seeing things as they really are

[Jeremy Bong]

Originally Posted by sky123

In Buddhism you are encouraged to see things as you experience them, not from Buddha's teachings but your own perspective

The ' Kalama Sutta ' might help you understand...

How can you engage to experience your encounter but not in delusion? Since it's experience that tell the truth according to Buddha's teaching and I've Buddha's Chinese scripture words inside my whole body then how you tell me it's an delusion? Why my experience is a delusion or illusion? Is it because you or others never experienced it then a delusion or illusion is formed in you but not me? That's because you or others can't experience it then the delusion or illusion is developed? This is a very serious question about universal truth.

And I've Jesus's cross on my back to prevent any attachments from darkness beings or demons then why it's a delusion that I've experienced as described by you, neil and Ab Orgine.

[sky]

Originally Posted by FallingLeaves

is that a view to be stuck in?

I find my views change with situations but everyone is different...

[Jeremy Bong]

Now I understand the situation on outlook or thinking of a person or of people. For example, a person who knows metaphysics and a person who only following texts which haven't mentioned about the secret of metaphysics then their differences between them should be great, innit? Or maybe the level of metaphysics that mentioned in the texts are different then their outlooks should be in great different for "different experiences".

[froebellian]

To see things as they are is a human concept as far as I am concerned, but one many choose not to simply because it's not always fun or pretty or positive.

I don't think you need faith either although it helps. Honesty is what you need as many who i meet or interact with who cling to faith often are deluded or have a skewed vision.

I don't meditate yet I see things as they are. You don't need a checklist, but clarity and honesty and the realization that there are bad things you will have to accept that are dressed up. People may call you a troll, negative or bitter, but if it's the reality then they are the ones unable to see things as they are.

Originally Posted by sky123

In Buddhism you are encouraged to see things as you experience them, not from Buddha's teachings but your own perspective

The ' Kalama Sutta ' might help you understand...

And you need to read your own words. When you can read your own words, 'experience' your own experience, see 'through' your own perspective, perhaps then you will understand.

Reality is not a delusion - but our experience of it is.

[markings]

Originally Posted by Kioma

"Seeing things as they really are" is a misnomer. In Buddhism the goal is to see things in a Buddhist context - from a Buddhist perspective.

Without context there can be no understanding, and context demands perspective - and perspectives differ.

We all look at things as they 'really' are - the only difference is what we see.

"Seeing things as they really are" is seeing things before any context. It is the raw, uninterpreted perception of phenomena - BEFORE interpretation and contextualizing begins.
If we can perceive that then we are free to add whatever context seems appropriate at the time but we will also know that it is added by us and not inherent in the phenomena.

Originally Posted by markings

"Seeing things as they really are" is seeing things before any context. It is the raw, uninterpreted perception of phenomena - BEFORE interpretation and contextualizing begins.

Even so, the world looks radically different to a honey bee or a sea urchin, for example.

"Seeing things as they really are" begins with the realization that even our most fundamental perceptions are not 'real', not really. Our perceptions, as humans, begins with perception in the 'human' context - but again we see how we take what we percieve for granted as 'real'. It isn't.

Originally Posted by markings

If we can perceive that then we are free to add whatever context seems appropriate at the time but we will also know that it is added by us and not inherent in the phenomena.

Interpreting perception is a whole other level of cognition, worthy of discussion at great length in it's own right.

[CrystalSong]

Originally Posted by happy soul

In Buddhism, one of the goals is to see things (including yourself) as they really are. The following are some ideas that can help us to do that. I'm posting this not just to help you all, but because it's what I need to learn.

1. First we need to deeply realize that we DON'T see things as they are. Everybody has their own 'story', their own VERSION of everything, and probably no one sees themselves or anyone exactly as they are.

Just some thoughts from another frequency level:
With only 5 senses and the third eye not activated we see - no matter our human interpretation/perspective, only the thinnest slice of reality, and that entirely colored by human perspective. The reality existing in the same space as our human bodies and mind is beyond extraordinary, beyond stunning, beyond understanding, and labeling and categorizing by the human brain, it is through our eternal aspect or Higher Self that we can begin to see more of the Wonder and Mysteries of the Universe.


2. I think it's important to understand that people usually see what they WANT to see. We typically see things in ways that make us feel SECURE - SAFE. Another form of perceptual manipulation is seeing what makes you feel SPECIAL. Our view of things is, for the most part, a massive DEFENSE - a way of protecting ourselves. We avoid seeing the real truth out of fear.

A some levels of consciousness this is entirely true, at other levels however it is just human mental explanation, justification, meaning-making by the thinking mind and Not the Heart is still running the show. When the heart begins to experience the world it see's only loving spirits who have forgotten what they are and have fallen for a belief that the costume (meat suit) and how it perceives through it's limited 5 senses is the reality. At this level of understanding it is understood that fear is a non-reality, a human invention stemming from a base need for biological preservation - however in the Greater Reality there is only Love animating and creating the Universe.

3. It's absolutely essential, if we want healing and growth, to become WILLING to see the truth. We must love and value ourselves enough to be willing to be HONEST with ourselves. With sufficient willingness and self-honesty, we can allow the truth to reveal itself - we can allow our beliefs and perceptions to be healed.

Another way to say it is that one has merely forgotten what they are and with connecting deep within to one's eternal aspect and the Divine Source there is nothing to be healed because nothing was broken - it was merely forgotten in the pervasive dream of being a human. Nothing needs healed when one discovers they mistook the stage, the actors and the costumes as reality. Once that discovery is made, that one is Love and always has been Love, then one need only adjust their perspective to the now expanded reality and life beyond the stage. Nothing needs healed or forgiven.

4. We need to have faith. Faith allows us to feel secure. We must trust that 'all is well'. With the deep sense of security that faith affords, we can have the courage to look upon things as they are.

Indeed. Faith is a springboard into higher states of realization. Not an end point, but a very powerful step indeed.

5. Finally, meditation is one way to see things increasingly clearly. In Buddhism, they call it 'polishing the mirror'. It's a way of LETTING GO of ILLUSIONS and allowing the mind to recognize truth.

Meditation is indeed useful for calming, centering and bringing peace to the human aspect. However it can become an end state if there is not evolution beyond that, which often happens in Buddhism. When one see's Beyond the mirror there are entire worlds within, Higher Truths, great esoterical knowledge and access to the Higher Realms and the denizens there of, there is access to one's soul Path and why one chose to come into human form this time. One is freed from Space and Time and quantumly merged into ALL That IS.
All that can be Asked - can be Answered. Meditation is a Gateway to Higher Knowledge and Higher States of Consciousness, not just a way for the ego to see, soothe and control itself. That is just the beginning.....there is so much more that can be gained from this useful tool. :)

[happy soul]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts everyone.

CrystalSong, nice commentary, I enjoyed reading it. Another thing is that there's the relative and the absolute. I think both need to be seen clearly. Lack of love and fear are illusions. That's the absolute. If someone is unkind, we should know that there wasn't a real attack (the absolute), and we would ideally see the illusion (the relative) clearly also. For example, sometimes people see an apparent attack as more unloving (in the illusion) than it actually was.

[CrystalSong]

Originally Posted by happy soul

Thanks for sharing your thoughts everyone.

CrystalSong, nice commentary, I enjoyed reading it. Another thing is that there's the relative and the absolute. I think both need to be seen clearly. Lack of love and fear are illusions. That's the absolute. If someone is unkind, we should know that there wasn't a real attack (the absolute), and we would ideally see the illusion (the relative) clearly also. For example, sometimes people see an apparent attack as more unloving (in the illusion) than it actually was.

....where's the LIKE button?