Spiritual illusions are as deceptive as worldly illusions

I enthusiastically embraced spiritual illusions for 35 years.

I believed in God. I believed that God could be found by following the teachings of divine incarnations, God in human form. I believed I'd live on after my death. I believed in an eternal heaven beyond time and earthly tribulations. I believed spirituality required following certain commandments.

This sounds like I was a Christian, right? No, wrong. I was a member of Radha Soami Satsang Beas, an Eastern form of religion known as Sant Mat. Its headquarters were in India, and the organization was led by a guru.

Eventually I came to realize that what I believed was real actually was an illusion. I simply wanted to believe so badly, it took three and a half decades for the truth to break through the dogmas that I held on to so tightly. 

Today I finished reading "No Self, No Problem," a Buddhist book by Anam Thubten that talks a lot about illusions. My first post about the book is here.

I liked the book a lot. I don't agree with everything Thubten says, such as the supposed ability to go beyond pain and suffering by realizing that the notion of a permanent self is an illusion. But I agree with him that our sense of being, or having, a self that's independent of the goings-on in our brain is the most important illusion to come to grips with.

Why? Because our exaggerated sense of ego is the cause of many of our problems. (Thubten might say all of them, but I wouldn't go that far.)

A key reason I deconverted from religiosity to atheism is what Thubten speaks about in his book. Just because someone is on a supposedly "spiritual" path doesn't mean anything. They can still be ignorant, self-centered, and full of themselves. All that changes is that now they believe it is OK to be that way, because God is on their side.

Below are some additional excerpts from the last chapters of "No Self, No Problem." Like I said, I think most of what Thubten says is true. Meditation for me now is exactly what he speaks of: doing as little as possible so I can be in contact with what is true to the greatest degree possible.

I'm no longer aiming at self-realization, because along with modern neuroscience and Buddhism, I no longer believe that my self exists (at least, not as a detached conscious observer separate from the physical brain). And I no longer aim at God-realization, because I no longer believe in God.

This makes me a semi-Buddhist, I guess. But since Buddha himself wasn't a Buddhist -- Buddhism came along long after his death -- I suppose I'm in good company. 

Here's the excerpts from Thubten's book.

When we come to the spiritual path we have to be very cautious. We have to be certain that we are not adding another illusion on top of the illusions we already have. When we look into our consciousness we see that we have many illusions.

Everything is an illusion, especially this notion of "I."

The story of my life is an illusion, my birth, my relationships, and so forth. They are all a story just like a movie. If something happens to my brain, much of this story will be immediately forgotten. Therefore in the ultimate sense it is not truly existent. It is illusion.

We have to be careful when we come to the spiritual world so that we do not fall into the trap of accumulating new illusions. Believe it or not there are very beautiful illusions along the path, the journey, and the practices. Sometimes celebrating illusions can be very entertaining but the problem is that sooner or later illusions collapse.

...Here in the West many people like Eastern illusions because they have already become disillusioned with American illusions. Now they are going around trying to buy Eastern illusions. These new illusions may work for a while because we don't have any heartache associated with them, no bad memories.

But ultimately we must dissolve every illusion: American illusions, Eastern illusions, European illusions, and finally our own illusions.

What is our main illusion? The illusion is that I am real. I am truly existent. This final illusion is the one we want to hold on to.

...We are all carrying this imaginary self around day and night. We are trying to secure it at any cost. Sometimes, the spiritual path that we are on might be just another way to enforce it.

Obviously people have been using the notion of God or eternal life as a way to solidify this illusion. Eternal life in heaven somewhere means that this "I" never has to die.

The idea of surrender itself can be very beautiful. It is the direct doorway to the truth. It is the powerful art of dropping the self right away. 

People often have the tendency to surrender to something or someone outside of themselves. Surrendering to the guru is not true surrender, because then you become the surrenderer, which is another version of self. For that very reason, Buddha discouraged people from surrendering to his personality. Of course, we always surrender to his wisdom. 

The problem is that when we surrender to his personality we don't surrender to his wisdom. He told devotees not to take even his words on blind faith. He said we should question them before accepting them as such. 

...So meditation ultimately stops everything. We stop pushing that rolling snowball and we stop pedaling the bicycle. We don't do anything because there is nothing we can do. From that moment on, we are no longer in charge. The truth is in charge, From that moment on truth is going to voluntarily destroy the foundation, the basis of all sorrow, all misery. 

Truth does that work for us. All we have to do is stop everything. That is what meditation is all about. 

In the ancient times, spiritual seekers used various methods to practice meditation, Yet, there is only one meditation. That is a state of nondoing. When we stop trying to get somewhere and let go of all of our inner exertions, surprisingly the ineffable truth reveals itself to us.

Then that's it. There is nothing else to be found.

...We have a egoic mind that is trained and habituated to do something, to construct this world of illusion. Ego is working very hard. Ego is always talking. Ego is making up stories for the sake of perpetuating all of the stories of the notion of "I." "I" am meditating. "I" am truly existent. "I" am truly meditating and now "I" am getting somewhere. "I" am chasing enlightenment. 

This very thought is just ego's way of perpetuating itself.  

Comments

[Spence Tepper]

The author writes
"Truth does that work for us. All we have to do is stop everything. That is what meditation is all about.

In the ancient times, spiritual seekers used various methods to practice meditation, Yet, there is only one meditation. That is a state of nondoing. When we stop trying to get somewhere and let go of all of our inner exertions, surprisingly the ineffable truth reveals itself to us.

Then that's it. There is nothing else to be found.

...We have a egoic mind that is trained and habituated to do something, to construct this world of illusion. Ego is working very hard. Ego is always talking. Ego is making up stories for the sake of perpetuating all of the stories of the notion of "I." "I" am meditating. "I" am truly existent. "I" am truly meditating and now "I" am getting somewhere. "I" am chasing enlightenment.

This very thought is just ego's way of perpetuating itself. "

So is the thought that," look at me now, I'm doing nothing! I. Must be enlightened! "

While pointing out the illusions of others, this does not actually prove this author is not also victim to the same self deceptions.

Isn't he just replacing one illusion about self with another illusion called no - self?

Where we lose ourself in a higher pursuit, when we focus on something more important, I think we approach this self - less state.

People dedicated to a cause. That's placing someone else, something else as more important than "me" and then we are acting for them, not us.

That also doesn't eliminate ego. But as long as we are trying to help others and place our mind on their issue, at least for a few moments we aren't trying to build ourselves up.

I don't think there is a way actually to think your way out of your ego. Even trying to is ego, seems to me.

But you might verify the factual basis of an experience for yourself.

If it humbles you, that's good. If it inflates you, bad.

Then it is the greatness of that experience that matters. However if you try to say "look how great I am for this experience" it's the same ego inflation as "look how great I am for doing nothing!"

[s*]

And by doing things one can also be in the ''no ego'',just forgetting ones self..

Or to feel oneself by loosing it..that is enjoyable..

The exitement in sufidance forinstance..is loosing self.
Or indeed sitting still doing nothing..
I think it is more the'' intention''..
...in the moment..
Just be..or just be no thing..

As long as we have a body there is some sort of ego..and that is alright..right??

[OshoRobbins]

What is our main illusion? The illusion is that I am real. I am truly existent. This final illusion is the one we want to hold on to.

Absolutely. This is what we call the ego and the whole purpose of the spiritual path is to eliminate the ego – but the path itself and idea of eternal life keeps the ego alive and well.
At all costs we want to preserve the “I”.
In RSSB terms, all the people asking BabaJi to save them and “come at my death” is nothing more than this.
The notion of Sach Khand is nothing more than another way of preserving the “I”. Even the idea of an individual soul is another way of preserving the “I”.
Enlightenment means that you don’t exist – you have created the notion that you exist. And you desperately want to hold on to it at all costs.
When GSD says “I am not coming at your death” he is speaking the truth, but the disciples don’t want to hear it because they want the soul to be saved

[OshoRobbins]

Spence writes:
So is the thought that," look at me now, I'm doing nothing! I must be enlightened! "
While pointing out the illusions of others, this does not actually prove this author is not also victim to the same self deceptions.
Isn't he just replacing one illusion about self with another illusion called no - self?
My reply:
No. “No-self” is not an illusion. “No-Self” is not a concept. No Self is the realization that there never was and never can be an individual self.
It is letting go of the idea that there is a ME here and I am a soul.
The author is not trying to prove anything about himself. He is explaining the notion that there is no “I”.
Also a person in that state is not going to think “Hey – look at me, I have attained the state of nothing.”
A story
Four disciples are sent by their zen master to observe silence for a day.
They all sit in the room, in silence. One notices it is getting dark, so he asks a passer-by to switch on the light. The second point to the first one and says “Hey – you spoke”
The third points to the second “So did you!”
The fourth and final one sits smugly for a while and then cannot resist it any longer.
“I am the only one who has successfully observed the silence”

[OshoRobbins]

Yet, there is only one meditation. That is a state of nondoing. When we stop trying to get somewhere and let go of all of our inner exertions, surprisingly the ineffable truth reveals itself to us.
Then that's it. There is nothing else to be found. – Anam Thubten

This is very different from the sant mat type of meditation.
Except that GSD has somewhat changed it all.
When I asked him about meditation, his reply was:
Meditation? It’s nothing but just to relax and let go.

See, the issue is this; it’s doesn’t matter what he says, we all want to hear our version.
The guru I went to many years ago would not allow that – because his sessions were intense and there was no possibility of missing what he was saying. He invited people to argue with him – in fact he insisted. He created situations where you had to respond. It’s the only way of getting a person to be real. Listening passively does nothing, as you can continue with your delusions.

[Arjuna]

@ Osho - who was this Guru who wanted you to argue with him! ?

[Osho Robbbins]

@Arjuna

@ Brian - I will no longer comment on your blog.
I wish you all the best.
Posted by: Arjuna | December 04, 2018 at 10:50 AM

Well, that didn't last for very long, eh?
Just kidding, you are welcome to comment as much as you like.

The guru I was referring to was a disciple of osho.

I was only his disciple for four days - four full days and on the last day he threw me out and I never saw him again.

He doesn't collect disciples - rather he tells them to fuck off. He is so confrontational that they tremble in his presence.

For me they were the best four days of my life and the beginning of a huge awakening triggered by his presence.

He is no longer around and disappeared after the four day session with me.

I could give you his name but it's meaningless now.

[Osho Robbbins]

@Arjuna
The buddha is also saying "argue with me"

Buddha discouraged people from surrendering to his personality.

The problem is that when we surrender to his personality we don't surrender to his wisdom. He told devotees not to take even his words on blind faith. He said we should question them before accepting them as such.

What does it mean to question them?

Does it mean to accept them, or fight them?
How can you just accept without a fight.

The fight is essential, before you can truly accept.
Otherwise the acceptance is just a presence.

The master speaks from his wisdom and you jump on his wisdom and reduce it to knowledge

"reduce it to knowledge" means to make a conclusion of it.