Nothingness

December 21, 2002

Greetings:

An infinite thought popped into my finite head this morning: " Everything is

either God or it is nothing. " Now, Advaita Vedanta teaches us that everything is

God, but what does it teach us about " nothingness " ? Does nothingness exist? Or,

in other words, can non-existence even exist? Obviously, the limitations of

language makes this question even difficult to pose! Let me put it another way:

When someone says, " I wish I was never born, " they are wishing for non-existence

-- no soul, no consciousness, nothing.

This question got me to thinking that nothingness or non-existence is impossible

-- as Brahman is both existence and non-existence, His very nature does not

allow non-existence to exist. In other words, there is no " empty space " in God's

home.

Any thoughts to share on this?

thanks,

Brad

December 22, 2002

-

"Brad Stephan" <brad

"The Ramakrishna List" <ramakrishna >

Saturday, December 21, 2002 05:58

[sri Ramakrishna] Nothingness

> Greetings:> > An infinite thought popped into my finite head this morning:

"Everything is either God or it is nothing."

Now, Advaita Vedanta teaches us that everything is God, but what does it teach us about "nothingness"? Does nothingness exist?

Dear Brad,

What a wonderful topic to inquire into.

I will approach this topic from a slightly different angle.

Key teachings of Hinduism would not say "Everything is God" but that

"God appears as Everything" -- it is this key word 'appears' that does the trick

of explaining how (as it were) the infinite becomes all this finite.

On this basis the analysis suggested would turn from

"Everything is either God or it is Nothing" to => God appears as Everything.

When we realise that this is only an appearance,

we understand that Nothing is really God. : )

jay

December 23, 2002

Dear Brad

Advaita teaches us non-duality. What that implies is that, there is

absolutely no element of dualism, to the " Brahmam " which is the only

thing that is all pervading.

In the advaitic state, there is no object, seer, and the act of

seeing. Brahmam is not an object of comprehension. So, it does not

teach us " nothingness " at all. It teaches only " existense " and pure

consciousness.

Coming to the point of not being born, it means that there is no

identification of the self to the body. Birth and death is only for

the body. The soul(atman) is never born nor dies and is eternal. But

we wrongly identify ourselves to the body and think we are born and

die.

The " nothingness " in advaita is the Maya, which they use to explain

this universe (prakruti). They say that the universe is but a

projection of the absolute, but impermanent and illusory. But the

universe appears real only until there is mind (or maya). Once the

mind is removed, there is pure consiousness, and eternal bliss.

Just as the existence of a light, makes darkness impossible in a

room, the mere existence of Brahman, makes 'non-existense' impossible.

-- Pradeep

December 24, 2002

Dear Sir,

As you have pointed out , nothingness is a dual

phenomenon with its opposite fullness , both of which

being the products of maya.

As the scriptures declare all this verily is Brahman'

sarvam khalvidam Brahman'.

At the paramarthika level, only sath-chit-ananda

is which is the adhishtanam of the dual world of name

and form.So emptiness and fullness refer to a

different plane of prathibhasika and vyaharika

reality.

It is the superimposition of maya that causes these

phenomena.

Am I right?

With love and merry Christmas to all !!!

Yours in Sri Sankara Bhagavatpujyapada

--- Brad Stephan <brad wrote:

<HR>

<tt>

Greetings:

An infinite thought popped into my finite head this

morning: & nbsp; & quot;Everything is either God or it is

nothing. & quot; Now, Advaita Vedanta teaches us that

everything is God, but what does it teach us about

& quot;nothingness & quot;? Does nothingness exist? Or,

in other words, can non-existence even exist?

Obviously, the limitations of language makes this

question even difficult to pose! Let me put it another

way: & nbsp; When someone says, & quot;I wish I was never

born, & quot; they are wishing for non-existence -- no

soul, no consciousness, nothing.

This question got me to thinking that nothingness or

non-existence is impossible -- as Brahman is both

existence and non-existence, His very nature does not

allow non-existence to exist. In other words, there is

no & quot;empty space & quot; in God's home.

Any thoughts to share on this?

thanks,

Brad

[Non-text portions of this message have been

removed]

</tt>

<tt>

Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah

Vivekananda Centre London

<a

href= " http://www.vivekananda.co.uk " >http://www.vivekananda.co.uk</a></tt>

<tt>

December 24, 2002

-

"Bhuvaneswar Chilukuri" <bhuvaneswarc

Tuesday, December 24, 2002 12:17

Re: [sri Ramakrishna] Nothingness

> Dear Sir,> > As you have pointed out , nothingness is a dual> phenomenon with its opposite fullness , both of which> being the products of maya.> > As the scriptures declare all this verily is Brahman'> sarvam khalvidam Brahman'.> > At the paramarthika level, only sath-chit-ananda> is which is the adhishtanam of the dual world of name> and form.So emptiness and fullness refer to a> different plane of prathibhasika and vyaharika> reality.> > It is the superimposition of maya that causes these> phenomena.> > Am I right?

What a wonderful grasp of the subject! > > With love and merry Christmas to all !!!> > > Yours in Sri Sankara Bhagavatpujyapada > > --- Brad Stephan <brad wrote: > <HR>