Posted February 8, 2016 Hi people. So I've been practicing meditation for about 8 months now. I have a few questions to those that have broken past the barrier.. I'm honestly unsure if these are stupid questions or not! If everything is viewed as empty phenomena, does one still feel pleasure and pain? Or are these just viewed as meaningless? Does one still enjoy music? There was a guy that claimed to become enlightened without meditation...is that possible? Does enlightenment require meditation? Or is it merely just a switching of world views? Thanks..! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 8, 2016 Who is that one doing the "viewing"? Emptiness is a very tricky concept Ego uses to get/keep one down as it sounds like death and lethargy. Also from this category are: "meaningless", "nothingness", etc. People that claim "enlightenment" by DOING or NOT DOING... are just trying somehow to explain their experiencing of THAT which they have found. Let Mind do what it needs to do and let That one that witnesses the Mind reveal its truth. Ayla, www.aylabyingrid.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 8, 2016 Thank you for your answer...I may need to do more thinking. In the meanwhile...unfortunately I've got more questions to bother you with....! Does empathy and morality even exist? If all objects are just a cluster of experiences through our senses, and everything is emptiness, why is there a consensus reality between us? Thank you!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 8, 2016 The only way to enlightenment I know is through meditation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 8, 2016 Hi! Quote If everything is viewed as empty phenomena, does one still feel pleasure and pain? Or are these just viewed as meaningless? Does one still enjoy music? An enlightened being is not some transcendent superhuman. They still see the same exact things you do, and they still feel the same exact things you do. They may have transcended the ego, but that doesn't mean the body's survival mechanisms are completely destroyed. If they feel pleasure, they feel pleasure. If they feel pain, they feel pain, and they may wince and cry from it. That's life. Sometimes there are moments where we feel physical pleasure, and sometimes there are moments where we feel physical pain. The difference between you and them is that they suffer a lot less. Suffering can be defined as resistance to what is. If they feel pain, they may try to avoid whatever is causing the pain, but they don't say in their mind, "That shouldn't have happened." The average person that is punched in the face would come up with a million-and-one stories as to why that shouldn't have happened, thus making them angry and hurt, thus causing them suffering. Quote Does one still enjoy music? An enlightened being enjoys music even more because they are (mostly) free from their own judgments about the music. An enlightened being still has preferences, but they don't see personal preference as an aspect of themselves and don't try to defend them. Quote There was a guy that claimed to become enlightened without meditation...is that possible? Does enlightenment require meditation? Or is it merely just a switching of world views? Enlightenment doesn't require anything other than seeing clearly. In order to see clearly, you don't switch world views: you destroy all world views. You can do that any way you want. Some meditate, some contemplate, others write. Do whatever feels right to you, and don't let anyone tell you what you should or shouldn't do. Enlightenment is a pathless path. You don't have to do anything. Cheers! “Feeling is the antithesis of pain." —Arthur Janov Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 9, 2016 - "Does empathy and morality even exist?" Where would they exist? What do they consist of? Who says there is? Moreover, who says there needs to be? If other people are just clusters of empty perceptions and projections in your awareness, then there is nothing behind them, it's all in your mind only. So there may not only be no consensus, but nobody to even have a consensus with. Something to think about." Ok, so your argument is that we can't know the external world. Well, tell me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't seem true to say that others don't matter, if we cannot know that they exist. Seems like you are jumping a step too far in logic there... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted February 9, 2016 (edited) Thanks for the reply. If we know that others don't exist, there would be no basis for morality. Moreover, isn't that dangerous to say to someone who isn't enlightened? Isn't saying that others don't exist just another world view? Edited February 9, 2016 by tryingforfreedom Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 30, 2017 On 2/9/2016 at 2:06 AM, Raphael Medeiros said: The only way to enlightenment I know is through meditation. So how long have you been doing it ? What are your insights after practicing meditation ? Only ONE path is true. Rest is noise. God is beauty, rest is Ugly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) On 2/9/2016 at 4:57 AM, jjer94 said: Hi! An enlightened being is not some transcendent superhuman. They still see the same exact things you do, and they still feel the same exact things you do. They may have transcended the ego, but that doesn't mean the body's survival mechanisms are completely destroyed. If they feel pleasure, they feel pleasure. If they feel pain, they feel pain, and they may wince and cry from it. That's life. Sometimes there are moments where we feel physical pleasure, and sometimes there are moments where we feel physical pain. The difference between you and them is that they suffer a lot less. Suffering can be defined as resistance to what is. If they feel pain, they may try to avoid whatever is causing the pain, but they don't say in their mind, "That shouldn't have happened." The average person that is punched in the face would come up with a million-and-one stories as to why that shouldn't have happened, thus making them angry and hurt, thus causing them suffering. An enlightened being enjoys music even more because they are (mostly) free from their own judgments about the music. An enlightened being still has preferences, but they don't see personal preference as an aspect of themselves and don't try to defend them. Enlightenment doesn't require anything other than seeing clearly. In order to see clearly, you don't switch world views: you destroy all world views. You can do that any way you want. Some meditate, some contemplate, others write. Do whatever feels right to you, and don't let anyone tell you what you should or shouldn't do. Enlightenment is a pathless path. You don't have to do anything. Cheers! May I know how you know this? Who exactly told you that this is how an enlightened one lives? And, what is your definition of enlightenment? Edited July 30, 2017 by Shanmugam Shanmugam Subscribe to my Youtube channel for videos regarding spiritual path, psychology, meditation, poetry and more: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwOJcU0o7xIy1L663hoxzZw?sub_confirmation=1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
