The Magic of Self-Transformation

 There is a difference between the way the average person views magic and the way magicians themselves view magic. One group — a large segment of the public perhaps — views magic as a risk for the practitioner, in the vein of the scholar/magician Faust, who, in the myth loses his soul. The other group — the magicians — in fact generally believes magic, or rather the pursuit and application of esoteric knowledge, to serve towards the salvation of their souls.

There is another group of people though who don’t believe in magic at all. However they might very well believe in and pursue what they call personal psychological wholeness or inner transformation. In actual fact, those people are not much different from a set of magicians who practice “high magic”, or magic with the goal of transmuting the lower self into something higher.

This essay will analyze the path of high magic: magic used for the purpose of inner self-transformation. To a certain extent, light will be shed on the nature of high magic by contrasting it with its shadow, or magic of a more dubious nature. The definition of high magic can be found through the words of recognized high magicians. The synopsis of a play by Gurdjieff, The Struggle of the Magicians, will hopefully give some insight into the contrast of two magicians using magic with quite different means and ends. And finally, high magic will be looked at from the perspective of Buddhist Tantra, which uses magic — or rather esoteric technology — to achieve the ultimate self-transformation: Enlightenment.

Modern Western magic was to an extent born in 19th century France with the writings of Éliphas Lévi. Lévi literally wrote the book on high magic with his Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic. Lévi was acutely aware that all magic is not magic with the goal of self improvement. He describes the contrast thus: “There is a true and a false science, a divine magic and a magic which is infernal, that is to say misleading and obscure….”1

Lévi is certain that there is error or superstition in magic, but he strives to describe instead the magical way leading to wholeness, to the transformed self. True magic, to Lévi, is a science; an esoteric science using the hidden laws of the universe and man. Magic, in its purest sense, is work upon one’s inner self. He says, “The first of all the works of magical science is knowledge of oneself, it is the Great Work, the creation of oneself.”1

However, to accomplished magicians, there is no white magic versus black magic. The prolific author and esotericist, John Michael Greer, talks of two poles of magic, saying: “The opposite of high magic isn't ‘low magic,’ any more than the opposite of fine arts is ‘coarse arts’ -- it's fine arts and performing arts, and it’s high magic and practical magic.”2 He defines high magic as magic with the goal of self-transformation. Practical magic would be magic dealing with practical matters: finding a lost object through skrying, planting by the moon phases, as examples.

Even though magic cannot be defined as white or black, there is however a type of morality in the practice of magic. The Western sage G. I. Gurdjieff has been described as a Magus; and although he rejected the superficial adoption of outward mores, he understood the principle of morality in magic. Probably he, more than any self-described magician, also grasped the cosmic laws underlying human potential and Man’s path to self-evolution. Gurdjieff gave us a fictional example of the contrast between the false and the true magician in his drama, Struggle of the Magicians. In the play, morality in magic is explored — in the character and deeds of two very different magicians.

The story goes…

In a bustling city of the East, there is a wise and good man of knowledge, a White Magician; a man who understands the Laws of the Seven Cosmoses — including those of the Tritocosmos, Man. He teaches students in his school, where they observe the stars and planets and learn about their influences upon the Earth, and upon Life itself on the Earth. They also study chemistry, but specifically the chemistry of substances from a cosmic and psychological point of view, a spectrum of the elements labeled ‘hydrogens’. Esoteric movements and gymnastics are also carried out by the students, for the purpose of self-study.

One of the wise teacher’s favorite pupils, Zeinab, is a young woman of high character, who besides being very beautiful, is also blest with much compassion for the poor and sick among the populace. She is pure in virtue, and dedicated to charity towards others, and to the betterment of herself through application of herself at her studies.

Zeinab’s beauty and noble traits one day attract the attention of Gafar, a man of great wealth, a man who inevitably gets everything he wants. He has all he could desire, including an extensive haram. But now Gafar desperately wants Zeinab.

However all of his advances and expensive gifts through his servant are rejected by Zeinab. Over and over he is rejected — something a man of his great wealth has never experienced — until Gafar can take it no longer.

Finally the desperate Gafar seeks out the help of a weird and dangerous Black Sorcerer. This magician has a school of sorts too, where his frightened students imitate him, in the hopes of also gaining impressive magical powers. At first the Black Magician is afraid to help Gafar, upon learning that he would cross paths with the school of the powerful White Magician. But Gafar tempts the evil sorcerer with a pile of valuable treasure.

Through his diabolical rite, the Black Magician succeeds in enslaving a hypnotized Zeinab to Gafar’s lust.

Soon afterwards, Zeinab’s servant arrives at the White Magician’s school, informing him of Zeinab’s impending marriage with Gafar. The wise teacher immediately understands something is wrong and through his skill discovers the truth of Zeinab’s predicament. By means of his deep esoteric knowledge, the White Magician summons Gafar and Zeinab to his school, where he severs the evil spell, returning Zeinab to her right mind. Zeinab and Gafar immediately see the wisdom and nobility of the great White Magician, and bow before him.

We can learn from this simple story the basic difference in qualities of the White and Black Magicians. One is filled with benevolence and knowledge, the other is possessed by his own cruelty, greed, and ignorance. One follows his spiritual path, the other ignores his spiritual path. One magician is helping other people, the second magician is harming people.

I think we might say of the White Magician, that he is not just interested in performing supernatural feats. He has a wide and deep understanding which allows him to fulfill his charitable nature, through means not available to the average person. Whereas the Black Magician, who has no charity towards others, revels in his power, and in his ability to manipulate others.

Gurdjieff in general believed in the development of the individual; in inner transformation or evolution. Gurdjieff spoke of a theory of human development along two parallel lines: that of being and that of knowledge. The evolution of a man’s being is the development of his character, of the refinement of his emotional state. In a sense, being is what a man is. A man can be measured by the level of his being. It is essentially his ‘spirituality’, or lack thereof. And to Gurdjieff, knowledge depends on being. Knowledge without being, without high character, is empty knowledge. Both knowledge and being must evolve together, for balanced growth. Human evolution is evolution of the emotions and of the understanding.

Not only can being be elevated and measured, but it can also be transformed. The transformation of being is relevant to high magic, as well as to psychology and religion. Maurice Nicoll, a disciple of both Jung and Gurdjieff, writes: “Transformation of being is the central idea of all esoteric teaching. Esoteric teaching is about transformation. It refers to an inner transformation that is possible in a human being who tries to awaken.”3

Gurdjieff’s theory of being and knowledge collates somewhat with the tantric Buddhist concept of the accumulation of merit and wisdom, as a means to gain enlightenment. Acquiring merit and wisdom, along with purifying the mental/physical obscurations, is the path to Buddhahood. To Buddhists, Enlightenment is of course the ultimate self-transformation.

There is a famous story of a Tibetan Buddhist saint, Milarepa, who illustrates with his life both sides of this essay: the evil sorcerer with no thought for his inner spiritual development, and the Buddhist practitioner who repents, eventually over time attaining complete enlightenment.

Milarepa was born in Tibet in 1040. He started out his young adulthood studying black magic, as a means of fulfilling a family grudge. Through his sorcery he murdered his aunt and uncle, along with dozens of innocent people. Then he subsequently destroyed the crops of his entire village with a magically summoned hailstorm.

But Milarepa had soon had enough of his evil life, and he sought out a holy man to help cleanse his karma — and to find the path to enlightenment. 

He found the great teacher Marpa, a Buddhist saint. 

However Marpa initially refused to teach his new disciple; but made him build tower after tower in the nearby mountains. After much grueling labor, at last Milarepa was physically and spiritually exhausted, and left — he had given up. 

Soon realizing his mistake, he returned, and it was then that Marpa consented to teach him meditation. Milarepa had cleansed his karma through his heavy labors in the mountains. 

Milarepa eventually became Marpa’s prized student, and ended up having many successful students of his own. Milarepa ultimately spent much of his time meditating as a mountain yogi, and finally — after much spiritual effort — he himself achieved Buddhahood, becoming one of Tibet’s greatest holy saints.

The tantric Buddhism of Tibet is a very real, very deep form of Buddhism. It harnesses the technology of magic to travel the path to enlightenment extremely quickly; potentially reaching the goal of Buddhahood in only one lifetime, rather than over eons. 

Tantra uses the technique of mantra: sacred magical formulas repeated hundreds of thousands of times. It also includes complex visualizations of deities and diagrams which allow the practitioner to acquire qualities and traits of celestial bodhisattvas, or advanced Buddhas. It has its own set of magical tools: the mala (rosary), the dorje (scepter), and the bell.

The goal, or motivation, behind this activity, however is not magical powers. The aim is a spiritual one, although siddhis or miraculous abilities sometimes manifest. But they are a bi-product of spiritual accomplishments, not an end in themselves.

My own root guru here in Seattle used to tell stories of his father, a Lama who was famous in Tibet for his siddhi powers, especially his command over the elements. Once on a journey the elder guru desperately needed to water his horses; he struck the ground with his staff, and a spring of water gushed forth. This spring can still to this day be found in Tibet. When my own guru was a young boy, his father came to him once to demonstrate the power of the bodhisattva Mahakala — with a flame of fire magically emitting from his unhurt open palm. During Buddhist services, the elder guru would beat the ceremonial drum, and a ring of sparks would encircle the drum. My own guru as a boy witnessed this often, and assumed then that it was a perfectly normal occurrence — and thought nothing of it til later.

But these feats were as I said side effects of the Lama’s spirituality. The mark of a great Lama is not magical powers, but compassion and wisdom. That is the goal of every Buddhist practitioner, and ultimately every Buddhist wishes nothing else but happiness for all sentient beings.

As an example of tantra, there is a practice in Tibetan Buddhism which helps the practitioner to develop spiritually and, while not strictly magical, does employ a type of spiritual transformation or transmutation. It is based on the practitioner having great generosity towards others; and utilizes pure compassion and benevolence. It is from the teachings of Tibetan Buddhist Mind Training, and is called the practice of Giving and Taking.

Giving and Taking involves taking the suffering of others upon oneself, into one’s heart, on the in-breath. Transmuting the suffering alchemically — by means of compassion and wisdom — into pure bliss and happiness. And then giving that happiness back out to others with the out-breath. This is especially beneficial for people with whom one has troubles. The idea is that one is transforming oneself too into a more loving and open person, at the same time.

As I said, it is a very advanced technique, and not for everyone. It can perhaps make some who try it uncomfortable, or even afraid. But at basis, the practice is simply the putting into action of the first two of the famous Four Immeasurables  -- i.e. compassion and loving kindness -- formulated as: “May all beings be free from suffering.” & “May all beings have happiness.”

In summary, Milarepa was an example of a magician beginning upon a path of error, turning it around through great effort, and finally following a path of personal improvement — all the way to Enlightenment. My own Lama was the most amazing example of a human I have ever encountered. His example, along with his stories of his father, prove that saints still exist; saints who can perform miraculous feats. And yet, Gurdjieff shows us that miracles are the result of great personal virtue and wisdom, not especially from magical power. And although there are magicians who might perform a shadowy imitation of magic, it is the transmutation of the lower self to the higher, which defines the truly accomplished magician. 

1. Lévi, The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic: A New Translation (Greer & Mikituk). Chapter 1, p. 30, 32

2. A personal interaction with J. M. Greer in his blog. https://ecosophia.dreamwidth.org/184693.html?page=3#comments

3. Nicoll, Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky vol. 4, p. 1292

Being and Mind

 The Tibetan View of the Mind

“…channels are subtle pathways extending throughout the body through which the volatile winds move. Since winds and mind are fused in tantric theory, the channels are the pathways not only for winds, but also for the mind that rides on those winds. Therefore, channels are the avenues by which the mind comes to pervade the entire body.”

— Secrets of the Vajra Body: Dngos po'i gnas lugs and the Apotheosis of the Body in the work of Rgyal ba Yang dgon pa (A dissertation by Willa Blythe Miller)

It is important, as a Gurdjieffian, to distinguish between the centers (intellectual, emotional, and moving, etc.) and the actual mind itself. The “organ” or elemental component of “mind” is an aspect within us which allows us to perceive through the senses; and it also works with the centers, or the various parts of centers, mediating so we can access their functioning. The mind not only perceives what the senses take in, but also perceives the various workings of our intellectual and other centers.

However the centers  — when developed — are far superior to mind, the mind being a more reactionary tool, responding to inner or outer stimuli. The centers, one could say, encompass or express our Being and Knowledge. Being and Knowledge are measured on the scale of the Ray of Creation, and involve the development of second, third, and fourth (astral, mental, and divine) bodies.

The characteristics of the physical body are the senses, along with the mind. Being and Knowledge here are at a relatively low point on this scale, at the level of the Earth.

The characteristic of the astral body is that of a highly developed emotional center (specifically the evolution of the middle division of the emotional center). This body manifests higher Being. Emotions, or Being, here are at the level of All Planets.

The characteristic of the mental body is that of a highly developed intellectual center (specifically the evolution of the inner division of the intellectual center). This body manifests higher Knowledge. Knowledge here is at the level of the Sun.

The mind is an organ made up of a specific level of materiality, and is also a component of the so-called subtle body, or energy body, or pranic sheath. The characteristic of the subtle body is a system of channels, through which the mind rides the subtle winds, like a rider and his horse. The subtle body, along with the mind, is a link between both our physical body (and the physical world) and our centers (and our inner world).

THE CREATION OF THE CENTERS

“Right work on oneself begins with the creation of a permanent center of gravity.”

— Gurdjieff 

"The process of evolution, of that evolution which is possible for humanity as a whole, is completely analogous, to the process of evolution possible for the individual man. And it begins with the same thing, namely, a certain group of cells gradually   becomes conscious; then it attracts to itself other cells, subordinates others, and gradually makes the whole organism serve its aims and not merely eat, drink, and sleep. This is evolution and there can be no other kind of evolution. In humanity as in   individual man everything begins with the formation of a conscious nucleus. All the mechanical forces of life fight against the formation of this conscious nucleus in humanity, in just the same way as all mechanical habits, tastes and weaknesses fight   against conscious self-remembering in man."

— Gurdjieff 

The mind does direct the subtle winds, so in that sense the mind is in charge; but “attention” is not necessarily just simply a function of mind. The mind is not all there is of our inner psychic life. Attention can be also an aspect of Being, as well, starting out in our development with the activity of Self-Remembering. Self-Remembering, along with Self Observation, eventually leads to the development of our centers, which can express higher elements of our Being and Knowledge. When the centers have been developed, then attention can work in conjunction with their activity, rather than just as a slave to the mind’s whims.

That is not to say that we have nothing to begin with, no centers at all. Everybody has centers of a sort. All humans have centers — the intellectual, emotional, moving — with their three divisions — outer, middle, and inner. However, these undeveloped centers are neither permanent nor very evolved. The centers in the majority of mankind are simply temporary manifestations of the various energies inhabiting the body; appearing occasionally to carry out some function or other.

The middle and inner divisions of the emotional center are the seat of the sublime, higher emotions. These are not used much by us in daily life. And same with the middle and inner divisions of the intellect — these portions of the intellect are rarely used.

This rarified, celestial, profound feeling and thinking is possible for us, but only on occasion. The goal is to develop these parts of us, along with the higher bodies that go along with them.

The mind travels through the various channels of the body, but there are three main central channels that are important specifically for the higher bodies and their centers. I’m not an accomplished Yogi, but my perception, through reading and self study, is that the central channel — traveling the central axis of the body — has much to do with the higher bodies’ developed centers, otherwise known as chakras.

The three central channels of the “etheric body”. When the attention works with the higher bodies and their developed centers, my feeling is it is traveling through one or another of these three central channels. Otherwise, the attention is a slave to the mind’s whims, and traveling through the side channels, with their less-profound thoughts and desires.

Chakras, as well as centers, are concepts that are seen in a variety of ways. However, generally they are both thought to be completely formed, and needing no development. Rather they are considered to have flaws: Centers might use the wrong energy, or Chakras might have blockages. This whole outlook, to me, is wrong. Centers, chakras, as well as certain other aspects of the subtle body need to be intentionally formed; centers formed using the correct corresponding energies. What we have is fluid, unfixed, and unreliable. What we need is well-developed, reliable, and fixed centers — with their corresponding bodies.

My understanding personally, by the way, is that the theory of “centers” is a better system for achieving self-evolution. Perhaps that’s because I’m Western, and Gurdjieff’s system is Western. But the Gurdjieffian development of centers entails specific knowledge of the energies involved; and also includes the synchronous development of higher, permanent bodies, which go along with the centers.

I do know, however, that for me it is a mistake to assume that each of us has ready-made centers in place. Through experience, I have found that the centers of the higher bodies need to be intentionally formed, using specific energies and a definite process. For details on forming the astral body with its centers, see my previous blog post: https://to-be-able.blogspot.com/2022/ 

But from the perspective of the subtle body, developed centers are the same thing as working chakras. There comes a point, when one starts perceiving the channels, and one has made headway developing the centers, where one realizes the Eastern and Western concepts are the same. Developed centers are the same as working chakras.

The East Indian Philosophy of Samkhya 

The mind, in East Indian Samkhya theory, is classified as being generally on the same level as the senses. The mind is necessary for us in order to utilize the senses, and to perceive the outside world. The Eastern theory goes, that the mind travels between our senses and the object we are perceiving; the mind taking the shape of the object. The intellect (or buddhi) then interprets the object which the mind has perceived. Finally, the buddhi allows the Self, residing in the heart, to witness what the buddhi has apprehended. This is my understanding of the process. Mahat or buddhi (intellect) is the same substance as Gurdjieff’s okidanokh in his Tales, in my opinion. Prakriti is the same as Gurdjieff’s ethernokrilno, in the same text.

— The “evolutes” or different hierarchical elements of the Samkhya system. —

According to Dr. David Frawley, “prana” is an evolute of Rajasa ahankara. 

Mahat is the macrocosmic or universal mode of Intellect. Buddhi is the psychological aspect of Intellect.

Purusha & Prakriti are above manifestation. 

The Sages indicate that the way to moksha and knowledge of Purusha & Prakriti is to establish oneself in Mahat.

Building the Mental Body 

“And so, my boy, in the beginning, as I have already told you, after these cosmic arisings had perfected their Reason to the necessary gradation of the 'Sacred Scale of Reason,' they were taken onto the Sun Absolute, there to fulfill the roles predestined for them by our Creator Endlessness.”

Gurdjieff — Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson, The Holy Planet Purgatory 

As I said in the previous post, the emotional center of the body has three divisions. And so, the body’s intellectual center has three divisions, also. I said that the astral or second body evolves from the middle parts of the centers. The mental or third body however evolves from the inner parts of the centers.

The mental body evolves from the inner division of the intellectual center (as well as the inner division of the emotional center). This intellectual center division works with the energy of impressions: do 48. As Nicoll says above, this part of the intellectual center manifests “Intellectual Construction, Creative Thought, & Discovery”.

The mental body is constructed inside the head, inside the mind, using the third eye — the place between the two brows — as a focal point. The mental body’s construction starts with the formation of a “center”, around which the third body grows. This mental center is formed from several elements: the element of consciousness, the element of buddhi (intellect), the energy of impressions (do 48), the element of mind (manas, which is associated with the breath and with the senses), and finally with an organized structure of mental ideas.

These are the three energies used to build the mental body. 

Do 48 in the head, i.e. the energies of impressions, is fused with mind, consciousness, and intellect (Gurdjieff’s Okidanokh & Samkhya’s Mahat) (see Samkhya chart above) as well as certain ideas to begin making third body.

Do 48 represents energy for the mental body’s intellectual center. Re 24, the energy for the mental body’s emotional center. Mi 12 would be for the mental body’s moving center — carrying out the aims of the intellect and will.

I don’t recommend trying to build a third body until the second body is well established. It is necessary to be able to sense clearly the astral body first.

In preparation, the astral body’s intellectual center should be modified, to begin with. As one has previously formed the astral centers, so in continuing, one uses the same technique for preparation of the astral intellectual center for construction of the mental body’s intellectual center, within it.

The creation of a mental center — the nucleus of the mental body itself — is really a matter of a continuation of the development of the astral body’s head. The astral body intellectual center can be upgraded with new qualities, such as the quality of brahmacharya. This is particularly important because the astral and mental bodies are a result of the redirection of sexual energies. Also, consciousness, emanated from the heart, can be fused with the astral intellectual center, as a preparation for third body formation.

When one is ready to begin the construction of mental body, the energies of impressions (do 48) are initially fused with Mahat, which is brought in through the crown of the head. 

The material of Consciousness can also be used in fusion with do 48.

The technique used in fusion is at this point mostly Self-Remembering of the two components at once; although the astral technique using emanations from the heart is also sometimes used.

Secondly, ideas are next used for the mental body-intellectual center material, which are also fused with do 48. Ultimately, one must use the most sublime, the highest series of ideas available to one as material to build the mental body. It is wise if one can develop one or more systems of chosen ideas. The reason the highest ideas conceivable are used is because the mental body ultimately has much in common with the divine body. Gurdjieff indicates that components of the mental body will become permanent, in relation to the divine body’s completion.

The mental body is permanent; or as Gurdjieff says, “the highest being-body, formed of crystallizations received directly from the sacred Theomertmalogos within the limits of the solar system where the being has arisen and existed, can never decompose.” (— Beelzebub’s Tales) 

So, one hint for the nature of the ideas to select for third body formation would be the Words of God Himself, or as Gurdjieff calls it: “crystallizations from the sacred Theomertmalogos”.

Consciousness, and in particular the mind element, should probably play a large part in forming the “head” or intellectual center of the mental body. The mind element gives the head a good degree of plasticity or fluidity, which is lacking without it. I believe the “winds”, along with the “mind”, ideally need to operate within an environment that is not hardened, or stodgy, or too opaque.

My guess, is that developing a skill at concentration, from a dedicated meditation practice, serves to give the element of mind the necessary structure within the mental body. In addition, the winds, which work with mind, appear to be necessary in order to establish channels within the newly formed intellectual center and mental body. Again, this must also be a part of the practice of meditation.

AIËSIRITOORASSIAN CONTEMPLATION 

Soon after one has started the initial preparation of the mind, it will be ready for Gurdjieff’s technique of aiësiritoorassian contemplation: his technique of soul body or mental body building, or coating. This technique is initially used to create the second level, the head or “driver” of the astral body. 

My fourth way teacher translates the term aiësiritoorassian as “Give the heart. It will reach.” — being a pastiche of various Armenian words, possibly. I came up with a different meaning, and I encourage all Gurdjieffians to research it individually.

But the meaning, “Give the heart. It will reach.” very well describes what I have come up with as my approach to carrying out Gurdjieff’s mental body building.

The technique of aiësiritoorassian contemplation involves initially two bodily components. The astral emotional center (the lowest portion of the astral emotional center: located in the chest area) and the head (specifically the astral intellectual center — or in other words, the middle division of the intellectual center). 

The steps are:

1. Emanate an emotion or feeling basic to one’s higher ethical system (such as compassion) from the astral emotional center at the chest or heart area — up to the head, where…

2. Without stopping, in the head concentrate upon a parallel mental quality or idea (such as the idea of impermanence) which directly corresponds or relates to the emotional quality emanating from the chest.

3. At the same time that one performs steps 1&2, inhale, and sense the hydrogen mi 48 in the head.

4. Through the attention, seal or fuse the mental idea (in step 2) together with the hydrogen mi 48 (in step 3), by means of the emotional quality (in step 1) emanating from the chest area.

5. Through the combination of the three components, a center of gravity is created in the head over time. However, a fourth component — the light of consciousness — must be present throughout this process, in order that an actual structure should crystallize. This entire method describes the activity labeled as aiësiritoorassian contemplation.

Note: An element of prime importance is the substance of buddhi or “intellect” which should be central to one’s efforts in contemplation, and should be infused into the astral intellect. Buddhi, otherwise known as Mahat, is in effect the mind of Prajapati: the creator.

This technical effort serves to cement a secondary permanent center of gravity in the head or thinking apparatus of the astral body, in addition to the primary center of gravity of the astral body’s emotional center.

Buddhist “Emptiness”. Not Nothingness.

“Regard all dharmas (phenomena) as dreams.”

       — From Buddhist Mind Training Sayings

I bring up the Buddhist subject of emptiness, because I was taught by, and still operate under the example of, a very high Tibetan Buddhist Lama. Emptiness, or the ultimate nature of Reality, can be, and is for all Buddhists, the subject central to mental body development. That body is called the Dharmakaya. But the contemplation of emptiness doesn’t have to be used for higher body development. And it can also even be one of many ideas used for the creation of third body. It is definitely worth investigation, though.

Many of my readers meditate, I’m sure; and some may have meditated in a Buddhist style. My personal belief is that meditation on emptiness doesn’t mean that the mind turns off, mimicking not having any mind at all. That might be a first step to a calm mind, however.

“Emptiness”, or rather Ultimate Emptiness, is an attempt to see the highest, most subtle level of Reality. As in the Heart Sutra, all the components of Reality are listed; but at no point can one find the ultimate, innermost level that is “real”, undergirding the components’ being.

This list of components is highly reminiscent of the evolutes listed in the above Samkhya chart. I don’t think the two approaches — samkhya and prajnaparamitra — are historically unrelated, in fact.

In the Samkhya chart, the most subtle and highest level of Reality is Purusha/Prakriti. Purusha need be identified as nothing more than “the observer”. Something “observes” within us. Even at the level where subject and object disappear, there is still the act of “observation”.

Prakriti is called Nature, but it generally has the characteristics of the three gunas, in perfect equilibrium. It is the gunas that allow Prakriti to descend, and to create the cosmos. However, it is the gunas which ultimately at some level of perspective have no essence. They are merely “qualities”; and at a certain subtle level, they can be said to have no essence. That doesn’t mean that Prakriti is “nothingness”. Quite the opposite.

Anyway, this is my Samkhya take on Buddhist emptiness. I recommend a volume that inspired me greatly: the book by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait: The Practice of the Yoga Sutra. Volume 2, Sadhana Pada. Especially the chapter on Samkhya, Sutra 2:19.

Nicoll Commentaries 

If you are interested in learning the Fourth Way, Gurdjieff system, there is no better way than to read the five commentaries by Maurice Nicoll. They are a wonderful textbook for the system.

As far as I know, the copyright has expired, as the five volumes are not listed in the government database…

Here is a link to the Nicoll pdf Commentaries:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/172q9rY2TUAlof_V0rmAVr1l0fIYT1CL1?usp=share_link