Download PDF - Stillness Speaks

If the mind is undisturbed by sense impressions or memory Awarenessillumines no-thing (still a something) and nothing knowledge takes place, asin deep sleep. In nirvikalpa samadhi, a "super” conscious state withoutmental activity, It illumines Itself. Then only Knowingness or PureKnowledge remains. This is the “forth” state of consciousness called Self-Realization or Enlightenment. 47The Self doesn’t act.Without the Self’s lightthe intellect doesn’t know anything.Only a deluded ego thinksit perceives and knows.(25)Just as a light bulb can't shine without electricity passing through it,the ego/intellect knows nothing without Awareness shining through it. Andjust as the light from the bulb is unaffected by the objects it illumines, theSelf, which is very much a part of every experience, is unaffected by anythought or feeling. The ego is merely a dim projection in Awareness of anaggregate of subconscious tendencies reflected in the Subtle Body. It’sextrovertedness makes it unable to realize (in so far as it’s conscious) theSelf, so it identifies by default with its instruments or limbs, the senses-mindintellect,and imagines itself the ultimate perceiver and knower.THE EGO CAN’T GET ENLIGHTENED 48The Self is always enlightened. Contrary to popular belief, the egocan't "get enlightened," 49 because its awareness, merely a reflection inConsciousness, is incapable of illumining the Self's subtler, purer, andbrighter Light. It can, however, in so far as it is defined as a conscious being,acknowledge on a moment to moment basis the source of its being. An"inlightened" ego is free of the idea it sees and knows, an open channel47 In fact there is no “forth” state. The Self alone exists. However, with reference to the three apparent states(waking ,dream, and deep sleep) the Self is said to be ‘the forth.” Even referring to the Self as a “state” ismisleading if one defines a state as something subject to change. The word “state” is useful in so far as itgives a pciture of an impersonal formless reality but not useful in that it does not convey the idea of sentiency.48 I also present the view that it is precisely the ego that get’s enlightned. Whether it does or doesn’t dependson one’s definition of enlightenment and ego. If the ego is other than the Self it can get enlightened. If it isthe Self appearing as a separate entity, then the destruction of the ego concept is enlightenment.49 In the sense of actually perceive the Self. On the other hand, if anyone’s to “get” enlightened it would haveto be the ego since the Self is already enlightened.39