Meher Baba. and TES Lore. : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Thu May 03, 2012 1:46 am

The more I read about this guy the more I recognize stuff from TES Lore. Perhaps the best example is this:

Nirvikalpaka yoga is a technical term in the philosophical system of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_Shaivism, in which there is a complete identification of the "I" and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva, in which the very concepts of name and form disappear and Shiva alone is experienced as the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_Self. In that system, this experience occurs when there is complete cessation of all thought-constructs.^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvikalpa#cite_note-3}

This seems pretty similar to CHIM.

And this:

Nirvikalpa samādhi, on the other hand, absorption without self-consciousness, is a mergence of the mental activity (cittav?tti) in the Self, to such a degree, or in such a way, that the distinction (vikalpa) of knower, act of knowing, and object known becomes dissolved — as waves vanish in water, and as foam vanishes into the sea.^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvikalpa#cite_note-2} The difference to the other samadhis is that there is no return from this samadhi into lower states of consciousness. Therefore this is the only true final Enlightenment.

Seems like Zero-Summing.

Now, I'm not the biggest lore buff in TES lore, so I would welcome it if one could correct me.

» Wed May 02, 2012 8:32 pm

Well yes, CHIM is similar to Nirvana, tapas in that (s)he who has CHIM can alter the world as (s)he whishes but it's been described as anti-Nirvana. CHIM is quite selfish, and here's the difference between it and what you quoted - Those who achieve CHIM don't become one with the supreme being as in become absorbed by it but simply become the supreme being. They are able to say "I AM" even though they also are the world, which is why Vivec still felt the need to punish Azura for her deeds despite that he is Azura, among many other things.

There is one step beyond CHIM and that is Amaranth. The one's that's Amarath becomes less aware of himself or simply stops being self-aware (as I understand, that's it) and goes off to dream a new world. Quite similar to what http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vishvamitraonce did, but he was completely aware of what he was doing.

Oh wait. You might have already known some of these. Anyway, I hope my post is useful to you.

» Wed May 02, 2012 10:51 pm

Samadhi is perhaps the farthest thing from Zero-Sum.

Though, perhaps you've touched on the biggest difference between Dharmic religion and our Tower-malarky: Ego.

In former, the goal is to extinguish all karma (good and bad) and slay the ego, thereby liberating the jiva, buddhagarbha, etc. from samara.

In the latter, you wanna' hold on for dear life. Only then can you steal into the tower and plant your seed of amaranth.