http://www.advaita-vision.

org/q-360-sufering/#more-3557
see Q.24 and Q.33 and Q.62 andQ.20 and Q.2!4.
" #$ed%: &our question is 'ertain() understanda*(e. +t is the same question ,ust
a*out e-er)*od) has at an ear() stage in their spiritua( understanding. +t is
*ased on a .undamenta( erroneous assumption we ma/e a*out the nature o.
rea(it) due to the 'onditioning we re'ei-e either dire't() .rom re(igion or
indire't() .rom the re(igious *e(ie.s that undergird the genera(() a''epted
per'eption o. rea(it) that in.orms the so'iet).
0ur mista/en assumption is that awareness is an anthropomorphi' #i.e. human-
(i/e% entit) who has some o-erar'hing persona( agenda and is or'hestrating1or
at (east o-erseeing1the a'ti-ities and e-ents transpiring in the wor(d with a
-ested interest in their nature and resu(ts. 2ut this is not the nature o.
awareness. 3ontinue reading 4
5osted in Q and A6 Uncategorized
7 $agged action6 awareness6 dharma6 evil6 experience6 good6ignorance6 maya6 Sufering
7 21 Replies
Q.!" # Sufering
5osted on $uly 2% 2"1& *) 'ennis
Q: + ha-e tried se-era( spiritua( paths and + was a(wa)s stopped in m) sear'h *)
this question: 8ow do we e9p(ain sufering:. ;h) does a(( per-ading6 part(ess6
a'tion(ess 3ons'iousness 'reate6 a((ow6 dream o. "us'hwit<: =ure()
3ons'iousness 'ou(d do *etter than this:
"nswers are pro-ided *): $ed6 >artin6 and =itara. ?or answers *) @ennis6
see Q.24 and Q.33 and Q.62 andQ.20 and Q.2!4.
" #$ed%: &our question is 'ertain() understanda*(e. +t is the same question ,ust
a*out e-er)*od) has at an ear() stage in their spiritua( understanding. +t is
*ased on a .undamenta( erroneous assumption we ma/e a*out the nature o.
rea(it) due to the 'onditioning we re'ei-e either dire't() .rom re(igion or
indire't() .rom the re(igious *e(ie.s that undergird the genera(() a''epted
per'eption o. rea(it) that in.orms the so'iet).
0ur mista/en assumption is that awareness is an anthropomorphi' #i.e. human-
(i/e% entit) who has some o-erar'hing persona( agenda and is or'hestrating1or
at (east o-erseeing1the a'ti-ities and e-ents transpiring in the wor(d with a
-ested interest in their nature and resu(ts. 2ut this is not the nature o.
awareness.
"s )ou state in )our quer)6 awareness is a(( per-ading6 part(ess6 and a'tion(ess.
"(( three o. these aspe'ts o. awareness pre'(ude an) possi*i(it) o. awareness
*eing a 'reator6 doer6 or e-en an Aa((ower.B +n .a't6 its a((-per-asi-e nature a(one
renders awareness in'apa*(e o. a'ting. 2e'ause there is nothing other than it
and thus no (o'ation where it is not6 awareness has no AarenaB in whi'h to
mo-e. 2e'ause it has no *oundaries *) whi'h it 'an *e distinguished as a
dis'rete entit) in 'ontrast to a 'onte9tua( *a'/ground or an) other entit)6 there
is no wa) .or it to undergo an) 'hange. $here.ore6 sin'e mo-ement or 'hange is
the deCning 'hara'teristi' o. a'tion6 its a*sen'e as an aspe't o. awareness
ma/es awareness *) deCnition a'tion(ess.
+n addition6 *e'ause it is part(ess6 awareness has no attri*utes6 organs6 or
AequipmentB with whi'h to a't. "nd whatDs more6 due to the .a't that awareness
is a((-per-asi-e6 it is who(e6 'omp(ete6 .u((6 and neither (a'/s nor needs an)thing.
$hus6 awareness har*ors a*so(ute() no desire that 'ou(d possi*() 'ompe( it to
a't.
+t is .or these reasons that awareness is a'tion(ess6 not *e'ause it is some entit)
that is 'hoosing not to a't.
"wareness simp() is. +t is the se(.-dependent6 se(.-efu(gent A(ightB *) means o.
AwhoseB i((umination a(( o*,e'ts6 *oth gross #i.e.6 tangi*(e o*,e'ts% and su*t(e
#i.e. sensations6 thoughts6 and emotions%6 are /nown. +t doesnDt tr) to i((umine
o*,e'ts so that the) 'an *e /nown. Eather6 its nature is i((umination. +t doesnDt
dire't its A(ightB toward or turn its A(ightB upon an)thing. +t simp() is the a((-
per-asi-e6 e-er-shining A(ightB in whi'h a(( things appear.
+n .a't6 )ou 'an -eri.) the a'tion(ess nature o. awareness .or )ourse(. through a
simp(e inquir) into )our own e9perien'e. ?or )ou are awareness. THE awareness.
"wareness is a((-per-asi-e6 remem*er6 so rea(it) is non-dua(. @ue to the (imited
mind-*od)-sense me'hanism with whi'h )ou6 awareness6 ha-e asso'iated in
order to ha-e a human e9perien'e6 )our s'ope is (imited. 2ut )our essentia(
nature is the same awareness as a*so(ute awareness. Fust as the spa'e inside a
pot is no diferent .rom the spa'e surrounding it6 )our seeming() persona(
awareness is no diferent .rom uni-ersa( awareness. =o6 *earing that in mind6 do
)ou1not Fuan6 mind )ou6 *ut the awareness to whom Fuan is /nown or the
A(ightB in whi'h Fuan appears1ha-e to tr) to AshineB or e9ist: @o )ou ha-e to tr)
to /now the o*,e'ts that appear within the s'ope o. )our *eing #i.e.6 awareness%:
Granted6 there are things )ou in the guise o. an apparent indi-idua( do inquire
into or stud) or ma/e an efort to e9perien'e or understand6 *ut thatDs not the
issue here. 8ere6 we are ta(/ing a*out the spontaneous per'eption o. whate-er
o*,e'ts present themse(-es within the s'ope o. )our #i.e.6 the apparent
indi-idua(Ds% per'epti-e organs and mind. ?or instan'e6 when the sun is shining6
)ou donDt ha-e to tr) to see the sun. &ou Ai((umineB the o*,e't o. sunshine and
spontaneous() e9perien'e it. =u'h is the nature o. pure awareness1though6 to
*e '(ear6 awareness itse(. is not e-en an e9perien'er. +t is the A(ightB *) means
o. whi'h it is possi*(e .or the intellect o. the apparent indi-idua( to e9perien'e
and /now o*,e'ts.
$he *ottom (ine is that awareness itse(. doesnDt do an)thing.
8owe-er6 within awareness there e9ists a power 'a((ed maya6 or
ignoran'e. Maya has two powers: 'on'ea(ing and pro,e'ting. +t 'auses
awareness to apparent() .orget its true attri*ute(ess6 a((-per-asi-e6 a'tion(ess
nature6 and then it pro,e'ts the -ast arra) o. o*,e'ts that 'omprise the mani.est
uni-erse on the As'reenB o. awareness6 thus ma/ing awareness seem to *e a((
the o*,e'ts6 intera'tions6 and e-ents ta/ing p(a'e in the A'reation.B $he
A'reation6B howe-er6 is not rea(. +t is simp() a pro,e'tion6 an apparent rea(it) that
is no more rea( than a dream.
=o6 to repeat6 awareness itse(. isnDt a'tua(() doing an)thing.
;hen pure awareness Ami9es withB or is 'onditioned *) its own inherent power
o. ignoran'e6 it seems to .orget who it rea(() is and assumes the apparent
identit) o. Isvara6 or God-the-3reator. $hus6 *(asphemous as it ma) sound6
ignoran'e is a'tua(() the nature o. God.
$o *e '(ear6 ignoran'e doesnDt mean stupidit) in the re(ati-e sense o. not
/nowing .a'ts and Cgures or *eing naH-e a*out Athe wa)s o. the wor(d.B Eather6
ignoran'e in this 'onte9t re.ers to not /nowing the true nature o. rea(it)6 the
essen'e o. a(( the names6 .orms6 and .un'tions that a*ound in the uni-erse.
;hen we sa) that God 'reated the wor(d6 what we are rea(() sa)ing is that
ignoran'e -ei(ed the true nature o. non-dua( awareness and pro,e'ted upon the
As'reenB o. its *eing the dua(isti' uni-erse. $here.ore6 ignoran'e6 not awareness6
is the A'auseB o. *oth the *ad and the good6 the dar/ and the (ight6 the positi-e
and the negati-e6 the *eauti.u( and ug()6 the /indness and the 'rue(t) that are
intrinsi' to dua(isti' e9isten'e. "wareness is neither e9e'uting nor san'tioning
the a'tions o''urring within the Amo-ieB o. the apparent rea(it). "wareness is
simp() the A(ightB that i((umines the pro,e'tion.
I-en ignoran'e6 or God6 is not a -o(itiona( anthropomorphi' entit) or'hestrating
e-ents a''ording to some persona( agenda6 or6 worse6 testing the a((egian'e o.
indi-idua(s *) su*,e'ting them to a *atter) o. a((uring temptations and then
se-ere() punishing those who diso*e) his ru(es or su''um* to his enti'ements.
God is simp() the set o. impersona( and in-io(a*(e dharmas #i.e.6 uni-ersa(
ph)si'a(6 ps)'ho(ogi'a(6 and ethi'a( (aws% that go-ern the 'ause-and-efe't
.un'tioning o. the apparent rea(it) #i.e.6 mani.est uni-erse%. $here is no persona(
agenda in-o(-ed. "wareness has no -o(ition and is in'apa*(e o. doing and so it
doesnDt tr) to de(ude itse(.. +gnoran'e is an insentient o*,e't1power is an o*,e't6
.or it 'an *e o*ser-ed and e9perien'ed1and thus has no persona( wi(( and so it
doesnDt tr) to 'ondition awareness. +t is simp() the wa) it is. Maya 'onditions
pure awareness and there*) pro,e'ts the dua(isti' uni-erse6 whi'h operates
a''ording to impersona( (aws that maintain its o-era(( harmon)6 *a(an'e6 and
we((*eing.
"dmitted()6 .rom our perspe'ti-e as apparent indi-idua(s6 it doesnDt a(wa)s
seem as though what is happening is ser-ing the *est interests o. the tota(. 2ut
earnest and honest s'rutin) does *ear out the .a't that (i.e is essentia(() a <ero-
sum game. ?or e-er) p(easure6 there is a pain. ?or e-er) (oss6 there is a gain.
$hus6 whi(e ignoran'e is responsi*(e .or seeming in,usti'e and 'onsequent
sufering6 it is a(so inherent() se(.-'orre'ti-e and in.a((i*() sustains the 'ohesi-e
.un'tioning o. its pro,e'tion.
Issentia(()6 the apparent rea(it) is a giganti' me'hanism that is 'apa*(e o.
'ontinuous() re'onCguring itse(. in order to a''ommodate an) a'tion e9e'uted
within itse(. in su'h a wa) that wi(( ser-e the *est interests o. the tota(
me'hanism. +n other words6 a(( a'tions are integrated into the dharma-go-erned
'hain o. 'ause-and-efe't that sustains the .un'tiona(it) o. the me'hanism. +ts
(aws are impersona( and in-io(a*(e. ?or instan'e6 Cre *urns so i. )ou sti'/ )our
Cnger in a Jame it wi(( get *urned. +n terms o. ethi'a( -a(ues6 a sense
o. dharma #i.e. right and wrong% is part o. our programming6 so to spea/. +. we
(ie6 'heat6 stea(6 or otherwise in,ure someone6 we .ee( gui(t) and e9perien'e an
agitated mind. $hus6 a(( deeds meet with their ,ust rewards6 so to spea/. $his is
the *asis o. the sa)ing that what goes around 'omes around.
$hough this understanding does not warrant turning a *(ind e)e to mora(
atro'ities or .ai(ing to address ethi'a( transgressions6 it does he(p a((e-iate the
un*rid(ed um*rage6 e9istentia( angst6 and in'onso(a*(e sufering that ensues
.rom *e(ie-ing the wor(d to *e inherent() un,ust. ;hen we understand that the
apparent rea(it) is ta/ing 'are o. itse(.6 and6 moreo-er6 that the apparent rea(it)
is ,ust that1on() an apparent pro,e'tion within awareness1and thus has no
afe't on the essentia( nature o. awareness6 it ena*(es us to do our *est in an)
gi-en 'ir'umstan'e to upho(d dharma whi(e simu(taneous() a''epting things as
the) are. +n short6 whi(e pain persists #and indeed 'a((s upon us .or an
appropriate response%6 sufering 'eases.
Kpon ana()sis6 we rea(i<e that a(( ethi'a( transgressions and e9istentia( angst
are rooted in se(.-ignoran'e. "s has *een shown6 awareness is neither e9e'uting
nor san'tioning in,usti'e6 and it is not the 'ause o. sufering. +nstead6 ignoran'e
is the 'u(prit. 2e'ause we are ignorant o. our true identit) as who(e6 'omp(ete6
(imit(ess6 a((-per-asi-e6 e-er-present6 non-dua( awareness and *e(ie-e we are
(imited6 inadequate6 and in'omp(ete6 we pursue o*,e'ts that we hope wi((
'omp(ete us and there*) pro-ide us with (asting happiness and permanent
pea'e. ;hen our desire or per'ei-ed need .or these o*,e'ts *e'omes too strong6
we are 'ompe((ed to see/ them at a(( 'ost1e-en i. we ha-e to -io(ate the
uni-ersa( -a(ue o. non-in,ur). +. )ou 'ontemp(ate this point6 )ou wi(( see that on
*oth the mi'ro'osmi' #i.e.6 persona(% (e-e( and the ma'ro'osmi' #i.e.6 so'ieta( or
g(o*a(% (e-e( this *asi' ignoran'e is in-aria*() the 'ause o. a(( the unethi'a( and
immora( *eha-ior in the wor(d.
$hough unethi'a( and immora( *eha-ior wi(( ne-er *e e(iminated .rom the wor(d6
.or the) are intrinsi' to the dua(isti' nature o. the apparent rea(it)6 oneDs
persona( sufering 'an *e a((e-iated *) the remo-a( o. se(.-ignoran'e through
the assimi(ation o. se(.-/now(edge. Knderstanding the true nature o. rea(it)
ena*(es one to *ear the pain that is an integra( and una-oida*(e aspe't o.
wor(d() (i.e without *eing swept awa) *) .ee(ings o. anger6 impoten'e6 and/or
grie.. "nd understanding oneDs own true nature .rees one .rom the 'ompe((ing
desire to see/ .u(C((ment through o*,e'ts and the end(ess .rustration 'aused *)
their ina*i(it) to pro-ide (asting satis.a'tion. $hus6 one neither 'ontinues to
wa((ow in a state o. se(.-pit) nor 'ompound oneDs own sufering as we(( as that o.
the wor(d through the e9e'ution o. de-iant a'tions. Lnowing oneDs true nature to
*e *oth who(e and the who(e6 one p(a)s oneDs ro(e within the grand drama o. the
apparent rea(it) to the hi(t whi(e simu(taneous() re-e(ing in oneDs own inherent
pea'e and happiness.
" #>artin%: 3ons'iousness or "wareness does not 'reate6 or a((ow .or6 an)thing.
+t is on() a pure6 a'tion(ess6 impassi*(e witness. +t shou(d not *e diM'u(t to
understand that a(( diM'u(ties in understanding reside in an unprepared6
unaided mind6 and this in'(udes the seeming() intra'ta*(e Npro*(emD that )ou
a((ude to: Nthe pro*(em o. e-i(D.
3on'erning good and e-i(6 sufering and en,o)ment6 there is an interesting
passage in one o. the main te9ts o. "d-aita Oedanta6 the 2rahma =utras. "s the
tea'hing goes there is no essentia( diferen'e *etween the indi-idua( and
2rahman #3ons'iousness or the "*so(ute%. 2ut then6 an o*,e'tor o*ser-es:
On account of the other (the individual soul) being stated as non-diferent from
Brahman there ould arise (in Brahman) the defect of not doing hat is
bene!cial"
+n his 'ommentar) to this passage =han/ara6 the greatest +ndian phi(osopher6
admits: +. 2rahman were the 'ause o. the wor(d6 8e/+t wou(d *e open to that
'harge6 and 8e wou(d not *e omnis'ient. #ather$ It%He ould have created a
orld here everything ould have been &leasant for the individual soul$
ithout the least trace of misery'
+n the sequen'e6 the s'ripture #sruti% itse(. retorts: P Brahman is something
more than the individual soul" =han/ara then 'omments: He (the (reator )od)
*nos the unreality of the orld and hat is ta*en to be an individual$ and is
not attached to them$ being merely a itness" He has neither good nor evil'
+or the individual soul$ hoever$ there is good and evil so long as it is in
ignoranceP the diferences beteen the individual soul and the (reator are
based on imaginary distinctions due to ignorance" It is only hen ,noledge
dans that the individual soul reali-es its identity ith Brahman" Then all
&lurality vanishes$ and there is neither the individual soul nor he (reator"
" #=itara%: >a)*e )ou noti'ed )ourse(. that )our question Awh) does a((
per-ading6 part(ess6 a'tion(ess 3ons'iousness 'reate6 a((ow6 dream o.
"us'hwit<: $his 3ons'iousness 'ou(d not do *etter than this:B is a 'ontradi'tion
in terms.
=omething that is a'tion(ess 'an neither 'reate6 a((ow6 dream or do *etter than
thisQ simp() *e'ause it does not a't. 3ons'iousness is the -er) su*stan'e o. a((6
meaning6 it is in and through )ou6 me6 and e-er)thing e(se that is.
3ons'iousness is not separate .rom an)thingQ in the Cna( ana()sis 'ons'iousness
is a(( there is.
2ut it 'ertain() does not seem (i/e this. ?or most peop(e there seems to *e a (ot
o. separation6 i.e. there seems to *e a mu(titude o. good and *ad stuf around6
not ,ust one 'ons'iousness. "''ording to "d-aita this impression is *ased on an
in*orn mis'on'eption: *eginning(ess ignoran'e. Ru'/i() it is possi*(e to end it.
;h) (u'/i(): 2e'ause the -er) idea o. separation (eads to sufering.
=ufering is part and par'e( o. the mis'on'eption.
+n short: "d-aita sa)s that sufering is *rought a*out *) ignoran'e. Lnow(edge6
there.ore6 is the on() antidote to sufering. "d-aita Oedanta is the path o.
/now(edge. "d-aita Oedanta goes to the -er) roots o. the pro*(em *e'ause the
end o. ignoran'e #i.e. /now(edge% wi(( resu(t in the end o. sufering. $here.ore
this path is not a*out ending sufering *ut a*out ending ignoran'e.
&ou as/ .or an e9p(anation o. sufering. + am sure that in a(( the approa'hes that
)ou ha-e dis'arded )ou must ha-e 'ome a'ross a (ot o. diferent e9p(anations
.or sufering #it is the de-i( tempting us6 it is god testing us6 it is due to origina(
sin et'. et'.%. =o *ehind )our question seems to *e the idea that a proper
spiritua( path shou(d *e a*(e to end sufering6 not ,ust e9p(ain it. "d-aita
Oedanta is a*(e to e9p(ain sufering as we(( as end sufering. 2ut not in the wa)
)ou ma) e9pe't.
+n the preparation o. the see/er he (earns to a't a''ording to dharma6 whi'h
*asi'a(() means that he (earns to not do to others what he does not want others
to do to him. $he efe't o. this is that he wi(( *e mu'h (ess (i/e() to 'ause
sufering to others. I-en though this measure wi(( not end sufering 'omp(ete()
it does 'ontri*ute to ma/ing the wor(d a *etter p(a'e.
2ut "d-aita Oedanta is not a*out ma/ing the wor(d a *etter p(a'e6 so dharma is
not 'onsidered an end in itse(.. "'ting a''ording to dharma is .or oneDs mind to
*e'ome 'a(m and '(ear S *e'ause this is the /ind o. mind that the see/er needs
in order to understand that he #and e-er)thing e(se% is a(( per-ading6 part(ess6
a'tion(ess 'ons'iousness. 0n() this understanding wi(( end his sufering .or good.
5(ease .ee( .ree to 'ha((enge what + said. + #and + am sure others too% wi(( *e
happ) to ta/e up an) o*,e'tion or question.
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