The yoga class beyond the yoga asana and pranayama practice

Let go of the past.

Whether the past is something happy or not happy, it is not important. 

Let go of the future.

The future doesn't exist.

The future is just some wild imagination, anticipation, projection, wishful thinking, fearful thinking, expectation, and uncertainty, in NOW, that are not real, that don't exist in NOW.

The only reality, the only existence, is the present moment NOW, and it is impermanent. 

Be aware of the present moment now.

Be aware of where you are and what you are doing.

Be aware of the breath coming and going.

Be aware of the movements of the abdomen expanding and relaxing. 

And everything in NOW is impermanent, constantly changing.

The breath is impermanent.

Every breath coming and going is a different breath, there is never the same breath, even though they might appear to be the same.

Every thought/feeling/emotion arising and passing away is a different thought/feeling/emotion, there is never the same thought/feeling/emotion, even though they might appear to be the same.

Every idea of 'I' is a different idea of 'I', even though they might appear to be the same, and they appear to be one single idea of 'I' under a continuous stream of countless ideas of 'I' (self acknowledgement) arising and passing away, and they appear to be the one same 'I' under the function of memory where the perceptive mind remembering some or all of the different states of mind/perceptions/experiences/learning/knowledge/understanding/ideas/desires/aspirations/ties and connections/relationships/interactions/activities/affairs/interactions/duties/responsibilities/plannings/thoughts/feelings/emotions/sensations/sights/smells/sounds/tastes/dreams/imagination/likes and dislikes/agreements and disagreements, and etc (as they are, or distorted/corrupted/not as they are).

Just like a stream of continuous motion movie (film or digital) is manifested under a continuous stream of countless different individual images or pixels. Each image or pixel is a different image or pixel.

Just like each sunset is a different sunset, there is never the same sunset, even though they might appear to be the same. 

The sensations are impermanent.

The thoughts, the feelings, and the emotions are impermanent.

The state of mind is impermanent.

The physical internal and external condition and appearance is impermanent. 

The strength, the flexibility, the stamina, and the ability and disability are impermanent.

The limitation and condition is impermanent. 

The surrounding environment is impermanent.

The life existence is impermanent.

Allow all kinds of impermanent changes to be there, as they are.

 

Let go all kinds of identifications under different qualities of different names and forms.

All kinds of identifications are not you.

All kinds of qualities are not you. 

You are not all these names and forms.

They are not what (you think) you are.

They don't belong to you, and you don't belong to them. 

 

What is your given name or your family name is not important, although the existence of the many different names for addressing the many different individuals and things is merely existing for the purpose of convenience of having the specific names to address someone or something in this world of many diversities, or else there will be many confusion or misunderstanding arise in all kinds of communication and interaction in everyday life.

Whether other people remember you or your name, or not, is not important.

Whether other people pronounce your name correctly, or not, is not important.

Whether other people call and address you by your name with certain title in a specific way, or not, is not important.

Similarly,

What you recognize, identify, and think is your background, belief, values, and practice, is not important. 

What you do or don't do in life, what you can do or cannot do, and what or who you think you are and you are not, is not important.

How other people look at you, or how other people perceive or judge you, or how other people think and feel about you, is not important.

How other people behave, act, and react towards you, or treat you, is not important.

 

You have the freedom to be what you are.

Other people also have the freedom to be what they are.

Regardless of what is your given name and your family name,

Whether people remember and recognize you, or not, 

Whether people remember your name, or not,

Whether people pronounce your name correctly, or not,

Whether people call and address you by your name with certain title in a specific way, or not,

Whether people call and address you with many different kinds of names or labels with different meanings or qualities,

And, 

What you recognize, identify, and think is your background, belief, values, and practice, 

What you do or don't do in life,

What you can do or cannot do, 

What or who you think you are and you are not,

How people look at you, perceive and judge you, or think and feel about you,

And how people behave, act, and react towards you, or treat you,

It doesn't determine you,

It cannot affect or destroy the peace and freedom in you for being what you are, as you are.

 

More importantly, is what and how you choose to think, feel, reason, understand, desire, behave, act, and react towards yourself and other people, and all and everything in this world.

 

In the beginning,

You think and believe that the given name and the family name that you carry is highly important,

You think and believe that what you think and identify as what and who you are, as well as what you think and believe is where you belonged to and what belonged to you, are highly important,

You expect and desire other people to know you and your name, and remember you by your name,

To call and address you by your name correctly with certain title in a specific way, and not to call and address you with some other different names or labels with different meanings or qualities,

To acknowledge and appreciate you and your effort, achievement, and contribution,

To understand you, to agree with you, to praise and compliment you, to be attentive to you, to be kind to you, to be friendly to you, to be thoughtful of you, to be helpful to you, to be agreeable to you, to be respectful to you, to be true to you, to be faithful to you, to admire you, and to look up to you.

That's okay.

There is neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative. 

In the beginning,

You might be unwittingly thinking, feeling, reasoning, understanding, desiring, behaving, acting, and reacting under the influence of ignorance, being conditioned and influenced by the internal biological genetic traits inheritance and/or the external influential and conditioning influences and conditions.

You might be consciously and unconsciously reacting towards all and everything that you experience under the influence of ignorance, and generate all kinds of impurities wittingly or unwittingly reacting towards the names and forms that you like and dislike, agree and disagree with, desire and don't desire, feel pleased or annoyed, and enjoy or don't enjoy.

There are clinging, craving, passion, possessiveness, and greed towards the names and forms that you like, agree with, desire, feel pleased, and enjoy.

There are aversion, dissatisfaction, hatred, violence, vandalism, and destruction towards the names and forms that you don't like, don't agree with, don't desire, feel annoyed, and don't enjoy.

There are longing, clinging, admiration, disgust, jealousy, defensiveness, offensiveness, aggressiveness, bullying, manipulation, exploitation, sabotage, mischievousness, vengeance, bitterness, resentment, anger, ill will, superiority, inferiority, pride, arrogance, anticipation, imagination, anxiety, insecurity, fear, worry, disappointment, shame, guilt, regret, urge to control or over-power, and etc, reacting towards the presence or absence of certain names and forms or experiences that you like or dislike, agree or disagree with, desire or don't desire, feel pleased or annoyed, and enjoy or don't enjoy.

There are constant comparison, judgment, and expectation being generated towards oneself, and towards others and all and everything.

There are constant conflict, argument, justification, hypocrisy, story telling, or lies, within oneself, and towards others.

There are boundless desires waiting to be fulfilled or gratified.

There are endless ambitious personal and community aspirations waiting to be accomplished.

There is constant physical, mental, or emotional tension, fatigue, exhaustion, and burnout.

There are vain talk, boasting, scheming, slandering, gossiping, politicking, day-dreaming, wishful thinking, hopeful anticipation, and building castle in the air.

There are perishable momentary sense of goodness, righteousness, happiness, joyfulness, positiveness, success, and meaningfulness, that will also inevitably give rise to the sense of badness, wrongfulness, unhappiness, joylessness, negativeness, failure, and meaninglessness.

You are constantly acknowledging and telling yourself and others that you love all and everyone and everything very much, but you are also constantly generating ongoing hurtful possession/interference/plotting/politics/slandering/behavior/action/reaction unto all and everyone and everything that you think you love very much out of ungratified desires, pride and shame, superiority and inferiority, possessiveness, obsessiveness, selfishness, greed, discontentment, dissatisfaction, disappointment, jealousy, lust, insecurity, fear, anger, bitterness, resentment, vengeance, disturbance, hostility, animosity, offensiveness, defensiveness, or feelings of annoyed, irritated, humiliated, belittled, intimidated, hurt, and so on.

You are constantly longing for receiving ongoing acknowledgement, attention, love, support, encouragement, liking, agreement, recognition, praise, and compliment from all and everyone, to feel good, confident, happy, meaningful, powerful, and high self-esteem or high self-worth, or else, you will feel bad, not confident, unhappy, meaningless, powerless, and low self-esteem or low self-worth.

You constantly think and feel that you are in competition with all and everyone, with yourself, with your friends, with your parents, with your siblings, with your relatives, with the members of your community, with your partner/spouse/lover, with your children, or with your classmates/colleagues/co-workers/neighbours/teachers, and constantly feel inferior/envious/jealous towards (or feel disturbed, offended, intimidated, and belittled by) others who appeared to be more intelligent, or more knowledgeable, or more talented, or more skillful, or more successful, or more accomplished, or happier, or friendlier, or kinder, or stronger, or wiser, or even, more evil and cruel than you, and you would feel proud in oneself and more superior towards the others who appeared to be not as 'good', or not as 'evil' as yourself.

You constantly think and believe that you are the victim of the bad and wrongful behaviors or treatments of the others, and if you behave hurtfully unto yourself and others and the surrounding environment out of feelings of hurt, is because all those bad people and all those bad things that have been happening unto you, that you don't deserve.

You strongly think and believe that you are thinking, feeling, reasoning, understanding, desiring, behaving, acting, and reacting in certain way, is the respective effect of the existing inherited cause deriving from your genetic traits inheritance from your parental lineage, that you are born like that, that it is not your responsibility, and that you have no freewill to be free from all that no matter what and how, just because some biologists say so.

Out of self-righteousness, you are hurting all kinds of names and forms that you think and believe as bad and wrong based on your particular personal and community belief, values, and practice, while you think and believe that you are doing something good and right, and that you are doing all that as a favour, or service, or heroic act to all and everyone.

Most of the time, under the influence of ignorance, you are wittingly or unwittingly and intentionally or unintentionally hurting yourself and others and the surrounding environment.

You might be aware or unaware towards all THAT.

You might be wittingly or unwittingly being the slave of all THAT.

The presence and absence of all THAT, is affecting and determining you for what and how you perceive, think, feel, reason, understand, evaluate, desire, behave, act, and react towards yourself, others, and all and everything in this world.

There is neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative.

It doesn't mean that you are bad, or evil, or sinful, or bound by bad karma. You are not any of that.

It doesn't mean that you deserve all kinds of ill treatment, bad happening, punishment, cruelty, bullying, or painful suffering. You don't deserve any of that.

 

All THAT are not what or who you are.

They are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, 

They are not you or part of you, and they don't belong to you.

Regardless of how bad, evil, sinful, or bad karma that other people tell you that you are or have been, or that you yourself think and believe that you are or have been, you can be free and have peace.

None can take away or destroy the wisdom and compassion, or the freedom and peace that is always there in you. 

You can stop hurting yourself and others and the surrounding environment, if you want, and only if you want.

Wisdom and compassion, or freedom and peace, is always there in you and in all and everyone, never increase or decrease, regardless of what you think you and everyone are, or no matter how good and right or how bad and wrong that you think you and everyone are.

It is merely the presence of impurities and restlessness and egoism and the idea of 'I'/the ego, that is absolutely possible to be eliminated from your selfless modifications or the selfless mind stuff, that doesn't belong to you, that are not you, where even what you think is you, also doesn't belong to you, and that is what hindering you from realizing all that within you.

There is needless of guilt, or shame, or regret, or repent, or punishment towards all THAT.

Guilt, or shame, or regret, or repent, or punishment, cannot undo or erase the past and the effect or impact of the actions/causes being generated. Let it go.

What matters, is your action/desire/intention/understanding, in NOW.

 

You don't need to know about all the others and all and everything in this world.

You just need to know yourself. 

It is merely because you haven't know yourself, or understand about yourself, and hence, you don't know the others, and don't understand about the others, or you don't know and don't understand about all and everything internally and externally in this world of names and forms that are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, that don't belong to anyone or anything, that don't even belong to the names and forms themselves.

It is merely because you have been unwittingly being conditioned and influenced by the worldly egoistic impure restless thinking, ideas, beliefs, desires, aspirations, values, and practices, to think, to believe, to feel, to reason, to understand, to desire, to aspire, to evaluate, to behave, to act, and to react in certain way and not in certain way.

It is merely because you have been told/conditioned by everyone from everywhere since birth, about not only that you need to be aggressive and possessive and ambitious and powerful, but that you also need to be more aggressive and possessive and ambitious and powerful than all and everyone else, to over-power all the others, in order to survive.

Nope. You don't have to.

Even the most powerful, or the strongest, or the most energetic, or the most intelligent, knowledgeable, experienced, skillful, and talented, or the most influential human beings, or living organisms, or non-living objects in the world, also cannot defy or escape the selfless impermanent changes of decay, weakness, illness/disease/damage/injury, fragility, malfunctioning, inevitable limitation and condition, ceased functioning, ceased existing, or disintegration and decomposition, or death, under the influence of the nature's law of cause and effect.

One can be using the power, or strength, or energy, or intelligence/knowledge/experience/skill/talent, or influence that is available to oneself to be doing something that give rise to constructive or destructive impact unto oneself and others and the surrounding environment during one's momentary mortal existence and function, depending on whether the mind is functioning under the absence or presence of ignorance.

More importantly, 

One can be using the power, or strength, or energy, or intelligence/knowledge/experience/skill/talent, or influence that is available to oneself to be helping oneself and all the others that are less power, less strength, less energy, less intelligent, less knowledgeable, less experienced, less skillful, less talented, less influence, or less opportunity than oneself, to improve, to evolve towards clarity and correct understanding, or peace and freedom.

 

None can tell you or advice you to let go all THAT.

None can tell you or advice you about what and how you should and shouldn't think, or believe, or feel, or understand, or desire, or behave, or act, or react.

Not even the buddhas, or the gurus, or the yoga teachers, not to say, the elders, the parents, the friends, or the leaders of any kind.

But, only yourself.

You can.

You have the will and effort to let go all THAT.

As long as you have the selfless functions of perception/cognition/intellect/emotion/memory under the presence of selfless conscious awareness being aware of all these, and you have the perception or experience of enjoyment and suffering, happiness and unhappiness, and the presence of doubts and unknown, and as long as you have the desire to know, to understand, to be free, to have peace,

You have the selfless conscious choice making (conscious freewill) to choose and act responsibly for yourself and others (self-awareness and self-control) and you have the intentionless indiscriminate influential power of conscious awareness to be perceiving, experiencing, learning, reasoning, inquiring, knowing, understanding, and remembering what you know and understand, that can influence what and how you live life, maintain life, think, feel, reason, understand, desire, interact, behave, act, and react.

All and everything that you need, all the dharma, all the teachings, all the guidance, all the tools, or all the knowledge, that can help you, that can liberate you, that most probably you don't even know what you need, are all within you.

You are your own one and only teacher. You are the dhamma. You are the teachings. You are the guidance. You are the tools. You are the knowledge. You are the truth seeker. You are the realization. You are the peace. You are the freedom. You are the wisdom. You are the compassion. You are the answer to all your doubts.

You are not even whatever you think you are. Whatever you think and acknowledge as 'this' and 'not that', are all merely momentary qualities of names and forms that are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, that don't even belong to the names and forms themselves. You don't and can't exist or function if without the selfless support of the selfless energy and the countless different selfless elements that all work together selflessly that give rise to the existence and function of you, the selfless impermanent limited conditional non-self perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty being part of the many different selfless mechanisms of the mortal physical body that is selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self.

You don't even belong to you.

You are merely part of the selfless impermanent limited conditional non-self selfless manifestation of thought process and memory/imprint under the selfless support of the selfless energy and the many selfless elements.

Beyond the limited and conditional mortal existence and function of the body and mind, beyond the selfless limited and conditional mechanisms of the conscious mind awareness that can be present or absence (the different state of consciousness/semi-consciousness/unconsciousness), the perception, the receiver that receives inputs, the thought processor that processes inputs/information/experience/names and forms, the action performer that generates/delivers reflexes/responses/outputs/actions/reactions, the senses and the organs of the senses, the organs of action, the cognition, the memory storage/the accumulation of learning and experience/the imprint of perception/experience/names and forms/thought process/inputs and outputs, the intellect, the reasoning/discrimination/understanding, the emotion, the sensation, the thinking or the thought process/activity/current, the conscious/semi-conscious/unconscious actions and reactions, the fruit/effect/consequences of action and reaction, the internal genetic traits inheritance, the external influential conditions, the ties and connections, the ongoing experiences and interactions, the personal and collective affairs/events, the wakeful conscious state, the semi-awake/sleep/conscious or dream state, the deep sleep or unconscious/coma state, the purity or impurity/restlessness or calmness/known or unknown/correct understanding or incorrect understanding/selfishness or unselfishness in the modification of the mind, of what you think and acknowledge is you, or part of you, that belongs to you,

Is the all pervading timeless attributeless selfless universal consciousness that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, that is unlimited and unconditional (independent and permanent), devoid of 'birth and death or changes and decay', 'quality', 'name and form', 'thinking/thought', 'action/reaction', not to say, 'acknowledgement', 'attachment', 'identification', 'self-ness', 'I-ness', 'mine-ness', 'internal and external', 'discrimination', 'condition', 'judgment', 'myself and not myself or others', 'agreeable and disagreeable', 'desirable and undesirable', 'positive and negative', 'meaningful and meaningless', 'good and bad', 'right and wrong', 'perfection and imperfection', 'healthiness and unhealthiness', 'heaven and hell', 'past and future', or 'enjoyment and suffering' (that are all MERELY part of the momentary selfless manifestation within the selfless modification of the selfless mind), that pervades the entire space within and without all and everything, that hosts all kinds of selfless manifestations of you and all and everything that are all momentary, selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, to be momentarily existing/functioning/changing/being what you and all and everything are/decaying/disintegrating/ceased existing.

Keep practicing, keep going until you know yourself and understand about yourself, and then, you will also know and understand about all the others, and all and everything in this world that you perceive or experience. It is okay that you don't know many things, that you don't know everything. What you don't perceive or experience, is unknown to you, and that's okay.

It is to know all and everything that you perceive and experience of what you know, as what they are, as they are, under clarity, under the absence of impurities, restlessness, egoism, and the idea of 'I', or the ego, not being influenced or contaminated by all kinds of worldly egoistic impure restless thinking, ideas, beliefs, values, desires, aspirations, and practices.

The more you understand, the less disturbed you are.

The less disturbed you are, the more you understand.

And more importantly,

It is okay,

If after you exert continuous effort and would like to be able to let go all THAT, but somehow, you are aware of you still can't let go all THAT.

You are aware of you are unwell, unsettled, disturbed, confused, hurt, insecured, restless, exhausted, in doubt, in painful sorrow, in suffering, lost, or in need of help and guidance.

The presence of the precious selfless conscious awareness of being aware of you (a.k.a. the selfless impermanent limited and conditional mind stuff, or the conscious perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind) can't let go even if you have tried your best, but without judging or punishing yourself, is indicating the presence of the precious correct understanding and non-grasping, or the presence of wisdom and compassion, and that is already a great liberation.

The presence of non-grasping is more relevant than the complete annihilation of all THAT, or the state of absolute Silence/Samadhi.

While without attachment or expectation, the persist presence of non-grasping will eventually and naturally/effortlessly lead towards the annihilation of all THAT, without forcing, without struggling, without violence, without controlling.

And it's okay, if the mind still can't let go certain things, or still haven't attained direct self realization, or still have doubts at the end of life existence, but having the conscious awareness being aware of all that without grasping, without attachment, without identification, without judgment, without expectation. That is already served the purpose of the entire effort of practice. It really doesn't matter.

What matter is, before the selfless impermanent momentary life existence come to an end, when the selfless body and mind still have the energetic energy and endless possibility to be performing certain actions/activities via the selfless organs of action and expression, under specific conscious intention/aspiration and/or under random intentionless instinctive urge, that can impact all and everyone and everything in this world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, either destructively or constructively, that are being performed under the presence or absence of impurities, restlessness, egoism, and the idea of 'I', a.k.a. the veil of ignorance.

That is why it is so highly important for activating the conscious mind purification and silencing process, or the conscious mind evolution, to thin-out and eliminate impurities, restlessness, egoism, and the idea of 'I' or the ego from the selfless modification of the mind or the selfless mind stuff, even if it is selfless, impermanent, and momentary, because there are so much damage can be done via the selfless organs of action and expression during the short duration of the momentary existence and function of a selfless mind that is functioning under the influence of ignorance, that can impact all and everyone and everything for a prolonged extended duration.

So that the mind stops hurting itself and others and the surrounding environment out of disturbance/suffering/all kinds of impurities in the selfless modification of the mind under the influence of ignorance during its momentary selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function in this space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

So that the mind can make use of the existing knowledge, understanding, talent, skill, experience, ability, and opportunity to be doing something beneficial for oneself and all and everyone and everything in this world of many diversities that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, under the presence of the selfless wisdom and compassion, or peace and freedom, devoid of ignorance a.k.a. impurities, restlessness, egoism, and the idea of 'I'.

Never give up.

You can understand, if you want.

You don't have to become like the many other minds that don't understand, that are confused, that are being determined, influenced, and disturbed by all and everything that they come in contact with/perceive/experience, that are wittingly or unwittingly hurting all and everyone and everything out of the disturbed, disappointed, discontented, confused, violent, restless, insecured, exhausted, desperate, painful, and suffering state of mind.

It's okay, if you don't, and can't (fully) understand, in NOW.

This is also impermanent.

Just keep letting go, until there is nothing there that need to let go.

No judgment. No expectation.

Purify. Meditate. Inquire. Realize.

Even the most restless impure suffering minds also can attain peace and freedom, if they want, and only if they want (the indication of the presence of conscious mind awareness that is essential for activating the conscious mind evolution).

Inquire the truth of everything.

The selfless universal consciousness is attributeless, neither pure nor impure

When the mind is still functioning under the veil of ignorance, where the mind is still being conditioned by the mind perception of duality and 'I-ness' and 'mine-ness' under the influence of worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, aspirations, and practices, where the mind couldn't perceive, or grasp, or understand the teachings about 'The conscious mind evolution' and 'The mind purification and silencing process', and the one same essence in all and everything, about 'Selflessness', 'Oneness', 'Non-separateness', 'Non-self', 'Timelessness', as well as 'The timeless attributeless selfless universal consciousness', or 'The silent witness', it is normal and common that the mind will think and believe that there are many different individual consciousness under different degrees of impurities that exist in the many different bodies and minds respectively under different realms/conditions/qualities/traits, that there is different quality or attribute in the consciousness, that there is the higher pure consciousness and the lower impure consciousness, where there are different degrees of impurities existing in the different individual consciousness, where the mind thinks that the mind purification process is about purifying and removing the impurities in the contaminated corrupted impure consciousness, to make the consciousness to become pure, to regain its original state of purity, that is identical with the universal pure consciousness.

There is nothing wrong, and it's common and natural that the mind will think and understand in such way under the influence of ignorance.

Upon the annihilation of ignorance after engaging in the genuine and persevered mind purification and silencing process, the same mind will realize that it is not what it thought it is, but there is also nothing wrong, because the presence of that impure incorrect understanding in the mind, where the selfless thinking and acting faculty under the presence of conscious awareness is aware of the presence of ignorance/unknown/impurities in itself, and hence, there is the intense yearning towards liberation, knowledge, purity, and peace, that activates the mind purification and silencing process to be annihilating the veil of ignorance, of restlessness, impurities, the idea of 'I', and egoism, and to be engaging in the self inquiry process to inquire towards the truth of everything.

That incorrect understanding of 'Purifying the inferior lower impure consciousness to regain the state of purity and become one or identical with the superior highest pure universal consciousness', which has been the main conscious desire/motivation that motivates the mind to be engaging in the mind purification and silencing process diligently and determinedly, even though it is not at all about purifying the consciousness that is neither pure nor impure, that doesn't need to be purified, but then, eventually the engagement in all kinds of genuine persevered practice and observation will lead towards the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, a.k.a. the silence of the restless egoistic impure mind stuff/thought current/thought activities/restless modification of the mind, devoid of the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, that enables the mind to realize or see the truth of all that.

Because the mind couldn't grasp something that the mind doesn't know, that is unknown to the mind.

The mind might be able to perceive, know, and understand towards, "I am aware of/experiencing/conscious towards this or that, I know and understand and remember this and that, or I am not aware of/not experiencing/unconscious towards this or that, I don't know and don't understand and don't remember this or that."

Under certain innovative scientific tools or machines deriving from advanced science and technology, where the tools/machines can detect certain gross and subtle conscious and unconscious brains activities/thought current, of thinking, emotions, restlessness, calmness, sleep state, dreaming, or deep sleep state, of the state of consciousness (wakeful state/conscious activities), the state of semi-consciousness (semi-awake/sleep state and dreaming/semi-conscious activities), and the state of unconsciousness (deep sleep state/coma/autonomous selfless operation of the selfless bodily systems ceaselessly operating for basic life maintenance even under complete absence of conscious awareness or conscious physical and mental activities, that is highly essential for life maintenance/regeneration/rehabilitation/recuperation).

But then, "The selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness? Selflessness? Timelessness? Attributelessness? Universal consciousness?" The mind puzzled.

Just as the infinite space, that is nameless/formless/shapeless/sizeless/weightless/tasteless/soundless/smell-less/attributeless/substanceless/motionless/timeless/limitless, that doesn't increase of decrease regardless of all kinds of names and forms under different qualities ceaselessly arising, changing, and passing away in the infinite space, that one cannot see, cannot touch, cannot feel, cannot hear, cannot smell, cannot taste, cannot imagine, cannot hold, cannot keep, cannot measure, and cannot destroy, but one cannot deny that it is here and there and everywhere, within and without all and everything that are under certain names and forms of certain qualities.

Before the mind attains direct self realization towards the all pervading infinite timeless attributeless selfless universal consciousness that pervades all and everyone and everything selflessly, it is normal and nothing wrong that the mind might understand and refer 'the selfless universal consciousness' that is being mentioned in both the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism as something of pure quality, or of the highest purity, that 'belongs to' the highest 'authority' of the universe a.k.a. the 'creator of the universe', that is distinct and separated from the many different 'individual consciousness' that are impure, that 'exist' in the many different individual sentient living organisms respectively, that 'belongs to' each of the many different individual impure bodies and minds respectively, where after engaging in the mind purification process to be purifying the impure consciousness that is being contaminated by all kinds of impurities, the individual consciousness will regain its original state of purity, which will then become one and identical with, or non-distinctive from the superior highest and purest consciousness of the 'creator of the universe', that 'belongs to' the 'creator of the universe'. And hence, there is the proclamation of, "I am THAT."

The mind might misunderstand that the mind purification process or the path of yoga/buddhism/meditation, is about purifying the lower impure individual consciousness (some minds might refer that as the permanent independent immortal individual soul) to be free from impurities to regain the original state of purity, to become pure again, to become one and identical with the superior highest and purest universal consciousness that 'belongs' to the 'creator of the universe', and hence, some minds refer that as, "I am the immortal pure soul," or "I am the infinite pure consciousness," or "I am THAT."

The selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness doesn't belong to anyone or anything, not even 'belongs to' the universe, no to say, the so called 'creator of the universe' that 'exists in' and 'belongs respectively to' the many different worldly beliefs under different names and forms.

It is the selfless universal consciousness, because it is the one same all pervading timeless attributeless selfless consciousness that pervades the entire infinite space, that pervades and exists within and without all and everything, regardless of living organisms or non-living objects that had existed, that are existing or have been existing, that are constantly changing and decaying, and that are disintegrating and ceased existing, in NOW.

It is all pervading within and without all kinds of selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary names and forms that ceaselessly arising, changing, and passing away under the influence of the intentionless indiscriminate nature's law of cause and effect in this infinite space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

Under the absence of the selfless conscious mind awareness, or under the state of semi-conscious, or being unconscious, where the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind is semi-conscious/unconscious towards anything, there are still some semi-conscious physical and mental activities (such as dreaming and/or sleep walking during sleep, or wild imaginations and hallucinations under the influence of substances, or under certain physical condition and mental state), or there are ceaseless subtle autonomous life maintenance activities ceaselessly receiving inputs and/or releasing outputs operated under the different selfless autonomous bodily systems, even though the selfless universal consciousness is always here and there and everywhere, as it is, never appear or disappear, never increase or decrease.

Just as the sun is always there as it is, never appear or disappear. However, under the movement of the earth (just like the inter-changing conscious, semi-conscious, and unconscious states and activities of the body and mind) and the various elements in the atmosphere (just like the impurities and restless thought activities in the modification of the mind), the sun (just like the selfless universal consciousness) appears to be appearing and disappearing, generating the false impression of day and night, or sunrise and sunset, or the light and heat appears to be mild or intense.

Just like the body and mind being fully aware (wakeful), or semi-aware (sleep/dream), or unaware (deep sleep, or coma), of the different states/degrees of conscious awareness (just like the movements of the earth and the various elements in the atmosphere that are ceaselessly changing) generating the false impression of the consciousness appears to be coming and going (just like the sun appears to be rising and setting), while it is actually the selfless mind conscious awareness that is changing, that is presence or absence, that appears or disappears, that appears to be strong or weak, and hence, there is the practice of developing and empowering the limited and conditional degrees of awareness, or alertness, or focus, or attentiveness.

That is also why, after a prolonged duration of wakefulness/alertness or intense focus on something, the mind will become tired, and needs to take rest/momentarily shut-off. Just like the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and the different functions of the body and mind, the conscious mind awareness/focus/attentiveness, or the willpower/patience/forbearance/endurance/energy level is also limited and conditional.

The only 'thing' that is unlimited and unconditional, is the infinite independent permanent timeless attributeless all pervading selfless universal consciousness.

 

The selfless impermanent limited and conditional world of names and forms, of inevitable ceaseless maintenance during the momentary existence and function, of non-satisfactory momentary perishable goodness or pleasurable enjoyment, and the inevitable/evitable impermanent painful suffering that is being perceived/experienced by the selfless mind under the presence of the conscious mind awareness, don't exist, if without the selfless function of the selfless mind functioning under the existence of the selfless universal consciousness that gives rise to the conscious mind awareness to the mind, to be conscious towards itself internally (the physical structure) and externally (the surrounding environment).

Whether the selfless body and mind is living/activating/functioning consciously/semi-consciously/unconsciously, or not, and is 'being aware of' the ceaseless changes in the selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function of the selfless body and mind that has a beginning of existence and an end of existence, or not, it doesn't affect the timeless attributeless all pervading selfless universal consciousness.

There might be certain illness/injury/damage happening to the brains, or the nerves, or the senses, or the organs of the senses, where there is certain partial dysfunction or complete dysfunction of the brains, or the nerves, or the senses, or the organs of the senses, where the body and mind might not be able to function as it is, but that also doesn't affect the selfless universal consciousness.

Just as there are all kinds of activities that are happening in the universe, of countless names and forms ceaselessly arising, changing, and passing away, but all that don't affect, or damage, or contaminate the infinite space, that is always there, as it is.

 

The selfless universal consciousness doesn't increase or decrease, and doesn't come and go, even if the energy level can be high or low, or the body and mind can be functioning efficiently or inefficiently, or the body and mind is fully conscious/aware, or semi-conscious/aware, or unconscious/unaware, or whether there is the presence or absence of ignorance, restlessness, or impurities in the modification of the mind, or the different states of mind, as well as upon the body and mind ceaselessly decaying, weakening, and disintegrating, or completely ceased existing and functioning.

The selfless universal consciousness that pervades all and everything, that enables the living organisms to have the conscious awareness to be aware/conscious of its selfless impermanent momentary existence and function as well as the surrounding environment, is the one same consciousness in all and everything.

There are many different individual selfless bodies and minds that have their own particular cause and effect and traits/qualities/conditions/abilities/disabilities/limitations to be existing and functioning as what they are, but there is no different separate individual consciousness of specific permanent independent immortal individual self identity, that belongs to each particular individual selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary living being or non-living object respectively, not to say, there is no 'lower impure individual consciousness'.

It is attributeless. It is permanent and unchanging. It is infinite, limitless, and unconditional. It is neither superior nor inferior. It is neither pure nor impure. There is neither pure consciousness nor impure consciousness. There is neither higher consciousness nor lower consciousness. There is neither my consciousness nor your/his/her/its consciousness.

The selfless universal consciousness is the selfless actionless timeless silent witness that has been witnessing all kinds of selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary names and forms ceaselessly arising, changing, and passing away upon it, that is untouched, uncontaminated, undetermined, unaffected, uninfluenced, unchanged, or undamaged by all THAT as well as the presence or absence of all kinds of impurities, restlessness, the idea of 'I', and egoism, of all kinds of physical and mental conditions/states/activities/abilities/disabilities/limitations, thoughts, feelings, emotions, sensations, memories, imaginations, ideas, beliefs, values, understanding and non-understanding, desires and don't desires, behaviors, actions, reactions that ceaselessly arising, changing, and passing away upon the selfless universal consciousness throughout the countless different selfless bodies and minds.

Just as all kinds of different images or contents of the different movies being projected onto the screen don't affect, or contaminate, or damage, or change the screen. The screen (just like the selfless universal consciousness that pervades the entire infinite space) is what allowing the countless different movies (all kinds of manifestations/perceptions of names and forms under different causes and effects) to be screened upon it for the viewers (the perceptive minds under the presence of conscious awareness) to watch (to perceive/experience/be aware of) the movies (the mind perception of all kinds of names and forms/experiences/impermanent changes), and to have different reflection/understanding/opinions/thoughts/ideas/actions/reactions towards the different movies (pleased or displeased, desirable or undesirable, agreeable or disagreeable, like or dislike, enjoyable or non-enjoyable, inspiring or non-inspiring, enlightening or non-enlightening, elevating or depressing, calming or disturbing, grasping or non-grasping, and etc).

The difference between the screen and the selfless universal consciousness, is that the screen is a name and form like all the other names and forms that are impermanent, limited, and conditional, that is subject to decay and disintegration, that can be damaged and destroyed, that will affect the quality of the images or contents of the movies being projected onto it, that will cease existing, but not the selfless universal consciousness.

The selfless universal consciousness witnesses and reflects all and everything as they are, however, the presence of the veil of ignorance, or the restlessness, the impurities, the idea of 'I', and egoism in the selfless modification of the mind distort or corrupt the reflection of all and everything, and/or hinder the mind to perceive/know/see/understand all and everything as they are.

It is like the mirror will reflect all and everything as it is, however, the presence of dust, or dirt, or cracks, or movement will distort or corrupt the reflection, or hinder the mind to see the reflection of all and everything as they are. Similarly, the mirror is also a name and form that is impermanent, limited, and conditional, but not the selfless universal consciousness.

It is the selfless impermanent limited and conditional mind stuff, or the selfless function/modification/activity/state of the mind, that appears to be pure/calmed/egoless under the absence of impurities, restlessness, or the idea of 'I' and egoism, and that appears to be impure/agitated/disturbed/restless/egoistic under the presence of impurities, restless thought activities, or the idea of 'I' and egoism.

Under the presence of impurities, restlessness, and the idea of 'I' and egoism, the impure restless egoistic modification of the mind (the selfless corrupted mind stuff - the cognition, the understanding, the intellect, the reasoning power, the thinking and behavior pattern, the action and reaction) is the selfless subject that needs to be undergoing the mind purification process to be purifying and eliminating impurities, restlessness, the idea of 'I', and egoism from the selfless impermanent modification of the mind, so that the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty that perceives and that is conscious/aware of all kinds of names and forms under the presence of the selfless conscious mind awareness to be conscious/aware of all THAT that are being reflected upon the selfless universal consciousness, can now perceive/see/know/understand all the names and forms that it perceives through the senses, or the objects of the awareness/perception/senses as what they are, as they are.

Upon the direct self realization towards all that under a purified and quiet modification of the mind (clarity), the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting faculty (the selfless mind) will know that there is only the one same all pervading timeless attributeless selfless universal consciousness that pervades all and everyone and everything, within and without, that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

 

There is not any lower inferior individual consciousness that is impure (that is distinct and separated from the so called 'highest superior universal pure consciousness'), that needs to be purified to become pure, to regain the state of purity, and to become one and identical with the selfless universal consciousness. It is always the one same all pervading timeless attributeless selfless universal consciousness.

Similarly, the selfless mind stuff/function/mechanism is also neither pure nor impure, even though they can be functioning under the presence or absence of impurities, because the impurities don't belong to them, or the impurities are not them or part of them.

That is also why, it is absolutely possible to free the mind stuff from the veil of ignorance, of restlessness, impurities, the idea of 'I', and egoism. It is like the dirt or dust, that is landing on the subject that can be removed/cleaned up/eliminated from the subject. However, the dirt or dust can be very stubborn to be removed/cleaned up/eliminated, that requires prolonged and persevered continuous action of cleaning under the help of certain tools.

Similarly, the minds are neither good nor bad, even though the minds can be functioning under the presence or absence of the veil of ignorance and its by-products, and hence, the minds can appear to be good or bad, kind or unkind, selfish or unselfish, wise or ignorant. Under this understanding, one will know that all minds can be free and have peace, or be kind, if they want, and be willingly to exert effort for that.

 

The different impermanent limited and conditional selfless bodies and minds/names and forms/living organisms/objects coming and going in this infinite space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, generating different causes (actions) and effects (consequences of actions) impacting all and everyone and everything, either wittingly or unwittingly, and they are never the same but ceaselessly changing, but the selfless timeless attributeless universal consciousness is still the same. The infinite space of the universe is still the same. They are not being affected, or damaged, or contaminated by all kinds of selfless manifestations being what they are.

The many different individual selfless perceptive minds have their own particular individual and/or collective group perceptions/experiences/cause and effect/impermanent changes in their respective momentary existence, and might or might not remember/recall all the perceptions/experiences/actions and consequences of actions/impermanent changes from the moment of forming/arising (birth) until the moment of disintegrating/passing away (death) under the selfless function of the memory and memory storage (just like the timeless selfless imprints of everything imprinted in/witnessed by the timeless selfless universal consciousness), however, it is the one same selfless timeless universal consciousness (the one and only silent witness) that pervades all and everyone and everything, that has been witnessing all and everyone and everything, of the ceaseless births and deaths of the countless names and forms, of the ceaseless impermanent changes in the countless names and forms in between arising (birth/the beginning of existence) and passing away (death/the end of existence).

The minds that understand this, they will also understand towards what is 'the recollection of countless momentary existence of the many different names and forms under different qualities existing momentarily under different time, space, and causation' (that is being mistaken as 'the countless and endless reincarnations of the respective immortal individual consciousness/soul' reincarnating into countless and endless 'different existences' transitioning under 'different realms', under different time, space, and causation, in an infinite loop of 'the wheel of ceaseless births and deaths'), that are merely the timeless imprints of the timeless selfless manifestations of all kinds of momentary names and forms arising, changing, and passing away upon the selfless timeless all pervading universal consciousness (the one and only timeless silent witness that witnesses the timeless and endless manifestations of countless names and forms manifesting/arising under different qualities/states/conditions, and ceaselessly changing and passing away under different time (era), space (location), and causation (cause and effect)), where some of the selfless perceptive minds might be able to perceive or have a glimpse towards the flashing of the random imprints of 'the timeless countless manifestations (different births and deaths) of countless different selfless momentary names and forms, arising, changing, and passing away under different realms/conditions/qualities in different time, space, and causation respectively' that don't belong to this particular selfless mind that only exists momentarily in NOW, in this particular selfless body, that has its own particular perceptions/experiences/impermanent changes/conditions/states/qualities/traits/cause and effect, and its particular memory storage of all that, in NOW.

All these imprints of the timeless selfless impermanent limited and conditional manifestations of countless different names and forms witnessed by and imprinted in the one and only timeless selfless silent witness a.k.a. the one same timeless selfless universal consciousness that pervades all and everything, are neither good nor bad, neither positive nor negative. That is also why there is the highly essential and basic teaching and practice of yoga and buddhism of non-grasping/non-attachment/non-identification/non-craving/non-aversion/non-comparison/non-judgment/non-expectation, for all the selfless impermanent momentary minds that have the intense yearning towards knowledge, liberation, freedom, and peace, during their momentary existence and function in this space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

That's why, the selfless mind only knows and remembers what it knows and what it can remember that it has been perceiving/experiencing in its particular selfless impermanent momentary existence and function in NOW, that there is only this particular selfless impermanent limited and conditional momentary mortal life existence and function of this particular selfless body and mind (limited adjunct) that is constantly changing, decaying, and disintegrating, and eventually, it will pass away or ceased existing, and there are NO past previous countless lives or future next continuous lives (the worldly egoistic belief of 'ceaseless and endless loop of reincarnation' of 'a permanent independent immortal infinite individual self identity that doesn't exist' to be 'reincarnating' endlessly into different finite momentary mortal existence of different names and forms transitioning under different realms, under different time, space, and causation, in accordance to the worldly egoistic belief/values/practice of the endless generation and accumulation of inexhaustible good and bad karma) of this particular selfless body and mind, that is impermanent, limited, conditional, and non-self, that only exists and ceaselessly changing, in NOW.

Most of the time, when the minds think and believe that they 'see', or 'feel', or 'experience' something that is not real, that doesn't exist in the reality, in NOW, it is merely some wild imaginations or hallucinations that happen under certain physical condition and/or mental state, or under the influence of certain substances. Just like dreams. Dreams are not real. If the mind thinks and believes that all the dreams that it perceives as something real, it is insanity.

If it is not merely some wild imaginations, or hallucinations, or dreams that are not real at all, where the minds claimed that they could fully consciously 'know' or 'perceive' something that they think and believe is 'their own' countless ceaseless reincarnations in countless different existences of countless different names and forms transitioning under different realms/conditions/qualities under different time, space, and causation, but they are merely some random flashing of selfless imprints deriving from the all pervading timeless selfless universal consciousness (the timeless silent witness) that has been witnessing the countless selfless manifestations of countless names and forms under different time, space, and causation, manifesting under different realms/conditions/qualities/states, that don't belong to these particular minds that only exist selflessly and momentarily in this particular impermanent, limited, and conditional existence and ceaselessly changing, in NOW.

There is the beneficial reason why the one same timeless selfless universal consciousness in all and everything, or the one and only timeless silent witness of all and everything, is unknown to most minds, even when it exists in all and everything, and all perceptive minds are being conscious because of that. It will be tremendously over-whelming, and extremely disturbing and confusing for the minds that don't really understand what and why are all those flashing of random imprints coming from the timeless limitless selfless universal consciousness that don't even belong to themselves, and such experience/happening will be treated and referred as insanity.

 

Many minds would like/wish to be able to know what is going on in the minds of others, under specific intention or desire, that is their freedom of thinking and desire, but if they know the truth of the restless impure mind stuff, they won't even want to confront with their own restless impure corrupted modification of the mind, not to say, they would not want to know about what is going on in the mind of anyone, as it will be extremely disturbing and exhausting. Just by dealing with the restless impure mind stuff in oneself, is already so difficult, over-whelming, confusing, and exhausting, not to say, if being consciously aware of what is going on in all the other minds that are full of all kinds of desires, greed, violence, hypocrisy, lies, plotting, scheming, anticipation, projection, ill will, hatred, anger, jealousy, fear, worry, insanity, madness, confusions, corruptions, wild imaginations, hallucinations, impurities, and restlessness, as well as all kinds of painful sorrow and suffering, while not being able to interfere with all the others being what and how they are under the influence of the nature's law of cause and effect.

That is why the universal consciousness is also selfless, even if it is permanent, independent, or infinite.

There is no painful suffering in the all pervading timeless attributeless selfless universal consciousness, even when it is the timeless silent witness timelessly witnessing towards all kinds of painful suffering that the countless selfless impure egoistic restless minds had/have been generating and undergoing, under the veil of ignorance.

It is only the countless selfless conscious perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting minds functioning selflessly under the selfless impermanent limited and conditional mortal physical structure that is non-self, that doesn't even belong to the selfless body and mind itself, that is the one that perceives all kinds of painful sorrow and suffering, or the notion of 'I am not free' due to being ignorant towards all these selfless natural manifestations, under the influence of the veil of ignorance, not knowing that they themselves and all and everything are selfless.

The sense of separateness and duality, as well as pride and shame, low and high self esteem, positiveness and negativeness, goodness and badness, righteousness and evilness, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, offensiveness and defensiveness, togetherness and aloneness, possessiveness, discrimination, discontentment, greed, clinging, the conscious desire and/or the instinctive urge to control/to possess/to hoard/to own/to protect/to be strong and powerful, and fear, that exist under the sense of separateness and duality deriving from ignorance, will all be vanished from the modification of the mind, upon the direct self realization towards all these.

Regardless of whether the minds realize or don't realize towards all THAT, it doesn't change the truth of selflessness, impermanence, limitation, conditional, and non-self. Beyond all the different qualities of the different names and forms, beyond the selfless mind stuff, or the selfless functions/mechanisms of the selfless perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind, or the different selfless impermanent states of mind, beyond the selfless mind perception towards the world of selfless impermanent limited and conditional names and forms, is the one same infinite timeless attributeless selfless universal consciousness.

However, the realization towards all THAT during the momentary existence and function of the countless selfless impermanent minds under the countless selfless impermanent physical structures in this world of diversity that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, is the highest duty of all minds, so that the minds stop hurting themselves and others and the surrounding environment during their momentary existence and function in this infinite space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, resting in unconditional peace and freedom, being undetermined, undisturbed, and uninfluenced by the boundless ignorance in this selfless impermanent world of all kinds of limited, conditional, and non-self momentary mortal existence of diverse names and forms that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

Renunciation, dispassion, right discrimination or basic correct understanding, seclusion, solitude, silence, mental and emotional independence, meditation, contemplation, self inquiry, determination, perseverance, forbearance, acceptance, adjustment, adaptation, accommodation, intense yearning towards absolute knowledge/liberation from ignorance and suffering/unconditional peace and freedom, non-attachment and non-identification, non-craving and non-aversion, non-judgment and non-expectation, non-violence, non-clinging, and non-grasping, are the essential elements of The Middle Path in both yoga and buddhism that will lead towards direct self realization towards all THAT.

 

If the mind doesn't know this, where it has doubt (and, the mind should be doubting*) towards the truth of all these, then the mind can engage in certain methods or practices that can help to purify and quiet the modification of the mind, to be inquiring towards the truth of all these, to attain direct self realization towards all these.

*Doubting, is absolutely nothing wrong, and it indicates the possibility of conscious mind evolution. Doubting towards the truth of something or everything, apart from the direct or indirect experience of painful sorrow and suffering, is the highly essential element that initiates the mind purification and silencing process, to be inquiring towards the truth of everything, to be free from ignorance, to attain direct self realization towards the truth of everything.

Just as the young Siddhartha Gautama Buddha was being initiated by the indirect non-personal experience under the perception/coming in contact with/awareness towards the existence of painful sorrow and suffering in all the others in the surrounding environment, towards the inevitable suffering of selfless impermanent limited and conditional existence and function that needs ceaseless effort for maintenance, of inevitable changes, decay, aging, weakness, illness, and disintegration, or death, and had ignited the intense yearning towards knowledge, liberation, freedom, and peace in himself, even when he hadn't have any direct personal experience towards painful sorrow and suffering (yet), while being determined to attain direct self realization towards the truth of suffering, and eventually, he attained self realization after years of renunciation while learning and observing all kinds of methods and practices from different teachers of different lineages and paths, and underwent the different paths of extremity that didn't work, that led to the realization towards the middle path, that eventually led to the self realization towards the mind stuff, the truth of Selflessness, Impermanence, Limitation, Conditional, and Non-self, and the nature's law of cause and effect.

"All have the one same essence of BUDDHA." - Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

Do not blind-believe, blind-follow, blind-agree/disagree, blind-practice, or blind-propagate anything from anyone.

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

Inquire towards all the teachings of yoga and buddhism

All the existing teachings of yoga and buddhism, that are available under certain names and forms, regardless of authentic or contaminated, are existing for the minds to have a guidance, or a direction, or a subject to perform self inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything.

There is neither right nor wrong in all kinds of authentic or contaminated teachings, where many of the teachings are contaminated by the many worldly passionate egoistic impure ideas, beliefs, values, desires, and practices.

The upmost important teaching and practice, is the engagement in the mind purification process (annihilating the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, a.k.a. the veil of ignorance) to be preparing the mind for performing self inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything, free from the influence of worldly egoistic ideas, beliefs, values, practices, or desires, to be attaining direct self realization towards the truth of all kinds of existing teachings and practices in the world of yoga and buddhism, as well as in all kinds of existing beliefs/ideas/values/practices/desires/inspirations/aspirations in the world of passion and egoism, regardless of whether it is the truth as it is, or it is false information/incorrect understanding/misinterpretation/lies/story telling/fairy tales/myths/hypocrisy/justification/manipulation/propaganda, and etc, under a purified and calmed/quiet/focused mind, that enables the mind to see things as they are, where all and everything (true or untrue) are just what they are, neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, neither positive nor negative, which will allow the mind to be free, to be liberated from ignorance and the consequences of ignorance.

A calmed and quiet and focused mind (attentiveness), is also neither good nor bad, neither right nor wrong, neither positive nor negative, as even a calmed and quiet and focused mind might not be free from evil intention and generating harmful activity, under the undisturbed and focused state of mind.

There might still be the idea of 'I' and egoism in the modification of the mind being conditioned by certain worldly egoistic impure ideas, beliefs, values, practices, or desires, to behave, act and react, even though the mind can be in a momentary state of calmness, quietness, focus, or attentiveness.

There are many well-trained soldiers are performing their task or duty of engaging in violence fighting and killing and destruction unto many other lives and things, as well as selfish power greedy ambitious prideful politicians and world leaders, or even highly intelligent and knowledgeable ambitious scientists, could be passionately engaging in many creative ideas, propaganda, manipulation, activities, dealings, and affairs that involved all kinds of selfishness, cruelty, and violence, under intense attentiveness of a calmed and quiet and focused state of mind, directing the entire energy and attention onto one single object or issue.

Similarly, intense hatred is also a form of intense attentiveness towards the object of hatred. The mind is focusing fully unto something that it hates very much, as well as focusing unto the planning about how it can hurt and destroy the object of hatred, undisturbed by all the other things and happenings in the surrounding environment.

That's why the importance of the basic correct understanding (the seed of wisdom and kindness), right effort, right attitude, and right attentiveness.

That's why the importance of non-blind believing, non-blind following, non-blind practicing, non-blind agreeing/disagreeing, non-blind glorifying, non-blind admiring, and non-blind propagating.

That's why the importance of dispassion, renunciation, solitude, seclusion, silence, Satsanga (wise company) and Asanga (aloneness/devoid of company), mental and emotional independence.

That's why the importance of "I don't know and don't understand many things, and I am confused and not sure about the truth of many things," regardless of the continuous accumulation of all kinds of knowledge and experiences, and not "I know something or many things. I am highly educated and knowledgeable. I have many experiences. I did a lot of research. Needless to lecture me about what I know and don't know."

Doubt, regardless of doubting oneself or doubting others and everything, is something highly essential in yoga and buddhism, as it activates the process of self inquiry to be inquiring towards the truth of everything, to attain direct self realization towards absolute knowledge (the truth of everything as it is), and to know Thyself, be free from blind-believing, blind-following, blind-agreeing/disagreeing, blind-practicing, blind-glorifying, blind-admiring, and blind-propagating, however, it is being seen or referred as a form of badness, or wrongfulness, or weakness, or shortcoming, or failure, or low confidence/self-esteem, or lack of faith, or disobedience and disrespectfulness towards the existence of so called 'authority/superiority' which is the by-products of ignorance, or even 'sinful and punishable', under the many worldly egoistic impure beliefs, ideas, values, desires, and practices.

Similarly, to be able to step back and let go, or to not hurt others under any circumstances, is the greatest strength in yoga and buddhism, while it is being seen or referred as weakness, or humiliation, or failure, under the many worldly egoistic beliefs, ideas, values, desires, and practices.

This 'right' in the right effort, right attitude, and right attentiveness, is nothing to do with the right and wrong in the many different worldly egoistic ways of thinking, ideas, beliefs, values, and practices, or the right and the left or the center in the worldly politics and political parties.

It's about what promote wisdom (correct understanding) that gives rise to peace in oneself and in the surrounding environment, which is the highest essential or crucial supportive element for all kinds of names and forms that are selfless, impermanent, limited, conditional, non-self, and momentary, to be sharing this space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything, without attachment, greed, possessiveness, separateness, or discrimination.

Just as all the different individual selfless cells/bodily structures/organs/systems/components in the selfless physical body that work together selflessly that allows the body to be existing and functioning as what it is. If each individual cell/bodily structure/organ/system/component is not selfless, but is functioning under the idea of 'I' and egoism, it will be exactly like what is going on in this world of human beings, where most minds are functioning under the idea of 'I' and egoism, and hence, the world is full of destructive hurtful activities against each other - complete man made disaster, or self destruction.

Even the most ignorant impure restless minds in the world, can also be free from ignorance.

These are the basic education for all humanity, for healthy minds, for responsible and understanding human beings, for healthy environment, for self independence, for happy parents, for happy children, for happy young people, for happy adults, for happy elders, for happy family, for happy relationships, for personal peace, for peaceful and harmonious community of diversity, for world peace. All these are inter-related to one another.

Inquire the truth of everything. 

If still in doubt, contemplate upon this

There is neither right nor wrong and it is neither good nor bad in all kinds of spiritual/religious beliefs, including the misinterpreted or contaminated 'teachings and practice of buddhism and yoga' that are existing in the world, even if they appeared to be something very disagreeable, or wrong, or bad, or destructive, or that inflict/generate many unnecessary evitable suffering unto oneself/others/the surrounding environment and into the world that doesn't belong to anyone, for those minds that have developed certain degrees of mental and emotional independence, correct understanding, or clarity of thinking and reasoning power, but somehow there is still a thin layer of ignorance, where they are still in doubt, where they are still not free from being bound by the idea of 'I'/dualism/disturbs/suffering/painful sorrow.

If the mind is still in doubt, couldn't understand why there is neither right nor wrong and it is neither good nor bad about all that, the mind can contemplate upon this -

Most minds are functioning under the thick veil of ignorance.

And hence, the mind is thinking/reasoning/desiring/behaving/acting/reacting in certain way under the influence of ignorance and the by-products of ignorance, either wittingly or unwittingly, that would be damaging and hurtful unto itself/others/the world/the surrounding environment, which also bring along the consequences of all that.

The mind that is functioning under the veil of ignorance cannot perceive or understand something that it couldn't perceive and understand, such as the eyes cannot see themselves, or the eyes couldn't see anything under the absence of light or under the presence of hindrance, and hence, it needs to depend on certain 'tools' or 'reflective objects' and 'the presence of light' as well as 'the absence of hindrance', in order to annihilate the veil of ignorance, to see/know Thyself.

All minds are functioning under the different degrees of ignorance, including the great teachers such as Siddhartha Gautama, Swami Sivananda, Ajahn Chah, and all the other enlightened gurus, saints and sages. That's why they are called "The enlightened one", as they were in doubt, and they needed to be approaching certain 'teachers', or coming in contact with and studying certain 'teachings', and engaging in certain form of discipline, or practice, or purification process, before they attained "enlightenment".

The different degrees of ignorance is like the different thickness of cataract that built up in the lens of the eyes.

The sun or the light is always there, just as the truth is always there. The earth that is turning at a particular speed and direction that makes the sun or the light appears and disappears, while generating the illusion of 'time'/'day and night', while the clouds or the atmosphere in the space also act as the 'hindrance' or 'colour filter' that changes the 'appearance' and 'disappearance' of the sun or the light.

The cataract is like the veil of ignorance, which can be removed. The only difference is that, the cataract has to be removed by some others (the eye surgeon, or a machine that is programmed to perform such task), but the veil of ignorance in the mind can only be removed by the mind itself through self-awareness, self-initiative, self-effort, self-inquiry, direct experience, and self-realization. During the process of removing the cataract or the veil of ignorance, certain 'tools' are needed.

There are very few minds that don't need any particular 'tool'/'teacher'/'teachings'/'guidance', as the veil of ignorance is almost transparent or non-existing, where it can see all and everything as they are, as well as all and everything that it perceives naturally appeared to be 'the teachers' or 'the reflective object that reflects all and everything as they are' that allow the mind to see/know Thyself.

All kinds of spiritual/religious beliefs, regardless of believing or disbelieving in 'this' or 'that', as well as the buddhism and yoga Scriptures/Sutras/books/materials, where they all can be and will be contaminated and misinterpreted, all are existing and acting as 'the tools'. Regardless of whether they are contaminated or non-contaminated, they all served the purpose as an initial 'guidance', or 'practice', or 'discipline', or 'path', or 'direction', for the wandering or lost minds that are functioning under the thick veil of ignorance.

Most minds need to hold onto certain 'beliefs' or 'teachings' before they can transcend all kinds of beliefs or teachings. Very few minds don't need all that.

First, the mind is heading towards a particular direction or goal (by engaging in certain discipline or practice genuinely and determinedly), and during that purification process, the mind will eventually start to see 'things' clearer and clearer, and then, eventually the mind can start to see all and everything clearly as it is (transcending all kinds of teachers/teachings/beliefs/Scriptures/Sutras/practice/discipline/path/direction/goal).

First, the ignorant minds are being encouraged to believe and have faith in 'That', to be taking refuge in 'That', to be praying to 'That', and to be grateful as well as be fearful towards 'That', or to be fearful towards 'unpleasant or painful consequences', or to be fearful towards 'ceaseless and restless births and deaths'.

And then, upon the annihilation of the veil of ignorance, or upon the mind sees/knows Thyself, the mind transcends 'That' and 'all that', that only served or acted as a 'tool'/'guidance'/'teacher'/'teachings'/'path'/'practice'/'direction'/'goal'/'refuge', or 'the light' that allows the eyes to see.

First, the illusive 'I' that is 'ignorant', that is in 'doubt', and that perceives 'suffering', that keeps hurting itself and others out of ignorance and suffering, is performing certain 'practice', or is engaging in certain 'observation and discipline', and is desiring to attain 'enlightenment', or 'salvation', or 'liberation'.

And then, upon Self-realization or knowing Thyself, there is no 'I'. There is no 'ignorance'. There is no 'end of ignorance'. There is no 'doubt'. There is no 'fear'. There is no 'suffering'. There is no 'end of suffering'. There is no 'path'. There is no 'goal'. There is no 'direction'. There is no 'practice'. There is no 'enlightenment'. There is no 'salvation'. There is no 'liberation'. There is no 'That'.

And yet, the engagement in mind purification process in order to know Thyself, or to be free from ignorance and its by-products, or to remove the veil of ignorance, is upmost important, or the highest duty of mankind, so that the mind doesn't hurt or stops hurting itself and others and the surrounding environment, or the world, during its momentary selfless and impermanent existence and function in this space that doesn't belong to anyone or anything.

The train, the train track, the fuels, and the train driver, served the purpose of bringing the travellers to any particular destination. If for any reasons, the travellers decide to leave the train before arriving at the final destination, that is their own freedom. While either intentionally or unintentionally, some travellers would sabotage or cause damages unto the train, or cause interference, disruption, and even injury unto some other travellers onboard, or claim possessiveness and control over the train and those onboard, or hinder and stop some others from embarking onto the train, or persuade/force some other travellers to leave the train, or even divert the train path heading towards some other directions and destinations. Meanwhile, some travellers might have embarked onto a train that they thought it would bring them to where they want to go, however, during the journey, they realized that they have taken the wrong train, and they leave the train and embark onto another train that would bring them to where they want to go. Upon reaching the (final) destination, all that are useless as well as 'non-existence' to the travellers upon Self-realization. All that exist along with the existence of travellers that need to travel to somewhere. If there are no travellers, all that doesn't need to be existing. The travellers don't take or keep the train/the train track/the fuels/the driver with them. But, all and everyone needs to embark onto the train (that also has the train track/fuels/driver), or else, they are not going anywhere.

Just as performing many different types of physical and mental yoga and meditation practice passionately and regularly without implementing the elimination of ignorance, the idea of 'I' and egoism, while enjoying all kinds of momentary benefits/effects of the practice, doesn't lead the mind towards Self-realization.

That's why the importance of Satsanga (wise company).

That's why the importance of if there's no Satsanga, it's better to be Asanga (devoid of company) than to be having Kutsanga (ignorant egoistic impure company).

That's why the importance of solitude and seclusion.

That's why the importance of renunciation and dispassion.

Be free.

Inquire the truth of everything.

The purity in yoga and buddhism

The purity in yoga and buddhism is about -

The absence of ignorance - not knowing the truth of 'I', the modification of the mind, suffering, the root cause of suffering, selflessness and impermanence, cause and effect, timelessness (time is merely the reflection of ceaseless impermanent changes. There is neither past nor future, there is only now, and it's changing), non-separateness, non-duality.

The absence of the idea of 'I' - the ego, a non-existent individual identity of 'I' that gives rise to the sense of separateness and the consequences of that.

The eradication of egoism - attachment, identification, desire of craving and aversion, comparison, judgment, intention, and expectation.

The eradication of impurities - corrupted thinking, beliefs, ideas, values and practice deriving from ignorance and egoism that give rise to incorrect reasoning and understanding (the perception of duality) and hurtful damaging behavior/action/reaction, self-righteousness, possessiveness, obsessiveness, selfishness, inspiration, aspiration, ambitiousness, dissatisfaction, disappointment, irritation, frustration, anger, hatred, jealousy, greed, self-esteem, self-worth, pride, arrogance, fear, worry, ill will, animosity, intimidation, offensiveness, defensiveness, grief, guilt, regret, hurts, violence, passion, lust, longing, loneliness, boredom, mental and emotional dependency, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness, appropriateness and inappropriateness, respectfulness and disrespectfulness, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, positiveness and negativeness, goodness and badness, joyfulness and sorrowfulness, and etc.

And the annihilation of restlessness - the selfless impermanent restless states of mind ceaselessly interchanging between confusion and clarity, disturbance and calmness, discontentment and contentment, peacelessness and peacefulness, restlessness and quietness, joyfulness and sorrowfulness, goodness and badness, meaningfulness and meaninglessness, positiveness and negativeness, happiness and unhappiness, healthiness and unhealthiness, painful suffering and pleasurable enjoyment, and so on, of ceaseless births (thoughts arising) and deaths (thoughts passing away) of countless thoughts arising, changing, and passing away (Impermanence), transitioning in different realms/states of mind.

There is no 'I' existing to be undergoing all that (Selflessness).

Out of ignorance and egoism, there is an idea of 'I' existing in the form of a continuous stream of thought(s) identifying as the existence of an individual identity attaching towards different qualities of selfless impermanent names and forms to be identifying as "This is I", that appears to be undergoing ceaseless births and deaths transitioning in different realms/states of mind, and hence, "I am restless or peaceless," and "I am suffering," and "I want to be free from suffering."

Upon the realization of selflessness, it's merely the selfless impermanent modification of the selfless function of the perceptive cognitive intellectual emotional thinking and acting mind being in a state of restlessness, in the present moment now, undergoing ceaseless selfless impermanent changes, powered by energy, influenced by cause and effect.

Both the teachings and practice of yoga and/or buddhism emphasized on the mind purification process for preparing the mind to be performing self-inquiry (to inquire towards the truth of selflessness and impermanence) and meditation (to annihilate the restless modification of the mind and absorb into silence - Samadhi, the annihilation of the modification of the mind/thought activities, where there is no restless births and deaths a.k.a. restless selfless impermanent changes).

Regardless of whether the minds know or don't know towards the yoga and/or buddhism practice is about the mind purification process, and whether the minds practice yoga and/or buddhism is for the purpose of mind purification, or not, yoga and buddhism practice is still what it is, serve the purpose of purifying the ignorant egoistic impure restless modification of the mind.

All kinds of different practices are indeed existing for purifying the modification of the mind, which is eradicating the veil of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness.

There might be some misunderstanding towards the 'purity' in yoga and/or buddhism, where some minds understood that as 'moral high ground' or 'untouchable', where there are no traces of bad qualities or impure elements, but only good qualities or pure elements existing in the mind based on the many different worldly passionate egoistic beliefs, ideas, values, and practices about what is good and bad quality, and what is purity and impurity.

The 'purity' in the teachings of yoga and/or buddhism is nothing to do with the worldly ideas of 'moral high ground', or 'perfectly all good and nothing bad', or 'perfectly all pure and nothing impure', or 'perfectly all positive and nothing negative'.

The mind purification process is about changing the mind behavior pattern that is under the influence of ignorance, the idea of 'I', egoism, impurities, and restlessness, to be rendering the mind calm and quiet, to allow the mind to have certain degrees of calmness to be reflecting upon the truth of names and forms as it is, that leads to the development of certain degrees of correct understanding. And upon attaining certain degrees of correct understanding under a calm and quiet mind free from the influence or contamination of worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, ideas, values, and practice, the mind transcends even the state of the mind that is rendered calm and pure.

The 'purity' in yoga and buddhism is about the mind is free from being conditioned, or influenced, or contaminated by worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, ideas, values, desires and practices, that are influencing the mind to reason, understand, desire, behave, act, and react in certain way based on all that.

The most effective way to purify the modification of the mind, particularly in this era that is full of passionate egoistic ideas and activities as well as all kinds of ignorance and consequences of ignorance in the modern society, including in the world of yoga and/or buddhism, is via the observation of renunciation, dispassion, silence, solitude, and seclusion, for a prolonged period of time, for minimum 5 - 6 years, to be cutting off from all kinds of worldly passionate egoistic ties, connections, communications, interactions, ideas, affairs, duties, responsibilities, and activities.

The mind that has developed certain degrees of correct understanding with a firm foundation of dispassion and non-attachment doesn't need to observe renunciation, silence, solitude and seclusion, where it can live and mix among the worldly passionate egoistic minds to be performing certain selfless service, without passionate intention or aspiration to 'change' or 'influence' the world to be in certain way, while it is not being influenced by all kinds of worldly ideas and activities, and it is not being determined or disturbed by all kinds of ignorance and the consequences of ignorance in the world that doesn't belong to anyone or anything. It can also choose to live a quiet life in solitude and seclusion, renouncing all kinds of worldly actions. There's neither right nor wrong.

There's no authority in yoga and buddhism to be judging or punishing any minds for being ignorant, or imperfect, or impure. Be free to practice yoga and/or buddhism, or not.

It's everyone's freedom for what they want or don't want to practice.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Yoga practice is indeed changing the mind behavior pattern of this mind, by itself

The yoga practice that is about the annihilation of ignorance, the idea of 'I'/the ego, egoism, impurities, and restlessness (disturbed suffering state of mind), is indeed about changing the mind behavior pattern, of this mind, by itself, out of self-initiative and self-discipline, or in other term, igniting the process of mind purification, to free the mind from being conditioned by the habitual worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, ideas, values, desires, and practice under the influence of ignorance, the ego, egoism, impurities and restlessness to reason, act and react in certain way, to be preparing the mind for performing self-inquiry under a dispassionate, desireless, pure and quiet mind, to be attaining correct understanding towards the selfless impermanent modification of the mind (the mind perception of a selfless impermanent worldly life existence of names and forms), and the truth of selflessness and impermanence in all kinds of names and forms, of both the perceiver and the perceived, where the mind is undetermined and undisturbed by the perceived names and forms being what they are, and allowing all kinds of names and forms being what they are, as they are, and all are selfless and impermanent.

The mind that is closed, that is prideful, that is self-righteous, that is reluctant to change, while constantly be disturbed or annoyed by all kinds of names and forms, of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, thoughts, feelings, emotions, affairs, conditions, situations, family ties, social connections, interactions, events, and relationships that the mind perceived or categorized as unpleasant, undesirable, disagreeable, non-enjoyable, hurtful, annoying, bad, negative, or meaningless, but then it also keeps complaining and blaming towards all those names and forms to be the cause of its disturbed state of mind and all its painful suffering, it will be like 'fish out of water' upon coming in contact with the teachings and practice of yoga.

"There is nothing wrong with me. I am fine. I am good and kind. I don't need to change. The ones that need to change or get out of my way/life are all those people, things, experiences, affairs, and happenings that are bad and wrong, that are negative and hurtful, that are selfish and unkind, that I don't deserve, and they are the reasons why I am in a disturbed state of mind and in painful suffering."

None can help such mind. And that is everyone's freedom of desire, and freedom of being what they are.

In the beginning, when the mind is being over-powered by ignorance, egoism, impurities, and restlessness, where there is the absence of correct understanding, it is about changing the mind behavior pattern by freeing the mind from being conditioned by worldly passionate egoistic thinking, belief, ideas, values, and practice, to reason, understand, desire, behave, act, and react in certain way, that helps to purify and quiet the modification of the mind, preparing the mind for self-inquiry towards the truth of everything, that gives rise to correct understanding. When the veil of ignorance, the ego, egoism, impurities, and restlessness are becoming weaker and thinned-out, where there is the presence of correct understanding in the mind, it's more about transcending the mind behavior pattern, and silencing the selfless impermanent modification of the mind.

Inquire the truth of everything.

Pride

There's something in common in the many different worldly passionate cultural beliefs, values and practices, which is being proud towards oneself and others upon the presence of certain qualities of names and forms that are agreeable according to the different beliefs, values and practices, respectively. As well as being proud towards oneself and others upon the absence of certain qualities of names and forms that are disagreeable to the different beliefs, values and practices, respectively.

Under the absence of the idea of 'I', egoism and ignorance, there's no idea of, "I am so proud of myself for this or that," or "I am so proud of you for this or that," or "You should be so proud of yourself for this or that."

Most minds that are under the influence of the idea of 'I', egoism and ignorance, and are being conditioned by certain worldly passionate cultural belief, values and practice, that expect others to be proud of oneself upon the presence and absence of certain agreeable and disagreeable qualities of names and forms in oneself, would feel being unattended, unappreciated, unacknowledged, unloved and unsupported by others upon the absence of such passionate egoistic appreciation, acknowledgement, recognition, praise, compliment, support and encouragement of showing pride towards the presence and absence of certain agreeable and disagreeable qualities of names and forms in oneself, or in others.

Many minds would want to justify that there's no harm in not being stingy but being generous to give praise and compliment, appreciation and support, acknowledgement and recognition by showing pride towards the presence and absence of certain agreeable and disagreeable qualities of names and forms in oneself, and in others, to encourage oneself and others to be motivated to do better and be better.

There's neither right nor wrong, neither good nor bad with that, as most minds are being conditioned deeply by such thinking, belief, values and practice since very young age to think, believe and practice in such way, where they strongly think and believe that all these practices, actions and reactions are all positive, good and right, and nothing negative, bad and wrong, while if people don't perform such practices, actions and reactions are something negative, bad and wrong, or are being unloving, selfish, stingy, ungenerous and non-supportive.

However, such passionate egoistic thinking, belief, values and practice is nothing but empowering the idea of 'I', egoism and ignorance in oneself and in everyone, which is nothing to do with the teachings and practice of yoga and buddhism.

All these are merely the play of the ego and egoism and ignorance.

Yoga and buddhism practice is mainly to be eradicating the idea of 'I', egoism and ignorance, or such passionate egoistic belief, values and practice from the modification of the mind, by stop feeding the mind with such practices, actions and reactions, which is what mind purification is about, which is what eradication of the idea of 'I' and egoism and ignorance is about.

The minds that understand, they don't need the presence of such passionate egoistic attention, appreciation, acknowledgement, recognition, praise, compliment, support and encouragement for being what they are and doing what they are doing, or continuously to be improving, and to be performing certain necessary actions, duties and responsibilities towards looking after oneself and others. They are not being determined by the presence and absence of such passionate egoistic practices, actions and reactions. They are what they are. They don't need to be motivated by the presence of such actions and reactions, and they are not being demotivated by the absence of such actions and reactions.

These minds are void of the sense of low self-esteem, low self-worth, loneliness, left-out, animosity, humiliation, disappointment, meaninglessness, unloved, or lovelessness.

That is what mental and emotional independence is about. This is what self-independence is about.

To be compassionate towards the suffering minds, to help the suffering minds to be free from suffering, is not by empowering the ignorance and egoism in the minds, but to allow the minds to know how to be free from ignorance and egoism and the idea of 'I'.

Even in the world of yoga, many yoga teachers bring in such passionate egoistic practices, actions and reactions into the yoga class, thinking and believing that it would be encouraging the yoga students to be practicing yoga. It's like giving them lots of sweets, sugary drinks and food with high salt and fat content to encourage them to be free from the suffering of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, to have a healthy physical body.

Inquire towards the truth of everything.