Deep thought

[Orville Shreddenbacher]

Buddhists refer to this as inter-being and Thic Nhat Han wrote extensively on the subject. the basic belief is that nothing exists independently of other things. there is no separate self and "I" it is an illusion created by the mind. Ram Dass has some related writings as well

Pretty much Aristotle's metaphysics model too . I'm a heavy believer in it

 

[OuchThatHurts]

Buddhists refer to this as inter-being and Thic Nhat Han wrote extensively on the subject. the basic belief is that nothing exists independently of other things. there is no separate self and "I" it is an illusion created by the mind. Ram Dass has some related writings as well

Yes. A universal consciousness as well. We all came from an entangled singularity. We may still have connection even with inanimate matter. Entangled particles communicate and affect one another across vast differences instantaneously. How or why we have no idea. Before major disasters random number generators (RNGs) around the globe go bonkers. Animals seem to sense it, young children sometimes, too. Reminds me that it's possible our brains are built in such a way to block the deluge of quantum information bombarding us that if we were to sense it all, it may drive us insane.

 

[Muay Thai]

I found this dude's lectures on spotify around 10 years ago! Super interesting perspectives!!! His books are not nearly as entertaining IMO but still a boss.

not sure why cia has it on there free, but they've always had it on there. here's the pdf , MPH the secret teachings of all ages will change your perspective on EVERYTHING, genius work

https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/E4/E4AAFF6DAF6863F459A8B4E52DFB9FF4_Manly.P.Hall_The.Secret.Teachings.of.All.Ages.pdf

 

[Hammer4]

not sure why cia has it on there free, but they've always had it on there. here's the pdf , MPH the secret teachings of all ages will change your perspective on EVERYTHING, genius work

https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/E4/E4AAFF6DAF6863F459A8B4E52DFB9FF4_Manly.P.Hall_The.Secret.Teachings.of.All.Ages.pdf

I'm one step ahead of you sir

 

[pickapeck]

Buddhists refer to this as inter-being and Thic Nhat Han wrote extensively on the subject. the basic belief is that nothing exists independently of other things. there is no separate self and "I" it is an illusion created by the mind. Ram Dass has some related writings as well

Fuck that. I'm a hermit. Now excuse me while I go and talk to the squirals.

 

[tjitsu]

Buddhists refer to this as inter-being and Thic Nhat Han wrote extensively on the subject. the basic belief is that nothing exists independently of other things. there is no separate self and "I" it is an illusion created by the mind. Ram Dass has some related writings as well

What you are referring to is emptiness or śūnyatā, it translates to emptiness (of independent existence). The main Sutra for this is Heart Sutra, form is emptiness and emptiness itself is form. Thick Nhat Han has done a great deal of making it easier to understand and I love the word inter-being he created. Seeing all phenomena as empty is an amazing way to live life and I meditate on it daily This is Mahayana Buddhist doctrine tho.

Here in Thailand, Theravada Buddhism talks about anattā translating to non self, most people imo wrongly take this as no self, there is a self, it’s not permanent but it’s there we just are ignorant about what I, me, mine is and that’s why we suffer.

But both should be looked with Nagarjuna’s 2 truths doctrine 1. Conventional truth ie. There is me, I have a name etc. 2. Ultimate truth There is no real “me” and I don’t have a name etc.

Sorry for rambling but this stuff saved my life and created so much success in my life!

To the thread starter study the basics of these and take Ket and holy cow your eyes will open to WHAT ACTUALLY IS REAL. Do it too often, you will start to see only Ultimate reality and become a nihilist and life will suck

 

[el hereje]

What you are referring to is emptiness or śūnyatā, it translates to emptiness (of independent existence). The main Sutra for this is Heart Sutra, form is emptiness and emptiness itself is form. Thick Nhat Han has done a great deal of making it easier to understand and I love the word inter-being he created. Seeing all phenomena as empty is an amazing way to live life and I meditate on it daily This is Mahayana Buddhist doctrine tho.

Here in Thailand, Theravada Buddhism talks about anattā translating to non self, most people imo wrongly take this as no self, there is a self, it’s not permanent but it’s there we just are ignorant about what I, me, mine is and that’s why we suffer.

But both should be looked with Nagarjuna’s 2 truths doctrine 1. Conventional truth ie. There is me, I have a name etc. 2. Ultimate truth There is no real “me” and I don’t have a name etc.

Sorry for rambling but this stuff saved my life and created so much success in my life!

To the thread starter study the basics of these and take Ket and holy cow your eyes will open to WHAT ACTUALLY IS REAL. Do it too often, you will start to see only Ultimate reality and become a nihilist and life will suck

I love the subject and thank you for the reply. I have read allot of his work, his book "the diamond that cuts through illusion" which is his commentary on the Diamond Sutra is my favorite. Most of my studies have surrounded Mahayana or Zen teachings as they appear to us westerners as more secular. I will say Buddhist studies have changed my life and perspective in profound ways I wish I had found these when I was younger.

 

[Muay Thai]

I love the subject and thank you for the reply. I have read allot of his work, his book "the diamond that cuts through illusion" which is his commentary on the Diamond Sutra is my favorite. Most of my studies have surrounded Mahayana or Zen teachings as they appear to us westerners as more secular. I will say Buddhist studies have changed my life and perspective in profound ways I wish I had found these when I was younger.

T N H has a monastery here in my city called deer park monastery he built, he lived around here for years in north county sd mountain. 40 min away you have the self-realization fellowship and meditation gardens ( built by Paramahansa Yogananda) in Encinitas

 

[tjitsu]

I love the subject and thank you for the reply. I have read allot of his work, his book "the diamond that cuts through illusion" which is his commentary on the Diamond Sutra is my favorite. Most of my studies have surrounded Mahayana or Zen teachings as they appear to us westerners as more secular. I will say Buddhist studies have changed my life and perspective in profound ways I wish I had found these when I was younger.

Your post makes me very happy, hope you understand why

I am also 100% secular in my practice, I’m agnostic on supernatural things.

In Thai Theravada forest tradition there are some amazing teachers, Ajahn Chah and he’s English student Ajahn Brahm are amazing at teaching pure dhamma. Buddhahasa bhikku is also an amazing philosopher and lays out the dhamma in a very amazing way. Even the Dalai Lama went to meet him in the forest hehe. He was a huge fan of Mahayana especially Thich Nat Ha.

Same as you I only started this journey a year ago despite being culturally Buddhist from birth

 

[OuchThatHurts]

I find in Buddhism, as in almost any other mystical philosophy or religious practice to be very healthy to the mind and body. For example, we know even scientifically that meditative prayer, repetitious prayer, meditation, controlled breathing, even yoga all have positive effects on the human body and psyche. It's a quantifiable reality. However, I find the underlying tenets of most all of them as pretty hokey. Some in fact, ridiculous. Clearly I'm hopelessly agnostic. Taoism is a good example of this. While I find Tai Chi Chuan and the physical and meditative practices valuable, I don't believe we cultivate yin or yang energies or any method of divination from the practice. Does that mean it's without merit? Of course not.

But of what worth is the "saved" Christian, or the Jew who does not reflect on the Talmud, or the heathen who lives out his days in hateful and brutal hedonism with no self-reflection or thoughtful examination whatsoever? He is good for labor and little else. Wouldn't you agree? Although, I do actually find the Bible and Apocrypha, and the Quran valuable as a source of wisdom (e.g. "Be still and know that I am God."). On the other hand, this same wisdom can be found in the Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, et al as with all human beings because it is already within us. Humans are built with the full options package. We know right from wrong.

I don't mind sharing that more than once I've felt, definitively, an overwhelming sense of interconnectedness to all things. Of which, I (and you) are a part. However anecdotal this may seem to you, in each case it was life altering which in and of itself makes it "real" (whatever that word may mean). This is why I'm outside in some remote field spending hours nightly taking astrophotos of the night sky (galaxies, nebulae, clusters, etc). I feel it's all part of me.

I'm enjoying this thread. I'm happy to see I'm not the only one searching for the answers that mathematics and scientific instruments cannot give us which is, "Why?" Why are we here? Why are we aware of our existence? However it happened, we know the universe was created in such a way that one day it would look upon itself and be aware of its own existence. How can I know this? Because I'm certain I exist. I'm certain I have a will of my own. Are the sentient things throughout the universe what gives the universe itself life? Makes it real?

Consider Schröedinger's Cat. If there were no conscious things to observe the universe, would it exist at all? Or would it just be a soup of probabilities in eternal superposition? It begs the question: Does the universe need us as much as we need it?

Olp! Oatmeal and vanilla isolate on deck. Time to get to work. We'll talk more. I wish many of you were closer so we could maybe try a few "medicinal remedies" to increase clarity and have a full on discussion on these things. Even with little chance of arriving at anything conclusive it still would be enlightening. Many of you are sharing things which I know very little about. I'm 51 and still open to any and all possibilities.

Enjoy your day everyone. Today is back, hamstrings, and calves for me. My least favorite workout of the week. Wish me luck...

 

[alfresco]

I love the subject and thank you for the reply. I have read allot of his work, his book "the diamond that cuts through illusion" which is his commentary on the Diamond Sutra is my favorite. Most of my studies have surrounded Mahayana or Zen teachings as they appear to us westerners as more secular. I will say Buddhist studies have changed my life and perspective in profound ways I wish I had found these when I was younger.

Me too.

 

[Fit2Serve]

a thread about religion on pro muscle. thats a no no......
if u think the world was created by a big bang... i dont know what to say lol.
thats like chance of a tornado going thru a scrap yard and producing a fully functioning 747 jet plane. it aint gonna happen.

 

[el hereje]

T N H has a monastery here in my city called deer park monastery he built, he lived around here for years in north county sd mountain. 40 min away you have the self-realization fellowship and meditation gardens ( built by Paramahansa Yogananda) in Encinit

Would love to visit them, I follow the work of the Plum Village monks since he passed.

 

[el hereje]

Your post makes me very happy, hope you understand why

I am also 100% secular in my practice, I’m agnostic on supernatural things.

In Thai Theravada forest tradition there are some amazing teachers, Ajahn Chah and he’s English student Ajahn Brahm are amazing at teaching pure dhamma. Buddhahasa bhikku is also an amazing philosopher and lays out the dhamma in a very amazing way. Even the Dalai Lama went to meet him in the forest hehe. He was a huge fan of Mahayana especially Thich Nat Ha.

Same as you I only started this journey a year ago despite being culturally Buddhist from birth

I follow the work of Jack Kornfield who was a student of AJ. He is a psychologist who moved to Thailand during the Vietnam war. He along with Pema Chodrun and others have inspired what is referred to as Western Buddhism or Buddhist Psychology. they refer to it as the "fourth turning of the wheel." Crazy to be talking about this here lol.

 

[thethinker48]

“There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself."~ Miyamoto Musashi

 

[Muay Thai]

I find in Buddhism, as in almost any other mystical philosophy or religious practice to be very healthy to the mind and body. For example, we know even scientifically that meditative prayer, repetitious prayer, meditation, controlled breathing, even yoga all have positive effects on the human body and psyche. It's a quantifiable reality. However, I find the underlying tenets of most all of them as pretty hokey. Some in fact, ridiculous. Clearly I'm hopelessly agnostic. Taoism is a good example of this. While I find Tai Chi Chuan and the physical and meditative practices valuable, I don't believe we cultivate yin or yang energies or any method of divination from the practice. Does that mean it's without merit? Of course not.

But of what worth is the "saved" Christian, or the Jew who does not reflect on the Talmud, or the heathen who lives out his days in hateful and brutal hedonism with no self-reflection or thoughtful examination whatsoever? He is good for labor and little else. Wouldn't you agree? Although, I do actually find the Bible and Apocrypha, and the Quran valuable as a source of wisdom (e.g. "Be still and know that I am God."). On the other hand, this same wisdom can be found in the Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, et al as with all human beings because it is already within us. Humans are built with the full options package. We know right from wrong.

I don't mind sharing that more than once I've felt, definitively, an overwhelming sense of interconnectedness to all things. Of which, I (and you) are a part. However anecdotal this may seem to you, in each case it was life altering which in and of itself makes it "real" (whatever that word may mean). This is why I'm outside in some remote field spending hours nightly taking astrophotos of the night sky (galaxies, nebulae, clusters, etc). I feel it's all part of me.

I'm enjoying this thread. I'm happy to see I'm not the only one searching for the answers that mathematics and scientific instruments cannot give us which is, "Why?" Why are we here? Why are we aware of our existence? However it happened, we know the universe was created in such a way that one day it would look upon itself and be aware of its own existence. How can I know this? Because I'm certain I exist. I'm certain I have a will of my own. Are the sentient things throughout the universe what gives the universe itself life? Makes it real?

Consider Schröedinger's Cat. If there were no conscious things to observe the universe, would it exist at all? Or would it just be a soup of probabilities in eternal superposition? It begs the question: Does the universe need us as much as we need it?

Olp! Oatmeal and vanilla isolate on deck. Time to get to work. We'll talk more. I wish many of you were closer so we could maybe try a few "medicinal remedies" to increase clarity and have a full on discussion on these things. Even with little chance of arriving at anything conclusive it still would be enlightening. Many of you are sharing things which I know very little about. I'm 51 and still open to any and all possibilities.

Enjoy your day everyone. Today is back, hamstrings, and calves for me. My least favorite workout of the week. Wish me luck...

the talmud also says Solomon summoned Asmodeus to built his temple =)

I follow the work of Jack Kornfield who was a student of AJ. He is a psychologist who moved to Thailand during the Vietnam war. He along with Pema Chodrun and others have inspired what is referred to as Western Buddhism or Buddhist Psychology. they refer to it as the "fourth turning of the wheel." Crazy to be talking about this here lol.

really? I thought watts was coined for this @ zen Buddhism/western

 

[tjitsu]

I follow the work of Jack Kornfield who was a student of AJ. He is a psychologist who moved to Thailand during the Vietnam war. He along with Pema Chodrun and others have inspired what is referred to as Western Buddhism or Buddhist Psychology. they refer to it as the "fourth turning of the wheel." Crazy to be talking about this here lol.

I like Jack, but Joseph Goldstein is my favorite American teacher and overall one of my favorites. He, Jack and Sharon run the spirit rock center as I remember, but yeah very cool to have this here on ProM heh

 

[tjitsu]

Words to live by:

"The mind is the basis for everything.
Everything is created by my mind, and is ruled by my mind." The Buddha

So learn to control your mind(be content and happy) or let your mimd control you(be a slave to outcomes and other people's words/actions).

So many great posts on this thread!

 

[alfresco]

I like Jack, but Joseph Goldstein is my favorite American teacher and overall one of my favorites. He, Jack and Sharon run the spirit rock center as I remember, but yeah very cool to have this here on ProM heh

Commonly referred to as The BuJews (no offense).

Neither one ‘run’ Spirit Rock.

Jack is a founding teacher at Spirit Rock. Sharon I don’t know of her affiliation there except she visits now and again (like Jack).
I have never had the pleasure of attending one of their sits. I keep waiting for them to come back, fingers crossed.

I retreat at Spirit Rock once a season for a week each time. (I am lucky, I could ride my bike there, Marin County.) Its a vacation for my brain. I don’t have to talk or look at anybody for a week, just meditate from 6am until 10:30pm every day (with breaks of course).

As a side, I know Will Kabat-Zinn (John Kabat-Zinn’s son) from my weekly meetings with him.

Sunday Sangha

Sunday Evening Program: In Person and On ZoomGuest Teachers:March 17: Neesha PatelMarch 24: Brett WheelerMarch 31: Brett WheelerLocation: UC Berkeley, North Gate Hall Library. Near the corner of Hearst and Euclid. Please enter through the courtyard. Sunday Evenings 7:00-9:00 PM7:00-7:30 pm PST-...

sundaysangha.net

He is responsible for many positive changes within me.

 

[el hereje]

the talmud also says Solomon summoned Asmodeus to built his temple =)

really? I thought watts was coined for this @ zen Buddhism/western

So I think Watts is generally thought of as the first to bring eastern philosophy and make it accessible to westerners. He wasn't specifically Buddhist though himself. Definitely influential no doubt about that. I am not an expert in all of this so others may have different opinions.