Thursday, June 7, 2012

Should we really assert that "I" doesn't exist?

Spiritual teachers everywhere repeatedly assert that there is no "you" or "I." Claiming Advaita as the basis for their teaching, which I believe was made obsolete

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

What is the mystery on the journey to awakening?

Many teachings and spiritual people refer to various mysteries on the path to enlightenment. It seems that sometimes, when a difficult question comes up,

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

What is the shift of identification known as awakening?

The shift of identification of the self is associated with spiritual awakening. It is so commonly described that it is ubiquitous.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Is the mind the most difficult inquiry?

Nobody agrees on what the mind is or just what it does. The school of Yogacairna called it the Alaya-Vijnana, recognizing conscious and unconscious.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

What is a human being?

A human being is a microcosm of consciousness, the first level of expression capable of experiencing all things. Love gives it the desire to experience

Friday, May 18, 2012

Why should we want to awaken?

The obvious answer is to end suffering. The next common answer is to satisfy the desire for truth. Looking deeper, I find another answer:

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Is Advaita Vedanta obsolete?

It is time for this direct inquiry. 1) This school demands a formal master-student relationship, including surrender 2) The I AM philosophy and concept of a supreme self is core

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Is the "I AM" an erroneous teaching?

Contemplating the "I AM" is basic to Advaita teachers such as Ramana, Nisargadatta, Jean Klein, and it is bread and butter for many lesser teachers today. Should it be?


Monday, May 14, 2012

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Can we revisit the five skandhas?

They are the essence of the Heart Sutra: Form, sensation, volition, conception, and consciousness. Skandha is Sanskrit, meaning "aggregate."Sunyata = interdependent causation = "emptiness."

What was Buddha's ultimate teaching?

There is claim that it was the LOTUS SUTRA. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotus_Sutra comes this:

From where does the teaching of emptiness come?

It's not from Sai Baba, Eckart Tolle, Adyashanti, Jean Klein, Ramana, or Nisargadatta. They are just handing it down, and as one lesser teacher put it "repackaging."

Where does pleasure fit on the spiritual path?

You won't find bogha mentioned much in spiritual circles. It means "fun" or "pleasure" in Sanskrit, and is/was the name of a whole school of yoga

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

What is awareness? (and consciousness)

Similar to consciousness, this is decribed in various and contradictory ways.
NEED TO EDIT AND ADD TO:

What is consciousness?

There may be more clarity in addressing the relationship between consciousness and some other attribute like awreness, than describing consciousness on its own.

Why can't we talk about the absolute beyond all knowing?

The Buddha was rather clear about it, elevating it from the Vedas, and even avoiding the doctrine of emptiness as a way of understanding it.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Are awareness and consciousness interdependent?

The DVD series "Buddhism" by Malcolm David Eckel (The Teaching Company, 2001) contained a helpful lecture on the doctrine of emptiness.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Why do we avoid inquiry?

Yesterday at Adyashanti's event in San Rafael we volunteered and were given parking lot duty and chair take-down duties. I had an inquiry in mind, got a 3rd row seat,

Thursday, May 3, 2012

What is a spiritual journey?

This inquiry is about how we define "spiritual journey," and what makes it different than just living life.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Who are we? A new line of inquiry

Who am I? or Who are We? Occurs that I should become i, and we should be We. The question expands our concept of dual nature of an individual to that of community.

Inquiries for teachers and for discussion group

Many questions are occurring that don't seem to be answered in teachings or in books going around now. Questions for teachers are perhaps best asked

Introduction to Inquiries About Awakening

Inquiries About Awakening is my new blog, and the working title for an idea for a new book. www.inquiriesawakening.blogspot.com

Can non-doing be a spiritual practice?

In the past couple weeks, Akemi has experienced increased intensity in her spiritual quest. She really liked Adyashanti's second teaching last night,

Is there a difference between discernment and discrimination?

This is from the introduction of Suzuki's translation of the Lankavatra Sutra: "This going beyond all forms of dualism, however differently

How do we inquire with the Satguru?

Occurs that questions about the unknown itself, are questions for the satguru, who may or may not be present at any particular teaching, or reside at every moment

Monday, April 16, 2012

Awakening because of suffering, or to avoid it?

Do we become seekers on a spiritual path because we want to find a way to escape suffering? This may be the most common reason for people to become dharma seekers.

What is the difference between psychosis and awakening?

From Adya lecture 3-12 online series #4: A caller had bipolar disorder with psychotic features and mania, which was mixed with episodic spiritual experiences.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

What is the relationship between consciousness, awareness, mind, unity, duality, and nonduality?

Having seen many dharma students who lack insight or are completely baffled by these words, and a number of satsang-givers stumble and grope to clarify them,