The Magic Wolff

[Guest guest]

On Mar 8, 2006, at 12:34 PM, Nisargadatta wrote:

 

> Message: 15

> Wed, 08 Mar 2006 17:52:07 -0000

> " Bob N. " <Roberibus111

> Note on Aphorism 11 of and by Franklin Merrell Wolff

>

> II ... Within Consciousness-without-an-object

> lie both the Universe and Nirvana,

> yet to Consciousness-without-an-object

> these two are the same.

>

> Superficially considered, nothing may seem more incomprehensible than

> a state of consciousness from which two dissimilar states, such as

> the Universe and Nirvana, have the same value. But actually, the

> difficulty is not so great when once analysis has led to the

> realization that consciousness, as such, is unaffected by

> superimposed states or forms. Neither the Nirvani nor the man in the

> Universe is outside of Consciousness, as an abstract and universal

> principle. If a conception from mathematics may be borrowed, it may

> be said that the Universe and Nirvana have the same modulus but are

> different in sense. The notions of " modulus " and " sense, " as employed

> in mathematics, have the following meaning: In the series of positive

> and negative numbers we have an unlimited number of pairs of numbers

> having the same absolute magnitude, but of opposite signs. In this

> case, it is said that the members of such pairs have the same modulus

> but are opposite in sense. Applying this analogy, the modulus that is

> common to both the Nirvanic State and to consciousness in the

> Universe is the common quality of being Consciousness. The difference

> in " sense " refers to the opposed qualities of being objectively

> polarized, in the case of consciousness in the Universe, and

> subjectively polarized, in the Nirvanic State. Now, when

> the " modulus " of a number alone is important, then the positive and

> negative " sense " of the number is irrelevant, and therefore, may be

> regarded as having the same significance. By applying this analogy,

> the meaning of the aphorism should become clearer.

> There is a profound Level of Realization wherein the two states of

> the Universe of Objects and Nirvana, instead of seeming like forever

> separated domains, become interblended coexistences. In other words,

> at that Level of Recognition, consciousness of objects and

> consciousness of absence of objects are known to be mutually

> complementary states, the one dependent upon the other, just as the

> notion of negative numbers is dependent upon the notion of positive

> numbers, and vice versa. And just as the student of mathematics very

> soon reaches the point where the notion of number, as such,

> comprehends the positive and negative " sense " of number, so that he

> no longer thinks of two distinct domains of number, so, also, is it

> at that higher Level of Recognition. Nirvana and the Universe of

> objects are simply phases of a more ultimate Reality.

 

P: This guy maybe knows math well, but Buddhist doctrine he

doesn't. . Sounds like another advaitin trickster pulling

the bunny of Universal Consciousness out of a Buddhist hat. Wink, wink!