John Tan and I thinks this book by Peter Brown is good. Worth reading. As JT says, his insight is higher than anatta/post anatta. I wrote a critique in 2013 and said his insight sounded substantialist/one mind, but clearly his insights have deepened since (or I simply misjudged him earlier on).

Amazon's A.I. is getting more intelligent at recommending me good books.

 
 
Update: Seems like John Tan didn't find it as impressive as he thought it will be, nonetheless I still think it's a good read and the insight of anatta is there.
 
 
John tan said
“U can really sell 🤣.
After reading half of the book...so so only. Initially I was quite impressed with certain passages u sent me about his understandings on:
1. appearances as presence
2. how he sees through conventions.
3. vibrancy of aliveness through Yoga.
The word "yoga" in his book title misled me...lol. I thought he was a yogi with deep anatta insight, clear abt deconstruction techniques on conventional and conceptual constructs and more importantly on yoga energy system which will b quite rare.
But nothing about that after buying and reading the book...🤪
 
[9:00 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: U finished reading?
[9:50 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Almost
[9:56 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Im still beginning.. think his insight is anatta but a bit of subsuming
[9:56 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: ?
[9:58 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Depends, seems like he feels that presence is real...
[10:05 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Also how one deconstructs conventional reality also crucial.  Not mentioned at all...clearly knowing the relationship between mental constructs and presence is pivotal...he talked too much abt presence...lol
[10:05 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..
[10:05 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: He said presence cannot be found besides experienced characteristics?
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Yes that is good
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Seems like dogen and soto zen people also talk about everything being real
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: But they dont necessarily use the word presencr
[10:06 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Their definition is different
[10:07 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Coz the word "existence" has different meaning.
[10:07 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: All Buddhism need to know the importance of 幻
[10:08 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: 如梦幻泡影 (like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow)
[10:08 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..
[10:09 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: But the emphasis that things appear but do not exist may not b clear to many.
[10:11 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: “So, this is a very strange state of affairs we find; ultimately unfindable experiential characteristics that turn out to be nothing more than Presence, and ultimately unfindable Presence that turns out to be nothing more than experiential characteristics. Unfindable Presence appearing as actual Radiance (energetic experiential characteristics),”
[10:11 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: So to him presence is both unfindable and actual
[10:11 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Lol
[10:12 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Just different words
[10:12 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: “and unfindable Radiance appearing as actual Presence.”
[10:13 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: As long as the insight is there is good enough
[10:13 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Unfortunately nothing about energy system
[10:13 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: And deconstruction clarity
[10:14 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: Rob is much better quality book
[10:16 AM, 8/16/2020] Soh Wei Yu: Oic..
[10:16 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: He use ultimate analysis for example to deconstruct time
[10:16 AM, 8/16/2020] John Tan: And talk about not being attached to even eternal now
 
 
0 Responses