Where Nothing Seems To Be - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of Hermann Kuhn's book, "Where Nothing Seems To Be," based on the provided text:

Core Message:

Hermann Kuhn's "Where Nothing Seems To Be" is a deeply personal and philosophical exploration of a profound experience of expanded consciousness and "The Grand Sublime" – an all-encompassing, majestic, and ever-expanding awareness that he believes resides within every living being. The book aims to share this personal discovery, not to convince, but to awaken a similar impulse in the reader to explore this inner dimension.

The Experience:

Kuhn describes his central experience as one of unparalleled beauty, grandeur, and magnificence. It's an insight that reveals a vast inner potential, lifting all fear and clarifying the true purpose of life. He emphasizes that this experience cannot be conveyed through intellectual or logical explanation, but rather through a direct, inner tuning. He believes that what he perceived is not "God" in a conventional externalized sense, but rather the realization of an inherent, dormant power within oneself.

The Genesis of the Book and its Supporting Texts:

Kuhn's realization was not an isolated event. He found echoes of similar profound experiences in ancient texts:

The Tibetan Book of Great Liberation: Discovered through a lengthy and seemingly serendipitous process, this 1200-year-old text by Padma-Sambhava presented a systematic method for accessing "The Great Awareness." Kuhn re-translated and adapted it into contemporary language, aiming to preserve its original impact and humor.
The Gospel of Truth (from the Nag Hammadi Scrolls): This ancient Western text, excluded from the canonical Bible, described perceptions identical to Kuhn's. He notes the intentional suppression of such texts by early Christian authorities who sought to control religious experience and promote hierarchical structures over individual insight. Kuhn reinterpreted this text, replacing archaic religious terms with more accessible language to convey its essence.
Upanishads: Mentioned as another source of similar insights, these ancient Indian scriptures are also planned for inclusion in later publications.

The Central Theme of "The Grand Sublime" / "The Great Awareness":

This omnipresent, immanent awareness is described as:

All-encompassing and All-permeating: It is within and beyond everything.
Continuously Expanding: It is not static but dynamic.
Majestic and Sublime: It possesses immense beauty and grandeur.
Innate and Unlost: It is a potential within everyone, never truly lost, only perhaps obscured.
The Source of Truth and Clarity: It dispels ignorance, fear, and confusion.
Non-Material: It cannot be apprehended through material means or analytical intellect alone.

The Message of "Awakening the Highest Dimension of Life" (The Gospel of Truth):

This section of the book emphasizes:

The Folly of "Error": The material world is often dominated by "error" – flawed ideas, illusions, and ego-driven pursuits that lead to disorientation and fear.
The Power of Direct Perception: The "Sublime Majestic" (The Grand Sublime) offers flawless understanding and clarity.
The Role of Jesus: Jesus is presented as a messenger who reminded humanity of their inborn connection to this Grand Majestic Awareness and reopened the path to this truth. His persecution and death are seen as a transformation into a symbol of awakening.
Inner Sovereignty: Realizing this awareness leads to inner sovereignty, freedom, serenity, and peace.
The Nature of Manifestation: The material world originates from and is in harmony with The Grand Sublime, serving as a means for this awareness to expand its own self-understanding.

The Method and the Paradox:

Kuhn and Padma-Sambhava suggest that the path to this awareness is not through specific techniques or rituals aimed at producing the experience. Instead, it involves:

Awareness of Existence: Simply knowing that this "Great Awareness" exists, even in what seems like nothingness, is a crucial first step.
Direct Experience: The focus is on direct, personal perception rather than belief or intellectual understanding.
Discarding Obstacles: The texts highlight actions and attitudes that block this perception, such as:
- Self-inflicted asceticism and renunciation.
- Blind adherence to formal ceremony or social convention.
- Dwelling on suffering or pursuing fruitless aims.
- Useless spiritual techniques, repetitions, or rituals.
- Clinging to complex mental constructs, philosophies, or belief systems.
- Seeking external validation or relying on those who haven't had direct experience.
- Viewing the world as separate (duality).
The Paradox of Meditation: While direct experience is key, practices like meditation are still encouraged, not to create the awareness, but to focus attention on the existing inner state and prepare the being for its recognition. The text itself is presented as a catalyst.

Key Concepts from "The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation":

Self-Liberation: The core purpose is to free oneself from limitations through the realization of this Great Awareness.
Timelessness: The Great Awareness is eternal and beyond the constructs of time.
Non-Created Consciousness: Consciousness in its true nature is not created; it simply is.
The "Fourfold Great Path": This involves clear wisdom, all-embracing meditation, enlightened action, and experiencing the Incredible as the outcome.
The Three Times: Past, present, and future are seen as constructs that are transcended when one connects with the Great Awareness.
Mental Constructs: All theories, doctrines, and perceived realities are ultimately mental constructs that can obscure the true nature of awareness.
The "Age of Darkness": The book is presented as a message for future generations facing a "dark age," offering a way to reconnect with innate wisdom.

Critique of Religious Institutions and Distortions:

Kuhn is critical of how organized religions have often distorted or suppressed direct spiritual experience. He argues that many practices and doctrines, such as the concept of "sin," "salvation" through external powers, and the investiture of priests, divert people from their own inner potential. He also highlights how certain interpretations of texts, like those found in the translation of "The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation," have been altered to fit rigid belief systems.

In Conclusion:

"Where Nothing Seems To Be" is an invitation to explore the profound, often-overlooked dimension of consciousness within. It posits that by shedding external dogma and clinging, and by opening to the inherent grandeur of our own being, we can achieve a state of liberation, clarity, and profound fulfillment. The book advocates for direct experience, the power of ancient wisdom presented in accessible language, and the interconnectedness of all beings through this universal awareness.