Do you still believe? (page 8)

daniel-p

"That's right, you don't need any of those things - even drop the book - you don't need that either."

OK, I'll just go kill myself in order to reach the ultimate state of whatever.

JamesThomas

Daniel-p:

I guess I'm just a realist - don't need any flowery, mysterious prose to explain the meaning of life.

Exactly!

Eckhart Tolle, Adyashanti, and Gangaji, are extreme realists and offer up no "flowery" beliefs to explain the meaning of life; but instead help us see how we have come to identify with non-real, non-actual and untrue concepts as who and what we, others and reality are. Their harmonious message is about seeing through what is false that the actual living REALITY be clearly realized first hand. Their message is not for the weak or those wanting something to lean on. It's for the radical-realists who want to know what is real and true...at all costs.

j

Narkissos

I'm not really down on all that Buddha shit. I've read Sidhartha and all other Hesse novels and I don't think that guy really figured out a thing when it comes down to it.

Hesse's Siddhartha character is not portrayed as a Buddhist. At some point he meets the Buddha but does not follow him. His way is definitely different. (Cf. Nietzsche's Zarathustra which stands in many ways as the antithesis of Zoroastrism.) As a whole Hinduist influence is more important than Buddhist in the novel imo.

daniel-p

I understood Siddhartha to be a retelling of the legend of Gautama, who was supposedly the original buddha or some such nonsense, right? Anyway, its been a looong time since I read it.
And when I say I am a realist, what I mean is that explanations of the meaning of life or the rationalization of it often degrade into the typical pseudo-intellectual prose of self-proclaimed philosophers and just generally make themselves sound like idiots. I hate it when some starts talking about being one with the Ultimate existence life spirit and crap like that. Don't get me wrong, I am no redneck, and I apreciate all kinds of poetry and I consider myself relatively cultured for my age, but I would just like to hear simple, real, meaningful words from a person who thinks they have it "figured out." And yes, it is about "figuring it out" since you are trying to offer an explanation of life.

LittleToe

Daniel:
When you've got your shyte together, maybe you'll be a little more tolerant of others' having every right to hold what ever beliefs (or lack thereof) that they wish, without denigrating them. Meanwhile, you're totally entitled to your opinion, bud

James:I concur.

From the angle that I look at Christianity, the purpose is to become the Christ within - not by some faux emulation, as the JWs would suggest...

Narkissos

Daniel,

Just to refresh your memory : Siddhartha meets the Buddha in chapter 3 (http://www.online-literature.com/hesse/siddhartha/3/). His disciple Govinda becomes a follower of Buddha, but he doesn't. He will be neither a disciple nor a master. He will be himself.

gumby

From the angle that I look at Christianity, the purpose is to become the Christ within

Oh that's just great! Now I gotta find a place to lay my head, eat, and dodge human predators for the rest of my life eh?

I agree LT....nothing can be bad about being chrislike in how he treated others. Some of his spiritual council I have a hard time with, but his compassion for others well being is worth following.

Gumby

daniel-p

"When you've got your shyte together, maybe you'll be a little more tolerant of others' having every right to hold what ever beliefs (or lack thereof) that they wish, without denigrating them. Meanwhile, you're totally entitled to your opinion, bud"

Thanks for putting me in my place as well as giving a little piecemeal recognition. You got the placation down, 'bud.'

JamesThomas

And yes, it is about "figuring it out" since you are trying to offer an explanation of life.

Daniel, OK, lets figure it out. It's very simple. Clear and honest observation is all. I offer nothing. You, hold the answers already.

Sit back and bring up some of the religious, philosophical or intellectual explanations of life that you have gathered throughout the years. Look closely at them as you list a few favorite ones within the mind. Now notice what is not on the list; notice what is looking.

Can you see and feel that conscious-awareness is closer and more intimately self, as compared to all the mental stuff you can see? What is more real? the mental stuff gathered, or that which sees it all?

Now then, shift attention onto the present-moment of awareness which silently witnesses all, and give less attention on the beliefs and conceptual jabber of the mind, and see what aliveness, what reality and actuality has been missed. Look closer and closer into the profound and immediate presence of your being, and see if you can find a boundary, bottom or wall. You're going into an area closer and vaster than the mind, so don't use mental interpretation as your flashlight, but rather the raw reality of silent existence.

This is a very different way to view and investigate into life, using life itself, rather than thoughts about life, to expose reality. It may take some time. Inquire sincerely, honestly and diligently into everything you have come to believe yourself to be, and see what is real and what is not. Who/what, are you, really?

You need go no where but where you already are. You need join no church or group. You need not earn or evolve. Just be......and see what is real and actual already.

j

gumby

...............................

just kiddin buddy

Gumsmartass

Do you still believe?

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