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Nameless
05-14-2013, 09:21 AM
To forget oneself is to not lose oneself, but to truly become oneself. In letting go, you attain without gaining, you arrive without leaving.

So who are you? We aren't who we think we are. Imagine this: There's a giant clear plastic bag. In this bag place all the things that you think you might be. First goes your physical body, then your name, your color, race and religion. The place where you live, your country of allegiance, your sexual orientation and all your clothes. Your beliefs, opinions and your judgments and so on until everything is included. Everything you think you are is contained in this bag. Your mind is even there because it's a very crucial part of who you think you are, throw it in the bag.

Now, let's look at the bag. Visualize it. If there's anything else that you think you are, put it in the bag. Now observe it....

So who is that observing the bag? Who is that observing the totality of what you call your life? That nameless, placeless, timeless observer? It's the one and only real you. You are not the content of your life, you are the observer of it. You contain all that's in the bag, but it's not you. It's merely within you. You are the context of life. The understanding of this truth, is merely an object itself and can be placed in the bag. To experience this truth, that is beyond the bag. To experience that, is to be fully, completely and beautifully alive.

Gassho,
John

Kokuu
05-14-2013, 09:37 AM
What happens if you toss the observer in the bag too?


Gassho
Andy

Kyonin
05-14-2013, 10:03 AM
Now, what if the bag, the universe and me are just one entity? United. Whole. Complete.

Gassho,

Kyonin

Shokai
05-14-2013, 11:48 AM
Is puzzle solving learned or inate? gassho2

Jishin
05-14-2013, 11:50 AM
i think, therefore I am not. Who is I? I think therefore I am not. Who is I?

Gassho, John


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

Rich
05-14-2013, 12:58 PM
Nice metaphor but you lost me near the end. So does this mean I'm just a bag man? -)

Koshin
05-14-2013, 01:20 PM
Opps, I forgot my bag on the train [morehappy] Now what??!!!

Just kidding...thank you for your thoughts, have a great day

Gassho

Shokai
05-14-2013, 01:24 PM
Originaly posted by Rich;
So does this mean I'm just a bag man?Yup, suck it up man!! :D :encouragement:

Jundo
05-14-2013, 01:26 PM
What happens if you toss the observer in the bag too?


Gassho
Andy

That was my question! You beat me too it!

Now, take everything out of the bag, put it back on, your clothes, your beliefs, your race and religion, and call it the totality of life too.

Stop thinking "inside" or "outside" the bag so much.

Reminds me a little of the story of the fellow who starts peeling the onion, looking for the real onion. He peels and he peels, discarding layer after layer, thinking he will then find the real source of the scent of the onion. Soon, he has unraveled all the onion, and there is nothing left, just him wintnessing empty space where the onion once was.

He missed that the stink of the onion was there all along, in his nose and every single layer.

Gassho, J

RichardH
05-14-2013, 02:02 PM
Man, I feel bagged.






....couldn't resist.

Gassho Daizan/Richard.

Nameless
05-14-2013, 04:52 PM
That was my question! You beat me too it!

Now, take everything out of the bag, put it back on, your clothes, your beliefs, your race and religion, and call it the totality of life too.

Stop thinking "inside" or "outside" the bag so much.

Reminds me a little of the story of the fellow who starts peeling the onion, looking for the real onion. He peels and he peels, discarding layer after layer, thinking he will then find the real source of the scent of the onion. Soon, he has unraveled all the onion, and there is nothing left, just him wintnessing empty space where the onion once was.

He missed that the stink of the onion was there all along, in his nose and every single layer.

Gassho, J

Thanks Jundo, that's a very appropriate story. Instead of digging through to find it, it is there all the time. And you're right, because outside and inside are truly one.


Now, what if the bag, the universe and me are just one entity? United. Whole. Complete.

You've got that right Kyonin, the separation we place between things is the illusion.

Gassho,
John