The Knowledge of Existence is fundamentally unlike all other Knowledge because it is not a Knowledge that involves doing anything. It is a Knowledge of not of doing but of non-doing – a Knowledge of just Existence.
The state of just Existence is one in which our Mind does not rise to do, think or know anything, yet it is a state of full Consciousness – Consciousness not of anything else but only of Existence. The skill that is to be learnt in this Knowledge is not simply the skill to exist – because we always exist & therefore require no special skill or effort to exist – nor is it merely the skill to exist without doing or thinking anything – because we are able to exist so each day in Deep Dreamless Sleep. The skill to be cultivated is the skill to remain calmly & peacefully without doing or thinking anything, but nevertheless retaining a perfectly clear Consciousness of Existence – that is, Consciousness of our own Existence or essential "am"-ness. Only in this pristine state of clear Non-Dual Self–Conscious Existence, unclouded by the distracting agitation of thought & action, will the True Nature of Existence become perfectly clear, obvious, self–evident & free from even the least scope for doubt or confusion.
Our first & most direct experience of Existence is that of our own Existence. First we know that we exist, & then only can we know of the existence of other things. But whereas our own Existence is Self-Conscious, the existence of each other thing depends on us to be known.
We know our own Existence because we are Consciousness. In other words, our Existence is itself the Consciousness that knows itself. It knows itself because it is essentially Self-Conscious. Thus it is reasonable to hypothesize that Consciousness is the primal & essential form of Existence. Without Consciousness, Existence would be unknown, & without Existence, Consciousness would not exist.
Our Existence & our Consciousness of Existence are inseparable – in fact they are identical – & both are expressed by the single phrase "I exist". This Existence-Consciousness, "I exist", is our most fundamental experience, & the most fundamental experience of every sentient Existence.
"I exist" is the one basic Consciousness – the essential Non-Dual Self-Consciousness – without which nothing would be known. "I exist" is therefore the source & foundation of all knowledge.
What then is the use of knowing anything else if we do not know the Truth of our own Existence-Consciousness, our Self-Consciousness, "I exist", on the basis of which all else is known ? All that we know about the World & all that we know about God – all our sciences & all our religions – are of no real value to us if we do not know the Truth about our Self, that who desires to know the Truth about the World & God.
We are the Existence-Consciousness "I exist", yet our knowledge about this "I exist" is confused. We all believe "I am this Body", "I am a person", "I am called so-&-so, & was born on such-&-such a date at such-&-such a place." Thus we identify our Consciousness "I exist" with a particular Body.
This identification is the result of a confused & unclear knowledge of the True Nature of Consciousness. Our Consciousness "I exist" is not something material, whereas our Body is merely a bundle of physical matter, which is not inherently conscious. Yet somehow we are deluded into mistaking this material Body to be our Consciousness "I". As a result of our unclear knowledge of Consciousness, we mistake matter to be conscious, & Consciousness to be something material.
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 Nome – Ajata Vada
for very succinct summary of the teaching & practice, see: www.ajatavada.com/
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