The dream of waking up! Effort or No Effort?
2021-02-19
Effort or no effort
First part is OK. Then Ramana says 'When you attain jnana...'?! This attaining jnana too, as per the first part of the quote, is part of the dream ('...real awakening are all part of the dream').
As per the second part ( '...you will see there was neither the dream during sleep nor the waking state but only yourself and your real state'), you will see there was no dream. But, this seeing which is real awakening (attaining jnana), as per the first part, is part of the dream.
Which is correct?
Is 'attaining jnana' supposed happen without making any effort? As we know, Ramana had stressed the importance of making committed effort many times, again and again.
What is Ramana trying to convey?
2021-02-20
Both parts are correct and incorrect based on the level (context) taken.
At the Level of duality (this is the level in which all analysis is appearing):
----------------------------------
First part is correct.
Second part is contradicting the first part in the sense, if attaining jnana is itself a dream, then what is there to see and any seeing (of yourself and your real state) can also be part of that dream only.
At the Level of nonduality (is possible to assume this level only under the level of duality):
----------------------------------------
First part is incorrect, as there is no dream or waking; what exists is only Pure Awareness.
Second part is correct, excluding 'when you attain jnana' because there is nothing to attain/gain; you are already so.
Actual nonduality (again this is another assumed level under duality):
----------------------------
There is not even Pure Awareness or nonduality (oneness). It is not many and it is not even one. Nothing can be said or unsaid about this. It is not a subject or object but THAT to which all appear; THAT in which all appear; THAT which appears as all; (THAT) IS YOU.
We dream; our dream objects (living and non-living) are all made up of dream-stuff. So, they are all not real. Even if there is some 'realization' within the dream that it is a dream, that too is part of the dream. This is the first part.
In reality, (apparently 'on waking up or not') there was no dream independent of the dreamer. So, even the dream in essence is the dreamer. This is the second part.
The dreamer and dream can be viewed as separate as well as one and the same. But, the dreamer was prior to the dream not vice versa.
The actor and the character can be viewed as separate as well as one and the same. But, the actor was prior to the character not vice versa.
The gold and ornaments can be viewed as separate as well as one and the same. But, the gold was prior to the ornaments not vice versa.
All appearances (including seeking the Truth; realizing it; abiding in it...) come and go; they appear to YOU. They are not separate from YOU. But, YOU (what remains unchanging for ever) are separate from appearances and prior to appearances.
Even if there are no appearances, YOU ARE (as verified and confirmed in deep sleep, which is objectless awareness or when in flow of full-waking-forgetfulness - தூங்காமல் தூங்குவது).
We can compare the above with this:
There can be the faculty of hearing without hearing anything. When I have nothing to hear (complete, total silence), my ability to hear doesn't disappear. In fact, it is due to my faculty of hearing I 'hear' the silence.
Similarly when 'I' as pure awareness is not aware of anything, the pure awareness doesn't disappear; in fact, it is aware of that 'nothing-to-be-aware-of'.
Coming back to 'effort or no effort', there are no separate persons to make effort or not to make effort; but effort/no-effort appears as every other appearances.
So, any teaching to make efforts (self-enquiry) is applicable until 'attaining jnana'. This is the paradox. You have to do self-enquiry which will result in realizing that there is no one to do self-enquiry and there is no need to do self-enquiry and nobody actually did self-enquiry to realize this! All these sound crazy because of the apparent attempt (within duality) to grasp nondual existence when what is trying to grasp is grasping itself!
Understanding nonduality (i.e. real YOU), does not make any difference and at the same makes all the difference.
does-not-make-any-difference:
because the appearances don't go away; they continue to appear; appear to change etc.; the sense of separation continues...
does-make-all-the-difference:
there is no belief in the sense of separation; in separate objects; in events happening; the causality (cause and effect) etc.
Even though we very well know, that it is the earth that rotates, we still say sun rises or sets (instead of saying that the earth turns towards or away from the sun). But, there is no belief in it (i.e. the sun is going round the earth).
Similarly, the day-to-day living goes on with usual 'I do' / 'you do' / 'he/she does' / 'nature does' mode of perception (sincere to the appearance) without any belief (seriousness) in its apparent 'reality'. This 'living' is not done by any person but appears so.
In this mode (under-standing as awareness), whatever appears (appears to happen) cannot be anything but Right (without 'wrong' opposite) that is total acceptance, love, surrender, bliss...
As per the second part ( '...you will see there was neither the dream during sleep nor the waking state but only yourself and your real state'), you will see there was no dream. But, this seeing which is real awakening (attaining jnana), as per the first part, is part of the dream.
Which is correct?
Is 'attaining jnana' supposed happen without making any effort? As we know, Ramana had stressed the importance of making committed effort many times, again and again.
What is Ramana trying to convey?
2021-02-20
Both parts are correct and incorrect based on the level (context) taken.
At the Level of duality (this is the level in which all analysis is appearing):
----------------------------------
First part is correct.
Second part is contradicting the first part in the sense, if attaining jnana is itself a dream, then what is there to see and any seeing (of yourself and your real state) can also be part of that dream only.
At the Level of nonduality (is possible to assume this level only under the level of duality):
----------------------------------------
First part is incorrect, as there is no dream or waking; what exists is only Pure Awareness.
Second part is correct, excluding 'when you attain jnana' because there is nothing to attain/gain; you are already so.
Actual nonduality (again this is another assumed level under duality):
----------------------------
There is not even Pure Awareness or nonduality (oneness). It is not many and it is not even one. Nothing can be said or unsaid about this. It is not a subject or object but THAT to which all appear; THAT in which all appear; THAT which appears as all; (THAT) IS YOU.
We dream; our dream objects (living and non-living) are all made up of dream-stuff. So, they are all not real. Even if there is some 'realization' within the dream that it is a dream, that too is part of the dream. This is the first part.
In reality, (apparently 'on waking up or not') there was no dream independent of the dreamer. So, even the dream in essence is the dreamer. This is the second part.
The dreamer and dream can be viewed as separate as well as one and the same. But, the dreamer was prior to the dream not vice versa.
The actor and the character can be viewed as separate as well as one and the same. But, the actor was prior to the character not vice versa.
The gold and ornaments can be viewed as separate as well as one and the same. But, the gold was prior to the ornaments not vice versa.
All appearances (including seeking the Truth; realizing it; abiding in it...) come and go; they appear to YOU. They are not separate from YOU. But, YOU (what remains unchanging for ever) are separate from appearances and prior to appearances.
Even if there are no appearances, YOU ARE (as verified and confirmed in deep sleep, which is objectless awareness or when in flow of full-waking-forgetfulness - தூங்காமல் தூங்குவது).
We can compare the above with this:
There can be the faculty of hearing without hearing anything. When I have nothing to hear (complete, total silence), my ability to hear doesn't disappear. In fact, it is due to my faculty of hearing I 'hear' the silence.
Similarly when 'I' as pure awareness is not aware of anything, the pure awareness doesn't disappear; in fact, it is aware of that 'nothing-to-be-aware-of'.
Coming back to 'effort or no effort', there are no separate persons to make effort or not to make effort; but effort/no-effort appears as every other appearances.
So, any teaching to make efforts (self-enquiry) is applicable until 'attaining jnana'. This is the paradox. You have to do self-enquiry which will result in realizing that there is no one to do self-enquiry and there is no need to do self-enquiry and nobody actually did self-enquiry to realize this! All these sound crazy because of the apparent attempt (within duality) to grasp nondual existence when what is trying to grasp is grasping itself!
Understanding nonduality (i.e. real YOU), does not make any difference and at the same makes all the difference.
does-not-make-any-difference:
because the appearances don't go away; they continue to appear; appear to change etc.; the sense of separation continues...
does-make-all-the-difference:
there is no belief in the sense of separation; in separate objects; in events happening; the causality (cause and effect) etc.
Even though we very well know, that it is the earth that rotates, we still say sun rises or sets (instead of saying that the earth turns towards or away from the sun). But, there is no belief in it (i.e. the sun is going round the earth).
Similarly, the day-to-day living goes on with usual 'I do' / 'you do' / 'he/she does' / 'nature does' mode of perception (sincere to the appearance) without any belief (seriousness) in its apparent 'reality'. This 'living' is not done by any person but appears so.
In this mode (under-standing as awareness), whatever appears (appears to happen) cannot be anything but Right (without 'wrong' opposite) that is total acceptance, love, surrender, bliss...
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