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5/16/09
The Real Problem with Reaching Nirvana
Does anyone know anyone that's
enlightened?
Buddha showed us that it wasn't difficult
- it's just a simple process of sitting and watching the breath...
Why isn't there anyone that is enlightened today? At least I haven't
met anyone. Have you?
Sure you might have read about someone -
but, can you trust what you read? For me I'd have to meet the
person. Could I then tell - enlightened or not? Not sure.
There must be 100,000 monks here in
Thailand - and yet - who of them is enlightened? None I've met.
Nobody is talking about any of them alive today that's enlightened.
India is claiming some - but, here in Thailand a land of 65
Million plus people - 98% Buddhist... I can't find any.
Why is that?
I believe that the problem lays in the
double bind.
Having gone along the path to some
degree I realized that the couple keys to progressing are:
1. Meditating not to get anywhere.
2. Letting everything go that comes up
during meditation. Sure, look at it in the case of feelings, pain,
fear, uncomfortable feeling, heat in the body, sweat running down
your cheek - tickling... but after you look at it and gain wisdom
about it... let it go.
Same goes for jhana and other
experiences. Let them go. Don't take them to mean you're on the fast
track to the same state as the Buddha - just let them go as nothing.
Now, how does someone do this if they're
whole life is centered on the act of reaching Nirvana - or
progressing as far as they can? Nirvana is set up as this ultimate
and unattainable goal that is so important...
How does one not get excited and attach
to the various states that precede jhana... let alone once inside
jhana???
The states are amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing
states. They are so awesome in their depth and character... so
unlike anything you've ever experienced before... how can someone go
through that and not make a big deal of it?
That's the thing - most can't. The more
you're a die-hard Buddhist and stuck on tradition and some magical
formula for getting jhanas... the less chance you'll have of ever
getting further than your first experience because the goal suddenly
seems realistic then - and you blow it all out of proportion, attach
to the experience and never see it again.
I believe that enlightenmind is not very
likely for any monks or serious students of Buddh-ISM. The less you
read about what should happen - the better. The less you care about
reaching the higher states of jhana... enlightenment - the better.
Otherwise when presented with some of the feelings of jhana or what
precedes... you're blow away by it and can't get over it... every
time you get close from then on - the anxiety arises and you're
attached to getting the experience again.
Jhana just goes away at that point... it
won't come when you're attached - wanting - desiring it. It just
won't.
When you get into Jhana 5-8 the states
are so intense... for lack of another word - that few can get past
them - especially realizing that level 8 is supposedly the one
Buddha launched into enlightenment from.
Much better that you don't even know
what Jhana 8 is. I didn't have any idea I was at the last door...
Don't read anything about Buddhism. Just
follow the physical steps of meditation and see what happens.
Download my free ebook about how to go about it. It's basically just
what I did. Without the '-ism" ... without the fluff that goes with
any religion and that makes experiences you have while meditating
bigger than life - and ultimately get in the way of you getting
anywhere at all.
If you have any questions about anything
or want to attack me for discounting all the books you've read and
all the attachment you've built up in your mind about how the
process leading to Nirvana should be - feel free... ( AimforAwesome [{ @ ]} gmail. c o m )
Another
strange dimensional
experience 3-16-08 >
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