abrakamowse

@Fishy thanks Fishy. I didn't understand that part. Lol Thanks again.

I'm reading the Zen of Advaita part I and part II based on the teachings of nisargadatta Maharaj and it's blow minding. I found them online free I pdf format. I'll send u the links later.

What about No-self? I understand that Zen says there's no higher or lower self. There's really no self. Conciousness is just another phenomenon that is "perceived". But there's no perceiver.

That's so cool @cetus56 . I think I am heading to the same direction. I need a break, I can't stop reading hahahaha... good to know your experience.

Enquiry Hint: The head represents the concept of knowing or imagining knowing will help or mean something, or is something. The sense of knowing must be cut off. Zen Koan (modified) What is the essence of wisdom?

One hand seamless Without location Without no location No sense of “I”-ness Without sound The Absolute

Buddha The Diamond Sutra: “No being has ever entered Nirvana.” "Isness" is an illusion

Yes, everyone experience that. The "thing" you believe you are gets shocked, but it's not you. Just let it be, don't get attached to thoughts, they are not yours and they never were. There's a "being-ness" behind all the crazy thoughts that transcends all our imaginary problems created by believing we are an imaginary being, the false idea of a separated "self". It's a secret that's it's in the open. Every real teacher has spoken about it, but the majority (including me :-) are still trapped in the self centered idea. Nietzsche wrote about it, Jean Paul Sartre, Buddha, Jesus, Mohammad, philosophers, etc... but the world can't listen because the illusion is strong. I didn't read this book yet, but I think it has a lot of truth in it. I just read some parts, it's from an english philosopher called Wei Wu Wei http://spiritual-minds.com/easternrelgions/WuWei/Open-Secret-Wei-Wu-Wei.pdf As long as subject is centred in a phenomenal object, and thinks and speaks therefrom, subject is identified with that object and is bound. As long as such condition obtains, the identified subject can never be free—for freedom is liberation from that identification.

I like the sound of the words "Buddha Nature"... It's a shame there's no one to like it.

Just observe the pants but don't identify with the pants

@Mal @Linas @Natasha @Heart of Space Leo can't manipulate anyone, because there's no one to manipulate

Illusion is a denial of Reality... IMO

The Buddha was born under a tree. The Buddha was Enlightened under a Bodhi tree. The Buddha was grateful to the Bodhi tree that sheltered Him before His Enlightenment. It is said that He gazed at it in gratitude for seven days. The Buddha taught in the shelter of trees and groves. The Buddha passed into Parinirvana between two trees. We see that the Buddha was one with nature and saw the importance of its relationship with us all. Respect nature. We belong to nature. Nature does not belong to us. Destroy nature and we destroy ourselves, for we are nature. Buddhism is a green religion! The next time you see a tree, be it a Bodhi tree or not, gaze at it respectfully. Realise the grand possibilities that might just happen because of this tree. The grandest thing that last happened under a tree was the Buddha's attainment of Enlightenment. Imagine that.

Morality, concentration and wisdom!

No Zasa, I used to think that meditation was that. Really meditation is about "observing your thoughts" as if they weren't yours (in fact they aren't). The brain will get used to that "mechanic" and it will be easier for you not to identify with them and discard the thoughts that are not good for you, like "I am a loser" "I am not good" "I am useless" etc... all those thoughts are not you and are not truth. Observe your thoughts and try to feel reality without "labels", just watch and notice everything around you without judging or labeling "this is nice, this is bad, this is boring, etc... " no labels. Just watch reality and try to feel the sounds, colors, details that you didn't pay attention to normally, etc...

Astral projection?

I am a body

Here there's a kind of explanation, illusion is called Maya in Budhism Advaita Vedanta In Advaita Vedanta philosophy, there are two realities: Vyavaharika (empirical reality) and Paramarthika (absolute, spiritual reality). Māyā is the empirical reality that entangles consciousness. Māyā has the power to create a bondage to the empirical world, preventing the unveiling of the true, unitary Self—the Cosmic Spirit also known as Brahman. (...) (...) Māyā is not false, it only clouds the inner Self and principles that are real. True Reality includes both Vyavaharika (empirical) and Paramarthika (spiritual), the Māyā and the Brahman. The goal of spiritual enlightenment, state Advaitins, is to realize Brahman, realize the fearless, resplendent Oneness.

Everything is an illusion. Some "illusions" can be of help to see, but they are not real.

This one is crazy too... http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20141107-mind-bending-body-illusions