Selflessness, impermanence, cause and effect

The core teachings of yoga and/or buddhism are indeed very simple and straightforward.

Selflessness, impermanence, cause and effect.

The mind will see the truth of selflessness and impermanence governed by cause and effect in all and everything under a purified modification/function of the mind that is opened, that is calm and quiet, that is unattached towards any particular worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, ideas, values, desires/aspirations, and practice.

It's the entire prolonged mind purification process under certain disciplines that all minds have to go through in order to free the modification/function of the mind from being conditioned by any kind of worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, ideas, values, desires/aspirations, and practice, to render the mind calm and quiet being free from restlessness and impurities, that appears to be quite complicated and challenging, or even discouraging for many minds.

It's like, the mind understands that, and is aware of "This is highly important and needed to be done the sooner the better," but, there are many 'excuses', 'justifications', 'obstructions', 'distractions', 'rebelliousness', 'bitterness', 'hesitations', 'procrastination', or 'pride' arising from within the mind itself that hinder the mind from doing whatever that is needed to be done in now.

The minds that don't know, or the minds that think and believe that they know, but they don't really know, or the minds that refuse to know, and they don't respect while aspire to challenge or go against the truth of selflessness and impermanence governed by the nature's law of cause and effect, will only end up in great disappointment, dissatisfaction, frustration, anger, or meaninglessness, and are peaceless. Meanwhile, out of such disturbed peaceless state of mind, the minds would be generating lots of hurtful damaging actions and reactions unto themselves and others, and into the world.

The minds that know and respect the truth of selflessness and impermanence governed by the nature's law of cause and effect, are resting in unconditional peace, devoid of fear and worry, regardless of whether in action or inaction, regardless of all kinds of selfless impermanent changes governed by the nature's law of cause and effect that are happening ceaselessly in the body and mind, and in the world of ignorance and egoism and the consequences of all that.

Regardless of how strong and powerful, or how good and kind, or how selfish and evil, or how prideful and arrogant is the mind in this present moment now, it will change and pass away.

Inquire the truth of everything.

The limited and conditional mind perception of a subjective personal reality

None can argue with one another about the mind perception of a subjective personal reality that is unique and different from one another.

All minds have their own unique and different personal reality in certain way, perceived through the limited and conditional function of the senses via the sense organs, based on the personal likes and dislikes, agreements and disagreements, or desires and doesn't desires, under the influence of the limited and conditional personal way of thinking, belief, reasoning, understanding, values, practices, actions, reactions, way of doing things, desires and aspirations.

There is neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad, in all the different minds perceiving their own different personal reality.

The different mind perception of different personal reality are not necessarily the truth of what things are, but it is still the truth of a personal reality for each mind, as that is what and how the mind perceives everything through the limited and conditional senses of the sense organs.

None can argue about what they see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and feel with their own eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin that are limited and conditional, where the same sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and sensations can appear to be different for one another. Upon looking at the same object, at the same time, from the same angle, different minds perceives the object differently from one another. The different perceptions towards the same object might not be the truth of the object, but it is still the personal truth for each different mind.

That is what the mind perceives, sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, feels, thinks, recognizes, reasons, and understands, even though it is being perceived differently from all the others.

That is what the mind thinks and believes what things are, even though it is being perceived differently from all the others.

Whenever the mind perceives and recognizes 'this is good' or 'this is bad', 'this is positive' or 'this is negative', 'this is right' or 'this is wrong', 'this is beautiful' or 'this is not beautiful', 'this is pleasing' or 'this is disgusting', 'this is meaningful' or 'this is meaningless', 'this is joyfulness' or 'this is joylessness', 'this is auspiciousness' or 'this is inauspiciousness', 'this is pleasurable enjoyment' or 'this is painful suffering', and so on, it is not the truth of what things are.

All and everything are just what they are, and all are selfless and impermanent.

There won't be any problems if the different minds understand and respect that all minds have their own unique mind perception towards everything of a subjective personal reality that is different from one another.

Different minds see things differently. Different minds understand things differently. Different minds behave, act, and react differently.

There will be unnecessary problems and conflicts when the minds think and believe that their own personal reality deriving from perceiving or experiencing the world of names and forms via specific limited and conditional 'lenses' under the influence of specific way of thinking, belief, reasoning, understanding, values, ideas, desires, and aspirations, is all true, correct and right, or it's the truth of everything, while thinking and believing that the other different personal realities of the other minds, that are different from their own personal perceived reality, are untrue, incorrect and wrong, or it's not the truth of everything, and they have the desire and aspiration of want to prove to the world that their perceived personal reality is all true, correct and right, while all the others are untrue, incorrect and wrong, where they want to interfere with the others, under the intention or desire to convince, or convert, or change the others to have the similar perception of everything as one's own perception towards everything.

Inquire the truth of everything, including the existing belief, understanding, ideas, values, desires, inspirations, aspirations and practice in this mind, as well as upon coming in contact with all kinds of teachings of yoga and/or buddhism coming from anyone and everywhere, including all and everything that is here.

Inquire towards "Why did Siddhartha Gautama Buddha insisted on not having the dhamma or his teachings to be 'recorded' or 'preserved' in any forms, and to have the term of 'Thus have I heard' (如是我聞) in the beginning of all kinds of buddhism related teachings or dhamma that 'claimed' to be coming from him authentically, reminding that all kinds of 'buddhism related teachings' or 'dhamma' that the mind comes in contact with are not necessarily 'what they are' or 'as it is', where all and everyone must perform self-inquiry to inquire the truth of everything to attain direct self-realization, without blind-believing, blind-following, blind-practicing and blind-propagating, including all kinds of 'buddhism teachings' or 'dhamma' that the mind comes in contact with, where his teachings or the dhamma is based on impermanence (無常) and selflessness (無我), as well as he never commented on 'the creator of the universe/world' (創世者) or 'the soul' (靈魂)."

The highly importance of the term "Thus have I heard" -

This 'buddhism teaching' or this 'dhamma' is what I have heard, or read, or learned from someone or from somewhere, but it is not necessarily the buddhism teachings or the dhamma as it is. One must inquire the truth of everything and attain direct self-realization towards the truth of everything, including all kinds of buddhism teachings or dhamma in any forms, even if it was authentically coming from Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, as it is, no more and no less.

Even when Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was in front of a mind and expounding his teachings or the dhamma as it is to this mind directly, this mind also must not blind-agreeing, blind-believing, blind-following, blind-practicing, or blind-propagating, and must perform self-inquiry to inquire the truth of the teachings or the dhamma coming from Siddhartha Gautama Buddha himself personally and directly, and to attain direct self-realization towards the teachings or the dhamma as it is - 

All are selfless and impermanent. Ignorance (not knowing the truth of selflessness and impermanence), that gives rise to the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities and restlessness, is the root cause of suffering. The only existence of any names and forms is in this present moment now, either had existed and ceased existing or have been existing and will be ceased existing, and it's impermanent and selfless, where there is no 'I' in any existing names and forms to be undergoing impermanent changes. There is neither suffering nor the end of suffering upon the annihilation of ignorance, or the idea of 'I', or grasping/attachment, or the desire of craving and aversion.

The dhamma is not limited by time (during the life existence of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha), space (where Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was and had been to) and causation (The arising/changing/passing away of the body and mind of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and his selfless dissemination of the dhamma), or only to be found or seen in a particular 'auspicious' time/space/causation (enlightened beings/minds, temples, dhamma sutras, statues/images/drawings of buddhas, symbols of buddhism, dhamma/buddhism related books or recordings, and etc), or only accessible/available to particular being of specific names and forms. It is not limited by any names and forms.

The dhamma exist in all and everything. It is right here, right now, and it can be seen in everything that are selfless and impermanent, in both the perceiver and the perceived names and forms. The minds just need to reflect upon the truth of selflessness and impermanence, by observing the selfless impermanent changes in all kinds of names and forms in the present moment now, under an open, non-grasping/non-attaching, purified, disciplined, and quiet mind.

The dhamma is nothing to do with 'sacredness', 'auspiciousness', 'mystic', 'miracle', 'superpower', 'the honourable', or 'the untouchable'. It is merely the truth of what everything are - selflessness and impermanence. It is anywhere and everywhere. It is not difficult to reflect upon and see the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all and everything, however, the contamination of worldly passionate egoistic way of thinking, beliefs, ideas, values, desires, and practices deriving from ignorance and egoism in the minds that give rise to all kinds of attachments, identifications, desires of craving and aversions, judgments, expectations, impurities, and restlessness, hinder the minds from seeing the truth as it is.

Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and all the other enlightened buddhas/beings/minds, didn't/don't need or request anyone to praise and glorify them, or bow and pray to them, and/or the buddha/dhamma/buddhism related statues/images/drawings/symbols/objects/writings/sutras/books/temples. Coming in contact with, possessing, praising, glorifying, bowing, and praying to all those names and forms, or memorizing and chanting all kinds of sutras and mantras, or performing all kinds of rituals/offerings, or sitting in meditation posture non-moving, non-sleeping, and non-eating/drinking for many hours/days, without reflecting upon the truth of selflessness and impermanence, don't remove the ignorance and its consequences in the mind.

All students/practitioners of buddha/dhamma/buddhism reflect upon the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all kinds of names and forms, including all kinds of buddha/dhamma/buddhism related statues/images/drawings/symbols/objects/writings/sutras/books/temples, and etc, without blind-agreeing, blind-believing, blind-following, blind-practicing, or blind-propagating.

The belief/superstition/practice about "Pointing the feet/finger/buttocks towards, or non-bowing towards, or stepping over, or sitting on top, or exhibiting any kinds of 'inappropriate' or 'disrespectful' gestures/actions/behaviors in front of and unto, or throwing away/destroying/burning, or a female during menstruation coming in contact with, or using the left hand to be touching or holding the buddha/dhamma/buddhism related statues/images/drawings/symbols/objects/writings/sutras/books/temples, and etc, is being referred as something offensive/disrespectful/bad karma/sinful/punishable, and so on," is nothing to do with the buddha/dhamma/buddhism.

All minds, regardless of how ignorant and impure are the minds, can be free from ignorance, if there is determination and perseverance to inquire the truth via self-effort and self-inquiry, to know what is the 'I' that the thinking mind thinks and believes and identifies as 'I'.

Truthfulness

If all kinds of random impure egoistic thought activities in all the minds in this world are being exposed as they are, one will see that there's very little or even no truthfulness in all kinds of worldly ties and connections, social relationships and interactions, worldly affairs, dealings, and activities, except in silence, devoid of selfless restless modification of the mind, or when the mind is free from the idea of 'I', ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness.

Truthfulness is just what it is. Neither good nor bad. Neither hurtful nor non-hurtful.

Similarly, what is going on in the mind, of all kinds of random impure restless thought activities/desires/actions/reactions/feelings/emotions/ideas/impurities/wild imaginations/subjective partial incomplete distorted memories of the past, is also neither good nor bad, neither hurtful nor non-hurtful.

However, truthfulness appears to be something hurtful, disturbing, unpleasant, inappropriate, or something contributes to disharmony among all and everyone, when the mind is under the influence of the idea of 'I', ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness, where all kinds of worldly ties, connections, and relationships cannot survive, or wouldn't be peaceful and harmonious, under the presence of truthfulness of what is going on in all minds that are functioning under the influence of the idea of 'I', ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness.

As all kinds of impure egoistic ties, connections, and relationships in the world of ignorance and egoism are largely existing or surviving on the absence of truthfulness, or the presence of untruthfulness, of hypocrisy, secrets, made up stories, fairy tales, manipulations, or lies, powered by survival instinct, possessiveness, selfishness, desire, greed, pride, and fear.

Only the minds that understand what is going on in themselves, that are free from ignorance, that are not being determined or disturbed by all kinds of mind perceptions or experiences that are pleasant or unpleasant, agreeable or disagreeable, and desirable or undesirable, can accept all minds as they are, being truthful or untruthful, without attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, and expectation, and thus, can be in peace and harmony while engaging in worldly ties, connections, and relationships with other minds, regardless of whether under the presence or absence of truthfulness or untruthfulness in all kinds of human's interaction and affair. It doesn't matter.

Minds that don't understand what is going in themselves, that are under the influence of ignorance, would be determined or disturbed by all kinds of mind perceptions or experiences, where they cannot accept all minds as they are, under the influence of attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, judgment, and expectation, and would be peaceless or disharmonious while engaging in any kind of worldly ties, connections, and relationships with other minds, regardless of whether under the presence or absence of truthfulness or untruthfulness. The mind will be disturbed or hurt by either truthfulness, or untruthfulness, that it doesn't like, doesn't desire and doesn't agree with.

While truthfulness, or untruthfulness, as well as what is going on in the mind, is just what it is. It doesn't disturb or hurt anyone, or doesn't contribute to disharmony among all and everyone, when the mind is devoid of the idea of 'I', ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness.

All kinds of yoga and meditation practice served the purpose of eradicating the idea of 'I', ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness from the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind that is selfless and impermanent, that enabling the mind to know or understand what is going on in itself, or knowing Thyself, and hence, be free from ignorance and the ignorant thinking/understanding/behavior/action and reaction that hurt oneself and/or others and the surrounding environment.

Imperfection and all kinds of impurities in the minds are nothing wrong. It is neither good nor bad. It is merely what all impure egoistic minds are. However, the minds that are under the influence of ignorance and egoism, would be determined and disturbed by the imperfection or impurities in themselves and/or in others.

It's like the truth of this fleshy physical body under the 'beautiful' skin is neither good nor bad. If the physical body of all the flesh, bones, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, veins, nerves, internal organs, secretions, pus and waste products is being exposed without the protective outer layer of 'beautiful' skin, most minds will perceive the physical body without the skin as something 'disgusting', and react with feeling very disgusted and unpleasant. But the physical body is just what it is.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Focus on ability, possibility, opportunity, supportive condition and situation

Be aware of and acknowledge the ability and disability, the possibility and impossibility, the presence and absence of opportunity, the limitation, and the supportive or discouraging condition and situation in the present moment now, and focus on the ability, the possibility, the presence of opportunity, and the supportive condition and situation, without denying the disability, the impossibility, the absence of opportunity, the limitation, or the discouraging condition and situation in the present moment now, while not being determined or disturbed by all that.

Focus on what the body and mind can do and achieve and be improving in the present moment now, and not be disturbed by the limitations of what the body and mind cannot do, or achieve, or be improving in the present moment now, while see if one can do something to make possible changes in the existing limitations, or not, without attachment, identification, craving, aversion, comparison, judgment, or expectation.

Perform actions, without attachment, or identification, or expectation towards the actions and the fruit of actions.

The mind that understands this, is a free mind.

Inquire the truth of everything.