Hey Bennett,
The body and all physical objects exist in reality, but "self"... does not exist in reality.
I have seen this distinction made before in LU and it is still unclear to me what is meant by "reality".
Here is a great quote from Jed McKenna. It's really apt here;
Whatever you look at, whatever you think about, whatever you put your focus on, will begin to shimmer and waver out of existence. Whatever you try to grab will provide no resistance. Everything in the dreamstate can be undermined and dismantled simply through clear-seeing. You’re not rendering the world transparent, it already is, you’re just learning to see.
-Jedvaita: The Way the World Unfolds (2025)
As soon as we start to investigate anything, it becomes apparent that it is constructed with many smaller parts. ..and if we pick any of those parts to look closer at, it becomes apparent that it too is made up of smaller parts. It doesn't stop.
Everything that we notice is dependent on perspective.
https://lightnightgreekfire.files.wordp ... adows.jpeg
Some words are really corrupted. That is they mean different things to different people. God, Enlightenment, Truth, reality are some of these. Best to avoid them.
i prefer the word actual. There is implied interaction with what is actual.
If all the universe is the projection of mind, if all so-called objects are temporary and thus not Real, than why use one unreal thing to prove the non existence of another non-real thing? I have looked at this many times and it continues to befuddle. Can you shed some light here?
Hmm. Ok. Sit down. We need to have a serious talk here. (grin)
The universe isn't purely mind projection. There is something out there. We call it the world, but that is just a word to cover everything. We don't know what it actually is. We do know that it appears different for each species. That it appears different for each of us humans too. Why is that? (rhetorical question) Because we each have unique filters, developed by our unique experiences and unique DNA that we use to interpret any new experiencing.
So while we are at it... mind, real, prove, non-existence, thing, universe, etc. These are all concepts that are useful, but dont' actually exist with any inherent independence. They are not things. They are ideas.
We are not about proving anything here. It doesn't tale proof to see the fallacy of mistaking a concept as something actual.
Life is simplified incredibly when you're not wasting huge amounts of energy living out ridiculous story lines. You are liberated from all of that.
Of course it does take a while to change the habits that are the result of a lifetime of conditioning.
Any vacation assignments you can recommend?
Just laugh each time that you catch yourself living out a storyline.
If this were taking place in a night time dream ( as different from this daytime dream) and I were typing,,,would I be actually typing?
Yes you would, although it couldn't be found in any other dream.
What is actually happening right now? Am I actually typing on a key board, or do I just imagine that I am.
Of course you are. Although typing is a concept and what you are actually doing is way more complex if we examine it in detail.
Along with your fingers moving and squiggles appearing on a screen, there is many imaginings happening about the typing. This is where the projecting happens.
There are appearances, experiences, thoughts, feelings, perceptions that come and go. Even the sense of 'me' comes and goes. Its only around when thought is present. In deep sleep there is existence, as there always is (duh!) but there is no 'me'. When "I" am fully engaged in an activity there is just the activity...no me, no I...unless thought shows up (how?) and takes ownership of that particular movement. This typing, this life, these thoughts, feelings, experiences, just rise and fall. And even all this is "just a story"
Yes, yes, yes. It's all story. ..and responding to that story.
Dont quite see this...the story of what thoughts are about must be experienced...or we couldnt be discussing them right now.
The key word here is experience. If i say the words "pink elephant", do you experience the letters that make up the words or do you experience an image of a funny colored pachyderm?
Of course there will be other stories (and responses to them) attached to this image too.
What is your experience of this (from previous post)
Of course the contents of the thought is experienced. ..but it isn't. Each time we approach the content of the thought, a story intervenes. So the first time we approached the direct experience, we find ourselves responding to something. To a story, but that story was prompted by another story. ..and that story by one beneath the previous story.
So what is real and what isnt? All of it and none of it? Do I get this or not get it? In a relative sense yes or no, but in an absolute sense there is nothing to get or not get, nor anyone to get it..or not.
Ha.. forget this stuff. It's philosophy. Questions without answers. If you can't relate it back to your experience, forget it. It belongs in the mystery bag.
with love
vince
