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Obscuring the Present


benos

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Humans have the mental habit of obscuring the beauty of the present moment by carrying the past into it.

Knowing that could be called the gateway to liberation.

Not carrying the past into the present, moment to moment, is liberation.

Which Bhodidharma summed nicely with, "Not to be subject to affliction is liberation. There is no other liberation."

be

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When broken down to its base, the past is infinitley large, the present is infinitely small, and the future is non existent. Take the smallest measureable amount of time, say one nano second. Once that time has occurred, it is the past, where there are countless "present" moments that are no longer, but they were once. The future does not exist, as it is happening at the very same moment as the present. If you are not aware of the present moment, you will not notice when it slips into the past, therefore obscured by your lack of awareness that time is fleeting.....Tempus Fugit

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Since nothing can occur in the past present or future, how can the present moment be obscurred?

Does sadness or suffereing "occur"?

be

Seeing obscurations as the present moment (as opposed to seeing the present moment as obscurations)is maybe cessation of "carrying the past (present or future) into the present".

just a thought.

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Attention is the key. Only through full attention, can we accept what is. The past is not. The future is not.

I watch my life unfold as from the obscured side of a two way mirror. I see this poor fellow (my self) earnestly searching, coming so close to stumbling upon the key. But again, unaware of its presence, I see him move away.

Its all good. :rolleyes:

Seek and you shall find.

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We assign the label "the past" to what we re-member in the present.

be

I think we/humans are wired this way, so that we bring the negative to present, so that we do not make the same mistakes. In a way its brilliant, but at the same time, they could be thoughts that could be destructive...

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I think we/humans are wired this way, so that we bring the negative to present, so that we do not make the same mistakes. In a way its brilliant, but at the same time, they could be thoughts that could be destructive...

Interesting thought... and well-said. There is definitely a point of diminishing returns between "learning" from mistakes, letting go, and moving on... and dwelling on mistakes and feeling negative about them. Only if one's able to let go of the past, can they be open to truly experience the present.

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We assign the label "the past" to what we re-member in the present.

be

I think we/humans are wired this way, so that we bring the negative to present, so that we do not make the same mistakes. In a way its brilliant, but at the same time, they could be thoughts that could be destructive...

Coupl'a thoughts:

1) we're genetically "negative programmers" - only a very few of the "Lotus Eaters" survived to breed. Those who were the most paranoid survived the longest.

2) as some old rogue said: "...those not living in the present, please stand up..."

3) as an old Chinaman once said: "...we're all Zen Masters...the only difference is some know it."

4) same old Chinaman: " ...beware the stink of Zen."

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But the water is getting deeper

Step on the rocks ....your messing up the Miracle

I think that is what Jesus said to the followers as he walked across the water

wink.gif

Edited by AlamoShooter
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I went to make some biscuits after making that last post. I was paying careful attention to much, but probably not everything, that I was doing. Then a thought came along that really cracked me up. Seeking the key... The present.

The funny thought was of the proverbial "elephant in the living room". That's the present moment. It's huge and it's the only thing there is.

"See what is found by not seeking anything" Definitely, no need to seek it. :rolleyes: Thanks Brian!

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I went to make some biscuits after making that last post. I was paying careful attention to much, but probably not everything, that I was doing. Then a thought came along that really cracked me up. Seeking the key... The present.

The funny thought was of the proverbial "elephant in the living room". That's the present moment. It's huge and it's the only thing there is.

"See what is found by not seeking anything" Definitely, no need to seek it. :rolleyes: Thanks Brian!

:)

When I'm out an about, I'm usually looking for a Tiger in the streets.

be

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I went to make some biscuits after making that last post. I was paying careful attention to much, but probably not everything, that I was doing. Then a thought came along that really cracked me up. Seeking the key... The present.

The funny thought was of the proverbial "elephant in the living room". That's the present moment. It's huge and it's the only thing there is.

"See what is found by not seeking anything" Definitely, no need to seek it. :rolleyes: Thanks Brian!

:)

When I'm out an about, I'm usually looking for a Tiger in the streets.

be

I see the Tiger in the street all the time, usually next to a big sign that spells "EXXON"

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  • 11 months later...

The present moment is the only moment available to live. unconditionally accepting and appreciating what that moment has to offer may be the biggest lesson life has to teach us. However, what you see in the moment has already happened and it is necessary to leave present moment and look ahead. Never look back, because you cannot go back, the past brought you to the where you are on the path. Dwelling on the past will only trouble your mind and troubled mind will never find the way.

Lee

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But the water is getting deeper

Step on the rocks ....your messing up the Miracle

I think that is what Jesus said to the followers as he walked across the water

wink.gif

Jesus didn't say that. Please show me the quote. I'd love to see it. But mixed in all this zen garbage I thought I maybe just found some sense. But alas I did not. Maybe i tried to hard. Or not hard enough. Maybe I should just be. Or not be.

Zen just does NOT make sense. Or maybe it does.

Naw, it don't.

S........S........

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If there was any sense to it wouldn't be Zen.

;)

Each moment is absolute, alive, and significant. The frog leaps, the cricket sings, a dewdrop gliiters on the lotus leaf, a breeze passed through the pine branches and the moonlight falls on the murmuring stream.

D.T. Suzuki

That's as much sense as Zen makes.

be

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If there was any sense to it wouldn't be Zen.

;)

Each moment is absolute, alive, and significant. The frog leaps, the cricket sings, a dewdrop gliiters on the lotus leaf, a breeze passed through the pine branches and the moonlight falls on the murmuring stream.

D.T. Suzuki

That's as much sense as Zen makes.

be

That is one tasty morsel!

:D

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