Bare attention to what is

May 11, 2021“Other people can do it, I can’t do it.”Epstein talking about just following the instruction which are “simple and specific”Epstein that in fact I can do it. “And what precipitates out of it is feeling more comfortable in my own skin”Epstein. This is the instruction that I am remembering now. That in fact I can do it, by remembering the instruction on being impartial, or choiceless awareness, of “not holding on”Epstein which just “is”Robert B. “Suspend judgement and give impartial attention to just the way the breath is.”Epstein. “Is”Robert B., is the object of awareness and bare attention is applied to what “is”Robert B. Not what you imagine it to be, or think what it is, the objects of the four foundations of mindfulness. Phantasy of memories of words arising, or phantasy of images, that disturb mind. Even remembering words from our teachers is fantasy, but it is helpful none the less. In Buddhist Tantra they use images to remind us of the teachings of Buddha. Yesterday temple gave instruction on the 3 marks of existence, with an image of the doorway to remember the teaching of the Buddha.The image of the doorway is a great way to remember 3 marks of existence, just as Epstein does with the window into the Buddha Realm, or “plug into my own experience”Epstein. Robert B. Has disdain for the words phantasy and “feelings” and probably for good reason, he is an old man, I can see what he means. Even if Temple uses the image of a “doorway” as a reminder of the 3 marks of existence.