Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Source of consciousness

There is a central question. Is Consciousness different from consciousness of being a particular person?
The consciousness of being a person or an animal or a God or a worm or a stone or a tree etc. seems to be the defining characteristic of existing entities.

For example, a person called Peter has the consciousness of being Peter. Another person called Helen has the consciousness of being Helen. So is this Peter-consciousness different from Helen-consciousness.
Thus, there seem to be an infinitely larger number of consciousness's. The source of this consciousness is however singular. It has no identity of its own. It has no name to identify with. It is not different in different entities. The source of consciousness is beyond the grasp of individual consciousness. It cannot be claimed by anyone. It does not say 'I am'. But enables the individual to have a powerful sense of 'I am' which to the individual seems very real.

Since the source of consciousness is beyond the grasp of individual consciousness, it seems as though it does not exist. Yet, it cannot be denied.

The source of consciousness is infinite. Completely outside the realm of time, space, dimension and causation. Being infinite, it leaves no room for another individual consciousness. Thus, there is in reality no individual consciousness. Thus individual consciousness is an illusion like water in a desert mirage. It only appears to be, but there is in reality no individual consciousness. There is only the infinite, identity-less One.



Sunday, April 27, 2014

Soothing the mind

Your belief about the people around you is central to your peace of mind.
To have constant thoughts of malice and hatred towards those around you is a most depressing way of living life.

Instead, wish for the peace of all minds. Wish well for those around you.
Wish that they might be able to find peace in their hearts.

This is greatly soothing to the mind.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Self interest

The hardest decision you make is to stop acting out of self interest.
But once you make this decision, everything in life changes.
And peace will be yours.

Regret

A sense of fear seems all pervasive. There is this emotion of regret. It binds the body and the mind into its own chamber. When regret strikes, it strikes deep. It seems that there is nothing in the whole world but this sense of regret. And all our actions are just means to escape from this sense of regret that holds the mind enchained. And we seek to fall into actions which are irrational. Which are just a means of escape from the mind. The actions which have no appeal for a clear mind begin to attract the mind filled with regret. Regret intensifies fear. And thus the mind falls into darkness.

Another aspect that comes with regret is paranoia. We start feeling paranoid. Believing that something horrible will happen because of act committed. In order to deal effectively with regret, you must be willing to live through the consequences of all your actions and thoughts whatever they might be. Do not seek to avoid facing the consequences of your acts. And even if the consequence is such that it leads to your destruction, embrace it completely.

The chief thought which causes regret seems to be this --> 'I wish to enhance my survival'...' I want to ensure my sustenance '....' My personal desires are THE most important things'

Personal desires are what drive us and what cause us the most suffering.

In the end, it is acts based on personal desires that cause deep regret.

Yet, no mistake is ever final. Only a dead person makes no mistakes. As long as you live, you will commit mistakes and some of these mistakes will give rise to a deep sense of regret.

The deepest regrets are with regard to those actions which you perceive will lead to your perceived downfall. It may be a loss of career, a loss of relationship, or a loss of dwelling place. Who knows, maybe this loss might turn out to be a blessing. Who knows, maybe this attachment to self interest will weaken. And finally that is life's primary lesson. To sacrifice self interest.

The best sacrifice is the sacrifice of self interest. This is what regret reminds us.

Being obsessed with self interests causes enormous suffering. Although, we might intellectually delude ourselves that we have given up acting out of self interests, regret reminds us that this belief is not true.

Sometimes, selfless acts may also lead to slight regret. But eventually, it leads to liberation.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

All are already liberated

Every single being in this universe is already liberated.

There is absolutely no ignorance.

There is only liberation.

Even now, all beings are already liberated. When this truth is forgotten, that itself is ignorance and sorrow.

Misery arises

The most intense misery is to be aware of the existence of 'other people'.
The notion that there is a 'self' and there are 'others' i.e. not-self generates misery.

When One alone exists, from where does this notion of 'others' become so deep rooted?

It is in the stories that we tell ourselves that we create the notion of the existence and hence reality of other people. Yet I can only feel 'my' existence.

To whom does this notion of the existence of other people arise? The perception of diversity is itself misery.

To see the 'many' and forget the One is the root cause of every misery.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

One alone

Let us begin with the premise that One alone exists.

This means that there is only One. There is never in any sense two or more.
That means there cannot be a self and the world. For that means two separate things, self and world.

Thus, the One is neither the self nor the world.

That One must be formless. For form implies boundary, hence two i.e one inside and other outside.

Thus, the One is absolutely without form. Neither physical nor mental form.

There is thus no perceiver, no witness, no perceived.

Since there is no perceiver, there is nothing to perceive. Hence no space.

Can it have time then?

Time implies a consciousness of past. A sense of the passing of moments. A sense of memory of having a previous existence. Hence by inference, a future existence. If there is a sense of past, i.e memory of previous existence. Infact, the absence of time cannot even be conceived. For any conception requires time. But, if there is only One and time as well, then there must be memory as well. But since there is only One, there cannot be memory. Hence there is no time. Hence no conception of beginning and ending. Since there is no memory, there is no identity. Since there is no time, there is no change. Hence there is no cause and effect. There is hence no creation. No experience.

At this point, it becomes difficult to go further. The One is pure existence itself. Absolute presence. With no conception of any identity, past, or concept. No cause. No self. Absolute doubtless existence.

Time and space can only exist outside it, yet there is no outside. Thus time and space are mere illusions. Having no reality. Only appearances which appear real only in ignorance. There is no cause for the appearance of time and space and the notion of a self.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Inner demons

Ok, lets face our inner demons:

1. I am a failure and will always remain a failure and die as a failure
2. I will lose the love of all my friends and relatives and people around
3. I am filled with malice and ill will even to the people close to me and this will eventually consume me
4. I am a self centered bastard. If people see through this, they will shun me.
5. I will remain dependent on other people all my life
6. I will remain without a proper job and a honorable profession
7. I desire to be the most powerful and glorious one whom all shall bow down to
8. I alone have a right to be enlightened
9. I am a worthless bastard with ambitions that far exceed my ability
10. I will die alone and lonely in complete isolation
11. I will spend my whole life living with my parents and will be ridiculed by society for being a complete failure


The 'I-thought'

Let us examine the sense of self or the feeling of being a 'me'.

At this moment, it seems as though there is a separate entity typing these words on a laptop.
There are thoughts passing through the 'mind' of this entity.

These thoughts keep changing every millisecond. From some unknown origin, these thoughts seem to arise and then disappear. The common element that binds these thoughts is known as the mind or the 'I-thought".

The 'I-thought' is the root thought which binds all these seemingly random thoughts into a coherent structure.

An existence of a separate entity or the 'Me' is assumed in order to establish a common link binding these thoughts like a chord of string binding the beads together.

But what gives rise to the 'I-thought'?

Rather is there an independent individual that exists apart from this 'I-thought'?

It appears that there is a body sitting on a chair typing these words. But for the mind, even the body would be unacknowledged. Hence it seems that the 'I-thought' is tied to the mind regardless of the presence or absence of the body. In fact the sensation of the body seems to be present whenever the 'I-thought' arises.

Thus, it seems that the sense of self is tied to the I-thought rather than the body. The body seems to be the condensed form of the 'I-thought'.

So the question then arises, from where does the 'I-thought' arise?

Looking for the source of the 'I-thought', nothing can be found.

Does this indicate that the 'I-thought' has no source or that one is simply unable to find it?

Who infact is trying to find the source of the 'I-thought'? Is it the 'I-thought' itself?
How can the 'I-thought' find its own source?

Anything can only be found by an 'I-thought'. The very notion of finding the source is something that only the 'I-thought' can indulge in. So, it seems that try as you might, there is no going beyond the 'I-thought'.

Being the first thought how can it go beyond itself? And who else other than the 'I-thought' can ever attempt to 'go beyond' All attempts to do or know something has to have an 'I-thought' who is the doer or the knower?

So, we reach a point beyond which it is simple impossible to proceed. So what can be done now?
This is the fundamental paradox of the 'I-thought'. It simply cannot go beyond itself?

At this point the 'I-thought' has to accept defeat. The self is inevitably defeated the moment it tries to go beyond itself. Even the notion of a 'Creator' lies within the 'I-thought'. Since the 'I-thought' is incapable of finding its source, it has to accept that its source or cause does not exist. Without any cause thus, the 'I-thought' itself cannot not exist.

Hence, there is no cause for the 'I-thought'. This means that the 'I-thought' itself does not exist.
This means that the self itself does not exist. It is only an appearance, like the appearance of a desert mirage.

Friday, April 18, 2014

The self and the world

The witness and the witnessed are interdependent.
One cannot exist without the other.

The sense of being an independent observer is dependent on there being an external world being observed.
On removal of either one, the other will automatically perish.

Thus as long as there is a world to be seen, a seer will simultaneously exist.

Have you noticed that all thoughts that you have are about the relationship between yourself and the world?

If the sense of 'I am' is strong, so will the sense of the significance of the world.
Strengthen either one and the other automatically grows in strength. And when the world grows in strength, it becomes overwhelming for the 'I am'.

Both the 'I am' sense and the 'external world' arise from the same source. This source is to be realized.

But in this source, there is neither 'I am' nor the 'external world'.


Sunday, April 13, 2014

Mental purification

As we grow in life experience, we realize that the milestones which we thought would lead to happiness and peace on accomplishing were mere illusions.

We complete our schooling. Graduate with a degree. Secure a job. Yet, we are discontent.
Yet, we live in turmoil.
Yet, misery still does not leave us.

At this point, we realize that no earthly milestone will ever result in final happiness. Even a king is miserable.

True happiness lies in the destruction of the mind. This is what the sages say.

As long as the mind lasts, misery will last.

Unless the mind is purified of all impurities, no peace can be found.

Liberation is to purify the mind by destroying the impurities which have attached themselves to the mind.

Such an impure mind itself is bondage.

The impure mind itself is fear and suffering.

Purification of the mind alone will confer lasting peace.

This is liberation. So say the great sages.

As long as we continue to fill the mind with impurities, we make it very hard to perceive truth.
Unless truth is perceived, misery will not end.
Only a pure mind is capable of perceiving truth. Infact, it is said that such a pure mind is itself the truth.

To purify the mind, remove all malice. Malicious thoughts and ill will are a very dense impurity.
Attachment to sensual pleasures are another impurity.

Let us think ill of no one. Let us wish ill for none. A mind filled with ill will and malice is always in turmoil.
To rid yourself of ill will, an antidote is needed. This antidote is to desire liberation for the one for whom malice arises. Selfless service is antidote for clinging to selfish desire.

What often prevents us from helping others is selfish desire. We believe that by helping another, our selfish desires may not be attained. Selfish desire and malice thus go hand in hand. Ultimately realize that truth is all there is. This truth is who you are at all times. This is already so. It is only your selfishness which prevents you from realizing this.

Since ages, it has been said that Brahman is the ultimate reality. There is nothing else. Still, you want to cling to this small body and impure mind. Renounce the desire. Clean up the mind. And realize the truth.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Liberation from the mind

What is most fundamental is not our external circumstatnces.

The most fundamental is our state of mind.

And even more is awareness of being.

To be aware is to be awake.

When one is awake, all delusions are destroyed.

To control the mind is the greatest achievement.

To destroy the mind is the supreme liberation.


Mind turmoil

Thoughts are continuously spewed by the mind like vapor from boiling water. Incessantly this mind works and keeps spewing thoughts.

Thoughts being like vapor and completely ungraspable cannot be dealt with. And this creates tremendous turmoil.

It is impossible to deal with the mind. One might as well try to punch a hole through space.

Desire is what fuels the mind. Desire is the fuel for the mind.

When desire is absent, the mind is quiet.

A quiet mind itself is liberation.

To believe in the reality of the world creates desire.

Remove this notion that the world is real.

One alone exists.

Consciousness itself is the world.

Ignorance of this is the sole cause of turmoil.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Obsession

One tiny thought is all it takes and finally you find yourself overwhelmed with it.

Like a snowball rolling down a steep slope, once set into motion, it keeps growing onto itself and eventually consumes the mind.

Treat every small thought with caution else it becomes and obsession.

There is no escape from obsession.

It can lead to ruin.

The only cure is to seek refuge.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Love

The only thing that matters in the end is love.

Love is the purpose of life.

The absence of love is the only darkness.

Without love, even to exist would be a burden.

Non-existence is preferable to the absence of love.

Love alone matters.

If there is God and if there is any meaning to life, it can only be Love.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Pure consciousness alone

I would like to remind all of us about this central truth:

No matter what the external circumstances in life, I am Pure Consciousness alone.

I am neither body nor mind

I am Pure Consciousness.

Just be aware of this alone.

That is all. 

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Thought

Let us discuss the mind today.

If you have ever observed the mind, it will be noticed that there is always some thought passing through.
If you are reading this, some thoughts are passing through the mind.

Have you ever been conscious of no thought at all. It seems that even 'no-thought' is also a thought.

To have 'no-thoughts', you need to first have a thought about it. It is indeed strange that when ever you go looking for the mind, all that is found is only a thought.

Thoughts always passing by. Some thoughts are so dense, they seem like a real condition. It is forgotten that it is only a thought. For example: One may think that 'I am a failure', and forget that this is just a thought. "I am a failure' is not a real condition. Infact, the mind or thoughts do not deal with real conditions. 'Real condition' itself is a thought.

So, if we go a little deeper, we find that all we are really dealing with here are merely thoughts. We never deal with anything directly. To think of something is to create it at that instant.

So, then the thought comes that 'I am tormented by thoughts'. Is this real or also merely a thought?

It is very easy to forget that all we ever deal with are merely thoughts. Not reality. Or whatever that is.

Infact, this entire process that we are going through is also another thought.

So then the question arises that is it possible to ever go beyond thought?

'Am I capable of ever going beyond thought?' Note that this is also a thought.

So it seems that our situation is futile and no matter how hard we try, we cannot escape the confines of thought.

But this itself is also a thought. So then the thought occurs, 'To whom do these thoughts occur?' Or 'Who is the 'I' to whom these thoughts occur?' 'Who am 'I'?'

Notice one thing, wherever a thought is present, an 'I' is also present.

So who is this 'I' to whom the thoughts occur?

At this point, it is impossible to say anything. If the 'I' is just a thought, nothing more can be said.

One alone is.

Peace.

Evil

If the One that IS is already perfect and is untouched by anything happening in the world, then there is absolutely no need to change anything about yourself.

Your being an evil person is of absolutely no consequence to the Absolute one.

The One remains always as One. And in this lies the perfect redemption of every sin even before it is committed.