Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse faB 5/12/16 4:08 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Dada Kind 5/13/16 12:29 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse tsetse fly 5/13/16 6:41 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse faB 5/13/16 6:56 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse tsetse fly 5/13/16 9:40 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse faB 5/13/16 9:47 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/13/16 11:08 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/17/16 11:55 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/18/16 3:21 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/18/16 5:58 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Christine 5/22/16 10:11 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse CJMacie 5/23/16 1:04 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Psi 5/23/16 5:41 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse CJMacie 5/23/16 5:54 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/23/16 11:37 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse CJMacie 5/24/16 5:21 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse svmonk 5/24/16 10:38 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse faB 5/25/16 6:53 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/25/16 1:38 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/25/16 11:32 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse CJMacie 5/26/16 6:48 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 5/26/16 2:46 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse PBS.org 6/14/17 6:34 AM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse Stirling Campbell 6/14/17 12:58 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse Mark Boolootian 6/18/17 9:47 PM
RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse Dream Walker 6/21/17 1:32 AM
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faB, modified 7 Years ago at 5/12/16 4:08 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/12/16 4:08 PM

Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 34 Join Date: 6/10/11 Recent Posts
I'm trying to get this book but it's ridiculously expensive in EU. Seems to be out of print?

Could anybody help me out find it somehow via PM, maybe sell me an old copy via post and I'll pay for it.

Or is there an ebook version available anywhere?

Thanks
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Dada Kind, modified 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 12:29 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 12:29 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 633 Join Date: 11/15/13 Recent Posts
Couldn't find the ebook so I'd be surprised if it exists. If you want the audiobook, though, I can help
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tsetse fly, modified 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 6:41 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 6:41 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 8 Join Date: 12/14/12 Recent Posts
That is quite strange--I have it on my Kindle, but the ebook doesn't seem to be for sale anymore. As you indicated, only expensive used hard copies are now available at Amazon.

It's a shame, as it is probably my favorite book in this category. I've read it several times and it's different each reading.

The audio edition is read by Terrance Stamp and is also outstanding. That could be an alternative. It seems to still be availble through Audible for about $15. I cannot count the number of times I've listened to it. 

If you're patient, you could try camelcamelcamel (google that) which is a price tracker for Amazon. It will tell you the moment a cheap copy is posted for sale.

Keep trying--it's worth it.

Ed
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faB, modified 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 6:56 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 6:55 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 34 Join Date: 6/10/11 Recent Posts
tsetse fly:
(...)

The audio edition is read by Terrance Stamp and is also outstanding. That could be an alternative. It seems to still be availble through Audible for about $15. I cannot count the number of times I've listened to it. 

(...)Ed


Thanks for the tip!

It looks like I could download the audiobook with the trial offer on Audible and then still have access to it without membership.

@Droll  I am interested, I don't know how to message on here.
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tsetse fly, modified 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 9:40 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 9:40 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 8 Join Date: 12/14/12 Recent Posts
That's great.

I should add, for anyone who has not read this book, that in my opionion, this is the most cogent and clear description of living from a non-dual perspective that I've come across--of what it must be like on a day-to-day basis. Of course, I'm not one to judge it from that side, but there's something about this book that continues to push me forward, year after year.

I think I first heard about it on this forum, in fact. Highly recommended.

Ed
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faB, modified 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 9:47 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 9:47 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 34 Join Date: 6/10/11 Recent Posts
Yeah it seems very good and very helpful. I've read just a chapter on advaita.org;k site and it already answers some doubts and questions I had.

Peripheral Vision 
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 11:08 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/13/16 11:08 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
Just downloaded a free copy of the audiobook - with Terence Stamp reading it no less!

Really neat to read/hear someone really concentrating on what is/isn't the non-dual experience. Amazing stuff. 

Thanks for this.

-Bows-
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/17/16 11:55 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/17/16 10:46 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
Sorry to necro this, but I'm wondering if anyone else has discovered this amazing book through this post and wants to discuss it, or has read it previously and wants to share their thoughts about it.

I am listening to the audiobook, to be clear - something I never do, but am somehow finding immensely useful in this case. It makes it easy to go back 15 seconds and relisten to things, and Terence Stamp's voice is great for this material. 

- edit - Just to add that I got this audiobook for FREE at Amazon with a credit they must have given me ages ago. I'd bet anyone that regularly shops at Amazon could ALSO get it for free:

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Brilliant-Stillness-David-Carse/dp/0976578301


In my opinon, this guy is absolutely the real deal, and we need more people like Carse and Daniel to just talk about what is it is to be "there/here" and what it looks like. It's good to have processes and practices, but I honestly think, for those who have some progress, books where the everyday experience of THIS IS IT are explained are going to be extremely useful. I don't honestly know of any others that are as clear as Carse, so I would be very thankful for anyone elses recommendations of other accounts along those lines.

I'm about half way through and the little epiphanies are coming with regularity. Some things I've heard expressed elsewhere seem to finally resonate properly with me here. This morning there even seems to be what might be a permanent shift. Some of the thoughts I find compelling:

- Working within the symbols and dialog of Samsara to try to actuate a permanent state of non-duality is a bit silly. The more elaborate the system being used INSIDE of Samsara that we use to try to change ourselves, the more ridiculous it is. THIS IS IT resides outside of all of these practices. The only thing we do that is in any way like THIS IS IT is probably Sunyata. Repeatedly immersing ourselves in this (somewhat/barely) analagous state is probably the best chance those of us trapped in Samsara have to jog our memory of what IS. This guys experience (along with people like Eckhart Tolle, for example) show that these experiences can just appear - for every person whose experiences match whatever maps we painstakingly make, or sign-posts we steadfastly cling to there are some for whom it just "happens". We won't all go through every step on a map, or possibly ANY of them. 

- There is no need to be attached to outcomes. I feel like I can abide in an acceptance of everything as it is today. I can't think of a more clear way to say it than that. Not sure how long I can pull it off, but for the first time ever, after hearing his explanation I think I can give it a sporting try - like its a very real possibility. It feels like such a relief - it feels "right". This one comes with a beautiful, creamy warmth on my face and on the crown of my head that I have been enjoying for about an hour.

I would say that anyone that has seen non-duality needs to read/hear this book. It's like being bathed in the light of the dharmakaya.

Anyone else read/heard this? What did you think?
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/18/16 3:21 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/18/16 3:20 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
Likewise I never listen to audiobooks. I'd much prefer to read the book though as the voice adds a sense of grandeur and mystery and when awakening is always this seemingly unattainable thing, for the seeker, I feel it's not helpful.

This book is worth making an exception, IMHO.

I tend to stay away from these discussions last few years because I am afraid naturally of adding more to the sense of self. So as a disclaimer I may very well delete my post later and however silly it may sound, I find the less I feed self consciousness the better.

I can see how that makes sense, though I somehow truly believe that,, just as like attracts like, the discipline of sitting in emptiness is a pale shadow of THIS IS IT. There are even times when sitting that the characteristics of the non-dual experience that I had color my experience. It's as close to the membrane as we can get I think, and perhaps, "training" the mind prepares it for seeing things as they are. If not, it makes me feel better in this dream, and is now an enjoyable passtime.

When it comes to this, it seems that if you get stuck on "challenging" any dysfunction such as self consciousness, by eg. maintaining the profile in an online discussion, or proving say, that I am not self conscious about this or that, it's all more gear grindings. Better to give up entirely the game. Those gears may not grind the same way for someone else, but it is still a massive waste of time.

I mostly agree, but if I'm going to waste my time, I'm going to do it in an agreeable way.

The keyword for me in the book is stillness.
So reading Carse talk about this stillness is uplifting. Hmm, maybe this is the right direction after all?

This is key to whatever shift Carse has helped me preciptate. Today is day two, and there is still this pervasive quiet to everything. It isn't that things are any quieter - though I think MIND might be quieter. I'm still trying to pick out what it is.
The path of Carse though, is more along the lines of Eckhart Tolle and many others. He lost himself in the jungle. It's the classic story of giving up in a moment of crisis.

It is. One of the quotes he uses that struck me is something about how paths to enlightenment are like ladders, and that each time one is used it is thrown down - not useable for someone else. His story is his ladder - we have ours. Can we really use his ladder... or anyone elses? I think we can only look for convergent practices that seem to help many and try them.

So to address more of your post.. I *believe*

- immersing onself in this or that state, Pointless
- maintaing this or that state, pointless
- samsara, dharmkaya, kayaks, banananes, all words and concepts
- stages of awakening, more concepts
- taking positions such as "no need to be attacjed to outcomes", more gears grinding  > pointless

But none of that is pointless in the sense that it's happening anyway, and it's part of your "moving from A to B" energy that's burning itself out.

...and strangely, I wonder if I don't completely agree. Yet, my feeling is that meditation is working somehow - untangling the knots like a warm bath.

I don't know when this one will end, I just thought writing a bit might kind of kindle the flames for me.

You sound like a good cat, I hope you don't give up. I really think having some attraction to the ideas about how "things" are, and working to quiet the mind can't hurt. I'm 48. It took me 26 years to get a taste of it all. I feel like it's all very close now - well, of COURSE it is... it always has been. emoticon
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/18/16 5:58 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/18/16 5:57 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
To be honest I'd probably still sit but it became too painful due to trauma / emotional blocks so I got into the therapy thing, and massage, .. to address the body and so I can stop obsessing over sensations which was aproblem for me with Vipassana. Also I was shaking and it became annoying.



I know there is a lot of love for Vipassana here, but I have never done it with any regularity, except to experiment with noting and other things Daniel suggests. I'm sure someone will get pissed off about this, but honestly I think it's all to much. Try sitting Shunyata or Zazen and see how you are. I think it's a much more gentle practice. Once you can get to the jhana states body pain also starts to melt away. 

Getting caught up in practice flavors is another attachement in the dream, of course.
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Christine, modified 7 Years ago at 5/22/16 10:11 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/22/16 10:10 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

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Hi,
I found this one in the Netherlands: http://inzichtboeken.nl/products-page/boeken-buitenlands/david-carse-perfect-brilliant-stillness/
and this one in the UK :http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/perfect-brilliant-stillness/9780954779283

I picked up the audio version on Amazon.com for free by signing up for a free trial for Audible. I am in Canada but have a US Amazon account, Audible is not available on the Canadian site. It was pretty easy.  I got two free downloads, I can give you a copy of Perfect Brilliant Stillness(Audio version) as a gift through Audible if you would like as one of my free downloads (I prefer reading books to listening to them). Let me know if you are interested and PM me your email address.

Christine
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CJMacie, modified 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 1:04 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 12:54 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 856 Join Date: 8/17/14 Recent Posts
Tangentially apropos...

I just noticed that AMAZON is selling books by Thanissaro Bhikkhu -- all of which are downloadable, or can be gotten as actual books directly from him or a number of others who get them from him in bulk and distribute further, absolutely free -- explicitly forbidding sale of them.

For instance, "The Shape of Suffering", to simply download at:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/shapeofsuffering.pdf

or, for $125, at:
http://www.amazon.com/Shape-Suffering-Study-Dependent-Co-arising/dp/B002ZVBH6S


Amazing...

Actually not so new -- back several years ago I found a book of his for sale on the used-book shelf at Vajrapani Institute Meditation Center in the Santa Cruz mountains (in the San Francisco Bay Area).
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Psi, modified 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 5:41 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 5:41 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

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CJMacie:
Tangentially apropos...

I just noticed that AMAZON is selling books by Thanissaro Bhikkhu 
It is for sale on Amazon, but not by Amazon...

This item is only available from third-party sellers 

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CJMacie, modified 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 5:54 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 5:54 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 856 Join Date: 8/17/14 Recent Posts
(Than-Geoff books for sale) True, by 3rd parties through Amazon.

At that price, I've got several $thousands worth of his books on my shelf here! Hmm...
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 11:37 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/23/16 11:37 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
CJMacie:

Actually not so new -- back several years ago I found a book of his for sale on the used-book shelf at Vajrapani Institute Meditation Center in the Santa Cruz mountains (in the San Francisco Bay Area).

Hey, that's where I took my Ngondro instruction and was regular for a few years! Love that place. Though I'm still local, it just proved to be too much of a haul for me - and Lama Tharchin passed away so I didn't have the connection to the place so much. 
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CJMacie, modified 7 Years ago at 5/24/16 5:21 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/24/16 5:19 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 856 Join Date: 8/17/14 Recent Posts
re: Stirling Campbell (5/23/16 11:37 AM as a reply to CJMacie)

"Hey, that's [Vajrapani Institute Meditation Center] where I took my Ngondro instruction and was regular for a few years! Love that place. Though I'm still local, it just proved to be too much of a haul for me - and Lama Tharchin passed away so I didn't have the connection to the place so much. "

Small world. That must have been a while ago. When I was 1st there (2008) the Lama had been gone a while. On the ridge above was a curious concrete construction– s/w like a barbeque pit in a park or at the beach – where he had been cremated; and the ashes were probably in the stupa. And a gold bust of him in the meditation hall, almost as prominent as the gold Buddha himself, who had uncanny eyes that follow you around the room.

A most pleasant and interesting place, with the peacock hanging out and occasionally calling eeriely; and the Stellar blue jays who enjoyed sharing our food on the patio picnic tables; and the deer who were quite at home close to people, even poking their heads s/t through the door of the meditation hall to see what was going on…

All the garish coloring and decoration in the meditation hall seemed weird at first – until I got to deep access-concentration (not quite jhana then) at one retreat; then it all made perfect sense.
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svmonk, modified 7 Years ago at 5/24/16 10:38 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/24/16 10:38 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

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Hi CJ,

Not sure, but I think that was Lama Yeshe, not Lama Tharchin. I think Lama Yeshe died in a hospital in LA in 1984 and was cremated at Vajrapani. Lama Yeshe founded Vajrapani.
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faB, modified 7 Years ago at 5/25/16 6:53 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/25/16 6:11 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 34 Join Date: 6/10/11 Recent Posts
Thank you Christine!

WHSmith won't ship outside UK. The NL site works, but it seems like my local Waterstones is able to order within 3-5 weeks and it woudl be around ~22 EUR which ends up a bit cheaper than the online order. edit: bah they didn't check properly, book is out of print.
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/25/16 11:32 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/25/16 11:32 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

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...actually, it's all my fault. emoticon

I have sat and had teachers at both Vajrapani Institute (in the town I live in) Land of Medicine Buddha AND Vajrayana Foundation. The first and second are Lama Yeshe/Zopa's, Vajrayana was/is Lama Tharchin's. You can see how the names could be confusing. They always have been for me for whatever reason.

I ended up with Lama Tharchin, as he was/is a Dzogchen teacher. 

Lama Yeshe was indeed cremated at Vajrapani, though that was well before my time.

Apologies for any confusion caused.
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/25/16 1:38 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/25/16 1:38 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
I actually emailed the publisher about a possible reprinting or other available copies of the book and haven't heard back. Still working my way through this book and am having some great insight about things I previously intellectually understood. Still waiting for his clarification on a few concepts that my understanding/experience tell me are differentl.
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CJMacie, modified 7 Years ago at 5/26/16 6:48 AM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/26/16 6:47 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

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re: svmonk, Stirling Campbell

I didn't know there were two different Lama-led organizations in the Santa Cruz area. I did, however, wonder at the name "Vajrapani", and the fact that from the descriptive material I saw, the meditation center near Boulder Creek had to do with specifically Mahayana dharma, not mentioning Vajrayana.
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Stirling Campbell, modified 7 Years ago at 5/26/16 2:46 PM
Created 7 Years ago at 5/26/16 2:46 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Stillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
The one near Boulder Creek is a Lama Zopa Rinpoche property affiliated with the Land of Medicine Buddha/FPMT and so a Gelugpa place, and he is tight with the Dalai Lama.

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche was a Dzogchen teacher (Vajrayana), and Ngakpa, and trained with Dudjom Rinpoche.
PBSorg, modified 6 Years ago at 6/14/17 6:34 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 6/14/17 6:34 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse

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Consider going to this link to download the PDF for any the chapters of the book 'Perfect Brilliant Stillness' by David Carse

www.PerfectBrilliantStillness.org

From the home page click on the menu item at the top of the page called Book.
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Stirling Campbell, modified 6 Years ago at 6/14/17 12:58 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 6/14/17 12:58 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 621 Join Date: 3/13/16 Recent Posts
PBS.org:
Consider going to this link to download the PDF for any the chapters of the book 'Perfect Brilliant Stillness' by David Carse

www.PerfectBrilliantStillness.org

From the home page click on the menu item at the top of the page called Book.

This is a labor of love for you? Or... Mr. Carse... is that you? emoticon
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Mark Boolootian, modified 6 Years ago at 6/18/17 9:47 PM
Created 6 Years ago at 6/18/17 9:47 PM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 16 Join Date: 6/26/11 Recent Posts
A couple of brief reviews on the book, with a response from David Carse that might interest some:

http://www.advaita.org.uk/discourses/trad_neo/stillness_carse.htm

Sometimes reading his book feels like it might make me trip.  But not yet.
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Dream Walker, modified 6 Years ago at 6/21/17 1:32 AM
Created 6 Years ago at 6/21/17 1:32 AM

RE: Perfect Brilliant Sillness (2005) by David Carse

Posts: 1657 Join Date: 1/18/12 Recent Posts
PBS.org:
Consider going to this link to download the PDF for any the chapters of the book 'Perfect Brilliant Stillness' by David Carse

www.PerfectBrilliantStillness.org

From the home page click on the menu item at the top of the page called Book.
Thank you so much for linking to this free copy of 'Perfect Brilliant Stillness'. I have wanted to read it for some time.
~D

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