F.: Most persons will never understand that “the spiritual state” is not the end of “the path” but is a step nearer the middle of “the path” to Full Realization. Thus, many claim that they have reached the vijnana state (of “spiritual knowledge”) and subsequently claim that they are, therefore, “jnanis” (or “knowers”). The fact is that all persons who claim to be religious or spiritual believe also that (1) they know something that others do not know and that (2) others need to know what they know. Yet to assume an identity of “The Religious Person” or “The Spiritual Giant” or “The Knower” is to assume an identity that is not the Self and that leaves persons far removed from truly Realizing the Self (as well as all that is beyond the Self, including the non-beingness and the Absolute). The completion of the "journey" to Full Realization happens after the burdensome weight of spiritual knowledge--and of all learned ignorance--has been discarded.
Of course “jnani” and the other identities mentioned above are nothing more than time-bound, body-bound, “mind”-induced personas or assumed identities, dealing—by definition—with knowledge. Talk of spiritual knowledge has its place, but that happens at the “dry charcoal stage,” not at the “gunpowder stage.” Full Realization is marked by an awareness that is beyond all knowledge and which is, therefore, beyond all spiritual knowledge as well. Upon Full Realization, it is seen that all spiritual knowledge was nothing more than a part of that massive accumulation of learned ignorance which burdens persons with the heaviness of their “something-ness” rather than the lightness of the “nothingness.” To fixate at that knowing stage—at the so-called "spiritual stage"—prevents abidance as the Pure Consciousness and prevents eventual abidance as the Absolute. Therefore, the final step of the “journey” is not marked by the gaining of spiritual knowledge but by an understanding of the functioning of the totality that happens in the absence of any “Understander” or any “Knower” or any “Spiritual Person” or any other “good” identity that is being assumed in order to replace former “bad” identities.
Of course “jnani” and the other identities mentioned above are nothing more than time-bound, body-bound, “mind”-induced personas or assumed identities, dealing—by definition—with knowledge. Talk of spiritual knowledge has its place, but that happens at the “dry charcoal stage,” not at the “gunpowder stage.” Full Realization is marked by an awareness that is beyond all knowledge and which is, therefore, beyond all spiritual knowledge as well. Upon Full Realization, it is seen that all spiritual knowledge was nothing more than a part of that massive accumulation of learned ignorance which burdens persons with the heaviness of their “something-ness” rather than the lightness of the “nothingness.” To fixate at that knowing stage—at the so-called "spiritual stage"—prevents abidance as the Pure Consciousness and prevents eventual abidance as the Absolute. Therefore, the final step of the “journey” is not marked by the gaining of spiritual knowledge but by an understanding of the functioning of the totality that happens in the absence of any “Understander” or any “Knower” or any “Spiritual Person” or any other “good” identity that is being assumed in order to replace former “bad” identities.
The Original Understanding happened when the consciousness functioned on a pure, intuitive level rather than on a “thinking-mind”-level or a "knowing level" that came after the development of language (which allowed the programming and the conditioning and the corrupting of consciousness to happen). Truth is pointed to when the re-purified consciousness speaks, not when self-proclaimed jnanis or "priests" or "holy men" speak. To say “I am a jnani” is as much a lie as any other instance in which the I am is followed by a word or phrase, such as “I am a spouse” or “I am a human” or “I am a holy man.” (Should this talk be disturbing to those who consider themselves jnanis or to those who claim to love a jnani, then that very disturbance itself reinforces the accuracy of the pointer. WHO is disturbed?) The jnani level can happen near the mid-point of “the path” (where spiritual knowledge leads to spiritual role-playing); however, every level or step along “the way” must be transitioned—and every label and assumed identity must be discarded—if abidance as the Absolute is to happen.
Finally, it is that same dualistic trap of adopting new (and hypothetically “good”) personas, such as “The Knower” or “The Spiritual One,” that causes (1) so many to fixate at the third step—at the so-called “spiritual level”—of what is really a seven-step “journey” and that also causes (2) so many who have not Realized fully to think that they are jnanis and which also causes (3) so many to believe that they have finished a “journey” that is not even halfway complete. The dawn should not be mistaken for high noon.
From the trap of that assumption of the jnani or "spiritual person" role, a man e-mailed last week to say that he “had gained a new-found power during recent years” and that he “wanted to share his spiritual experience with other people” and that he wanted to know “how to get started at teaching Advaita” so that he could “help” other people. The reply that he received was not the answer that he sought:
You have mistaken the dawn for the noon, so you should abandon your plan (which is rooted in nothing more than ego-states and the corrupted consciousness) and complete your own “journey” before trying to guide “others” along a “path” that you have not yet traveled. Then, such questions as yours will not be asked, and whatever happens will happen spontaneously without any motives or attachment or beliefs, including your beliefs about “power” and “sharing” and “others” and “helping” and—especially—the idea that someone can teach you to teach something which you have not yet understood YourSelf. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
TOMORROW: More discussion with Vigneshwar regarding “do-ers,” “the mind,” and other such mirages.
Finally, it is that same dualistic trap of adopting new (and hypothetically “good”) personas, such as “The Knower” or “The Spiritual One,” that causes (1) so many to fixate at the third step—at the so-called “spiritual level”—of what is really a seven-step “journey” and that also causes (2) so many who have not Realized fully to think that they are jnanis and which also causes (3) so many to believe that they have finished a “journey” that is not even halfway complete. The dawn should not be mistaken for high noon.
From the trap of that assumption of the jnani or "spiritual person" role, a man e-mailed last week to say that he “had gained a new-found power during recent years” and that he “wanted to share his spiritual experience with other people” and that he wanted to know “how to get started at teaching Advaita” so that he could “help” other people. The reply that he received was not the answer that he sought:
You have mistaken the dawn for the noon, so you should abandon your plan (which is rooted in nothing more than ego-states and the corrupted consciousness) and complete your own “journey” before trying to guide “others” along a “path” that you have not yet traveled. Then, such questions as yours will not be asked, and whatever happens will happen spontaneously without any motives or attachment or beliefs, including your beliefs about “power” and “sharing” and “others” and “helping” and—especially—the idea that someone can teach you to teach something which you have not yet understood YourSelf. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
TOMORROW: More discussion with Vigneshwar regarding “do-ers,” “the mind,” and other such mirages.
