 Foreword |
"point of view" - In Reality, every ordinary "point of view" is an illusion - because all ordinary "point of view" is founded in the presumption of the separate existence of "I".
psycho-physical - The human being is not a purely physical phenomenon, but a phenomenon with both physical and psychological/psychic dimensions.
Real God - The term "Real God" is referring to Reality or Truth Itself, rather than any conventional anthropomorphic idea of God as "Creator".
save face - To "save face" is to try to "look good", or cling to an image of invulnerability and superiority in order to avoid being exposed as flawed or threatened.
scientific materialism - The predominant philosophy and worldview of modern humanity, the basic presumption of which is that the material world is all that exists. In scientific materialism, the method of science, or the observation of "objective" phenomena, is made into a philosophy and a way of life that suppress the native human impulse to Realize Reality Itself.
"self" / not-"self" - The two categories of egoic illusion: that which one identifies with ("self"), and everything else (not-"self"). "self" in quotation marks (or written with a lowercase s) to indicate that the presumption of a truly separate entity is an illusion - generated in response to the fact of bodily existence.
"self"-contraction - The fundamental presumption (and activity) of separation. Also called "ego", or "ego-'I'".
Self-Nature, Self-Condition, and Self-State - While pointing out that there is no such thing as a separate egoic "self", this phrase indicates that Reality Itself is the true "Self" (capital "S") of all existence.
"tribalism" - The terms "tribal" and "tribalism" refer to the ego in its collective form.
Witness - The natural "Position" of Consciousness Itself is to Stand as the Mere Witness of all that arises, Prior to egoic "self"-identification with the body-mind-complex.
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