Duality is eventually acknowledged by us when we confront a world outside of ourselves. It can sometimes be you and I, or it can just be myself facing nature alone. It can even be the thoughts in front of me or the same, the thoughts in front of my mind’s eye. Nothing seems to connect, substantively, the poles of the duality. When I sit in meditation looking out over the foothills watching the sunset, I have no real connection with what I see.
When we realize the essence or substance of Mind, this all changes in a huge way because the essence of our phenomenal world, which is Mind, overcomes the differences which were the result of discrimination rather than anything real. This is an event like no other we have ever experienced. It is hard to describe except to say that when we see Mind, this seeing is like a power which reduces all things to a state of luminosity-bliss for want of a better word.
When Mind is not recognized, dualistic discriminations take place—there is almost no stopping them. One may even enter into metaphysical discussions about duality and non-duality or discuss theology in the form of God and his creation. This is still discrimination which is cutting up the one substance into a plurality of differences. Related to this, the Lankavatara Sutra says:
“There are, Mahamati, those who have fallen into the dualistic way of thinking, being unable to comprehend the truth of Mind-only; they desire to discriminate a world which is of Mind itself. Mahamati, body, property, and abode have their existence only when measured in discrimination.”
When Mind is fully recognized, duality wanes, eventually losing its sting. Gradually, everything becomes more and more dream-like. The multitudinousness of objects we once held in high regard are seen to be an illusion, Mâyâ.
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