PART “HH”: REALIZING WITHOUT DOGMA, WITHOUT CONTINUOUS SPIRITUAL PRACTICES, AND WITHOUT A PREOCCUPATION WITH “THE NATURE OF REALITY AND THINGS NOUMENAL”

Today's Considerations

Yesterday, this was asked: So why did Maharaj’s treatment plan for the Ultimate Sickness shift away from the use of religion and away from the use of spirituality and away from “Self-Inquiry” and toward addressing the issues with the mind and addressing (via “self-inquiry”) the issues with the multiple personalities which are assigned and assumed as real identities?

The shifts happened because he came to understand that humankind's problems are centered in the mind (a "mind" being nothing more than a storehouse of the fiction and nonsense and delusional beliefs which are accumulated and stored in a part of the brain after persons are exposed to ignorant and insane programming and conditioning and acculturation and domestication and brainwashing and indoctrination).

Some have asked recently, "So that being the case, why did it take Maharaj so long to make the shifts?" The answer: because of certain elements of his guru’s programming and his guru’s indoctrination which drove Maharaj to linger until his own experiences and observations led to a new understanding and to the courage and willingness to share what was eventually revealed to him even though it differed from what his guru had told him.

Thus, he went from this:

"My guru told me, 'although you are realized, you will have to expound knowledge only'"

to this:

"The quintessence of the talk is clear. Your most important asset is the 'knowledge' that 'you are' prior to emanation of mind. Hold on to this 'knowledge' and meditate. Nothing is superior to this, not even devotion to a guru (guru-bhakti) or devotion to God-Ishwara-bhakti."

He went from this:

"My Guru asked me to do these five bhajans daily, and he never cancelled his instructions before he passed away. I don't need to do them any more but I will carry on doing them . . . because this is the command of my Guru. I continue to obey his instructions, even though I know these bhajans are pointless, because of the respect and gratitude I feel towards him"

and this

"My Guru has authorised me to give out this mantra to anyone who asks for it . . . .”

to this:

“. . . but I don't want you to feel that it is necessary or important. It is more important to find out the source of your beingness."

After more Westerners came, he responded to the fact that they were not interested in Hinduism or Eastern religion and that they were more interested in what they took to be “the spiritual."

[It has been observed since 1989 that the Western obsession with things “spiritual” or “lofty” or “mystical” or “only-with-other-worldly-things” still remains the key roadblock on the so-called “journey” to being freed of all learned ignorance, to coming to the understanding, to being freed from the machinations of dual-mindedness, to being restored to sanity, and to abiding naturally.]

 

From the eBook "SRI NISARGADATTA MAHARAJ and HIS EVOLUTION": “So early on, he was so into guru-bhakti that he gave out a mantra that he felt was neither "necessary" nor "important." Hardly evidence of the "maverick Maharaj" that would emerge later on, yes?

Also, the “old” message would be offered when he determined that a seeker was not ready for an algebra lesson because the seeker had not yet even mastered addition and subtraction.

In that regard, this was offered for consideration in that same book:

Is it possible that Maharaj was able to detect where on the "path" any given seeker might be after hearing only a few statements from her or him? Certainly. Then, is it possible that what Maharaj offered would be level-appropriate for any given seeker? Yes.

And would that mean, in turn, that he might offer a certain pointer to a seeker at a certain place on the "path" which would differ from a pointer that he would offer to a seeker at an earlier point on the "path" or at a later point on the "path"? Yes again.

Yet the fact remains that this was the case with Maharaj and was the case here and has been the case with countless persons for centuries: the movement beyond the third of seven steps - the third step being where religious and spiritual roles are played and control the thoughts and words of actions of persons, seekers and non-seekers alike - can (A) take an inordinate amount of time to transition and (B) will usually never happen at all.

That is a testament to the "clout" and "might" and "capability" of programming and conditioning and acculturation and domestication and brainwashing and indoctrination to fill a mind with nonsense; to drive persons to accept assigned and / or assumed false identities as real; 

to drive persons to be driven unconsciously by the hidden agendas of personalities; and to assure that the fiction which fills minds (and which allows the agendas of personas to determine and control persons’ every thought and word and action, even as persons think that they are making conscious choices) will prevail.

Yet the fact that Maharaj eventually worked free of the clout and might and capability of programming and indoctrination and eventually moved beyond the third step explains why, after he abandoned the religious / non-dual version of the Ultimate Medicine and abandoned the spiritual / non-dual version of the Ultimate Medicine, that he said of the book I AM THAT:

"That book and whatever was expounded at that time was only relevant for that period. I am speaking differently today" and I am "emphasizing different aspects" (namely, the mental / mind aspects). That final understanding, which was completely different from what he had offered early on, is the basis of pointers here.

Early on, Maharaj's pointers involved a Hinduism / non-dual combo message; in the mid-stage, his pointers involved a spirituality / non-dual combo message; but it was later on - after he had transitioned beyond his guru-devotion phase and the religious phase and the spiritual phase - when he realized the following about the key symptoms of the Ultimate Sickness, which he identified as “ignorance and stupidity and insanity”:

1. “Ignorance and stupidity and insanity” have nothing at all to do with one’s level of religiosity (except that high levels of religiosity have been observed to exacerbate those symptoms); 

2. “ignorance and stupidity and insanity" have nothing to do with a dreamed up “spirit” or a “sick spirit” or a “spiritual malady” (except that “spiritual giantism” can exacerbate those symptoms, leading Maharaj to declare to those playing the role of a “spiritual giant”: “Next to you, I am but a spiritual pygmy”); and

3. “ignorance and stupidity and insanity” have everything to do with . . . the mind.

Duh! And shouldn’t that be “A Great Big ‘Duh’?”

The mind is the seat of humanity’s problem, and neither religion nor spirituality offer any effective means by which psychological problems can be addressed. Ninety-seven percent of all persons on the planet claim an affiliation with one religion or another, and such affiliations have been going on for 5000 years. Have those affiliations addressed humanity’s mental problems? In light of such widespread affiliations, are humankind’s mental problems decreasing, or increasing?

Millions brag – yes, brag – this: “I am not religious. I am spiritual.” Such claims have also been happening for thousands of years. Yet, in spite of those claims, are humankind’s mental problems decreasing, or increasing?

The mind is humanity’s problem, and the requirement for addressing the mind problem is, according to Maharaj, to end it by purging it of all concepts and beliefs. To reach a state of "zero concepts," he said. To be un-taught all that you have been taught. To unlearn all that you have learned. Is it the goal of religion or spirituality to un-teach, or do both work endlessly to teach you more and more?

Also from the eBook referenced above:

Some might quote Maharaj's earlier spiritual pointers while some might quote his later pointers that dissuaded seekers from being spiritual; or, some might quote Maharaj's early pointers about using the mind while some might talk of his late pointers about being rid of the mind (again, the variation likely being determined by level-appropriateness).

Many worshiped Krishnamurti and his talks even though what he shared was just so much emotionally-intoxicating “mind stuff.” When asked about him, Maharaj replied, “Krishnamurti is a great thinker.” Ha! Most nodded in agreement and took Maharaj's tongue-in-cheek assessment to be a compliment. The few who understood that the content of the mind is useless and that it must be cast aside entirely understood the veiled implication.

So ultimately, Maharaj’s focus was on that which is at the root of humankind’s problems: the mind. Yes, speaking to seekers at the “wet charcoal stage,” he offered level-appropriate pointers about the subject, but his teaching about the “mind” - for those whom he deemed potentially ready to hear - included these pointers:

“There is no such thing as a mind”

and

“I have no mind . . . . ”

So much, then, for those nowadays who say they understand what Maharaj was talking about and who claim that they also teach non-duality now. If so, how could they possibly talk about “changing your life by changing your thoughts”; about using thought-up “intentions” to “empower yourself”; about a mind that is "timeless"; about “fulfilling the dreams” in one's mind; and about “altering bad thinking patterns”? That's all just more mind stuff, just more mind-generated nonsense. Were he here to observe them, Maharaj would dismiss them all as "great thinkers."

So consider the implications of this pointer which he offered: “There is no such thing as ‘peace of mind’."

Relatedly, this pointer is shared here: the “mind” is the source of your lack of peace; therefore, the Ultimate Sickness cannot be healed by the very repository of the Sickness. 

Maharaj came to understand that dogma and its cousin spirituality can produce an illusion of peace, often rooted in a tendency among those playing the role of "The Super Religious One" or the role of "The Spiritual Giant." 

They will only have an illusion of peace because of the tendency of those roles to inspire them . . . 

to deny 

and 

to escape or avoid what they are really feeling

and 

to dissociate from what they are truly feeling 

and 

when in public, to say things that reinforce an image which they want to maintain and put on display.

However, the facts are that a mirage remains a mirage; that a false image is just a false image; a false persona is not made real just because it is talking the programmed talk; and an illusion of peace is not real peace.

Consider the event discussed earlier when a white male killed nine blacks in their church. How long does it take for most who are called "loved ones" or "survivors" to psychologically process the fact that someone they loved was murdered and then be truly free of the effects of the mental and emotional trauma? Days? Weeks? Months? In many cases . . . never? 

So in light of those facts, consider: in less than 48 hours of the killings, when shooter Dylann Roof first appeared in court, many of those whose "loved ones" - all identified as "truly devout Christians - were allowed to address him. All were aware that their words were being broadcast to a national audience and would also be heard by a worldwide audience too. There words:

"I forgive you. You took something really precious away from me. I will never talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again. But I forgive you and have mercy on your soul. It hurts me, it hurts a lot of people but God forgive you and I forgive you”

and

"I forgive you, and my family forgives you. We would like you to take this opportunity to repent. Repent. Confess. Give your life to the one who matters the most, Christ, so he can change your ways no matter what happens to you and you'll be OK. Do that and you'll be better off than you are right now"

and

"Although my grandfather and the other victims died at the hands of hate, everyone's plea for your soul is proof that they lived and loved and their legacies will live and love”

and

“We forgive"

and

 "I thank God."

Really?

Here, it has been asked, "Do you not feel empathy for the survivors?" As Maharaj said in that regard, “More than you will ever know.” Yet there was not, even for a second, any notion that the thoughts and words of those family members were a result of "conscious choice" as opposed to being determined by decades of religious programming and conditioning and acculturation and domestication and brainwashing and indoctrination. 

To understand that the thoughts and words and actions of programmed and conditioned and acculturated and domesticated and brainwashed and indoctrinated persons are never a result of conscious choice but are always a result of ignorant and insane programming and conditioning and acculturation and domestication and brainwashing and indoctrination is not a "personal attack" at all. 

"Maharaj" was programmed, conditioned, etc. "Floyd" was programmed, conditioned, etc. Yet no recognition of nonsense at play is "personal" because nothing personal is real. To see the effects of one's programming, conditioning, etc. can be . . . 

an opportunity to be free of the effects;

a means by which the insanity of denial and avoidance and dissociation and image-building and image-displaying can end;

the only way to understand the true root of one's problems; and

a way to finally receive an effective treatment rather than continuing to ignore one's mental problems and dismissing one actual feelings with such comments as "It's all good" and "Everything's fine."

To recommend to persons that they should "love their enemies" is duality: "A" should love "B"? Impossible. That's a dualistic concept and all dualistic concepts are rooted in falsehoods. Real Love is knowing that two is not (or, as "advaita" is translated, "not two"). Love is, not "love it all," not "it's all good" and not practice denial and avoid processing trauma by accepting the advice that you must "love what is."

As for those talking within hours about forgiving and thanking God, the question which could bring clarify, if it reveals the truth, is: WHO was talking? That is, what ego-states were determining that the words being spoken were the words that persons had been programmed and domesticated and acculturated and indoctrinated to say? 

Again, is that a personal criticism? No more than it would be a criticism of a mirage to note that it is a mirage. What is the real issue, then? It is this: how much real processing can happen if talk is being inspired by one's assumed identity which is being driven subconsciously to show in public just how truly faithful and religious and forgiving and loving a person / persona is?

Here, their pain is felt, but here, there is no delusion that their faith and religion will be able to provide the proper mental health care which they need if they are ever to truly process their trauma.; thus, this consideration for seekers is offered here:

“Are the persons I’m using as guides during my quest for Truth adding content to the 'mind' or offering pointers intended to free me of the 'mind' and all its effects, once and for all?”

As is the case with all persons, and as was the case with Maharaj, I was lied to, tricked, hoodwinked, duped, fooled, conned, taken in, deceived, and bamboozled. In all of our cases, the lying and tricking and hoodwinking and being duped and fooled and conned and taken in and deceived and bamboozled first came from “highly religious” persons; later, even more of that came from “highly spiritual” persons. No matter the source, all humans are lied to, tricked, hoodwinked, duped, fooled, conned, taken in, deceived, and bamboozled. The eventual result of all that is even more detrimental (relatively speaking).

The eventual result and the most significant effect of having been BS’d is not only that all of “their” BS is retained and then controls and determines every thought and word and deed but that most persons for the remainder of their manifestation will BS themselves.

I have seen people who were abused as children, and even after their abusers are long gone, it is as if those abused persons now say to their absent abusers, “Okay, you’re gone, but don’t worry. I’ve got it now. I’ll take over from here. You beat me physically and mentally and emotionally, but you’re not here to do it anymore, so I’ll take over and will now beat myself physically and mentally and emotionally.”

And the greater distortion is that many conclude: “My abusers are gone, so my being abused has come to an end," though they continue to abuse themselves. 

To proclaim “I forgive them” after the physical and mental and emotional wounds have been properly treated and processed via an effective psychological treatment plan is one thing, but to being with “I forgive them” before any effective processing has happened is self-delusion, that is, is a case of being deluded by one of more false selves which are being proudly displayed in public.

Many ask in such circumstances, "WWJD?" (That is, "What would Jesus do?") Here, the question is, WWMS?" ("What would Maharaj say?") What he might say is, "I feel your pain, and because my only goal is for you to be truly and completely freed of all of your misery and suffering - even as you are denying that it remains - I offer this suggestion: 

"Because I care so much for you, I suggest that you find someone who can show you the way to effectively process your real feelings and someone who can guide you to a real state of healing from the trauma that you are suffering from but not acknowledging."

Some have already said, “Their statements were their processing.” No reply is offered to those persons, the understanding being that those with such a belief are not going to “change their minds,” must less reach a state of “zero concepts” and be freed of the mind completely. Yet that was Maharaj’s aim, in the end.  

To be continued.

Please enter the silence of contemplation.

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