Hi Stacy,
Does it choose any of its directions? Is it even really a separate entity different from the water deposited in it, the rocks, the depressions in the ground etc? Is it even the same entity moment by moment, or more the product of weather conditions and water, like an ever-changing pattern?
The stream doesn't choose its directions. There are many contributing factors that choose its direction; the soil, gravity, the quantity of water, the water itself, the weather, the mountain etc.
It is not a separate entity from the rest of the conditions. There is no way to distinguish the stream as being "just the water" because it needs the soil. Neither is it "just the soil", or "just the features (rock, tree bow, cascade). I can't say that any aspect exists separate from the rest. Nor does the whole idea of a "stream" really exist separate from its parts but it is just a label for an idea. There is no part of the stream that constitutes its "essence" because the stream is an idea/thought.
It is indeed an ever-changing pattern with no constant quality that can be separated out.
1. Can you find anywhere where "Brian" autonomously intervenes into life, choosing something that is not the product of all the elements; that is not a part of the overall flow?
"Brian" has no specific quality that can be separated out as a constant that defines "Brian". "Brian" is made of many qualities and conditions such as the body, the sound of his voice, his conditioning, his behaviors/choices, body language and character, thought etc. None of these aspects can be seen as a separate "decision-maker" or entity apart from the whole process or flow. "Brian" is simply all the elements. The only thing that can maybe be found as a constant is that which is watching it all happen and has no involvement. But even that is not autonomous or separate or distinct and is part of the overall flow and conditions to create "Brian". But all of that just makes an idea, "Brian" is just a thought about all these seeming conditions and contributors.
2. Now please consider a regular decision made eg; what to wear in the morning, or what to eat for lunch, and describe to me what happens. There are environmental factors, there are colour preferences (but where did those come from - any autonomous intervention there perhaps?), practical issues (such as what is available), available time for preparation, purpose (eg; need to fill up for the day, or to look hip and cool for that person!) etc.
Today I decided to watch YouTube videos on starting an AI business. There is the remembering of a YouTube video I previously watched on the topic through thought. Then there is the use of the mouse, keyboard and computer to find that video again using the hands. There is the process of finding more information and videos on the topic using the same computer. There are the thoughts explaining my actions and what I am doing and should be doing. Before that, there were all the circumstances leading up to this decision. Getting out of bed, taking a shower, eating a pancake for breakfast, cleaning up cat messes, all the bodily sensations and interpreting them as emotions such as "inspiration". There were preferences for what videos to watch based on conditioning and thought processes. Was there a "decider" among all these processes? No apparent decider or distinct process that is autonomous or has authority over ALL the other factors. "I" have preferences like the motivation to make money, to want to eat, to feel important, the drive for a female mate etc. that make "me" want to watch these videos. There are environmental factors occurring, like the weather, my brother being away that might affect me in a certain way and drive me towards the decision to watch the videos. There is the fact that I had free time and no personal obligations to attend to. There are factors of purpose; wanting to live a better life, doing something "useful", the need to "build" something or impress people. There is even the way I react to the thought of watching the videos... and how that produces the response to want to do so. But it's not really "me" reacting but other conditions reacting. The "I" that is being alluded to cannot be separated out from all these processes. "I" react, "I" watch, "I" decide aren't as true as saying that reacting, watching, and deciding are happening like the water, soil, and flowing are happening for the stream. "I" doing all these things and having responsibility for countless, infinite factors seems impossible.
Where in there is an autonomous entity intervening in the flow of life? Can you find someone somewhere?
There is no autonomous entity that is deciding because there is nothing separate from all the conditions that create a decision. Even if there is an "I", it can't be responsible for all the conditions that create an outcome or process. That means there is just the process happening.
3. Can anything be found for which 'Brian' is responsible – if so responsible to what and for what?
There is no single process that is responsible for 'Brian'. If there was, that would just be another process and not a 'Brian'. 'Brian' does things according to all the conditions of life, his DNA, his thoughts etc. ad infinitum but there is no 'him' to claim it. There are just more processes, some of those might claim responsibility for the others. But it is still just a process.
Right now there is still the belief that 'Brian' is responsible for the conditions of his life such as what time he goes to bed. There is the belief that 'he' could change this. But there are infinite conditions going into bedtime tonight and the current circumstances. There isn't an autonomous entity in the processes happening. There is no evidence for that! All the evidence points to processes and conditions happening and they all fall under direct experiencing; thought, sound, color/image, taste, smell, sensation in terms of how they appear.
The only thing that it seems 'Brian' could be responsible for is experiencing. But even experiencing is another process! Wow! How can 'someone' be responsible for 'receiving experience' anyway? It's all just processes/streams. Hi Stacy,
Does it choose any of its directions? Is it even really a separate entity different from the water deposited in it, the rocks, the depressions in the ground etc? Is it even the same entity moment by moment, or more the product of weather conditions and water, like an ever-changing pattern?
The stream doesn't choose its directions. There are many contributing factors that choose its direction; the soil, gravity, the quantity of water, the water itself, the weather, the mountain etc.
It is not a separate entity from the rest of the conditions. There is no way to distinguish the stream as being "just the water" because it needs the soil. Neither is it "just the soil", or "just the features (rock, tree bow, cascade). I can't say that any aspect exists separate from the rest. Nor does the whole idea of a "stream" really exist separate from its parts but it is just a label for an idea. There is no part of the stream that constitutes its "essence" because the stream is an idea/thought.
It is indeed an ever-changing pattern with no constant quality that can be separated out.
1. Can you find anywhere where "Brian" autonomously intervenes into life, choosing something that is not the product of all the elements; that is not a part of the overall flow?
"Brian" has no specific quality that can be separated out as a constant that defines "Brian". "Brian" is made of many qualities and conditions such as the body, the sound of his voice, his conditioning, his behaviors/choices, body language and character, thought etc. None of these aspects can be seen as a separate "decision-maker" or entity apart from the whole process or flow. "Brian" is simply all the elements. The only thing that can maybe be found as a constant is that which is watching it all happen and has no involvement. But even that is not autonomous or separate or distinct and is part of the overall flow and conditions to create "Brian". But all of that just makes an idea, "Brian" is just a thought about all these seeming conditions and contributors.
2. Now please consider a regular decision made eg; what to wear in the morning, or what to eat for lunch, and describe to me what happens. There are environmental factors, there are colour preferences (but where did those come from - any autonomous intervention there perhaps?), practical issues (such as what is available), available time for preparation, purpose (eg; need to fill up for the day, or to look hip and cool for that person!) etc.
Today I decided to watch YouTube videos on starting an AI business. There is the remembering of a YouTube video I previously watched on the topic through thought. Then there is the use of the mouse, keyboard and computer to find that video again using the hands. There is the process of finding more information and videos on the topic using the same computer. There are the thoughts explaining my actions and what I am doing and should be doing. Before that, there were all the circumstances leading up to this decision. Getting out of bed, taking a shower, eating a pancake for breakfast, cleaning up cat messes, all the bodily sensations and interpreting them as emotions such as "inspiration". There were preferences for what videos to watch based on conditioning and thought processes. Was there a "decider" among all these processes? No apparent decider or distinct process that is autonomous or has authority over ALL the other factors. "I" have preferences like the motivation to make money, to want to eat, to feel important, the drive for a female mate etc. There are environmental factors occurring, like the weather, my brother being away that affect me in a certain way and drive me towards the decision to watch the videos. There is the fact that I had free time and no personal obligations to attend to. There are factors of purpose; wanting to live a better life, doing something "useful", the need to "build" something or impress people. There is even the way I react to the thought of watching the videos... and how that produces the response to want to do so. But it's not really "me" reacting but other conditions reacting. The "I" that is being alluded to cannot be separated out from all these processes. "I" react, "I" watch, "I" decide aren't as true as saying that reacting, watching, and deciding are happening like the water, soil, and flowing are happening for the stream. "I" doing all these things and having responsibility for countless, infinite factors seems impossible.
Where in there is an autonomous entity intervening in the flow of life? Can you find someone somewhere?
There is no autonomous entity that is deciding because there is nothing separate from all the conditions that create a decision. Even if there is an "I", it can't be responsible for all the conditions that create an outcome or process. That means there is just the process happening.
3. Can anything be found for which 'Brian' is responsible – if so responsible to what and for what?
There is no single process that is responsible for 'Brian'. If there was, that would just be another process and not a 'Brian'. 'Brian' does things according to all the conditions of life, his DNA, his thoughts etc. ad infinitum but there is no 'him' to claim it. There are just more processes, some of those might claim responsibility for the others. But it is still just a process.
Right now there is still the belief that 'Brian' is responsible for the conditions of his life such as what time he goes to bed. There is the belief that 'he' could change this. But there are infinite conditions going into bedtimes and the current circumstances. There isn't an autonomous entity in the processes happening. There is no evidence for that! All the evidence points to processes and conditions happening and they all fall under direct experiencing; thought, sound, color/image, taste, smell, sensation.
The only thing that it seems 'Brian' could be responsible for is experiencing. But even experiencing is another process! Wow!
The question does arise... what is watching? That still seems like the only constant. That's the only way change could be observed... from a constant!
That is all!
Kind Regards,
Brian