We have to filter everything through our thoughts. But in one instance of true silence the veil is parted. That which is recognized in that moment is nameless. But resting in it without giving it a name is just impossible for humanity.
By Angel Roberto Puente
The most impressive of the experiences one can have—because of the practice of meditation—is that of union with the immaterial.
This is a very brief encounter in which all concepts disappear, and the sense of self, also disappears. The six senses stop for an instant. This is a truly awe inspiring moment that has been called, ” the great death.”
The curious thing is that this is happening all the time. It’s right in front of us but we can’t see it precisely due to the importance we assign to concepts. We have to filter everything through our thoughts. But in one instance of true silence the veil is parted. That which is recognized in that moment is nameless. But resting in it without giving it a name is just impossible for humanity.
In Taoism/Daoism, a Chinese philosophy/religion that dates back to around the fourth century BCE., there was a warning that, “The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.”
In some religions giving it a name couldn’t be avoided but pronouncing it was forbidden. It’s called God almost universally now, but there are as many meanings as there are people.
Joshu Sasaki Roshi, a contemporary (April 1, 1907 – July 27, 2014) Rinzai Zen teacher who had decades of experience teaching Catholic monks said, “When you truly have grasped the absolute, you’re sitting there in the high seat. There’s no need to open your mouth. You’re not there, the absolute’s not there. There’s no need to be evaluated by anyone, and there’s no need for you to evaluate anyone. But when the incomplete self emerges, the idea arises that one must believe or have faith in the absolute.”
St. Theresa of Avila wrote in the Interior Castle:
“Let us now speak of the sign which proves the prayer of union to have been genuine. As you have seen, God then deprives the soul of all its senses that He may the better imprint in it true wisdom: it neither sees, hears, nor understands anything while this state lasts, which is never more than a very brief time; it appears to the soul to be much shorter than it really is.
God visits the soul in a manner which prevents its doubting, on returning to itself, that it dwelt in Him and that He was within it, and so firmly is it convinced of this truth that, although years may pass before this favor recurs, the soul can never forget it nor doubt the fact, setting aside the effects left by this prayer, to which I will refer later on. The conviction felt by the soul is the main point.
But, you may ask, how can a person who is incapable of sight and hearing see or know these things? I do not say that she saw it at the time, but that she perceives it clearly afterwards, not by any vision but by a certitude which remains in the heart which God alone could give.”
To reconcile the absolute with the incomplete self that grasps at thoughts is the work of a lifetime. To waste time in naming it is an unnecessary effort.
Even in the direct presence of the personification of this reconciliation of the absolute with the human, to name it is almost impossible. The men who encountered Buddha after his experience asked, “Are you a god?”
“No,” he replied. “Are you a reincarnation of god?” “No,” he replied. “Are you a wizard, then?” “No.” Well, are you a man?” “No.” “So what are you?” They asked, being very perplexed.
Buddha simply replied: “I am awake.”
Jesus asked His disciples, who had been with him for some time, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They named various prophets and then He asked them, “But what about you?” “Who do you say I am?”
Only Peter recognized what was in front of him, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” he answered.
It may seem far fetched and not pertinent to our own lives, but we can turn the question around, “Who do you say you are?” I really hope your answer brings you happiness.
Angel Roberto Puente‘s love of investigation started in his infancy when he would take apart the toys he received at Christmas. Erector sets were all he got afterwards. An early experience of the non conceptual set him on a voyage to reconcile a Christian upbringing with Zazen practice and studies in Psychology. Having achieved a comfortable solution he now sits with Morning Star Zendo. A zen group led by a Jesuit Priest/Roshi. As a mature introvert, he still takes things, and now concepts and held beliefs, apart.
Photo: Pixabay
Editor: Dana Gornall
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El amor de Ángel Roberto Puente por la investigación comenzó desde su infancia cuando desarmaba los juguetes que recibía en Navidad. Lo único que consiguió después fueron juegos de montaje. Una experiencia temprana de lo no conceptual lo llevó a un viaje para reconciliar una educación cristiana con la práctica de Zazen y los estudios de Psicología. Habiendo logrado una solución cómoda, ahora se sienta con Morning Star Zendo. Un grupo zen dirigido por un sacerdote jesuita/Roshi. Como introvertido maduro, todavía separa las cosas, y ahora los conceptos y las creencias. Check out his site here.
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