Echoes

The discordance of the self sends out ripples of reverberations and interruptions over the indefinite fabric of ether in such a way that it opens up an infinite field of contradictions, odd mutilations, shameless corruptions and conspiring stage-plays. May this self still seem surprised about the gaping chasm between itself and the world? Does it still have a right to plead innocent?

The Night-Song

Aber ich lebe in meinem eigenen Lichte, ich trinke die Flammen in mich zurück, die aus mir brechen.
Ich kenne das Glück des Nehmenden nicht; und oft traümte mir davon, daβ Stehlen noch seliger sein müsse als Nehmen.
Das ist meine Armut, daβ meine Hand niemals ausruht vom Schenken; das ist mein Neid, daβ ich wartende Augen sehe und die erhellten Nächte der Sehnsucht.
O Unseligkeit aller Schenkenden! O Verfinsterung meiner Sonne! O Begierde nach Begehren! O Heiβhunger in der Sättingung!
Sie nehmen von mir: aber rühre ich noch an ihre Seele? Eine Kluft ist zwischen Geben und Nehmen; und die kleinste Kluft ist am letzten zu überbrücken...

Wohin kam die Träne meine Auge und der Flaum meinem Herzen? O Einsamkeit aller Schenkenden! O Schweigsamkeit aller Leuchtenden!
Viel Sonnen kreisen im öden Raume: zu allem, was dunkel ist, reden sie mit ihrem Lichte, - mir schweigen sie.
O dies ist die Feindschaft des Lichts gegen Leuchtendes: erbarmungslos wandelt es seine Bahnen.
Unbillig gegen Leuchtendes im tiefsten Herzen; kalt gegen Sonnen, - also wandelt jede Sonne.

-- Also sprach Zarathustra

Out in the open

It is astonishing how much value we place upon external evidence! For instance, consider a relationship between two parties involving a strife where one knows exactly what the other is thinking and feeling; what the other person's plans and secrets are, what the motivations of deceptions, defenses and attacks are, what is veiled and what is revealed. And moreover the other person knows that one knows this about the other. But since all of this information is hidden under the carpet, as it were - due to whatever reasons - the interpretative games continue to go on as if both parties were oblivious of these various facts and knowledge about the other and about oneself. These facts still do not count as evidence. The balance of this struggle is tempered with, and consequently shifted, only if one of the parties decides to break the rules of the game, and call out the other, and bring out all the motivations and secrets into the open. Only then both parties acknowledge what they already know - as if they were standing before a 'judge' before whom they must confess. (This happens even if no one else is involved or cares about this struggle except the two parties). The specter of the 'world' itself stands as the judge before whom the two witnesses appear. So much for our belief in the external world!

Two sides of the same coin

i) What the stars must learn: That recognition is different from understanding. Many things recognize the star: the planets, the comets, the meteors, the asteroids. Some revolve around it, some avoid, some fall into it. But none understand its solitude and the inner necessity of its radiance. And so the star must learn not to place too much trust on these recognizers. The latter have a taste for the star's radiance, but this does not mean that they themselves can radiate or can fathom where this radiation comes from. If anything this taste is an indication that one does not and cannot possess this radiance. So the star must maintain its distance from them, at the same time go on shining for them -- i.e. it must maintain its solitude.
ii) The difference between a scholar and an original is that the former has not yet acquired the right to be obscure, and probably never will. He speaks like a slave as he demands for clarity. He demands clarity because he himself does not shine.