David Hammond

I feel you're coming from a place of resentment. So in this context yes it's sad, sad because you could be actually seeing what I'm seeing. However, at the moment you think that my way of speaking about the condition of the human mind = what I ACTUALLY see.

@dimitri Meditation has changed my life. Yes compassion and acceptance aren't really issues anymore, only egos have to do such things. I'm at the point where I just don't do anything that causes bad karma for myself because I have no need to forgive people or change them in any way.

@Jack Walter Leon It depends on the context. If Leo calls a person a name to defend his position then it can be said that he is speaking from ego. You can say things about others from a place of ego or from a place of genuine freedom. An enlightened person is not wrong when he calls the majority of people "crazy" because in a way they are. It's when we start using insults because we want or expect something from another, then we are coming from ego. Do I think Leo is genuinely enlightened? It's hard to tell to be honest. One thing I know is his teaching is not conventional or classic enlightenment. So by that standard I would he is delusional because he talks about degrees of enlightenment and has fantasy models like Zen devilry. There is no teaching in existence that talks about these things..

@Aakash See you in a few days.

@dimitri Its recommended that you start a daily practice after a 9 day retreat. In 6 month a time maybe you can go for a solo retreat for a month? They should accommodate you with that at any vipassana center worldwide. But you must show evidence of experience and a daily practice. They all know each other in Buddhism, so your teacher can give you a reference. Sometimes it's best to just stick with one centre. I used to go on every holiday. I even spent Christmas and New year in a retreat centre.

More correctly, you and your perspective are the joke. That is the ego. Spiritual or not, every time someone makes you cringe, check your spiritual ego and let it go. Rebirth is happening every moment, kill the Buddah

@Aakash Every insult to your ego is a gift. Cherish it @Preetom

@mandyjw I already barfed when I saw your face

@AlphaAbundance Life purpose has nothing to do with spirituality. Life purpose is a future ideal. When you awaken you discover your real life purpose is not planned, but in the moment without thought.

These things are all in your mind. They do exist but as part of cultural conditioning. Question it all. Unless you can get a sense of your own inner peace you won't be able to break free of these things. Enlightenment work

@Roch Work on your self esteem. Nothing anybody says will be effective at the moment .

Life is not here to make us happy or fulfilled. It is here to make us enlightened. That's why bad things happen in life. Everything that happens is for our own enlightenment.

I agree. What I see is a ton of spiritual "culture" conditioning. Spiritual egos. I read one post yesterday talking about "getting the understanding of non duality" and I was like, wtf? The mind will never understand non duality.

@theking00 Well stop then. Stop doing the things that make you suffer. Notice when you're offended, let it go. Notice when you're attracted, let it go. Just be, and enjoy being.

@Anton_Pierre Well yes, the less you care about pleasing others the bigger your smile gets anyway.

✌??

@noselfnofun Yes you can be definitely happy as an ego, but it's a task to keep up. Enlightenment is easy, you don't have to do anything anymore or worry anymore about anything, because you basically don't care anymore about happiness or unhappiness. Enlightenment is about freedom and wisdom rather than identity and seeking happiness in duality.

@SoonHei Tony Parsons is a good teacher. You have to be ready for his pointers though, on the edge of a breakthrough. He will get you there. Newbies are advised to tread a path.

@Aakash You got to do what's right for you. If you get the calling for enlightenment in the future then pick up where you left off. Keep a toe in the water, meditate at least, and work out a life purpose, because without it your emotions are going to run the show. I had a life purpose and that kept me anchored when I felt like giving into my immediate feelings when things got tough. Life is difficult for an ego driven person, so a purpose is mandatory

@Aakash Working can make you happy. But it's an external situational and conditional sense of happiness. There are millions of pleasures to be had in life, and I think they should be explored until you are done with them. Enlightenment is a different thing. It's not even happiness, it's just peace (You can be unhappy and be enlightened). Joy is a closer word. Pleasures van still be pursued, but they are little things to be enjoyed for what they are and let go of when they pass. There is no suffering when they go.

Hmmmm wanting to know enlightenment so badly. I don't know about anyone else but the more enlightened you get the more DIS passionate you get. You sound like you have passions for this. That is maybe because you haven't worked out some worldly desire yet. Most of the people who go beyond their conditioning were at least in their mid thirties. The Buddah and Christ are obvious examples, but most schools say you need to have done it all before you can go for enlightenment.

@Aakash Ok. So you're being logically consistent with your values. Very nice. Still wouldn't let enlightenment work go though. You should still meditate at least, an hour per day. It's good for the health

Yeah. You have to pretend with people. Most of the time I spend alone in silence. I have no interest in becoming rich, powerful, or influential. I'm just an average Joe. So average I don't even chose my clothes to suit my identity anymore. I see people all around me spending hours shopping to create a style and I just go in, try on a pair of pants to see if they fit and leave. If takes me 10 minutes. My life is so grounded to the present moment that I hardly think or need anything.

@Aakash I thought so. Maybe there is some cultural baggage you haven't gotten round to questioning yet? How did I know you are Indian? Because of your ideas about your parents.

@Aakash I'm guessing you're Indian or Bangladeshi? Close?