Blank slate vs. reborn

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
KathyLauren
Posts: 128
Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:38 pm

Re: Blank slate vs. reborn

Post by KathyLauren »

thepea wrote: Mon Jun 27, 2022 5:28 pm The distinction is the basis for ones suffering.
There is apparent reality and ultimate reality.
This apparent reality we are self and we are messed up with attachments, Buddha teaches to look within and experience this ultimate reality for yourself.
Through this is the insight practice.
Mind creates form and our reaction to this form causes the base for suffering and perpetuates the cycle.
Through wisdom of seeing this for oneself the mind comes out of clinging to thoughts causing harm.

It’s a mental issue.
Well aware of that, thank you.
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NotMe
Posts: 455
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2015 8:41 pm

Re: Blank slate vs. reborn

Post by NotMe »

Those advocating the Buddhas' medicine before western science medicine, I ask:

Wouldn't *every* religion, self help gurus, et al want their shot at treatment? Where does the medical profession draw the line?

Just because we all benefit from the Dhamma - doesn't make it even remotely possible for these poor creatures enduring what they are enduring to benefit from it. "You can't lead a horse to water and force them to drink." Just a thought.

Metta

:anjali:

edit to add: No more than I would expect an Ajaan to say "Go get help from a doctor first" would I expect a doctor to say "Go to an Ajaan first." Sheesh, people!
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Aloka
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Joined: Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:51 pm

Re: Blank slate vs. reborn

Post by Aloka »

KathyLauren wrote:
It is easy to say that the self doesn't exist, that it is an illusion of samsara and should be easy to transcend. And that, since gender is a phenomenon of self-identity, that it, too, should be easy to overcome.

The thing is that everything in samsara is an illusion. Self is the hardest illusion to overcome, because literally everything else in samsara reinforces the illusion of self. It is easier to realize that a table or a system of government or the universe does not exist than that the self does not exist. We can know intellectually that it is so but I would venture to say that none of us has overcome the illusion of self.

So telling trans people that they should set aside notions of self identity, while the speaker himself routinely jumps into his non-existent car and drives on nonexistent highways to a nonexistent place of work is a bit hypocritical. If the speaker can treat all those illusions as though they exist, a little compassion would be in order for someone who thinks that they have a gendered self.

I don't have a good understanding of schizophrenia. I am sorry to hear that you experience it, and I am glad that it is mostly under control. What I do understand of it is that the person has difficulty distinguishing real from unreal. I am sure that, between your medication and talking to mental health professionals, you are able to a good job of it 88% of the time. Even though the real and the unreal equally have no inherent existence!

Likewise, for a trans person, distinguishing real gender identity from unreal identity is the central issue. Even though neither truly exists, it is still possible to distinguish them. And the medical consensus is that the person's experienced gender identity is more "real" than whatever the doctor pronounced at birth based on examining the genitals. As I said before, there is good physiological data to support this.

The particular suffering of the transgender person arises from the discrepancy between the insistence of ignorant bystanders with the power to inflict misery and the known self-identity of the trans person. It arises not from experiencing an identity - we all do this, even the good folks on this site - but from having the wrong identity imposed from outside.

Kathy
:goodpost: :heart:

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