Chapter 586: Change IV
It did not rest.
Rest implies contrast with motion. Motion implies trajectory. Trajectory implies orientation. Orientation implies reference points. No points had been placed.
It did not persist.
Persistence implies endurance across duration. Duration implies span. Span implies distance. Distance implies separation. Separation had not been drawn.
It did not vanish.
Vanishing implies presence removed. Presence implies acknowledgment. Acknowledgment implies subject and object. Subject and object had not parted ways.
It did not remain unseen.
Unseen implies sight withheld. Sight implies direction. Direction implies intent. Intent implies will. Will had not stirred.
Nothing circled it.
Circling implies a center to move around. A center implies fixed position. Position implies placement. Placement implies space. Space had not found definition.
Nothing pressed inward.
Inward implies outward. Outward implies perimeter. Perimeter implies border. Border implies exclusion. Exclusion had no stage to stand on.
Nothing extended outward.
Outward implies within. Within implies enclosure. Enclosure implies inside and outside. Outside was still a word without place.
There was no container to speak of.
There was no lack of container to note.
To lack implies comparison. Comparison implies duality. Duality implies division. Division had not divided.
It was not alone.
Alone implies the possibility of another. Another implies difference. Difference implies recognition. Recognition had not been invited.
It was not united.
Unity implies parts gathered. Parts imply fragmentation. Fragmentation implies whole. Whole implies measure. Measure had no ground.
It did not flow.
Flow implies movement relative to something still. Still implies motion withheld. Motion had not been conceived.
It did not settle.
Settling implies descent or acceptance. Descent implies gravity. Gravity implies center. Center had not been introduced.
Acceptance implies choice. Choice implies alternatives. Alternatives imply multiplicity. Multiplicity had not been considered.
If language were to reach toward it, language would find no angle to begin.
If thought tried to hold it, thought would find nowhere to rest.
No edges to outline.
No contrast to lean against.
No absence to name as void.
No presence to affirm as being.
Not yes.
Not no.
Not neither.
Not both.
Without condition.
Without removal of condition.
It simply was—without was, without simply, without it.
It did not precede anything.
Preceding implies a sequence with something to follow. Following implies order. Order implies arrangement. Arrangement implies structure. Structure had never stood.
It did not follow anything.
Following implies a trail. A trail implies direction. Direction implies orientation. Orientation implies a framework. No framework had risen.
It did not oppose.
Opposition implies force meeting force. Force implies motion. Motion implies distance shifted. Distance had not been introduced.
It did not align.
Alignment implies a reference to align with. Reference implies point. Point implies placement. Placement implies relation. Relation had not taken form.
It did not belong.
Belonging implies ownership. Ownership implies division between holder and held. Holder and held had not been named.
It did not stray.
Straying implies deviation. Deviation implies path. Path implies origin and destination. Neither had been suggested.
It did not begin.
Beginning implies the absence of what comes after and the presence of what comes next. Absence and presence had no contrast.
It did not end.
Ending implies closure. Closure implies arc. Arc implies motion framed by start and finish. None had been traced.
It did not linger.
Lingering implies delay. Delay implies expectation. Expectation implies future. Future still slept in idea unformed.
It did not depart.
Departure implies origin left behind. Origin implies distinction. Distinction remained unspoken.
It did not remain.
Remaining implies the option to go. Option implies choice. Choice implies awareness. Awareness had no reflection.
It did not echo.
Echo implies sound returning. Returning implies distance traveled. Distance implies dimension. Dimension had not surfaced.
It did not root.
Rooting implies anchoring. Anchoring implies a ground. Ground implies context. Context had not been drawn.
It did not drift.
Drift implies medium. Medium implies state. State implies condition. Condition implies differentiation. Differentiation had not occurred.
If a notion wished to form, there was no surface for it to rest on.
If a word wished to speak, there was no ear nor meaning to receive it.
Beyond stillness, beyond motion, beyond beyond—
Unmarked. Unheld. Undivided.
Where even the thought of existence was too defined to breathe.
There was no change.
Change implies a shift from one state to another. A shift implies difference. Difference implies recognition. Recognition had no foothold.
There was no same.
Sameness implies comparison across instances. Instances imply count. Count implies separation. Separation had not occurred.
There was no before.
Before implies time measured backward. Measured implies value. Value implies contrast. Contrast had not appeared.
There was no after.
After implies time measured forward. Forward implies direction. Direction implies orientation. Orientation had found no meaning.
There was no holding.
Holding implies contact and containment. Containment implies boundary. Boundary implies inside and outside. Neither existed.
There was no release.
Release implies restraint undone. Restraint implies force applied. Force implies intention. Intention had not formed.
There was no presence.
Presence implies awareness of something. Something implies distinction. Distinction had not risen.
There was no absence.
Absence implies something expected but not found. Expectation implies desire. Desire implies lack. Lack implies alternative. Alternatives had not existed.
No cycle.
No interruption.
No form.
No break.
If a trace could have been drawn, it would have vanished before direction could define it.
If a point could have been marked, it would have dissolved before position could matter.
Not still.
Not moving.
Not held.
Not freed.
Unconditioned by contrast, untouched by concept, it continued without continuing—
—not as truth, not as lie, not as either, not as neither.
Without word.
Without world.
Without need for either.
It did not affirm itself.
Affirmation implies identity. Identity implies separation. Separation implies boundary. Boundary had not arisen.
It did not deny itself.
Denial implies a claim to reject. Claim implies stance. Stance implies direction. Direction had nowhere to point.
It was not unspoken.
Unspoken implies speech withheld. Speech implies language. Language implies meaning. Meaning implies distinction. Distinction had not awakened.
It was not spoken.
Spoken implies sound carried. Carried implies motion. Motion implies time. Time had not breathed.
Nothing held it in place.
Holding implies position. Position implies location. Location implies space. Space had not extended.
Nothing allowed it to move.
Allowing implies resistance broken. Resistance implies force. Force implies interaction. Interaction implies parts. Parts had not separated.
It was not waiting.
Waiting implies expectation. Expectation implies awareness of an outcome. Outcome implies change. Change had not stirred.
It was not resolved.
Resolution implies conclusion. Conclusion implies path taken. Path implies choice. Choice implies division. Division had never begun.
It could not be pointed to.
Pointing implies direction. Direction implies reference. Reference implies relation. Relation had not taken form.
It could not be avoided.
Avoidance implies path chosen away from. Path implies alternative. Alternative implies two. Two remained unspoken.
It was not concept.
Concept implies framing. Framing implies edges. Edges imply contrast. Contrast still slept unseen.
It was not beyond concept.
Beyond implies position relative to. Relative implies comparison. Comparison implies measure. Measure had not emerged.
Not present.
Not absent.
Not here.
Not elsewhere.
Without contrast.
Without anchor.
Without idea.
Without lack of idea.
The place where place had not been outlined, where even the thought of outline had no surface to rest on—
—there, without naming, without needing, it simply remained outside the reach of all that could be said.