Wee Little Drops Consciousness is all there is, say the sages. As an analogy, let us think of consciousness as the ocean. Then a wave, as a manifestation of the ocean, is merely an extension of that consciousness. As the wave crests, and droplets of water are spewed, the droplets of water are simply an extension of the wave. These droplets of water are particles of the ocean of consciousness. Suzuki Roshi utilized the occasion of a visit to a waterfall to extend the analogy. Extrapolating from his presentation, let us consider as “consciousness” the body of water which rushes toward the precipice; it strikes a rock along the topmost rim of the waterfall and splashes into droplets which plummet parallel to the cliffside. As consciousness, let us say that a droplet is suddenly conscious of its individuation or separation from the source, having suddenly been born into its condition of freefall. It looks to its left at another drop of water (a “different,” slightly larger drop), mutually created at about the same moment and accompanying it on the same downward course. “Hey, look at me!” shouts the drop, above the din of the roaring cataract. “I’m independent—an individual!” “Me too!” exults the other drop. Each now has, for the time being, an identification: Big Drop as an object of consciousness of Little Drop; and Little Drop, objectified through the consciousness of the Big Drop.
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