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Buddhism Simplified
ThailandTom
Veteran
in Philosophy
I think I should start by mentioning that this is a 2 part post really. So firstly Buddhism, what is it? Well I was meditating in the sun earlier and a random realization of sorts came to mind, it sprung out of a trance like state with clarity. It was that Buddhism simply is a matter of changing the way your brain functions, as simple as that, everything else in retrospect comes from that action alone.
So why is it such a profoundly difficult thing to do, why is it so hard to liberate ones self and to fully see the dharma in everything?
2
Comments
Looking forward to part two . . .
Personally I do not think it is difficult. You just have to stay focussed on doing it. Again and again and again. I believe it is called 'The Path'.
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It's difficult because we have developed mental habits over a lifetime (and perhaps previous lifetimes) that are very hard to break.
classical explanation, which is very illuminating,
since beginingless (so a long long long long spectral rainbow shout-ahoy-throw-that-tether into the past) time ago we've been Dualizing
which is fine for survival, making babies, sending embarassing messages to @lobster, using chopsticks, etc
but eventually it is not in accord with how things truly are
and, not knowing this, we continue to do it the way we're "used to" doing it
and viola, one day you're a mindless cow to slaughter unless your karma puts you in the monastery pasture..
one breath you're a gull
one breath you're a godly spirit-essence-light-based wonder because you were the bee that stopped the murderer from getting to the great Bodhisattva in ages past,
and one day you're a human, in a realm where the teaching is flourishing! where the Truth is alive and passed down in living breathing traditions
where it is possible, with your pretty-standard-and-miraculous human faculties and logical acuity
to come to complete understanding
to the trmendous benefit
of yourself
and others
To come to know all phenomena, in their myriad variety, As-they-truly-ceasingbecoming.
A good starting point is
What hurts?
How does hurting
end?
What is the way in which hurting ends?
If we can abandon how hurting starts,
it has no choice but to naturally end.
And perhaps once we get a real real understanding like what lingerie on your man parts feels like or what that syrupy nectar tastes like or how sharp that scratch from going off your skateboard Stings like.. knowing so immediate it is beyond words and argumentation and discussion
then we can talk about
what's the best opposite of hurting?
how do we make that arise more often, until it flows unceasingly like a river?
how do we make that
our abiding
It is as difficult as you choose to make it.
If this arises, so does that, if that does not arise, neither does this - simple really, just got to observe this and that all the time
Your initial premise is wrong.
Buddhadharma is not ' simply a matter of changing the way your brain functions '.
Your brain is part of rupa- skandha.
Which is just one aspect of the arising of conditions from which we create an apparent self-identity.
I wonder if "changing the way your brain functions" is simply mis-wording? You really can't change the "function" of the brain. Changing "perception," perhaps, might be a better choice?
That might work.
_/_
Yea sorry my bad, I meant the way the brain operates with it's surroundings
The other part takes into account right speech. Imagine a world, a society where everybody had right speech all of the time, every single person unable to tell a lie. Now that could lead interesting places, I don't know if it would be better or worse.
Worldly life is the prioritization of self.
The Buddhas path is a prioritization of selflessness.
My practice is just the outcome of my priorities.
Sounds like the colds getting better @how - welcome back to the land of chat.
So can I get this right: the buddha prioritises selflessness (I get that); your practice is about YOUR priorities (I get that). However, this leads to a place where there is a square peg trying to fill a circular hole. Or am I misunderstanding your comment?
Thanks @anataman
No I think I am still pretty flu stupifyed..
I was trying to say that a Buddhist practice simply reflects the priority one places on selflessness over selfishness.
Nothing like having a firm grasp of the obvious.
Old habits die hard.
Sounds like a bad movie!!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119528/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_30
If we understood our own minds, we wouldn't cause any hurt to ourselves. Why don't we start with not hurting ourselves first, then maybe we can sit with our mind and find out what's going on.
https://red40entertainment.com/harold-ramis-5-minute-buddhist-pocket-primer/
It must be because just like when cement has set, the mind once set, is difficult to be changed. There is too much attachment involved.