THE REALIZATIONS OF BEING

To Know Being and to Realize its Highest
Immediate and Ultimate Forms

THE REALIZATIONS OF BEING

Preface

This edition presents the realizations as a compact picture. Details are here.

Aim

The aim of the realizations, so far as it is good, is to know the range of being and to realize its highest immediate and ultimate forms.

The means of realization which are essential to one another are ideas and action or realization. These define the main divisions of the text.

Ideas

Being—Being names that which is (in some regions of space, time andor beyond).

Meaning—The expedient of naming is as abbreviated definition of a given in terms of symbol, concept, and object.

Experience—Experience names awareness in all its manners, kinds, and forms. That experience has being is a given. The form of experience is that of relationship.

The following are the same true picture: there is nothing but experience and experience is of a real world that contains experience (in its two occurrences here, the meaning of ‘experience’.

Experience is the place of expression and core of living being. Significance and knowledge are of the world but occur in experience.

Universe—The universe is all being.

The universe has being.

Domain—A domain is a part of the universe.

The non null domains have being (a null domain is a part that contains no being).

Pattern—A pattern is a particular (set of) arrangement(s).

Patterns have being.

Extensionality—Difference is the most elementary pattern.

Utter sameness is absence of difference.

Sameness with difference refers to identity of person or object and marks time.

Difference without identity marks space.

Relative to identity, the modes of difference are space and time.

Space and time have being.

Tradition—The term tradition will here refer to what is valid in the collection of cultures, primal through today, of living beings. It includes ways of being and knowing and their (encoded) principles and processes.

Modes of expression—Two non-exclusive and major modes of expression are the mythic-holist and the literal-atomic.

Cosmos—It is allowed (not inconsistent with but not required) by tradition (and its principles of reason) that universe is the universe of all possibility—i.e., it is the greatest possible with regard to space-time-beyond and variety of being.

Natural law—The natural laws of our sciences are readings of patterns.

Provided we recognize that it is tentative, it is convenient to conflate the laws with the patterns.

Natural laws have being.

The void—The void is the null domain.

The void contains no pattern or natural law.

The fundamental principle—All possible objects emerge from the void since the contrary would be a natural law of the void. This defines a possibilist view of the universe.

Regard natural law as local empirical fact rather than universal projection. Define realism as the constraints of fact and logic on concepts. Then realism is the appropriate criterion for possibility—if a realistic object does not emerge from the void that would be a law of the void. Therefore what obtains is far greater than revealed in science and logic.

It follows that the universe is the universe of all possibility, the greatest possible universe, or the universe of realism (this is the meaning of ‘universe’ in what follows). This is called the fundamental principle of metaphysics (abbreviated fundamental principle).

Metaphysics—From realism, the universe must go through non-manifest phases. Thus the void (the non-manifest) has being.

Thus being, experience, universe, and void define a sound metaphysical framework that, as framework, is ultimate (a) in capturing the universe perfectly and (b) in showing the universe to be ultimate.

As an ultimate framework for all being, the metaphysics is an ultimate frame for valid tradition. The frame and tradition are complementary. The metaphysical frame illuminates and guides tradition; tradition-in-process inspires, fills out, and is an instrument for action within the framework.

The extension is perfect in an extended sense that, for the metaphysics is perfect depiction and for the tradition is ‘good enough’ and ‘there can be no better’; and the components of the extension are necessary to and enhance one another (the term the metaphysics will hereafter refer to this extension of the framework).

The (extended) metaphysics can, therefore, be regarded a single coherent system. The sense or concept of being has not changed. Error will not accrue if the ideal framework and the practical objects are not confused (except where a conflation is shown warranted).

Pain and joy—From the fundamental metaphysics, our lives are necessarily mosaics of pain and joy. This (significant) meaning to pain is extended later.

Something from nothing—We saw that the universe does and must go through non manifest phases. This resolves what has been called the fundamental problem of metaphysics—i.e. why there is (manifest) being at all.

The fundamental problem of metaphysics—The fundamental problem of metaphysics is that of determining what has being.

The power of being—The power of the concept of being, now emphatically clear, will continue to emerge in what follows.

Objects—Objects are concrete or abstract. Though they seem distinct the metaphysics shows they are ‘equally real’ (within realism, every concept has an object). They seem different, not because the abstract are essentially non-concrete but because abstraction omits certain concrete features. This union of the abstract and the concrete has significance for cosmology and the nature of the real.

Cosmology—Cosmology is the study of the variety, extension and duration of being.

On proof and intuition—Many proofs from the fundamental principle are so trivial (some of course are not) that proof may be omitted. What is important is interpretation, which will be given, and challenge to intuition. The issue of intuition may be addressed by (a) carefully following the formal development, (b) remembering that the metaphysics is proved and consistent with tradition, and (c) allowing time for assimilation.

General cosmology—The principle of general cosmology is the fundamental principle. Consequences follow.

The universe is a manifold of acute, diffuse, and absent manifestation, identity, space, time, causation, and variety; these have no limit but realism; they peak in Aquinas’ Aeternitas and Vedanta’s Brahman (all knowing and being manifest as one). This power is conferred on the individual. While in limited form, however, realization is eternal process; overcoming suffering is significant but we do not wait for it in the path of realization; and the path is made effective and enjoyed by intelligent (cognitive-emotive) commitment (including passion). Pain and enjoyment are a mosaic; this gives meaning to pain. Death is real but not absolute—it reminds us that this life is precious. The briefest answer to the question of memory across death is that in the abstract the individual is already in the ultimate.

Significance—We are also interested in stable cosmologies, e.g. that of the local cosmos. This will also help see the significance in general cosmology.

Stable cosmologies—Our cosmos has a degree of formed-ness and stability. The universe is a collection of formed stable cosmoses against a transient-void background. What principles are available to explain form and stability?

Principles—since every origin complies with the metaphysics, this is the most general explanatory principle.

But we are also interested in more specific processes that explain form and the population of form in the universe.

It is sufficient to consider origins from the void.

Because there is no form in the void, the origin of form is indeterministic. But form has at least some degree of determinism. A goal of explanation is to illuminate the ‘balance’ between indeterminism and determinism—between absence and occurrence of form. A classic mechanism is stepwise via indeterministic increment between stable states where population is maximized where the product of frequency and longevity is a maximum. Fecund transients are very short lived. Perfect symmetry is frozen. The optimum lies somewhere in between.

There is no compelling reason to think that origins obey our laws of science, particularly its conservation laws such as conservation of energy.

Origins from a non conservative background provide an explanatory template for conservation laws: conservation of energy, for example, lies at the stable interface between deflation of energy dissipating and inflation of energy generating proto-cosmoses.

Cosmology of life and identity—Though realization is given to limited form (the individual), intelligent and passionate (committed) engagement enhance effectiveness and enjoyment of the process.

Intelligence, evolution, and significance—we have via intelligence some, if very partial, control over our fate and evolution. It is possible and therefore will occur that we (at least in identity beyond death and together with organism from the corners of the universe) rise to the level of constructing peaks of the universe (there will be depths too). It is in the nature of significance and of the void background (no external god) that such peaks, whatever the mechanism, are the highest significance.

Pain and enjoyment—in a stable organism in a stable cosmos under the paradigm of adaptation, pain and enjoyment are in adaptive balance. This gives further meaning to pain.

Meaning of life—his kind of meaning—significant meaning—lies in being in process (seen here as negotiating the immediate-ultimate).

Realization

Journey—The individual realizes the ultimate. While in limited form this realization is eternal process—a journey in being. This follows from the metaphysics.

Nature of realization—enjoyment and effectiveness are enhanced by intelligent, committed and passionate engagement. The process always begins here-now and connects to the ultimate.

Immersion and the intrinsic and instrumental disciplines—the traditions of the east are, though limited just as the west too is limited, developed beyond our psychologies of being. I call these disciplines intrinsic because they apply to our being in contrast to the extrinsic or instrumental of the west that apply primarily to the environment or instrumentally to the individual.

The dimensions of process are nature or ground, civilization (individual and community in interaction), psyche (the place of being and significance and source of instrument), and the universal.

Processes—elements of process are means (ideas and action), disciplines and mechanics of transformation (ways, catalysts, risk, reflection, consolidation), modes (intrinsic—of being, extrinsic—of environment and technology), places (nature, civilization, psyche, universe), vehicles (individual, civilization, intelligent artifact), and phases (becoming: nature, spirit, civilization-artifact and pure be-ing).

Path—The principle is to use existing systems as suggestive and to synthesize (universal realism) from the universal metaphysics and experience. The existing systems may also be used as suggestive from details, e.g. of living in the world, not emphasized here.

Buddhism—the focus is the multi-faceted psychology and salvation from suffering. The response is therefore a multi-faceted, e.g. eight-fold, way.

Advaita Vedanta—metaphysics is important to Vedanta: we are Brahman. The psychology is the alienation of the ego from the true self (Atman: Brahman) due to the natural ignorance of ego. The way emphasizes seeing and overcoming the mistakes of ego. It may be simple: an inspired vision of truth. Other ways, adapted to various personal situations and degrees of potential (in this life), are programs to overcome ignorance.

Abrahamic Religions—The cosmology has an emphasis on a separation of world from a personal god; the significance of this may be in suggesting our process as part of a personal but immanent god. The psychology of salvation is that of overcoming sin (rather than salvation); this has significance in that this psychology is widespread.

Universal Realism—metaphysics: individual and universal identity are the same (as for Advaita); the universe and individual (Brahman and Atman) are both processes—individual identity ever approaching the latter (this is one perspective; there is another in which they are one timeless ultimate). There is difficulty with a remote personal god; but our process as part of personal god is at least metaphor for the process of realization. Psychology: the sources of alienation include those of Buddhism and the Advaita. However, there are further considerations. The metaphysics of eternal process is proved. While we are in that loop, perfection in the ultimate cannot wait for ultimate perfection in this life which is a mosaic of pain and joy. Perfection in this life is a balance or equilibrium between the perspectives of local perfection and process. The elements of process are described in earlier sections of realization. The way: the mechanics is choice-risk-consolidation (see discussion of mechanics of transformation above). From the universal metaphysics and other previous considerations this is worked out below.

Template—The definition of the template derives from the dimensions and elements of process. Some phases:

Ways and catalysts, mechanics, elements, and phases.

Path and phase design and selection

Ideas: the metaphysics; ‘research’, i.e. study, concepts, and criticism for the phases of action and of pure being; and designing and planning the entire path.

Action: nature as ground and inspiration: Beyul and quest for vision (the term ‘Beyul’ from Tibetan Buddhism refers to a nature pilgrimage whose aim is to ‘awaken within oneself the qualities and energies of the sacred site, which ultimately lie within our own minds’).

Action: transformation of being: yoga, meditation and related practice—tradition and experiment, psyche and physical organism (especially catalytic transformation by psychic and physical action).

Action: civilization: engagement in the world—ultimate (universal-holist) and secular (culture, political-economic…).

Action: proper living—with sources in the tradition, experiment and reflection.

Action: artifactual being—construction of independent and adjunct technologies via cognitive approaches (science, cognitive science, art…), experiment, evolution for organism-artifact.

Pure being: living in the immediate and ultimate as identical.

The realizations—The place of the realizations is immediate and the ultimate.

The process—all endeavor is in process—in ideas-action-shared endeavor. Ideas reveal the universe; and ways and paths of action. Paths of becoming, join nature immersion as ground and inspiration; ways of becoming, especially risk and consolidation, life ways and practices, psychic catalysts (non drug), shared endeavor in realism, learning from tradition, and publication of works.

Transience and arrival—realization begins in the present, with perhaps with traditional discipline and practice. It requires risk—reflection and experiment—and consolidation individual form (heart, mind, and body), and in culture and artifact. Living in transience—in joy and anxiety—is on the way… is essential in realization, ever a flux of transience and arrival. While limited realization is endless process—ever freshness in variety and depth in a journey of realizations of being.

The future—the path is always at a beginning, in be-ing and becoming. Becoming is always on the way, somewhere in process (above); exploration, sharing, publishing in world and ultimate, entraining and being entrained by society and civilization. Be-ing is immanent—it is being in the present… and its practices such as meditation—and at times when death speaks: enter into a time of be-ing.