non-duality

Sufi mystic Abol-Hasan speaks

~ Tom Das ~ 1 Comment

soul and loaf bread

Here are some gems from Sheikh Abol-Hasan, a Sufi mystic from the 11th century AD. His words continue to astound me. I have followed each quote with my commentary in italics and hope this does not detract from the quotes themselves.

One may speak of those absent,
but one who is Ever Present,
one can say nothing of
Sheikh Abol-Hasan, saying 92

How can we speak of Him? How can we talk of Him? All talk of Him is fanciful, all the more so if we take our descriptions and theories about Him seriously. Continue reading →

Guru

~ Tom Das ~ 4 Comments

the-scenery-679011_1280

Do you really think a spiritual teacher can teach you anything?
How can the guru really know what is right for you?
Every word of his leads you into further illusion,
Concept upon concept,
A field full of traps
– do not walk there!
– do not listen to him!

Continue reading →

Jesus and non-duality

~ Tom Das ~ 4 Comments
Jesus appears to Mary Magedelene after his resurrection
Jesus appears to Mary Magedelene after his resurrection

Also see:

The Non-Dual Vision of Jesus Christ and the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi

The Sermon on the Mount According to Vedanta (Jesus, Christanity, Advaita and Non-Duality)

In non-dual teachings, the basic teaching is that the sense of self that we presume ourselves to be is a fiction. What remains after this is seen is a mysterious and ordinary sense of ‘divine oneness’. One ramification of this teaching is that we can learn to see that we are not the authors of our own actions even though we appear to be. This is known as non-doership. This teaching is often stated explicitly in non-dual traditions such as Advaita Vedanta, Zen, Dzogchen and Taoism.

In theistic traditions like much of Hinduism and the Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, non-duality is still expressed, but its form often differs. Continue reading →

No ego

~ Tom Das ~ 3 Comments

meditation-857916_1280

If you say “spiritual enlightenment does not exist”,
You have denied yourself, and anyone who believes you, a route to end suffering:
“Suffering can end”, thus the wise ones have proclaimed.

If you say “you can be enlightened”, “your suffering can end”
Then by saying ‘you’, you are perpetuating the false concept of self.

Suffering can end, but your suffering cannot end.
Continue reading →