“I am” - is it near or far?

 I was recently reviewing an instruction booklet from an awakening group on Facebook. One of the initial steps that they advise was to ‘break through’ to the “I am” and abide in that.. permanently. 

They sort of intimated that it wasn’t the I-thought that Ramana or Nis talks about but rather a pure form of consciousness or I Am. They advised various zen koans and enquiry questions to this end.

The issue I have with this is that they tend to give the idea that this pure form of I Am is far aware, or something special and not immediately accessible. Unfortunately most enquirers won’t keep up with this form of enquiry and will drop out.

This is why Nis proposed a two step approach rather, as one can rest in the provisional I Am, even though it’s a concept and enquiry on that until it is seen through and departs. Much easier and accessible right now for anyone. Ramana even advises this form of enquiry in some places. Suffering lessens as well by holding onto the provisional I am, as a first step as well.

It takes a bit of time to get familiar with, but this two step approach is much easier than trying to jump into some pure and currently unavailable awareness. So use what you have right now to enquire.

Headspace App and approaches

 

I’ve been using some meditation apps lately and have found a lot of benefits in doing so regarding increased focus and attention skills. They’re also a positive use of technology in establishing beneficial mind habits and awareness throughout the day/night.

One thing however is that you need to know how to tailor the app and method to your particular routine and persona style.

I’ve found a good way to use Headspace in particular, since I took out a yearly subscription (not paid to promote this). Headspace has been great as an intro to basic concentration and mindfulness meditation proper (Pasted below from my journal):

I save the Courses and short Exercises for coffee contemplations and exercises with writing, because these focus on questions and enquiry. They contain only a partial mindfulness routine and run from 10-15 mins.

I use the Daily Meditation and the initial Beginners/Advanced Courses for formal practice 5-20m as this contains the full mindfulness routine and lends itself to a formal seated or laying practice and establishes a habit and tendency for mindfulness to become automatic.

Will post more on apps in future. 

Nature of mind- Emptiness.

“The past mind has ceased and disappeared. The future mind has not arisen or appeared. The present mind is very hard to examine. If you analyze and investigate what can be shown through reasonings—that the present mind has no color or shape; that, like space, it does not exist; that it is neither singular nor a plurality; that it does not arise; or that it is naturally luminous—you will realize it does not exist.

If both material and nonmaterial entities are things that have no essence at all and are simply nonexistent, discerning prajñā also does not exist. An analogy is fire: the fire that arises from rubbing two sticks together will burn up the sticks and, when they no longer exist, the fire that consumed them will go out on its own.

Similarly, when prajñā has proven that all phenomena—both specifically characterized and generally characterized—do not exist, that prajñā disappears and is luminosity, which has no essence at all. Thus, everything that could be a flaw (such as dullness or agitation) is cleared away.

At this point, mind does not think about anything, it does not grasp at anything. Mindfulness and attentiveness are cast aside. As long as the enemy, or thief, of characterizing or conceptualizing does not arise, rest mind that way.“

—Atiśa Dīpaṃkara Śrījñāna (982–1055), Madhyamakopadeśa

Breathing, meditation objects and zazen as an extention of presence.

When practicing 'just sitting' or 'breathing', as in seated zazen meditation, the following is helpful:

Practice becoming aware of the breath as if from inside out. The breath and belly (tantien) being an extension of one's being, "I am". In this way, there is no separation of the object (breath, belly) and subject (beingness). 

Normally, we practice watching an object, such as the breath, as if it is a separate object. We practice from the perspective of being the witness of an object. In fact, the witness, object and awareness are all just one, or 'just this' now.

A preliminary may be that of coming to know beingness, I-amness, or one's presence prior to developing concentration or calmness. This is in reverse of the usual order of first focusing on an object and developing calm, and then insight. The reverse approach is the way of the direct path, and paths such as Dzogchen.

Quintessential Dzogchen - Confusion Dawns As Wisdom

Approaching Nonduality via dualistic concepts and practices.

I was prompted to write this short post due to some readings and listenings over the last few months.

Briefly stated, I want to present the idea that there can be no approach to non-duality, or the ultimate Truth, except through dualistic concepts, or at least a basic dualistic setup.

There are a number of modern teachers who like to talk about the need for a 'direct, uncompromising pointing' to the ultimate truth. These teachers seem to indicate that their pointing totally removes the need for all practices, concepts, etc. and directly points at the ultimate truth of non-duality, which lies in the direct experience of presence, beingness, aliveness, etc.

Unfortunately, this too is a concept. The dualistic concept of beingness, presence, etc., even the actual felt sense, is still a concept. "Just this! Nobody here!" is still a concept. There is the thought-stream, mind, world etc. and then there's presence, awareness (another concept). Everything is perfect, nothing needs to be done or attained, and yet there's a pointing happening in the appearance. (Another concept). 

There's really no escape from concepts, right from the moment someone or something opens its mouth.

Then there are the time-tested teachings of the sages, which openly espouse dualistic concepts or systems for the apparent seeker to engage with, as a precursor to the direct truth of non-duality. Sometimes the direct truth is presented first (as in dzogchen, and teachings such as practical Advaita Vedanta). At other times it is reserved for a later time in one's 'progressive path', such as in traditional Buddhism, Dhyana, or Sankhya yoga.

Some examples of dualistic concepts that were used by teachers (that I'm familiar with) include:

Purusha/Prakriti (and 3 gunas) - Sankhya yoga

Pure consciousness / the witness - Sri Atmananda

Food body / consciousness - Sri Nisargadatta

ego, I-thought / Self - Sri Ramana Maharshi

mindfulness of the 4 Foundations, samsara / Nibbana - Buddhism (Theravada)

non-conceptual awareness / thought, concepts - contemporary Advaita teachers (e.g. Sailor Bob)

form / emptiness - Mahayana Buddhism

Real / unreal - Sri Sankara

Space, 'headlessness' / the world, universe - Douglas Harding


One important point on the above, is that the conceptual system presented by the teacher must in some way deconstruct itself or provide the means for its own undoing. It is of no use to be stuck in the dualistic concept or hang on to it as such when its work is done. Any valid use of a dualistic concept must contain the seed, as it were, for its own undoing or unfolding that naturally occurs, and thus make way for an understanding of the real state of things (ie. one's own nature being nothing other than non-dual existence+non-existence).

Ramana Maharshi on the topic of "family life" and liberation.

Excellent little dialogue found in "Talks". Direct pointing by the Master himself.



Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi

Talk 524.

Another pilgrim asked: I am a man with a family. Is it possible for
those in a family to get release, and if so how?

M.: Now what is family? Whose family is it? If the answers to these
questions are found the other questions solve themselves.
Tell me: Are you in the family, or is the family in you?

The visitor did not answer. Then Sri Bhagavan’s answer was
continued: Who are you? You include three aspects of life, namely,
the waking, the dream and the sleep states. You were not aware of the
family and their ties in your sleep and so these questions did not arise
then. But now you are aware of the family and their ties and therefore
you seek release. But you are the same person throughout.

D.: Because I now feel that I am in the family it is right that I should
seek release.
M.: You are right. But consider and say: Are you in the family or is
the family in you?
Another visitor interposed: What is family?
M.: That’s it. It must be known.
D.: There is my wife and there are also my children. They are
dependent on me. That is the family.
M.: Do the members of the family bind your mind? Or do you bind
yourself to them? Do they come and say to you “We form your
family. Be with us”? Or do you consider them as your family and
that you are bound to them?
D.: I consider them as my family and feel bound to them.
M.: Quite so. Because you think that so-and-so is your wife and so-and-so
are your children you also think that you are bound to them.
These thoughts are yours. They owe their very existence to you.
You can entertain these thoughts or relinquish them. The former
is bondage and the latter is release.

D.: It is not quite clear to me.
M.: You must exist in order that you may think. You may think these
thoughts or other thoughts. The thoughts change but not you. Let
go the passing thoughts and hold on to the unchanging Self. The
thoughts form your bondage. If they are given up, there is release.
The bondage is not external. So no external remedy need be sought
for release. It is within your competence to think and thus to get
bound or to cease thinking and thus be free.
D.: But it is not easy to remain without thinking.
M.: You need not cease thinking. Only think of the root of the thoughts;
seek it and find it. The Self shines by itself. When that is found the
thoughts cease of their own accord. That is freedom from bondage.

D.: Yes. I understand it now. I have learnt it now. Is a Guru necessary?
M.: So long as you consider yourself as an individual, a Guru is
necessary to show to you that you are not bound by limitations
and that your nature is to be free from limitations.