Is all outer knowledge a distraction from real truth?

[Humanb]

If one was to have a dream and dream a complex world full of many many things, most of which are unknown.. it wouldn't be so strange to want to know the truth of single things inside of the dream. "What is this?" "What does that do?" "Why am i here?"

But what if one day, the dreamer realized all that is, is just a dream.
Well... The things inside the dream that were once unknown, no longer need to be known as the truth of all things is self created.

The more i delve deep into a single truth, the more i forget the whole truth, that is the universe is me and i have created the things i desire to understand.
So what better way to learn the truth, than to learn oneself.

[LadyMay]

"Is all outer knowledge a distraction from real truth?"

No, not at all, it is a little kid having fun with all their toys... they don't know they aren't real, or when they have that tea party with their dolls. And who wants to take that away from them? That is like God(or insert word of preference) watching us. Except we tend to hurt ourselves in the process but don't allow ourselves to be helped... some kids are like that too. Hard to calm down a screaming toddler.

Anyway, I like your last sentence, I definitely agree with that.

[Lucyan28]

Knowledge and Wisdom are two precious tools to get the truth ;)

Outside and Inside are just points of reference for the observer.

Distractions, well honestly I don't know, I'm still having a hard time figuring out what the illusions are. I have some problems with dreams too, I've noticed that some lucid dreams are more real than this 3d world.

[Humanb]

Originally Posted by ScarlettHayden

"Is all outer knowledge a distraction from real truth?"

No, not at all, it is a little kid having fun with all their toys... they don't know they aren't real, or when they have that tea party with their dolls. And who wants to take that away from them? That is like God(or insert word of preference) watching us. Except we tend to hurt ourselves in the process but don't allow ourselves to be helped... some kids are like that too. Hard to calm down a screaming toddler.

Anyway, I like your last sentence, I definitely agree with that.

The reason i came to such a conclusion was because 2 of my friends were talking about conspiracies and symbolism and i just thought... everything is just an illusion and its meaning is irrelevant compared with the one truth of reality, that things that exist aren't separate from the mind and all is a creation of such. Which is Buddha's teaching of emptiness. (One of my favorite topics within Buddhism.)

Originally Posted by Humanb

The reason i came to such a conclusion was because 2 of my friends were talking about conspiracies and symbolism and i just thought... everything is just an illusion and its meaning is irrelevant compared with the one truth of reality, that things that exist aren't separate from the mind and all is a creation of such. Which is Buddha's teaching of emptiness. (One of my favorite topics within Buddhism.)

What is your understanding humanb of emptyness ? It's a teaching that puzzles a lot of people.

[LadyMay]

Originally Posted by Humanb

The reason i came to such a conclusion was because 2 of my friends were talking about conspiracies and symbolism and i just thought... everything is just an illusion and its meaning is irrelevant compared with the one truth of reality, that things that exist aren't separate from the mind and all is a creation of such. Which is Buddha's teaching of emptiness. (One of my favorite topics within Buddhism.)

In a way though, the illusion is part of the truth. You can't really separate the two. We experience what we create as a reflection of what we are. What do you think?

[Tanemon]

"Is all outer knowledge a distraction from real truth?" If you accept this on the simplest, unelaborated terms then it makes living life very different. There are people who have come to this conclusion... they wind up begging for coins or food and such. Because outer knowledge (and skills) are needed for self support or to play any sort of role within society so that the dynamic web of society will be supportive of you in some more normal and comfortable way.

What are your options? to be supported within an institution for the incapable? to be given a bed and a place at the table - or put on intravenous feeding - by relatives of yours who feel sorry for you?

Or to take yourself away, out of society and just let yourself die?

[Humanb]

Originally Posted by celest

What is your understanding humanb of emptyness ? It's a teaching that puzzles a lot of people.

Emptiness is really tricky because although emptiness sounds like nothingness, it's not the same. I attend teachings at a local Buddhist temple and i have had several teachings on emptiness, although at first i thought i understood it when i received many more teachings my perception of it changed vastly.

Emptiness is the way reality really is, everything that seems to exist outside the mind actually depends on the mind to exist.. Self grasping ignorance is the cause of this confusion.

When we look for an object we see that we can't find it. like the self, if we look for our self we see that there is no self. All there is, is a collection of things that aren't the self. A head, an arm, a leg, a hand ect...
It even works for the seemingly mental self.. The emotions, like love, anger, sadness ect... these are not the self.

Emptiness is the void of all things.. But i think that the void is the eternal self that all things are. :)

One of things that makes me part ways with certain Eastern religions is their insistence that nothing on this earth is real, that all is illusion, that the self is nothing. I disagree strongly with that. I think the physical world is every bit as important as the spiritual. We're here, in this classroom called Earth, for a good reason, to learn things we probably can't learn anywhere else.

I accept the physical. I accept my responsibility towards the physical form I have been given and I understand that I have a physical form at this time for a reason. I will admit I don't always understand why or what I am supposed to be doing, but I don't just disrespect the gift of my body by denying it as nothing. My body is the vehicle by which I live in this life, on this planet, learning. It is a marvelously made vehicle and it deserves respect, not dismissal.

The "me" I am without my body is real too. I am an individual and if to cease to exist means not being one? Then you can forget it. Whatever face I have, whatever identities I have, whatever lives I may live the intrinsic "me" will always exist. Only the vehicle changes. I have no particular wish to be part of a giant spirit collective, or worse yet nothing. I can think of no worse way to spend eternity than that.

I like being here. I like being this "me" that I am right now. I like living physical lives and learning and loving and being human. Not all of it is fun. Some of it has been downright painful, but it's my experience and I own it. I would not trade that for being in a more ascended state for anything. Being true to my spiritual self also means being true to my physicality. Being present, in body, that's definitely my preference and a big part of who I am spiritually speaking, I think.

Most people long for what comes after, between, think it to be superior to this experience. I don't. I just think it's different. Both are valid experiences, but I like being here a lot and I don't wish to go, not permanently. I don't feel I'm bound to a wheel of suffering till I get it right. I'm here because I like it and I want to be here. I want to experience as many lives as I can and learn from them what I can. This planet being in the shape it is I wonder how many more lives I will get to live here. I suppose though that there are other planets, other places I can go. I don't view reincarnation as something that ever ends. Not if you don't want it to, and I don't.

Oh I dunno, but my interest in history is I think corollary to knowing where we have been being an indication toward predicting where we are going. cycles and whot not..you understand.