Demonstrations of Enlightenment

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[@EvanBerry.]

I love hearing that all people are expressions of the same reality. When I was growing up in the eighties, emphasis was placed upon the similarities across humanity -- that we all bleed the same color, we're all one family -- whereas today it seems that if you dare to try to suggest to someone that you share more in common than not, it's dismissed as "not recognizing one's lived experience," or "not respecting one's identity," etc. It is all very confusing.

[@Teller3448]

Excellent point, the purpose of life is to transcend one's identity...not recognize or respect it.

[@pajamawilliams9847]

not even a millimeter of space between, eyebrows entangled forever

[@JimTempleman]

In Zen, enlightenment is usually associated with the personal realization of no-self, a non-dual mental state without separation between the subject (self) and the object (of awareness). Mirroring what Kodo Sawaki Roshi said about zazen, no-self 'is good for nothing.' And it's not externally obvious to most people, what sets those in this mental state apart. As the Tao Te Ching (Chapter 13) puts it: Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things. Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things. That's the 'theory,' anyway. The reality is something that can only be experienced by ons's no-self (or Buddha Nature).

[@jagirkaur6216]

Thanks for sharing, reminding about, surrender and love, if possible can you please let me understand what does non self is good for nothing points to.

[@JimTempleman]

​@@jagirkaur6216 Brad has a number of talks on 'Zazen is Good for Nothing.' So does Shohaku Okumura. Think of zazen as a way of approaching enlightenment. In a nutshell ‘good for nothing’ means that you cannot expect to profit from doing zazen, realizing no-self, or becoming enlightened. It is the experience itself that matters. It is about opening up the mind in a special way. If fact, when you attain no-self there is no you there to attain anything. And since it is your Buddha Nature, it is already there within you. As Bodhidharma put it: "A special transmission outside the scriptures Not founded upon words and letters; By pointing directly to [one's] mind It lets one see into [one's own true] nature and [thus] attain Buddhahood."

[@Teller3448]

@@JimTempleman "It is about opening up the mind in a special way." What is it that opens the mind? Can you see your mind?

[@JimTempleman]

​@@Teller3448 Yes, those words were pretty vague, to address a wide audience. I would say that a shift takes place from being consciously aware (thinking), to being unconsciously aware (non-thinking). One 'opens up' unconscious awareness. The popular version of Dogen's Fukanzazengi recommends: "Sitting fixedly, think of not thinking. How do you think of not thinking? Nonthinking. This is the essential art of zazen." But how is that accomplished? It is given in the original version of the Fukanzazengi: "Whenever a thought occurs, be aware of it; as soon as you are aware of it, it will vanish. If you remain for a long period forgetful of objects, you will naturally become unified. This is the essential art of zazen. " - See Bielefeldt's "Dogen's Manuals of Zen Meditation" Your mind includes both the conscious & unconscious, but seems to only be aware of one of them at a time. A figure-ground reversal takes place.

[@JimTempleman]

@@jagirkaur6216 Brad has a number of talks on 'Zazen is good for nothing.' So does Shohaku Okumura. Think of zazen as a way of approaching enlightenment. In a nutshell ‘good for nothing’ means that you cannot expect to profit from doing zazen, realizing no-self, or becoming enlightened. It is the experience itself that matters. It is about opening up the mind in a special way. If fact, when you attain no-self there is no you there to attain anything. And since it is your Buddha Nature, it is already there within you. As Bodhidharma put it: “A special transmission outside the scriptures Not founded upon words and letters; By pointing directly to [one's] mind It lets one see into [one's own true] nature and [thus] attain Buddhahood.”

[@ratherjustpaydollarthan99cents]

Almost a year ago, I reacted to something that really, really upset me on social media. But i admit that i totally overreacted. Its as if someone took a swipe at me, then i went nuclear on them. The way i reacted was very disproportionate to the initial act that upset me. Because that initial act hit a nerve in me. I've regretted it ever since. It seems I've been stuck in a cycle where i need to be on guard to defend or stand up for myself. It sucks. I'd like it to end. I already look like a cruel asshole to a lot of people who i used to get along with well. They would be justified in thinking i've become a good manipulator. After i got upset, I really tried to mess with someones head. Deceive them. It was very wrong of me. I fought very dirty. Because i have utilized all ive learned from zen practice in this whole deal. Buddhism should not be used to "fight" with. I agree. But, also, the buddhist is human. And they're learning how to do this. How to live life with it. I see it as a great mistake I must learn from. What helps me is to remember the "Eight winds." That gain/loss, praise/blame, honor/disgrace, and pleasure/suffering are constantly shifting back and forth in my life. I must just try my best. Trying not to cause harm. But also not being a damn people pleaser. Like i was so much of my life before. The people i've been in conflict with, their best friends, families, coworkers, they are loved and get along well with them. My dumb little view is just that. Each one of them has their whole life and all the many people in it. I may reluctantly be wrapped up in a dumb conflict with them. But each one of them has a rich life full of people that love them. I really hope. Just like me. I will take all of this and go forward with it. I dont want to manipulate anyone. But zazen has given me kind of the "unsinkable bobber" thing in life. For that, Im grateful. And it's basically why i was on social media in the first place. To hopefully encourage others to get involved with zen so they could have that too. But it didnt work. I learned that this kind of thing is best not promoted like that.

[@ratherjustpaydollarthan99cents]

"i'm sorry." - when i initially got offended, i regret trying to retaliate. because no good has come of it ever since. i've felt badly about it. and it's stolen a lot of mental energy and peace of mind.

[@zenonpineska]

Reading minds is a metaphor. It means that you quickly analyze your listener and understand how to reach their mind and heart. You quickly discern what values are important to them and deliver your message through those values. For example, you impress a person who is deeply rooted in materialism with materialism. You impress a person who loves asceticism with asceticism. When you impress someone, you have a greater influence on them and can guide them onto a path. It's like the second level of mindfulness: instead of observing your own thoughts, you observe your listener and choose your words to reach their mind as easily as possible. This is a very difficult skill, but it can be learned.

[@Shh_kult]

Yeap🎉

[@backwardthoughts1022]

its a literal siddhi replicated millions of times by dhyana, up to the present.

[@rwlki]

THOSE WHO KNOW DON'T SAY,THOSE WHO SAY DON'T KNOW. TRUTH (ENLIGHTENMENT) IS INDEFINEABLE WITH THE HUMAN MIND!🙏 -SILENCE IS THE MOST REVEALING!

[@pajamawilliams9847]

did you read that on a fortune cookie?

[@danzacjones]

Brad how do you feel about the way that the reason that transmission entered lay people in japan was because the sangha that were principled and wanted to die in robes... did in fact die... and the ones that survived were the ones that decided to keep the old texts and meditation transmissions but entered lay life in order to avoid the genocide.... part of me thinks that there's a certain convenience and cultural appropriation about zen (compared to seon, or chan or the vietnamese lines) because "sangha" has come to mean something beyond the enlightened and simultaneously monastic order / vinaya the buddha established and in Japan 150 years ago though - lets not mince words - genocide - assumed a lay form Thanks KTHXBYE love your work not always agreeing hehe

[@jonkomatsu8192]

Was it the keyboard player delivering that line in "SpinaI Tap?" What a classic film! Hah! Oh, and was trying to recall the "Pink Fairies" in my addled rock history mind, looked up the band, and realized they had that cool "when pigs fly" album cover. Great proto punk, psychedelic hard rock band. 🤙 Anyways, great discussion, thanks! 🤓🎶🎸 heard you mentioning

[@HardcoreZen]

I think it was the keyboard player.

[@Spudcore]

@@HardcoreZen It was indeed!

[@photomukund]

In one speech where I was present, Sai Baba himself said, and I paraphrase, "many come here for miracles, but this is all just magic. I draw people here with magic in order to give them the true lesson. Just like when Krishna's mother wanted to punish him, she would first show him the freshly churned butter that he was fond of in one hand and hide the stick in the other.". The materialization aspect quickly washes away once you are long enough there listening to him.

[@kevinjoseph517]

sathya was a con man and his 'i am here to help beyond magic' is a reverse psychology talk,

[@pajamawilliams9847]

when you get really really good at seeing through your own bullshit you kind of get this intuitive sense of what other people are getting at, how they're fooling themselves in ways they cant even see. if the theravada monk in dogen's story could really 'know the master's mind' he would've understood what the master was asking him rather than chasing around idiotic delusions. the best siddhi i ever experienced was during a few weeks of intensive meditation, every time i'd stop at a different gas station to get a coffee the clerk would give it to me for free. different gas stations different clerks each time. this happened six times in two weeks. it also took me that long to notice the pattern. once i noticed it, it stopped. stupid party tricks are a waste of time.

[@Spudcore]

You're speaking my language, Brad.

[@jhhjyjkkkjgfjjk]

That's true. Great example is: Chogyam Trungpa - The Master Manipulator (Hailed by many as enlightened master, yet mastered the art of manipulating women)

[@barefootarts737]

Siddhis, when they do occur, are very mundane and uninteresting for the experiencer. Like a daydream of the future, that appear benign. Except that it is more true than reality itself, in a way. These powers lead too many people astray down rabbit holes of metaphysical phenomenon. Next thing you know they are telling you a story, about an event that was both profound, but exists only in the past. Like a corpse. Being carried around for occasional viewing. Better to make fresh Roadkill into a new Banjo! Than to explain its once epic saga with mere memory thought artifacts. This is where I catch myself being tacky and sentimental.

[@Corteum]

Siddhis only lead you astray if you have not recognized your own nature and are still identified with things you're not (i.e. ego, persona, thoughts, beliefs, etc). If you're still identified with thigns youre not, then siddhis can be problematic for you.

[@williambigger1545]

a freshman computer science student or someone with a basic understanding of programming student can make a random number game to test psychic abilities. Most people have these abilities, definitely not just "enlightened" people :)

[@That_Freedom_Guy]

LOUDER! FASTER!! LOLER!😂

[@Nooneself]

From a neuroscienctist perspective, enlightenment is having a brain perpetually in the high gamma brainwave state. The magic stuff I have low confidence in . Best wishes

[@wilhelmmischief8416]

Enlightenment is freedom from suffering. Whether it is possible or not has nothing to do with neuroscience.

[@JimTempleman]

@@wilhelmmischief8416 How do you know that one's brain is not the physical embodiment of one's mind?

[@wilhelmmischief8416]

@@JimTempleman How to you know that it matters or that it isn't?

[@dbuck1964]

@@wilhelmmischief8416 freedom from suffering is nothing more than a high degree of self acceptance. When you accept everything as it is, you don’t suffer from it. Stop making it into something magic.

[@JimTempleman]

@@dbuck1964 It's the very depth of the acceptance that makes it 'magical.'

[@fhoniemcphonsen8987]

Thanks for the warning Admiral Akbar😁 Aren't we all pickpockets though

[@Teller3448]

Crazy thing is, the only thing that makes the Zen school unique among Buddhist schools is its claim to demonstrate and identity enlightenment when it happens to varying degrees. This is done through the 'encounter dialogues' or cases...koans. If you read through a classic text like the 'Transmission of the Lamp' (a 30 volume work of the Song Dynasty) there are an endless number of stories where a monk demonstrates awakening by how he responds to absurd questions and circumstances. On the more scientific side, a person advanced in meditation has no dreams while asleep and sleeps very little. There is no internal dilemma going on. So I suppose this could be tested by the absence of Rapid-Eye-Movements...REM sleep. Even while awake, the eyes dont wander around aimlessly like a dog looking for a place to pee. Even in Daoist texts like the Wenzi the Sage is said to "sleep without dreams and wakes without worries".

[@backwardthoughts1022]

your understanding of both science and buddhadharma is meager. study alan wallace

[@Teller3448]

@@backwardthoughts1022 "study alan wallace" Wallace is from some Tantric school...which isnt even Buddhism.

[@backwardthoughts1022]

@@Teller3448 uhuh good luck buddy

[@Teller3448]

@@backwardthoughts1022 Thanks...you can go back to your drumming circle now.

[@backwardthoughts1022]

@@Teller3448 the nalanda tradition has the most scholarship and is the most sophisticated form of buddhadharma that exists. its not even slightly close. get a clue slow kid, learn who alan wallace even is for starters, see 'toward a first revolution on the mind sciences'

[@JulianK55]

You all demonstrate me enlightenment right now.

[@JulianK55]

All of you m. ALL of You

[@pajamawilliams9847]

@@JulianK55 look at your hand

[@pixnay]

Sanzo means “three baskets” or Tripitaka master, not big ears. Big ears is Daini (Da’er). Just saying.

[@georgwilliamfriedrichhegel5744]

Brad I think the demonstration of your enlightenment is having great hair. Maybe it's because I've been watching your videos for so long, but it seems to me that the best demonstration of "enlightenment" would be not caring about that sort of thing? Certainly not caring about demonstrating it with parlor tricks.

[@HardcoreZen]

Thanks about the hair. It hasn’t fallen out or turned white yet. But it’s long overdue. And yeah, I can’t imagine an enlightened person wanting to demonstrate his or her enlightenment.

[@John-uw7wd]

@@HardcoreZenI'm kind of fascinated how the beard has turned white but not the hair

[@dbuck1964]

I think it’s it’s all BS at this point. Although I do think meditation can be beneficial for soothing your nervous system.

[@HardcoreZen]

You and pretty much everybody else.

[@BobCarsonsMMA]

Play some Joni Mitchell!

[@Teller3448]

Joni had a three octave vocal range...damn near impossible to cover.

[@BobCarsonsMMA]

@@Teller3448 Handsome Brad also has that kind of vocal range, I hear.

[@blackbird5634]

Inside who's nostrils?🤣😂Learn to sit Zazen, the rest is fluff and nonsense.

[@wilhelmmischief8416]

You are too hard on yourself about your guitar playing. You are better than me and worse than Hendrix. That is fine; just don't cover Supertramp

[@HardcoreZen]

Thank you! I will never cover Supertramp. Although I kind of like The Logical Song (if that's what it's called).

[@Corteum]

_"demonstrations of enlghtenment"_ Nope. You can't demonstrate enlightenment, because enlightement is not an act or action. It's a recognition of ones own nature. Such a thing cannot be seen with the physical senses.

[@Teller3448]

Can you see your mind?

[@Corteum]

@@Teller3448 Yes. Consciousness observes all objects. Mind is an object, not a subject.

[@Teller3448]

@@Corteum For the founder of Buddhism it was the opposite...Citta (mind) was the subject which could never become an object. It can never be seen. Vinnana (consciousness) had a different meaning altogether.

[@Corteum]

@@Teller3448 Mind cannot be subject, because it's still perceivable. The only true subject is that formeless self which is not perceived by the body nor the mind.

[@Corteum]

@@Teller3448 Interesting to see where Buddha said that Citta (mind) is subject and how he defined Citta.