Absurdity
How absurd is the statement: "Time goes fast." (And how often do i not use it myself!).
How could time be fast? What measure of time as slow or fast is there, but time itself? Can time measure itself?
Now see how absurd the statements "I am not enough" or "I am not enlightened" are. What other measure of yourself as complete or incomplete do you have but the self? What measure of perception as enlightened or unenlightened do you have but perception itself?
How could time be fast? What measure of time as slow or fast is there, but time itself? Can time measure itself?
Now see how absurd the statements "I am not enough" or "I am not enlightened" are. What other measure of yourself as complete or incomplete do you have but the self? What measure of perception as enlightened or unenlightened do you have but perception itself?
The Root
Both ideas of self and non-self are futile, for they are ideas only.
Ultimately, what both of these ideas try to interpret conceptually is self-consciousness. In order to state either of these ideas, consciousness of an "I"---where "I" stands for the non-conceptual perception---must lie at their root. This sense, so to speak, is the not beginning and the end. It is the root of all question and their answer. It is all and nothing, perfect and imperfect, clear and confusing.
Ultimately, what both of these ideas try to interpret conceptually is self-consciousness. In order to state either of these ideas, consciousness of an "I"---where "I" stands for the non-conceptual perception---must lie at their root. This sense, so to speak, is the not beginning and the end. It is the root of all question and their answer. It is all and nothing, perfect and imperfect, clear and confusing.
My friend, Let Benjamin tell you something. The idiots of the village, played a bad joke on you. The sign posts you keep following, Yes, those with the words "enlightenment" "god" and all, will lead you nowhere. Come with me drink hot tea, we'll chat, eat naan and sing songs. And we'll stay where we are for the Friend too, is here.
Enlightening
If you are looking for enlightenment or freedom or oneness, my deduction would be that their are moments when you don't.
Not searching for anything for few more minutes won't hurt, so come with me my friend and let's relax for a moment.I sit down, legs crossed, i'm not a yogi or anything, it's just a nice position, anything would do really, it's just my position. Take yours.
Let's look at life. Just all of life really--all inclusive. That includes all of what you can sense, it includes thoughts too. There is what you sense and there are the thoughts that label it into things. There is also this magnetic-energetic aspect of this process, when a thing really feels like a thing, when for a moment a sensation or idea really seems to be true. This is all what's happening. It's all life. Nothing of anything you see, feel etc. can be said to be outside of life, not anything you can imagine--as thought or as the content of it--can be excluded. It matters little what we know or do not know right now. As a matter of fact, nothing else can be known right now. And really what needs to be known is already known. What you deeply want is to be full, complete, alive. If sometimes you look for knowledge (you do don't you?) which would help you understand, you already assume that the "me" that is looking is in need of this knowledge. Perhaps you feel the need. It's fine if you do, remember: it's life too. But look: if you need knowledge, your knowledge is incomplete, so how can you be so sure of the "me" being known correctly? And if so, can you be so sure of it needing knowledge? And if you would gain knowledge, what knowledge would confirm this knowledge you acquired is correct?
Knowledge is part of life. It's not bad, it is part of life, part only. Knowledge of "me" is fine. Thought is fine. But look: what is the certainty of all this life? If what you know of it is not certain, then what is? Can there be certainty beyond knowledge? There is isn't it? If you can be certain knowledge is uncertain then certainty is beyond that. Are you not certain of Life right now?
And even suppose--for the sake of it--this is a dream, then isn't this really a dream? And even if you are not what you think you are, isn't the unknown me really the unknown me?
The answer is here right before you. The answer is the establishment of certainty, but see how you already are surrounded, permeated, incarnating reality. See how yourself need no enlightenment because you are the enlightening already.
Help! Help! My friend's got a shard in his eye! Psst! --between us-- It had to happen, climbing his way up to the highest branch in the holy trees in order to see the divine face. Oh, and he's got a broken bone too. Help my friend please. Running about like this in panic, he will hurt himself. Take this knowledge away from his eye so he can see who's helping him.
I paid a visit in your head. Really it smells funny over there. It's time to open those eyes, and let some fresh air come inside. I'll help you throw all this outside. Who needs all of this stuff anyway? We'll make food and share bread. We'll drink the sweet divine wine. Then we'll look out the window watching the Sun's feats. Oh and i've made a call to the Moon, she will come tonight. I've got to introduce you to her I'm sure you'll fall in love.
Running for treasures, Filling bags woven in fear. Under their big feet, Sore swollen feet. Treading upon the untouched, Killing ants. Walking this way, Treading my chest, Breaking my ribs, Breaking my heart open, Spilling the blood, Benjamin's blood-ink. Writing signs, For the self, To come To itself.
Pain and Pleasure
A father sees his young son walking clumsily near a barrier beyond which is a pit. The father holds his son back. The child does not understands and the father says: "If you go beyond this barrier, you fill hurt yourself"
What does "you hurt yourself" mean? Is it the child who will feel the pain? Or the body of the child? For a child who hardly has a sense of self, what is the meaning of pain? of "hurting oneself?"
Can there be "pain" without the thought of "me" or "me = body"? The idea of pain a pleasure is meaningless without self, or else why would pain be shunned and pleasure be longed for? What can pleasure add to a non-person? What can pain do to a non-person?
And what is there in the story of the self, in its career, but the desire for pleasure and the aversion to pain?
What does "you hurt yourself" mean? Is it the child who will feel the pain? Or the body of the child? For a child who hardly has a sense of self, what is the meaning of pain? of "hurting oneself?"
Can there be "pain" without the thought of "me" or "me = body"? The idea of pain a pleasure is meaningless without self, or else why would pain be shunned and pleasure be longed for? What can pleasure add to a non-person? What can pain do to a non-person?
And what is there in the story of the self, in its career, but the desire for pleasure and the aversion to pain?
Dream & Reality
It's quite funny really how "dreams" and "reality" are distinguished as such with utterly circular argumentation, and yet so little subject to doubts.
For instance: "in dreams one can fly, therefore a dream is not true", is one of these arguments. But what is implied in this argument? That "in reality one cannot fly, therefore the waking state is true." Now that is quite circular indeed, for it is because the waking state is defined as true that the inability to fly becomes a reference to identify the real from the unreal. So the argument really is "dream is not true, because i assume the inability to fly is more true than the inability to fly".
The same example is valid with: "in dreams, when one is pinched, one feels no pain". First i would answer pain can be felt indeed in dreams (at least in mine), and second, that possibly "pain" is illusion rather than non-pain.
So what is real? Dream and waking state are equally real. Reality rather, is to things what light is to colour. Reality is the common factor between both waking state and dream, it is the thread of consciousness which allows both to be experienced.
For instance: "in dreams one can fly, therefore a dream is not true", is one of these arguments. But what is implied in this argument? That "in reality one cannot fly, therefore the waking state is true." Now that is quite circular indeed, for it is because the waking state is defined as true that the inability to fly becomes a reference to identify the real from the unreal. So the argument really is "dream is not true, because i assume the inability to fly is more true than the inability to fly".
The same example is valid with: "in dreams, when one is pinched, one feels no pain". First i would answer pain can be felt indeed in dreams (at least in mine), and second, that possibly "pain" is illusion rather than non-pain.
So what is real? Dream and waking state are equally real. Reality rather, is to things what light is to colour. Reality is the common factor between both waking state and dream, it is the thread of consciousness which allows both to be experienced.
If you are seeking enlightenment, Your premise is that you do not know, What enlightenment is. For if you did, You would be enlightened already. So what makes you so sure, What you know now and feel, Is not enlightenment? "But..." You may say. "But..." But what my friend? How long will you sit, Waiting for yourself, To give a tap on your shoulder, And invite you for a dance?
Sitting down, Listening to or reading words, Looking out for a sensation, A sign, That it will happen, That Life will tell you, "Yes, now you are free, Now you are enlightened" Sleeping, Looking in the dream, For a word, a sensation, A sign, For the door, Leading out of the dream. Between the two, What difference is there?
The End of Seeking
Whatever you may have, can also be take away from you.
Whatever can be learnt, can also be forgotten.
Then what "peace" or "happiness" can you have? The mere possibility of happiness and peace being threatened by their opposite, denies their essence. It is therefore vain to seek those, as they do not exist as such.
What knowledge (even this one) can there be, which will protect you from harm? When you need yourself to protect this knowledge from forgetfulness? And how can anyone prevent forgetfulness from occuring? Who can remember rememberance?
Whatever "you" are, cannot be taken away from "you". In that there is true peace, there is true completion and therefore happiness.
Hear me: not "the knowledge of what you are" but "you", regardless of the former, for knowledge, we have seen, does not bring peace. Now does this mean the state in which "you are just you and nothing else" or when "you are peace" is to be hold on to?
If states change and if "you" can "wear" them--so to speak--then is state not another possessable and therefore losable "thing"?
Nothing will save you. The holding onto such idea, is holding the walls of your own prison together. There is no such thing as freedom, for there is no such thing as captivity, for "you".
Whatever can be learnt, can also be forgotten.
Then what "peace" or "happiness" can you have? The mere possibility of happiness and peace being threatened by their opposite, denies their essence. It is therefore vain to seek those, as they do not exist as such.
What knowledge (even this one) can there be, which will protect you from harm? When you need yourself to protect this knowledge from forgetfulness? And how can anyone prevent forgetfulness from occuring? Who can remember rememberance?
Whatever "you" are, cannot be taken away from "you". In that there is true peace, there is true completion and therefore happiness.
Hear me: not "the knowledge of what you are" but "you", regardless of the former, for knowledge, we have seen, does not bring peace. Now does this mean the state in which "you are just you and nothing else" or when "you are peace" is to be hold on to?
If states change and if "you" can "wear" them--so to speak--then is state not another possessable and therefore losable "thing"?
Nothing will save you. The holding onto such idea, is holding the walls of your own prison together. There is no such thing as freedom, for there is no such thing as captivity, for "you".
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