Inquire the truth of everything, including all kinds of teachings coming from anyone and anywhere, including all that is here.
The main teachings and practice of Buddhism and/or Yoga, is about performing self-inquiry to be inquiring towards "Who am 'I', or more precisely, what is the 'I' that the thinking in the mind thinks and believes, or acknowledges and identifies as 'I'?
The mind needs to be engaging in diligent and persevered mind purification process to eliminate the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, that enables the mind to perform self inquiry and attain self realization towards the truth of "Who am I?", or what is the self identity of 'I' that exists in all selfless minds, without the influence of worldly egoistic ideas, attachments, identifications, beliefs, values, desires, aspirations, ambitions, visions, and practices, that also leads to the inquiry and direct realization towards the truth of all and everything that are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self.
The basic and essential teachings and practice of both yoga and buddhism, is about non-grasping, or non-attachment and non-identification towards all kinds of names and forms, as well as letting go all kinds of existing multiple individual and group identifications with the many different qualities of names and forms, of family and community lineage and heritage, ties and connections, genetic traits, tribes, castes, gender, duty and responsibility, spiritual/cultural/religious beliefs, values, practices, desires, visions, inspirations, aspirations, ideas, feelings, emotions, knowledge, intellect, talents, efforts and the fruit of efforts, happy or unhappy and desirable or undesirable relationships/interactions/affairs/experiences/memories/imaginations/anticipations, the physical body and the thinking mind regardless of the impermanent good or bad and perfect or imperfect condition/state and the efficiency or inefficiency of the different physical and mental functions/mechanisms, the ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, titles, professions, sense of belonging, sense of self-esteem and self-worth, birth place, place of living, nationality, citizenship, possessiveness towards lands and space or buildings and objects, relationships and/or friendships accumulation, qualifications and certifications, recognition, acknowledgement, achievements, contributions, as well as all kinds of pleasurable enjoyments and/or painful sufferings, that are non-self, that don't belong to 'I', that are not 'I', and there is no permanent independent infinite self existence or self identity of 'I' existing to be undergoing selfless impermanent changes of the body and mind, or to be identifying as this and that, as well as what many minds believed as ceaseless reincarnations of a permanent independent infinite immortal self existence of 'I' undergoing ceaseless reincarnations to be reincarnating into countless different life existences under different qualities of names and forms, transitioning in different realms or spheres in accordance to the endless and boundless past accumulated 'karma'.
Upon the direct self realization towards the truth of Selflessness in all and everything, one will realize towards the truth of "ceaseless reincarnations reincarnating into different qualities of names and forms transitioning in different realms" that exists in particular belief, values, practice, and understanding, where there is not any permanent independent infinite self existence or self identity of 'I' existing in the body and mind, to be undergoing impermanent changes, not to say, to be undergoing what many minds believed as "ceaseless reincarnations under countless different life existences of different names and forms in different realms" under particular belief, values, practice, and understanding that come with specific reason/intention/aspiration/vision.
The realization towards the truth of Impermanence, of ceaseless selfless impermanent changes in all and everything, enables the mind to realize timelessness, where there's neither past nor future, there is only NOW, and everything in NOW is constantly changing, where time is merely the reflection of ceaseless selfless impermanent changes/growth/decay/disintegration/activities/movements that are non-self, where there is not a continuous permanent unchanging independent self existence of an infinite immortal 'I' that exists in any kind of names and forms, to be in control of all and everything to be or not to be in certain way, where all and everyone and everything are existing/happening, changing, and ceased existing under the nature's law of cause and effect (selfless actions and consequences of actions being generated by each selfless mind and all selfless minds that had been existing and had ceased existing, as well as that are still existing, in NOW.)
Who or what is undergoing "ceaseless reincarnations" to be reincarnated into another existence under different names and forms, or under different physical bodies and minds, or under different life existences, before and after this particular life existence in NOW?
For the many minds that believe in the existence of an immortal and infinite pure individual soul under certain belief, values, and practice, where they believe in the individual soul is permanent, independent, pure, immortal, and infinite, that is who they really are, that is the one who is undergoing ceaseless births and deaths of ceaseless reincarnations reincarnating into ceaseless and countless different life existences transitioning in different realms, unwittingly, either in accordance to the past accumulated karma (that is completely nothing to do with the pure soul that is immortal and infinite, but have been generated by the impure mind under the impure body that is finite, momentary, mortal, limited, and conditional), or being judged under the judgment of a superior entity, upon death of the impure mortal body and mind. That is the freedom of thinking and belief of all minds. There is neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad in all kinds of different thinking and beliefs. They have their own reasons to be existing as what they are.
Siddhartha Gautama Buddha 'deliberately' didn't comment or mention anything about 'the soul' that exists in many different beliefs, whether it exists or doesn't exist, whether it is something true or untrue, which that itself (non-commenting about that) alone, initiates and enables the minds to be inquiring and attaining the truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self in all kinds of names and forms, all by oneself, via one's own effort and inquiry and realization.
There is no doubt that, "The truth is always what it is, or the dhamma cannot be contaminated by anything," however, Siddhartha Gautama Buddha knew that the teachings or the dhamma that are being documented and conserved under certain names and forms, and which will be studied, propagated, interpreted, or translated by the minds that are not free from ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness, will definitely be contaminated/misinterpreted/mistranslated/manipulated by the minds that are functioning under the influence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, as well as under certain impure intentions/aspirations/ambitions/visions, and hence, he emphasized on not having the teachings/the dhamma to be conserved/documented under any form, but only giving certain guidelines/observations for activating the mind purification and silencing process, where all and everyone must perform self inquiry to attain direct self realization towards the truth of all kinds of names and forms, or the dhamma, under a purified and calmed mind.
Buddhism is not at all about building and empowering leadership to be leading a group of followers or admirers.
Do not follow, admire, or glorify anyone and anything, not to say, do not blind-believe, blind-follow, blind-agree/disagree, blind-practice, blind-glorify, and blind-propagate anyone and anything.
All must learn how to purify and quiet the restless impure egoistic mind, and to perform self inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of all and everything, including all kinds of 'buddhism' teachings under certain names and forms coming from anywhere and anyone. And hence, the highly importance of, "Thus as I heard" in front of all kinds of Buddhism teachings from anywhere and anyone.
During the first hand direct teachings coming from Siddhartha Gautama Buddha himself unto anyone, he taught all and everyone to inquire the truth of all and everything under a purified and calmed mind, including all and everything that came directly from him, not to say, all kinds of documented/translated/interpreted teachings that are most probably contaminated by worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, practices, desires, ambitions, and intentions, in order to attain direct self realization towards the truth of everything (the dhamma), all by oneself, via one's own effort, inquiry, and realization, including everything that he taught to the people during his momentary life existence. He never claimed and taught to the people, "I have realized the truth. This is the truth. You must believe that this is the truth. If you don't believe in this truth, and if you have any doubt or questioning towards this truth, then it is disrespectful and insult towards the truth and the teachers, which is really bad karma, and you will be punished, and you will suffer."
The teachings and practice of Buddhism and Yoga, is about engaging in the mind purification process of annihilating the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness (the veil of ignorance) to be contemplating upon and inquiring towards Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self in all kinds of names and forms, to attain direct self realization towards the teachings or the dhamma.
There is not any infinite immortal self identity that is permanent and independent existing in all kinds of selfless sentient living beings or non-living objects to be undergoing selfless impermanent changes, not to say, to be undergoing "ceaseless reincarnations" of the one same permanent independent infinite individual identity to be reincarnating into another life form or life existence, or into many different life forms or life existences under different names and forms, transitioning in different realms or spheres.
However, there is neither right nor wrong with the specific beliefs and values in particular community that gives rise to 'the traditional practice' of ceaseless intentional 'organized' reincarnations of an important 'specific individual identity of a highly important and influential leader' under specific reason/intention/aspiration/vision, where there will be repeatedly 'a chosen one' that 'has been chosen' by the existing particular leader before the end of this mortal momentary life existence, as well as that 'will be found and identified' by the committee members of the community after the death of that particular leader, to be carrying the highly important duty and responsibility of upholding the influential power of leadership under the one same individual identity, that gives certain degrees of continuous power of leadership, guidance, comfort, and encouragement to that community that had and has been undergoing certain ongoing difficulties physically, mentally, and emotionally for a prolonged extended period, after the death or ceased existence of each and every limited and conditional mortal life existence of 'the one same identity of that particular influential leader', that keeps coming back in another life existence to be continuously leading, guiding, comforting, and encouraging the majority of the community that are 'non-independent', that are highly dependent on a leader, that always 'need to have and follow' a leader to be there, to lead, to guide, to comfort, and to encourage them, and to keep reminding them about non-violence, calmness, and compassion.
Obviously, this practice is not perfect. Because the community were never being taught to be independent, that they always 'not only need a leader or any leader', but even more so, they need to depend on 'that specific leader of one particular identity' to 'keep coming back in another life existence', to continuously leading and guiding the community for endless generations.
It didn't and doesn't help the community to be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.
It didn't and doesn't stop the presence of fear, anger and hatred, or insecurity, bitterness and resentment towards certain individual/people/community/authority, in the majority of the community that are not free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.
It didn't and doesn't help the community to be practicing the teachings of Buddhism as it is, to work diligently towards the attainment of direct self realization towards the dhamma, to be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, which is all about to be free from all kinds of worldly egoistic individual and group attachments and identifications that attaching towards and identifying with the many different kinds of qualities of names and forms that are non-self, that are not 'I' or 'mine', that are not 'us' or 'ours', that are not who or what they are, as well as to be letting go the past affairs/events/happenings/experiences, especially the ones that are being perceived as undeserving, unpleasant, painful, fearful, sorrowful, hurtful, traumatic, undesirable, and disagreeable. But instead, this practice has been either intentionally or unintentionally empowering egoistic attachment and identification towards all kinds of names and forms that the community have been identifying as who and what they are, as well as where they belong to and what belongs to them. Even so, there is neither right nor wrong in this particular practice, as there are many minds that need to be dependent on a 'wise and compassionate' leader to lead and comfort them in this life existence that has so much unnecessary evitable suffering deriving from ignorance, on top of the existence of certain inevitable suffering just by being existing momentarily, selflessly, impermanently, limitedly, and conditionally, that is non-self, and that needs constant maintenance.
There is always the sense of fear, anger and hatred, or insecurity, bitterness and resentment, in all and everyone in the community that are still not free from the influence of ignorance, regardless of older or younger generations, that are directing towards specific individual or community and authority, which only will be empowering the ignorance and the by-products of ignorance in both parties.
Instead, they all can be free to be what they are and wherever they are, by developing correct understanding or wisdom that lead to unconditional peace in themselves, where they are free from egoistic attachment and identification towards any qualities of names and forms, as well as what is happening in NOW, not to say, whatever that had happened in the past, not being determined or disturbed by the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance of others, and they will no longer need to have a leader to lead them, guide them, comfort them, and encourage them, not to say, the need to have one particular leader that had already ceased existing, but had no choice to 'keeps organizing' ceaseless reincarnations of its 'specific identity' in order for the non-independent community to always have a leader to be following.
The chosen one, regardless of who it is (as it really doesn't matter), upon attaining certain degrees of correct understanding towards the importance of non-violence, calmness, and compassion under the teachings of Buddhism, after practicing the teachings of buddhism from young diligently, as well as learning all and everything about that specific individual identity and the highly important duty and responsibility that was given to him, which he is carrying on his shoulders since the moment of being identified as 'the chosen one', he can only teach, guide, and advice the community as much as it can, about non-violence, calmness, and compassion, to keep away from the engagement in activity or interaction that involved violence, under any conditions and situations, no matter what had happened and what is happening. And it is up to the community whether they understand, or not, and whether they can let go, or not.
If the community can understand and can let go, and move on independently, be free from all kinds of attachments and identifications, regardless of what had happened and what is happening, then there is needless of the 'repeating' existence of 'the chosen one' that has to be one of them (because of the intense egoistic attachment and identification, 'the chosen one' has to be someone from within their own particular community, or else, the community under the influence of ignorance will not have the same faith towards 'the chosen one' that is not one of them), to continue carrying that specific identity, duty, and responsibility of leading, guiding, comforting, and encouraging the majority of the community that are under the influence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.
If the majority of the community cannot understand and cannot let go, and are not free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, where they perceived the suffering of being the victims of constant bullying, oppression, intimidation, and violence, where the majority of the community continuously need to have not only a leader or any leader, but that specific leader of that specific identity that 'has been reincarnated' many times in different life existences within that particular community, to be there continuously to lead them, guide them, comfort them, and encourage them, to constantly and continuously reminding them about non-violence, calmness, and compassion, to avoid or minimize the engagement in activity or interaction that involved violence as much as possible, then there is neither right nor wrong for continuing that 'traditional practice' of intentional 'organized' ceaseless reincarnations of a 'specific individual identity carrying a huge duty and responsibility' that has certain influential power over the community, even if it didn't, and doesn't help the community to be free from ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.
The minds that truly practice and understand towards the teachings of Buddhism or the dhamma, they are independent and are resting in unconditional peace, being undetermined or undisturbed by the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance of others, devoid of disturbs, hurts, painful sorrow, fear, anger, hatred, insecurity, bitterness, resentment, or violence, under any conditions and situations, being free from egoistic attachment, identification, craving and aversion, judgment, or expectation. They don't need to have a leader or any leader to lead them, guide them, comfort them, or encourage them.
Not being determined or disturbed by the ignorance and the consequences of ignorance of others, or under the presence of wisdom and compassion or non-violence, or the practice of non-grasping/non-attachment/non-identification/non-craving/non-aversion/non-judgment/non-expectation, it doesn't mean that one doesn't or shouldn't move away from any abusive ill treatments of others, or one should receive all kinds of abusive ill treatments in silence, or one shouldn't or doesn't perform selfless actions that will free oneself and maybe some others from continuously be treated with abusive ill treatments by those who are under the influence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance.
Inquire the truth of everything, including all that is here.
Posts
