Could someone explain the Buddhist belief system to me?

[silent thunder]

36 minutes ago, Tommy said:

Thanks for the reply. I understand this as what the Buddhist disciples describe as dust on the mirror. The mirror being what perceives the object outside of itself. And to clear the mirror so no dust collects on it. To remove the thoughts because they are not the awareness but dust on the mirror. I know I do not see this correctly. But, it is what I observe. I do not just look at the finger because I become the finger pointing to the moon. 

Hear you mate.  Well described. 

[Tommy]

Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. 

[Mark Foote]

Issho Fujita holds onto his hat, at Sonoma Mountain Zen Center:

 

 

Edited April 1 by Mark Foote

[stirling]

19 hours ago, Tommy said:

Thanks for the reply. As seen from this mind, thoughts are the driving pulse of actions and desires. Without them then no action is possible. There can be no observer without the thought to understand the perceived or object. No understanding means no notice of the object then the object is meaningless. Some thoughts are the follow thru of intentions which also arises with thoughts.

 

What is self? Good question. Since I see self as a the collection of thoughts re-enforced by experiences moment by moment, self is this thinking mind. This of course is not what the Buddha or the Dharma teaches us. That at the center, we are emptiness. Being the same emptiness, we are one and the same.

 

The problem we have is what we THINK we are beings of separateness - autonomous, willful... the center of everything. It is necessary to learn to drop thinking mind in order to observe reality uncluttered by supposition.

 

From a Mahayana/Vajrayana, perspective, meditation (resting in open awareness specifically) is the tool needed to make the next step in understanding. Open awareness is simply being present with phenomena as they arise and pass from experience. Thoughts are infrequent and there are periods where the mind is simple present and still between individual thoughts that come and go. Once there is some ability to rest in the space between thoughts we can begin to see that all things occurs spontaneously, and do not belong to an I. This is "alignment" in Daoism, or "Wu Wei", but also how the Eightfold Path is accomplished - a powerful initial insight that builds confidence in Buddhist practice. It won't be an idea or a thought, but a seeing-into experientially.

 

Ultimately it is seen that there is no observer,  no subject, no meaning that doesn't arise in the moment of experience, no-self. Self as the thinking mind is how most of the world walks around. As I posted last time, it is fairly easy to get far enough to at least seriously need to question this idea through experience. 

 

Yes... "we" (and everything else) are emptiness, though STILL form somehow, fluxing moment to moment in a pageant as "ornaments of emptiness".

 

[Tommy]

Thank you sterling for your response. It sounds like everything else I have read. Early on, when I was 16, I had the chance to learn and practice meditation. After about two weeks, I had an experience where my thoughts stop and I was seeing my present actions in motion. But, there was no direct after that. No understanding, no subject, no meaning. And for that brief moment, everything felt empty. And, it is only with this thinking mind that there is action and understanding, desire and joy, the continuous world. Since then, I have other experiences but the thinking mind does not relent as it is the method of understanding and action. Have spent time sitting in the quiet and attention held thru concentration upon breath. It last for a moment at a time. Intent can arise from deep without thought. But, it is thought that drives desire and brings on more intent. I have spent much time sitting. But, have not advanced. 

 

It is thru forums and reading that I learn a little more and more. It is fortunate I have learned quite a bit. It is unfortunate that I have not been able to help anyone move further along the path or journey. So, thank you and I will continue to work on myself.

[stirling]

On 4/1/2024 at 7:01 PM, Tommy said:

Thank you sterling for your response. It sounds like everything else I have read. Early on, when I was 16, I had the chance to learn and practice meditation. After about two weeks, I had an experience where my thoughts stop and I was seeing my present actions in motion. But, there was no direct after that. No understanding, no subject, no meaning. And for that brief moment, everything felt empty. And, it is only with this thinking mind that there is action and understanding, desire and joy, the continuous world. Since then, I have other experiences but the thinking mind does not relent as it is the method of understanding and action. Have spent time sitting in the quiet and attention held thru concentration upon breath. It last for a moment at a time. Intent can arise from deep without thought. But, it is thought that drives desire and brings on more intent. I have spent much time sitting. But, have not advanced. 

 

It is thru forums and reading that I learn a little more and more. It is fortunate I have learned quite a bit. It is unfortunate that I have not been able to help anyone move further along the path or journey. So, thank you and I will continue to work on myself.

 

Sorry I haven't responded in a more timely manner... life.

 

It IS like almost every tradition. The reality of things, and the practices that might help make enlightenment more likely (but DON'T actually precipitate it) are all more or less similar at their basis. Most people won't be able to practice the most simple amongst them. 

 

Having your thoughts stop is one of the first insights - something you can actually build on because you can now have "faith" the practice DOES something. Simply continuing to deepen that by applying the same practice is the next step... and the next, and the next. Things continue to change, as is their nature. 

 

Don't get lost in the idea that there are "advanced" practices. The most advanced practices I have been given are most often very simple. My advice would be to notice when you forget to watch your breath and the mind has become spacious and still and just stay with that stillness, only coming back to the breath if discursive thoughts come back up. If you want to make more direct progress I would suggest finding a teacher. 

[Tommy]

Thanks for the advice. I know what I should do; just not willing to do it. The moment when thoughts stopped. I panicked and never wished it to happen again. And so, almost 40 years later, it hasn't. I don't feel a need for enlightenment. I like the journey.