Introduction Part Three.

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2. Ignorance comes from sense of "I".

3. The Meaning of Creation is Self-Realisation into our original form. When all are self-realised, then creation will end, as we will BE CREATION itself.

 

With all the pieces falling into place, perhaps the best way to explain the meaning of these three answers is by retelling a story.

 

Around five hundred years ago, in a sacred mountain beset with caves, a few dozen hermits, yogis and holy men spent their time meditating to attain realisation. There were so many caves that each of them spent their time in seclusion, intently focused on their goal. The plethora of meditators were from different paths, and some believed in such a thing as a soul, a self, and attempted to attain this

experiential understanding. Others believed that there is no such thing as a self or soul, so they focused on the realisation of this nothingness.

 

One day, a newcomer entered the arena. Pretty soon the yogis were convinced that this man was literally mad, because he wouldn't leave them alone. He would invade their seclusion and scream at them.

 

For the yogis who were meditating on realising self, he would scream, "You fool! There is no SELF!"

 

And for the others who were focused on realising no-self, he would roar, "You blithering idiot, of course there is a SELF!"

 

The yogis knew nothing about this man, but he carried a knife with an engraving of a Dragon, so, that's how they began to refer to him. Pretty soon it became obvious that he wasn't leaving, and neither was he going to leave them alone. So, they came to a conclusion. They would hold a grand debate by the lakeside, and if they won, then he

would either have to shut up, or leave. If he won, they would convert to his view. And if he lost and still didn't leave, they pretty much decided they would kill him.

 

So, the day arrived. At sunrise the debate began – and those who were debating for Self sat on one side, those arguing for No-Self on the other. What happened next they didn't expect.

 

Dragon kept switching sides! When one side presented an irrefutable argument for their view, and the opposition was lost for words, Dragon would come to their rescue and offer a counter-argument. And when the other side could not respond, again, he would explain a greater logic still. Infact, he presented far clearer views of both Self and No-Self than the swarm of hermits combined. Yet, as the

debate continued, he was like a wild tiger, rampant, running around like mad, chopping off people's hair, screaming, an infinite reservoir of energy.

 

Finally, sunset falls upon them, and the debate is nowhere near concluded. So, the hermits propose to Dragon to somehow end the debate. Dragon looks across and motions to the only female meditator in the group, and he says, "There is a Dakini present among us. Let her decide the fate of this debate."

 

The Dakini also happened to be the only person that Dragon had never bothered since his arrival. She replies, "Let's meditate on it."

 

And the congregation fall into a deep Samadhi – a deep state of pure awareness.

 

An hour later, when the hermits came out of meditation, each of them had realised the truth of Dragon's teaching. One by one, they returned to their respective caves. Dragon, he entered his cave, and never bothered them again.

 

The realisation was this: To have a VIEW of Self, or a view of Non-Self, are both extreme states of illusion. The hermits who believed in Self/Soul, believed it to be an absolute truth. And the hermits who believed in Non-Self, also thought of it as absolute. But how can one ever realise the absolute when one is looking at it from an

angle? From a point?

 

This is the lesson of Tantra:

 

"The Truth can only ever be told in the contradictions. Or in Silence."

 

Because a contradiction negates both opposing views, and thereby, eradicates them. Objective truth can never be in a view. It is like a finger pointing at the moon, but not being the moon itself.

 

Zen works in the same way. When you truly believe something as true, and then one day you suddenly see that its opposite is equally true, the two beliefs cancel each other out – creating a moment of silence in the mind. It is this moment of silence that is truly precious.

 

Dragon, is my teacher. The story is from one of his past lives - A small taste of his method of teaching.

 

And so, we come to Self-Grasping.

 

We constantly have thoughts: "I am this.. I am that.. I do this.. I do that.. I love this.. I hate that…" If we let these thoughts come and go, just watching them objectively, with equanimity, well, then we are not slaves to anything. But the moment we cling to a thought, because we love the way it feels, because we want to feel more of it, at that moment, we open the door of suffering.

 

And finally we arrive at the completion of explaining the essence of Buddhism. Only one thing is left. The human imprisonment is formed in this way, according to the Buddha:

 

First, there is the Form, the Object. For instance, consider a waterfall.

 

Second, the Arising of Consciousness. Each sense consciousness is completely different and unique to the other. To see the waterfall is nothing at all like hearing the waterfall. The consciousness of it is different. So, when you hear the waterfall, Hearing Consciousness

arises.

 

Third, Perception. This is the calculation of the information you are receiving. Your perception imputes that the sound is that of a waterfall, and makes a judgement based on the information: "Ah, a waterfall. I love waterfalls!" or "Damn, a waterfall, I can't stand

that annoying noise!" Perception is always subjective and relative to the individual.

 

Fourth, Sensation. If perception concludes that you love the sound of a waterfall, then you will get a pleasurable sensation – soothing, erotic, energetic, however you see it. Or if you hate the sound, you get a painful or uncomfortable sensation.

 

Fifth, Reaction. There are only two types of reactions. Craving or Aversion. If the sensation is pleasurable, the mind instantly craves for more. It's the natural reaction. If the sensation is painful, the mind reacts with aversion. And by this craving and aversion, the reactive human is formed.

 

Every time you don't respond to the craving or the aversion, in that moment, you are free. It is the non-reactive moments that holds the essence of your will.

 

When you remove everything that is not you, what will remain will essentially be you.

 

Now, this explanation of the five aggregates as it is called, is not a Buddhist one. It was known in Hinduism, in Brahmanism, and most probably, even before. Yet during the time the Buddha was alive, every great spiritual teacher explained that the way to free yourself from being a reactive being is by transcending the Form/Object. If you crave beautiful women, then change the way you view beautiful women. Etc etc.

 

This didn't work. At this point, Hinduism had lost its core to the decay of time. Buddhism began when the Buddha made a rediscovery. The key to liberation is not in the object of attention – but in the SENSATION on your body. By being equanimous – which is – to watch both your pleasure and your pain with a deep, passionate objectivity, you free yourself.

 

Now, I have explained everything you need to know about how I understand Buddhism – laid the groundwork for what's to come. Now I can resume my story of the rebirth of the Warrior Code.

 

To be Continued…