Perfect Brilliant Stillness

by David Carse

An intimate account of spontaneous spiritual enlightenment and its implications in a life lived beyond the individual self, Perfect Brilliant Stillness is a guidebook for the more advanced spiritual seeker who is ready to go beyond popular ‘new age’ ideas to explore in depth the perennial wisdom of the non-dual tradition of Eastern spirituality. Perfect Brilliant Stillness offers an invitation to finally let go of the false sense of individual self and to go, completed, beyond.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Philosophy, Buddhism, Eastern Philosophy

420 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Carolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words to explain what this book means to "me".

[Debra Moffitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you dare to step into a true understanding of enlightenment and our True nature, this book points to the mind blowing beauty of perfect awareness or "That" or "Reality". As the ancients and yogis have described for ages, "That" cannot be described only experienced. But reading Carse's book leads the mind into possibilities that it can barely conceive. No seeking or self-help here. Everything is perfect as is and only a lucky few ever receive the gift of stepping out of the game to find "no one is home." The individual is no longer. A daring, beautiful, literally mind-blowing book.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is superb. It is a fascinating description of Carse's spontaneous enlightenment / total loss of self during a trip to the Amazon jungle, as well as an account of his experiences around Advaitic seekers as he tries to back-fit an explanation of what had happened. Piggybacking off these autobiographical accounts are reflections on a whole variety of issues concerning nondual awareness, the pitfalls of seeking, and the whole panoply of exploitative and deluded behaviours that plague the guru "circuit". It circles round in a way that can seem repetitive but that is necessary to make the insights three-dimensional; the circling around means you approach things from successive different directions. Is it an advanced book? It has some very challenging insights to share, certainly, but should it be read before reading very many of the easier texts that abound? Yes, I think so. It equips the reader with some very good questions to ask around the whole industry of "enlightenment" and may save a lot of wasted time and effort.

[Dean Paradiso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Straight down the line look at non-duality with no frills attached. DC tells it like it is, for someone who apparently "woke up" accidentally, while in the jungle. DC is uncompromising in his outlook and views about nonduality- there being nobody to awaken, and no method or path to 'get there'. It either happens or not. As such, the book is more of a monologue on what non-duality is and isn't. It won't be particularly helpful for those after a progressive path, but may help remove some of the delusions that seekers have about what 'enlightenment' is and what it might be like. The author also didn't copyright the book, or hold seminars, etc., which goes against the grain of what most modern guru/teachers seem to do. On the downside, there’s only so much Nondual speak that one can stand reading or listening to, before going insane, and this is a rather large tome of one person’s thoughts at the end of the day.
There is an audiobook version read by Terrence Stamp, who does a decent job, although I found this to be “effortful” and a bit dramatic in its delivery.

[Bob Campbell]

It is my favorite book. I have listened to and reread this book countless times.
If you are close to opening your awareness to presence, Perfect Brilliant Stillness may be the stimulus that fully opens your eyes and heart to what you already are. But be prepared, nothing happened in the jungle. Seriously, when it's recognized you will be shocked at how obvious it always was, but you will still be overwhelmed by the Oneness, beauty, love and grace.
If you can already relate to David's experience of awakening in the jungle, this book will feel like home. I listen to the audio book in my car all the time. Terrance Stamp has the perfect voice to read this book.
David's commentary about Gurus is also worth paying attention to.

[Morgan Blackledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

For all you non-dual extremists (🧐?) out there.

Here is a text that is (a) 100% true, (b) 100% false, (c) somewhere in between, (d) all of the above, (e) none of the above, (f) either/or, (g) both/and, (h) something else entirely.

If that makes sense?

The author try’s (like many others) to render something that is outside of the conceptual (non-conceptual/post-conceptual) in language. In doing so he (or rather not he) has to kind of torture language, and metaphor, and all other sorts of linguistic conventions in order to “point to the moon”, without drawing undue attention to his finger pointing at the moon.

👉 👀🌖

He (not he) is pretty successful (or unscucessfu) I guess.

Depending (nearly entirely) upon what the reader brings to the text by way of accessing non-dual states/awareness.

Which is in its self an oxymoron.

Rendering the whole endeavor kind of absurd (on some level).

But (in the end) about as good a one of these as the English language currently offers (at least to my knowledge).

And (despite this strange and non committal) review.

This text is VERY compelling, effective abs at times, brilliant.

Finley.

Nothing in this text will bestow anything like a non-dual awakening upon the reader. Books and ideas kind of can’t do that. If that happens at all. It’s kind of a (very happy) accident.

But (for lack of a better way of putting it) books like this (and shit like meditation with good tutalage) can make one (you/me/us) more accident prone. Or at least this is my intuition.

Anyway.

5/5 STARS ✨

[Dawn Kimble · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author, David Carse, suddenly awakened and he disappeared. His sense of himself as a separate individual was gone. The book was fascinating and funny.

[Don Elium · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes!

[Moises Pittounikos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A special book. Highly intelligent and a description of the space beyond intelligence, enlightenment. A profound masterpiece.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth, Oneness, One Thing Going On

[#DÏ4B7Ø Chinnamasta-Bhairav · Rating 5 out of 5]

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To SEE a WORLD in a Grain of Sand,
And a HEAVEN in a Wild Flower,
Hold INFINITY in the palm of your hand
And ETERNITY in an Hour"
~ William Blake ~

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“Wisdom tells me I am nothing. Love tells me I am everything. And between the two my life flows.” Nisargadatta Maharaj

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Form is Emptiness; Emptiness is form.
Form is not different than Emptiness;
Emptiness is not different than form
~ Heart Sutra ~

Like the ocean and its waves,
inseparable yet distinct

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" I and The Father are one,
I am The Truth,
The Life and The Path.”

Like a river flowing from its source,
connected and continuous

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Thy kingdom come.
Let the reign of divine
Truth, Life, and Love
be established in me,
and rule out of me all sin;
and may Thy Word
enrich the affections of all mankind

A mighty oak tree standing firm against the storm,
As sunlight scatters the shadows of night
A river nourishing the land it flows through

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[Adrian at Bookshelfdiscovery · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘There are many books out there that will help you live a better life, become a better person, and evolve and grow to realise your full potential as a spiritual being.

This is not one of them.’

Now that’s how you start a book.

So begins ‘Perfect Brilliant Stillness’ by David Carse with a disclaimer to seekers thinking about purchasing yet another spiritual book. He goes on to say that the reason he states this is because the message contained in the book is so genuinely strange that it will resonate with very few people. And a warning that if it does resonate, you may find yourself deeply disturbed, because it might just be the end of ‘you’ as you understand ‘you’ to be.

‘Something’ happens to David Carse during a trip to the Amazon. ‘Something’ as in a moment of deep realisation. He seems to ‘wake up’ almost by accident. He uses this moment to talk about aspects of nonduality, of following gurus, of developing awareness.

It’s difficult for me to say in words what this book meant to me, and I don’t think you can. But I’ll try. I consumed it in small gulps because when it did strike a chord, as it continued to do throughout, it resonated deeply.

What David Carse is describing, and as he continually writes, cannot be described, only experienced. I suppose his message could be termed uncompromising, as he makes it clear throughout that there is no one to wake up, and nothing actually happens. Some people are triggered by being told there is no ‘you’ and certainly don’t appreciate being told the same thing over and over again. I’d avoid it if that’s how you feel.

He’s correct in saying that it won’t be a book for everyone - if you like instructions, a progressive path in knowing what to do, ‘Perfect brilliant stillness’ won’t suit you.

“ There is a stunning beautiful simplicity to it all. You can say, ‘Awakening is the understanding that there is no one to awaken. There is no individual here doing anything. Consciousness is all there is.’ And you will have expressed the totality of the teaching. That’s really all there is to this. All of this simply is. “

I enjoyed the quotes at the start of each chapter (Maharishi, Nisargadatta, Rumi etc) and found David Carse to be an entertaining, clear and uncompromising writer on the subject of non-duality. I can see why it’s considered a classic of the genre.

There’s a stark beauty and profundity in this book that means I’ll be coming back to it again, as long as there is a ‘me’ to come back, of course. Despite Davids disclaimer, I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in non dual awareness and realisation.

Review from Bookshelfdiscovery

[Martha Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been processing this Book Titled "Perfect Brilliant Stillness" by David Carse. It's a share from the Author of his Transformative Experience of Waking Up, True Nature of Mind, Some might say Enlightenment


I know fundamentally all words fail to express the truth. But David paints a very interesting word mosaic attempting to represent the unrepresentable. 


I come from a background of Alcoholism & Drug Addiction, and a Seeking Spirit. From Monasteries in India to every flavor of Retreats, Seminars, Books, YouTube until finding my living truth through The AA 12 Step Program. 


I Honor the Intelligence of the Universe, the energy that causes blood to course through my body, that that is the Big Bang, Is the Unseen force behind Gravity, Light, all that is. That is the alpha and omega.

I've found  this Intelligence that manifests the entirety of existence is closer to me than my breath, more intimate than any belief. For it is a knowing

 ~ Carl Jung was asked if he believed in God, moving into deep contemplation ~And uttering Ah Very Difficult ~. He Answered, No I Do Not Believe  ~~~ I Know 

This knowledge is  our shared destiny...

Quiet your thoughts, and you'll hear the voice of your beloved. Listening to that voice with great inner attentiveness, I hear at my center words that say: “I have called you by name, from the very beginning. You are mine and I am yours. You are my Beloved, on you my favor rests. I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you together in your mother’s womb. I have carved you in the palms of my hands and hidden you in the shadow of my embrace. I look at you with infinite tenderness and care for you with a care more intimate than that of a mother for her child. I have counted every hair on your head and guided you at every step. Wherever you go, I go with you, and wherever you rest, I keep watch. I will give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst. I will not hide my face from you. You know me as your own as I know you as my own. You belong to me. I am your father, your mother, your brother, your sister, your lover and your spouse . . . yes, even your child . . . wherever you are I will be. Nothing will ever separate us. We are one.


Thanks to Richard Rohr for the final bit.

[Renee Legris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author had a spontaneous enlightenment experience that changed his life, and he wrote this book because he (a) doesn't want to have to tell the story over and over, (b) doesn't want to be a teacher or start a movement, and (c) genuinely wants to help the rest of us see what he sees. Although he will tell you over and over that the experience and the understanding can't be put into words.

About a third of the way into the book it became clear to me that he's saying the same things a hundred times, in slightly different words, coming at it from a slightly different angle. And that's what he has to do, if he's going to fundamentally change how we view our selves and our world. Although it's a book and not a person in front of me, I'm still amazed at his patience, his willingness to keep trying to communicate what is beyond words and concepts.

This book is free of dogma, although he quotes a wide variety of teachers and religious traditions. My own background is Buddhist, and I appreciated how Mr. Carse helped shed most welcome light on some of the deeper, more slippery teachings.

It's also interesting to note that this book was never copyrighted, and is available for free on his web site (there's a free audio download as well).

[SAT CHIT ANANDA · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book on 'the final understanding'. I like that each chapter starts off with two quotes from some of the great teachers and mystics (i.e. Rumi, Ramana Maharshi, David Bohm, qetc). David Carse's Non-dual vision comes from the Advaita tradition. Because of this there is a flood of: 'its all illusory', 'there is no two', 'who cares what the dream characters do', 'spiritual seekers are disillusioned and wasting their time'. In the middle of the book this caused me to stall out because he got repetitive with these messages. We get it, the separate self is illusory, no need to beat us over the head with it. Anyhow, power through that section and it gets beautiful again. It is a classic for all those walking the path for reunification with the divine.

4.5/5 - Knocking off a half-point for what I mentioned above and epilogue was a bit of a rant too.

[Adam Cohen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't get through it. For someone who says he no longer has an ego, his writing seems to me to be at once arrogant and insecure. He literally takes the phrasing from other famous and spiritual books word for word and smushes then into sentences with no attribution. None of what I read, before giving up, seemed original. His negative statements about some spiritual teachers he sat with as heady without understanding the heart of the teachings seems to actually apply well to how I experienced his writing. Seeing the positive reviews, I realize I may be in the minority that didn't like this book. I may, of course, be missing something, but I nonetheless have to call it like I see it.

[Tetrijeb · Rating 5 out of 5]

if Sasha Shulgin was rating books, this one would surely reach a ++++ level. PBS stands at the everest of nonduality for its clarity and uncompromised directness of speaking the unspeakable and describing the ineffable. the only other book that comes close is nisargadatta I am that. these two are at the very summit of nonduality books, and i read them at least once a year. does this book make any sense? not really. is it useful? nope. is it necessary? not at all. does it hold The Answer? absolutely not. in fact, "you" are better off not reading it, so move along, nothing to see here.

[Dustie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me... I listened to it on Audible. It is deep, it is hard work, but it will make you think - if you can get past the voice of the narrator (whom I found annoying).
David Carse explores the concept of "no-thing" in a very direct (and unforgiving) manner, so your enjoyment of this book, may depend somewhat on your current standpoint, and how well you embrace the idea that self is merely a manmade concept. If you are yet to be exposed to the idea of "no self", you might want to wait a while. Otherwise, you are likely to find this book challenging indeed.

[Abi Lupton-Levy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind blowing.
Literally!

[Fred Blum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear, no-holds-barred look at awakening and who it happens to and a beautiful depiction of the journey after awakening.

[Joe Bubel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely profound. Beautifully written. I will have to come back to some (or all) of these passages again and again until what is being pointed to is seen.

[Rob Alseth · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top 10 for sure!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

[A Moriarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only a modern classic, but simply one of the classics. Full stop. Even those who are not interested in non-duality will find it a fascinating and entertaining read.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt a bit like talking to myself, in a good way. Nicely done. Not quite Jed McKenna's Enlightment, It's The Damnedest Thing but a few similar vibes.

[Leonardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sobresaliente

[Tom Heathers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A life altering book - puts our place in the universe in perspective and is an excellent guide book for anyone on an inward journey.

[Peter Forster · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no David Carse. David Carse is an illusion. There is only oneness. (Repeat for 407 pages. That's it.)