Peter Ralston’s take on solipsism

[KGrimes]

I am subscribed to his news letter, there was one question about solipsism and Leo, very possible that someone from this forum asked about it, so i’ll just paste the question and Peter’s answers here:

 

Namaste Peter,

I have a question that may seem profound. I’m sure you’ve heard of Leo Gura. He once made a video on solipsism. Essentially, in that video, he argues that there is only one godhead, god didn’t split his consciousness into everyone else they are merely empty meat-suits. This leads me to wonder: could it be true that I am the only consciousness, and everyone else, including you, is nothing but a mere figment of my imagination? Could it be that I am imagining every person and everything as God, even including my own body and ego?
 

You may answer me truthfully. I won't get depressed or discouraged, but rather, it would bring me happiness knowing that others are the cause of many sufferings. You might argue that you are real, just like how the characters in a sleeping dream may claim to be real, even when questioned about it.

 Perhaps they may do so to sustain the illusion of the dream, and I wonder if that's also the case with you. If you are just a product of my imagination, then asking you this question may not serve any real purpose. But I ask you regardless, as I am curious to know.
 

Whatever your answer may be, I won't take it as a belief. Instead, I will continue to use what I have learned from your books—being open-minded and not knowing. Ultimately, the only way to truly know the truth is to awaken and experience it for myself. I am willing to go on this journey of self-discovery, even if it means questioning everything that I once thought was true. So, while I appreciate any insights or perspectives that you may offer, I know that the ultimate responsibility for my own awakening rests with me.

 

And the answer:

 

Gavin,

Why do people make up shit like this? Is it really helpful? It can be entertaining to consider various philosophical possibilities. Yet that is just entertainment, and at best might have a good intellectual argument behind it, but in the end these kinds of things are just conclusions or guesses or possibilities. They are not a real assertion based on real consciousness in the matter. So why would it matter for me to confirm or deny? It doesn't increase anyone's
consciousness, and no matter what I said it would be misunderstood. Such pursuits are only intellectual and have nothing to do with genuine direct consciousness in such matters. They are speculation and are worthless.

Of course you are right, you must get it yourself, all the intellect in the world isn't going to make any difference at all in such matters. But you should see the consequences of accepting on faith such a thing. One thing you miss here is that if you are creating others, then you are the cause of your suffering no matter how you cut it. Actually, you aren't creating others and you are still the cause of your own suffering. But this reality eludes you.

Clearly, I am a function of your imagination because you've never even met me and so make up all sorts of things you imagine are me or true of me. But that is really about your experience, not a universal reality, and again it is not relevant, except for knowing that you are making stuff up.
Oh, by the way, either Leo is wrong or you misunderstood or misrepresented his communication. In either case, reducing such matters to a conclusion and a mythical story only serves to distract from any reality that might be true. Only direct consciousness makes a difference.
Peter

————

So my take on this is that Ralston does not focus on various concepts that he cannot be sure about. Solipsism is something that can only be confirmed by YOU and just YOU, and it can only be confirmed after reaching full Samadhi, the God-head, one-ness.

[Holykael]

Dream people will never admit they aren't real. Except Leo who did in the video itself and some forum posters here. No matter how much evidence you provide the dream people that argue they are real, they never admit and they glitch when you show them the solipsism video. I already tried. God is so dumb he couldn't think of a better way to deal with this problem than just people acting retarded in the face of evidence of their non existence.

What's hilarious is that some dream people act as if they are the solipsist when they too are just a figment of consciousness.

Edited May 20, 2023 by Holykael

[Razard86]

Peter Ralston is not awake. I like him, but he isn't awake not really. 

[JellyDogShoe_1Mil]

All this talk on solipsism is mental masturbation, c'mon. 

Whether it is valid or not does not change a thing. The show goes on. 

Really, solipsism is just another concept. 

You are. Being is. Stop there. You cannot possibly deny your own existence. Apparent "others" are that too. It does not change shit. Your apparent body still interacts with apparent others, pays apparent bills and still eats apparent food. Give it up. 

[Yimpa]

26 minutes ago, JellyDogShoe_1Mil said:

Really, solipsism is just another concept. 

You are. Being is. Stop there.

[JellyDogShoe_1Mil]

8 minutes ago, Yimpa said:

What do you mean?

I didn’t mean to sound aggressive in my tone in the before post, I do apologize for that, but that’s really what it all comes down to. 
 

[OldManCorcoran]

Solipsism like that is for crazy people who believe in souls. There need not be separate souls, not logically... There need not be a my soul which walks past the Eiffel tower one day, then your soul which walks past it and sees it the day after...

Logically there only has to be existent the sight of the Eiffel tower on both days, and no soul who views it.

Every time the same sight appears, no matter who it appears to, it appears the same and is known the same. Not by different souls of viewers to the sight. Logically that can be true.

 

[Yimpa]

7 minutes ago, JellyDogShoe_1Mil said:

I didn’t mean to sound aggressive in my tone in the before post, I do apologize for that, but that’s really what it all comes down to. 

Nah, you sound confused, but God wouldn’t have it any other way. 

[JellyDogShoe_1Mil]

Just now, Yimpa said:

Nah, you sound confused, but God wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Well, I won’t debate you on that matter, but let me just ask you this and I’ll be on my way. 

In your direct experience, right here, where is this “God?” Who or what is this God? Other than thoughts, which you are clearly aware of, where are you getting this from? 

You say God wouldn’t have it any other way. How do you know this? What God told you this?

I am not trying to pick a battle, I am just genuinely curious. 

[Water by the River]

40 minutes ago, JellyDogShoe_1Mil said:

All this talk on solipsism is mental masturbation, c'mon. 

Whether it is valid or not does not change a thing. The show goes on. 

Really, solipsism is just another concept. 

You are. Being is. Stop there. You cannot possibly deny your own existence. Apparent "others" are that too. It does not change shit. Your apparent body still interacts with apparent others, pays apparent bills and still eats apparent food. Give it up. 

Exactly. Solipsism is another concept, like any(!) other. Including the more useful pointers, that actually lead to their referent. Like Neti Neti for example...

In what arises that concept of Solipsism?  That is the Koan that, if followed to its very end can solve all this confusion that the concept of Solisism brings with it.

But Solipsism as a pointer, as an injunction, an actual practice, doesn't lead to the Absolute. It leads to Narcicissm if done from the level of the separate self well & alive. Just to more mental conceptual fantasies. Neti Neti and meditation does lead to the transcendence of the separate-self-illusion, finally revealing that in which all concepts arise, Absolute Reality, or Infinite Impersonal Consciousness/Nothingness.

Selling Water by the River

[Yimpa]

4 minutes ago, OldManCorcoran said:

Every time the same sight appears, no matter who it appears to, it appears the same and is known the same. Not by different souls of viewers to the sight. Logically that can be true.

Based

[Water by the River]

3 minutes ago, Yimpa said:

Nah, you sound confused, but God wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Dear Yimpa,

how about Logical Reasoning when asked for why you made certain claims/statements or smileys?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_reasoning

I think its cooler and nicer if somebody asks you what you mean with a smiley-reply to answer in an understandable way. And more respectful of that person, JellyDogShoe_1Mil in this case.

But I know, " God wouldn’t have it any other way. " 

Selling Water by the River

[Breakingthewall]

22 minutes ago, JellyDogShoe_1Mil said:

What do you mean?

I didn’t mean to sound aggressive in my tone in the before post, I do apologize for that, but that’s really what it all comes down to. 
 

don't get upset, yimpa just wants to be the cool guy and all his comments can be translated as: I'm cool

[Breakingthewall]

solipsism is the truth. Only you exist, the others are imaginary. That does not mean that the others do not exist. only you exist, and the others too. But the thing is: you are the totality, the absolute. Nothing is outside you, outside don't exist. The others are inside you, everything is inside you because you are infinite. Really, right now. You are me.

Edited May 20, 2023 by Breakingthewall

[Yimpa]

9 minutes ago, JellyDogShoe_1Mil said:

You say God wouldn’t have it any other way. How do you know this? What God told you this?

God is all symbols, thoughts, beliefs, memory, emotion, perception, form, etc. 

If my statement is true, then what isn’t God? 

Higher states of consciousness are hella paradoxical, transrational, metaphysical, fucktastical. 

While everything I said is just a concept, it also is not. Direct experience is key.

3 minutes ago, Water by the River said:

But I know, " God wouldn’t have it any other way. " 

Selling Water by the River

[Yimpa]

7 minutes ago, Breakingthewall said:

don't get upset, yimpa just wants to be the cool guy and all his comments can be translated as: I'm cool

I was bullied as a child, don’t judge me 

[Breakingthewall]

1 minute ago, Yimpa said:

I was bullied as a child, don’t judge me 

I don't judge you, life is hard and those who are serious in spirituality we've usually been lucky enough to have had extra of that.   but sometimes you have a slight aroma of bully. 

[Yimpa]

@Breakingthewall Thank you for the reminder. This is something I’ve come to realize more on this journey. 

 

[Water by the River]

What I would find really cool for this place is a communication style that is

• values each other
• is nice
• is respectful
• just how one would envision how nice, grown up and well-meaning communications would look like.
• expresses that the "other" is and can not be different from oneself (or Namaste).
• acknowledges the True Core of every sentient being, its Buddha-Nature. Impersonal Divinity itself.

Or in one word: cool.

"The word that I want to offer to you in your search for integrity is simply “Uncool.” “Is this cool or uncool?” - Diane Musho Hamilton

Diane Musho Hamilton has written the article included below, concerning Genpo Roshi and concerning of his less than ethical behaviour running his Sangha. Of course concerning issues of sexual misconduct, a topic of orders of magnitude more serious than just communication style in an Internet Forum.

But the concept “Is this cool or uncool?” can and should be used in the opinion of yours truly in spiritual circles, and pretty much everywhere else also, concerning pretty much every way of expression.

Why? Clean Up, Wake Up, Grow Up, Show Up. - Ken Wilber

Or: “Is this cool or uncool?”

Instant-Karma: Post something negative, attack someone, feel annoyed by an opinion/perspective, be sarcastic, ironic, criticize someone because ones ego/concepts have been hit in an emotionally negative way, or just communicate sloppy: Ones mindstream instantly becomes less than loving and open. At least the mindstream of yours truly does, that is why yours truly tries to avoid that.

Water by the River

 

"Diane Musho Hamilton - Simply Uncool

. . . . The heated complaints elicit an outcry of responses calling for the development of standards, guidelines, sound and consistent ethical policies which can provide oversight and accountability to the teachers in the Zen world. This is so that teachers and students everywhere are held accountable to the impacts that their decisions and behavior have on the communities in which they practice.

* * * * *

These guidelines, written policies, and legal contracts provide the basis for durable structures that can outlast the unruly behaviors and destructive tendencies of the humans who inevitably pass through them. And who among us hasn’t contributed to some mayhem among our friends?

Formulating these policies is natural, necessary, and even admirable, when you realize that we are capable of holding each other to higher standards of conduct.

* * * * *

In the meantime, however, while we are learning and while these policies are developed and implemented, I would like to introduce a handy word that may help guide you in your decisions until the ground rules are put on paper. The word that I want to offer to you in your search for integrity is simply “Uncool.”

“Is this cool or uncool?”

* * * * *

Sleeping around. Students bring a tremendous amount of vulnerability to the spiritual search, it gets very confusing and harmful when the student’s spiritual aspiration and their un-clarified sexual desire is mixed with the erotic impulses of the person in power. If you are a teacher and want a relationship with a student, change the agreement, acknowledge your position, and cultivate one with some consciousness and integrity. It doesn’t even have to be long-term. But habitually sleeping around with the people who are studying with you? Uncool."

 

PS: And while we are at it, Solipsism and the behaviour and emotional "radiation" of its aficionados: “Is this cool or uncool?”. And "do you want to become like that a few years following down that road"?

[Yimpa]

@Water by the River I’d say it’s pretty impressive how fast you can articulate concepts. That’s pretty cool.