Tuesday, August 7, 2007

What's the Bottom Line?

Many seekers are looking for some soothing information to help them better cope with life. They want to find a way to see the world with different eyes - to relax more, to be in a better mood, to cope with depression, to have a better understanding of life. Many would like to become Enlightened, because it apparently holds the promise of bliss, of ultimate knowledge...

Some just want to get rid of the anger, animosity - they want to get rid of the EGO. Seekers go to special teachers who promise Enlightenment after receiving shaktipat, some sit with teachers for years in meditation, some follow special instructions, work on purification... they want to hear their teacher tell them that everything will be alright - that they are their own special person, they can do anything they want, they can achieve Enlightenment if they try hard enough, do enough prostrations, say enough mantras...

The consensus is that "I" will be a better, more special, Enlightened person. All this is total bullshit. Period.

If you're seeking because you think you're going to get something out of it, you can stop now. You won't. If you're seeking to be an Enlightened person, you've totally misunderstood all the ancient teachings.

The basis of the teaching is the fact that you don't exist. Suffering is apparently created because there is a false belief in a person who is separate from the world, therefore that "person" must endure all sorts of hardships from the outside. Upon investigation, this belief falls apart.

You will not get anything at all - you will only lose. You will lose all the questions - they will be seen as inherently false. You will lose the search - it will be known to be a totally pointless endeavor. It will be clearly known that the seeker never existed.

What is left? Nothing. You do not exist. Your belief in yourself as a body-mind is false. Your belief in the world is an illusion. You can spend all the money and time you have to undergo all these exercises, receive all these spiritual transmissions, read all the books you can find. But no one can show you your true self. No act can bring about an understanding of what you truly are. No amount of retreats or satsangs can deliver you to Enlightenment.

The only thing that apparently happens is a spontaneous realization that the seeker was never there. All else is spiritual bullshit. Any concept, including Enlightenment and Spirituality, ultimately keeps the apparent seeker stuck in the illusion, expecting some blissful state to be achieved, that the "person" will have this or that happen, that the "person" will attain something.

You are the Absolute - all this talk of Enlightenment keeps the illusion going, apparently obscuring your true self. But in reality, what you are searching for is 100% in full view RIGHT NOW. It has never left for one moment throughout your entire "life." It is the very basis or activity of knowing - that's it. All else, all arisings, all thoughts, that body, the Universe itself, arises in this present awareness. Seeking is a movement in the wrong direction - a subtle denial of WHAT IS for what SHOULD BE.

5 comments:

Eduardo Piereck said...

Sure, Randall, it all a great misconception.

But I always doubted it. The 'state of enlightenment' seemed to me kind of phony, which it is if you analize it better. All that superficial and earnestly achieved 'serenity' just didn't seemed to be it.

Who doubt it? Me! Who am I? [void]...

Anonymous said...

Even the continued concept of the me is not under "my" control. So it will continue until it drops while all the imaginary I's deal with a body-mind that experiences this illusionary suffering. No? Still pain exists in some energy form imagined or not by no body or is it nobody?

Randall Friend said...

Yes - the concept of "me" may continue to arise - it's just a thought - a reference point - a language convention.

But there is no longer any problem with it or suffering caused by the reference to it. Who can suffer when there is no one there to suffer?

A "problem" can only be defined as such by the mind, in thoughts, referring to a "ME". "I am sad." If it is seen that there never was an "I" - then WHO can be sad?

Anonymous said...

The only thing that is bullshit is the teaching on this website. The author acknowledges the One but not the manifestation of the One as the Many. Any enlightened teacher would recognize this teaching as "delusion" and "spiritual bypass." It takes enormous courage to attain enlightenment and integration of One's Self as Individual Spiritual Being, an expression of and always a part of The One. Ignorant aspirants, after an experience of the Void, are soon deceived by the Intermediate Zone to Interpret ALL THAT IS in such reductionist ways; that deny the Reality of Spirit in it's infinite manifestations as the Many. I KNOW WHO AND WHAT I AM...AND I AM GLAD I DON'T TAKE MY SELF DEFINITION OR MY WORLDVIEW FROM SPIRITUAL INFANTS.

Randall Friend said...

Anonymous,

Thank you for your comments.

The only criticism I detect in your post is that the writing doesn't acknowledge the manifestation of the One as the Many. If you read the other posts, you'll find that this is pointed out many times.

Your reference to "Intermediate Zone" is not familiar. Maybe you can explain what exactly this is.

There seems to be an awful lot of personal attachment written in your comment. It might be worth investigating the person you are taking yourself to be.

My email is listed under the profile. I'd be happy to help you with this investigation if you feel inclined.

With love,
randall