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Buzzby

I've been studying eastern religions for 43 years and your statement does not jibe with anything I've read or heard from others.

In Buddhism there is no "true self", emptiness is the essence of reality. When you are capable of merging with the Void you have completed your journey. "Self" is an illusion brought on by ignorance.

In Hinduism the "true self" is identified with Atman, Universal Consciousness, which is Brahman, the primordial Godhead.

Under both systems of thought, the astral body is considered to be part of a "layer" of reality that is closest to the physical. There are five more layers, each more "spiritual" than the last until you reach the innermost one which is beyond the personal. The astral body is the only one of them that resembles the physical body.

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SevenLeafs

Wow, cool explanation Buzz.

I have a question, does it relate somehow to the "dualist" way of Taoism? (as in your physical 'self' being one part, and the 'void' or most spiritual 'self' being the other?)

7L

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"A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit"
- Pink Floyd -

Just say KNOW!

Buzzby

I don't know anything about Taoism. I know all there is to know about Taoism.

One of the first sayings you encounter in Taoism is that the Tao of which you can speak is not the true Tao, i.e. he who speaks does not know; he who knows does not speak. I believe that, in general, religion is the death of spirituality. I really liked that idea that Taoism doesn't allow its central truths to be tied up in verbal formulations.

In answer to your question: I can't say.

SevenLeafs

So are you refering to "The path that can be expressed with words is not the true path. The name that can be named is not the true Name."?, because if you are, I interpreted it as "you can't really explain what the Tao is, and if you give it a name (like Tao) it will not be its true name (as in that Lao Tze does not know it's real name, so he 'called' it Tao).

...Or are you saying that you don't know?, because I'm kind of confused.

Peace.7L

Mamabudz

You know, they say Confusion is a very High State of Being...

mmmm...High

 

Buzzby

I've always said, "If you're not confused, you're not paying attention." The more aware you are, the more conscious you are of how little you know.

There is far more uncertainty than certainty in this, our home universe. The universes in which it's easy to understand what's going on are boring.

Buzzby

I'm saying that I can't say, so whether or not I know is operatively insignificant in this forum.

I know. I don't know. I can't say.

(BuzzNote: Is that sufficiently Zen Masterish? Or do I need to whack you with my staff? The "silent answer" tactic doesn't work very well in text communications.)

SevenLeafs

Hehe, I guess it doesn't work as well (people will just go like 'has he read the post?, does he care? should I wait? ...blind faith then?' )

At least you've cleared things up for me Buzz, so thanks for that (although I'm not sure if many other readers get it).

Peace.7L