nothing special

[de_paradise]

You often hear Rinpoches or monks say "nothing special" when describing their actions or deeds. I was watching this video explaining the diamond sutra, as I have watched before, and heard of the main points many times before in books, as Im sure most of you have--about the simplicity of the buddha in daily life, just doing as he does, and that being a live example of enlightened behavior.

 

This "nothing special", if you apply it to your thoughts or immediate actions-- which are constantly calculating, trying to gain advantage, to be right, to show others that you are right, to get that vanilla instead of caramel. To sit in the back and not the front. Nothing special about any of this, yet it fills our minds with endless calculations. You can remind yourself in the act, because it is this act of calculating which feeds the ego, the so-called "calculating mind"

 

So you are walking down the street, checking out the women, on the way to whatever, everyone is interacting by glances and looks, and the minds are feeding off that, hundreds of mini calculations, is he rich, is she single, whats that weird body shape, etc. Job this, friend that, talk here, pose there. Here I am walking down the street, looking at stuff, nothing special. The great mayhem of thoughts is put in the periphery by "nothing special" A guy, walking down the street, nothing special. I am relaxed. A weight off the shoulders.

 

Its even better in meditation. Easier. A guy, sitting there on his bed, meditating. Any thoughts that pop up, get lasered down by "nothing special" Oh my plans and schemes to make my life better. Nothing special about those plans, or that worry.

 

Look, this technique in itself is nothing special or new, I just happened to be listening to a talk on the Diamond Sutra on subjects I'd heard many times over, except this time I decided to apply it, and something clicked, I felt my qi circulation shift and my perception change, just slightly. But enough so that I thought someone else could perhaps benefit if I posted this.

[C T]

+++

 

nice.... thanks for sharing this DP.

[deci belle]

❤!

[hagar]

Wonderful.

 

I've applied a similar approach to physical skills. It softens and opens your system immediately, but it looks very unassuming, and even boring. So, as a consequence, you gain no instrumental advantage.

 

It's even beneficial in social interaction, yet more like a form of self-inquiry; "Why am I doing this, why am I saying this?", or of course, more classically exchange "Why" with "who". Suddenly you are not trying to be the life of the party, you are the party

[de_paradise]

Wonderful.

 

I've applied a similar approach to physical skills. It softens and opens your system immediately, but it looks very unassuming, and even boring. So, as a consequence, you gain no instrumental advantage.

 

It's even beneficial in social interaction, yet more like a form of self-inquiry; "Why am I doing this, why am I saying this?", or of course, more classically exchange "Why" with "who". Suddenly you are not trying to be the life of the party, you are the party

 

Yes, "softens" is a good way to put it. This type of calculating mind has a cutting sharpness, and in fact ego is quite painful to do in comparison to letting it go. Anything that breaks the regular thinking habits and cast them into a less important light will do the trick. Some people might need some practise and feeling around (mentally) to find that space.

[三江源]

I like this one, it's great de_p, it's walking lightly on the earth.

 

 

 

and of course it leads you straight to specialness, but that is a secret.

 

 

specialness is nothing special anyway.

[doc benway]

Very nice. I've been doing something very similar recently.

My feeling has had a slightly different flavor - why not just smile? Why not just be happy and accept?

Good stuff.

[suninmyeyes]

I have been doing something similar recently too!

Just dropping concepts ,ideas.. and letting them slide away like sand through the hand as oppose circulating and entertaining them over and over in the mind .It blends me into enviroment/universe without explanation ,yet with perfect fit.

[doc benway]

I have been doing something similar recently too!

Just dropping concepts ,ideas.. and letting them slide away like sand through the hand as oppose circulating and entertaining them over and over in the mind .It blends me into enviroment/universe without explanation ,yet with perfect fit.

I like this very much. Thanks for sharing it.

[suninmyeyes]

I like this very much. Thanks for sharing it.

!

[zerostao]

cool little thread. kinda zennish. embrace the mundane .

walk lightly and smile often.

[Non]

You often hear Rinpoches or monks say "nothing special" when describing their actions or deeds. I was watching this video explaining the diamond sutra, as I have watched before, and heard of the main points many times before in books, as Im sure most of you have--about the simplicity of the buddha in daily life, just doing as he does, and that being a live example of enlightened behavior.

 

This "nothing special", if you apply it to your thoughts or immediate actions-- which are constantly calculating, trying to gain advantage, to be right, to show others that you are right, to get that vanilla instead of caramel. To sit in the back and not the front. Nothing special about any of this, yet it fills our minds with endless calculations. You can remind yourself in the act, because it is this act of calculating which feeds the ego, the so-called "calculating mind"

 

So you are walking down the street, checking out the women, on the way to whatever, everyone is interacting by glances and looks, and the minds are feeding off that, hundreds of mini calculations, is he rich, is she single, whats that weird body shape, etc. Job this, friend that, talk here, pose there. Here I am walking down the street, looking at stuff, nothing special. The great mayhem of thoughts is put in the periphery by "nothing special" A guy, walking down the street, nothing special. I am relaxed. A weight off the shoulders.

 

Its even better in meditation. Easier. A guy, sitting there on his bed, meditating. Any thoughts that pop up, get lasered down by "nothing special" Oh my plans and schemes to make my life better. Nothing special about those plans, or that worry.

 

Look, this technique in itself is nothing special or new, I just happened to be listening to a talk on the Diamond Sutra on subjects I'd heard many times over, except this time I decided to apply it, and something clicked, I felt my qi circulation shift and my perception change, just slightly. But enough so that I thought someone else could perhaps benefit if I posted this.

 

yea but this can be extremely depressing when you're like me and nothing really is special.

[suninmyeyes]

yea but this can be extremely depressing when you're like me and nothing really is special.

But,your self pity is of a very special kind.Maybe if you thought nothing special and just bypass it something nice would happen..

[三江源]

yea but this can be extremely depressing when you're like me and nothing really is special.

 

depression's nothing special.

[Adishakti]

Such a lovely write-up. Thanks for sharing.

[Otis]

"nothing special"

Excellent! Thanks for sharing!