Buddha once related a story of a village of the blind. Rumors were that the next village would attack with elephants. Not knowing what an elephant was, they had someone bring them an elephant to discover what is an elephant. Three blind men went to discover what an elephant truly was. One man said it was like a big flap of cloth as he felt the ear of the elephant. And, another said it was like a rope as he felt the tail. The third man said it was like a heavy column as he felt the leg of the elephant. Enlightenment is like discovering an elephant. First glimpse, of the truth is not the whole truth. And enlightenment has many depths. Like shining a flash light into the deepest dark space. It only illuminates that which it shines upon. There is much to discover. Bliss is not the goal. Stepping into the dog poop is part of Karma when one is part of the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Sorry, think I read this somewhere??

• This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Tommy.

Well, you asked for other’s opinions?? Let us look at the situation. Alone. Head injury. Covid-19. Isolation. Question: Where does the mind go for relief? Looking at options. Death? Drugs?? A past love??? I am glad you found relief in yourself and your memories. You acted upon your emotions and thoughts. If it does not turn out the way you want then can you move forward? If you dwell in the past then will it cloud your mind and trap you in suffering? I hope you find yourself.

If one is open to love then is one seeking love? If one is open to love then will one find love?

I use love as an example cause I find love to be real. Where as, hate or anger is not real. When hate or anger comes up, it comes at first as urges and then get supporting thoughts to bolster its stay in the mind and body. Love just is.  There is no need of thoughts to supports its stay in the mind. Is love desires or wants? Personally, I do not believe true love is. But, have seen many levels. Maybe I am just a wishful thinker.

Note: Have not had much sleep lately. So please do not cross examine me upon these words I posts. Just a sleepy man.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 3 months ago by Tommy.

The problem with seek and you shall find … is .. for example when the US government went looking for reds or communist party. It was called the red scare. When people in the government thought there were dangerous people aligned with communism. They black balled them. Created a wave of terror. All because they were looking for communists. And so they found them. Look for a devil and you will find one whether or not it is really the devil. McCarthyism. There is a trap to go looking for something. Because if you are looking for something then you just may find it in one form or another. Here is a common warning, be aware of history or one will repeat it. The good and the bad.

When living life, do you really want to become indifferent? Detached from the world? Yes, Buddha said to be in the world not of the world. If one is conscious and mindful then one will be engaged with life. Have feelings. This is a part of living. When I love, I want to feel love. Not detached from the people I love. With a clear mind and full of attention, live life’s every moment fully. If something sad happens then feel sadness. Not dwell in the sadness. Not be overwhelmed by such things.

If one is living with thoughts and sense of self then where does the ego not reside? Enlightenment is not all about sitting in the mountains with bliss on one’s face. Letting go of the ego is letting the mud clear from the waters. Then one can see clearly to all depths. It is with wisdom and compassion that one lives in freedom of the ego. Sorry, again, just rambling. It is late and there only the noise in my head. Must be time to just sit.

The meaning of the story for me (now) is one where one’s thoughts about a situation make it so. Broken leg can be a blessing. So, I choose to look at life as not about detachment to release suffering. But, to live life to the fullest as a way to be here, now. Not to dwell in failures or sadness. Meditation or study of Buddhism may not extends one’s life. But, it can help one to enjoy every moment of it. Being mindful all the time doesn’t create a better life. Rather, it lets us live the life that we have.

I am a simple person. So when I learn new stuff, I like to break it down to something easy to remember and can be useful. Like the idea of Karma, I made it simple for me to understand. What one plants, one shall reap. If I plant an apple seed then an apple tree will grow. If I am good then good will come from me. Surround yourself with good people and you will be good people. I do not know about this life or the next. Or, what affect my actions now will have on the future. Sorry for rambling again.

Buddha never spoke of the beginning or why things are the way they are. Just that as sentient beings, we have the chance to escape suffering. Guess suffering is what gives us the push or motivation to go past what we believe ourselves to be? Maybe Buddha’s four noble truths would better explain?

Metaphors are only as good as the boundary that define it. Go outside of the lines and things fall apart. Who is the child who splashes the water? Is it not enough to be given the chance to live. Experience joy, love? A chance to escape suffering and the cycle of life, death and rebirth? Personally, I do not know. But, this is the journey I find myself on.

There is nothing to be sorry for. Life happens. And so we have the opportunity to grow and move forward. Or one can choose to dwell and suffer.

Dukkha is suffering, sadness, problems.

Dukkha is suffering. It is created thru the attachments and clinging of desires. However, I do not believe it to be sadness or problems. To be sad of feel sadness is human. To have problems is human. If you feel love or pain then that is human.

Anicca is Anityam – it is not forever. So it’s not going to be around forever – hence, impermanence.

Yes, change. Things come together to form something new. Later, it will fall apart and become something else.

Annata is anatman in sanskrit, which would mean without an atma- so this would mean “not a soul” or “does not have a soul”?  You are not a soul? This I am not sure how to interpret. Searched the internet but it is not clear yet.

This was taught to me as part of impermanence and suffering. People are an aggregate of things. All together, they create this person, sentient being. The senses and thoughts, all are in a feedback loop of some kind. Thus creating a person who we think we are. That created person has no soul as when the body dies then it too will die. This person we think we are is not independent of the body. When this person thinks it is real and permanent, it will cling to desires and wants as if those were also real. And change will bring the suffering. Cause, as one achieves one’s desires, change will take it away. Clinging to desires, causes the suffering. When one sits and sees the truth of one’s nature, one knows one is not this or that but the whole. Well, that was what I had learned about Buddhism. I could be wrong about the whole thing.