Location: Barcelona, Spain
Dear Francis. When I was a child, I used to think, when in bed before sleeping, “how is it possible that the Universe has come into existence? If something exists, something else is the originating cause”. Going backwards, I always arrived (and I still arrive now) to a conclusion: “something exists from ever. But this is impossible to my logic… so nothing exists.” Many times I felt, just for an instant, a sudden vacuum when concluding that nothing exists. But then I noticed that I was there, thinking and conscious, so I existed!!!! My logic says that nothing exists and never existed, but I am here writing this… This contradiction has opened my mind to any possibility. If I can not understand how is it possible that anything exists, then anything can be possible, and the Truth (the reality) can be whatever, I will not be more surprised than now. When I learnt years later about the Young’s double slit experiment and other paradoxes in quantum physics, I was not surprised at all. In fact, all phenomena are simple details, what matters is the substance that is behind them. My question: non-dual teachings look to me resonating with what I just related. Even the nothingness that is totality at the same time sounds like the paradox of something uncaused. Do you, in your consistent openness and enlightenment, “understand” (or whatever word you use) this paradox? Is it possible to penetrate this mystery? Thanks and kind regards Javier
Dear Xavier,
You say: “something exists from ever. But this is impossible to my logic… so nothing exists.” Why is it impossible? it is impossible only if that which exists must have been created. The logical conclusion is: if something has existed forever, it was never created. If it was never created, it cannot have an preexisting, external cause, and it is therefore its own cause. Since it preexists before all created things, it must be the cause and the substance of all things. It is also unique, for if there were two substances or realities, either one of these realities would be the ultimate reality of the other, or there would be a third reality that would be the ultimate reality of the two. Only this ultimate reality would be the “something that exists from ever”, the real reality.
Now let us consider the consciousness or presence which we refer to as “I”, whatever that might be. Either “I” is that “something that exists from ever”, and that is the perspective of wisdom, or it is not, and that is the point of view of ignorance. If “I” is not “something that exists from ever”, then it is not its own reality, not the real “I”. In that case, who cares about the false “I”?
You ask “Is it possible to penetrate this mystery?”. The first step I would suggest is to be open to it by reflecting upon the arguments that I have presented until all objections have been addressed.
Then the mystery will penetrate you, and you will become the mystery.
Love,
Francis
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