The Vanity of Enlightenment

reply to post by InTheLight

Have you watched either of the videos I posted?

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
reply to post by InTheLight

 

Have you watched either of the videos I posted?

Post them again please, because I don't remember, I've watched quite a few on this thread.

reply to post by LesMisanthrope


I might be missing something here, but this discussion has the distinct taste of people bouncing stuff off of a brick wall. You stated your opinion, then closed yourself off so that the only interaction taking place is people trying to explore your beliefs/ideas/opinions and getting their thoughts thrown back in their face.

That's the impression I'm getting. Of course, I'm not being as forward as they are...

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by LesMisanthrope

 

I might be missing something here, but this discussion has the distinct taste of people bouncing stuff off of a brick wall. You stated your opinion, then closed yourself off so that the only interaction taking place is people trying to explore your beliefs/ideas/opinions and getting their thoughts thrown back in their face.

That's the impression I'm getting. Of course, I'm not being as forward as they are...

You have it correct, you are missing something here. We all have disproved OP's opinion and reasoning, where were you?

reply to post by InTheLight

Originally posted by InTheLight

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
Enlightenment is the egoless state.

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
Enlightenment is the egoless state.

youtu.be...
youtu.be...

edit on 19-2-2013 by Itisnowagain because: (no reason given)

So, the thread title should be changed to "Vanity After Returning From the Enlightened State; When The Ego Returns and You Have A Following".

If you watch the first video you may gain a greater understanding of what I call the 'egoless state'.

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
reply to post by InTheLight

 

Originally posted by InTheLight

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
Enlightenment is the egoless state.

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
Enlightenment is the egoless state.

youtu.be...
youtu.be...

edit on 19-2-2013 by Itisnowagain because: (no reason given)

So, the thread title should be changed to "Vanity After Returning From the Enlightened State; When The Ego Returns and You Have A Following".

If you watch the first video you may gain a greater understanding of what I call the 'egoless state'.

I have an understanding of what it is, I don't think many others here do.

reply to post by InTheLight

I have an understanding of what it is, I don't think many others here do.

A fish does not know what it's like to be a tree. That does not make it stupid, that makes it a fish. Likewise, we are human beings. Ego is a natural part of being human. And in moderate amounts, ego is actually beneficial for spiritual development.

You don't get far when you think nothing of yourself.

reply to post by InTheLight


Is that a 'no, I haven't watched either of them as I already have my own idea'?

If it is then it is hard to discuss anything with clarity and this is where all conflict arises - everyone is speaking from their own model and refuse to even look at another perspective - so one is locked in their own belief system.

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by InTheLight

 

I have an understanding of what it is, I don't think many others here do.

A fish does not know what it's like to be a tree. That does not make it stupid, that makes it a fish. Likewise, we are human beings. Ego is a natural part of being human. And in moderate amounts, ego is actually beneficial for spiritual development.

You don't get far when you think nothing of yourself.

This is common sense, what else ya got?

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
reply to post by InTheLight

 

Is that a 'no, I haven't watched either of them as I already have my own idea'?

If it is then it is hard to discuss anything with clarity and this is where all conflict arises - everyone is speaking from their own model and refuse to even look at another perspective - so one is locked in their own belief system.

The answer was that I already understand what the egoless state is, and 'yes' I have watched many videos on this thread re: enlightenment = egoless state. I will always listen to others' perspectives because I am always willing to learn, but in the end it is my individual perspective that is my truth.

Never mind.

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
A fish does not know what it's like to be a tree. That does not make it stupid, that makes it a fish.

It's being a stupid fish if it asks the tree to speak fish. If the fish wants to know what it's like to be a tree... it has to go be a tree.

reply to post by ErgoTheConclusion

It's being a stupid fish if it asks the tree to speak fish. If the fish wants to know what it's like to be a true, it has to go *be* a tree.

You're assuming the fish gives a flying fart about the tree. And anyway, I don't understand what your post has to do with my post? I never said anything about a fish wanting to be a tree, only judging a fish by a tree's standards.

A fish doesn't know it is a fish.

reply to post by AfterInfinity

I might be missing something here, but this discussion has the distinct taste of people bouncing stuff off of a brick wall. You stated your opinion, then closed yourself off so that the only interaction taking place is people trying to explore your beliefs/ideas/opinions and getting their thoughts thrown back in their face.

That's the impression I'm getting. Of course, I'm not being as forward as they are...

I replied as many times as humanly possible. Sometimes life gets in the way.

The rest can be interpreted however one chooses.

reply to post by LesMisanthrope

I replied as many times as humanly possible. Sometimes life gets in the way.

The rest can be interpreted however one chooses.

I doubt that. I've seen a slew of allegations and insights that were never addressed in any of your posts. You seem to have chosen the ones that interest you most.

I'd rather not interpret the rest "however I choose". I'm not a Christian.

Originally posted by LesMisanthrope
reply to post by AfterInfinity

 

I might be missing something here, but this discussion has the distinct taste of people bouncing stuff off of a brick wall. You stated your opinion, then closed yourself off so that the only interaction taking place is people trying to explore your beliefs/ideas/opinions and getting their thoughts thrown back in their face.

That's the impression I'm getting. Of course, I'm not being as forward as they are...

I replied as many times as humanly possible. Sometimes life gets in the way.

The rest can be interpreted however one chooses.

Life tends to be interpreted and from that interpretation life is experienced. It is about realizing that you can actually see the interpretations as mere ideas rather than fact or truth.

Originally posted by Itisnowagain
Never mind.

edit on 22-2-2013 by Itisnowagain because: (no reason given)

It appears to me he has chosen a specific path or belief (his perspective) of what his enlightenment or his truth is, so he is no different from you or I in that regard, or any of the other seekers I viewed on other videos. Nobody knows.

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
You're assuming the fish gives a flying fart about the tree. And anyway, I don't understand what your post has to do with my post? I never said anything about a fish wanting to be a tree, only judging a fish by a tree's standards.

Then why do you care enough to fart about what the trees are saying about the fish?

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
I'd rather not interpret the rest "however I choose".

You have no other choice.

It would seem to me there are at least two ways to achieve an "ego-less" state. The first is a nullification of the sense of self. To me, this is done as an illusion to give the appearance the ego is no longer there. The second is a redefinition of self to include your own ego amongst the milieu of trillions of other pieces. Quite different, but experientially they lead to the same type of thinking.

One, as I said, seems to be an illusion set by the ego itself, where its death is essentially "faked," as there is still a sense of self. The other is just understanding that my own self is one part amongst many. In this way, selfishness means something entirely different. Selflessness, in this respect, is a denial of the whole, or "God," if you wish to see it in such a way. Even in denying one part of "What Is," it would seem that we perpetuate the illusion that arises from not accepting "What Is" as all parts of the whole, even if that part is called the "ego."

It also depends on our individual definition of ego. In my own, getting rid of the ego is literally suicide. Its not going anywhere until my body does!