dwai Posted September 15, 2017 There are lots of connotation associated with words. The words we use, cause reactions in the minds of the readers/listeners. They have the ability to inspire or make one perspire in irritation or fear One very misunderstood word is "absolute", when used in context of "absolute reality or truth". The fact is, the word used in Sanskrit is not simply "absolute". It is a compound word - it comprises of two words. Parama and Artha. Parama means ultimate or maximum. artha means value or meaning. Together they form the word "paramaartha". The term used to refer to what is translated as "absolute existence or reality or truth" in English is "parmaarthika satya". So paramaarthika satya is then literally "the existence of ultimate value". it is juxtaposed against the term "vyavaharika satya". Vyavahara means "practice/use". So vyavaharika satya means the existence/reality of practical value. To operate in the dualistic world one must follow the rules of practical importance. Why is paramarthika satya of ultimate value? Because it deals with that which we ultimately are. Which we always have been and will always remain the core of our being. That also includes the phenomenon who is doing the practical things in the dualistic world of names and forms. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nothingness Posted September 16, 2017 (edited) I use Absolute (brahman-advaita) more to differentiate it from the relative (maya-dvaita-names-forms). The Absolute/Ultimate Truth mustn't consider the relative, as the relative is only temporary, it can't be an absolute truth, but more of a relative one. If you include "doing pratical things in the dualistic world of names and forms" you obviously have to include every dream you have at night and so on - which we usually call an illusion. We usually call a dream an illusion because it's not self-existent, self-luminous and everlasting. The truth in an absolute sense must not depend on something external for it to exist, which would make it self-luminous, as there is nothing external to it that is aware of it, meaning it is self-existing, as it doesn't need the existence of something else for it to exist (like maya-duality-names-forms need), and is everlasting because it is beyond time (and space). Anyway, I guess both the ultimate truth and the relative truth are only from the point of view of the relative, as in the Absolute sense, there is no relative or absolute truth.. it just is. Edited February 21, 2021 by Nothingness 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gunther Posted November 16, 2017 On 16/09/2017 at 0:22 PM, Nothingness said: On 16/09/2017 at 0:22 PM, Nothingness said: On 16/09/2017 at 0:22 PM, Nothingness said: In the clear view of Self, which is a single vast Space of Consciousness, there is no body at all" How to get the clear view? Reading dozens of advaita books doesn't help, in fact any kind of practice may or may not help. There is no cause effect relationship. It just happens (or it doesn't) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwai Posted November 16, 2017 4 hours ago, Gunther said: You are that already. Stop trying to get or trying to be. Just be... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gunther Posted November 17, 2017 10 hours ago, dwai said: You are that already. Stop trying to get or trying to be. Just be... I know, can't be helped, no getting away from the Tao 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
3bob Posted November 19, 2017 there is this saying from chap 25: "...to be great is to go on, to go on is to be far, to be far is to return, Hence the Tao is great, Heaven is great, Earth is great, King is great..." I'd say per this that there is no denial of the process and or dance of being which is also standing still 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
