Both likes and dislikes are the stuff of samsara. Maya is just the stuff of creation. The mind is the means of our house arrest.
A diamond is just another stone in this Isvaraverse. Our relation to that stone is dependent on the meaning we are giving to the diamond.
Freedom isn't reading meaning into anything—seeing all things are made of Brahman. And self-awareness is the highest meaning of them all.
God, world and soul appear to have a reality in the beginning. As the fundamental stage, the Sadhana of the Jiva should begin from this level. The Upanishads speak of Isvara’s creation in various ways.
Prakriti which also goes by the name of Maya, is the material cause, and the Supreme Lord or the Mayin, the instrumental cause of creation: so says the Svetasvatara.
Atman alone was in the beginning, and it willed to create the many by a cosmic ideation; so says the Aitareya.
Brahman is truth, knowledge and infinity, and from it arose ether, air, fire, water, earth, the different bodies, and so on. And the variety of creation was effected by the primeval contemplation of the Divine Being to appear as the many: so says the Taittiriya.
In the beginning it was only pure Existence, and in it arose the idea to become manifold, and it created the luminous medium of fire, from which water and earth and other bodies came out as effects: so says the Chandogya.
As sparks emanate from fire, all the variety consisting of conscious and unconscious beings came out from the one Imperishable: so says the Mundaka.
In the beginning it was all unmanifested. By the will of the unmanifested Absolute, the one became the many names and forms, down to the universe animated by the Virat. Then by evolution appear the celestials, humans, and animals, the varied expressions of the Universal Purusha: so says the Brihadaranyaka.
~Krishnananda (edited) commentary on Pancadasi 4.2-9
Svetasvatara 4.10 (Pancadasi 4.2)
The Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad says: ‘know Māyā as Prakṛti and Brahman associated with Māyā as the great Īśvara’ (who imparts existence and consciousness to it and guides it). It is He who creates the world. ~Pancadasi 4.2 (tr-Swahananda)
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māyāṁ tu prakṛtiṁ vidyān-māyinaṁ ca maheśvaram, tasyāvayavabhūtaistu vyāptaṁ sarvam-idaṁ jagat. (10)
10. Know that nature is surely māyā and the Lord of māyā is Maheśvara, the supreme Lord. This whole world is verily filled by His limbs. ~Svetasvatara 4.10 (tr-Tejomayananda)
Māyā and prakṛti: Both are synonyms, however they have special connotations. Prakṛti is that power of the Lord which is capable of producing things (prakarṣeṇa kṛti yogyatvāt). It is the material cause and brings to mind the ever-changing aspect of creation.
Māyā refers more to the illusory aspect of creation and the power that deludes and eludes all. Māyā, like magic, makes everything appear without any real happening. That which is not, but appears to be there is called māyā (yā mā sā māyā). It makes the impossible possible (aghaṭita ghaṭanā paṭīyasī māyā). However māyā has two aspects – vidyā māyā – which creates the world and helps us gain knowledge and avidyā māyā – which deludes and binds.
Lord – the Māyāvī: God is the Master, the controller or the wielder of māyā or prakṛti. It is confusing when we hear that prakṛti creates the world and then again we are told that God creates the world. Who actually creates? We must understand that ‘Māyā presided over by God/Truth creates the world.’ By itself māyā can do nothing. ~commentary on Svetasvatara 4.10 by Tejomayananda
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Vidyāt, one should know; that prakytim, Nature, presented everywhere earlier as the material cause of the universe; is surely māyā, Māyā. The particle tu is for emphasis. Maheśvarah is He who is great (mahān) and also the Lord (īśvara). (Know) Him as māyinam, the Ruler of Māyā-who imparts substance, appear-ance, etc. to Māyā, and who is its impeller by virtue of being its basis. This portion is to be connected with the foregoing phrase, 'know surely'.
Through superimposition, idam, this; sarvam (jagat) whole (universe), earth etc.; is surely vyāptam, per-vaded, i.e. filled up; tasya avayava-bhūtaih, by what are His limbs, by the illusory limbs of the supreme God under discussion, which are analogous to the snake etc. imagined on such substrata as rope etc. The particle tu is for emphasis.
(The text now shows that the unchanging Entity, which is the source of Māyā and its effects, is the basis (of everything) through Its own power; that It is the cause of the origin of such effects as space etc.; and that Liberation follows from the knowledge of identity --as, 'I am Brahman' with that which in reality is Existence-Knowledge-Bliss and which is regarded as the substratum of all.)
~Shankara on Svetasvatara 4.10 (tr-Gambhirananda) [note there is some controversy whether the commentary is actually Shankara's]
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Śvetāśvatara Up. 4.10. Prakṛti is the material cause of the world, in the sense that names and forms which distinguish one thing from another and thereby create diversification are the creation of Māyā.
Maheśvara, the great Lord, is the efficient cause of the world because He guides Māyā in all her conjuring up of names and forms, and imparts the appearance of reality and consciousness to them and guides her throughout.
But be it noted that separately (and this separation is impossible except in absolute knowledge in superconsciousness where there is no trace of creation, and the memory thereof) they are neither the material cause nor the efficient cause. It is only in conjunction that they are both. In fact they are not two but one, functioning differently, though jointly.
~Swahananda commentary on Pancadasi 4.2
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Aitareya 1.1 (Pancadasi 4.3)
The Aitareya Upaniṣad says that before creation there was Ātman only, and He thought, ‘Let me create the world’, and then He created the world by His will (to create). ~Pancadasi 4.2 (tr-Swahananda)
oṁ ātmā vā idameka evāgra āsīt, nānyat-kiñcana miṣat,
1. Om! In the beginning, this was but the absolute Self alone. There was nothing else whatsoever that winked. It thought, ‘Let Me create the worlds.’ ~Aitareya 1.1 (tr-Gambhirananda)
Ātmā vai, the absolute (23) Self. The word ātmā, Self, is derived in the sense of comprehending, engulfing, or pervading, and by it is signified one that is the highest, omniscient, omnipotent, and devoid of all such worldly attributes as hunger; by nature eternal, pure, conscious, and free; birthless, undecaying, immortal, deathless, fearless, and without a second. Idam, this — all that has been referred to as this world, diversified through the differences of name, form, and action; āsīt, was; agre, in the beginning, before the creation of this world; ātmā ekaḥ eva, but the one Self. ~Shankara commentary on Aitareya 1.1 (tr-Gambhirananda)
The same Self, or Brahman, which existed before the creation exists even now. Then why does the text use the past tense was? In reply we say that though Atman is the same after the creation as It was before, there is a slight difference. Before the creation, the universe, devoid of the differentiation of names and forms and completely identified with Atman, was designated by the name Atman alone and also was the object of the knowledge designated by the term Atman. In other words, there was then no such term as universe, nor any object denoted by that term. But after the creation, owing to the manifestation of names and forms, the same universe sometimes is known by many different names and also becomes the object of the knowledge denoted by those names and sometimes becomes known by the name Atman alone and becomes the object of the knowledge denoted by that name. This is the difference between the state prior to the creation and that after it. The past tense in the text, conveyed by the word was, has been used with this difference in view. ~Nikhilananda's commentary on Aitareya 1.1
Aitareya Up. 1.1 in the Rg Veda. This passage also attributes creation to Brahman. In this śloka Ātman has been used in the sense of Paramātman or Brahman; for before creation individual souls remained merged in the unmanifest. So they could not create. ~Swahananda commentary on Pancadasi 4.3
Existence is the substrate Turiyam. Space-time is primal superimposition on Brahman. Body-mind is primeval superimposition on Atman.
Space-time is not the real substrate called Reality. And Existence isn't evolutionary. The body-mind is an aftereffect of Maya.
Existence is not space and space is not existence. Space is an appearance in Existence. Minus Existence, space is nothing.
The power of Brahman is Maya. Maya is not the same as Brahman (Existence) nor different from Brahman (non-existence). Thus Maya neither exists nor doesn't exist.
It's impossible to investigate the origin of Maya because our understanding is one of its effects. And there is no understanding of a cause by its effect.
An effect transcends to the state of its cause to understand itself as an effect. As the mind transcends to that state of Turiyam to see through Maya. This is called Intuition.
Beyond the Big Bang Theory of All Creation, there is Existence alone (sat eva), one only without a second (ekam eva advitiyam).
Because Existence is beyond the manifestation of names and forms, Existence is unconstrained by names and forms.
When they say 'existence is,' all that can be said about Existence has been said. For Existence is Brahman and Atman is Brahman, I am.
Sunny Saturday in early April—
Forsythia Suspensa!
And no sign of cherry blossoms yet.
Sunroof open and radio on—
I'm in love with Massachusetts.
Without memory there's no desire.
"I need you more than want you and I want you for all time."
Saturday is Saturn's day.
Saturn is the god of time.
Its ring of timelessness is crow.
From the principle of existence springs the river.
In the ground of consciousness appears a way.
I love I know I am.
You can tell everybody this is our sonnet.
1. That Isvaraverse
Isvara, or Brahman reflected in the intelligent creatrix of Maya, is the Maker, The Creator, instrumental cause.
And Isvara, in relation to the appearance of matter (tamas) in that Big Creatrix, is material cause too.
And Brahman in Avidya of sattva, tamas, and rajas appears as the jiva. Brahman is creator, creation, and creature. Aham Brahmasmi.
2. That Reflexive Isvaraverse of Light
In that reflexive Isvaraverse of light, the nuclear appears, binding and forceful, like the probability of wave or particle.
The second stage of materialization is atomic. Center, order, and property appears in the form of hydrogen and its 108 transformations.
Full tamas is the molecular. Classical physics lives here. But a great turn occurs with the appearances of functional compounds
like organic chemicals and sexual hormones, foretelling the motion of plants, animals, and true gurus of the light of self-awareness.
The primordial substance of the cosmos, the source of creation, is called prakriti, the creatrix. The whys are beginningless but truth transcends time.
The creatrix is not a product of Brahman nor other than Brahman. As self-awareness is neither a product of awareness nor something other than awareness.
There are three kinds of threads weaving the net of this creatrix: intelligence (sattva), motion (rajas), and material (tamas). Like energy, the speed of light, and matter.
When the weave is pure intelligence, this creatrix is called Maya. When such a weave is then mixed with motion and matter, it's called Avidya (nescience).
Brahman reflected in Maya is Isvara, that supreme universal god. Brahman reflected in Avidya are jivas like me and you.
(see Pancadasi 1:15-17)
Om Jesus. Om Beatles. Om Joni Mitchell singing paradise and parking lots. Om Van the Man into the Mystic.
Om Anne Bradstreet. Om Good Gray Poet in a Supermarket. Om White Whale. Om Walden Pond. Om Desolation Peak.
Om New Testament. Om Tao Te Ching. Om Four Agreements. Om Here and Om Now. Om Tattvamasi. Om Aum.
A is the waking state. U is dreaming. M is deep sleep. Substrate to such superimpositions is the satcitananda silence called the Fourth.
Atman is neither the seed of consciousness as unmanifested Maya nor that god of universal omniscient consciousness called Isvara—Atman is Brahman.
Brahman both pervades and transcends this universe like ocean air does to an island atmosphere—imperceptible, unreachable, and indescribable.
Consciousness is that foundational "one self intuition essence" and not some highly refined product of oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen as scientific materialism preaches without proof.
The social conditioning of scientific atheistic materialism is the greatest obstruction to self-awareness in the current western world.
That the world appears in consciousness is common experience yet we've bought this snake oil advertising—
consciousness as a product of the material world and we drink of it until it becomes our metaparadigm. Turn, turn, turn, my friend.
1. meditate on that
Self-awareness of the godhead is the arc of the universe. You're almost there.
The godhead is timelessly self-aware but space-time is what such self-awareness looks like from the point of view of maya.
Any questions concerning maya are generated within maya and have no absolute answer. Meditate on that, satcitananda.
2. mandukya abc
Nantah-prajnam, na bahis-prajnam, na ubhayatah prajnam, na prajnana ghanamna, na prajnam, na aprajnam (consciousness: not inner, nor outer, nor both, nor measurable, nor immeasurable, nor not) ~Mandukya 7a.
Adrstam, avyavaharyam, agrahyam, alaksanam, acintyam, avyapadesyam (imperceptable (unseen), unrelatable (not emperical), incomprehensible (beyond reach), uninferable (not a sign), unthinkable, indescribable (beyond words)) ~Mandukya 7b.
Eka-atma-pratyaya-saram (one-self-intuition-essence) ~Mandukya 7c¹.
3. one intuitive i-essence
Ekatma pratyaya saram (one self-intuition-essence) is called the Fourth.
It is the one intuitive I-essence underlying our three states of ignorance (waking, dreaming, deep sleeping)
like a substrate to their superimpositions.
4. ekatma pratyaya saram
Sages say the seventh mantra of the Mandukya Upanishad is the peak of Advaita. In fact, the word, advaita, makes its first appearance there.
If not the creator, Gaudapada is the godfather of Mandukya. Tradition says he’s the guru of the guru of Shankara, Govinda. Disciple of a godlike teacher, Shukadeva son of Vyasa, Gaudapada is Paramaguru of Advaita Vedanta.
Mandukya 7 is divided into three parts. The first nullifies the microcosmic atmans of every state of consciousness (and unconsciousness). The second nullifies all macrocosmic brahmans. The third affirms Mandukya’s mahavakya—ayam atma brahma. Ekatma pratyaya saram.
ekatma pratyaya saram (one self-intuition-essence) is called the fourth.
it is the one intuitive i-essence underlying our three states of ignorance (waking, dreaming, deep sleeping)
like a substrate to their superimpositions.
nantah-prajnam, na bahis-prajnam, na ubhayatah prajnam, na prajnana ghanamna, na prajnam, na aprajnam.
(consciousness: not inner, nor outer, nor both, nor measurable, nor immeasurable, nor not.)
~Mandukya 7a
adrstam, avyavaharyam, agrahyam, alaksanam, acintyam, avyapadesyam.
(imperceptable (unseen), unrelatable (not emperical), incomprehensible (beyond reach), uninferable (not a sign), unthinkable, indescribable (beyond words))
~Mandukya 7b
eka-atma-pratyaya-saram
(one-self-intuition-essence)
~Mandukya 7c¹
Self-awareness of the godhead is the arc of the universe. You're almost there.
The godhead is timelessly self-aware but space-time is what such self-awareness looks like from the point of view of maya.
Any questions concerning maya are generated within maya and have no absolute answer. Meditate on that, satcitananda.
1. Can't You See?
Duality can't be proved. Nonduality is beyond proof. Story at eleven eleven.
That which is higher proves something lower. Thus the mind can't prove itself.
Nondual awareness is the highest ground, can't you see?
The mind is reflected consciousness and reflections are lower states by definition.
2. A Consciousness Hero
Being existence presence consciousness awareness intelligence holistic infinity bliss, oh my.
First you're conditioned by karmic DNA and then they lock you in space-time instead of it all.
Maya is beginningless and the seed of mind. Atman is not a seed of consciousness
nor omniscient consciousness. Brahman is indescribable. Ayam atma brahma is turiyam.
3. To Self-awareness
From awareness to self-awareness appears as space-time but in reality is spontaneous.
I know I am takes space and time. From a snake to a rope is a self-reflexive universe.
First principle is existence. People die for it. Ground is consciousness. Materialism be damned.
From awareness to self-awareness appears as space-time but in reality is spontaneous.
I know I am takes space and time. From a snake to a rope is a self-reflexive universe.
First principle is existence. People die for it. Ground is consciousness. Materialism be damned.
Being existence presence consciousness awareness intelligence holistic infinity bliss, oh my.
First you're conditioned by karmic DNA and then they lock you in space-time instead of it all.
Maya is beginningless and the seed of mind. Atman is not a seed of consciousness
nor omniscient consciousness. Brahman is indescribable. Ayam atma brahma is turiyam.
Duality can't be proved. Nonduality is beyond proof. Story at eleven eleven.
That which is higher proves something lower. Thus the mind can't prove itself.
Nondual awareness is the highest ground, can't you see?
The mind is reflected consciousness and reflections are lower states by definition.
Are we small appliances, electricity, or the source?
Deep sleep may be no mind but not nirvikalpa samadhi.
The seed of maya still breathes—another mini-kalpa.
Attention minus thought equals pure consciousness.
This clarity of intellect is pure intelligence itself.
Mind minus thought equals the intellect.
The intellect is the reflection of the clear intelligence of pure consciousness.
Directing the intellect shining its light on brahman is like an arrow piercing itself in ayam atma brahma.
note to self: see Mundaka 2.2.3-4
