Sunday, May 2, 2010

Enlightenment is the absence of the seeker

No matter what experience comes, the undeniable fact remains that you are here and aware of it.  It's very existence isn't absolute - it's existence depends on your being aware - your presence, which really is the same thing.

In spirituality we are focused on the experiences, reaching or achieving a special state, some rare experience.  To achieve this goal we feel we must manipulate the world, the body or mind.  This common belief is exactly the wrong direction.

THAT you are here and aware is the realization.  So-called liberation isn't getting something new.  It's a seeing-through of the very idea of the individual - that individual is itself bondage, limitation.  It's noticing that the individual or sense of individual self is an idea, a thought, a story, a feeling, an objective experience. 

You remain, as always, present and aware - aware of that experience - that experience of limited self.  The experienc-er is limitless, because it isn't definable.  It has no structure, no image, no quality other than it is obviously whole, complete and perfect already.  It requires no manipulation.  It is not in need of improvement to reach some pie-in-the-sky state of enlightenment.

That aware presence or presence-awareness IS itself the enlightenment which is sought after.  And it's discovery isn't in the pursuit - it's found in the absence of pursuit or seeking.

It's found in the absence of the SEEKER.  In fact, it's already here.  Enlightenment isn't in need of finding.  Looking for it creates the seeker.

And even that is perfect.

9 comments:

No One In Particular said...

Straight, direct, simple and to the point.

Bez Imini said...

I assume you mean enlightenment is the absence of the idea that there is a seeker. Otherwise you're saying we're all enlightened. And, after all, if a word applies to everything then what's the point of having a word for it?

Josef said...

Thanks so much for your postings. One question occurs: A few weeks ago I had an accident. And there was much pain. And nothing helped. It was not possible to rest in the aware presence and to take refuge there. I mean, there is no seperation between presence and pain. So who could rest in awareness anyway. The presence was pain. Surely, somehow there was a knowing, that this is the dream happening. But the dream is awareness. And this knowing did not help to lessen the pain. Thoughts like: "There is no me who suffers" don´t help. The only help was the doctor, who gave me anesthesia. Could you say anything about that? Warm regards Josef

Randall Friend said...

Mellowg,

There is no point. That's the point. Enlightenment is an unnecessary concept. What is being sought after is already the case. Enlightenment or liberation can only apply to an individual.


love
randall

Randall Friend said...

Josef,

Is pain and awareness of pain two things?


love
randall

Josef said...

Hello Randall:

No, no seperation. Its like the sound of a car and the hearing of the car. No difference. It is only imagination, only in thougt, that there is someone or something that hears the car, which is seperate vom the "car-sound". There is only the sound. Only the pain.

so, what? Do you mean, that there is no escape from pain in the body? I thougt or hoped, that it is possible to escape from pain. But who should escape?

Love

Josef

Josef said...

It is realy that simple, isn´t it? Without thinking about enlightment, or nonduality, or anything else, there is no seperation. There is something, but it can´t be named, because thougt can´t describe that, which is before thougt. It was only imagination, that "I" won´t have to feel pain in the body, when I am enlightend. Pain in the body will still arise. But pain is also only a word for this special sensation in the body, what you call raw data. And more precise, the pain is not in the imagined body. The pain appears in and as consciousness. Perhaps pain culd be hould with less suffering, when the story about the pain fades away - for no one. But there is no one here, who could accelerate or slow down that.

Randall Friend said...

Josef,

Pain is a thought. Be with pain without applying any condition. Listen to pain, so to speak. In this unconditional listening, pain reveals itself as it is. And the concept is allowed to surface, to come into the daylight and be seen for what it is.

Even the body is merely a thought, a way of thinking. In reality there is no body but a bundle of passing sensations which have been given a story. It is this story which receives the attention, which is the foundation for the additional story of pain.

There is nothing wrong with pain. So-called realization doesn't make pain go away for the individual. That is a bullshit story.

See once and for all what the body and pain really are. Pain doesn't go away but it is no longer an actuality. In other words, pain still exists yet it no longer exists...

Can you see the difference?


love
randall

Josef said...

Thank you so much for your guidance, Randall!

The accident has happend a few weeks ago, so that the injury has healed in the meantime. That is why pain is no actual experience now.

Nevertheless I feel what you mean. And what you have said to me especially about pain in the body is contractible for all other so called "problems".

Currently I read your latest entries on the UGC. You said:

"Nothing is required means – nothing is required. Not even remembering – not even some mental understanding of nonduality. You already ARE what you are seeking."

Wonderful. No questions left after reading that. Every question is false and is already imagination. Instead of that there is a feeling of peace and ease now.

Thank you!

Warm regards

Josef