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free yourself!

TheJourneyTheJourney
edited December 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Don't grasp at a truth. If there's a truth, then there must be "goodness" within that truth. Therefore there must be morals to live by. Therefore there is a certain way of acting. This is imprisonment! Enlightenment is liberation. Liberation means freedom. How else could be free, unless there was no truth!? It is the only way. The truth is within you. Just think. Truth is what imprisons us.

Comments

  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    Wait, TJ. The truth is within us, and the truth imprisons us? So we're inherently imprisoned? Did I get that right?
  • ravkesravkes Veteran
    edited December 2010
    Bro, chill. You're just spitting out thoughts, lol.
    I understand the intention, but there's no need to preach.
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    Wait, TJ. The truth is within us, and the truth imprisons us? So we're inherently imprisoned? Did I get that right?
    The truth that there is no truth is within us. "Truth" isn't accurate, because it's nature is non-truth.
  • PietroPumokinPietroPumokin
    Art is Truth
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    edited December 2010
    um...ok, you've officially lost me now, TJ. Maybe give yourself a few days to sleep on this, and see how it looks then? Maybe you'll have some other ideas to work into it or clarify it, or modify it.

    Искусство--это великая правда! I'm with you there, Pietro!
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    Nagarjuna spoke of the contradictions of words describing the ultimate truth. I'm not saying anything new. That's ok if you don't get it. It doesn't matter. "Getting it" isn't that important. If striving to "get it" causes you to be less happy than don't. Do whatever makes you happy.
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    OK, thanks for the reference. I'll check out Nagarjuna.
  • MindGateMindGate United States Veteran
    Striving for the truth makes me happy.
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    Striving for the truth makes me happy.
    It's definitely fun :)
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited December 2010
    There's nothing new, except the compulsion to express the inexplicable; the inexpressible, knowledge that is only known as true when arisen to each mind.

    The path is still the way, TJ. Take some time and let it settle. It's a big first step.
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    There's nothing new, except the compulsion to express the inexplicable; the inexpressible, knowledge that is only known as true when arisen to each mind.

    The path is still the way, TJ. Take some time and let it settle. :)
    t

    But there is no "way." Perhaps I am a little too excited right now. But it's exciting. It's my ego that's excited, of course, but whatever my ego exists and I still haven't perfectly tamed it. But I may as well have fun with it, now that I realize that there's nothing to strive for I can finally be free, even if I wanna talk people's ears off for a while.

  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    You had an "aha" moment, TJ. Let's see what comes next. Nothing is permanent, you know. ;)
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited December 2010
    You're in that moment right now TJ where it all seems so simple, you think how could you have not seen it before; it's staring you right in the face. So simple, so profound, so breath-takingly perfect, and you think there must be some mistake that so many people are walking around in the dark. They should just... wake up. It's right there. Not hidden. Blatantly obvious.

    The trouble is, it's not right there; not for most people. That's why there is this path, because only through conditioning is the unconditioned found. Skillful conditioning is the best way. I honestly believe that you've had a major breakthrough, and I'm very happy for you, but you won't bring others to seeing it in this thread. In the end, you'll be pointing back to the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. :)

    Namaste bro
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    You're in that moment right now TJ where it all seems so simple, you think how could you have not seen it before; it's staring you right in the face. So simple, so profound, so breath-takingly perfect, and you think there must be some mistake that so many people are walking around in the dark. They should just... wake up. It's right there. Not hidden. Blatantly obvious.

    The trouble is, it's not right there; not for most people. That's why there is this path, because only through conditioning is the unconditioned found. Skillful conditioning is the best way. I honestly believe that you've had a major breakthrough, and I'm very happy for you, but you won't bring others to seeing it in this thread. In the end, you'll be pointing back to the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. :)

    Namaste bro
    Do you really believe that the only way to make people see is buddhism?

  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    edited December 2010
    "Skillful conditioning"? I've never heard of that one, Cloud. Maybe "skillful de-conditioning"? We're conditioned to a certain view of reality from a very early age, and we need to lose that conditioning in order to see reality clearly, or perceive "ultimate" reality, as some have termed it.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited December 2010
    @TheJourney: The Four Noble Truths (with included Noble Eightfold Path). "Buddhism" can mean many things. I'm just saying what the Buddha taught that leads the attentive mind to awakening. If you find a better way, that's great, but how did you get where you are? The path. Even though you see something normal people don't, doesn't mean the path goes out the window.

    I'm just saying take some time and just "be" with it. There's no rush. Peace. :D
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    Idk though. I wasn't a buddhist for very long. I've made my own path. I think we all do.
  • compassionate_warriorcompassionate_warrior Veteran
    Let us know how it works out for you, TJ. Nothing like forging off on your own! Keep in touch.
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    Right. I don't really know anyone except one guy in my area so this whole online thing is a big part of my life. I really want to write a book on this stuff. I decided to write some just now and wrote a little over a thousand words. I'm bored with it now, though. Not in that I don't want to finish, just in that I don't feel like writing anymore right now. If I could ever get published and like open myself up to interacting with people and helping them that would basically be my dream right now.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    So that it then? Not gonna walk the rest of the way? :D
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    So that it then? Not gonna walk the rest of the way? :D
    lol. no. See I have a crazy idea. All of those different things we want to do. That we think are contradictory. I think we can do more of those than we think. We can experience such a high level of happiness, because we can create situations that will make us happy. I do hope to help people at as large of a scale as possible, but that doesn't stop me from doing whatever it occurs to me will make me happy.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    Enjoy it while it lasts my friend. :D
  • NomaDBuddhaNomaDBuddha Scalpel wielder :) Bucharest Veteran
    Don't grasp at a truth. If there's a truth, then there must be "goodness" within that truth. Therefore there must be morals to live by. Therefore there is a certain way of acting. This is imprisonment! Enlightenment is liberation. Liberation means freedom. How else could be free, unless there was no truth!? It is the only way. The truth is within you. Just think. Truth is what imprisons us.
    Wait a sec. ! So, I guess you are reffering to our own individual perception of the world that you are calling 'truth', right ?

  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    The "truth" is that truth is only subjective. We are constantly searching for the truth, but in thinking there's a truth we are only learning about the subjective world. There is no ultimate truth.
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    The fact you've even mentioned your Ego is the big flaw in your self-proclaimed enlightenment,
    An Enlightened being would never give his ego a moment's notice, because an enlightened being is Ego-Less.
    And writing a book is mere transference of ego onto a page.

    If you were enlightened, you wouldn't need to tell us.
    We'd see it for ourselves soon enough in the repetitive wisdom of your comments.
    And there is an Ultimate Truth.
    The Four Noble Truths are exactly that.
    Which is why they are referred to as Noble. Because they are indisputable and ageless, and tried and tested, and found to be immovable.

    keep on keeping on.
    I'm glad for your experience, but it's just a tiny step.

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