Is Buddhism A Viable Solution To Happiness?

[Shadowraix]

8 minutes ago, Emanyalpsid said:

I also see it much in this way. But does this mean that if duality comes from distinction that they are the same? Only in thought a duality is made through a concept. The self (subject) defines something (object) through a concept. The eyes through which you see can make a distinction. But your eyes are also atoms, just as the egg. 

I don't know if this is too nitpicky, but the eyes don't make the distinction as all it does is transfer information. It has to be processed. Something that is very fast and doesn't inherently depend on thought. Identification does i'd say. But separation of things in sight seems to be automatic. Lots of things are happening outside of your conscious awareness. Calling duality the same as distinction depends on perspective. I wouldn't call duality or distinction inherently false as what it is fragmenting is there, but it can distract from seeing the whole. So it ends up becoming very illusory. Many in nonduality seek to make the nondual intellectual understandings shift into awareness. To experience nonduality instead of just learning the concept of it.

 

[Emanyalpsid]

Yeah but you need eyes to make the distinction right?

[Forestluv]

4 hours ago, Emanyalpsid said:

Only in thought a duality is made through a concept. The self (subject) defines something (object) through a concept. The eyes through which you see can make a distinction. But your eyes are also atoms, just as the egg. 

I would agree that thoughts and concepts are closely-tied to distinctions and dominant our perception. Yet, I'm not so sure they are limited to thoughts and concepts. I've been to absolute nothingness of Mu. No distinctions, absolute nothing. The first "something" that appeared was not associated with thoughts, concepts or vision (I was blind to the external world). An observer appeared with the first something. This was the first distinction. Then there where more distinctions that arose. No thoughts or concepts. Many more distinctions arose before the first thoughts/concept distinctions arose. 

Based on this experience, I would consider thoughts/concepts to be a relatively advanced form of distinction. There were plenty of distinctions prior to thoughts and concepts. Although, I suppose one could say there where subconscious concepts present which allowed the observation of the early distinctions.

[Baotrader]

On 25/09/2018 at 8:59 AM, Barry J said:

@Leo Gura  I’m responding to you assertion that some teachings are fundamentally corrupt to begin with. The person/idea known as Buddha was not fundamentally corrupt. However, a corrupt person can take a teaching and make it corrupt. 

That Buddha guy said that direct experience is the only source of truth 2500 years before you did

hi dude, how can you know the Buddha was not corrupt? Enlightenment and corruption are 2 different variable. Don't confuse enlightenment for moral perfection

[Emanyalpsid]

@Serotoninluv

Yeah so consciousness arose through your five 'physical' senses. After that your mind was able to comprehend the information from your five senses creating thoughts.

[Forestluv]

12 hours ago, Emanyalpsid said:

@Serotoninluv

Yeah so consciousness arose through your five 'physical' senses. After that your mind was able to comprehend the information from your five senses creating thoughts.

As consciousness first arose from absolute nothing, there was no seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling or tasting. 

I just realized that this was a sutra I chanted many years ago with a Shambhala group. It didn't make sense at the time, yet chanting it seemed so spiritual. I know understand it through direct experience. Fun stuff.

[Barry J]

23 hours ago, Baotrader said:

hi dude, how can you know the Buddha was not corrupt? Enlightenment and corruption are 2 different variable. Don't confuse enlightenment for moral perfection

Thanks for clearing up my confusion

There never was a person called the Buddha. This is a discussion about whether the story helps to remove the delusion or whether it reinforces it. Try to see the projections in what you wrote. This is the key to awakening