dependent arising and dissolving the exclusive "I"

[Tiff]

Dependent arising is not a philosophy, it is transformation! Liberating. Anyone interested in Mahayana Buddhism, or just becoming freer should definitely check it out.
Also, a book I'm now reading I recommend, its called How to Free Your Mind, Tara the Liberator. It speaks of the eight dangers. And to tie this into the thread here, one of those dangers is The Lion of Pride.
Its discussed how "I" can feel pride in the form of possessing abilities. The example is of a person who is a good reader. Such a person may boast "I am the best reader, can read very complex material, way ahead of my peers."
And ok, looking at this person, yes he or she may be very capable and above his/her peer level. BUT, here is dependent arising applied to this consideration:
Who was such a person's teachers? Especially in elementary school. Maybe their teachers were very effective in administering the teaching of how to read. In which case, the boastful person has his teachers to thank.
Who was this person's parents? Our DNA determines many attributes, linguistic intelligence is one of them. Perhaps grandpa was a writer, or grandma? This boastful person has her ancestors to thank.
Who made it possible to read? Well, unless this person owned his own printing press, it was the publishers, writers and printers of books, etc. This person has them to thank for making the books available to be read!
What made it possible to even have books? Trees, ink, computers, machines, book stores, okay, lets stop here, there are more but so far we have trees, the products ink comes from, the inventors of ink (ancient Chinese) the inventors of computers, printing press, various other machinery, vehicles to transport books to stores, builders who built stores, construction companies, tractors and construction inventors that allowing building, store owners, store employees, governments that support captialistic venture, consumers who make books a demand, ...okay enough! So this person has all these people and trees and other things to thank.
Taking all this into consideration, and realizing the dependent links will never be exhausted...how boastful would such a person mindful of this interdependece be? So he is a good reader, but he sees its not "him" its everyone, everything allowing this to happen. So one of the eight dangers, pride, can more easily be dealt with and overcome.
Depending arising goes much deeper than this, but this is one way to apply it to help overcome emotional afflictions such as pride that keep one stagnant on the path. Of course, if one wants to keep his/her pride, okay, they can have to it...they will stay stuck in the ignorance though of not seeing how supported their livelihood truly is by everything else. So there will not be a spiritual progression if one chooses to do this. Pride will keep them prisoner. It can also be called the FI.
Do I think everytime someone does something they should thank every single thing for making it possible? No I'm not saying that. I'm saying when emotions become negative and obstructions to freedom, that's when its best to do something to transform them. And is one reason why my experience with dependent arising has been very liberating.

[Tiff]

An important facet of Mahayana Buddhism is compassion. The reason for this is not because its morally correct, good manners and all those social rules, but because the very seeds of liberation are found in acts of compassion.



First, it must be grasped how powerful compassion is. In our modern culture, this can be a challenge when competition and outsmarting the opponent are seen at traits of power. "Why would we want to love our enemy? That's for sissies, hippies and other weaklings."



So it first must be seen there is nothing weak about compassion. In fact, it is the most powerful of all. It conquers all evils, all afflictions, all ignorance.



In Buddhism compassion is represented as a figure called a Bodhisattva--a Buddhist worthy of nirvana who postpones it to help others. The Bodhisattva of compassion is know by many names depending on the region. Perhaps most recognizably as Avalokitesvara, meaning " the Lord who looks down on the World" or according to another interpretation " the Regarder of the Cries of the World". Other names: Tara (female Avalokitesvara born from his tear), Kuan Yin (China) Kannon (Japan), and Chenrezig (Tibet).





The Mahayana account of Avalokitesvara:



According to Mahayana doctrine, Avalokiteśvara is the bodhisattva who has made a great vow to listen to the prayers of all sentient beings in times of difficulty, and to postpone his own Buddhahood until he had assisted every being on Earth in achieving nirvana. Mahayana sutras associated with Avalokiteśvara include the Heart Sutra (as disciple of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni) and the Lotus Sutra, particularly the 25th chapter (妙法蓮華經觀世音菩薩普門品第二十五/miào fǎ lián huá jīng guān shì yīn pú sà pŭ mén pǐn dì èr shí wŭ/"Perceiver of the World’s Sounds" or "Universal Gateway"/kanzeon bosatsu fumon hon), which is sometimes referred to as the Avalokiteśvara Sutra. [citation needed]



Six forms of Avalokiteśvara in Mahayana (defined by Tian-tai, terrace): 1. great compassion, 2. great loving-kindness, 3. lion-courage, 4. universal light, 5. leader amongst gods and men, 6. the great omnipresent Brahman. Each of this bodhisattva's six qualities of pity, etc., breaks the hindrances respectively of the (6 realms) hells, pretas (hungry ghost), animals, asuras (demi gods), men, and devas (divine beings). [citation needed]



Also known as Tsen Ti Bodhisattva in Chinese (1000 hands and 1000 eyes). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvara
Taking this into context of dependent arising, it must be understood Avalokitesvara does not refer to a being. But rather an embodiment of enlightened qualities we have within us and thus can be called upon to aid in our own enlightenment. Knowing that there is no within and without, no here and there, no being or non-being...within convential truth, Avalotkitesvara can be called upon nonetheless to help us develop in wisdom, releasing our limitations to move towards Buddhahood. For he sees all being as equal and has vowed to postpone his ascent into Nirvana until all sentient beings have been freed from suffering. There is nothing and no one he would ever turn away or deny compassion towards, and for this reason he is to be respected, approached with humility, knowing he is capable of feats we are not, but can aspire to.
Everything

[Tiff]

Someone @ that site was offended by the curse word, lol, so here's the new link



everything

[Nagual LoneWolf]

Thanks Tiff...amazing stuff!

[Tiff]

Hey LW, my pleasure Glad you like it.

[Tiff]

Hey Wolf, was wondering...is your name LoneWolf from the Cherokee legend of the two wolves?


Two Wolves

A Cherokee Legend



An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy.



"It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."



The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?"



The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."In Buddhist thought this would be consciously choosing to generate via your actions and thoughts dharma, rather then being prisoner to reactionary karma created by lack of spiritual effort that erodes the positive potential. So to combine eastern and western beliefs...this means to feed only the dharma wolf, a lonewolf, thus increasing positive potential (ability to gather wisdom) and the path to freedom.

[Nagual LoneWolf]

The one you feed is truly a powerful answer. The wolf can be either dark or light depending on the ap of the moment, yes? I am the lonewolf who has been at the edge of humanity alone with the spirit his whole life. Many years ago I created this site to find ones such as you so to discover there are truly others like me who see and feel more than just what society has taught them. We who can look past the dogmas and organized religions and ask is freedom possible? Can I survive infinity?



The indians had much wisdom for they live as one with the world.

[Tiff]

Well, I tremendously appreciate your gesture in creating this site. Forums are one form of interacting that allow aspects to come out that would likely not emerge normally in daily interactions, and when these aspects do come out they can be witnessed and supported or changed, shared and transformed or transform. This all contributes to understanding freedom and how to obtain it, finally obtaining it.



Relating to the story, we can experience both wolfs and then have to make a decision which direction to proceed. Many times we have the dual awareness of 1.doing something to further self-interest or 2. doing something to further altruistic purposes, the decisions we make leaves a mark that is like a spot of reflection for the "I" and serves to reinforce that I. Of course, in Toltec terms, we seek to make the "I" as ephemeral as possible, because the I (self-importance) cannot survive infinity's pressure, its the same in Buddhism (the I prevents freedom) but there it is said in the reverse, that the I is the center point for identity within cyclic existence, and to realize the illusions of the I ends cyclic exisitence and freedom is entered.



I agree religions and such have to be let go of, and much much more. Such as, if letting go becomes too much an act of I then I is being built up in another way, "I am achieving on the path, I am formless etc". So its a very ephemeral understanding of I that we cultivate.



"I am formless" is a contradiction anyway. How can I be formless and still be I, lol. To say "well, then, I am not really I" still not true, still seated in I. To abhor I , also not good, then an anti-I perspective is created that's just as bad. I is just a part of what this experience is, realizing its a component of infinity (phenomena), this is liberation. It ends the exclusive identity with I.



Infinity has become a term misconstrued because of the way it was presented in CC's books. Its imagined as "out there" but if its infinity it is everywhere because its scope is infinite.

[Nagual LoneWolf]

Agreed. I recently told another to change their perception of the world. Let it implode. What we see is what we as humans see but it is not what it truly is for We form the perception. The illusion of what we perceive is merely the vision perceived by our eyes, which doesn't make it real. Castaneda and Don Juan realized they can stop the world. All of us can stop the world we just have to learn to stop ourselves.When we stop the world we begin to see the world as it really is. One can zen the truth of existence by meditation but the meditation must lead to results a warrior/sorcerer/nagual can use. Once we can merge the two wolves we then become more than what we are. You have the knowledge. You have the power. You have to bend them to your will and transform, burn.

[Tiff]

I get a good energy from you wolf and again thanks for the site and especially Zen Magnetic which is more towards my leaning nowadays and allows for such input that differs in someways but not all, and I still respect the Toltec tradition I was originally introduced to and incorporate the wisdoms of that also. All things are here to be used, they are functional. Nothing here in this world is not not meant to be here.

[Guest]