The Way of being – informal edition

Current versions: Open (working) | Long (in-process) | Mini (essential content) | Informal version

Anil Mitra, copyright © first edition – 2002
this version – February 25, 2026

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The document is in-process. See the way of being - master and design and planning.

Contents

Into The Way of Being

This edition

Why—and how—the way focuses on being

The worldview

The view

The universe

The void

Beings

Experience

Pleasure and pain

Spirit

Two worlds and the one world

The real

Ethics

Consequences for knowledge

Pathways of realization

Attitude

Everyday

Program

Return

Appendix—demonstration and doubt

Demonstration of limitlessness of the universe

Doubt and response to doubt

the way of being

Into The Way of Being

The way of being—the way—is a way of shared discovery and realization of what is meaningful and ultimate in this world and beyond.

The phrase ‘discovery and realization’ means that the way is about more than (discovery of) knowledge and meaning (value). It is also about translation into action—about realizing what is possible and worthwhile.

It is not a rejection of tradition but views it critically and builds upon it. I would like to emphasize here, that the view of what can and will be achieved, though it is not new in world culture, is uncommon, and is here seen through an uncommon lens, in uncommon breadth, and in its foundation (in the links at the top of the page), in uncommon depth.

A part of its motive is in the meaning of life in the rough sense of what is significant, what gives us purpose, a sense of achieving. It is not only about higher values. It includes meaning derived from sharing, from assisting others, especially those less fortunate.

This edition

This edition of the way is a brief and informal version of the way, which is about ‘doing’ and results, more than concepts and foundations, which are in the links at the top of this page. This work does not reproduce details of the foundation and developments and presents just one demonstration for the foundation in an appendix.

The Internet version of this document has links. Readers of the print version are referred to https://www.horizons-2000.org, from which they may follow the essays > informal version links.

Meanings of terms and concepts is important but not emphasized in this edition. The importance of meanings and precise definitions is given in the formal versions linked from the above essays page.

Why—and how—the way focuses on being

Its knowledge base begins with being, i.e., ‘existence’, which is ‘what there is’ and, for our purpose here, will not be analyzed. In that it is neutral, it needs no analysis. It is superior to approaches such as materialism in that it makes no hypothesis about the nature of the world. Since it makes no hypothesis, it could be trivial. However, in combination with related concepts, being gives us a worldview that is ultimate in what it frames but open in detail. The related concepts include existents (beings, including beings with the experiencing-knowing-acting capacities of human-animal beings), all being or beings (the universe), absence of manifest being (the void), what is known to exist in terms of current physics (the cosmos—i.e., the observed or ‘observable-in-terms-of-laws’ universe), patterns of nature (laws pertaining to the cosmos), and beings that can exist (possible beings).

Readers who are familiar with the use of the concept of being, may complain that its use in philosophy is often to refer to the essence or depth of what the world is or what we are. While the search for depth is of value, to give it a label at the outset of thinking about it is to begin with a difficulty and possible confusion. Here, we are not avoiding depth or essence. Rather, we use the concept of being as a container for whatever depth or essence may emerge from careful thought.

The nature of being is as important as the choice of being. Does ‘being’ have a definite conception and nature. Until there is a sufficiently full and well-founded theory of the universe—of existence—we cannot know that there is a definite conception; being remains a rough conception in search of an object. The way begins with being as an open and therefore indefinite conception. However, it finds a full theory of the universe (in principle, as will emerge, though not in detail), and this gives us one partial conception of being as a container for that part of human knowledge which remains limited.

The worldview

The view

A framework for the worldview is that the universe is the realization of what is possible, in the greatest sense of possibility. That is, given a consistent concept of a state of affairs, it is realized in this world or beyond (or both).

A demonstration of this assertion is given in the appendix (note that it is inherent in ‘possibility’ that it is self- and experience-consistent, which is not proof of limitlessness but defuses an argument that limitlessness violates realism or experience).

The universe

This immediately implies that the universe has identity, the universe and its identity are limitless in variety, extension, duration, peak of sentience and realization, and non-repetitive cycles through peaks and dissolutions.

The void

What about concepts that contain contradictions? They are realized as the void. In this sense, even inconsistent concepts are realized, if trivially.

Beings

Limitlessness also implies that all beings realize these ultimates, for if it were not true, there would be a limit on the universe. It is not contradictory for all limited beings to realize the ultimate, for they merge in doing so. It is not contradictory for a single limited being to realize the ultimate, for the limited becomes limitless. The being transcends birth and death, which are real but not absolute. One way in which this happens is that the being diffuses into the background universe on and after death and emerges changed and enhanced (though sometimes diminished) on new birth. It is not a contradiction that most of us do not directly see our true being (some claim to), for we are limited in our present form. However, we do have the power of analysis and insight to see that true being.

Experience

We are experiential beings in the sense that whatever we know and feel, whatever sense of meaning we have, though its source is not entirely in experience, registers entirely in experience. However, the ultimacy of what we are implies that we are experiential to the core, and that the universe is experiential. This requires an extension of our higher sense of experience (higher in the sense of variety, vividness, and active nature), both to the low and primitive, and even higher. Further, experience has two sides—the experience itself in relation to the experienced which includes as-if matter. This does not negate the idea that the universe is material, for the material is then an aspect of ‘what is experienced’. That we are experiential means that our living and realizing must be essentially experiential—while the material sciences are important, the real transformations occur in our experiential being, via activity of mind and its physical support (meditation and yoga).

Though the approach to the ultimate in the previous section is somewhat passive, a more active approach is also possible. In higher forms we see across lives. Though realization immediately from this world is unlikely, it is possible, perhaps via yoga and meditation. Artificial intelligence may be a way, especially if natural and artificial being act in unison and synthesis. Genetics may be another way. It is conceivable that some future physics and technology will allow ‘tinkering’ with the cosmos.

Pleasure and pain

Limitlessness implies that pleasure and pain (physical, existential, and doubt) are unavoidable. How may we address pain and pleasure in our process in this world and beyond? Pleasure for its own sake is not to be entirely avoided but it is most rewarding when experienced as part of process. We do not attempt to avoid all pain. Rather it is addressed (i) by therapy as it is available (ii) by sharing—the strong and the capable helping others (iii) by understanding and meditating on the meaning of pain, as well as by calming meditation (iv) by commitment to healthy living and, importantly, (v) by being in process, which gives meaning to residual pain. Above all this we understand but are not passive in the face of the givenness of evil.

Spirit

One consequence of the limitlessness is for the very meaning and realities of the terms ‘mind’, ‘spirit’, and ‘god’, which is now taken up.

Given the interconnection of all being revealed by the above reflections on birth and death, we realize (see) one new, realistic conception of God. God is or as a process of the universe of which our process is part. We are of and in God. The word is not necessary and may be confusing from its other connotations. And, given limitlessness, there are parts of the universe—other cosmoses, in which there may be traditional gods. They do not have their traditional significance because they, too, are part of the greater process.

The approach from being implies that the world—the universe—is one, i.e., not divided into ‘planes’ such as matter and spirit or the natural and the supernatural. ‘Matter’ has reality as an object of experience, but not as fundamental. Being is fundamental, which is both trivial and deep. With an extension of the meaning of experience, being is experiential in the sense that gives us a best description, given the real metaphysics. All that is real is or flows from being as experiential.

Two worlds and the one world

Yet, in the day to day, we experience ourselves as limited. Thus, accepting the larger, ultimate view, we live in two worlds. It may be confusing. It takes time and effort to integrate the two views, to not revert to one or the other, and to ‘live’ in the two worlds as though they are one, which, indeed, they are.

The real

And part of that seeing is to integrate our (human and animal) knowledge of ‘this’ world with the ultimate and see them as one system. The higher informs and directs the ordinary, and the ordinary is instrumental toward the higher. The higher is ultimate, the lower pragmatic, but as a single system, it is ultimate, not because it is perfect knowledge, but because the imperfect part of it is instrumental toward the perfect.

That perfect dual and nondual system may be named the real metaphysics (as it is used here, metaphysics is study of the real).

Paradigms from our world, e.g., emergence by incremental variation and selection, suggest that probabilities of experiencing robust worlds by inhabitants are significantly greater than probabilities of emergence of worlds that are merely transient or ephemeral, e.g., some ancient and some modern mythic accounts of worlds.

Ethics

Realization of the ultimate is an imperative. It is in, for, and from this world. That is, realization is also about this world.

Pleasure and pain are addressed as described above. Especially—the way is shared, the fortunate give aid to the less fortunate, evil is accepted as given, but not passively—we speak against it, act to stem it.

Truth of the real is acknowledged and affirmed (the linked documents at the top of the page have a dedication and an affirmation).

Consequences for knowledge

In this version, detailed consequences are not given; for details, see the way of being - long.html and a system of knowledge.html.

However, we may say that (i) the system is an ultimate framework revealing an ultimate universe in which all consistent concepts are realized (ii) the limits of traditional knowledge (whether we know this world perfectly) are not lifted but that knowledge is given new significance (iii) the extension of the universe far exceeds its definition in traditional knowledge—particularly, regarding the absence of an object related distinction between the abstract and the concrete (including, e.g., that all consistent systems – mathematics – is realized in our cosmos or in the entire universe) (iv) subject to constraints such as that the entire system of concepts is a concept and that the knower is part of the universe.

There are significant consequences for philosophy and its branches (metaphysics, theory of knowledge, logic, and ethics), science and the sciences, religion and the concept and nature of religion. As seen above, the consequences for human destiny are immense.

Pathways of realization

This section will be expanded later but shall remain brief.

Attitude

Review the contents to improve the following.

Keep in mind the content so far, especially living in two worlds as one, the non-absoluteness of birth and death, our experiential nature, the approach to pleasure and pain.

Use meditation as a way of mind—of emptiness ready for opening, a way of seeing, and a way of centering.

Everyday

Regular daily activities—discipline, health, work, relationships, and so on.

The way—meditation, yoga, and attention to the program of activity below.

Program

Experiential

Meditation, yoga, especially translated into action and while acting.

Material

Physical, biological, and natural—with intelligence to negotiate all dimensions.

Social—communal, economic, political.

Technological—especially technologies for exploration of space and mind.

Universal and spiritual.

Return

Having taken a tour into the way of being and through understanding, we may pause for a moment to acknowledge our perspective as we ready ourselves for a life of discovery and realization.

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Appendix—demonstration and doubt

The appendix (i) has a demonstration that all possibilities exist somewhere and somewhen (i.e., all consistent concepts have manifest realization) (ii) addresses doubt.

Demonstration of limitlessness of the universe

Laws or patterns are immanent in the world and so they have being. Therefore there are no laws in the void.

Now the universe either (a) eternal or (b) it enters a void state.

If it is eternal, it is necessary—i.e., its actual state is necessary. From symmetry, if any state is necessary, all possible states, all possible states are necessary.

If it enters a void state, then, since there are no laws for the void, all possible states must emerge from the void. That is so because non-emergence of a possible state would be a law for the void.

Doubt and response to doubt

Of course, doubt about the validity of the demonstration may arise—doubt was mentioned earlier.

Sources of doubt are—

Doubt about the demonstration.

Doubt about the conclusions—limitlessness of the universe, the resulting system, and their consequences.

However, there is no doubt that there is a demonstration, that the demonstration does not have problems of con-fusion suffered by some kinds demonstrations based in being (e.g., Anselm’s well-known ‘ontological proof’ of the existence of a ‘greatest being’). However, there is no doubt regarding consistency of the result—(i) it does not violate what we experience even though it may violate experience-projected-to-the-universe (ii) it does not violate self-consistency.

Combined with the magnitude of the conclusions, responses to doubt are—

To regard limitlessness and its consequences as existential action principles.

To regard limitlessness as a postulate or axiom underlying the universe, its contents, and the place of our being and destiny in the universe.