What is not changing in the world of objects that is perceived? Every-thing is constantly changing. Even the objects which appear to be stationary and visually unchanged are actually changing. Or else, your house would never need maintenance! The water in the river is not the same water that you saw just one second ago. The body that you think you are is changing all the time. You don't have to prove that to yourself. Just look at your old photographs! The mind, that you think you are, is also constantly changing. What gave you pleasure a few months or years ago, no longer satisfies you. Your thoughts about who and what constitutes you, is also constantly changing. One moment, you say 'I am a happy person'. The next moment, you say 'I am not feeling that good or happy'. In the morning, you wake up as one entity and by the end of the day, you realize you have played so many roles (yes, roles such as father or mother, wife or husband, dad or mom, manager, worker, doctor, engineer, including role as a sage etc.) that you cannot pinpoint which one of the entities is really, really, the "you". Because you fail to realize your true unchanging nature, this "you" that you think you are, is constantly in search of a bigger, better, source of joy, peace, happiness and looking in the wrong place (the world of objects) for that. If at all, you think you can find some peace or joy in the world of changing objects, would that be permanent and unchanging. Is that not been your experience so far? Whatever you get you will lose at some time. Is it not clear that the sense of existence, the sense of being, the sense of awareness, the certainty that you ARE, has never changed despite every other thing changing? Is that not your REAL nature? REALITY means unchanging.
All perceptions are constantly of change. However, the only fact that is certain is of perceiving. Perceiving is going on. It is happening irrespective of the nature of the thoughts. Seeing is happening. Hearing is happening. Feeling is happening. It is only after the fact that seeing is happening, that a thought arises, "I see" and in doing so, one has immediately created a Seer ( the false subject) and the Seen ( the false object). You as an entity did nothing to see, as seeing will happen even if the thoughts are elsewhere. An example would be when one day dreams. When day dreaming, while seeing is happening, you do not associate with the objects seen and therefore the mind does not give rise to the thought "I see". Instead, the mind is associated with thoughts of distant objects based on memory or anticipated future- and this is what one calls day dreaming. This shows that seeing is happening independent of your thoughts.
In the same way, being is happening. What do "you" have to do to be? Can you ever not be at this moment? Just relax into this being that you are. Do not put a label on this Being. A label like human Being, supreme Being, or being good or being bad or being this or that. Being is Being-period. Instead of calling yourself a human being, how about being being?
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Investigate, know and BE as you are
Who is actually seeing? Who is actually knowing? Who is the real perceiver? These are the questions that every seeker for the Truth should ask oneself. The pointers here may make the answers come easier. Remember, the pointers are not the Truth itself.
There is just this knowing, seeing, hearing, thinking, and doing. The eye does not say it is seeing. The ear does not say it is hearing. The body does not say it is doing something. The brain does not say it is thinking and knowing. The organs by themselves do not claim ownership of the function that is being performed through them. The eye cannot see by itself, can it? If it could, then one could take his one eye out and leave it at home and say "I am keeping one eye on things happening at home"! The ear cannot hear by itself. Obviously, this functioning is possible only when some other power is already present.
What is actually happening in that case? Let us take the example of knowing. Knowing is happening as an appearance in this ever present Awareness. The thought "I", which is merely a thought, a thought of a personality, a mental construct of an entity based on memory and conditioning of the mind, comes into play. This "I-thought" cannot exist without attaching itself to some event or object, be it the mind or the body or another thought or object of perception. The "I-thought" interprets the pure knowing as "I am the knower". The object of the knowledge then becomes the known. In this way, what was pure knowing, becomes split into a subject and an object, a knower and the known.
In the same way, there is seeing. The eye does not say "I see". Seeing is happening even without anyone claiming ownership of the function. However, the "I-thought", immediately takes ownership of the function, and claims it as "I am seeing, I am the seer", thereby creating in the thought pattern a subject (seer) and the object (seen). The fact is that a thought cannot see!! Just think over this carefully. Can a thought actually see? Can a thought actually hear? Can a thought actually do anything?
What you think you are is just that. A thought!! If you just stop thinking, even for a moment, you still exist. Try this yourself. Why is that? It is because, you are obviously not a thought. The Awareness that you are, is prior to any thought. It is just that this Awareness, gets translated into a thought, "I am". You do not have to repeatedly remind yourself, " I am, I am" to know that you exist!! Obviously, existence or Awareness is the background on which all thoughts appear including the primary thought "I am". This primary thought "I am" must be investigated for what it is, just a thought. In deep dreamless sleep, there are no thoughts including the thought "I am" and yet you exist. What is your identity then ( in deep dreamless sleep)? In deep dreamless sleep, you still exist despite absence of identity of the body, mind, or the world. For, in the morning, you wake up and with certainty say "I slept". This continuous Awareness, was there throughout the states of deep dreamless sleep, dream sleep and wakeful state.
It is because, one becomes stuck (or firmly believes in) with the identity assumed during the wakeful state, that there is unnecessary suffering. Be free of this false identity assumed during the waking state and see what happens. You realize that everything just is happening spontaneously. Investigate, know and BE.
There is just this knowing, seeing, hearing, thinking, and doing. The eye does not say it is seeing. The ear does not say it is hearing. The body does not say it is doing something. The brain does not say it is thinking and knowing. The organs by themselves do not claim ownership of the function that is being performed through them. The eye cannot see by itself, can it? If it could, then one could take his one eye out and leave it at home and say "I am keeping one eye on things happening at home"! The ear cannot hear by itself. Obviously, this functioning is possible only when some other power is already present.
What is actually happening in that case? Let us take the example of knowing. Knowing is happening as an appearance in this ever present Awareness. The thought "I", which is merely a thought, a thought of a personality, a mental construct of an entity based on memory and conditioning of the mind, comes into play. This "I-thought" cannot exist without attaching itself to some event or object, be it the mind or the body or another thought or object of perception. The "I-thought" interprets the pure knowing as "I am the knower". The object of the knowledge then becomes the known. In this way, what was pure knowing, becomes split into a subject and an object, a knower and the known.
In the same way, there is seeing. The eye does not say "I see". Seeing is happening even without anyone claiming ownership of the function. However, the "I-thought", immediately takes ownership of the function, and claims it as "I am seeing, I am the seer", thereby creating in the thought pattern a subject (seer) and the object (seen). The fact is that a thought cannot see!! Just think over this carefully. Can a thought actually see? Can a thought actually hear? Can a thought actually do anything?
What you think you are is just that. A thought!! If you just stop thinking, even for a moment, you still exist. Try this yourself. Why is that? It is because, you are obviously not a thought. The Awareness that you are, is prior to any thought. It is just that this Awareness, gets translated into a thought, "I am". You do not have to repeatedly remind yourself, " I am, I am" to know that you exist!! Obviously, existence or Awareness is the background on which all thoughts appear including the primary thought "I am". This primary thought "I am" must be investigated for what it is, just a thought. In deep dreamless sleep, there are no thoughts including the thought "I am" and yet you exist. What is your identity then ( in deep dreamless sleep)? In deep dreamless sleep, you still exist despite absence of identity of the body, mind, or the world. For, in the morning, you wake up and with certainty say "I slept". This continuous Awareness, was there throughout the states of deep dreamless sleep, dream sleep and wakeful state.
It is because, one becomes stuck (or firmly believes in) with the identity assumed during the wakeful state, that there is unnecessary suffering. Be free of this false identity assumed during the waking state and see what happens. You realize that everything just is happening spontaneously. Investigate, know and BE.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
With what effort are you existing?
Are you awake at this moment? Can you deny you exist at this moment? Can you say "I am not here" at this moment? Have you ever wondered as to why you can say so with certainty? The knowledge that "you are" was not obtained by any effort on part of the entity called "you". Would you agree with what is written above? If so, then why is this "you" still seeking? Is it not because of your strong ( but false and we will see why "false" later on) belief in the independent existence of the entity called "you". This "you" that you call "me" is the belief that it is the body that is sitting in front of the computer right now. You are very certain that this body is what you call a "me". Let us look at the definition of the word "belief". Belief is defined in the dictionary ( and not by this writer) as " confidence in the existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof".
Now, where exactly or what is the locus (a center or source, as of activities or power- dictionary meaning of locus) of this entity called "me" in the body? Is it in the hands or feet, or is it in the heart or in the stomach or in the brain? Can you find an exact location for this "me"? OK, you say it is in the brain- frequent answer, right? If so, when the brain is in deep sleep mode and there is no"me" (or for that matter no world or any other object) does the heart stop beating or the digestion stop or the other functions of the body halt? OK, alright, let us look at the example of the wakeful state. You say the entity "me" is in the brain (your head!), then can this "me" stop the food once it is beyond the palate and in the throat? Can the "me" say "let me stop the process of digestion since I dislike this digestive process" and actually stop it? Can the "me' stop the formation of urine by the kidneys? Can the "me" decide on which cells the skin must shed today? So on and so forth. The answer is obvious. There is no locus for the "me" anywhere in the body in particular. If so, you would have found it on your own investigation (not based on any belief system or what is written here).
The body itself is formed from a sperm and ovum. The sperm and the ovum are formed from the essence of the food consumed by the parents. The life essence or prana or chi (call it what you like) is present in the sperm and the ovum. Who gives the orders to a particular sperm to make its way up to the uterus? Mind you, there are millions of sperms and only one makes it and that too not everytime there is conjugal love.
This sperm and ovum, then multiply and divide into specialized organ systems, all without the entity called "me" being there. In fact, the original sperm and ovum are no longer even existing in this body that you call "me" sitting in front of the computer and reading this message. In fact, every single moment millions of cells in the body are dying and being replaced by new ones. The body is constantly changing and if indeed you were the body, then you are constantly dying and being born again and again every moment!! But, that is not what you THINK this "me" is. You think the "me" dies only when the body as a whole dies. But, you now cannot deny the fact that the body is constantly changing (dying and recreated every moment). Correct? The "me" is just an imagination, an entity in the mind, a picture in the mind. It has no reality whatsoever.
Can this thought of a "me" even come up without the life force or consciousness at this very moment? The idea ( and that is all that the "me" is, just an idea, a thought) of a "me" cannot exist independent of the consciousness (or awareness, if you like). As noted above the "me" has no substance whatsoever!
After investigation as above, is it not fair to say that the whole idea of a "me" wanting to "attain" this enlightenment or nirvana or moksha(liberation) or gaining knowledge of the Awareness or Brahman, is but a figment of the imagination? A figment of the imagination of the "me", which in itself is an imaginary entity, with no independent nature or substance whatsoever apart from the Awareness (intelligence energy, life force, Brahman or whatever else you like to call THAT).
Rest in the awareness that you already are. You cannot be anything else (even if you don't like it!!). All there is, IS AWARENESS. You cannot say " I am NOT aware", "I do NOT exist" with certainty.
Now, where exactly or what is the locus (a center or source, as of activities or power- dictionary meaning of locus) of this entity called "me" in the body? Is it in the hands or feet, or is it in the heart or in the stomach or in the brain? Can you find an exact location for this "me"? OK, you say it is in the brain- frequent answer, right? If so, when the brain is in deep sleep mode and there is no"me" (or for that matter no world or any other object) does the heart stop beating or the digestion stop or the other functions of the body halt? OK, alright, let us look at the example of the wakeful state. You say the entity "me" is in the brain (your head!), then can this "me" stop the food once it is beyond the palate and in the throat? Can the "me" say "let me stop the process of digestion since I dislike this digestive process" and actually stop it? Can the "me' stop the formation of urine by the kidneys? Can the "me" decide on which cells the skin must shed today? So on and so forth. The answer is obvious. There is no locus for the "me" anywhere in the body in particular. If so, you would have found it on your own investigation (not based on any belief system or what is written here).
The body itself is formed from a sperm and ovum. The sperm and the ovum are formed from the essence of the food consumed by the parents. The life essence or prana or chi (call it what you like) is present in the sperm and the ovum. Who gives the orders to a particular sperm to make its way up to the uterus? Mind you, there are millions of sperms and only one makes it and that too not everytime there is conjugal love.
This sperm and ovum, then multiply and divide into specialized organ systems, all without the entity called "me" being there. In fact, the original sperm and ovum are no longer even existing in this body that you call "me" sitting in front of the computer and reading this message. In fact, every single moment millions of cells in the body are dying and being replaced by new ones. The body is constantly changing and if indeed you were the body, then you are constantly dying and being born again and again every moment!! But, that is not what you THINK this "me" is. You think the "me" dies only when the body as a whole dies. But, you now cannot deny the fact that the body is constantly changing (dying and recreated every moment). Correct? The "me" is just an imagination, an entity in the mind, a picture in the mind. It has no reality whatsoever.
Can this thought of a "me" even come up without the life force or consciousness at this very moment? The idea ( and that is all that the "me" is, just an idea, a thought) of a "me" cannot exist independent of the consciousness (or awareness, if you like). As noted above the "me" has no substance whatsoever!
After investigation as above, is it not fair to say that the whole idea of a "me" wanting to "attain" this enlightenment or nirvana or moksha(liberation) or gaining knowledge of the Awareness or Brahman, is but a figment of the imagination? A figment of the imagination of the "me", which in itself is an imaginary entity, with no independent nature or substance whatsoever apart from the Awareness (intelligence energy, life force, Brahman or whatever else you like to call THAT).
Rest in the awareness that you already are. You cannot be anything else (even if you don't like it!!). All there is, IS AWARENESS. You cannot say " I am NOT aware", "I do NOT exist" with certainty.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
You impose your own limits
It is once againemphasized that you are already full and complete and apart from clear Understanding of this Knowledge and removal of Ignorance (that you are an individual with a body and mind), nothing else needs to be done. It would be appropriate to bring forth a profound quote from Ramana Maharshi:
"You impose limits to your true nature of infinite being, then, you get displeased to be only a limited creature, then you begin spiritual practices to transcend these non-existing limits. But if you are practice itself implies the existence of these limits, how could they allow you to transcend them?"
Enough said.
"You impose limits to your true nature of infinite being, then, you get displeased to be only a limited creature, then you begin spiritual practices to transcend these non-existing limits. But if you are practice itself implies the existence of these limits, how could they allow you to transcend them?"
Enough said.
Being and becoming
It is very easy for one to not notice the subtle presence that we are. One does not have to do anything to BE. Due to significant conditioning of the mind, and the strong establishment of the entity called "me", one feels the need to do something to find the elusive Awareness/Being that one hears about. Despite several pointers to the fact that one has to BE, before anything else can be "done", many are unable to understand this pointer. The entity called "me 'feels inadequate, feels something is missing, and something must be done to attain this Awareness. They feel that they have to make some effort to "get there". At this very moment, can you deny your existence? At this very moment, can you deny that you are? This very existence, which we call awareness/presence, is very clear and evident to everyone. All thoughts arise as a result of and in this presence-awareness. If you are not present at this moment, you would not be able to read this message! There is nothing that an entity called "me"is doing to be aware. Did you do anything to be awake/aware? Did not wakefulness appears spontaneously this morning?
One cannot become what one already is. One cannot "get to" Being. One is Being.
One cannot become what one already is. One cannot "get to" Being. One is Being.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Who is Ignorant?
One cannot deny his/her presence at any time. The sense of presence or awareness is ever fresh and always available. First and foremost, one has to be aware or present before any thoughts can arise. This unmanifest awareness, manifests as the thought "I am". But, the Awareness is prior to the thought "I am". Once the thought "I am" arises, it associates with the body/mind creating a (false) entity or idea, called "I am Joe, I am this body" or "I am Jane, I am this body". This false-entity believes that it is real. This false belief is the source of all suffering. This false-entity, starts to seek for an end to suffering or for permanent happiness. Since, the false-entity is nothing but a creation of the mind, it seeks for happiness in the mind or other objects that the mind perceives ( the world out there). All the time that the mind seeks out there, it ignores what is already here and now, the presence. Therefore, all seeking out there, takes one farther away from what they are actually seeking. All the time, this false-entity is ignoring what is already present here and now and very self evident and clear and obvious. This is what is meant by ignorance in many of the spiritual texts. The fact the you are present here and now cannot be denied by anyone who is reading this message. If you stop ignoring what is right here and right now, the ever present awareness, then where is the question of finding what you are looking for. It never was absent, for you to find it in the first place.
Once, upon investigation, it becomes clear that there is actually no real entity called "I am Joe etc.", the false belief falls away and yet you exist (only now as a non-entity). You exist AS the awareness or presence ( not as "joe"or "jane", a person, an individual who thinks he/she is the body/mind entity). Unfortunately, for many, this message, although clear, is unacceptable. Why is that so? Because the message points to something too subtle that the mind cannot grasp. It is not a grand sensation or feeling. There is no high, so to speak. The mind is addicted to and enjoys the bigger and bolder and louder sensations out there in the world. The mind wants an out of body experience. It wants to go to a "higher plane of consciousness". The mind says "this cannot be IT". The mind says, "What I have been searching for all these years cannot be so simple", "I feel like a fool!". The mind finds this message too boring and too subtle for its liking considering that there is so much more grosser things and sensations available for it to enjoy. Therefore, the mind continues to prop up the concept of an individual who will some day, some time, in the future, find the utopia that it has been searching for.
However, if upon hearing this message, once the mind gets used to relaxing into this subtle sense of presence (which some call the I AM), there is feeling of immense peace and quiet or stillness. Hopefully, whoever comes across this message is able to Understand this pointer. Feel free to leave comments or questions.
Once, upon investigation, it becomes clear that there is actually no real entity called "I am Joe etc.", the false belief falls away and yet you exist (only now as a non-entity). You exist AS the awareness or presence ( not as "joe"or "jane", a person, an individual who thinks he/she is the body/mind entity). Unfortunately, for many, this message, although clear, is unacceptable. Why is that so? Because the message points to something too subtle that the mind cannot grasp. It is not a grand sensation or feeling. There is no high, so to speak. The mind is addicted to and enjoys the bigger and bolder and louder sensations out there in the world. The mind wants an out of body experience. It wants to go to a "higher plane of consciousness". The mind says "this cannot be IT". The mind says, "What I have been searching for all these years cannot be so simple", "I feel like a fool!". The mind finds this message too boring and too subtle for its liking considering that there is so much more grosser things and sensations available for it to enjoy. Therefore, the mind continues to prop up the concept of an individual who will some day, some time, in the future, find the utopia that it has been searching for.
However, if upon hearing this message, once the mind gets used to relaxing into this subtle sense of presence (which some call the I AM), there is feeling of immense peace and quiet or stillness. Hopefully, whoever comes across this message is able to Understand this pointer. Feel free to leave comments or questions.
The real meaning of Pointers
What is actually meant by pointers? That is what we will try to clarify today. There can be many pointers pointing to the same thing. For instance, Chicago can be approached from the North, South, East, and West. Although, the pointers are from various directions, they are all pointing to Chicago. When the arrow points to Chicago, the mind immediately associates the word Chicago, with the concept that it already has, of a city, perhaps with tall skyscrapers, shoreline, etc. If the city is already known, then the image of the city appears in the mind. The pointers however are not the entity that they are pointing to. Meaning the word Chicago is not really Chicago itself, but just a word. This is very important to understand. Another example, the word Water. As soon as you hear it, the mind creates a concept of a clear colorless, tasteless, liquid. But the word water itself is not the liquid itself, but just points to that concept. As soon as a word is mentioned, the mind goes into high gear trying to connect the word to a concept which it already knows or associate with something it creates at that moment. Mostly, the pointer is mistaken to be the entity itself. This may sound silly, but as the following explanation will clarify, it is not difficult to be misled.
Here, of course, we will be talking of Reality, Awareness, THAT or the Truth ( or whatever else you may call IT). When the mind is pointed to Reality, it immediately tries to conceptualize it. The mind cannot conceptualize anything that is not occupying space and time. Depending on what the mind comes up with, it tries to make it into an object, an object occupying space and time, so that it can grasp it. Therefore a lot of pointers try to use words that make it easy for the mind to grasp this subtle message being pointed to. Words like space-like, deep blue, stillness, silence, no-thing, emptiness, are often used as pointers. But none of these words actually is the Reality that they are pointing to. For instance, the word Awareness, is beyond easy description and therefore is frequently used pointer to try and prevent the mind from trying to form a concept. One can also use the word, Non-conceptual Awareness. Even more confounding to the mind!! Some use the word Spirit or Absolute ( although now one can conceptualize a brand of vodka/spirit with the name Absolut!!). As long as the mind hears these words(pointers) it tries to understand them in the form of concepts.
The bottom line is that the answer is not in the mind. One has to come to the firm conviction that what is unknown is who they are. Whatever is known, perceived, conceptualized, cannot be what I truly am.
Here, of course, we will be talking of Reality, Awareness, THAT or the Truth ( or whatever else you may call IT). When the mind is pointed to Reality, it immediately tries to conceptualize it. The mind cannot conceptualize anything that is not occupying space and time. Depending on what the mind comes up with, it tries to make it into an object, an object occupying space and time, so that it can grasp it. Therefore a lot of pointers try to use words that make it easy for the mind to grasp this subtle message being pointed to. Words like space-like, deep blue, stillness, silence, no-thing, emptiness, are often used as pointers. But none of these words actually is the Reality that they are pointing to. For instance, the word Awareness, is beyond easy description and therefore is frequently used pointer to try and prevent the mind from trying to form a concept. One can also use the word, Non-conceptual Awareness. Even more confounding to the mind!! Some use the word Spirit or Absolute ( although now one can conceptualize a brand of vodka/spirit with the name Absolut!!). As long as the mind hears these words(pointers) it tries to understand them in the form of concepts.
The bottom line is that the answer is not in the mind. One has to come to the firm conviction that what is unknown is who they are. Whatever is known, perceived, conceptualized, cannot be what I truly am.
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