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Originally Posted by cryoldman
But how (as someone here already pointed out)? How can we be without selves?
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Here's a few simple examples that may kind of show how I think of it.
Someone walks up to person A and B and says your shirt looks terrible.
Person A gets mad.
Person B has no reaction at all. Does not care or have any interest in compliments or criticism.
Person A and person B become conscious of a bad memory from their past.
Person A gets angry about how they were treated years ago.
Person B pays no attention to the thought and it quickly is gone without making even a ripple...
Person A and B are driving and someone suddenly changes lanes in front of them not looking and they have to slam on their brakes.
Person A goes into rage and holds their horn on.
Person B slows down without any emotional reaction.
Person A wants to be spiritual and joins a religion and does various practices.
Person B seeks subline peace within and without and so adds no conflict by seeking something other than what is. They are fully present and aware but not as "someone." Others of course see them as someone. But they see themselves as the same as everyone. A conscious awareness that may or may not be projecting an individual self or person.
I think we are always here. So no self goes away or anything. It's a matter of what that self is. I think the question is I am here as what? We are always bombarded with content externally and internally. Then the internal has opinions on the external. The external provides opinions for the internal. It's both feeding both. A running commentary on "ourselves" and other stuff in our heads all day long. We both listen to this commentary identifying with it internally as "ourselves" and we project it outwardly to others and the world.
Can we be completely silent within all of this internal and external noise? Not focus our attention on any idea or belief or thought? Just be without a "person" or "self." Nothing we feel needs to be done or isn't done. I think in this state we are more ourselves, not less. It takes a lot of awareness to not get out attention captured by thought like being pulled into a fast moving river.
As Rumi the mystic said:
I do less and less everyday.
Until I do nothing at all.
Then nothing is left undone.
Bodhidharma-Third practice, Seeking Nothing.
“People of this world are deluded. They’re always longing for something-always, in a word, seeking. But the wise wake up. They choose reason over custom. They fix their minds on the sublime and let their bodies change with the seasons. All phenomena are empty. They contain nothing worth desiring. Calamity forever alternates with Prosperity! To dwell in the three realms is to dwell in a burning house. To have a body is to suffer. Does anyone with a body know complete peace? Those who understand this detach themselves from all that exists and stop imagining or seeking anything. The sutras say, “To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss.” When you seek nothing, you’re on the Path.”
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