One more try...

[Greg Goode]

At 12:49 PM 11/5/97 -0800, Allan Curry wrote:

>Charles writes:
>
>>     We are changeless because "we" are not really "here" at all.
>>
>>      Never have been,  Never will be.
>>
>>     Only the Self is present.
>>
>>
>
>    Is the author of the above the one who has never been
>    here or is the author of the above the "Self" which
>    alone "is present"? If the author is the Self who alone
>    is present, then does the author also have certain
>    knowledge of the fact they are that Self? If the author
>    is the one who is not "here" how do they know what *is*
>    here, or know anything at all?

Allan,

Your question seems like it can mean (at least) one of two things:

1. "Charles, are you enlightened?"

and/or

2. "Who is REALLY the doer of actions?"

I can't answer (1), but (2) has the same answer for jnaanis and ajnaanis.
Nothing is REALLY the doer.  There is no "I" that can be the doer.
APPARENTLY the ego/intellect arrogates the doing to itself.  But in truth
it is not so, the ego being itself an illusion.  On the other hand, Brahman
or the Absolute does not do anything, because it is the untouched
Consciouness in which phenomena appear.  Actions themselves are also not
really actions, either, being illusory:  in REALITY all is Brahman.  Ramana
said it this way, and the Mandukya Upanishad has a similar sloka (which I
don't have at hand right now):

   "There is no creation or dissolution.
    There is no path or goal.
    There is no free will or predestination."

--Greg