When reading Advaita literature, you may have come across the statement that everything is essentially nothing or nothing appears as everything. To the ignorant (assuming one who has not realized one's True Nature) this statement is rather confusing. However, as discussed several times on this blog, all of what will be written today is essentially mental entertainment and as such is irrelevant. The most important issue still remains establishing one's True Identity or Nature. Focus your attention only on that issue. Just Be! When one learns about one's own True Self, all other answers will come naturally and effortlessly. But since this author started off on this issue, this topic will be addressed today.
What you truly, truly and really, really are is essentially a No-thing- not a thing that can be grasped or attained or described. Just this Infinite Intelligence which is empty or no-thing. All things or objects must occupy space and be present in time for them to be recognized as an object or thing. For instance, let us take a clay pot. The clay shaped as a pot must occupy some space for it to be perceived. Also, the pot must be present for a length of time for it to be perceived. If some object just flashes by in front of you at lightening speed, you may not even perceive the shape, size, nature or type of object that flashed by. Even microscopic organisms occupy space and time. Yes, and with instruments of perception like the microscope or electron microscope, one can peek into the depths of material objects. Yet, undeniably any object to be perceived using any instrument, must occupy space and time.
But space and time are concepts in the mind. Space and time are absent when there is no mind or thoughts, as in deep dreamless sleep when there is no mind and thereby no space or time. Mind itself is a content of Awareness and lacks any independent existence. Therefore, mind and thereby space and time cannot be in the absence of Awareness. Meaning thereby that because of Awareness there is a mind and in the mind are the concepts of space and time. Awareness is a No-thing (i.e. cannot be objectified). And every-thing or every-object is a content of the space. Space itself is a content of the Awareness/No-thing. Therefore, every-thing is coming from THAT No-thing. Therefore, it could be said that every-thing is no-thing and vice-versa.
Another way of looking at this would be to argue that space is essentially nothing. Just emptiness with no center or boundaries. Space by itself has no boundaries that the mind can conceive. But all things or objects are a content of space. If space is nothing or just empty, can any thing or object come from nothing? Therefore, all things are essentially nothing.
Yet another way of looking at this issue would be to argue from a more scientific viewpoint. Well, modern day scientists and quantum physicists in particular have found out that all matter is essentially energy. If we take any physical object and look at it closely, it is noted to be made up of molecules and these in turn are made up of atoms. The atomic theory is not new. It began as a philosophical concept in ancient Greece and India and entered the scientific mainstream in the early 19th century when discoveries in the field of chemistry showed that matter did indeed behave as if it were made up of particles. The atoms are made up of particles called neutrons, electrons and protons. In 1924, Louis de Broglie proposed that all moving particles — particularly subatomic particles such as electrons-exhibit a degree of wave-like behavior. A consequence of describing electrons as waveforms is that it is mathematically impossible to simultaneously derive the position and momentum of an electron; this became known as the Uncertainty Principle. This invalidated Bohr's model, with its neat, clearly defined circular orbits as if often thought of when describing atoms. The modern model of the atom describes the positions of electrons in an atom in terms of probabilities. The position of an electron in relation to space is one of many probabilities and depends on the observer. The space between electrons, relative to the size of the electrons is enormous. Anyway, scientists have come to the conclusion that the tiniest finite particle is essentially a wave of energy, which appears as a particle only if there is an observer to observe it. Therefore, essentially matter is no-thing, but just empty waveforms of energy. Now, this energy is infused with intelligence. What we see as objects are nothing but this same Intelligent Energy shaping, patterning, and forming itself into various objects. Hence, every-thing is nothing but this No-thing or Intelligent Energy.
Not satisfied? Another way to look at this issue is to look at the origin of the galaxy and solar system itself. We now know that the solar system like any other star arises from empty space. We also know of black holes, where the stars involute and disappear. So, the creation of stars and planets and the eventual dissolution is from empty space. Can this earth and all its various objects really come out of nothing? Or is it just the nothingness which appears as objects? The appearance of any object is possible only if there is an observer to which it appears. If there is no observer, to whom will it appear? Find out who is the observer!!
The author hopes that this will clear any confusion on this issue of no-thing appearing as every-thing. As noted previously, all this curiosity is only a mental game and diverts one's attention from what should be always be the main focus of inquiry. Focus on "Who am I?" and once this "I" is known, every question will be answered automatically and spontaneously.
Still have questions? Please leave comments.
