Water by the River

"Pleased to meet you Hope you guess my name But what's puzzling you Is the nature of my game"

So its Dinner for One?

don't worry... ... Rodents (singing the Heart Sutra) with style Here then, Form is no other than emptiness, Emptiness no other than form. Form is only emptiness, Emptiness only form. Feeling, thought, and choice, Consciousness itself, Are the same as THIS. Selling Water by the River

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassui_Tokushō Bassui text above btw. is 14th century Japan. Seems that the eternal truth really does not change... Of course, not as thrilling as the latest ET, but considering that the topic is really Nothing (although a quite special & infinite Nothing"ness"), I find Bassuis letters quite inspiring.

@Bazooka Jesus

But kidding aside, this is the Zen version of the key stage from going what some call Nonduality/Buddhism/rodents to Enlightenment. Beginning Nonduality is still in the dream, a subtle self merged in unity with the visual field, exchanging the dual dream for the nondual dream. But still a dream. When this Unity-self gets thinner and thinner, more and more transcended (Thisdell stage 4 to Thisdell stage 5), then: Everything - "every vestige of self-awareness", or any subtle I-feeling/I-thought/duality (all subtle illusions) have to be seen through and transcended with automized high-speed awarenes (speed, because these illusions arise extremly fast towards the end) and familiarity (strength, because there are some very subtle "feelings" and other arisings that constitute the separate-self) with these subtle obscurations. Speed & Strength of Awareness (courtesy to Frank Yang). And that has to be done automatic, no doer/agent doing it anymore ("Nonmeditation Yoga"). And then at the end it can really break open, in a way that can't be anticipated: You will see the Buddhas of all the universes face-to-face and the Dharma Ancestors past and present. Literally. Their essence. Before that stages, afterwards nowhere to go... Infinite Being.

Now tell me without irony that anybody really needs another WbtR Filibuster...

You must only become the question “What is this Mind?” or “What is it that hears these sounds?” When you realize this Mind you will know that it is the very source of all Buddhas and sentient beings. ... At work, at rest, never stop trying to realize who it is that hears. Even though your questioning penetrates the unconscious, you won’t find the one who hears, and all your efforts will come to naught. Yet sounds can be heard, so question yourself to an even profounder level. At last every vestige of self-awareness will disappear and you will feel like a cloudless sky. Within yourself you will find no “I,” nor will you discover anyone who hears. This Mind is like the void, yet it hasn’t a single spot that can be called empty. Do not mistake this state for Self-realization, but continue to ask yourself even more intensely, “Now who is it that hears?” If you bore and bore into this question, oblivious to anything else, even this feeling of voidness will vanish and you won’t be aware of anything—total darkness will prevail. [Don’t stop here, but] keep asking with all your strength, “What is it that hears?” Only when you have completely exhausted the questioning will the question burst; now you will feel like someone who has come back from the dead. This is true realization. You will see the Buddhas of all the universes face-to-face and the Dharma Ancestors past and present. Bassui. Kapleau, Three Pillars of Zen

We align here, I have written similiar things in the past. It is a matter how words are used...

Good points, and that resonates with me. One can realize what One is and what Reality is (Enlightenment), and that is final. If its not final, it was not the essence of it. Then you can have endless Awakenings in what You/True You can do (or imagine, or manifest as form). Endless, because what can be imagined and manifested is endless, Infinity upon Infinity. God herself is busy exploring that, having fun at that, and will never reach the end of it (see Cantors Set Theory, and Infinity of Infinities exist already in this universe. Which means nothing else that the larger Reality manifesting our universe is capable of an Infinity of Infinities, and therefor will never run out of realms to explore. I am absolutely not against that, its a wonderful thing to pursue the beauty of these Awakenings. But I just prefer to do that after realizing True Nature, because else it gets the usual ego-hamster-mill of pursuing experiences relieving the ego/self-contraction suffering. So its just a matter of what to do first, what to give priority before the other. Not either/or. It can even be done parallel, and normally happens this way (Awakenings/mystical experiences of all sorts before Enlightenment). Added bonus with realizing of what one really is (True You) and what Infinite Reality really is, its essence (Infinite Being and every possible appearing including ego/separate-self not happening out of it but expressed BY that Reality)... is a tremendous relief/liberation from suffering or resistance to what appears/is, and knowing what survives death (everything that is important), and what was before birth, and what can never not be there. Jesus did a good job of keeping Realization during torture (although he had a short lapse: father father why hast thou forsaken me). But of course he was Jesus. Let's put it this way: When getting tortured, better by pretty stable in Realization. On the other side, even if the self-contraction kicks in again during extreme pain, why is that so necessary? With an incarnation into physical reality, the reset button is pushed anyway for the vast majority of beings, and then hopefully their Karma brings them back. But all of that is relative show. True Being was never hurt, even if the incarnation forgets realization of True Being. And True Being has no moving parts, can never be damaged. This shift of perspective happens naturally when realizing what one is. Illusion off, illusion on, that is still on the relative level. The illusion of the separate-self never really existed (the rope was never a snake), but appeared to do say (the snake appeared and was seen). Maybe that perspective is helpful. Selling Water by the River

An Alien who tells you that this is the perfect recipe to forever chase your own tail (n+1), or endless higher "Awakenings" (and only Awakenings into ever changing form & manifestation btw., not into your eternal Nature). And being so busy doing that that you never actually look deep enough & realize what you have been before your parents were born. And more importantly, what you will still be after you die. And not just conceptual guessing or believing, but actually knowing. I mean, even our host said its endless... Endless "Awakenings" When is it enough? How many Awakenings? When are you happy & satisfied? Always right after the next Awakening. And then one more. And one more. Forever, never reaching the final Awakening. But its a free country, so...

And that is it. At the end of the day, it is all pointers, all dualities, all catergory errors. IT is neither illusion nor real, not this not that, and so on... As soon as one uses a single word to describe Reality, one is already in duality. One can only say what it is not, via negative ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophatic_theology . The answer on all of these questions and points is an awakened state of being, not the latest pointer to the Absolute of the day, which are (a) all pointers and not accurate descriptions of Ultimate Reality, and (b) from an absolute perspective, all wrong (words/duality/concepts). Don't worry. Yours truly is not a fan of making the Infinite/Absolute finite...

"And if one has transcended the illusion, one normally does something like mainly acting out of compassion. Because Reality doesn't let anyone "off the hook" or outside the illusion that doesn't have lots of compassion. Yes, Reality is smart enough to do just that. Because who controls which being gets Liberation?" In my personal experience of what kills Awakened nondual states, and in the description of that of countless others. These states need compassion & love. Without that, it just closes down. And nearly endless NDE and OBE reports. And sorry if I will not answer fast & everything in the next days, got a lot of stuff do it.

Just a view points that you wrote, with quotes if yours truly written before these points of yours. Guess we snuggle together conceptually with our views closer than you thought (1): Ummm.... yes (2): We got a lift-off Houston. (3) Yes so, pretty much el muerte is required. Fully agree. After we obviously alreay align so much, which didn't really hinder you to criticize positions that I already wrote myself - no problem btw., itsSaulGoodman, I guess we can rejoice . And this here is a quite smart post in my opinion: And that is it. At the end of the day, it is all pointers, all dualities, all catergory errors. IT is neither illusion nor real, not this not that, and so on... As soon as one uses a single word to describe Reality, one is already in duality. One can only say what it is not, via negative ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophatic_theology . The answer on all of these questions and points is an awakened state of being, not the latest pointer to the Absolute of the day, which are (a) all pointers and not accurate descriptions of Ultimate Reality, and (b) from an absolute perspective, all wrong (words/duality/concepts). And while we are at it, if it helps: I do understand nothing. Or Nothing (capital N?). But that luckily quite well... Wonderful piece of real estate to be at... Hope my friend that you understand my humour and my direct answers. It takes two to tango. Selling vortices on the river that the River produced already in the past.

Look at a movie on TV. Is it real? Is this really going on? Did it really happen like that? Rather not. Do we know this all the time while we watch the movie? No, We just follow the story, get involved, don't think about if its just professional actors doing their job. Because if we always think that the actors were just acting, and go home after filming a scene... boring! So we buy into it, and enjoy it. Is the appearance of the movie on the screen real? Yes it is. Is it actually happening what is shown on the screen? Did it actually happen, was there a real story being filmed? Nope. Same with the world that looks so external, out there, and solid. With others inside it. Is that true? No. Not at all. None(!) of it. It is an illusion of the highest degree. NONE of that is the case. Is it real? The appearance of it yes. Like a hologram, but appears totaly solid/out there/material/(or aka duality) in the unenlightened state. But in Truth, it is only You, Your True being, believing its projections occuring IN its infinite being (which has NO inside and NO outside since its.... infinite! ) to be real. Believing that there is material reality "out" there. Solid. With "others" than oneself. And that is the most magnificent illusion, because it is just not true. It is only True You. Infinite Being. Only that, in all possible universes. Limitless/boundless/infinite, hence in all possible worlds/realms/dimensions. Playing a game of hide and seek... Selling Understanding of the magnificent illusion by the River Disclaimer: If one hasn't fully transcended the illusion, it can feel damn real if one doesn't respect that actions have consequences, or Karma. If one hits ones toe with a hammer, it WILL hurt, and will not feel like an illusion. Illusion doesn't mean that the ego can do what it wants and then don't care whats the feedback. It will be made to care... And if one has transcended the illusion, one normally does something like mainly acting out of compassion. Because Reality doesn't let anyone "off the hook" or outside the illusion that doesn't have lots of compassion. Yes, Reality is smart enough to do just that. Because who controls which being gets Liberation? Infinity Reality. And Infinite Reality is not dumb... Rather infinitely intelligent. And how doesn't reality let a being "off the hook"? By making it suffer. Not today darling, whatever you did what not what was expected to experience realization, and now please do/try something else. And since Reality doesn't tell that directly (because its a big game/maze/Lila): Suffering is the tool to make the hamster-wheel go round...

Zero doubt about that

Reality/True Being has the potential of infinitel intelligence. So is is infinite intelligent. Our universe alone can sustain mathematics with which infinite dimensions can be calculated/simulated/described (4 dimensional worlds, 5, n, n+1, non-euclidian, hyperbolic, and what not). Anything that can be done in this universe has to be a potential in Infinite True Being (and much more). Same with life. True Being is not a dead Nothing. Every potential and intelligence we see must be inherent as potential in Infinity. "It" True You is that which is aware, and that which understands and creates all, maintains all, and it is THAT which does all understanding. What else could manifest the show? And be aware of it. Realize it, and you will have these facets all at once. Why do you create a duality between True Being, then Intelligence, then life, then infinite, the flow, and all the other stuff. Hasn't it been written many times True Being/Absolute is infinite (not finite), and has infinite potential? Infinity easily fits into True Being. All of the various infinities mathematics can describe. Buuut the path to realizing that Infinite True Being is first getting rid of anything finite, and limitations, and filters/dualities/lenses of perceptions... because these cloud the realization of "the" Infinite True Absolute Being. Neti Neti. Impersonal. No duality via filters/centers/contractions of the separate self. And then looking what remains, what is always there. "Bombing" oneself to boundlessness and nonduality, or whiteouts, (or what not) via psychedelics doesn't not dissolve these last filters/centers/contractions fully (at least I have never seen one case). Not enough time & clarity in these states. This dissolving of filters/centers/contractions has to be done with "on-board-means", not only external devices. It is the price the universe demands, transcendence of the little ego. Like, at least getting rid a little bit of the annoying bug as entry ticket to the Absolute, so to say...

Still scaring 'em to the lord, hm? https://www.multidimensionalman.com/Multidimensional-Man/Life_after_death_on_the_lowest_dimension.html https://www.multidimensionalman.com/Multidimensional-Man/The_Medium_Dimensions.html Lets scare the flock to the lord? Lets scare the flock to the lord! All kinds of people in hell: Selling (illusory) Heavens and Hells by the River

I like that.

Well, I guess, if you like drilling into the psyche of the people, then you also have to allow some drilling by the people, of the people, for the people. You know, sportsmanship and such. And lets take all the drilling with a grain of salt, and do the drilling it in style & humour. Which we all mostly do, I guess.

yes, her ways truly are. To not always speak about God as male. If there wouldn't be a show like that, Infinite God/ess would need to create one I guess...

An Infinity of Gods, co-creating a shared dream. Looks for me the separate-self wants to be the Absolute, wants to be God. And instead of paying the price of self-transcendence and death of the separate individuum/ego to truly become truly Infinite Being, we instead blow up the separate individuum/self to God-sized-proportions. And for the problem of all the "other" separate-selfs/egos: Also Infinite Gods. Somehow also oneself, but somehow also Gods. Seems for me like I want to have my cake (Transcendence/Absolute/True Being) and eat it too (staying the ego/individuum/separate-self). Oh well. Looks for me like the quadrature of the circle, but what do I know...

(1) No, and (2) yes and (3) yes. There is a reason why there is fluctuation between your openness and closedness, and that are open with psychdelics. And I am talking about how to permanently remove that reason, and stay open. Ok. If you perceive no value or truth in that video, then you perceive no value or truth in that video. Just do what you do and like to do, and do it in the way you like doing that. For me that is completely fine. I guess you will also get fruits&benefits from your path and increase the openness.

Concentration on that Koan long enoug literally results in an Awakened nondual state of Infinite Being, and doing it even longer it can result in Realization of True Being. And that IS the sound of the one hand clapping, literally. What a wonderful & relaxed teaching tool for the Roshi. Imagine: No explanation needs to be given. No discussion with the disciple. No questions. One can easily reject any answer to the Koan-solution by just shaking the head. Only the right state of Infinite Impersonal Being will pass... and then its already done. Sounds a bit one-dimensional (if only done like described above, which of course it isn't done purely like that, but there is a tendency for it often) for this time & age? Yup, same here... But in the right setting works perfectly fine.

That why it is a Koan. Which any pointer to Reality is. Some longer, some shorter. He asked for: In Zen they also give "What is the sound of one hand clapping". Points to the same Reality, has the same answer. Which is a realization of Infinite Being, presented & combined with a nondual Awakened Awareness state. So the explanation above was so to say to premium-deluxe-royale-maximum-explanation-Koan. Which guarantees a smack from the Head-Zen-Roshi for too much explanation & conceptual-overkill-Koan(s), but hey... I am not a pure Zen non-conceptual aficionado. And if somebody wants a filibuster yours truly is not exactly opposed to that also...