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

**TeftyJokip** · 04-15-2011, 11:29 PM

If a Buddhist looks expecting to find no self because he has had that incessantly drilled into his head, he will likely find no self.
If a Yogi looks expecting to find a great Self, he will likely find a great Self.

As it's been said, people always have the convenient tendency of finding what they're looking for/expecting.

What about if people just keep an open mind and don't try to go looking for something? Academic study, conjecture, belief and expectation are all like trying to imagine what a meal would taste like based on reading the ingredients list. It's not the same thing as eating the meal.

I personally study Kashmiri Shavism, as well as Tibetan Vajrayana, so I'm not anti anyone else's doctrines. I will seriously consider most points of view (including a wide diversity of Buddhist ones - it's not monolithic by a long shot).

Doctrines don't matter in samhadi meditation. You can't take anything in with you, not even Buddha. There is a Zen Koan which runs: "If you meet Buddha on the road, kill him."

Namaste

04-15-2011, 11:29 PM	#39
TeftyJokip Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 358 Senior Member	If a Buddhist looks expecting to find no self because he has had that incessantly drilled into his head, he will likely find no self. If a Yogi looks expecting to find a great Self, he will likely find a great Self. As it's been said, people always have the convenient tendency of finding what they're looking for/expecting. What about if people just keep an open mind and don't try to go looking for something? Academic study, conjecture, belief and expectation are all like trying to imagine what a meal would taste like based on reading the ingredients list. It's not the same thing as eating the meal. I personally study Kashmiri Shavism, as well as Tibetan Vajrayana, so I'm not anti anyone else's doctrines. I will seriously consider most points of view (including a wide diversity of Buddhist ones - it's not monolithic by a long shot). Doctrines don't matter in samhadi meditation. You can't take anything in with you, not even Buddha. There is a Zen Koan which runs: "If you meet Buddha on the road, kill him." Namaste
	Quote