A Meme Explaining the Illusion of Self

[Consilience]

[Shaun]

You assume that something stops existing when someone is not looking at it.

[Forestluv]

11 minutes ago, Shaun said:

You assume that something stops existing when someone is not looking at it.

Yes. . . And this assumes that something continues existing when someone is not looking at it. Two sides of the same coin. . . 

The reason the above meme is helpful is because the vast majority of minds are immersed into the duality side that something continues existing when someone is not looking at it. Why point to this side of the coin? Everyone can already see this side. The problem is they are contracted and trapped into this side. . . Thus it seems more helpful to point and say "Look! The other side of the coin!"

This is super common in spiritual teachings. For example, we don't need to tell people "You were born". They already know this and are trapped within this side of the duality. The freedom comes by pointing to "You were never born". . .

[Nahm]

A thing isn’t existing while you are looking at it. 

[SoonHei]

The Buddha talks with some Brahmins.

SAMYUTTA NIKAYA.

A certain Brahmin approached the Buddha and said,
'What's up, Buddha?'

The Buddha said,
'What's up, Brahmin?'

The Brahmin asked,
'Is the one who acts the same one who experiences the result?'

The Buddha said,
'This idea that the one who acts is the same entity that experiences the result, is one side of it. It's just one of the extremes. The idea is the idea of a permanent entity.'

The Brahmin said,
'Well, then, is the one who acts different from the one who experiences the results? Is the entity destroyed?'

The Buddha said,
'That is the other extreme. I teach without veering toward either of the extreme views of eternalism (your first position) or destructionism (your second position). I teach the Dharma by the middle'

And then another Brahmin came up to the Buddha and said hello. Then this Brahmin asked a question,
'Does all exist?'

The Buddha responded,
'"All exists' is the oldest cosmology.'

The Brahmin said,
'Then, does all not exist?'

The Buddha replied,
'This is the second oldest cosmology.'

So, the Brahmin asked again,
'Then, is all a unity?'

And the Buddha said,
'This is the third oldest cosmology.'

The Brahmin asked,
'So, then, is all a plurality?'

And the Buddha said,
'Annnnd, this is the fourth oldest cosmology. But I am not caught in any of these views. I show the way without veering toward any extreme view.'

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So, from one moment to the next you are new, but there is continuation. You change. But, you are not destroyed. From moment to moment, day to day, year to year, life to life: continuation. You are not the same entity, but you are a continuum of action through three doors: thought, speech, physical action.

And, the true true is beyond views. The views put forth by cosmologists will have their merits, some may be useful in certain contexts, but no view can capture the truth. "Everything truly exists" isn't quite right. "Nothing exists" also doesn't work. "All is one" ain't really true. And, "everything is separated, a plurality" is also wrong. And, even though these views are ultimately false, they can be conventionally useful-- skillfully employing various thoughts, words, and stories to help diverse beings in unique situations is what Bodhisattvas do, but they are not caught by the views of 'being', 'nonbeing', 'unity', 'plurality', or any other view. Not being caught up in any view, they are free to employ any view that may be useful at the time and place.

[Shaun]

3 minutes ago, Serotoninluv said:

Yes. . . And this assumes that something continues existing when someone is not looking at it. Two sides of the same coin. . . 

The reason the above meme is helpful is because the vast majority of minds are immersed into the duality side that something continues existing when someone is not looking at it. Why point to this side of the coin? Everyone can already see this side. The problem is they are contracted and trapped into this side. . . Thus it seems more helpful to point and say "Look! The other side of the coin!"

This is super common in spiritual teachings. For example, we don't need to tell people "You were born". They already know this and are trapped within this side of the duality. The freedom comes by pointing to "You were never born". . .

There is another assumption made here that the people living in the duality side are "contracted and trapped" in that duality. One can see many examples of unenlightened people living some of the most fulfilling lives imaginable while doing great things for humanity at the same time.

[Forestluv]

1 hour ago, Shaun said:

There is another assumption made here that the people living in the duality side are "contracted and trapped" in that duality. One can see many examples of unenlightened people living some of the most fulfilling lives imaginable while doing great things for humanity at the same time.

I didn't intend to suggest "contracted and trapped" = "unfulfilling lives while do nothing for humanity".

Yet I can see how the term "trapped" has a negative connotation. Simply saying "contraction" is better. Someone could be contracted while living a fulfilling life and doing great things.  

Yet I would also say there is a correlation between attachment/identification to duality and personal turmoil and distress. 

[Inliytened1]

@Consilience poor Ralph ?

[Bazooka Jesus]

@Inliytened1  Yeah, that's been exactly my reaction... poor basterd. Even though I KNOW that he lives only in my imagination, I still feel genuinely sorry for that little schmuck. Heh.

[Lento]

On 20/11/2019 at 7:28 PM, Shaun said:

You assume that something stops existing when someone is not looking at it.

I wish that most people in spirituality would only assume things. Most of the spiritual people I interact with treat those assumptions as absolute truths. But so do the 'unspiritual' ordinary people with the opposite assumptions. It's a huge trap, in my opinion, and most people fall for it.

Edited November 22, 2019 by Lento

[Philipp]

@Serotoninluv

Brother you are messing with my mind, with this insights ^^ 

Edited November 22, 2019 by Philipp