Simplify and Simplify Again

ThailandTom

Here is an extract from one of my books which when I read it, put a lot of things into perspective. It makes the whole notion of walking the path to liberation seem clear and dare I say, easy :wtf: Na, it isn't easy, it takes a lot of effort of course, but here is the extract.

"Aryadeva states in the Four Hundred Verses on Madhyamaka that a true spiritual aspirant must first overcome negative behaviour, in the middle phase counter any grasping at self, and in the final stage should overcome all the views that blind us within the samsaric realm."

When you read this, you can easily put yourself into one of these three stages. For me I still on occassion will act in a negative way, I am sure many of us will. That would put me at the first of these three stages. Now this is a gross simplification, of course you would need to understand the dharma in detail, but that is the path in the most simplified way I have ever seen it.

Bhagavan

Its amazing on its simplicity that the 1st im my perception is to identify the negative activity of the mind frequencies, and simultaneously embarking on non grasping of these activities until total absorption of nirvana state of neither grasping nor non grasping.

federica

I believe I have said this before.... that while I expound the virtues of dedicating ones' self to the (lifetime) study of The 4, The 8 and The 5, the sweet Sister Brahmavara, at the Amaravati monastery told me it's even clearer than that - "Simplify!"

http://www.amaravati.org/index.php/about_us/index/C8

Bhagavan

@federica Exactly, other than those who knew it, they dont acquiesce with it, not to mention identifying them.