's "Vicinity" that surrounds Here serves that role in the larger scale of the Universe.  Likewise one's Lifetime serves a dual role of Macro–Origin / Micro–Container in the range of Time.  These peculiarities of infinite Container Space, dimensionless Point of Origin, Coordinate Points referenced to the Origin, & dual aspect Macro–Origin / Micro–Container "Vicinities" –  all this displays remarkable similarity in all the Analogies.

These are Analogies for how the Mind conceives itself, the flow of Time, the stream of Sound, the expanse of imaginary Vision, the Theater of Space in the Universe of Objects.  The same illusory Duality is repeated throughout.

And so goes our current "theoretical" underpinning.  In the next installment we apply some of this to pragmatic spiritual practice.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.wordpress.com/

 "There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 05

In previously describing the apparent split from Non-Duality to Duality, from Brahman–Atman to aham–idam, Me–This, the Western technical term "boot–strapping" was introduced, as well as a link to one of the meanings of the Buddhist term Dependent Origination.

While no particular expertise in Buddhism is claimed here, Dependent Origination is used in a number of ways.  Even in Hinduism there are many schools including Vedanta.  Within Vedanta there is a number of schools including Advaita Vedanta.  Within Advaita Vedanta there are number of gradations, including the position represented here which is Ajata Vada Advaita Vedanta, the No– Creation school of Non-Dual Reality. 

In any case, one application of the term Dependent Origination describes perception as a bootstrapping of mutually self–generating terms or stages between Object & Subject.  The Object is seen to be within Independent Origination with & in a certain sense, the other side of the "coin" of the Object–Form, by whatever Sense–Form is indicated. 

Form itself the 1^st of the skandhas in this particular scheme of Dependent Origination.  Form is in mutual interdependence & in fact identity as one side of the "coin" for which other is Sense–Perception.  The 2^nd skandha, Sense–perception is in turn the other side of the "coin" for the 3^rd skandha Specification or discrimination of specific characteristics, as in a Species.  The 4^th skandha, the other side of Species is Genus, or generalization, the setting of a Species in its category of objects. 

Finally independent origination with Generalization & the foregoing skandhas is the 5^th skandha, Cognition which in, which in turn is in Dependent Origination with Subject. So Subject & Object are themselves in Dependent Origination with each other, self–generating, boot–strapping, like aham–idam, Me–This. 

Whether from one skandha to the other or cross all those skandhas from Subject to Object, distinctions are only apparent.  Each one of any given pair nearby, or distant, is only the flip side of the other as in the Heads & Tails of a "coin".  Moving from this particular interpretation of one in Buddhism, we do well to look at an analogy used by Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi within Hinduism, or Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta, namely a Ajata Vada Advaita Vedanta, or Non-Dual Shaivism.  The analogy in question is that of they "Uninvited Guest at the Wedding Feast". 

A multi-day wedding feast bringing together 2 large families, experiences the intrusion of a stranger known to neither family.  But stranger cleverly acts so familiar with one family that the other family thinks he must be their guest.  That other family in turn treats him well, thereby giving the erroneous impression that this uninvited guest is a known to their actual family. 

And so each family is mistaken, assuming the "guest" to be connected with the other family, when actually he is unknown to both of them.  When someone finally gets suspicious & inquires into his identity, [like inquiring into the identity of the Ego in Atma Vichara, Self–Investigation or Self–Inquiry], the stranger, like the Ego vanishes.  This is the point of Sri Ramana's analogy. 

At the same time the erroneous relationship, mutually boot–strapping from one false assumption to another, is a fairly good analogy for Dependent Origination, boot–strapping, the split from Non-Duality into Duality, where neither term has standing on its own, neither has reality of its own.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs (but with graphics) have been available on:

www.blogger.com     

as  "Being-as-Consciousness, Non-Duality - new & final version" with link:

http://being-as-consciousness.blogspot.com/

 "There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 04

Dakshinamurti (primal Guru)

In the Reality 02 installment, the following small paragraph initially made an important point, and a promise of future follow-up which begins here.

"What makes thoughts apparent is their limited duration in Time, & the fact that each is a "dyad" a "dipole" of objective thought & reference – "me".  A thought of "bad" is bad for me; good for me; near me; far from me; important to me; etc.  More of this Ego–me at a later point."

This being one such "later point", it may help to begin with the common analogy for pure Non-Dual Consciousness, that of it being a vast, in fact infinite Space or shoreless, bottomless, topless Ocean.  As if a ghostlike thought, a wave or eddy in this Ocean or Space of Consciousness, imagine there appears the notion of "other", an impossible "other" in a Non-Dual in which there is no "other". 

One Sanskrit term for Absolute Non-Dual Reality is Brahman, another is Sat–Chit–Ananda, Existence–Consciousness–Bliss.  At the same time, that Reality, identical to Brahman, is said to be the Absolute Non-Dual Self, Atman.  But with the notion of "other", a strange inversion seems to occur.  The vast infinite, Ananta, that is the Self, Atman, seems to shrink to the infinitesimal bindu, bound–point, of aham, Ego–me, or Ego– I.  The remaining infinite space or ocean of reality correspondingly becomes idem, this.  That seemingly objective "this" flees further from Non-Duality, becoming dual, multiple, plural, diverse in ever so many ways – filled with objects & energy fields, & so on.  This occurs "inwardly" as a Mind full of thought, as Minds filled with many thoughts; & outwardly as the Universe – objects conceived, & apparently perceived, as objective thoughts.

Beyond all such analogies, this apparent split of Non-Duality into Duality, is the essence of Creation, Illusion, & ultimately, false Bondage to the vagaries of apparently objective existence as a Body & a Mind.

The above repeated "dipole of objective thought & reference – Me" is the essence of this split. The Buddhists included such among the various meanings of "Dependent Origination". Western science & technology later came to call this "boot–strapping" – as in "lifting oneself up by one's bootstraps".  Such a fanciful defying of Gravity, by pulling one's feet off the ground, indicates a perplexing self– generation of 2 opposite Poles out of nothing. 

In Quantum Physics, the Void can seem to give brief birth to opposing virtual particles in much this manner.  Some theories even posit an original Big Bang in this manner.  When we start up the computer, we say that we "booted", as in "boot–strapping, where one code simultaneously self–generates another & vice versa, until the Operating System starts. 

Whatever the term, or Analogy, Dependent Origination, or Boot–strapping, can be a helpful indication of this apparent, above-mentioned split from Non-Duality to Duality, from Atman to aham–idam, Me–This.  This very manner speaking will be the topic of our next installment.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.wordpress.com/

 "There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 03

Sti Shankara

Since the Teaching of Non-Duality, as introduced here, bumped up against the hypothetical issue of credibility, it serves our purpose to jump into a palliative analogy – the analogy of the Dream. 

The succession of dreams during a night's sleep have been compared to the succession of dreams & lifetimes in the Waking State – apparent Reincarnation, when actually we Reality continues as Consciousness alone.  Taking the Dream at face value, the Dream is a good analog for the Waking State.  There is a Dream–World, there are Dream–Objects, there are other sentient beings, & typically one central Protagonist – "me", as I may be in a given Dream. 

Again the Dream–Objects are only inferred from the Dream–Sense signals in the Dream, the Dream–Senses from the Dream–nerve signals, the Dream–thoughts so interpreted, and so on.  We know from the Waking State perspective, that the Dream is unreal, despite apparent objects, Sense signals senses, nerve signals, Mind, thoughts & central character.  Every Dream comes to an end, as does every Life in the Waking State.

In this sense, a Dream can be seen as a hint, a suggestion of how the Waking Life could seem Real & yet not be real; how it could be purely mental, made of thought, insubstantial thought; & therefore existing only in & as Consciousness.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.wordpress.com/

 "There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality 02

                                                   Ramana's disciple: Master Nome 

Reality is non-objective.  In a sense then, Reality is more subjective.  But "subjective" strictly means the opposite pole to "objective".  But if there is no objective there is no opposite pole, no pole at all.  "Trans-subjective" might be one way of expressing it, or again simply non-objective.

The most inward sense or experience of  "I exist" somewhat describes this non-objective Reality.  On the other hand, all that is objective is a thought–form.  Thought in aggregate is considered to be a defined Mind.  But neither thought nor Mind subsist in Consciousness, being passing bits of "nothingness", & only the underlying or sole– existing Consciousness, Reality continues.

What about the World?  What about a Universe?  The World or Universe is made up of objects, just like those around us.  Each objects is assumed to emit or reflect signals: light & color, heat, texture, shape, form of various kinds.  But each potentially Sense– signal is only assumed to be there, just as the objects are assumed to be there, because of the Sense experience excited by those signals. 

Looked at closely, however, the Sense experience is a matter of nerve signals.  Nerve signals are matter of electro–bio–chemical interactions.  These are ultimately relayed to a Brain consisting of more nerve cells.  And the entire electro–bio–chemical result is considered by some to be the "physical representation" of thought.  But this is only an assumption. 

The thought we know is not physical.  Now the thought we know is however in Time.  But Time itself is a thought when carefully look at.  If not being contemplated or pondered, a thought has a beginning & an end, with a middle between the two.  If being contemplated or pondered, beginning of the thought would itself be a thought.  The end of the thought likewise.  With that not being the case, the beginning & an end are not made of anything. In any case, the middle of a thought could not be said to be anything either except Consciousness itself. 

Putting aside the inexplicable, passing "nothingness" of thoughts, all that we can be sure of is Consciousness.  Not thoughts, not Senses, not Sense signals, not form, not objects, not World, not Universe, only Consciousness. 

What makes thoughts apparent is their limited duration in Time, & the fact that each is a "dyad" a "dipole" of objective thought & reference – "me".  A thought of "bad" is bad for me; good for me; near me; far from me; important to me; etc.  More of this Ego–me at a later point.

If just a bunch of words, the foregoing could feel kind of empty & out of touch with the vividness of experience.  But that stray thought would only be based on the assumption that the "objective realm" is active actually real.  We could never prove that were so.  And as will be developed in following installments, there are strong indications for trusting that the objective realm is simply not there.  This just has to be put aside for later examination.  In any case, the vividness of experience is always in the formless non– objective, because there is no objective realm.

So all of the existence is the Existence of Reality.  All experience is Consciousness.  All that we want is the Bliss, the Happiness, the Love that is identical with Existence & Consciousness, which is Reality.

Even when we feel lacking in what we want, the clear reference goal of perfect Happiness & Love is always with us, as a comparison to what we seem to have at the moment.  All that vividness of present Existence & Consciousness, of Happiness or happiness that is seems to be lacking, all that vividness is in the non– objective, formless Consciousness – Reality.

Only if such be put posited in the objective realm, does it seem that the words hint at something empty & dry.  But actually the words hint at what actually is experienced, but not correctly understood.  Various points need to be supported & developed, as will occur in future installments.

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.wordpress.com/

 "There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/

Reality, verbal hints 01

                                                    Sri Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi

[A new series, following some illness, continuing after NMT, No-Me Teaching.  In subsequent postings, the previous installments within NMT will be continued from time to time, following each new addition to "Reality, verbal hints".]

It has often been well said that Reality is beyond words.  Words at best can only be hints, pointers.  Necessarily then, a verbal phrase pointing toward Reality must in itself be full of contradictions, cannot be Real in itself.  For the same reason, transmission of the Teaching has sometimes been depicted as occurring in a Silence that hangs potently between a Master, a Guru, & attending disciples.  Again however, that scenario, it's description, is also full of contradictions.  To avoid endless loops of the attempted explanation, these contradictions have to be taken for granted, while verbal hints can be composed as simply as possible. 

Reality, Non-Dual Reality, can be truly said to be stranger on upon 1^st hearing than the strangest science-fiction.  In short there is only One, one "entity" if you will.  But there being only One invalidates all numbering, including the number 1.  There being only One, also invalidates parts of speech like nouns & verbs, including "entity" & so on.

A good synonym for Reality could be pure, formless Consciousness. A respectful name for Reality might be God.  Perhaps the most direct verbal hint, or name for Reality, is the innermost experience of "I" or "I exist".*

[*  British colonial English, as it came down as another language in India, seemed to favor the expression "I am".  But here we favor the expression "I exist", the intransitive form of the verb "to be", rather than the more transitive form "I am" as in "I am a man / or / woman."]

The above themes & 1600 pages more are freely available as perused or downloaded PDF’s, the sole occupants of a Public Microsoft Skydrive “Public Folder” accessible through:  

www.jpstiga.com/

http://jstiga.wixsite.com/nonduality/

or directly at:

http://tinyurl.com/nnyyr58

Duplicate blogs available on:

jstiga.wordpress.com/

 "There is no Creation, no Destruction, no Bondage, no longing to be freed from Bondage, no striving for Liberation, nor anyone who has attained Liberation. Know that this to be Ultimate Truth."  –  the "no creation" school of Gaudapada, Shankara, Ramana, Nome – Ajata Vada

for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see:  www.ajatavada.com/