To know the world, one has to know oneself, for the world out there does not exist independently of one's own mind. The world we live in is the world we have created by our choices and actions. The division we see out there between people is the division that lies within ourselves, a division that can only exist in a mind that ignores its real identity - a division that reflects the mind's limitations imposed over the reality of true being.
Living in the world
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I wonder how we are able to
I wonder how we are able to distinguish the mind's limited conception of permanence from the soul's genuine knowledge of it's eternal nature. Just a thought. To know the true nature of infinite being, that sounds sweet to me. Sometimes I wish I could throw myself into the ocean and be liberated, if only it were that easy. Actually I did just that a few times, and always existence pulled me back, to live and breath in this world.
The mind as we know it
The mind as we know it through the form "I" only exists as the attention is given outwardly to objects or forms. This accounts for the manifestation of the illusionary world of form and the belief in the permanency of things! When turned inwardly, meaning when the mind examines the root of all senses and thoughts which have at their center the "I-thought", the very same mind reverts to its true nature, which is infinite being. In fact, what we call life is but a mere movement between the inner world of the mind and the so-called external world of form, as it appears to the mind! The only thing that is really happening is that the light is shining onto the mind, thus creating the world - the world of reflection. When the mind reverts its attention within, the light of infinite being is found to be shining from everywhere; therefore the only thing that is real is the very nature of infinite being.
How real is the world?
You yourself have stated that to renounce the world only gives substance to the illusion of a real physical world. But we all know that to be ambitious, to seek anything from the world is to also give substance to illusion. Somehow if we are not seeking or renouncing, it seems as if we are left with nothing and we don’t know what to do. How can we live in this material world and deal with the issues that are presented to us without getting caught up in the illusion, the sense that the world is real?
Beyond the world
It is of the nature of ego to either pursue or reject the things of the world, therefore giving a sense of reality to the world. Any will to pursue or to reject indicates the presence of an observer. Now what is this observer, this entity that tries to avoid confronting the ultimate reality of being? Any will to pursue or to reject indicates that essentially there is an attempt to either resist or escape the reality of being. The mind must come to a place of detachment in order to catch itself within such activities. At the moment of detached observation there is neither observer nor observed object. What is left then, when there is neither a will to pursue nor to reject? It can only be that of the nature of what is truly genuine. Existence is found to be what it is without duality.
When the mind reaches a place of not knowing what to do any more, it means that all its attempts, positive or negative, have resulted in a fruitless situation. This also indicates somehow it is still holding on to an idea of what should or shouldn’t be. Therefore, truly it has not yet abandoned its identification with its pursuits or denials. Again the mind at that moment must revert its attention within, and inquire about whether there is still any need to pursue or to deny anything external to itself. When this reverted attention reveals that there is no longer any impetus to either pursue or deny what is, then the mind is found to be one with the absolute reality. The material world appears as real only when there is identification with mind’s activity. The world appears in reality, but is not reality; the mind confounds what it sees with what is real, but reality cannot be seen. The mind can only give up what it perceives inwardly and outwardly. It must come to a place where there are no longer any appearances whatsoever. When there are no objects appearing within consciousness, then the mind is found to be one with what is real.