Whiteheadian Concept of God: Corroborating the Truth of Anattā or ‘Sūnyatā (2/3)

Wong Weng Hon

Actual Entity

According to Whitehead’s philosophical view, every actual entity (reified dharma: conditioned phenomenon, event, happening, occurrence , outcome and so forth) is the unity of multiple interdependent conditions consisting of both physical and mental phenomena (rūpadammā ca cittadhammā). Buddhistly defined, an actual entity is a substantially or conceptually reified and conditioned  phenomenon. Whitehead alternatively defines an actual entity as an occasion of experience of a dynamic process becoming (bhava) or process reality. He expounds that every reified existent or conditioned phenomenon is a dynamic process becoming of momentarily developing experiences. The experiences are  the building blocks of an actual entity. All the actual entities integrate to  become the building blocks of the entire universe. The unity of actual entity is the Unity of Existence . The universe is also a Unity of Existence. Any form of Unity of Existence is truth of God . The Unity of Existence is dynamic and not static process becoming. In this sense of process Reality, all major world’s esoteric religions are esoterically identical. It is ethically significant  to know the Truth of God as such knowledge affects one’s worldview, thoughts, feelings and character. Knowledge is salvation and ignorance is sin.

Man Perfected

Likewise, a human personality is also an actual entity. This micro- actual entity of human personality integrates in unity with the macro-actual entity of the universe. Whoever has intuitively discerned this universal interdependence and integration annihilates his individual identity in the Cosmic Self of the universe. If this Knower of Truth is a Buddhist, he becomes an Arahant or a Bodhisattva. He or she is said to have entered into the door of Non-duality. If the Knower is a Christian, he or she  is born of God or Christ. If the Knower is Hindu, he or she becomes a Brahman. He or she is said to have merged Ātman with Brahman. If the Knower is Muslim, he is an Insān Kāmil. He or she is considered to have attained al-Fanā’ or Baqā. All these distinct labels are immaterial. Most significantly, the Truth Knowers have perfected their wisdom and virtue. They are qualified to preach their respective religions.

Mind-made

Every actual entity is an occasion of empirical experience created intellectually or conceptually by the human mind. It concurs with Buddhist Yogācāra’s exposition that everything experienced by us  is mind-made (cittamātra). Every actual entity or conditioned phenomenon is a process of knowing. Buddhistly put,  it is the human experience of consciousness only (vijñānamātra).   It  is a reified concept of the ordinary mind of a worldly person (pṛthagjana). It thus evidences that Whitehead’s Process Thought is synonymous with Mahāyāna Yogācāra philosopher, Vasubandhu’s Theory of Cittamātra (Mind only). Whatever that is prehended  is mind-made. What is prehended is what is conceptualized through conventional thought arisen from false imagination of the unreal (abhūtaparikalpita).

Correspondingly put, a human personality is  an actual entity of dynamic process becoming. Abhidhammically  defined, a human personality is a dynamic unity of synthesis of physical and mental phenomena  which are changing moment by moment. Every moment of flux is a new creation or novelty. On the basis of Process Thought, Whitehead motivates us thus :

“Understanding that we are new creations  moment by moment
can provide a powerful psychological impetus to drop old
limitations and to accept divinely given opportunities (innate
potentialities to improve)  for fullest living .”

The above proposition of Whitehead is consonant with renowned Mahāyāna philosopher, Nāgārjuna’s exposition that, because of Emptiness (‘Sūnyatā), the phenomenal world can be created from causes and conditions. Man’s aim in life is to provide the positive or constructive contigent conditions, such as diligence , persistence, data and information and other relevant resources to effect the creative advance of the phenomenal world. Man furnishes the contigent conditions or resources ; God or Dependent Co-arising completes the unity of existence. Every actual entity or conditioned phenomenon is the Unity of Existence. Unity of Existence is God or  Emptiness.

Contigent upon human deontological ethics of duties and responsibilties, the contigent conditions are synthesized or unified into an actual entity called human accomplishment. Monotheistically defined, the unity of contigent conditions is the Truth of unity of God. Human accomplishment and satisfaction are also the accomplishment and satisfaction of God which indwells in Man innately. The immanence of God is consonant with the existence of Buddha-nature in every sentient being and non-sentient being.   

The distinction between Buddhism and Monotheistism is the merely the different pedagogical device or skillful mean (upāya) to expound the universal Truth of non-dual Unity of Existence. The Unity of Existence is Anattā. Buddha is Anattā; God is also Anattā. They are synonymous in terms of ultimate Reality of Process Thought.  

Esoteric and Exoteric

When a religion is expounded esoterically or internally in terms of ultimate Truth , it is Buddhistly known as a definite approach(nītārtha). A nītārtha approach unveils that all religions are identical in the quintessence of the ultimate Truth (paramārtha Satya). When a religion is expounded exoterically or externally (law and  ritualism) in terms of conventional truth, it is  Buddhistly known as a non-definitive approach (neyārtha). Neyārtha approach is incomprehensive as it veils the quintessence of the ultimate Truth. Alas, religions teaching of the modern world is inclinded towards Neyārtha pedagogy. Gotama Buddha himself promulgates the distinction between these two approaches of Dhamma pedagogy. This is the root of religious discrimination, conflicts and turmoils erupted in the current  modern world today especially the clash of civilizations between the west and the Islamic world .Paradoxically, the best and brightest Islamic scholars are found both in the west and in the middle east.

The strength of esoteric  approach is to unveil the ultimate Truth of non-dual Unity through the doctrine of Insubstantiality  (Anattā)  or Emptiness (‘Sūnyatā) and Dependent Co-arising (Pratītyasamutpāda) underlying the dynamic process becoming of the world. The dynamic process becoming of the world is monotheistically designated as the creative advance of God. They are diversely paraphrased but they communicate the communal Truth of Unity of Existence. The drawback of the exoteric  approach is that the Truth is personalized as a personal God (which is actually impersonal). Personalization of God is the domain  of the conventional Truth (saṃvṛti satya). Conventional truth is a screen which conceals the Truth of non-dual Unity. The non-dual Unity is God.

 Another serious shortcoming of conventional approach of mainstream practice of Monotheism is that it indirectly aids in the conceptual reification of God. The reification of God is idolatrous. Idolatry alienates a devoted devotee from God. The conventional dualistic practice of prayer is well-intended but it creates serious side effect of reification of God. Nothing including God or Unity should be reified in one’s contemplative prayer or  meditation. God is beyond reification. It can not be perceived by our normal senses except that it can only realized intuitively  through the inner Heart. The inner Heart is the pure and infinite consciousness of man from which the self centric ego has been effaced .

The Christians ought to  supplement their conventional understanding of Bible or Jesus Christ through investigation of and contemplation on the knowledge of Process Theism expounded by Whitehead or his eminent disciples. The Unity of God can only be discerned through the direct experience of Gnosis. The mainstream Muslims should advance themselves further by constant investigation of and contemplation on God – the Unity of Existence (Waḥdat al Wujūd. One  must know oneself first before knowing God. In order to know God, one must dies before one dies. The carnal or animal self must be defeated  in order to see God. There is no other way. The fruit of intuitive discernment of Unity of Existence or God is the annihilation of self-identity in order to unite one with God.

The Hādīths affirms thus : Whoever knows himself knows his Lord.” Prayer without knowledge of Truth or God ( Ḥaqq) is object reification . Objectification   is idolatrous. The erroneous interpretation of “Anā al Ḥaqq” had and has  led to the persecutions of  some supreme Sufi masters in the past as well as the in the present world. Sufi al-Ḥallāj, is believed to have influenced  renowned ibn ‘Arabī in the doctrine of ‘Unity of Exsistence’. He was severely persecuted by being hanged  in the gallows. The persecution is very much regreted by the discerning muslims of the  world even today.

Nāgārjuna was also assassinated  in the evening of his life by an unknown attacker. Jesus Christ was also cruelly crucified at a cross. Socrates was also poisoned. The saints in the past were persecuted because their message of God or Truth was too offensive  for their philosophical opponents or authorities. How can  men standing at the foot of a mountain understand the view of a man who stands at the summit of the mountain ?  How could untrained secularists or exotericists understand the logical paradox of the identity of the opposites ? Paradoxically , the logical paradox,  such as Truth as both manifest and manifest mirrors  the ultimate Truth is  a mystery of mystery for them! It is metaphorically compared to a little plant which can not withstand the heavy downpour of rains. Nevertheless, the Gnostics can comprehend the Truth. They are metaphorically likened to a big tree which can absorb the heavy downpours and grows even much stronger.

“Anā al Ḥaqq” is traditionally interpreted as “I’m God’. The word ‘God’ connotes ‘the Truth of non-dual Unity or universal Unity’. “I’m God”  denotes that “Every human being is the house of God through which one  can discern the Truth of universal Unity or the Truth of God. Succinctly put, “I’m God (Anā al Ḥaqq).” Means that Man is the microcosm – micro-reality of the cosmos. Man  understands the relationship between Man and God through microcosm. Man is the only the medium by which the absolute Truth is known through himself.

 Therefore, the Sufis categorically affirm thus : God sees Himself through Man. Man discerns God. Man knows God through himself. Buddhistly, a liberated Buddhist knows the Buddha through his Buddha-nature. The Truth of God or Buddha is sought within and not without. This is the correct meaning of taking refuge in oneself. The Ḥādith affirms thus : “Whoever knows himself knows his Lord.”

The pure, infinite consciousness is the inner Heart of Man. The inner Heart is the God-head or Buddha-nature (Tathāgata-garbha). The pure mind is the  cosmic Self  (Dharmadhātu) which  is the Mind of God or Buddha-mind . The cosmic Self emerges when the illusory self-centric ego has been completely annihilated (al-fanā’). Sufi’s al-fanā’ is synonymous with Buddhist Zen. Zen is the perfection wisdom of Anattā (Selflessness ; Egolessness). Anattā equals Emptiness (‘Sūnyatā). Emptiness is Unity of Existence . Unity of Existence is God (Haqq; Truth). Therefore, Anattā, ‘Sūnyatā and Ḥaqq are synonymous. Thus, Buddhism and Monotheism can be reconciled or are parallel esoterically though they differ exoterically.

Buddhism, Sufism, Vedānta of Hinduism and Eastern Christian promulgate the communal Truth of Process Philosophy of Unity of Existence . The Reality of Process Thought is the dependently co-arisen Unity or Non-duality. Unity or Non-duality is  interdependent Unity of Existence which is God. God is synonymous with Brahman, Tao, Buddha or Allah. I have repeated this communal Truth of Wisdom in my writings in the Deer Park for countless times. I feel spiritually  exuberant  to reiterate it.

Interestingly, Nāgārjuna, Whitehead and Sufi Ibn ‘Arabī concur in their Process Thought. Monotheistically defined, every actual entity is the Unity of God. Buddhistly defined, every conditioned phenomenon is the unity of cause and conditions. God is the dynamic process becoming of the determinate unity of contigent beings(dependent conditions).  Buddha is Emptiness or unity of its parts. Succinctly put, God is also the unity of its parts. Since a human personality is the unity of the contigent conditions of five aggregates, a human personality is also an actual entity which is empty of self-nature. All human beings and non-human beings are also actual entities . All these actual entities are interdependent and integrate to become the unity of the universe.

The universal unity is the cosmic Self . The cosmic Self is Buddha , Brahman or God . Therefore, God equals Buddha, Brahman or Allah. All human beings are the children of God ; all non-human beings are the assets of God. Human beings and non-human beings are parts; God is the Unity. Without Unity, the parts do not exist. The parts exist only when Unity comes into being.  Everything belongs to God. Everything exists because of the existence of God.  If we, the human beings, understands this interconnectedness and interrelatedness between all biotic and abiotic beings, the global problems of financial crisis, ecoscrisis, wars, terrorism and any other global turmoils can be fixed . All human problems are difficulties or vexations of not knowing our relationship with the Absolute (Brahman, Tao, Buddha, God or Allah).

Buddhistly analysed , human accomplishment is a conditioned phenomenon dependently co-arisen from the unity of cause and conditions. It is  the resultant outcome from the positive and constructive interpenetration between the phenomenon of accomplishment and the principle of unity. The creation of a phenomenon is formulated in the equation thus :

Dharma(Phenomenon) = Hetu(Cause)+ Pratyayas (Conditions)

Succinctly defined, Anattā (Insubstantiality; Selflessness; Unity) or ‘Sūnyatā (Emptiness; Unity)  necessitates the creation of God in relation to human free will and efforts. When Man does not contribute any supporting contigent condition, God (Unity)  does not exist.  Human beings must perform their best by providing all the necessary contigent conditions of unity. The conglomeration is the unifying function of God. God is the energy of Dependent Co-arising. Therefore, it evidences that  Buddhism and Monotheism  are compatible in terms of esoteric dimension of religion. They are only distinct exoterically.

If contigent conditions furnished by man are deficient or morally flawed , God (Dependent Co-arising ) will not be able to complete the unity – the actualization of the contigent conditions into the actual entity of accomplishment . Each unity or determinate actual entity necessitates a complete set of contigent conditions or parts to complete the actual entity aimed.

To be continued