What is the relationship of "The Witness" to Enlightenment?

[m0rl0ck]

I don't think D.O. would prohibit awareness of consciousness, because the first six steps are cycling constantly at high speed. I you miss on the current pass you can always catch it the next cycle a split second later. At worst, one would experience a small time lag between a "consciousness event" and becoming aware of that event.

So to use a light metaphor, more of a kaliedescope than say, sequential led's?

[Astus]

Regarding the Chan view I'd like to mention that the "witness" is a passive, detached, dualistic position (sounds like that to me), while the nature of mind is void and active besides being aware.

[m0rl0ck]

(sounds like that to me)

Is that based on opinion or experience

[Astus]

It depends on what You mean by "witness". As for me, it is as I said.

[m0rl0ck]

Regarding the Chan view I'd like to mention that the "witness" is a passive, detached, dualistic position (sounds like that to me)

My question was specifically about the above phrase. Is the above based on your actual experience of chan practice or is it opinion?

[Astus]

The idea of a "witness" is not Chan, if anything at all, a mistake of Chan. As Foyan Qingyuan said,

People nowadays mostly take the immediate mirroring awareness to be the ultimate principle. This is why Xuansha said to people, "Tell me, does it still exist in remote uninhabited places deep in the mountains?" (Instant Zen, p. 107)

I should have put a hyphen or a comma there to make it clearer.

And to answer your question: it is both something I tried to use as a practice and also something I have an opinion about.

[m0rl0ck]

The idea of a "witness" is not Chan, if anything at all, a mistake of Chan. As Foyan Qingyuan said,

People nowadays mostly take the immediate mirroring awareness to be the ultimate principle. This is why Xuansha said to people, "Tell me, does it still exist in remote uninhabited places deep in the mountains?" (Instant Zen, p. 107)

I should have put a hyphen or a comma there to make it clearer.

And to answer your question: it is both something I tried to use as a practice and also something I have an opinion about.

Ok thank you