Mind & Happiness 15

All words are open to interpretation – & misinterpretation. This is particularly true of words that speak about the Spirit – the Reality that lies beyond the limitations of physical matter, & that therefore cannot be perceived by the 5 Senses, or known as an object of Consciousness.  All interpretations of such words fall into 2 distinct categories – interpretations that are strictly non-dualistic, admitting no division of the One & only Reality, & interpretations that are either completely dualistic, or that at least concede that within the One Reality there are divisions & distinctions that are real.

Ultimately the interpretation that we each choose to accept depends not upon the Truth itself – because the nature of the Truth cannot be proved objectively – but upon our own personal preferences. Most people – whether they hold religious beliefs or cherish a more materialistic outlook on Life – prefer to take a Dualistic view of Reality, because such a view assures them of the reality of their own Individuality, & of the World they perceive through their Senses, & (if they choose to believe in God) of God as a separately existing entity. Therefore the only basis for a Dualistic view of Reality is the attachment that people have to their own Individuality, to the World that they think gives them Happiness, & to their idea of a God who they believe will give them the things that will make them happy.

There is no way that a Dualistic view of Reality can be proved to be correct & valid.  All our knowledge of Duality is obtained by our Mind & exists only within our Mind.  If our Mind is real, then Duality may be real.  But the reality of our Mind is open to question & doubt.

If we are not overly attached to our existence as a separate Individual, we can begin to question & doubt the reality of our Mind.  If we do so, we will be led unavoidably to a Non-Dualistic view of Reality.  Of all the knowledge we know, the one Knowledge whose reality we cannot reasonably doubt is our own essential Consciousness "I exist".  Knowledge can exist only if there is a Consciousness to know it.  Since all knowledge depends for its seeming existence upon Consciousness, this Consciousness is the one fundamental, irreducible, & indubitable truth of our experience.  Because we know, our Consciousness is undoubtedly real.

The one essential quality of Consciousness is that it is always Self-Conscious – it always knows its own existence or Existence – & that Consciousness of its own Existence is what we experience as "I exist".

The above themes & 2500 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 

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"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/