“Who are you – an survey of our existence – 1” begins with eight introductory posts wherein the background, the framework and the scope of the survey is outlined. The survey is described in the form of a quest, a contemporary myth and an Odyssey that will end in a homecoming.
In part 1 of the quest, the first three chapters (of the 17 chapters) are described. At the end of part 1 follows an interlude before the main characters will continue their quest in daily life in part 2. In part 3 of the Odyssey, the main characters transcend our everyday world. At the end of the Odyssey – in zero – the homecoming will take place.
In Chapter 1 of this Odyssey the main persons completely experience the philosophical Monism [1]. Within the metaphysics, Monism argues that the variety of existing things – or entities – in the universe are reducible to one substance or reality and therefore that the fundamental character of the universe is unity.
In the Oriental philosophy, Monism occurs in different forms in the Upanishads, in Hinduism, in Taoism and in Buddhism. Christianity provides direct and indirect references to Monism in many places. After the Industrial Revolution in Western Society, Schopenhauer [2] has studied Monism in the Upanishads [3] – including the īśāvāsya [4] (or Isha) Upaniṣhad [5] – and in Buddhism.
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Francis Herbert Bradley [7] has studied Monism in his essay ‘ On Truth and Coherence ‘ written in 1909.
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At the end of Chapter 1, Indra’s net [9] from the Avatamsaka Sutra [10] is described as transition to Atomism – and also as synthesis between Monism and Atomism. According to the Avatamsaka Sutra, the dust particles within the net of Indra have feelings and needs. They know anger, joy and knowledge and ignorance. Within their scope they can also make everything happy. The net of Indra can be healthy and ill [11]. The main characters look at the net of Indra in different dimensions on the basis of a 10-minute film “Powers of Ten” of Ray and Charles Eames from 1968 (and re-released in 1977) [12].
In Chapter 2 of the quest for “Who are you” the main characters experience Atomism [13]. After the original separation of Heaven and Earth, they fell apart in countless pieces until the smallest particles remained. In the 20th century, Atomic Physics was extensively studied by many physicists: this study has resulted in a great deal of knowledge and many more questions [14]. In philosophy Bertrand Russell [15] and Ludwig Wittgenstein [16] in his young adult life [17] were adherents of logical Atomism.
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In Chapter 3 of the quest for “Who are you”, the main characters studied how mutual trust is established and perpetuated. The “person in the middle” and “various objects in the middle” including the Church, meditation rooms, the sacrifice, the Lamb of God, the Dove, the word and the “Spirit in the Middle” are reviewed.
As preparation of everyday life the main characters have made a concise study of the five skanda’s which according to Buddhism give everything what is needed for spiritual development. Looking back after their homecoming, the main characters will examine if this statement – and all other experiences – were useful and meaningful.
In an intermezzo they studied the own image of rowers that fully depends on the results of races; they saw the outcome of the madness of war on basis of the Peloponnesian War in Greece 2500 years ago.
Finally, one of the main characters rediscovered the bond with Monism on basis of the opening sentence from the John Gospel in the New Testament translated into Sanskrit by the eternal wind – which also includes God and the Gods.
“A breath of the wind
In the rustling of the trees
Your voice is heard” [20]
[1] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monism
[2] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schopenhauer
[3] Upanishad literally means: “sit down next to”. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upanishads
[4] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isha_Upanishad
[5] A word by word translation of the Isha Upanishad into Dutch is available via the following hyperlink: http://www.arsfloreat.nl/documents/Isa.pdf
[6] Source image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schopenhauer
[7] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._H._Bradley
[8] Source image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._H._Bradley
[9] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra’s_net
[10] Zie ook: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatamsaka_Sutra
[11] See also: Cleary, Thomas, The Flower Ornament Scripture, a Translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Boston: Shambhala, 1993, p. 363.
[12] The film “Powers of Ten” can be viewed via the hyperlink: http://www.powersof10.com/film
[13] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomism_(logical)
[14] Brian Greene has written excellent books on atom physics, relativity en quantum mechanics. See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Greene
[15] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell
[16] See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Wittgenstein
[17] See also: Sluga, Hans, Wittgenstein. Oxford: Wiley – Blackwell, 2011
[18] Source image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertrand_Russell
[19] Source image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Wittgenstein (fair use of small image)
[20] Moses saw and heard – the voice of – God in the burning bush. See Old Testament, Exodus 3:2
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Who are you 
