Posts
John Tan shared a video and the following commentary:
What is most important is near the end when it spoke of anatta, but it missed a very key part of practice. That is, a meditator or Michael himself (I've forgotten which) said that when he closed his eyes, no matter how he tried, he could not keep his mind still. The mind wanders and thoughts pop up. But when he opens his eyes, it is "just seen is seen, just heard is heard," and meditation is much easier.
This is very crucial and a major, common misunderstanding among many practitioners.
That is why when you practice open-eye meditation, I told you to close your eyes. Why do you think it is important? And what is the mistake?
The problem is we have a wrong idea of what is meant by 'selflessness' in passivity, like closing our eyes. We 'thought' this and this has to be done. We have no idea at all and do not know the real meaning of letting go. We are using our self-view idea to mold towards a specific direction when our eyes are closed.
That is why I want you to train to close your eyes when you meditate. I told you that it is much more difficult than opening your eyes.
It is difficult because it is misunderstood and misinterpreted from a self-view perspective that it has to be this and this way.
So only when you genuinely understand spaciousness and openness without contrivance when you close your eyes, then you will understand.
- John Tan
Aditya Prasad: Is this specifically for post-anatta? In Dzogchen it is said that the mistake is closing your eyes, and you will only realize once you practice with eyes open lol.
Soh Wei Yu: Yes, I discussed this with him years ago. He is aware that Dzogchen focuses on open-eye practice but intentionally asks me to practice the opposite of what Dzogchen (and I think Soto Zen?) teaches on this point.
That said, open-eye contemplation is basically how I realized anatta through the Bahiya Sutta. I think what John Tan is talking about is important for post-anatta training. It is definitely harder than open-eye practice, which is more intuitive for non-dual practitioners.
Here is the English summary of the video:
This video from the channel "Qingcha Shuo" (青茶說) explains author Michael Pollan's new book, A World Appears. The book explores the most difficult puzzle in science and philosophy: "What is Consciousness?" Rather than giving a standard answer, the author dismantles the question by personally exploring neuroscience, botany, the AI field, and even meditating in a cave.
Here is a summary of the video's key points:
The 25-Year Bet Between Science and Philosophy
Top neuroscientist Christof Koch made a bet with philosopher David Chalmers that he could find the "neural correlates of consciousness" in the brain within 25 years. Koch ultimately admitted defeat. After an Ayahuasca experience, he abandoned the materialism he had held onto all his life, realizing that perhaps the brain doesn't produce consciousness, but rather consciousness is the fundamental basis of the universe (Idealism).
Plants Are Actually Smarter Than We Think
Experiments in plant neurobiology show that even without a central brain, plants can navigate mazes to find nutrients, just like animals. Plants also sleep, can be anesthetized, have memories, and can even use "echolocation" via faint sound waves to find their way. This challenges our bias: the idea that "consciousness is impossible without a brain" has never actually been proven.
Can AI Truly Have Consciousness?
Regarding the popular topic of AI awakening, neuroscientists and engineers point out that consciousness stems from the "inner balance (homeostasis)" a living organism needs to survive. Because biological beings are fragile, feel pain, and face death, they develop "feelings." Although AI can perfectly "simulate" emotions, it lacks the most crucial elements—"death and fragility"—so it cannot possess genuine consciousness.
The "Self" is an Illusion, and "Memories" are Fabricated
Neuroscience research suggests that what we consider the "self" is actually just a "controlled hallucination" constructed by the brain to reduce the uncertainty of survival. Furthermore, our "memories" aren't like saving files on a hard drive; they are more like an improv actor. The brain constantly splices and rewrites memories based on what your present self needs. Realizing this is liberating: since neither the self nor memories are eternally fixed, we don't need to be hijacked by our attachments to them.
Adult vs. Child Modes of Consciousness
Psychologists divide consciousness into two modes:
- Spotlight Consciousness (Adults): Driven by dopamine, highly focused on achieving goals and acquiring resources, with a strong, rigid sense of self.
- Lantern Consciousness (Children): Driven by serotonin, curious about the world, exploring openly in 360 degrees, without a rigid ego.
Modern society overvalues the "Spotlight (exploitation) mode," but we actually need to reclaim the childhood "Lantern (exploration) mode" by allowing ourselves to space out or daydream.
Cave Meditation and Ego Dissolution
Finally, the author went on a retreat in a deep mountain cave without water or electricity. He discovered that in the pure simplicity of chopping wood, sweeping, and making tea, when the brain stops obsessing over past memories and future expectations, the "self" dissolves. He realized that consciousness never needed to be treated as a puzzle to be dissected on an operating table; it is hidden in the simplest everyday moments: "The moment you open your eyes, the world appears."
In Conclusion:
This video and book aren't asking us to abandon reason or seek mystical experiences. Instead, they offer a key to understanding: the "self" that anxiously worries about the future and constantly calculates gains and losses is just a predictive model created by the brain. When we stop our internal friction and simply experience the present moment, the world itself is already full of vibrant meaning.
