Gautama Siddhartha

I like that topic. I will expand on that.

Say you are out for a walk or went somewhere outside your house. So nobody is home where you live. Imagine what exists in your room or house when you are not there. When nobody is there. What is it like? What is the feeling? What is the nature of it? Then if you return to it, can you be there and experience it as it is when you are not there? That's zen. Everywhere you go, everyone you encounter, everything you encounter, experience it as it is when you are not there. In this, one is aware of more, not less. awareness has expanded. It's like a horse with blinders having them taken off. The real world is perceived and not the self-enclosed one.

One might say why be that way? Well for the peace. There is no longer any friction with what is. It 's like that often quoted thing, "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." The difference being what is the relationship we have with our own mind or our thought-judgement driven consciousness? Do we see and experience the world though it? Through the self centered view? Or has our "self" become a different thing? A thing that hold's nothing. Is empty. Is fully present, but present as openness and clarity. A person without a past or a future, who is fully present with what is and by bringing nothing, is aware of more. Is aware of now as it is whether I am there or not.

Originally Posted by Still_Waters

There is a Korean Zen master, Seung Sahn, who said: "Open your mouth and you are already wrong (mistaken)."

student "what are you thinking?"
buddha "what am i?"

[sentient]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

Say you are out for a walk or went somewhere outside your house. So nobody is home where you live. Imagine what exists in your room or house when you are not there. When nobody is there. What is it like? What is the feeling? What is the nature of it? Then if you return to it, can you be there and experience it as it is when you are not there? That's zen. Everywhere you go, everyone you encounter, everything you encounter, experience it as it is when you are not there. In this, one is aware of more, not less. awareness has expanded. It's like a horse with blinders having them taken off. The real world is perceived and not the self-enclosed one.

What is the difference between awakening to the “Self” (beyond the ‘psychological self’) and dissociation?

*

[sky]

Originally Posted by sentient

What is the difference between awakening to the “Self” (beyond the ‘psychological self’) and dissociation?

*

Dissociation is something we do not need

[sky]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

I like that topic. I will expand on that.

Say you are out for a walk

Why complicate things, just enjoy your walk

[pixiedust]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

"Experience every place you are as it would be if you were not there." that's my twist on it.

Not sure that would pass a koan test.

[sky]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky
"Experience every place you are as it would be if you were not there." that's my twist on it.


Be mindful is my twist

[Still_Waters]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

student "what are you thinking?"
buddha "what am i?"

I love that quick enlightening story !

Regarding what a person might be thinking, I once asked the Grand Zen Master of Korea (at the Gyungji, South Korea mountain monastery) if the Buddha ever lost his temper and got angry since I had did not recall any stories about the Buddha getting anger and I was still dealing with a flash temper at times.

The Zen master stared at me for a long time before finally responding: "I do not know what is in the mind of the Buddha".

I often use comparable statements when asked what others might be thinking: "I do not know what is in the mind of <so-and-so>.

It's amazing how many people jump to conclusions about what others may be thinking.

In your story, of course, the question and answer are far more profound than this memory of mine.

Originally Posted by sky123

Why complicate things, just enjoy your walk

it's not complicated at all. it's natural and effortless! the description is not the described. what is there to enjoy or not enjoy? what makes that judgement? peace and pleasure are two different things. clear and free awareness and perception and a thought centered life are two different things.

[sky]

Originally Posted by AbodhiSky

it's not complicated at all. it's natural and effortless! the description is not the described.

Then why waste energy describing