This is the big difference between Buddhism and Shaivism or Kashmir Shaivism. Buddhism states "there is no self" while Shaivism ultimately says that "there is only One Self; all is Self". Personally I think the latter sounds true. But everybody is free to choose whatever makes them happy. Thank you for the episode.
Yes, this is a bit confusing because it actually means the same thing. The one indivisible Self actually refers to Emptiness. This one Self is not a thing. it is absent of all qualities and attributes. It cannot be said to either exist or not exist. It is neither born nor dies. And yet it is everything and nothing other than it actually exists. The mind cannot help but be confused by this. When we realize the absence of any intrinsic separate self, we realize this one indivisible Self. That is also Emptiness. Confusing to the mind, but not to the Self or Emptiness.
Dear Mark. From my personal understanding, I believe we are different in life for a very good reason. I am a firm believer in Genesis 2:18 and the resulting John 13:35. What it means is that I am grateful you are here brother. Thank you and wishing you a joyful New Year. @@markoknuutinen2506 🙏
Even when we "think" we know who we are...do we really? Does "I" exist without thought? Does "I" exist without body? Does "I" exist without conditioning and programming? "I" think "I" do...whatever that means. It's a mystery haha. I like the little mindfulness book 30 Days to Discovery Who I Am by Harper Daniels and the Tao Te Ching for thinking through stuff...whoever is doing the thinking.
Abide in the i am and it will disappear into oblivion , from than on you want even know if you are or not and that's the natural state . ' i' done that and it's the only way to go beyond i am .But the final realisation is that no one is doing that ,it just happens .
I'm on a journey to find any enlightened teacher who can adequately explain the dichotomy between non-duality and physical pain. The suggestion that the body is an illusion breaks down the moment intense pain hits. Just looking for one meaningful explanation of how non-duality and physical pain relate. TIA.
The recognition of non-duality does not mean that we transcend our humanness and do not experience pain in the body. Pain will occur. Challenges will occur. Life continues to unfold. Without the body we could not experience this life. Even though one may not identify as the body doesn’t mean we neglect it or cease to experience it. The body is called an illusion, yet here we are with a body and all that goes with it. There’s no denying it. There can be great joy in loving and caring for the body and appreciating it as the vehicle with which we can experience life.
@sandradugliss1785 I appreciate your response as I have struggled to find any genuine explanation for my question. Needless to say, your answer does not adequately resolve the problem. I'm not being obtuse but rather seeking preciseness to this dilemma. It may be better to pose it another way. As difficult as it is, please deeply consider the horrific physical experience of Shirley Lynette Ledford. What possible explanation can satisfactorily justify her suffering? The non-dualists (those who are prepared to think about it) always reply with airy fairy repose that does nothing to assuage the experience of people such as Shirley. Until the deepest, darkest of human problems can be genuinely explained, the idea of non-dualism remains another interesting spiritual new age salve for well-to-do middle-aged people desperately seeking meaning and a sense of fulfilment as the inevitability of their own death approaches. Your heartfelt response to this contemplation is much appreciated as I'm still yearning for a meaningful non-dualist explanation.
I know the term emptiness is used in non-duality all the time. However it seems to me that the term may have come from a wrong translation/interpretation of Sanskrit. In reality the universe is infinite and there can be no "holes" in infinity. It seems that the infinite universe is actually FULL not empty. Full of consciousness/awareness/love or whatever term you wish to use. We spend our lives with no awareness of space - which makes up 85% of the universe. Imagine two goldfish in a fish tank. One says to the other, "I've been all the way up to the end of the tank and back looking for this water stuff they talk about, but I didn't see any." We are like that with space. We call it empty space, but it's really FULL space. When we are CONSCIOUSLY aware of space ONENESS is experienced.
There are no good words to describe this. Words are inherently dualistic and this is not. Emptiness means fullness and the only thing Emptiness is empty of is a separate thing called Emptiness.
I also think that Emptiness in not the right word describe that "state". No If you think emptiness means some kind of sterile and cold place or state. IT must Be The state full of love and peace.
@@markoknuutinen2506 Yes. It's often said that The Absolute wants for nothing - IT is the TOTALITY. We have been trained from an early age to ignore space. Our mother sat us on her knee, pointed at things and gave them names - and in so doing gave them a sense of separate existence. But she never pointed at "thin air" and named it space. We are always taught to tie the two words "empty" and "space" together. We look at two objects and think they appear as two objects because of the so called "empty space" between them. But this space is what makes up 95% of the entire universe. It is not empty - it is full of "No-thingness." When this is seen there is the experience of ONENESS. Infinity cannot have any "holes" in it. It must surely be forever full.
