Are you in the stream yet? Off/on course you are?

lobster

Dear friends of the three+ jewels,

As we know the mind, body and emotions can continually prapanca-ke its way through our being ...
https://buddhismnow.com/2013/09/15/discomfort-without-aversion-a-little-miracle-by-corrado-pensa/

... or we can align with our True, Awakened state less ness
https://buddhismnow.com/2013/07/05/first-steps-buddhist-meditation/

That is not easy but we all know our monkey tendencies and our Buddha Moments ...

How do we separate the wheat from the chaff or should we be totally wholewheat? I must confess I have no difficulty knowing my anger, lusts, partisan ego nonsense.
I can perhaps hide it from others but not my self. That is why I use every trick in the sutras and teachings of the wise, whatever their path.
It is the right thing to do

Right mental attitude or effort: Avoiding negative thoughts and emotions, such as anger and jealousy.
Part of the 8 unfolded path

Are you in the stream yet? Off/on course you are?

Special bonus - Free Ancient Smart Watch
https://stonehengeskyscape.co.uk/

Bunks

I've definitely dipped my toe in the stream @lobster but not sure how much more hehe

Jeroen

I have no idea whether I’ve entered the stream yet. I’m not sure whether it is useful to track such things, since comparison and goals are likely to come up.

The other thing this makes me think of is, is it not better to gain insight into the roots of one’s negative emotions than to try to suppress them? One can avoid negative thoughts or one can try to uproot them. My experience is that these things have roots, that anger often comes from a sense of having been damaged by another, which can be as small an event as another child taking a favourite toy (to cite an example from my childhood).

When we are young we are busy my-making with the toys, we take pleasure in them and extend our sense of self to them, considering them “mine”. Then when someone takes one it feels like we become damaged by that. Later in life all kinds of things have been ‘made mine’, such as reputation, cars, houses, significant others... an insult is damage to one’s reputation, which can trigger anger.

So with a thorough realisation of no self one can detach oneself from much of the process of my-making, and let go of the feeling of identification with reputation, things, and people.

It’s just one example of insight, and how the realisation of insight can help you let go.

lobster

@Bunks said:
I've definitely dipped my toe in the stream @lobster but not sure how much more hehe

You have. You are doing fine.

“Come, come, whoever you are,
wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving,
it doesn't matter.
Ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vow a hundred times.
Come, come again, come.”
― Bodhi Rumi

I am on retreat at the moment, whilst our beloved moderator 'Fed Express' is partying in Popeland

Perhaps we can put it like this for those with many tows and undercurrents ...

न संसारस्य निर्वाणात् किं चिद् अस्ति विशेषणं
na saṁsārasya nirvāṇāt kiṁ cid asti viśeṣaṇaṁ
There is nothing whatsoever of samsara distinguishing (it) from nirvana.
न निर्वाणस्य संसारात् किं चिद् अस्ति विशेषणं। १९
na nirvāṇasya saṁsārāt kiṁ cid asti viśeṣaṇaṁ|
There is nothing whatsoever of nirvana distinguishing it from samsara.
निर्वाणस्य च या कोटिः।कोटिः। संसरणस्य च
nirvāṇasya ca yā koṭiḥ koṭiḥ
(That?) is the limit which is the limit of nirvana and the limit of samsara;
न तयोर् अन्तरं किंचित् सुसूक्ष्मम् अपि विद्यते। २०
na tayor antaraṁ kiñcit susūkśmam api vidyate|
Even a very subtle interval is not found of (between) them
Nagarjuna

Ay caramba
in and out of the stream
we iz drowning?

lobster

the two curves of the stream ...

Taking refuge (a practice) and bowing/prostrations (also practice) is one humble curve
The other bends the other way, The Teacher, The Buddha, Hotei Maitriya. A statement of Being.

Where are you on the curve? The Middle?

pegembara

All that arises, passes away.

At Savatthi. "Monks, eye-consciousness is inconstant, changeable, alterable. Ear-consciousness... Nose-consciousness... Tongue-consciousness... Body-consciousness... Intellect-consciousness is inconstant, changeable, alterable.

"One who has conviction & belief that these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.

"One who, after pondering with a modicum of discernment, has accepted that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry.

"One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a stream-enterer, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening."

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.003.than.html