Dependent Origination

An Eternal Now SG

A continuation from the previous threads -- Net of Indra IS Dependent Origination? and Dependant Arising/Conditionality, Core Teachings of Buddha

Just found a passage which I think explains dependent origination v well (Thusness thinks the author's insights is very deep and his explanation is very Buddhist. The author was enlightened under Zen Master, Soten Genpo Roshi and also teaches yoga): http://www.yogadarshana.com/pages/ishpra.htm

...the process implied by isvarapranidanah is to investigate action back to its source. what is found is that all actions, however subtle, are totally conditioned by a matrix of other actions that are also equally conditioned. no action has ever taken place completely out of the blue. upon profound and honest investigation this matrix turns out to have no discernable begnning or end. as it opens to investigation it turns out that each apparently separate action is conditioned by exactly the same infinite matrix. a matrix which has neither discernible limit nor source, while being itself the only source of all actions. this matrix is inherently an indivisible whole. any reference points attributed to it are projections having functional value but no absolute inherent existence. they are simply consensus concepts.

the isolation of a specific individual action is a conditioned perceptual action in itself. whereas a sensitive, open, honest, generous enquiry eventually reveals the indivisible continuum or matrix of activity. the unfolding of the matrix, through the agency of action, has a single governing principle: causality. the simple, and irrefutable, law of cause and effect. this law is universal. it is the order of the universe: as applicable to galaxies and stars as it is to amoebas and multicelled organisms. according to this unique principle of existence all actions are simultaneously effect and cause of all other actions. this renders all actions that have actually happened, are happening, or will happen, inextricable from their matrix, and inevitable within it.

the inherent inextricability of actions from the indivisibility of the matrix calls into question the notion of an individual action. the unsustainability of the notion of an individual action undermines the notion of linear cause and effect. it becomes clear that any apparently individual action is conditioned not only by linear proximities in time and space, but essentially by the matrix as a whole. the cause of any action, then, turns out to be always and only the totalactivity of the matrix. all actions are caused by all actions. this disapperance of specific causes to actions also removes the specificity of their agent. the agent, or doer of an action is also seen to be all the conditions of the matrix as a whole. an action is also seen to be caused by the matrix as a whole. the separability of a so called action from its context is seen to be nothing other than a pragmatic conceptual convention based on perceptual limitations.

yoga is in effect an enquiry into the nature of the self, conducted through action. it is an investigation of the infrastructure of the self. which is the actions, and their fruits, with which it is identified, and by which it identifies itself. its fruition elicits surrender to the source of all action, god: which in turn elicits selflessness in action: which is a relinquishment of the claiming, personalising or identifying with actions and their fruits. as the notion of individual actions dissolves, so too does the notion of individuality, and the sense of self dissolves into the unifying source of all actions. sensitive, honest, open and generous enquiry into any action, in elucidating its absolute inextricability from the matrix of all actions, will undermine the roots of selfness. in this way surrender is invited and the sense of self dissolves into selflessness. the originator of any and all actions, which is thefore also the true nature of the self, then is the whole: or ixvara the choicemaker or God. simply because there is nothing that is not God, there is nothing other than God.

all actions are expressions of divine will. the apparent medium of an action, a locobodimind, is merely the conditioned agent. as the disposition of selflessness arises, and the sense of existing as a separate centre of action, choice and consciousness dissolves it is discovered that not only is there a single web of activity, from which actions are arbitraily extracted according to the paramaters of the extracting mechanism, but that there is also only one, single field of consciousness. both perceived actions and experienced perceivers of actions melt back into the ground form which they came: the inifinite, indivisible, impersonal movement (shakti) of consciousness (cit).

of course this melting occurs outside and as a cessation of the dualistic field of perception and conceptualisation. nevertheless its impact on them is immense when they do, inevitably, reassert themselves within the natural oscillation of awareness. ixvarapranidanah then, is to rediscover the inherent alignment of self and God, finite and infinite. this is the essence of surrender, within which there is no personalised resistance to the flow of consciousness in its expression as life. it is a direct manifestation of the true nature of the self within the temporary locus of the individual body mind which no longer offers up the resistance of personalisation: or the enlightened transformation of autonomosis (the disposition within which actions and objects are attributed to or with autonomous volition) to cosmosis (the disposition within which the impersonal and infinite nature of all pheneomena is honoured). aligning with the source of action, or manifesting the infiniteternalone requires a surrender of the sense of separate self. or selflessness. a letting go of the conditioned attachment to a sense of the individual agent of actions, the doer, grasper, seer, knower. coming to rest in the underlying impersonal awareness of being. this means the giving up of the sense of separate self that claims and colours our actions. this giving up uncovers the quintessential nature of the self as infiniteternal consciousnessenergy, which is all that actually is: the infiniteternalone.

ixvarapranidana as a process is a direct invitation to surrender. the sense of self is generated by the individuation and personalisation of actions and their underlying decisions and choices. an open, honest and commited enquiry into the nature of action eventually and inevitably reveals the interconnected, inextricable, indivisible, inevitable, imperfectable and impersonal nature of all actions. this insight depersonalises all actions which are no longer attributed to their objects or instruments but are seen to be simply the localised fruition of the total matrix (prakriti) itself. within this insight the sense of self dissolves into the surrender of selflessness.

An Eternal Now SG

(continued)

within the lense of selflessness (ixvarapranidana) egoism, however subtle, begins to dissolve in the emptiness of awareness. this results in a revelation of the impersonal nature of all actions. thereby a self perpetuating cycle of generosity and gratitude is created that matures in the impossibility of egoism.

this results in the highest realistion. this takes the form of dharmameghasamadhi, within which the apparent, impersonal and inseparable nature of all phenomena is clarified. enquiring into the origin of action, which reveals the illusory nature of the self and triggers surrender, is the only safe way to go. everything else is either a distraction or a preparation for the possibility of surrender. what form that preparation takes is a karmic determinate. there is no universal formula. nevertheless that preparation requires the effects that yama, niyama bring when applied to appropriate technique:

love, filfilment, abundance, vitality, freedom from identification, detachment, independence, integrity, joy, focus, freedom, self knowledge, peace of mind, the release of all phsyical, mental and spiritual tensions, and finally and most importantly the total relaxation that comes from the realisations of choicelessness and seflessnes.

the most accesible yoga doorway is posture practice, the threshold releasing the bodimind from tension. the limbs of yoga are one single continuity depending on yama&niyama, applied to the specific methododlogy of practice or sadhana: spiritual practice.

even the most refined expression of spiritual practice, sotozen based on absolute stillness, elicits the beingstate of asana, which in turn leads to the remaining limbs. dogenroshi states that simply to take the zazen posture is to express the enlightened mind. nothing else remains to be done, anything else that is done is not only superfluous but distracting.

the remaining limbs of ashtangayoga pranayamapratyaharadharanadhayanasamadhi all emerge sequentially and inevitably from asana if practised diligently according to the guidelines of yama&niyama given by patanjali.

An Eternal Now SG

http://www.yogadarshana.com/pages/shunyata.htm

shunyata

No matter what motivation inspires its practice Yoga is essentially an enquiry into the nature of experience. This enquiry is conducted within the body, through action. It is not an intellectual enquiry. It occurs naturally and inevitably through authentic practice.

The practice of yoga postures is an attempt to establish the body in comfortable stability. This stability is undermined by, and challenges physical tension. Tension and tightness in the body are inevitable, immediate and inescapable foci of attention during yogapractice. The body is dramatically made conscious as areas of inertia and action. The areas of inertia are expressions of solidity. This solidity transforms the body into an ongoing object of perception.

The body is usually experienced as a means of action rather than as a solid object. It is experienced in relation to its functioning rather than in and of itself. As the means of our functioning it is experienced simply as an element in our functioning: as a process rather than an object. Its objectness is thereby overlooked.

This immediately changes within yogapostures. The requirements of comfortable stability are such that attentionmust eventually be extended into the whole of the functioning of the body relative to the posture. The solidity and objectness of the body are inferred through the experience of solidity in its active parts. Each different action reveals an aspect of the bodys solidity. The separateness of the parts of the body are experienced. This is known as the realisation of functional separateness.

As a yogaposture stabilises, and the inevitable internalisation of attention deepens, the relationship between these functional parts changes. It becomes clear, in action rather than analysis, that an action taking place in one part can be felt in another. What is done in the hands is felt in the lungs. What is happening in the pelvic floor is experienced in the cranium. Grounding the feet releases tension in the face. This is known as the realisation of operational connectedness.

The connectedness of the different parts one to another soon deepens into a more subtle elucidation. The connections between one part of the body and another begin to extend in awareness. This extension reveals direct operational connection between each individual part and every other part. This is known as the realisation of dynamic or relational interconnectedness.

As the body relaxes and a deeper stability becomes possible the relationship between the parts of the body undergoes a further change. Within the awareness of interconnectedness the sense of the separateness of individual parts of the body, their actions and impacts, dissolves. It is no longer possible to make a distinction between the experience of one part of the body and the experience of other parts. They are felt and eventually understood to be simultaneously occurring aspects of the same process or activity. This is known as the realisation of fundamental nonseparateness.

These realisations occur through the penetration of action by attention. The internalisation of attention in the body reveals, in this way, the nature of objectness. Because attention is internalised through the agency of action the nature of action is also revealed. These realisations are therefore not only a clarification of the nature of objectness, but also of action.

Initially the many actions required of comfortable stability are activated individually. This activation occurs as a linear sequence or flow in time. As the actions themselves, and the requisite operative context of internalised attention, become more familiar this changes. More and more actions, and of course their impacts, occur together. Activation of individual actions, and their impacts, becomes more simultaneous. Rather than action and attention following a linear, temporal sequence, they flower in a spontaneous, nonlinear awareness of activity. Separate actions manifest as indivisible aspects of a single process of activity.

Each action, and its impacts, arises simultaneously with all other actions and their impacts. All actions and all impacts function together as a mandala. Actions and objects that are usually experienced separately and in linear sequence are experienced simultaneously as a single field or mandala. This mandala represents a transformation in perception. It is a perceptual rather than a functional or actual transformation. The actual relationship between the parts of the body is always the same. Its inherent nonseparateness, is always expressing through interconnectedness, via operative connectedness to functional separateness. This same relationship and process manifests in the breath awareness of pranayama and the mind awareness of meditation.

This transformation is a transformation within awareness. The separateness of objects and of actions has been transcended. It still exists within its own field of reference: the field of duality. But the context within which that field arises has been elucidated. That context is pure, unqualified awareness. In pure awareness there is no consciousness of specific objects related by particular actions. There is simply a continuum of objectless awareness within which activity happens spontaneously without reference to subjects, objects and actions.

In this way the nature of experience is elucidated. When objects and actions no longer impinge on awareness there is no observer, no experiencer. There is no experience. Experience, it turns out, is a dualistic construction imposed upon the actionless field of awareness. It is predicated upon the separation of subject and obect, self and other within the field of action. It is a function of a specific perceptual perspective. The limited nature of this perspective is elucidated by the emergence of awareness, into which the experiencer dissolves.

This occurs not as a result of effort, but in its absence. Actions and objects arise within the narrowing of attention upon them. This requires effort. An effort that is occurring so continuosly it is imperceptible. Nevertheless it is ocurring. When yoga practice is undertaken as an enquiry into that which is actually happening this effort dissolves into a deep, nourishing and inherent relaxation. Within this relaxation subject, object, action and experience lose their significance. This is known as the realisation of emptiness (shunyata). This is the gift of yoga, within which the imposed sense of self dissolves into consciousnessenergy (citisakti).

This realisation is not one of dissolution. It is the nondual realisation of the total inherent absence of any individuate identity. This absence, or emptiness contains within it all potentiality and all actuality and is thereby totally beyond the capacity of word or concept to signify accurately. It is only to be appercieved through the agency, as it were, of prajna, or nondual wisdom.