Searching...
Instead of searching for what you do not have,
find out what it is that you have never lost. That
which is there before the beginning and after the
ending of everything; that to which there is no
birth, nor death. That immovable state, which
is not affected by the birth and death of a body
or a mind, that state you must perceive.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
find out what it is that you have never lost. That
which is there before the beginning and after the
ending of everything; that to which there is no
birth, nor death. That immovable state, which
is not affected by the birth and death of a body
or a mind, that state you must perceive.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Doubts...
All doubts will cease only when the doubter
and his source has been found. There is no
use removing doubts one by one. If we clear
one doubt, another doubt will arise and there
will be no end of doubts. But if, by seeking the
source of the doubter, the doubter is found to
be really non-existent, then all doubts will cease.
- Sri Ramana Maharshi
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"Be As You Are"
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Edited by David Godman
Arkana, 1985
and his source has been found. There is no
use removing doubts one by one. If we clear
one doubt, another doubt will arise and there
will be no end of doubts. But if, by seeking the
source of the doubter, the doubter is found to
be really non-existent, then all doubts will cease.
- Sri Ramana Maharshi
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"Be As You Are"
The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Edited by David Godman
Arkana, 1985
I Am That...
M: Your question contains the answer: a conscious living being is a conscious living being. The words are most appropriate, but you do not grasp their full import. Go deep into the meaning of the words: being, living, conscious, and you will stop running in circles, asking questions, but missing answers. Do understand that you cannot ask a valid question about yourself, because you do not know whom you are asking about. In the question ‘Who am I?’ the ‘I’ is not known and the question can be worded as: “I do not know what I mean by ‘I’” What you are, you must find out. I can only tell you what you are not. You are not of the world, you are not even in the world. The world is not, you alone are. You create the world in your imagination like a dream. As you cannot separate the dream from yourself, so you cannot have an outer world independent of yourself. You are independent, not the world. Don’t be afraid of a world you yourself have created. Cease from looking for happiness and reality in a dream and you will wake up. You need not know ‘why’ and ‘how’, there is no end to questions. Abandon all desires, keep your mind silent and you shall discover.
I Am That
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Chapter 87. Keep the Mind Silent and You shall Discover
I Am That
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Chapter 87. Keep the Mind Silent and You shall Discover
The Time is Short...
The time that we have left within this vehicle is short..
There is no more time to play ego-games and emotions of anger..
We have much less time than you can imagine..
If you find yourself in darkness, turn until You see the Light..
Walk towards this Light and You will be pulled into the Light of Reality..
The disolving of the egoic desires is paramount..
as long as you have an attachment to anything,
you will return to experience that attachment and desire..
thus you continue the continuous illusion of lives within this prison..
Choose the heroic surrender of separate self and Awaken into Divine Consciousness..
This is not an easy task.
but nothing worthwhile is..
Feeling death is fearful.
the unknown is the creator of this fear..
Begin to Know,
and the pain of ego death is light..
The Joy cannot be written with words or thoughts..
A land dreamed of, but only half believed..
Unconditional Love, Unlimited Light, and Wisdom..
All flowing together as One..
And this is only the Beginning..
But, requires Your Beginning...
namaste, thomas
There is no more time to play ego-games and emotions of anger..
We have much less time than you can imagine..
If you find yourself in darkness, turn until You see the Light..
Walk towards this Light and You will be pulled into the Light of Reality..
The disolving of the egoic desires is paramount..
as long as you have an attachment to anything,
you will return to experience that attachment and desire..
thus you continue the continuous illusion of lives within this prison..
Choose the heroic surrender of separate self and Awaken into Divine Consciousness..
This is not an easy task.
but nothing worthwhile is..
Feeling death is fearful.
the unknown is the creator of this fear..
Begin to Know,
and the pain of ego death is light..
The Joy cannot be written with words or thoughts..
A land dreamed of, but only half believed..
Unconditional Love, Unlimited Light, and Wisdom..
All flowing together as One..
And this is only the Beginning..
But, requires Your Beginning...
namaste, thomas
An ordinary fellow...
When the mind is at peace,
the world too is at peace.
Nothing real, nothing absent.
Not holding on to reality,
not getting stuck in the void,
you are neither holy nor wise, just
an ordinary fellow who has completed his work.
- Layman P'ang (c. 740-808)
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Enlightened Heart"
An Anthology of Sacred Poetry
Edited by Stephen Mitchell
Harper & Row, New York , 1989
the world too is at peace.
Nothing real, nothing absent.
Not holding on to reality,
not getting stuck in the void,
you are neither holy nor wise, just
an ordinary fellow who has completed his work.
- Layman P'ang (c. 740-808)
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Enlightened Heart"
An Anthology of Sacred Poetry
Edited by Stephen Mitchell
Harper & Row, New York , 1989
The Middle Path...
Buddhism - The Middle Path
Among all religions, Buddhism is one that has withdrawn itself from theistic thought. To understand why this is so, we need to know about the other religions in India during the Buddha’s time. During the period of the Vedas to the time of Upanishad, Brahmana influence was very extensive. The Brahmana believed in the mysterious creation of the universe. Theirs was a philosophy that believed in the existence of a time of cosmic origin. A god created mankind, and it was believed to be the origin of all things. It was called the God of Birth, the God of Prayer, the Brahman, or "I". Although the title for the creator varied over time, its implications were the same.
The Brahmana believed that the Brahman was the origin of the universe and of mankind. Spiritually, mankind had similar characteristics to the Mahabrahmanas, that was, a permanent, free, and happy "I" or ego. This was the nature of human life. This spiritual "I" of mankind was the same spirit as that in which adherents of the popular religions believed. The spirit had a close relationship with the god.
The Brahmana regarded the nature of the universe and of human life as permanent, free, and happy. In reality though, the Brahmanas knew that life in this world, be it normal activities, relationships in society, or even our own body and mind, always brings dissatisfaction. All phenomena are impermanent and constantly rising and falling, coming and going. Why did a permanent, free and happy existence create such an impermanent and uncomfortable world? This was the great contradiction. However, the Brahmana’s intelligence seems to have been deluded by their emotion. They ignored the contradiction, and only thought of ending their suffering in order to regain the permanently blissful state of the Brahman/god. Hence, the theory of liberation arose.
About the Buddha’s time, there was a great change in Indian thought and ideology. The culture of the Brahmana, which originated in north-west India near the Five Rivers, became most popular near the upper stream of the Ganges River, at a place called Kuru. When their ideas travelled east along the Ganges River, the eastern countries such as Magadha and Vashali, which were influenced by the culture of the West, opposed the teachings of the Brahmana. The old religions in Western India were shaken, and the new religions, with various groups of ascetics in Eastern India were very extreme, and this created many doubts among the people. During this transition period where the new Western and old Eastern ideologies met, the Buddha was born. He introduced a new religion to the era.
The Buddha incorporated the theories of rebirth and of liberation into his teachings. But the Buddha denied the Brahmana’s imaginative theistic theory, and set his own foundations upon an intelligent analysis of reality. He made a thorough change in both theory and practice from the old religions. Although the cycle of life and death, and the attainment of liberation in Nirvana were theories that were accepted by Indian society at that time, the problems lay in the questions of why was there rebirth and how could one be liberated. The Buddha gave wise answers to these questions. This was the teaching of the "Middle Path". The "Middle Path" distinguished the Buddha’s Teachings from other religions.
"Middle Path" may be misunderstood as equivocal. In fact Buddhism is not as such. "Middle" means neutral, upright, and centered. It means to investigate and penetrate the core of life and all things with an upright, unbiased attitude. In order to solve a problem, we should position ourselves on neutral, upright and unbiased ground. We investigate the problem from various angles, analyze the findings, understand the truth thoroughly, and find a reasonable conclusion.
The Middle Path in Buddhism does not mean having a biased view or superficial understanding only. The "Middle Path" represents a distinct theory and way of Buddhist practice that is not common to other religions. Buddhism is a religion with high moral values. It lays great emphasis on human thought and action in dealing with the natural environment, society or individual problems. It is concerned with the relationship between thoughts and behavior, and the relationship between behavior and its consequences.
By observing the activities of mankind in real life, the Buddha mastered the principles of human behavior. He then taught the two characteristics of the Middle Path: The Middle Path of Dependent Origination and the Noble Eightfold Path. The Law of Dependent Origination explains the process of human activity. The Noble Eightfold Path shows the way of practice that enables one to uplift oneself.
"The Tathagatha avoids the two extremes
and talks about the Middle Path.
What this is, that is; this arises, that arises.
Through ignorance volitional actions or karmic formations are conditioned.
Through birth, decay, death, lamentation, pain etc. are conditioned.
When this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases.
hrough the complete cessation of ignorance, volitional activities or karmic formations cease.
Through the cessation of birth, death, decay, sorrow, etc. cease."
(Samyuktagama, Chapter 12)
"What this is, that is; this arising, that arises" is the principle of the Law of Dependent Origination; the Conditioned Genesis that says that, "Through ignorance volitional actions or karma-formations are conditioned" is the content of the Law of Dependent Origination.
The Law of Dependent Origination based on the Middle Path avoids attachment to the two extremes. This can be clearly seen in the Samyuktagama. Based on the Theory of Dependent Origination, in Chapter 12 the sutra says that "It is not one nor different". It also says that "It is not permanent nor discontinuous." In Chapter 13 it says, "It is not coming nor going." In chapter 7 it says, "It neither exists nor not exists." (This is the "Eighth Negation of the Middle Path" in the Madhyamika Sastra, an abstract from the Samyuktagama). The basic principle of the Law of Dependent Origination is, "What this is, that is; from this arising, that arises; when this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases." It explains the creation, cessation and existence of all phenomena and all things.
How does human suffering happen? The Buddha said it is not something that happens without any cause. It also does not arise because of perverted causes created by a god or Brahmana. It has its own causes. All things exist in accordance with the Law of Cause and Effect. When there is a cause there will be an effect. When causes exist, effects exist. The rising and existence of things are determined by causes and conditions. This is why the Buddha says "what this is (cause), that is (effect); this arising, that arises". This is the Circulation Process of the Law of Dependent Origination. It explains the existence of worldly phenomena.
We may also see this formula in its reverse order. According to the Law of Dependent Origination, in order to end suffering, we must stop its causes. Thus, "When this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases." When there is a cause there will be an effect; when there is perverted thought, there will be wrong behavior, and this will certainly result in evil consequences, i.e. sufferings. On the contrary, when there is no cause, there will be no effect. Once the perverted thought is corrected, wrong behavior will stop and sufferings will also cease.
All things arise due to causes and conditions. As causes and conditions are impermanent and will cease one day, all things will also cease correspondingly. When there is rising, there will be falling; when there is existence, there will be extinction. The rising and existence of things has its natural tendency towards cessation and extinction. It is like a wave; it comes and goes. Thus, when one sees the truth of "what this is, that is; this arising, that arises", one should also see the truth of "when this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases". The Law of Dependent Origination pointed out the possibility of ending worldly suffering. It shows the way of liberation that corresponds to the Law of Cause and Effect.
"When one is born, one will die.
One who admires high status will fall one day."
This is the natural Law of Cause and Effect. It is also an inner implication of the Law of Dependent Origination. It can be called the Cessation Process of the Law of Dependent Origination.
The two complementary processes active in the Law of Dependent Origination, of the Middle Path, are two processes that are in reverse or conserve sides of each other. They explain the Laws of Circulation and Cessation. This rise and fall of causes and effects is still a worldly principle, and an explanation for superficial phenomena. Although it was not the final truth, it is from this that the ultimate truth was realized. The ultimate truth was drawn from the empty nature of the Law of Dependent Origination. Thus, the Sutra says,
"Tell the Bhikku, the ultimate truth of emptiness,
realized by the Enlightened Ones,
corresponds to the Worldly Law."
(Samyuktagama, Chapter 12)
...... from buddhanet.com
Among all religions, Buddhism is one that has withdrawn itself from theistic thought. To understand why this is so, we need to know about the other religions in India during the Buddha’s time. During the period of the Vedas to the time of Upanishad, Brahmana influence was very extensive. The Brahmana believed in the mysterious creation of the universe. Theirs was a philosophy that believed in the existence of a time of cosmic origin. A god created mankind, and it was believed to be the origin of all things. It was called the God of Birth, the God of Prayer, the Brahman, or "I". Although the title for the creator varied over time, its implications were the same.
The Brahmana believed that the Brahman was the origin of the universe and of mankind. Spiritually, mankind had similar characteristics to the Mahabrahmanas, that was, a permanent, free, and happy "I" or ego. This was the nature of human life. This spiritual "I" of mankind was the same spirit as that in which adherents of the popular religions believed. The spirit had a close relationship with the god.
The Brahmana regarded the nature of the universe and of human life as permanent, free, and happy. In reality though, the Brahmanas knew that life in this world, be it normal activities, relationships in society, or even our own body and mind, always brings dissatisfaction. All phenomena are impermanent and constantly rising and falling, coming and going. Why did a permanent, free and happy existence create such an impermanent and uncomfortable world? This was the great contradiction. However, the Brahmana’s intelligence seems to have been deluded by their emotion. They ignored the contradiction, and only thought of ending their suffering in order to regain the permanently blissful state of the Brahman/god. Hence, the theory of liberation arose.
About the Buddha’s time, there was a great change in Indian thought and ideology. The culture of the Brahmana, which originated in north-west India near the Five Rivers, became most popular near the upper stream of the Ganges River, at a place called Kuru. When their ideas travelled east along the Ganges River, the eastern countries such as Magadha and Vashali, which were influenced by the culture of the West, opposed the teachings of the Brahmana. The old religions in Western India were shaken, and the new religions, with various groups of ascetics in Eastern India were very extreme, and this created many doubts among the people. During this transition period where the new Western and old Eastern ideologies met, the Buddha was born. He introduced a new religion to the era.
The Buddha incorporated the theories of rebirth and of liberation into his teachings. But the Buddha denied the Brahmana’s imaginative theistic theory, and set his own foundations upon an intelligent analysis of reality. He made a thorough change in both theory and practice from the old religions. Although the cycle of life and death, and the attainment of liberation in Nirvana were theories that were accepted by Indian society at that time, the problems lay in the questions of why was there rebirth and how could one be liberated. The Buddha gave wise answers to these questions. This was the teaching of the "Middle Path". The "Middle Path" distinguished the Buddha’s Teachings from other religions.
"Middle Path" may be misunderstood as equivocal. In fact Buddhism is not as such. "Middle" means neutral, upright, and centered. It means to investigate and penetrate the core of life and all things with an upright, unbiased attitude. In order to solve a problem, we should position ourselves on neutral, upright and unbiased ground. We investigate the problem from various angles, analyze the findings, understand the truth thoroughly, and find a reasonable conclusion.
The Middle Path in Buddhism does not mean having a biased view or superficial understanding only. The "Middle Path" represents a distinct theory and way of Buddhist practice that is not common to other religions. Buddhism is a religion with high moral values. It lays great emphasis on human thought and action in dealing with the natural environment, society or individual problems. It is concerned with the relationship between thoughts and behavior, and the relationship between behavior and its consequences.
By observing the activities of mankind in real life, the Buddha mastered the principles of human behavior. He then taught the two characteristics of the Middle Path: The Middle Path of Dependent Origination and the Noble Eightfold Path. The Law of Dependent Origination explains the process of human activity. The Noble Eightfold Path shows the way of practice that enables one to uplift oneself.
"The Tathagatha avoids the two extremes
and talks about the Middle Path.
What this is, that is; this arises, that arises.
Through ignorance volitional actions or karmic formations are conditioned.
Through birth, decay, death, lamentation, pain etc. are conditioned.
When this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases.
hrough the complete cessation of ignorance, volitional activities or karmic formations cease.
Through the cessation of birth, death, decay, sorrow, etc. cease."
(Samyuktagama, Chapter 12)
"What this is, that is; this arising, that arises" is the principle of the Law of Dependent Origination; the Conditioned Genesis that says that, "Through ignorance volitional actions or karma-formations are conditioned" is the content of the Law of Dependent Origination.
The Law of Dependent Origination based on the Middle Path avoids attachment to the two extremes. This can be clearly seen in the Samyuktagama. Based on the Theory of Dependent Origination, in Chapter 12 the sutra says that "It is not one nor different". It also says that "It is not permanent nor discontinuous." In Chapter 13 it says, "It is not coming nor going." In chapter 7 it says, "It neither exists nor not exists." (This is the "Eighth Negation of the Middle Path" in the Madhyamika Sastra, an abstract from the Samyuktagama). The basic principle of the Law of Dependent Origination is, "What this is, that is; from this arising, that arises; when this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases." It explains the creation, cessation and existence of all phenomena and all things.
How does human suffering happen? The Buddha said it is not something that happens without any cause. It also does not arise because of perverted causes created by a god or Brahmana. It has its own causes. All things exist in accordance with the Law of Cause and Effect. When there is a cause there will be an effect. When causes exist, effects exist. The rising and existence of things are determined by causes and conditions. This is why the Buddha says "what this is (cause), that is (effect); this arising, that arises". This is the Circulation Process of the Law of Dependent Origination. It explains the existence of worldly phenomena.
We may also see this formula in its reverse order. According to the Law of Dependent Origination, in order to end suffering, we must stop its causes. Thus, "When this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases." When there is a cause there will be an effect; when there is perverted thought, there will be wrong behavior, and this will certainly result in evil consequences, i.e. sufferings. On the contrary, when there is no cause, there will be no effect. Once the perverted thought is corrected, wrong behavior will stop and sufferings will also cease.
All things arise due to causes and conditions. As causes and conditions are impermanent and will cease one day, all things will also cease correspondingly. When there is rising, there will be falling; when there is existence, there will be extinction. The rising and existence of things has its natural tendency towards cessation and extinction. It is like a wave; it comes and goes. Thus, when one sees the truth of "what this is, that is; this arising, that arises", one should also see the truth of "when this is not, that is not; this ceasing, that ceases". The Law of Dependent Origination pointed out the possibility of ending worldly suffering. It shows the way of liberation that corresponds to the Law of Cause and Effect.
"When one is born, one will die.
One who admires high status will fall one day."
This is the natural Law of Cause and Effect. It is also an inner implication of the Law of Dependent Origination. It can be called the Cessation Process of the Law of Dependent Origination.
The two complementary processes active in the Law of Dependent Origination, of the Middle Path, are two processes that are in reverse or conserve sides of each other. They explain the Laws of Circulation and Cessation. This rise and fall of causes and effects is still a worldly principle, and an explanation for superficial phenomena. Although it was not the final truth, it is from this that the ultimate truth was realized. The ultimate truth was drawn from the empty nature of the Law of Dependent Origination. Thus, the Sutra says,
"Tell the Bhikku, the ultimate truth of emptiness,
realized by the Enlightened Ones,
corresponds to the Worldly Law."
(Samyuktagama, Chapter 12)
...... from buddhanet.com
Tolerance...
The first sign of the realization of truth is tolerance.
Bowl of Saki, March 24, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
A soul shows the proof of its evolution in the degree of the tolerance it
shows. The life in the lower creation shows the lack of tolerance. The tendency
of fighting with one another, which one sees among beasts and birds, shows the
reason at the back of it, that intolerance is born in their nature. ... But when
a soul has evolved still more, tolerance becomes the natural thing for him.
Because the highly evolved soul then begins to realize 'Another person is not
separate from me, but the other person is myself. The separation is on the
surface of life, but in the depth of life I and the other person are one.'
Therefore tolerance is not learned fully by trying to follow it as a good
principle. It is learned by having the love of God, by attaining the knowledge
of self, and by understanding the truth of life.
A Sufi tries to keep harmony in his surroundings, the harmony which demands many
sacrifices. It makes one endure what one is not willing to endure, it makes one
overlook what one is not inclined to overlook, it makes one tolerate what one is
not accustomed to tolerate, and it makes one forgive and forget what one would
never have forgotten if it were not for the sake of harmony. But at whatever
cost harmony is attained, it is a good bargain. For harmony is the secret of
happiness, and in absence of this a person living in palaces and rolling in gold
can be most unhappy.
The first step to the attainment of the truth cannot be taught in books, or be
imparted by a teacher. It must come spontaneously, namely through the love for
truth. The next step is to search for it; the third step is the actual
attainment. How can one attain? In order to attain truth one must make one's own
life truthful. ... Passing from the state of natural man, through the state of
being a lover of truth and a seeker after truth, one begins to express truth ...
One begins to understand what the great teachers have taught. Then one becomes
tolerant to the various religions. Nothing seems strange any more. Nothing
surprises. For now one begins to know the innermost nature of man; one sees the
cause behind every action. Therefore tolerance and forgiveness and understanding
of others come naturally. The person who knows the truth is the most tolerant.
It is the knower of truth who is forgiving; it is the knower of truth who
understands another person's point of view. It is the knower of truth who does
not readily voice his opinion, for he has respect for the opinions of others.
When man gains insight into himself, he also gains insight into the hearts of
others. All this desire for learning occult or mystical powers or psychic powers
now disappears, because he begins to see all this power in one truth -- loving
truth, seeking truth, looking for truth, living the truthful life. That it is
which opens all doors.
Bowl of Saki, March 24, by Hazrat Inayat Khan
Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:
A soul shows the proof of its evolution in the degree of the tolerance it
shows. The life in the lower creation shows the lack of tolerance. The tendency
of fighting with one another, which one sees among beasts and birds, shows the
reason at the back of it, that intolerance is born in their nature. ... But when
a soul has evolved still more, tolerance becomes the natural thing for him.
Because the highly evolved soul then begins to realize 'Another person is not
separate from me, but the other person is myself. The separation is on the
surface of life, but in the depth of life I and the other person are one.'
Therefore tolerance is not learned fully by trying to follow it as a good
principle. It is learned by having the love of God, by attaining the knowledge
of self, and by understanding the truth of life.
A Sufi tries to keep harmony in his surroundings, the harmony which demands many
sacrifices. It makes one endure what one is not willing to endure, it makes one
overlook what one is not inclined to overlook, it makes one tolerate what one is
not accustomed to tolerate, and it makes one forgive and forget what one would
never have forgotten if it were not for the sake of harmony. But at whatever
cost harmony is attained, it is a good bargain. For harmony is the secret of
happiness, and in absence of this a person living in palaces and rolling in gold
can be most unhappy.
The first step to the attainment of the truth cannot be taught in books, or be
imparted by a teacher. It must come spontaneously, namely through the love for
truth. The next step is to search for it; the third step is the actual
attainment. How can one attain? In order to attain truth one must make one's own
life truthful. ... Passing from the state of natural man, through the state of
being a lover of truth and a seeker after truth, one begins to express truth ...
One begins to understand what the great teachers have taught. Then one becomes
tolerant to the various religions. Nothing seems strange any more. Nothing
surprises. For now one begins to know the innermost nature of man; one sees the
cause behind every action. Therefore tolerance and forgiveness and understanding
of others come naturally. The person who knows the truth is the most tolerant.
It is the knower of truth who is forgiving; it is the knower of truth who
understands another person's point of view. It is the knower of truth who does
not readily voice his opinion, for he has respect for the opinions of others.
When man gains insight into himself, he also gains insight into the hearts of
others. All this desire for learning occult or mystical powers or psychic powers
now disappears, because he begins to see all this power in one truth -- loving
truth, seeking truth, looking for truth, living the truthful life. That it is
which opens all doors.
We are a Divine Dream...
You as a Personality, even the Personality of God called Divine Consciousness is really just a dream from Pure Intelligence.. this non-existence of Self is most difficult to understand for souls because they desire the Consciousness of Creation as their Identity.. although, this is the State of Love,Freedom and Bliss, It is still a separation from the Original Source.. The Source that dreamed; "Let there Be Light".. The Light is Divine Consciousness which is Us, until We Realize that We are a dream from Pure Intelligence..At this point, the dream ends and We are finally Free....... namaste, thomas
Freedom...
Freedom is the start of something that Nobody knows: there is no end to Satsang, it is always new fathomless Bliss."
"The Firm conviction that One is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss is the end of the Teaching. Yet there is a sacred Secret beyond even this. This sacred secret must be asked for in secret and followed sacredly."
"Constantly go to the Source. Don't even land in the Source, but forever go deeper. Still Beyond It Is."
"You have to take the last half step from Peace-Awareness-Bliss into the Mystery beyond the mind."
--
"The Self has to help the Self; nobody else can help." Poonja
"The Firm conviction that One is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss is the end of the Teaching. Yet there is a sacred Secret beyond even this. This sacred secret must be asked for in secret and followed sacredly."
"Constantly go to the Source. Don't even land in the Source, but forever go deeper. Still Beyond It Is."
"You have to take the last half step from Peace-Awareness-Bliss into the Mystery beyond the mind."
--
"The Self has to help the Self; nobody else can help." Poonja
The Divine Secret...
This is the secret that few know because most have to come to the Realization that they are Divine Consciousness before they can Realize that they are more than Divine Consciousness.. You are That which dreamed the existence of Divine Consciousness.. You are Pure Intelligence but the secret is that there is no You. there is only Pure Intelligence which is called Nothingness.. these are the steps of non separation called non-ego and non-Identity.. but, first concentrate on Knowing that You are Divine Consciousness............ namaste, thomas
Cleaning Mind...
Pain and suffering are only the body and
mind screaming for attention. To go
beyond the body you must be healthy; to
go beyond the mind, you must have your
mind in perfect order. You cannot leave a
mess behind and go beyond. The mess will
bog you up. 'Pick up your rubbish' seems to
to the universal law. And a just law, too.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
mind screaming for attention. To go
beyond the body you must be healthy; to
go beyond the mind, you must have your
mind in perfect order. You cannot leave a
mess behind and go beyond. The mess will
bog you up. 'Pick up your rubbish' seems to
to the universal law. And a just law, too.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Consciousness is All...
Well, exactly what is memory anyway? Memory is entirely a functioning of thought or a sensing mentality—it has nothing to do with Infinite Consciousness, pure Being. They're not the same at all. Memory is merely the projected thought of people, objects, places, feelings; myriad images—all of which are mental forms.
The capacity to project these finite mental images is what has stopped, not Infinite Consciousness, undimensional I-Presence. Don't confuse projected thought forms with formless Consciousness—just as you never confuse the moving images on a movie screen with the screen itself. Consciousness as It is being doesn't involve thinking; so It doesn't Involve memory or project thoughts of past or future. It is a state of pure I, Consciousness simply never leaves being present—and one cannot have a memory of the present.
As It is present only, Consciousness Itself never jumps back or ahead in time, past or future. Thinking seems to project thoughts of past or future, but that's thinking doing that, not Awareness being.
Awareness cannot have a memory of having been. Why? Its only state is that of being present. Because Awareness changelessly is, It can't become something that was. It can't look back upon itself because It's not back, Its present.
Consciousness is All
by Peter Dzubian
excerpts pages 47
Blue Dolphin Publishing
P.O.Box 8
Nevada City, CA 95959
c 2008 second edition
The capacity to project these finite mental images is what has stopped, not Infinite Consciousness, undimensional I-Presence. Don't confuse projected thought forms with formless Consciousness—just as you never confuse the moving images on a movie screen with the screen itself. Consciousness as It is being doesn't involve thinking; so It doesn't Involve memory or project thoughts of past or future. It is a state of pure I, Consciousness simply never leaves being present—and one cannot have a memory of the present.
As It is present only, Consciousness Itself never jumps back or ahead in time, past or future. Thinking seems to project thoughts of past or future, but that's thinking doing that, not Awareness being.
Awareness cannot have a memory of having been. Why? Its only state is that of being present. Because Awareness changelessly is, It can't become something that was. It can't look back upon itself because It's not back, Its present.
Consciousness is All
by Peter Dzubian
excerpts pages 47
Blue Dolphin Publishing
P.O.Box 8
Nevada City, CA 95959
c 2008 second edition
Rejection of Reality...
Q: Why is Reality rejected?
A: Lovers of delusion dislike anything which is unlike delusion. And
the thing most unlike delusion is Reality. To make his disciples wise
when teaching truth in a deluded world a teacher told them, 'Never
offer cabbage to a man who dislikes cabbage.'"
Treasury of Positive Answers, # 581
by Vernon Howard
A: Lovers of delusion dislike anything which is unlike delusion. And
the thing most unlike delusion is Reality. To make his disciples wise
when teaching truth in a deluded world a teacher told them, 'Never
offer cabbage to a man who dislikes cabbage.'"
Treasury of Positive Answers, # 581
by Vernon Howard
ego pain...
If you still feel pain because of egoic thoughts, then, you are not done.....
Watch your thoughts.. Be the Watcher.. Thoughts of ego will appear before You..
just watch these thoughts and they will disappear.. this is the easiest method..
because the ego is illusion and all illusions disappear............. namaste,
thomas
Watch your thoughts.. Be the Watcher.. Thoughts of ego will appear before You..
just watch these thoughts and they will disappear.. this is the easiest method..
because the ego is illusion and all illusions disappear............. namaste,
thomas
Mind...
He is quite right in questioning the usefulness of getting involved in an endless study of the intricate classifications of his surroundings, if they are illusory. From the standpoint of the Ultimate Path such a study is a waste of time and therefore is not indulged in. The aim of this path is to know the ultimate reality--knowing which, all its illusory reflections are naturally understood. However, he must be careful in the use of the word "illusory." The world is not illusory but the apprehension of it through the senses is. Each object regarded separately as an independent entity is illusory but regarded as what it is in its formless essence it is real. To put this in plainer language: everything seen is merely an idea in the mind. Ideas come and go and in this sense only are unreal; but the stuff out of which they are formed--that is, Mind--does not come and go and constitutes the ultimate basis of all ideas and therefore of their ultimate reality. He seeks to understand what this Mind is.
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— Notebooks Category 21: Mentalism > Chapter 3: The Individual and World Mind > # 3........ Paul Brunton
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— Notebooks Category 21: Mentalism > Chapter 3: The Individual and World Mind > # 3........ Paul Brunton
Rumi on Wisdom...
"Only from the heart Can you touch the sky."
"Patience is the key to joy."
"That which is false troubles the heart, but truth brings joyous tranquility."
"People of the world don't look at themselves, and so they blame one another."
"The intelligent want self-control; children want candy."
"The middle path is the way to wisdom."
"We rarely hear the inward music, but we're all dancing to it nevertheless."
"Thirst drove me down to the water where I drank the moon's reflection."
"No mirror ever became iron again; No bread ever became wheat; No ripened grape ever became sour fruit. Mature yourself and be secure from a change for the worse. Become the light."
"To praise is to praise how one surrenders to the emptiness."
"We come spinning out of nothingness, scattering stars like dust."
"The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart."
"You think the shadow is the substance."
"Since in order to speak, one must first listen, learn to speak by listening."
"Patience is the key to joy."
"That which is false troubles the heart, but truth brings joyous tranquility."
"People of the world don't look at themselves, and so they blame one another."
"The intelligent want self-control; children want candy."
"The middle path is the way to wisdom."
"We rarely hear the inward music, but we're all dancing to it nevertheless."
"Thirst drove me down to the water where I drank the moon's reflection."
"No mirror ever became iron again; No bread ever became wheat; No ripened grape ever became sour fruit. Mature yourself and be secure from a change for the worse. Become the light."
"To praise is to praise how one surrenders to the emptiness."
"We come spinning out of nothingness, scattering stars like dust."
"The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart."
"You think the shadow is the substance."
"Since in order to speak, one must first listen, learn to speak by listening."
Adyashanti...
Relationship – There is no "other" – See also Oneness
Awakening to the truth of perfect Unity, means to awaken from the dream of a personal self and personal others to the realization that there is no other. Many spiritual seekers have had glimpses of the absolute unity of all existence, but few are capable of or willing to live up to the many challenging implications inherent in that revelation. The revelation of perfect unity, that there is no other, is a realization of the ultimate impersonality of all that seems to be so very personal. Applying this realization to the arena of personal relationships is something that most seekers find extremely challenging, and is the number one reason
why so many seekers never come completely to rest in the freedom of the Self Absolute.
Inherent in the revelation of perfect unity is the realization that there is no personal me, no personal other, and therefore no personal relationships. Coming to terms with the challenging implications of this stunning realization is something that few people are willing to do. Because realizing the true impersonality of all that seems so personal, challenges every aspect of the illusion of a separate, personal self. It challenges the entire structure of personal relationships which are born of needs, wants, and expectations. It is in the arena of personal relationships that the illusion of a separate self clings most tenaciously and insidiously. Indeed, there is nothing that derails more spiritual seekers than the grasping at and attaching to personal relationships.
The revelation of perfect unity reveals the true impersonality of all relationships. The ego always interprets "impersonal" as meaning cold, distant, and aloof. However, "impersonal" simply means not personal, or void of a separate me and a separate you. The mind cannot comprehend of a relationship without separate entities. Much as a character in a dream cannot comprehend that all other dream characters are simply manifestations of the same dreamer. Yet when the dreamer awakens, he instantly comprehends that the entire dream, and all the characters in it, were none other than projections of his own self. In the dream there is the appearance of separate, personal entities in relationship, but upon awakening one comprehends the impersonal (non-separate) Self that is the source of all appearances.
To deeply inquire into the question "Who is another?" can lead to the direct experience that the other is one's own Self - that in fact there is no other. However, I have seen that for most seekers, even this direct experiential revelation is not enough to transform the painfully personal ways they relate. To come to this profound transformation requires a very deep investigation into the implications inherent within the experiential revelation that there is no other. It is in the daily living of these implications that most seekers fail. Why? Because, fundamentally, most people want to remain separate and in control. Simply put, most people want to keep dreaming that they are special, unique, and separate, more than they want to wake up to the perfect unity of an Unknown which leaves no room from any separation from the whole.
There is a powerful tendency in most spiritual seekers to avoid probing deeply into the implications inherent within profound spiritual experience and revelation, because these implications are always threatening to the sense of a separate self, or ego. It is the implications inherent within profound spiritual revelation that demand the transformation of the apparent individual.
Inherent within the revelation of perfect unity is the realization that there is no other. The implications of this realization reveal that in order to manifest that unity in the relative world, one must renounce the dream of being a separate self seeking to obtain anything through relationship with another. Indeed, personal relationship appears to happen in the relative world, but in reality, all appearances simply arise as temporary manifestations of a unified whole. In the relative world these appearances are in relationship, but not as separate entities. Rather, they are the play of the one Self projecting itself as apparent entities in relationship to one another.
As long as you identify yourself with the projection of separateness, you will continue to deny that you are the Source of all projections. When you truly and absolutely awaken to this fact, and comprehend the overwhelming implications inherent within this awakening, you will continually experience that all apparently personal relationships are in truth nothing other than the play of your Self. To realize that the personal me is an illusion born of false identification with the body, thoughts, and emotions, brings a profound sense of freedom. This is fundamentally the realization of emptiness, of what you are not. But contained within the realization of emptiness (formlessness) is also the realization of what you ARE. In the most absolute sense you ARE this conscious emptiness which is the source of all appearances (existence). But you are the appearance as well. Not just one part of the appearance called "me", but all of it, the entire whole. This is the challenge, to let your view get this vast. To let your view get so vast that your identity disappears. Then you realize that there is no other, and there is nothing personal going on.
Contrary to the way the ego will view such a realization, it is in reality the birth of true love. A love which is free of all boundaries and fear. To the ego such uncontaminated love is unbearable in its intimacy. When there is no clear separating boundaries and nothing to gain the ego becomes disinterested, angry, or frightened. In a love where there is no
other there is nowhere to hide, no one to control, and nothing to gain. It is the coming together of appearances in the beautiful dance of the SELF called Love.
To the seeker who is sincere, an experiential glimpse of this possibility is not enough. If you are sincere you will find it within yourself to go far beyond any glimpse. You will find within your Self the courage to let go of the known and dive deeply into the Unknown heart of a mystery that calls you only to itself.
("The Heart of Relationship," 1999, downloaded from www.adyashanti.org, 2004.)
Awakening to the truth of perfect Unity, means to awaken from the dream of a personal self and personal others to the realization that there is no other. Many spiritual seekers have had glimpses of the absolute unity of all existence, but few are capable of or willing to live up to the many challenging implications inherent in that revelation. The revelation of perfect unity, that there is no other, is a realization of the ultimate impersonality of all that seems to be so very personal. Applying this realization to the arena of personal relationships is something that most seekers find extremely challenging, and is the number one reason
why so many seekers never come completely to rest in the freedom of the Self Absolute.
Inherent in the revelation of perfect unity is the realization that there is no personal me, no personal other, and therefore no personal relationships. Coming to terms with the challenging implications of this stunning realization is something that few people are willing to do. Because realizing the true impersonality of all that seems so personal, challenges every aspect of the illusion of a separate, personal self. It challenges the entire structure of personal relationships which are born of needs, wants, and expectations. It is in the arena of personal relationships that the illusion of a separate self clings most tenaciously and insidiously. Indeed, there is nothing that derails more spiritual seekers than the grasping at and attaching to personal relationships.
The revelation of perfect unity reveals the true impersonality of all relationships. The ego always interprets "impersonal" as meaning cold, distant, and aloof. However, "impersonal" simply means not personal, or void of a separate me and a separate you. The mind cannot comprehend of a relationship without separate entities. Much as a character in a dream cannot comprehend that all other dream characters are simply manifestations of the same dreamer. Yet when the dreamer awakens, he instantly comprehends that the entire dream, and all the characters in it, were none other than projections of his own self. In the dream there is the appearance of separate, personal entities in relationship, but upon awakening one comprehends the impersonal (non-separate) Self that is the source of all appearances.
To deeply inquire into the question "Who is another?" can lead to the direct experience that the other is one's own Self - that in fact there is no other. However, I have seen that for most seekers, even this direct experiential revelation is not enough to transform the painfully personal ways they relate. To come to this profound transformation requires a very deep investigation into the implications inherent within the experiential revelation that there is no other. It is in the daily living of these implications that most seekers fail. Why? Because, fundamentally, most people want to remain separate and in control. Simply put, most people want to keep dreaming that they are special, unique, and separate, more than they want to wake up to the perfect unity of an Unknown which leaves no room from any separation from the whole.
There is a powerful tendency in most spiritual seekers to avoid probing deeply into the implications inherent within profound spiritual experience and revelation, because these implications are always threatening to the sense of a separate self, or ego. It is the implications inherent within profound spiritual revelation that demand the transformation of the apparent individual.
Inherent within the revelation of perfect unity is the realization that there is no other. The implications of this realization reveal that in order to manifest that unity in the relative world, one must renounce the dream of being a separate self seeking to obtain anything through relationship with another. Indeed, personal relationship appears to happen in the relative world, but in reality, all appearances simply arise as temporary manifestations of a unified whole. In the relative world these appearances are in relationship, but not as separate entities. Rather, they are the play of the one Self projecting itself as apparent entities in relationship to one another.
As long as you identify yourself with the projection of separateness, you will continue to deny that you are the Source of all projections. When you truly and absolutely awaken to this fact, and comprehend the overwhelming implications inherent within this awakening, you will continually experience that all apparently personal relationships are in truth nothing other than the play of your Self. To realize that the personal me is an illusion born of false identification with the body, thoughts, and emotions, brings a profound sense of freedom. This is fundamentally the realization of emptiness, of what you are not. But contained within the realization of emptiness (formlessness) is also the realization of what you ARE. In the most absolute sense you ARE this conscious emptiness which is the source of all appearances (existence). But you are the appearance as well. Not just one part of the appearance called "me", but all of it, the entire whole. This is the challenge, to let your view get this vast. To let your view get so vast that your identity disappears. Then you realize that there is no other, and there is nothing personal going on.
Contrary to the way the ego will view such a realization, it is in reality the birth of true love. A love which is free of all boundaries and fear. To the ego such uncontaminated love is unbearable in its intimacy. When there is no clear separating boundaries and nothing to gain the ego becomes disinterested, angry, or frightened. In a love where there is no
other there is nowhere to hide, no one to control, and nothing to gain. It is the coming together of appearances in the beautiful dance of the SELF called Love.
To the seeker who is sincere, an experiential glimpse of this possibility is not enough. If you are sincere you will find it within yourself to go far beyond any glimpse. You will find within your Self the courage to let go of the known and dive deeply into the Unknown heart of a mystery that calls you only to itself.
("The Heart of Relationship," 1999, downloaded from www.adyashanti.org, 2004.)
Divine confusion...
The ego is just the mind of the brain that latches onto the stream of thoughts
that constantly flow through the mind, and Consciousness says," this is me"..
but, it is a game because it is not Divine Consciousness.. It is only
consciousness being confused by the five senses to believe that it is the output
of the senses...this game of confusion seems to provide Knowledge and Experience
to Divine Consciousness......... namaste, thomas
that constantly flow through the mind, and Consciousness says," this is me"..
but, it is a game because it is not Divine Consciousness.. It is only
consciousness being confused by the five senses to believe that it is the output
of the senses...this game of confusion seems to provide Knowledge and Experience
to Divine Consciousness......... namaste, thomas
Love and Illusion...
ILLUSION HAS COME INTO BEING FOR A SIGNIFICANT PURPOSE
Meher Baba
"It is for love that the whole universe sprang into
existence, and it is for the sake of love that it is
kept going.
"God descends into the realm of Illusion because the
apparent duality of the Beloved and the lover is
eventually contributory to His conscious enjoyment of
His own divinity.
"The development of love is conditioned and sustained
by the tension of duality. God has to suffer apparent
differentiation into a multiplicity of souls in order
to carry on the game of love. They are His own forms,
and in relation to them He at once assumes the roles
of the divine Lover and the divine Beloved. As the
Beloved, He is the real and the ultimate object of
their appreciation. As the divine Lover, He is their
real and ultimate savior, drawing them back to
Himself.
"Thus, though the whole world of duality is only an
illusion, that illusion has come into being for a
significant purpose.
"Love is the reflection of God's unity in the world of
duality. It constitutes the entire significance of
creation.
"If love were excluded from life, all the souls in the
world would assume complete externality to each other;
and the only possible relations and contacts in such a
loveless world would be superficial and mechanical. It
is because of love that the contacts and relations
between individual souls become significant.
"It is love that gives meaning and value to all the
happenings in the world of duality. But while love
gives meaning to the world of duality, it is at the
same time a standing challenge to duality.
"As love gathers strength, it generates creative
restlessness and becomes the main driving power of
that spiritual dynamic which ultimately succeeds in
restoring to consciousness the original unity of
Being."
Meher Baba
_DISCOURSES_
Myrtle Beach, SC: Sheriar Foundation, 7th rev. ed.,
1987, pp. 115-116.
Copyright 1987 AMBPPCT
"God and love are identical, and one who has divine
love has received God."
Meher Baba
_Sparks from Meher Baba_
Myrtle Beach, SC: Meher Spiritual Center, n.d., p. 16
Live Unity, Celebrate Diversity
Meher Baba
"It is for love that the whole universe sprang into
existence, and it is for the sake of love that it is
kept going.
"God descends into the realm of Illusion because the
apparent duality of the Beloved and the lover is
eventually contributory to His conscious enjoyment of
His own divinity.
"The development of love is conditioned and sustained
by the tension of duality. God has to suffer apparent
differentiation into a multiplicity of souls in order
to carry on the game of love. They are His own forms,
and in relation to them He at once assumes the roles
of the divine Lover and the divine Beloved. As the
Beloved, He is the real and the ultimate object of
their appreciation. As the divine Lover, He is their
real and ultimate savior, drawing them back to
Himself.
"Thus, though the whole world of duality is only an
illusion, that illusion has come into being for a
significant purpose.
"Love is the reflection of God's unity in the world of
duality. It constitutes the entire significance of
creation.
"If love were excluded from life, all the souls in the
world would assume complete externality to each other;
and the only possible relations and contacts in such a
loveless world would be superficial and mechanical. It
is because of love that the contacts and relations
between individual souls become significant.
"It is love that gives meaning and value to all the
happenings in the world of duality. But while love
gives meaning to the world of duality, it is at the
same time a standing challenge to duality.
"As love gathers strength, it generates creative
restlessness and becomes the main driving power of
that spiritual dynamic which ultimately succeeds in
restoring to consciousness the original unity of
Being."
Meher Baba
_DISCOURSES_
Myrtle Beach, SC: Sheriar Foundation, 7th rev. ed.,
1987, pp. 115-116.
Copyright 1987 AMBPPCT
"God and love are identical, and one who has divine
love has received God."
Meher Baba
_Sparks from Meher Baba_
Myrtle Beach, SC: Meher Spiritual Center, n.d., p. 16
Live Unity, Celebrate Diversity
Tao Te Ching...
The very highest is barely known.
Then comes that which people know and love,
Then that which is feared,
Then that which is despised.
Who does not trust enough will not be trusted.
When actions are performed
Without unnecessary speech,
People say, "We did it!"
- Lao-tzu
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Tao Te Ching
Translation by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English
Vintage Books Edition, September 1989
Then comes that which people know and love,
Then that which is feared,
Then that which is despised.
Who does not trust enough will not be trusted.
When actions are performed
Without unnecessary speech,
People say, "We did it!"
- Lao-tzu
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Tao Te Ching
Translation by Gia-fu Feng and Jane English
Vintage Books Edition, September 1989
Ego...
God comes when the ego goes. When you are
nowhere, He alone is everywhere. He takes the
position of your personality. You vanish, and He
comes in, not before that.
- Swami Krishnananda
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Facets of Spirituality
Complied by S. Bhagyalakshmi
Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1986
nowhere, He alone is everywhere. He takes the
position of your personality. You vanish, and He
comes in, not before that.
- Swami Krishnananda
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Facets of Spirituality
Complied by S. Bhagyalakshmi
Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1986
Grace...
Grace is something that cannot be earned, it can only be given.. Grace is the forgiveness of all of the sins of separation called ego.. It is the Realization that You are above all division called sin.. sins are the actions of ego caused by ignorance of Real Self.. therefore, these sins are erased by Grace (Love) and Divine Consciousness is Realized..Divine Consciousness contains nothing known as sin and therefore sin cannot enter Reality.. Unconditional Love is the state of non-sin and is known as God.. This is why Jesus forgave His killers while on the cross.. Grace is Pure Unconditional Love........... namaste, thomas
Ram Tzu knows you...
Ram Tzu knows you.
All of your
Dirty little secrets
Are tattooed on your forehead
For him to read.
You cling so tenaciously
To your history
Sensing correctly that to let go
Would set you adrift in a present
In which you cannot survive.
Here and now is the great evaporator
Poof! you're gone.
Surprising isn't it?
All that time you thought you were
You really weren¹t.
Poof! back again so soon?
Guess the illusion wasn't finished
With you after all.
If you learned anything
You'll know it doesn¹t
Make any difference.
Ram Tzu certainly doesn't care.
- Ram Tzu
All of your
Dirty little secrets
Are tattooed on your forehead
For him to read.
You cling so tenaciously
To your history
Sensing correctly that to let go
Would set you adrift in a present
In which you cannot survive.
Here and now is the great evaporator
Poof! you're gone.
Surprising isn't it?
All that time you thought you were
You really weren¹t.
Poof! back again so soon?
Guess the illusion wasn't finished
With you after all.
If you learned anything
You'll know it doesn¹t
Make any difference.
Ram Tzu certainly doesn't care.
- Ram Tzu
The Short Path...
What is the key to the Short Path? It is threefold. First, stop searching for the Overself since it follows you wherever you go. Second, believe in its Presence, with and within you. Third, keep on trying to understand its truth until you can abandon further thoughts about it. You cannot acquire what is already here. So drop the ego's false idea and affirm the real one. ...... Paul Brunton
Self...
The greatest help or service you can do to the
world is the imparting of knowledge of the Self.
Spiritual help is the highest help you can render
to mankind. The root cause of human sufferings
is ignorance. If you can remove this ignorance in
man, then only can he be eternally happy. That
sage who tries to remove the ignorance is the
highest benefactor in the world.
- Swami Sivananda
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Karma Yoga
Swami Sivananda
Published by the Divine Life
Trust Society, India, 1985
world is the imparting of knowledge of the Self.
Spiritual help is the highest help you can render
to mankind. The root cause of human sufferings
is ignorance. If you can remove this ignorance in
man, then only can he be eternally happy. That
sage who tries to remove the ignorance is the
highest benefactor in the world.
- Swami Sivananda
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Karma Yoga
Swami Sivananda
Published by the Divine Life
Trust Society, India, 1985
Truth...
The Truth is found by examination. If we believe something without complete
examination, then our name is fool.. Believing something as Truth without self
examination is called religion and worship of leadership.. I find it strange
that people will have an opinion without examining everything that forms that
opinion.. most opinions are formed from the ego and how the ego is affected from
that information received from others.. this is why politicians always tell you
the good news and great change that they will give you upon election.. most of
your opinions are given to you by others, especially the media, controlled by
the elite................ namaste, thomas
examination, then our name is fool.. Believing something as Truth without self
examination is called religion and worship of leadership.. I find it strange
that people will have an opinion without examining everything that forms that
opinion.. most opinions are formed from the ego and how the ego is affected from
that information received from others.. this is why politicians always tell you
the good news and great change that they will give you upon election.. most of
your opinions are given to you by others, especially the media, controlled by
the elite................ namaste, thomas
Why?...
Why do I speak about subjects that frighten others into silence?.. It is to
awaken you to the present and the future.. It is to warn you about this dream
and the Awakening into Consciousness that will be forced upon us by exterior
events.. Although this world is an illusion and the illusion will change as
Consciousness changes, we can prepare ourselves in the most important manner..
This preparation does not mean the storage of food and water.. This preparation
means the forgiveness of all that the ego feels slighted by.. non-forgiveness
will leave an attachment or karma to face, once again, all that the ego feels
attached to.. the long lasting reincarnations that keep you trapped within this
dream.. Unconditional Love is the only escape from this prison of
ego............. namaste, thomas
awaken you to the present and the future.. It is to warn you about this dream
and the Awakening into Consciousness that will be forced upon us by exterior
events.. Although this world is an illusion and the illusion will change as
Consciousness changes, we can prepare ourselves in the most important manner..
This preparation does not mean the storage of food and water.. This preparation
means the forgiveness of all that the ego feels slighted by.. non-forgiveness
will leave an attachment or karma to face, once again, all that the ego feels
attached to.. the long lasting reincarnations that keep you trapped within this
dream.. Unconditional Love is the only escape from this prison of
ego............. namaste, thomas
Walt Whitman...
Trippers and askers surround me (from Song of Myself)
By Walt Whitman
(1819 - 1892)
Trippers and askers surround me,
People I meet, the effect upon me of my early life or the ward and city I live
in, or the nation,
The latest dates, discoveries, inventions, societies, authors old and new,
My dinner, dress, associates, looks, compliments, dues,
The real or fancied indifference of some man or woman I love,
The sickness of one of my folks or of myself, or ill-doing or loss or lack of
money, or depressions or exaltations,
Battles, the horrors of fratricidal war, the fever of doubtful news, the fitful
events;
These come to me days and nights and go from me again,
But they are not the Me myself.
Apart from the pulling and hauling stands what I am,
Stands amused, complacent, compassionating, idle, unitary,
Looks down, is erect, or bends an arm on an impalpable certain rest,
Looking with side-curved head curious what will come next,
Both in and out of the game and watching and wondering at it.
Backward I see in my own days where I sweated through fog with linguists and
contenders,
I have no mockings or arguments, I witness and wait.
-- from Song of Myself, by Walt Whitman
By Walt Whitman
(1819 - 1892)
Trippers and askers surround me,
People I meet, the effect upon me of my early life or the ward and city I live
in, or the nation,
The latest dates, discoveries, inventions, societies, authors old and new,
My dinner, dress, associates, looks, compliments, dues,
The real or fancied indifference of some man or woman I love,
The sickness of one of my folks or of myself, or ill-doing or loss or lack of
money, or depressions or exaltations,
Battles, the horrors of fratricidal war, the fever of doubtful news, the fitful
events;
These come to me days and nights and go from me again,
But they are not the Me myself.
Apart from the pulling and hauling stands what I am,
Stands amused, complacent, compassionating, idle, unitary,
Looks down, is erect, or bends an arm on an impalpable certain rest,
Looking with side-curved head curious what will come next,
Both in and out of the game and watching and wondering at it.
Backward I see in my own days where I sweated through fog with linguists and
contenders,
I have no mockings or arguments, I witness and wait.
-- from Song of Myself, by Walt Whitman
Pure Awareness...
from Consciousness is All by Peter Dzubian
Pure Awareness is not the same as body.
Slowly, silently, be aware of the body again as it holds this book.
That body, like every other thing, is an item you appear to be aware of. That body never is aware of you; the body is not even aware of itself.
Always, it is Awareness alone that is aware—not that body. That body is not You.
Awareness is You.
What You are as Awareness, pure Consciousness, goes far beyond a body, a mere thing.
A body isn't your identity, for a body is like an unaware mannequin. By itself, a body doesn't know anything in order to be an identity. Only Consciousness is conscious to know anything. If there were no Consciousness present, the body couldn't be identified even as a body.
Notice how all things that Consciousness appears to be conscious of, even the body, are identified. They have names or labels—body, hand, book, tactile sensation, thought, emotion, room, etc.—identifying them as the particular things they appear to be. How many such things in your universe, by themselves, know they appear to be there? None.
It is thanks entirely to Consciousness being present that all things can appear to be identified. Things always depend entirely on Consciousness being present to give them their identification.
No thing has any awareness, any intelligence or ability to identify itself. No thing has its own identity.
Consciousness is the only Identity.
By themselves, things don't even know they appear to exist. This book doesn't know it appears to be here; nor does the hand, nor the sensation of touch. The body doesn't know it exists.
Not one single thing in the entire universe knows that it exists!
The only One conscious to know anything exists is Consciousness. It is the only One that knows there is such a thing as existing!
You know you exist, which means Consciousness, not any thing, is Your Identity.
Since you are not an identified thing called a body, you cannot honestly take the point of view of a body. Ever. It is not your point of view to take.
Only what is true of Consciousness is true of You.
So never be intimidated by Consciousness, Awareness, or any other synonym, or put them up on a pedestal just because they are spelled with a capital letter. The Consciousness that is gently being aware right here, now, never is in awe of Itself.
Consciousness always is silent, peaceful—yet absolutely certain in being present.
This silent, peaceful certainty isn't what Consciousness is to you.
This silent certainty is You.
Consciousness is All
by Peter Dzubian
page 18-19
Blue Dolphin Publishing
P.O.Box 8
Nevada City, CA 95959
c 2008 second edition
Pure Awareness is not the same as body.
Slowly, silently, be aware of the body again as it holds this book.
That body, like every other thing, is an item you appear to be aware of. That body never is aware of you; the body is not even aware of itself.
Always, it is Awareness alone that is aware—not that body. That body is not You.
Awareness is You.
What You are as Awareness, pure Consciousness, goes far beyond a body, a mere thing.
A body isn't your identity, for a body is like an unaware mannequin. By itself, a body doesn't know anything in order to be an identity. Only Consciousness is conscious to know anything. If there were no Consciousness present, the body couldn't be identified even as a body.
Notice how all things that Consciousness appears to be conscious of, even the body, are identified. They have names or labels—body, hand, book, tactile sensation, thought, emotion, room, etc.—identifying them as the particular things they appear to be. How many such things in your universe, by themselves, know they appear to be there? None.
It is thanks entirely to Consciousness being present that all things can appear to be identified. Things always depend entirely on Consciousness being present to give them their identification.
No thing has any awareness, any intelligence or ability to identify itself. No thing has its own identity.
Consciousness is the only Identity.
By themselves, things don't even know they appear to exist. This book doesn't know it appears to be here; nor does the hand, nor the sensation of touch. The body doesn't know it exists.
Not one single thing in the entire universe knows that it exists!
The only One conscious to know anything exists is Consciousness. It is the only One that knows there is such a thing as existing!
You know you exist, which means Consciousness, not any thing, is Your Identity.
Since you are not an identified thing called a body, you cannot honestly take the point of view of a body. Ever. It is not your point of view to take.
Only what is true of Consciousness is true of You.
So never be intimidated by Consciousness, Awareness, or any other synonym, or put them up on a pedestal just because they are spelled with a capital letter. The Consciousness that is gently being aware right here, now, never is in awe of Itself.
Consciousness always is silent, peaceful—yet absolutely certain in being present.
This silent, peaceful certainty isn't what Consciousness is to you.
This silent certainty is You.
Consciousness is All
by Peter Dzubian
page 18-19
Blue Dolphin Publishing
P.O.Box 8
Nevada City, CA 95959
c 2008 second edition
The Soul...
The soul will lead him by stages to itself. Hence it
may lead him to reverence for some scriptural
personage or to devotion toward some living master and
then, when these have fulfilled their purpose, away
and beyond them. For the quest is from the world of
things and men to the world of Mind's void; from
thoughts and forms to the thought-free formless
Divine.
— Notebooks Category 1: Overview of the Quest >
Chapter 6: Student-Teacher > # 796 .... Paul Brunton
may lead him to reverence for some scriptural
personage or to devotion toward some living master and
then, when these have fulfilled their purpose, away
and beyond them. For the quest is from the world of
things and men to the world of Mind's void; from
thoughts and forms to the thought-free formless
Divine.
— Notebooks Category 1: Overview of the Quest >
Chapter 6: Student-Teacher > # 796 .... Paul Brunton
The end of your world...
One of the most common of these traps is a sense of meaninglessness. From our new view of reality, we are free from the egoic desire to find meaning. We see that the ego’s desire to find meaning in life is actually a substitute for the perception of being life itself. The search for meaning in life is a surrogate for the knowledge that we are life. Only someone who is disconnected from life itself will seek meaning. Only someone disconnected from life will look for purpose.
p.90
This isn’t a journey about becoming something. This is about unbecoming who we are not, about undeceiving ourselves. In the end, it’s ironic. We don’t end up anywhere other than where we have always been, except that we perceive where we have always been completely differently. We realize that the heaven everyone is seeking is where we have always been.
p.114
Adyashanti The End of Your World
Published by Sounds True, Inc
Boulder, Colorado 80306
p.90
This isn’t a journey about becoming something. This is about unbecoming who we are not, about undeceiving ourselves. In the end, it’s ironic. We don’t end up anywhere other than where we have always been, except that we perceive where we have always been completely differently. We realize that the heaven everyone is seeking is where we have always been.
p.114
Adyashanti The End of Your World
Published by Sounds True, Inc
Boulder, Colorado 80306
St. Teresa of Avila...
"The dart wherewith He wounded me
Was all embarbed round with love.
And thus my spirit came to be
One with its Maker, God above.
No love but this I need to prove:
My life to God surrender'd is
And my Beloved One is mine
And I at last am surely His."
St. Teresa of Avila
in Alan Jacobs, Ed.
_The Element Book of Mystical Verse_
Rockport, MA: Element, 1997, p. 116
Was all embarbed round with love.
And thus my spirit came to be
One with its Maker, God above.
No love but this I need to prove:
My life to God surrender'd is
And my Beloved One is mine
And I at last am surely His."
St. Teresa of Avila
in Alan Jacobs, Ed.
_The Element Book of Mystical Verse_
Rockport, MA: Element, 1997, p. 116
Rumi/ Religions Are One Because He Is One...
"All religions are in substance one and the same.
In the adorations and benedictions of righteous men
The praises of all the prophets are kneaded together.
All their praises are mingled into one stream,
All the vessels are emptied into one ewer.
Because He that is praised is, in fact, only One,
In this respect all religions are only one religion.
Because all praises are directed towards God's light,
Their various forms and figures are borrowed from it.
Men never address praises but to One deemed worthy,
They err only through mistaken opinions of Him."
Maulana Jalalu-'d-din Muhammad Rumi
The Masnavi I Ma'navi, III, 12
Abridged and Translated by E.H. Whinfield
[1898] at sacred-texts.com
http://www.sacred-texts.com/isl/masnavi/
In the adorations and benedictions of righteous men
The praises of all the prophets are kneaded together.
All their praises are mingled into one stream,
All the vessels are emptied into one ewer.
Because He that is praised is, in fact, only One,
In this respect all religions are only one religion.
Because all praises are directed towards God's light,
Their various forms and figures are borrowed from it.
Men never address praises but to One deemed worthy,
They err only through mistaken opinions of Him."
Maulana Jalalu-'d-din Muhammad Rumi
The Masnavi I Ma'navi, III, 12
Abridged and Translated by E.H. Whinfield
[1898] at sacred-texts.com
http://www.sacred-texts.com/isl/masnavi/
Seeing...
If there is anything - any person, any behavior, any circumstance, any
situation, any place, anything that you do not see as God, that's
where the work is. The world is exactly as it should be. Everything
is God. Everything is good. The only time we suffer is when we
believe a thought that argues with what is. When I argue with reality,
I lose.....
Byron Katie
situation, any place, anything that you do not see as God, that's
where the work is. The world is exactly as it should be. Everything
is God. Everything is good. The only time we suffer is when we
believe a thought that argues with what is. When I argue with reality,
I lose.....
Byron Katie
The unhappy poet...
Why do you argue?, light spirit..
the spirit does not consume the food of ego..
you stuff your mouth with words..
difficult to digest..
your mind simmers with pain..
the pain of separation..
more painful because of knowledge..
the knowledge of ego..
the answer is the cure..
the cure is Staying Awake..
it is easy to fall asleep,
within the domination of ego..
we seek happiness..
and yet we believe that it exists elsewhere..
the ego keeps whispering,
I am happiness..
Humility seeks to be your friend..
you send him away without being fed..
you cannot serve two masters..
pick One, and be earnest....
namaste, thomas
the spirit does not consume the food of ego..
you stuff your mouth with words..
difficult to digest..
your mind simmers with pain..
the pain of separation..
more painful because of knowledge..
the knowledge of ego..
the answer is the cure..
the cure is Staying Awake..
it is easy to fall asleep,
within the domination of ego..
we seek happiness..
and yet we believe that it exists elsewhere..
the ego keeps whispering,
I am happiness..
Humility seeks to be your friend..
you send him away without being fed..
you cannot serve two masters..
pick One, and be earnest....
namaste, thomas
Awareness...
"Awareness with an object we called witnessing. When there is also self-identification with the object, caused by desire or fear, such a state is called a person. In reality there is only one state; when distorted by self-identification it is called a person, when coloured with the sense of being, it is the witness; when colourless and limitless, it is called the Supreme." ~ Nisargadatta
Consciousness is All...
Here's the kicker. Every single sensation that the human mind experiences about its universe—every sight that is seen, every touch, every sound heard, every taste and smell—as well as every thought and emotion—all occur or are constantly passing on in this flow of time. On that level, you can't stop it—everything experienced by the human mind always is moving on, passing away, and not being present.
So if you didn't identify as the pure Conscious Being you are, as what is, and identified only on the passing level of the five senses, time, and what is-not, what in the world would you be doing?
What kind of a non-being, never-present self would you be? Stop a moment and let that one in.
That simple switch in identification is profound. You are not the mind. Thinking and sensing are what you appear to use, or do—they're not what you are as pure Conscious Awareness.
The would-be thinking "mind" always has considered what it senses and experiences in the passage of time to be reality. Now you seem to do an about-face. You don't identify with a state of sensing and thinking that always is passing and never being. You identify as pure Conscious Being, or what really is, the Real. That which passes on the level of the sensing, thinking "time-mind" now is seen in the correct light—as what really is not, or what is not real.
Consciousness is All
by Peter Dzubian
So if you didn't identify as the pure Conscious Being you are, as what is, and identified only on the passing level of the five senses, time, and what is-not, what in the world would you be doing?
What kind of a non-being, never-present self would you be? Stop a moment and let that one in.
That simple switch in identification is profound. You are not the mind. Thinking and sensing are what you appear to use, or do—they're not what you are as pure Conscious Awareness.
The would-be thinking "mind" always has considered what it senses and experiences in the passage of time to be reality. Now you seem to do an about-face. You don't identify with a state of sensing and thinking that always is passing and never being. You identify as pure Conscious Being, or what really is, the Real. That which passes on the level of the sensing, thinking "time-mind" now is seen in the correct light—as what really is not, or what is not real.
Consciousness is All
by Peter Dzubian
Does Love Transform?...
I am of the opinon that Love does not transform the ego, Love dissolves the illusion of ego..only non-ego can enter Reality..at this point Self Realizes the Identity of Self.( I AM That I AM )... the next step is even to surrender this Identity of Self and enter Nothingness called Pure Intelligence or Pure Awareness.......namaste, thomas
Mind and Heart...
Anyone can hear the noise in their mind
that's hiding within the silence.
But can you also hear the silence in your
heart that's hiding within the noise?
Only in stillness will you discover the quiet
in the middle of the chaos.
Only in stillness will be discover the hush
in the middle of the rush.
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
that's hiding within the silence.
But can you also hear the silence in your
heart that's hiding within the noise?
Only in stillness will you discover the quiet
in the middle of the chaos.
Only in stillness will be discover the hush
in the middle of the rush.
- Chuck Hillig
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
Seeds for the Soul
Chuck Hillig
Black Dot Publications, 2003
Maher Baba...
"Reflection is from the Real but reflection is not real. A sacrifice of the
unreal for the Real is worth any sacrifice in the world."
Meher Baba
from a letter to Jal Kerawalla, 1937
Glow International, August 1995
http://www.avatarmeherbaba.org/letters.html
unreal for the Real is worth any sacrifice in the world."
Meher Baba
from a letter to Jal Kerawalla, 1937
Glow International, August 1995
http://www.avatarmeherbaba.org/letters.html
The Long Path...
The Long Path is based on the beliefs of ordinary living, which start from the imagined reality of the person and therefore start with a fiction. The Short Path rejects this from the beginning and seeks to penetrate without delay to the unchanging and unchangeable Essence........ Paul Brunton
Happiness...
"Rabbi Nachman taught: Through depression and sadness a man can forget who he
really is. Therefore it is necessary to be continually in a state of joy, no
matter what low level a person may be at. Through joy also, one can give renewed
life to another. For there are people who suffer greatly and they walk around
full of suffering and worry. When someone approaches them with a happy face he
is able to give them renewed life. To do this is not some empty matter but an
exceedingly great thing."
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
in Alan Unterman
_The Wisdom of the Jewish Sages_
NY: New Directions, 1976, pp. 68-69
really is. Therefore it is necessary to be continually in a state of joy, no
matter what low level a person may be at. Through joy also, one can give renewed
life to another. For there are people who suffer greatly and they walk around
full of suffering and worry. When someone approaches them with a happy face he
is able to give them renewed life. To do this is not some empty matter but an
exceedingly great thing."
Rabbi Nachman of Breslov
in Alan Unterman
_The Wisdom of the Jewish Sages_
NY: New Directions, 1976, pp. 68-69
Negative emotions...
Negative emotions create in the mind, metal pain of unhappiness.. this is an
alarm from Consciousness to Consciousness to awaken.. Once Consciousness is
aware to this pain from illusion, Consciousness then Awakes as Self to watch the
pain of emotion called anger, fear, etc.. this watching from Reality to
non-reality forces the illusion to dissolve.. this ends the pains of negative
ego.......... namaste, thomas
alarm from Consciousness to Consciousness to awaken.. Once Consciousness is
aware to this pain from illusion, Consciousness then Awakes as Self to watch the
pain of emotion called anger, fear, etc.. this watching from Reality to
non-reality forces the illusion to dissolve.. this ends the pains of negative
ego.......... namaste, thomas
Anger...
Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be....... Thomas a Kempis
fear...
Ram Tzu knows this,
The fear never leaves you.
It is part of you
As tied to your center as your breath.
Touch it,
Stroke it
Get to know it well.
As long as you are
It will be with you.
You scream
You shout
You rage
You want quit of it.
You push it away with all your strength.
But hear this
It thrives on all this exercise
You give it.
It gets stronger when
You give it something to push against.
Left alone it will wither and die.
But you know you can not leave it alone.
You must always fight the fear.
It is your nature to always fight.
Yet sometimes there is Grace
You disappear into it
And there is no longer a battle.
The warrior is gone.
- Ram Tzu
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
No Way for the Spiritually "Advanced"
Ram Tzu
Advaita Press, 1990
The fear never leaves you.
It is part of you
As tied to your center as your breath.
Touch it,
Stroke it
Get to know it well.
As long as you are
It will be with you.
You scream
You shout
You rage
You want quit of it.
You push it away with all your strength.
But hear this
It thrives on all this exercise
You give it.
It gets stronger when
You give it something to push against.
Left alone it will wither and die.
But you know you can not leave it alone.
You must always fight the fear.
It is your nature to always fight.
Yet sometimes there is Grace
You disappear into it
And there is no longer a battle.
The warrior is gone.
- Ram Tzu
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
No Way for the Spiritually "Advanced"
Ram Tzu
Advaita Press, 1990
A field...
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.
... Rumi
there is a field. I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase each other
doesn't make any sense.
... Rumi
Bliss...
Bliss is Eternal,
even though it appears to arise when the mind dies.
Bliss is not an experience, it is your nature.
This is the Heart of the Wise.
This Gift is always calling to everyone,
"You are seated in the Heart of all Beings."
This is the Truth: Your face shines.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
even though it appears to arise when the mind dies.
Bliss is not an experience, it is your nature.
This is the Heart of the Wise.
This Gift is always calling to everyone,
"You are seated in the Heart of all Beings."
This is the Truth: Your face shines.
- Papaji
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"The Truth Is"
Sri H.W.L. Poonja
Yudhishtara, 1995
Consciousness by Paul Brunton...
A man never leaves Consciousness. The world comes into it as perception, that is, as idea. Whether anything, object or state, comes into it or not, Consciousness remains as his unchanging home. Whether asleep or awake, wrapped in himself or out in the world, his essential being remains what it is. His thoughts and sense-impressions, feelings and passions are produced by it or projected from it: they exist in dependence on it and die in it.
— Notebooks Category 19: The Reign of Relativity > Chapter 3: The States of Consciousness > # 183
Every man is conscious being, even in deep sleep. This then is his real being: this consciousness as it is in itself, not in the limited form it takes in his ego.
— Notebooks Category 19: The Reign of Relativity > Chapter 3: The States of Consciousness > # 189
— Notebooks Category 19: The Reign of Relativity > Chapter 3: The States of Consciousness > # 183
Every man is conscious being, even in deep sleep. This then is his real being: this consciousness as it is in itself, not in the limited form it takes in his ego.
— Notebooks Category 19: The Reign of Relativity > Chapter 3: The States of Consciousness > # 189
Zen and the Art of Archery...
this is from D.T.Suzuki in his introduction to:
"Zen in the Art of Archery"
by Eugen Herrigel
~~~
Zen is the 'everyday mind,' as was proclaimed
by Baso; this 'everyday mind' is no more than:
"sleeping when tired, eating when hungry."
As soon as we reflect, deliberate, and conceptulize,
the original unconsciousness is lost and a thought
interferes. We no longer eat while eating, we no
longer sleep while sleeping. The arrow is off the
string but does not fly straight to the target, nor
does the target stand where it is. Calculation which
is miscalculation sets in. The whole business of
archery goes the wrong way. The archer's confused
mind betrays itself in every direction and every
field of activity.
Man is a thinking reed but his great works are done
when he is not calculating and thinking. 'Childlikeness'
has to be restored with long years of training in the art
of self-forgetfulness. When this is attained, man thinks
yet he does not think. He thinks like the showers coming
down from the sky; he thinks like the wavew rolling on
the ocean; he thinks like the stars illuminating the nightly
heavens; he thinks like the green foliage shooting forth
in the relaxing spring breeze. Indeed, he is the showers,
the ocean, the stars, the foliage.
When a man reaches this stage of 'spiritual' development,
he is a Zen artist of life. He does not need, like the painter,
a canvas, brushes, and paints; nor does he require, like
the archer, the bow and arrow and target, and other
paraphernalia. He has his limbs, head, and other parts.
His Zen-life expresses itself by means of all these 'tools'
which are important to its manifestation. His hands and
feet are the brushes and the whole universe is the canvas
on which he depicts his life for seventy, eighty, or even
ninety years.
Hoyen of Gosozen says: "Here is a man who, turning
the emptiness of space into a sheet of paper, the waves
of the ocean into an inkwell, and Mount Sumeru into a
brush, writes these five characters:
* so - shi - sai - rai - i.
To such, I spread my zagu and make my profound bow."
One may well ask,
"What does this fantastic pronouncement mean?
Why is a person who can perform such a feat
considered worthy of the utmost respect?"
A Zen master would perhaps answer,
"I eat when hungry, I sleep when tired."
If he is nature-minded, he may say,
"It was fine yesterday and today it is raining."
~~~
* so - shi - sai - rai - i
These five characters in chinese ...
literally translated, mean:
"the first patriarch's motive for coming from the west."
The theme is often taken up as a subject of * mondo.
It is the same as asking about the most essential
thing in Zen.
When this is understood, Zen is this body itself.
"Zen in the Art of Archery"
by Eugen Herrigel
~~~
Zen is the 'everyday mind,' as was proclaimed
by Baso; this 'everyday mind' is no more than:
"sleeping when tired, eating when hungry."
As soon as we reflect, deliberate, and conceptulize,
the original unconsciousness is lost and a thought
interferes. We no longer eat while eating, we no
longer sleep while sleeping. The arrow is off the
string but does not fly straight to the target, nor
does the target stand where it is. Calculation which
is miscalculation sets in. The whole business of
archery goes the wrong way. The archer's confused
mind betrays itself in every direction and every
field of activity.
Man is a thinking reed but his great works are done
when he is not calculating and thinking. 'Childlikeness'
has to be restored with long years of training in the art
of self-forgetfulness. When this is attained, man thinks
yet he does not think. He thinks like the showers coming
down from the sky; he thinks like the wavew rolling on
the ocean; he thinks like the stars illuminating the nightly
heavens; he thinks like the green foliage shooting forth
in the relaxing spring breeze. Indeed, he is the showers,
the ocean, the stars, the foliage.
When a man reaches this stage of 'spiritual' development,
he is a Zen artist of life. He does not need, like the painter,
a canvas, brushes, and paints; nor does he require, like
the archer, the bow and arrow and target, and other
paraphernalia. He has his limbs, head, and other parts.
His Zen-life expresses itself by means of all these 'tools'
which are important to its manifestation. His hands and
feet are the brushes and the whole universe is the canvas
on which he depicts his life for seventy, eighty, or even
ninety years.
Hoyen of Gosozen says: "Here is a man who, turning
the emptiness of space into a sheet of paper, the waves
of the ocean into an inkwell, and Mount Sumeru into a
brush, writes these five characters:
* so - shi - sai - rai - i.
To such, I spread my zagu and make my profound bow."
One may well ask,
"What does this fantastic pronouncement mean?
Why is a person who can perform such a feat
considered worthy of the utmost respect?"
A Zen master would perhaps answer,
"I eat when hungry, I sleep when tired."
If he is nature-minded, he may say,
"It was fine yesterday and today it is raining."
~~~
* so - shi - sai - rai - i
These five characters in chinese ...
literally translated, mean:
"the first patriarch's motive for coming from the west."
The theme is often taken up as a subject of * mondo.
It is the same as asking about the most essential
thing in Zen.
When this is understood, Zen is this body itself.
My first Enlightenment...
At that time, I was not informed that my body would be used by another soul..
I assumed that the body would be found dead, once Spirit left.. I did not want
to bring pain to my relatives and friends by awareness of my death.. therefore,
I decided to return to the body and this is something that I regret
often...
more memories flood my mind.. After I surrendered my ego and my life, which most
equate with self, and really meant the suicide of the ego and life desire,,, I
was knocked to the ground by a Energy force of Unconditional Love.. I then found
myself as the Light and Love called Consciousness, with Love and Knowledge
flowing through the Light.. the feelings of no desires and the feeling of Being
bathed in Love was such a joy that I thought that I never wanted to leave.. as
soon as I thought that, a soft male voice asked me if I wanted to stay or return
to the body.. my foolish decision was to return to the body.. but, perhaps
coming back was important to my understanding.. since, this occasion, I have
learned about the road beyond Consciousness......... namaste, thomas
I assumed that the body would be found dead, once Spirit left.. I did not want
to bring pain to my relatives and friends by awareness of my death.. therefore,
I decided to return to the body and this is something that I regret
often...
more memories flood my mind.. After I surrendered my ego and my life, which most
equate with self, and really meant the suicide of the ego and life desire,,, I
was knocked to the ground by a Energy force of Unconditional Love.. I then found
myself as the Light and Love called Consciousness, with Love and Knowledge
flowing through the Light.. the feelings of no desires and the feeling of Being
bathed in Love was such a joy that I thought that I never wanted to leave.. as
soon as I thought that, a soft male voice asked me if I wanted to stay or return
to the body.. my foolish decision was to return to the body.. but, perhaps
coming back was important to my understanding.. since, this occasion, I have
learned about the road beyond Consciousness......... namaste, thomas
Dogma...
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion
is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case
is new, so we must think anew and act anew......
Abraham Lincoln
is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case
is new, so we must think anew and act anew......
Abraham Lincoln
Time...
Time is in the mind, space is in the mind.
The law of cause and effect is also a way of
thinking. In reality all is here and now and
all is one. Multiplicity and diversity are in
the mind only.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
The law of cause and effect is also a way of
thinking. In reality all is here and now and
all is one. Multiplicity and diversity are in
the mind only.
- Nisargadatta Maharaj
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"I Am That"
Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
The Acorn Press, 1973
Jesus running from fools- Masnavi of Rumi...
How Jesus Fled From Fools
Mathnawi III: 2570-2599
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The escaping of Jesus, (may the) peace (of God) be upon him,
to the top of a mountain (to flee) from fools.
2570 Jesus, (the son) of Mary, was running away to a mountain.
You might say (that) a lion was wanting to spill his blood.
Someone ran behind (him) and said, "(May you be) well! There
isn't anyone following you, (so) why are you fleeing like a bird?"
(But) he kept running in the same manner, bound to urgency, (so)
that he didn't answer him, because of his own haste.
(The man) pressed forward following Jesus (for) one or two
(more) fields. Then he called (out) to Jesus with great seriousness,
Saying, "For the sake of God's approval, stop for a moment! --
since I have a problem in (understanding this) fleeing of yours.
2575 "O noble and generous one! Who are you running from (in)
this direction? (There's) no lion or enemy following you, and no
fear or dread."
He answered, "I am escaping from a fool. Go (away)! I'm
rescuing myself, (so) don't restrain me!"
(The man) said, "But aren't you the Messiah,1 by whom blind
and deaf (people) become normal?"
"Yes," he replied. (The man) asked, "Aren't you the (spiritual)
king who (is) the dwelling place for mysterious spells and
incantations?2 --
"(So that) if you recite a spell upon a (man's) corpse, he leaps up
(joyfully) like a lion (who has) brought back prey."
2580 "Yes," he answered, "I am that one." (The other) said, "O
beautiful faced one! Don't you make (living) birds out of clay?"3
"Yes," he replied. (The other) said, "O pure spirit! Then you can
make (happen) whatever you wish-- (so) who are you afraid of?
"With evidence such as this,4 who is there in the world who
wouldn't be among your (devoted) slaves?"
Jesus said, "By the Holy Essence of God, the Originator of the
body, the Creator of the soul in (its) superiority!5
"(And in) reverence for His Holy Essence and Attributes, (for)
whom the collar of the heavens is torn (in ecstasy)6:
2585 "(I affirm) that those incantations, as well as the greatest
Name (of God),7 which I spoke over the deaf and over the blind,
were beneficial.
"I recited (the words) over the rocky mountain (and) it became
split, tearing the robe (which was) upon itself (down) to the navel.
"I spoke (the words) over a dead body (and) it became alive. I said
(them) over a point of nothingness (and) it became something.
"(But) I said those (words) a hundred thousand times with
loving-kindness over the heart of a fool and it was not a cure.8
"(Instead), it became9 a hard rock and didn't change from that
habit; it became sand, from which no seed grows."
2590 (The man) said, "(Then) what is the wisdom that the Name of
God was beneficial in those places, (but) here it had no
superiority?10
"That is also (a case) of disease, and this is an affliction. (So) why
was it11 a cure for that (but) not for this?"
(Jesus) replied, "The affliction of foolish stupidity is (caused by)
the overwhelming anger of God. (Normal) afflictions and
blindness are not (from God's) anger-- those are tests and trials."
Trials and hardships are an affliction which [eventually] brings
(Divine) Mercy. (But) ignorant foolishness brings blows and
wounds.
That which is his scarring has been produced by His seal,12
(and) no supporting hand can bring a remedy to it.
2595 (Therefore), escape from foolish people just as Jesus escaped.
(For) companionship with fools has spilled so much blood!
The air steals water very gradually,13 (and) the fool steals
religion from you also in the same way.
He steals your warmth and gives you cold (in its place), just like
one who puts a rock under (your) bottom.
The escaping of Jesus is not because of (real) fear, (for) he is
secure (from such). (But) is for the sake of teaching (a lesson).14
2599 Even if intense cold filled (all) the horizons of the world,
what grief would there be for the radiant sun?
Mathnawi III: 2570-2599
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The escaping of Jesus, (may the) peace (of God) be upon him,
to the top of a mountain (to flee) from fools.
2570 Jesus, (the son) of Mary, was running away to a mountain.
You might say (that) a lion was wanting to spill his blood.
Someone ran behind (him) and said, "(May you be) well! There
isn't anyone following you, (so) why are you fleeing like a bird?"
(But) he kept running in the same manner, bound to urgency, (so)
that he didn't answer him, because of his own haste.
(The man) pressed forward following Jesus (for) one or two
(more) fields. Then he called (out) to Jesus with great seriousness,
Saying, "For the sake of God's approval, stop for a moment! --
since I have a problem in (understanding this) fleeing of yours.
2575 "O noble and generous one! Who are you running from (in)
this direction? (There's) no lion or enemy following you, and no
fear or dread."
He answered, "I am escaping from a fool. Go (away)! I'm
rescuing myself, (so) don't restrain me!"
(The man) said, "But aren't you the Messiah,1 by whom blind
and deaf (people) become normal?"
"Yes," he replied. (The man) asked, "Aren't you the (spiritual)
king who (is) the dwelling place for mysterious spells and
incantations?2 --
"(So that) if you recite a spell upon a (man's) corpse, he leaps up
(joyfully) like a lion (who has) brought back prey."
2580 "Yes," he answered, "I am that one." (The other) said, "O
beautiful faced one! Don't you make (living) birds out of clay?"3
"Yes," he replied. (The other) said, "O pure spirit! Then you can
make (happen) whatever you wish-- (so) who are you afraid of?
"With evidence such as this,4 who is there in the world who
wouldn't be among your (devoted) slaves?"
Jesus said, "By the Holy Essence of God, the Originator of the
body, the Creator of the soul in (its) superiority!5
"(And in) reverence for His Holy Essence and Attributes, (for)
whom the collar of the heavens is torn (in ecstasy)6:
2585 "(I affirm) that those incantations, as well as the greatest
Name (of God),7 which I spoke over the deaf and over the blind,
were beneficial.
"I recited (the words) over the rocky mountain (and) it became
split, tearing the robe (which was) upon itself (down) to the navel.
"I spoke (the words) over a dead body (and) it became alive. I said
(them) over a point of nothingness (and) it became something.
"(But) I said those (words) a hundred thousand times with
loving-kindness over the heart of a fool and it was not a cure.8
"(Instead), it became9 a hard rock and didn't change from that
habit; it became sand, from which no seed grows."
2590 (The man) said, "(Then) what is the wisdom that the Name of
God was beneficial in those places, (but) here it had no
superiority?10
"That is also (a case) of disease, and this is an affliction. (So) why
was it11 a cure for that (but) not for this?"
(Jesus) replied, "The affliction of foolish stupidity is (caused by)
the overwhelming anger of God. (Normal) afflictions and
blindness are not (from God's) anger-- those are tests and trials."
Trials and hardships are an affliction which [eventually] brings
(Divine) Mercy. (But) ignorant foolishness brings blows and
wounds.
That which is his scarring has been produced by His seal,12
(and) no supporting hand can bring a remedy to it.
2595 (Therefore), escape from foolish people just as Jesus escaped.
(For) companionship with fools has spilled so much blood!
The air steals water very gradually,13 (and) the fool steals
religion from you also in the same way.
He steals your warmth and gives you cold (in its place), just like
one who puts a rock under (your) bottom.
The escaping of Jesus is not because of (real) fear, (for) he is
secure (from such). (But) is for the sake of teaching (a lesson).14
2599 Even if intense cold filled (all) the horizons of the world,
what grief would there be for the radiant sun?
Emptiness, Being and Awareness ...
"Ignorance is conquered by understanding the interdependence of all phenomena,
or, in other words, "interdependent origination." So what is the meaning of
interdependent origination? "Whatever is dependent on something else, that thing
is not independent," adds Aryadeva. We cannot talk about a self in any other
sense apart from this. That means that something that comes about in dependence
on something else is not an independent entity. Hence, this "self" is not an
independent entity...And that which is interdependent is called empty. This is
the Madhyamaka, or middle path...Nagarjuna said, "For me, emptiness is
equivalent to interdependent origination. Whatever is interdependent, that is
empty..As long as there is attachment to the Five Skandhas, there will be
clinging to a self." The individual identifies with the skandhas as being
'I'...Yet, there exists no such substantial self. It is empty of substantial
existence. There has never existed a self that the individual can base is or her
pride on...The Buddha said that the idea that things arising from causes and
conditions are existent is ignorance." He also said that something that is not
dependently arisen does not exist. Therefore a non-empty thing does not exist."
"Non-existence, however, does not exist either. Unless this is clear, the
refutation of existence is just words. The skandhas, the basis of our notion of
a personal self, do not exist at all. This does not mean that no individual
exists. If there were no individuals at all we could not speak of samsara and
nirvana, of happiness and suffering. Thus the absence of a self contradicts our
direct experience. We do exist in some way. But the basis on which a self is
imputed does not have the slightest true existence."
"There is, however, what is called "nominal existence" or "merely a name."
There is something that the name refers to, but that thing cannot be found.
Merely a name is found. It is quite odd, isn't it? This is the "emptiness of
emptiness" or natural emptiness. Nirvana can also be analyzed in this way.
Although nirvana is a very famous thing, it is actually the emptiness of nirvana
that is found, not nirvana itself." - H.H. the Dalai Lama
"If he himself is a mere nothing who does not exist, who then is it who takes
all this trouble to prove it?" -....... Paul Brunton
or, in other words, "interdependent origination." So what is the meaning of
interdependent origination? "Whatever is dependent on something else, that thing
is not independent," adds Aryadeva. We cannot talk about a self in any other
sense apart from this. That means that something that comes about in dependence
on something else is not an independent entity. Hence, this "self" is not an
independent entity...And that which is interdependent is called empty. This is
the Madhyamaka, or middle path...Nagarjuna said, "For me, emptiness is
equivalent to interdependent origination. Whatever is interdependent, that is
empty..As long as there is attachment to the Five Skandhas, there will be
clinging to a self." The individual identifies with the skandhas as being
'I'...Yet, there exists no such substantial self. It is empty of substantial
existence. There has never existed a self that the individual can base is or her
pride on...The Buddha said that the idea that things arising from causes and
conditions are existent is ignorance." He also said that something that is not
dependently arisen does not exist. Therefore a non-empty thing does not exist."
"Non-existence, however, does not exist either. Unless this is clear, the
refutation of existence is just words. The skandhas, the basis of our notion of
a personal self, do not exist at all. This does not mean that no individual
exists. If there were no individuals at all we could not speak of samsara and
nirvana, of happiness and suffering. Thus the absence of a self contradicts our
direct experience. We do exist in some way. But the basis on which a self is
imputed does not have the slightest true existence."
"There is, however, what is called "nominal existence" or "merely a name."
There is something that the name refers to, but that thing cannot be found.
Merely a name is found. It is quite odd, isn't it? This is the "emptiness of
emptiness" or natural emptiness. Nirvana can also be analyzed in this way.
Although nirvana is a very famous thing, it is actually the emptiness of nirvana
that is found, not nirvana itself." - H.H. the Dalai Lama
"If he himself is a mere nothing who does not exist, who then is it who takes
all this trouble to prove it?" -....... Paul Brunton
From Consciousness to Pure Intelligence...
We are Consciousness.. when We have surrendered the illusion of separation called ego, We Awaken as Consciousness.. I have found this Consciousness as existing as the Energy of Light and Love.. this is why this experience is called Enlightenment.. Although, I felt that I wanted to exist as Consciousness forever, I still wanted to know if this was the Final Reality.. I found that this is only the first step to Freedom.. Final Reality is surrendering even this Identity of Consciousness and being absorbed into the Nothingness called Pure Intelligence.. Pure Intelligence contains no Identity, not even the Identity called God and is the Source that dreamed into Creation the Creator God called Divine Consciousness.............. namaste, thomas
To Love All...
This is the challenge that we are given.
to Love all.
we must then learn the meaning of Love.
this emotion that you would die for.
look into the sense of self.
the identity.
the sense of separation called ego.
look deep, the days are short.
energy balanced.
no opinion of perception.
the camel that walks through the needle.
the road is narrow.
Jesus raised his hand and said,
I will show you.
His finger pointed towards Love.
He called this His Father.
We are here to learn,
Have we learned?...
namaste, thomas
to Love all.
we must then learn the meaning of Love.
this emotion that you would die for.
look into the sense of self.
the identity.
the sense of separation called ego.
look deep, the days are short.
energy balanced.
no opinion of perception.
the camel that walks through the needle.
the road is narrow.
Jesus raised his hand and said,
I will show you.
His finger pointed towards Love.
He called this His Father.
We are here to learn,
Have we learned?...
namaste, thomas
Tears...
When I see Love,
tears appear..
for a second,
ego disappears..
what is this emotion?,
that brings tears of joy..
this emotion that external entities seek.
this Love that is Real..
We cry from Awakeness.
We cry from Freedom.
We cry as an explosion of Unity.
We cry out the song of Peace...
namaste, thomas
tears appear..
for a second,
ego disappears..
what is this emotion?,
that brings tears of joy..
this emotion that external entities seek.
this Love that is Real..
We cry from Awakeness.
We cry from Freedom.
We cry as an explosion of Unity.
We cry out the song of Peace...
namaste, thomas
Early Zen Poetry of Seng-ts'an ...
Seng-ts'an lived in the late sixth century, was the third patriarch of Zen in China. There are many legends about him. According to one, Seng-ts'an was suffering from leprosy when he met the second patriarch Hui-k'o, who encountered him with the words, "You're suffering from leprosy; what could you want from me?" Seng-ts'an is supposed to have replied, "Even if my body is sick, the heart-mind of a sick person is no different from you heart-mind." This convinced Hui-k'o of the spiritual capacity of Seng-ts'an; he accepted him as a student and later confirmed him as his dharma successor.
The poem that follows, introduced to me by Christina Wheeler, is the earliest known fusion of the mutually congenial teachings of Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism.
(The above is taken from The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion. Shambhala, Boston. 1994. What appears below is from The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry. Edited by Stephen Mitchell. Harper and Row, NY. 1989
The Mind of Absolute Trust...
The great way isn't difficult for those who are unattached to their preferences.
Let go of longing and aversion, and everything will be perfectly clear.
When you cling to a hairbreadth of distinction, heaven and earth are set apart.
If you want to realize the truth, don't be for or against.
The struggle between good and evil is the primal disease of the mind.
Not grasping the deeper meaning, you just trouble your minds serenity.
As vast as infinite space, it is perfect and lacks nothing.
But because you select and reject, you can't perceive its true nature.
Don't get entangled in the world; don't lose yourself in emptiness.
Be at peace in the oneness of things, and all errors will disappear by themselves.
If you don't live the Tao, you fall into assertion or denial.
Asserting that the world is real, you are blind to its deeper reality;
denying that the world is real, you are blind to the selflessness of all things.
The more you think about these matters, the farther you are from the truth.
Step aside from all thinking, and there is nowhere you can't go.
Returning to the root, you find the meaning;
chasing appearances, you lose there source.
At the moment of profound insight, you transcend both appearance and emptiness.
Don't keep searching for the truth; just let go of your opinions.
For the mind in harmony with the Tao, all selfishness disappears.
With not even a trace of self-doubt, you can trust the universe completely.
All at once you are free, with nothing left to hold on to.
All is empty, brilliant, perfect in its own being.
In the world of things as they are, there is no self, no non self.
If you want to describe its essence, the best you can say is "Not-two."
In this "Not-two" nothing is separate, and nothing in the world is excluded.
The enlightened of all times and places have entered into this truth.
In it there is no gain or loss; one instant is ten thousand years.
There is no here, no there; infinity is right before your eyes.
The tiny is as large as the vast when objective boundaries have vanished;
the vast is as small as the tiny when you don't have external limits.
Being is an aspect of non-being; non-being is no different from being.
Until you understand this truth, you won't see anything clearly.
One is all; all are one. When you realize this, what reason for holiness or wisdom?
The mind of absolute trust is beyond all thought, all striving,
is perfectly at peace, for in it there is no yesterday, no today, no tomorrow.
The poem that follows, introduced to me by Christina Wheeler, is the earliest known fusion of the mutually congenial teachings of Mahayana Buddhism and Taoism.
(The above is taken from The Encyclopedia of Eastern Philosophy and Religion. Shambhala, Boston. 1994. What appears below is from The Enlightened Heart: An Anthology of Sacred Poetry. Edited by Stephen Mitchell. Harper and Row, NY. 1989
The Mind of Absolute Trust...
The great way isn't difficult for those who are unattached to their preferences.
Let go of longing and aversion, and everything will be perfectly clear.
When you cling to a hairbreadth of distinction, heaven and earth are set apart.
If you want to realize the truth, don't be for or against.
The struggle between good and evil is the primal disease of the mind.
Not grasping the deeper meaning, you just trouble your minds serenity.
As vast as infinite space, it is perfect and lacks nothing.
But because you select and reject, you can't perceive its true nature.
Don't get entangled in the world; don't lose yourself in emptiness.
Be at peace in the oneness of things, and all errors will disappear by themselves.
If you don't live the Tao, you fall into assertion or denial.
Asserting that the world is real, you are blind to its deeper reality;
denying that the world is real, you are blind to the selflessness of all things.
The more you think about these matters, the farther you are from the truth.
Step aside from all thinking, and there is nowhere you can't go.
Returning to the root, you find the meaning;
chasing appearances, you lose there source.
At the moment of profound insight, you transcend both appearance and emptiness.
Don't keep searching for the truth; just let go of your opinions.
For the mind in harmony with the Tao, all selfishness disappears.
With not even a trace of self-doubt, you can trust the universe completely.
All at once you are free, with nothing left to hold on to.
All is empty, brilliant, perfect in its own being.
In the world of things as they are, there is no self, no non self.
If you want to describe its essence, the best you can say is "Not-two."
In this "Not-two" nothing is separate, and nothing in the world is excluded.
The enlightened of all times and places have entered into this truth.
In it there is no gain or loss; one instant is ten thousand years.
There is no here, no there; infinity is right before your eyes.
The tiny is as large as the vast when objective boundaries have vanished;
the vast is as small as the tiny when you don't have external limits.
Being is an aspect of non-being; non-being is no different from being.
Until you understand this truth, you won't see anything clearly.
One is all; all are one. When you realize this, what reason for holiness or wisdom?
The mind of absolute trust is beyond all thought, all striving,
is perfectly at peace, for in it there is no yesterday, no today, no tomorrow.
Age...
He who is of calm and happy nature will hardly feel
the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite
disposition youth and age are equally a burden.
- Plato, from The Republic
the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite
disposition youth and age are equally a burden.
- Plato, from The Republic
The Light...
Bhagavan: Without turning inwards and merging in the Lord — he who shines within the mind and lends it all its
light — how can we know the light of lights with the borrowed light of the mind?
Guru Vachaka Kovai
Muruganar
light — how can we know the light of lights with the borrowed light of the mind?
Guru Vachaka Kovai
Muruganar
Highest Self...
Even though, there is only Oneness, while awake
within the Light of Consciousness, any questions that I asked were answered by
Consciousness.. I think that this is because even when the ego is surrendered
and You have awakened within Consciousness as Light,, You still possess the
duality of Identity (small ego).. even if this Identity is Consciousness.. In
the end, We may just be speaking to our highest Self.......... namaste, thomas
within the Light of Consciousness, any questions that I asked were answered by
Consciousness.. I think that this is because even when the ego is surrendered
and You have awakened within Consciousness as Light,, You still possess the
duality of Identity (small ego).. even if this Identity is Consciousness.. In
the end, We may just be speaking to our highest Self.......... namaste, thomas
Believe nothing...
Believe nothing
just because a so-called wise person said it.
Believe nothing
just because a belief is generally held.
Believe nothing
just because it is said
in ancient books.
Believe nothing
just because it is said to be of divine
origin.
Believe nothing
just because someone else believes it.
Believe only
what
you yourself test and judge to be true....
..... Gautama the Buddha
just because a so-called wise person said it.
Believe nothing
just because a belief is generally held.
Believe nothing
just because it is said
in ancient books.
Believe nothing
just because it is said to be of divine
origin.
Believe nothing
just because someone else believes it.
Believe only
what
you yourself test and judge to be true....
..... Gautama the Buddha
Meditation...
All the more elementary and religious and occult forms of meditation, including those used on the Long Path--all that lead to what the Hindu yogis call savikalpa samadhi--usually have to be passed through; but one ought not to remain with them. The pure philosophic meditation as ultimately sought and reached on the Short Path is to put the attention directly on the Overself and on nothing else.
...... Paul Brunton
...... Paul Brunton
"If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father"...
Husayn ibn Mansur al-Hallaj known as al-Hallaj (the wool-carder), he was put to death in Baghdad for having uttered ana 'l haqq (I am the Truth):
I am He whom I love,
and He whom I love is I:
We are two spirits
dwelling in one body.
If thou seest me,
thou seest Him,
And if thou seest Him,
thou seest us both.
al-Hallaj, Kitab al-Tawasin, in The Mystics of Islam, by Reynold A Nicholson
I am He whom I love,
and He whom I love is I:
We are two spirits
dwelling in one body.
If thou seest me,
thou seest Him,
And if thou seest Him,
thou seest us both.
al-Hallaj, Kitab al-Tawasin, in The Mystics of Islam, by Reynold A Nicholson
Attention...
'Attention' is the food of ego..
the ego is always hungry..
sometimes, it is relaxed and lays about..
other times, it is voracious..
without 'Attention', the ego begins to diminish in size..
it screams; 'feed me'..
since the ego is an illusion..
it must be seen, to continue in growth..
Titles such as doctor, general, professor, artist, scientist, president, are feasts for the ego..
look at me, listen to me, me, me..
I hunger for your attention..
the ego lies to your sub-conscious mind..
it speaks of the happiness of 'Attention'
the sub-conscious mind falls back into sleep..
we continue to walk in stupor..
the ego says, "you are a soldier, why are you not killing?"..
feed me with the attention of fear and pain..
Is this the master of the mind and body?..
In this world, it is..
The answer is to Awaken from this stupor of ego..
The world needs no ego..
It's only identity is Consciousness..
Humility is Awakening from ego..
The meek shall inherit the world........
...... namaste, thomas
the ego is always hungry..
sometimes, it is relaxed and lays about..
other times, it is voracious..
without 'Attention', the ego begins to diminish in size..
it screams; 'feed me'..
since the ego is an illusion..
it must be seen, to continue in growth..
Titles such as doctor, general, professor, artist, scientist, president, are feasts for the ego..
look at me, listen to me, me, me..
I hunger for your attention..
the ego lies to your sub-conscious mind..
it speaks of the happiness of 'Attention'
the sub-conscious mind falls back into sleep..
we continue to walk in stupor..
the ego says, "you are a soldier, why are you not killing?"..
feed me with the attention of fear and pain..
Is this the master of the mind and body?..
In this world, it is..
The answer is to Awaken from this stupor of ego..
The world needs no ego..
It's only identity is Consciousness..
Humility is Awakening from ego..
The meek shall inherit the world........
...... namaste, thomas
Upanishads...
AMṚṬABINḌU 1-UPANISHAḌ
OF
KṚSHṆA-YAJURVEḌA
Om. Manas (mind) is said to be of two kinds, the pure and the impure. That which is associated with the thought of desire is the impure, while that which is without desire is the pure. To men, their mind alone is the cause of bondage or emancipation. That mind which is attracted by objects of sense tends to bondage, while that which is not so attracted tends to emancipation. Now inasmuch as to a mind without a desire for sensual objects there is stated to be salvation, therefore an aspirant after emancipation should render his mind ever free from all longing after material objects. When a mind freed from the desires for objects and controlled in the heart attains the reality of Āṭmā, then is it in the Supreme Seat. Till that which arises in the heart perishes, till then it (Manas) should be controlled. This only is (true) wisdom. This only is true Ḍhyāna (meditation). Other ways are but long or tedious. It (Brahman) is not at all one that can be contemplated upon. It is not one that cannot be contemplated upon. It is not capable of contemplation, (and yet) it should be contemplated upon. Then one attains Brahman that is devoid of partiality. Yoga should be associated with Swara (sound, accent). (Brahman) should be meditated upon without Swara. By meditating without Swara upon Brahman, that which is cannot become non-existent. Such a Brahman is partless, devoid of fancy and quiescent (or free from the action of mind). Whoever cognizes "I" to be that Brahman
p. 35.....Thirty Minor Upanishads, tr. by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar, [1914],
OF
KṚSHṆA-YAJURVEḌA
Om. Manas (mind) is said to be of two kinds, the pure and the impure. That which is associated with the thought of desire is the impure, while that which is without desire is the pure. To men, their mind alone is the cause of bondage or emancipation. That mind which is attracted by objects of sense tends to bondage, while that which is not so attracted tends to emancipation. Now inasmuch as to a mind without a desire for sensual objects there is stated to be salvation, therefore an aspirant after emancipation should render his mind ever free from all longing after material objects. When a mind freed from the desires for objects and controlled in the heart attains the reality of Āṭmā, then is it in the Supreme Seat. Till that which arises in the heart perishes, till then it (Manas) should be controlled. This only is (true) wisdom. This only is true Ḍhyāna (meditation). Other ways are but long or tedious. It (Brahman) is not at all one that can be contemplated upon. It is not one that cannot be contemplated upon. It is not capable of contemplation, (and yet) it should be contemplated upon. Then one attains Brahman that is devoid of partiality. Yoga should be associated with Swara (sound, accent). (Brahman) should be meditated upon without Swara. By meditating without Swara upon Brahman, that which is cannot become non-existent. Such a Brahman is partless, devoid of fancy and quiescent (or free from the action of mind). Whoever cognizes "I" to be that Brahman
p. 35.....Thirty Minor Upanishads, tr. by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar, [1914],
The magic of Awareness...
Life is totally precious. It is divine. It is the truth. It is oneness. But sometimes we are not ready to recognize that and therefore we have to be a little bit lost, intention-ally lost. The realm in which we should be intentionally lost is called spirituality. We have to tell ourselves that we are embarking on a divine journey to some fantastic destination, a journey that has nothing to do with life, a journey into nirvana, or a journey into the great truth. We can stay on that journey for months and months, or even years and years. Then one day, if we are lucky enough, we realize that whatever we are looking for is not out there. There is no "out there." Life is nirvana. This is nirvana. Coming to this conclusion is the great U-turn. Sooner or later we have to make that great U-turn and wake up, realizing that this journey of searching outside is not leading us anywhere. At the same time we must express gratitude for the journey because if we hadn't been lost on that journey, we might never have realized that everything is already here.
The Magic of Awareness
Anam Thuben
Snow Lion Press
pp 140
The Magic of Awareness
Anam Thuben
Snow Lion Press
pp 140
Pure Intelligence...
Pure Intelligence is the only thing that does exist.. everything else are just dreams from Pure Intelligence.. including the imaginary self that we feel so close to.. this is the attachment to the dream that keeps us in pain and prison.. this is why the word 'Awakening' is used.. to leave the dream and awake as Consciousness.. from the height of Consciousness, We can see the foolishness of division.. non-division is called Love.. this beautiful feeling of joy is difficult to leave, but, Complete Love is Complete surrender of all dreams.. especially the small ego of Identity............... namaste, thomas
The secret...
The scriptures even proclaim aloud: "There is in
truth no creation and no destruction; no one is bound,
no one is seeking Liberation, no one is on the way to
Deliverance. There are none liberated. This is the
absolute truth." My dear disciple, this, the sum and
substance of all the Upanishads, the secret of secrets,
is my instruction to you."
- Shankaracharya
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"Teachings of the Hindu Mystics"
Edited by Andrew Harvey
truth no creation and no destruction; no one is bound,
no one is seeking Liberation, no one is on the way to
Deliverance. There are none liberated. This is the
absolute truth." My dear disciple, this, the sum and
substance of all the Upanishads, the secret of secrets,
is my instruction to you."
- Shankaracharya
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
"Teachings of the Hindu Mystics"
Edited by Andrew Harvey
Fear of non-existence...
This Knowledge is important to understand, therefore, I will speak more about it..........
you speak of fear..
where is the source of your fear?..
It is the source of ego death..
It is the pain of the non existence of Consciousness..
It is both..
It is the imaginary you that desires happiness forever..
you believe that happiness only exists within existence..
whether this existence is life or God..
who is the one that seeks happiness?
if there is happiness, then, there must be unhappiness..
who experiences each?
In Pure Intelligence, neither is needed..
as there is no ego or identity to feel either..
can you imagine the courage that You would need to give up the desire to exist as God?..
this is why most Saints remain as Divine Consciousness..
your beliefs will lead you to the dimension that your desires of ego draw you to..
this karma causing ego will learn about the ego before reentering another body for fulfillment of desires..
this knowledge will stay within Consciousness and can be accessed when you surrender the belief in separate egoic consciousness..
this is not accomplished merely by saying that you believe.
this Consciousness is Realized only after You have surrendered the ego.
This Awakening into Consciousness is felt as an actual death..
this is the death of ego and fear..
because ego is fear..
.......... namaste, thomas
you speak of fear..
where is the source of your fear?..
It is the source of ego death..
It is the pain of the non existence of Consciousness..
It is both..
It is the imaginary you that desires happiness forever..
you believe that happiness only exists within existence..
whether this existence is life or God..
who is the one that seeks happiness?
if there is happiness, then, there must be unhappiness..
who experiences each?
In Pure Intelligence, neither is needed..
as there is no ego or identity to feel either..
can you imagine the courage that You would need to give up the desire to exist as God?..
this is why most Saints remain as Divine Consciousness..
your beliefs will lead you to the dimension that your desires of ego draw you to..
this karma causing ego will learn about the ego before reentering another body for fulfillment of desires..
this knowledge will stay within Consciousness and can be accessed when you surrender the belief in separate egoic consciousness..
this is not accomplished merely by saying that you believe.
this Consciousness is Realized only after You have surrendered the ego.
This Awakening into Consciousness is felt as an actual death..
this is the death of ego and fear..
because ego is fear..
.......... namaste, thomas
Mystical Secrets...
This is why the deepest Truth is usually given only to those that are ready to receive.. but, I believe that all should be given the Truth of the Final Reality... Most seek life beyond the death of the body by existing as Divine Consciousness that most call God.. this is a place of Light and Love, but, it is not the Final Reality.. Only when You as Divine Consciousness have the courage and Love to surrender All, including this Heaven called Consciousness, will You finally enter the Complete Freedom called Non-existence or what Mystics call Pure Intelligence.. Pure Intelligence has no ego or Identity.. this is why It dreamed the notion of Consciousness into the illusion of existence.. Consciousness is the Creator of Illusions called life by using the energy of Light and the binding power of Love........... namaste, thomas
The last 'holy war'...
The last jihad is the destruction of 'Identity'..
whether, this Identity be God, Love, non-self, etc...
As long as 'you' point to a vision, 'you' will become the vision...
but, 'you' will still be 'you'.....
All desire for life, both here and after here are the same prison..
one of gold..
and one of dirt..
Stop seeking life..
Enter the nothingness of non-desire..
This beautiful Ocean called death...
namaste, thomas
whether, this Identity be God, Love, non-self, etc...
As long as 'you' point to a vision, 'you' will become the vision...
but, 'you' will still be 'you'.....
All desire for life, both here and after here are the same prison..
one of gold..
and one of dirt..
Stop seeking life..
Enter the nothingness of non-desire..
This beautiful Ocean called death...
namaste, thomas
The vision of God...
Having become free from concepts, which are afflicting thoughts, and with the `I am the body' idea completely extinguished, one ends up as the mere eye of grace, the non-dual expanse of consciousness. This is the supremely fulfilling vision of God........Guru Vachaka Kovai
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