Preetom

Leo's ''Advanced Tips for Self Inquiry'' is there ------> https://youtu.be/Y23xkd2kqlo But here I'm summarizing 5 principles from Vedanta that must be followed if you don't want to derail your self inquiry. This is Not a guide of possibilities, but of certainty. If you've decided to go for the Truth through playing the game called Jnana Yoga/Self Inquiry, then you better play by the rules! 1) The Principle of The Self/Brahman/Absolute: The whole game is founded on this premise. There is an Absolute Reality. It is absolutely independent of all time, space, causality, objects. This statement also means that no particular time, space, cause or object can exclusively possess this Brahman. This Brahman is the ONLY Reality there is. And You are it! 2) The Principle of Causeless Ignorance (Also known as the 'Illusion' of Ignorance): THEN WHY THE HELL DON'T I FEEL MYSELF TO BE THIS BRAHMAN? Ans: Because of Ignorance (through oversight/ignoring) WHEN DID THIS FUCKING IGNORANCE BEGIN? Ans: Ignorance is always causeless/timeless. Lets say you don't know German. So how old is your ignorance of German Language? It has been there for eternity...Until you finally know German. So the Truth that you are Brahman is veiled by a false knowledge which is identification with things that is NOT Brahman. That means, exclusive identification with particular time, space, objects etc. 3) The Principle of The Absolute vs The Relative: You can never interchange or superimpose the implications and perspectives of one on the other. It's a big NO NO. That means you can't superimpose the limitations of the Relative (body, mind etc) on the Absolute. Similarly, you can't superimpose the qualities of Brahman on a particular relative object exclusively. 4) The Principle of Correct Knowledge Vs Ignorance Driven Actions: This is worth contemplating until it drills deep down. This principle says that this Absolute cannot ever be realized through any amount or any particular type of action. Either the correct knowledge is there or not. The 1st trap in all of Spirituality is mistaking the mirage to be the Absolute Reality. Once that 'drop' of false assumption happens, an infinite spiral of delusion follows from there. So if at first, the mirage called body, mind, world are taken to be REAL; then the whole project becomes about 'improving' that mirage. Thus an infinite number of mantra, yantra, tantra, karma, dharma etc follows. A classic example of Vedanta is used here to further explain this principle. Lets say you go in a semi dark room and you mistake a rope lying on the floor as a snake. The moment you make that false assumption, you might start an infinite chain of actions from that point like jumping in fear, running away to inform others and bring reinforcements, frantically searching for a stick or weapon, losing sense and dropping on the floor etc and etc; but notice that none of that action will actually correct your false knowledge of seeing a snake in a rope. So any action made after that 'drop' of false assumption, is considered ignorance driven action and none of that will give the Correct Knowledge. 5) The Principle of Letting of the Map: Knowing this, let's say you engage in Jnana Yoga (Self inquiry, Contemplating on the 3 states, Seer-seen distinction, Eliminating the 5 sheaths, Deconstruction etc whatever method you choose) and finally attain that Correct Knowledge. You are back to Principle 1. Now you know you are Brahman. Ultimately, at this point, even identification with all the scriptures, methods, disciplines etc need to be relinquished. It's like using your map to go to a place and then throwing away the map. All the concepts of Vedanta you used need to be given up. Your solace is in the Brahman, not in the methods, scriptures and hearsay. You know that your method did not 'produce' Brahman. It was the only thing all along. Just like switching up the light and correcting the false knowledge of seeing a snake in a rope, you know that neither the switch nor the light produced the rope; it was there all along and there was never a thing called a snake. You throw away all maps. Only the correct Knowledge prevails. Notice that this is why it is called the illusion of Ignorance; not something that actually is. Pro Tip for Self Inquiry (A Bonus): During self inquiry, you are looking for pure Consciousness. Vedanta gives a straight forward definition of this. Anything that is seen or known is not it. Anything perceivable or conceivable is not it. So remember this principle. It'll save you from a lot of circle jerk and mingling with what is known. Your search is not in the realm of 'known' but that which knows. Another key which Leo mentioned, It's all right here. You don't have to go somewhere else or 'figure it out'. Hope these principles help you in someway. It's crucial if you're serious about Enlightenment work. Learn to play by the Rules!! Note: All of it was summarized from an amazing lecture of Ira Schepetin ----> https://youtu.be/hQ9G8BZ8bfc

@Rilles You're welcome @Flammable Thanks! I love that signature of yours hehe

@Robert The shared content was the video, not the title. The topic was about seeing the mechanism of why questions, not running after 1000 whys

Sharing 2 quotes of the Buddha. Great insight into how self-inquiry progresses "In reference to the seen, there will be only the seen. In reference to the heard, only the heard. In reference to the sensed, only the sensed. In reference to the cognized, only the cognized. That is how your should train yourself. When for you there will be only the seen in reference to the seen, only the heard in reference to the heard, only the sensed in reference to the sensed, only the cognized in reference to the cognized, then there is no you in terms of that. When there is no you in terms of that, there is no you there. When there is no you there, you are neither here nor yonder nor between the two. This, just this, is the end of suffering." - The Buddha ''The very idea of existence implies a dwelling place, therefore its clinging. Both 'is' and 'is not' are a dualism that has no room in true mind (subtle consciousness, the mind without beginning) " - The Buddha

Reminds me of the saying that it's not what you don't know that gives you trouble but the things you are so sure of and take as obvious that come back to bite your ass

@Robert The point is not to disregard them but to actually see their limitations. Any position taken without honest inquiry would be another stupid belief

Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream, Merrily, merrily, merrily Life is but a dream

Worth contemplating over and over again. Thank you!

Good! The inquiry must go on until complete satisfaction is reached

You're welcome

So what does that 'specific way' have to do with you? Would you deeply consider a random dream you saw 2 years ago as an inseparable part of your search for the Truth?

Fair enough. Would you cease to exist if that 'specific way' ceases to exist? How old is that 'specific way'? Was it there in your vision 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago?

That means somewhere in your imagination, there is still something that you are expecting your search to yield. Can you locate that? Are you really doing an honest inquiry or are you just looking for a verification of something you've already made up beforehand but can't seem to land on it properly somehow..

@ajasatya Thanks for taking the time to elaborate further. I probably won't see mathematics the same ever again haha.. That outside/inside dichotomy was interesting. So there really is no actual distinction about where to set the boundary ultimately. @non_nothing Nice contemplations. Most times, I run out of juice quickly when using symbols like 1,2,3,ab,c etc for contemplation. Soon the question arises, on what foundation are these symbols based upon? Why am I automatically restricting myself with these symbols? After all, a symbol can be everything BUT the thing it represents. Then I see that what is Not a symbol? At this point, thoughts exhaust itself and a conceptless knowing prevails. Being aware of being aware.

Would you accept whatever honestly comes out at the end of your search? Lets say, if it turns out that you're a bird after all the search, would you be open to accept it? Or would you hang onto something else and deny the honest inquiry? I mean, do you have a prefabricated notion of what you must or might be?

This is what I was asking in the first place! What is this 'thing' you're trying to know? What is this 'change' you're trying to get? Be very specific. You're putting so much effort and preparation to embark on a search for something. Don't you think that you at least need to be clear about what you're searching for?

Don't you 'know' that you don't know? Don't you always 'know'? @Shin Would you be able to accept it completely if the grand finale of your Realization happens while you're taking a dump?

@Shin Honestly answer this question 1) What are you exactly expecting? Try to define that grand event or signal after which you'd consider that your search is 'done'? What is your definition of being 'done'? PS: just like you dropped your false identity of master Yoda, cosmic Cat etc, similarly drop your false identity of Piccolo What are you without your memes and humor?

@ajasatya So the means justify the end and the end justify the means, and neither makes any sense outside the system they are in?

@Faceless Beautiful! Good to see you back. In the beginning, you mentioned that the self/ego resists the change of the environment which is inherently impermanent. Would you say that this very process of resisting the change of environment is also part of the totality of Environment? It means that the whole dilemma starts the moment when a fictitious identity called self/ego is formed around the process of resisting environment; an attempt to separate itself from the environment without realizing that what it(self/ego) is resisting, is what it is inside of!

@Dorotheus thanks for the share! Just finished it. So eloquently explained

@ajasatya Interesting! Thanks for elaborating it. So a statement like 1+1=2 only justifies the premises it is built upon. It cannot go past it's own premise. Can this be another way of saying what you've just said?

@non_nothing That made a lot of sense. Thanks! So it's urgent to question the satisfaction derived from the 1st iteration before the whole thing goes down the toilet in infinite iterations. @ajasatya What's wrong with mathematicians?

It's more a function of Consciousness. I doubt unhealthy expressions can be transcended all the way by exercising them more and more. They need to be looked at and melted away once and for all by raising Consciousness

@Serotoninluv It's more like everyone wants to assert their positions in almost every movement they make, right? What are they trying to assert? What is really on the line? Most communications and interpersonal transactions seem like something like life itself or existence is on the line