The End is a Bend

[AiR]

What is the difference between one who has realized the truth and one who has not? A simple analogy can explain this difference.

The one who has not realized the truth will look at the road that has nothing beyond and say, “I have reached the end.” But the one who has realized the truth looks at the same road that has nothing beyond and says, “It’s not the end. It’s a bend!”

What is the meaning of this thought? Most of us mortals believe that we live and then we die, that is, after death, the life is over. We are not sure whether there is a heaven or there is a hell, and whether we will be punished or rewarded. We think that may be there is something beyond and maybe there will be an evaluation of our life, but what we really believe is that this is the end of life. That’s why if anyone who we know passes away, our understanding is that he has gone, it’s over, and his life is finished. In general, we all think that many of the famous personalities, who lived in the past, are not alive anymore. For instance, Akbar the Great is no more. According to most of us, the lives of Christopher Columbus – the explorer and Alexander the Great – the conqueror are over. We believe that Mother Teresa lived once upon a time, and now, her life is over. Do any of us believe that their life still continues? No, we don’t.

But the one who has realized the truth doesn’t think this way. He looks at the end and believes that there is a bend and that life doesn’t end. So death is just a bend, not an end, and he understands that after giving up the physical body, his true self – the divine spirit, soul, or Atman – turns and chooses another body, and this other body is not the end, but just a bend in his life.

If we really want to realize the truth, we must learn to understand that life never ends. The life of the body ends. The life of our spirit, our divine spirit, or Atman never ends. It goes on and on. We are immortal!

AiR

 

[Unveiled Artist]

What is the difference between one who has realized the truth and one who has not? A simple analogy can explain this difference.

The one who has not realized the truth will look at the road that has nothing beyond and say, “I have reached the end.” But the one who has realized the truth looks at the same road that has nothing beyond and says, “It’s not the end. It’s a bend!”

What is the meaning of this thought? Most of us mortals believe that we live and then we die, that is, after death, the life is over. We are not sure whether there is a heaven or there is a hell, and whether we will be punished or rewarded. We think that may be there is something beyond and maybe there will be an evaluation of our life, but what we really believe is that this is the end of life. That’s why if anyone who we know passes away, our understanding is that he has gone, it’s over, and his life is finished. In general, we all think that many of the famous personalities, who lived in the past, are not alive anymore. For instance, Akbar the Great is no more. According to most of us, the lives of Christopher Columbus – the explorer and Alexander the Great – the conqueror are over. We believe that Mother Teresa lived once upon a time, and now, her life is over. Do any of us believe that their life still continues? No, we don’t.

But the one who has realized the truth doesn’t think this way. He looks at the end and believes that there is a bend and that life doesn’t end. So death is just a bend, not an end, and he understands that after giving up the physical body, his true self – the divine spirit, soul, or Atman – turns and chooses another body, and this other body is not the end, but just a bend in his life.

If we really want to realize the truth, we must learn to understand that life never ends. The life of the body ends. The life of our spirit, our divine spirit, or Atman never ends. It goes on and on. We are immortal!

AiR

Id say the one who realize the truth is comfortable at the end. They live well walking the path and although preparing their mind for their passing they dont live through it.

Someone who found the truth knows that the end is a part of life. That we are in a cycle that they will "live through" their future generations. They will not hope for reward and dread the future but be at peace that they do not know when they will go at any age.

A person who has not found the truth finds no comfort in life ending. They hope for a better future or, as they judge their bad deeds in need of punishment, fear hell (or whatever dreadful end). They live in the past and future not for the present. While its natural to hope, those who have not found the truth mix up hope as truth. They claim certainty over what is uncertain. They claim knowledge of the unknown. (I.e. they claim a god exists).

No one I know has found the truth which I personally believe is the acceptance of rebirth (ending duality of thinking of reality as life/death terms).

The key to truth is acceptence to surprise, change, unknown, life pain and pleasure, death, and patience.

The key to untruth is defining the future as real. This cause more pain when surprise rises.

I do think if we live after our passing, many of us will be surprised.

I believe that we still live on earth as spirits who have not found rest yet. Maybe they are ones who have not found truth yet and those who we, my family and I, say have are at rest because of the above.

Truth is knowledge that we know nothing. We dont know the end of the road.

Truth Untruth is claiming we do, living as if we do, and proclaiming we do.

Both are not wrong. Just we have to find a balance so ego wont arise in the former and mistaking claims as truth with the latter.

EDIT

Questions:

How did you gain knowledge of what truth is and what it is not?
Where did you get that knowledge from?

But the one who has realized the truth doesn’t think this way. He looks at the end and believes that there is a bend and that life doesn’t end. So death is just a bend, not an end, and he understands that after giving up the physical body, his true self – the divine spirit, soul, or Atman – turns and chooses another body, and this other body isnot the end, but just a bend in his life.

 

[prometheus11]

What is truth? Perhaps it is that of which a person is completely oblivious of whilst declaring to have it completely revealed.

 

[Rick O'Shez]

If we really want to realize the truth, we must learn to understand that life never ends. The life of the body ends. The life of our spirit, our divine spirit, or Atman never ends. It goes on and on. We are immortal!

I don't understand what a religious belief in reincarnation has to do with realising truth.

 

[George-ananda]

What is the difference between one who has realized the truth and one who has not? A simple analogy can explain this difference.

The one who has not realized the truth will look at the road that has nothing beyond and say, “I have reached the end.” But the one who has realized the truth looks at the same road that has nothing beyond and says, “It’s not the end. It’s a bend!”

What is the meaning of this thought? Most of us mortals believe that we live and then we die, that is, after death, the life is over. We are not sure whether there is a heaven or there is a hell, and whether we will be punished or rewarded. We think that may be there is something beyond and maybe there will be an evaluation of our life, but what we really believe is that this is the end of life. That’s why if anyone who we know passes away, our understanding is that he has gone, it’s over, and his life is finished. In general, we all think that many of the famous personalities, who lived in the past, are not alive anymore. For instance, Akbar the Great is no more. According to most of us, the lives of Christopher Columbus – the explorer and Alexander the Great – the conqueror are over. We believe that Mother Teresa lived once upon a time, and now, her life is over. Do any of us believe that their life still continues? No, we don’t.

But the one who has realized the truth doesn’t think this way. He looks at the end and believes that there is a bend and that life doesn’t end. So death is just a bend, not an end, and he understands that after giving up the physical body, his true self – the divine spirit, soul, or Atman – turns and chooses another body, and this other body is not the end, but just a bend in his life.

If we really want to realize the truth, we must learn to understand that life never ends. The life of the body ends. The life of our spirit, our divine spirit, or Atman never ends. It goes on and on. We are immortal!

AiR

I am a fellow Hindu type and I actually have now come to live under the thinking that we are immortal and I don't think of the dead as being 'gone' anymore making me a couple inches closer to realizing the absolute Truth that this is all One grand consciousness.

 

[prometheus11]

So, George, you are stating what the Truth is before realizing it?

 

[Bird123]

What is the difference between one who has realized the truth and one who has not? A simple analogy can explain this difference.

The one who has not realized the truth will look at the road that has nothing beyond and say, “I have reached the end.” But the one who has realized the truth looks at the same road that has nothing beyond and says, “It’s not the end. It’s a bend!”

What is the meaning of this thought? Most of us mortals believe that we live and then we die, that is, after death, the life is over. We are not sure whether there is a heaven or there is a hell, and whether we will be punished or rewarded. We think that may be there is something beyond and maybe there will be an evaluation of our life, but what we really believe is that this is the end of life. That’s why if anyone who we know passes away, our understanding is that he has gone, it’s over, and his life is finished. In general, we all think that many of the famous personalities, who lived in the past, are not alive anymore. For instance, Akbar the Great is no more. According to most of us, the lives of Christopher Columbus – the explorer and Alexander the Great – the conqueror are over. We believe that Mother Teresa lived once upon a time, and now, her life is over. Do any of us believe that their life still continues? No, we don’t.

But the one who has realized the truth doesn’t think this way. He looks at the end and believes that there is a bend and that life doesn’t end. So death is just a bend, not an end, and he understands that after giving up the physical body, his true self – the divine spirit, soul, or Atman – turns and chooses another body, and this other body is not the end, but just a bend in his life.

If we really want to realize the truth, we must learn to understand that life never ends. The life of the body ends. The life of our spirit, our divine spirit, or Atman never ends. It goes on and on. We are immortal!

AiR

Everybody wants to rule the world. How many people choose to ignore truth in order to create the view of the world they want to see? Does it really matter? If I step off a building, it does not matter what I believe. I will fall as the force of gravity takes hold. When one dies regardless of any belief, one is still Eternal.

I have to believe that at some point in existence that Truth will become important. This is the point when one will do what it takes to discover truth for themselves even if that truth is not what they thought it was.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

When one dies regardless of any belief, one is still Eternal. I have to believe that at some point in existence that Truth will become important.

I think you need to stop using the word "truth" when making claims about what is or is not eternal. I know for a fact that you don't know. And I can argue that with just as much fervor and "much ado about nothing" as you have done in this thread. Guaranteed.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

What is the difference between one who has realized the truth and one who has not?

The former is arguably more delusional.

 

[viole]

What is the difference between one who has realized the truth and one who has not?

The former provides evidence of what she realized. Wishful thinking does not count as such, I am afraid.

Ciao

- viole

 

[outhouse]

If we really want to realize the truth, we must learn to understand that life never ends

You might want to proselytize that faith based mythology elsewhere.

To date that is not a substantiated. Life factually dies in homo sapiens

 

[Tumah]

What is the difference between one who has realized the truth and one who has not? A simple analogy can explain this difference.

The one who has not realized the truth will look at the road that has nothing beyond and say, “I have reached the end.” But the one who has realized the truth looks at the same road that has nothing beyond and says, “It’s not the end. It’s a bend!”

What is the meaning of this thought? Most of us mortals believe that we live and then we die, that is, after death, the life is over. We are not sure whether there is a heaven or there is a hell, and whether we will be punished or rewarded. We think that may be there is something beyond and maybe there will be an evaluation of our life, but what we really believe is that this is the end of life. That’s why if anyone who we know passes away, our understanding is that he has gone, it’s over, and his life is finished. In general, we all think that many of the famous personalities, who lived in the past, are not alive anymore. For instance, Akbar the Great is no more. According to most of us, the lives of Christopher Columbus – the explorer and Alexander the Great – the conqueror are over. We believe that Mother Teresa lived once upon a time, and now, her life is over. Do any of us believe that their life still continues? No, we don’t.

But the one who has realized the truth doesn’t think this way. He looks at the end and believes that there is a bend and that life doesn’t end. So death is just a bend, not an end, and he understands that after giving up the physical body, his true self – the divine spirit, soul, or Atman – turns and chooses another body, and this other body is not the end, but just a bend in his life.

If we really want to realize the truth, we must learn to understand that life never ends. The life of the body ends. The life of our spirit, our divine spirit, or Atman never ends. It goes on and on. We are immortal!

AiR

Your opening remark doesn't match the rest of your post. You ask what is the difference between someone who realized the truth and one who doesn't, but your post only speaks about one who has come to a specific belief. There is no discussion about the voracity of the belief, or how truth unrelated to reincarnation affects people.

 

[Bird123]

I think you need to stop using the word "truth" when making claims about what is or is not eternal. I know for a fact that you don't know. And I can argue that with just as much fervor and "much ado about nothing" as you have done in this thread. Guaranteed.

If you ask enough people you will find those who remember when they were installed in their physical bodies. Crazy? Perhaps few talk about it because few people want to be looked at as crazy.

Need a few details? The connection to the physical body is made in the brain. This is done after birth at the point where long term memories are possible.

Truth? Fact? Since Spiritual beings are not based in this universe, it is hard to find physical laws to support the facts. Perhaps, the answers are within you. Think back really hard. What is the very first thing you remember in this lifetime?

Sure one can argue about anything. It is not my concern what anyone believes. I think it is important to place Truth in the world regardless of whether any one sees. What anyone chooses to do with truth is entirely up to them. After all, our choices are part of life and the learning experience.

 

[outhouse]

If you ask enough people you will find those who remember when they were installed in their physical bodies.

Crazy?

No just uneducated in scientific advancements in the study of human consciousness

Need a few details?

Not from you .

Since Spiritual beings are not based in this universe,

POE

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

If you ask enough people you will find those who remember when they were installed in their physical bodies. Crazy? Perhaps few talk about it because few people want to be looked at as crazy.

Need a few details? The connection to the physical body is made in the brain. This is done after birth at the point where long term memories are possible.

Even those who have "experienced" these things you mention, or "have" this knowledge can never truly, truly know if it is real, dreamt, imagined, a product of hope and delusion, some other imagination-driven product, or actually real. They can assert what they experienced all they want, but they can never prove or have proof by the very definition of what it is they are describing - a unique situation that happened only to themselves. And I assure you - for as many people and accounts that you can find whose experiences were eerily similar, there are a dozen more that were different and unique.

We can't know the reality until we do (or come to realize we never will, or simply cease to exist at which point any conjecture will have been utterly moot), so we cannot confidently go claiming the "truth" until that same moment. It is, quite honestly, just a waste of time.

 

[AiR]

Id say the one who realize the truth is comfortable at the end. They live well walking the path and although preparing their mind for their passing they dont live through it.

Someone who found the truth knows that the end is a part of life. That we are in a cycle that they will "live through" their future generations. They will not hope for reward and dread the future but be at peace that they do not know when they will go at any age.

A person who has not found the truth finds no comfort in life ending. They hope for a better future or, as they judge their bad deeds in need of punishment, fear hell (or whatever dreadful end). They live in the past and future not for the present. While its natural to hope, those who have not found the truth mix up hope as truth. They claim certainty over what is uncertain. They claim knowledge of the unknown. (I.e. they claim a god exists).

No one I know has found the truth which I personally believe is the acceptance of rebirth (ending duality of thinking of reality as life/death terms).

The key to truth is acceptence to surprise, change, unknown, life pain and pleasure, death, and patience.

The key to untruth is defining the future as real. This cause more pain when surprise rises.

I do think if we live after our passing, many of us will be surprised.

I believe that we still live on earth as spirits who have not found rest yet. Maybe they are ones who have not found truth yet and those who we, my family and I, say have are at rest because of the above.

Truth is knowledge that we know nothing. We dont know the end of the road.

Truth Untruth is claiming we do, living as if we do, and proclaiming we do.

Both are not wrong. Just we have to find a balance so ego wont arise in the former and mistaking claims as truth with the latter.

EDIT

Questions:

How did you gain knowledge of what truth is and what it is not?
Where did you get that knowledge from?

Well, we always get knowledge from its sources. We gather knowledge from books, mentors, gurus, and teachers, and for those who believe that knowledge comes from inspiration, imagination, and creativity, the inner voice is also a potential and reliable source of knowledge – a voice that is the Divine Master’s voice.

In short, the knowledge comes from a combined source, which is a combination of reading scriptures and books, conversations with people and then finally listening and understanding the inner voice that tells us what is right.

So, to answer the question – to me, my conviction or my belief comes from realization. Realization is something that we don’t get from outer sources, but rather from something that is within us. By dropping something that is untrue, we find out the truth.

For example, there are many laws of Nature, and it is up to us to realize these laws. That is, we need to “discover” those laws, but not “invent” them. So also, I have discovered the knowledge through realization: the realization of Neti Neti –“What I am not, What I am not” – and therefore, “What I am”. This is not something new! This is something that has been spoken by the masters across all the continents around the world, and therefore, the knowledge that I am sharing is not something new or creative. I am only putting it in simple words so that the truth about what we are and what we are not is easily understood.

We are not this physical body, which seems to be what we are. This physical body is nothing but a manifestation of the Divine Power, and the knowledge of this realization comes to us when we know that we are the Divine Spirit, the Soul, or the Atman. So, as I had mentioned before, this knowledge comes from a combination of reading, discussing, being inspired and eventually realizing the truth.

AiR

 

[Kilgore Trout]

A particular truth is that people often woefully misapply analogies in an attempt to bolster their irrational and unsupported views.

 

[Bird123]

Even those who have "experienced" these things you mention, or "have" this knowledge can never truly, truly know if it is real, dreamt, imagined, a product of hope and delusion, some other imagination-driven product, or actually real. They can assert what they experienced all they want, but they can never prove or have proof by the very definition of what it is they are describing - a unique situation that happened only to themselves. And I assure you - for as many people and accounts that you can find whose experiences were eerily similar, there are a dozen more that were different and unique.

We can't know the reality until we do (or come to realize we never will, or simply cease to exist at which point any conjecture will have been utterly moot), so we cannot confidently go claiming the "truth" until that same moment. It is, quite honestly, just a waste of time.

Speaking the truth is never a waste of time for there is always someone who is at a point in their life where they are ready to discover the truth. There are many people who in their attempt to shape this world to their view, refuse to see the truth even when it stares them in the face. That's OK. There are lessons to everything in life. Further, it doesn't even matter whether you make any attempt to discover the truth for yourself. There will come a time somewhere in eternity where real truth becomes important to discover.

Say you are driving a car and I am in the passenger seat. I tell you there is a giant pothole over the next hill that will swallow up your car. Should I tell you the pothole is there or just wait until the truth finds you? Since you don't really know the truth, you must rely on your beliefs of whether I know what I am talking about. Since beliefs are not always true, it is up to you to Choose to discover the Real truth for yourself. I am actually speaking the truth regardless of those who it upsets because they do not take the effort to discover for themselves. The pothole is there regardless of your beliefs for I ran into it yesterday and that is why I am riding with you today.

One of the first thing God has shown me is that mankind, including myself, carries such a narrow view of things. This prevents the discovery of so very much. I work on mine everyday. Your choice is yours. How much will one never discover confined in a box of beliefs? Beliefs merely point the direction by which one should work at discovering the truth. Will, so often, determines the direction in life and what one is actually capable of discovering.

 

[Bird123]

No just uneducated in scientific advancements in the study of human consciousness



Not from you .



POE

While it is true that science will discover God before religion will, one must remember that there is more that science does not know than they do.

I find it funny that you do not want any information from me. Shouldn't a true scientist welcome any information from anyone? God gave everyone a different view to guaranty mankind a larger view than any one person could have. To completely ignore the view of anyone is to say one does not want to discover the real truth.

Shouldn't one, like a scientist, take the knowledge of others then proceed to discover the truth for themselves?

 

[outhouse]

While it is true that science will discover God

Unsubstantiated.

Science has discovered mythology a long time ago. Science NEVER can discover what does not exist.

that there is more that science does not know than they do.

Science can never prove imagination

I find it funny that you do not want any information from me.

You have nothing new, I have not heard already and effectively refuted.

Shouldn't a true scientist welcome any information from anyone?

No personal perception, often uneducated, is worthless.

Science studies reality and evidence, not imagination and rhetoric.

Shouldn't one, like a scientist, take the knowledge of others then proceed to discover the truth for themselves?

They take and investigate what exist, not what does not exist.

Take your god you know nothing about, if you studied history you would see how only man defined the concepts by compiling two deities together.


It takes biblical education to effectively debate the bible. Not apologetic rhetoric