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Everything posted by stirling
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What is Karma? How does it work? Does it even exist?
stirling replied to Annnon's topic in General Discussion
None of that will go anywhere, only the identification with those things. It is a great relief, actually. -
moving our point of consciousness; and the universe as a thought we are thinking
stirling replied to BigSkyDiamond's topic in General Discussion
Awakening happens here, now. What does it look like? It looks like this, only it can be seen that emptiness is the primary salient characteristic of all form, and that form and emptiness are inseparable. Time, Space, and Self are all obvious delusions. There is nowhere to go but here, no-time to be in aside from now. Feel free to message me for more detail or specific questions. -
moving our point of consciousness; and the universe as a thought we are thinking
stirling replied to BigSkyDiamond's topic in General Discussion
...and then realize that there was never a bondage, or anything to get out of. -
moving our point of consciousness; and the universe as a thought we are thinking
stirling replied to BigSkyDiamond's topic in General Discussion
I wondered about this too in the past, but it hasn't been my experience that we have specific or focused ability to create reality, only the ability to see through it. While it IS possible to alter our experience of the world with intention and loving kindness, I don't know of anyone with realization that can completely uncreate or reshape the Relative world. -
moving our point of consciousness; and the universe as a thought we are thinking
stirling replied to BigSkyDiamond's topic in General Discussion
So there is an Absolute and something else that isn't? That would constitute a duality, right? Something I neglected to mention: The "Two Truths" Doctrine is a Relative teaching. It is a convenient way of talking about the nature of things, but is NOT the reality itself. In truth, the Absolute confounds description. If you have had an introduction to the nature of mind/Rigpa/Emptiness/Dao, you can learn to see emptiness in this moment. If you have seen emptiness, have you ever seen it without form? Have you ever seen JUST the emptiness, not the emptiness in a tree, the sky, a leaf falling, etc. There is no one without the either. To paraphrase Buddhist thinker Ken Wilber: ...but form doesn't go anywhere. Emptiness is always right here, visible in the form. To quote Nagarjuna, the "Einstein of Mahayana Buddhism" and creator of the Madhyamaka philosophy: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madhyamaka Strangely, even the philosophy of "emptiness" is empty. One of my favorite topics! My pleasure. -
moving our point of consciousness; and the universe as a thought we are thinking
stirling replied to BigSkyDiamond's topic in General Discussion
WE do this, over and over, every day. WE create it. -
moving our point of consciousness; and the universe as a thought we are thinking
stirling replied to BigSkyDiamond's topic in General Discussion
Whatever is present when the mind is still and thoughts have dropped off is the reality of things. You can look for yourself if you have a meditation practice where you allow your mind to find stillness. This is the route to discovering the answer to this experientially, which is really the only way that matters. Short answer: Purpose is a story about creation and destruction, a creator, a destroyer and an imperative. Time is not an absolute construct. We can use reason to determine that the past and the future aren't places we can visit, they only exist as thoughts that arise now. Experiential knowledge is what you are after - it doesn't come from the thinking mind. When the mind is still, notice if there is a past and future, or if they depend on the storytelling of your thinking mind. Humans are SUPPOSED to be the only beings that can become enlightened, according to Buddhism. That is a Relative story, however. See above. IF it does, in a Relative sense, it must be to realize the error of our storytelling and understand what we truly are. The Absolute becomes endarkened every time we tell a story about our experience of the world and our separateness from it. As long as we are in bondage to the story of our separateness we will continue to live in duality. A little about the Absolute and the Relative as concepts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_truths_doctrine#:~:text=Essence-function in Korean Buddhism,-See also%3A Korean&text=The polarity of absolute and,realities%2C but interpenetrate each other. -
moving our point of consciousness; and the universe as a thought we are thinking
stirling replied to BigSkyDiamond's topic in General Discussion
You have a LOT of traction here, friend. Yes, only I wouldn't jump to that last conclusion. I'll just say this: All dualities are delusions. Ultimately there is just what is perceived in THIS MOMENT, RIGHT HERE by empty awareness. Other people? That is possibly a story for another time, but it is obvious we cannot experience reality the way they do... if they have their own reality it is entirely theirs. Well, yes... and no. Rather than saying it is an illusion, I like to say that it is illusory, and yes, dreamlike. The Relative world emanates from emptiness (the Absolute). What is finite and limited comes and goes, is not ABSOLUTE. That which is absolute is without dualities, is without beginning and end, here or there, or I and thou. The only thing that is NOT impermanent is awareness/Rigpa/Buddha Nature/Dao BUT it is not separate from that which IS impermanent. Makes your head hurt. Awareness is everywhere. It doesn't have a location. YOU don't have a location - you create one based on which phenomena you have bundled together and labeled "I". At the same time, you can collapse that and see the body as "mine". It is a case of identification - we identify as an "I" in a body, so that is our experience. It IS just a thought, however, as you suggest. Meditation where the mind is quiet and still is identification with awareness rather than the "I" which is why it is such a great idea. -
If you can't find stillness in even the noisiest most distracting environment, your practice needs work. Stillness omnipresent. I heard it last night while listening to 90's Britpop.
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So nice to see some posts from you here! _/\_
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When your mind is resting in that spaciousness it is not different from enlightened mind. The more you notice these respites from thinking mind, the longer they get and more often they happen. Increases in time spent resting mind also make awakening more likely. Never try to force the process, only continue to maintain a "curiosity", and don't grasp when you find that those moments have arisen. Keep up the good work. That awareness is what you are. Yes awareness moves, and it is not just in the body, it is everywhere. When you hear a bird out in the forest, is the sound at your ears or seemingly with the bird where it manifests? This is a clue.
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Bodhidharma teaches from a VERY high level of understanding, which is what makes it feel confusing and hard to parse, but it is worth the work. Teachers at his level are more rare, but of great value. Just wondering how what they have said could even make sense could liberate. From Bodhidharma's elevated position it is obvious that karma isn't a thing that exists outside of your mind, it is entirely the product of the story you generate about yourself. The Emperor wants to feel better about himself and do a "good deed", except that there isn't any separate body of judges determining what "good" is, it only exists in the mind of the emperor. All "karma" reinforces a story about a "self". The best action to take is to NOT MAKE ANY. The precepts, amongst many teachings, exist for this purpose - to help you generate less "story" about your "self". Looking at them, you can see that they are comprised of actions that we almost always feel bad about, or that create a negative story about ourselves. Acting with an intent to be kind and helpful changes you, makes you less inclined to do actions that you will feel bad about. Indeed. I see that this is motivation to practice though? That would be a positive outcome. "Self" dies thousands of times every day. A shift in this moment will result in the death of the person you were moments ago. When you meditate do you have brief moments of stillness where that talking stops? There is pure, still awareness in all moments. Learning to identify with that awareness INSTEAD of the thinking process and its constant narration is the simplest way I know to describe a helpful practice and to see the one thing that is not impermanent. _/\_
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What not every teacher will share - these realms are RIGHT HERE, and most of us transition between these layers all of the time. Have some wealthy friends that have no struggle or worldy cares, and yet seem to increasingly be buying more and more "stuff" in an effort to feel whole? You are likely seeing Gods become Hungry ghosts. This is simply a lens to examine how we are living out lives. Another hint - only humans become enlightened. This is a significant and advantageous opportunity we have here.
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No harm in this (from MY perspective anyway)... but why not also do meditation practice and and work with the situations in life that arise to recognize and drop clinging and aversion? People "wake up" all the time! All it takes is one moment of recognition.
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Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
My posts are in the hopes of getting even ONE person to question whether there isn't a different way of being. In terms of practicality, there are techniques to reduce suffering that don't require beliefs or great amounts of practice that I share all of the time. They require genuine interest and some small commitment of dedication. Why wouldn't you be sharing that possibility, and how others might do the same thing themselves, then? Or... are you, and I have missed it? I am actually curious about what methodologies you might have, not setting you up for a cutting comment. -
Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
I'm not really acquainted with Mr. Welwood, but based solely on this excerpt I don't find anything to object to. Bypassing happens when we adopt religious or philosophical ideas as beliefs and act as though our belief in them is understanding. I'm not talking about bypassing or beliefs, I am talking about direct experience and a permanent shift in how things are and appear. -
Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
Your examples might feel similar to you - they have nothing to do with what I am talking about. -
Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
Not the same. -
Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
It depends on the depth of your practice and understanding of reality, my friend. Does this kind of information help those that don't have those things? Of course not. Could it change YOUR experience of the world under more mild conditions? Oh, absolutely. I have many students and have met many students of other teachers from various traditions that have used their practice to transform their lives and the experience of suffering of emotional and physical pain. As for extreme examples, you COULD google "monk self-immolation" and see what sort of torture a person with dedicated training can endure. It isn't a pleasant rabbit hole, I wouldn't suggest it. -
For discussion purposes, some Buddhist early traditions point to what I like to call "Non-dual 1" which refers to the insight of no-self. Later traditions point to "Non-dual 2" which is "emptiness". In my opinion "enlightenment" ALWAYS (sometimes eventually, perhaps) ends up being "Non-dual 2". "Non-dual 2" is when there is not only "no-self" in the practitioner, but ALSO when NO seeming objects/appearances in consciousness have "self" either. ALL dualities begin to dissolve on awakening, including those of time (then/now) and space (here/there). If we take "self" AND time out of the equation, what is born or dies? Whither past lives? This is where you get: Death exists in the Relative reality, but is an obvious delusion when seen from the Absolute. Both coexist, like the yin/yang. But what we truly are is "the deathless". What we truly are is the only thing that is not impermanent. It is something you are intimately familiar with, and that is always visible once your teacher introduces you to the "emptiness"/Buddha Nature/Rigpa/The Nature of Mind and you learn to return to this seeing with your practice. This simple moment of introduction, properly understood, is probably the most powerful moment of teaching any student could receive. - There are arhats all over the place. There are a number on this board, and there is often at least one even in small towns where there is dharma, though not always. I know a few in my small town of 10,000 or so, for example. They come from many traditions, and sometimes NO tradition. The way to know them is by the simple clarity of their teaching, kindness, humbleness, gentle humor and stillness of being. The method of practice is to seek stillness, and stop clinging and aversion in your life when you have been trained to recognize it. This liberates karma. Precept study is a good idea. The precepts are designed to help you focus on areas where you can stop generating karma. Include Bodhidharma's version of the precepts when you study them. Meditation where there is "emptiness" is what the world looks like without karma, AND "self". Watch and drop any clinging and aversion to your path, your practice, success or failure, or attainment. _/\_
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Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
Two versions of this: I quote the first a lot as an illustration of the power of just dropping the recursive mind and realizing that IT is actually the source of "problems". This, that we are presently peering at, is just reality. There is no problem with it. -
Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
Absolutely! In Buddhism, we are attempting to see through the delusion of the existence of a "self". When we don't identify with anger and it simply passes through us it creates no karma. When you grasp it, or try to push it away, it becomes part of your story, which is what karma IS. The arising emotion is liberated - free to be what it actually IS - a fleeting flash in consciousness. This is the difference between "practice" and "actualization". We need more actualizing! -
Whats the correct perspective on emotions? Where do emotion come from?
stirling replied to Bogge's topic in General Discussion
Emotions are like any other phenomena in the sensory universe - they appear and disappear. They are impermanent. From a Buddhist perspective, we want to learn to allow all phenomena to arise in consciousness and pass from it without attachment or aversion to it. The way to train in this is meditation initially. It is fine and quite normal to have emotions arise, but when we cling to them, or make a story about ourselves from them they cause suffering and struggle. -
The next major advancement in Christianity
stirling replied to Sanity Check's topic in Abrahamic Religions Discussion
Religions in general are most often created by mystics. A mystic has a first hand experience of the "deeper reality". They are compelled to share that experience, and people around them begin to write it down, sharing it as a story. Unfortunately mystical experience is nearly impossible to impart in language, and the new story of the experience and realizations is slightly corrupted in the retelling. People mistakenly believe that by emulating the story of the mystic, sometimes painstakingly imitating every detail, they themselves will become "enlightened" about the nature of reality. Organizations form (monastics), and rules are formulated by the (mostly) unenlightened followers - the mystical understanding is further and further diluted by those that think that the story of the experiential events are an instruction manual without understanding that: True, transformational mystical insight is NOT precipitated by practices of any kind. All of the overhead of interpretation and retelling of the mystics story should be minimized in my opinion. The emphasis should ALWAYS be on personal experience and transformation. Does the practitioner find that the practices are transformative in a way that can be qualified experientially? THAT is what matters. This is just MY opinion. -
What would be "adharmic" if the fabric of reality is entirely Brahman?