The Philosophy of Enlightenment
WHAT IS REAL?
For thousands of years philosophers have debated about what is real. Yet if you were to ask a common person on the street if the world that he or she sees is real, then the answer would be almost invariably yes.
The fact is that the human mind tends to assign external objective reality to its sensory perceptions. For example, take the perception of an apple: If an apple is placed on the kitchen table and we are then asked whether or not the apple is real or imaginary, almost everyone would agree that it is real because we can see it, touch it, smell it, taste it, and even hear its crunch as we bite into it. No one doubts the reality of the external world, because it is the realm of our common experience. According to the ancients, however, what we perceive as the external world is not external at all, but is rather an appearance in consciousness—a set of mental impressions created within our own mind. This may seem paradoxical, but such an understanding is consistent with modern scientific principles.
Take the process of visual perception. According to modern physics, an apple is composed of atoms. In order to see the apple, the atoms must emit electromagnetic waves that propagate from the apple to our eyes. When the electromagnetic waves impinge upon the retina of the eye, they induce certain structural and chemical changes. These changes, in turn, stimulate the nerve cells in the eye. Nerve impulses then travel along nerve fibers from the eye to the visual cortex of the brain, where they cause the cells of the brain to fire in certain patterns. Based upon this brain activity, a mental impression of the object is created in the mind.
At this point in the process, however, modern science must insert a big black box, indicating that the mechanics are unknown. We do not yet understand how brain activity structures a mental impression on the level of consciousness. All we know is that certain types of brain activity have the potential to give rise to certain types of mental impressions.
Once the mental impression has been created, it is then experienced as a pattern of color within the mind. We interpret this pattern of color intellectually as an apple on the table—but in truth, we never actually see the apple; all we see is a pattern of color created within our mind on the basis of brain activity.
This same process can be applied to all five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. In every case, the senses stimulate the brain, which then gives rise to a mental impression created within the mind. All we ever actually experience on the basis of sensory perception are our own mental impressions of the world; we never actually experience the world as it is in itself. Nevertheless, we externalize our mental impressions so that they are conceived as the objective realities of the world. In the final analysis, this represents a mistake of the intellect: The effect is mistaken for the cause.
In the Vedic tradition, this type of false attribution, where one thing is mistaken for another, was called superimposition (abhasya), which may be understood as a form of ignorance or illusion. The common analogy used to explain this concept concerns a snake and a rope: In a dark room we might see a coil of rope and mistake it for a snake. Because of this perception, adrenaline is pumped through the system, and we experience a state of fear. In truth there is no reason to be afraid. The fear has its source in the false notion that the rope is a snake. In this analogy, the coil of rope represents our mental impression of the world, while the snake represents our mistaken belief that this mental impression is an external object.
Plato used another analogy to explain the same concept: Since the time of their birth, a certain number of individuals are chained as a group within a cave, with the back of each of them facing the entrance. Each can see only the shadows cast upon the cave wall by the light coming through the entrance. Because of this, only the shadows of objects—never the objects themselves—can be seen. As a result, the people in the group take the shadows to be the actual objects of the real world. In this analogy, the cave represents the mind, the chains represent the senses, and the shadows represent the mental impressions of the external world created within the mind through the agency of the senses. There is no way—especially using philosophical arguments—to convince those within the cave that the shadows are not real; every person in the group literally sees them. Because “seeing is believing,” the only way to dispel the illusion is to cut the chains and lead the individuals out of the cave into the light, so that they can see for themselves the otherwise hidden reality of the real world.
Thus, the radical solution proposed by the ancients involved breaking the attachment to the physical senses and transcending the cave of the human mind. Only then can we enter into the light of the real world—the world as it is in itself. Those who accomplished this miraculous feat were said to be enlightened, and were deemed true seers.
TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF REALITY
Spiritual enlightenment occurs when the limitations of the human mind and senses have been transcended and the awareness begins to operate on the basis of the universal field of consciousness that underlies all things. Rather than being a matter of faith or belief, this is a matter of direct intuitive experience.
In an enlightened state, the reality of the world is experienced very differently from how it is experienced in an unenlightened state. It is no longer perceived by all senses as an external, objective reality. Instead, it is experienced for what it is: an internal, subjective reality or a mere appearance in consciousness.
In this regard, the enlightened sages distinguished between two different but interrelated types of reality: In Greek philosophy, the empirical appearance of the world, which is rooted in the experience of the empirical mind, was called the physical Cosmos, while the transcendental reality of the world rooted in the experience of the divine mind, or field of pure consciousness, was called the metaphysical Logos. Those who are enlightened see both: By means of the empirical mind they see the reality of the physical Cosmos, and through the field of pure consciousness they see the reality of the metaphysical Logos. The sober conclusion of such enlightened sages was that the metaphysical Logos serves as the hidden cause of the physical Cosmos. In other words, the Logos represents the world as it is in itself and the hidden cause of the mental impressions created within the mind.
THE METAPHYSICAL LOGOS
In the Greek tradition, the metaphysical Logos was viewed as the indestructible structure of divine wisdom inherent within the divine mind, and it was suggested that these pure ideas exist independently of the human mind. They were often described as the ideal forms or eternal archetypes that underlie all empirical appearances, and therefore represent the true form of everything prior to the appearance of mental impressions within the human mind.
These pure ideas were also described as forms of divine speech. In the same way that we can compare a sequence of ideas within the human mind to a form of mental speech, which we use to talk to ourselves, the Greeks compared the sequence of ideas within the divine mind to a form of divine speech, which God uses to talk to himself. For this reason, the term logos is often translated as “speech” or “word.” The Logos was commonly viewed as embodying the word of God or the thought of God.
In the same way that a speaker is identified with his or her speech or a thinker is identified with his or her thoughts, the relation between God and the Logos was viewed as one of identity. This is precisely the view expressed in the opening passage of the Gospel of John in which the original Greek Logos is commonly translated as the Word. We can substitute the original term:
When all things began, the Logos [Word] already was. The Logos dwelt with God, and what God was, the Logos was. The Logos, then, was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be; no single thing was created without him. All that came to be was alive with his life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness has never mastered it.1
We can translate this into more modern scientific terms. If we equate the subjective essence of God and the field of pure consciousness, then the elementary excitations of the field can be described as sonic and luminous in nature. Whereas the sonic modes constitute the sound of consciousness, the luminous modes constitute the light of consciousness. In the ancient Vedic tradition, the vibratory modes of pure consciousness were described as forms of transcendental sound (param nada) and transcendental light (param jyotih). Here, the sages were talking about virtual waves of sound and light—which transcend all means of direct empirical observation.
THE VIRTUAL REALITY OF THE LOGOS
In modern quantum theory, the universe is described as having a vibratory basis such that each elementary particle can be described equivalently as the wavelike excitation of a quantum field. This is called the wave-particle duality.
Yet two different types of particles and waves—real and virtual—are described by the theory. A real particle or wave is one that can be observed empirically, at least in principle. A virtual particle or wave is one that cannot be observed empirically, even in principle. In spite of their nonobservable nature, virtual particles and waves are required by the principles of the theory. In fact, the theory holds that the vacuum of so-called empty space is filled with virtual particles and waves.
In practice, real particles and waves constitute the subject matter of physics and the real or observable reality of the universe, which the ancients referred to as the physical Cosmos. In theory, however, virtual particles and waves must also be accepted as inherent in the vacuum of empty space. Such particles and waves constitute the virtual or hidden reality of the universe, which the ancients referred to as the metaphysical Logos. In this way, the modern scientific distinction between what is real and virtual is reflected in the ancient philosophical distinction between the physical Cosmos and metaphysical Logos.
THE CAUSAL NATURE OF THE LOGOS
According to quantum theory, every atom in creation is subject to spontaneous jumps in its electron energy states, which result in the emission of real light. These are called spontaneous emissions. In the same way, every elementary particle in creation is subject to spontaneous fluctuations in its energy, momentum, and position states. These are called quantum fluctuations.
The actual causes of these emissions and fluctuations are unknown, but it is generally presumed that these causes are inherent in the virtual reality of the quantum vacuum. The Standard Model of quantum theory makes no attempt to describe these hidden causes explicitly. The emissions and fluctuations are simply accepted as the way things are—though they literally determine the empirical appearance of the universe.
Thus, from an ancient philosophical point of view, the hidden causes that determine ultimately the behavior of every atom and elementary particle in creation can be attributed to the metaphysical Logos—the virtual reality of the quantum vacuum. For this reason, the metaphysical Logos was viewed as the hidden cause of the physical Cosmos.
HIDDEN INFLUENCES
In the Vedic tradition, this hidden influence of the metaphysical Logos was called the adrishta—the unseen influence, and rather than being viewed as an objective influence coming from any physical source, it was seen to be subjective and arising from the will of the gods or God, the hidden fields of universal consciousness that underlie the observable reality of the universe.
Such fields correspond to universal vacuum states inherent within the unified field. According to the ancients, each of these fields, or vacuum states, is characterized by its own modes of transcendental sound and light, which correspond to the virtual excitations of the field. These virtual excitations represent the hidden or unseen influences that ultimately govern the behavior of all observable things.
In this regard, we can assume the existence of two different types of hidden influence: local and nonlocal. A local influence propagates at the speed of light, while a nonlocal influence propagates faster than light—at the speed of thought. These two types can be attributed to the modes of transcendental light and transcendental sound, respectively. The Standard Model of quantum theory deals exclusively with the local modes of the quantum vacuum. These are invariably modeled as transverse waves that propagate locally at the speed of light.
There is no notion in the Standard Model that the quantum vacuum is also pervaded by modes of transcendental sound (which would correspond to longitudinal waves that propagate nonlocally at the speed of thought). Yet the axiomatic formulation of quantum theory allows such nonlocal influences, at least in principle.
In the 1950s a mathematical proof was developed on the basis of the axiomatic formulation of quantum theory: Bell’s Theorem, which pertains to any “hidden variable” theory that might hope to go beyond the Standard Model by providing an explicit description of the hidden influences that underlie the quantum fluctuations. Bell’s Theorem proves that any such theory will necessarily be nonlocal and must include hidden, nonlocal influences within its formulation. In other words, if we want to describe the hidden causes of quantum fluctuations, then in addition to invoking hidden local influences, which propagate at the speed of light, we must also invoke hidden nonlocal influences, which propagate faster than light. The ancients referred to these two types of hidden (virtual) influences as modes of transcendental light and transcendental sound, respectively.
THE SUBSTANCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Like all real light waves, the local modes of transcendental light may be viewed as having transverse waveforms, and like all real sound waves, the nonlocal modes of transcendental sound have longitudinal waveforms. In spite of their differences in waveform (transverse and longitudinal) and speed (local and nonlocal), however, the ancients—especially Hermetic sages—held that these two types of modes are not separate. One sage described his initial experience of enlightenment this way: “I beheld a boundless view; all was changed into Light, a mild and joyous Light; and I marveled when I saw it. . . . And . . . from the Light there came forth a holy Word [Logos], which took its stand upon the watery substance; and me thought this Word [Logos] to be the voice of the Light. . . . They are not separate one from the other.”2
This amounts to an intuitive cognition of the virtual quantum vacuum experienced as a field of pure consciousness. The modes of light and sound are said to have their basis in a watery substance, which serves as their underlying medium. This is consistent with the fact that in virtually all of the ancient traditions, the field of pure consciousness was assigned a fluidlike nature. For example, in the ancient Egyptian tradition the field of pure consciousness was called the nun, the “watery abyss.” The metaphysical Logos, which takes its stand upon the watery abyss, was called the Duat, or “underworld”—that is, the invisible virtual world that underlies the visible universe.
In the Vedic tradition, the field of pure consciousness was identified with God, the Supreme Being, in his form as Narayana, “the abode of the waters.” The metaphysical Logos was called the Veda—the indestructible structure of pure knowledge inherent within the field of pure consciousness, which serves as the basis for the observable universe. The fluidlike substance of the field was called dravya, from the root dru, “to flow.” A fluid is defined generally as any substance that has the ability to flow, but the fluidlike substance of pure consciousness was conceived not as a physical substance, but as a metaphysical one—literally, the substance of consciousness itself.
Although pure consciousness is not a material substance, the Vedic seers held that it could nevertheless be compared to a material substance in that it has the ability to move and flow: “It is pure consciousness, [which is] birthless, motionless, and nonmaterial, as well as tranquil and nondual, that has the semblance of birth, appears to move, and simulates a material substance.”3
In the Hermetic texts the metaphysical substance of consciousness was called Mind—the very substance of God. “Mind . . . is the very substance of God, if indeed there is a substance of God, and of what nature that substance is, God alone knows precisely.”4
In spite of its abstract and metaphysical nature, the substance of consciousness was compared to a fluid in that it has the ability to flow in both streams and waves.
THE HOLY GRAIL AND THE HOLY BLOOD
In the Rig Veda, the oldest and most authoritative of the ancient Vedic texts, the flowing essence of consciousness was called soma, the drink by which the gods attain immortality, and amrita rasa, “immortal blood.” This has deep connotations to the myth of the Holy Grail.
The immortal blood corresponds to the fluidlike essence of consciousness, which may be compared to the waters of life. The immortal vessel that contains the waters of life or the immortal blood is none other than God—the field of pure consciousness. This is the essential meaning of Narayana. As the very substance of God, the immortal water or immortal blood was viewed as cosubstantial with the immortal God; the immortal blood and immortal vessel were viewed as one.
This notion is reflected in the myth of the Holy Grail, which can be translated from the French as “holy vessel” (san greal) or “holy blood” (sang real). According to this myth, the very sight of the holy vessel or taste of the holy blood is enough to render the wasteland whole and the soul immortal.
THE SUPERFLUID VACUUM
As we have seen, the ancient intuitive descriptions suggest that the modes of transcendental light and sound exist as correlated components of a single, unified wave field that may be compared to a metaphysical fluid field. There is one trouble spot in this theory, however.
We know that a classical fluid is incapable of supporting transverse waves of any kind and can support only longitudinal waves—like sound waves. At first glance, this would appear to contradict the notion that the fluid field of consciousness can support both modes of transcendental light (corresponding to transverse waves) and modes of transcendental sound (corresponding to longitudinal waves).
Nevertheless, there is a way around this dilemma. According to the ancients, the modes of transcendental sound and light are both quantum waves, which can be modeled as harmonic waves and represented by harmonic ratios. In the fifth century BCE, this notion was outlined originally in the harmonic theory of Pythagoras. Due to the harmonic ratios inherent within the field, the term logos is often translated as “ratio.” The implication is that the fluid of pure consciousness must correspond to a quantum fluid rather than a classical one.
Quantum fluids were first discovered in the twentieth century, with one of the most common being a superfluid such as superfluid helium. This is created when ordinary fluid helium, which behaves like a classical fluid, undergoes a phase transition at very low kinetic temperatures. Unlike a classical fluid, a superfluid displays the property of quantum wholeness, meaning that it behaves as a single, nonlocally correlated quantum whole, rather than as a collection of individual fluid particles subject to random, independent motions. In this sense, a superfluid can be compared to the field of pure consciousness, which the ancients believed behaves as a single quantum whole, or a single conscious Being whose will simultaneously and nonlocally governs the behavior of all its parts.
Like an ordinary classical fluid, a superfluid is capable of supporting longitudinal sound waves. Unlike a classical fluid, however, superfluid sound waves also have transverse components resembling closely electromagnetic waves in the vacuum of empty space. The theoretical prediction of such transverse components was made in the 1950s, but the empirical verification of the prediction did not come until 1999, when the transverse components of superfluid sound in helium II were first detected in a laboratory experiment.5 The researchers reasoned that because the transverse components must involve displacements of the fluid transverse to the direction of wave propagation, the components should define a polarization direction similar to that of electromagnetic waves.
The transverse components of superfluid sound were detected by rotating the polarization of the waves in the presence of a magnetic field. The researchers suggested that this is the acoustic analogue of the magneto-optic Faraday effect, whereby the polarization direction of an electromagnetic wave is rotated by a magnetic field applied along the propagation direction.
Therefore, we can argue that if the fluid of consciousness is capable of supporting both longitudinal sound waves and transverse light waves, as implied by ancient descriptions, then its behavior must resemble that of a quantum fluid such as superfluid helium. The ancient notion that these two types of waves are not separate from each other is consistent with the fact that the transverse and longitudinal waves in superfluid helium are complementary components of the same wave phenomenon. In other words, the ancient theory suggests that the field of pure consciousness behaves like a superfluid vacuum or a superfluid wave field.
The upshot is that the ancient intuitive descriptions of the field are consistent with both quantum theory and the theory of quantum fluids. Although these descriptions are couched in philosophic and spiritual terms, they appear to have a sound scientific basis—at least, if we accept the premise that the universe is rooted in an underlying subjective reality, an all-pervading field of consciousness.
Now that we have discussed the philosophy of enlightenment, we can ask how a person becomes enlightened. What are the mechanics involved?