Comment to 'The Knower and the Thinker'
  • At this level of dialogue, I see similarities. The semantics might be the cause of confusion. But out of that, I believe comes further clarification as well as a deeper practical understanding for oneself, therefore the benefit of such exchanges.

    I am not well-read of the scriptures by any measure. I have some practice as well as guidance from my main guru, those are my sources for the most part.

    My confusion regarding the ajahn’s presentation started with the title “The Knower and the Thinker” because I rather see Thinking and Knower.

    I believe there can be Self knowledge, and that can lead to freedom from suffering, which implies rising above sensorial perception because one who doesn’t feel or perceive the inconvenience is freed from their repercussions too.

    That knowledge will also possibly become immaterial at some point as suggested in the quote:

    “  Knowing is a function of mind.  It can only be understood as a VERB.  Often the term "the knower" is discussed but technically there is no subject, no actual knower, but just a process, an action, of knowing.” But that is not the level of my current practice therefore I should not speculate on it one way or the other. Though understandable that at some point there is no process either, just the awareness of self, however, it is defined or characterized as.

    For certain from where I now operate the senses count, because I cannot subjugate them into submission or live at this time unaffected by their objects, and their created consciousnesses be that pleasure or suffering or others.

    Only from the perspective of pure consciousness does knowledge not matter. One would be positioned beyond attention and awareness. Otherwise, although thinking is a function of the mind, the atma is greatly affected by the senses, especially for one who ignores the path to the way out, the atma will remain helpless. And subsequently, rebirths are bound to follow one after the other.

    These aspects can be difficult to explain indeed, and I may sound confusing, but I’d like to create objectivity and awareness of my process.