Wednesday, March 19, 2008

The Body-Mind Experience is Meaningless

We seek in search of answers... we want Enlightenment because we feel it will bring us peace, happiness, bliss. Even though we read or hear that we are not this body-mind, we still seek within the framework of the body-mind - "I" want peace for ME, "I" want to be happy, blissful...

This appearance, the body-mind, is nothing but relativity, nothing but impermanence. The thoughts change from minute to minute, moods and emotions swing wildly, any peace we gain as the body-mind can and will be lost. Happiness comes when our desires are satisfied, but the well of desires is deep. Once the shine of this new acquisition wears off, we're off searching for the next thing to satisfy.

Any peace, happiness, bliss, or freedom gained will, in the next minute or day, be lost, replaced by conflict, sadness, depression and the feeling of separation. There is nothing solid we can grab on to - it all dissolves in our hands, and the harder we hang on in this egoistic attempt to find permanence in the impermanent, the quicker it goes.

Seeking peace or permanent happiness AS the body-mind is an exercise in futility. As long as identification lies with the impermanent and illusory form and changing situations, happiness and peace may come but will always pass with the next catastrophe, the next death, the next loss.

What you are is THAT which is looking, THAT which is reflecting the passing forms and situations, an unchanging witnessing awareness which sees the change, notices the impermanence, knows the shaky positions of the mind. Confusion and clarity share a dance in which they take turns leading - this is all irrelevant and simply witnessed presently in this clear, empty, self-shining and non-conceptual awareness, which doesn't know the meaning of clarity or confusion, doesn't have the capacity to judge or be depressed or have an opinion or a goal, doesn't possess arms or legs or a brain, isn't a human but simply watches the human experience come and go.

Seeking peace and happiness within the relative and impermanent is a recipe for frustration and endless confusion. No questions or answers can ever satisfy and aren't even RELEVANT. THAT which is SEEING/KNOWING, THAT which is presently looking, is what you are.

And in this, the body-mind experience is meaningless.

2 comments:

Vince Flammini said...

very nice. thanks for your writing, randall.

love,
vince

Anonymous said...

Yes, the body-mind experience is meaningless. So enjoy this NCAA basketball tournament! What a show! It just never stops, as a show.