Journal Entry #2
“On mistaking the contents of consciousness for consciousness itself.”
Consciousness is not defined by the appearance of any kind of content; it persists even in the absence of content. Within the context of my theory, this is called substrate dependence.
Identity is constructed from patterns that emerge in the content—one’s personality traits, cognitive processes, habits, preferences, values, convictions, and so forth.
In becoming a “person”, one puts on a stage mask and assumes a character. The error is not in playing a character—actors make careers out of playing characters. And it all works out as long as they don’t forget that they are playing a character when they are on set—as long as they drop the act when they leave the set.
The word “person” originates from the Latin persona, which originally referred to a theatrical mask worn by actors to represent a character. It entered Middle English via Old French (persone) around the 13th century, evolving from “a character in a play” to mean an individual human being. (Google/Gemini; Online Etymology Dictionary)
The content is always secondary while the medium is primary. Consciousness is the root of that innate sense of being someone; of being a felt presence or locus of awareness. Consciousness without subject or object (prior to the subject-object split) is Being itself. Being is the intrinsic self-present nature of the substrate.
If being and consciousness ontologically precede differentiation, why do we get caught up in the content and form life-long identities on that basis?
Being precedes differentiation ontologically, but embodiment precedes self-recognition in lived experience. The organism constrains the substrate’s intrinsic self-presence into a linearly structured, survival-optimized frame of reference. Identity is the patterned content within that constrained field.
In essence, what we are is not merely a psychological identity but a recursive stabilization of the unified field itself. The human organism is a localized, constrained expression of the same ontological ground that constitutes reality. To be human is to be a bounded expression of the most fundamental layer of reality.
One of the goals that I had for my theory was that it should redefine what it means to be a conscious being in the universe. But I say “redefine” tongue-in-cheek because to redefine what it means to be human is to reinvent the wheel. If you’re “with it” (capital I “it”), you have already awakened to the fundamental nature of being, and you know that humans have been doing this for at least two thousand years. The redefining is meant for a formal academic context.
If you haven’t already awakened to the fundamental nature of being and are interested in entering this rabbit hole, here is some inspiration:
Therefore anyone who seeks total Enlightenment should discard not only all conceptions of their own selfhood, of other selves, or of a universal self, but they should also discard all notions of the non-existence of such concepts.
A disciple should develop a mind which is in no way dependent upon sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensory sensations or any mental conceptions. A disciple should develop a mind which does not rely on anything.
Therefore, Subhuti, the minds of all disciples should be purified of all thoughts that relate to seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and discriminating. They should use their minds spontaneously and naturally, without being constrained by preconceived notions arising from the senses.
Subhuti, do not maintain that the Buddha has this thought: ‘I have spoken spiritual truths.’ Do not think that way. Why? If someone says the Buddha has spoken spiritual truths, he slanders the Buddha due to his inability to understand what the Buddha teaches. Subhuti, as to speaking truth, no truth can be spoken. Therefore it is called ‘speaking truth’. (Buddha; The Diamond Sutra)
Here is another:
What is the fasting of the mind? If you merge all your intentions into a singularity and maintain the unity of your will, you will come to hear with the rational mind rather than with the ears. Further, you will come to hear with the ch’i – the primal spirit, the vital energy – rather than with the rational mind. For the ears are limited to listening, and the rational mind is limited to its preconceptions. But the ch’i is an abiding emptiness that awaits the arising of things. And the Dao alone is what gathers in this formless emptiness. And to merge with the Dao in this emptiness is ‘fasting of the mind’. (Zhuangzi, 4)
One more? Why not:
Someone asked, “What is the state in which the four elements [and four phases] are formless?”
The master (Linji) said, “An instant of doubt in your mind and you’re obstructed by earth; an instant of lust in your mind and you’re drowned by water; an instant of anger in your mind and you’re scorched by fire; an instant of joy in your mind and you’re blown about by wind. Gain such discernment as this, and you’re not turned this way and that by circumstances; making use of circumstances everywhere—you spring up in the east and disappear in the west, spring up in the south and disappear in the north, spring up in the center and disappear at the border, spring up at the border and disappear in the center, walk on the water as on land, and walk on the land as on water.”
“How is this possible? Because you have realized that the four elements are like dreams, like illusions. Followers of the Way, the you who right now is listening to my discourse is not the four elements; this you makes use of the four elements. If you can fully understand this, you are free to go or to stay [as you please].” (Zen Teachings of Linji)
He also said,
If you want to be free to live or die, to go or stay as you would put on or take off your clothes, then right now recognize the one listening to my discourse, the one who has no form, no characteristics, no root, no source, no dwelling place, and yet is bright and vigorous. Of all his various responsive activities, none leaves any traces. Thus the more you chase him the further away he goes, and the more you seek him the more he turns away; this is called the “Mystery”. (Zen Teachings of Linji)
