[EXCERPTS from the soon-to-be-released book FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS]
FROM A SITE VISITOR: No identity at all? Everybody is SOMETHING, and whatever that SOMETHING is, is our identity.
F.: Most who read pointers dealing with zero concepts (as offered by some Direct Path Advaita Teachers and by some “Neo-Advaitins”), will feel as if they are dying or being robbed of their “true identity.” Some will feel that their “true identity” is being minimized and not recognized for the glorious post-manifestation "SOMETHING" that it is...all “heavenly” and “celestial” and “splendid”…maybe even “saintly” or “godly” or “cherubic” or “spiritual” or “divine” or “holy” or "something" which they believe will be "even above and beyond" all of that.
Some resent the implication that their relevance, either during the relative manifestation or after the relative manifestation, is being decreased or diminished or underestimated. They hate the suggestion that to have taken themselves and their beliefs seriously for so many years was all nonsense. They hate hearing that their years of fighting for their causes were uselessly passed in vain and were steeped in egotism and efforts to support their false identities/ego-states.
They hate hearing that their entire existence is all much ado about nothing. They despise being told that they have been fooled. They hate pointers dealing with purposelessness and meaninglessness. They hate pointers which suggest that all of those times when they made mountains out of molehills was pure foolishness. They hate the notion of "nothingness" and thrive on all their concepts that deal with "somethingness." They hate hearing their their beliefs and their concepts are fiction.
FROM A SITE VISITOR: No identity at all? Everybody is SOMETHING, and whatever that SOMETHING is, is our identity.
F.: Most who read pointers dealing with zero concepts (as offered by some Direct Path Advaita Teachers and by some “Neo-Advaitins”), will feel as if they are dying or being robbed of their “true identity.” Some will feel that their “true identity” is being minimized and not recognized for the glorious post-manifestation "SOMETHING" that it is...all “heavenly” and “celestial” and “splendid”…maybe even “saintly” or “godly” or “cherubic” or “spiritual” or “divine” or “holy” or "something" which they believe will be "even above and beyond" all of that.
Some resent the implication that their relevance, either during the relative manifestation or after the relative manifestation, is being decreased or diminished or underestimated. They hate the suggestion that to have taken themselves and their beliefs seriously for so many years was all nonsense. They hate hearing that their years of fighting for their causes were uselessly passed in vain and were steeped in egotism and efforts to support their false identities/ego-states.
They hate hearing that their entire existence is all much ado about nothing. They despise being told that they have been fooled. They hate pointers dealing with purposelessness and meaninglessness. They hate pointers which suggest that all of those times when they made mountains out of molehills was pure foolishness. They hate the notion of "nothingness" and thrive on all their concepts that deal with "somethingness." They hate hearing their their beliefs and their concepts are fiction.
They hate when their dualistic belief in their own eternal reward is exposed as a fraud or when their belief in an eternal punishment for their enemies is debunked. They bristle when it is pointed out that their "life-long" attempts to defend their various concepts have amounted to nothing more than a waste of breath.
They hate to hear that the energy spent in trying to make their views understood and accepted was for naught. They can become livid when it is noted that their actions (which earned applause from the masses who considered those actions to be “accomplishments”) were for nil. They despise the pointer that no one has ever "made the world a better place" as a result of any action.
They are offended when it is suggested that the naming of streets after them, that the building of statues in their honor, and that the construction of libraries built to laud their "achievements" amount to just so much rubbish. They reject any suggestion that the desire to extend in perpetuity the memory of them and their “identity” is mere tripe.
Similarly, the following pointer was offered to the seeker who raised the issue of “SOMETHING” in defense of his “identity,” desiring as he does to verify it and to be assured that it will be extended in perpetuity:
Whether your identity is of a phenomenal nature or a noumenal nature in your “mind,” your preoccupation with it is evidence of the fact that you hold in esteem either that which you currently believe you are, or that SOMETHING which you think you shall be forever, or both. In fact, when a "state" of zero concepts is reached, it is understood that there is no "identity" at all. It is also realized from that "state" that there is nothing deserving any esteem at all, contrary to the tendency among the non-Realized to demand that they be shown “the honor they deserve.”
The pointer offered earlier was that “there's no identity to be concerned with at all.” Another pointer is offered for those seekers who would reach the "next level" of understanding and who are capable of reaching the zero concepts "state":
“Absolute,” “THAT,” “Brahman,” “God,” “energy,” “energy-matter,” “Consciousness,” “Awareness,” and “SOMETHING” are still man-made labels generated by persons; however, since Awareness is not even aware of awareness, what justification can be offered for being “concerned” with any of those labels, if Fully Realized?
The concept of “SOMETHING” blocks the understanding of what is most pervasive in this universe (and in all universes). What is most pervasive? Not something but…no-thing. The physical body of a human is neither “primarily energy” nor “primarily matter.” It is primarily space, primarily a void, and can thereby serve as a microcosm of the universe which is primarily space, primarily nothingness, primarily no-thingness.
Similar to every bridge that will eventually be reduced to rubble, a couple of hundred pounds of “floyd” will be reduced to a few pounds of ash. That which is mainly “space” is misperceived by the non-Realized as being “something.”
Typically, "the nothing" is neither seen nor understand as persons show deference to, and preference for, “something.” Only for "the most advanced" is this pointer offered: if the nothingness is understood, then not an iota of attention is wasted with concern about the “SOMETHING” the seeker mentioned.
At "the peak" of understanding, it is realized that “concern” with a post-manifestation identity is just so much silliness. Persons who focus on “SOMETHINGS” become “concerned,” and "concern" about anything will generate unnatural or supernatural thinking and living. All “concerns” prevent peace and natural living from happening. If an excess of energy is available, employ it to realize all that you are not if you would eliminate insane-like thoughts and words and deeds and relative destructiveness from an otherwise ego-dominated existence.
They are offended when it is suggested that the naming of streets after them, that the building of statues in their honor, and that the construction of libraries built to laud their "achievements" amount to just so much rubbish. They reject any suggestion that the desire to extend in perpetuity the memory of them and their “identity” is mere tripe.
Similarly, the following pointer was offered to the seeker who raised the issue of “SOMETHING” in defense of his “identity,” desiring as he does to verify it and to be assured that it will be extended in perpetuity:
Whether your identity is of a phenomenal nature or a noumenal nature in your “mind,” your preoccupation with it is evidence of the fact that you hold in esteem either that which you currently believe you are, or that SOMETHING which you think you shall be forever, or both. In fact, when a "state" of zero concepts is reached, it is understood that there is no "identity" at all. It is also realized from that "state" that there is nothing deserving any esteem at all, contrary to the tendency among the non-Realized to demand that they be shown “the honor they deserve.”
The pointer offered earlier was that “there's no identity to be concerned with at all.” Another pointer is offered for those seekers who would reach the "next level" of understanding and who are capable of reaching the zero concepts "state":
“Absolute,” “THAT,” “Brahman,” “God,” “energy,” “energy-matter,” “Consciousness,” “Awareness,” and “SOMETHING” are still man-made labels generated by persons; however, since Awareness is not even aware of awareness, what justification can be offered for being “concerned” with any of those labels, if Fully Realized?
The concept of “SOMETHING” blocks the understanding of what is most pervasive in this universe (and in all universes). What is most pervasive? Not something but…no-thing. The physical body of a human is neither “primarily energy” nor “primarily matter.” It is primarily space, primarily a void, and can thereby serve as a microcosm of the universe which is primarily space, primarily nothingness, primarily no-thingness.
Similar to every bridge that will eventually be reduced to rubble, a couple of hundred pounds of “floyd” will be reduced to a few pounds of ash. That which is mainly “space” is misperceived by the non-Realized as being “something.”
Typically, "the nothing" is neither seen nor understand as persons show deference to, and preference for, “something.” Only for "the most advanced" is this pointer offered: if the nothingness is understood, then not an iota of attention is wasted with concern about the “SOMETHING” the seeker mentioned.
At "the peak" of understanding, it is realized that “concern” with a post-manifestation identity is just so much silliness. Persons who focus on “SOMETHINGS” become “concerned,” and "concern" about anything will generate unnatural or supernatural thinking and living. All “concerns” prevent peace and natural living from happening. If an excess of energy is available, employ it to realize all that you are not if you would eliminate insane-like thoughts and words and deeds and relative destructiveness from an otherwise ego-dominated existence.
To focus on the concept of “SOMETHING” prevents seeing “The Reality of the Emptiness,” “The Reality of the Void,” “The Reality of the Nothingness.” All “mind”-stuff attached to “somethingness” will preempt any understanding of the no-concept, non-dual, no-thing Reality.
Peace and happiness only happen...(continued in the book)
To order your copy of FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS ($16.99+ S&H) go to http://floydhenderson.com/order.htm, complete all of the information, and in the “Special Message” box, type in FROM THE ABSOLUTE TO THE NOTHINGNESS.
Please enter the silence of contemplation. (To be continued on Friday)
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 FINAL PIECES” AND PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER?
and
and
