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Right View Part 3 “Non-Duality”

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The entire practice of any Buddhist navel gazing is aiming toward one thing IMHO: the realizing of non-self or “emptiness” (emptiness meaning empty of an independent, lasting, fully autonomous self or center.)  And the "awakenened" thought and behavior based on the realization of "emptiness."    Warning: this might start to sound a little goofy, bear with me. This is nothing but the truth of subjective experience.   One way of becoming aware of “emptiness” is through “Non-dual” pointers:   -Ask “who am I?” -Try not to answer, sit with the question a little bit as if you are listening for an answer. -Ask “what am I?” -Try not to answer, sit with the question a little bit as  if you are listening for an answer. -Ask “what is this?” -Try not to answer, sit with the question a little bit as  if you are listening for an answer. -Ask “what is in awareness?” -Try not to answer, sit with the question a little bit as if you are listening for an answer. -By now ...
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Self interview #5

Went for a long walk, tried not to have chameleon mind, did not work.  Sat for 20 min following the breath and coming back when distracted. Dealt with a lot of sensual desire. Verdict: continue strengthening continuity of mindfulness, concentration and faith/aspiration. May this practice benefit all beings,
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Seven year old Arahants in the Buddha’s time

 It was relayed to me through Joseph Goldstein that there were seven year old Arahants in the Buddha’s time. I assume they weren’t prodigies because the purpose of these anecdotes is that it is a very simple teaching but it is hard to live that teaching. I take the teaching to be basically:  -Do good, avoid doing bad, or as Shakespeare wrote: “be great in act as you have been in thought,”  -Keep things pure (as in, don’t corrupt the mind with wanting what is pleasant—ie wanting to be wanting or “catalogue consciousness”—, pushing away what is unpleasant, and ignoring what is neutral ESPECIALLY if nothing can be done to alleviate such states or as Dogen wrote: “flowers fall even though we love them, weeds grow even though we dislike them”),  -To aid in being a good compassionate person capable of good compassionate actions, develop strong concentration and mindfulness of the present moment, -see through the illusion of a permanent, satisfactory, independent self, and ...
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Self interview #4

 -Started the day indulging my cravings and hunger. -Felt string sensual desire , perception clouded and consciousness contracted -I walked for 5 min and noted in four places, rising, lifting, moving, placing and felt some relief and equanimity. -I sat for 15 min and noted a mind full of distraction and restlessness and worry. Verdict: let go and come back 10,000 times when caught by craving, eat moderately, strengthen continuity of mindfulness with noticing room, posture, body, breath, movement, elements, skhandas, sense bases and stay in those pastures, May this practice benefit all beings.
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Self Interview #3

 Self Interview #3 - A lot of sensual desire and irritation this morning. - I did walking meditation for about 20 min, noting the rise, lifting, movement, and placing of the feet. - I sat for 15 minutes, loving kindness and noting the in and out breath, a lot of distractions to come back to the breath from. Verdict: Continue with continuity of mindfulness, coming back to the room, posture, mood, attitude, hinderance and breath. Avert eyes from sensual desire for the time being. 
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Self Interview #2

 -I sat for 15 minutes, noting the in, out, and pause of each breath, coming back to the breath every time the mind wandered. -Noted the tingling in my left arm, possibly a pinched nerve. -I had a continuity of mindfulness for a few hours in the morning but then went into chameleon yogi style -I listened to a dharma talk, felt urgency, but was still filled with sensual desire. Verdict: Start again, note and let go whenever sensual desire arises, strengthen continuity of mindfulness with a firm renunciation of gratifying sense pleasures, cultivate an attitude of generosity and loving-kindness and possibly meditate on the bodily “impurities” and elements.
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Self Interview #1

 -I set out to do 1:15 hrs of walking and sitting meditation -I ended up doing about 50 min  -30 min walking 20 min sitting -I noted in 4 places rising, lifting, moving forward, and placing during walking meditation without too many distractions -During sitting meditation I sat and noted each in breath and out breath as well as did some loving-kindness -Restlessness and worry were present during sitting meditation as well as sensual desire and some strong pleasant piti that I was able to subdue for a little bit -Verdict: I will do 20 min of walking instead of 30 min and star with 15 min sitting so restlessness and worry don’t arise as often -May this practice benefit all beings, Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu
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