Thanks again, Pete. I feel really confident that the ice has begun to break up. I get the feeling that this is only a beginning and that I'll progressively come to revise my attitudes and behaviour and my Buddhist practice in the light of this newly illuminated vision.
Love,

Andy x

The guide says that what she means is, that you might feel you still have to take responsibility for your actions (relative truth) but actually, the reason you will carry on being ethical is all the conditions that make that happen (absolute truth). If there is no-self, no-doer, no-chooser, who is ...

Brilliant, thanks Pete - helps a lot. Will be back to you this evening.
A

Thanks very much, I'll do my best, Pete. As you know, the ethical responsibility issue was an early source of confusion for me. I'll get to grips with it as soon as I can and reply in full tonight. Can you help me understand this 'relative' 'absolute' distinction? I'm not sure exactly what she means.

Dear Pete,

Here goes:

1) Is there a separate entity, 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

No. I can’t find a Self in any of the places you’ve asked me to look. I don’t think it’s run away and hidden - therefore it was never there.

2) Explain in detail ...

Thanks very much indeed, Pete. I'll consider all this thoroughly (in a no-head kind of way!) and get back to you later today. If I haven't already made it clear, I'm extremely grateful for your time and understanding.
A x

Hi Pete,

Here at last. A day of contemplation, walking, sitting. So here goes:

With 'you' revealed as a thought story, what remains?

An undeniable physical entity that can be seen, described, touched. And a sense of being.

What experiences?

Nothing. Certainly not a me’. Experiences just ...

Dear Pete
Sorry I haven’t managed to get in touch before – I did try last night – but up here we’re rather dependent on the goodwill of others for an Internet connection.
I think this exchange will be a highly-significant one, as I’ve tried to summarise my current place in the process and to ...

Thank you for that, Pete - quite heartening. I just want to add how grateful I am to you for all this. You must have the patience of a bodhisattva to put up with all this confusion and blathering. It is hugely appreciated. x

is there anything experienced in any moment that is 'body', or is that just a label that we then attach to what has been felt, thereby bolstering up and perpetuating the self (and therefore other) illusion, and the resultant belief in, and impression of, separation?

Hi Pete

I still seem to be in ...

Does the body experience sensations and thoughts?

Is the "body" just another thought label for sensations (namely tactile & kinaesthetic)?

Morning Pete,

Sorry it’s taken me a while – I struggled a bit yesterday. It suddenly occurred to me that this was SERIOUS – not just a diverting exercise ...

Hello Pete,

[quote]Raise your right arm (or don’t). In that process of raising the right arm (or not), a decision is made, or at least something happens (or doesn’t). But can you pinpoint the actual moment of choice and find the actual entity that appears to be making that choice? In direct ...

Sorry! I don't fully understand the Posting behaviour of the site. When I looked this morning, it seemed that I hadn't posted the afterthought last night - but now it seems that I had. So you've got the same observation twice!

Morning, Pete

I also meant to say that, from looking, there seems to be a crucial qualitative difference between an action as it happens and the recollection of it.

The action is a movie, but then it instantly becomes a snapshot. One is fluid and the other fixed – although we immediately commence ...

Sorry Pete - I meant to add this. I noticed that there's a real qualitative difference between an action while you're doing it and the memory of having done it, even if it's only nano-seconds in the past. They're chalk and cheese: One's a movie, the other's a snapshot. One's fluid, the other's fixed ...