The “Last Article” and Maktub
As it gets simpler and simpler, seeing what life is, there is less and less to say (unless you’re a “teacher” or a pundit, or a professional writer…).
If I were to wander off into the wilderness, the desert – and it is something I like to do, wandering in the desert (what is the difference between wandering in and wandering off!? Who is to say!… ) – and, like Lao Tzu, wrote down for non-other others, at their request, those characters-who-appear-in-this-dream – what there is to say about “This” before disappearing in avatar form…
The notion of free will, or indeed the total and absolute lack of it for a seeming individual, and the total and absolute freedom of the totality, which is what you are – what they call the problem of “identification” – seems to be essentially important: the central point, so to speak.
This will – which is no will at all, for how can the totality have a will? In relation to what? – cannot be separated from the fact of who or what one is – thus also “identification” is so often talked about. What Consciousness sticks to as “I am”, with some effort, is false, not real, not factual, ultimately.
The Real needs no holding pattern.
“Maktub” the desert dwellers of the Middle East apparently say – “It is written” – can be interpreted in different ways, one of which – the popular way – has to do with a God, with scriptures, fate, predetermination… in other words as some sort of statement of faith (which is fine as far as it goes, is useful; as is prayer) – but in a deeper way, On Beyond Faith, on beyond Zen even to understand “It is written” (and not merely interpret it) is that “nothing is random”. Randomness is a human invention. There is intelligence, but it it not limited in the way one might think, such as to bodies or brains.
You are “God” in the sense that there is no separate God and no separate you. You don’t exist and neither does God, except as this experience now, the totality of it, without a concept. You exist and do not exist. Existence and non-existence do not exist.
Everything is collapsed, as far as what one can know, which is nothing. It collapses into This, whatever it is that is reading these words…
… which is: Not a physical mechanism (such as brain or ears or body) – which really are just concepts in a “mind” (which is also a concept in the experience-er!) – but the raw invisible direct experiencing, without a center – because it points back to the Source. But what is that?
At this point we cannot speak, because how do we talk about the unseen see-er, the Source? What is the source of experience? Any knowledge is within the experiencer, and is not the experiencer itself.
Indeed, we have these nice spiritual sounding metaphors such as “the light” or “the light of knowing”, but they really are just images: images, again, appearing in that which is experiencing, the unknown. (I suppose one could write Unknown with capital, to indicate it’s the Totality, the unknown knower, but I’d rather that the meaning of the text not depend on unusual typographical tricks). All we have, in the “end” – that is, now – is the intuition of oneness, and we can’t even be sure about that, until it is tested against reason and experience.
So if it can’t be known, and we can’t say anything about it, what then? You keep returning to the “remembrance” of what is not a memory, but rather a reminder of that which can be recognized, so to speak – not by cognition, but by reflection on the reflection of reality in appearances. That sounds complicated, so let’s try saying it this way: you are already that what you are, the ultimate, so the only thing “hiding” it, so to speak, is your ow damn self in the way. By pretending to be a separate self, we also automatically at the same time pretend to be a separate world out there, and a separate mind in here, and a body. Thus “body-mind-world” arise together simultaneously. The illusion. The illusion of separation.
If you can see through the illusion, even for a microsecond, you are free. Why? Because that microsecond is an eternity, and infinity. A “crack in the cosmic egg” as ti were, of solidity, of seeming hardness to what is really, ultimately formless, free, infinite. Everyone may have the “glimpses” into reality, but they are generally totally ignored (thus the concept of “ignorance” in spiritual circles: avidya – blindness to ultimate truth). but ignorance can only go on so long, because it is not real or true, so needs to be maintained by artificial effort, motion. This is why meditation has so often been emphasized.
The problem with meditation is that it tends to reinforce the idea of a meditator. Go figure.
Cliff Notes Summary (before you head over a cliff…)
Free Will
No free will but the totality which you (already) are (joy and freedom)
The Source
is naturally invisible, since one cannot see one’s own eye (a metaphor)
Appearance Only
The self, the seeming separate entity, is just an appearance
Simple Unity
It is Simple, a unity; the only difficulty is conditioning, and de-conditioning is ongoing and lifelong generally speaking
Effortless Being
Nothing to know or do unless there is
Identity
To “know oneself” is simply to properly identify with what Is instead of what isn’t; fact (all of the above) instead of faith, belief, imagination, or fantasy. The Myth of Enlightenment (that a person can become enlightened) is a byproduct of misidentification.
So is this really the last article? Who knows.
“The Last Cactus” ©2023 Eric Platt
Greetings Eric,
“The Last Cactus” immediately appeared as Wilson (from Cast Away), which seemed fitting for a wander off, or in, or into, or “a being” in the wilderness or desert. Continues to make me smile.
If you had said this was the “Last Article” 3,4 or 5 years ago, I would have panicked. You maybe can recall a few years back you were considering closing down the website and my panic asking if you would let me copy all the postings. Ah, how much has changed.
Between your sincere and thoughtful writing; as well as all the resources you have mentioned or quoted, I have come to that same thought – what is there to say? Or even ask? I have wanted to comment on so many of the postings the last year or two, but I would sit to write and quickly realize there is nothing I personally can express. I think the closest I came would be to find the places you (and I think Jean Klein, probably others) say “simply welcome that [thought or feeling]” — could you expound on that some please? But I never asked the question because writing it (or you having to write a response) would have no real meaning in terms of the Reality. Either one “welcomes” or not, there is nothing to welcome and no one to welcome it!! ACK!! The paradox!!!!!!
Reading Francis Lucille FINALLY made me see what I knew I had experienced, but couldn’t express. 4 times in my adult life I have been perfectly “there” — wherever that is. 3 times involved art, actually playing music. Even tho “I” was playing the instrument, “I” absolutely was not and knew it at that moment, and even after – there was a “perfection” (for lack of a better word) in that moment when there was no time, no guitar, no notes, no me, no audience, no anything – just the Oneness of that “sweetness.” It’s impossible to describe.
But, those experiences only led to the eternal searching in the wrong direction, using the wrong paths, wrong everything. I truly thank you for “snapping fingers” to catch my attention and bring me out of it. I honestly believed “I” could recreate that – if it had occurred once, it can again, and I CAN MAKE IT happen. Foolishness now I see. It already is, I just can’t stop being I.
I am in my own damn way still; without a doubt – and it’s appearing primarily in personal relationships as you’ve mentioned in writing. I am fully comfortable now with there is nothing to do, and no where to go, I AM that, as “effortless being.” And I know one day I will suddenly “close the gap” and realize the personal relationship is not “reality,” nor is that other “alleged” being. But oh, I do so seem to enjoy tormenting myself thinking I and my behaviour exist! And matter!!
I feel as if there will be something stir in you to write or share again; if so, I am confident so many of us will enjoy the read. And if not, I am just as confident so many of us will enjoy knowing the joy you are, having touched and inspired so many.
The freedom, peace and joy are all yOurs 🙂
Hi Brian – I had to look up Wilson from Cast Away before I remembered what that was, so for the sake of other readers who don’t know the reference:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1012434/
All I have to say for now is: isn’t it funny how we can keep coming to the conclusion that there’s no conclusion – other than what we make up of course. So yes, even though there are “eternal verities” that can never be pinned down by nature, there’s a lot of freedom, opportunity, and infinite potential in that.
If it’s any consolation, to the occasional sense of lack of ability to express the ultimate, let it be known that the Buddha and Jesus (if there actually were some historical figures corresponding to those names), and whatever other sage one looks up to, including Francis Lucille, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Atmananda Krishna Menon, etc. – are all in the same boat, the same position of being the seeming corporate real separate entity, and yet knowing they’re/we’re not, and having a hard time saying, with any finality, what the heck This is. Not to mention the daily phenomenon that spur one to further “What am I” questioning (yes, especially the “yoga of relationships”).
Also, further “consolation” may be had perhaps in the fact that I am toddling along, sculpting an article along the lines of expounding on the topic of Knowing the Unknown (again), in response to a philosopher who recently published an article on his use of psychedelics. It touched a nerve – not just concerning the topic of psychedelics and awakening, but academic philosophy and the common cultural assumptions we live amongst and are befogged by. Creativity marches on, whether we think we are “done” or not…
Regarding the “making it happen” thing: it’s a good subject, and one that was central to the writing of an author I love, Wei Wu Wei (Terrence Grey). In fact one of his most esteemed books – including in his own eyes – was all about what he called “non-volitional living”: All Else is Bondage. And, I understand Ramesh Balsakar was so inspired by Wei Wu Wei, that considerations of free will and non-volitional living were one of the cornerstones of his teaching.
Of course, none of this implies either passivity nor action – it prescribes nothing for a separate entity. Like any of these topics, it’s not possible to grasp with the mind, but one’s life does play out in a more harmonious and enjoyable way (including more smiles, laughter and warmth amongst fellow humanaughts) and ease in living – probably as a result of a real understanding, at a basic level, if nothing else. Indeed, one experiences more openness to being open, spontaneously … so at minimum there’s a proper orientation of the vessel while “being lived” by the ocean. 🙂
That’s all for “all I have to say” … :))