Hi, Can Buddhists pls comment on this video?

Shana2712

Hi,

I found this video on youtube about enlightenment by Chuck Hillig (does anyone know of him or his teachings?) and I'd like to know what Buddhists think about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB0NsAukay4 - Part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_175643&v=53XRnWpybqc&feature=iv#t=9m52s

Part 2

Thank You,
Shana

allanstevns

I think its a bit nihilistic.

Nirvana

Nihilistic I don't see, indeed the opposite.

It's hard to follow. Guess that's why it's short, so that it can be reviewed a couple of times.

The video really spends a lot of footage on the idea of "pretending," and I think that that concept is a nice window into everyday life. Etymologically, pre-tense comes form the Latin prae ("before") and tendere ("to stretch").

To get some idea of this concept, imagine a person exerting more than mere muscle tone, stretching out his neck and putting on a happy face for his neighbor. Actually, it has a lot in common with persona, "mask." It's not to be interpreted as pretentiousness in the fussy form, only the extra energy we expend in distinguishing ourselves from others. Taking a stance, asserting our individuality, differences, likes and dislikes, &c. Remember, if we are relaxed and not trying to impress our personality onto the situation, only our muscle tone, speaking loosely, is burning energy. (When we are asleep, even the muscle tone goes away, as is evident when your child falls asleep and you have to carry the now-limp child off to bed.)

The video also quotes the provocative Japanese Zen Master Yasutani Roshi as saying:

Humanity's fundamental delusion is supposing "I am here and you are there."

As for the illuminated person concept, I think this video is a nice theoretical construct —and its brevity is refreshing. All illumined souls teach that there are no real walls between people and that we should treat each other as our very selves.

THE PROBLEM we are confronted with is this burden of being chained to self. The illumined person has loosed these chains from off his back —and those well on the path should also be able to break free for long periods of time.

Shana2712

So, this video isn't about Buddhism? I know the goal in Buddhism is enlightenment. This video talks about enlightenment, but not the Buddhist idea of enlightenment?

Nirvana

In my opinion this is not Buddhist. But this is not important to me. For me, it is what resonates and "connects" that matters.

However, also in my opinion, I do not think that such a thing as Buddhism exists, except in the mind and in the mind alone. It's just an abstraction, a word. Now, there happens to be a religion (Some say philosophy.) called by that name. It can be appropriated to some degree by any sincere aspirant and is a beautiful thing.

However, I do firmly believe in the validity of there having been and there being enlightened beings among us. So this is real.

Nirvana

This video is not not Buddhist, either.

It all on your perspective really depends.

It's about unity, using the idea of monads. Now from the perspective of a Martin Buber, this video is definitely Buddhist. Although it could even be Bhakti-vedantist, something very unBuddhist. Buber might not have cared to seek out the difference.

Some members of my local sangha are reading a book comparing the parallel sayings of the Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and Lao Tzu traditions. In it its author addresses the difference between dualistic theists and monists (whether theistic or not):

In modern times, the case for the Jewish rejection of monism was made clear in I and Thou, a book written by the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber in 1958. Buber's point of view was exactly the opposite of Krishna's. Buber insisted that there were not one, but two realities in the Universe: God, and God's creation. By their very nature, Buber argued, these two realities could never be one and the same. No part of God's creation could become God. And while we —part of God's creation— could have a relationship with God, we could come no closer to Him. I and Thou could never become I am Thou.
—The Common Teachings of Four Mystical Traditions: JESUS, BUDDHA, KRISHNA, LAO TZU: The Parallel Sayings by Richard Hooper, p 16

Now, Buber is no Mystic, but many Christians are, notably the Orthodox Christians who believe in the deification of man.

ShiftPlusOne

The video is wrong. Sure, in some way, the only thing that's real is what we perceive, but that doesn't apply to everything. Symbols and representations like money or words are only real as long as we pretend they are real. However, things like matter and energy are always there, regardless of whether we even know about it or not. Also, it's correct in the sense that many people see others as completely separate entities, when in fact, we are a part of the same environment and our actions can affect others and vice-versa .

Shana2712

Thank you all for your comments. I'm going to start looking more into Buddhism and meditation.