The Great Texts: Deconstructing Time and Space

Self inquiry starts with an investigation of "arisings", the "content" which creates our view of the world.

These "apparently" independent data points: sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, bodily sensations (feelings) and thought are the sum total of our experience of objective reality.

For this discussion, Reality could be defined as that which we directly experience, nothing more.

Having said this, inquiry leads to the inevitable conclusion that we are not these mentations witnessed: we are not the body, mind or world.

This is an important discovery. We are noumenal awareness, or consciousness, non objective in nature.

Further, we can consider, "Is this awareness located within a body, or is the body contained within it? In fact, Is awareness contained at all? Or is the entirety of the universe, the body and mind contained within the awareness that we sometimes provisionally refer to as "me"?"

When I hear the buzzing of the air conditioner and, simultaneously, I feel the itch in my chin, do they appear in two separate places or do they appear in the exact same space?

Allowing time to investigate these perceived beliefs of separation, I discover that these sensory perceptions all are received in exactly the same space as "me" and that space is zero distance from "me". By extending this same investigation into each our our sense perceptions, we could carefully examine what, if any, differences there are between what we assume we experience and what we, in fact, actually experience.

It is a good idea to conduct these initial exercises in the company of an experienced teacher.

For example: We might place an arm on a sofa. Noticing where the arm and sofa meet, we might ask ourselves: "Is it our experience that there are two sensations co-existing, sofa and arm? Or in our direct investigation, do we discover that there is only one sensation experienced, that of chair/arm?

Clearly, it is the latter.

These simple investigations begin to demonstrate that our belief in the rigid separation of objects is more concept than reality.

But, to this inquirer, there was much more to discover: Consider no less than the Venerable Hui Neng:

"From the beginning not a thing is, i.e. "no" thing has ever existed." for there has never been such a thing as "space" other than as a concept in mind(which we are) which renders possible the notion of appearance."

To this, Wei Wu Wei, the great NonDual author, would add,

"Ultimately, the concept whose demolition must result in understanding is that which is known as "Space-Time".

This may seem radical and difficult to understand at first. I beg your indulgence, for this writer believes that this deeper investigation is absolutely critical.

Once again, the brilliant Wei Wu Wei:

"Nothing could be more obviously witnessed than "space" and "time", yet people assume them to be permanent, independent realities! Basic, that may indeed be, but, as the basis of an elaborate dimensional fiction."

Simply put, the absolute remains hidden in plain sight due, in part, to the illusion created by the concepts of time and space.

How important is this?

Huang Po said this regarding "time":

"If there's never been a single thing- past,present and future are meaningless... Full understanding of this must come before they you can enter the Way.."

Wei Wu Wei explains it thus:

"The Way" is the "philosophical" translation of "Tao", a synonym for Dharmakaya, Bhutatathata, Buddha Mind or Noumenon, so that the sentence implies that full understanding of this must come before you can re-become (or actualize) what you are.

It follows that all phenomena are the perceiving of phenomena, and that their extension and duration is inherent in the mechanism whereby perceiving appears to occur, the dualist mechanism of noumenon of phenomenalizing noumenality....

There is only perceiving: all else is the void of noumenality- the eye can not see what is looking."

Wei Wu Wei thus summarizes:

"Life" is a concept extended in space-time, and as such, it is only an image in mind."

Wow.

"Perception is Creation." --Francis Lucille.

Contemplate that.

There are some teachers whose exceptional skills have helped in this deconstruction here; for those interested, I would recommend:

Francis Lucille

Rupert Spira

Peter Dziuban

Greg Goode

And, of course, Wei Wu Wei.

All were integral in uncovering the assumptions of ignorance here. Find their books in the book store here.