neti neti

The quest for certainty reveals how little one actually knows?

Cowardice, its own reward. Ignorance, the bittersweet agent of humility.

Old chinese proverb? I paraphrased a bit, translated from Spanish.

"How curious man is, asking not to be born, knowing not how to live, wanting not to meet death."

We, inevitably, get exactly what we want.

“What a doctor I’ve got. I told him I got a ringing in my ear. He said don’t answer it.” ~Rodney Dangerfield

"There, our Self-seeing is a communion with the Self, restored to purity. No doubt we should not speak of "seeing," but, instead of [speaking of] "seen" and "seer," speak boldly of a simple unity. For in this seeing we neither see, nor distinguish, nor are there, two. The man is changed, no longer himself nor belonging to himself; he is merged with the Supreme, sunken into It, one with It; it is only in separation that duality exists. This is why the vision baffles telling; for how could a man bring back tidings of the Supreme as something separate from himself when he has seen It as one with himself?" ~Plotinus

Thank you.

"On the vast canvas of the self, the picture of manifold worlds is painted by the self itself and that supreme self seeing but itself enjoys great delight." ~Sankara

"There are some things so serious that you have to laugh at them." ~Niels Bohr

"They must find it difficult, those who have taken authority as the truth, rather than truth as the authority." ~Gerald Massey

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https://yehanromane.wordpress.com/nisargadatta-the-philosophy-part-1/ https://yehanromane.wordpress.com/nisaragadatta-the-philosophy-part-2/

"The appearance of things changes according to the emotions; and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves." "But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise on your lips." --Kahlil Gibran

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." "Hearts united in pain and sorrow will not be separated by joy and happiness. Bonds that are woven in sadness are stronger than the ties of joy and pleasure. Love that is washed by tears will remain eternally pure and faithful." "For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun? And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance." ~Kahlil Gibran

“The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” ~Eden Phillpotts

The dichotomy of God and Devil itself is entrapment. God wears the Devil suit when we require the experience of victim-hood. Devil wears the God suit when we require the experience of responsibility. Discernment born of contrast. Delusion is its own reward, exposing one's capacity for corruption.

Who is it appreciating the insights gained about oneself through any and all permutations of conceptual self-objectifying? Who is it that takes it for granted?

There may be one without the other. Yet there is, both, self and no-self. And there is, both, neither self nor no-self. And, both, and, neither. Who is the knower of self? Who is the knower of no-self? Who discerns between truth and falsity? Who is the believer?

Key pointers for meditation extracted from this series of Q&A's. https://realization.org/p/annamalai-swami/annamalai.talks.html The simplicity of how the Swami expresses the nature of this practice is gold. And for my brethren of a more Buddhist persuasion, that particular YouTube channel is a veritable gold mine. Jewels upon jewels, diamonds in the rough.

Jnana is universal, allowing for thousands of expressions. It matters little in what form or fashion it may unveil itself in the aspirant. Those details may matter to the aspirant, but only until the unveiling whereby only unity is perceived within diversity.

The link I shared addresses all those concerns. The particular section is titled, Taking Sannyasa.

It comes to you in stages. There are pauses for effect.

I meant to share in my words what Sri Ramana meant. "'Internal renunciation’ is renunciation of the ego whereas ‘external renunciation’ is giving up possessions. Together they are known as giving up ‘I’ and ‘mine’. It is the former that results in enlightenment.' "If you attain perfect mastery of internal renunciation, external renunciation will have no importance." (Padamalai, p. 170, v. 102) https://sri-ramana-maharshi.blogspot.com/2008/10/renunciation.html? Perhaps an external asceticism is necessary in one's experience prior to receiving the required grace to apply the vow's principle inwardly. Others are able to receive such grace as householders, while silently renouncing that false "I" inwardly. Traditions are a safety net of sorts which surely protect seekers and aspirants from certain pitfalls. Who am I to judge, but another mere spoke in the wheel of samsara? I am not that which imparts grace nor power, for grace and power are expressed on my behalf. I have however been graced with enough glimpses of a higher reality, to know without reservation, that this very moment contains the potential to serve as all the preparation and training I may ever need. This very moment possesses the power of the Guru and the lineage, as I regard all things as my Guru and all as of my lineage. If one reads such words and concludes I am in error, then I would challenge them to consider if there is anything impossible for Self. If Self alone is, then Self alone is perceived. How radical.

"It is too clear and so it is hard to see. A dunce once searched for a fire with a lighted lantern. Had he known what a fire was, he could've cooked his rice much sooner." ~Mumon