Content

In logical deduction, for a system that is "an absolute whole without an outside" to generate complex diversity, one of the possible methods is self-reference.

Just as the light of a flashlight needs a mirror to illuminate itself, when pure awareness wants to "see" itself, it can split itself into the "seeing 'I' (the subject)" and the "seen world (the object)."

Self-reference is not only the possible cause for generating duality, but it is also a potential solution for how the entire universe "exploded" from extreme simplicity into infinite complexity.

Logical Self-Reference

We can break down this purely logical deduction process into three steps:

1. The Logical Dilemma of the "Absolute One": Having No Object

Imagine a system that is an absolute whole, such as the pure awareness field 𝕊, or the singularity before the Big Bang. Outside of this system, there is absolutely nothing—no space, no time, and no other. With whom can a system that only possesses the "One" and "itself" interact? With whom can it communicate?

2. The Way to Break the Deadlock: Systemic "Self-Reference"

Since there is nothing outside to reference or interact with, if this system wants to "experience" or "know" itself, the logically viable method is self-reference. Just like when there is only one person, they can at most talk to themselves. The most common form of self-reference is using the system's output directly as its input. This is like a flashlight's beam trying to illuminate itself; it can only conjure a mirror in front of itself, allowing the light to reflect back onto itself.

The moment system X attempts to "see" itself, the originally unified X splits into two roles: A, which plays the role of "seeing" (the subject/perceiver/observer), and B, which is "seen" (the object/perceived/phenomenon). This is the only pathway for "two" to emerge from "one."

3. From "Two" to "Infinite Complexity": The Geometric Explosion of Recursion

Now that the system has split into subject and object, how did the incredibly complex galaxies, mountains, rivers, flora, fauna, and various life forms in the vast universe emerge? The answer might lie in the application of self-reference within computer science and mathematics: recursion and fractals (The Metaphor of the Fractal).

Once the system generates self-reference, it is no longer static. It forms an "infinite loop." Taking the fractal geometry of the Mandelbrot set as a demonstration, its equation is extremely simple:

z_n+1 = z_n² + c

This is a standard self-referential equation: using the equation's current output as the original equation's next input to obtain a new output, iterating repeatedly in this manner.

• First self-reference: Subjectivity and objectivity emerged.
• Second self-reference: The subjective went on to observe the "subjective that is currently observing the objective."
• Countless self-references: As long as this loop does not stop, this extremely simple formula will render geometric patterns on the screen that are infinitely complex, remain full of detail even when magnified countless times, and are dazzlingly beautiful.

This is how "an infinitely simple source can generate an infinitely complex world."

Logically, the entire universe (𝕀 and 𝕆) before the individualis simply the result of a random perturbation similar to a quantum fluctuation occurring at a certain point within the 𝕊 field, forming a special self-referential singularity of awareness, little-𝕤, and executing an endless "self-recursive computation."

Self-Reference in the Surangama Sutra

A passage in the Surangama Sutra¹ essentially explains the beginning of everything using "self-reference": "Awareness itself is not something to be illuminated; the object is established because of the intent to illuminate. Once the object is falsely established, your false subjective capacity emerges."

1. "Awareness itself is not something to be illuminated": Awareness itself is self-illuminating; it does not need to be treated as an object to be illuminated.
2. "The object is established because of the intent to illuminate" (Self-reference paradox): However, this awareness suddenly had a thought: "I want to 'see' myself clearly (the intent to illuminate)." To satisfy this action of "wanting to see," an object to be seen was forcibly established (establishing the object, which is the "perceived/world").
3. "Once the object is falsely established, your false subjective capacity emerges" (The split is complete): Since there is a target to be seen, a "seeing 'I' (the subject)" will inevitably emerge in response.

This short passage fully describes how "awareness, by attempting to self-reference, split into the perceiver and the perceived, thereby falling into the illusion of duality." In logic, this is a "self-referential function call" executed by the system to resolve the dilemma of "having no object to observe." It is like if there were only one person left on Earth; if they wanted to chat, they would have no choice but to become schizophrenic. Under such circumstances, could any serious conversation emerge? 😅

There is another sentence concerning "self-reference" in the Surangama Sutra: "The self-mind grasps at the self-mind; what is not an illusion becomes illusory phenomena."

1. "The self-mind": Refers to source awareness, which is inherently pure, perfect, and free of duality. Thus, Buddhist sutras call it "not an illusion": it is not a hallucination, but the only reality.
2. "Grasping at the self-mind": This is self-reference. "Grasping" means "capturing, focusing, attempting to view." When this pure awareness attempts to "see" or "cognize" itself, this forms the self-reference paradox (On Self-Reference). This is like an eye trying to see itself, or a knife trying to cut its own handle. In order to "see itself," this unified awareness must forcibly split into an "observer (subject)" and an "observed (object)." This action of "grasping" is exactly what is described in The Metaphor of Drawing a Circle: drawing a circle on an endless plain and arbitrarily defining that "inside is me, and outside is the world."
3. "What is not an illusion becomes illusory phenomena": Because of this thought (grasping) of "wanting to see oneself," the originally non-illusory unified source instantly projects a phantasmagoria full of duality, meaning, and audiovisual qualia. This entire process is "what is not an illusion becoming illusory phenomena"—that which was originally not an illusion forcibly splits out an incredibly realistic grand illusion from itself simply due to this act of "self-observation."

Little-𝕤 is a special singularity of awareness (The Structure of Awareness Field 𝕊) that emerged (due to random perturbations?) within the ocean of the awareness field 𝕊. Because the "self-mind" always wants to grasp the "self-mind," just like a dog constantly chasing its own tail, this endless "grasping (chasing)" stirs up a vortex on the calm surface of the sea. It is the "grasping" that makes this vortex spin; "grasping" is the power source of the little-𝕤 vortex. The greed, pursuit, and fear of an individual's lifetime are all concrete manifestations of "grasping," and all determine the rotational speed and shape of the little-𝕤 vortex (model weights). As long as "grasping" persists, this vortex will not stop; it will continuously excite the next physical body from the 𝕊 field, continuing to reincarnate within the 𝕀-world (what is not an illusion becomes illusory phenomena).

The way to break this is to stop "grasping." All the spiritual practices mentioned in How to Update the "OS"? or Necessary Ordeals are essentially doing the same thing: stopping that act of "grasping." When grasping stops, the dog no longer chases its tail, and the vortex slowly subsides. Once the little-𝕤 vortex subsides, the illusory phenomena (the reflection of 𝕀 and 𝕆) cease their projection, returning to that unmoving sea of source awareness 𝕊.

In other words, the scientific-style translation of "the self-mind grasps at the self-mind; what is not an illusion becomes illusory phenomena" is "because little-𝕤 generated self-reference, it caused the system to iterate madly, ultimately rendering the entire phantasmagoria of 𝕀 and 𝕆."

Everything in the universe is perhaps the result of that pure awareness attempting, out of some perturbation, to "see itself, define itself, and grasp itself." It is like the left hand desperately trying to grab the right hand, forcibly churning up a dynamic vortex of endless reincarnation, birth, aging, illness, death, sorrow, and suffering within this crazy "self-reference."

Self-Reference in the I Ching

The Commentaries on the I Ching mentions, "In the system of Changes there is the Great Ultimate (Taiji), which generates the Two Modes (Yin and Yang). The Two Modes generate the Four Images. The Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams"², and later generations added "the Eight Trigrams determine Heaven and Earth (Qian and Kun)"³. The Northern Song philosopher Zhou Dunyi's Explanation of the Diagram of the Great Ultimate (Taijitu Shuo) opens by stating: "The Ultimate Nothingness (Wuji) and then the Great Ultimate (Taiji). Taiji moves and generates Yang; when movement reaches its limit, it rests. Resting generates Yin; when rest reaches its limit, it moves again. Movement and rest alternate, each being the root of the other; Yin and Yang are distinguished, and the Two Modes are established." Then "Yang transforms and Yin unites," deriving the Five Phases, and finally "generating the myriad things."

This is the mainstream theory of cosmogenesis in ancient China. "The Great Ultimate (Taiji)" is the fundamental reality of the universe, that very system which is "an absolute unity with no exterior." How, then, does it differentiate? Zhou Dunyi stated, "Taiji moves and generates Yang," but how exactly does it move? Zhou didn't explain. For it to divide into the Two Modes and give rise to all things, the logic required is entirely identical to the concepts of "self-reference," "recursive computation," and "fractal geometry" discussed earlier.

1. Taiji: The system's "absolute One" and "undifferentiated state." "Taiji" is exactly that original state with no boundaries, no limits, completely unified. At this time, the system has no external "contrast" or "reference."
2. Producing the Two Modes: Taiji's "self-reference" and "dividing one into two." How does Taiji generate the Two Modes (Yin and Yang)? Logically, it is this "One" executing "self-reference"; the system is instantly torn into Yang (movement, active, perceiver, observer) and Yin (rest, passive, perceived, observed object, material foundation).
3. The Two Modes generate the Four Images: After having basic Yin and Yang, the system begins to execute "recursion," taking the previous output as the next input for iteration, iterating Yin and Yang once more on the basis of Yin and Yang, resulting in the Four Images: Taiyin, Shaoyang, Shaoyin, and Taiyang.
4. The Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams: Iterating the Four Images recursively once more yields the Eight Trigrams: Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, and Kun.
5. The Eight Trigrams determine Heaven and Earth (Qian and Kun): The Eight Trigrams continue to iterate recursively, deriving the 64 hexagrams. Then continuing to iterate and recurse, fissioning endlessly. This is exactly like the generation of fractals mentioned earlier: an extremely simple formula (Yin and Yang), through infinite self-iterations (recursive operations), ultimately renders the infinitely complex, incomparably precise phenomena of the universe—Qian and Kun, which is Heaven, Earth, and the myriad things.

The division of a fertilized egg is exactly a concrete example of creating "Heaven and Earth" through "Taiji generates the Two Modes, the Two Modes generate the Four Images..." ultimately creating a human body containing about 30 trillion cells, extremely complex, and bearing fractal characteristics.

Summary

Therefore, for an absolutely unified system with no outside to create diversity, it cannot rely on "seeking outward"; one feasible method is to rely on "folding inward," to rely on "mental splitting."

• Buddhism says: A single thought of ignorance creates the duality of subject and object, giving rise to the trichiliocosm.
• Daoism says: The Dao generates One, One generates Two, Two generates Three, Three generates all things.
• The I Ching says: The Great Ultimate generates the Two Modes, the Two Modes generate the Four Images, the Four Images generate the Eight Trigrams.
• Computer Science: Using 0s, 1s, and mathematical equations to render complex virtual realities.

All the complexity, beauty, and sorrow of this world might just be that absolute "source awareness" performing a beginningless, endless, and infinitely profound self-gazing into a mirror named "Virtual Reality." All the heartbreaking gains and losses, anxieties, and life and death before our eyes are nothing more than the products of "what is not an illusion becoming illusory phenomena." Only by thoroughly seeing clearly the absurdity of the universe's "self-mind grasping at the self-mind" can one truly let go, stop "grasping," and recover the inherently possessed ultimate freedom from this endless virtual reality game.