THIS is inescapable. THIS cannot be captured in words or knowledge. THIS is an absolute mystery. There is literally NOTHING outside of THIS.
THIS, right here and now, is the only enlightenment there ever is.
THIS is IT. And THIS is YOU.
The instant THIS is sought after, THIS is missed.
So what is left to be done?
Nothing at all. THIS is already perfect.
Writings on Nonduality and Vedanta from Randall Friend
19 comments:
Well, there ya go. Simple, obvious, total, whole and complete. And so amusing, the paradox of looking for what already is. Very few ways of addressing that paradox, it makes for annoyed and frustrated seekers! And sometimes despairing and suicidal ones, which, although that is just another story, the story of seeing pointlessness without seeing the wonder of being itself, seems to cause concern to arise in "me". There is no one, so there is no one who needs to be helped, and no one to help, but that isn't easily communicated to that bundle of bones that believes the suffering is something to run from; whose story is one of being caught up in the suffering, which seems endless. Yet, although there is no time, no process, no practice that can bring "awakening" about as it is already what is, that despair seems to precede some kind of shift. It is difficult, apparently working with these persons in separation. They surely don't want to hear that everything they ever valued, the rules by which they have lived life, is meaningless, for that is the apparent cause of the despair. They don't want to hear there is nothing wrong with apparent despair, and that this is perfection, whatever it is that seems to be. But that is the only thing that can be said, except perhaps, hang in there; whatever the appearance seems to be, it is a story that invariably changes.
Hello No One,
Regarding 'your' comment: 'it is difficult, apparently working with these persons in separation'. If oneness contains all, and 'you/Randall/Nisargadatta/etc' have realized you are that, how can 'persons in separation' remain and continue 'seeking'?
Love,
Yumi
We-e-e-l-l-l, therein lies a mystery. The story seems to unfold, and seems to include persons who do not believe they are one. Or still believe they're separate, or whatever. It's all appearance, but that's really not a satisfactory way to put it. It seems to happen, whatever it is, including speaking to apparent persons in a desperate state. It is seen that there is no one who needs to "awaken", but YOU try telling that to these dudes! Of course I'm woefully limited by these words. Whatever it is that seems to be, is what is happening; that's all. Sounds ridiculous. Oh, hell, I don't understand it either. What the hey!
no one in particular is pretty condescending, lucky it is no one in particular though!
Oh dear, Scarfox, not that it matters, but how is it that "I" am condescending? Assuredly, that isn't the feeling that comes up; condescention implies some feeling of superiority; there certainly isn't that. If anything, in the story of life that seems to unfold, it's the opposite; completely clueless would better describe my character. The thoughts that come up when talking to these apparent persons are along the lines of "well, I could say there is no one that needs help and no one that needs to awaken, but that would be cruel." So compassion maybe, condescention, less likely. "I" am not "awakened".
blah blah blah...etc...as someone once said...
Anyway, how DARE you call me condescending? You OBVIOUSLY don't know what you're talking about! It's all blah blah blah; as Randall just wrote; "cannot be captured in words or knowledge". But it's fun trying, and no matter what seems to unfold, including comment exchanges in blogs, it's meaningless, and perfect.
Maybe it's the picture. The apparent person in the picture certainly looks a bit condescending.
No One,
Yumi here again, not the other Anonymous, or perhaps 'we all' are anonymous anyhow; doesn't really matter.
Nisargadatta's 'movie analogy' could shed some light on all of this (no pun intended): the projector light - analogous to the "I" - enables the film - analogous to the world/manifestation - to appear on the screen - analogous to consciousness. Whatever is playing on the screen can't affect the light, the light just enables 'whatever' to appear. Doesn't matter to the light if the 'character(s)' appearing are Public Enemy #1 or Mary Poppins, or what they do, think or say. It's all one & the same. The light never wrote the 'script', nor can it re-write any of it. Behaviour, personality, mannerisms, manners, ethics, right vs wrong, beliefs, morality - are all just 'thought/script' appearing.
Love,
Yumi
PS: The picture could be interpreted as 'condescending' due to the eyes looking over the top of the glasses, yet the smile is compassionate. Not that any of that matters to the light. ;->
The movie/light analogy is a good one; or puppets with no puppeteer. Compassionate, condescending, it matters not, yet is whole, amusing, and this.
May I ask a question? This may seem like a low question and not really the types that you want to respond to but if you would indulge me because I am just starting to learn about spiritual life?
For you as the self as guess there are no real changes. But for us ordinary contracted beings - what happens when we die? I have read that for most of us we go to a subtle world for a while then are reborn. Is that true? Whats that subtle world like? That sounds terrible to me.
I appreciate your time
Dennie
Dennie,
Hello my friend. Good to hear from you. All questions are valid.
"For us ordinary contracted beings..."
This assumes a separate entity who is not contracted and a separate entity who is. This is false. There are no entities, contracted or not contracted.
The spiritual search at first is all about concepts - God and Heaven and Hell and rebirth and karma and all that.
Advaita Vedanta is nothing more than brutal honesty - looking at reality without concepts.
Vedanta says - all there is, is Brahman. And Brahman, like God, is an abstract term. It is meant to be. It is THAT which cannot be distinguished, cannot be measured, cannot be quantified.
We are programmed to see the world in terms of "things". And "things" are quantifiable - if I point out a "chair" you know quite well what I mean. But does chair actually exist?
The word "chair" points to what? Can we actually put our finger on the existence of that "thing"? Is there any such thing as "chair"?
No. There isn't. Chair is a concept. Existence IS before the word "chair". So whatever that "thing" IS, it's not a chair. Chair is just the way we talk about that vague appearance which at this moment is configured as "chair".
Vedanta calls this mithya. If I have a flower, will you say it exists? Yes, of course it exists.
If I pull the petals off one by one, then the leaves, what remains?
Stem. Stem remains. Does stem exist? Yes, of course it does. Yet if I take that stem, petals and leaves and grind them to powder, stem is now gone, along with flower.
What happened to flower? It existed now it's gone? Did it leave? Did it get mad at all the picking and storm away?
No. Flower NEVER existed. Flower was only a concept - only a name and form. Flower only exists in mind.
Powder can then be reduced again and again and again - therefore what is the actual essence of "flower"?
All things are exactly like this. All things are mithya. Even that body-mind which is taken to be "dennie", some separately existing "thing".
"Dennie" is a false concept, a mistaken identity. There is no such thing as "dennie". "Dennie" is only a story being woven from memories and imagination, an image or facade built, constantly under construction, and held together, held on to, with tears and suffering.
Therefore it is best to discard anything that is purely conceptual, like Heaven and Hell and rebirth and subtle worlds - simply look with honesty at what you actually know for certain.
You know you exist. Yes? That is absolutely certain and never requires any conceptual stories. You know it without a doubt.
So right here and now, you ARE. Yes? That's truth. That's reality. Yes?
And you have always been here - without fail - as the world has changes, the body has changed, the thoughts have constantly changed.
Something has remained still and aware as every single thing and experience has come and gone.
We call that something "I". "I" is formless knowing. THAT is ever-present. Pure "I", without the attached concepts of body-mind, is what you actually ARE, yes?
Can you see this? Aren't you the pure invisible center of subjectivity TO WHICH the lifetime of experiences has come and gone? Aren't the body and thoughts just experiences? No matter the shape of the body or content of thoughts, aren't they passing experience TO pure "I", formless knowing?
Therefore the "Self" is YOURSELF - YOU - "I" without the body-mind identification.
And there has never been one instant, EVER, when this Self hasn't been fully known. The very fact of experiencing IS the Self.
So nothing is required, nothing is gained, nothing comes anew. You ARE - simply recognize WHAT you are. That's it.
love
randall
hhhmm
Thank you for answering Randall. I will think about this.
I have a couple more questions if I may:
(1) What is the self in realtion to the supposedly advanced practioners of spiriutality. Muktananda and Nityananda talked about the realms of high beings. siddhaloka and great golden worlds. Does that mean that those people dont really get it? They are higher but not understanding there true self?
(2) I do sometimes just sit and examine and think what is this me? what is this thought? what is this sensation? what am i? and when i do that i am drawn to the Heart region. Does that make sense?
(3) When you know the Self - are you a person? Is God a person? Not just a void but a Being?
(4) Is there anything outside of God. I have heard that God is a great spehere of consciousness wherein all is contained. But are there other spheres?
(5) Lastly if Conscuiousness is just one unbroken ocean of Love - what makes the difference? i mean there can be the illusion of duality. What i dont understand is what causes that. i mean i know its a presumption - but how is that presumption instigated? How does it arise? I mean this duality is all i have ever known so what ias going on with that. Is mind a kind of a ball of twine that is tieng itself. How do I not do that?
Thank you Randall you are very gracious. But I ask a lot so just answer what you have time for - I am sure many are asking.
Best Wishes
Dennie
oh - one more - what are your thoughts on Guru devotion. the practice of mediation on your Master and His state?
Dear randall, what is your day job, or if not source of income? Just real curious, Rodney Stevens is still a security guard, so ordinary! I guess jnani's are still up for violence ;)
Dennie,
These concepts are simply concepts - advanced practitioners, higher realms, golden worlds...
Advaita Vedanta simply is pointing to the blindingly obvious, only it's overlooked, ignored, in preference for these bullshit ideas of higher beings.
The only thing you are absolutely certain of is your own being. Everything else is a concept. Every single thing you know and take yourself to be is a concept. An appearance. A relative and impermanent appearance.
You are certain of your existence. THAT is the Self. THAT is "I". "I" is not the body, nor the mind. "I" is the pure subjectivity, formless, not a thing, but the most intimate knowledge through all experience.
What we really mean by "I" is this pure knowing - "I" IS awareness.
The sooner these bullshit concepts are discarded the better. Right now, are you present? Yes. Have you ever known a time when you were not present? No.
Right now, are you aware? Have you ever known a time when you were not aware? No.
So your beingness is just THIS, right here and now, present awareness. THAT is what "I" actually is.
And THAT isn't a concept. THAT requires no beliefs. It requires the falling away of beliefs. It requires staying with the immediacy of this very moment and discarding all that is NOT you.
You are not the body. Why? Because the body is an appearance TO "I". The body comes and goes while pure "I" remains, changeless.
You are not the mind or thoughts. Why? Because thoughts are an appearance TO "I". Thoughts come and go while pure "I" remains, changeless.
Even this "state" we call Consciousness is an appearance TO "I" - it comes and goes.
Advaita means one without a second - not-two - THIS, right here and now, is Advaita. Only it's translated in mind as manyness, as things, as a ME seeing a world, as a "dennie" who is a separately-existing entity.
Look with honesty - this "dennie" is simply a character created, an image or facade created, it's nature is impermanent, illusory - there is no such thing as this "person" called dennie.
Your true nature is pure formless "I".
Guru devotion is bullshit. Period. There is no separate Guru and separate student. "I" is the Guru. Find out what "I" actually IS.
love
randall
Scarfox,
Find out who works and what is aware of that body-mind working.
The idea "I work" is the bondage. Work goes on yet there is no one who claims doership of work nor authorship of thought.
Stay with this "I-thought" - follow it... see that it only appears in combination with the illusion of control or identification.
Pure existence has no personal identity - does the Universe work? Does the Universe have a purpose or meaning?
Taking yourself to be a limited being is the bondage - your true nature is the totality itself - appearing to itself through these relative perspectives, appearing to itself as a "scarfox" who seeks.
So this so-called bondage and freedom from bondage is only something the entire Universe itself is doing.
love
randall
THIS is it and that is that. What's left to be done? We die and 30 minutes later all who attend ask where to go eat.
lol stop hijacking randall's comment section no one!
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