tsuki

@Shadowraix You are responding to the prelude to further points that agree with what you are saying.

Seven universal mental factors What I mean by meaning roughly translates to Vedana (feelings in Mental factors) in Mahayana terms. Classification of kinds of vedana roughly translates as: Physical and mental (here: outer and inner) With respect to meaning: positive, negative, neutral With respect to senses: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind (here: vision, hearing, smell, taste, motion, being) Then, there are combinations: 18 kinds: meaning and senses 36 kinds: meaning and senses distinguished for laymen and monastics 108 kinds: the above 36 kinds distinguished for past, present and future Why would they enumerate such simple Cartesian products though?

Samadhi, Dhyana - model of enlightenment via classification of states of consciousness. Very important. Bodhipakkhiyādhammā - qualities associated with awakening Arupajhana - four final djanas, immaterial form. Buddhist cosmology - for context Visuddhimagga (Theravada), 40 meditations, Yoga sutras - for reference Buddhist psychology: Anapanasati - texts Vitarka-vicara - (Vitarka mudra) Mental factors The mind = Citta + Manas + Vijñāna Techniques: Anapanasati - breath meditation? Oohh, this is a goldmine: Pratītyasamutpāda

I am nothing, I know nothing.

@Ampresus You cannot control other people. What you can control is your reaction to their behavior. By saying that you do not want pictures of you to be taken, you just told them how to trigger you. Yes, they probably did it playfully, but still - you told them what to do. Instead of trying to change their behavior - look into why you value your privacy so much. My question is: what is privacy to you and how was it violated simply by taking a picture of you? What would also be beneficial to learn is: what is the difference between online and offline relationships? What would internet look like if you couldn't just block people? Online and offline are not separate.

Are the subconscious levels of karma perceivable? (I realize the absurdity of this question) Do they have names? Can you describe them? How do they manifest? Is there a taxonomy of karma? I'm asking in relation to this response: What are the methods of working with karma? Can awakenings clear it?

@Arhattobe Thank you very much. I hope that you don't mind another related questions? My thirst for knowledge is insatiable . What is the importance of self-reference with respect to karma? For example, there are thoughts about thoughts and emotions about emotions. How is self-reference related to self-awareness? Are there collective expressions of karma? Can corporations amass karma? Is karma equivalent to ego in your understanding? Is karma related to person's psychology, or can it also be a physical phenomenon? There are multiple questions in each point. Please treat each point as one question seen from various angles.

@Arhattobe Very informative, thank you. Another question: can you please explain what is karma? Do you know any good (preferably modern) resources on this topic?

@SOUL Sigh, still discussing the futility of discussion? Does this bring about clarity about what shadow is?

@lmfao Great insight.

Anger is just the recognition that something is wrong and that I have to do something about it. The problem is that anger has the ability to consume us beyond this basic recognition and entrance us to the point of blindness. Letting be consumed by anger creates a habit that is strengthened each time something is wrong and it becomes more and more difficult to lose its grip. Not only that, but we often hurt others, which makes them want to retaliate. That creates a cycle of anger that is not easily broken. Anything that can be done in anger, can also be done while being calm.

Let me play some word-games with you: is there anything to do when you meet an open person? Is enlightening people your goal?

@Arhattobe Please explain what enlightenment means to you.

Yes. Vulnerability is definitely an emotional quality, and I would add that it has two components: Honesty = authenticity = truthfulness, which is the lack of separation of the inner world and outward behavior Recognition of the fear that another person knows us well enough to destroy us. Relationships founded on two-way vulnerability (which is intimacy?) are very beautiful and very difficult at times. My wife still has trouble understanding that we fight because we love each other deeply. I think that the utility of the relationship should never be denied. There will inevitably be dry periods where the only visible thing is the utility of it, but it is still something to be cherished. The fact that people can love each other is absolutely insane. People are a lot of trouble to be around closely. Very beautiful. Vulnerability is a powerful practice. This is how I view my marriage. My wife was my first partner in my adult life.

I think that it simply means that you know the theory, but there's work to do. Relationship with another human being is a wonderful practice. Experiencing satori on a meditation cushion is one thing, but living it in everyday life is the end-goal. And that is the perfect place to start a relationship. Try to not be attached to non-attachment as well . Let me ask for a clarification: Is your understanding of intimacy grounded in exclusivity? Is a relationship intimate because she does things to you that she does not do with other people? Well, commitment to accepting everyone in your life, unconditionally, would be a powerful practice.

Hahaha, now isn't that the attitude that lets you enter the relationship freely? The question is: do you really feel that way in everyday life? Do you embody it? Yes. Are you willing to reflect why do you want to change that? Is changing that actually possible? In front of the monitor with me? No offence taken! Just like you reflect on yourself by asking this questions - so am I, by responding to them.

Yep. We always think that we have answers until we are proven wrong. Don't get too hung up on that and actually try to live your insight until it proves itself to make you suffer. What does it say about your relationship with your mother? If "my" reality is the same as "your" reality, then are there actually two realities, or just one? Is one and two actually a valid distinction in this case?

I'd expect them to be offended and I would point this feeling back at them by saying: You just made an ass of yourself by judging that girl to be ugly. And then, probably ask: what made you sleep with her in the first place?

Thoughts and feelings are not disjoint dimensions of experience and the fact that you can meddle with their connection is one of the most amazing observations to make. I think that you falsely attribute this change to the process of 'thinking' (inner hearing), though. The connection between thinking and feeling is not rooted in thinking, nor it is rooted in feeling. Thinking and feeling are how this connection is expressed.

Beauty is irrelevant only if you've been with beautiful women before and seen that their beauty does not improve your relationship. Do not skip stages of development based on ideology/hearsay. Your current relationship proved you wrong. Don't dismiss this experience. Do not scapegoat the ego. You suffer because of it, but instead of disowning it - learn from your mistakes.

@Wyze I think that your discussion with @Haumea2018 was very yellow. Especially the part about impartially exploring the excesses of each stage. I'm reluctant to peg myself as any stage, but my response to the orange friend would be different: What does it say about you to sleep with a 2/10?

I think that the most important advice that I can give you is: stop assigning blame (and praise). Every good and bad situation with this woman you've been through is a combination of your and her presence. It does not matter who is the victim and who is the perpetrator. These two are the two faces of the same coin: ignorance. To illustrate my point, let me ask a rhetorical question: is she undeveloped, or are you full of yourself? Her 'being udeveloped' is a part of your self-image of a self-actualizing person. Is it really helpful to say that she should get on your level? I don't think so. Instead, I'd take this opportunity to work on making myself a more well-rounded person that can talk to 'normies' despite bettering myself. You do not want to build a crystal tower with your self-development. By commitment to making it healthy. You cannot change the other person.

@Anton Rogachevski In the OP, you described how belief is transferred, not wisdom. Wisdom is the ability to live a good life. It cannot be taught by a teacher. The only way to become wise is to mindfully suffer and recognize its roots. Sometimes, a presence of a wise person may inspire another to introspect by various tricks (upaya), but that does not mean that the student was taught. EDIT: What I wrote is just hilarious given my signature .

Not necessarily. When it comes to judging other people with regards to their spiral dynamics stage, what I find the most useful is this framework: If you think that the other person is just alien to you, their logic is downright offensive and they seem like they can't even think properly - this means that they can be higher on the spiral, or integrate something that you have as a shadow. If you have been like the other person in the past, you have followed their values and you transcended them to arrive here, then that means that they can be lower on the spiral. The person (1) has to be in a certain sense respectable by external circumstances, like -have a 'good life' otherwise. It does not mean that you should treat every lunatic on the street as coral. It is always beneficial, however, to listen to that person and try to squeeze your frame of mind into their perspective to gain some intellectual flexibility. Even if you do not agree with them (yet). The person (2) is never thought of as just stupid, or a moron. There is always a kind of sentiment to that kind of thinking and understanding of these people is compassionate. It's more like observing a child that has to learn their lessons and not an enemy to be conquered. It is also usually obvious, that the person cannot be talked out of their naivety by presenting arguments. From my point of view, the only valid reason to criticize somebody is to lay down your objections to their perspective in order to understand why you resist them. You can't change other people by talking them out of their nonsense. They have to experience their nonsense first-hand and suffer through it mindfully. Instead of changing them, you should focus on your own suffering and transcend it.

@The Don Start to take notes on what you are reading. Then, read your notes and write your insights about them. Rinse and repeat. Also, everything is difficult when you don't know how to do it. Once you know how to do it, it's easy. How do you breathe?