F.: One pointer in particular from the August 29, 2007 post has resulted in three e-mails asking for clarification, so clarification shall be offered to the following:
The consciousness which shares pointers from the Advaita philosophy via this site would actually bring to an end all philosophy and all study and all ideas and all concepts.
First, understand that the pointer describes a scenario that happens post-Realization. Until Realization happens, the philosophy can be used. After Realization, the Consciousness might speak or the Consciousness might become completely silent, but in either case, no "user" remains to use anything, including a philosophy.
The consciousness which shares pointers from the Advaita philosophy via this site would actually bring to an end all philosophy and all study and all ideas and all concepts.
First, understand that the pointer describes a scenario that happens post-Realization. Until Realization happens, the philosophy can be used. After Realization, the Consciousness might speak or the Consciousness might become completely silent, but in either case, no "user" remains to use anything, including a philosophy.
One definition of “philosophy” is “the use of reason and argument in seeking truth, in seeking an understanding of reality, and in seeking to understand the principles that govern existence.”
Yet it is not only philosophy that has been brought to an end in many cases. Some might supposed that if there were a Concept-Killers' Court of the Universe, it would be easy enough to file charges against the Consciousness that speaks via this site and/or via satsangas. Some could charge that the “fingerprint” of Consciousness could be lifted from the various scenes where so many “selves” have been annihiliated and where (as one book reviewer wrote) "so many sacred cows have been slaughtered in the process" as well.
Actually, the seeker who has advanced far enough along the "path" can now understand that nothing has been annililiated and that nothing has been slaughtered. To point out that a mirage is a mirage does not “kill” the mirage. It merely allows the witnessing consciousness to perceive accurately. The same happens if persons see that their false personas (their false selves) are mirages, if they see those identities are illusions, or if they see that their sacred cows are illusions as well.
Advaita allows the use of reason and argument in seeking truth, in seeking an understanding of reality, and in seeking to understand the principles that govern existence. Once that use of reason allows delusions to be seen as delusions, belief in the delusions ends. Once the arguments used in the seeker-teacher exchanges expose false selves as being false selves, the belief in those selves can end.
Once the difference in false and Real is discerned, belief in the false disappears. Once the principles that govern existence (that is, once the functioning of the totality is comprehended) all other notions about “cause” and “effect” disappear. But nothing was destroyed. Unreasonable beliefs, based in misunderstandings and in lies, don’t really even "disappear." To enter a dark room and to flip a switch that turns on a light does not mean that darkness literally disappeared. The darkness had not appeared to begin with. It is more accurately stated that enlightenment happened.
The case is simply that all which was always present but that had not been seen can suddenly be seen, and what the unaware observer thought he was seeing is realized to have never been that at all. Must a guide explain what lies beyond surface appearances? Usually. To use an electron microscope to view the supposed "steel beam" that seems to be supporting the ceiling of a room would reveal that it is not a steel beam at all but is a swirling mass of energy.
Note, too, that many Advaitins will not tell you that “the beam” is "not real." (Want to get really argumentative and philosophical about that point? Then lower your head and run full speed into a stationary steel beam; later, we can discuss the accuracy of the pointer after you regain consciousness.) Many Advaitins instead will settle for your understanding that (a) what the non-Realized think a steel beam is, is not what the beam is at all; that (b) what the non-Realized think is real is not real; and that (c) the way that anything appears to the non-Realized is not what it really IS at all.
So in fact, nothing has ever been destroyed by use of the Advaita philosophy because nothing thought to have been destroyed ever really existed. A mirage cannot be destroyed, but the fact that it appears to be something that it is not can be explained and understood. Remember: there is matter and there is energy, and neither has ever been created and never can ever be destroyed. What is actually happening is merely (1) a series of cyclings happening spontaneously and (2) a matter of the bastardized consciousness misperceiving what is actually cycling.
Thus, "pointers of caution" are offered occasionally in regards to the “mental impressions” that can generate so much misery. Last December, a man came to visit. He was near suicidal because his wife had filed for divorce and he was facing their “first Christmas apart.” (Such has become a regular occurrence during that “season” as ego-states think they are dying so they may as well hasten the process.)
A few probing questions reveal that the marriage had been in shambles for years and that the Christmas before—which he thought he was longing to experience again—had been marred by irritability and an exhausting pace and multiple arguments. In fact, all that he was really longing for was the continuation of a false identity and the continuation of an arrangement that was based in lies and misperceptions and denial and distortions.
Yet it is not only philosophy that has been brought to an end in many cases. Some might supposed that if there were a Concept-Killers' Court of the Universe, it would be easy enough to file charges against the Consciousness that speaks via this site and/or via satsangas. Some could charge that the “fingerprint” of Consciousness could be lifted from the various scenes where so many “selves” have been annihiliated and where (as one book reviewer wrote) "so many sacred cows have been slaughtered in the process" as well.
Actually, the seeker who has advanced far enough along the "path" can now understand that nothing has been annililiated and that nothing has been slaughtered. To point out that a mirage is a mirage does not “kill” the mirage. It merely allows the witnessing consciousness to perceive accurately. The same happens if persons see that their false personas (their false selves) are mirages, if they see those identities are illusions, or if they see that their sacred cows are illusions as well.
Advaita allows the use of reason and argument in seeking truth, in seeking an understanding of reality, and in seeking to understand the principles that govern existence. Once that use of reason allows delusions to be seen as delusions, belief in the delusions ends. Once the arguments used in the seeker-teacher exchanges expose false selves as being false selves, the belief in those selves can end.
Once the difference in false and Real is discerned, belief in the false disappears. Once the principles that govern existence (that is, once the functioning of the totality is comprehended) all other notions about “cause” and “effect” disappear. But nothing was destroyed. Unreasonable beliefs, based in misunderstandings and in lies, don’t really even "disappear." To enter a dark room and to flip a switch that turns on a light does not mean that darkness literally disappeared. The darkness had not appeared to begin with. It is more accurately stated that enlightenment happened.
The case is simply that all which was always present but that had not been seen can suddenly be seen, and what the unaware observer thought he was seeing is realized to have never been that at all. Must a guide explain what lies beyond surface appearances? Usually. To use an electron microscope to view the supposed "steel beam" that seems to be supporting the ceiling of a room would reveal that it is not a steel beam at all but is a swirling mass of energy.
Note, too, that many Advaitins will not tell you that “the beam” is "not real." (Want to get really argumentative and philosophical about that point? Then lower your head and run full speed into a stationary steel beam; later, we can discuss the accuracy of the pointer after you regain consciousness.) Many Advaitins instead will settle for your understanding that (a) what the non-Realized think a steel beam is, is not what the beam is at all; that (b) what the non-Realized think is real is not real; and that (c) the way that anything appears to the non-Realized is not what it really IS at all.
So in fact, nothing has ever been destroyed by use of the Advaita philosophy because nothing thought to have been destroyed ever really existed. A mirage cannot be destroyed, but the fact that it appears to be something that it is not can be explained and understood. Remember: there is matter and there is energy, and neither has ever been created and never can ever be destroyed. What is actually happening is merely (1) a series of cyclings happening spontaneously and (2) a matter of the bastardized consciousness misperceiving what is actually cycling.
Thus, "pointers of caution" are offered occasionally in regards to the “mental impressions” that can generate so much misery. Last December, a man came to visit. He was near suicidal because his wife had filed for divorce and he was facing their “first Christmas apart.” (Such has become a regular occurrence during that “season” as ego-states think they are dying so they may as well hasten the process.)
A few probing questions reveal that the marriage had been in shambles for years and that the Christmas before—which he thought he was longing to experience again—had been marred by irritability and an exhausting pace and multiple arguments. In fact, all that he was really longing for was the continuation of a false identity and the continuation of an arrangement that was based in lies and misperceptions and denial and distortions.
As so often happens when current perceptions are based in past misperceptions, misery follows those distorted views as persons cling to their “memories” of "their past" even though the truth about past happenings was never even close to their impression of what those "past" events were really like. Can you relate to that…to having a belief that you were certain was accurate or to holding onto an idea that was you thought was fact-based or to clinging to a sacredly-held concept that You later realized was pure bunk...just total nonsense? Please enter into the silence of contemplation. (To be continued)
READINGS RELATED TO TODAY’S POSTING:
WORKING ON LEARNING TO QUESTION IT ALL AND BEING FREE OF THE FALSE (BUT HONORED) CONCEPTS AND BELIEFS OF YOUR CULTURE?
READINGS RELATED TO TODAY’S POSTING:
WORKING ON LEARNING TO QUESTION IT ALL AND BEING FREE OF THE FALSE (BUT HONORED) CONCEPTS AND BELIEFS OF YOUR CULTURE?
WORKING ON BEING FREE OF BODY AND MIND IDENTIFICATION?
WORKING ON BEING FREE OF MIND AND PERSONALITY IDENTIFICATION?
and
WORKING ON THE ADVANCED UNDERSTANDINGS?
and
