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


No. Where it's looked for it isn't found. It can only be found as a belief. When the belief is investigated it falls apart.

2) Explain in detail what the illusion of separate self is ...

Doubt is a sensation. – Are you sure about this?

The immediate experience of anything is sensation and thought. The doubtingness comes from the mental story. The feeling is sensation.

Is there REALLY a ‘mind’, a container of thoughts, where thinking happens?
Or is there only appearing thoughts ...

Vivien,

When the ‘I’ thought is not clearly seen only as a thought, is this REALLY a ‘problem’, or is ‘problem’ just a mental label attached to other thoughts or experiences?

A mental label. More thinking.

In the actual immediate experience what is doubt?

Sensation without qualities.

If ...

Vivien,

What is this ‘I’ that doing the thinking?

The only 'I' that is ever found appears as a thought.

How this ‘I’ does the thinking?

'I' *is* a thought, nothing more than that. It's a thought that is "believed" so to speak. When it is believed, a deeply held conviction in some kind of ...

Vivien,

What I suggest to do is to start it again with some (or many) of the exercises without any commentary from both of us, why is it not going well and things like that. I’ll also stop ‘convincing’ you that you can see this, etc. :)

So just pure exercises, pure looking – without any of us ...

Your denial is fascinating!

Sorry. Maybe my conditioning is just very heavy and deceptive.

Are you not expecting finality? REALLY?

Truly. I understand that such a thing would be the content of a thought, and may or may not arise, as any thought may or may not arise, and has no bearing on what ...

I hope that I didn't give the wrong impression. My experience was very clear, but also brief, and not recurring. I know that it's a matter of conditioning, and now it feels like it's a matter of time but, there's no sense of finality here. Not that I'm expecting there to be one, I know that would ...

Hi Vivien,

I haven't finished the thread yet, I'm still on page two at the moment. I'll have to read more and write more tomorrow.

This last week or so I've thought a lot about everything you've discussed with me about the notion of a lack of a self. It seems quite clear at times. These are just ...

Vivien,

I will do this. Please give me a bit more time.

Brian

So there is a clinging to this belief “life is suffering” because here it is a core, basic belief about ‘me and my life’, and the whole identity of ‘me’ is invested in this belief.

I understand that when it is examined the suffering ceases to be suffering. You have said that it actually isn't ...

Vivien,

This one is kind of a mess. I'm sorry if it comes out too jumbled to be useful.


No. Sensation is as it is, and as far as I can tell, has nothing to do with any kind of word or words, or thoughts, or descriptions of any kind.
Good observations.

Thank you but, I'm going on what I've ...

Vivien,

Does happiness or non-happiness can actually be found in ‘reality’?
Or happiness and non-happiness (or suffering) is nothing more than the content of thoughts?

Happiness and unhappiness don't occur at the level of direct experience. They are the content of thoughts. When you watch the ...

I wrote a lot today. So take your time…
Don’t leave any questions ‘un-pondered’.

I'd like to take an extra day and respond tomorrow.

Does the ‘I’ seem to appear only with pain and suffering or identification with the I-thought can also arise saying: “I’m happy”, “I feel good”, “I am glad that I did this or that”, “How good this meal was”.

Yes, it is as you say, "I" thoughts can arise with happiness. I only notice when it ...

Vivien,

Observe this. Is ‘contraction’ really painful?

When it's being watched, no. It's just another sensation. When it's not being observed as sensation being labeled a certain way, it sure seems painful and unpleasant.

Or painful is just a mental label put onto the felt sensation?

It is ...