konchog uma

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Posts posted by konchog uma

  8. Posted

    Actually, I would love to have someone present a situation that is not inherently selfish in nature but so far no one has ever done so.

     

    I suggest Darwin's Origin of the Species if you have the time to read it. He only uses the phrase "survival of the fittest" twice in the entire work, while mentioning cooperation and altruism hundreds of times in many different examples. Here's something a little shorter for you

     

  9. Posted

    I'd go a step more, Steve, and say that every act/decision is really one of self-interest (even the self-destructive ones) and that what we sometimes perceive as altruism or selflessness is merely indicative of the degree of abstraction from immediate gratification.

     

    can you explain why you think all acts and decisions are born out of self-interest? how do you contrast this to the amount of cooperation and altruism found in nature, where trees, plants, and animals are seemingly devoid of concept of self?

     

    to me, if you are wrapped up in your self-concept and self-cherishing, all your decisions will be made from that POV because thats the only one you possess. But that doesn't mean that there aren't other points of view available.

     

    well my lips are sealed

     

    just wanted to like that twice, thanks

  10. Posted

    Some teachers emphasize shine/lhakthong, some don't. There are multiple ways within the gradual and non-gradual approaches to recognize and rest the mind in the natural state. Until one has achieved the natural state, and manifests the fruits of this (instead of, for example, starting off their posts with insults) they don't really have any business telling anyone else how to practice their practice imo.

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    Yeah I understand what you're saying but I didn't post the thread to compare accomplishments or anything like that I just thought it would be interesting to hear some of the experiences others have had. However I realise now that these things are personal amd should generally only be ahared with close friends and teachers.

     

    i didn't mean to criticize your approach. Its natural to want to understand the amazing things that we experience, and to want to share them with each other. I have had my own experiences which have colored my perspective, and that is the only POV from which i speak. Other practitioners might benefit from sharing and reading, who am i to say? nobody. So my answer isn't to influence others to "hide their light" only to say that I hide mine, and those are the reasons i prefer to! I am not a teacher and don't know whats best for others, just (sometimes) myself. Best wishes to you.

    • Like 3

  15. Posted · Edited by konchog uma

    Yeah it's a shame we can't all be open and friendly with each other.

     

    I think the real shame is that we want so much to be acknowledged as "genuine" or "advanced" that we compromise the integrity of sacred experiences by blabbing and bragging about them to others. Nobody really benefits from that in a significant way. Even if i hear a great story about someone else's practice and the lights they see hahah and the states they can attain and sustain, that doesn't help me because everyone (and the lights and states etc) are different, and (if you use this framework) in different places karmically speaking, so what someone else can attain easily might not be something my mind does like theirs, and so by comparing and thinking "oh i wish i did that" i am really just generating dualistic mind and possibly jealousy and other afflictive emotions. Beyond the guidelines and examples given by authentic teachers, I have no use for that sort of idle chatter. I cringe when i see practitioners sharing their inner experiences like they are showing off some fresh shoes or a new shirt. The real accomplishment is to rest the mind in a state of ease. Who can accomplish that? I have my doubts about those who are consumed by the idea of peak experiences or accomplishments or worse yet "their accomplishments vs others accomplishments" lol. Even though those people think that they have ease and nonduality, I doubt that they really understand the ease and nonduality that is talked about by real masters. So i am friendly and open lol, but i don't talk about my accomplishments or spiritual/energetic experiences with anyone but my teachers.

    • Like 3