be free, be happy, be peaceful

May all find the teacher within to guide oneself towards unconditional love and peace

Monday, July 31, 2023

The selfless consciousness reflecting the truth of everything as it is

The selfless consciousness or the selfless silent witness, that is always there but is being hidden under the selfless restless modifications of the perceptive cognitive intellectual thinking faculty functioning under the veil of ignorance, egoism and impurities, that is unknown to the selfless thinking faculty, is a selfless intentionless changeless timeless unconditional uncontaminated attributeless reflector reflecting the truth of everything as it is, selflessly and intentionlessly.

The selfless consciousness that is always there reflecting the truth of everything as it is, selflessly and intentionlessly, void of thinking (thoughts), grasping, analysis, judgment, action and interference, is untouched, unaffected, uninfluenced and uncontaminated by the selfless functions of the conditional and limited perception, intellect and cognition of the selfless thinking faculty that has the function of perceiving, reasoning, analyzing, identifying, recognizing, knowing and understanding the perceived names and forms perceived through the senses via the sense organs upon coming in contact with the objects of the senses.

Even though the selfless consciousness is reflecting all the perceived names and forms as they are, however, the selfless function of the conditional and limited perception, intellect and cognition can be functioning corruptly under the influence of the veil of ignorance, egoism and impurities, where the selfless function of the perception, intellect and cognition is very much being conditioned and limited by certain conditional and limited ignorant egoistic thinking and belief or mind inputs, where the corrupted function of the contaminated perception, intellect and cognition leads to incorrect thinking, reasoning and understanding towards the perceived names and forms, that lead to intentional or random corrupted behaviors, actions and reactions generated through the organs of action of the selfless physical body, under the influence of the assertive selfish egoistic idea of 'I' occupying the modification of the mind deriving from the veil of ignorance and egoism.

The presence and absence of these defilement or corruption of the selfless functions of the conditional and limited thinking faculty under the presence or absence of the veil of ignorance and egoism and impurities or corruptions, as well as all the different qualities of the names and forms being perceived by the thinking faculty through the senses, and projected onto the selfless silent projector screen of the selfless mind, where all kinds of names and forms ceaselessly arising, changing and passing away upon the selfless silent projector screen, do not affect, disturb, influence, contaminate, determine, change, hurt, damage or destroy the selfless silent projector screen, or the selfless consciousness, or the silent witness, being what it is.

Similarly, upon the complete annihilation of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness in the modification of the mind, or upon the mind perception of names and forms are being perceived under the functions of the uncontaminated and non-corrupted perception, intellect and cognition, all kinds of names and forms will be reflected in the mind as they are, free from any contamination or distortion under the non-corrupted selfless functions of the thinking faculty that are void of the influence of any conditional and limited corrupted thinking and belief. All kinds of names and forms are neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative, neither meaningful nor meaningless, neither enjoyable happiness nor painful suffering. All kinds of duality and separateness vanished in this selfless mind.

Upon the absence, or silence, or subjugation of the thought-current or thinking (thoughts) - the annihilation of the restless modification of the mind, where no impurities or idea of 'I' can arise, attached onto and exist, this selfless silent mind projector screen or the selfless consciousness appears as it is, which is identical with and non-distinct from the selfless universal consciousness.

Under the presence of selfless restless thought-current that is being generated and powered by the selfless functions of the thinking faculty under the influence of ignorance, egoism and impurities, that are contaminating the selfless functions of the perceptive cognitive intellectual thinking faculty where these contaminated and corrupted functions of the thinking faculty cannot 'perceive' or 'see' the names and forms as they are, that gives rise to corrupted thinking, understanding, behaviors, actions and reactions within the modifications of the mind, and hence, the selfless silent mind projector screen appears to be 'impure', 'broken' or 'corrupted', while it is not at all being affected, changed or contaminated by the presence of all kinds of corruptions and restless thoughts activities in the mind.

The selfless silent mind projector screen or the selfless consciousness is unknown to the thinking faculty due to the restless thoughts activities that is under the influence of such ignorance, egoism, impurities and corruptions. Just like watching the movie that is being projected onto the projector screen. When the audience are being busy paying attention onto watching the contents of the movie, they don't 'see' the projector screen. When there is no movie being played, the projector screen appears as what it is. No matter what are the contents of the different movies being played, the projector screen is untouched, unaffected and uncontaminated by all kinds of actions or contents in the different movies.

The selfless consciousness that reflects everything as it is, doesn't reflect itself and couldn't see itself. Just like the organ of eyes don't and couldn't see themselves unless under the help of an uncontaminated motionless reflector that reflects the reflection of anything being reflected upon it as it is. While the reflector itself that reflects everything doesn't reflect upon itself. And the persistent self-inquiry and meditation under the purified and quiet modification of the mind free from the influence of any particular egoistic thinking and belief, serve as the uncontaminated motionless reflector that enable the selfless consciousness to reflect upon itself, which is identical with the selfless universal consciousness that is selfless, nameless, formless, attributeless, birthless, deathless, changeless, timeless, causeless, beginningless, endless, unlimited, unconditional, where all kinds of names and forms arising, changing, resting and passing away upon, while being untouched by all these selfless impermanent phenomena.

'I' am not the mind. The mind is not 'I'. There's no 'I'. There's neither small 'I' nor big 'I'. There's neither impure 'I' nor pure 'I'. There's neither positive 'I' nor negative 'I'. There's neither peaceful 'I' nor peaceless 'I'. There's neither suffering 'I' nor liberated 'I'. There's neither ignorant 'I' nor enlightened 'I'. There's neither finite 'I' nor infinite 'I'. There's neither 'I' become this or that nor 'I' am this or that. The selfless impermanent modifications of the selfless thinking faculty arising, changing, resting and passing away upon the selfless, nameless, formless, attributeless, changeless, timeless, causeless, brithless, deathless infinite consciousness. Finite or infinite, all are selfless.

Hari Om Tat Sat.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Sunday, July 30, 2023

Keep practicing, keep purifying and keep inquiring, all doubts will vanish eventually

Throughout the entire journey of mind purification and self-inquiry, there will be doubt and imperfect understanding for sure due to certain degrees of ignorance and impurities is still present and clouding the modification of the mind, but both the ignorance/impurities and doubt/imperfect understanding will become less and less as the mind keeps practicing, keeps purifying and keeps inquiring towards the truth of everything, under an open mind free from the influence of any particular worldly passionate egoistic thinking and belief to inquire the truth of everything as it is, even though the ignorance and impurities are not being completely annihilated from the perceptive cognitive intellectual thinking faculty yet.

There's nothing wrong at all, if there are still certain imperfect understanding are not completely cleared from ignorance, that there's still doubt on certain things or certain teachings, until the complete annihilation of the veil of ignorance takes place upon self-realization.

That's why the importance of patience, determination and perseverance that keep the mind going on the path of self-inquiry, on top of non-attachment, non-judgment and non-expectation towards the practice and the fruit of practice. Right effort is also an important element.

Under the intense yearning for liberation, dispassion, certain degrees of right discrimination or basic correct understanding, the basic skill for mind purification, right effort, self-discipline and self-inquiry, as well as patience, determination and perseverance, all doubts will vanish, everything will become clear as it is, eventually.

The limitation in speaking, hearing, comprehending, reading, expressing or writing in certain language, the presence of doubt and imperfect understanding due to the veil of ignorance and impurities in the thinking faculty, the limitation of certain physical condition and ability/disability, the presence of certain difficulty in life, as well as the total amount of chaos, selfishness and corruption in the world of ignorance and egoism, cannot hinder the mind from performing all the yoga and meditation practice that will lead the mind towards self-realization, unless the mind stops at the attainment and maintenance of the momentary physical and mental health and fitness benefits arising from the regular physical and mental yoga practice, enjoying and loving the yoga practice, which is nothing wrong too. It's the freedom of everyone for what they desire and don't desire.

Even though one might be performing some kind of yoga practice regularly, enjoying and loving the many momentary physical and mental effects and enhancements deriving from the regular practice, and/or has been passionately teaching yoga classes to others for many years by emphasizing on the attainment and maintenance of the momentary physical and mental effects and enhancements of the yoga practice, however, if without the awareness towards eliminating the idea of 'I' and egoism, where the mind ignorantly and continuously indulging in the passionate egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation towards the yoga and meditation practice and the momentary effects of the yoga and meditation practice, that give rise to the false sense of 'satisfaction', 'contentment', 'meaningfulness' and 'spiritual achievement', which stands as a 'cheeky' hindrance that even the mind isn't aware of, hindering the mind from reaching the aim of yoga.

Beware of the ideas and identifications in the mind, such as "I am a yogi," "I am an experienced advanced yogi," "I am a yoga teacher," "I am a qualified and experienced yoga teacher," "I am enlightened," "I am selfless," "I am wise and compassionate," "I am a modern stylish yogi," "I am strong," "I am beautiful," "I am positive," "I am powerful," "I am passionate," "I am deserving," "I am worthy," "I am enough," "I can do and achieve anything," "I am a superhuman," "I can defy gravity and decay," "I am a good yoga teacher," "I am an accredited and well-informed yoga teacher," "I am more than qualified to teach yoga," "I am a famous celebrity yoga teacher," "I am a healer," "I am an inspirational influencer," "I aspire to inspire," "I am the best yoga teacher that gives the best and highest quality yoga classes," and so on, unless the mind is not interested towards self-realization, as life is good the way that one desires in the present moment because one has been sincerely working hard to be achieving and sustaining a life that one desires. There's nothing wrong with that.

Being hardworking and consistent exerting most of one's attention and effort onto performing the yoga practice regularly for many years under the passionate love and intense enthusiasm towards yoga and the impermanent effects of the yoga practice without the elimination of ignorance and egoism will still be benefiting the body and mind to an extend, however, that is not the right effort in yoga.

Unattached towards and go beyond the momentary pleasurable and agreeable effect of the yoga practice of certain impermanent physical and mental health and fitness benefits, if possible, and keep moving towards the aim of yoga, if the mind has intense yearning for liberation, even when life appears to be all good and enjoyable. That is right effort on the path of yoga.

Similarly, teaching yoga classes to others under intense passionate love and enthusiasm towards the yoga practice and the benefits of the yoga practice without guiding the students on eliminating the ignorance and egoism, while empowering the similar passionate love and enthusiasm in the students towards the yoga practice and the benefits of the yoga practice also will be benefiting the yoga practitioners to a certain extend. However, it would be better, if the yoga classes are guiding the yoga practitioners towards the liberation from ignorance and egoism, towards the attainment of self-realization, the aim of yoga.

The impermanent good condition of the strong physical body, the impermanent positive and pleasant state of the mind, and the enhanced physical and mental condition and ability that need to be maintained and sustained regularly, is not the aim of yoga, and it doesn't free the mind from ignorance and egoism. 

Living with pure organic products, promoting loving kindness and eating only pure organic vegetarian food from the beginning of life or for many years, also doesn't remove the ignorance and egoism in the mind.

May all be free.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

The sense of separateness disappears upon 'seeing' all kind of actions as a form of selfless service

Upon the realization of selflessness, where there's no 'I' existing in all kind of names and forms, or in all the elements that support and fuel the existence and function of the body and mind, or in every single cell and atom that make up the entire body and the bodily systems, which support and influence the perceptive cognitive thinking mind to be functioning being what it is, where all and everything are selfless, then naturally, all kind of actions are indeed a form of selfless service towards oneself or others, such as performing necessary actions to be looking after the life maintenance of the body, performing necessary actions to be looking after the well being of the thinking mind, performing personal duty and responsibility towards oneself and others in the family or in the many different kind of relationships, performing certain actions to be looking after the well-being of other beings, the surrounding environment, nature and objects in the world, performing duty and responsibility towards one's committed work or business, regardless of whether with or without salary or profit making, and performing certain leisure activities between working, maintenance of life and resting.

The sense of separateness disappears between the actions for oneself or the actions for others, between the actions for others within and outside one's family and personal relationships, between actions that generate and don't generate certain income/profit, or between the duty and responsibility of work/business, maintenance of life, resting and leisure activity.

Depending on the timing, possibility, condition, situation, and the state of one's physical and mental condition and energy level, one performs actions that are possible in the present moment, without forcing the body and mind beyond their limitation or harming the overall well-being of the body and mind.

One never feels unhappy, dissatisfied, disappointed, bad, guilty or regret towards "I didn't manage to do this or that," due to certain timing, possibility, condition, situation or the state of one's physical and mental condition and energy level, that doesn't allow oneself to be performing certain actions or all kind of actions in certain period of time, or in certain stage of life.

When off duty and responsibility, one doesn't feel the need to be engaging in certain duty and responsibility.

When not doing any leisure activities, one doesn't feel missing towards engaging in certain leisure activities.

When not performing any physical or mental activities, one doesn't feel bored, bad, non-productive, useless or meaningless, craving to be performing certain physical or mental activities in order to feel stimulated, good, productive, useful and meaningful.

There are times in life, one needs to spend more attention, time and energy into certain things, while spend less attention, time and energy into some other things, and vice versa in some other times in life.

One will be at ease, or resting in unconditional peace, regardless of whether one is being active, or inactive, or more active, or less active, in any particular time or stage in life.

More importantly, is about knowing what are the possibility or impossibility/limitations in the present moment, and be able to adjust, adapt, accommodate and respect towards the possibility and impossibility/limitations, without expecting everything has to be in certain way to accommodate all one's desire and aspiration.

This physical body and the state of the mind is limited and conditional. One needs to be able to let go what is impossible in the present moment now, upon the presence of certain limitations or obstacles, while do or achieve what is possible in this present moment now, without attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, or expectation. And all is impermanent. What is possible and what is impossible now, are impermanent.

It makes no difference regardless of whether how much or how little selfless actions are being performed in this present moment, in specific time, or in total of this selfless impermanent life existence.

Out of ignorance, the ignorant minds might be doubtful and worried towards the teachings of selflessness, selfless actions and selfless service might be supporting the ignorant minds to be engaging in ignorant actions and activities.

The impure desireful minds under the influence of ignorance that desire/aspire to be performing certain ignorant actions that would hurt oneself and others either intentionally or randomly might want to justify that they are also performing selfless service to themselves and others. That's their freedom of thinking and desire, however, that is nothing to do with selfless service or selfless actions that are void of egoistic intention and desire, that are void of such ignorance and egoism that gives rise to such ignorant thinking and desire, that leads to ignorant behaviors.

That only indicates how deep is the ignorance in many minds, of those who perform ignorant actions out of ignorance, and those who worried about others performing ignorant actions out of ignorance.

The minds that are void of ignorance, are void of ignorant actions.

Under the absence of ignorance and egoism, the mind knows how to manage the life existence that is conditional and being limited by time, space and causation, being able to make necessary adjustment, to be adapting and accommodating towards many kind of unforeseen circumstances or unexpected events and obstacles. This mind knows how to conserve energy and spend energy wisely on things/actions/activities that are leading towards more peace and harmony in oneself and the surrounding environment, that are possible in the present moment, while doesn't waste energy on something that is not possible in the present moment, or on things/actions/activities that would give rise to unnecessary harms, problems and conflicts.

Inquire the truth of everything, and be free from ignorance and egoism, and hence, be free from the sense of separateness deriving from ignorance and egoism, that gives rise to unnecessary unhappiness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, guilt, or regret.

Monday, July 17, 2023

Renunciation and dispassion

As mentioned countless times repeatedly in this blog and in the many teachings from the past and present dhamma teachers or gurus, that the observation of renunciation and dispassion is highly important for the minds that genuinely want to be free from ignorance and egoism and the consequences of that, to transcend names and forms, duality and quality, to eliminate ignorance and egoism, to attain self-realization towards selflessness, to attain silence of the restless mind, to realize unconditional peace, which unintentionally promotes more peace and harmony or contributes less unrest and disharmony in the world of diversities.

Even though most minds are still following and practicing certain kind of traditional family and spiritual/religious cultural belief and values, but if there is certain degrees of openness where they don't oblige or force their children to also follow and practice and pass down such belief and values to the next generations, where they allow their children to be independent to learn, explore, inquire and realize what is best for themselves, where they are able to love and accept their children for being what they are, then there won't be much difficulty or obstacle when someone who is interested in the path of yoga and/or buddhism wants to observe renunciation and practice dispassion under the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism. This kind of parents are the precious jewels of the world who truly embrace and promote peace and harmony in themselves and in others, as if they would be able to respect, love and accept their children being what they are unconditionally, most likely that they will also be able to respect, love and accept all and everyone as they are, unconditionally.

It's normal that the minds that are being conditioned deeply by certain traditional family and spiritual/religious cultural belief and values that emphasized on the importance of their next generations must also follow, practice and pass down such belief and values, where they couldn't allow, respect, accept or love their children being what they are, not necessarily following and practicing the traditional family and spiritual/religious cultural belief and values, they might not like or agree with the teachings and practice of renunciation and dispassion, as they think that it means abandoning one's family especially the parents, and doesn't love one's family and friends, or betraying their family (especially towards the parents and the ancestors) and their traditional spiritual/religious cultural belief and values. That's their freedom of understanding and thinking.

These minds most likely would generate unnecessary tension, unrest and disharmony in themselves unwittingly, out of the possessiveness and control towards their own children to be in certain way, or out of dislike and disagreement reacting towards all the others of the many different diversities in the world being what they are, that are different from and contradicting with their particular belief and values, if they can't even respect, accept and love their own children as they are, but only if their children are being the person that they want them to be, and being the way that they like and agree with, in accordance to their particular family and spiritual/religious cultural belief and values.

The yoga or buddhism enthusiasts themselves who have been growing up under such parenting environment and are being conditioned by such thinking and belief, might also understand and think in such way, and be disturbed by the sense of inappropriateness, guilt and doubt towards whether one should observe renunciation and practice dispassion, or not.

The practice of renunciation and dispassion in order to be looking after one's mind, to be free from ignorance and egoism and the consequences of ignorance and egoism, doesn't mean that one is abandoning one's family or doesn't love one's family and friends, but actually, it's truly caring and loving one's family and friends and the diverse society unconditionally, by respecting all and everything in this world of diversity indiscriminately, under the correct understanding or wisdom deriving from the genuine practice of renunciation and dispassion, that not only one has peace and harmony in oneself, but also be able to radiate unconditional peace into the surrounding environment naturally without any egoistic intention or expectation, being able to accept and love all and everything as they are, without generating unnecessary tension or ignorant behaviors, actions and reactions that might hurt oneself and/or others either wittingly or unwittingly out of ignorance and egoism, upon the absence of ignorance and egoism.

Without any intention or aspiration, one is supporting, empowering and contributing to world peace.

The observation of renunciation is nothing to do with being a monk or nun living with some other monks/nuns in a monk/nun community in a temple or an ashram, that need to be following specific rules and regulations under such community under certain organization. Most minds that are still under the influence of ignorance and egoism would be detaching from their personal family and community while attaching onto the monk/nun family and community (brotherhood or sisterhood) or the organization. It doesn't free the mind from ignorance and egoism.

Cutting off all kind of family ties doesn't mean that one doesn't love or stops loving those within the family, but one can be kind and compassionate towards this family unconditionally without attachment, identification, possessiveness, selfishness, desire, judgment or expectation. In the beginning, the mind that is still under the influence of ignorance and egoism might perceive, recognize, think and believe that it's a form of 'selfishness', 'wrongfulness', 'heartlessness', 'cruelty' or 'madness' to be 'cutting off' ties with the family, but upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, upon the realization of selflessness and non-separateness, the minds will also realize that there's no 'cutting off' any ties, as there is not any ties existing among all kind of selfless impermanent beings and objects.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Friday, July 14, 2023

Inquire towards the infinite loop of karma

Under the different thinking and beliefs or teachings in the world, some minds believe in everything is happening or manifesting under the will, control and authorization of a superior entity, where they don't need to be solely responsible for whatever happening to them in life, where if it's something good and enjoyable, it's a blessing from the superior entity because they have been good, and if it's something not good or painful, then it's their own sin, being judged and punished under the 'judgment' and 'authority' of the superior entity. While some minds believe in the wheel of karma, where everything is the responsibility of each individual and group of individuals generating the infinite loop of karma.

Certain minds understood the wheel of karma as -

In the present life now, A is an evil being who performed many evil actions unto many others, most probably it's because there's a cause from previous life that turn into effect in the present life, as there were evil karma seeds being planted where all those who are now receiving the evil actions from A in the present life had also performed the same evil actions unto A or some others in the previous life. And in the present life now, A's evil actions that is the fruit of the previous karma seeds are inevitably generating fresh evil karma seeds for itself to be harvested in the future life.

And so, in the future life, A will be treated with the same evil actions performed by others unto it, where all of them who are performing such evil actions unto A is because A or some others had did the same evil actions unto them in the previous life that had generated such cause, and unwittingly, under that cause, they are now performing the same evil actions unto A or some others, but then which will also generate the fresh evil karma seeds out of that evil actions, so that in the next future life, they will be treated with the same evil actions performed unto them either by A or by some others, where fresh evil karma seeds will be planted again to be harvested in the next next future life.

This keeps going on and on in an infinite loop.

Under such understanding, this is the law of cause and effect or karma under certain belief or teachings, where all are acting innocently under an initial existing cause (arising from desire out of ignorance) which then keeps generating fresh cause endlessly. All existing beings are the karma seeds planters who reap the fruits of karma that unwittingly lead to planting fresh karma seeds ceaselessly. All are equally innocent being influenced by a previous cause as well as all are responsible for the initial cause, because all and everyone are ceaselessly acting/reacting in certain way and planting more fresh seeds is due to the previous and previous existing cause or karma that was generated from none other but all and everyone themselves that started to push off the wheel that keeps rolling endlessly powered by ignorance, egoism and desire.

Under this understanding, all beings seem to be having a permanent existence of an individual identity who are going through rounds and rounds of different endless life existence in order to reap the fruit of the seeds that one continuously planting, and all are trapped in the infinite loop of the wheel of karma.

Out of ignorance, some minds would believe that in order to exit the infinite loop of karma, is about those who are now reaping the fruit of their past accumulated evil karma in the present life now must go through their deserving evil treatment from A or some others in silent, which also means that allowing and encouraging A or some others to get their redemption for being treated with evil actions by them in the previous life, while believing that they can be 'burning off' their old accumulated bad karma and stop generating new fresh karma seeds by accepting such evil actions unto them in silence without retaliation or react.

But, this doesn't really stop the loop. In fact, it's a very selfish and evil thinking and desire. Because A is still generating fresh evil karma seeds for its evil actions as an effect arise from a cause generated in the past, regardless of whether those who are being treated with such evil actions will react, retaliate, forgive or be disturbed by it, or not. 'Some body else' will 'have to' be performing some evil actions unto A and the others, because there was a cause generated or an evil seed being planted by A and the others for their evil actions, that are being encouraged by those who think and believe that it will help them to be 'burning off' their previous bad karma by allowing/encouraging A and the others to perform such evil actions unto them.

'I' will be liberated from the loop of karma, by 'burning off' my previous karma via going through and enduring other people's ill/evil treatments in silence, and either intentionally or unintentionally, 'I' am actually encouraging others to perform evil actions unto 'I' and planting fresh karma seeds for themselves for their evil actions performed unto 'I', so that 'I' can be 'burning off' my past karma, and be liberated. Isn't that itself is generating another karma seed for encouraging others to be performing evil actions unto oneself and/or others in order to gratify one's selfish intention and desire of 'burning off' one's past accumulated karma in order to be liberated?

Then some other minds would think that maybe they can perform self-torture unto themselves, where there's no others involved in such actions under such desire, thinking that it will not generate any fresh karma seeds or cause, in the process of 'burning off' my own bad karma via self-torture or self-harm. That is pure ignorance as well.

Any actions being performed under the egoistic attachment, identification, intention, motivation or desire, is still bound by the wheel of karma, even if it doesn't involve some others. Deliberately performing 'self-harming' actions out of the egoistic intention and desire of craving or aversion, in order to achieve certain effect or to gratify certain desire, doesn't liberate one from the loop of karma.

And hence, it's about everyone, including oneself, to stop performing any evil/hurtful actions either unto oneself and/or some others, even if there was a pre-existing cause being generated or a seed being planted from the past, to stop generating fresh cause or karma seeds.

None should be encouraging anyone to be performing any evil actions planting fresh evil karma seeds by ignorantly 'accepting' or 'allowing' any kind of ill/evil treatments unto oneself and others in silence that empowers such evil actions (the effect of cause or the fruit of karma seed, as well as the cause or the karma seed itself) continuously to happen.

This is only about be free from generating unpleasant karma seeds that give unpleasant fruits that the minds don't desire, don't like and disagree with, but what about pleasant karma seeds that give pleasant fruits that most minds desire, like and agree with? As either good or evil/pleasant or unpleasant karma seeds are also generating and fueling the wheel of karma. The wheel of karma is not just being powered by evil actions or bad karma, but also good karma deriving from merits and virtues, good deeds, good behaviors or good actions, according to such belief about karma. Does that mean everyone should stop performing good and kind actions as well?

At this point, some minds might think that this karma business is too complicated, and would rather just believe in there's a superior entity being the creator of everything (or the very initial cause/source for all kinds of existence, impermanent changes and non-existence) and being the judge of the good and evil, and either providing all kinds of enjoyable goodness for the good behavior ones, or authorizing all kinds of painful punishment for the bad behavior ones respectively. It's nothing to do with 'I'. 'I' am not responsible for anything. Everything is under the will, control, judgment and authorization of the superior entity.

Now, we inquire towards the teachings of yoga and buddhism about the nature law of cause and effect and how to be liberated from the seemingly endless loop of karma (unwittingly performing actions/reactions under the influence of previous cause that generate the fresh cause), of what certain minds confused with the law of cause and effect.

The wheel of karma that is binding, is limited and conditional, being limited and conditioned by the duality of good or bad, pleasantness or unpleasantness, desirable and undesirable, agreeable and disagreeable, enjoyment and suffering. It is the product generated out of the egoistic intentional actions motivated by egoistic desires under the influence of ignorance and egoism that gives rise to ongoing seeds and fruits that powered by as well as empower ignorance and egoism.

It is binding for the mind that is functioning under the influence of ignorance and egoism, where there is desire of craving and aversion towards duality of good and bad, pleasantness and unpleasantness, desirable and undesirable, agreeable and disagreeable, enjoyment and suffering, empowered by attachment and identification under the idea of 'I' deriving from ignorance, where the mind ignorantly and unwittingly generates ceaseless actions and reactions being over-powered by the desire of craving and aversion, which then generate more fresh cause that leads to effect (consequences of actions/reactions) that are not necessarily what the mind would like it to be or agree with.

The nature law of cause and effect that is influencing all and everything that are selfless and impermanent to be arising, changing and passing away, is undetermined, unlimited or unconditioned by names and forms, duality and quality, regardless of good beings performing good actions, or bad beings performing bad actions, or imperfect beings performing both good and bad actions, or selfless beings performing selfless actions or inaction in actions. The nature law of cause and effect is the selfless intentionless indiscriminate power of nature influencing all and everything arising, changing and passing away, or forming, decaying and disintegrating as they are, at their own causation and own pace respectively.

The nature law of cause and effect is the influencing power influencing all kind of selfless impermanent changes being what they are, while it's not affected by the selfless impermanent changes. Meanwhile, the wheel of karma is impermanent and changing, being generated and determined by the egoistic actions/reactions under different intention and desire out of ignorance and egoism.

Egoistic intentional or random actions (both good and bad actions or a mixture of both) being performed under the idea of 'I', under the influence of egoistic intention, attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation generate the pleasant or unpleasant seeds that provide the fruit of pleasantness and unpleasantness, give rise to the wheel of karma, and fueling the infinite loop of karma.

Under the teaching of yoga and buddhism, all are selfless and impermanent. There isn't a permanent self existence of an individual identity existing in all kinds of names and forms. Out of ignorance and egoism, there arise the idea of 'I' in the selfless mind that attached onto impermanent qualities of names and forms to be identifying as 'I', which empowers as well as powered by ignorance and egoism. All kind of practice is for the mind to develop correct understanding, open-mindedness, self-reliance, self-control, self-discipline and self-effort to purify the mind, discipline the mind and quieting the mind, to perform self-inquiry, to eliminate egoism and annihilate the veil of ignorance, to realize selflessness or unconditional peace, to be free from suffering deriving from ignorance and egoism.

All kind of 'realms' or different states of the mind manifesting in this selfless mind ceaselessly in the present moment, arising, changing and passing away. In this present moment, suffering arise upon the presence of attachment or grasping deriving from the idea of 'I' out of ignorance. In this present moment, there's no suffering upon the absence of attachment or grasping, upon the absence of the idea of 'I', void of ignorance.

Upon the realization of selflessness, upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism in the mind, all actions/activities deriving from the egoless mind under the presence of wisdom and compassion, are selfless, intentionless, desireless and indiscriminate, transcending all kind of impermanent, limited and conditional names and forms, duality and quality, and are free from the binding of karma.

Selfless intentionless actions that are free from the idea of 'I' and egoism, are free from generating karma or free from the binding of karma. Although all and everything, including the minds that are free from ignorance and egoism, that had transcended the wheel of karma, will still be going through selfless impermanent changes under the influence of cause and effect.

The selfless minds might be free from the binding of karma upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, however, the nature law of cause and effect that is influencing the selfless impermanent changes in all and everything don't disappear or change into something else upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism.

Free from the binding of karma doesn't mean that there are no consequences of actions.

All kind of actions, egoistic or selfless, intentional or unintentional, attachment or non-attachment, will lead to certain consequences respectively. However, for the minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism would be performing many actions/reactions out of ignorance that would give rise to consequences that are unpleasant, undesirable and disagreeable, which the minds don't like and would be in a state of disturbance/unhappiness/dissatisfaction/suffering upon coming in contact with all kind of unpleasant/undesirable/disagreeable experiences, where the mind again unwittingly generates actions and reactions under the disturbed state of mind that gives rise to more consequences of actions/reactions that the mind doesn't like and doesn't desire. And hence, it's binding (under the presence of ignorance and egoism).

For the minds that are free from ignorance and egoism, and under the presence of wisdom and compassion, they have the awareness and self-control towards not performing any actions that will lead to painful consequences in oneself and/or others. Under the absence of the idea of 'I' and egoism, the minds are not being determined or disturbed by all kind of affairs and experiences regardless of whether they are pleasant or unpleasant, desirable or undesirable, agreeable or disagreeable due to the absence of craving and aversion, and hence, the minds are free from the state of disturbance/unhappiness/dissatisfaction/suffering, and won't be generate any ignorant behavior that lead to ignorant consequences in oneself and/or others, under the absence of ignorance. And hence, it's free from binding (under the absence of ignorance and egoism), even though actions and consequences of actions are inevitable under the selfless impermanent existence in a world of selfless impermanent names and forms.

Consequences of actions are just being what they are, and it's non-binding, under the absence of ignorance and egoism, void of the desire of craving/clinging/greed towards all kind of goodness/pleasantness/desirable and agreeable experiences/conditions/situations/relationships/interactions and void of the craving/clinging/expectation towards the absence of all kind of badness/unpleasantness/undesirable and disagreeable experiences/conditions/situations/relationships/interactions.

Such as there are ceaseless selfless, desireless, intentionless, indiscriminate actions or activities deriving from the sun, the earth, the wind, the water and the space to be enabling and supporting all and everything being here, arising, changing and passing away, where all and everything are also changing impermanently in certain way respectively influenced by their own specific causation at their own pace, of so called good or pleasant karma that gives rise to pleasant, enjoyable and desirable experiences and bad or unpleasant karma that gives rise to unpleasant, painful and undesirable experiences.

Regardless of whether all kind of sentient living beings generating egoistic actions and reactions to be appreciate or non-appreciate, being grateful or ungrateful, being selfish or unselfish, feeling glad towards of all kinds of unconditional elements supporting everything to be existing and growing or feeling hurt, sad and angry towards all kind of natural disaster, hunger, thirst, extreme condition, challenge, difficulty, unpleasantness, sickness, injury, damage or death that are directly or indirectly related to the activities of the nature and all kind of elements being what they are, there's neither good karma nor bad karma in such selfless intentionless desireless indiscriminate actions or activities.

The sun is just being what it is, it doesn't generate good karma when all and everything is existing under the existence of the sun, and it doesn't generate bad karma when some people are suffering from sunburn or skin cancer, or there are certain damages and destruction in certain things deriving from the sun being what it is. Similarly with all the other selfless elements.

Even the existence and activities of the sun and all the other supportive elements are also impermanent, changing selflessly under the influence of the nature law of cause and effect, even when there are no good or bad karma being generated from such ceaseless selfless actions/activities. Such as Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, Swami Sivananda or Ajahn chah, were still going through selfless impermanent changes under the influence of the nature law of cause and effect after they had attained self-realization towards selflessness, but they were no longer being determined or disturbed by the selfless impermanent changes, being free from ignorance and egoism of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment or expectation. And they continued to be performing ceaseless actions of disseminating the dhamma and teachings selflessly, intentionlessly, desirelessly and indiscriminately, until their physical body ceased functioning, transcending the infinite loop of pleasant and unpleasant karma that exists and powered by egoistic actions and reactions under the presence of ignorance and egoism, that ceased 'turning' or existing upon the absence of ignorance and egoism.

Such genuine teachers of dhamma don't go around telling people, "Hey, this is your own bad karma created by yourself from the past. You deserved to be suffering and be treated with all kinds of hurtful treatments because it's your own bad karma. And it's good for you to be suffering. You should accept in silence and with great gratitude, and shouldn't retaliate or move away when other people are treating you badly or inflicting evil actions and painful suffering unto you because it will help you to 'burn off' your bad karma. Also, be nice to me, and I will reduce and take away your bad karma, heal all your painful hurts with my healing touch, and even give you enlightenment."

The ignorant desireful corrupted minds that are still under the influence of ignorance and egoism and impurities, that are still being determined by the perception of names and forms, duality and quality, that are still influenced by egoistic desires, that are still being over-powered by all kind of impurities and incorrect understanding, might be ceaselessly performing all kind of 'intentional' or random egoistic actions/reactions motivated by egoistic desires, while having wishful thinking that "I am thinking and believing that I don't exist. The teachings said that I don't exist, that I am selfless. I am not the doer of all these actions. All my actions are selfless actions. I will not be bound by any karma. All my actions will not be bound by karma. I can do whatever I desire, and there will be no consequences of action in return," however, it doesn't work that way.

That idea, or wishful thinking, or desire itself, is already indicating that this mind is still very much under the influence of ignorance and egoism, regardless of whether it's a good mind with good intention, good desire and good behavior, or an evil mind with evil intention, evil desire and evil behavior.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Unconditional peace, love and acceptance or non-interference doesn't mean inaction

The mind that realized unconditional peace and love, being free from ignorance and egoism, being undetermined and undisturbed by all kind of corruptions or corrupted behaviors deriving from the many corrupted minds in the world of ignorance and egoism, can be performing many actions selflessly, being free from egoistic attachment, identification, judgment and expectation towards the actions and the fruit of actions.

The realization of selflessness and compassion, being able to love and accept all and everything unconditionally as they are, and void of any egoistic desire or intention to be interfering with the ignorance in other minds that is impacting the condition and situation in the world, it doesn't mean that the selfless mind that is void of desire or intention will be in a state of inaction or actionless, cease performing any actions in the world to be maintaining the life existence of the physical body, or not making use of the remaining life existence of the physical body to be performing selfless actions of disseminating dhamma into the world of ignorance and egoism, that might or might not bring any awareness to the minds that are lost in ignorance and suffering. Or else, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, Swami Sivananda and Ajahn Chah wouldn't be performing so many years of selfless actions of disseminating the dhamma/teachings until their physical body ceased functioning at their own cause respectively.

The selfless mind can be performing many actions out of compassion without egoistic attachment, identification, desire, judgment and expectation, that might or might not help the corrupted and suffering minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism to be aware of the ignorance and egoism in themselves, and be initiated to be free from ignorance and egoism, or not. There's no attachment or expectation towards such actions and the fruit of actions has to be or not to be in certain ways. The mind is undetermined and unaffected by the actions and the fruit of actions.

Habitual random egoistic reaction without awareness under the influence of ignorance, is different from selfless actions free from the influence of ignorance and egoism being performed under the presence of wisdom and compassion. Such selfless actions without egoistic desire or intention to be interfering with or changing other minds being what they are, are not the same as autonomous egoistic reaction towards something under the influence of egoistic desires and don't desires, likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements that has intention and expectation towards the fruit of 'action' (egoistic reaction) to be in certain ways.

Such as preparing for the practice of concentration and meditation. One performs necessary actions regularly to prepare the body and mind to have the focus and be able to be in a steady position comfortably for concentration and meditation. That is nothing to do with reaction. Performing certain practice that help to free the mind from ignorance, is also nothing to do with reaction. And then, during the practice of concentration and meditation, one is being aware of and observes the pleasant and unpleasant physical sensations/thoughts/feelings arising, changing and passing away without attachment or grasping, without craving or aversion. That is non-reaction.

Without the desire or intention to change the world to be or not to be in certain ways, the selfless mind can be performing certain actions selflessly under the presence of wisdom and compassion that might or might not help to bring more peace and harmony or lessen the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the world. It's free from the attachment, identification, desire or craving and aversion or intention of "I don't desire, like or agree with this, and hence, I want/need to do something to change this to become something that I desire, like and agree with."

Upon being aware of certain corruptions or corrupted behaviors in the world deriving from ignorance and egoism in the corrupted minds, and free from being disturbed by the existence of such corruptions, unconditional love and acceptance or non-reaction doesn't mean that the selfless mind that is resting in unconditional peace won't be performing any actions that might bring certain awareness into the world that might or might not help the corrupted minds to be aware of the ignorance in themselves, and be initiated to be free from such corruptions, or not. It also doesn't mean that the selfless mind won't be performing any actions that might or might not help all the other minds that are also under the influence of ignorance and egoism to be developing certain degrees of awareness or correct understanding so that they can be aware of such corruptions existing in the world, and hence, be free from being taken advantage/exploited/abused or disturbed by the many corruptions deriving from the many corrupted minds.

Certain yoga or budhhism practitioners/teachers/leaders might be confused by the teachings and practice of unconditional love and acceptance, non-reaction, non-interference, desirelessness, intentionlessness or silence (where all these names and forms are being misunderstood as actionless or inaction), where they couldn't comprehend that selfless actions being performed under the presence of wisdom and compassion upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism in the mind, are not contradicting with the teachings and practice of unconditional love and acceptance, non-reaction, non-interference, desirelessness, intentionlessness or silence, at all. 

Some other common misunderstanding towards the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism, such as about karma, where the minds that are still under the influence of ignorance and egoism would think and believe that when people are experiencing certain painful suffering, ill treatment, cruelty or abuse inflicted by some others either intentionally or randomly, out of ignorance, lust, greed, authoritarian or self-righteousness, that it's their own bad karma accumulated from the past out of their own bad and wrongful actions/behaviors, that they should go through all those painful suffering, ill treatment, cruelty or abuse in silence without trying to refuse/defense/move away/avoid such unpleasant painful treatments in order to 'burn off' those past accumulated bad karma in order to be free from the binding of karma. That understanding is mere ignorance.

Because of such ignorant misunderstanding, many corrupted minds make use of such corrupted thinking and belief as an excuse or justification to be taking advantage, exploiting or abusing some others to be satisfying their own lustful desire, or to be relieving certain type of disturbance, tension or frustration in themselves, or merely to be feeling superior, powerful and in control. And then, the others who are aware of the existence of such corruptions, would feel that it's wrong or not appropriate for them to be doing or saying something, to acknowledge and expose such corruptions, or to avoid or reduce further similar or some other type of corruption, that might or might not help to minimize such corruptions to be continuing happening or existing under such incorrect understanding about karma. They thought and believe that the practice of SILENCE or non-reaction is about closing their eyes, ears and mouth, don't see, don't hear, don't speak, and don't act, and that it's actually good for the people to be suffering enormously and continuously in order to be 'burning off' their past accumulated bad karma. Such deep ignorance.

Another common misunderstanding that is related to such corruption that involves exploitation and physical/sexual abuse in the world of yoga and buddhism, is about compassion.

Under the influence of ignorance and egoism, the minds think and believe that compassion is about showing sympathy and empathy towards other people's suffering, by encouraging and empowering mental and emotional dependency among one another, to be cheering and comforting one another, to be giving and receiving love and affection between one another, and in order to help to relieve the suffering or unhappiness in others, one should be comforting or pleasing others in order to make others happy or to lessen others' unhappiness. And such misunderstanding is the perfect excuse or justification being used by certain corrupted minds to be taking advantage, exploit and abuse some other ignorant minds that are in certain suffering and in desperation towards seeking certain comfort, love, affection and relief or liberation from suffering.

Out of misunderstanding towards compassion, some people might not be aware of they are actually empowering the ignorance and egoism and corruptions in the minds or in the world, when they think and believe that they are being compassionate performing compassionate actions out of compassion.

Upon attaining certain degrees of correct understanding or direct realization, and established in unconditional peace, free from passionate egoistic desires, greed and impurities, being undetermined and undisturbed by duality, selfless actions can be performed without egoistic attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation, of disseminating the dhamma or the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism without attachment towards the action and the fruit of action, while being aware of all kind of wholesome/unwholesome affairs in the world without judgment towards this is good or bad, right or wrong, positive or negative, meaningful or meaningless, appropriate or inappropriate, and auspicious or inauspicious.

Just as water being water. Air being air. Space being space. Fire being fire. Earth being earth. Selfless, desireless, intentionless. But ceaseless intentionless actions are happening selflessly, inter-influencing one another, and enabling all and everything to be forming, changing and disintegrating at their own cause and pace.

Knowing that all kind of corruptions or corrupted behaviors are deriving from ignorance and egoism. It's about the presence or absence of ignorance and egoism. It's not about judging something as right or wrong, good or bad/evil, appropriate or inappropriate, based on any particular thinking and belief, values and practice. And none, not even the enlightened buddhas or gurus, can purify, remove or eliminate the ignorance in the mind of others, but the mind itself. The buddhas or gurus are just showing the way, disseminate the dhamma/teachings, without desire, intention, judgment or expectation, and without directing to any specific type of corruption or specific individual, as all are the products of ignorance.

Without any egoistic intention or desire to interfere with the nature law of cause and effect, or to influence and change other minds or the world to be something else that it is not, without egoistic authoritarian to be judging, disciplining or punishing other minds for their imperfection or ignorance, and without the desire of 'healing' anyone or anything, or 'saving' anyone out of the ocean of suffering, one can be acknowledging all kind of ignorance in the world and perform selfless actions that might or might not help to ignite certain awareness in the minds that are under the veil of ignorance, without specifically directing towards any particular type of corruption or specific individual, allowing all minds whether to come in contact with dhamma, or not, whether to receive or reject the gift of dhamma, and whether to be free from ignorance, or not.

As even under the law of cause and effect, where planting mango seeds lead to the growth of mango tree that gives the fruits of mango and not other kinds of fruit, and one reaps the fruit from the tree that grows out of the seed that one planted, however, there are many elements that can affect the entire process from the moment after the seed is planted. If there's no, or not enough essential supportive elements that enable the mango seed to grow properly and healthily, it might not grow into a mature tree, or it might not give any fruits at all, or it might not give fruits of mango with the specific/perfect texture and taste, or it might stop giving fruit after a few years of giving many fruits, or it might be attacked and damaged by disease or insects, or it might be destroyed by mankind or nature either intentionally or unintentionally. And no matter what is the quality, a good tree with good fruit or a bad tree with bad fruit, a mango tree or an apple tree, all are impermanent, all are arising, changing and passing away. And more importantly, all are selfless.

That's why it's ignorance to tell others that they deserve to be suffering what they are suffering because it's their bad karma or sin, and that it's very good for them to be suffering 'more' to 'burn off' their bad karma or sin.

Regardless of what type of actions that will bring respective consequences, it's not about 'burning off' or 'getting rid of' karma, or particularly bad karma/the seeds of unpleasant actions and consequences, as what most minds would like it to be. It's not about greedy for accumulating merits and virtue and good karma to be enjoying good karma or the seeds of pleasant actions and consequences, as what most minds would like it to be. It's about freeing the mind from ignorance and egoism.

The most evil mind that had done many evil actions in the past also can attain liberation upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism. It's not about intentionally to be 'burning off' all kinds of karma or sin through self-torturing or be tortured by others. That's why the importance of some basic self-independence, mind purification and correct understanding that would allow the mind to investigate the truth of everything, and NOT blind-believing, blind-following, blind practicing, blind-agreeing/disagreeing and blind-propagating anything.

The teachings and practice of yoga and buddhism emphasized on the importance of developing self-independence, particularly mental and emotional independence, dispassion, renunciation (nothing to do with becoming a nun or monk living among a nun/monk community in an ashram or a monastery), seclusion, solitude, self-awareness, self-control, self-discipline, self-effort, self-investigation, self-inquiry and self-realization, to free the mind from the veil of ignorance, egoism, impurities and restlessness.

It's the annihilation of the desire of craving and aversion which is the root cause of all kinds of ignorance induced corruption and suffering.

It's the realization towards the one same nature of selflessness and impermanence in all and everything, and respecting the nature law of cause and effect.

It's transcending or going beyond duality. It's quieting, disciplining and purifying one's mind through self-control and self-discipline for performing self-inquiry or contemplation to attain self-realization to be free from ignorance and the suffering deriving from ignorance.

It's NOT about 'healing', 'energy exchange', 'community support', 'miracle touch/hug/treatment', 'mystical/transcendental experiences', 'super extraordinary power', 'receiving blessings from certain higher entity', or giving and receiving 'love and affection' among one another.

It's not about other minds are free from ignorance and corruptions, or not. It's about this mind that is here perceiving all these. Look after this mind, to free this mind from ignorance, and resting in unconditional peace.

Before the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, the mind is being disturbed by the absence and presence of all kind of pleasant/agreeable/desirable experiences (so called good karma) and unpleasant/disagreeable/undesirable experiences (so called bad karma) under the desire of craving towards pleasant/agreeable/desirable experiences, and aversion towards unpleasant/disagreeable/undesirable experiences, and hence, it perceives suffering upon the desire of craving and aversion is not being gratified, and it has the desire to be free from suffering.

Upon the realization of selflessness, or upon the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, the mind is not being disturbed by the absence and presence of all kind of pleasant/agreeable/desirable experiences and unpleasant/disagreeable/undesirable experiences, as it is free from the desire of craving and aversion, and hence, it is void of suffering and the desire to be free from suffering.

That's why it's not about 'burning off' karma, but it's transcending both good and bad karma or cause and effect through the annihilation of ignorance and egoism.

Transcending good and bad karma, or being free from the desire of craving and aversion doesn't mean that one sees a wall right in front of oneself and deliberately run into the wall and hurt oneself, or one sees a stone is coming towards oneself, but deliberately not moving away and being hit by the stone and be injured by that. That's pure ignorance.

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

Sunday, July 9, 2023

Yoga for world peace - The absence of ideas and activities deriving from ignorance and egoism

Yoga exists for world peace, and world peace is only possible via the absence of ideas and activities deriving from ignorance and egoism in the minds that are occupying this space of the universe that doesn't belong to anyone, upon the minds are free from ignorance and egoism via self-awareness, self-effort, self-discipline, self-reliance, self-inquiry and self-realization. It's not even what many kind and loving minds think and believe and propagate that "The world doesn't belong to me, or you, or them, but it belong to all of us. We need to unite and stand together as one big family to prosper and protect our world under one similar vision," as that is what passionate egoism, survival instinct, possessiveness and desire is about, and that is why there are never ending unrest and man made problems and suffering in the world.

Even when people, particularly those who have certain influential power on influencing and determining the local and/or global general condition and situation, who also think and believe that they love yoga and they are practicing/teaching/promoting yoga, are aware of yoga is for world peace and have the great 'enthusiasm' and 'aspiration' and 'good intention' to be 'promoting world peace' under the name of yoga, but out of ignorance and egoism, not only that they are not really promoting peace and harmony among the vast diversities via the annihilation of ignorance and egoism, but either wittingly or unwittingly, intentionally or unintentionally, directly or indirectly, they are empowering ignorance and egoism in the world, promoting attachment, identification, desire, comparison, judgment, expectation, greed, selfishness, separateness, discrimination, prejudice, anger, hatred and violence.

Although there are many people are interested in learning and performing some form of yoga asana, breathing, relaxation, concentration and meditation exercises under many different branding and styles regularly that give them some momentary health and fitness benefits, however, not many are interested to hear or learn about the essential teachings and practice of yoga, and even might be strongly against the teachings and practice of yoga about the annihilation of ignorance and egoism by freeing the minds from being conditioned by worldly passionate egoistic family, social, cultural, religious/spiritual, commercial, national and political ideas, thinking, belief, values, practice and activities.

In the many different kinds of family, social, cultural, religious/spiritual, commercial, national or political ideas, thinking, belief, values, practice and activities under many different names and forms in the world, there is something in common, where most of the ideas and activities are deriving from passionate egoistic minds under the influence of ignorance and egoism and survival instinct, and all of them emphasized on 'grouping' and the empowerment of egoism of attachment, identification, craving and aversion, comparison/competition, judgment and expectation, in order to be empowered, surviving, expanding or prospering.

'Grouping' begins from two or a few people ganged up together sharing the similar vision/ambition/desire/aspiration/intention, and then, they invite, recruit, convert, tempt, manipulate, conquer or threaten more other people to join their 'group', in order to gain 'all kinds of support' or 'power'. Such as family want to have more family members in order to help out everyday living physically and financially and to expand the genes; or a gang/tribe/association/community wants to have more active and patriotic members in order to be strong and powerful for expanding/prospering/sustaining, defending themselves or conquering some others; or a business needs to have more and more labourers and customers in order to sustain and grow bigger to bring in more profits; or a nation want to have more hardworking, empowered, ambitious and aggressive young people to pay tax and spend money for promoting the economical growth, and be their labourers, servants, army and soldiers; or all and everyone are being inspired and empowered to be desireful, ambitious, discontented, superficial, materialistic and prideful to be chasing after name, fame, admiration, acknowledgement, recognition, success, wealth, possession, pleasurable enjoyment of the senses, higher social class status, luxurious privilege, VIP treatment, or higher spending power that support and empower the economy that give rise to many corruptions, prejudice, discrimination, labour and natural resource exploitation, and destruction to the environment; or a political party needs the support of the majority to be in power under the democracy system; or a dictator needs a huge army of obedient and heartless soldiers to be in power; or a religion needs as many followers/supporters as possible for surviving/sustaining/expanding, and so on. All these need as many people as possible to be engaging in the game in order to fulfill their respective goal/desire/ambition/aspiration.

This is something very common that exists in family, siblings, friends circle, tribe, ethnicity, culture, society, business, association, religion, spirituality, politics, village, town, state, nation, region, democracy, dictatorship, anarchy or monarchy, and even in the world of yoga and/or buddhism.

There are sets of rules and regulations generated by the top leaders or the law makers, where all the members in the 'group' need to follow, respect, carryout, practice, or 'obey', in order for the top leaders to be in control of many things within the 'group'. Those who don't follow, respect, carryout, practice, or 'obey' such rules and regulations, would be judged, criminalized, prosecuted, punished, penalized, threatened, persecuted, or expelled. Within the group, everyone are being empowered to be mentally and emotionally dependent on one another, and everyone need to be equipped with certain 'qualities', comply with certain 'acceptable and appropriate way of thinking and behavior', engage in certain group activities, or contribute certain contribution to the group, to be acknowledged, recognized, approved, accepted, authorized, sanctioned, praised or loved by the leaders and all the others.

Corruptions exist in everywhere is the responsibility of the minds themselves being corrupted under the influence of ignorance and egoism. The diverse existence of the many different kinds of family, tribe, ethnicity, culture, society, business, association, religion, spirituality, politics, village, town, state, nation, region, democracy, dictatorship, anarchy or monarchy, are neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong. The main culprit is the presence of ignorance and egoism.

'Grouping' that is deriving from and empowered by the attachment and identification towards 'we all are one (in this group)'/'togetherness makes us strong and powerful (to be defending/protecting us and ours from the others that are not one of us)' and having particular vision/aspiration/ambition in order to be sustaining/prospering/expanding/empowered, and many other kinds of corruption exist everywhere even in the world of yoga and buddhism that are solely about freeing the mind from such corrupted passionate egoistic ideas and activities, is due to most minds are very much functioning under the veil of ignorance and egoism.

It's a normal phenomena in the world of yoga and/or buddhism, as these corrupted minds are the minds that needed the teachings and practice of yoga or buddhism (the annihilation of ignorance and egoism) the most, however, they are not at the point of having the basic mind purification or correct understanding yet. Minds that are void of ignorance and egoism don't need the teachings or practice of yoga and/or buddhism. The teachings and practice of yoga and/or buddhism exist along with the existence of ignorance and egoism in the world. If there's no ignorance and egoism existing in the world, the teachings and practice of yoga and/or buddhism have no cause to be existing.

That's why the very basic teachings and practice of both yoga and buddhism is about non blind-believing, non blind-following, non blind-practicing, non blind-agreeing/disagreeing, non blind-propagating, self-reliance, self-discipline, dispassion, renunciation, seclusion, solitude, self-investigation, self-inquiry and self-realization towards the truth of everything, to know Thyself, to realize what is 'I', to realize selflessness.

Those who truly understand and practice yoga and/or buddhism never see or treat the teacher as 'an authority' or 'a superior entity' or 'a healer'. The genuine practitioner or the authentic teacher of yoga and/or buddhism don't project themselves as 'an authority' or 'a superior entity' or 'a healer'. It's unfortunate that there are minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, who are desperately looking forward to be free from certain doubt and suffering, who are lost, who are craving to be loved and comforted, who want to be accepted/acknowledged/recognized/approved/praised by some others, who want to be 'healed', who want to believe in, experience or witness 'miracles' or 'transcendental experiences', who want to feel "I am good enough, I am deserving, I am successful, and I am very special," who want to have shortcut to 'enlightenment', were ignorantly being taken advantage, exploited or abused by those who are corrupted, who are also under the influence of ignorance and egoism.

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and other genuine teachers and gurus of dhamma never claimed to be 'a healer of anything', or 'a sin/karma remover', or 'a special VIP', or 'an authority', or 'an angel of love and affection', or 'a giver of enlightenment', or 'a skillful magician', or 'super extraordinary miraculous powerful being that provides miracle healing touch/hug/treatment or brings back the dead, changes the past and controls the future', and so on.

The corrupted minds or the pseudo 'teachers'/'gurus'/'friends'/'father figure'/'mother figure'/'brothers and sisters'/'life advisers' are those who project themselves as 'an authority that disciplines/judges/punishes others', 'a superior entity that deserves highest respect or admiration and entitled to special VIP treatment from others', 'a healer of anything', 'an affectionate angel full of over-flowing love to be giving love and affection to others who need love and affection', 'an enlightened being claiming one can take away or reduce other's suffering, sin or bad karma, or provide shortcut to enlightenment', and so on, to be taking advantage, exploit or abuse those who are lost in suffering, doubt and desperation under the influence of ignorance.

And more unfortunate is that, those who are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, who are the ones that need the reflection of dhamma to be free from ignorance and egoism, are the ones that would generate intense disappointment or aversion towards the world of yoga and/or buddhism due to the inevitable existence of corruptions in the world of yoga and buddhism.

Those who have certain degrees of correct understanding, would not be taken advantage, exploited or abused by the ignorant corrupted minds, as well as wouldn't be disturbed, distracted or disappointed by the corruptions generated by the corrupted minds in anywhere in the world of ignorance and egoism. There's no expectation towards certain minds should already be free from ignorance and egoism, or there shouldn't be any corruptions existing in the world of yoga and buddhism that is 'expected' or 'supposed' to be a pure and safe refuge for the suffering ones.

Swami Sivananda - "Do not mix. Do not associate. Do not build ashram. Do not hoard disciples. Live alone. Eat alone. Walk alone. Meditate alone."

Only through the direct realization towards the deep meaning of that, one can be truly embracing all diversities as they are, free from separateness, discrimination, prejudice, intimidation, defensiveness, offensiveness, interference, intrusion, possessiveness, attachment, identification, expectation, craving, lust, mental and emotional dependency, dissatisfaction, disappointment, greed, unrest, disharmony, fear and violence. Although most minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism would interpret that as a form of 'selfishness', 'madness', 'wrongfulness', 'abnormality' and/or 'anti-social/community', or even, 'dangerous or intimidation towards their vision/desire/ambition/aspiration of a world that is built on 'grouping' via the empowerment of egoism of attachment, identification and desire. Those who want to be in control of everyone and everything and the world to be and not to be in certain way, according to their particular vision/desire/ambition/aspiration would not like or agree with this. That's their freedom of thinking, action and reaction.

And that's the way of the world it is, the by-products of ignorance and egoism, as everyone with different vision and desire are trying to achieve 'peace and prosperity in the world that they claimed ownership as their world/home/land/country/community' via 'controlling' or 'regulating' everyone and everything to be and not to be in certain way according to their particular vision and desire. Let it be.

It's a very simple inquiry towards peace. If one desires to have peace, but would be determined, disturbed or distracted by the noises and activities in the surrounding environment, and only would be able being in peace provided if the surrounding environment is void of any kinds of noise or activity that oneself doesn't like and doesn't desire, then that is not really peace. If one is able to be resting in peace, being undetermined, undisturbed and undistracted by all kinds of noise and activity in the surrounding environment, without trying to change or control the surrounding environment by getting rid of something that one doesn't like and doesn't desire in order to allow oneself to have the peace that one desires, then that is real peace.

The world is not perfect, and it will never be perfect. There's nothing wrong and it's okay that the world is not perfect, where there are many minds are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, as well as there are minds that are lost completely, or mentally very sick. It's unfortunate that many of those who have the influential power influencing the general condition and situation in the world are not aware of the ignorance and egoism in themselves, where they want to interfere, convert, change, punish or get rid of anyone and anything that they don't agree with, don't like and don't desire, that are against their desire/vision/ambition. Yoga for world peace is not about building a perfect world where all minds are absolutely void of ignorance and egoism, but existing for those who genuinely want to be free from ignorance, and hence, be free from being disturbed by all kinds of ignorance and corruption in the world, to have peace in oneself, and naturally, radiate peace and harmony into the world selflessly and intentionlessly.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

How to promote peace and harmony in the world of diversity?

This is a very simple, and yet, highly complicated subject.

It's possible, but yet, it's a highly difficult task.

It's simple, because the root cause of unrest and disharmony in the world is ignorance and egoism. If the minds are free from ignorance and egoism, there will be minimum unrest and disharmony but more peace and harmony in the world of diversity. And, it's possible for the minds to be free from ignorance and egoism.

It's highly complicated as well as extremely difficult, because most minds are deep rooted in ignorance and egoism, and it has to come from the minds themselves to be aware of ignorance and egoism, and be initiated to free themselves from ignorance and egoism, particularly those who have the influencing power and authorization towards decisions making in the world of authorities or leaderships, as well as those who are bringing up and educating the younger generations who are the future members of the society/influencers/educators/leaders that are influencing and determining everyone's thinking, behavior, actions and reactions, that are impacting the condition and situation and everyone's existence and life in the world that doesn't belong to anyone at all.

And hence, it's not that easy to promote peace and harmony in the world of diversity, unless majority of the minds, including those who think they are highly educated, intelligent, knowledgeable, successful, ambitious and influential, especially those who have the opportunity and influencing power to be impacting the general condition and situation of the world in certain way, start to be aware of the ignorance and egoism in themselves, where most minds are naturally being over-powered by survival instinct, on top of the stubborn egoism of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment and expectation, that give rise to many elements that feed and empower unrest and disharmony in the world of diversity, such as possessiveness, ownership, invasion, occupation, sense of belonging, grouping, politics, patriotism, nationalism, pride, heroism, self-righteousness, selfishness, greed, hoarding, fear, protectiveness, defensiveness, closed-mindedness, corruption, stinginess, exploitation, desperation, discrimination, separateness, prejudice, hatred, control, interference, oppression, outcast, offensiveness, violence and war.

All these products of ignorance and egoism exist in most minds, including the minds that think and believe that they are good, righteous and generous human beings who love goodness, prosperity, love, peace and harmony for 'all', but only within their own group that they identified as 'them' or 'theirs', that they 'love', 'protect', 'agree with' and 'share with', a community that is based on their particular common background, names and forms, belief, values, practice, vision and desire, where they think and believe that they need to protect 'themselves' and 'theirs' from 'the others' that are not 'them' or 'one of them', that they feel intimidated, dislike, disagree with and don't want to share with.

The wise, compassionate, desireless, intentionless and selfless minds, of the many enlightened buddhas and gurus, also cannot remove the ignorance and egoism as well as the consequences of ignorance and egoism in the world. They only disseminate the teachings and practice of how to free one's mind from ignorance and egoism into the world, and let everyone whether to be aware of the ignorance and egoism in themselves, and be initiated to be free from ignorance and egoism through their own self-effort, self-discipline, self-inquiry and self-realization.

The many minds that have good intention and aspiration of hoping to change the world to be a better place, not that there's anything wrong or bad with such intention and aspiration, however, it indicates that they are also under the influence of ignorance and egoism, or else, there won't be any intention or aspiration of hoping to 'change' the world, as that idea/desire/intention/aspiration is also part of the egoism deriving from ignorance, that is the reason why the world is what it is now, which is and will be more and more unrest and disharmony.

The protective self-righteous minds under passionate egoistic attachment and personal/group identification towards certain qualities of names and forms will react with anger, hatred, resentment and violence towards something that they perceived as 'bad', 'wrong', 'humiliation', 'disrespectfulness', 'belittling', 'offensiveness', 'hurtful', 'undeserving', 'going against their desire', or 'disagreeable in accordance to their thinking, belief, values and practice'. The selfless minds are aware of the many unpleasant and disagreeable actions/reactions and their consequences in the world of countless minds ceaselessly acting/reacting under the influence of ignorance and egoism, but without being disturbed or determined by all these ignorant egoistic behavior, affair, condition and situation. Reaction of anger, hatred, resentment and violence will not help to promote peace and harmony in oneself and/or the world, but only contributing more unrest and disharmony in oneself and into the world.

Unless, all minds start to let go of the idea/desire/intention/aspiration of "We want our world to be and not to be in certain way." Then the world will be what it is, in peace and harmony, having all kind of diversities, of many different colours, names, forms and shapes, sharing the space without possessiveness, when nobody desire the world to be only in certain colour(s) that they personally like and prefer, 'interfering'/'influencing'/'changing'/'making'/'controlling' the world to be in certain way that they like and desire and not to be in certain way that they don't like and don't desire, but allowing the world to be what it is.

The world will be what it is, in peace and harmony, when nobody try to spread 'self-righteousness', 'fear', 'possessiveness', 'protectiveness', 'separateness', 'discrimination' and 'hatred' into the world in order to harvest power by over-powering the others, in order to achieve their particular desire/aspiration/vision of making the world that doesn't belong to anyone to become 'their world the way that they desire'.

The world is so 'quiet' and peaceful, as it is, free from unnecessary egoistic actions and reactions, unrest, chaos, conflict, discrimination, prejudice, lies, manipulation, plotting, scheming, scamming, slandering, politics, corruption, greed, desire, ambition, invasion, interference, fear, separateness, jealousy, hurt, hatred and violence generated by passionate ambitious minds under the influence of ignorance and egoism, when all minds are either absent/have gone to sleep/resting in silence/void of ignorance and egoism.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Sunday, July 2, 2023

Inquire towards knowledge, intelligence, creativity and achievement

One can be highly knowledgeable through accumulating knowledge of this and that, from here and there, but it's not necessarily that one is also highly intelligent. That's okay.

One can be having very little knowledge about this or that, or being disinterested towards many different kinds of knowledge, but it's not necessarily that one is not intelligent. That's okay too.

One can be highly intelligent and knowledgeable at the same time, but it's not necessarily that one is also highly creative. That's okay.

One can be highly creative without being highly intelligent or knowledgeable. That's okay too.

One can be highly knowledgeable, intelligent and creative, but it's not necessarily that one will be achieving many achievements about this or that. That's okay.

One can be achieving many different kinds of achievement about this and that without being highly knowledgeable, intelligent or creative. That's okay too.

One can be highly knowledgeable, intelligent, creative and achieving many different kinds of achievement, but it's not necessarily that one is peaceful and capable of being kind and compassionate towards all and everyone, unconditionally without discrimination towards the different names and forms.

One can be peaceful, kind and compassionate without being highly knowledgeable, intelligent, creative or having many achievements about this and that.

One can also be peaceful, kind and compassionate while being highly knowledgeable, intelligent, creative and having many achievements about this or that.

As being peaceful, kind and compassionate is nothing to do with whether one is being highly knowledgeable, intelligent, creative and having many achievements, or not.

Whether a mind is being peaceful, kind and compassionate, or not, is determined by the presence or absence of ignorance and egoism.

Regardless of whether one is highly knowledgeable, intelligent, creative and having many achievements, or not, those who have attachment and identification towards the accumulated knowledge, degrees of intelligence, levels of creativity and amount of achievement under the influence of ignorance and egoism, and hence, they are being determined and affected by the presence and absence of all these names and forms, in order to feel good, satisfied and meaningful, or not, about oneself and one's life existence. These minds are being determined by the presence and absence of acknowledgement, affirmation, recognition, compliment and appreciation coming from oneself and others towards one's accumulated knowledge, intelligence, creativity and achievements, in order to feel good, satisfied and meaningful, or not. Under the influence of ignorance and egoism, one might be utilizing the existing accumulated knowledge, intelligence, creativity and achievements to be doing something hurtful or destructive towards oneself and others and the surrounding environment, either directly or indirectly, and either intentionally or unintentionally.

The minds that are free from ignorance and egoism, are not being determined by the accumulated knowledge, degrees of intelligence, levels of creativity and amount of achievement, as well as the presence and absence of acknowledgement, affirmation, recognition, compliment or appreciation. Such minds are capable of being peaceful as they are, as it is, while capable of being kind and compassionate towards oneself and all and everyone, unconditionally without discrimination, craving and aversion, judgment and expectation towards the presence and absence of certain qualities in oneself and all and everyone. These minds can be utilizing the existing accumulated knowledge, intelligence, creativity and achievement to be doing something beneficial for all and everyone that come under different names and forms, without discrimination of 'I' and 'my' and all the others that are different from 'I' and 'my', while not being determined by the absence or lack of certain knowledge, intelligence, creativity or achievements in oneself and all and everyone.

Those who are free from the influence of ignorance and egoism don't need to be acknowledged and recognized by oneself and others as "I am someone intelligent, knowledgeable, creative and with high achievements," and are free from the sense of high or low self-esteem, the sense of goodness or badness, the sense of satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and the sense of meaningfulness or meaninglessness.

Without any acknowledgement, affirmation, recognition, compliment or appreciation, and without being highly knowledgeable, intelligent, creative or having any kind of achievement, even after trying and doing one's best, one can still be contributing unconditional peace and loving kindness into the world of many diversities and the world of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance.

Even if the mind thinks and believes that, "I couldn't contribute peace and loving kindness into the world, as I couldn't love myself and others unconditionally, because of the presence of ignorance and suffering in me," that's okay too. By being aware of the ignorance and suffering in oneself, while accepting oneself (the state of mind/the condition of the body/the ability and limitation of the body and mind) in the present moment as one is, without discrimination, craving and aversion, judgment and expectation towards the presence and absence of certain qualities or elements in oneself, is already the presence of something beneficial to oneself and the world.

Meanwhile, the knowledgeable, intelligent, creative and successful minds that think and believe that, "I love myself and I love the world, and I want myself and the world to be like this and not like that, I want to protect myself and the world from anyone and anything that are different from I and contradicting with my thinking, my belief, my values, my practice and my desire," might be performing many actions that are hurting oneself and the world, either wittingly or unwittingly.

Inquire towards the truth of everything, and be free.

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About Yoga

Know thyself. Everything is impermanent and selfless. There is no 'I'. There is no 'I am selfless'/'I am not selfless'. There is no 'I am hurt'/'I need to be healed from hurt'. Non-blind believing, non-blind following, non-blind practicing and non-blind propagating, but be open-minded to inquire the truth of everything. Be free. Be peaceful. Be happy.

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