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Post by laughter on Mar 15, 2023 10:56:15 GMT -5
It doesn't change the fact that ego .. is an opportunity.  But it's a one-way opportunity.It's an opportunity for insight by directing attention inward. Any attention directed outward on the subject will always risk distortion, as there's no way to do anything but witness it without creating it. What he calls 'phenomenal self' or 'ego' is what I call the individual, and what he calls the 'illusionary self' is what I call the person (or SVP). What I'm calling ego is what he's calling "false ego", and sure, that distinction could have added clarity here. Terry's "false ego" is a movement of mind happening in an individual. Some individuals experience this consciously. Some individuals have realized the nature of the SVP. The question of whether or not an individual who has realized the nature of the SVP is always conscious of false ego is essentially koan-like. The best language and intellect can convey is that there can be matters of degree involved. To borrow/paraphrase from a case involving the Layman: "As a host, I use it with full enjoyment". |
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Post by Reefs on Mar 20, 2023 9:06:23 GMT -5
Action and Non-Action (1)
WWW: Non-Action on the plane of Being becomes, by articulation, Correct-Action on the plane of Existing.
Correct-Action may be anything from violence to what we regard as inaction—for inaction is inevitably a form of action.
The majority of our actions are Incorrect-Action. We are mad monkeys eternally doing unnecessary things, obsessed with the necessity of “doing,” terrified of inaction, glorifying “doers” almost uncritically, regardless of the havoc they cause, scorning “non-doers,” equally uncritically, blind to the prosperity that follows in their wake, the former being the normal result of what is Incorrect-Action, the latter being the normal result of inaction that is Correct-Action.
But what we regard as action is really reaction, the reaction of our artificial and impermanent ego to the non-ego, to external events. We react from morning to night: we do not act.
That, I think, is the explanation of the Taoist doctrine of Non-Action. Explanation is necessary because translation from the Chinese ideograms does not reveal the difference between Non-Action that is noumenal and inaction that is phenomenal.
The dynamism of inaction in a given circumstance can be greater than that of action in the same circumstance. Inaction that is dynamic requires vision and self-control—for action is easier to us than inaction. It is the dynamism of inaction that identifies it as Correct-Action.
We are brought up to believe that in all circumstances we should “do.” Rather than face inaction we spend hours drinking spirits or consuming narcotics. Therein we are reagents only: we “do” but we know not how to BE.
Correct-Action should be normal to the man who has realized his state of Satori, for his ego, dissolved or integrated, is no longer in a position to react. In consequence all his actions should be Correct-Action.
But Correct-Action must be possible to us also in both its forms. Action based on affectivity, positive or negative, action based on reasoning, dependent upon the comparison of the opposites, and thereby relative, involving memory, manifestations of the illusory ego, is unlikely to be correct—for they are not action but reaction.
It would seem, therefore, that Correct-Action can only be spontaneous—the product of the split-second that outwits the fraud of Time.
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Post by unseekingseeker on Mar 24, 2023 0:31:07 GMT -5
At the level of Self, a singularity, awareness is not differentiated and so we may speak of choiceless choice, being either action or non-action.
In duality, fulcrum of active awareness contoured by the three Gunas (purity, desire, inertia) determines action or inaction, in my view. Right or wrong action can possibly refer to proximity or distance from truth or agape love.
To me it appears that the reason for ‘falling’ from the state of Absolute Self to identity is because latent desires and samskaras (tendencies) are yet unresolved. This would suggest that the luminosity of Self does not fully pervade organic form, to allow ego as an earth interface to function, so unless we as the operational identity re-cognise who we really are and hold that awareness in an unbroken continuum, we will ‘falter’, so to speak. Reworded, as long as there is separation, we are in a state of delusion.
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Post by Reefs on Apr 3, 2023 11:30:18 GMT -5
Action and Non-Action (2)
WWW: “Mad monkeys.” It is said in the East that “La maladie des occidentaux est le travail.” We may prefer to say that superfluous activity is the sickness of the West. For, all things considered, a very great proportion of what we call “work” is ultimately unnecessary.
We are obsessed with the importance of Doing, much of which goes by the name of “work”—somewhat euphemistically no doubt.
[...]
To the average man or woman there is no alternative to Doing but Idleness. If that were so it might be difficult to decide which of the alternatives should be preferred. Since both are probably futile there may be nothing to choose between them, although Idleness would seem to be relatively innocuous.
But should not the alternative to Doing rather be regarded as Being?
Metaphysically this appears to be a ternary proposition: the opposites, Doing and Idleness, achieving their synthesis in Being. Being is the apex of the triangle wherein the dualistic bases, Doing and Idleness, become absorbed in Unicity. Behind Action and Inaction lies Non-Action, which manifests in them.
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Post by Reefs on Apr 3, 2023 11:34:38 GMT -5
At the level of Self, a singularity, awareness is not differentiated and so we may speak of choiceless choice, being either action or non-action. In duality, fulcrum of active awareness contoured by the three Gunas (purity, desire, inertia) determines action or inaction, in my view. Right or wrong action can possibly refer to proximity or distance from truth or agape love. To me it appears that the reason for ‘falling’ from the state of Absolute Self to identity is because latent desires and samskaras (tendencies) are yet unresolved. This would suggest that the luminosity of Self does not fully pervade organic form, to allow ego as an earth interface to function, so unless we as the operational identity re-cognise who we really are and hold that awareness in an unbroken continuum, we will ‘falter’, so to speak. Reworded, as long as there is separation, we are in a state of delusion. Are you suggesting that this state of delusion is something gone wrong in the larger scheme of things? |
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Post by inavalan on Apr 3, 2023 13:46:47 GMT -5
At the level of Self, a singularity, awareness is not differentiated and so we may speak of choiceless choice, being either action or non-action. In duality, fulcrum of active awareness contoured by the three Gunas (purity, desire, inertia) determines action or inaction, in my view. Right or wrong action can possibly refer to proximity or distance from truth or agape love. To me it appears that the reason for ‘falling’ from the state of Absolute Self to identity is because latent desires and samskaras (tendencies) are yet unresolved. This would suggest that the luminosity of Self does not fully pervade organic form, to allow ego as an earth interface to function, so unless we as the operational identity re-cognise who we really are and hold that awareness in an unbroken continuum, we will ‘falter’, so to speak. R eworded, as long as there is separation, we are in a state of delusion. Are you suggesting that this state of delusion is something gone wrong in the larger scheme of things?I think that it is unfortunate that due to societal conditioning the modern man forgets that he is just one aspect of a larger personality, and that prevents him from functioning properly when awake (not sleeping). This doesn't mean that the whole personality is some kind of "absolute self". It is a "true self" only in the sense that it reflects its current rung on the (infinite) evolvement ladder. |
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Post by unseekingseeker on Apr 4, 2023 7:57:17 GMT -5
Are you suggesting that this state of delusion is something gone wrong in the larger scheme of things?I think that it is unfortunate that due to societal conditioning the modern man forgets that he is just one aspect of a larger personality, and that prevents him from functioning properly when awake (not sleeping). This doesn't mean that the whole personality is some kind of "absolute self". It is a "true self" only in the sense that it reflects its current rung on the (infinite) evolvement ladder. It is not about right or wrong, in my view. As Self, in a singularity, there is no identity, all that is is ineffable peace and the luminosity of being renewing itself within itself unendingly but yet, as of choiceless choice, there is a descent, so to speak, from undifferentiated consciousness to differentiated subject-object relationship with knowing of true being veiled. The veil is self imposed, in that ego or identity hijacks awareness, that we feel duality fully by immersing Self in trance. Awakening in permanence then being nothing other than holding the flame of awareness steady, where we are both ‘here’ and ‘there’ simultaneously. This would then represent a completion of sorts* (* who knows what lies yet ‘beyond’) My question is ~ what is the trigger that prompts Self to so diminish itself by descent and to what end, since it is, as it is, already complete? Perhaps there is another veil to be pierced? |
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Post by inavalan on Apr 4, 2023 14:03:39 GMT -5
I think that it is unfortunate that due to societal conditioning the modern man forgets that he is just one aspect of a larger personality, and that prevents him from functioning properly when awake (not sleeping). This doesn't mean that the whole personality is some kind of "absolute self". It is a "true self" only in the sense that it reflects its current rung on the (infinite) evolvement ladder. ... My question is ~ what is the trigger that prompts Self to so diminish itself by descent and to what end, since it is, as it is, already complete? Perhaps there is another veil to be pierced? Truly pertinent question. My understanding is that an " entity", which is on a quest of value fulfillment, may choose to attend a framework of learning and growing, a "school", which consists of successive incarnations. I call such an incarnation " personality", having physical and non-physical components, that form a gestalt. This personality is at the level of evolvement of its entity. " By design", the physicaliy aware aspect of the personality is aware of the rest of the personality, and it is optimized to the role it has to play in the physical. It isn't a different self-conscious identity/self, but it reflects a state of consciousness of the personality (one of the personalities that the entity chooses to coordinate simultaneously, wherever in the wider-reality). Once the decision to incarnate is made, the newly minted personality starts establishing connections with the other personalities (belonging to other entities, but also possibly belonging to the same entity as itself) that decided to incarnate under the same time, space, probability conditions. There is a process of formatting, which continues through the gestation, birth, education, ... Those that chose to join the current time, space, probability coordinates of the physical hyperspace, find themselves under the influence of a detrimental process of societal conditioning that hypnotizes them into forgetting their connection with their personality. This isn't "by design", it is an aberration, but personalities choose to experience this as a challenge, believing that they can overcome it, become aware, learn and grow. Most of those who try this, have to learn humility: there are things you can't do, be aware! The main part of the learning during a physical incarnation is accomplished during sleep (mostly during dreamless sleep), so even those who never achieve any awareness of their personality, still grow to some degree. At death, the personality folds back into the entity with whatever growth it manged to get. Through regressions I experienced this transition, and it feels like waking up from sleep. You have a little more clarity, you remember who/what you are, you get back to whatever you were before incarnating, a little better, but you're still far from being perfect, you never where, and you'll continue your asymptotic process of value fulfillment as infinitum. Coming back to your question, the "Self" (which is the entity) doesn't diminish itself, and it is far from any completion, which is never achievable as it is infinite. On the other hand, there is an unfortunate diminishing of the awake aspect of the incarnational personality, caused by the societal conditioning specific to a current time, space, probability coordinates in the physical-reality framework. The only veils are caused by the entity's level of evolvement that can't prevent the adoption of detrimental beliefs. |
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Post by Reefs on Apr 21, 2023 8:32:30 GMT -5
Are you suggesting that this state of delusion is something gone wrong in the larger scheme of things?I think that it is unfortunate that due to societal conditioning the modern man forgets that he is just one aspect of a larger personality, and that prevents him from functioning properly when awake (not sleeping). This doesn't mean that the whole personality is some kind of "absolute self". It is a "true self" only in the sense that it reflects its current rung on the (infinite) evolvement ladder. Yes, in the relative context, there's no end to these rungs on that evolvement ladder. Which is good news for those who are looking for ever new experiences and vistas, but bad news for those who are looking for peace of mind, because peace of mind can only be found in the absolute context. |
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Post by Reefs on Apr 21, 2023 8:43:15 GMT -5
I think that it is unfortunate that due to societal conditioning the modern man forgets that he is just one aspect of a larger personality, and that prevents him from functioning properly when awake (not sleeping). This doesn't mean that the whole personality is some kind of "absolute self". It is a "true self" only in the sense that it reflects its current rung on the (infinite) evolvement ladder. It is not about right or wrong, in my view. As Self, in a singularity, there is no identity, all that is is ineffable peace and the luminosity of being renewing itself within itself unendingly but yet, as of choiceless choice, there is a descent, so to speak, from undifferentiated consciousness to differentiated subject-object relationship with knowing of true being veiled. The veil is self imposed, in that ego or identity hijacks awareness, that we feel duality fully by immersing Self in trance. Awakening in permanence then being nothing other than holding the flame of awareness steady, where we are both ‘here’ and ‘there’ simultaneously. This would then represent a completion of sorts* (* who knows what lies yet ‘beyond’) My question is ~ what is the trigger that prompts Self to so diminish itself by descent and to what end, since it is, as it is, already complete? Perhaps there is another veil to be pierced?Ultimately, that question is misconceived. However, some people have come up with interesting theories. And people usually accept the theories that best match their own level of understanding. Someone here used to always say "God has fallen into his own dream"... |
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Post by Reefs on Apr 21, 2023 9:08:54 GMT -5
... My question is ~ what is the trigger that prompts Self to so diminish itself by descent and to what end, since it is, as it is, already complete? Perhaps there is another veil to be pierced? Truly pertinent question. My understanding is that an " entity", which is on a quest of value fulfillment, may choose to attend a framework of learning and growing, a "school", which consists of successive incarnations. I call such an incarnation " personality", having physical and non-physical components, that form a gestalt. This personality is at the level of evolvement of its entity. " By design", the physicaliy aware aspect of the personality is aware of the rest of the personality, and it is optimized to the role it has to play in the physical. It isn't a different self-conscious identity/self, but it reflects a state of consciousness of the personality (one of the personalities that the entity chooses to coordinate simultaneously, wherever in the wider-reality). Once the decision to incarnate is made, the newly minted personality starts establishing connections with the other personalities (belonging to other entities, but also possibly belonging to the same entity as itself) that decided to incarnate under the same time, space, probability conditions. There is a process of formatting, which continues through the gestation, birth, education, ... Those that chose to join the current time, space, probability coordinates of the physical hyperspace, find themselves under the influence of a detrimental process of societal conditioning that hypnotizes them into forgetting their connection with their personality. This isn't "by design", it is an aberration, but personalities choose to experience this as a challenge, believing that they can overcome it, become aware, learn and grow. Most of those who try this, have to learn humility: there are things you can't do, be aware! The main part of the learning during a physical incarnation is accomplished during sleep (mostly during dreamless sleep), so even those who never achieve any awareness of their personality, still grow to some degree. At death, the personality folds back into the entity with whatever growth it manged to get. Through regressions I experienced this transition, and it feels like waking up from sleep. You have a little more clarity, you remember who/what you are, you get back to whatever you were before incarnating, a little better, but you're still far from being perfect, you never where, and you'll continue your asymptotic process of value fulfillment as infinitum. Coming back to your question, the "Self" (which is the entity) doesn't diminish itself, and it is far from any completion, which is never achievable as it is infinite. On the other hand, there is an unfortunate diminishing of the awake aspect of the incarnational personality, caused by the societal conditioning specific to a current time, space, probability coordinates in the physical-reality framework. The only veils are caused by the entity's level of evolvement that can't prevent the adoption of detrimental beliefs. The school metaphor assumes that you are an imperfect, unworthy being, striving for perfection and worthiness. It's still only a different version of the old idea of a personal God that metes out rewards and punishments. And while this perspective may be in line with common religious dogmas and even most new age teachings, it still is a very narrow, very limited perspective of All-That-Is. It is not based on a realization but an erroneous conclusion from a perspective of separation. THIS IS IT. And I AM THAT. That's the realization. Everything else is philosophizing. At best you could say that Source/Self/THIS is having experiences for the sake of having experiences. But that's not an intellectually very satisfying explanation. And from the perspective of Source/Self/THIS it would be ignoring the obvious and adding legs to a snake again.
So a few questions worth pondering: Who comes up with these kind of theories and explanations? And who would find them plausible and why? And most importantly, who would need such theories and explanations anyway and for what?
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Post by Reefs on Apr 21, 2023 9:19:41 GMT -5
Action and Non-Action (3)
WWW: The half-century during which Ramana Maharshi lived in a state of permanent Illumination (Liberation, Satori, identified with Reality) presents a remarkable picture of the dynamism of Non-Action.
From the records of his life (for instance Les Etudes sur Ramana Maharshi, by five or six eminent observers and Arthur Osbornes admirable biography) one does not have the impression that he was ever known to “act” in the sense in which that word is normally applied to human endeavor, that is in the sense of “do” which implies initiative and reaction. He was the living example of the philosophy of Lao Tzu. Even when attacked by ragamuffins, crooks, burglars, and hornets, he did not re-act; he rarely seems to have given orders, correction, or to have made plans, yet far from living in chaos and disorder his life and his ashram seem to have been a model of harmony and precision.
Only in the interim between his illumination at the age of sixteen and the emergence in him of a working-model of an ego for the purposes of human contact did he find it necessary to act, and those few recorded actions are worthy of study. From his life it would appear that the I-Reality does not, perhaps cannot, act or re-act on the plane of seeming, and that the dissolved ego being no longer available to that end, the living being remains negative to the circumstances of life. The Maharshi had no wishes, fear or anger; he merely did what he had to do with the directness and simplicity of a young child, illuminated by an intelligence of rare lucidity.
His real action—Adequate Action, as we may call it— which is Non-Action on the plane of Reality was in the medium of what we know as Silence. But such Silence was not the negative state we associate with that word; on the contrary it was highly positive, potent, dynamic. Constantly his “radiation” was felt, very occasionally “seen,” and is even described as “terrific.” Indeed for a number of people it appears to have been too powerful—like a high-voltage current. And by means of it he administered, directly to individuals, and generally to all, present and absent, what is adequately described as his Grace—which was his guidance, more effective than words, and which constituted his revelation.
His case, as far as one knows, is unique as a contemporary phenomenon experienced by innumerable people now living, many still young, but its importance may be regarded as a function of its uniqueness.
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Post by Reefs on Sept 11, 2023 6:44:29 GMT -5
THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM (1) – Intuition Rendered Dualistically
WWW: Perhaps anyone sufficiently qualified can sit down and write a book dealing with any aspect of human knowledge and maintain that it states categorically the truth in so far as it is known at the time at which he writes. That can be done where objective understanding is concerned. But here objective understanding is not the aim in view, for objective understanding is a dead-end and leads nowhere. That is the reason why the great Masters never methodically taught it. That is the reason why they invariably sought to maneuver their disciples into turning round in the right direction, so that they might one day apprehend the truth for themselves, and subjectively. That truth is always present, and is always exactly where we are.
Occasionally, however, particularly when they were questioned by high officials of the state, they offered objective knowledge, and that is of incalculable value to us, for we have no living Masters at and to maneuver us into turning round in the right direction, so that we have no alternative but to find out how to do that ourselves; and that can only be done when we have acquired a high degree of dualistic understanding. Such understanding, however, is not an end, but a beginning only, or, if you like, it is the terminus from which the train sets forth that leads directly to our destination, for, henceforth, we may be said to run on rails, in the sense that the road home from objectivity to subjectivity is straight and direct, if it can be followed. This is the “chemin” of which Shen Hui speaks so often, the “way” which, once “obtained,” leads directly to the goal.
Therefore in this little book we continue the journey during which the truth that can never be written is gradually approached by intuition rendered dualistically. As one closes in on that truth that which has been described vaguely is subsequently described more accurately and more fully, and that which was imperfectly comprehended is corrected by that which has later been understood. Only the awakened can say definitely whatever it may be possible to say without error.
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Post by Reefs on Sept 11, 2023 23:12:28 GMT -5
THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM (2) – Pointers and Translations
WWW: The methods of the Masters are illustrated by the saying: “To acquire understanding at the hands of others is to close the gates of self-enlightenment.” Nothing could be more clearly or tersely expressed, and the explanation, of course, is that the understanding thus acquired is necessarily objective understanding. In fact my understanding is valueless to you, quite necessarily so, even it be the correct understanding. Perhaps that is not clear, but it is a fact. In objective science my understanding, if it were correct, would be perfectly valid for you and you could take it from me if it were adequately expressed. But this understanding is not of that kind, and it cannot be transferred or transmitted. It can only be pointed at, and you have to find your own way to it yourself. Phenomenally, dualistically, you can be led to within “sight” of it, but only yourself can “see” it. Even that is metaphorical, for the truth can never be “seen,” for seeing is objective. That too is looking in the wrong direction, and even when you look in the right direction you will see nothing, that is void, for looking itself is objective and must be abandoned.
Discouraging? Not really. After all, if it were easy should we not all be Buddhas?
I have expressed my view that since we have no fully-awakened Masters available to maneuver us into the correct orientation, we must proceed via objective understanding. Alas, we have no living Masters available in the West at present, as far as I am aware, but we have the great awakened Masters of the past whose words have been preserved, and we have the sutras, in particular the supreme Prajnaparamita sutras. Alas, they are not easy; alas, the translations—for which, nevertheless we should be humbly grateful—are not quite satisfactory; and alas, we do not study them as we might. My view, for anything that it may be worth, is that to all intents and purposes we have nothing else that matters. It is our misfortune that Chinese pictograms are devoid of grammar and syntax, that most words have many meanings, and that only someone who has fully understood the meaning of the text could really be qualified to translate it. Beyond that, many Masters spoke in local dialect, their very method tended towards slang or “argot” the sense of which can only be guessed, and they no doubt used many common words in a special technical sense that is difficult to recover. All that is our burden, and we must bear it as best we may.
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Post by inavalan on Sept 12, 2023 0:27:00 GMT -5
THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM (2) – Pointers and Translations
WWW: The methods of the Masters are illustrated by the saying: “To acquire understanding at the hands of others is to close the gates of self-enlightenment.” Nothing could be more clearly or tersely expressed, and the explanation, of course, is that the understanding thus acquired is necessarily objective understanding. In fact my understanding is valueless to you, quite necessarily so, even it be the correct understanding. Perhaps that is not clear, but it is a fact. In objective science my understanding, if it were correct, would be perfectly valid for you and you could take it from me if it were adequately expressed. But this understanding is not of that kind, and it cannot be transferred or transmitted. It can only be pointed at, and you have to find your own way to it yourself. Phenomenally, dualistically, you can be led to within “sight” of it, but only yourself can “see” it. Even that is metaphorical, for the truth can never be “seen,” for seeing is objective. That too is looking in the wrong direction, and even when you look in the right direction you will see nothing, that is void, for looking itself is objective and must be abandoned. Discouraging? Not really. After all, if it were easy should we not all be Buddhas? I have expressed my view that since we have no fully-awakened Masters available to maneuver us into the correct orientation, we must proceed via objective understanding. Alas, we have no living Masters available in the West at present, as far as I am aware, but we have the great awakened Masters of the past whose words have been preserved, and we have the sutras, in particular the supreme Prajnaparamita sutras. Alas, they are not easy; alas, the translations—for which, nevertheless we should be humbly grateful—are not quite satisfactory; and alas, we do not study them as we might. My view, for anything that it may be worth, is that to all intents and purposes we have nothing else that matters. It is our misfortune that Chinese pictograms are devoid of grammar and syntax, that most words have many meanings, and that only someone who has fully understood the meaning of the text could really be qualified to translate it. Beyond that, many Masters spoke in local dialect, their very method tended towards slang or “argot” the sense of which can only be guessed, and they no doubt used many common words in a special technical sense that is difficult to recover. All that is our burden, and we must bear it as best we may. For those reasons, and because we can't really know which "awakened Masters" were truly awaken, we need to intuitively interpret what we read. " Intuitively" means that we actually directly tap our individual sources of knowledge, using the distorted text only as a means to an end, and not to objectively (intellectually) understand what those authors meant, which might've been false after all. |
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But it's a one-way opportunity.It's an opportunity for insight by directing attention inward. Any attention directed outward on the subject will always risk distortion, as there's no way to do anything but witness it without creating it.
