To: K-list
Recieved: 2000/03/01 14:36
Subject: [K-list] Maya and Mind
From: Mhortling
On 2000/03/01 14:36, Mhortling posted thus to the K-list:
From: MHortlingATnospamaol.com
Hello enlisted and enlightened Ones !
As Magne and Wim pointed out, one of the literal meanings of the word "maya"
is related to measuring. If I remember correctly, there's also a link to the
Sanskrit concept of "manas" which is "mind" and out of which actually words
like "human" and "mind" and "mental" in the English language can be derived.
Now I find it's really so, it's the constant measuring, (i.e comparing and
relating), activity of the mind that creates the mostly illusional perception
of the world. The mind relates everything to something else, i.e I'm small,
big, rich, poor, my neighbor's a fool and guru so-and-so is more (or less)
enlightened than I am, - all this mental activity constantly creates a
wrong and distorted image of life and the world inside our consciousness.
It's artificial duality that disappears when the mind just shuts up.
I wouldn't really go with the Vedantist concept of everything that's not
permanent being a complete illusion. It's all, temporarily at least, real
enough, it's just the mind and the limited senses that interprete reality
incorrectly.
So, as Loulou said, experiencing the witness and going beyond the veil of
maya doesn't have to be difficult, one needs only to silence the mind with
all it's measuring and blabbering.
Unfortunately, in practice the mind often has it's own ideas about this and
doesn't easily submit to being silenced though....
Loulou, you also wrote :
<By the way, have you ever thought how lucky we are to realise; even if it's
<only now and then, that we are not going to live for ever, (at least this
<current lifetime is not going to last forever)
<so we decided to try to find out what life was all about? So many people
<live as though they are immortal and have thousands of years don't they? So
<we're lucky.>
Yeah, and isn't it funny that by grappling with mortality one can eventually
stumble upon real immortality :))
May the sun keep on shining on us all
Michael
DISCLAIMER!
Home | Archive Index | Search the archives | Subscribe
K. List FAQ | Kundalini FAQs | Signs and Symptoms | Awakening Experiences | K. list Polls | Member Essays | Meditations | List Topics | Art Gallery | Cybrary | Sitemap | Email the moderators.
symbol.