« An Old Line Interpreted Anew »
Sunday, July 3, 2011 Futile as a ghost, I stand guard over hidden gold. (Basavanna, an Indian poet, philosopher, 1106-1167)
What a great old line!
Notes: I = ghost = consciousness; Gold = nowness
Expanded notes (i.e. a rambling elaboration): who is this who exists? you. me. but what/who is that? what is this ghostly am-ness that we experience as ourselves? my best label-answer to this question: consciousness. thus: I = ghost = consciousness. so, here I am, futile as a ghost, nothing more and nothing less than self-aware consciousness. and here I "stand guard over hidden gold." what gold? what is this precious treasure that I guard? what is this hidden wealth that I, the Ghost of Consciousness, fuss over? my best label-answer: nowness (i.e. this moment of life, this life-moment, this here-and-now moment of existence).
So, here's my up-to-date interpetation of that great old line:
Nothing but conciousness, I am aware of whatever currently is.