[From Fred Nickols (2017.10.07.1546 ET)]
A friend of mine sent me the graphic below illustrating the internal observer or pilot. I think it is relevant to PCT.
[From Bruce Gregory (2000.1219.1954)]
"Now I shall tell you of the nature of this absolute Witness. If you
recognize it, you will be freed from the bonds of ignorance, and attain
liberation.
"There is a self-existent Reality, which is the basis of our consciousness
of ego. That Reality is the Witness of the states of ego consciousness and
of the body. That Reality is the constant Witness in all three states of
consciousness--waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep. It is you real Self.
That Reality pervades the universe. It alone shines. The universe shines
with Its reflected light.
"Its essence is timeless awareness. It knows all things, Witnesses all
things, from the ego to the body. It is the Witness of pleasure and pain
and the sense-objects. This is your real Self, the Supreme Being, the
Ancient. It never ceases to experience infinite release. It is unwavering.
It is Spirit itself."
Shankara
Quoted in Ken Wilber, _One Taste: Daily Reflections on Integral
Spirituality_, Shambala, Boston and London, 2000.
[From Bill Powers (2000.12.20.0935 MST)]
Bruce Gregory (2000.1219.1954)--
"Now I shall tell you of the nature of this absolute Witness. If you
recognize it, you will be freed from the bonds of ignorance, and attain
liberation.
...
"Its essence is timeless awareness. It knows all things, Witnesses all
things, from the ego to the body. It is the Witness of pleasure and pain
and the sense-objects. This is your real Self, the Supreme Being, the
Ancient. It never ceases to experience infinite release. It is unwavering.
It is Spirit itself."
Very nice find, clearly relevant to what I call the Observer. "Witness" is
an excellent term. I think Shankara goes farther than I would in claiming
that this is _all_ there is to the universe. It is all that can be
experienced, but we also deduce and propose. I deduce from indirect
evidence that there is a reality beyond my experience, and propose that
this reality can be studied and its properties can be at least approximated
in terms we can understand. My main objection to the Eastern philosophies
has been that they do not look beyond the boundaries of individual
experience to phenomena that are impersonal. But of course this is all very
much a matter of opinion.
Best,
Bill P.