If I let-go of thought and enter emptiness, if I let go of ego, then what will assure that I don't rot and loose my home and die?

[11:33]

If I let-go of thought and enter emptiness, if I let go of ego, then what will assure that I don't rot and loose my home and die?

 

Is this where these ancient teachings meet the concept of God? Is God or the Tao what ensures my body doesn't go without food or shelter? Because if I let go of the *I*, it does beg the question "well who else is gonna take care of 11:33's body, his home, his loved ones, etc, etc"

[Taiji Bum]

You most likely wont rot and die but you may lose your house. Its a part of the mystical path that after the vision of illumination you enter the dark night of the soul.

[11:33]

That sucks.

 

EDIT: Clearly SOMETHING has to support you. It says it clearly in the Tao Te Ching that he who gives up everything attains everything. That the Tao nourishes and supports all things. Is this not meant in any spiritual sense alla God?

Edited May 26, 2009 by 11:33

[forestofsouls]

Edited May 26, 2009 by forestofsouls

[forestofclarity]

Nothing whatsoever.

[11:33]

Nothing whatsoever.

I don't believe that. Just based on personal experience.

 

I can see how needing something to support your ego (such as God), is then a crutch... But it doesn't mean that there isn't something, case in point the enlightened people who walk the Earth, they don't lose their homes and not have food to eat and have life just stop still...

Edited May 26, 2009 by 11:33

[Brother K]

I believe that by the letting go of the ego and trusting in the Tao that that trust, that intangible force in the universe will support you, but you must first overcome your ego thoughts about what may or may not happen once you have achieved this state of being and just do it.

 

I know it is easier said than done, but I think it is the goal of all mystic paths. As you know we all rot and die. I do not think this state of being will cause that to happen any faster, but it is true you may lose your house. Truly undertaking any mystic path such as this requires one to give up the fears of the ego and trust in your self, your inner being. What you want to achieve is in fact a paradigm shift and these shifts come with a price, but the reward is better than you can imagine. So just do it.

[11:33]

Thank you Brother K,

 

I wrote a nice response but it seems to have disappeared...

 

I won't try to re-write it though.

 

If I (the ego) isn't what is moving, then what is moving?

[domenic]

.

Edited May 27, 2009 by domenic

[domenic]

From a Buddhist point of view, emptiness is true understanding of the way things are.

The way things are is devoid of any self-identity that makes them either separate or independent.

 

To put this in other terms,

 

If you are using "ego" as the self-grasping ignorance that causes us suffering than:

Letting go of this ignorance would cause no difference in our day to day life.

So letting go of ignorance(or ego if you will) only changes our understanding of how we perceive things*

and changes nothing else, it is only integrating this understanding of emptiness with our day to day life

that begins to 'enlighten us' that our intentions and actions begin to change.

 

If you are using "ego" as the pyschological complex that makes up mental movements than:

As long as you are living as a human being it cannot be ceased.

When a mind exists mental activity will always exist, whether it be thoughts or different consciousnesses.

 

However if by letting go you mean detachment than this detachment behavior has nothing to do with

how your current mind functions but simply an attitude of recognizing mental activity as mere illusion(not non-existent but not existent from its own side)

 

In short,

the understanding of things as being empty changes nothing in your everyday life but your understanding of how things are*, so whatever concerns you have now for your own self-preservation will continue into your enlightened state.

 

 

Anyways I hope that this makes sense, and if it does forgive me for all the mistakes and falsity.

 

*These are very crude ways of putting the understanding of emptiness but what can you do

 

If anyone would like please visit http://www.berzinarchives.com

specifically http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archi...ing_voidne.html

 

this place is where i have gotten most of my research from.

 

maybe.

[Aetherous]

If you let go of things, including yourself, you are still able to maintain yourself and your life. Thinking that letting go of yourself means leaving this world or becoming incapable is wrong. But go ahead and try if you think it's right, or even possible.

 

It can be easy to stop taking care of yourself on the path. We are working on our goodness with spiritual practice, right? Well, our first priority before others is ourselves. Treat yourself good! So it's necessary to set up a discipline of how you take care of yourself.

 

It's not so hard. Just get a little exercise. Eat balanced. Don't stay up all night. Socialize. Etc...

 

If it just so happens that you slip out of this world forever, then so be it. Then there will be no rotting, and no home to lose, because those things will be gone and you will be elsewhere!

[11:33]

Treat yourself good! So it's necessary to set up a discipline of how you take care of yourself.

 

It's not so hard. Just get a little exercise. Eat balanced. Don't stay up all night.

 

Who is doing these things? Without an ego there is no one doing them. Right?

[Aetherous]

No. This is too philosophical. It doesn't change in the way you think.

 

You still have to clean the house.

[forestofclarity]

If you already have an answer, then why ask the question?

 

I don't believe that. Just based on personal experience.

 

[11:33]

No. This is too philosophical. It doesn't change in the way you think.

 

You still have to clean the house.

 

It's not philosophical to me, its based on my experiences. If I drop the ego, the ego can't do the house cleaning, something else has to do it.

[Aetherous]

Like, the body/mind?

[11:33]

Like, the body/mind?

I don't know. I guess when you are beyond words, there is bound to be interesting ways of perceiving things that feel different, and are hard to put into words. I guess that's just the Way it works

[WhiteTiger]

I don't know why anyone is giving 11:33 heat for asking these questions... Its an interesting topic something I'm sure many viewers can benefit from.

[sheng zhen]

It's not philosophical to me, its based on my experiences. If I drop the ego, the ego can't do the house cleaning, something else has to do it.

The Tao does the housecleaning in perfect Wu Wei - as allways. The only diffence is that the ego is not there to complain or misunderstand.

Edited May 27, 2009 by sheng zhen

[mouse]

It's not philosophical to me, its based on my experiences. If I drop the ego, the ego can't do the house cleaning, something else has to do it.

 

 

11:33,

 

I think you're right and answered it for yourself. The body aggregates continue until their time is up.

 

mouse

[hagar]

If I let-go of thought and enter emptiness, if I let go of ego, then what will assure that I don't rot and loose my home and die?

 

Is this where these ancient teachings meet the concept of God? Is God or the Tao what ensures my body doesn't go without food or shelter? Because if I let go of the *I*, it does beg the question "well who else is gonna take care of 11:33's body, his home, his loved ones, etc, etc"

 

Good question.

 

I second Zhen Sheng here.

 

But it's also like asking if you stop experiencing your feces as disgusting, will you still have bowel movement?

 

h

Edited May 27, 2009 by hagar

[Epicurious]

If I let-go of thought and enter emptiness, if I let go of ego, then what will assure that I don't rot and loose my home and die?

 

Is this where these ancient teachings meet the concept of God? Is God or the Tao what ensures my body doesn't go without food or shelter? Because if I let go of the *I*, it does beg the question "well who else is gonna take care of 11:33's body, his home, his loved ones, etc, etc"

 

shit...ya dont do yer homework...ha...bet thats what all the teachers say ta ya...anyhow...it aint thinkin nor 'thought' thats the problem...its WRONG thinkin...shit...go get your books boy an do yer studyin stead of asking stupid questions all time...goddam kids today are to damn lazy...shit...quick son...look in the mirror..you got any scars round the forhead...

[freeform]

'Ego' is such an over-simplification... it's a made-up idea that points in the general direction of something that's there.

 

You see this 'ego' was never really captain of the ship... it's just been pretending to be... a dog has no 'ego' but manages to look after itself better than most people do.

 

The 'ego' is an event that filters perception... imagine a little middle manager in between your raw perceptions and what gets into your conscious awareness... this little guy cuts up the raw perception into little pieces and sorts them and then places each piece into one of thousands of pigeon holes... well it's only one little guy and even though the number of pigeon holes is vast, this operation just cannot even come close to capturing and sorting all of raw perception...

 

ego happens after the event. it's like a story you tell yourself... it's there to protect you from the emotions and pain in your heart and the frightening emptiness and void deeper inside.

 

Just as a tiger can feed itself without commentating about it, without trying to live up to some artificial image it has in mind, without ignoring things it doesn't want to see... well so can you...

 

you have a house and a life and money and food despite your ego... but because ego comments on everything, it twists everything to make it seem like it's the one in control... which is really far from the truth... but it's fine... it's only protecting you.

[tigger1]

I have really struggled with this paddox as well, especialy with a family that depends on me.

I believe that unless you really wish to die in this world to be prepare for what comes after, I must find the balance between. So, I believe what is meant in this teaching is to let go of attachment. Don't take more then you need, share your bounty with your neighbors, don't stress about where the next meal comes from or weather your current shelther will be there tomorrow. I don't believe though that I should give up my most basic needs or pass up your current oppertunitys to provide for yourself and love ones.

[11:33]

Good stuff guys. Especially Epicurious, great suggestions, bro.

 

All great stuff. I think I'm about to find out for myself