Which everyone agreed was spot on.tiltbillings wrote:
Yes; however, no. It depends. The content is certainly no different, but it is the cultivation of the ability of "stepping back" to look at these things without getting lost in them or investing in them. The ability to do this is part of our "normal" consciousness process, but it needs to be cultivated. What is radical about the Buddha's teaching is that - from start to finish - there is no supernatural thingie or stuff outside or supposedly inside ourselves that we must appeal to, or identify ourselves with or some such business, all of which is a projection and product of our imagination driven by the insecurity of a self that wants to pretend it is something different from what it really is. It is in the ordinary mind/body process that all what we need for awakening is found.
So, i was just asking about narrative stories and products of imagination in Buddhism. Are these also diversions from awakening or can they help in the cultivation of compassion and other positive dhamma qualities?
It seemed to me that this relates to Mike's initial questions.