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by Astus
Sun Dec 24, 2023 10:02 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

No one is talking about an unconditioned mind though, not even the quote you're providing, it talks about an ultimate self not unconditioned mind. Such an unconditioned mind/awareness is what your interpretation seems to be, as you have stated before: Buddha nature is the unconditioned awareness th...
by Astus
Sat Dec 23, 2023 6:36 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

The unconditioned is found via the undoing of conditions; the first and last delusion is the manas; it is the manas that allows greed and hate to arise via the activity of the conceptual consciousness. If the ending of the ending of greed, hate, and delusion left anything behind, what is left would...
by Astus
Sat Dec 23, 2023 6:10 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

Depth of space is definitely perceived visually. So are holes in donuts. Depth, distance, those are not seeing space but the dimensions of visual objects. Holes, etc. are called the space element, and it is conditioned. What you are saying is that neither awareness nor objects to of awareness exist...
by Astus
Sat Dec 23, 2023 9:20 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

3D depth is a concept and you are also directly experiencing it. And if you have depth perception, then you are perceiving it with the senses. That is not even perceiving space but the spatial dimensions of visual objects, i.e. their form. But what is it which is aware of and experiences the ending...
by Astus
Fri Dec 22, 2023 11:29 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

yes, I am perceiving the relative distance between objects. I am perceiving there is a hole in the middle of a donut. I have two functioning eyes and therefore depth perception. What you describe - and what I presume you call the obvious space - is the conditioned space, the space element. See for ...
by Astus
Fri Dec 22, 2023 7:17 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

Most of the ontological refutations run into trouble the moment you point the same razor to Nirvana. Which is basically the same as Atman except it's not self and therefore not something that can ultimately be apprehended as real either. Atman has some defining qualities, like consciousness, perman...
by Astus
Fri Dec 22, 2023 7:08 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

Space is not dependently arising. If so, then it cannot interact with anything, nothing could be in it, or 'take up space'. Aggregation and dependent arising are the criteria buddhist theory uses to refute the true existence of things. Space has neither, yet everything is obviously occupying space....
by Astus
Fri Dec 22, 2023 9:24 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

But that’s only if unconditioned awareness itself were a “thing” isn’t it? Space isn’t conditioned but things fill it. So why can’t things fill awareness without awareness being conditioned? Space, as a "non-thing" is simply a non-existent, a conceptual abstraction even on a conventional ...
by Astus
Fri Dec 22, 2023 9:01 am
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

Buddha nature not a functional thing; it is uncaused; it is realized as the unconditioned when the repository consciousness is emptied. If buddha nature has no function it is practically no different from being non-existent, since it does nothing and is good for nothing. So what's the point of even...
by Astus
Thu Dec 21, 2023 11:41 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

Buddha nature is the unconditioned awareness that knows conditions. Such an unconditioned awareness is an impossibility, as no functional thing can be unconditioned, because function itself requires relating to other things. 'There is not anywhere anything That ever exists without depending. Thus n...
by Astus
Thu Dec 21, 2023 3:26 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

So by this understanding, awareness itself isn’t a “thing” but is an interactive event between subject and object, each of which lacks inherent reality. Consciousness occurs as a result of the meeting of sense organ and sense object. 'Mendicants, consciousness exists dependent on a duality.' ( Duti...
by Astus
Thu Dec 21, 2023 12:29 pm
Forum: Mahāyāna Buddhism
Topic: Logical refutations of a permanent self
Replies: 75
Views: 3333

Re: Logical refutations of a permanent self

Those are objects of awareness, Even your reaction to the taste. Buddhism says that like/dislike is changing awareness but AV argues that the change happens within the scope of awareness. Awareness/consciousness/perception/knower/etc. is bound to, dependent on, defined by its object. An awareness t...
by Astus
Sat Dec 16, 2023 10:40 pm
Forum: Help Required
Topic: Enlightenment as soon as possible
Replies: 9
Views: 419

Re: Enlightenment as soon as possible

how can one achieves enlightenment in this life, as soon as possible, right now? 'With a preceding moment of deluded thought, one was an ordinary person, but with a succeeding moment of enlightened thought, one is a buddha. To be attached to one’s sensory realms in a preceding moment of thought is ...
by Astus
Mon Dec 11, 2023 10:03 pm
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: “My mind isn’t like that”
Replies: 32
Views: 1739

Re: “My mind isn’t like that”

My assumption when people who don’t practice meditation say things like this is that they are likely wrong, and really haven’t looked at their minds well enough to know what’s going on well, because the skills to do so are not common. Is that fair, or just unfounded arrogance? If so, how would you ...
by Astus
Tue Nov 21, 2023 12:51 pm
Forum: Ethical Conduct
Topic: is there any relationship between secular law, the precepts and karma?
Replies: 16
Views: 1515

Re: is there any relationship between secular law, the precepts and karma?

could secular law or local customs directly or indirectly have influence on the working of the karma? could breaking the secular law by itself cause bad karma? If one has done something bad there is naturally a fear of being found out (AN 6.45), and recollecting one's virtues, living free of fear b...
by Astus
Tue Nov 21, 2023 12:15 pm
Forum: Zen
Topic: Dealing with a world of self-centeredness and malice
Replies: 26
Views: 1363

Re: Dealing with a world of self-centeredness and malice

Has Buddhism said anything related to this? Have you personally dealt with this problem? What do you think? Is it the world's problem or yours? If it's the world's, what does it matter to you? If yours, then you have a problem to solve for yourself, not the world. 'According to the purity of his mi...
by Astus
Thu Oct 12, 2023 8:46 am
Forum: Zen
Topic: Modern, advanced books on Zen
Replies: 44
Views: 2975

Re: Modern, advanced books on Zen

Which advanced books would you recommend from the past four or five decades? I recommend advancing beyond the "Zen" title and investigate the source material that has been studied and applied by all the outstanding bodhisattvas. Normally that means studying the sutras and treatises, but l...
by Astus
Tue Oct 03, 2023 4:00 pm
Forum: Zen
Topic: New to zen, Question on Tao
Replies: 19
Views: 1133

Re: New to zen, Question on Tao

'The main thrust of the non-Buddhist teachings, however, is to establish the conduct for humanity, not to inquire into its ultimate origin. The myriad things discussed in the two teachings are limited to the phenomenal world. Although they point to the great Dao as the root, they do not completely ...
by Astus
Tue Sep 26, 2023 8:51 pm
Forum: Lounge
Topic: Is there really a need for a pointing out instruction frpm
Replies: 34
Views: 1532

Re: Is there really a need for a pointing out instruction frpm

Look for the looker. If you find nothing, that’s the finding. You don’t need a master in a room to realise that. That may or may not be all right. The practical question is: then what? How does that help in eliminating all the ingrained unskilful and harmful habits? How does that help in developing...
by Astus
Fri Sep 22, 2023 3:45 pm
Forum: Dharma in Everyday Life
Topic: Middle Way
Replies: 9
Views: 1169

Re: Middle Way

distrust and avoid all kinds of extremes. Both asceticism and indulgence are bad for us when taken too far. Ditto doctrinaire fundamentalism and wishy-washy new-age-ism, loony-right politics and loony-left politics, and every other pair of extremes I can think of. That can easily take to a false mi...

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