That which is not...
We think all the while we are awake. Or so we think! Of what? Anything. Everything. Everything that matters or doesn't. Is there a moment we aren't thinking? If we aren't, then the very consciousness that we aren't thinking anything is a thought in itself!
What do these thoughts lead to? 'What's in it for me' is every human's prerequisite for involvement in something. The very need for a benefit out of something defines our way of life. Thoughts make a man - as beautifully put by Swami Vivekananda. Actions could be faked. Thoughts cannot, because it is an action that presents our thought to the outside world. When I say here that thoughts cannot be faked, I mean it cannot be faked to the conscience.
Now is the interesting part. What is this conscience that bears true impartial witness to everything we do? Can it be suppressed? That something keeps ringing in our minds when we act good or bad that tells us if the act is actually acceptable to it or not, is a known fact to all. The idea is if it could be suppressed. Can we tell ourselves while committing a crime that the crime is right? We could use all hypocrisy and show the world that that crime could be justified, but could we hide it from that voice within?
Actions ideally should spring from filtered thought. But it always does not apply. Involuntary actions and reflexes could be natural or trained and they happen before a realisation of that action dawns. Thoughts play a major role here.
Actions and thought both yield something measurable even if inexpressible or intangible. Joy or sorrow usually, directly or indirectly. Allowing the mind to think of anything and everything seems good, but it is a state of lost control. In the right sense of the word, it is the subjugation of oneself to unnecessary authority.
Thus, does it prove that thoughtlessness is liberation from this? What is thoughtlessness? How can one know if he is thoughtless at this moment? As said earlier, thinking of not having thoughts is a thought itself. So, it is only possible by reminiscence to know if one has been thoughtless at some point in the past. This usually is one thinking of himself at a point in time where there has been a time lapse, but not being able to remember what actually happened.
A little thought would reveal that even for oneself to accept that he went through thoughtlessness at some point in the past, there should've been a common witness at both points in time. What is that witness? Isn't it that same witness that tells us every morning that we slept very well the previous night though we actually don't remember anything that happened in those 8 hours of sleep?
I believe it is essential to search for this common witness. It probably lies within us. Or maybe it doesn't. Or we may be within that. Who knows? Ironically, only thoughts about it seem to be the way to find it.
In reality, I seem to be searching for that which is not!!!
What do these thoughts lead to? 'What's in it for me' is every human's prerequisite for involvement in something. The very need for a benefit out of something defines our way of life. Thoughts make a man - as beautifully put by Swami Vivekananda. Actions could be faked. Thoughts cannot, because it is an action that presents our thought to the outside world. When I say here that thoughts cannot be faked, I mean it cannot be faked to the conscience.
Now is the interesting part. What is this conscience that bears true impartial witness to everything we do? Can it be suppressed? That something keeps ringing in our minds when we act good or bad that tells us if the act is actually acceptable to it or not, is a known fact to all. The idea is if it could be suppressed. Can we tell ourselves while committing a crime that the crime is right? We could use all hypocrisy and show the world that that crime could be justified, but could we hide it from that voice within?
Actions ideally should spring from filtered thought. But it always does not apply. Involuntary actions and reflexes could be natural or trained and they happen before a realisation of that action dawns. Thoughts play a major role here.
Actions and thought both yield something measurable even if inexpressible or intangible. Joy or sorrow usually, directly or indirectly. Allowing the mind to think of anything and everything seems good, but it is a state of lost control. In the right sense of the word, it is the subjugation of oneself to unnecessary authority.
Thus, does it prove that thoughtlessness is liberation from this? What is thoughtlessness? How can one know if he is thoughtless at this moment? As said earlier, thinking of not having thoughts is a thought itself. So, it is only possible by reminiscence to know if one has been thoughtless at some point in the past. This usually is one thinking of himself at a point in time where there has been a time lapse, but not being able to remember what actually happened.
A little thought would reveal that even for oneself to accept that he went through thoughtlessness at some point in the past, there should've been a common witness at both points in time. What is that witness? Isn't it that same witness that tells us every morning that we slept very well the previous night though we actually don't remember anything that happened in those 8 hours of sleep?
I believe it is essential to search for this common witness. It probably lies within us. Or maybe it doesn't. Or we may be within that. Who knows? Ironically, only thoughts about it seem to be the way to find it.
In reality, I seem to be searching for that which is not!!!
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