Response to Rupert Spira's video "How Can Consciousness Have Multiple Experiences at Once?"

Someone asks Rupert Spira how there can be multiple experiences or points of view in what is supposedly one consciousness. This video is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoT_J... .

Spira responds with a series of metaphors. In this video, I argue that these metaphors are not really very good answers to the question posed. I suggest that this kind of explanation to this sort of question misunderstands the real nature of the mind, of advaita and nonduality, and of the mystery of consciousness. If there are questions, there are no answers. If there are questions, there is a questioner. But is there a questioner?

Enlightenment isn't just about sudden insight -- it's about structural change of mental habits

Enlightenment is often seen as a sudden insight, as the aha! moment of insight into the Self. But insights that come can also go. At least as important -- and perhaps more important -- is the gradual change of mental habits that in fact lead to those insights... and that, when prolonged far enough, lead to a situation where the insights don't revert back. That situation is called faith.

Hakuin, Ramana Maharshi's surrender, and kensho

Surrender is often misunderstood as simply doing nothing, exerting zero effort, and concentrating on no words. The Zen monk Hakuin criticized this understanding of surrender, and suggested a focus on insight into one's true Self -- kensho. Yet surrender *properly* understood is far from doing nothing. True surrender is continuous vigilance to avoid falling into thought, relaxation, a staying awake to avoid falling asleep or into trance, and then a desire to surrender the surrenderer. This is in fact the path to kensho.

Ramana Maharshi's distinction between samadhi and laya

A tricky and very interesting distinction is present in Maharshi's work between samadhi -- a profound state of concentrated absorption where the distinction between "I" and "not I" breaks down -- and laya, which is also absorption... but in which ignorance does not break down. Both are states or profound peace. Samadhi can easily turn into laya, Maharshi says, so seekers should be warned. Elsewhere, however, he says that states of peace need not be interrupted. So which is it? Well, the answer lies in where the seeker is along the path. The mind has to be turned inward and concentrated, and various methods that produce laya can result in this; but the ultimate samadhi is not one that turns into laya, but is that which is seen when even laya is questioned, self-inquired into, or surrendered.

The nature of the nondual Self: even ignorance is knowledge, even suffering is bliss -- effortlessly

The Self is not something that depends on our thinking about it a certain way, or on penetrating some kind of illusion of our own individuality. That IS the very illusion that we are seeking to penetrate. The Self is effortless peace and bliss, whether we like it or not. Even our thoughts of ignorance and suffering are that, whether we know it or not, whether we remember it or not.

The fear of enlightenment as an obstacle on the spiritual path

Seekers unconsciously sabotage their own efforts at self-inquiry and surrender because they are afraid of what they think enlightenment is: a loss of control and enjoyment.

A person does not get enlightened; enlightenment simply is the truth

Transcript:

So a misconception that people have is that a person gets enlightened. Right, you think of yourself as a person, a mind, a body, and you think that’s what gets enlightened. But actually ,enlightenment is simply the truth. Enlightenment is simply what is already the case. The entire story of being a person, a body and a mind and essentially a kind of limited entity — this precisely is the story that is false. So, the story of a person who was ignorant and then becomes enlightened, this kind of story is precisely what isn’t the case. So the entire idea that a person could be enlightened is exactly the idea that the truth of enlightenment which is there regardless of how many times the idea may crop up that it isn’t — remains. It’s like a rock, right, and these, these thoughts of being a person to whom enlightenment occurs are just like these shadows. The shadows cannot actually touch the rock which is the simple truth, the matter of fact. And it doesn’t matter how many times one may think differently. The fact is, enlightenment is, and the story of being a limited person isn’t.

Misconceptions about Enlightenment #3 - That it answers all questions

One of the big misconceptions about enlightenment is that it answers all existential questions. It does not. It merely reveals our true self to be completely satisfying, regardless of whether those questions are answered. But the questions still matter!

Misconceptions about Enlightenment #2: It gives you happiness as we know it

When we hear that enlightenment means permanent happiness, we immediately think that this means a permanent version of what we ordinarily think of as happiness. Enlightenment is happiness, but it is not ordinary, day-to-day happiness...

Misconceptions about Enlightenment: It gives you mental certainty (3 min video)

One of the misconceptions about enlightenment is that it lets you know, in the way you know anything else, what you really are, and the answers to all the existential mysteries. It does no such thing. Though enlightenment DOES give you certainty... of another kind.