The Essence of Non Duality

Originally Posted by Iamit

From the perspective of nonduality Oneness is the only reality so the differences you mention are an illusion of difference (maya) where there are no differences whatsoever.

Oneness is the underlying reality and Maya is more than illusion. Maya is the power to both project and veil.

Physical reality (duality) is real, just not as real as Existence, Consciousness, Bliss (non-duality). The latter has inherent existence while the prior has dependent existence. The prior is dependent on the latter and the latter is not dependent on the prior.

So duality is an appearance within non-duality and the removal of ignorance is the realization one is both the Dreamer (Existence, Consciousness, Bliss) and the dream (physical reality). All within One and One within all and both realities are real in their own way.

[HITESH SHAH]

Originally Posted by Iamit

From the perspective of nonduality Oneness is the only reality so the differences you mention are an illusion of difference (maya) where there are no differences whatsoever.

While JASG has given valid and clear explanation , just to clarify non-duality is an experience people can feel in routine life . It is an illustration how non-duality is not negation of duality and how it differs from person to person and situation to situation.

As God has an impeccable non-duality commitment with world , seeker too through his development develops certain non-duality and seeker's intensity and immensity of non-duality increases and becomes real time 24X7 .

It seems to me Existence, Consciousness, Bliss without Maya would be rather boring. I'm thinking it would, in essence, be akin to deep sleep. The experience of absence. Perfect silence.

So God dreamed up a little game to play to escape the boredom.

[Iamit]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Oneness is the underlying reality and Maya is more than illusion. Maya is the power to both project and veil.

Physical reality (duality) is real, just not as real as Existence, Consciousness, Bliss (non-duality). The latter has inherent existence while the prior has dependent existence. The prior is dependent on the latter and the latter is not dependent on the prior.

So duality is an appearance within non-duality and the removal of ignorance is the realization one is both the Dreamer (Existence, Consciousness, Bliss) and the dream (physical reality). All within One and One within all and both realities are real in their own way.

Yes of course that would be the case if you start from the position that Oneness is not the only reality, but if you start from the position of "Not Two ", then all that is real is ONE.

[Iamit]

Originally Posted by HITESH SHAH

While JASG has given valid and clear explanation , just to clarify non-duality is an experience people can feel in routine life . It is an illustration how non-duality is not negation of duality and how it differs from person to person and situation to situation.

As God has an impeccable non-duality commitment with world , seeker too through his development develops certain non-duality and seeker's intensity and immensity of non-duality increases and becomes real time 24X7 .

The manifestation of separation is a very solid looking appearance of difference where, from a nondual perspective, there is no difference whatsoever. Hence the direct approach of "Not Two" ending the search.

Originally Posted by Iamit

The manifestation of separation is a very solid looking appearance of difference where, from a nondual perspective, there is no difference whatsoever. Hence the direct approach of "Not Two" ending the search.

I would think the seeking doesn't end until full, complete and irreversible enlightenment is realized. That's not just an intellectual understanding but an actual state of being. It's a pretty tall order even if one devotes an entire lifetime.

Don't get me wrong, there are lots of benefits from just the intellectual understanding, but that's only the very tip of the iceberg.

[Iamit]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

I would think the seeking doesn't end until full, complete and irreversible enlightenment is realized. That's not just an intellectual understanding but an actual state of being. It's a pretty tall order even if one devotes an entire lifetime.

Don't get me wrong, there are lots of benefits from just the intellectual understanding, but that's only the very tip of the iceberg.

Yet again that makes the huge mistake of thinking you know the experience of somebody else when you are not having thier experience, but merely projecting your own experience onto them. Can you not reconsider and see what an error that is? Its possible to describe what has worked for you without invalidating what has worked for somebody else, simply because that has not worked for you or the tradition you support and believe in. Characters vary and what may suit one may not suit another.

Originally Posted by Iamit

Yet again that makes the huge mistake of thinking you know the experience of somebody else when you are not having thier experience, but merely projecting your own experience onto them. Can you not reconsider and see what an error that is? Its possible to describe what has worked for you without invalidating what has worked for somebody else, simply because that has not worked for you or the tradition you support and believe in. Characters vary and what may suit one may not suit another.

Let's just say I'm skeptical that without a proven tradition, study and practices that millions of years of evolution and a lifetime of conditioning rooted deeply within the subconscious can be effectively overcome so easily and with hardly any effort and then beyond that maintained.

If this was the case we'd have literally hundreds of thousands if not millions of enlightened beings walking the planet and it would be a very different place.

I do agree there are many different approaches, however I don't agree one of them is, for all intents and purposes, no approach whatsoever.

[Iamit]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Let's just say I'm skeptical that without a proven tradition, study and practices that millions of years of evolution and a lifetime of conditioning rooted deeply within the subconscious can be effectively overcome so easily and with hardly any effort and then beyond that maintained.

If this was the case we'd have literally hundreds of thousands if not millions of enlightened beings walking the planet and it would be a very different place.

I do agree there are many different approaches, however I don't agree one of them is, for all intents and purposes, no approach whatsoever.

Fair enough, but you can only speak for yourself, and not project that onto others who may be very different characters to your goodself. Some characters may resonate with what you believe. Other different characters may resonate with something different, for example that all is completly Oneness already, including oneself, requiring nothing whatsoever to achieve, by paths or practise, for the total connection to Oneness that always has been, is now, and always will be. Neither approach can be regarded as superior or inferior by someone who has not experienced what each means to the other.

Ironically some say that it is only after such an event has happened (maybe after some practise or none), that it is clearly seen that it was not necessary. Others go on to teach a path and/or practise promised to achieve it. There is a place for both depending on the varying characters of seekers.

There is no way to know that the beggar seen lying in the gutter, who has never heard of spiritual practise or paths, is any more or less enlightened than someone followed who has done the study and practise admired, and seen as necessary.

Be well and good luck.

Can anyone ground any of these concepts in the manifest world we live in so that the concept can be grounded to be shown that it's not just part of the imagination and that it has some form of manifestation in the world that can be seen/experienced and agreed upon by multiple people?