Andre A Pais:

Geovani Geo existence is the nature or characteristic of existing phenomena. Without phenomena that exists, where is existence to be found? That's like believing we can find the shape of a body without the body... 😊
__

A question arises, though. Can consciousness ever be without experience? We know experience cannot arise without consciousness, for experience requires a sensitive field capable of registering it. But is the opposite also true – that is, is a consciousness empty of any type of experience possible? The answer is no. Consciousness too cannot exist without experience, for if it did, it would be conscious of no thing. A consciousness that is not conscious of anythingis not conscious at all.Something that is not conscious at all is therefore unsuitable to be posited as consciousness at all.

Awareness and experience are, indeed, synonymous – which can have some remarkable consequences. Experience without awareness is simply not possible. However, one could try to picture awareness without experience – like in some kind of pure or formless state.

Yet, an awareness devoid of experience is an awareness that is not aware of anything. What gives it, then, its aware nature if it is, in fact, unaware? Awareness is programmed to constantly know; if for an instant it wouldn't be aware of anything, it would become unconscious and therefore non-existent. Every particle or phenomenon is programmed to know, to seek its environment and interact. This constant movement of knowingness is the pulse of existence, a natural movement forward, the spontaneous pacing of creation, the very flow of time. This is what experience is at its most fundamental level – pure spontaneity or responsiveness .

What this means is that there is experience happening at every level of existence. Of course, not all types of experience are complex and self-aware like those of a human mind or even animals. But consciousness cannot ever be without content or information, otherwise it would drop into a state of nothingness, out of which nothing could arise again. Besides, we would find the absurd situation of something – manifest consciousness – turning into nothing – contentless consciousness. So experience is the name we give to the natural movement of existence – the primordial and inevitable interaction of emptiness and consciousness.

Awareness and experience are, therefore, never dividable. What this means is that, even in the most subtle and “inert” states of consciousness – what is usually called matter –, some type of experience is taking place. Awareness never dissolves into nothingness or oblivion, because experience, which is what constitutes it and gives it its “shape and color”, is never absent either. There is always knowingness going on.

6 Responses
  1. Anonymous Says:

    B4 de big bang,when theres no phenomena,just singularity,wasnt that consciouzness itself without any manifestations?


  2. Soh Says:

    Don't speculate. If you want to realize I AM, you should keep asking, "Before birth, Who am I?" until realization dawns.

    But don't go into speculation, theories, or concepts. That will only hinder.


  3. Sam Says:

    Some advaita teachers talk about consciousness conscious of itself (that is consciousness devoid of any experience but just conscious). Can't this be a possibility?


  4. Soh Says:

    "(that is consciousness devoid of any experience but just conscious)"

    It is just another experience, from the insight of anatta. But at the I AM stage it is seen as consciousness beyond experience.

    Someone wrote before:

    "It is one thing to say and understand: "Everything is Awareness", but quite another to say and understand "Awareness is only Everything"."

    "Ok... I am seeing your point as "awareness" outside of conditioned experience is an imputation. When could one ever have such an experience outside of experience? The "knowing" of being would also be an experience, as opposed to the "not knowing". And if there was "not knowing", then how you could prove there was "awareness" in such a "not knowing"? Very interesting"

    "Well, its not really new... it is just clear now how there is an imputation we put on Awareness as being "separate' from experience, as some sort of "stand alone" awareness". I have always experienced awareness as experience inseparably so, but didn't notice the subtle imputation that gives still a separate implication of being a remainder, when all things are absent. Being wouldn't know itself outside of experience. If being did know itself in total voidness, that very "knowing" would itself be an experience, hence the void would not be void. God cannot be separated from creation, because the potential for creation is already Known."


  5. Anonymous Says:

    Yes, God cannot be separated frm creation, but creation must had a beginning b4 it comes into being and evolve...


  6. Soh Says:

    There is no creation, only dependent origination. What dependently originates is non-arising, unborn. Like a reflection of moon on water.