Try this…
An Infinite Field of Dependent Histories
What this means is: an apple (or any phenomena) is itself the sum total of its entire prior history. Further, any existing or contributing aspect of the apple’s history, such as the apple seed, the earth it grew in, the necessary nutrients, the water, the sunlight etc. etc. , are required, as well as also each of those contributing aspects or factors, will have their own prior histories as well.
This understanding reveals a vision which spans the entire universe as being an infinitely vast network of interdependent histories.
No “thing”, subjectively mental or objectively “material” can be isolated as though existing apart from its current total field of supporting dependencies and its prior developmental history of previously existing supporting and influencing relationships.
To think otherwise is itself the definition of “magical thinking”.
Now imagine that this “total field of interdependencies” includes the past, present and future as a single field or as a unified network of interconnected relationships or hierarchies. This further defines Einstein’s concept of an all inclusive “block universe” comprised of past, present and future as a fixed and unchanging 4D hologram.
So it doesn’t matter which or whatever philosophical or metaphysical or religious framework one wishes to superimpose upon this fixed field of Reality, it won’t alter what’s primordially there.
The future is never other than the extension of its history extended forward in time. An apple seed will never develop into a lemon. A lemon’s history will have to have something other than an apple seed as it’s origin. And so it is with ALL mental and material phenomena including the mind.
But the above description doesn’t include the permanent (timeless) Knowing Presence of Awareness. Knowing Awareness has no history, has no past, present or future. It’s outside of time, mind, thought, identity, self, form and event, yet is all pervading without dimension, like a borderless mirror in which reflections simply appear and are known. But better than the mirror analogy is one where Awareness is the unchanging empty space which hosts the Universal Hologram.
So whatever “spin” you want to put upon the nature and characteristics of the “reflections” as the appearing thoughts, mind, perceptions, identities, forms, bodies, objects, and energies; no utterly simple, elegant, complex or fanciful mental construct or paradigm will ever influence or impact the Knowing Awareness in which they harmlessly appear.
In Samkhya the interdependent “field” of past, present and future phenomena; mental and material, is called “prakriti”.
The empty Knowing Awareness is called Purusha or Jña in Samkhya.
Does Prakriti (the block universe) arise as the creative potential or expression of Knowing Awareness itself or are they always in a dualistic relationship?
Seeing how both pervade the other completely, to speak of “two” is incoherent. To see changing reflections as being “identical” to the unchanging mirror in which they appear, is equally incoherent.
It is only the historical or evolved form of prakriti known as the intellect (buddhi) which has concerns regarding duality or non-duality as being relevant philosophical positions.
The main task in Dzogchen is to differentiate Awareness from mind, thought, and the conceptualizing intellect. The egoic self identity is one of mind’s products. It is only the mind and intellect which “seem” to obscure rigpa.
Mind, thought and intellect are dependent prakriti, Awareness is neither prakriti nor is dependent.
That which is aware OF thoughts, images, perceptions, memories, logic, intellect, self and mind IS rigpa Awareness.
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posted by Jackson Peterson
Robin Sharing