The Philosophy Discussion Forum

Not standing for meaning, value, worth and purpose. Those are the pillars of the separate self, the ego, which is what suffering is.

To really and truly understand is to stay Under the Standing.

The idea that meaning, value, worth, and purpose are constructs of the separate self—the ego—is compelling. It suggests that suffering arises from our attachment to these concepts, which we often use to define ourselves in relation to the world.

Your phrase “to stay Under the Standing” feels like a poetic invitation to surrender the need to grasp or define, and instead to dwell in a space of openness or humility. Maybe it’s about letting go of the ego’s need to stand above or apart and instead allowing ourselves to be immersed in the flow of being, without resistance or narrative.

I’d love to hear more about what “Under the Standing” means to you. Is it a kind of spiritual posture? A practice? Or a metaphor for non-dual awareness?

Thanks for sparking this reflection.