what if
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Anyway cenarious, it's good to have a sincere wish for truth, but not to project an egoic image of attaining something. That is false and illusionary. Lots have been said about the notion that there is a self to attain enlightenment is false.
All images of self attaining something, whether it is supernatural powers, enlightenment or transcendental body, whatever, is just a dream of an unenlightened person. When you wake you, it is not "you" who wakes up, because when you wake up you will realise that so called "you" who you thought will one day attain enlightenment is just a fictitious dream character. Nobody ever attained anything.
Let go of all that is illusory, all the attachment to the illusory ego, image of self. -
And so the suffering continuesOriginally posted by An Eternal Now:Anyway cenarious, it's good to have a sincere wish for truth, but not to project an egoic image of attaining something. That is false and illusionary. Lots have been said about the notion that there is a self to attain enlightenment is false.
All images of self attaining something, whether it is supernatural powers, enlightenment or transcendental body, whatever, is just a dream of an unenlightened person. When you wake you, it is not "you" who wakes up, because when you wake up you will realise that so called "you" who you thought will one day attain enlightenment is just a fictitious dream character. Nobody ever attained anything.
Let go of all that is illusory, all the attachment to the illusory ego, image of self. -
Originally posted by Eric Cartman:And so the suffering continues
What are you talking about?
When the illusions are completely seen through, there will be no more sufferings. -
Please read the entire Diamond Sutra
"Why is this so? If, Subhuti, a bodhisattva holds on to the idea that a self, a person, a living being, or a life span exists, that person is not an authentic bodhisattva."
"What do you think, Subhuti? Does a Stream-Enterer think, 'I have attained the fruit of stream-entry.'?"
Subhuti replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? Stream-Enterer means to enter the stream, but in fact there is no stream to enter. One does not enter a stream that is form, nor a stream that is sound, smell, taste, touch, or object of mind. That is what we mean when we say entering a stream."
"What do you think, Subhuti? Does a Once-Returner think, 'I have attained the fruit of Once-Returning.'?"
Subhuti replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? Once-Returner means to go and return once more, but in truth there is no going just as there is no returning. That is what we mean when we say Once-Returner."
"What do you think, Subhuti? Does a Non-Returner think like this, 'l have attained the fruit of No-Return.'?"
Subhuti replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? No-Return means not to return to this world, but in fact there cannot be any Non-Returning. That is what we mean when we say Non-Returner."
"What do you think, Subhuti? Does an Arhat think like this, 'I have attained the fruit of Arhatship¹?"
Subhuti replied, "No, World-Honored One. Why? There is no separately existing thing that can be called Arhat. If an Arhat gives rise to the thought that he has attained the fruit of Arhat-ship, then he is still caught up in the idea of a self, a person, a living being, and a life span. World-Honored One, you have often said that I have attained the concentration of peaceful abiding and that in the community, I am the Arhat who has most transformed need and desire. World-Honored One, if I were to think that I had attained the fruit of Arhat-ship, you certainly would not have said that I love to dwell in the concentration of peaceful abiding."