10. The Great Invisibility

25. Invisible is he to mortal eyes, beyond thought and beyond change. Know that he is, and cease from sorrow. -- Chapter 2, verse 25, The Bhagavad Gita (Tr. Juan Mascaro)

The "he" referred to in this verse is translated by Mascaro in the previous verses as Spirit, but the Sanskrit is more readily translated as soul. This is the aspect of us we cannot see. The eye cannot see itself. It is the seeing.

In addition to being a particulate, we are that which births us. Our mortal eyes, the eyes of the particle we are, cannot see "him" and is forever running around seeking or shunning any understanding of "her." We are embodyings of this great Invisibility.

Since many of us live in our thinking minds and even think we are our thinking, we look to think our way to Nirvana, to the realm of the great Invisibility. Part or most of our thinking is done in imagery, so we form images of the divine and encapsulate all we comprehend of the divine thus far within those imagic bounds. This works as far as it goes. The Gita is saying it doesn't go far enough.

The hand cannot grasp itself. The eye cannot see itself. The tooth cannot bite itself. The particle, as long as it remains particle-ular, cannot grasp the whole.

The Spirit, the life force which births us, is not only beyond thought but also beyond change, says the Gita. This is similar to the Unmoving Mover of Western theology. That which is beyond change births all change.

In Chinese philosophy (all philosophy is metaphysics, otherwise it is intellectual dust), the Unmoving Mover is represented as an empty circle ("the circle with no circumference whose center is everywhere" in Western terminology). This empty circle (wu chi) gives birth to duality (tai chi) which forever chases itself seeking union. The wu chi, the unchanging, gives birth to the tai chi, the forever changing.

The Gita says to know that this is so and release yourself from sorrow. As particulates, we arise and disappear. As the great Invisibility, we always are.

The Gita also says we are born again as particulates, part of an ongoing recycling plan. We become meat again (re - in - carnate). At some point, we can get off the incarnating wheel, can stop dropping our ball on life's roulette table. Meanwhile, enjoy the ride.

arena

This earth is a testing ground for each soul's powers.
Questions for reflection --
What are your powers and how are you doing?

beatitudes -- armed forces day

Blessed are those whose sanctified butts sit on righteous pews of holiness. For long moments they forget they are urine and shit-filled bags of mucous and puss.

Blessed are those who arise in the morning and go on anyway. For they are the salt of the earth, sprinkled on the bland flat food of corporate America.

Blessed are those who have found a niche of companionship and love. For they refute the arrogant bastards of the supremacy of war.

Blessed am I for refusing to paint my face with decorum. For I wear the undying paint of Crazy Horse, of Jesus, and Vajrapani.

Blessed are the spiritual marines of all religions and of no religion save one. For they shall inherit the wind, the holy wind that sustains the cosmos.

Amen.

warrior note

Zen sword is sharp .
Begging bowl is open.
These old bones laugh.

Cutting right through.
Receiving all that comes.
No clinging.