Part 2 - Realization | |
| The Timelessness of the Great Awareness | [TOP] |
He, who becomes conscious of the Great Awareness, who realizes its
functioning and who actively applies this insight to his life, - in him
awakens all knowledge presently concealed, - and also knowledge of the
future, deemed unborn and unconceived yet.
Experiencing the present is the natural state of our consciousness. Yet
to purposely experience itself, consciousness constructs its very own
time-frame around this present.
(The present is the only
time in which we access reality. Our life is only what we NOW
experience and feel. – Even when we think of 'the past' or plan 'the
future', we do this only in the present.
All other times
are 'mental' constructs that support us to experience our transitory
appearance in this [material] manifested world.)
| Consciousness in Its True State | [TOP] |
Whoever genuinely searches for the core, for the true, original state
of his consciousness, promptly discovers that it is easily grasped and
easily understood, - even if our matter-oriented senses cannot perceive
it.
The very core of consciousness is naked, immaculate, not made of
anything, free of any pre-programmed content, without duality and
colour, transparent, timeless, unimpeded, untouched by differentiation,
not recognizable as a separate thing, but only as the unity of all
things, yet not composed of them.
Nor is our own (personal) awareness separate from other awarenesses, - from the awarenesses of others.
Whoever perceives the core of the ONE Awareness also realizes the
immutable eternal presence of the manifested worlds residing in it.
The ONE Great Awareness – uncreated and unmanifested, unformed,
self-radiant, encompassing every location and path this world contains,
- which carries within the experiencing of its own wideness, - which
shines forth for all living beings and can be perceived by everyone at
any time, - being beyond all thoughts, - IS the primordial substance in
which all aspects are united, in which all aspects are ONE.
Whoever truly understands and applies this knowledge, realizes all set forth above.
| Consciousness Is Non-Created | [TOP] |
Consciousness in its true, all-encompassing nature is non-created. What
consciousness radiates and causes, radiates by itself. – Thus, whoever
claims it was created, never really experienced the true nature of
Consciousness.
Since nothing except Consciousness exists, there also exists no object
outside of Consciousness upon which to meditate. - Thus, whoever
meditates on such (irreal) objects, never meditatively experienced the true nature of Consciousness.
The ONE Awareness encompasses ALL that exists. Its true nature is
eternal – without beginning, without end. – Thus, whoever claims that
there's beginning or an end, never realized the majestic timelessness
of his own Consciousness.
Someone who never truly searched for and found the core of his consciousness ...
- who never directly experienced that Consciousness exists beyond everything manifested and also encompasses all Unmanifested, …
- who
never experienced Consciousness in its original, primordial nature, -
never in its unmanifested, uncreated state beyond form …
- who never experienced how Consciousness carries all potentialities within itself, …
… what worth carries his claim that Consciousness was somehow created?
Consciousness IS, – born of itself, - without cause, without an
objective set for its manifested and unmanifested existence, - without
anything existing outside of it.
Consciousness in its true nature cannot be grasped by intellect alone.
Insight into its true nature cannot be acquired, cannot be obtained by
any specific course of action, by studying, by learning a certain
knowledge, by special blessings etc.
Insight of this highest
nature dawns once our time for this has come, - to then consequently
unfold complete freedom and sovereignty within us.
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Like the essential nature of the All-encompassing Awareness which is
free of all restriction and manifestation and not built on anything
external, so also your awareness – your very own, personal awareness – is independent, free, limitless and vast as the sky.
Seek deep thine radiance in your awareness, - there you'll find how true this is.
Vast, limitless is Self-Born Wisdom. Without beginning, without end its
brightness shines forever like the sun, - everlasting like eternity, -
everlasting in the eternal present.
Seek deep thine radiance in your awareness, - there you'll find how true this is.
Highest Wisdom is indestructible, beyond doubt, continuous like the ever-flowing current of a river.
Objects und conditions appearing in our life are a mere flux of
instability like fluttering air at the horizon, - mere apparitions that
have no power on their own to fascinate and fetter.
Appearances – all appearances
– truly are mere concepts, mere notions, mere ideas, self-conceived by
our mind like images, like the reflections of a mirror.
Lacking real substance and fleeting like passing clouds, all external
appearances verily fade away eventually back into their own respective
places.
Seek deep thine radiance in your awareness, - there you'll find how true this is.
| Your Life's Deep Purpose | [TOP] |
Only in your very own awareness you'll discover the
true motivation why you attained existence, - only here you find the
purpose, the very basis of your being.
- Meditation that reveals such insight thus needs to happen in your mind, in your awareness, - no other place provides such access
- Here
only – in your awareness – do you find truth that utterly convinces
you, - only here you find true orientation who you really are, where
you are and where it pays to go from here
- No other – alternative – place exists where liberation can be reached.
Thus teach and practice nothing that leads elsewhere.
Seek ever anew thine own radiance deep within your own awareness.
When you look outwards, into the void, into the emptiness of space, there's no place where consciousness does shine.
And also when looking inwards, - into your mind trapped in material
existence - to here locate this shine, you find nothing there that
radiates, that glows or glistens.
Awareness – The Great Awareness – is transparent, with no tangible qualities.
Its nature is the clear light of wideness, is the infinity of purpose
of existence. The nature of Awareness equals the cloudless sky where
nothing can be seen, that itself cannot be seen, yet which contains
everything. Awareness – your awareness – cannot be grasped, not be
described in categories of limited life.
Awareness is not plurality, is not duality.
Awareness is all-encompassing, all-penetrating, being aware of everything.
Great, truly, is the difference between knowing and not knowing how precious this knowledge really is.
| The Wondrousness of This Wisdom | [TOP] |
This Clear Light, eternally unborn, originating in itself, is a parentless child of Wisdom.
Wondrous is this.
Being non-created, it manifests Natural Wisdom.
Not having known birth, it knows not death.
Though it is Total Reality, there's no perceiver of it.
Wondrous is this.
Though it acts within the world of appearances, evil doesn't defile it.
Though it perceives the import of teachings leading to enlightenment, it stays unallied to good.
Although owned by all beings, it is not recognized.
Thus those who do not know this path and its significance seek other
gains. And though the Clear Light of Reality shines inside their own
mind, the multitude hunts for it elsewhere.
Wondrous is all this.
| The Fourfold Great Path | [TOP] |
Treasure this wisdom, - it opens access to the invisible, brilliant Awareness residing deep within you.
- This is the most excellent of teachings.
- This
is the most excellent of meditations, - devoid of mental concentration,
all-embracing, free of every imperfection, complete.
- This is the most comprehensive of practices, - it makes aware of the unmanifested, uncreated state within.
- This is the most excellent of results, – it awakens the incredible, the unimaginable in the most natural way.
These four components – clear, flawless wisdom, meditation that's
all-embracing, practice that never errs, and The Incredible as outcome
– are called the Fourfold Great Path.
| This Fourfold Great Path awakens The Immutable Continuous Light of Clear Wisdom within -
- which unfurls before us all-penetrating vision of the three times.
(The
three times - present, past and future – encompass the entirety of our
material existence. The clarity that now opens satisfies each and every
open question and completes any remaining unfulfilled material desire.)
Thus each of these four – highest wisdom, all-encompassing meditation,
activity focused on enlightenment, and experiencing The Great, The
Fantastic – are also called 'The Great Light'.
| How do the three times – our material existence – appear to us once we experience the Great Awareness?
- Past and future we cease to engage in once we perceive the Exalted Awareness; we intentionally abstain from recalling 'past' events.
(This
does not mean that these events cease to exist. We simply condense what
we experienced in the three times – in the material world – into one holistic
insight, - similarly as we also do not recall each single move of our
childhood that trained us to effectively steer our body as an adult. We
condensed these particular experiences of our youth into one holistic skill we now – as a grown up - proficiently access at any time we want.
A similar process of our consciousness condenses what we experienced during material existence into one holistic insight that enriches our perception in the Exalted Awareness.)
- The future - (which
– in reality - is a mere mixture of desires, fears and anticipation we
project onto a virtual place we call 'future', but which has no real
existence beyond these moody emotions) - is not welcomed and thus we intentionally sever it completely from our present.
- The present – (as we confront it during material existence) – cannot be fixed, cannot be held on to, and thus stays in a state of vagueness, of voidness.
(Present,
past and future – as universally valid they might appear to us as long
as we experience material existence, - for the Great, Exalted Awareness
they merely are facades, are mere appearances laying like a veil before
our vision, having no more reality than dreams or illusions.)
| The Path to Enlightenment | [TOP] |
[ Connecting Our Current State of Existence to the Exalted Awareness ]
There being no thing on which to meditate, no meditation is there whatsoever.
There being no thing to go astray, no going astray is there, - if we
are guided by our archaic imprint of the Exalted Awareness.
Without meditating, without going astray, focus attention on that
brilliant True State within, - on recognizing and treasuring your own
Great Self, - on perceiving the all-embracing, complete knowledge you
possess, - on enlightenment born of its own power; - focus on Truth radiant
in brilliant light inside of you. That resplendent brightness, that
sovereignty and power you there see IS that enlightened, perfect being
you really ARE.
In this realm of wisdom, transcendent of
all meditation, naturally illuminative, where there's no going astray,
where we perceive the emptiness of all concepts and doctrines, - there
we recognize that liberating our Self and realizing the Great Origin's
true broadness is an essential part of our being's purpose.
Without realizing this, the goal of this path is unattainable.
But simultaneously with this realization we also gain perfect enlightenment.
The wisdom taught herein is immeasurable, encompassing all knowledge in
all infinity and depth, - still it is contemplated, mulled over and
categorized in many ways. Yet for the Great Awareness no two such
things as contemplator and contemplation do exist.
Once this
is understood in all its depth, the seeker of this knowledge - on
perceiving the Exalted Awareness - fuses completely with this teaching,
though the seeker himself when sought cannot be found.
Thereupon is attained the goal of all seeking, and also the end of the search itself.
Then, nothing more is there to be sought; nor is there need to seek anything.
This beginningless, vacuous, unconfused Clear Wisdom of cognizing one's
own Self is the essence – is the core - of total freedom from the
restrictions of material existence.
Though there are no
two separate things as knowing and not knowing, there do exist
innumerable profound types of meditation, - whose end is the supreme
triumph of knowing the Great Awareness – the majesty of one's own mind.
Though no two separate things as the object of meditation
and the meditator exist, - yet if the meditator of meditation is sought
and not found, thereupon the goal of meditation is reached and also the end of meditation itself.
And even if meditator and the object of his meditation are no two
separate things, we nevertheless should not forego meditation (and thus fall under the sway of veiling ignorance);
- for when we meditatively experience the Great Awareness's quiescence
unmodified in our mind, the clarity of non-created Wisdom instantly
shines forth as the result.
And even if there are
innumerable profound practices, they all do not exist for Awareness in
its True State, - because there are no two separate things as existence
and non-existence.
There being no two separate things as practice and practitioner, - yet if the practitioner of practice is sought and not found, thereupon the goal of all practice is reached and also the end of practice itself.
There being nothing since eternity that needs to be practiced, thus there's no need to practice anything that leads astray.
Perception of the non-created, self-radiant Wisdom - actionless,
immaculate, beyond acceptance or rejection, - is itself the perfect
practice.
And even though no two separate things as pure
and impure exist, an immense variety of fruits of association with the
Exalted Awareness can be experienced; - yet those whose mind is founded
in Awareness in its True State, perceive these fruits as mere
expressions of the world of appearances in their unmanifested,
potential condition.
And even if no two separate things as
action and the performer of action exist, - yet if one seeks the
performer of action and no performer is found anywhere,
thereupon the goal of all attempts to obtain fruit is reached, and also
the final consummation of these fruits itself.
No other
method to obtain this special fruit exists, only the one depicted here,
- thus don't allow that the dualities of trusting and distrusting, of
accepting and rejecting this knowledge distract you from this path.
Realizing the self-radiant, self-born Wisdom, - insight that this
Wisdom expresses in the manifestation of the material worlds, - and
that this all springs forth from the Exalted Awareness which cognizes
itself in this process, - is the very fruit of attaining ultimate
liberation, - is final, perfect enlightenment.
| Freedom From Eternally Transitory Aims | [TOP] |
This Wisdom releases from striving for aims we never can reach.
(Transitory
aims are unattainable, even if tradition or society defines their
pursuit as desirable. Freedom from such fruitless endeavour releases
time and energy for something more effective.)
- This knowledge brings freedom from 'The Middle Path' (which
– according to Buddhism - fosters spiritual growth without requiring
austere activities like renunciation, asceticism, penance etc.
Yet the more one tries to engage in 'The Middle Path', the more elusive
it becomes. Even Buddhists state that no one – except Buddha – ever
reached enlightenment [awakening] by way of this path.)
Perceiving the Great Awareness requires no austere behaviour, but IS the awakening.
- This knowledge liberates from the need to acquire 'Wisdom'.
The 'wisdom' the world of appearances strives for brings no
enlightenment since this is not its goal. 'Wisdom' only produces
contrast to those who are 'less wise'. – The depth and broadness of the
Great Awareness on the other hand is continuous, ever-present in our
life, - and unfolds without us needing to acquire 'wisdom' first.
- This knowledge liberates from the need to contemplate the five basic elements of the cosmos ('The Essence of the Buddhas').
– The Great Awareness encapsulates this essence in its unlimited width.
Once we perceive This, whatever basics there are in the cosmos
inevitably open up to our consciousness.
- This knowledge liberates from any search 'How to Reach The Other Shore Beyond Bodily Existence'.
Whatever effort is spent to find knowledge of our existence beyond our
bodily form never achieves the longed for clarity about this special
crossing.
Perceiving The Exalted Awareness dissolves all fear of dying (all fear of the transition to an altered type of experience). Would the power of this knowledge be known to all beings, much fear and insecurity would lift from the material world.
- Similarly no special action (renunciation,
asceticism, spiritual techniques, religious or magic rites, prayers,
blessings, cleansings, or strictly obeying a guru's instructions etc.) can 'Free Our Awareness'.
Those having reached enlightenment experience that Awareness IS without
beginning or end, - thus what particular action could possibly lead
there?
- This knowledge liberates from searching 'The Foundation Of Everything'.
Since the Great Awareness continuously expands dynamically, there simply is no (static) 'Foundation Of Everything'.
- 'Common
Sense' only occurs within the framework of material existence. Striving
for such rationality will keep a person locked within these bounds.
Yet regardless what elegant and splendid names be given to fleeting
aims, - what other Wisdom than that of the Great Awareness do we really
long for deep inside?
To desire more than this Wisdom is
to be like one who seeks an elephant by following its footprints, when
the elephant itself has long been found.
| Connecting to the Great Reality | [TOP] |
And even if we seek throughout all the material worlds, - the Exalted, Pure Awareness cannot be found except in our mind.
Who does not know this and seeks the Self outside his mind won't find it there.
Who thus seeks to know himself is like a fool giving a performance in
midst a crowd, forgets who he really is and then seeks everywhere to
find himself.
This simile also applies to erring in other ways.
Release from the constriction of material existence stays unattainable
as long as the true natural state of substances and the Clear Light of
Awareness is unknown or not perceived.
As long as we don't see the Great, Exalted Awareness in our mind, we have no access to enlightenment.
Enlightenment and its Wisdom seem utterly separate from the unreal,
daydreaming illusion of material existence, - yet in reality they
cannot truly be differentiated.
It is an error to conceive them otherwise than as ONE.
Erring and non-erring are, intrinsically, also a unity.
When we stop seeing consciousness as duality and permit our mind to (again) expand to the true broadness of its primordial all-comprehensive state, we attain liberation.
(While inhabiting a body we are deeply inclined to relate to the world outside of
our mind and body as fundamentally different from our consciousness.
This approach – called duality in this text – blocks the true nature
and the immense abilities of our awareness. Once we stop forcing this
restricting attitude on our consciousness, - once we give it [us] all
freedom to experience its [our] original exalted status, our 'small'
awareness automatically and naturally expands until it experiences its
own fantastic nature and width. Experiencing this expansion is
incredibly beautiful.
We reach this state by intentionally
giving up blockages – i.e. by dissolving erroneous prejudices, flawed
ideas, restrictive doctrines etc. - that lock our awareness into their
current narrow limits.)
If we (erroneously) envision our awareness as separate from the external world (as a duality), this is not brought about by ignorance, but by us never having sought to really experience our Great Self.
Seek within thine own self-illuminating, self-originating Exalted
Awareness – firstly - from where all such flawed concepts rise, -
secondly – which (small) region of your being they really affect, and – lastly - whither they vanish.
This process of realization is similar to that of a crow which,
although already in possession of a pond, flies off elsewhere to quench
its thirst, and finding no other drinking-place returns to the original
(known) pond.
Similarly the radiance the ONE Awareness emanates, by emanating from our own consciousness, emancipates our awareness.
The ONE Awareness, omniscient, all-comprehensive, immaculate, eternal,
unobscured as the empty sky, shining clearly, imperishable in
self-originated Wisdom - is Itself the Only Great Reality.
The entirety of the visible universe also is (merely) an expression (just one of many signs) of the ONE Awareness.
By knowing the ONE All-Encompassing Awareness in our mind, we know it to be free of every limitation as the clear sky.
Equating the cloudless sky with the Great Reality is meant merely as an analogy.
It links the unreality of visible things to the sky's apparent
emptiness, - yet experiencing the Great Awareness does not depend on
whether or not we understand this special simile.
Therefore – retain your perception of the All-Awareness – never stray from this Great Path.
| The Validity of Mental Constructs | [TOP] |
Concepts (philosophies, ideologies, belief-systems, dogmas) are all deceptive, illusory in their very nature, - none of them are real, - and all of them always fade out in the end.
All theories of the Whole, of the world of appearances, of enlightenment, are nothing more than mental constructs.
Changes in our sequence of ideas and views trigger respective changes in our vision of the external world.
Thus, the multitude of views regarding the material world spring merely
from a multitude of continuously changing mental concepts.
Human beings conceive ideas in differing ways.
The unenlightened see - outside themselves - only external, transitory duality and diversity.
All theories and doctrines are always seen through tinted glasses of our own mental concepts.
As a thing is viewed, so it appears to be to us.
Yet to see things as multiplicity, and to cling onto such separateness, is to err.
Now follows insight how mental concepts work.
Perceiving the Radiance which shines without being seen, is Enlightenment.
By not controlling one's thoughts, one errs.
Who understands the thought-process in one's mind and gives it direction, automatically attains liberation.
In general, all things mentally perceived are nothing else than concepts.
The bodily forms in which the world of appearances is expressed are also concepts of the mind.
'The material appearance of beings' is also a mental concept.
'The happiness of gods in their heavens and in the worlds of men' is another mental concept.
'The three unhappy states of suffering' (
- Tangible suffering: - Illness, loss etc.
- suffering triggered by change: - the tendency to cling to a preceding state once life-circumstances are shifting, and
- suffering
triggered by awareness of our present limited state of existence: - the
fact that we currently do not experience our true exalted state)
are also mere concepts of the mind.
'Ignorance, miseries, and the Five Poisons' (hate, pride, greed, jealousy and ignorance caused by intentionally not wanting to comprehend,) are likewise mental concepts.
'Self-originating Divine Wisdom' is also a concept of the mind.
'Full realization once one passes into Enlightenment' is also a concept of the mind.
'Misfortune caused by demons and evil spirits' is also a concept of the mind.
'Gods and the good fortune they cause', are also concepts of the mind.
Likewise, the various' perfections (wisdom, patience, abilities etc.) are mental concepts.
Deep, subconscious yoga-induced trance' is also a mental concept.
The colour of any objective thing is also a mental concept.
'The form- and qualityless nature of the Unmanifested' is also a mental concept.
'The One and the Many in the Exalted Awareness' is also a mental concept.
'Existence and non-existence', as well as 'The Non-Created', are concepts of the mind.
| Realization and The Great Liberation | [TOP] |
Nothing save Awareness is perceivable.
Awareness - when uninhibited - conceives all that comes into existence.
That which comes into existence is like the wave of an ocean.
He who perceives beyond all dualities achieves Liberation.
It's irrelevant what 'mind' or 'Awareness' is called, - truly Awareness is ONE, - apart from Awareness nothing exists.
That Unique ONE Awareness is not built on anything and has no roots in anything.
Nothing else needs to be realized.
The Non-Created is the Non-Visible.
By knowing the invisible Broadness and the Clear Light and seeing them as ONE (since plurality does not exist in the Unmanifested),
one's own Clear Awareness is perceived. Yet exactly because no
plurality exists in the Unmanifested, the Great, Exalted Awareness (in its entirety) cannot be known. (This would require duality – i.e. an external, separate observer different from the Great Awareness.)
Awareness is beyond nature, yet is experienced in bodily forms.
Realization (unrestricted perception) of the ONE Awareness constitutes Ultimate Deliverance.
Without mastery (without deliberate steering) of our mental processes realization cannot be achieved.
Similarly, sesame seed is the source of oil, and milk the source of
butter, - yet not until the seed is pressed and the milk churned do oil
and butter appear.
So also sentient beings ARE the Great
Awareness in its very essence, yet not until they realize this can they
attain Enlightenment.
By realizing this even a simple, untrained person attains Liberation.
Next: - The Tibetan Book Part 3 - Conclusion
Author: Hermann Kuhn
Book-Title: 'Where NOTHING Seems To Be'
ISBN: 978-3-9811466-1-5
Copyright 2009 Crosswind Publishing, Wunstorf, Germany
Available in pdf-format at DOWNLOADS
www.where-nothing-seems-to-be.com
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