seekingbuddha

There has never been an Instantaneous Enlightenment, even in the case of the greatest teachers that we know of .....Jesus Christ, Buddha, Mohammed, Ramana Maharishi etc... all attained it only after a period of struggle alone. I completely resonate with you regarding the videos on internet. I can watch a batgap video, and immediately feel how deep the proclaimed realization is. Of course, all of us here can sense a person's spiritual depth if we meet anyone in person.

First and foremost, a thanks to the thread starter. I have been thinking of starting a topic on this subject, for sometime. This is worth a read a second time, for those enquiring minds. I see a lot of confusion among westerners about definitions. The easterners seem to be less concerned about definitions, but are more interested in attaining real experiences...... There are some here, who understand things clearly - they seem to place more emphasis on practice rather than discussions. Awakening is a popular word used in the west, because the teachers know that they can not tag themselves "Enlightened" - that word is held in high reverence by easterners. It is important to understand that an "awakened" person could still fall from that state-of-mind. So, I am careful about trusting a teacher too easily. Literally, i mean literally, there are millions of yogis /monks in eastern countries, who strive for "Awakening". But very few make the claim of reaching it...... that is the truth. Lack of proper teachers is causing confusion in the west. The word "realization" seems more appropriate, because this all happens on a gradient, and there are only gradients of realization....... Why bother about the Supreme Enlightenment, when we have trouble just practicing the basics/fundamentals/starting steps prescribed by all the Supreme Teachers that human history has ever known in thousands of years ? We have trouble practicing the foundations of Sila (morality), Samadhi (proper meditation/contemplation), and Panna (experiential wisdom, not mere intellectual understanding). If you truly want to reach Awakening, first find out what are the steps that you must take to get there. Then start doing those steps one by one. Read the scriptures deeply, to understand the steps properly. The word "Awakening" has gotten overloaded and hence misinterpreted by the west. The word "Enlightenment" has gotten overloaded and misinterpreted. The word "Jhanas" has gotten overloaded and misinterpreted. Of course, all the very best Supreme Teachers that entire human race has ever known - they have all warned us about the forthcoming "false teachers" and "misinterpretations" (of their words). So, this is all happening, as they foretold us, and warned us. What I care about is taking steps on the prescribed PATH, because the PATH does not end until you are Enlightened. "All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind" - Dhammapada. Awakening is an Experience. Enlightenment is beyond experiences and words.

OK - these words imply that you have seen it. But since you "Can't remember how to get there", I suspect that you got a glimpse....using wrong methods/practices/experiences. If you truly did see it using the right way/efforts, you would remember it. So, if needed take up right way/right efforts as the first step towards reaching your goal of "letting-go". These things are not accomplished overnight, just using words/thoughts obtained from a forum. Sorry to sound so brash, but i felt like giving it to you straight. It also sounds like you need to take a break - a good one, not using an unwholesome indulgence.

It is awesome that you are starting at 20 years. Choose your teacher carefully, choose your path/habits/practices carefully, and you will be rewarded for your choices. Choose unwisely, and you will wind up doing wrong practices for decades, wasting your life and not seeing long lasting rewards in life.

Congratulations on taking up a wholesome path, at your young age. Many at your age would love to go party in a club, and do other unwholesome things that hurt them down the line. I feel that you have some good practices, but i am not sure if you would stand to benefit from a wholesome teacher - it is so easy to be misguided at young age, by the wrong teacher. The funny thing is, when I was young, i never thought I needed advice from parents, or anyone else - like all young people, i also thought that I knew better, and i was smarter than an average person. Such a bad big karma - this thing called ego that shines in youth.

What is dripping out is not semen (most likely), but the precum which means that you are facing sexual thoughts (either in dreams or when awake). Only way to sustain your practice, for long time, is by avoiding all triggers that direct the mind towards sexual thoughts. This is why "Sila" is one of the foundations of a serious practitioner. Other general tips can be found by google search - like avoiding certain foods, avoiding tight underwear, taking up walking or other exercises etc. The duration for which you can contain the semen varies (depending on factors like age). Ultimately, when it is released, do not feel sad or dejected - simply restart the practice without any expectations about future...

Yes, females will be naturally attracted to you, if your practice is correct. You sound young; so I have to congratulate you for taking up some good practices that you have mentioned before. What you are calling as "full body breathing" brings you into a form of awareness of the whole body. As you stay longer with this practice (or being simply aware of your breathing), slowly and steadily your energy will reach higher forms, as you have witnessed already. Your mention of heightened penis awareness and higher sexual drive could be due to your age. If you want to progress further into higher levels, you need to be able to break contact with any type of stimulation that will trigger sexual thoughts. These are hard to do, if you are a young man who is NOT a monk. Ejaculations will stop, over time, if you learn to practice proper "Sila" (even in thoughts). Do not feel dejected, because this is a PATH that pays dividends over years/decades. The longer you stick to these practices & path, the better off your life will be in all aspects. As you said, balance is the key (for us, laymen).

Does anyone know a reference to a Sutta where Buddha directly classifies or defines "what substances are considered intoxicants" ? I ask this because i came across a Alan Watts video, where he says there are about 5 or 7 substances that were mentioned in ancient texts. He did not give reference to them directly. I have my doubts about this, because i have consistently come across only the word "intoxicant" used in a generic sense in all the Suttas that I have read. What does an intoxicant do ? It alters the state of the mind by artificial/chemical means.

Spotless, Congrats on the long fast. For many people, just abstaining from the craving/addiction to food for this many days is more of a mental challenge. We don't realize that we are addicted to food too, and mostly eat out of habit rather than real hunger. BTW, did you figure out what was causing the stomach upset few days ago ? I suspect the carbohydrate component in the intake, but i am not sure. These logs are motivating me, to attempt a long duration fast. It would be helpful, if you post a summary of tips based on your experiences (for those who already know the basics of fasting and have done it before).

I have seen a old man (about 60) who went to Phillipines and got married to a 20 yr old woman. He was living alone and had nobody. So, i think he got too eager to have companionship. She came to USA, did not take care of him, went around screwing other men and he died of heartache soon. She took all the money (which was her reason to marry him) after his death - poor guy died alone in a hospital because she didn't even bother to stay near him when he got sick. He was heartbroken at end, because he came to know that she was fucking around with other men. In addition, note that Buddha said that older men should not associate with younger women. I am of the opinion that it leads to regression of the mind. By nature, as men age we tend to gain subtle mind/sensitive mind, and become inclined to spirituality - this is regressed by association with a young woman, who is likely to be more interested in sensual pleasures but not in spirituality or development of the subtle mind. So, how much difference in age is ok ? I don't know. How difficult is it to live alone until death ? Perhaps the last few years of life are the toughest without help ?? I recall now that Steve Jobs died alone in a room. I vaguely remember reading that he wanted it that way.

As steve mentions, dedication and proclivity help. Dedication is dependent on strong FAITH on the PATH. Proclivity is dependent on kamma (past actions) and volition. Develop these two without worrying about results. Your shifting back into wakefulness/awareness only shows that your consciousness is active/maintained as you drift into sleep. Like a long lasting marriage, commitment to the practices/path is more important, than thinking about what lies ahead OR worrying about setbacks. The PATH is longer than most of us can imagine, but the fruits along the path can be enjoyed during the journey without worry/concern about final destination.

Truth, right there in that last statement....."All suffering is related-to/dependent-on grasping/attachment/craving/clinging". As far as my reading/understanding goes, the pali word used by Buddha has been translated into multiple english words, which try to catch the various facets of that one pali word. The english words I have seen are Suffering/Unsatisfactory/pain/conflict-in-mind etc. All these are english words, motivate one to seek the PATH - a way to reach Peace/Bliss/Joy/Tranquility/Liberation from bondage.

Good article, full of gems/wisdom/truth, but as always has been interspersed with misunderstandings commonly seen among western psychologists/Ph.Ds who study eastern teachings. I see this as recurrent pattern, in many of the articles of western teachers who are not yet liberated, but have the scholarly/bookish understanding of the concepts taught by the highest teachers that humanity produced over our entire history. Are we supposed to believe the words of a Ph.D over the words of Jesus/Vedas/Buddha/Enlightened-Taoists ?? As always, read everything on the internet, but use your innate wisdom to decide if the words are in perfect hormone with the teachings of the highest teachers of humanity. I am not saying that these people are completely wrong. It is just that it is easy to slip in a misguiding words into an article (unintentionally), when most of the article stays true to the high teachings. Certain words/presentations could be easily misunderstood by a novice practitioner. I am writing this with a bit of passion now, because I returned just now from a conversation with a highly intelligent (i mean much superior IQ than mine) friend of mine, who lives a happy life and is well accomplished in society. And he was trying to teach me a principle that is very similar to what is presented in this article cited above. I refuted him clearly, with the words that an ordinary human who is under suffering/delusion/unsatisfactory world condition needs to go through certain steps in order to evolve to a certain stage, where he can practice what is being outlined in this above article. He had no reply to that. One does not understand level 10, when one is still trying to understand what is at level 1. It would be a mistake to assume that we have to practice level 10, right off the bat.

A perfect example which shows why "Sila (morality)" is emphasized in all religions as one of the foundations. When one starts diving deep, and directly feel what is hidden(past karma ??) in subconscious, better to have the foundation strong. Otherwise one won't know how to deal with deep feelings, by being still/equanimous/tranquil. If cosmos is filled with duality, won't you find peace/joy/love as the dual opposite of pain/suffering/hatred ? Won't they be in the same space, as dual presence ? Which one these dualities do you choose as your presence ?

LOL Who says there is no humor in Daobums ?

To flush the system, one can also try Polyethylene Glycol 3350. This is what is given in preparation for a colonoscopy. It is sold in walmart as ClearLax brand. Lighter doses (than what is recommended on instructions) are sufficient over separated days. Produces output over the following few hours, even at quarter the dosage. An enema will only clear the lower part of the large intestine (sigmoid area) whereas this will clean out the small + large intestine, entirely. This is going the extra mile, because a water fast naturally flushes out even trace toxins in the body. Body's natural healing mechanism will clean out the gut, over the course of days. Larger the amount of toxins in the body, the longer it will take to flush out everything - perhaps these mechanisms will expedite the process. It is worth noting that, during these entire set of days, body must be provided with excess amount of water, much more than the usual 10 or so cups/day. Much more frequent urination than the usual will be the indication that things are going smoothly in the fast.

--------------------------------------------- Correction to above post : During early morning meditation, i contemplated on this topic for a bit because I felt uncomfortable before sleep, with my above reply and wanted to explore what i had missed/misinterpreted. Then, it occurred to me that i had consulted a renowned Buddhist scholar once before, on the topic of awareness. Following were his words to clarify me: Awareness is the mental factor of what I call “attentiveness” — paying attention to not only objects of cognition, but also to all the mental factors composing any one moment of cognition. It is included in the kandha of sankara. And animals have it too, though it would be very weak — all sentient beings have it. So, my earlier words are not accurate because mindfulness and awareness are not the same (which seems obvious to me now - duh). As humans we possess mindfulness, whereas most animals are not capable of this mental factor, but they do have undeveloped awareness.

This is an example of one such practice, which is focused on the foundation area that i was talking about earlier. Steve has good points. A strong practitioner realizes that daytime experiences are not not separate from night time experiences. They are conjoined, and they affect each other in a cycle. What is learnt in one part of the day can be used in the other part of the day - this is exactly what the yogi realizes and practices; thus the words..."A yogi is awake when the whole world sleeps". Many deep meditative states can be glimpsed at, without the use of any drugs/stimulants but with use of proper/strong practices, when mind enters pure consciousness during sleep. I welcome corrections to the last statement (if contrary opinion is present anywhere in the Suttas).

Spotless, According to accuweather, full moon is on July 31st. I suspect that the surrounding nights may also have strong energetic effect. Meditation in the quiet of the night, and in open nature (if possible, or in backyard) is auspicious. One should note that during a water fast, the need to pass stool decreases - over time, there is no solid to pass out. So, the need for enema may decrease over days. Congradulations on carrying out a long water fast, and encouraging others with your log.

Something to keep in mind...... For someone who is seriously walking the PATH, faithfully and observing the various necessities (sila, samadhi, panna), dream-yoga arises naturally. No need for any specific herbs/drugs or effort to create lucid dreams. A serious student keeps his attention on strengthening the foundation, because without proper foundation anything built on it is likely to fall down/regress/fall-back, and one is forced to restart the building process, without ever reaching higher levels. I am not discouraging in any way. A yogi is awake, when the whole world sleeps. This does not mean he is a night-owl

We are getting into distinction between concepts/definition here, and different english translations/words are used to convey that. As far as my reading goes.....Awareness is the word used when the topic of mindfulness (or some such) is discussed. Consciousness is used in other contexts (like in the discussion of samadhi states or 5 khandas or dependent origination). Consciousness is present until one dies OR the highest state of samadhi is reached. Awareness/observation/mindfulness may not be always there, but mind consciousness is always there (except as noted above). So, Being in awareness/mindfulness is not a natural state of consciousness - for example, in animals, this sort of mindfulness is absent even though other functions of mind-consciousness maybe available to animals. I also feel that the english word "awareness" is overloaded and is used in different ways by various people, thus leading to confusion. All that i carry in my mind is the way this word is used in Sutta translations. On a separate note, as steve noted, there is a gradient between effort and non-effort of a practice. Hence, A novice is encouraged to apply the "right effort" until he reaches a point where the mindfulness (or some other practice) arises effortlessly. When done effortlessly, there would be no disassociation from life experiences. I think these 6 word instruction by Tilopa is a high teaching that was probably given to a very high student, who already understands the hidden depths of these words, and he would understand how to properly practice them. My knowledge/experience is limited and hence I would be glad if someone corrects my understanding (with proper sutta quotes).

Absolutely beautiful, this essence. It catches the core, i feel. I was a bit amused when i noted that the instruction to "Observe/Be aware/Watch" is absent in the 6 words. I have an explanation for the absence of this word in these essence of six word instruction, but would like to hear other people's opinions.

correct. There is probably one tenth of the calories in it when compared to a juice drink. Even juice drinking is considered a fasting practice, so this would be pretty close to a water fast. It would be great if Spotless can carry this into the full moon day, which appears at end of this month. And a meditation on that day/night, after his fasting of 10 days, is considered good.

In the first (original) post, you said "i get nightmare every single night, i scream every night because of nightmares". Now, you said "since i created this topic, i have had 2 nightmares lol". So, you can consider that sharing and asking for help has been useful. You have made progress. I remember reading somewhere that dreaming a skeleton indicates that one is progressing in the PATH/dhamma. But, i am not a dream-analysis expert, so only you will know the real relevance of this dream to your life. But, Have you considered the possibility that the treasure in your dreams is actually referring to the treasure of dhamma that you have lately incorporated seriously into your life (through meditation) ? Consider that alternative too. In fact, this more valuable than any material treasure, if you have serious faith in the PATH. Of relevance would be the question of how long it has been since you have take up spirituality (seriously) into your life and started related practices (like meditation) ?

Your statement "my fear increases as the day progress towards night" makes me wonder if your fear is constantly present, even when you are NOT meditating. If it is present even when you are doing something else during daytime, then you have other issues that are the origin of this fear. Most fears will disappear if you start living a moral life and have good habits in eating/drinking/exercise. Not overnight, but over time, these practices will give strength to your mind and bring down your fear levels. It would help to know if you have FAITH in something - a religion or spirituality to anchor you. Based on your faith, you can come up with a stronger way to deal with this. Your age also will give clues to those who are trying to help you, to give appropriate suggestions to you.