Originally posted by longchen:
Meditation is really a process of self-discovery. Eventually, we
will discovery that our experience is entirely made up of
sensations, perceptions and feelings. That's it.
Indeed! The 5 aggregates are the very buddha nature. Yet it
requires the experience of non-duality to have insight to this
plain truth. It is too easy to understand and not pleasing to the a
complex mind so we tend to read past what the Buddha said.
In fact, 'self' is the last or end result of a series of process in
the formation of consciousness. This is contrary to the
conventional assumed way of understanding life and things. We THINK
that we(self) is experiencing the world... The fact is, the self is
the 'being experienced' after a series of entirely impersonal
process.
I understand the essence of it. 
Just to add a
little. After a series of entirely impersonal process, isness is
experienced. Only when the process is made 'personal', 'Self' is
experienced and perhaps after the formation of perception. That is
after the assigning of a label and identification done.
It is not the self that grasps or clings. 'Self' itself is grasping
and clinging. .. and therefore is not a thing at all.
At a certain stage of progress, there is a sense of futilty in
trying to 'control', grasp events. Conventional happiness comes in
the fulfilling of objective. However, the joy/bliss of 'no-self' is
a different type of expereince from conventional happiness... Note:
I am not implying that conventional happiness is something that
needs to be avioded...no. It is just that the expereince is
different. Joy of no-self comes from the dropping away of grasping
which is self.
Fully agree.
This is easier said that done, I can atest to the difficulty in
very trying situations... there is still a whole lot of grasping at
very difficult situations and mental reasoning kicks in to
justified the worrying and grasping
Very true and spending quality hours in 'naked awareness' in
meditation each day will help. Until it replaces mental reasoning
as the one antedote for all worries and confusions.
