Super long discussion/debate on Advaita vs Buddhism
Soh

Super long discussion on Advaita vs Buddhism

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AwakeningToReality/permalink/4591226277585433/

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The Trap of Non-Conceptuality
Soh

 Also see: The Disease of Non-Conceptuality

For me, the idea that conceptuality is a trap is actually a trap itself that depletes the potential of spiritual practice. It entails throwing away a very valid dimension of experience - after all, thinking is part of reality as well. And since it is thinking that creates the illusion of duality, it is at the level of thought that illusions must be dismantled. At the level of "reality" there is nothing to be done.

"Observe and see" [which is the only instruction you say you follow,] is also doing something. A spiritual path without instructions is not a path. And from the moment there are instructions, all of them may be valid, depending on the practitioner.

The neo-Advaita has this characteristic of tending to be nihilistic in relation to the path and means of liberation. "There is no one, there is nothing that needs to be done." This reveals a profound misunderstanding concerning the nature of experience: Everything happens in experience, even without an agent to perform it - the spiritual path is no exception.

The simplicity of "not thinking" is a comfortable nest that prevents us from asking important and bothersome questions. There is "presence" in the act of observation, but that presence has to be investigated in order to make its nature known. Otherwise, we are substituting a belief - in the self - for another - in some immutable and eternal presence. Both ego and presence are obvious and undeniable for those who establish them.

Buddhism also dissolves all concepts, but only when they have already done their job of deconstructing all concepts. "Silencing" conceptuality too soon is to throw away the ladder (of analytical thinking) before we've used it to go beyond the wall (of conceptual ignorance).
 

 – Andre A. Pais

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The Essential Dogen
Soh


 

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Nafis Rahman's Experience of Total Exertion
Soh

Nafis Rahman recently realised anatta. (See: Nafis Rahman's Breakthrough to Anatta)

 

Soon he is having experiences of total exertion. Progressing well. I recommended him a soto zen book this time, which he finds resonating: Being-Time by Shinshu Roberts



    Nafis Rahman

    7thSphonsoreddrf 
    I can see non-arising in terms of thoughts now due to Mahamudra, it’s impossible to find or grasp a thought just like trying to grab an individual raindrop when it’s raining outside. However, I’m not sure how to see non-arising in terms of phenomena or everyday objects like the chair in my room. Just endlessly deconstructing doesn’t seem to be working. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Similar to this article: https://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/.../emptinesschar...?
    From personal experience (trying to understand what it means):
    I was practicing the time exercises in Seeing that frees and then had an experience around 1 month ago where time no longer existed or atleast I couldn’t see it anymore. It’s like multiple timelines all merged together, past life, past, present, and future and that everything was happening in the same time simultaneously. Not sure if this is an insight or delusion, but this feeling of “multi-dimensional” time has been pretty stable for the last 2 weeks and feels very liberating.
    While practicing the walking meditations, I completely deconstructed any sense of body or road to the point where there was only clashing sensations without any body producing the sensations in the first place. The experience is still underdeveloped; I want to go further but suffer an energy imbalance whenever I go too far. However in the process of deconstructing my body, I had a weird experience where instead of walking on top of the world, it feels like I’m walking as the world itself. Like oneness, but not advaita oneness. It feels like multiple strands of oneness are intertwined together or oneness without a “source”, and I’m beyond time and space or atleast shattered the barriers they used to impose. Also feels like I’m one with the universe while the universe is creating itself, or in a state of universal oneness, where everything is more infinitely dimensional. It happens now whenever I walk, at least for the last two weeks, and walking feels very profound. Also in general as well. Difficult to describe in words, couldn’t find anything similar in the ebook or any Buddhist book.
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    Being-Time by Shinshu Roberts
    AWAKENINGTOREALITY.BLOGSPOT.COM
    Being-Time by Shinshu Roberts
    Being-Time by Shinshu Roberts
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    • Nafis Rahman
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    Soh, when I listen to music, it feels like I’m one with the universe while one with the music, while at the same time, the music is one with the universe and vice-versa. Like some kind of inter-dimensional global universal oneness state beyond space-time and other boundaries. Is this "total exertion" or a delusion?

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    • Soh Wei Yu
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    Boundaries is the delusion.
    When the bond that creates artificial boundaries and separation is sufficiently released through penetrating dependent origination and emptiness, total exertion becomes a natural state.

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    • Nafis Rahman
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    Soh Wei Yu
     This description of being-time is very resonating btw! Thought I was hallucinating, but it seems to be an actual insight.
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    • Nafis Rahman
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    I'll read this being-time book first. I was afraid of going deeper into this "oneness" state, so I tried to avoid it, but I'll go even deeper now. If I have any follow-up questions, I'll be sure to ask.
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    • Nafis Rahman
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    Btw, it feels very magical, even anatta feels like nothing in comparison. I don't feel human anymore....i wish everyone in the world could feel total exertion right now.
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    • Primordially Unborn
    AWAKENINGTOREALITY.BLOGSPOT.COM
    Primordially Unborn
    Primordially Unborn
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    Nafis Rahman
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    Lol, just checked the guide. I was so busy trying to realize A- that I experienced A+ instead...

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    • Nafis Rahman
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    Soh
    , is Stage 6 basically being in a state of universal oneness/total exertion without boundaries where everything is illusionary and non-arising?

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    • Soh Wei Yu
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    From AtR guide: "+A Emptiness is Total Exertion and Maha. -A Emptiness is the empty, non-arising and illusory nature of presencing appearance. Phase 6 is about replacing the whole view with Dependent Origination and Emptiness through direct realization, and +A and -A are the experiences from it. However, it is possible to have glimpses of +A and -A and still lack definitive realization. For example, one may have taste of dream-like nature from all appearances arising as one’s radiance, but it is still a glimpse or experience than the realization of emptiness, which overturns the view of seeing phenomena in terms of existing by way of its own essence, arising, abiding and ceasing.
    In phase 6, it is no longer about clarity (clarity is already implicit and forgotten rather than singled out or over-emphasized). It is possible to realize and experience +A without going into -A, or realize and experience -A without going into +A, and it is also possible to experience both and later come to an integration of +A and -A through an experiential realization. Total exertion too has various depths, at a mature phase the total exertion penetrates not only the ten directions but the three times (past, present and future).
    "

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