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Notes from Kings Cross Wednesday 14th May 2014
This ordinary everyday awareness that we point to is the base that is referred to over and over again in this so called Advaita teaching. This non conceptual awareness that you always and ever ‘are’ is ineffable and inexpressible in words and concepts, yet you cannot negate it at any time or place, nor can you grasp it with any concept whatsoever. This is the very crux of the matter and needs to be understood and seen from the very core of your being. No one else can ever see this for you so to speak, each one has to see-know it for themselves.
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Notes from Kings Cross 18th Feb 2014.
To know everything else, everything other, without knowing yourself is rather futile. What would it profit a man if he gained the whole world-appearance and lost his soul, that is, lost sight of his true nature or what Nisargadatta Maharaj referred to as the natural state? Self-existing, Self-shining, Self-knowing awareness. There is no one who is reading this who is not aware or spontaneously knowing ‘I am’. However what the nature of this ordinary everyday awareness is, you do not know, and cannot know as an objective thing.
Loosing sight of this naked non conceptual awareness around the age of two and a half years when the “I” thought comes over us, engendered by the acquisition of words and language imposed upon us by the parents and society; one seemingly looses hold of one’s Self or non dual essence by taking hold of the body-mind appearance as one’s identity. A little simple looking, investigation, or discrimination on the part of the so called person would show the falseness of this body-mind identity or imagined entity.
It is a simple fact that the false cannot stand up to genuine authentic investigation. However in nearly all cases this body-mind identity, persona, mask or limited human face is never questioned and is taken to be what I truly am – that appearance and nothing else. Now to always live on the surface, and to live from a lie or untruth will in the long run cause immense psychological suffering, and ultimately if not seen through, end in self-destruction which is nothing less than suicide.
Therefore it is imperative for anyone who is at all serious or earnest to LOOK and SEE and directly discover who and what you truly and ever are. No one else however holy or saintly they may be can ever SEE or realize this for you. You alone are the authority there where you are at zero degrees from yourself, from where you are seeing. No one else can know you there at zero degrees because only you are there; the so called others are outside of this aware emptiness, this no thing that is at the very core or heart of your being, they are simply regional appearances of the awake no thing that you are at center. This aware emptiness at center is full of the entire display of changing appearances that are in it, and there is no division or separation whatsoever between the appearances and the empty essence that they are appearing in. Hence emptiness is form and form is emptiness, this is the all-inclusive nature of non duality or the natural state.
Ever-fresh, ever-new, presence awareness, just this, nothing else. Nothing other, not two, no duality now or ever, just an ‘appearance’ of duality. One non dual essence expressing and appearing as everything, and it is not even One as no words or concepts can ever capture or express it – non conceptual, ever-fresh presence awareness. Are you unaware right now? If not then you are aware. You are present and aware whether conceptualizing is occurring or not, isn’t that so? Realize this ‘fact’, re-cognize this fact, make it real in your own case and abide as THAT ever fresh non conceptual awareness – I am THAT! – this Maha Vakya or great word is describing your true nature or natural state. Your authentic original stateless state, your selfless Self – no God, no Guru, no Soul, no Atman, no Brahman, no Parabrahman – your Selfless self-shining essence or emptiness prior to the arising of any phenomena, concept, or idea.
You must directly SEE and know for yourself – what was my original face before my parents were born? What was my condition six months prior to conception in my mother’s womb? One hundred years back, or five hundred years back, how was I? This is not some kind of trick question. You must know this, and you must want to know this with a burning urgency, otherwise you should just forget about Advaita or non duality all together and just live your life without enquiring into this profound subject at all; which is simply what is happening anyway whether you are turned around to look at this or not. Please note that life is effortlessly and spontaneously living you as that appearance, and that you, as the imagined separate entity – Mr or Mrs So and So are not doing a single thing. You, as that separate entity, have never done, and will never do anything at all.
Without the presence of that animating life essence, the source and origin of which is THIS Omnipresent unborn naked awareness; you would not even be able to lift a finger. You as the apparent separate entity are not, and never have been the doer of your actions. Deeds are done, choices are made. but there is no doer or choice maker; everything happens spontaneously without the input of any imagined entity as such.
Bit of a blow to the old pride or ego isn’t it? Have a good look at it, don’t agree or disagree. Look and SEE for yourself. So called karma means cause and effect. We are discussing and pointing to the actuality and the simplicity of non duality here – fathomless peace and the total absence of any fear whatsoever. If the cause, the imagined separate entity is seen through and known to be false, then the effects must also be seen to be false. If the cause the “me” of memory and acquired knowledge is false, then the effects – my sadness, my sickness, my anxiety, my fear, my depression, my anger, my worry etc must also be false.
Karma is then seen to be the illusion that it is. In that case, who did psychological suffering ever happen to? It happened to “me”, and this fellow here is pointing out that there is no me. No one has ever lived or died and nothing has ever really happened because Reality or non duality is THAT which doesn’t change. Wouldn’t that be a big weight off your shoulders, and wouldn’t seeing this fact be utter freedom, effortless living and relaxation knowing that the heavy burden of guilt, remorse, fear and constant anxiety that you had seemingly been carrying all those so called years, was illusory and imagined and not the actual?
This has happened here and the same can be true for you if you have the courage and the earnestness to question all your beliefs, concepts, false images, illusions, and familiar certainties that you have acquired over a lifetime of conditioning and cultural indoctrination. Drop all your concepts and look and see as a new born child does, only then will you SEE as the sages and seers see – fresh and new – Ever fresh presence awareness just this nothing else – nothing added, contrived or acquired in the form of dead concepts and learned words and labels from the past, the first and only freedom – this timeless instant unfolding spontaneously and effortlessly as the natural state.
Freedom from the known, freedom from the dead past is freedom unlimited. The acquired word or sound ‘water’ will never quench your thirst, nor will the word ‘fire’ ever burn your mouth when you speak it. Reality or non duality – not two, can never be pinned down or limited to any fixed reference point, it is fluid, ever-flowing, ever fresh, ever new, light of boundless intelligence. This is the real and authentic knowledge, Jana, or wisdom – the undeniable unqualified knowledge “I am” infinitely and eternally. Ask yourself, am I deeply fundamentally at peace, fearless and without any anxiety whatsoever? If the honest answer is, no I am not, then you have the wrong kind of knowledge – you have only small or limited knowledge.
This reality that is being pointed to, this Nirvana or light of emptiness is not real in the way that objects or things are real. It is not by going that you can reach this unbecome, this unmade, this suchness, this unborn. We call this that is being pointed to THAT, for want of a better word, although no word can encompass it. Hence the Maha Vakya or great word of Hinduism – I am THAT! Thou art THAT! THAT being all there ever ‘is’. There is only THAT! This being so, aren’t you THAT also and not the limited, miserable human being that you are presently , quite mistakenly, taking yourself to be? Look and see for yourself, don’t just take my word for it.
The THAT that is being referred to is beyond language, beyond time and elemental space, in it there is no yesterday, no tomorrow, no today. Full stop right there! abide as THAT, don’t go back into your time-bound mind and seek an answer there where it can never be found. Don’t try to understand what is being said with your mind. Don’t take that trouble to acquire or renounce anything, to alter, modify or correct anything whatsoever. Simply “be” as you are in the natural state. There is no becoming in being. Becoming implies time and this awake. aware no thing that you ever are is timeless pure being – I am THAT I am! Know this for one hundred per cent certain and drop the endless search. It is the very search itself that is the problem. The search itself implies time – you know, at some future time I am going to become enlightened. There is no future time at all. There is no such thing as time. Time is only a mental concept. The acquired mind is time, and that mind can never be free of time because it is time – “me” So and So who is so many years old according to my birth certificate.
Realize for yourself that all this is false. The idea that I was born at such and such a time, and at some future time I am going to die. Is this really so, ask yourself – is this really true? Can you remember being born? If you are honest with yourself you will have to say – no, I don’t remember my birth! That being the case, then perhaps you were never born in the first place, and that you are actually existing all along without any beginning or ending – Existence Itself – Self-existing, Self-shining Being – Sat – I am, endless capacity, timeless without beginning or ending. This is the knowledge which is real and authentic, and this is the peace that passes understanding by the time-bound mind or shadow persona.
Turns everything upside down doesn’t it? You see, you’ve never really questioned any of this, you take for granted that you were born, but have never looked deeply into this mystery – who and what am I really? Did I only begin at birth, or was I existing all along infinitely and eternally? Perhaps you have severely underestimated yourself, and placed unnecessary limitations on yourself.
How did this happen – the appearance of this physical body that I am identified with and that I call myself? How did this happen without my permission? Was I responsible for the apparent creation of my own body-mind, or did it arise spontaneously like everything else in nature? Ask yourself these questions and find out for yourself. Everything arises spontaneously by itself, there is no creator of the world. The world was never created in the first place. Nothing ever happened. All this time, and I should not be even using that word; you have simply been duped by illusion or what we call in Advaita – Maya.
Every apparent thing is unborn, unoriginated, there is no duality in this unborn essence, no other now or ever. Certainly there is an appearance of an other. Everything in the manifestation ‘appears’ in the pairs of opposites. Everything appears dualistic ally, you cannot have a universe without it appearing in the pairs of opposites – day, night – hot, cold – male, female etc, however nature or Nisarga(Sanskrit notation) even as it displays itself in the natural world is not in conflict with itself. Day does not fight with night, winter does not fight with spring or summer, silence does not fight with sound, the incoming tide does not fight with the outgoing tide. Everything in nature resolves itself spontaneously. Even though it appears in myriad shapes, sizes, and forms it never changes its harmonious true nature or essence. It never tries to be other than what it is.
With us so called human beings however, there is constant and ongoing conflict and wars all because of this acquired self-center or ego. This reference point or persona “me”is always in conflict with other apparent separate entities, and must necessarily be so in order to maintain its own separate identity and to compete with other apparent entities for food, clothes, shelter, and limited resources. This self-centered activity is the principal cause of the ongoing wars that have occurred throughout recorded history.
Self interest rules in the world of phenomena, and this is inevitable and necessary up to a point. However if the apparent separate self or entity is not seen through and known to be false and non existent, a phantom in the final analysis, then it certainly becomes self-destructive. This entity or ego is a parasite that drains all your energy and finally kills you in the end if it remains unexamined. That is what a parasite does if its falseness is not seen through, and we are simply saying and pointing out that this psychological suffering does not have to be there. It is up to you and you alone.
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Notes from Kings Cross, Sunday 3rd November 2013
What is being said here is not something new. If your very own Self or pure being was something extra or new to be attained or acquired, then it would seem that there is a possibility that you may lose it again. However this is an impossibility because your true nature or natural state of awareness-consciousness cannot be lost or found simply because it is ‘as it is’ – changeless, formless, pure consciousness, right here and now.
This non dual understanding has been seen, realized and pointed to by various saints, sages and seers right down throughout the ages, and that is this ever present fact of your own being-awareness, ever fresh and ever new. This empty cognizance at the very core of one’s being, this ever present awake, aware no-thing that you can never grasp with any thought or mental concept, is certainly not something new to be attained or acquired,
This that is being referred to and presently pointed to is not something that anyone can give you. Here I am not teaching, telling or giving you anything, and this should be understood clearly from the start. The actuality of non duality, awareness-consciousness is always and ever ‘as it is’ in nature or the natural state – “One without a second” as it is pointed out in Advaita in Hinduism, and this is also pointed to in various ways in all the major religions of the world. There is no duality(no other, not two) in THIS and that is the very simplicity of what is.
There is always the ‘appearance’ of duality in the phenomenal manifestation – day, night – man, woman and general multiplicity etc – the dynamic display of the energy of awareness; however this awareness-emptiness never ever changes its true nature or essence. Just as the images reflected in the mirror are in fact nothing but the mirror or reflecting surface itself. Every apparent thing from Brahma(the so called Creator) right down to a clump of grass is nothing but THAT non dual Absolute appearing as other that itself. The individual, the world, and the supreme Self or God are like silver in the mother of pearl – they are all concepts. The appearances as they “appear” are nothing but that – utterly impermanent and ever changing or what we call Maya or illusion. All and any appearances have no substance or independent nature of their own apart from this naked non conceptual awareness.
Everything that appears to happen or occur is nothing but a spontaneous emanation or happening taking place effortlessly in this changeless essence, and there is no doer ship by any apparent person or entity whatsoever. Everything seemingly happens by itself without the input of any entity, which clearly indicates that nothing ever happens at all, it only ‘appears’ to happen, simply because Reality or non duality is THAT which never changes. What never changes or alters in any way is this impersonal presence of awareness – THIS awareness of presence which almost everyone is actively ignoring, having taken on as real and true this “me” of memory, this imagined ego or self-center.
Having taken on and adopted the “I” thought, engendered by the parents and society around the age of three years, one then adds to that “I” thought all the events and experiences that occur from then on, and assumes that acquired name and form to be what one actually is, loosing sight of one’s true nature – this unmoved mover at the very core or heart of one’s being.
One never questions who and what one truly and ever is. One takes for granted that he or she is that Mr or Mrs So and So that one appears to be. Appearance and Reality are not compatible. Appearance is Maya or illusion and Reality is THAT which never changes. The world is real if it is seen and discriminated as the non dual, non conceptual , ever fresh presence awareness – but unreal if it is taken to be separate, discrete, independent and apart from this cognizing-emptiness that this awareness truly and ever is.
This is the so called investigation or enquiry that each must undertake for him or herself if they would re-cognize their own true nature. THIS is not anything that anyone can give you, the cognizing – seeing, hearing etc is already taking place. You don’t have to kick start the seeing, hearing etc, just notice that the seeing is effortlessly taking place without the input of the acquired imagined entity “me” So and So. Recognize this fact and half the battle is over. The content of the seeing is constantly changing, but the seeing is never ever changing. You’re seeing, knowing right here and now as this article is seemingly being read, and ask yourself – what effort am I making for this to occur or happen? I suggest that you are making no effort at all to be aware, and that it is happening effortlessly and spontaneously. It is the very same seeing that is seeing now as was seeing when you were one year old, ten years old, or even one hundred years old. The seeing has not changed at all, it is exactly the same. The contents of the seeing have changed and are constantly changing, but the seeing itself has never changed. See the truth of what is being pointed to yourself. Don’t wait for some other to tell you.
Everything occurring effortlessly and spontaneously in the natural state – “I am”, without words or concepts. This natural beingness is ever present and does not need to be acquired. You cannot negate your own being, nor can you grasp it with any word or concept. You use the word human being to describe yourself and you use the word Supreme being to describe God. Take away the concept or label human, and take away the label Supreme and then try to divide your being. Notice that it can’t be done! You cannot divide your beingness in any actual or real way – you still are infinitely and eternally – you are THAT! I am THAT! there is only THAT!
See the simplicity of what is being pointed to. There is nothing simpler than non duality – One without a second, so stop complicating THIS with words, thoughts, and mental concepts. FULL STOP! Pause for just an instant, and see whether you disappear or not. You will notice that you are still aware as you always and ever are whether thoughts are occurring or not. “Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so” as Shakespeare says, however thinking does not make anything good or bad if it is seen to be nothing but a momentary movement of energy taking place in THIS changeless cognizing-emptiness that is infinite intelligence – your glassy essence – THIS beginning less endless activity of knowing. The ‘ing’ on the end of it indicates that it is an activity that is taking place in the immediacy – Now-ing. It is not happening yesterday or tomorrow, it is taking place presently in the wake fullness-awareness. Aren’t you aware, right here and now? What more do you want?
There is no more, THIS is as good as it gets. Realize the truth for yourself. “Know” the truth and the truth will set you free, but it won’t make you free unless you know it and acknowledge it, realize it as your very own Self – non dual One without a second, and it is not even One, no words or concepts can ever describe it as it simply is “as it is”, self-existing, self-shining, unborn, ever-fresh, ever-new, presence-awareness, just THIS ever present, unqualified, immediacy, nothing else! No other, no duality, now or ever.
Try and take THAT back, try and analyse THAT, and you will fail, and you are bound to fail. You have tried to grasp THIS immediacy with a concept and it can’t be done, so realizing this simply relax and abide as you are in the natural state. Rest in your own true nature.
“Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest, for my yoke(yoga) is easy(natural) and my burden is light” – this boundless light of all knowing awareness – I am THAT I am! I am THAT by which I know I am! This is the whole of the so called teachings.
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Notes from Kings Cross Wednesday 10th July 2013
Thought is not an enemy if it is understood, however if it is not understood as what it simply is – an energetic movement or vibration of energy taking place in and on the changeless background of this all-knowing awareness which you truly and ever are – THIS limitless potential or I am principal. If THAT limitless potential or infinite intelligence that is ever-existing and ever-present is not realized as the source and origin of all things including thought; then that thought seems to take on a life of its own, ‘seems’ to take on an independent existence of its own separate and apart from awareness-consciousness which it can never have, runs amok so to speak and causes endless strife, uncertainty, and psychological suffering.
If THAT has not been seen or realized as the REAL. The REAL as pointed out in Advaita in Hinduism is non duality – not two, or ‘One without a second’. The REAL is THAT which does not change or alter at any time or place, THAT which is imperishable. If THAT is not acknowledged as THIS ever-present ‘fact’ of your very own being, which you can never negate or grasp with any thought or concept; and the thought is taken to be real and independent, then psychological suffering is inevitable. Unenlightened existence is inherently unsatisfactory, as unexamined thought which is conceptual, then builds up a cage of words or concepts which then imprisons the imagined individual, who being taken in and deluded by the constant flow of thoughts, takes them to be his or her own personal thoughts, which in actuality is never the case.
Thought is time, and time is only a mental concept. Apart from thought, what time is there? Obviously none at all, yet this conscious presence of awareness it can be noted, is the constant and is unceasing. This choice less, effortless awareness that you already ‘are’ is timeless and Omnipresent, so what effort are you going to make to realize THIS? Simply notice what is already so and rest and abide in the natural state. Time is becoming and imaginary and naked awareness is being pure and simple – I am, without words or concepts. Recognizing THIS is enough, full stop! Recognize the voidness of your own intellect to be Buddha hood or Self-realization.
This awareness that you truly are is endless capacity or emptiness suffused with awareness – naked non conceptual knowing or cognizing. This emptiness or no thing that is awareness is a cognizing-emptiness, an endless beginning less activity of knowing, so it is not just a dead void or nothingness; it is the very livingness itself, self-shining, self-existing beyond anything perceivable or conceivable, and beyond life and death. Life and death are only concepts, but THIS that you truly and ever are is REAL beyond any imagining and you are THAT! Coming to this realization as the wake fullness itself is the true wakening that only the Jnani or Self-realized knows.
When this dawns on you you will realize that you were never born, nor have you carried out any worldly actions. Everything happens spontaneously without the input of any entity in the natural state. There is no duality in the natural state, although there may appear to be. Appearance is appearance only and nothing but the cognizing-emptiness appearing as shapes and forms, appearing as ‘other’, yet it never changes its true nature as THAT non dual Absolute. The reflections appearing in the mirror do not contaminate or affect the mirror or reflecting surface in any way, and even though they will always appear and cover the mirror surface, they are in fact nothing but the mirror.
Interestingly enough one never sees the surface of the mirror itself because one is utterly absorbed or distracted by the myriad of reflections that are appearing in and covering the mirror. The mirror in this analogy referrs to that awareness-emptiness or the non dual essence. The mirror needs something outside itself in order to reflect, however THIS that is being pointed to has no inside or outside and is utterly dimensionless and without qualities – THIS ever present, unqualified immediacy is “what is” beyond being and non being, beyond is and is not.
Do not try to grasp THIS with a concept, leave it “as it is” unaltered, unmodified, uncorrected as it is in nature or the natural state; and it is this that Nisargadatta Maharaj referrs to. When this dawns on you, and the so called penny drops, you will know directly that nothing ever happened and that reality being REAL has never changed or altered in any way whatsoever. Nothing ever happened and unfortunately this can’t be taught, told, or given to anyone, as each must SEE this for themselves so to speak.
What is being said or pointed to here is utterly unacceptable to any conventionally minded so called human being, simply because their pride of acquired knowledge, their ego-conceit, and sense of being a very special unique separate person(persona – through sound, or mask) or someone who is the doer of their own actions and deeds and who has destiny and free will – this unquestioned assumption and presupposition will not allow them to see and realize their own nothingness – however this nothingness this ‘Alpha and Omega” is an awake, aware no thing, a cognizing-emptiness as referred to by the Buddha.
This is what you truly and ever are, the non dual Absolute, the cognizing-emptiness and not the limited time bound human being that you appear to be and that appears in your mirror each morning when you look at him or her reflected there – if you begin to ‘notice’ what is on this side of the mirror, that is on your so called side of the mirror, you will notice that there is nothing there at all just boundless clarity and emptiness-awareness. Aren’t you THAT and not what you appear to be as the unreal, insubstantial reflection – Mr or Mrs So and So? Realize and don’t think, because thinking is just conceptual – thought or thinking by itself can’t stand on its own independent of awareness – don’t think because thinking in that sense is just bananas, – crap in other words.
Realize and know directly for yourself – “I am THAT!” THAT is the maha-vakya or great word of Hinduism. The Bible – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My WORD will never pass away.” However this is the living word, not the dead, mechanical, acquired or learned word of invented language – ‘know’ – I AM THAT! – Be still and ‘know’ that I am God – don’t think about it. Realize it, make it REAL for yourself, no one else will ever do it or see it for you because there is no duality in non duality. Not two – no other now or ever only ‘I am’. That’s it, full stop!
Advaita means the end of the Vedas – the end of words – the place where words or acquired language don’t and can’t reach, and that place which is no place is – I am THAT I am, infinitely and eternally. Don’t forget it!
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Notes from Kings Cross Friday 12/4/13.
It is rather important to realize, not as a dry intellectual concept, but as direct experience; that I need do nothing to be as I am, in and as this natural state. The essence of non duality is ‘as it is’, real, changeless, ‘One without a second’ as it is pointed out in Hinduism, as well as in all the major religions of the world.Not only need I do nothing, but as the assumed, imagined, entity Mr or Mrs So and So I can’t, nor have I ever done anything at all, simply because this so called person or persona(mask-through sound) is only a concept, thought, or idea without any substance or independent nature of its own, apart from the non-conceptual awareness-consciousness that sustains it and that it is appearing in and on.So this awareness that is presently being pointed to is the Base of all phenomena, and without it I could not even lift a finger or speak a single word. Therefore it is imperative that one come back to the very basics, and that is that right here and now you are present and aware. You are aware without any choice or effort, and even before you express any thought or concept, you as that naked awareness have to be there first. You are aware even if you don’t say – I am. However, what you don’t yet realize is that you are always and ever aware, and you as awareness itself(non duality) can never loose it, you can never not be aware, as you are awareness itself – you are THAT non dual Absolute or Supreme Reality, and not the limited, miserable, human being that you appear to your self and so called others to be.This awareness or wakefulness that is now being pointed to is what you truly and ever are. This is what we call the pointing out instructions, which, in times past was only given to a genuinely worthy and mature disciple or student, it was not taught to the masses of people in general. Those so called times have passed, and THIS very Reality and fact of your own being is every one’s right and Truth and so it is not just for the few lucky ones who receive the initiation and direct pointing.However, even though this non dual essence is every one’s true nature, it is not something that anyone can give you or see and know for you. Everyone has to see and know THIS for themselves, and here lies the rub. It does not matter how many times it is said and pointed out, if one doesn’t take the time to look directly and actually see what the pointers are pointing to, one’s true nature remains forever obscure. One needs to go to what the pointers are pointing to and simply abide as THAT, rather than holding on to the various pointers which are in themselves nothing but concepts. It is important to simply ‘be’ what you truly and ever are, and not go back into the limited time-bound mind of memory – the “me”, the Mr or Mrs So and So and uselessly try to seek an answer there where it can never be found.This time-bound mind is a total phantom, the child of a barren woman, and has no existence or independent nature of its own apart from this self-evident, self-existing, unoriginated, non conceptual awareness that you truly and ever are. So it is totally useless to keep looking in the mind which is time, in order to arrive at the timeless – THIS beginning less and endless naked awareness.To try to get to the timeless from time is an impossibility. You cannot get to Reality – non duality or naked awareness, from duality – “me”, So and So, the apparent time-bound entity who has a beginning and ending in imagined time. Seeing THIS you quite naturally cease looking there, and that leaves you here and now present and aware as you have always and ever been, in and as The Basic Space of Phenomena. That alone is the Base – this undeniable ‘fact’ of your own pure being awareness.In order to arrive at this one has to question everything that one has acquired from the age of two and a half years onwards. Have I been born, am I the person or entity that my parents and society have told me that I am? The so called method which is no method at all, is negation – Neti, Neti – not this, not that – negate and keep on negating till you get to something which is no thing at all – THIS ever-present, unqualified immediacy of naked non conceptual awareness – THIS very fact of your own being.You can negate and discard everything – your body, mind, including senses, memory, emotions, associations, perceptions, attentions and intentions, but you cannot under any circumstances negate this ever-present fact of your own being – I am – you are aware, and you ‘know’; you don’t believe that you are aware. You cannot say I am not, because you as this ever present impersonal awareness have to be there first before any statement can be made.So this is what we point to and acknowledge. Come back to the only fact that you are absolutely certain of, and that is the fact of of your own being presently here and now. You are aware and you ‘know’ that you are aware. Good enough, that’s it, full stop! Re-cognize THIS ever present fact of your own being and don’t move away into the endless mental chatter of your time-bound mind, remain ‘as you are’ in the natural state.If you become enamored with these ceaselessly arising thoughts and concepts, if you take an unnecessary interest in them, you will become stuck in the mud of your own concepts and they will strangle you, and seemingly limit your limitless essence or potential. As shri Nisargadatta Maharaj has clearly pointed out – “The result of all your arguments is that you have tried to grasp THIS(deathless spirit or non dual Absolute) with a concept, and you fail, and you are bound to fail.So seeing and realizing this fact, if you cease conceptualizing and pause the thought process even for just the briefest instant, where does that leave you? Aren’t you still aware and present, even when the thought has stopped momentarily? Yes, that’s right, it leaves you present and aware as you always and ever have been, and what is wrong or lacking in this awareness? Usually the response of the mind would be – this is not good enough, or this is too ordinary, there is something missing and surely it can’t be that simple. However this ordinary, everyday awareness is whole and complete, nothing can be added to it or taken away from it and yes, it is the so called great enlightenment that all are seemingly seeking. This awareness that is now being pointed to is prior to everything and the true know er of it, and it is imperative that you get to know this true original know er. This is the only true and authentic knowledge that you can ever have, and it is the Jnana of the Jnani – The Self-Realized – and that is the knowledge – I am.This is the charan-amrita, the nectar of immortality – This knowledge I am has no shape, form, or qualities, and I am telling you from direct knowing that you are THAT. Tat Tvam Asi!Those who teach and those who learn all pass away. Whatever you take yourself to be will come to an end. So give up the idea that you are going to become a big guru and save all the ignorant people. There are no people to save, there never has been, there is only THAT non dual Absolute or Supreme Reality. Know this for certain and give up all doubts and uncertainties.If it is understood that there is no other thing, and there is only “One Thing”, are you not also “THAT BRAHMAN”? Everything is contained in ‘your’ wholeness, the one singular Brahman, but even the word Brahman is omitted. There is no poetry. There is no play of imagination. This imaginary individual, which is false, is not existing here. As we are not, similarly the second, or “other” is not.Read More »End. -
Notes from Kings Cross Monday 7th Jan 2013.
What we point to presently; and there is no other reality than this Omnipresent impersonal awareness, is THAT which cannot be put into words or grasped with any thought or concept whatsoever. Words are useful as pointers, yet in themselves are nothing but labels and constructs acquired from the age of around two and a half years onwards. Words are nothing but sounds or noises agreed upon by the society in general for practical purposes. When we make the noise or sound “tree” through the inherited language, which is also something made up or constructed through imagination, then, through general agreement of the meaning of this constructed language we each know what is being referred to by that word.
So by using the word “tree” we then think that we have understood what is actually being referred to. However that word, sound, or noise “tree” is not in fact what the very livingness, beauty, or actuality of what that so called thing truly is. The word “tree” is not the vibrant, living essence that the tree actually is. The word is never the actual and this needs to be clearly seen and known before the truth and actuality of Advaita or non duality can be fully grasped and realized.
The word is not the thing and belief is never the actual, this is what needs to be seen, known, and taken on board so to speak. You do not believe that you are, you ‘know’ that you are as a self-evident fact right here and now, and you cannot negate this fact of your own being under any circumstances. When this is clearly seen then one can use the word with impunity – use the word without the word using you, which is what usually happens. THIS boundless actuality of “what is” is real, actual, and changeless beyond all imagining, and nothing has ever touched or affected it in any way, and you ultimately are THAT Supreme Reality – non dual One without a second as it is pointed to in Advaita in Hinduism, as well as in all the other great religions of the world.
All this is not a matter of belief, but for SEEING-KNOWING directly for yourself. It is not something anyone can give you. No so called other can ever see this for you, each must see this for themselves. All we can do is point to THIS over and over again until one begins to notice it instead of ignoring it as one usually does. Ignorance or not knowing one’s Self or true nature is a grievous sin and the cause of endless sorrow and suffering, and this need not be. This psychological suffering is not necessary when one takes the trouble to LOOK and SEE who and what it is that suffers.
This fact of one’s own being is the one and only thing that you are absolutely certain of. You know that you are, you don’t believe that you are. You cannot under any circumstances negate your own being. Has this fact ever occurred to you? THIS is the key that unlocks the storehouse of unalloyed happiness or bliss. Use this key right here and now, don’t wait another second for some future enlightenment.
Who is it that suffers, enjoys, and is constantly exposed to ongoing doubt and uncertainty about the imagined future? Isn’t it that made up entity “me”, Mr or Mrs So and So? Now this fellow up here in Kings Cross is telling you directly that there is no me, and that the person (persona, mask) you have taken yourself to be is not real. The person is not the real or the actual, but simply an appearance similar to the image or reflection in a mirror. The reality is the reflecting surface of the mirror, and any or all images that appear in the mirror are in fact nothing but the reflecting surface itself and do not in fact have any substance or independent nature of themselves apart from the mirror. The reflections are in fact just that – reflections without any separate or independent nature whatsoever.
The mirror analogy is a reference to your own being as THIS ever-present naked, non conceptual awareness-knowing – THIS mirror-like wisdom or self-shining intelligence – THIS awake, aware, no thing that you truly and ever are – THIS emptiness suffused with awareness or naked non conceptual knowing which through force of habit, you are constantly overlooking, taking for granted, or ignoring. This endless capacity of all-knowing awareness or intelligence is the reflecting surface that everything is appearing in and on so to speak, and everything, literally everything is THAT non dual Absolute, and there is no duality in it now or ever. This ignorance that is now being pointed to and exposed is the very ignorance that is causing your fear and psychological suffering. This suffering doesn’t have to be there.
Now this fellow is telling you that there is no “me” there that could suffer, and that that “me” is unreal like the horns on a hare, like the water in a mirage, or like the child of a barren woman. Now am I right or am I wrong? Don’t just take my word for it, after all, I might be having you on. Have a good look at it for yourself, don’t go off half cocked and say – Oh yes, I’ve heard all this before, and leave it at that. Look and SEE for yourself right now. Don’t wait or you will wait forever.
Whenever any problem, fear, or uncertainty arises, directly look and see who it is that has this fear or problem. When you really look you will not be able to find any separate person or entity there, but rather only naked awareness-consciousness. I am giving you the keys to the kingdom – the Kingdom of Heaven – His Majesty – the knowledge I AM THAT I AM! not just for three score years and ten, but rather infinitely and eternally. Use this key right now to open up your very own storehouse of unalloyed bliss – “Soham” (I am He) automatically starts functioning. Soham is endless, limitless, measureless, and is the messenger of Truth, who is self-evident. The message and the messenger are not separate in Him. The messenger is himself the joy that is the enjoyment of the endless – endless joy or bliss. Let him who has ears hear, you will then SEE without eyes and hear without ears.
This does not mean that problems will not continue to arise as long as the body lasts. However these ever arising problems will be resolved far more easily and effortlessly than previously, when you mistakenly presumed that you as the separate person or entity were running the show. When you think that you are separate then there is constant and ongoing resistance to “what is”. Resistance is conflict, and conflict is dis-ease – you are not at ease when you are in conflict – duality, us and them is conflict.
Resistance is always in regard to the reference point, that assumed entity “me”, and there isn’t one. Got it? No me, no self, then no problem now or ever. There is an appearance of a so called “me”, but it must be seen-known that appearance ‘is’ appearance or reflection and not REALITY – that which does not change – and THAT which does not change is THIS ever-present naked, non conceptual awareness – limitless intelligence, this ever-present actuality of all-knowing unborn awareness. Clear?
Resistance and conflict are suffering, and this suffering will dissipate and fall away by itself when you clearly and directly see who has it. Who is this who? I suggest that there is no who at all, there is only THAT. I am THAT Supreme Reality and so are you. SEE for yourself.
When the world is assumed to be real, the Self is not seen: but when this assumption is discarded, consciousness is realized.
The seer alone is real, the object being hallucination.
The infinite consciousness alone IS.
The world is not seen in the supreme non dual consciousness.
He sees the truth who is not deluded into thinking that he is the body which is subject to illness, fear, agitation, old age and death.
I am the unborn in whom the world-appearance has vanished.
The supreme Self has no relationship with this world-appearance.
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Notes from Kings Cross 14th August 2012
Any label that one applies to oneself is just that – a label, a concept, and not the actuality of “what is”. Your very own being, this ever present fact of your own being is the only fact that you are absolutely certain of. You cannot negate this ever present beingness, it is ineffable and inexpressible and the words and concepts can only point to and verify it, yet they can never grasp it or know it objectively.
This First Person, Present tense, Singular, is pure subjectivity without any object whatsoever. The so-called objects are in and on it and are nothing but THIS non dual Absolute, or true subjectivity. Subject and object imply duality – me and the other – and THIS that you truly and ever are, this very actuality of non duality has no duality in it at all. There is no duality in non duality – not two – now or ever. The direct seeing-knowing of THIS is the truth that sets you free.
You are always THAT non dual Absolute, so there never was a time when you were not that. Time is only a mental concept and has no reality apart from thinking and memory. Do you have a memory(name and form identity) if you don’t think about it? You would have to go to memory, which is thinking-recalling, even to say that I am Mr or Mrs So and So. So this being – pure being – not being this or that, is timeless, unborn, and Omnipresent. Aren’t you THAT? What more do you want?
In this presence – Omnipresence, is the fullness of life. You will find that it always surpasses your own wishes. The present moment holds infinite riches beyond your wildest dreams, and this is the only moment you can ever live. You can’t live a second in the past or future, because the past is being recalled presently, and the so called future is being anticipated presently also. So you never really leave the present, only in imagination. Yet you, as you appear to yourself to be as that miserable, limited human being, seem to be unaware of your vast treasure, the pearl of infinite value – Self-realization, Self-knowledge, and so content yourself with other knowledge – knowledge of others, persons, places, objects, and things. All that accumulated, conceptual learning parading as knowledge is nothing but ignorance. Ignorance of your true nature or natural state. Any and all acquired knowledge – historical, scientific, spiritual, and religious is nothing but ignorance.
To realize this directly is the only true knowledge – the knowledge I am – knowledge of Self – Self-realization. There is only THAT. All this is THAT. This awake, aware, nothing or no thing – nothing apart from THAT now or ever.Forgetting our true nature, we act like a king who behaves as a beggar in his dream.
When enlightenment dawns, you will realize that you were never born, nor have you carried out any worldly actions.Neither remembrance nor forgetfulness actually exists.
There is no awakened one; there is only Self-realization.Still a long way to go to reach this realization? How far do you have to go to reach space? This ever present space of knowing I am! No distance at all I suggest. Aren’t you aware and knowing that you are aware presently? Do you have to make any effort to be aware? Isn’t it choice less and effortless, this presence of awareness? This emptiness suffused with knowing awareness, this SPACE of knowing is boundless and without any center or circumference. Is there anything perceivable or conceivable that could be outside of this space of knowing? What would it be in? It would have to be in space, so you don’t have to do anything or go anywhere to reach this space-like awareness as you can never really be separate or apart from SPACE – knowing, cognizing-emptiness, or emptiness suffused with awareness.
So you are already THAT. Seekers are not, and never will become finders as such. So simply give up the seeking through seeing the futility if it, the futility of trying to become what you already are; and you are left here and now present and aware as you have ever been. Drop the seeking and you are home and hosed. Without that limited identity as a seeker you are this boundless SPACE of knowing in which everything appears and disappears. As that space-like awareness you are everywhere and every when. There is no place or time where you are not because every apparent thing is THAT space of intrinsic awareness-emptiness. THIS is the home and actuality of non duality and you, whether you know it or not are THAT and you cannot possibly be separate or apart from THAT. This alone is Self-knowledge and Self-realization, nothing less than this true and direct knowledge, I am, infinitely and eternally, not just for 80 years or so. First person, Present tense, Singular – non dual One without a second.
I am not talking to a person as a “person”, but to pure consciousness.
I speak to you in the language that was yours before words were first introduced to you.
However, you have to understand the meaning in the language that you have learned.
Since space and I are not different, wherever I go, that will be the place where I am already present.
I give you the knowledge of my true nature; listen to it as if it is your own.
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Notes from Kings Cross Sunday 22nd April 2012.
What we point to in all these discussions and apparent exchanges is the self evident fact of your own being. This simple, obvious and yet profound fact of your very own being; this presence of awareness that you cannot under any circumstance negate, and at the very same time you cannot grasp with any thought, word, or concept, or as any apparent object.
If it is closely looked into, THIS presence of awareness or awareness of presence is not your personal presence. It is not your presence or my presence, rather it is self-existing, self-knowing, without the need of any god there to create it. Have you ever looked into yourself in this way? Did you as the apparent entity, Mr or Mrs So and So, have any hand in creating the body-mind vehicle that you seem to inhabit, or did it arise spontaneously without your wanting it to?
How did all this happen without your permission or without your wanting it to happen or appear? Have you ever looked along these lines or considered this apparent mystery? This sense of presence, I am, that is what was born, and it wasn’t until the age of 2 or 3 years that you became aware of your existence as someone or something seemingly separate or apart from THIS ever present awareness-consciousness. The concept “I am”, and no one can grasp “I” as it is only a thought or concept; and so aided by the parents and society in general, one adds to that concept ‘I am’ all the events and experiences that occur from that early age onwards, and so takes on the false face or identity, I am So and So.
Because of this false identity with the body-mind vehicle which has arisen spontaneously, there comes with that the fear that I am going to die and disappear. Now this consciousness, “I am” that has arisen spontaneously and will depart in the same way, how has it come about, and what exactly is the cause of it? Because of what has all this come about? This is the riddle or koan that has to be solved. How did you come to be – I am So and So, and because of what are you? Unless this riddle is solved and utterly resolved, you will never know peace – the peace that passes all understanding – self-realization, the genuine, authentic, knowing of who and what you truly and ever are.
No one else can do this for you, because there is on other apart from this impersonal presence of all-knowing awareness which, up until this point; you as the imaginary entity So and So have been ignoring or taking for granted, so to speak. You could not even lift a finger or move a muscle if that animating life essence or impersonal presence of awareness was not there, yet you don’t seem to be aware of it, or to acknowledge it in any way. Isn’t this ignorance or spiritual blindness?
You are firmly in the grip of this “I” conceit or arrogance of doer ship and yet, you have never done a single thing or action of your own accord; you are not the doer of your actions, so where exactly does the question of karma come in? Karma for who exactly? Have you ever considered any of this? Isn’t it high time that you did, or is this constant psychological suffering something that you relish and enjoy? Ask yourself these questions and see for yourself, no guru or priest is going to do this inner work for you, as in your ignorance you may have somehow hoped.
Stop ignoring this naked awareness that is ever present, Omnipresent. Stop pretending to be what you are not – a limited separate human being looking out of “two” little peep holes in a stale meat-ball like head, and instead be this boundless space-like awareness that you are truly seeing out of – this space or no face that everything is appearing in. Isn’t the seeing taking place from “space” there where you are instead of out of two eyes? Isn’t the very first thing that you are seeing actually space? Can you find any center or circumference to that space of knowing where the actual seeing is taking place from?
Drop all your preconceived ideas and acquired knowledge and simply LOOK. On present evidence, without resorting to memory, words, or concepts, how many eyes are you looking out of? I suggest that you are looking out of a single edgeless eye – the Christ eye or the Buddha eye. Looking out of this single edgeless eye then your whole body if full of light – the self-evident light of awareness or naked knowing. THIS is the light that lights up every man and woman who seemingly comes into the apparent world. Know for certain, don’t think – I am the light of the world and let your light so shine before men that they will rejoice and glorify this heavenly light of naked all-knowing awareness. Wouldn’t you then rejoice and say quite confidently – I am THAT I am, that is prior to and utterly suffuses consciousness and the manifest world?
– End.
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Notes from Kings Cross Wednesday 7th September 2011
The subject that we are discussing here is non duality – One without a second, as it is pointed out in Advaita in Hinduism. This has also been expressed in all of the major world religions as well. If as the ancients and others have stated and pointed out, that Reality, God, Truth, or “what is” is non dual, non conceptual, pure awareness-consciousness, then obviously that does not leave any room for a you or a me, or any separate personal entity whatsoever. How can there be a “me” apart from consciousness? If there is one, then that is dualism or duality and what we are saying, expressing , or pointing out is that there is no duality in this ever present non dual essence of all knowing awareness-consciousness that you always and ever are; THIS ever present natural state that is neither yours nor mine, but simply “is”.
How can there be Omnipresence and “me”, Mr or Mrs So and So? That would mean that there is something added to, outside, or apart from Omnipresence, and in actuality there is only THAT. To have something outside of Omnipresence is an impossibility, so it is clear that the entity “me” is a total fiction, an imaginary entity, a phantom, or what we call in Advaita, the child of a barren woman. Now, a barren woman has never had a child in the first place, so who in fact are you who is seemingly reading this? Ask yourself these questions and find out directly for yourself, don’t wait for something or someone outside yourself to give you THIS or you will wait forever. No one is going to give you, teach you, or tell you anything. Work out your own salvation with diligence.
There is an “appearance” of duality and there could not be any manifestation at all if it did not appear in the so called pairs of opposites – day-night, sound-silence, hot-cold, man-woman etc; however, even though it may appear like that it has never changed its true nature as non dual awareness-consciousness. The sky still appears to be blue, and there still appears to be water in the mirage, however it is clearly seen and known that the sky is not blue, nor is there ant water in the mirage appearing in the distance, although there appears to be.
If through investigation and clear seeing it is directly seen and known that there is no me here separate or apart from awareness; then that being the case, if, right here and now presently I can’t find any me or separate entity whatsoever when I directly look, then might en it dawn on you that there isn’t one? If there is no me or mine apart from this awareness-consciousness right here and now on present evidence(not taking into account thought or memory) or direct investigation, then when was there ever one? Doesn’t that lead to the conclusion that there never was any separate person or entity there at any so called time, even though it was believed that there was one? There never was any separate person or entity there with any substance or independent nature of its own at any time, was there?
Rather shocking conclusion on the one hand, and yet extremely liberating on the other. If there is no self or reference point with any substance or independent nature of its own apart from this impersonal all-knowing awareness, then who can suffer, have endless problems, grow old and die etc? The answer is no one. No self, no me, no entity, no problem – isn’t that so? And this is exactly what the Buddha discovered in his moment of enlightenment under the Bod hi tree.
He directly saw or realized that all apparent forms and things were inherently empty of any any substantial self or entity as such, and that form is nothing but emptiness, and emptiness is nothing but form. Form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form. The same is true with feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. This was a genuine insight into the truth of non duality, and that is that form and emptiness are not two different things but rather one non dual essence expressing and appearing as everything – a boundless emptiness suffused with awareness – an all-knowing awareness or empty cognizance.
This cognizing-emptiness is the true nature, the natural primordial stateless state of every apparent thing. The awakening or so called enlightenment of the Buddha(Buddha means fully awake, aware) was the direct seeing-knowing that every apparent thing animate or inanimate is nothing but Buddha-nature – all knowing awareness-consciousness – cognizing emptiness. So it is emptiness itself that is doing the cognizing and not any person or entity there who can do anything. THIS is the fundamental insight that when clearly seen and known can never be lost because it is simply known that there is no person or entity present there who could gain or loose anything as all is awareness-emptiness – THIS awake nothing or no thing – THIS very wakefulness, and there is nobody, not Buddha, Christ, Ramana Maharshi, or anyone else who has ever gone beyond nothing. So get a taste of this wakefulness, this aware no thing and you have gone as far as anyone has ever gone, so to speak. In this ever present wakefulness there is no one superior or inferior to you, there is only this boundless equanimity or suchness.
This awareness-consciousness is nothing to the time-bound mind and that is why it is being ignored by the apparent entity – “me”, Mr or Mrs So and So. Therefore in emptiness(awareness) there is neither form, nor feelings, nor perception, nor mental formations, nor consciousness; no eye, or ear, or nose, or tongue, or body, or mind; no form, no sound, no smell, no taste, no object of mind; no realms of elements(from eyes to mind-consciousness); no interdependent origins and no extinction of them(from ignorance to old age and death); no suffering, no origination of suffering, no extinction of suffering, no path, no understanding, no attainment.
Because there is no attainment but only “what is”, there are no obstacles to overcome, no fear, no enlightenment, just THIS – realizing perfect Nirvana – nothing else, nothing other in non duality. All Buddhas in the past, present , and future(simply a way of talking or expressing as there is no such thing as time), thanks to this Perfect Understanding, arrive at full, right, and universal Enlightenment. Full, right, and universal Enlightenment is realizing, knowing, directly and clearly that there is no enlightenment(who or what separate entity is there that could be enlightened?), there is only THAT Supreme non dual animating life essence – not two, no other, now or ever – just THIS, nothing else! You are THAT.
End.
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