The Ghost, the Organism, and Thou (cont’d)
The Ghost exists and does not exist. Let us begin with how it does not exist. It does not exist in the way we presume it to exist: as the controller of our actions. It does not have any control over the actions of the Organism. It arises because of a belief by Thou that what I am is an entity separate from everything else—I am the agent responsible for my thoughts and actions.
It does exist in that the belief that creates it produces a condition for how we experience life. The belief in there being a controller (the agent or doer as Ramesh says) gives rise to suffering in the forms of various moods, especially guilt, resentment, and anxiety.
Where are these moods? They affect the Organism, altering its perception, cognition, and capacity for action. The experience they generate belongs to Thou, as all experience does. So the Ghost does not exist in the way we believe it to exist, but the belief in its existence creates moods that alter how the Organism moves and how Thou experiences life.
Where does the belief in the Ghost exist? We could say that it also exists in the Organism, inasmuch as it is a form of cognitive content. But it must arise in Thou.
Can Thou let go of the belief? Yes and no. Yes, of course it can, in that the belief arose in Thou. And no, in the sense that Thou does not exercise independent control (the belief that it does is the very one we are discussing getting rid of.) Everything that happens is an expression of Thou, since Thou is the One. Therefore the arising of the belief and its disappearance are expressions of Thou, of the One.
Chris