DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - 4 Questions for Matthieu Ricard, Tibetan monk

**sessoorale** · 04-14-2011, 08:41 PM

Ricard is extremely adamant about the reader becoming aware of the "illusion of the self." He is adamant to the point of redundancy. He says it over and over and in every possible way. The is no "I", there is no "me", there is no "you", there is no "self". Fair enough...this is a fundamental conviction within Buddhism. Yes.

As for the rest, about stream of consciousness, all beings attaining enlightenment, etc, just let it go. These things are also illusion or imagination (imo). They cannot be proved or verified, mere speculation they are.

The Buddha himself declared all consciousness is impermanent, arising & passing, and never mentioned a "stream".

04-14-2011, 08:41 PM	#5
sessoorale Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 463 Senior Member	Ricard is extremely adamant about the reader becoming aware of the "illusion of the self." He is adamant to the point of redundancy. He says it over and over and in every possible way. The is no "I", there is no "me", there is no "you", there is no "self". Fair enough...this is a fundamental conviction within Buddhism. Yes. As for the rest, about stream of consciousness, all beings attaining enlightenment, etc, just let it go. These things are also illusion or imagination (imo). They cannot be proved or verified, mere speculation they are. The Buddha himself declared all consciousness is impermanent, arising & passing, and never mentioned a "stream".
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