JK: awareness

When one puts an effort to be aware of oneself, all our moods, thoughts and issues come to be seen. Anger, frustrations, irritations, elation .. all ..

one also observes a certain pattern to it. This is the same way one is going to react, we know the 'memory chunks' from where many of the reactions arise. There is repetitiveness, and although it is a very different and new world, it is sort of tiring and also boring. And one also wouldn't know if that pattern is actual, or is mind hyping up some issues...

So this is also a form of interpretation. This observation would, instead of releasing, would strengthen our impressions.

This form of awareness is on the background of our impressions and the conditions on which our self the personality has been built. So, one needs to be aware of the self together with the moods and patterns. To be aware of the phenomena, and the activity of interpretation at the same time.

This is to be aware without any background, any base case. It is to be instantaneous- awareness of the moods as well as the self- or otherwise another pattern would form during meditation.

It is to say that the past meets the present and stops. That is the actuality.

Thoughts on JK: Precipice

Suppose we anticipate a tough day in the office. Before we start off, we think of the ways to tackle the various issues that may come up. There are various methods to handle, many ways to solve the problems. All of those methods, would be invariably somethings that we know will work: we have seen this work before, or can interpolate from similar situations. Thus the methods are derived from our past experiences, our past impressions.

It is important note that all the impressions have been created from the response from outside.

So what are we actually doing ? what is in 'us' to solve the problem ? How are we ever going to solve anything ?

There is a precipice here.

If we see this completely, there is no energy wasted in building methods or solutions. Hence one sees the problem completely, and there is immediate action on it. There is perception and immediate action.

Thoughts on J Krishnamurti: Time

There is a concept of time inherent in all our actions. For doing a task, there is a sequential manner we develop and execute.

We use the same method in our mental realms too. If we like something, we expect the same actions next time to take us to the same sensations, stimuli and satisfaction. But how correct is this ?

If one understands that bringing in time, a future, a method, is wrong, one is relieved from the tangle of expectations, partial gratifications and disappointments. There is only perception and immediate action.

When we think on solving a problem, we are actually postponing them. Taking the mind away from the issue to a method of solving a problem, is the problem. Otherwise, as soon as the problem arises, it is dissolved.

Musings on J Krishnamurti: Myself

There is the object and there is the observation. The personality, the 'me' arises between and interprets the observation according to our conditioning. The 'me' is the structure arisen due to all our impressions, ideologies, lifestyle, dreams, hurts and all that has made us what we are, in our life. It is our life reflected. It is 'I'. Also, all our decisions, intentions, and subsequent action
are all formulated as outcome of our personality, the myself. It is the aspect most intimate to us - we would never compromise on it.

This self has been formulated by impressions, the response we have obtained in the past from the environment. The presence of the outside factors are so evident in this self that it is in actuality a product of the outside than oneself. At this level, the 'oneself' is also questionable: is it in the genes ? again a result of some mutation of our biological parents..

Thus what is so much the 'me' is completely the 'other', the outside.

Meditations: The Mahamudra

Mahamudra the main text followed by Kagyu tradition of vajrayana - having the main centre at Rumtek, Sikkim (well, this is a personal note), is a comprehensive treatise on meditation - in the all encompassing aspects of the word. Some key points as was inferred by me till the pages covered are posted below.

Meditation is a state when mind is absorbed in tranquility in an object, generating insight about the object at the same time. Hence tranquility meditation and insight meditation- samata and vipassana - are not two types of meditation, rather are two features of a mind in meditation.
As a result of Samata, when the mind stands complete in itself the insight dawns that it is empty of self - so to say, 'generate' dhamma and sunyata simultaneously.

Hindrances for samata sensual distractions, is eliminated by the insight(vipassana) element of anatta. Hindrances of vipassana, dullness and lethargy are eliminated by samata aspects of concentration and focussedness. Without samata, insight wavers - like a lamp in a wind. Without vipassana no wisdom dawns.

Sensuality - objects and consciousness when in contact arise sensual stimuli. Interference of mental impressions- sankara- result in reaction- like or dislike. Clinging to objects or to the interfered truth about them is sensuality.

Samata meditation without object - Invoke concentration and focussednes in the mind, without generating or suppressing thoughts. Dwell absorbed in this state amidst thoughts. If dullness arises, listen (generate mentally) a startling noise to break the chain of thoughts, prevent the next thought to arise, concentrate on the emptiness in between. Stop mediation when an amount of tranquility is attained, come back to meditation again.

Samata Meditation should done at an optimum of exertion and relaxation. One should relax internally when complications arise. Not taking any sides, nor getting entangled with thought processses or carried away, one should be in tranquil absorption.

('Aanapanasati' by Vimalaramsi speaks about feeling the complications, relaxing it as if it were in the brain, and returning to equipose.)

blossoms

It is about a white lotus. In a very small pond .. with gentle ripples all around .. ripples that caress and care.

And the ripples spread curling outwards.. and the pond grew .. and grew ..

There were cities build around it.. and aircrafts flew over it .. and hoverctafts even ships sailed through the vast waterbody that it has become, sometimes very close to the sweet white lotus !

And the lotus stood and stood .. because the moon was its only consort and the sky the only playground .. and the moon was always there ...