Can You Still Serve Yourself And Be One With Everything At The Same Time?

[electroBeam]

When you've realized your true nature, you realize that the body/mind is just as much a piece of this universe as the person next to you is.

With that, you realize that serving the body/mind is only serving 1 tiny part of you, while not caring for the other parts of you(like the people around you). In order to serve the body/mind, you need to think dualistically, and that is just laughable in the state of being one.

So can you serve the body/mind and be in competition with other people, while being your true self?

For example, if you were on an island with 3 other people, and the only food on the island was 1 beef pie, would an enlightened being choose the body/mind to eat the pie other others, even though the others are him at the same time? 

Is there a preference to serve yourself over others in that frame of mind? Because in my xp, acting egotistically just sucks you back into an egoic way of thinking, it puts you back to sleep, where acting wholesome keeps you awake. But can you do both?

Thanks!

[Guest username]

I don't think you would have the same motives at all; the inner transformation difference would be radical, and you probably wouldn't be motivated by competition and coming out on top of others. In my limited education, highly enlightened people seem to focus on being of service, taking care of the body as a tool to best serve benevolent motives, selfish gain no longer being a thing. Very enlightened people are not afraid to die.

These two videos express the benevolent selflessness pretty well,imo. 

[electroBeam]

@username eating food is still egoic though right?

Enlightened people still do egoic things like having sex and a bunch of other stuff.

[Prabhaker]

2 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

When you've realized your true nature, you realize that the body/mind is just as much a piece of this universe as the person next to you is.

The body/mind is closest piece of this universe than person next to you is.

4 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

With that, you realize that serving the body/mind is only serving 1 tiny part of you, while not caring for the other parts of you(like the people around you).

Unless you love yourself you can't love others.You don't know what love is if you have not loved yourself. 

11 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

So can you serve the body/mind and be in competition with other people, while being your true self?

Then only we can serve the body/mind, competition with other people is pointless.

14 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

For example, if you were on an island with 3 other people, and the only food on the island was 1 beef pie, would an enlightened being choose the body/mind to eat the pie other others, even though the others are him at the same time? 

For an  enlightened being others are not others, his decision will be spontaneous , he can divide the beef pie or give more to someone who is needy.

[Guest username]

@electroBeam I think there's an important distinction in what we mean by egoic; it's not used in the same way all the time. That happens a lot in spiritual language-- it's imprecise and very important to pay attention to context.

The Sadhguru video I linked to you explains enlightened living wonderfully, as does the Jesus video. I can't speak from experience, but I don't think you forget what it's like to be a person or lose that perspective in any way, but you're aware of so much more as well.

Like I said, I'm sure it's driven by benevolent motives. The body becomes a tool for serving higher purpose rather than operating in a "this is me and I need to get more for myself and win because I'm here to experience pleasure" sort of way.

[Prabhaker]

9 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

Enlightened people still do egoic things like having sex and a bunch of other stuff.

I am not saying that they can't do sex, but if they are living with their wife it doesn't necessarily mean they are doing sex. Whatever they do, they will watch the act like a third person. 

Edited April 24, 2017 by Prabhaker

[Prabhaker]

10 minutes ago, electroBeam said:

eating food is still egoic though right?

They are not suicidal, if they are hungry they eat food, eating food is not egoic . Not eating food when you are hungry can be egoic.

[Shin]

See it this way: If you have to cut one of your finger to save your arms, what would you do ?

Quote

@electroBeam   Enlightened people still do egoic things like having sex and a bunch of other stuff.

Why would sex be an egotic thing ?

It can be, just like anything, but if you just enjoy it and want to have fun/share love with someone very special to you, how is that egotic ?
You can have sex without any ego involved right now if you want.

It would be egotic if you use it as an abuse, or as a way of finding completion though, which is sadly the case of many many people.

Edited April 24, 2017 by Shin

[Dodo]

3 hours ago, Prabhaker said:

The body/mind is closest piece of this universe than person next to you is.

Unless you love yourself you can't love others.You don't know what love is if you have not loved yourself. 

Then only we can serve the body/mind, competition with other people is pointless.

For an  enlightened being others are not others, his decision will be spontaneous , he can divide the beef pie or give more to someone who is needy.

I wouldn't say competition is pointless, it makes both parties work harder and improve, grow more than they would if they didn't have each other's opposition, rivalry. Competition is a beautiful thing.

I agree with the spontaneous bit. Why must we overthink what an enlightened being would do? Where's the freedom if they are ought to act a certain way? hehe

[Prabhaker]

1 minute ago, Dodoster said:

Competition is a beautiful thing.

For material progress it is good, for spiritual progress it is pointless.

3 minutes ago, Dodoster said:

Where's the freedom if they are ought to act a certain way? hehe

Yes, they are free, we can't predict how they will act. 

Jesus started whipping moneylenders, but their every act is out of consciousness. Whatever they do is correct, may be we can't understand them.

[Dodo]

29 minutes ago, Prabhaker said:

For material progress it is good, for spiritual progress it is pointless.

Yes, they are free, we can't predict how they will act. 

Jesus started whipping moneylenders, but their every act is out of consciousness. Whatever they do is correct, may be we can't understand them.

Isn't spiritual progress still something material? I mean just like we call thoughts a form, we can call that spirit which can grow and progress form too.

Cause isn't the true nature of all that which is unchanging? That never competes, but individual souls are not that.

For me spirituality is not about anything other than That one, the unchanging.

[Prabhaker]

1 minute ago, Dodoster said:

Cause isn't the true nature of all that which is unchanging?

True nature is unchanging but process of removing obstacles in realizing true nature is spiritual growth. 

When Buddha became enlightened somebody asked him, "What have you gained?" He said, "I have not gained anything, but I have lost many things.

[Dodo]

7 minutes ago, Prabhaker said:

True nature is unchanging but process of removing obstacles in realizing true nature is spiritual growth. 

When Buddha became enlightened somebody asked him, "What have you gained?" He said, "I have not gained anything, but I have lost many things.

Yes, I fully agree with this 100%, I think it's one of the most important things to know on the path.

There cannot be competition in oneness, but that's because oneness is pervading even competition. 

Let me explain further what I mean:

As you said enlightenment is the loss of identification with any form, any delusion. Loss of Ego lets say.

Competition is in the realm of the dream, growth of any type, including spiritual growth is also in the realm of dreams. 

Competition is opposition between one view and another, dont you think if there were no opposing views, and we all circlejerked around any delusion can be removed?

Buddha was in competition with suffering. It was his enemy, it made him grow into the spiritual master he became.

It's my point of view.

 

 

[Prabhaker]

2 minutes ago, Dodoster said:

Competition is opposition between one view and another

When two enlightened masters criticize each other, they are not enemies, their fight is not of the ego. Their fight has a totally different context.

They fight because they know one thing: that the goal is one, but the paths are many. And each master has to defend his path, knowing perfectly well that other paths are as valid as his. But if he starts saying that all the paths are valid, he will not have the impact, the influence on his people. The journey is long and he needs absolute trust.

When we criticize each other's view , it can be stupidity sometimes.

6 minutes ago, Dodoster said:

Buddha was in competition with suffering.

Buddha transcended suffering, not by competition , but through understanding, acceptance. 

[Dodo]

29 minutes ago, Prabhaker said:

When two enlightened masters criticize each other, they are not enemies, their fight is not of the ego. Their fight has a totally different context.

They fight because they know one thing: that the goal is one, but the paths are many. And each master has to defend his path, knowing perfectly well that other paths are as valid as his. But if he starts saying that all the paths are valid, he will not have the impact, the influence on his people. The journey is long and he needs absolute trust.

When we criticize each other's view , it can be stupidity sometimes.

Buddha transcended suffering, not by competition , but through understanding, acceptance. 

Indeed I cannot critisize what you're saying,  but I am not taking competition to mean enemy.

In my earlier days, when I was one of the top mathematicians my age in my country, I couldn't have reached that level, if it wasn't for one of my best friends and the joyful competitive spirit between us.

I think you're throwing the baby with the water here. I agree that aggressive competition where you have enemies is not very great indeed. Constructive competition on the other hand is no different than cooperation.

[eputkonen]

Can You Still Serve Yourself And Be One With Everything At The Same Time?

@electroBeam, when you were a child...you would play imaginary games with imaginary characters...didn't you?  When I was very young, I was (at that time) the only child and my parents were building a house...way out in the county.  I spent many days...months in fact...playing by myself alone.  I would create fantasies...cowboys one day...sailors the next...whatever seemed fun.  Now, I was all of what was going on...there was only me...I even controlled what the imaginary characters did...and yet I could still serve myself in my part of the adventure.  Sometimes the "bad" guys won a battle...but the war raged on.  This is what made it fun.

Now if children can figure this out this much...why not an adult who has realized his or her true nature?

"In order to serve the body/mind, you need to think dualistically, and that is just laughable in the state of being one." - not laughable...realizing there is no other does not mean you can't recognize the illusion that is still is apparent and not be able to think about it.  A mirage doesn't disappear just because you realize it is a mirage...you only realize it is not what it appears to be (water) even though you still see it.  Dualistic thinking is still very possible.

"So can you serve the body/mind and be in competition with other people, while being your true self?"  Sure...why not?  Imaginary cowboys and indians when you/I were playing alone as a child.  There can be a competition and yet know it is all a play of imagination.

The issue here seems to be you are trying to reconcile "being one with everything" and "being a separate self"...but who you really are (i.e. nonduality) is not "being one with everything" nor "being a separate self" nor both nor neither.  This will not make sense to the mind.

[Dodo]

@electroBeam

A new answer came to me, which might be satisfactory:

When one is enlightened, serving anyone is the same as serving oneself. It's like looking at the body: 
within it there are enlightened entities, which work for the good of the entire organism, and unenlightened ones - the ones which destroy the organism they are a part of.
The enlightened being has realized the bigger picture and transforms from ego (division, disease) to a helpful entity (oneness, unity, love, serving for the higher good).

To conclude, the enlightened is always serving themselves

Edited April 24, 2017 by Dodoster