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The Unique Self - Ego in ultra fine robes?

Posted May 29th, 2009 by Steve Self in Commentary
In Reference to:
Defining the Unique Self: A Trans-Lineage Exploration

For sure the conditioned-self wants to project itself through all layers and moments of transcendence...

As awakening deepens, as our capacity to rest in emptiness grows, we still have a conditioned-self. And we can recognize that this identity continues to turn insight into knowing and emptiness into doing. How many of these "unique selves" are simply the sophisticated and articulate conditioned-self taking credit at a new level of awareness?

Who is listening to this audio? Almost always it is the conditioned-self seeking new skillful ways to make it or to recognize itself again... Can you hear them, "Yes! I am that unique self!"

And, if the conditioned-self makes its living, pays its rent, by talking about Mu... Then it can be extremely difficult and painful to drop it completely.  Perhaps that is a special hell: talking about, talking toward, describing and inventing turns of phrase... but still subtly, persistently grasping.  Do we then create a fancy name for this condition and call it Unique Self?

Who pulls the rug out from under this unique self?

S

 

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Posted May 29th, 2009 by admin
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trans-lineage mind

Posted May 29th, 2009 by Kerry Dugan

Steve,

In lineage-mind, a transpersonal turn, we open to, not distinct uniqueness per se, but a shared resonant field of mind-in-common.

Zen's ability to spot buji, "self-styled" spirituality, and to apply it's upaya(s) of rug pulling, of routing the vestiges of self clinging, may or may not have close correlaries in other tradition/lineages. The respective practices may not even generate similar realizations, let alone occur within like processes of verification.

How can we discern, though, if and when we're using a mono-lineage view to address a trans-lineage concern?

The trans-lineage may be no more real to lineage-mind than lineage-mind is self evident to non-practitioners.

'all for now,

K

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Unique redundancy

Posted May 29th, 2009 by Richard Layman

"Unique Self" is a pleonasm (its redundant), like "free gift". The unique self is the plain ordinary self and vice versa.

Either neuroscience or simple self observation should convince any reasonable person that the "self" is something that is always changing from moment to moment. It is never identical with itself at any two different instants, much less with any other person's self, not even a so called identical twin. You may jazz up, supersize or hypmotize the self in all manner of ways and yet not make it one bit more unique than it already was or always will be.

Is something being conjured out of nothing, or maybe pulled out of someones ass, here? Is this what is known as a "bill of goods"? Or is it just a bad choice of names to give to whatever is being argued or offered for sale?

Richard

--

There is no answer. There is no solution. There is only practice. (Anon.)

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Unique Self, yes ...or should we call this The Act of Sucking Part 2?

Posted May 30th, 2009 by avoid

I think I listened to this audio a while back when I was a paying member.

I am under the impression that he is talking about the fact that we can not devalue our personal history or individuality because this history and story (which includes choices we have made all along and are making right now...) is what led us to the "place" we are today. 

Whether you appreciate where you are or not, it is thanks to the history and story of your life this far.

So you don't think that your life is unique? That might be your opinion but I disagree and have to agree with Marc.

If I may ask, who else has gone through exactly what you have gone through?

It is your choice to take his words in such a negative way.  I don't see any indication that he is a negative person and/or is trying to cause you any harm.