Reality

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Ceisiwr
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Reality

Post by Ceisiwr »

What is reality? Is every experience a mere concept, or not? Is there a reality behind some concepts and not others, or not? I have my own view, but I’m interested in hearing the position of other members?
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Re: Reality

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

What is reality?
  • Depends, upon perspectives.
    Coventional/ultimate, Four Realities of the Nobles etc. External [to one's mind] things cannot be discarded as not being part of the reality in that they would come into play as part of experiential reality when necessary conditions arise.
    When limited the definition to experiential reality, the sharper the mind, the clearer the ultimate realities become, penetrating thru' the conventional reality. 'Experience' transforms from conventional to ultimate.

Is every experience a mere concept, or not?
  • All experiences can also be seen as reality i.e. the mind objects included, especially.


Is there a reality behind some concepts and not others, or not?
  • There is a reality/realities behind all concepts. One reason may be as described above.


I have my own view, but I’m interested in hearing the position of other members?
  • My own view too, but not copyrighted :jumping:

:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
Spiny Norman
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Re: Reality

Post by Spiny Norman »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:47 pm What is reality? Is every experience a mere concept, or not? Is there a reality behind some concepts and not others, or not? I have my own view, but I’m interested in hearing the position of other members?
What exactly do you mean by "concept" here, and how does this differ from giving something a name? And how does it differ from perception?
For example, if I'm looking at "the sea"...
Buddha save me from new-agers!
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Ceisiwr
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Re: Reality

Post by Ceisiwr »

Spiny Norman wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:25 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:47 pm What is reality? Is every experience a mere concept, or not? Is there a reality behind some concepts and not others, or not? I have my own view, but I’m interested in hearing the position of other members?
What exactly do you mean by "concept" here, and how does this differ from giving something a name? And how does it differ from perception?
For example, if I'm looking at "the sea"...
Well I’m more asking you?
“Knowing that this body is just like foam,
understanding it has the nature of a mirage,
cutting off Māra’s flower-tipped arrows,
one should go beyond the King of Death’s sight.”
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cappuccino
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Re: Reality

Post by cappuccino »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:47 pm What is reality?
what we make of it
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Re: Reality

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

cappuccino wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:32 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:47 pm What is reality?
what we make of it

:goodpost:

That answer encompasses both reality & concept.

:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
Spiny Norman
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Re: Reality

Post by Spiny Norman »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:29 pm
Spiny Norman wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:25 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:47 pm What is reality? Is every experience a mere concept, or not? Is there a reality behind some concepts and not others, or not? I have my own view, but I’m interested in hearing the position of other members?
What exactly do you mean by "concept" here, and how does this differ from giving something a name? And how does it differ from perception?
For example, if I'm looking at "the sea"...
Well I’m more asking you?
I recognise "sea" primarily based on it's visual characteristics, eg blue colour, movement, and
"flatness". Occasionally I recognise "sea" nearby based on the sound of waves breaking (prior to seeing it).

As for "reality", I assume there is actually something "out there" producing the sense-objects I experience. Different creatures experience it differently due to differences in sense-organs.
Buddha save me from new-agers!
chownah
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Re: Reality

Post by chownah »

Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:43 pm
cappuccino wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:32 pm
Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:47 pm What is reality?
what we make of it

:goodpost:

That answer encompasses both reality & concept.

:heart:
Yeah, that is a great post because it shows consistencey in that it construes a self for both the observer and the observed!
chownah
asahi
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Re: Reality

Post by asahi »

The "Truth" is out there !
:mrgreen:

Actually , what is reality in your opinion ?
Is there a "standalone reality" without us recognising it ? Does experiences can be known without prior accumulation ?
No bashing No gossiping
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Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta
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Re: Reality

Post by Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta »

chownah wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 2:58 pm
Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:43 pm
cappuccino wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:32 pm

what we make of it

:goodpost:

That answer encompasses both reality & concept.

:heart:
Yeah, that is a great post because it shows consistencey in that it construes a self for both the observer and the observed!
chownah
Not necessarily "a self."

We here in may represent aggregates; the same is true for the observer & the observed.

:heart:
𝓑𝓾𝓭𝓭𝓱𝓪 𝓗𝓪𝓭 𝓤𝓷𝓮𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓿𝓸𝓬𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓓𝓮𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽
  • Iᴅᴇᴀ ᴏꜰ Sᴏᴜʟ ɪs Oᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴ Uᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ Fᴏᴏʟɪsʜ Vɪᴇᴡ
    V. Nanananda

𝓐𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓽ā 𝓜𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓣𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓘𝓼
  • Nᴏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀs ᴀ Sᴇʟғ, Sᴏᴜʟ, Eɢᴏ, Sᴘɪʀɪᴛ, ᴏʀ Āᴛᴍᴀɴ
    V. Buddhādasa
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confusedlayman
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Re: Reality

Post by confusedlayman »

Mere concept only.. nothing is worth clinging
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Bundokji
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Re: Reality

Post by Bundokji »

The concept of reality is associated with other sets of perceptions/views. For example, it is usually associated with the intensity of certain experiences. Imagining one in severe pain, dismissing such experiences as mind made and/or unreal would be inauthentic, impractical and absurd. The term real also has social connotations which makes a meaningful difference between what is mind made and what is materially made. Usually, what is mind made is the product of imagination while matter in social contexts has independent existence from the mind, hence the theme of dreams is used to distinguish real matter with real consequences (both social and legal) from imaginary matter with short-lived and not so serious consequences (such as in dreams or fantasies). This independent existence of matter/form from mind provides the basis for a materialistic view of the laws of nature of which by definition, certain characteristics cannot be bent and therefore become binding, predictable and real and well-designated as laws.
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
thepea
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Re: Reality

Post by thepea »

Ceisiwr wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:47 pm What is reality? Is every experience a mere concept, or not? Is there a reality behind some concepts and not others, or not? I have my own view, but I’m interested in hearing the position of other members?
Kamma
Dhammavamsa
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Re: Reality

Post by Dhammavamsa »

Buddha said "to see things as they are".

So I think the so-called reality here is the phenomenon of Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta.
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