Adyashanti

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Wet Paint, modified 14 Years ago at 5/17/09 8:38 PM
Created 14 Years ago at 5/17/09 8:38 PM

Adyashanti

Posts: 22924 Join Date: 8/6/09 Recent Posts
Author: rugi
Forum: Dharma Overground Discussion Forum

Hi,
I've been reading over some of the threads for the last month since I completed MCTB a few months back. I was very impressed with the content of this book and it drew me towards the dho forum.

Recently I have also begun listening to some Adyashanti talks from the web and I wanted to start a discussion on what people thought of his teachings. I have been very impressed and I think that they are a good balance to Daniels book as it seems that one of the drawbacks of MCTB book is that the detailed descriptions of progress can cause certain types of people to obsess about spritual attainment and work their minds into a frenzy trying to achieve states or get notches on their ego belt.

The balance to this seems to be developing the right type attitude that doesn't mentally manipulate the mind, and to let the mind fall away of its own volition and develop egolessness service. It's not that the MTCB doesn't state that, it's more that the mind is a tricky monster.

I was wondering what the experienced people on dho think of Adyashanti's teachings?

with metta,
Trent S H, modified 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 1:57 AM
Created 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 1:57 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 0 Join Date: 8/22/09 Recent Posts
I dislike him and his posse more than any other mainstream source out there. In my opinion, his interpretations are consistently either wrong or horribly inarticulate. (To a degree which makes some of it psychologically dangerous and path-wise detrimental.) Much of what he says "sounds really spiritual" and has absolutely no discernible content; sort of like a fortune teller throwing vague horseshit at the person they're reading with the hope that the person creates their own profound meaning. Lastly, he talks (tone/inflection) like an idiot and it grates on my nerves.

Held a lot back there, didn't I? Haha. Somebody's got a case of the Monnnnndays.

Trent
j g, modified 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 2:13 AM
Created 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 2:13 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 0 Join Date: 8/22/09 Recent Posts
Is this Adyashanit the same person whose book is advertised on the Buddhist Geeks podcast "pick of the month" ? It's been a really long month because it has been mentioned for maybe a year!
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Vincent Horn, modified 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 2:45 AM
Created 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 2:45 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 211 Join Date: 4/20/09 Recent Posts
Hi rugi,

Yep, I think you're right on. Adya does present a nice counter-balance to the map and goal-based approach in MCTB, while still speaking openly and candidly about awakening. I also think that he's absolutely a legit and realized teacher and though there are certain things that annoy me about his way of teaching, I think he's helping a lot of people get it at the level that matters, which is to me what matters... ;)

@Jamie: The same one, yep.

-Vince
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Kenneth Folk, modified 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 12:05 PM
Created 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 12:05 PM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 439 Join Date: 4/30/09 Recent Posts
Hi Rugi,

I'm a big fan of Adyashanti and I agree with you that his teaching is a great counter-balance to MCTB. In looking at these two teachers, i.e., Daniel Ingram and Adyashanti, I think it's important to keep in mind that they use two entirely different teaching modalities. Daniel's Theravada-based method emphasizes development through time and offers clear maps of the states and stages, along with precise instructions for accessing states and progressing through the various levels of insight. Adyashanti's non-dual, Advaita-like method relies on seeing in THIS moment what is always already the case. As such, he downplays the importance of development through time and relies heavily upon satsang (teacher-led discussion and the direct manifestation of Awakeness) as a way of directly pointing out that Awareness is ever present.

I recommend both of these teachers as as part of a complete enlightenment package. One of the great benefits of living on Earth in 2009 is that we have access to so many excellent teachers.

Kenneth
D C, modified 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 1:01 PM
Created 14 Years ago at 5/18/09 1:01 PM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 28 Join Date: 8/23/09 Recent Posts
Yaba/Trent you surprise me: I've noted you as someone who I find generally really otm in terms of their comments. And Adyashanti I would say the same of. He's always wonderfully deft and balanced to my mind and a teacher I would love to spend some time with. I'm just about to buy a book by one of his students, Stephen Bodian, which might address the lack of clear staged instruction you imply.

Can you give some example of where you find him consistently wrong and/or horribly inarticulate. I'm curious.

Damon
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S Pro, modified 14 Years ago at 2/7/10 4:02 PM
Created 14 Years ago at 2/7/10 4:02 PM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 86 Join Date: 2/7/10 Recent Posts
Hi,

I love Adyashanti a lot and I think he´s very deep, speaking out of real experience. I also think that he´s very good at explaining things and cleaning up with misconceptions. He also avoids excessive intellectualisations which speaks for him.
One must not forget that although he has a strong Zen background he sounds very much like not really having a confession at all (what for if you´re enlightened?).
People also have different ways of explaining things. His style is very advaita-like although, like said, he pretty much stands on his own feet.
I really have high regards for people like Adyashanti, Eckhart Tolle, Gangaji, the modern "non-dualists".

Another point is that one should avoid sticking to a tradition one sympathises with since the danger of seeing things through a conceptional filter arises. E.g., Theravada people here may have a strong inclination towards Jhanas and expect to hear about these from other teachers though these have different emphasis.

I really don´t understand Trent´s negative statement at all (see above) - could you elaborate?
What do mean by "wrong"?

Regards
Sitting Bull
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tony john lambert, modified 13 Years ago at 6/18/10 2:30 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/18/10 6:08 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 6 Join Date: 6/18/10 Recent Posts
Wet Paint:
Author: rugi
Forum: Dharma Overground Discussion Forum

Hi,
I've been reading over some of the threads for the last month since I completed MCTB a few months back. I was very impressed with the content of this book and it drew me towards the dho forum.

Recently I have also begun listening to some Adyashanti talks from the web and I wanted to start a discussion on what people thought of his teachings. I have been very impressed and I think that they are a good balance to Daniels book as it seems that one of the drawbacks of MCTB book is that the detailed descriptions of progress can cause certain types of people to obsess about spritual attainment and work their minds into a frenzy trying to achieve states or get notches on their ego belt.

The balance to this seems to be developing the right type attitude that doesn't mentally manipulate the mind, and to let the mind fall away of its own volition and develop egolessness service. It's not that the MTCB doesn't state that, it's more that the mind is a tricky monster.

I was wondering what the experienced people on dho think of Adyashanti's teachings?

with metta,


Hi,
I am a recent convert to Adyashantis teachings,I live in UK and being a bozo,what on earth is MCTB? I came across Advaita type teachings a couple of years ago on YT,after spending many years trying to understand what the hell had happened to me ,I have had several higher consciousness experiences since about 8 years old, now my form is 65.....

Anyway two years ago,Gangaji, Eckhart Tolle and others,explained what had happened,basically my thoughts had stopped or at least slowed right down to enable the pure consciousness, which is who we all are, to shine throught the muck of my mind.....but I couldn't understand what had happened,it was not something I had done myself,but I do practice TM sometimes,which may have helped in latter years as I had other higher states as well ,sometimes lasting for months.

But the first experience was at 8 years,what did I do?, nothing,my childhood was unhappy,one day sitting in school listening to a boring sermon from our Vicar (Church of England school) I slipped into this blissfull state and wondered around the schoolyard feeling completely happy and contented,no unhappiness fear etc,wonderful,unfortunatlely the experience wore off after a few hours and I spent the rest of my life trying to find "it" again.
It was a natural event or grace perhaps....not that I'm special.

However the initial effect of Gangajis, Eckhart Tolles teachings wore off and last year was spent totally immersed in ego consciousness,it happened like this...
Two years ago I was walking on the sand, blissed out by the Ocean ,(English channel,all the same,one Ocean) and the thought"They're all lying" really shouted at me but that was ego, frightened of dying.....but how could an illusion die anyway? see below.

I did also see Adyashanti on YT couple of years ago but thought he was a clever dick ,smart ass type,but that was of course only my ego trying to dismiss him and Gangaji etc too!
hence the descent into the ego persona last year.

A while ago I was searching Buddhism on YT and came across Adyashanti again,and wham,suddenly his teachings really sunk in,his teachings are so full of fun, laid back ,which appeals to me now,he's not a smart ass at all,just being honest,extremly lucid explainations mainly,there are some I don't get but I'm a bozo so too bad,I don't care.

One teaching that really came over was when he explained that ego is just an idea,a circle of thoughts, a phoney ME.
there is no ME, no ego.
He says when the pure consciouness becomes infused with thought it develops this idea of a subject ,an observer and there aint one! and that's so funny, what hoax!

What happened to me was that my thoughts stopped or at least became quiet enough for Conscious Spirit, the real I as Adya says to reassert itself, and its peacetime again! contentment, no angels bells and whistles just pure peace,lovely.

I know this is true because that is my experience,so I know Adya is telling the truth as are Gangaji etc.
So I would advise all truth seekers to listen to him,he knows what he is talking about.
Non duality is true,and the ego ,although there is no such thing,doesn't like it.....I expect it to make a comeback like a thief in the night.
But with Adya's teachings amongst others hopefully I can overcome the illusion of separateness again,cos there aint one!
only ONE ,thats all there is folks.
hey I sound like a teacher,but I'm not.....hope this helps.

P.S.Once you realise you are Self or Love, then you can easily love the Self in all Beings, in all things,because there is no separation,only ONE,it is unexplainable in detail as such,just the effect is enough.
I hope all you guys realise who you really are....there is no ME only WE....

Love, Bozo.
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tony john lambert, modified 13 Years ago at 6/19/10 5:58 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/19/10 5:58 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 6 Join Date: 6/18/10 Recent Posts
Hi Trent,
Yes you do have a case of the mondays,we all have them from time to time.
I hope its gone....

Ask who is the" I" that dislikes Adya?

Who is the "my" who owns the irritated nerves.

See if you can find it.

Love,Bozo.
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Bruno Loff, modified 13 Years ago at 6/19/10 7:00 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/19/10 7:00 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 1094 Join Date: 8/30/09 Recent Posts
You're a little outdated Bozo, Trent has investigated this issue very thoroughly --- I hear he currently lives so drenched in dopamine that he no longer has any case of the "mondays" (or "fridays" for that matter) emoticon

welcome to the DhO
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tony john lambert, modified 13 Years ago at 6/21/10 6:53 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/21/10 6:31 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 6 Join Date: 6/18/10 Recent Posts
Bruno Loff:
You're a little outdated Bozo, Trent has investigated this issue very thoroughly --- I hear he currently lives so drenched in dopamine that he no longer has any case of the "mondays" (or "fridays" for that matter) emoticon

welcome to the DhO


Hi Bruno,
I'm surprised ,you are talking about Adya or Trent? if its Adya I would like the links to the information please,I feel its best not to judge, by hearsay.
Are you saying Adya is boosting his Dopamine level and pretending to be Self realised?

Self Realisation is quite ordinary, a normal state of consciousness,not a wildly distorted mystical one obtained through chemicals,naturally produced or otherwise.

If anything is distorted or high its the ego consciousness.

Love, Bozo
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Bruno Loff, modified 13 Years ago at 6/23/10 6:33 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/23/10 6:27 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 1094 Join Date: 8/30/09 Recent Posts
I'm talking about Trent. It was just a joke, no one really knows how meditation works, even less so if taken so far as the Actual Freedom folk did (in this board that's Trent and Tarin). So it might not be dopamine, but some of the AF folk got diagnosed with some "excessive dopamine" syndrome, that's where the dopamine remark came from.

To cut a long story short, these guys have worked with the most primitive part of their brain so that they now live permanently happy, in a state where there is no self and no Self. They seem to have eliminated all affective processes altogether (or, if you will, replaced any sort of differentiated emotion with pure bliss). This left their mind in a permanent state of perfect sensory clarity, so that there is no distortion of their perceptual field.

So, in particular, Trent has no grumpy mornings anymore. The post you read is over one year old.

I think that they also stopped believing a number of things, such as Self and the powers (Trent and Tarin please correct me if I'm wrong).

I have a growing suspicion that they have attained to what dzogchen and mahamudra call "the way the realized mind stays," or "the natural state of the mind." Something along those lines.
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tony john lambert, modified 13 Years ago at 6/26/10 5:42 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 6/26/10 5:42 AM

RE: Adyashanti

Posts: 6 Join Date: 6/18/10 Recent Posts
Hi Bruno,
well that sort of clears it up for me,or does it? so Trent now accepts Adya then? only ego dislikes things,dislikes truth because ego is a false sense of self.
Some of the remarks about Gangaji and other AV teachers are awful on YouTube......its just huge egos fighting like rats in a corner........

We all have our own particular teachers that make more sense,(some of them make no sense at all it seems !)
But I found in general that they are all saying the same things but in different ways.
there is only one Truth....

Language is very clumsy when it tries to describe the mystery of Awareness,it all depends on how we are wired.

Adyashanti at the moment is the clearest for me,comes over as honest and makes a "serious" subject fun, which is appealing.
He has obviously knows by his own experience the devious workings of the mind.....you have to laugh at this jumped up non-entity's antics.....

I mean the ego is just one big joke.......that takes itself so seriously......it does and says the most stupid things,I know from experience.....oh no....
here it is again.....

Love, Bozo....

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