Just looking, notice that in the circle of your awareness there are many things which constitute the world of your awareness. Notice also that in your circle of awareness there is also something else and that is an awareness of what you call your own body, what you call yourself. So your circle of awareness contains both what you call yourself and what you call all that which is other than yourself. There is also in the circle of awareness something that you can't see but which is the basis and that something is awareness. Notice that no matter how you search for that awareness, you can't find it, yet it is the basis for the experience of this circle of awareness. Also notice that although the circle contains both self and other, there is no boundary between them, all co-exist inseparably in the circle of awareness and in fact if you were to identify with the awareness everything in the circle of awareness would seem to be other. The awareness however no matter how hard you search can not be found. The reason is that the awareness is the Noumenal. But what is the Noumenal?
The Noumenal is by definition without characteristics so we can't define it except to say just that. It is that which exists apart from our thinking. Having no characteristics, it has no location spatially or temporally. It does not exist in time and space but rather time and space exist in it. Having no characteristics, it has no boundaries and hence has no outside or inside thus it encompasses everything we call the phenomenal world. So in this circle of awareness, the awareness is not separate from anything in the circle. The Phenominal and the Noumenal are inextricably woven together.
There is only this. This circle, whole, undivided. No self, no other, just intrinsic awareness. No future, no past, no present, just this. There is no one looking!
When you return, the only thing that you can bring back with you is the excruciating love and compassion for this glorious whole. All beings wandering in a dream.
The Noumenal is by definition without characteristics so we can't define it except to say just that. It is that which exists apart from our thinking. Having no characteristics, it has no location spatially or temporally. It does not exist in time and space but rather time and space exist in it. Having no characteristics, it has no boundaries and hence has no outside or inside thus it encompasses everything we call the phenomenal world. So in this circle of awareness, the awareness is not separate from anything in the circle. The Phenominal and the Noumenal are inextricably woven together.
There is only this. This circle, whole, undivided. No self, no other, just intrinsic awareness. No future, no past, no present, just this. There is no one looking!
When you return, the only thing that you can bring back with you is the excruciating love and compassion for this glorious whole. All beings wandering in a dream.
