Dualism and non-dualism can both be fixations in their own turn. Dualism is a fixation on dualities like Good-Evil, Right-Wrong, True-False, I am-I am not, etc. Non-dualism fixates on some kind of oneness in a quantitative sense.
My understanding is that duality is never black and white as it is treated by non-dualism. Duality is a reference to the two ends of a gradient scale that extends to infinity at both ends.
When we look at the duality of HOT-COLD, it is best viewed as a temperature scale which refers to temperature changing in infinitesimal gradients. At one end of this scale the temperature may be viewed as gradually getting hotter. At the other end of the same scale the temperature may be viewed as gradually getting cooler.
The mathematical duality is infinite-zero applied to something-nothing. Infinity is not a number but it represents a continuous increase in very large quantities. Similarly, zero is not a number but it represents a continuous decrease in very small quantities. On this mathematical scale of numbers, the integers may appear to be discrete, but between two integers we have fractions, and between two fractions we have irrational numbers. So, the mathematical scale of numbers is really a continuum without any gaps even at the infinitesimal level.
Any duality like Good-Evil, Right-Wrong, True-False, I am-I am not, in reality, is a continuum of infinitesimally varying values with no gaps in between anywhere. There is nothing wrong with the ideas of duality and non-duality, but fixations on duality and non-duality, alike, are the result of subjective and narrow viewpoints.
So in reality there is a single scale with two ends that extend to infinity on either side. This realization settles the confusion between dualism and non-dualism.
In Christianity, the Church and many Christians have fixation on the duality of CREATOR-CREATION. This is expressed more concretely in their view of God and the world.
In New Age religions and among many Hindus there is fixation on non-dualism of “SAT-CHIT-ANAND (TRUTH-CONSCIOUSNESS-BLISS)”. This is an abstraction, which is expressed as this world being a dream state (illusion).
Out of these fixations on Dualism and Non-dualism come inconsistencies such as the following:
(1) CHRISTIANITY – “We are saved not by perfect works, but by belief in Jesus.” This makes everything mental and subjective. There is no balance between subjective thinking and objective doingness.
(2) HINDUISM – Brahma (ultimate reality) is a singularity and the only awake state. Everything else is a “dream state” (illusion). There is no balance between subjective and objective viewpoints.
(3) PHILOSOPHY – Everything is subjective. You can never be objective. This is another way of stating the above black and white thinking.
These inconsistencies have affected the education of many. The common denominator of these inconsistencies is black and white thinking.
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I wonder if Christianity entertains such concepts. Hubbard was on to it in Scientology, but didn’t quite wrap it up.
In Christianity, the Church and many Christians have fixation on the duality of CREATOR-CREATION. In New Age religions and among many Hindus there is fixation on non-dualism of “SAT-CHIT-ANAND (TRUTH-CONSCIOUSNESS-BLISS)”.
A fixation on the duality of CREATOR-CREATION is too “concrete”. A fixation on this non-duality of TRUTH-CONSCIOUSNESS-BLISS is too “abstract”. Both are deviations from reality.
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Most people have fixation on the BODY-SOUL duality. It is quite a fun to meditate on this fixation. The middle-path of Buddhism is the most practical one.
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Your views in themselves are dualistic while you are tending toward singularism.
It is just another form of philosophy not a quantitative principle.
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Okay. Thanks for your viewpoint.
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In Hinduism and ,”Sankhya “- one of the six systems of Indian philosophy, the concept of duality exists in a much larger form of purush and prakriti or if one would understand as – being and becoming, consciousness and matter, spiritual and material, un manifested and manifested , Absolute and relative. They are all the two aspects or in other words the dual aspect of a singular reality.
It is most certainly not limited to only subjective and objective.
The Purush ( not talking about the gender) or in other words the “Absolute” is the pure undiluted consciousness , all pervasive, motionless , unchangeable, unmanifested – it is the pure cosmic intelligence that is not limited with the perspectives of our limited five senses.
we also know it as the ”Saksh” that means-the witness, the observer( Inside as well as outside).
The Prakritik on the other hand- is the power or Shakti of the Absolute by which the world is created and disintegrated. It is the manifestation of “the being”. Prakriti is the universal and subtle nature that is determined only by space and time.
These two are certainly not the infinite or limitless ends.
They infact have to co-exist to make this universe whole.
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Yes. The logic of scale applies to all dualities, including those you speak of. Of course, the whole scale co-exists.
These are simply considerations that Hindu religion uses to define the universe. To think of them in absolute terms is just a consideration. How true it is we don’t know.
Buddha declared (and this is his consideration).
“The Absolute Truth is that there is nothing absolute in the world, that everything is relative, conditioned and impermanent, and that there is no unchanging, everlasting, absolute substance like Self, Soul, or Ātman within or without.”
DEFINITION: Absolute means, “Viewed independently; not comparative or relative; ultimate; intrinsic.”
So, have fun with these considerations.
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“ (HINDUISM – Brahma (ultimate reality) is a singularity and the only awake state. Everything else is a “dream state” (illusion). There is no balance between subjective and objective viewpoints.)”
In discussion of the above I’d like to say-
According to the upanishads and the teachings of the ancients – Brahma is our own pure conscious state, hence the ultimate reality. Everything else is a dream state donates to what we think is the reality using our limited senses.
But it isn’t the concept of duality , instead it is the state of consciousness that talks about the dream state.
The first stage is the state of being awake- where we see things from our senses, a state that is shared by all as equal.It is the state from where the manifestation of life starts.
The second stage is the dream state. The state of seeing our make beliefs , of acting out our innermost desires and fears. It is this state that gives us the freedom of expression… The living out of our desires- good and bad in the dream state. But we aren’t aware if we are awake or asleep… so how true is it??
It is all very relative, for the awake state could be a Long dream that we might wake up from any minute or the dream state could be the awake state…who can say for sure it’s very relative… dependent on our perception .
Till our mind enters the third state and becomes quite…The Turiya.
What is Turiya?
The state of deepest sleep, without dreams. One isn’t aware of that state- no memory yet one can experience the bliss of deep state of sleep.
The consciousness that experiences Turiya is the true self- the witness that exists beyond the limits of the other two states, and all that remain is the resonance of “the source “ that is as much within us as around us….making us experience the true completeness.
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I have tried to explain it by the following diagram:
https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/83146470_10102163938895908_4042268394014113792_o.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_ohc=pCwItfmYMoIAX_vyUg8&_nc_ht=scontent-mia3-2.xx&oh=5d527deaa2b3c22ec4eb520456506cff&oe=5EC76937
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