Post by Reefs on Sept 19, 2013 23:10:10 GMT -5
Sept 19, 2013 16:05:45 GMT -5 @stevo said:
From that description, though, it sounds like realization is sort of a threshold to be crossed -- 'passing through' the gateless gate -- which leads to samadhi as you define it. If so, why does it matter whether realization is the thing or samadhi is the thing?
Folks like ZD and others call Samadhi a practices and its very easy for the novice to arrive at that conclusion, and by novice I mean someone that has not spent a lot of time in a Samadhi state of consciousness.
Samadhi is not a practice, its a state of consciousness that, for the novice, often requires intensive practice to open into.
Because the practice is so intense, and so much effort is required in the beginning, and because one often gains a realization in the personal perspective as a result of the shift in consciousness, and because the shift into Samadhi from intense practice is so sudden and integrative, it can easily be assumed that Samadhi is a practice.
Its not, its a state of consciousness.
In a way, the realizations that occur to the mind can actually bolster the idea that Samadhi is a practice, in that realization satisfies the mind in a deep way, and bring a kind of stability to the individuated state of consciousness. That satisfaction of the mind ends the search and the instability of the searching, and the result is that one can assume that Samadhi is just a practice that brings realization, clarity, stability, and satisfaction.
But this is an understanding that is the result of the mind's self supporting instinct, and its limitations of perception.
If one continues with shifting into the expanded Samadhi state of consciousness, mind becomes further informed via realization, that Samadhi is not simply a tool for transforming, stabilizing, satisfying the mind, its a transcendence of the limitations of mind.
Its an opening and expanding of the limited state of individuated consciousness into non-individuated consciousness.
just as Realization is not a practice, Samadhi is not a practice.
Practices facilitate a shift from a limited personal awareness to universal or limitless awareness.
The shift informs mind via realization, and the mind is stabilized....but a stabilized mind is not the end game....that brief moment of expanded consciousness is the destination so to speak.
A stabilized mind that realizes its inherent oneness and illusionary self existence creates a platform from which one may more easily and completely let go of the limited individuated consciousness into a constant state of non-individuated consciousness.
But its just a platform, an opportunity, a clearing of the way...a removing of the obstacles of the fear of the unknown or loss of self.
But what happens, often as the result of not having a teacher telling the person that there is a further, and that they are not "done yet", is that the stability and satisfaction of the mind as a result of realization causes the person to stop all efforts to shift into the an expanded state of consciousness, which is Samadhi.
One's mental and spiritual satisfaction can end up keeping one bound to a personal awareness and limited consciousness.
Its probably lack of a relationship with a lifelong guru that has spawned this "calling er done" once realization has occurred phenomena with western seekers.
The only reason I went further after realization, is that early on I read that a big problem with not having a teacher, is that one can think they are done long before they are, because there is no qualified teacher to tell them they are not "done". So I resolved to never be "done".
I will say this though....before enlightenment, practice was pursued as a kind of manic search. After enlightenment/kensho, and the stabilization and satisfaction that issued, practice is no longer a manic search for something that is always right there, its a means of shifting into the greater levels of consciousness that is there for us beyond this individuated awareness of self.
After enlightenment, you are not "done", because you still have the "work" of permanently expanding your limited, albeit satisfied consciousness from the personal to the unlimited and unbounded....some people call this dissolving the ego, and by ego, in this situation, we mean your most essential experience of personhood.
If you have had the big woo woo realization, it is likely that you are so satisfied and stabilized in your personal awareness that you just don't care about the expanded conciousness of Samadhi, or God Union.
Its also possible that you are clinging to that satisfaction, stability, and personhood so much that you will thoroughly reject what I am telling you.
All of that is fine, but it will not keep me from telling you that there is a further, and despite your satisfaction, its worth checking out....and also to tell you that you should not fear a loss of personhood or personal consciousness.
As an aside, I suspect that the whole reason many of you are maintaining the personal perspective of consciousness, is because for whatever reasons, the universe wants the percieved separation from God (undifferentiated consciousness), because there is a difference between knowing God and Being God.
And the Universe has brought you into awareness of oneness and lack of individuation and separateness while still maintaining your perspective of individuation so that Knowing God is not lost in Being God.
In any case, I still find myself telling folks that beyond the satisfaction and stability of realization occurring in your personal perspective, you have absolute union with the absolute available to you.
Did/do you have a living guru?