Theos-Talk Archives (March 2004 Message tt00054)

--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, "Ali Hassan" <ananda_hotai@h...> 
wrote:
> I don't think that's what mindfulness is about. I think it is 
similar to the 
> objective "watcher" state, or self-observer. It has nothing to do 
with the 
> left ear or body, imo.

Being aware of our body is a standard practice in Mindfulness. Read 
a book on it some time.

> >There is a difference between focusing on emptiness and thinking
> >about emptiness. The former is meditation, the latter not.
> 
> I agree, generally, Could you elucidate?

Some meditation systems (including the mahamudra) teach that 
enlightenment is found in the space between two thoughts. Therefore 
slowin down and eventually stopping the stream of thoughts makes it 
possible to experience enlightenment if persisted with. The 
difference between experiencing it and thinking about is the same as 
the difference between eating ice cream and thinking about it.

> Interesting. I'm sure some German such as Kant or Schopenhauer has 
already 
> played that theorem to death

Neither one of them mentioned it so far as I am aware. Sxhopenhauer 
had really only one idea, namel;y that the noumenon of all reality is 
the will to existence.

> >The problem with that statement is that meditation is not
> >discursive. Only by TRANSCENDING discursive reasoning does one 
come
> >to enlightenment.
> 
> Have you proved that by coming to enlightenment?

Thousands of people have done so for thousands of years. It is a 
standard Buddhst teaching.