Where Do Our Thoughts Come From?
Summary
TLDRThis dialogue delves into the nature of thoughts, exploring their origin and the concept of 'self'. It posits that thoughts arise, exist, and vanish within the self, which is inherently free of thoughts. The conversation extends to feelings and sensations, suggesting they too emerge from this 'no-thingness'. The discussion touches on the idea of free will, proposing that our sense of freedom is an echo of the absolute freedom from which all experiences arise. It also draws parallels between the experience of love and freedom, suggesting they are not individual possessions but reflections of a larger, infinite consciousness. The dialogue concludes with a reflection on morality, suggesting that true ethical behavior stems from the understanding of shared being.
Takeaways
- đ€ The origin of thoughts is a profound question, and attempting to name it might hinder self-discovery.
- đ§ All thoughts arise, exist, and disappear within the individual's consciousness, suggesting an intrinsic relationship with the self.
- đ€ The 'me' or 'I' is considered the space from which thoughts emerge, exist, and subside, indicating a fundamental aspect of identity.
- đïž The self, as the source of thoughts, is described as being inherently free from thoughts, sensations, and perceptions.
- đ The realization that thoughts come from an empty or 'no-thingness' can lead to a feeling of freedom, suggesting an existential understanding.
- đ The concept of free will is questioned, as the freedom we experience might be an echo of a greater, absolute freedom.
- â€ïž The experience of love is likened to the space in a room, belonging to a larger whole rather than an individual, illustrating the shared nature of certain experiences.
- đ The freedom we feel is real but not individual; it's the infinite consciousness expressing itself through finite minds.
- đ§ââïž As a lay Buddhist, the realization that precepts are not rules but natural outcomes of understanding our shared being was enlightening.
- đ True morality and ethics stem from the understanding of shared being, rendering external precepts unnecessary when one is in touch with this truth.
Q & A
What is the primary question discussed in the transcript?
-The primary question discussed is 'where do our thoughts come from?'
Why is it unhelpful to give a name to the place where thoughts come from?
-It is unhelpful because naming it might prevent one from discovering it for themselves.
According to the transcript, where do thoughts arise, exist, and disappear?
-Thoughts arise, exist, and disappear within the 'self' or 'me'.
What is the nature of the 'self' or 'I' as described in the transcript?
-The 'self' or 'I' is described as being inherently free of thought, sensations, and perceptions.
How does the feeling of freedom relate to the concept of 'no-thingness' discussed in the transcript?
-The feeling of freedom arises from realizing that thoughts come from a state of 'no-thingness,' which is inherently free.
What is the relationship between individual freedom and the freedom discussed in the transcript?
-Individual freedom is an echo of the true freedom from which all experience arises, and it is not the possession of a separate person.
How does the experience of love relate to the concept of freedom discussed in the transcript?
-The experience of love is likened to the space in a room, not belonging to any individual but being a part of a larger whole, similar to how freedom is not individual but universal.
What is the role of the body and mind in relation to freedom according to the transcript?
-The body and mind are channels for the infinite freedom of consciousness, guiding it towards actions that express truth, reality, love, and intelligence.
Why do the precepts in Buddhism not function as rules but as expressions of self, as mentioned in the transcript?
-The precepts are not rules because true morality and ethical behavior stem from the understanding that we all share our being, leading to actions that inherently align with love and do not require external rules.
What does the transcript suggest about the nature of thoughts, sensations, and perceptions?
-The transcript suggests that thoughts, sensations, and perceptions are not inherent to the individual but arise from and return to a state that is free of these experiences.
How does the longing for freedom mentioned in the transcript relate to our true nature?
-The longing for freedom is a recognition of our true nature as absolute freedom itself, and it is why we resist constraints on our perceived freedom.
Outlines
đ€ The Origin of Thoughts and Freedom
The speaker begins by pondering the origin of thoughts, suggesting that labeling the source of thoughts might hinder self-discovery. They propose that thoughts arise, exist, and vanish within the individual, emphasizing the intrinsic nature of thoughts. The dialogue then shifts to explore the concept of 'me' or 'I' as the space from which thoughts emerge. The discussion highlights that this 'self' must be free of thoughts, sensations, and perceptions to allow them to arise. The speaker concludes by reflecting on the feeling of freedom that comes from recognizing the 'nothingness' from which all experiences, including thoughts, originate.
đ The Nature of Love and Collective Freedom
In this segment, the conversation delves into the nature of love and freedom. The speaker uses the analogy of physical space to illustrate that love, like space, does not belong to an individual but is a universal experience. They argue that the feeling of freedom is not a personal possession but a reflection of infinite consciousness. The speaker also touches on the idea that while individuals experience freedom, it is not a personal attribute but a channeling of a greater, collective freedom. This freedom is expressed through choices and actions that align with truth, love, and intelligence. The speaker's personal experience as a lay Buddhist and the understanding of precepts as natural extensions of shared being further enrich the discussion.
đ From Precepts to Ethical Living
The final paragraph discusses the transition from following precepts and moral rules to living ethically based on a deeper understanding of shared existence. The speaker suggests that true morality arises from the recognition of our interconnectedness and does not require external guidelines. Once this understanding is internalized, it naturally influences thoughts, feelings, and actions, leading to ethical behavior. The conversation implies that when individuals are in touch with their shared being, they inherently act in ways that are loving and ethical, without the need for prescribed rules.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄThoughts
đĄSelf
đĄFreedom
đĄConsciousness
đĄPerception
đĄNo-thingness
đĄLove
đĄEthics
đĄPrecepts
đĄTruth
Highlights
The origin of thoughts is a profound question that leads to a deeper exploration of consciousness.
Naming the source of thoughts might hinder the personal discovery of where they truly arise.
All thoughts are confirmed to arise within the individual, suggesting an internal origin.
The concept of 'me' is introduced as the potential space from which thoughts emerge.
Thoughts are described as arising, existing, and vanishing within the self, without external transference.
The self is posited as being inherently free of thoughts, sensations, and perceptions.
The realization that the self is free from thoughts leads to a sense of personal freedom.
The distinction is made between individual free will and the inherent freedom of consciousness.
The freedom felt is an echo of the true freedom from which all experiences arise.
Constraints on freedom are naturally resisted because of our intrinsic knowledge of absolute freedom.
Love, like freedom, is not owned by an individual but is a universal experience.
The experience of love is compared to the space in a room, belonging to a larger entity than the individual.
The freedom each person feels is real but is not the possession of an individual body-mind.
The body-mind's role is to channel infinite freedom in ways that express truth, reality, love, and intelligence.
The precepts of Buddhism are re-examined as expressions of shared being rather than rules.
True morality and ethics stem from the understanding of shared being, leading to natural ethical behavior.
Transcripts
well yes that's my question where do our thoughts come from
that's a very good question if I were to give a name to the place where thought come thoughts Â
come from he wouldn't help you in fact it would if anything prevent you from finding Â
out yourself but wherever thoughts come from do your thoughts not arise in you yes okay so Â
that's one thing we can say for sure all the thoughts appear in me so do you ever have an Â
experience of a thought existing outside what we call me and being placed into me Â
now okay so tell us about the me so whatever me is whatever I am must there before me the Â
place we can call it a place from which thought or in which thought arises so we're honing down Â
the possibilities now thought cannot arise out of you well when a thought arises when it exists Â
and when it disappears it always arises in me it exists in me and it disappears into me have Â
you ever seen a thought leave you and go into something outside of you no no so we're we're Â
narrowing the possibilities whatever I am is that from which thought arises so the Â
question is now what is me what am i that is that is that from which a thought arises Â
in which it exists during its existence and into which admonishes when it comes to an end
right okay now just to follow on with that whatever it is that our thoughts arise from Â
that we call me or I must itself be inherently or intrinsically free of thought because thought Â
arises in it prior to the arising of a thought whatever that is is free of the thought so the Â
thought arises in exists in and vanishes into that which is inherently free of thought yes Â
that in fact goes for every feeling we have every sensation we have and every perception Â
we have the perception of this room appears in our self it arises in our self and therefore Â
the self if we can call it a self in which our thoughts sensations and perceptions arise must Â
itself be intrinsically free of or empty of thoughts sensations and perceptions well in Â
noticing these thoughts that they come up and the perception just comes up made me feel very free Â
it became very clear that there is no no free will as we think the body mind has but it all Â
comes up from this nothingness from this from this no thing Ness exactly which is no thing Â
which is actually not something that is but it is not nothing yeah yes exactly yeah yes but but Â
but but you're right there may be no individual freedom nevertheless this no thyng nests from Â
which or the experience Rises being free of the qualities of all experience is itself absolutely Â
and inherently free and that freedom echoes in each of our minds as the feeling to feelings one Â
I have free will and two I long for freedom the longing for the knowledge I have free will is Â
the recognition that the freedom we feel that is at our disposal is an echo in each of our minds Â
of the true freedom out of which all experience arises and our longing for freedom comes from the Â
knowledge that what we essentially are is absolute freedom itself and that is why when we anyone ever Â
puts any constraints on us we rebel the freedom you're not talking about it's not the freedom I Â
meant when when I said we don't have free will like we're not in the driver's seat that's what Â
I meant yes but the freedom I felt when seeing these thoughts come from the no thingness that Â
that very freedom you know it's it's it's not that we don't have freedom its we have freedom but our Â
freedom is not the possession of a separate person right we take take the experience of love we all Â
experience love yes none of us would say I never experienced love or I don't have the experience of Â
love now love is not an experience that belongs to a particular person the experience of love just as
the space in this room it's an analogy the physical space in this room doesn't belong to Â
the four walls of this room it wasn't generated by this building it is temporarily contained Â
in this building but the space in this room is actually belongs to a space that is much larger Â
than this room so the same the experience of love which we feel it is like the space in this room Â
it doesn't belong to a person it is all love is God's infinite love shining in each of our minds Â
it's the same with freedom the freedom that each of us feels is real there is freedom we are not Â
wrong to feel either I have freedom or I long for freedom but it it's just that the freedom that Â
each of us possesses to the extent that we possess it doesn't belong to an individual body mind it is Â
the freedom of infinite consciousness echoing in each of our finite minds I understand that now and Â
that's why I felt so so much freedom's suddenly because it's it's not there's nothing to do with Â
my body mind yes that that's right but we can at the same time use and our body minds can use the Â
freedom that it is given it can as it were channel that freedom in certain directions so when you're Â
asked faced with a choice shall I do this or shall I do that the freedom with which you choose this Â
or that is not your own personal limited freedom it is the freedom of consciousness and it is the Â
job of your body mind to channel infinite freedom in a direction that is either towards this or that Â
in such a way that it expresses truth reality love intelligence so although the freedom is Â
not your individual freedom nevertheless it is the job of your body to channel that freedom Â
in such a way that it expresses and shares and celebrates truth and love and beauty yes Â
years ago I became lay Buddhists and I took the precepts and well you know about the precepts and
after some years I discovered that the precepts are not rules but they are
feelings actions or whatever that come from yourself because you wouldn't want Â
to do anything it absolutely absolutely its inherent yes it is exactly as we were saying Â
last night in the conversation about morals and ethics yeah when we said that really all true Â
morality or ethical behaviour comes from a single understanding and that is we share our being and Â
one had some Augustine when asked about this just said love and do whatever you want here once you Â
are in touch with the fact that we all share our being and you use that single understanding to Â
guide all your behaviour then you no longer need precepts or morals the this single understanding Â
guides everything you think and feel and therefore your subsequent activities and relationships yes
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