The common worldly empowerment towards all kinds of personal and group attachment and identification

Renunciation and the observation of silence (Mauna), is the basic essential teaching, observation, and practice of yoga and/or buddhism,

- To renounce or let go all kinds of worldly egoistic personal and group physical/mental/emotional attachment and identification,

- To move away from the engagement in restless worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious/communal/family/national/political/commercial/philosophical/traditional/non-traditional/new age ideas, beliefs, values, practices, rituals, ways of living, aspirations, affairs, ties and connections, communications, activities, and interactions,

- To be restraining, minimizing, and cutting-off all kinds of worldly egoistic conscious/semi-conscious/unconscious boundless inputs and outputs completely or as much as possible, to practically and effectively purify and quiet the conditional restless egoistic impure modification of the mind physically/mentally/emotionally,

- To turn the common outgoing tendency of the mind inward, to withdraw the senses from the objects of the senses, to focus within,

- To develop self-introspection to know what is going on in the selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary existence and function of the physical body that comes with the perceptive thinking mind under different states of consciousness, to know Thyself, that leads towards self-inquiry and self-realization towards the truth of everything, 

- To develop and empower and attain mental and emotional independence through non-grasping and letting go, not being determined by all kinds of duality, or the perception of sight, smell, taste, sensation, feeling/emotion, thought/idea/desire, remembrance towards this and that, wild imaginations, and dreams, or all kinds of experience/affair/ties and connection/relationship/interaction/condition/situation that are pleasant and unpleasant, agreeable and disagreeable, desirable and undesirable, or enjoyable and non-enjoyable or even painful.

- To change the conditional restless egoistic impure thinking and behavior pattern that is being conditioned by internal genetic inheritance and external conditions and ceaseless inputs that are being empowered by ceaseless outputs/reactions under the influence of ignorance, either consciously, or semi-consciously, or unconsciously,

- To annihilate the veil of ignorance that is naturally manifested or formed under the presence of the ego or the idea of 'I' (conscious and semi-conscious self awareness or self acknowledgement under the presence of conscious and semi-conscious awareness) that gives rise to the natural by-products of egoism of attachment/identification/craving and aversion/comparison/judgment/expectation which also feed and empower the idea of 'I', all kinds of impurities, and restlessness (restless modification/thought current/thought process/state of the mind a.k.a the veil of ignorance, where the veil of ignorance vanished upon silence or cessation of the restless egoistic impure modification of the mind, or upon the state of clarity), upon the activation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional function/mechanism/modification of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional self-acknowledging thinking and acting mind under the different states of consciousness, that is existing and functioning being part of the many different components/systems/mechanisms of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional physical body, where all that is non-self, where the momentary finite existence and function of the mortal body and mind doesn't even belong to the body and mind itself, not to say, nothing belong to anyone or anything,

- To perform self-inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything, particularly what is the 'I' that the mind perceives/thinks/believes/acknowledges/identifies as its own infinite permanent independent self existence as an immortal individual being/identity/consciousness/soul/spirit that is permanent and independent (that doesn't exist at all), that belongs to itself, that is residing in the mortal finite physical body, where the thinking mind thinks and believes and desires, "The body is mortal, impure, impermanent, limited, conditional, finite, and imperfect. I am immortal, pure, permanent, unlimited, infinite, and perfect,"

- To attain direct realization towards the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self,

- To realize unconditional peace,

- To have clarity of thinking and correct understanding (absolute knowledge or wisdom),

- To cease harming oneself and others and the surrounding environment (unconditional indiscriminate kindness),

- To perform selfless actions that are possible within one's ability and limitation, including certain existing worldly duties and responsibilities towards looking after oneself and others and the surrounding environment, that benefit oneself and others and the surrounding environment that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, out of compassion - the selfless indiscriminate power of creation/action/activity, that can be constructive or destructive, depending on the different states of mind under different intentions and understanding. All actions are selfless actions, regardless of whether conscious or unconscious, intentional or intentionless, constructive or destructive. Perform possible actions that are benefiting all and everyone and everything unconditionally and indiscriminately, without forcing, without grasping, devoid of the idea of 'I' and egoism, under the presence of conscious awareness.

All kinds of autonomous/absence of conscious freewill/involuntary ceaseless selfless physical and mental activities for life maintenance throughout the entire physical body where all the different bodily systems/components/mechanisms/each and every single individual cells/neutrons/protons/neurons/atoms are all selflessly performing their own respective duty/function as well as communicating and responding among one another throughout all states of consciousness, are all selfless actions and selfless actions performers, not to say, all that are happening devoid of the idea/thought/notion of 'I' (the ego) and egoism, that only exists selflessly, impermanently, limitedly, and conditionally in the restless egoistic impure modification of the mind upon the presence of conscious and semi-conscious awareness during the states of consciousness and semi-consciousness.

All these ceaseless selfless physical activities are being performed/operated by all these selfless different bodily systems/components/mechanisms/each and every single individual cells/neutrons/protons/neurons/atoms throughout the entire physical body and throughout all states of consciousness/semi-consciousness/unconsciousness, under the selfless support of the selfless supportive energy and elements, until they completely breakdown and ceased functioning/operating eventually, regardless of whether there is presence or absence of conscious awareness in the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind during the different states of consciousness/awake, semi-consciousness/semi-awake/asleep/dreaming, and unconsciousness/deep sleep/coma.

Many minds that are operating/functioning consciously/semi-consciously during the state of consciousness/semi-consciousness are not aware of or are ignorant towards the function/modification of themselves are being over-powered by the existing conditional thinking and behavior pattern under the influence of genetic inherited condition, and even more so, the influence of external conditioning inputs/influences/adopted egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, desires, aspirations, visions, and practices, to reason/understand/judge/feel/behave/act/react spontaneously in certain way, that impact oneself and others and the surrounding environment in certain way.

The momentary existence and function of the body and mind is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, however, under the selfless impermanent intentionless manifestation of the veil of ignorance that naturally manifests as it is upon the rise of the continuous stream of the idea/thought/notion of 'I' (the ego/self acknowledgement/the illusive existence of I) that also gives rise to egoism, that gives rise to all kinds of impurities (restless modification of the mind/the turbulent state of mind/the veil of ignorance/absence of clarity), under the presence of conscious/semi-conscious awareness during the states of consciousness and semi-consciousness, the mind is naturally being ignorant towards the truth of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function of itself, that is non-self, that doesn't even belong to itself, that itself is merely a selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary continuous stream of idea/thought/notion that appears (birth/arising) under the presence of conscious/semi-conscious awareness and that disappears (death/passing away) under the absence of conscious/semi-conscious awareness, that manifests/changes under different shapes and qualities (selfless impermanent changes) between appearance (arising) and disappearance (passing away), that is being powered as well as over-powered by egoism and impurities, or restlessness, or ignorance, where the selfless impermanent limited and conditional thinking is wishfully thinking and believing and desiring itself is and/or has an all time, all perfect, all knowing, all pure, and all powerful infinite immortal permanent independent existence.

The yoga and buddhism teachings and practice is all about the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, that naturally enables the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind/the knower/the experiencer/the thinker/the action performer to know Thyself, that is nothing to do with trying to find out and reconnect with an original, ancient, all time, all pure, all perfect, and all powerful permanent independent infinite immortal individual identity/existence/consciousness of a real I/self, that doesn't exist at all.

While the all time infinite selfless attributeless changeless universal consciousness (that is unborn/non-manifested/beginningless and endless/causeless, that doesn't increase nor decrease, that isn't pure nor impure, that pervades all and everything within and without, that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, that enabling the selfless manifestation of all and everything to be what they are, as they are, governed under the nature's law of cause and effect, under the selfless support of the selfless energy and elements, where all and everything selflessly arising, changing, and passing away impermanently/limitedly/conditionally/momentarily upon the selfless universal consciousness, at particular cause and pace) doesn't have such identification with anything, not even, "I am the all time infinite selfless attributeless changeless universal consciousness."

That is why, the selfless mind that realizes this, is silent.

There is not even "I am THAT (that is infinite, immortal, permanent, unlimited, unconditional, all time, all pure, all knowledge, all powerful, all perfect, causeless, changeless, birthless and deathless, beginningless and endless existence)," or "I am selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, that is impure, finite, and mortal."

There is neither permanent I (the truth of selflessness) nor impermanent I (the absence of the selfless impermanent, limited, and conditional ego/idea/notion of 'I') existing to be identifying with something that doesn't exist.

There is no I existing to be identifying with something that is not I.

The selfless plant doesn't identify itself as, "I am the selfless plant." 

The selfless cell doesn't identify itself as, "I am the selfless cell."

The selfless element doesn't identify itself as, "I am the selfless element." 

The selfless infinite attributeless universal consciousness doesn't identify itself as, "I am the selfless infinite attributeless universal consciousness."

But under the influence of the veil of ignorance upon the rise of the continuous stream of the selfless idea/thought/notion of 'I', the selfless human minds think/believe/acknowledge/attach unto/identify themselves as, "I am this and that," or "I am not this and not that," under the presence of selfless conscious/semi-conscious awareness, that can only be existing and functioning momentarily under the selfless support of the selfless energy and elements.

 

Meanwhile, the yoga and/or buddhism practitioner that encounters some obstacles or difficulties on the path of yoga and/or buddhism while observing renunciation and silence in solitude and seclusion away from the distractive worldly passionate egoistic impure ambitious restless minds (Kutsanga - ignorant company that empowers ignorance, that inflicts unnecessary problematic disturbance, affairs, situations, and conditions unto oneself and others), may seek the advice or guidance from Satsanga (wise company that empowers wisdom) if there is availability, where it is

- Not only about the coming in contact with the dispassionate minds that have either attained direct self realization towards the truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self, that are resting upon unconditional peace, or the dispassionate minds that haven't yet attained direct realization towards the truth of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary existence of all kinds of names and forms, but have been established firmly in the basic essential observation and practice of dispassion and renunciation, solitude and seclusion, and silence, that have attained certain degrees of correct understanding and mental and emotional independence, that have intense yearning towards liberation from ignorance and suffering, that have immovable determination and perseverance on the path of self-inquiry and self-realization, that can guide the yoga and/or buddhism practitioner towards the direction of self-realization.

- But also, the coming in contact with or the engagement in beneficial uplifting inputs/conditions/influences/physical and mental activities, such as regular yoga asana and pranayama practice, energy consumption choices and regulation (that might be different for the different bodies under different conditions and different states of mind, depending on the current predominant energy field (Gunas) - Rajas/Tamas/Sattva), concentration and meditation practice, studying the uncontaminated genuine scriptures/teachings/dhamma, balance in between activity and inactivity/work and rest/eating and fasting/awake and asleep/physical and mental activity (the middle path), and etc, that are conducive and supportive towards the activation of the conscious mind evolution process, of changing/modifying/conquering the hard-wired conditional egoistic impure restless thinking and behavior pattern, towards the thinning-out and annihilation of the veil of ignorance, a.k.a. the idea of 'I' (the ego), egoism, impurities, restlessness, and all kinds of disturbance, or affliction, or violence deriving from all that, and not towards the empowerment and stimulation of all that.

- If wise company is not available, then Asanga (devoid of company - solitude and seclusion in silence, not reading, not studying, not looking out) is absolutely fine, and even better, as the mind has no choice but to turn inward for seeing/knowing the absolute knowledge that is always there, that will clear all doubts, or obstacles, or difficulties.

All these teachings and observation or practice appeared to be 'opposing', 'detrimental', and/or 'destructive' towards all kinds of worldly passionate restless egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious/communal/family/national/political/commercial/philosophical/traditional/non-traditional/new age ideas, beliefs, values, affairs, activities, ways of living, ways of conduct, connections, and relationships, and hence, it is common and normal that the worldly restless egoistic minds, including some yoga and buddhism enthusiasts/practitioners/teachers, don't like and don't agree with and have intense rejection and aversion against all these basic essential teachings and observation or practice of yoga and/or buddhism, that the passionate egoistic minds perceive/recognize/categorize as a form of destructive intimidation and threat towards the existence and empowerment of their particular passionate egoistic inherited/adopted/created traditional or non-traditional ideas, beliefs, values, practices, desires, aspirations, ambitions, and visions of building a relationship, or a family, or a community, or a world that they desire it to be.

Yoga and/or buddhism teachings and practices is not at all about building a world to be in certain way and not in certain way, even if it is about promoting peace and harmony in oneself that would also naturally contributing peace and harmony into the world. There is no control or expectation towards the others or the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, has to be in certain way or not in certain way, or it has to be all perfect, agreeable, desirable, peaceful, and harmony without any imperfection, disagreeable, undesirable, unrest, and disharmony. That is not the same as the many different minds/individuals/communities having different visions, or ambitions, or aspirations, or ambitions, to control/possess/influence/change/build a world that is in accordance to the different desires of the many different minds/individuals/communities under many different ideas, beliefs, values, practices, desires, aspirations, ambitions, and visions.

What is wholesome and unwholesome, or what is constructive and destructive, is different for the minds (most minds) that are being ignorant towards the veil of ignorance in oneself, that are functioning under the influence of the ego/egoism/impurities/restlessness, while wittingly and unwittingly empowering the ego/egoism/impurities/restlessness in oneself and others, and the minds that are aware of the existence of the veil of ignorance in oneself, that are aware of the destructive and harmful side-effects of the ego/egoism/impurities/restlessness, and have intense yearning towards thinning-out and annihilating the ego/egoism/impurities/restlessness in oneself, while initiate and promote such awareness to all the other minds in the surrounding environment, to also be free from the influence of the ego/egoism/impurities/restlessness out of their own conscious freewill and effort, to promote more peace and harmony among the many diversities in the world that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, to have less minds that ceaselessly and ignorantly generating destructive hurtful and impactful behavior/action/reaction/activity that hurt oneself and others and the surrounding environment repetitively, out of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, either intentionally or unintentionally, wittingly or unwittingly, deliberately or randomly, consciously or unconsciously.

The empowerment of all kinds of egoistic attachment and identification towards all kinds of worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious/communal/family/national/political/commercial/philosophical/traditional/non-traditional/new age ideas, beliefs, values, practices, rituals, ways of living, aspirations, visions, affairs, ties and connections, communications, activities, and interactions, is being seen as a form of good and righteous or positive and meaningful thing/action/activity to be promoting patriotism, loyalty, prosperity, and higher quality of living (economic growth and wealth accumulation to attain easier and enjoyable living condition) by empowering all kinds of personal and communal/social/national/political/commercial/philosophical/cultural/spiritual/religious/traditional/non-traditional/new age attachments and identities, that gives rise to and empowers boundless desires/ambitions/aspirations/visions towards building a world that each and every different community/group desires differently, either to be achieving and possessing endless power of control and manipulation, achievements, possessions, and pleasurable enjoyments, or the complete opposite of that (extremism/dualism/the opposite of one another), for the many minds that are being conditioned to think and believe, evaluate and aspire in certain way and not in certain way, which only gives rise to momentary fleeting sense of satisfaction, goodness, righteousness, and meaningfulness for oneself and/or one's particular family and community under a particular way of thinking, belief, values, practices, desires, aspirations, and visions, selfishly and possessively, but then that would also gives rise to many unnecessary evitable destructive harmful side-effects that impact oneself and one's particular family and community, as well as all the others and everything in the surrounding environment for a prolonged duration.

Under the influence of ignorance, some minds might argue that "Respect nature while not going against nature," is about allowing as well as empowering all kinds of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance to be there as they are, as ignorance is also part of nature, or a natural manifestation in all minds, and hence, none should be doing anything to be eliminating ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in oneself or in anything, even if they are the root cause of many destructive hurtful behaviors/actions/reactions/ideas/desires/affairs/ties and connections/activities that give rise to many unnecessary evitable painful suffering in the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything. It is like saying, one shouldn't do anything constructive and beneficial even if it is possible, in order to promote and improve over-all physical and mental well-being and better living condition while generate less evitable problematic affair, activity, interaction, relationship, condition, and situation in anyone or anything or anywhere, under the presence of correct understanding and absolute knowledge.

Many minds also argue that "To practice non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, non-expectation, silence, and respecting the nature's law of cause and effect, being undetermined and undisturbed by all kinds of unpleasantness, undesirableness, disagreeableness, and non-enjoyable painful suffering/conditions/situations/hardships/difficulties/ties and connections/relationships," is about needless to do anything (to learn, to know, to understand, to find solution, to improve, to be happy, to have peace, to have less evitable illness and injury, to avoid any kind of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, to avoid preventable accidents or direct impact from natural disasters, to seek available medical help if needed, and so on), just wake up, eat, drink, shit, pee, generate rubbish, procreate, sleep, and repeat, until the body rots and dies, where all and everyone should silently accept all kinds of ignorant violent hurtful bullying ill-treatments/behaviors from anyone, where none should be learning and improving about anything consciously.

Many minds would also think and believe that if all kinds ancient traditional ideas, beliefs, values, desires, aspirations, visions, and practices are not necessarily all true and beneficial, then naturally, any kind of non-traditional or new age ideas, beliefs, values, desires, aspirations, visions, and practices that are different from all those previous old ones must be well-improvised and more true and beneficial. Or, any non-traditional/new age/newer ideas, beliefs, values, and practices are inauthentic, and must be less good, or less efficient, or inferior than the ancient traditional or older ideas, beliefs, values, and practices, that are authentic, and are better, more efficient, and superior than any newer ones. Or, if one is older and has been accumulating more experiences than the others that are younger and has less experience than oneself, then the older one must be more wise and efficient than the younger one. Many minds would also relate and categorize the existence of yoga and buddhism as non-traditional/new age/newer ideas, beliefs, values, and practices to rebel towards or go against the ancient traditional older cultural/spiritual/religious ideas, beliefs, values, and practices. Many people also think and believe that the newest or latest inventions must be better or more efficient than the older inventions. But all these understanding are not necessarily correct.

Such is the thinking, reasoning, and understanding in the mind that is functioning under the influence of ignorance.

The yoga and/or buddhism teachings and practices is not about being different from, or going against, or being improvised from the ancient traditional ideas, beliefs, values, and practices.

It is about going beyond, or transcending, or not being conditioned by all kinds of ancient traditional egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, and practices as well as all kinds of non-traditional/new age/newer egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, and practices that were/are being created to go against or rebel towards the ancient traditional older ones, where both traditional and new age ideas, values, and practices are all the creations of the minds that are functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance, that are ingrained in dualism and that feeds or empowers duality, that is what hinders the mind from knowing Thyself, to realize the existence and function of itself and all and everything that it perceives in this world of diverse names and forms, is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self.

Yoga and/or buddhism is not part of any worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious/communal/national/regional/political/commercial/philosophical/traditional/non-traditional/new age ideas and practices that were/are being created by the egoistic minds for their respective propaganda/agenda/purposes, but it is the direct realization by the conscious perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting minds and any minds from any era of any background and condition (that had/have been being conditioned by any ancient traditional or new non-traditional ideas/beliefs/values/practices to think and live life in certain ways or not in certain ways) towards the all time universal dhamma, a.k.a. the truth or the science of what things are, as they are, where all are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, regardless of who, what, how, where and when, regardless of what type of thinking and behavior pattern or state of mind.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Floating objects and the ocean of ignorance and suffering

Why is that all kinds of worldly egoistic cultural/spiritual/religious/communal/political/national/commercial ideas, beliefs, values, practices, and rituals are neither good nor bad, even if they are the by-products deriving from egoism and that empowering egoism, that give rise to many unnecessary hurtful destructive actions/reactions/activities/affairs in the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, which is the opposite of the thinning-out and elimination of egoism, that leads towards the realization of the truth of selflessness and non-self, that gives rise to peace from within that also illuminate into the surrounding environment?

There is nothing wrong, or bad, or negative, or inferiority in the presence of the veil of ignorance in the mind. It is a natural manifestation due to the nature of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional function/modification/mechanism of the conscious perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty of the living organisms.

The natural manifestation or formation of the veil of ignorance (the idea of 'I'/the ego/self acknowledgement, egoism, impurities, and restlessness under the presence of conscious awareness) upon the selfless initiation/activation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional function/modification/mechanism of the mind under the selfless support and influence of the supportive influential energy and elements/conditions, is not the fault or responsibility of anyone or anything, for the mind being what it is (egoistic, impure, and restless - violent, destructive, and hurtful).

It is not bad karma, it is not sin, it is not punishable, or it is not punishment/condemn/shame/humiliation deserving, even if the presence of the veil of ignorance gives rise to many unpleasant destructive hurtful side-effects/behaviors inflicting unto oneself and all and everything in the surrounding environment.

All minds (except the minds that had attained direct realization towards the truth of selflessness and non-self), are functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance (the ego/the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, restlessness, and the by-products of all that - all kinds of evitable suffering, desperation, unrest, disturbance, and violent destructive hurtful behavior/action/reaction/activity/affair inflicting unto oneself and others and the surrounding environment), and hence, there is the initial need of seeking any kind of momentary and/or lasting refuge, or comfort, or relief, or escape, or rest, or hope, or direction, or guidance, or motivation, or encouragement, or praise and compliment, or friendship and companionship, or love and attention, or acknowledgement and recognition, or agreement and support, and so on, from someone or something for anything and everything.

The physical body needs some rest in between ceaseless physical activities under a shelter that is sheltered from harsh weather and predators, so that it doesn't get to the point of over-exhaustion or suffered from unnecessary irreversible illness or injury. Similarly, the mind also needs some rest in between restless mental activities under a mental shelter/refuge/resting point amid all kinds of ignorance and disturbance or suffering, so that it doesn't get to the point of over-exhaustion or suffered from unnecessary irreversible illness or injury.

All kinds of worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, practices, and rituals served such purposes like a floating object for the mind to hold onto while drifting on the ocean of ignorance and suffering in searching for a shore to land on, and not to be drowned in the ocean due to extreme exhaustion from trying to stay afloat, before the mind sees and reaches the shore where the mind can get out from the ocean of ignorance and suffering while leaving the ocean and the floating object behind, and let all the others that are still drifting and/or drowning in the ocean of ignorance and suffering, that are also in need of a floating object for them to hang onto to stay afloat in the ocean until they reach a shore to land on. It is needless to be continuously carrying the floating object that served a particular momentary purpose, after getting out of the ocean and standing on the dry land.

One shows gratitude to the floating object, and let it go.

It is like the stepping stones that form a path for anyone to walk away from where one is that is full of unpleasant 'rubbish' and painful 'diseases', in order to reach somewhere that is devoid of 'rubbish' or 'diseases'. Upon walking, not to say, upon reaching the destination, one doesn't keep picking up every stone that one walked on, and keeps accumulating and carrying all the stones with oneself throughout the journey in searching for a space that is devoid of 'rubbish' and 'disease', not to say, after reaching such space, but one leaves all the stones where they are (non-grasping/non-attachment/non-identification/non-possessiveness/non-clinging).

All the stepping stones, are all kinds of pleasant and unpleasant, agreeable and disagreeable, desirable and undesirable, or enjoyable and painful experiences/conditions/situations/affairs/relationships/ties and connections/gain and loss/success and failure/happiness and unhappiness/achievement and non-achievement, and etc, that reflect the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self, as it is, where they all are the teachers, the teachings, the practices, and the realization.

One shows gratitude to the stones, and let them go.

However, due to ignorance, there are many minds misused the floating objects for certain destructive hurtful purposes or activities. Similarly, there are many minds misused the stepping stones for certain destructive hurtful purposes or activities. It is not the fault or responsibility of the floating objects on the ocean or the stepping stones on the path. Just as a knife served certain purposes, and it doesn't have the intention to be constructive or destructive, but it depends on the user of the knife using the knife under what type of intention and understanding.

More importantly, the floating object itself doesn't bring the mind to any shore, and the existing current (existing intentionless conditions) might move the floating object away from any shore. But, it depends on the continuous effort of the mind, to make use of the floating object (momentary refuge) to stay afloat as much as possible, and more importantly, to use something or anything that is available that can maneuver the floating object that carries oneself towards the direction of a shore (self-contemplation/self-reflection/self-introspection/self-investigation/self-control/self-discipline), or even abandoning the floating object that is seriously broken/faulty, to just make use of one's own body, arms, and legs to swim towards the shore (renunciation, dispassion, solitude, seclusion, purification, meditation, self-inquiry, and self-realization), even if it is going against the existing current (all kinds of internal conscious and unconscious conditional thinking and behavior pattern/genetic inherited conditions, and external obstacles and distractions), that ceaselessly pull the floating object that the mind hanging onto (or one's own body without hanging onto any floating object) towards the middle of the ocean of ignorance and suffering.

The existence of 'the floating object' is selfless, impermanent, limited, and conditional, and doesn't belong to anyone or anything, and it doesn't has the intention to be what it is, as it is.

The existence of 'the one that is drifting on the ocean', and the existence of 'the ocean and the shore', are all selfless, impermanent, limited, and conditional.

Beyond all THAT that are selfless, impermanent, limited, and conditional, that exists momentarily for a short duration, there is neither the existence of 'the ocean, the floating object, and the shore' nor the existence of 'the one that is drifting on the ocean, hanging onto a floating object, and getting out from the ocean and landing on a shore'.

Upon the direct realization towards the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self in all and everything, the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind is devoid of doubt or any kind of impurities, unrest, disturbance, or suffering.

The mind that is devoid of doubt and impurities, unrest, disturbance, or suffering, there is needless to seek refuge, or comfort, or relief, or escape, or rest, or hope, or direction, or guidance, or motivation, or encouragement, or praise and compliment, or friendship and companionship, or love and attention, or acknowledgement and recognition, or agreement and support, and so on, from anyone or anything for anything.

The ocean, the floating objects, and the shore ceased existing, upon the ego (the one that is drifting on the ocean) ceased existing, or upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance.

The mind that embarks on the journey towards the truth of everything, doesn't go anywhere. It is always where it is. It is merely a selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary journey within the mind.

The journey begins and ends in the mind.

The destination is in the mind itself.

The ignorance, the doubts, the corruptions, the problems, the hardships, the suffering, are all in the mind itself.

The realization, the knowledge, the truth, the answers, the liberation, the peace, are all in the mind itself.

All the different realms (the different states of mind) are all within the mind itself. The realms are not something or somewhere existing without/outside the mind. All realms ceased manifesting/existing upon Silence/Samadhi, or the annihilation/cessation of the restless modification of the mind.

And above all, this mind is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, only existing and functioning momentarily for a fleeting duration.

Inquire the truth of everything, and be free.

It is absolutely possible to be free.

May all be free, be peaceful, be happy.

Selfless conscious actions and the nature's law of cause and effect

There are many minds that think and believe and identify themselves as yoga and/or buddhism followers/disciples/practitioners/enthusiasts would use the term of 'cause and effect' that they have been referring as 'karma' (因果報應/因果循環) to warn/threaten/intimidate/bully/manipulate/influence/exploit/lure/oppress/control the others to behave in certain way and not in certain way, which is not what yoga and/or buddhism teachings and practice is about.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

 

Cause and effect is like object and the shadow.

Effect is the shadow of cause.

Each object has its own shadow. 

Each cause has its own effect.

Without such cause, there is no such effect.

Without such object, there is no such shadow.

But more importantly,

Without light, there is no shadow of any object. 

Cause (object) is fixed. The cause doesn't change into something else. It is what it is.

Shadow (effect) is not fixed, having countless possibility of manifestations, depending on the condition and position of light and/or the object, manifesting under different shapes and sizes.

The supportive elements/conditions that are influencing the effects being in certain way or not in certain way, is like the light that influence the shadow being what it is.

Without proper supportive elements/conditions, the cause doesn't give rise to effect. It is like a seed that doesn't grow into a plant, or a plant that doesn't give flowers and/or fruits under the absence of proper supportive elements/conditions.

Just like all kinds of names and forms, the nature's law of cause and effect is neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither constructive nor destructive, neither meaningful nor meaningless, and that neither gives rise to enjoyment nor suffering. 

The nature's law of cause and effect is just what it is. It is part of the intentionless indiscriminate power of nature that governs/influences/directs the selfless impermanent limited and conditional finite momentary existence, changes of regeneration/decay/disintegration, and ceased existence of all and everything.

Just like all kinds of names and forms, the nature's law of cause and effect is also limited and conditional.

All kinds of actions/activities give rise to respective causes that will turn into effects (consequences of actions/activities).

And hence, actions/activities are more powerful/dominant than the nature's law of cause and effect.

By understanding this, one will know that it is the boundless selfless conscious/semi-conscious/non-conscious actions/activities (the selfless power of creation) that are determining the different types of causes and effects ceaselessly, either wittingly or unwittingly, intentionally or unintentionally, constructively or destructively.

No doubt that causes are what they are, but the selfless impermanent limited and conditional effects can be influenced/determined/dominated by the ceaseless actions/activities, particularly the selfless conscious actions/activities that are being generated under the presence of conscious awareness, and more importantly, under the presence or absence of correct understanding and/or incorrect understanding.

A non-living object doesn't have the organs of perception/cognition or the organs of action. Such as a rock.

The rock under different shapes and sizes and consistencies has no intention of being constructive or destructive, or it has no power of construction or destruction. It is just being what it is. It is also subject to selfless impermanent changes under the presence or absence of certain limited conditions, internally and externally.

It can be transformed or mobilized involuntarily either by nature (such as the impact of sunlight, heat, humidity, volcanic activity, wind, water, rain, lightning strike, current, river, ocean, gravity, and movements of the earth), or by the living organisms that come with the organs of perception/cognition and the organs of action for something constructive or destructive, regardless of whether consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or involuntarily, deliberately or autonomously, wittingly or unwittingly, intentionally or unintentionally.

It can be used to build shelter, or path, or bridge, or ornament, or tool that cut something, or tool that break/crack open something, or for any constructive purposes.

It can also be used as a weapon to cause damages or injuries unto the physical structures of anyone or anything, or for any destructive purposes.

The different effects, or changes, or transformations, as well as the constructive or destructive possibility/purpose/utilization of the rock are influenced by both internal and external actions/activities involuntarily.

For example, there is a sharp object being there on the path. It doesn't have any intention to be something constructive or destructive for being what it is, where it is, and how it is.

Some conscious living organisms under the presence of conscious awareness/perception/cognition might be aware of it or see it, while some living organisms might not be aware of it or don't see it.

The conscious living organisms that are aware of it, might or might not avoid stepping/leaning on it, might or might not reflect upon the many possible effects of a sharp object being on the path, might or might not pick up or move the sharp object out of the path, and might or might not utilize/transform the sharp object for any purposes, under the presence or absence of different experiences, knowledge, understanding, and intentions.

Under the presence of conscious awareness being aware of the presence of a sharp object being on the path, and under the presence of reflection under the presence of certain experiences, knowledge, and correct understanding, some living organisms would move the sharp object away from the path to avoid any unnecessary damages or injuries unto oneself and/or others, or the tyres of some vehicles, and even many other possible side-effects that might arise from that.

Some living organisms might not have such similar reflection and action taking of avoiding unnecessary evitable damages or injuries unto oneself or others or anything, but they might have the similar desire, intention, and understanding of utilizing/transforming the sharp object for different purposes, and vice versa.

The conscious and unconscious power of creation/action/activity that exist in all and everything, regardless of living organisms that come with the conscious/semi-conscious/unconscious perception/cognition/the presence and absence of freewill and the organs of action/activity/mobility (inputs - thought processing - outputs/responds, consciously/voluntarily or unconsciously/involuntarily), or non-living objects that don't have conscious perception/cognition/freewill and with or without components for action/activity/mobility (non-living objects such as the creations/inventions of clock/all kinds of machine/vehicle/computer/TV/AI programming/robot/toy, and etc, have no conscious perception/cognition/freewill, but there are certain components/functions that enable certain involuntary mechanical action/activity/mobility), is influencing the effects or impermanent changes of the existing causes, while the conscious power of creation/action/activity can be more dominant than the unconscious power of creation/action/activity, and vice versa.

And more importantly, the presence and absence of the clarity, calmness, and efficiency (wisdom/absolute knowledge and precise functionality) or the murkiness, restlessness, and inefficiency (ignorance/corrupted knowledge and faulty functionality) of the selfless functions of the conscious perception/cognition/intellectual reasoning/understanding/desire/behavior/action/activity in the conscious living organisms that are functioning under the presence of conscious awareness, under the state of consciousness/semi-consciousness, has the influencing power that can be influencing/determining what type of conscious creations/actions/activities, that is also conditioning/influencing/determining whether the conscious or unconscious creations/actions/activities is being more dominant, that is influencing the conscious/semi-conscious and unconscious changes/effects of the existing causes in certain way or not in certain way, up to a certain extend, where there is certain inevitable limitation in all and everything.

Such as all and everything has limited duration of existence and function that need constant maintenance under the availability of the selfless supportive energy and different elements/conditions, while all and everything are subject to decay and disintegration.

By understanding this, one will know that under the presence of conscious and semi-conscious awareness during the state of consciousness and semi-consciousness, there is conscious/semi-conscious freewill to influence/determine the states of mind throughout the different states of consciousness, that also influences/conditions/determines the conscious/semi-conscious/unconscious creations/actions/activities (The process of conscious mind evolution and conquest - what yoga and buddhism teachings, observations, and practices is all about), although it takes ceaseless perseverance and determination or continuous effort, not just to attain but also to maintain the clarity and efficiency of the mind under the different states of consciousness, that is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, even after the direct glimpse or realization towards the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self in all kinds of names and forms, until Silence/Samadhi, or the complete annihilation of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional modification of the mind takes place, but more importantly as well as upmost liberating, is that, all THAT (Ignorance/Restlessness/The conscious and unconscious power of creation/action/activity and The annihilation of ignorance/restlessness, or Silence/Samadhi - The absorption/non-activation of MAYA, the power of creation/action/activity) are non-self.

It is absolutely possible to be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.

It is absolutely possible to change and/or conquer the conditional restless egoistic impure thinking and behavior pattern of oneself throughout the different states of consciousness, that hurts oneself and others and the surrounding environment, either wittingly or unwittingly, intentionally or unintentionally, even if all and everything are selfless and impermanent, that only exist and function momentarily for a limited duration.

The mind just need to initiate the conscious evolution process under the presence of conscious awareness, out of its own conscious perception/cognition towards the restlessness/impurities/doubts/suffering and fleeting impermanent changes in itself and of everything that it perceives, under its own conscious freewill, desire, yearning, effort, perseverance, and determination to be free from all that, even if it is just the rise of a fleeting conscious/semi-conscious/unconscious thought, or idea, or desire (planting a seed wittingly/consciously or unwittingly/unconsciously, that requires ceaseless effort/action for nurturing) to be free, to be happy, to be peaceful, to know and understand, to be suffering free, to stop hurting oneself and others, or to be liberated from ignorance, under the presence of any kind of impurities, unrest, fear, insecurity, doubt, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurt, pain, sorrow, violence, suffering, or the notion/idea of "I am not free".

The cause (any seed), whether being nurtured to becoming a matured plant that bears flowers and fruits, or not, is also subject to selfless impermanent changes of growth/transformation or decay and disintegration. Just as a seed that isn't being nurtured into becoming a plant, is rotting/decaying at its own pace, and will eventually disintegrated/decomposed, not to say, the seed isn't a seed anymore, upon the initial moment of being nurtured that turns into a shoot, that might or might not eventually becoming a matured plant, that might or might not give rise to flowers, that might or might not turn into fruits, that might or might not be consumed by something or someone.

Sankalpa - The initiation/planting of the seed of wisdom/liberation/peace consciously and unconsciously, has been widely misused by the yoga practitioners/teachers/enthusiasts in the yoga practice or in the beginning and/or the end of the yoga class, as 'the mystical super mind power' to make all kinds of wishes/desires/dreams come true, which not only doesn't thin-out and eliminate the veil of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism of attachment and identification, desire of craving and aversion, longing, clinging, expectation, duality, passion, greed, and restlessness, but instead, it is augmenting and empowering all that.

The yoga teachers tell the yoga students in the yoga class to think about something or anything that they want to do and achieve or have, and that by thinking of that particular desire/goal (those many different desires/goals) consciously under intense focus, and all their desires/wishes/goals/dreams will come true or be materialized. It doesn't. It is the ceaseless physical effort/action/activity under the presence of specific or respective knowledge and understanding, under the presence of possibility and opportunity, and under the availability of the selfless supportive energy and elements/conditions, on top of immovable perseverance and determination, that determines whether one will be successful doing and achieving something that oneself wanted to do and achieve, up to certain extend under certain limitation.

If it is merely a thought/desire arising in the mind, but if there is no prompted follow-up continuous physical effort/activity to materialize the thought/desire, or it doesn't turn into physical action/expression/speech, then it is just a selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary thought that arising and passing away (a seed that doesn't turn into a plant), regardless of whether the thought is something pure or impure, positive or negative, good or bad, constructive or destructive, wholesome or unwholesome, and etc.

While most of the minds are still functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance, what the minds (being conditioned and influenced to) think and believe and understand, or reason and evaluate and discriminate, or judge and recognize towards what is good or gad, what is right or wrong, what is positive or negative, or what is constructive or destructive, or what is wholesome or unwholesome, and etc, are not necessarily the truth of what things are.

And hence, the highly importance of the practical and efficient initial mental observation/practice of non-grasping, non-attachment, non-identification, non-craving, non-aversion, non-judgment, and non-expectation towards the rise of any kind of thoughts/desires, to be observing or aware of the ceaseless thoughts/desires arising and passing away, without generating any physical effort/activity/action being prompted by the selfless impermanent limited and conditional fleeting thoughts/desires, the presence of countless seeds don't turn into any plant (the arising and passing away of countless causes doesn't lead to effect).

Upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, or upon the presence of clarity, absolute knowledge, and correct understanding, the mind can choose whether to perform or not performing certain action/activity that are beneficial for oneself and others and the surrounding environment, selflessly, indiscriminately and unconditionally.

Without thinking about or focusing towards achieving anything specifically, but just by performing certain actions/activities under the presence of specific knowledge and understanding, possibility and opportunity, perseverance and determination, and the availability of the selfless support of energy and elements/conditions, and one might achieve good health, good fortune, unlimited wealth, happiness, everything desirable and nothing undesirable, youthfulness, and longevity, and even so, it still doesn't change the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, non-self, and the inevitable decay and disintegration, or mortality in all and everything.

Just by ceaselessly 'thinking' about or 'focusing' towards 'being at the mountain top', it doesn't transport oneself physically and practically to be on the mountain top, it is the continuous physical effort of physical movements/actions/activities internally and externally that bring oneself to be at the mountain top physically and practically, eventually.

The Sankalpa that is stated in the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism, is merely about the seed of dhamma that might or might not lead to the liberation from all that depending on the presence and absence of effort/action taking, where it is not even "I want to be free, be happy, be peaceful, be liberated," under the presence of the idea of 'I' and egoism, but it is, "May all be free, be happy, be peaceful, be liberated," indiscriminately and unconditionally, dropping of the idea of 'I' and egoism, devoid of the sense of separateness/duality of 'I' and 'not I' or 'others', and without egoism of grasping, attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment, or expectation, but only through ceaseless effort, action, activity, observation, or practice, under intense perseverance and determination, one will eventually attain direct self realization towards the truth of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional finite momentary existence and function of all and everything, that are non-self, and be free, be happy, be peaceful unconditionally.

Such as, without telling/asking/guiding/instructing the yoga students to deliberately setting any kind of intention before/during/after the yoga class/yoga practice, but just by indiscriminately disseminating the dhamma, or the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism as it is, in the yoga class, regardless of whether the yoga students are paying attention (receiving inputs consciously) or don't pay attention (receiving inputs unconsciously) onto the dhamma dissemination, whether they understand or don't understand, agree or disagree, like or dislike, desire or don't desire, and practice or don't practice the dhamma/the teachings as it is, but that is already what Sankalpa is about. An intentionless seed of wisdom is being randomly planted into the minds of the yoga students either consciously or unconsciously (the gift of dhamma). But then it is up to the effort of the yoga students whether to embark onto the journey of self-inquiry and attain self realization, or not, a.k.a. whether to continuously nurture the seed until it becomes a matured plant that bears flowers and fruits, or not.

That is also why the highly importance of the observation of renunciation, solitude, and seclusion to not just mentally but also physically move away from all kinds of conditional highly influential worldly egoistic conscious and unconscious inputs/influences/ideas/affairs/beliefs/values/practices/rituals/behaviors/activities/interactions/communications/ties and connections, that is absolutely practical and efficient for the minds that genuinely and eagerly want to attain direct self realization towards knowing Thyself, or knowing the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self in all and everything.

Conscious and/or unconscious thought/intention/desire (Sankalpa) is nothing or powerless, if without continuous physical effort/action/activity (which includes mental activity, that is also part of the physical activity. Without the physical structure and activity, there is no mental activity) under the presence of respective knowledge and understanding, possibility and opportunity, perseverance and determination, and the selfless support of the supportive energy and elements/conditions.

There is nothing super extraordinary, or mystical, or transcendental, or miraculous in the teachings, observations, practices, and realization of yoga and/or buddhism. It is merely the truth of everything, as it is. However, under the influence of the veil of ignorance, it is common and natural that there are many existing 'teachings, observations, practices, transcriptions, translations, and understanding' of yoga and/or buddhism have been contaminated by the many different worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, and practices. And hence, the highly importance of "Inquiring the truth of everything to attain direct self realization," as stated in both the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism.

One doesn't necessarily need to learn, read, hear, study, know, or memorize about many teachings of yoga and/or buddhism, but only need to know and inquire about, "Silencing and withdrawing the restless outgoing mind and performing self-inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything to attain direct self realization." One needs to inquire why is that highly important, what is and how to silence and withdraw the restless outgoing mind, what is/why and how to perform self-inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything to attain direct self realization?

The mind that knows this, is free from all kinds of worldly egoistic superstitious mystical spiritual/religious/cultural beliefs, values, and practices, as well as the unnecessary fear and many obstacles or inconveniences deriving from all that. Such mind cannot be threatened/intimidated/bullied/manipulated/influenced/lured/exploited/disturbed/offended/hurt by anyone and anything.

Yoga and/or buddhism is the science of the mind.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Inquire towards public servant and public service

Many minds that are functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance would interpret 'public servant' and 'public service' as the public servants are the servants that are obliged to serve the public that 'deserve' all kinds of public services, and hence, the public can take the public servants and the public services for granted without showing respect or gratitude.

No doubt that public servants are holding the 'job' or 'duty' to be 'providing all kinds of public services to the public', and there shouldn't be any sense of superiority, but there also shouldn't be any sense of inferiority as well for being 'the public servants' that 'provide all kinds of public services to the public'.

Just as there is neither superiority nor inferiority in those who show kindness to others and those who receive kindness from others.

Just as none are obligated to be kind to one another, while none are obligated to be 'public servant' to 'provide public service' to anyone.

One can be kind to one another, out of freewill, generosity, and correct understanding, similarly, one can be engaging in a 'job' or 'duty' as a 'public servant' to provide 'public service' to the public, out of freewill, generosity, and correct understanding.

Any kind of action, that is being performed either for oneself or for others, regardless of whether the others are one's family and friends or not one's family and friends, and regardless of whether the others are from one's particular community or from the vast diverse communities, regardless of locally or globally, and regardless of it's doing a job being employed by some others or it's running a business that employs some others, or it's a charitable volunteer work for humanity/animals/environment/underprivileged community/discriminated community/exploited community/oppressed community/ill-treated community and so on, all actions are being performed out of one's own freewill, generosity, and correct understanding. There is neither superiority nor inferiority. There is neither more priority nor less priority. There is neither deserving nor non-deserving. There is neither personal nor non-personal.

By looking after the over-all well-being of oneself and performing one's personal duty and responsibility independently and effectively, is also simultaneously contributing and promoting conducive condition/peace and harmony into the surrounding environment that will benefit all and everyone and everything naturally or intentionlessly, and vice versa.

It is not about the public 'deserves' to be receiving 'public service' from anyone.

It is not about, "These are the 'public servants' that 'provide public services' to the public, and hence, they are more superior, and they deserved respect and gratitude from the public."

And it is definitely not about, "They are the 'public servants' that provide 'public services' to the public, and hence, they are merely some inferior 'servants' of the public to 'serve' the public, where the 'public servants' work for the public, where the public pay tax to employ the 'public servants' to provide 'public services' to 'serve' the public, and it is their obligated 'job' or 'duty' to serve the public, and hence, they don't deserve any respect or gratitude for performing their 'job' or 'duty'. They are 'obligated' to 'serve' the public, and the public is their boss/employer, and hence, the public is more superior than the public servants."

That is common incorrect interpretation or understanding deriving from ignorance, particularly due to the wording of 'public servant and public service' instead of 'public facilitator and public facilitation'.

Out of the conscious freewill, generosity, and correct understanding of oneself, each and everyone respect one another as they are indiscriminately and unconditionally, and are being grateful and thankful that there are some people are willingly to serve the community by taking up the job or duty to be 'the public servants' that perform or carryout the job/responsibility of 'facilitating all kinds of public services and conveniences to the public', regardless of with or without taking fixed amount of salary or fees.

Above all, the public service administration from the top managements to the many different departments and operations need to be free from the influence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance ('corrupted public servants' and 'all kinds of corruptions'), to be supporting and facilitating constructive activities and progress in the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

Inquire the truth of everything, and be free.

Upon direct realization towards selflessness and timelessness

Upon the direct realization towards selflessness, that also simultaneously gives rise to the realization towards timelessness, as well as spontaneously without any intention to know or understand this or that, the mind transcends all kinds of worldly egoistic beliefs, values, and practices created and practiced by the minds that were/are functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance.

The realization towards selflessness, where there is no permanent independent infinite immortal self existence of an individual consciousness/soul/spirit/'I' existing in any living organisms that resides in or belongs to each respective living organism, not to say, in any non-living objects, to be undergoing the ceaseless selfless impermanent limited and conditional changes (formation/decay/disintegration) of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function of the body and mind, that is non-self, that doesn't even belong to the body and mind itself.

The realization towards timelessness, where time is merely the reflection of ceaseless selfless impermanent changes in NOW, of the ceaseless conscious and unconscious physical and mental activities during the different states of consciousness, of the ceaseless process of decaying and disintegrating in between coming into existence and ceased existence in NOW, where there is neither past nor future, upon Silence, or the annihilation/subjugation of the restless modification of the mind, where the notion/idea of past and future arise upon the selfless perceptive mind under the presence of conscious/semi-conscious awareness is being aware of the selfless impermanent restless thought activities of perceiving, knowing, thinking, reasoning, recognizing, understanding, sensing, feeling, desiring, acting, reacting, remembering, and imagining/anticipating/scheduling/planning this or that, as well as sleeping and dreaming, in NOW.

Under the absence of conscious/semi-conscious awareness in the state of unconsciousness/deep sleep, there is no idea of 'I' or self acknowledgement, not to say, acknowledgment towards the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function of the body and mind, the state of unconsciousness, and the surrounding environment, even though there are ceaseless autonomous selfless bodily activities for life maintenance/impermanent changes/decaying process/rehabilitation process/inputs processing that ceaselessly happening throughout the different states of consciousness, in NOW.

The selfless impermanent autonomous growing/ceased growing/aging/decaying process and the autonomous rehabilitation/regeneration or deterioration process of the existing damage, wound, illness, or injury is also happening ceaselessly throughout the different states of consciousness in NOW, where the damage, wound, illness, or injury are getting better or worse, regardless of under the presence or absence of conscious awareness, in NOW.

Even though the natural process of the ceaseless selfless impermanent changes of growth/rehabilitation/regeneration/deterioration/decay/aging/disintegration is an autonomous process that is happening throughout the different states of consciousness, but the conscious activities of knowledge learning and accumulating/actions taking/problems solving/habits changing during the state of consciousness under the presence of conscious awareness on top of the presence of clarity of thinking and correct understanding, as well as under the accessibility, availability, and possibility of essential healthy living environment/condition, proper nourishment, proper health and fitness activity, and specific medical treatment, or under the absence of all that, it can influence the selfless impermanent changes in certain way up to a certain extend (either slow down or speed up the selfless impermanent changes constructively or destructively) throughout the different states of consciousness, even though such conscious interference doesn't change the truth of decay and disintegration, or mortality, or ceased function and ceased existence in all kinds of names and forms (living organisms and non-living objects).

One can maintain the best condition of everything as much as possible, and extend the life span and functionality of everything as much as possible, but all and everything will eventually and naturally ceased functioning and ceased existing. No matter how good or bad is anyone or anything, and no matter how intelligent, creative, talented, skillful, successful, accomplished, wealthy, healthy, happy, fit, and strong is anyone, all and everyone and everything will come to an end of function and existence. For most minds that are functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance, this ultimate truth is something negative and meaningless for them, but for the minds that are free from the influence of ignorance, this is nether positive nor negative, neither meaningful nor meaningless, but they can make use of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary function and existence of the body and mind to be performing conscious activities/actions to benefit all and everyone indiscriminately and unconditionally, without grasping.

Similarly, short-lived and mortality (finite momentary existence) is something inauspicious, bad, negative, painful sorrow, or suffering, while longevity or immortality (infinite endless existence) is something auspicious, good, positive, joyful, or pleasurable enjoyment for the minds that are functioning under the influence of ignorance. But, it isn't so for the minds that are devoid of ignorance.

Under the absence of conscious awareness or acknowledgement, under the state of unconsciousness, it doesn't mean that there is no ceaseless conscious and unconscious inputs/impacts/influences/imprints of the ceaseless conscious and unconscious activities/impermanent changes/causes and effects throughout the different states of consciousness. Most of the time, the mind has no awareness/acknowledgment towards many kinds of internal and external activities/impermanent changes/causes and effects that are ceaselessly happening under the state of consciousness and semi-consciousness, not to say, under the absence of conscious awareness/acknowledgement in the state of unconsciousness, but the ceaseless inputs/impacts/influences/imprints of everything are still there as they are, even if all these are also impermanent.

That is how extremely restless the thought current is (The natural formation of the veil of ignorance in all minds).

That is why the highly importance of the inevitable renunciation and the observation of silence (mauna) in solitude and seclusion, for a prolonged duration of at least 5 - 6 years and maybe longer for certain extremely restless minds, to cut off unnecessary worldly passionate egoistic ties and connections, contacts, communications, interactions, affairs, activities, actions, and reactions, to withdraw the senses from the objects of the senses, to turn the outgoing tendency of the mind inward, to refrain from news/magazines/TV programs/movies/books/novels/stories/musics/songs/theater performances/social medias/political, commercial, spiritual, religious, or cultural related inputs/activities watching/reading/hearing/engaging, as well as specific food/fuel/energy consumption that stimulate or agitate the states of mind, to refrain from worldly egoistic habits of socializing/chit-chatting/commenting/discussing/debating/arguing/gossiping/vain talking/boasting/glorifying/admiring/criticizing/condemning/back-biting/slandering/justifying/story making and telling/lying/day dreaming/aspiring and etc, to practically reduce and restraint the restlessness of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional modification of the mind throughout the different states of consciousness, in order to quiet the restless thought current effectively.

Upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance or the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind, or upon the presence of clarity of thinking and correct understanding, the mind can live and mix freely among the worldly minds, without being determined or influenced by all kinds of worldly egoistic inputs and outputs, to be performing selfless service to serve the world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, selflessly, indiscriminately, and unconditionally.

This direct realization towards selflessness and timelessness, brings along the absolute knowledge/understanding towards the truth of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary finite existence of all kinds of names and forms, that are ceaselessly changing governed by the nature's law of cause and effect that is also impermanent, limited, and conditional, that is influencing or directing the impermanent changes (causes turning into effects) being what they are, ceaselessly changing under the existing causes that turn into effects that have countless possibilities, under the presence/influence of the existing impermanent limitations and conditions in NOW, where the effects/changes are not fixed, even if the causes are fixed, being what they are, as they are.

This realization/knowledge towards selflessness, timelessness, and the nature's law of cause and effect also gives rise to the knowledge of there is not an infinite loop of good/bad/neutral/neither good nor bad karma that powers the infinite wheel of ceaseless reincarnation, of endless cycles of births and deaths of a permanent independent infinite immortal self existence of an individual consciousness/soul/spirit (that is non-existing, that doesn't exist) undergoing countless separate different existences under different timing, ceaselessly reincarnating from the beginningless past (previous beginningless countless existences) into NOW (this specific existence) that will be continuously reincarnating into the endless future (endless existences after this specific existence in NOW) in accordance to certain worldly cultural/spiritual/religious beliefs, values, and practices.

The existence of all kinds of names and forms that had ceased existing/are existing in NOW under different qualities and impermanent changes, were/are merely a selfless impermanent limited and conditional dot ( . ) that keeps changing (selfless impermanent changes governed by the existing causes that turn into effects of countless possibilities under the influence of the existing impermanent limitations and conditions in NOW), and it is not even a finite line ( - or l or s) that begins from a dot and that will come to an end of the line, not to say, there is not an infinite beginningless and endless continuous line, or a stream of multiple dots that form a continuous line that turns into an infinite loop that is beginningless and endless, or a wheel that has no beginning or ending ( O ).

Meanwhile, this selfless impermanent limited and conditional dot (any kind of names and forms - living organisms or non-living objects) that is existing in NOW, has a beginning of existence (coming into existence under an existing cause) and has an end of existence (the end of impermanent changes), and is ceaselessly changing/decaying/disintegrating during its selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary existence under the influence of the existing internal and external causes that are turning into effects under the influence of the existing impermanent limitations and conditions, in NOW.

Most of the causes and effects might be inter-related to one another, where one cause gives rise to another cause that also gives rise to another cause, and so on, especially if the mind keeps reacting wittingly and unwittingly in certain way being conditioned by the specific conditional thinking and behavior pattern under the absence of correct understanding, or under the influence of the veil of ignorance. - Never ending of "I hurt you and you hurt me back, or vice versa, and repeat," under the absence of correct understanding.

The different causes and effects don't necessary related to one another, upon the mind performs effortless actions in accordance to the existing limitations and conditions (possibility and impossibility) that are impermanent, under the presence of correct understanding, or under the absence of the veil of ignorance, without the idea of 'I', without grasping, or without egoism of attachment, identification, craving and aversion, comparison, judgment, or expectation.  - "You hurt me (under the influence of ignorance), I can but I don't necessarily have to hurt you back, or vice versa, even if there are inevitable consequences of actions that are what they are, or there are inevitable damages that cannot be undone, and there is respective responsibility or accountability, regardless of intentional or unintentional activities/actions/reactions," under the presence of correct understanding.

There is conscious/semi-conscious freewill under the presence of conscious/semi-conscious awareness and cognition, to choose what type of activities/actions/reactions to be generated, under the presence of correct understanding.

It is up to the dot, that comes with the organs of perception and organs of action under the presence of conscious awareness, to consciously generate what kind of causes/actions that are being nurtured under what type of impermanent limitations and conditions, that influence the effects/consequences of actions being in certain way or not in certain way, in NOW.

Live in NOW, without attachment, or grasping, or clinging unto NOW regardless of pleasant or unpleasant/desirable or undesirable/agreeable or disagreeable, that is always changing, that is limited and conditional, but also comes with unlimited possibilities simultaneously.

There is no fear in such mind under the presence of absolute knowledge.

Inquire the truth of everything, including all that is here.

Any kind of purification or cleaning-up process is naturally and inevitably unpleasant or even painful

There are different kinds of purification or cleaning up process in the world of human beings.

There are endless 'rubbish' and 'messiness' being generated by human beings unto oneself and into the surrounding environment, that need ongoing cleaning/tidying up or cleansing activity, or else, all and everything will be 'drowned' by the excessive ceaseless and endless generation and accumulation of 'rubbish' and 'messiness', or ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, in the world that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

There is the essential observation of maintaining internal and external cleanliness, or the engagement in internal and external purification/cleansing process in the teachings of yoga and buddhism.

Internal cleanliness is about the physical and mental purification process. 

Physical purification process to remove physical fatigue, laziness, idleness, under activity, over activity, energy blockage, stiffness, heaviness, sluggishness, inflammation, infection, illness, disease, and etc.

Mind purification process to remove the veil of ignorance, restlessness, cloudiness, murkiness, inattentiveness, passion, the idea of 'I', egoism of attachment, identification, craving and aversion, comparison, judgment, and expectation, and all kinds of impurities, to be free from the conditional restless impure egoistic thinking and behavior pattern under the influence of worldly passionate egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, desires, and practices, or to be free from the corrupted thinking and incorrect understanding and the consequences of that.

External cleanliness is about the cleanliness/tidiness and simplicity of the surrounding environment as well as the living space and the physical yoga practice space.

Not only the personal living space and yoga practice space need ceaseless ongoing effort for cleaning and tidying up regularly, but also the public space, community space, work space, all kinds of organization, political corruption, as well as natural disasters aftermath and/or ignorance inflicted events aftermath, and so on.

External cleanliness or cleansing process towards the surrounding environment individually and collectively doesn't mean interfering/controlling/influencing/manipulating/reforming/changing/forcing others to be the way that one desires, likes, and agrees with, to chase away/wipe out anyone or anything that oneself doesn't desire, doesn't like, or doesn't agree with.

It has to come from all minds themselves, to be self-initiated to reform/change/purify themselves to be free from the influence of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance, to be free from all kinds of corrupted thinking and incorrect understanding and hurtful damaging behavior, all by the mind itself, out of its own conscious awareness, freewill, desire, and effort.

One can only serve as a selfless intentionless desireless indiscriminate 'mirror' that enable others to be reflecting upon themselves, or not.

All kinds of purification or cleaning up process will naturally and inevitably give rise to some unpleasant and even painful side-effects or consequences.

Just like cleaning up the long time never been cleaned garbage container of intense stubborn stain and foul smell. It's extremely unpleasant and disgusting, but one needs to have the courage or indifference to confront all that during the process of cleaning up. And after that, one needs to have the consistent initiative and effort to clean up the garbage container regularly from time to time, and the cleaning process will become less and less unpleasant, and eventually, without any unpleasantness at all.

The process of eradicating any kind of impurities, or 'rubbish', or corruptions, or hurtful damaging behavior/activity in the physical body, in the modification of the mind, in the diverse community, in all kinds of organization, especially in the world of corrupted egoistic politics, and in the surrounding environment, regardless of personally/individually or communally/collectively, is an unpleasant and exhausting ongoing process. Just as the ongoing maintenance or cleaning process of the garden. Just as the endless maintenance of life existence to be attending ceaseless hunger and thirst and the elimination of waste products until the selfless impermanent life existence comes to an end.

The activation of the conscious mind purification process of eradicating the veil of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, and all kinds of impurities or restlessness, is the same as the engagement in selfless actions of cleaning up/reforming process of eradicating all kinds of corruptions/ignorance and consequences of ignorance in the world of human beings, which is an extremely challenging and prolonged ongoing process.

All kinds of corruptions in the world of human beings are deriving from the corrupted minds functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance.

Ignorance can only be eradicated by the mind itself, out of its own conscious awareness, freewill, initiation, effort, yearning for liberation, determination, and perseverance. 

Yoga and buddhism practice is all about the purification/eradication/elimination/cleansing process of annihilating the veil of ignorance in the mind, by the mind itself.

Collective duty cannot happen if without looking after individual duty. By looking after individual duty of reforming one's own conditional thinking and behavior pattern that has been conditioned by the worldly passionate egoistic restless ideas, beliefs, values, desires, and practices, to be free from the influence of the veil of ignorance, to have the clarity of thinking and correct understanding, and naturally, that engagement in looking after one's own individual duty itself is not separated from the collective duty, where there is less a corrupted mind generating corruption or corrupted thinking and destructive hurtful behavior into the surrounding environment that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, as well as, there is more a peaceful mind contributing peace and harmony into the surrounding environment.

It is greatly unpleasant and even painful for the mind especially in the beginning, and it might continuously be unpleasant and painful from time to time, until the mind developed the basic essential fundamental qualities/elements/disciplines, independence or self reliance, and correct understanding, that will eventually lead the mind towards the complete annihilation of the veil of ignorance, or the ultimate liberation from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance.

Similarly, the cleaning up or reforming process of the long time built up political corruption that exists in many areas or countries, that ceaselessly inflict and promote fear, violence, anger, hatred, unrest, destructive hurtful bullying behavior, selfishness, possessiveness, greed, manipulation, exploitation, discrimination, and separateness among the diverse individuals and diverse communities in the world that doesn't belong to anyone or anything in order to gratified certain selfish agendas, aspirations, and desires of certain human beings, that affects the life existence of all and everyone locally and globally, is highly challenging, exhausting, and unpleasant.

There are many minds have been broken by the ongoing prolonged political corruptions where the many minds are being conditioned by the many corrupted political ideas/beliefs/values/desires/practices/cultures to be thinking, believing, reasoning, understanding, feeling, desiring, behaving, acting, and reacting in the way that hurt oneself and others and the surrounding environment, that not only impacting all and everything locally, but also globally.

From the corrupted thinking and behavior in oneself, it expands to the family ties and connections (corrupted parenting method and family interaction/behavior), to the community (corrupted education/information/aspiration/vision/organization/government/policy/law making/leadership and social interaction/behavior), and to the world of many diversities and the surrounding environment that doesn't belong to anyone or anything (the sense of pride/superiority and inferiority/possessiveness/selfishness/nationalism (this is our country/land and space that belongs to us)/patriotism/globalization/gangsterism/bully/discrimination/hatred/interference/invasion/offensiveness/defensiveness/power greed/wealth greed/status greed/enjoyment greed/expansion greed/reproductive greed/exploitation/manipulation, and so on, that give rise to all kinds of unnecessary evitable painful suffering in the world and damages to nature or the surrounding living environment).

The mind purification process, or conscious mind evolution of changing the conditional thinking and behavior pattern, can only be happening in oneself, by oneself.

All minds need to reform oneself, and naturally/eventually, there will be less and less corrupted minds in the world contributing any kind of corruption, or ignorance and consequences of ignorance into the world that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

If there is fear or aversion towards the inevitable exhausting and unpleasant side-effects that arise during the process of cleaning up, where one is reluctant to be engaging in the individual and collective cleaning up process, but then, one will have to deal with all kinds of harmful effects of the ceaseless accumulation of impurities/corruptions/'rubbish'/'messiness'/ignorance and consequences of ignorance that are detrimental to the overall welfare of oneself and others and the surrounding environment, where there won't be any suitable conducive internal and external environment, for anyone or anything to be existing and functioning as what all and everything are.

Just as, there are many minds are reluctant to cut off 'ties and connections' with some 'bullies', and rather accepting all kinds of continuous endless 'bullying behaviors' of 'the bullies', empowering 'the bully and its bullying behaviors', because the minds think and believe that they cannot be independent, and that they have to rely on the bullies for 'something that they want'.

Inquire the truth of everything. 

Is yoga a spiritual practice?

Yoga, similar to the teachings and practice of buddhism, is universal.

Spirituality and/or religion, is non-universal.

Even so, like the selfless existence and function of all and everything, spirituality or religion is neither good nor bad.

Just as any kind of cultural belief, values, and practice, spirituality and religion served its own particular purpose or influence in the daily life affairs, interactions, and behaviors of many minds, especially for the minds that are still functioning under the presence of the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, that are being determined by all kinds of duality (good and bad/right and wrong/positive and negative/superiority and inferiority/gain and loss/success and failure/pride and shame, and so on), that perceive all kinds of doubts, fear, insecurity, disturbance, dissatisfaction, disappointment, hurts, sorrow, and undesirable painful physical and mental or emotional suffering.

It depends on the state of the different minds, where the existence and function of spirituality or religion can be understood and used by the minds constructively or destructively, under the different states of mind having different understanding, behaviors, intentions, or desires.

The existence and function of the different spiritual or religious beliefs and practices doesn't serve any purposes or influences (constructive or destructive) for the mind that knows Thyself, upon the presence of mental and emotional independence, upon the absence of the veil of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, restlessness, and the consequences of all that - all kinds of disturbance and painful suffering.

Yoga and buddhism, is all about the mind and mind conquest, or conscious mind evolution (changing the conditional mind thinking behavior pattern under the influence of ignorance, the idea of 'I'/the ego, egoism, impurities, and restlessness), or the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind (the veil of ignorance) and the conquest of the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind, or Silence, or the annihilation of the veil of ignorance.

It is nothing to do with any form of spirituality or religion, not to say, it doesn't belong to any particular name and form.

If yoga 'belongs' to any particular name and form, of any particular spirituality, or religion, or culture, or community, or area, or country, or leadership, or organization, then that 'yoga' is something non-universal, it is not yoga as it is.

Just as the children were born or coming from their parents, but they don't belong to their parents.

None and nothing belongs to themselves, not to say, belongs to anyone or anything. (Selflessness and Non-self)

Just as there are many different types of spiritual and religious or cultural beliefs and practices in the world, that belongs to and only valid for certain minds or specific community, and hence, they are non-universal.

Even so, all kinds of spiritual and religious or cultural beliefs and practices (different ways of life/living/values/conduct/vision) are neither something good nor bad, and they have their own particular purpose/values that work for certain minds, particularly to have a sense of direction in life, to have a refuge in the mind to take some rest or find comfort within the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind, as well as to justify the unknown, or many things that the minds don't know or don't understand, and to justify as well as to deal with many things that the minds don't like and don't desire, that are uncomfortable or painful physically and/or mentally/emotionally.

Why yoga and buddhism is universal, while spirituality and religion is non-universal?

Regardless of having particular spiritual or religious belief and practice, or not, and regardless of the different qualities of names and forms that all and everyone have, or possess, or identifying with, all minds can practice yoga and/or buddhism to be free from ignorance that exists naturally along with the selfless existence and function of the restless modification of the mind under the presence of conscious awareness, while not all minds (need to) have particular spiritual or religious belief and practice to be existing and functioning as they are.

Just as all living organisms and non-living objects depend on the availability of energy and different elements for all and everything to be existing and functioning as what they are. That is universal.

All living organisms need to consume energy/food to be existing and functioning as what they are, and that is universal, but the type of food/energy consumption can be different for the different living organisms. That is non-universal.

The truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self, exists and valid in all and everything. All and everything (living organisms and non-living objects) are undergoing the forming, decaying, and disintegrating process at their own particular pace and cause. That is universal.

The many different types of subjective ideas, knowledge, beliefs, values, practices, behaviors, visions, understanding and non-understanding, desires and don't desires, likes and dislikes, or agreements and disagreements, and etc, only exist and valid for specific minds, and not all minds. That is non-universal.

Yoga and Hinduism have certain connectivity and similarity, but they are completely two different things.

Yoga is universal. While Hinduism, as well as all kinds of different spirituality and religion beliefs and practices, is non-universal.

What is universal, it is valid for all and everything. What isn't valid for all and everything, but only valid for specific individual, or community, or something, is non-universal.

Decay and death or mortality, is universal.

What is good and bad, right and wrong, and the perception/judgment/projection towards all kinds of qualities and all kinds of duality, that are being perceived/judged/projected differently by the different minds, is non-universal.

The nature's law of cause and effect, is universal.

The many different rules and regulations created by specific minds under specific understanding, intention, desire, and vision within a family, a community, an area, a leadership, or an organization, locally and/or globally, is non-universal.

The presence and absence of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the minds, is universal.

The conditional momentary peace and happiness, or the sense of happiness and unhappiness, positiveness and negativeness, righteousness and wrongfulness, goodness and badness, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, deserving and non-deserving, success and failure, strength and weakness, superiority and inferiority, pride and shame, and etc, of all kinds of duality, is non-universal.

Not all minds that identifying themselves as 'Buddhists' are buddhism practitioners who practice buddhism as it is.

Similarly, not all Hinduism followers/practitioners are Hinduism practitioners who practice Hinduism as it is, not to say, not all Hindus are yoga practitioners, even if they might think and believe and identify themselves as yoga enthusiasts and practitioners, while performing some kind of yoga practices regularly or irregularly.

Yoga practitioners are not necessarily Hindus, or the followers/believers of any particular religion or spirituality. Although there are many yoga practitioners begin their yoga practice coming from their own particular religious, or spiritual, or cultural background.

Similarly, not all minds that think and believe and identify themselves as yoga enthusiasts and practitioners, that are observing the teachings of yoga and/or performing some kinds of yoga practices regularly or irregularly, are practicing yoga as it is. 

And there is neither right nor wrong with all that.

All minds take their own cause and pace to evolve (consciously and unconsciously) as they are.

Regardless of what type of religious or non-religious background, and what type of spiritual or non-spiritual background that one has or came from, yoga is neither religious nor spiritual.

Before the direct self realization towards the truth of selflessness and non-self, yoga can appear to be something spiritual or non-spiritual for the different minds under different states of mind. 

When the minds are still functioning under the influence of the veil of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, that are still mentally and emotionally dependent on something 'greater'/'more perfect'/'more wise'/'more powerful'/'more independent' than the minds themselves, then yoga can appear to be whatever the minds would desire it to be.

It can appear to be something religious for the minds that are religious and that have particular religion belief and practice, while it can appear to be something non-religious to the minds that are non-religious and that don't have any particular religion belief and practice.

Similarly, it can appear to be something spiritual for the minds that believe in spirituality, or it can appear to be something non-spiritual for the minds that disbelieve in spirituality.

Yoga and/or buddhism, if being practiced as it is, without being contaminated or possessed by any cultural, spiritual, or religious elements, is universal.

Regardless of religious or non-religious, believing or disbelieving in spirituality, and what type of religion or spirituality that the different minds believe in and practice, or not, all and everyone have the universal selfless impermanent limited and conditional function of the conscious restless impure egoistic modification of the mind, or the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty, and regardless of the different types of characteristics, personalities, genetic inheritance, family background, cultures, beliefs, values, practices, desires, or behaviors, all and everyone and everything are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self.

And the restless impure egoistic modification of all minds can be purified, or weakened, or thinned-out, or silenced, or subjugated, or conquered, or annihilated by the mind itself, out of the precious conscious awareness/cognition/understanding/freewill/initiation/effort/desire/yearning towards liberation from the selfless impermanent limited and conditional restless impure egoistic states of mind, or modification, or function, or thought current, that is non-self, that doesn't even belong to the existence and function of the mind itself.

Religion and spirituality is something non-universal, and no doubt that it provides momentary refuge, comfort, hope, escape, or relief towards the conscious awareness/perception/experience towards all kinds of undesirable/unpleasant physical and mental or emotional restlessness and painful suffering, but it doesn't eliminate the root cause of suffering - The veil of ignorance. It doesn't eliminate the veil of ignorance, because the existence and function of all kinds of religion and spirituality is arising from and fed by as well as empowering the idea of 'I' and egoism of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment, and expectation, that empowers mental and emotional dependence.

If all minds are mentally and emotionally independent, all kinds of spirituality and religion beliefs and practices will loose its functionality, and ceased existing.

Yoga and/or buddhism is universal, and it leads towards mental and emotional independence, or the absolute liberation from the root cause of suffering via the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, a.k.a. the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness.

Not all minds have religious or spiritual belief and practice, and not all minds that have particular religious and/or spiritual belief and practice are having the one same universal religious and/or spiritual belief and practice. With, or without any particular religious or spiritual belief and practice, the minds are still what they are, life existence is still what it is, the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance is still what it is, and the truth of things is still what it is.

Both the teachings and practices of yoga and buddhism is all about the mind, or the selfless impermanent limited and conditional modification of the mind, or the restless impure egoistic thought current, that is universal, regardless of what type of genetic inheritance and cultural background that the different minds have or identifying with, and whether the minds are having any particular religious and/or spiritual belief and practice, or not.

Yoga, as well as buddhism, is the teachings and practices that enable the selfless mind or the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty of the selfless physical body to transcend the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind, under the presence of conscious awareness, conscious desire, conscious freewill, conscious initiation, conscious yearning, conscious effort, and conscious evolution, transcending all kinds of egoistic ideas and beliefs, values and practices, including all kinds of existing religious and spiritual ideas and beliefs, that are all merely part of the selfless impermanent limited and conditional manifestation/creation in the restless impure egoistic modification of the minds, that were/have been/are functioning under the influence of the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness a.k.a. the veil of ignorance, and the consequences of all that.

Upon the direct self realization towards the dhamma, or the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism, that is both centered in the truth or the essence of selflessness and impermanence in all and everything of all kinds of selfless impermanent limited and conditional manifestation of countless diverse names and forms arising and passing away under different qualities/functionalities/duties/purposes/causes and effects, the mind will know that both the teachings and practices of yoga and/or buddhism (even if there are some differences between them), is neither something religious nor spiritual.

And then, some minds might start to think and understand that, since if it is not something spiritual, then it must be merely a form of physical and mental exercise or activity for sustaining and empowering physical and mental health and fitness condition. But, the physical and mental health and fitness condition or the presence of physical and mental abilities and limitations doesn't determine the presence and absence of ignorance, or determine the mind is practicing yoga, or not, and whether the mind will realize yoga/the dhamma/the truth of things/unconditional peace, or not.

Just as the optimal physical and mental health and fitness condition, long life span, easy life condition, the degrees of intelligence, education, creativity, and the accumulation of knowledge/experiences/skills/relationships/achievements/wealth/titles/positions/authority/power/possessions/enjoyments, doesn't relate to or determine the presence and absence of ignorance, or the states of mind, or the desires and behaviors, or the actions and reactions.

All kinds of religious and spiritual ideas and beliefs/values and practices/rituals are being created and practiced by the restless impure egoistic minds to counter and justify the suffering/the imperfections/the selfless impermanent changes/the limitations and conditions/the restrictions/the unknown/the uncertainty/the fragility/the unpleasantness/the undesirableness/the disagreeableness/the unrest/the painful sorrow/the conflicts/the fear/the disappointments/the sense of loneliness or emptiness/the constructive and destructive power of nature, and etc, that the minds don't desire, to create and have a momentary space/refuge/faith/trust/hope/direction/focus within the disturbed confused restless suffering modification of the mind, where they can hang onto or be in within the mind, that gives them certain degrees of momentary rest, comfort, escape, and relief from the ceaseless disturbance, confusions, restlessness, and suffering, as well as to have certain power of leadership/authority/control/influence/manipulation/bullying/dominance towards the others, or the family members, or the mass community, to live life and behave in certain way and not in certain way. - Ignorance and the by-products/side-effects/consequences/creations of ignorance

The mind that knows Thyself, that is mentally and emotionally independent, upon direct realization towards the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self, is free from all that.

Renunciation and liberation, is all about renouncing all that, and be liberated from all that.

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and Swami Sivananda that existed in different era, were both coming from Hinduism background and prestigious background, and both had renounced all that and immersed into persevered and determined sadhana/contemplation/meditation in silence, seclusion, and solitude for a prolonged duration, and eventually attained direct self realization towards the timeless dhamma, or the universal truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, or upon the silence of the restless impure egoistic modification of the mind. And they disseminated the same universal timeless realization/dhamma/truth of things under the different names of 'Buddhism' and 'Yoga Vedanta'.

The universal timeless dhamma/truth of things that is directly realized and disseminated by any minds under any different names ('Buddhism', or 'Yoga Vedanta', or some other names, but all are the same universal timeless dhamma), doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

The universal timeless dhamma/truth of things doesn't change into something else regardless of the different names, the different era/timing, the different minds, the different backgrounds, the different understanding and non-understanding, the realization or non-realization, or the different causes and effects.

There is neither good nor bad in all the mind creation of the many different religion and spiritual ideas/beliefs/values/practices/ways of conduct/ways of living for the restless confused suffering minds that need to have a refuge in the mind to be resting upon from time to time, or to have some hope amidst all kinds of hardships and undesirable/unpleasant experiences, not until the restless impure egoistic minds started to misuse the existing specific religious or spiritual ideas and beliefs, values and practices, or ways of conduct and living, to become a political influence/manipulation/threat/power/tool/weapon to achieve their own specific greedy ambitious agendas/desires/aspirations/visions in the family, or the relationship, or the community, or the world, generating all kinds of unnecessary hurtful activities unto oneself and others and the surrounding environment.

Inquire the truth of everything, including all that is here.