Gathering and interpreting material that is not readily available elsewhere, this book discusses the thought of the Japanese Buddhist philosophers Dogen, Hisamatsu, and Nishitani. Stambaugh develops ideas about the self culminating in the concept of the Formless Self as formulated by Hisamarsu in his book The Fullness of Nothingness and the essay "The Characteristics of Oriental Nothingness," and further explicated by Nishitani in his book Religion and Nothingness. These works show that Oriental nothingness has nothing to do with the nineteenth- and twentieth-century Western concept of nihilism. Instead, it is a positive phenomenon, enabling things to be.

Bringing together the depth insights of eastern & western traditions, this book places the topic of the self in a new context.

Many beings have revelations of our true Self and yet few come to live and move in the world as the Sage does. We must deeply assimilate what it means to be formless and allow that knowledge to pervade our entire consciousness. Questions such as “How can I come to know that I cannot die?” and “How do I live from this place of Truth?” begin to become very important to us. In this book we will look at specific points of contemplation that are designed to help come to know beyond doubt that to be formless means we cannot die, we cannot suffer and we are infinite. This book embodies the process that every awakened being has gone through and will allow you to let go of all doubt and fear. Think of this book as a road map to the awakened state of Being. It is the essence of every Sage’s journey and it will allow you to bring forth the Sage that is in you right now. This book is the answer to every student’s question of “How do I live as this?”

Have you had a realisation of your true nature? Have you seen yourself to be the formless awareness? Many of us are having such revelations of our true Self and yet few come to live and move in the world as the Sage does. We must deeply assimilate what it means to be formless and allow that knowledge to pervade our entire consciousness. Questions such as "How can I come to know that I cannot die?" and "How do I live from this place of truth?" begin to become very important to us. In this book we will look at specific points of contemplation that are designed to help us come to know beyond doubt that to be formless means we cannot die, we cannot suffer and we are infinite. It is one thing to have seen what we truly are and another thing altogether to have totally transcended any doubts, fears and challenges to living as this formlessness. This book embodies the process that every awakened being has gone through and will direct you to contemplate important questions that will allow you to let go of all doubt and fear. Many Saints, Teachers and Sages advise us to "stay as the Self" or "be the awareness" but this teaching can be vague when we need it most. Think of this book as a road map or signpost to the fully lived awakened state of Being. It is the distilled down essence of every Sages journey and it will allow you to bring forth the Sage that is in you right now. This book is the answer to every students question of "How do I live as this?"

To Be Formless means to become something without a form. It's to live a life without limits, without validation from others, and become fearless. Too often, we lived in a world where we're boxed in and blocked off. We block ourselves of our full potential because of fear within, and fear of what others may think about us. We live in a world where people are too afraid to step out of their comfort zones and become the person they're designed to be. We instead, live life through illusions and filters to block the true essence of who we are. We rather live life seeking validation and acceptance of others to feel self-fulfilled. In the end, we're all human, we have flaws, we suffer, we strive, and we live. You matter through it all. Don't change who you are because you don't know who you can become until you stretch out and reach the sky.

This book is meant to be used as a guide to help you realize what already exists within. It will shed Light where darkness may reside. It will assist you in revealing and awakening the wisdom and knowledge that you already possess in your soul. After all, wisdom cannot be taught; it can only be attained through the medium of knowledge and experience if transmuted correctly. You cannot learn wisdom; you may only reveal it. The following ideas and concepts are not meant to give you conclusions and answers about how the universe works; rather, they are meant to simply open your doors of thought for you to explore further and perceive the world in your own unique way. What will follow is a life in which you have complete control, a higher level of consciousness, and a stronger connection to your inner true self. Take your time and read each sentence carefully. Consider reading some chapters more than once, perhaps even multiple times. Allow your soul to digest the information it is receiving and the wisdom it is revealing. Where you take it is up to you!