A Poem about non-duality

[Shanmugam]

Carrying the weight of past in my head
And dragging the scenes which were old and dead,
I ran to grab the bliss of the future;
The more I ran, the more was the torture..

The torture of the hedonic treadmill
Followed me as I continued uphill;
I was caught in the prison of craving
With tedious thoughts, my mind was raving.

I met an ugly old man on the way
who had a long thick beard with shades of grey.
His face was shining with heavenly bliss;
In his eyes I saw an endless abyss!

“What makes you so happy in this rat race?”,
I asked him as he slowly turned his face.
He replied,”The answer is within you!
The grand kingdom of God is within you!”

“That’s a joke”, I said “Are you kidding me?”.
“No!” He said, “Turn inward, you’ll become free!
You’ve made your own boundaries inside your mind,
You’ve closed your eyes and think you’ve become blind”.

I said, “How can I get out of this trap?
I want to find the way, give me the map”
He said, “You’re the way, the truth and the life!
Be still and know you’re that, and end this strife!

You’re not your body and you’re not your mind;
Not knowing the timeless truth makes you blind;
You’re not your story and you’re not your thoughts;
You’re not those age old, buried mental knots.

You’re not that chattering voice in your head;
You’re not anything that you did or said;
You’re not anything that you have or know
You’re the truth that is watching all this show!

You’re not anything that can be perceived;
You’re not an object that can be observed;
You’re the screen where the world is being played;
You’re the emptiness where the form is made.

You’re the one witnessing the mind and breath;
You’re one without two, beyond birth and death;
Like the air trapped in a small round bubble,
You feel separate which brings all the trouble.

Inquire inside and wake up from this dream!
Let truth alone shine like a bright white beam!
By inquiry, your illusions will break;
You’ll stop mistaking the rope for a snake”

Hearing these words stopped my thoughts for a while.
Looking in, I slowly began to smile.
I watched my thoughts as they slowly passed by;
I observed my mind like a secret spy.

For years, I contemplated on his words;
I watched my thoughts fly like a bunch of birds.
One day, I woke up and realized the truth;
Since then my life has been peaceful and smooth!

 

[YmirGF]

You’re not anything that can be perceived;
You’re not an object that can be observed;
You’re the screen where the world is being played;
You’re the emptiness where the form is made.

You’re the one witnessing the mind and breath;
You’re one without two, beyond birth and death;
Like the air trapped in a small round bubble,
You feel separate which brings all the trouble.

All in all, not a bad effort.

The one thing that strikes me is how would anyone ever know about the veracity of these thoughts that I've highlighted.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a veritable champion of trying to express non-dual experience in cogent dual terms. If only we can get away from these sorts of raw assumptions...

For example, within what is loosely known as self-realization one is intimately aware of the nature of identity. It is almost self seeing self through its own eyes, as it were. That is fairly far removed from the idea presented that "You’re not an object that can be observed;" No, surely not an object in the ordinary sense of the word, but in this instance, an object of fascination, nonetheless.

Again, not a bad effort at all. Like everything, it just needs work.

 

[Electra]

For example, within what is loosely known as self-realization one is intimately aware of the nature of identity. It is almost self seeing self through its own eyes, as it were. That is fairly far removed from the idea presented that "You’re not an object that can be observed;" No, surely not an object in the ordinary sense of the word, but in this instance, an object of fascination, nonetheless.

Again, not a bad effort at all. Like everything, it just needs work.

true genius can not be contained
I am, beyond seeing a secular self,
sometimes it seams erratic, to the eye
beyond words most of this lays --
as a feeling deep inside,
that shines brighter than evermore.

trying to perceive me will
quickly disappoint --
as there is an abundance than no-one can see
i can not be observed, well, if you wish --
only part of me, that may be seen.
Unless, you in tern, choose the feel The World.

Alas, I am , endless, multidimensional
I am nothing, in turn, I feel everything.
The reason, I needn't put myself in a box.

 

[Shanmugam]

All in all, not a bad effort.

The one thing that strikes me is how would anyone ever know about the veracity of these thoughts that I've highlighted.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a veritable champion of trying to express non-dual experience in cogent dual terms. If only we can get away from these sorts of raw assumptions...

For example, within what is loosely known as self-realization one is intimately aware of the nature of identity. It is almost self seeing self through its own eyes, as it were. That is fairly far removed from the idea presented that "You’re not an object that can be observed;" No, surely not an object in the ordinary sense of the word, but in this instance, an object of fascination, nonetheless.

Again, not a bad effort at all. Like everything, it just needs work.

Self is not the observed, it is the observer.. In Indian tradition, it is known as Sakshi, which means just the witness... There is a practice usually called 'neti neti' which means 'not this, not this'.. The whole idea behind this is to reject everything that is observed in your consciousness as not you.. If you see something, then what is seen cannot be you.. That is what I have covered in this poem... So, what exactly do you think is not right in that poem?

 

[YmirGF]

Self is not the observed, it is the observer.. In Indian tradition, it is known as Sakshi, which means just the witness... There is a practice usually called 'neti neti' which means 'not this, not this'.. The whole idea behind this is to reject everything that is observed in your consciousness as not you.. If you see something, then what is seen cannot be you.. That is what I have covered in this poem... So, what exactly do you think is not right in that poem?

I'm speaking from experience. In states of Oneness or self-realization one is intimately aware of the nature of identity. If that's not observing self, even if not in the normal connotations of the word, then I don't know what is.

For the record, I'm quite aware of what various Hindu schools of thought have to say on the matter, it's just that I don't look at this from their perspective. In other words, my vision is not governed by how Hindu thought covers this. That does not mean that there isn't much good in Hinduism and Hindu thought, in general. There is.

 

[Shanmugam]

I'm speaking from experience. In states of Oneness or self-realization one is intimately aware of the nature of identity. If that's not observing self, even if not in the normal connotations of the word, then I don't know what is.

For the record, I'm quite aware of what various Hindu schools of thought have to say on the matter, it's just that I don't look at this from their perspective. In other words, my vision is not governed by how Hindu thought covers this. That does not mean that there isn't much good in Hinduism and Hindu thought, in general. There is.

ok.. So, who is aware of of the nature of identity or whatever you call it... If you are aware of something, how can the object of awareness be you? It could be just a thought about the nature of identity that you are aware of, but not you yourself.. It actually gets very tricky when we try to explain it in words..

When we talk about the true self or absolute truth, no words can do the justice..When we try to convey it in language, it is best to say what it is not, then saying what it is...As Lao Tzu said, truth that is expressed in words is not truth. So, in that sense, even this poem doesn't capture the truth as it is... But the main intention of this poem is to direct one towards self -inquiry..These are just the pointers which have been traditionally used in helping someone towards the actual practice.

 

[YmirGF]

ok.. So, who is aware of of the nature of identity or whatever you call it... If you are aware of something, how can the object of awareness be you? It could be just a thought about the nature of identity that you are aware of, but not you yourself.. It actually gets very tricky when we try to explain it in words..

You always remain aware of being. Though that sense of being is not like anything most folks can imagine, when one is in the state they are well aware of the fact that they are "not in Kansas anymore, Toto". It's very hard to describe, but though you leave much of what you thought of as your "self" behind, there remains an essence that is uniquely "you", but with a much larger perspective. If one has ever been in such a state they should be able to identify with what I am trying to say. "You" don't disappear; "you" are transformed by the experience.

When we talk about the true self or absolute truth, no words can do the justice..When we try to convey it in language, it is best to say what it is not, then saying what it is...As Lao Tzu said, truth that is expressed in words is not truth. So, in that sense, even this poem doesn't capture the truth as it is... But the main intention of this poem is to direct one towards self -inquiry..These are just the pointers which have been traditionally used in helping someone towards the actual practice.

I appreciate that you are trying to be helpful. Like I said, it was a pretty good effort. I generally avoid thoughts like "true self" or "absolute truth" - like the plague that they are and am content saying that people will encounter an enhanced perspective that is quite beyond their wildest dreams. My standing mantra on so-called "truth" will always remain, "Truth is relative to understanding (and is therefore subject to change)." The day I stoop to talking about "absolute truth" will be the day I merrily wheel myself off the nearest cliff.