DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Conditioned Existence is devoid of any unchanging, inherent self-nature?

**SpecialOFFER** · 07-01-2011, 06:42 PM

Hi Kris and Kaarine,

Sorry for not commenting on your postings earlier….have had a few technical problems!! Hopefully all sorted out now though.

Yes, I understand about this concept of ‘non-self’ being an experiential one, rather than just purely understanding the words and their meaning, because as you say, knowledge in itself won’t help us overcome the mental defilements of ignorance, greed and hatred - it’s a change of heart and real insight that is required - and not so easy to achieve!!

I want to be able to understand, at a deep level, the basic central meaning of the Buddha’s main teachings - The Three Characteristics of Conditioned Existence and The Four Noble Truths - to enable me to put these things into practice in my daily life without reading an endless list of books, if possible, because I want to concentrate on improving my meditation technique and also have the time to really enjoy being mindful and living in the present moment. I think that is what you were saying about the Thai Forest Tradition Kaarine, in that they focus more on the practice and on the Buddha’s real message.

Lets say that doing philosophies, having views and meshing with ontologies is not my best strength. Maybe I have a kind of brain deficiency in that cognitive area. Not Self has been a very revealing experience because, IMO, of its directedness to explore this in our person.

And yes, what you experience is very difficult, if not impossible, to put into words, no matter how hard you try - I agree.

I think to begin with, maybe I should just concentrate on reading through these course notes I was given from the Buddhist Centre I used to go along to. I started reading them a few years ago, but didn’t really persist with it. They are just a basic outline of the main teachings. They were handed out to people who attended their evening classes in Introductory Buddhism, as an accompaniment to the actual class content given by the teachers there, so they are pretty sketchy. They are quite good though, but I’m hoping you can help me fill in the blanks and expand on them. They cover the essentials of Buddhism and meditation, and then go on to the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path; the wheel of life; the spiral path and the mandala of enlightenment; and finally the way of the Bodhisattva.

The ‘Handbook for Mankind’ is an excellent book for a beginner like myself - nice and simple!!

I enjoy asking questions of everyone here because its interesting and good fun, and it motivates me to find out more and also to do the practice. If I didn’t have this I would just give up, because I think you need the encouragement and support of like-minded people who share your goals. I know the questions I’m asking are very straightforward and simple at the moment, but its more to do with the interaction and the encouragement this gives me, rather than not being able to understand anything I’m reading. Some of the topics however that are discussed on these boards, are like EG says, degree level French, and which go right over my head regardless of how many times I read and re-read them!! - but one day hopefully I’ll know what you are all talking about and be able to join in!

07-01-2011, 06:42 PM	#12
SpecialOFFER Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 613 Senior Member	Hi Kris and Kaarine, Sorry for not commenting on your postings earlier….have had a few technical problems!! Hopefully all sorted out now though. Yes, I understand about this concept of ‘non-self’ being an experiential one, rather than just purely understanding the words and their meaning, because as you say, knowledge in itself won’t help us overcome the mental defilements of ignorance, greed and hatred - it’s a change of heart and real insight that is required - and not so easy to achieve!! I want to be able to understand, at a deep level, the basic central meaning of the Buddha’s main teachings - The Three Characteristics of Conditioned Existence and The Four Noble Truths - to enable me to put these things into practice in my daily life without reading an endless list of books, if possible, because I want to concentrate on improving my meditation technique and also have the time to really enjoy being mindful and living in the present moment. I think that is what you were saying about the Thai Forest Tradition Kaarine, in that they focus more on the practice and on the Buddha’s real message. Lets say that doing philosophies, having views and meshing with ontologies is not my best strength. Maybe I have a kind of brain deficiency in that cognitive area. Not Self has been a very revealing experience because, IMO, of its directedness to explore this in our person. And yes, what you experience is very difficult, if not impossible, to put into words, no matter how hard you try - I agree. I think to begin with, maybe I should just concentrate on reading through these course notes I was given from the Buddhist Centre I used to go along to. I started reading them a few years ago, but didn’t really persist with it. They are just a basic outline of the main teachings. They were handed out to people who attended their evening classes in Introductory Buddhism, as an accompaniment to the actual class content given by the teachers there, so they are pretty sketchy. They are quite good though, but I’m hoping you can help me fill in the blanks and expand on them. They cover the essentials of Buddhism and meditation, and then go on to the four noble truths and the noble eightfold path; the wheel of life; the spiral path and the mandala of enlightenment; and finally the way of the Bodhisattva. The ‘Handbook for Mankind’ is an excellent book for a beginner like myself - nice and simple!! I enjoy asking questions of everyone here because its interesting and good fun, and it motivates me to find out more and also to do the practice. If I didn’t have this I would just give up, because I think you need the encouragement and support of like-minded people who share your goals. I know the questions I’m asking are very straightforward and simple at the moment, but its more to do with the interaction and the encouragement this gives me, rather than not being able to understand anything I’m reading. Some of the topics however that are discussed on these boards, are like EG says, degree level French, and which go right over my head regardless of how many times I read and re-read them!! - but one day hopefully I’ll know what you are all talking about and be able to join in!
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