gatito

Can't argue with that either.

I can't disagree with the statement that "Brahman never displays as anything other than Brahman" but I'm not "competent" in "Bhuddhism", so I can't comment on the rest of your post. I think that I'll just leave you all to sort out any remaining issues yourselves (unless Jeff and his shovel pop up again). Sorry for the interruption.

I don't want to start Buddhist/Advaita World War II but please understand that Awareness/Consciousness in Advaita is "that which is reading these words". It's undeniable in your own experience. If you didn't exist, you couldn't deny your own existence. So we start from there - what is undeniable in your own experience - not with concepts. Then we explore our own direct experience carefully, checking constantly that we're not getting caught again in "the mind" (thoughts/beliefs/ideas/theories/concepts). In Buddhism, Awareness seems to be something different and very complex - something that, in Advaita, we would (initially) consider as an "Object" (mediated by sight, sound, smell, touch, taste - incidentally, we also add feelings and thoughts - seven senses!! ). However, coming back to Advaita, we then go on to see clearly/experientially (as opposed to philosophically) that what we previously believed to be "Objects" are nothing other than Consciousness/Awareness Itself (Atman - which is the same as Brahman). If there's nothing other than Brahman then there cannot be two (Dvaita) but we don't say that there is One because that's not strictly true either (if you stop and think about it). So it's much closer to the Truth to say that there are not two (Advaita or Nonduality). Much simpler Path perhaps? (It can, however take many years to complete this experiential discovery and there are many different techniques (practices) that may be used by a Karana Guru (a Self-Realised Teacher who who is prepared to take the student to the final destination). Different Paths - same final destination). Also, it's a different Path for everyone. Sorry to throw that in at the end.

That means that, if we head in the opposite direction, we're certain to find the Truth. The saviours have finally arrived!!!! Somebody take out full page advertisments in all the major newspapers to tell the world leaders. (@ Jeff: That's a joke about MMH founder of the TM cult)

Personally endorsed by an "Indian lady" and GrandmasterP - you really can't go wrong with that.........can you?

Yep - tricky!! I don't think that I've got it quite right myself either because I was trying to point out that not just any Hindu would do..........Hey! that rymes! Maybe I'm a better poet than a stand-up comedian? (Or maybe I'm useless as both? - before someone torpedos me with that rather obvious opening!! In fact, I think think that I'll leave the floor to TTB's own erudite resident comic to have the last word.

To clear up any possible residual confusion about this for anyone who doesn't speak French - La Conscience is Consciousness/Awareness. ://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscience (and I'm not citing the article as authority on content but only as an authority on translation of Consciousness/Awareness) As I've said before the definition that I'm using for Consciousness/Awareness is "that which is reading these words" (ce qui lit ces mots).

I'd be more inclined to believe that he was kosher if the endorsement had come from a well-respected practicing Jew.

In the light of this latest post you can consider my already revised and qualified apology to be withdrawn. If you actually really ever felt insulted you should report me to the moderators.

This thread's become surreal.

According to one of my teachers, Sri Shankaracharya revivified Advaita Vedanta and I have every reason to trust him on that but it's especially irrelevant in this thread. However, this definitely is not a Taoist forum and unless you're a bilingual, culturally aware self-realised Chinese man (or woman) I'll have to assume that you know even less about the Tao Te Ching than you do about Advaita, which is the subject of this thread. If you'd care to point out my confusion in plain english (or french :-)), I'd be very happy to address your concerns.

No TI: the intention wasn't to insult you. It was to poke a bit of fun at you, at Jeff and at AYP. Please consider it an ill-considered attempt at humour and kindly accept my apologies, although on rereading your post, I see that, worryingly, you seem to be deriving some masochistic pleasure from it, so perhaps, on further consideration, no apology is actually warranted?

Nope. There's not-two of me (or more), or at least if there are, I can't find them.

Last attempt to re-rail the thread and to answer DreamBliss's question.

Try the appropriate time, the appropriate place and the appropriate audience (and don't ask for any help with that - you're going to have to figure that one out for yourself....Ur..... ) Yes you're right - it's not me on this thread any longer. :D

True enough but..................there's a time and a place and you need the right audience. I like the thread idea.

Now, now Apech - no need to sink to the lowest common denominator.

Oui, un peu - et ca m'amuse beaucoup parce que le train de tes insultes roule sur les rails de mon indifference. Tu comprends?

I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.

Sorry Jeff, I can't help you any more - ask your teacher (or TI ). I'm done.

No.

My own experience is that I don't experience not existing (by definition, it would not be possible so to do - would it?). Therefore, unless you have direct experience of not existing, why believe in it?

Do you have direct experience of "Primordial Awareness" Jeff or is it a belief? You say it's an experience/belief. My bet is it's a belief/concept.

To get this thread back on-topic (apologies to DreamBliss). This is the most beautiful and moving explanation of Buddhism that I have ever seen - thank you CT.

No; check back, you spoke about your beliefs and it sounds exactly like AYP/TM to me Jeff - but perhaps I'm mistaken? "Oneness" would not unfold if it's "Oneness". "Oneness" unfolding would be "Twoness" (or 10,000ness ) And my experience is that there's no difference between Consciousness and Awareness - they are synonymous. Hope that helps Jeff but if it doesn't you'll need to get your teacher to explain it to you.