A Monk Once Said to Me….Subscribe |
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Sun, 08/12/2007 - 18:34
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~Amy~
Join Date: 2006-10-07 Forum Posts: 142 |
I have recently returned from a trip to Sri Lanka. While I was there I was fortunate enough to spend time with a Buddhist monk with whom I had some very insightful discussions. I thought I would share with you some of the things he told me. I told him I was having difficulty remaining detached from situations, particularly when people that are closest to me are involved. I try to be aware and act with consciousness, but I easily lose it and become emotionally involved and things get to me and I am no longer detached. He told me that my problem was that I didn’t understand impermanence. Everything in this world, including who we think we are, is impermanent. Everything that has been created is only temporary, it will be destroyed. In that sense it is not real. The only thing that is lasting and therefore real is our essence, everything else is an illusion. An analogy he used was this world is like a magic box, and out of this magic box the magician can put out anything you can think of and then it exists. Anything at all, a car, a house, a mountain, a tree, the sun, people, anything you can think of he can reach into the magic box and take it out and there you have it. But when you look inside the magic box, there is nothing there. It is empty, all these things came from nothing, and they will end up going back to being nothing for really they are only temporary and only an illusion. Impermanence. He said if you look at yourself at a molecular level, you are made up of these tiny particles. There is nothing differentiating us from a tree or a rock or that wall over there, everything is made up of these same particles, only they are vibrating at different energy levels. And we give importance to ourselves, but we shouldn’t because we are no different to a tree or a rock or that wall over there, and all of it is an illusion, all of it impermanent. The problem arises when we become attached to the illusion, we become attached to ourselves, to others, to situations, to things, yet all of these are impermanent, they are temporary illusions. But because of our attachment, we want these temporary things to be permanent and we hold onto them, yet by their very nature they are not. And this is how suffering arises. He told me that when you fundamentally understand and accept the impermanence of this world and everything in it, then you can remain detached and free yourself from suffering. He said the only thing that is real is your essence, which manifests in the present moment. When you really understand impermanence, then you can remain in the present moment. Time is also impermanent, the present moment is always moving, the past is gone and no longer exists, and the future hasn’t happened yet so it doesn’t exist, there is only the forever shifting now. Look at right now, then it’s gone. And now, gone. Now, gone. Impermanence. If you understand impermanence, you cannot be angry at anyone. Even if someone does or says something to you, as soon as they have done so the moment is gone, it’s in the past and thus doesn’t exist anymore. Understand impermanence and then you will be free. He gave me an exercise to do on impermanence. When I walk, with every step I take contemplate impermanence, impermanence, impermanence. When sitting quietly to focus on my breath, as I breathe in contemplate impermanence, as I breathe out impermanence, in impermanence, out impermanence. As I chew and swallow my food, contemplate impermanence. Keep reminding myself every passing moment impermanence, impermanence, impermanence. I wanted to share this story with everyone because this is an amazing practise. I investigated this for a week and it gave me so much strength and understanding. I encourage you to investigate it also! Strength to Everyone, Amy. |
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Join Date: 2004-11-30
Forum Posts: 2618
And this is truly amazing story.
Thanks Amy!
I remember, recently I coudn't realize why the techniques don't work for me well, and then I understood clearly that at least part of the problem, was attachment, giving the importance for mundane things which they don't deserve, when really the life is slowly going away...echoing Belzebuub words you've passed to us.
I give the big part of my attention to the practices, but part of it still goes to those impermanent things...and practices don't work to their full capacity. The progress is slow.
Another problem is working hard and getting the progress, but then again getting attached and losing it.
Walking forward and then walking backwards.
I thought a lot then about the change, the very nature of life, like a river, constantly moving. "You can't step twice in the same river" But egos make mind to fixate on its small fragments. It doesn't really make much sense to live and be attached to the things in the past. They are gone, forever gone. Gaaateee gaaateee. Attachment goes against the very current of life, resisting the flow. It is my life I am living.
I see how that meditation on impermanence can give a real taste of detached awareness, realization to be free from the current of illusions.
See what is real and see what is not.
I'll try it.
Thanks again and all the best!
Join Date: 2003-12-11
Forum Posts: 327
To contemplate impermanence might work temporary, but I think after some time a certain desire will kick in en hi jack your mind.
The cause of the desires must be taken away for a more permanent awareness.
It's just my thoughts though.
Regards, Peter
Join Date:
Forum Posts: 681
Thank you Amy, it should be a helpful practice, I will give it a try.
I think that any possible understanding that will help us to do the work, to stay conscious, is needed. And this sort of understanding can help a lot.
Remember to practice awareness in case you forgot.
Join Date: 2006-10-07
Forum Posts: 142
Vadim and Gyorgi,
I would be really interested to know your comments after trying this practise for a few days. I found it was really profound, it gave me a lot of strength to do the work.
Ptr1968 – Oh I agree with you, the cause of desires must be taken away for a more permanent awareness. I just found doing this practise gave me a lot of strength to do the death.
My main struggle was I was having difficulty remaining aware and conscious to do the death when it came to situations that involved the people closest to me. Before I knew it I would be sucked right in by egos and be emotionally involved in the situation, and by the time I remembered myself and tried to apply the death it was too late, the egos had already fed and I missed them.
But doing the impermanence practise for a week gave me this amazing detachment and strength to be able to remain detached and thus apply the death effectively in difficult times.
Investigate it and then let me know your thoughts :)
Strength to everyone!
Amy
Join Date: 2004-11-30
Forum Posts: 2618
Hi Amy,
It worked very well for me to support my eforts to stay aware, especially during the first few days, when I have practiced it.
It helped me a lot in the hard situations, where I tend to be very fascinated and in the relationships with my relatives and friends, where I have so much attachment.
It helped me to detach from the very stubborn egos, which had created a certain "personalities" within me.
>Impermanence. Detach and get a sharp sense of clearness. Awareness>
Those strong egos...I could see better that they are not me, it is something wrong, impermanent, unwanted guests in my house...makes no sense to treat impermanent and unimportant impulses from outside as the motivational forces to dictate the course of my life.
It gave me a lot of boost certainly... but after a few days, it started to go into entropy and gradually lost its meaning and effectiveness.
In the future, I plan to use this and look for other words with a powerful effect (investigate more why they work) and use them to support awareness and work with egos.
Thank you!
Permanent strength to everyone!
Join Date:
Forum Posts: 681
Hello Amy,
It has worked wery well the first time I used it, actualy, it is something I' am looking forward to investigate. I could not investigate it deeper during this week because I underwent an operation and my concentration is still very weak.
But I have already discovered something very useful with this technique, it is that even my thoughts are materialistic, I mean I could somehow feel their weight and in many cases their useleessness. It did helped me to stay aware, but more investigation is needed for me.
Remember to stay aware in case you forgot.
Join Date: 2004-11-30
Forum Posts: 2618
All the strength for you, Gyorgi to recover completely very fast and very soon.
Vadim
Join Date: 2006-10-07
Forum Posts: 142
Thank you Vadim and Gyorgi for your feedback - I am so glad it was of some benefit to you both. I certainly got a lot out of it myself.
I hope you feel better very soon Gyorgi, you are in my prayers :)
Strength to everyone!
Amy
Join Date: 2004-09-08
Forum Posts: 613
Thank you for this, Amy!
Really, so simple and so deep at the same time. :)
Something I constantly forget!
Georgy, I hope you're getting better!
Join Date: 2005-01-13
Forum Posts: 67
that sounds like an awesome experience. i'll definitely try the practice.
i have also been finding an abundance of amazing information in the Buddhist philosophy. in fact, the teachings have exact overlap to much of the gnostic teachings. awareness, impermanence, evolution and devolution, etc., all very similar.
Check out One Path White Clouds- Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha by Thich Nhat Hanh, and also the Dhammapada- both are really amazing. They give a lot of those teachings that your monk spoke of.
does anyone have thoughts on the fundamental differences between Gnosis and Buddhism since we are on the topic?? I haven't found much on death of the ego specifically, but Samael refers to the Buddhist Annihilation which I assume is the same thing...I also haven't read specific references to Alchemy, but I heard that it is given in Buddhism as an advanced practice. It really seems like its all there.
When I read all that it reaffirms everything I am learning in gnosis. It also makes me see that the teaching has always been there- written down and has been for thousands of years, and humanity still has not figured it out...