Self-Knowledge and Self-Realization

Hi Ed,

I have started reading Birth of a jnani.  In the opening you mention :

‘There is very little in the spiritual literature about what the

subjective experiences are or can be when one uses the self as the

object of meditation. Mostly we find lectures about that nature of

what is, of ontology and epistemology, and lectures about how to

practice, but very little about the path as personally walked and

experienced.’

My question is this:

Is this to imply that the very specific road maps used in Therevada

Buddhism do not equate to the same landmarks or experiences on the way

or, that yogis using self abiding, just haven’t been encouraged to meticulously

note every last detail they come across?  I ask this because, before I started with ‘I am’

I was noting sensations and had plotted a nice little path through the various jhanas and nanas.

However, since beginning with I am and most notably recently I find ‘I am’ so profound,

I couldn’t give a toss about noting sensations.

PS:  There still are, I have noticed, specific switches or movements of mind

as I sit, it’s like the mind just spontaneously moves through different levels all

by itself the last flip, turning ‘looking at’ inward, leaves me quite bewildered

as to how to describe the state.  When I begin noticing again, I notice my body as a field of energy, I notice my breath, etc and now today, I was wondering how to look at the viewer who is actually viewing what appears to be nothing at all.

Much delight and gratitude

P.

RESPONSE:

What do you mean by How to look mat the viewer who is viewing nothing?

Can you explain more what you are asking?

Are you saying you cannot find the source of looking, the witness?

Or are you saying that when you take the place of the witness you see the void?

Ed