The Brahma Aperture (Opening to Creation)
ad...@sadguru.us
Some nice words from a new book of talks given by Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj available for free download at http://www.lulu.com/content/1554629 ________________________________________________ The Brahma Aperture (Opening to Creation) 4th December 1979 Maharaj: In deep sleep, nothing is. Try to catch that in the waking state. My thinking now is towards five elements. Whichever way I think, I conclude all forms are creations of five elements. Forms, with three gunas act in different ways. The basic guna is Sattva. Prakriti and Purusha are starting points- the creator of five elements. There is awareness in the Brahma aperture which is talking. The Pure Sattva like a drop of ghee (clarified butter), is the Brahma aperture. That small drop contains the picture of the whole universe. Each one’s intellect is different, so the power of intellect differs, understanding differs.
The primary nature of consciousness is to not remain constant. Objects keep on changing, when the mind stops, there is no-mind. The very nature of Consciousness is to change, but you think one thing, then the very next second, something different, if consciousness becomes steady it will be awareness. The words, including nama-roopa (name and form; mantra) cannot have, by their very nature, any steadiness. Even ideas about yourselves are bound to change. Give me an idea of what you consider as yourself, you cannot, it changes. Mind does not speak to personality, it is its creation, mind speaks to mind, boy friend, girl friend and so on, all are movements in consciousness. At that point of consciousness where one’s mind realizes the ‘I Am’ (I amness), the word, breath and mind is one. If I go to some place, sit and think and form opinions, all is mind, its movements. The Brahma aperture is Sattva (Creation comes out of Pure Sattva), harmony, and the mind is its result. Sattva created the world. The mind is also its product, when the Sattva movement stops, mind disappears and the people say ‘he is dead’.But the knower (Jnani) says, I am not consciousness, mind or Sattva, I am apart from the elements and their products. All that is seen is of five elements, however high an entity may be he is the end product of five elements. Where are the individuals or Avatars after death? The mind, the word, name and form have no independent existence apart from the five elements.
For me there is no death and birth, for the mixture of five elements, their essence, their products and forms, their starting point is Purusha and Prakriti. Purusha and Prakriti have no forms so how can they be destroyed? In fact they are the Primal Illusion ‘Moolmaya’, the root cause of the illusion.
When Consciousness begins to stir the forms and the Universe arise and these are my own body. From a tiny drop of Sattva, arises the entire Universe. Is my own body and world in that Sattva? I refuse to accept it, how can it be? It’s a lie. There is the body so I suffer, you say: there is the world, how can it all be an illusion? But the mind is a concept and all worlds are movements in consciousness, hence, false. When you see the false as false, the mind settles down and disappears. There are different human races and creeds each praises and denigrates the others. All these are movements in Consciousness, emanating from nonbeingness. My beingness sees false as false therefore, I do not comment on them. Anything that you acquire, even knowledge, is false, Zero, try to transcend the knowledge.
Only sometimes, a rare one at the time of death, will realize that he is not the body, the body disintegrates in the fire and mingles with the five elements. Brahman is a concept because it is not going to be in my association for long. Just for a short period as long as there is the beingness there is the world. For the one who realizes the departure of beingness there is bliss. The ignorant get involved with beingness, hence there is traumatic suffering for them. All is suffering; the waking, deep sleep and dream states, the five elements and three gunas. Realize this and get rid of suffering.
- Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj
__________________________________________________
To give the gift of free food click this link: |
Mark Carpenter
titled 'I am Unborn'. In your experience how does what Maharaj is
describing in his teaching coorelate with bankei's Unborn buddha mind
many people here are familiar with.
Could it be said that being-ness and the world are 2 or three steps
removed from the Unborn? Useing bankei's language.
Bankei describes the Unborn as having natural 'illiumnitative wisdom'
which seems to correspond with turiya or awareness. Does the final
reality which Maharaj talks about as parabrahman 'use' lower states as
a tool so to speak.
Thanks
On Jul 11, 8:04 pm, "ad...@sadguru.us" <ad...@sadguru.us> wrote:
> Some nice words from a new book of talks given by Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj available for free download athttp://www.lulu.com/content/1554629
Richard
"The mind must sing the 'I Am' without words."
primal illusion?
The unborn, a term used by the Buddha. Similar is Nisargadatta's, "Be
in the state that was before your
conception".
These two Nisargadatta quotes are prescriptions not descriptions. The
prescription is handed from the knowledgeable doctor to a separate
ailing individual as
something he or she needs to take. In this they fall short,
imh(?)o.
If I would have created these 2 phrases, Ram would
have told me to stop imagining and conceptualizing.
Richard
On Jul 12, 7:40 am, Mark Carpenter <carpenter...@gmail.com> wrote:
>Does the final reality which Maharaj talks about as >parabrahman 'use' lower states as a tool so to speak.
question.
I would think if there is awareness of states, this is not
the Ultimate, Parabrahman.
Ram
their appearances, activities, and disappearances.
Mahakali
says "At that point of consciousness where one’s mind realizes the ‘I
Am’ (I amness), the word, breath and mind is one." and at the end "
The mind must sing the ‘I Am’ without words." This is an example of
how important it is to meditate on the 'I Am' in order to acquire true
knowledge of the real essence of who we are.
Maharaj also says "But the knower (Jnani) says, I am not
exist and how can they be destroyed. "In fact they are the Primal
Illusion ‘Moolmaya’, the root cause of the illusion."This must
realized in the Jnani and s/he needs to stay apart from this: Sattva
included. Sattva being the Creator of everything, mind included. And,
he continues, "The ignorant get involved with beingness, hence there
is traumatic suffering for them. " He stresses how important it is to
stop becoming identified with the mind, the root of psychological
"The ignorant one dies while the one who understands is liberated. "
'understand what the elements are really like, be able to
differentiate what is true from what is false, once you've realized
this discard even this pure intellectual knowledge and,
simoulaneously, be detached from these things/events: another kind of
knowing, which does not get involved with issues or complications of
the mind, will take place'.
Even though this passage is full of beautiful subtleties, I have tried
to interpret that passage in a very broad way. Any comments on my
points?
Kali
On Jul 12, 4:04 am, "ad...@sadguru.us" <ad...@sadguru.us> wrote:
> Some nice words from a new book of talks given by Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj available for free download athttp://www.lulu.com/content/1554629
Ram
this text.
>
> - Show quoted text -
stillborn
and thus no concepts of one or of ideas such as doing, doer or done
(or Final Reality). Such ideas/thoughts are indicative of the mental
state, which in theese respects serve only as a barrier to the
percieved realization of Final Reality, for that you always are.
MarkJ
recognized by the aspirant if it can not be conceived or touched by
mind? What other tool does the aspirant have than mind to realize?
Richard
On Aug 3, 7:52 am, MarkJ <mark_jordan2...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Rhetorical question: How is this 'Final Reality' realized or
> recognized by the aspirant if it can not be conceived or touched by
> mind? What other tool does the aspirant have than mind to realize?
The "tool" is our natural selves, which is prior to consciousness,
before any mental concepts of what that is.
It is always who you are and can't be avoided.
In the same book from which the topic quote is taken ("I Am Unborn"
---- the title says much), Nis. also says, "...your true identity has
no shape, no needs.That principle is not understood by the mind." He
further says, "Become one with the 'I am' then you can transcend it,
then 'I the Absolute' am not the 'I am'."
The book has some typos and the punctuation is humorous, but the
message is wonderful. Since I only speak one language (barely), I
can't be too critical of those who attempt translations.
Ram
answers Markj's question in a manner of fashion in the original post.
"When Consciousness begins to stir the forms and the Universe arise
and these are my own body. From a tiny drop of Sattva, arises the
entire Universe. Is my own body and world in that Sattva? I refuse to
accept it, how can it be? It’s a lie. There is the body so I suffer,
you say: there is the world, how can it all be an illusion? But the
mind is a concept and all worlds are movements in consciousness,
hence, false. When you see the false as false, the mind settles down
and disappears. There are different human races and creeds each
praises and denigrates the others. All these are movements in
Consciousness, emanating from nonbeingness. My beingness sees false
as
false therefore, I do not comment on them. Anything that you acquire,
even knowledge, is false, Zero, try to transcend the
- The question that Markj asked, stated as being rhetorical, I wasn't
sure in what sense he was using the phrase rhetorical question. If he
was putting a question that he really wasn't expecting to be
answered,
or if he was just making a statement. Regardless...
The question plays directly in to the point that I was making on the
other board about NMs teaching regarding the "I Am" being an integral
part of his teaching, but not being final realization. The tool, if
you want to call it that, is the effort of staying with the sense of
"I Am." What this means is that the final realization can only come
when one first comes to the realization of, or identification with
"Beingness" (also often called as "self-realization"). This is
preliminary to final realization. This Beingness is the fourth body,
or Consciousness/Knowledge, and the realization of this is the
necessary tool, or step, required for the aspirant in said final
realization. In other places in the book he speaks about finding out
what you are not, mainly referring to the four bodies, but also the
the five elements functioning together with the three gunas.
Ranjit Maharaj used to give a very simple example about rungs on a
ladder. I can remember one specific questioner asking if it was
necessary to first realize Brahman before one could realize
Parabrahman (In this case Brahman is being referred to as the fourth
body (turya) or the Knowledge Body; the unadulterated pristine sense
of Beingness, or "I Am," and Parabrahman being final realization).
Maharaj said that, "Yes it is necessary, like going up steps or rungs
on a ladder. When climbing a ladder, one must first place one's feet
on the lower rungs, and only after both feet have been placed firmly
on the rung below is one able to lift oneself to the next rung."
Without realization at the level of Consciousness, the fourth body/
rung, one cannot step up on to the last rung(or step off the ladder/
reach the the top floor) of final realization. Obviously these are
only similes used to point to that which cannot be said in words so
they can never be really exact, and, there is no one left who
actually
steps off the ladder.
There are really two points of emphasis implied here. Firstly, that
without moving beyond identification with the gross body and the
mind(subtle body) questions about realization of the fourth body and
final realization cannot be understood. It is only from the
perspective of the Knowledge Body, that one understands Knowledge/
Consciousness correctly, and only in the stabilization in/as
Knowledge
does the realization of final reality come about. The second implied
point is that this realization does not come from the perspective of
taking oneself to be an aspirant who is using the tools of the body/
mind.
Taking oneself to be an aspirant indicates identification with the
body and mind still intact. Understanding that the body and mind are
not real is essential. More subtle aspects of the teaching and of
one's true nature cannot be understood from such a limited
perspective. It's kind of like living inside a box with no windows to
the outside, trying to see what exists outside of the box. It cannot
be done. The beauty of the clarity and simplicity of the teaching of
this sampradaya is that is an easy to follow methodical approach of
giving teaching about, and the correct understanding of, the four
bodies, the nature of the five elements, three gunas, the nature of
the Primal Illusion (Moolamaya), and of final realization. It is only
after understanding the unreal nature of the four bodies and even
Beingness itself that one is able to arrive at final realization.
This
is what NM is indicating above.
There is much emphasis in advaita teachings put on using the power of
discrimination (viveka) and enquiry into one's true nature (vichara).
There are many misconceptions and much confusion about what
discrimination and enquiry are in the minds of most aspirants.
Discrimination and enquiry are initially tools used by the mind, but
if used correctly, these tools become more subtle than the mind as
one
progresses. Discrimination becomes a recognizing of what is changing
or transient and what is unchanging and eternal, from the perspective
of the unchanging. The mind is constantly changing and cannot see the
unchanging that sees it. That's the real power of discrimination in a
nutshell. Enquiry is investigation into what you are not, which
leaves
you with what you eternally are. These are the two feet that one
utilizes as stepping up the rungs of the ladder. From the perspective
of the absolute or final reality, even the top rung of Knowledge or
Beingness is known to be transient, thus ultimately unreal.
It sees or knows all of the lower bodies, but none know it. It exists
before the appearance of all the bodies, during their duration, and
remains after their disappearance (which is sure to come).
Richard
The ladder rungs.... When one is established at any level (body,
Knowledge, or whatever) isn't there always that on another rung that
says or realizes, "My body" or "My Knowledge"? Thus the identity is
seen as not ultimate because there is that which says "My"?
Ram
Rungs of ladder, my body, my knowledge are all just concepts, used for
the purpose of trying to communicate something. This is all just
mindstuff. Take it for granted that it's all not true and be out of
it. That's the main point. Understand this much and such questions,
and the sense of me and my do not arise. It's that simple, but the
mind has the habit of wanting to label everything, and put everything
into nice little packages of information that it understands. This
only complicates what is not complicated. This approach is old and
worn out, and only amounts to an excercise in futility. Putting the
stamp of "Brahman" or "not true" on everything is a much more direct
and simple approach.
:~)
Richard
With all due respect, if I can't use the conceptual analogies you have
used, how can I participate in this group? Or how to participate
without using or picking up on any concepts at all and still use
language?
I am aware of the lila of this all, but want to play anyhow.
By the by (as I imagine some still say in England) I thought your long
post in this topic was awesome. Thanks for it.
Also felt stillborn's post speaks very well to the point.
Ram
Agreed, only concepts can be used for purpose of discussion.
The only suggestion that I have is to try to extract the essence of
what was said, and not take comments personally. No one can halt the
habit of the mind to want to say something besides oneself.
MarkJ
I posed the question to spark deeper inquiry but wasn't sure if it
would receive an answer directly.
I like the ladder picture.
Mark