Appearing in Awareness

1.

Space is a convenient metaphor for awareness. But actual space, as in space-time, is only an appearance in spaceless awareness.

The universe is neither real like brahman nor unreal like absolutely nothing, but is an indeterminate appearance, illusory, mithya.

And egoic self isn’t real like atman (the self) nor unreal like anatta (no-self), but is also illusory like a dream, cicchaya, the reflection of awareness, of pure consciousness, brahman.

2.

As space is an appearance in spaceless awareness, time is an appearance in timeless awareness.

Neither real nor unreal but not real—this is the most one can say about the universe. It's like neti neti times ten thousand.

Light reflecting off a mirror is nothing but light, but the reflection of the sun in the mirror is not the sun.

3.

Awareness reflecting off the mind is nothing but the play of light, divine imagination, self-awareness.

The reflection of brahman in the mind (conceptual) is not brahman (the nonconceptual) but samsaric imagination.

Before enlightenment, divine imagination. After enlightenment, divine imagination.

0.

sunlight on a daffodil—

in its perfect reflection of the sun

there is no daffodil

On Self-awareness (2023)

1.

The universe is not just name and form. The universe is name and form superimposed on being, consciousness, bliss. Satcitananda. Otherwise, there’s no appearance of a universe at all.

Similarly, egoic self is nothing but name and form superimposed on the infinite self of satcitananda.

Name and form is nothing but imagination and imagination is nothing but thought. No thought, no universe and no egoic self. 

2.

Basically, there are three states of human consciousness: ignorant imagination (avidya), divine imagination (advaita), and nirvikalpa samadhi.

Also, divine imagination includes these sudden revelations of non-abiding (savikalpa) samadhi like this downloading.

Mistaking divine imagination (with savikalpa samadhi) for nirvikalpa samadhi is just more ignorant imagination.

3.

In divine imagination, one takes a stand, one foot in the myth and one foot in the absolute, from bhakta to jnana and all of the lucid in-between.

In deep Mandukya-speak, avidya is the dreaming state, advaita is the waking state, and nirvikalpa is the deep sleep state.

Some say there are three states of samadhi instead: non-savikalpa, savikalpa, and nirvikalpa. That tracks.

4.

In its essence, avidya is beginningless but not endless, possessing the powers of concealment (of the truth) and projection (of the false). Its locus is in maya.

There are three states of human consciousness (samadhi): avidya (non-savikalpa), advaita (salvikalpa), and nirvikalpa.

Thus there’s only the absolute one: brahman, atman, being, presence, intelligence, awareness, infinity, bliss. Self-awareness is such divine imagination.

The Ballad of Brahman and Tao

Nondoing is what I do. Doing is the story why I did it.

Real poetry is like the voice of silence in the land of noise.

Poetry points. Nonfiction deconstructs. Fiction dreams. Love you, babe.

Yin and yang is the breath of duality. It’s not a problem until the tao takes a side.

The tao has no sides. The tao is the diamond without a facet. Tao loves brahman.

On Jahadjahallakshana

Between the water table and this spring-fed pool is the world of maya. Like atman is brahman.

In this metaphor, the earth of maya is simply conceptual and the water is indivisible pure being.

All words are metaphorical to some degree. A rose is a rose in as much as the word points to the mystery of consciousness called a rose.

Even the word, awareness, is a metaphor for that substrate of nonconceptual awareness, that that which can’t be named.

Pointing at the moon howling I am that reflection of awareness as the black whole is swallowing the sun of self-awareness—that's lakshana. It's no neti-neti.

The Brahman Trilogy

1. Name That Brahman

Brahman kind of means, god is great.

Brahman is so infinite that space-time is just an island in the sea of brahman

or the void is just a mustard seed inside a black hole.

You can call that infinity, being, consciousness, bliss, the indivisible, unconditional, unchanging, the unborn and the free.

That by any other symbolic intuition is That.

2. god is so brahman

god is good, as in brahman isn't the cause of suffering. avidya is.

god is great, as in brahman isn't of this world. the world is like a dream in brahman.

god is so being that the existence of the universe itself is just a superimposition upon brahman.

god is so blissful in brahman now.

3. Atman and Brahman

Atman is the microcosmic absolute called the inner self. Brahman is the macrocosmic absolute called beyond, beyond, far beyond.

Atman is brahman is not a theory of everything. That atman is brahman is the absolute revelation seeing through everything.

Atman is brahman. Look, the mahavakyas are like the hydrogen atom of maya. Please handle with care.

Let them introduce myself. Atman is brahman. Consciousness is brahman. I am brahman. Tattvamasi. 

Atman and Brahman

Atman is the microcosmic absolute called the inner self. Brahman is the macrocosmic absolute called beyond, beyond, far beyond.

Atman is brahman is not a theory of everything. That atman is brahman is the absolute revelation seeing through everything.

Atman is brahman. Look, the mahavakyas are like the hydrogen atom of maya. Please handle with care.

Let them introduce myself. Atman is brahman. Consciousness is brahman. I am brahman. Tattvamasi. 

god is so brahman

god is good, as in brahman isn't the cause of suffering. avidya is.

god is great, as in brahman isn't of this world. the world is like a dream in brahman.

god is so being that the existence of the universe itself is just a superimposition upon brahman.

god is so blissful in brahman now.

Name That Brahman

Brahman kind of means, god is great.

Brahman is so infinite that space-time is just an island in the sea of brahman

or the void is just a mustard seed inside a black hole.

You can call that infinity, being, consciousness, bliss, the indivisible, unconditional, unchanging, the unborn and the free.

That by any other symbolic intuition is That.

Notes to Anandamaya

Try identifying with the intellect. The intellect is a reflection of intelligence. Another name for intelligence is awareness.

Another name for the reflection of awareness is consciousness. Another name for the conscious intellect is I Am.

Hard-wired superimposition is the body-life-force. Subtle superimposition is the mind-intellect-quality complex.

Ananda, through the binary lens of maya, appears to be happiness and unhappiness, pleasure and pain, one and zero. 

Another name for this is quality. Thus satcitananda reflected in maya is mind-intellect-qualifier.

The life force body is born, lives, and dies. Its sentience is only reflected immortality. The subtle body is the mind, intellect, 

and qualifier—reflections of shimmering satcitananda. Only the qualifier is after maya but before avidya.

Awareness is the ground. Self-awareness is the story. Nirvikalpa samadhi is the story returning to the ground, dead or alive.

Mayatown

In Maya, the mind is reflection of being and the intellect is reflection of intelligence.

In a healthy relationship, the mind provides the data and the intellect makes the decision. This is how nondoing works.

When the mind makes decisions instead, all hell breaks loose.

Maybe procrastination is like the mind has made a decision and the intellect informs the body not to do it. Better Bartleby than Citizen Kane.

Forget it Jake, it’s Mayatown. Awareness is the ground. Self-awareness is the story. Nirvikalpa samadhi is the story returning to the ground, dead or alive.

Self-Inquiry is Nondual Devotion

Without divine revelation being transmitted by a trustworthy one, silence is boring.

Faith begins with trust and ends in disillusionment or realization.

Advaitic self-inquiry is founded on affirming vedic faith, or practical nondual devotion

(religions (including scientific materialism) are founded on 

blind faith and its dogmatic theories of god or everything).

The Divine Revelation of Advaita

In advaita, silence is the ground,

but the divine word (veda) is the revelation

heard (sruti) by the seer (rishi).

It is the voice of the silence

introducing truth to the world.

But divine revelation is not to be believed!

Divine revelation is taken on faith

until confirmed or disproved.

Science investigates the physical world

but self-inquiry is investigating

the divine revelation of the metaphysical one.

The Power of Seven

Form follows function. Name follows form. X follows name.

Solve for function. Absolute consciousness is not functioning.

Self-awareness begins in beginningless ignorance and ends in endless insight.

You don’t need a surgeon general to know this kensho is addictive.

Self-realization is not a question of countless causeless quotes.

Self-realization is one of four advaita mahavakyas. 

Consciousness is brahman. Atman is brahman. I am brahman. Tattvamasi.

And End

Self-awareness requires the space of maya and the time of avidya. And as maya is to form, and avidya, name, satcitananda is pervading namarupa now—call this principle, vishnu.

In advaita, it’s not as much original sin as beginningless ignorance. And original revelations are transported via rishi guru lightning and upanishadic thunder.

The mind calls intellect, intuition. The intellect calls intelligence, revelation. And the grace of beginningless ignorance is it’s not endless too.

Self-Revelatory and Self-Luminous

Reality is self-revelatory.

Reality cannot be known. Only reality knows.

The revelation of reality is spontaneous. And although transmitted revelation is not, it may spark such sudden revelation.

Reflected intelligence shines in the intellect. The intellect informs the mind. The mind deconstructs the mind. Intelligence is self-luminous.

Eka-jiva-vada Math

The ground of an individual is atman, the real self. The ground of the universe is brahman, the great reality. That atman is brahman is ultimate knowledge.

One comes to brahman through atman. One comes to atman through avidya, as one comes to nirvana through samsara.

One jiva, one avidya. One atman, one brahman. This is the mythical mystical math of eva-jiva-vada.

nondual dialog pseudo ghazal number 9

there's nothing wrong. there is no golden age. i am brahman.

the only thing is i am ignorant of that.

which came first? ignorance or conditioning both are beginningless.

ignorance ends.

non-abiding realization is there when you listen.

non-abiding confirmation without abiding invalidation isn't nothing.

self-realization is not a badge of honor.

i doesn't need your stinking badges.

every samadhi is non-abiding samadhi, with the exception of the nirvikalpa one.

nirvikalpa samadhi is the absolute point of view.

this point of view is savikalpa, non-abiding at best.

not that there's anything wrong with that 😍

take heart. ignorance ends. that is all.

when you find the right myth, marry it.

Seeing Faith

Existence, consciousness, and bliss is the rope. Name and form is the snake.

Sat, cit, and ananda are not three layers of brahman. Satcitananda is a single substrate, brahman. And namarupa is a superimposition of maya on this substrate.

This analogy of rope and snake is a temporary article of faith and not dogma. This advaitic myth is not to be believed, but confirmed.

Without confirmation, it's neither truth nor untruth. And believing myth with blind faith doesn't make it true, but untrue. Yet as long as the myth hasn't been unproven, keep the faith.

Reflections on Satcitananda

The reflection of satcitananda is satmaya, citmaya, and anandamaya, of course.

Anandamaya is the causal body. This is like saying self-awareness is the primal cause. 

Anandamaya is nothing if not a seeker and a lover.

The mind is satmaya, existence-maya, dream. The intellect is citmaya, consciousness-maya, buddhi.

Witnessing is to existence (being) as intuition is to consciousness (knowledge).

The happiness urge is anandamaya, always the procreant urge.

As devotion is to bliss (oneness).

In the name of the witness, knower, and beloved.

On Intuition (footnotes to metaphorical nonduality)

Metaphors address the right side of the brain.

The right side of the brain connects to the left side of the subtle body.

Here intellect and intuition reside.

The intellect is an aspect of the reflection of pure consciousness on the subtle body. 

They call this aspect the vijnanamaya, or citmaya so to speak.

Intuition is that point of reflection, like the witness is in regards to satmaya.

They call this the knower.

Metaphorical Nonduality

Of course you can’t talk directly about the nonconceptual absolute. This is why indirect metaphors are used.

Rather than appealing to the logic of the mind, metaphors address the intuition of the intellect instead.

Space and pot, rope and snake, canvas and painting: these are just a few examples used by Shankara and his Advaita descendants.

The great space is not contained by the clay pot. The rope is falsely thought to be a snake. Maya, jiva, and namarupa are superimposed on Brahman.

footnotes

metaphors address the right side of the brain.

the right side of the brain connects to the left side of the subtle body

where intellect and intuition resides.

the intellect is an aspect of the reflection of pure consciousness on the subtle body. 

they call this aspect, the vijnanamaya, citmaya so to speak.

intuition is that point of reflection. like the witness in regards to satmaya, but in a knowing kind of way. the knower.

Picturing Vidyaranya

In Pancadasi 6, Vidyaranya pictures this analogy of a painting in which the canvas is the substrate, brahman.

The canvas is conditioned with starch. This is the unmanifested maya. Between brahman and maya is isvara—absolute brahman is not even touched by maya.

Outlines of forms are drawn. This second conditioning is still the unmanifest, the totality of subtle bodies called hiranyagarbha.

The physical world of variety and color is the last superimposition. A subtle body identifing with a form is called the jiva, living and dying within this avidya.

footnotes

1. hiranyagarbha is the golden egg, the cosmic self, the seed of the universe, the sutratman, the totality of subtle bodies or the single jiva (eka-jiva-vada says there's one jiva and one material body with one consciousness and all other individuals are semblances in dream bondage.)

2. eka-jiva-vada is one atman, one maya, one jiva, one dreamer.

in advaita, eka-jiva-vada is the bad kid.

but it's not solipsistic. it only appears that way. it's not extreme ego, but xtreme universality.

you don't treat others as if they are yourself—they ~are~ yourself.

love your neighbor AS yourself. matthew 22:39.

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

~Matthew 22:37-40 (kjv)

this is the real jesus in a nutshell.

love the i-am with all your heart and love others as oneself.

3. i'm not a fan of the transmigratory jiva. for me, it stinks of the religious.

it's just not my cup of mythology.

and that's all it is. do not believe nonduality even if it's called advaita.

don't get me wrong. it's a perfectly good religious myth, encouraging self-realization within a social religious structure.

this is why ramana is such a threat to vedanta. eka-jiva-vada abandons the socially useful concept of transmigration.

it's neither direct nor indirect. it's as it is.

when another asked ramana about their own individual experience as counter to his eka-jiva one, he'd reply, you are that.

n was adamant maurice's translation of the dialogues was to be titled, i am that.

this is also the direct knowledge of advaita vedanta, the indirect knowledge being brahman is and the jiva transmigrates.

eka-jiva-vada bypasses the indirect knowledge of transmigration with the direct knowledge of brahman, maya, eka-jiva, dreamstate.

brahman-maya-ekajiva-avidya.

Only Happiness

It's not body-mind as much as body-prana-mind.

The body-prana-mind is not the doer. The intellect is.

Intelligence in touch with consciousness is intuition.

The intellect lost in mind is violence.

After anandamaya comes citmaya and satmaya.

The intellect is citmaya and the mind is satmaya.

Only the mind knows non-existence.

Only the intellect knows unconsciousness.

Only happiness knows maya.

Deconstructing the Sheaths

The five sheaths in advaita are superimpositions upon superimpositions, like snakes on snakes.

The first superimposition is called anandamaya. It's the locus of avidya. Thus it's the causal body—the subtle and material to follow.

It's after maya but before karma. In the land of individual consciousness, the quest for happiness starts here.

The subtle body consists of vijnanamaya (intelligence), manomaya (mind), and pranamaya (life force).

In the reflexive universe, this is the stuff of functional compounds and organic chemicals.

Is it paradoxical the life force is superimposed on the mind is superimposed on intelligence?

Brahman is the absolute substrate, but buddhi is the substrate of the subtle body.

Wild Sentience

In advaita mythology, even energy is inert.

It says the outer body, life force, mind, intelligence,

and causal body are all insentient in essence.

Only pure consciousness is sentient in reality.

It's the reflection of pure consciousness upon the subtle body

which catches consciousness and spreads like wildfire!

On Perennial Self-Inquiry

Nonduality is myth and not belief. But reality is easier to believe than realize.

Look, nonduality is like a map published by a trusted source. 

It tells you where you are metaphysically speaking and where truth is.

Careful, just because truth is on your map doesn’t mean you’re there.

Neither does it mean you’re not. That’s where honest self-inquiry comes into play.

It follows non-abiding realization is a common understanding.

Believing it's abiding is a common misunderstanding.