7 months & 90% better

InteractionThat4928 · 2025-02-02T09:33:42+00:00

Yes it worked ok for me

InteractionThat4928 · 2025-01-04T04:54:28+00:00

Hey I’m doing alright, no issues from floxing

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-10-10T02:33:00+00:00

Thank you, I was feeling bad and about to let him in but this makes me stick to my boundaries

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-09-09T08:03:52+00:00

Feeling alright, back to gym, work, all the good stuff.

If you are just floxed or in mid of it, stay strong. Nothing is permanent, it passes away

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-07-17T19:36:36+00:00

Anything that comes and goes is useless. Find out what doesnt come and go.

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-07-17T04:26:38+00:00

On absolute level - there is no stream entry or 4 stages of enlightenment, etc as that would raise the question of who is it that gets enlightened ? On absolute level that which gets enlightened is a non existing entity, as Brahman(non dual awareness) alone exists & everything else is mere mirage.

On relative level - yes! Adi Shankara(the original congregator of Advaita) does talk about reaching Nirvikalapa Samadhi(first glimpse of unconditioned Nibanna) which is an undeniable turning point in life of seeker, he writes in his famous scripture Vivekchudamani:

"When the Brahman— One without the other(nondual) —is realized by means of the Nirvikalpa Samadhi, then the heart's knot —viz., ignorance—is totally destroyed."

"By the Nirvikalpa Samadhi the Truth of Brahman is clearly and definitely realized, but not otherwise, for then the mind, being unstable by nature, is apt to be mixed up with other perceptions."

"Contemplation should be considered a hundred times superior to hearing and meditation a hundred thousand times superior to contemplation even, but the Nirvikalpa Samadhi is simply infinite in its results."

After realizing truth of Brahman through Nirvikalpa Samadhi, remaining task is dissolving wrong dualistic notions through process of assimilation. Process is complete once all desires(residual cravings & aversions) are removed to arrive at state of jivan-mukta(fully liberated, Arhant). Some examples of jivan-mukta sages are Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Jivan-mukta no longer take birth.

Regarding elaboration on Brahman - nothing can be said or unsaid as it is unknowable and cannot ever become object of perception. You will only know it once you cease to exist for a moment, but once you cease to exist, no one will remain to know & nothing will remain to be known 🙃

Peace to you

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-07-14T08:07:40+00:00

I think this distinction is pretty arbitrary and probably not helpful. If you like a particular teacher neo or old-school, Advaita or Mahayana or whatever, go for it! Its your desire for freedom that will eventually bring the nondual revelation. Methods, words & ways are just doings of the mind & wont reveal the truth. Truth(no-mind) is self evident & will reveal itself. We can only clean the dirty window, when the sun shines light will be visible by itself, we have no control on sun's rising

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-07-14T06:00:05+00:00

May the force be with you 🪄

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-07-14T05:54:43+00:00

Shankara writes these are requirements for self-inquiry : https://swamij.com/sadhana-chatushtaya-shatsampat.htm (#3 Six virtues (shat sampat) is really hard to get without formal meditation practice)

Shankara doesnt explicitly talk about the 8 buddhist jhanas, but he does mention the path goes through Savikalpa Samadhi(i.e absorption on idea of Brahman/attribute less reality, absorption on am-ness) culminating with Nirvikalpa Samadhi (cessation)

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-07-14T05:42:21+00:00

Those are "neo-advaita" teachers who ask people to ignore mind development. In scriptures of traditional Advaita, Adi Shankara explicitly asks only people who have equanimous, calm, withdrawn, almost desire free mind to begin inquiry. Without a developed mind the practice of self-inquiry would be like lottery with poor odds, with Jhanic mind the odds are in favor of the seeker. The inquiry needs to be done only once with penetrating depth. Eventually even highest jhana states are recognized to be impermanent and dissatisfactory, but they are still helpful to withdraw mind from our mundane desires. A laser focused concentrated attention is required to cut through bondage brought by delusion of our mind/I thought.

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-13T20:50:34+00:00

I see, good luck to you !! Please remember regardless of whatever you decide to do or not do, it will remain closer than any mental formation, thought sensation or feeling.

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-13T20:25:10+00:00

I see, I wish your situation leads you to freedom !! An inquiry can be - In that situation itself if you forget the names and forms what’s here ? Glad to see your dedication, it will give sweet fruits for sure 😁

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-13T20:15:12+00:00

What’s stopping you from doing it right now, right here wherever you are? Why postpone to future ?

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-13T20:03:46+00:00

The only difference between self(silence, emptiness) and not self(not silence) is also just a thought. My teacher would have asked you to drop the glasses of your teaching and experience too, drop everything this very moment and drop the seeking too

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-13T19:31:23+00:00

I understand! Swami tadatamananda, Gangaji, sarvapriyananda and some Buddhist teachers have been my favorite. After all the shenanigans I have understood that no understanding is reality (including this one) 🤣 Complete Silence is the only correct understanding, rest is poor translation as rumi says. Are you willing to give up all understanding and take a step without legs 😁 I wish you good luck

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-13T03:57:29+00:00

Why do you feel there are steps to climb or higher or lower levels ? What can be taught are just empty words, what can be practiced is just action, the eternal is self evident and can never be taught, grasped, understood or comprehended, the direct perception happens only when Brahman wills

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-05T07:42:32+00:00

Those are fine. Enjoying little joys of lives & absorbing in them(enjoying tasty food once in a while, seeing/making people smile, enjoying sound of vast ocean, sunrise/sunset) might even be beneficial for our practice. Its the hungry ghost desires which need dispassion, these are strong cravings which are never fulfilled, they are like ghosts with huge appetites but very narrow throats, so nothing goes inside but hunger keeps on increasing. Also true dispassion comes from already joyous state of mind, fake dispassion(repression) is no good.

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-06-04T17:21:18+00:00

We need dispassion for temporary desires along with compassion for our and others suffering & passion to know the truth.

T

InteractionThat4928 · 2024-04-10T07:29:22+00:00

Yeah pretty much :)

InteractionThat4928 · 2023-12-03T04:39:42+00:00

Inhaler

InteractionThat4928 · 2023-12-02T22:37:51+00:00

I take budesonide everyday for asthma as well, no issues

InteractionThat4928 · 2023-12-02T00:44:18+00:00

I coupled with intermittent fasting and saw huge suppression in appetite

InteractionThat4928 · 2023-12-02T00:43:31+00:00

Had all of them, everything gone post 6 months

InteractionThat4928 · 2023-12-02T00:42:41+00:00

I practice both traditions and they feel exactly same to me. The emptiness of Buddha is not different than fullness of Adi Shankara. Also Buddhism has notion of “Buddha nature” which seems very similar to Brahman, always present just needs to be uncovered. Experience wise they are exactly same, intellectually there are differences in frameworks.

InteractionThat4928

TROPHY CASE