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Deep Questioning. For Example, Let's Say You Want To: Questions

The document discusses deep questioning as a way to become conscious of objects directly as themselves, beyond mere perception and interpretation. It notes that merely perceiving a table is not enough to understand its true nature, requiring contemplation. The author advocates pushing past conceptual add-ons by focusing questions on directly experiencing the object, its absolute nature, and what is really there as itself.

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Beowulf Odin Son
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102 views

Deep Questioning. For Example, Let's Say You Want To: Questions

The document discusses deep questioning as a way to become conscious of objects directly as themselves, beyond mere perception and interpretation. It notes that merely perceiving a table is not enough to understand its true nature, requiring contemplation. The author advocates pushing past conceptual add-ons by focusing questions on directly experiencing the object, its absolute nature, and what is really there as itself.

Uploaded by

Beowulf Odin Son
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Deep questioning.

For example, let’s say you want to


become conscious of the table, so you set out to
experience it directly—the table as-itself. “What is the
nature of this thing?” If merely perceiving the table
was all you needed in order to become conscious of its
nature, then there would be no need for contemplation.
The job would be done simply at perception: it is a
table. Obviously then, you’re not just asking what you
perceive and interpret as there, but what’s really there.
You’re trying to become one with the table, so to
speak, and realize what the table actually is—what is
the absolute nature of the existence of that?

Question
Contemplation
The Book of Not Knowing Exploring the True Nature
of Self, Mind, and Consciousness
Peter Ralston

Deep Questioning

Awareness of conceptual add-ons. I make myself aware of all the


conceptual add-ons I am making by asking:

Questions:
What is my perception of this?
How am I interpreting this?

I turn my attention towards any perception and interpretation that


appears, and describe them.

[description of the perception and interpretation]

Deeper questioning. I push beyond my conceptual add-ons by


asking:
Questions:
What is this thing beyond my perception?
What is this thing beyond my interpretation?

What-is-as-itself. I explore the object-as-itself by asking:

Questions:
What is my direct experience of this?
What is really there?
What is the nature of this thing?
What is the absolute nature of the existence of this?
What is this object actually?
What is this thing as-itself?
How does this thing exist as-itself?

Reflection. I reflect on the observations I received from the above


questions.

[description of observations]

Reminder. I remind myself that the conceptual add-ons are not the
thing as itself:

The perception I have of this is not the thing as-itself.


How I am interpreting this is not the direct experience
of this.

Pushing past concepts. I let go of my perception and interpretation


and focus on the presence of the object.

Neti, neti (towards perception and interpretation)

[redirecting attention towards the thing as-itself]


Just this (towards the thing as-itself)

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