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#3627 - Monday, August 17,
2009 - Editor: Gloria Lee
Nonduality Highlights - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NDhighlights
Try Something New
We don’t open our heart and mind because we
haven’t experienced the benefit of doing that. Once we have
experienced the truth, there isn’t even an issue. There is
no worry. The whole question of whether we are ready to open our
heart and mind to the truth isn’t even a concern.
-- Anam Thubten
Things As They Are
Dharma, the truth of things-as-they-are, acts upon us to
help us awaken to liberation. Dharma isn't a person; it isn't a
being to be supplicated to. It's just the way things work, the
reality of the universe unfolding as a process in time. The
Buddha discovered and taught about a portion of this universe,
and science can reveal a portion too, as can any contemplation or
activity that accords with the way things actually are….
This is deep trust in the Dharma.
-- Jeff Wilson, Buddhism of the Heart
True and false spirituality
The conditioned mind, that is the God. That's God. Culturally that is God. To the point we don't even have news programs anymore, all we have is 2 idiots arguing their point of view. Right. Isn't that right? And somehow we think if we get 2 extreme idiots and they both expound their points of view somehow we're supposed to find the truth in all that. Do you see what I mean? We grow up in that culture. One idiot talked that way, the other idiot talks that way and somehow we're supposed to derive something that's non-idiotic.
We're taught that. That's what we're taught. Go to college you'll be taught it. They'll teach it to you. They might not put it that up front but basically that's what you'll be taught. Gather all points of view then make up your own then that's what's true. So this is part of our consciousness. It's funny but it's also significant when you start to see this is the way most human beings are locating what's true for them. What I think and interpret about things. My judgments about things and people and events and oneself. That's this is where human beings place, that that's where their reality is.
Spirituality in it's true sense is really seen as a threat...by the conditioned mind. False spirituality is seen as no threat. False spirituality just becomes more ideas. More things to believe in. But true spirituality undercuts--holds a mirror up---doesn't write on the mirror, doesn't write anything on the mirror like 'here's what to believe, here's what to think, here's what to'....that's all false spirituality. True spirituality just shows a mirror. It puts it in your consciousness so we see...'oh, this is insane. I'm insane.' And so the orientation is to the unconditioned. There is no creating the unconditioned. You can't manufacture it. You can't derive it. You can't make it. It is there. As I say many times the quickest touch point for the unconditioned is Awareness itself.
-- Adyashanti at Mount Madonna Retreat 5-29 to 6-3 2007
posted to Wisdom-l by Mark Scorelle
Recognize the Real
In terms of ephemeral
manifestations, even the body
passes away, to say nothing of success, fame, wealth,
and rank. In terms of reality, all beings are oneself,
to say nothing of family members. If people can see
through the ephemeral and recognize the real, then
they can bear great social responsibilities and at the
same time be free from the bonds of the world.
-- Huanchu Daoren
gill
http://allspirit.co.uk
The Cool Heart
The world of distraction spins around and around, while
moving continuously to keep itself amused and entertained. It
transports us to a world of fantasy, or a world of controversy,
or competition, or of just about anything other than the one true
existence that is right before us. Distraction keeps our heads
turned in the direction of momentary pleasures, excitement, and
delight.
On the other hand, the cool heart, with its spiritual energy, is
the sobering factor that keeps us focused on worthier goals. It
tempers the euphoria of petty fun. It settles us firmly down on
Earth, grounding and sobering us with a clear view into life’s
many facets in a balanced manner. The cool heart is unmoved by
the intoxication of the world. The wise heart is the cool heart.
It directs us to a profound state where we are liberated from the
burden and stench of self-consciousness. Nothing can be better
than that.
-- Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu with Emily Popp, from Meeting the Monkey Halfway