24.9.07

Song Of Freedom Breakdown, line 6 ,7, & 8


Completely realizing
the Realm of Reality to be objectless,

one finds oneself the source of all things
and one’s own nature to be Awake Awareness.

The five aggregates arise and decay like
aimless clouds,
the three distorted orientations come and go
like bubbles on water.


The first of these two lines seem to be straight out of the Heart Sutra

The second line is more of what I have been saying all along. You are the source of all things. All you have to do is wake up to it. Methods to be determined.

Third line gets more interesting! The five aggregates are just the pile of stuff we call our selves. So I would guess that the self arises and decays like aimless clouds. Works for me. I see this pretty clearly in myself and others. Actualy had a creepy experience which seeing this part makes me ponder it again.

Three distorted orientations? Past, present, Future came to mind but I don't think so. Maybe, but I don't think so. I think distorted views are of an idealistic view, a Materialistic view, and that of a so called Realistic view (objective/subjective.)

I say "so Called" because I don't think there really is a "Realistic View" no matter how much we can try to rationalize an accurate description of reality, I think we will always end up failing. Besides others have done a much better job than me.
Maybe like that ole hippy guy who said
"Be here now!"


Come and go like bubbles on water
I get impermanence.
I get not real. No substance.... But still pretty to look at while it lasts.

I know that you know all of this already.

I welcome comments, but I may integrate them into the commentary.

I hope that my efforts are helpful in clearing my own delusion as well as that of others,
Jordan





Acknowledgments

4 comments:

oxeye said...

nothing to add to what you said. I see it pretty much the same.. on the three orientations.. your guess is probably correct, but my first thought was of the three prevailing religious schools of that time and place. Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Only guessing though..

Carol said...

Beautiful picture of Multinoma Falls--so glad you took us there and it fits so beautifully with what you're saying! So ethereal!

I love what you're saying. So very spiritual! I know this is a Westerners' way of looking at it!

Keep up the good work!

Love,

Mom

Yamakoa said...

Hello Jordan,
These lines are truly beautiful and full of substance. I have always found the teaching of the Five Aggregates to be truly unique. If one truly understands this teaching one is well on their way to understanding the nature of being miraculously aware. The teaching of form, sensation, perception, mental formation (volition and hence karma) and conciousness establishes the base of the teachings that countless buddhas have taught. The doctrine of no soul, impermanence, conditioned genesis, etc.. are natural extensions of this novel and revolutionary teaching.

I also originally interpreted the three orientations as past present and future. Especially because of the line that follows it. Could it be that the author is pointing us toward the "Three Realms." These three realms or worlds are the world of desires, the world of form, and the world of formlessness (emptiness,spirit,etc)These three realms or worlds are viewed by buddhist to be the extent of existence. This teaching is used to underscores the impermanence of nature. We truly suffer because we lose sight of the impermanence of nature and we wish it to be different. The author time and again is telling us to awaken to this fact. To awake and liberate oneself. Become "Aware" of this and become "completely realized."
To truly realize "impermanence" may be the most difficult teaching of the buddhas. Not mentally, but when and where it counts. Can we lose our wives, husbands,children, parents, friends, and be truly at peace. How will we feel if we wake and find that everything we loved, nutured and cared for has been taken from us. Can we serenly accept this and move on. This is strong medicine to swallow. Argh!!

SlowZen said...

Jeff, Mom, Yamakoa,

Thank you for your comments.

Take care,
Jordan

Thanks for looking!