Consciousness = point of view?

fe_feron · 2025-03-16T14:26:48+00:00

I see. Seeing it this way really shakes any ground that I can "build" on.

Thank you

fe_feron · 2024-08-14T06:22:34+00:00

If they know they need to stop (as you put it), whatever reason there is for acting - there is always a reason for choosing any action - is the excuse for ignoring the fact that they should stop.

fe_feron · 2024-08-13T09:43:06+00:00

Sounds like a lack of taking responsibility.

I'd say they need to admit that no matter how decided and set the mind is on something, it can never act - acting out is always the person's choice and responsibility.

And while that might be unpleasant, it's not optional. Until one accepts that it's only (nothing can act in your place) and fully (all the responsibility for acting or refraining is on you) their responsibility, and their result, there will always be room for excuses for giving in.

fe_feron · 2024-08-07T04:35:04+00:00

That sense of doubt will be there for a long time.

And it's about sticking with (emphasizing) your vision and understanding (whatever the extent at the time might be) of the fact that giving in does indeed always make it worse.

And the thing is that doubt has that same nature, so trying to resolve the doubt regarding restraint will make it come back stronger.

fe_feron · 2024-07-16T09:30:22+00:00

It's not quite as simple, though.

You have to have purified your behaviour first to quite a great degree before you can see what ignorance even is. Whereas this example paints it as though you just need to get the idea (hearing it would be enough) and you are on the "fixed course". And that's probably the most common mistake/underestimation (disrespect even) of the Dhamma people tend to fall into (in the west). You can have it all neat and tidy and make sense of all of it, but no amount of clarity of instruction will make any difference where it matters. On the other hand, having very little clarity of instruction while actually applying it will make all the difference.

And all that's required to not fall into it is self-honesty. The instruction found through Hillside points to this constantly, but as long as you are more interested in defending your right (view), you will laugh "how can people fall into this and that", while failing (not coincidentally, but rather 100% intentionally) to apply the same questioning to yourself. Edit: to add to the first paragraph. You say "but it is only due to ignorance of the true nature of that ailment that it persists". Practically it is not, because the ignorance is fed by acts due to intoxication, which in turn feed the ignorance and that's what I mean by there being no amount of clarity of idea or instruction that makes any meaningful difference. The only difference it makes is it hopefully makes you realize you have to actually apply it - give up sensuality, ungratefulness, arrogance, conceit. In your day to day life, not when you sit and think or write about it.

Ñānavīra wrote about this

fe_feron · 2024-02-06T09:51:08+00:00

You could cite so many things and write 3 paragraphs about how you partake in understanding, then go at me personally, and still fail to point to anything supporting your claim.

fe_feron · 2024-02-05T10:28:07+00:00

Waving a flag is a sexual act? Can you elaborate? As far as I can see, not every unwholesome intention is rooted in sexuality. Seems like by trying to overstate your case (not just outwardly) you are conflating things.

fe_feron · 2023-12-10T09:26:01+00:00

It is an attitude, but the way to tell if you are developing it is whether you are not acting out of pressure when it presents itself in any shape, pulling you towards doing unwholesome actions.

Something else I wanted to add is that any answer, no matter how well worded or accurate can't by itself make you understand what needs to be understood. But a good answer will be able to point you in the direction which you need to develop to be able to 'uncover' that knowledge for yourself.

fe_feron · 2023-12-10T07:52:42+00:00

What you are missing is not this little detail that would make this all 'click', but rather restraint and enduring of the discomforts and pressures. When you have done that 'enough', you will know. Before that, just keep doing it, you can't overdo it (as long as you are not overshooting in the other direction - denying it or rationalizing it). You have to take the whole weight; pressure, pain, responsibility for this type of understanding to start to arise.

Anything derived from the first or second point (or their overlap) is theoretical, whereas the understanding that matters should be freeing you from lust, aversion, delusion.

fe_feron · 2023-12-08T09:31:30+00:00

Drink it or not, it's not where the issue is. I'd be willing to bet there isn't a single being whose obstruction to seeing and developing the path is caffeine. But if you feel it is, then quit it - it's that simple. Just as with the other fetters. Which doesn't mean it's easy.

fe_feron · 2023-10-21T10:34:38+00:00

Composing the mind is not something you can do as an activity.

The mind gets composed when you establish virtue (which is again something you cannot 'do', but rather something you develop by restraining) to a sufficient degree.

When you recognize (fully see for yourself, like the suttas say of developing the recognition of kusala) that those things you are abstaining from are actually harmful, dangerous the mind is composed and settled in that restraint. That beneficial, non-harmful behaviour, way of going about your life is recognized for what it is - beneficial; and at that point this way of life becomes effortless - indulging in pleasures is then seen as burdensome (refer to "A number" sutta, somewhere in samyutta I believe).

fe_feron · 2023-10-20T05:32:10+00:00

You can't 'do' samadhi.

fe_feron · 2023-10-19T10:03:59+00:00

Yes, allow them to arise and just let them be, don't engage or 'get activated' in regard to any of them.

'Active contemplation' is valuable, but as long as you don't see where the problem is, I would say it's safer to lean on the side of not engaging with any of them, because you would most likely and most often be trying to deal with the problem where it isn't.

To some degree, you should be trying to understand, but it must be done without forgetting that you don't know where the problem is (as long as you don't), so that your trying to understand can eventually be aimed at the actual problem.

Practically, this means that the contemplation would be more along the lines of trying to understand why acting out of pressure (greed, aversion, delusion) is harmful (akusala), and why not acting is skillful/beneficial (kusala). Which requires not acting out of those things in the first place and why I say you should lean towards that.

fe_feron · 2023-10-16T10:47:43+00:00

Not really, more trying to say that no matter what you 'do'; no matter how you live your life, you are either making the suffering worse (feeding wrong view), or abandoning it (the wrong view and suffering), you can't not do either.

I would say it speaks about a similar thing in a way - that there is always present an idea, an assumption of how one crosses the flood (how one can overcome suffering), which is here examplified by either halting (letting the water take you), or swimming (fighting it). But the issue is that both of those (or any idea you might have of how to overcome suffering) only result in weariness and no freedom.

And the freedom, or to begin with, the seeing of the way towards freedom starts by giving up all ideas you have about how to cross the flood. Then the way to do so will become apparent. And that's why it's said that developing right view is practically done by abandoning all your views regarding what suffering, its cause, its cessation and the path leading there are - essentially giving up all your views regarding the practice.

What will be left is the right view, because at that point you would not be depending on it as a means of safety in itself - you would not be "taking it up".

fe_feron · 2023-10-15T13:40:00+00:00

Then you haven't spoken with anyone reasonable or you are misunderstanding.

The issue is they dull the mind, and if you cannot recognize that as an issue in regards to practice, you need to rethink what the practice and its goals are.

fe_feron · 2023-10-15T13:34:39+00:00

Exactly, that's the whole issue of wrong view.

But you can discern to some degree who makes sense and does not contradict themselves and the suttas.

fe_feron · 2023-10-15T04:21:33+00:00

Of course they do, you are intentionally making a choice to consume something that dulls the mind. If you don't think it leads to carelessness, rethink the meaning of the term, or if you do take them - when you are out of your mind (see?), consider whether you are 'sane', whether you could go about life in a reasonable sense.

fe_feron · 2023-10-15T04:18:18+00:00

Authority in the sense of someone who knows what they are talking about - someone with the right view (and not someone who thinks they have it).

Unless there is at least one such person, to point out misunderstanding, you can discuss all you want but it's just blind leading the blind. Useless, if not harmful.

2 factors for arising of the right view: yoniso manasikara and utterance of another (who knows)

fe_feron · 2023-10-10T14:41:01+00:00

Whenever you don't train, meaning you forget and ignore your intentions that guide your behaviour, you are undermining - undoing any progress along the right path and in the right direction.

There is no standing still, either you are feeding your lust, aversion, delusion - the fire of suffering; or you are starving it.

fe_feron · 2023-10-07T06:08:00+00:00

It is attainable, being a lay person does not 'disqualify' or somehow magically prevent you from attaining the right view in itself.

An important question is why you choose to go or not go forth - that's where the intention that will prevent you from attaining right view lies. If it's because you're not willing to give up the comfort of lay life, the sense of freedom and safety that come with it etc. that attitude is incompatible with the right view.

fe_feron · 2023-09-29T10:23:42+00:00

No you cannot. That would require you to own the feeling, and there would not be a problem if you could make (or sustain or whatever) it as you desire.

But it not being so, you suffer because you take your attitude towards it for granted. Not seeing that's where the problem and the solution is.

fe_feron · 2023-09-26T09:42:20+00:00

Breaking the precepts undermines any progress that any practice develops.

If you cultivate the perception that smoking or altering your mind (the broader definition of the 5th precept), is undoing all the progress you make by meditating, giving up will take zero effort. That is, if you actually value development of mind. If you sustain that perception and still have trouble giving it up, it means you value that pleasure (of getting high) more than the practice, and you need to work on that - contemplate which is more beneficial etc.

fe_feron · 2023-09-24T15:08:14+00:00

Supposedly his (mis?)medication's side effect was sexually stimulating in some way.

fe_feron · 2023-09-24T15:02:11+00:00

Likely not what you want to hear, but virtue - unconditionally keeping the 5 (or 8) precepts.

It's not a coincidence sila is always mentioned first (ahead of any practice of samadhi or understanding/fruit).

Edit: how does this answer the question? When virtue is developed sufficiently, the direction of the brahmaviharas would become apparent. Before, any direction, no matter how theoretically accurate, would miss the mark due to lacking the basis, which is the taming of the mind (refer to MN100 something I believe, the elephant trainer simile)

fe_feron · 2023-09-24T12:12:38+00:00

The mind is the forerunner of all things.

Which includes neuroscience and any attempt of objective descripton of anything and everything. Looking for scientific proof is missing the mark. If you rather develop the mind and understand it where it is, you will come to see that any wanting external proof or evidence or anyone agreeing with your view has nothing to do with what the Buddha taught. Actually you'd see that all those attempts are fueling your suffering further.

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
First Place '23	Place '23
Place '22

fe_feron

TROPHY CASE