Five

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."

Buddha (563BC-483BC)

equus

This has rattled round my head since you posted - I agree with it utterly. My reason for agreement is not to create inflexibility but instead a sort of work ethic that requires engaging our own reasoning to what we're taught.

It's about personal effort and living in a way where I know it's my level of understanding which has to change for me to grow.

Five

With you there to Eq. I am startled by how many answers are 'within me'. Not all of them, but I have never felt so 'competent' in years. Just a feeling that I am actually in control. I think thats because I have learnt to use my mind, and my spirit, to work for me, instead of against me, driving me down.

aloneagainor

"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."
Buddha (563BC-483BC)

This quote from Buddha was stated 2500 years ago. And still people don't get it. Humanity will likely never change that way, always looking for reasons, blame, answers, direction, and all, from things outside themselves.

Reality is a state of mind. It's not "out there", it's inside the mind where one defines what's truth and what's real. One's perception of reality is completely determined according to what the individual chooses to believe. We shape our own reality that way. We determine our own happiness that way. Why choose to play the victim and live according to another's directive. That does no good for oneself, and only drags down those around us. Blind obedience/ chosen oblivious create a false, distorted, and neglectful perception of reality. People can do better than that. But it's also a solitary life, to choose to walk one's own path toward understanding.

Five

Bump

aloneagainor

Bump

Easeful

I'm new to this forum so let me know if this is an inappropriate post.

On "reality is a state of mind...." Has anyone seen the film "What the Bleep", it is awesome, but it did not appear widely in theaters.

On when people will get it....essentially the Gospel of Mary tells people to look within for G*d/truth. However the "C"hurch mounted a centuries long assault on gnostism and here we all are.

aloneagainor

Beautiful to meet you here, Easeful.
"What the Bleep Do We Know". I watch precious few movies as I'm extremely selective, but drove out of my way to attend a screening of that movie when it first came out, and watched it again on DVD a couple months ago. WELL worth considering. How the mind distorts/ creates its own reality through our perceptions. As one whose primary sense is hearing, I found it extremely intriguing that the lead character was deaf. Talk about having to extend oneself beyond their familiar perceptions! It can be profoundly enlightening, to get oneself out of our own predetermined mindset, to consider the alternatives.

Fascinating isn't it, what the Church does to suppress individual reasoning, in favor of their specific interpretation of it. We ALL have equal access to what is truth and understanding, but to realize does require engagement of mind and reason...