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a "fun" exercise!?
Defining the indefinable: an exercise in revealing
I had a comment about the blog that it might be a bit “big”!? I think it was implied that there were a lot of words and some unfamiliar terms. I had a little epiphany about translation. If it were a foreign word you would certainly look it up and translate it to your native language…..so let’s translate our own language.
I have found that when I read something and it sends me scrambling for a dictionary, or a quick Google search it is usually a good thing. We are preconditioned by our society to nod like bobble heads even when we really don’t understand. Stand up for yourself and dig into what you really do and don’t know. A great Dharma teacher once said “not knowing is most intimate”. Words and languages are, in general, insufficient in trying to convey the deeper feeling sensations and experience. So If I have to look up a word or break down a phrase it brings the true picture of reality a little closer. If it is a word I am unfamiliar with then all the better because I am released from the normal judgments and preconditioned ideas I would normally try to bring.
Let’s look at a phrase that could give me pause and how I might break it down……..
Abiding in the universal consciousness
Abiding= enduring, remaining, surviving, long-lasting, permanent, unshakable, steadfast
Permanent= enduring, lasting, eternal, undying, stable, undeviating, unending.
Undying= eternal, everlasting, constant, ceaseless, perpetual
Next we have IN? As opposed to out? Where is in? Where is out? How about with? But that implies self and other, self and consciousness as separate. This is impossible to put words on so how do we go about being consciousness beyond knowledge and awareness beyond the egoic mind?
Universal= worldwide, common, collective, entire, complete
Complete= total, whole, absolute, inclusive
Absolute = total, complete, utter, unqualified
Interesting here is the parallel adjective that comes up with this is unconditional! These are the kinds of connections that start to poke holes in the veil for me.
Consciousness= awareness, realization, notice, perception.
Realization= understanding, comprehension, recognition, apprehension, insight, grasp
Understanding= sympathetic, perceptive, accepting…
Sympathetic= concerned, kind, compassionate, benevolent
I notice none of these words mean intelligence, or knowledge in the sense of being acquired. Hence the teaching that the falling away of the mind is a path to consciousness. Consciousness exists beneath the layers of ego-mind and judging/perceiving mind. Consciousness IS?
We can now re-write the original phrase with any combination of the words above and see if the words ring any deeper in to our true selves. Like this:
Abiding in universal consciousness=
Constant, common awareness
Enduring, worldwide realization
Unshakable, absolute awareness
Undying, unqualified understanding (I had to, it’s all about “U”)
I think you get the picture. The “in” becomes unneeded to complete the picture and the perception gets deepened. Do those phrases break through a few more of the layers? I hope so! Try this with your favorite (or least favorite?) spiritual/religious quote. The process is simple if you have a word processor with a dictionary function. Simply highlight the first word in the phrase and hit “look up” or dictionary and list the meanings, pick one that rings true to you and repeat…..let me know how it worked for you
Bright Blessings to you all
Mike
I had a comment about the blog that it might be a bit “big”!? I think it was implied that there were a lot of words and some unfamiliar terms. I had a little epiphany about translation. If it were a foreign word you would certainly look it up and translate it to your native language…..so let’s translate our own language.
I have found that when I read something and it sends me scrambling for a dictionary, or a quick Google search it is usually a good thing. We are preconditioned by our society to nod like bobble heads even when we really don’t understand. Stand up for yourself and dig into what you really do and don’t know. A great Dharma teacher once said “not knowing is most intimate”. Words and languages are, in general, insufficient in trying to convey the deeper feeling sensations and experience. So If I have to look up a word or break down a phrase it brings the true picture of reality a little closer. If it is a word I am unfamiliar with then all the better because I am released from the normal judgments and preconditioned ideas I would normally try to bring.
Let’s look at a phrase that could give me pause and how I might break it down……..
Abiding in the universal consciousness
Abiding= enduring, remaining, surviving, long-lasting, permanent, unshakable, steadfast
Permanent= enduring, lasting, eternal, undying, stable, undeviating, unending.
Undying= eternal, everlasting, constant, ceaseless, perpetual
Next we have IN? As opposed to out? Where is in? Where is out? How about with? But that implies self and other, self and consciousness as separate. This is impossible to put words on so how do we go about being consciousness beyond knowledge and awareness beyond the egoic mind?
Universal= worldwide, common, collective, entire, complete
Complete= total, whole, absolute, inclusive
Absolute = total, complete, utter, unqualified
Interesting here is the parallel adjective that comes up with this is unconditional! These are the kinds of connections that start to poke holes in the veil for me.
Consciousness= awareness, realization, notice, perception.
Realization= understanding, comprehension, recognition, apprehension, insight, grasp
Understanding= sympathetic, perceptive, accepting…
Sympathetic= concerned, kind, compassionate, benevolent
I notice none of these words mean intelligence, or knowledge in the sense of being acquired. Hence the teaching that the falling away of the mind is a path to consciousness. Consciousness exists beneath the layers of ego-mind and judging/perceiving mind. Consciousness IS?
We can now re-write the original phrase with any combination of the words above and see if the words ring any deeper in to our true selves. Like this:
Abiding in universal consciousness=
Constant, common awareness
Enduring, worldwide realization
Unshakable, absolute awareness
Undying, unqualified understanding (I had to, it’s all about “U”)
I think you get the picture. The “in” becomes unneeded to complete the picture and the perception gets deepened. Do those phrases break through a few more of the layers? I hope so! Try this with your favorite (or least favorite?) spiritual/religious quote. The process is simple if you have a word processor with a dictionary function. Simply highlight the first word in the phrase and hit “look up” or dictionary and list the meanings, pick one that rings true to you and repeat…..let me know how it worked for you
Bright Blessings to you all
Mike
0
Comments
From my POV.
But that's being pedantic as to the meaning of the phrase as opposed to the definition.
Be careful about using thought-processes in this way. (This is the way of the 4th Precept.... Idle Chatter.....)
If - and I say if - the processes create more confusion, they are counter-productive to practice....
We can suppose universal may not apply because first it must be assumed that the "universe" exists and is not just a part of the dream/ false reality that the Buddha speaks of. But universal is all encompassing, all inclusive and as close to IT as we can get. Realizing that we are all things and not separate from any of the perceived external world what consciousness could "you" or "I" have that is not universal?
The point is to translate our own language until we break it down to a point we can feel it rather than think it and it becomes much more of an experience. Experience is the only truth we have. there are no words in experience. Sorry you feel this is idle chatter, I posted this because of exactly the opposite reason.
Blessings
Mike
It's a bit like the Tao... if you can explain it - you haven't got it.....
I would say it's a bit like the Buddha's silent sermon, when he simply held up the flower, and Maha-Kashapa was the only follower to get it....
Ultimately, words are superfluous.....
She said, going on and on.....!!
By the light of the Dharma Seals, we recognise nibbana - or are you suggesting that the Buddha considered this to be a 'false reality'?
When I was considering the question of "world as dream", I had to ask myself how it would be possible to see the world yathabhutam if there is no world to see.
Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble or a shadow,
Like dew or like a lightning flash.
Contemplate them thus.
~Diamond Sutra verse 32
Very Advaita , as Simon pointed out - the universe is Maya, a mere illusion etc. Whilst this may be useful for cultivating dispassion we should not actually reify such statements into a philosophy of the absolute, as we can quickly resemble a dog chasing its tail.
You are right when you say "feel it rather than think it and it becomes much more of an experience". I suppose there are many ways of getting there and dissecting language may help to some extent in busting our preconceived notions and biases.
Better to try to drop it altogether. The experience is waiting to be felt and it does not require arduous training or preconditions.
Indeed.
Don't worry mate, people misunderstand me all the time. It's the internet syndrome.
Namaste
Kris