Dear Vivien,

However, is there any evidence in experience of causation, and evidence that the thoughts are actually affecting or making the body move?
If so describe that process to me.


No, there is no evidence in experience that the thoughts are actually affecting or making the body move. It's ...

Dear Vivien,

Ivy: "The body's movements may be affected by thoughts."

Could you take another look at this - is this what's going on?
Describe exactly how, the process by which a thought affects the body's movements.


When watch TV for a period of time, thoughts arise" There is still some ...

Dear Vivien,

“it is so easy to be drawn to the thought that "separate self exists" again”- What is it exactly that can be drawn to a thought that ‘separate self exists’?


Attention goes to a thought that "separate self exists" and the self-image especially when interact with people.

1) Is ...

Dear Vivien,

And is there anything else than experience, when a sensation is labelled ‘open eyes’?

No. There is only experience itself. Just when images are seen, thoughts interpret images very quickly, so it is easier to see that an experiencer doesn't exist when eyes close.

Is the body the ...

Dear Vivien,

“The body doesn't have power to control if it wants to experience those perceptions or not.” – Is the body the experiencER of experience? If yes, how is it known exactly?

Are there two things:
1. an experiencER (body)
2. an experiencED (the experience itself)?


There is no ...

Dear Vivien,

Using verbs (like touching or tasting) instead of nouns (like sensation or taste) can be quite misleading, because a verb (touching or tasting) requires a subject (toucher or taster) that is touching or tasting an object (like touching a cup or tasting the coffee).

But in actual ...

Dear Vivien,

Hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, touching and thoughts arising are all pure sensations, but the contents of sensations are interpreted by thoughts. And it means everything which is seen is interpreted by thoughts. I want to make sure about it, so I write down the answers with the ...

Dear Vivien,


Ivy: No, there is nothing to take thoughts seriously, so "taking thoughts seriously" doesn't happen.

Has this seen clearly, or is this rather a logical conclusion?


This has been seen clearly, but the anwswer may look logical. Originally I doubted there is no seer, hearer, thinker ...

Dear Vivien,

OK. So there is no thinker, no chooser, no decision maker, BUT there is still something that could take thoughts seriously. Is this so?
Is there ANYTHING that takes thoughts seriously?
If no, then how “taking thoughts seriously” could happen at all?


No, there is nothing to take ...

Dear Vivien,

Is there a thinker of thoughts? If yes, what is it exactly, and where it is exactly?
There is no thinker of thoughts. Thinking happens, thoughts arise and disappear without an entity doing the thinking.

Is there a chooser of thoughts? If yes, what is it exactly, and where it is ...

Dear Vivien,

By ‘abilities’ I mean ‘to be able to perform an action or do something’. In other words, can a thought do anything?
Are thoughts some kind of entities that are able to perform actions (like to know things, do things, disturb things, etc. - you can put any VERB here)?


Thoughts arise ...

Dear Vivien,

So, can thought be the knower of experience? – look very carefully.
No, thoughts and experiences are known. Thoughts are something experienced, too. Thoughts are not knower.

Is this the case?
Is knowing = thought?
No, thoughts are known and experienced. Thoughts are not knowing ...

Dear Vivien,

What ‘happens’ in the gap between two thoughts? – don’t go for theories, just look the plain, raw experience.

If thought = knowing that would mean that without the presence of a thought there cannot be a sensation. But is this true?


No matter thoughts arise or not, the sensations ...

Dear Vivien,

Vivien: So let’s see again what is actual experience.

In actual experience there is….
- seeing
- hearing
- feeling/touching
- smelling
- tasting
- noticing a thought

Is this totally clear?
Is there anything else in experience than the above list? If yes, what would be that exactly ...

Dear Vivien,

Thank you for the patience. I have read through the whole thread from the beginning and kept trying to see the answers, but I am still not sure about it. I wonder if the "knowing" is actually a "thought" which is less obvious than the primary thoughts, and I label the "thought" as ...