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.