Know Thyself

knird evol

Most knowledge in the human sphere has come from long self examination including the teachings attributed to the buddha and all in this tradition.

Do alot of people now adays who just grab teachings off a book shelf or a website miss out on the most important lessons and learning oportunities in their life ie themselves. No two people are the same, or even close. The lessons they have to learn are vastly differant,, although very accessible through thorough self examination ?

yomchi

knird evol wrote: »

Most knowledge in the human sphere has come from long self examination including the teachings attributed to the buddha and all in this tradition.

Do alot of people now adays who just grab teachings off a book shelf or a website miss out on the most important lessons and learning oportunities in their life ie themselves. No two people are the same, or even close. The lessons they have to learn are vastly differant,, although very accessible through thorough self examination ?

Self examination can be a big factor in Buddhism. Deconstructing the ego is a goal of the practicing Buddhist, for those that achieve this they find that the self doesn't actually exist in a funny kind of paradoxical way!

stink_fist

jon wrote: »

self Examination Can Be A Big Factor In Buddhism. Deconstructing The Ego Is A Goal Of The Practicing Buddhist, For Those That Achieve This They Find That The Self Doesn't Actually Exist In A Funny Kind Of Paradoxical Way!

+1

Asiaprod

knird evol wrote: »

Do alot of people now adays who just grab teachings off a book shelf or a website miss out on the most important lessons and learning oportunities in their life ie themselves. No two people are the same, or even close. The lessons they have to learn are vastly differant,, although very accessible through thorough self examination ?

Great point:) People are indeed vastly different from each other. I view the books and teachings as a solid guide. Changes come about through self examination, and more important, how we apply these lessons and insight to ones own life.

An interesting question is raised by Jon's post, what exactly does it mean to "Deconstructing the ego." Deconstruct is an excellent term to use here as this concept in Buddhism is one of the hardest ones to grasp. It is so often misunderstood. Would be interested to hear how you guys define this process and what it means to each of you. I expect that it will be different for each of us. Thats why I love Buddhism so much, it leaves it up to the individual to define it since it is ourselves that are applying it to our lives.

By the way, welcome knird evol and stink_fist

DenMan

That's very true I would imagine. People react very differently to different situations and draw on their own past experiences to help them through their lives. As rightly said no two people are alike, similar that's for sure but uniquely different. That has to be the amazing aspect of Buddhism/Taoism. It is a long learning curve you learn through self discovery. Everyone's story is different and so apply different methods/approaches to the ultimate goal.

I would say the same theory applies to the saying "everybody is on the same path, there are different routes to getting there in the end " I hope I have made some sense.

yomchi

Asiaprod wrote: »

Great point:) People are indeed vastly different from each other. I view the books and teachings as a solid guide. Changes come about through self examination, and more important, how we apply these lessons and insight to ones own life.

An interesting question is raised by Jon's post, what exactly does it mean to "Deconstructing the ego." Deconstruct is an excellent term to use here as this concept in Buddhism is one of the hardest ones to grasp. It is so often misunderstood. Would be interested to hear how you guys define this process and what it means to each of you. I expect that it will be different for each of us. Thats why I love Buddhism so much, it leaves it up to the individual to define it since it is ourselves that are applying it to our lives.

By the way, welcome knird evol and stink_fist

Hi Asia,
Thats a great question. I really found the whole concept of the ego fascinating when I started to ready a few books written by the Dalai Lama. I had come across the notion of emptiness before but couldn't really grasp what the whole thing meant. I was being told, the person I am doesn't really exist. I had to delve further and find out what this 'lunacy' was all about
While reading a book titled, 'find out who you really are' by the DL I slowly started to grasp the concept, I had to read it very slowly and digest each paragraph as after 30 years of existance, being told I was a figmant of my imagination was hard to understand!
The concept finally hit home, in a limited sense, I am no expert on this! I understood that as a member of society I have been 'programmed' if you like to behave in a certain way in order to fit in. This programming creates the ego, the intruder as I call it I examined this phenomenon and reasoned that it was responsible for a lot of the negative attributes in my life, mostly worry, anger and jealously. Being told that the ego is a creation of my own mind I felt some-what liberated, that I had the opportunity to quell this nonsense within. So the process of decontruction I set in train, I've found the ego to be a strong adversary and a wise old enemy, able to cut me off at the pass on many occassions, more often than not the ego wins out right! I hope to eventually be able to cast it aside. I believe in order to that thoroughly however a session away from life as we know it, is needed. The ego thrives in society as it has many allies, the person that cuts you off on the road, the person that infuriates you to retaliate, the person that gossips, all these are allies of the ego, it needs these people in your life to survive while making the deconstruction a tad harder!
I hope I've made some kind of sense, but thats what it means to me!

MeditationMom

We could use a little clarification here about what "know thyself" means in a spiritual context. Yes, people are vastly different when it comes to bodies, minds, emotions and personalities. That's where everyone absolutely needs to start to find out who they are. But then, as Asiaprod mentions, the spiritual effort of the deconstruction of the ego, which is everything we know ourselves to be, everything that defines us, including all the things we think we are not! - the deconstruction of all that, leads to the realization of our true self that is the same in all of us. It is called many things - God, Enlightenment, Nirvana, Original Face, etc.

So, yes, truly know thyself, and it is Liberation.

yomchi

Then with all that you have to consider that seeking the deconstruction of the ego, is infact ego driven and is in itself a false attraction... the mind boggles

MeditationMom

by Jon - the mind boggles

Bingo

yomchi

LOL