Concept of Thoughts as Form

[ajwubbels]

Can any one shed insight on the concept of thoughts as form? I wrote the following few paragraphs the other day and got a little confused towards the end:

Anything that we can be aware of is phenomena, or form. How do I know this? As an example, I can see (a sense perception) the tree outside my window. Without awareness, the image of the tree would go straight into my brain and would be cataloged, so to speak. I imagine this is how an animal experiences the tree, and in a larger context, all phenomena. Humans, however, have the ability to be aware of their perceptions as a mental concepts.

Now, one could say that anything he or she can be aware of is part of relative reality (a.k.a. form, phenomena). Can I be aware of my thoughts? Yes. Thus, my thoughts are form. And what do we know that form is comprised of? Non-self elements. My thoughts, then, are like all phenomena that occur in awareness/emptiness. For the most part, we don’t judge or label form. For example, I don’t (often) say that this tree, house, building, etc. is either good or bad. Yet, with a new awareness of the ego (which is a composition of our thoughts) and of thoughts, we are prone to judge them in a way we don’t often judge other phenomena. We label them as bad. We see the ego as impeding a deeper spiritual experience within us. Sometimes we even see it as the source of our suffering. It would be ridiculous to look at a tree and tell ourselves that we need to rid ourselves of the perception of the tree in order to progress towards deeper awareness.

Thoughts arise in our mind just like the tree arises out of the ground. And just like the tree eventually dies and returns to the ground, so too do our thoughts return to the awareness from which they sprung.

The idea here is that through the experience of awareness, we can free ourselves from the perception of our thoughts as either good or bad, AND the perception of our self as either inherently good or bad.

Wait a second, oops, the mind’s desire for happiness is evidence of our basic goodness? Are we inherently “good”? But we are not our mind, not our thoughts, . . . . aah . . help . . . I’m sinking . . . abandon ship . . . SOS.

Topic

[lisakramerhunt]

Carl and Andy,
There are many books written on the subjects of Awareness and Emptiness. As I am just a student myself, perhaps looking in the index in either the Joy of Living or Joyful Wisdom would be the best idea. Awareness just is. Our recognition of Awareness allows us to experience Awareness. Emptiness is what allow for all things to emerge. It is like a background of experience. It is also the potentiality for all things to occur. A deeper understanding of Awareness and Emptiness occurs through the practice of meditation.
With regards to your question of our inherent goodness. This is our Basic Nature. We may or may not choose to act in ways that are “good” but within us we all have this basic, inherent nature. Again, I ask you to do some more research into this and bring this to your meditation. Don’t try to understand everything too quickly. Go gently. As you progress you will understand a bit more.

[ajwubbels]

Thank you, Lisa and Carl.

I, in response to Lisa’s observations, have the same question as Carl. Are these concepts (labels) interchangeable? Do there speak to the same experience or do they represent different entities?

Also, of what do people make of the concept of our self as inherently “good”?

[lisakramerhunt]

The basic goodness, our Buddha nature, is always with us, without our judgements, thoughts etc. Our Buddha nature just is. Our Awareness allows us to recognize our Buddha nature. Awareness is beyond thoughts. Thoughts so often are filled with dualistic tendancies. So Awareness just is. Emptiness allows all things to occur. Emptiness is the potentiality of all things. With the concept of Emptiness and Awareness we recongnize Relative and Absolute Reality. So within Relative Reality we conduct our everyday lives. We make decisions, we think. And there are judgements, we see things as good or bad, because this also is our dualistic tendancies. Through the meditation process, one comes close to recognizing our dualistic tendancies. One also recognizes the variety of choices available at any given time. One can respond in a way that is our true nature, a way that is pure and honest and compassionate.
I hope this helps a bit

[Author]

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