Table of Contents Return to the Source Shinzen Young RETURN TO THE SOURCE Table of Contents SOMETHING FROM NOTHING ....................................................... 1 HOW TO NOTE VANISHINGS ........................................................ 5 HOW TO DO NOTHING .............................................................. 7 © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 Something From Nothing Return to the Source Shinzen Young SOMETHING FROM NOTHING For millennia the number One was thought of as the first and simplest number and the basis of all others. In modern mathematics that role has been taken over by Zero. Zero is defined as the number of things in the set that contains no things. In spirituality Zero may be used to describe a special kind of no-thing-ness –The rich and fulfilling nothing from which each something arises and to which it returns –Nihil per excellentiam –The Source of Consciousness. Since there are 6 Basic Spaces, there a r ei nt he o r y … 6 possible ways to pick just one of them –the Basic Spaces themselves. 15 possible ways to pick exactly two. We typically use about half of those possibilities (i.e., the subjective dyads, modality dyads, Image-Touch Space (where restfulness is readily available), etc.) 20 possible ways of picking three of them at once. We typically use only two of those possibilities (i.e., the Objective Triad and Subjective Triad). 15 ways of picking four of them at once. We typically use only one of these possibilities, Bodymind Space, aka Touch + FIT Space, although covering Sight + FIT Space or Sound + FIT Space can also be instructive. 6 ways of picking exactly 5 of them. You might sometimes use one of these, Bodymind + Sound Space, which is a sort of closed-eyes version of working in the All Senses. (Note that picking 5 out of 6 for inclusion is equivalent to picking 1 out of 6 for exclusion, so the number of ways of picking 5 = one of the ways of picking 1. By same principle the picking 4 out of 6 for inclusion is equivalent to picking 2 out of 6 for exclusion, so the number of ways to pick 4 = the number of ways to pick 2, i.e., 15.) 1 way of choose all 6 of them at once. Now… 6 + 15 + 20 + 15 + 6 + 1 = 63 = 64 −1=26 −1 Some t hi ngs e e msa mi s she r e .Thi ng swou l dbes i mpl e r( Oc c a m’ sr a z or )a ndmor ebe a ut i f ul( Ei n s t e i n ’ s criterion) if the total number of possible choices could be made equal to 26 = 64, i.e., 2 (the simplest number after 0 and 1) raised to the number of Basic Spaces. Moreover, the pattern of possibilities would become perfectly symmetrical if we added a 1 at the beginning of the sequence: 1 + 6 + 15 + 20 + 15 + 6 + 1 = 64 The 1 at the beginning stands for the possibility of choosing nothing whatsoever as your focus space, i.e., focusing on a state of consciousness that has no sensory content at all! This would represent contentless consciousness, or mathematically speaking, the empty set. One might be tempted to defined contentless consciousness as the state of dreamless sleep, but it turns out to be much more productive to work with what in ancient India was referred to as t ur ī y a, meaning l i t e r a l l y“ t h eFour t h. ”TheFour t hi sas t a t eo fc on s c i o us ne s swi t hou ts pe c i f i c content and hence different from ordinary waking consciousness (the First) and dreaming consciousness (the Second). But it is not utterly embedded in unconsciousness the way dreamless sleep (the Third) is. © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 1 Something From Nothing Return to the Source Shinzen Young This experience has been known and cultivated in all ages and in all cultures inside and outside of all religious traditions. Hence, there are many synonyms for it, some of which seem to contradict each other! The following partial list of synonyms will give you an idea of the ubiquity and importance of this experience. Pure Consciousness (Purusha in Yoga) Cessation (Cittavrittinirodha in Yoga, Nirodha in Buddhism, Cesó in St. John of the Cross) The Source (Ha Makom in Kabbalah, Kongen in Sasaki Roshi) The Witness (Drashtri in Yoga) True Self (Atma in Hinduism) No self (Anatma in Buddhism) The Unborn (Ajata in Buddhism and Hinduism) The Undying (Amrita in Buddhism and Hinduism) Emptiness (Shunyata in Buddhism) Fullness (Purna in Hinduism) Nothingness (Nihil in Christianity, Ayn in Judaism, Ākiñcañña in Buddhism) Ground (Grund in Christianity, Gzhi in Tibetan practice) Peace of Heaven (Shalom bimromav in Judaism) Void (Shunya in Buddhism, Xūin Daoism) True Love (Shinjitsu no ai in Sasaki Roshi) Now a person might reasonably object that focusing on “ not h i ngwha t s oe v e r ”i si mpos s i bl e , both practically and logically. Ont hep r a c t i c a ls i de , i no r d e rt oe xp e r i e nc e“ no t h i ng ”i twoul ds e e mt ha tonewoul dha v et opush down all sensory activity. But to push down all sensory activity is 1) not feasible and 2) not desirable. On the logical side, nothing is in some ways like a dimensionless point without extension in space or duration through time. It contains no room for experiencer, experienced, or even experience. To speak of “ e xpe r i e nc i ng ”s uc hathing would seem to be a contradiction in terms. Le t ’ sa dd r e s se a c ho ft h e s eob j e c t i onsi nt ur n. The Practical Objection Instead of trying to turn off experience, consider instead simply noticing whenever an experience vanishes, i.e., goes from being somet hi ngt obe i n gno t h i ng .Ea c ht i mey ounot e“ Gone, ”f orj us taf r a c t i on of a second your attention is averted (turned toward) nothing-whatsoever-ness. Re me mbe rt ha twhe ny oud e f i n eac e r t a i n“ X”t ob ey o urfocus space,i ti se x pe c t e dt ha t“ n o nX”wi l l occur. All you are asked to do is highlight X and let non X be in the background. So if you define “ nothingness”t obey ourfocus space, i t ’ sf i nei ft he r ei ss t i l lal o tofs ome t hi ng ne s si ny ou ra wa r e ne s s . All you have to do is get fascinated with the periodic s e que nc eofv a ni s h i ng sa ndl e ta l lt hea r i s i ng s“ do t he i rt hi ng ”i nt h eba c k g r ound. Somuc hf ort hep r a c t i c a ld i f f i c ul t y .Nowl e t ’ sa dd r e s st hede e pe r , l og i c a ld i f f i c ul t y . © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 2 Something From Nothing Return to the Source Shinzen Young The Logical Objection Logically, how can anyone experience something that is not ane x pe r i e n c e ?We l l , ofc ou r s ey ouc a n’ t ! But what you can e xp e r i e n c ei sac ont i nuou ss e que n c eof“ mome nt a r ya dv e r t i ng sofa wa r e ne s st oward n ot h i ng ne s s . ”Af t e rawhi l e ,t hi ss t r i ngofa c k nowl e dg e dv a ni s hi ng ss umt oade l i c i ous l yf u l f i l l i ngs e n s e of nothingness. Tha t“ de l i c i ous l yf ul f i l l i ngs e ns eofn ot h i ng ne s s ”i sno tnot hi ng ne s si t s e l f . I ti sah uma ns e ns o r y eventthe closest experience a human can have to direct contact with the non-human nothing of the Source. The only closer thing is t he“ s i ng ul a r i t y ”o fdirect contact itself; but in that instant there is no knower, known or knowing; there is just the One Zero. Standard Procedures for Returning to the Source In Basic Mindfulness the standard way of working involves choosing a focus space and then applying one of two standard focus methods to that space: Noting States or Even Coverage. Focus Method 1: Note Vanishings The categories you can note are classified into active states, (i.e., Touch, Feel), restful states (i.e., Relaxation, Peace), and Impermanence states (i.e., Flow, Vanishing). Fora l lc a t e g or i e sot he rt ha nv a ni s hi ng ,“ t ono t e ”i sde s c r i be di nt e r msof : “ Ac k nowl e dg e , s oa ki na ndope nup.” Forv a ni s h i ng ,“ t onot e ”t a k e sas i mpl e rf or m, j us t : “ Ac k nowl e dg e .” Tha t ’ sbe c a us ei f you take Nothingness to be your focus space and Noting States to be your focus method, then t heo nl ys t a t ey ouc a nnot ei s“ Va ni s hi ng . ”Th er e l e v a nti ns t r u c t i onswou l dt h e nbe : 1. Youdon’ tne e dt oposition your attention in any particular way. 2. Every time you are aware that somethingha sv a ni s he d ,not e“ Gone. ” 3. The thing that vanishes could be simple or complex, intense or subtle, well-defined or illdefined. Th ev a ni s h i ngma ybedr a ma t i co rs ub t l e .Ei t h e rc a s ei sf i n e .“ Al lno t h i ng sa r e unc r e a t e de qu a l . ” 4. It is not particularly important that you have a clear sense of what has vanished. Your interest i si nt h e“ g o i ng ”r a t he rt ha tt he“ wh a t . ” 5. After each note, just hang out until something else vanishes. The wait for the next vanishing may be short or long. Any pattern is fine. Thus, it i spo s s i bl et oi nc o r por a t e“ not i ngnot h i ng ne s s ”i n t oou rs t a nd a r drepertoire of procedures by following the above instructions. © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 3 Something From Nothing Return to the Source Shinzen Young Focus Method 2: Do Nothing Howa bout“ e v e nc ov e rage of no t hi ng ne s s ” ?Thi scertainly would seem to be impossible! How can you cov e rs ome t hi ngwi t ha wa r e ne s si fi ti sno te x t e nd e di ns pa c ea ndd oe snotl a s tt hr oug ht i me ?We l l , l e t ’ s look a little more carefully at the exact wording in t hede f i ni t i o nof“ e v e nc ov e r a g e . ” 1. Spread your attention over as much of the focus space as possible without straining. 2. Beyond that, do nothing intentionally. Clearly part 1 is not relevant to experience nothingness, but part 2 is very relevant! If your focus space is Nothingness, then “ c ov e ra nddonothing intentionally”i sr e duc e dt o“ do nothing intent i ona l l y . ”The relevant instructions would then be: 1. Youdon’ tne e dt oposition your attention in any particular way. 2. Let whatever happens happen, but as soon as you notice that you are doing anything intentionally, stop. We ’ l lr e f e rt ot h i sp r oc e s sa s“ Doi ngNot h i ng . ” The second part of the instruction requires some clarification. We will define “ i nt e nt i o na l ”t ome a n something you can voluntarily control, meaning you have total control over initiating and stopping the action –like raising or dropping your arm. Therefore, by definition, you can always stop an intentional act. So if you cannot stop doing something, it is not really intentional and you do n’ tneed to stop. The instructions are very clear; only stop doing what you easily can stop doing. Let anything else happen as it will. Examples of things that you can stop doing are: Intentionally thinking (as opposed to thinking that just happens to you) Trying to focus on a certain thing Trying to have equanimity Trying to keep track of what’ sgoing on Trying to meditate Thus, amazingly, it is actually possible to explore Nothingness using the two standard focus methods as long as you realize that in this special case: Note St a t e sr e duc e st o“ j us ta c k nowl e dg ee a c hv a ni s h i ng ”and Even Cove r a g er e duc e st o“ donot h i ngi n t e n t i on a l . ” Al t houg h“ j us ta c k nowl e dg ee a c hv a ni s h i ng ”a nd“ donot h i ngi nt e nt i ona l ”ma ys e e mt obev e r ydi f f e r e n t procedures, they lead to similar experiences. Two other methods that will lead you in the same direction are the method of “ Nott hi s ,No tt h i s ”( neti neti) and the practice of Self Inquiry (constantly asking who is experiencing). If you find either of those approaches useful, you can consider them to be “ special exercises”to be used in addition to or instead of the standard two methods described above when your focus space i s“ Not h i ng ne s s ”( Tr ueSe l f ,NoSe l f , Source of Thought, etc.) © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 4 How to Note Vanishings Return to the Source Shinzen Young HOW TO NOTE VANISHINGS Basic Instructions I fy ourf oc u ss pa c ei sNot hi ng ne s st he n“ Noting States”r e duc e st o“ Noting Vanishing.”This is because vanishing is the only state that points to contentless consciousness. He r e ’ showt oNot e Vanishings: Youdon’ tne e dt opos i t i ony oura t t e nt i oni na nypa r t i c ul a rwa y . Eve r yt i mey oua r ea wa r et h a ts ome t hi ngha sva ni s he d,not e“ Gone. ” The thing that vanishes could be simple or complex, intense or subtle, well-defined or ill-defined. The vanishing may be dramatic or subtle. Either case is fine –“ Al l nothings are unc r e a t e de qua l . ”It is not particularly important that you have a clear sense of what has vanished. Youri nt e r e s ti si nt he“ g oi ng”r a t he rt ha tt he“ wha t . ” After each note, just hang out until something else vanishes. The wait for the next vanishing may be short or long. Any pattern is fine. Guidelines Guessing This procedure often involves a good deal of gue s s i nga ndg r opi ng .I t ’ soka yi fy ou’ r enot entirely sure how accurate your noting is. Let go of ordinary ordering As you Note Vanishings, try to let go of the need to find meaning or get comfortable. If this brings about a state of chaos, confusion or disorientation, note whenever a piece of that chaos vanishes You’ renott ryi ng t ogett hi ngst o vani sh You’ r enott r y i ngt og e tt hi ng st ova ni s horpr e ve ntt hi ng sf r om ha ppe ni ng .J us tha ngout until something vanishes, however tiny that may be. The vanishings may occur frequently or just occasionally. Any pattern is fine. You don’ tneed t of i xat eon i nt ensi t i es I fs ome t hi ngi nt e ns ea r i s e s ,y oudon’ tha vet of i xa t eoni tunt i li tall disappears. Even very intense arisings usually have some parts that disappear instantly. Moreover, an intense arising in one part of consciousness almost always causes many small vanishings elsewhere. If you can, become fascinated with those micro-vanishings rather than fixated on the macrointensity. © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 5 How to Note Vanishings Return to the Source Shinzen Young What to do about rapid-fire vanishings I fva ni s h i ngoc c ur sonl yoc c a s i ona l l y ,t ha t ’ sf i ne . Ont heot he rha nd,i fva ni s hi ng sa r es of r e que nta ndqui c kt ha ty ouc a n’ tnot et he m i ndi vi dua l l y ,j us tnot e“ Gone”e ve r yf e ws e c ondst oa c knowl e dget ha ty ou’ r ede t e c t i ngr a pi dfine vanishings. In such cases, you need not try to note each “ Gone ”individually. Positive Effects Tranquility It can sometimes happen that Noting Vanishings creates a pervasive sense of tranquility. Tha t ’ sbe c a us ee a c hmome ntofva ni s hi ngr e pr e s e nt sa moment of Absolute Rest. That moment of Absolute Rest may spread a wave of relative rest through your body, mind and even out to the scene around you. If that happens, enjoy that restfulness but keep focusing on the vanishings. Continuous nothingness It can sometimes happen that the individual moments of vanishings start to connect together with rather little something-ne s si nbe t we e n.I t ’ sa l mos tl i key ou“ Stay Gone”unt i lt hene xt “ Gone. ” Richness When you focus on vanishings, you may sometimes have a paradoxical experience. The vanishing is a kind of nothingness yet seems to deliver a deep sense of richness and fulfillment. If anything like that happens, enjoy it. Remember, the word nirvana means both extinction and fulfillment! Figure-ground reversal As you Note Vanishings, it can sometimes happen that a kind of figure-ground reversal occurs. Instead of observing the vanishing point, you become it! You become the nothing— the ground—and y ou“ un-be c ome ”t houg ht sa ndbodys e ns a t i ons , which are now like insubstantial figures continuously rising from and returning to the TRUE YOU. What Comes Between You may notice a loss of interest or a loss of clarity with regard to whatever is occurring in between the vanishings. Ordinarily a loss of interest or clarity is considered a bad thing, but i nt hi sc a s ei t ’ sa c t ua l l ygoodbe c a us ei ti ndi c a t e st ha ty ou’ r ei nt e r e s ta ndc l a r i t ya r es hi f t i ng from t he“ s ome t hi ng s ”t ot he“ not h i ng s . ”I tc oul da l s oha ppe nt ha tt heonl yt hi ngt ha ts e e ms t ooc c u rbe t we e nva ni s hi ng si s“ pol a r i z a t i on, ”i . e . , a sense of simultaneous expansion and contraction. If so, great! I nt hepa r l a nc eofmyt e a c he rSa s a kiRos hi ,y ou’ r enow “ pa r t i c i pa t i ngoft hea c t i vi t yoft heSour c e . ” © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 6 How to Do Nothing Return to the Source Shinzen Young HOW TO DO NOTHING Basic Instructions I fy ourf oc u ss pa c ei sNot hi ng ne s s ,t h e n“ Evenly Cover t hes pa c ea nddonot hi ng ”r e duc e st o “ Do Nothing.”He r e ’ showt oDoNot h i ng : Youdon’ tne e dt opos i t i ony oura t t e nt i onin any particular way. Let whatever happens happen, but as soon as you notice that you are doing anything intentionally, stop. The second part of the instruction requires some clarification. We will define “ i nt e nt i ona l ”t o mean something you can voluntarily control, meaning you have total control over initiating and stopping the action –like raising or dropping your arm. Therefore, by definition, you can always stop an intentional act, because if you cannot stop doing something, it is not really intentional and you don’ tneed to stop. The instructions are very clear; only stop doing what you easily can stop doing. Let anything else happen as it will. Examples of things that you can stop doing are: Intentionally thinking (as opposed to thinking that just happens to you) Trying to focus on a certain thing Trying to have equanimity Trying to keep track of what is going on Trying to meditate More About Thinking Some thoughts are intentional. I t ’ spos s i bl ef ory out omake a decision to think about s ome t hi nga ndi t ’ sa l s opos s i bl et ode c i denott ot hi nka boutt ha tt hi ng .Ot he rt hought sa r e not intentional. They just sort of happen to you. They are not under conscious control. You may find that your thoughts are mostly intentional or mostly not under your control. Thei mpor t a ntpoi ntt or e me mbe ri st ha tt he“ Doing Nothing”a swe ’ l lde f i nei tdoe snot require you to stop all thoughts. You just stop intentionally t hi nki ng .I fy ouc a n’ ts t op thinking about something t he ny oudon’ tneed to stop because y ou’ r enot thinking intentionally,byourde f i ni t i onoft ha twor d.Sobyt hi sde f i ni t i on,“ Doing Nothing”i s actually a very easy-going process. It just means stop doing whatever you can stop doing and don’ twor r ya boutt her e s toft hes t uf f . © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 7 How to Do Nothing Return to the Source Shinzen Young Doing Nothing and the Experience of Nothing Doing Nothing is a way of moving toward the experience of nothingness. When you Do Nothing, you let go of the intention to go any place or achieve any goal. You even let go of the intention to get focused or have clarity or avoid chaos. In essence you let go of the i nt e nt i ont o“ me di t a t e . ” At first this may be a bit disconcerting and uncomfortable, but after a while you begin to get the sense that something is pulling you, taking you on a journey. If you Do Nothing long and continuously enough, nothing will begin to tug on you, taking you on a journey to Zero, Groundless Ground, the Source of consciousness. In other wor ds ,y oudon’ tha vet ot r yt oge t to the Source—you just stop doing anything and wait for it to get to you! Tos umi tup,whe ny oupr a c t i c e“ Doing Nothing”i tdoe s n’ tme a nt ha tt heg oa li st oha ve not hi ngha ppe n.I nf a c tt he r ema ybeal otha ppe ni ng .Tha t ’ soka y ,a sl onga sy ouke e pl e t t i ng go of the intention to do a ny t hi nga boutwha t ’ sha ppe ni ng . © 2007 Shinzen Young All rights reserved. Return to the Source.doc Created: 11/17/06 Modified: 7/11/2007 8
© Copyright 2025 Paperzz