Welcome home! Please contact lincoln@icrontic.com if you have any difficulty logging in or using the site. New registrations must be manually approved which may take several days. Can't log in? Try clearing your browser's cookies.
Is ignorance a game?
lobster
Crusty Veteran
What games we play ...
When the Buddha looked at the people around him, he noticed they were all enlightened just not awake to the fact. Ignorance, clinging and skhandas had obscured their pristine and pure nature. Oh!
In effect the Buddha decided that the acquisition and development of mind states, which he had excelled at, was effectively, useless. Training was a form of spiritual glamour.
Look at me, sitting with my monkey mind. Look at me, starved meself silly, I must be sincere. Hey I can quote the vedas/sutras and therefore I know what I am talking about. I had this mantra whispered by the secret Buddha of the Himalayas and . . .
. . . games . . .
I have mine. You will have yours. What is your game?
4
Comments
I'm an ace at clinging...boy, I'm sure glad the Buddha dude decided to stop starving himself stupid.
Oh boy where do I start!
I did the buy all the books game! One from every school!
Then I played the whole, be the best meditator in the world game. I worked up to 2 hours plus a day. My personal best was sitting for an 1 hour 10 minutes without moving ! I was going to enter all the jhanas and reach enlightenment...
I then played the whole watch every video from Yutidhammo Bhikku(spelling?) Ask a Monk on YouTube game!
He seemed very staunch in his resolve and he was a westerner.
I then went more new age Eckhardt Tolle approach, Therevada seemed so dry and Ask A Monk never seemed happy.
I realised Eckhardt Tolle just woke up in oneness one morning so he couldn't really give a noob like me advice before hand. Only from his perspective. It was refreshing.
I then found direct pointing/self inquiry and found this better than meditation because I don't have to sit on a mat like a statue all day. I had some experiences but still no full awakening, whatever that is.
So at that stage, I'm listening to lectures from teachers, once a day. (Satsang) I'm doing self inquiry whoever it comes up. Questioning my existence while walking the dogs.
Often going for a walk by myself for hours.
But...now I think all these games are necessary. We are all conditioned differently and I don't feel any if this was a waste if time. I learnt so a great things and dropped off some belief.
I still meditate now but for no real point. I just sit.
I still listen to some teachers, not for divine wisdom. But more because the words resonate and I enjoy it
I've joined a group of Tibetan Buddhists, not because I resonate with Tibetan tradition but because they are nice people. I do like the Tibetan colours! And gorgeous visualisations!
I hope that all these games will fall away but hey, I've heard from people who have read every spiritual book and done every practice! From Jhanas to shamanism. 50 years of seeking like no other.
And then something gave up, what they were seeking was what they were. They needed the 50 years of struggle to realise it was pointless.
Now they just enjoy their grand children and walking in the desert at sunset.
Sometimes I can see a finish line. I don't know if it's the finish line, but it is real and all I need to do is let go. And I don't.
But I do come here and talk about wanting it when really, I want to want it.
How much more would I do, and just as importantly, how much less...if I really wanted it now.
"Mind watching" I like to Just sit and watch the mind games as they unfold .... I no longer participate, nowadays I've taken on more of a spectator role ....(Well at times for a while I might get a little taken away and join in some games, but not on a serious level
)
Well said @yagr
In a sense we have to be very serious with a light touch. We have to grab truth and shake it into submission emptiness ...
One of the great masks of the dharmakaya are the wrathful yidams of tantra ... and even life the universe and everything ...
So my game is like the Sufis, to 'Increase in Love', which sounds very noble, obvious or 'my little pony' new agey but I feel it is a worthy game ...
For example last night my new neighbours were partying into the night. Extending love to the noise was more effort than enjoying this mornings peace. I have a preference but not always a choice ...
Game On!
There are no finish lines. There are, however, many grand transient castles along the way. When we arrive at one, we are able to rest and refresh and we may say, "Ah, at last!" But when the transient castle vanishes, we see that we have a long way yet to go and start heading along the path again.
I don't see ignorance as a game. However, I have seen some folks who seem to feel otherwise.
The "game", as I see it, is to enjoy the journey and enable as many others as I can to enjoy their journey(s) as well.
I was going to blather on, but right now, my bed is a very inviting transient castle.
Peace to all
'Night!
My game is just to explore and have fun while doing the least amount of harm I can.
I feel that @ourself is offering an insightful aim. In one sense we have to stop being bothersome to ourselves and others. Only then can we move from ahimsa to the path of doing good.
Many of us are on the path of the overly sentimental, patched over rainbow dharma or other frothing ...
Kindness can be hard ... and a softening. Tread softly, the sleepers will be undisturbed and the path clear ...
What fun!
Oh no, not the Mahayana reference again. :P
Sales people are the same the world over
^^^ Sorry removed the Mahayana reference from my post
Roolz? Nah ...