What It Means to Contemplate/Inquire-Basic Pointers- 15 July 2015

Now we close our eyes. Then you will also find that you have what I call the internal objects. These are thoughts, imagination, memories. I call it like this, but the mind is just a bundle of these internal objects. Just like an external object, I am aware of these; they are not aware of me. I see them; they do not see me. Whatever might come from the mind, I am the witness of it. I am aware of it also. Then we can look at emotion. Let's say it's another type of object. Feeling, energy, whatever you can call it. I am aware of it; it is not aware of me. Then the sense that 'I am,' that I exist. This sense that I exist, 'I am here'—this is felt by you. You are aware of this. You are aware of Being. It is impersonal watching. Even of presence, you can see that the sense of presence is here. Being is here. You are aware of all of these objects or appearances that are in front of you.

If you remain untouched through whatever might be happening with them, who are you that is aware of all of this? You are aware of the world including the body, but the body is not aware of you. You are aware of the mind; the mind is not aware of you. You are aware of the feelings; feelings are not aware of you. You are aware of your own existence, even this presence. This presence is not aware of you. Who are you that is beyond all of this? There is no answer. And the answer—whatever the answer might have been—would be another thought, isn't it? So you would be aware of that thought. That thought would not be able to define you because you are aware of the thought; the thought is not aware of you.

Now, when you find some distance between yourself and this awareness itself—this awareness which is aware of everything—is it separate from you? Not sure? We must check this here. So I will tell you that it is not. As if you answer this easy exam, I give you the answer that it is not, but you must try to prove me wrong now. You must say that 'I am also this' or 'I can step out of my awareness.' Is there some distance between me and awareness? Check this. Is it? Keep checking and you tell me what you see. This is the most auspicious thing that can be done in this life—this checking. Are you somewhere where awareness is not? Is awareness somewhere where you are not? All these questions you can contemplate, and in this beautiful contemplation, clarity about your Self will emerge.

Also, what you notice is that in none of the levels was there a Jane. There was no person. It was observed: it was the external world, the body, the thoughts, the emotion, the presence of Being. There was no person called Jane here. In all of this, there was no person called Jane. Then this seeing itself is the most beautiful. And so you find that there is no 'I' that went through all the layers of the seeing existence. I find that there is no person here, just a collection of objects—external objects and internal objects, thoughts and emotions that come and go. Where is the person? If we think all of these objects are coming and going, the witness of all of this—is that also coming and going?

There's this contemplation you gave someone like about if Being is not present, because you said that Being is part of time and space.

Good point, very good point. And I must clarify this also: that in the phenomenal aspect, if you feel like there is a Being inside, which is the presence of which it is felt inside me, so it feels like it is inside this body. But when we actually hire a surgeon to cut us up, he will not report that there is something called Being, although it can be felt as if it is here. It is a feeling. In the same way, even when we are in a dream, it can feel like it is inside that body. So then we can see that it is this Being. Some of you have tried this contemplation, isn't it? What wakes up first? The waking state comes, you will find that split second where there will be first the sense of Being, and then this world including the body is present. This world, which is actually including the body, is inside Being. Although it's okay for now, you can say, 'Yes, the presence of Being is inside the body.' Conversationally we can speak it; it's okay. As you come to your true discovery of yourself, then all of the insights will become clearer and clearer. But don't let these high questions distract you now. You just stay with this contemplation: Who am I? Who is witnessing all of this movement of phenomenal objects? Is that also coming and going? Am I also coming and going? Thank you.