Been thinking as a person previously deluded by catholic/christian upbringing, when meditating to negative voices usually respond back in all sorts of ways to fight, ask why me, all delusions. After finding buddhism, to see all that stops your enlightenement as Mara helps mind see things a bit clearer. A succubus for example people have stories of Lilith, Satan, Devils but you can simply see it as Mind/temptation/Mara. Devils/Demons insulting you, harming you, making you feel hopeless rather than fighting, feeding stories, demanding or trying to make deals just see it again, as Mara. Even physical world relationship problems like family, friends, girlfriends all drama to stop your enlightenment.. see it as Mara.. mind then is simplified, all that stops my enlightenment is Mara, no stress or drama or pain as you remain in emptiness, no lasting self that remains and is ever changing nothing to cling to. Point of this post? Many people here, and I am guilty of it too, see much of mind created pains, dramas, desires as something more than mind but seeing it all as Mara can open mind to enlightenment as it simplifies it. Then you become mind as one, without a self to cling to or be in pain.
>>41749594To further this, I find this is an interesting read and will help those deluded in mind mara crap..https://www.meditationexpert.com/paranormal/p_voices_in_the_head_and_spiritual_visions.htmDefo worth a read and is short
none can truly see mara in ALL things, what about the human duties and work life. So you are saying that we can choose what obvious things to see as mara and what not, but what if i don't see something as mara is actually mara to me. Fking around and find out will take time obviously.
>>41749660Actually you can, because mind is empty in nature. You no the saying "Chop wood before enlightenment and then after". So in your sense, while doing human duties or work life (middle path) you do it while seeing anything that stops your enlightenment as Mara. For example something that might stress a normal person like traffic or being late, you would have empty mind nature aware of Mara delusion and remain at peace while living in the middle way.
>>41749668the problem with these thinkings is that i only work fine when alone. if you got an annoying person with you , it is most likely you will break the code of this pretentious thinking. i think there maybe two ways to train it, one , by living in woods , completely isolating and lose insanity , or losing it while living with hylics.what do you think?
>>41749712Well I spent all my life willingly as a recluse. Before I made that decision to practice I was always stressed out by people in conversations as they contradict themselves, talk about pointless stupid things or are just plain ignorant. Now a days, when I do take time to socialise and because of my practices, I can just smile and nod even when they say things that used to irritate me as the empty state of mind eventually becomes constant and natural as opposed to an effort you do. You see the empty nature in everything to the point being stressed or pissed off is just a waste of energy. The annoying person can't annoy you when you practice the true nature of mind. That's why there is true effort, true mindfulness and true conciousness in Buddhism.. it wont happen instantly by simply seeing all as Mara, it only guides you. I recommend at least 10-15 mins a day on this and you may see results in day to day life. Those things will bother you less and less to the point of non existent (you will just be so peace in emptiness in mind that there BS will come off as any other mind crap that happens in your head).
>>41749740yeah , practice do bears result.
>>41749758Right! I don't expect you to be a monk level on the middle path because you have life and responsibilities but nothing is stopping you from 10-15 mins even before bed and you will see small improvements each time you deal with other people. Enjoy the small results as opposed to the end goal. Dreams are a good example of this when lucid if you had one before. You spend energy on a nightmare, feed the illusion and it becomes stronger but the moment you realise it's just mind, it can change.
>>41749594>to see all that stops your enlightenement as Mara helps mind see things a bit clearer.Why couldnt you do this with the devil sending you tricks and obstacles?It sounds more like you gained advancement by switching traditions which gave you the feeling of novelty and self-discovery.that's great, but a Buddhist couldd find the exact same thing going from the useless Mara to understanding the world through a Western adversary like Satan.
>>41751543Cause mara is not a being or evil it's just mind in ignorance aversion and craving so you're not praying away from a devil or satan as mara is just mind not a being
>>41752592>Cause mara is not a being or evil>A succubus for example people have stories of Lilith, Satan, Devils but you can simply see it as Mind/temptation/Mara.If you can "see devils as Mara" then yes - Mara is a being and evil.Otherwise what OP said doesnt apply and is wrong.And lets assume OP is wrong and you are right.that doesnt preclude you from doing the same thing and just understand that "Satan" is these things, and not an actual being.There is no reason to convert to Buddhism to see Satan as a personification of error, just as error in Buddhism is personified as Mara.>so you're not prayingNo one said anything about praying, although if you are Buddhist you SHOULD be praying.
