not identical with the Self? Who is John if is he not one and the same with his mind and body? You should apply this reasoning to yourself, to your own sense of self. Where does it go from the point of view of mind and body?

For example, my body is sick, and although it is not I, but because of the disease of the body, one can conclude that I am sick. In fact, for the well-being and pleasures of this Self, sometimes it is even necessary to cut off a part of the body. Although the body is not the Self, there is a connection between them: the pain of the body can serve as suffering for the Self. Similarly, when the visual consciousness sees something, it appears to the mind with which the Self perceives it.

What is the nature of the Self? How is it given to you? When you do not invent or create any artificial concept in your mind, does it not seem to you that your Self is an entity separate from mind and body? But will you find it by starting such a search? For example, someone accuses you: “You stole this,” or “You broke this and that,” while you know you didn’t do anything. What does your I mean in this case, which did not do this? Is it something solid? Does your mind see some solid, sure, solid thing when you think or say, "I didn't do that!"

Apparently, this whole, determined, independent and establishing itself by its own power I, which figures in such cases, does not really exist at all, and its special non-existence is denoted as selflessness. However, when it is simply about the Self without prior analysis and research, as in judgments like: "I want this and that," or: "I am going to do this," - at this level, I authentically. But the non-existence of an independent or autocratic I is the core of the doctrine of the selflessness of personality. This selflessness is revealed when an analytic search is undertaken to define the Self.

This inherent existence of the Self constitutes the absolute truth, the ultimate truth. The self, revealed to the non-analytic conditioned consciousness, arises dependently and serves as the basis of concerted actions, agent, etc. This self is true as a conventional truth. When analyzing the way of being or the status of the Self, it becomes clear that although it seems to exist in reality, it is not. Most of all, I am like an illusion.

This is how the absolute nature of the Self, emptiness, is explored. Insofar as the Self is such, insofar as all the other phenomena which the Self uses are empty in relation to the inherent existence. If analyzed, they can not be detected at all. Whereas without proper recognition and investigation, they are considered to exist. They are identical in nature.

The conditional existence of the Self, as well as pleasure and pain, makes it necessary to evoke compassion and love for a person. Because the absolute nature of all phenomena is the emptiness of inherent existence, wisdom must be perfected. When both, compassion and wisdom, are practiced in unity, wisdom grows more complete and eliminates even the meaning of duality. By having the meaning of emptiness in the mind, dualistic manifestations are weakened, and at the same time, the mind becomes more refined. When it eventually reaches the most subtle level, it will transform into the most fundamental consciousness, the innate clear light consciousness. It is instantly realized and it is of the same taste with emptiness, which can be known from being in a state of meditative equilibrium, in which emptiness is present and the duality of the manifested is completely absent. In the realm of everything that has that one taste, anything can appear, but it falls under the rule: "Everything has one taste and one taste for everything."

Maybe now we can talk? Do you have any questions?

Question: Why is it better to meditate in the morning?

Answer: There are two main reasons. Physically in the early morning (experience it) all the nerve centers are fresh, which is very beneficial. In addition, there is a difference between parts of the day. If you sleep well, you are more refreshed and alert in the morning, as you can see from your own experience. At night I reach a point where I cannot think properly. After sleeping and waking up in the morning, what I couldn’t think about correctly yesterday, clearly comes by itself. This shows that the mental powers are much sharper in the morning.

Question: Could you talk about meditation on the mantra as a sound?

Answer: With regard to mantras that have become objects of meditation, one should be aware of external sounds repeated by the voice and internal sounds repeated in the mind. There are also sounds of natural origin, such as the inhalation and exhalation of air, which are also expressions of the mantra.

Everyone can imagine the letters standing on the edge of a flat lunar disk or shining in the heart. If it's convenient for you, then act. If you feel that the main part of consciousness is connected with the eyes, then you can imagine the light inside and behind them, and then strictly establish yourself as being in the middle of this light, and then bring this light and consciousness down to the center of the mantra, which is located in the heart.

If you do this repeatedly, then you will gradually realize that you are right and your place is here - in the heart. When you contemplate yourself in the center of the mantra, then you will be able to read the letters of the mantra around you, but not with your mouth, but mentally, that is, pronounce the mantra without the participation of your mouth. Thus, there are many different techniques.

Question: What are the most appropriate means to avoid resistance to meditation?

Answer: The five hindrances are considered as obstacles to meditation. The first is laziness, the second is forgetting advice about the choice of an object or simply forgetting the object, the third is lethargy or agitation, the fourth is failure to use the antidote for surging lethargy or excitability, and the last obstacle is to continue the action of the antidote when lethargy and excitement have already been overcome..

Now let us explain eight counteractions to them. Laziness is cured first of all by faith in the value of meditative stability, without it it will be impossible to follow the higher paths of perfection. After ascertaining the positive properties of meditative stability, a desire arises to try to achieve them. By virtue of this, an effort is born that eventually contributes to your gaining flexibility, making the body and mind free from adverse conditions and serving the good deeds, in which doing good gives strength. These four underlined words represent the antidotes for the first barrier, laziness.

It is helpful in the beginning to meditate not too long and not to strain yourself excessively. Do a maximum of fifteen minutes. What is important is not the length of the period of concentration, but its quality. If you meditate too long, you will become sleepy, and you will gradually get used to thinking of this state as meditation. Then there will be not just a waste of time, but a habit will be developed that will be difficult to eliminate in the future. Start with a few short sessions - even 8 to 16 times a day - and then, as you accustom yourself to the meditative process, its quality will improve, and the exercises will naturally last longer.

A good sign of moving towards your meditative balance is that you no longer feel the time, or it seems to you that not enough time has passed during a long session. Conversely, when it seems to you that you have spent too much time in meditation, but in fact it has passed quite a bit, then this is a sign that you should reduce the amount of exercise. Watching this is very important at first.

Question: The Buddhist systems speak of different levels of cognition, which correspond to certain objects. Who is the knower at each level through the various ways of knowing?

Answer: There are many levels of consciousness with different ways of perceiving objects, but they are all indistinguishable in the continuity of light and knowledge, and in reality only the Self knows about them. However, it itself is designated depending on the indivisibility of consciousness. Did I answer your question?

In some of the Buddhist systems of thought, types of consciousness are justified, such is the consciousness of the Self. But in the highest and deepest system - the school of the Middle Way of reduction to the absurd (prasangika-madhyamika) - it is postulated that the I am simply the Self, destined to depend on the continuity of consciousness.

Question: What is the difference between consciousness and the Self?

Answer: There are many ways of manifestation of the Self. In accordance with one of them, it seems that the Self is actually different from the complexes of the mind and body, is an eternal, single and independent beginning. According to another, I actually does not differ from the aggregates, and seems to be their bearer or master, i.e. I am the essential or self-sufficient principle. Еще об одном способе проявления Я говорят, что оно устанавливается не через данность сознанию, а через его собственный необычный путь existence. The self is also judged as something intrinsically existing or existing in its own right, and by no means merely nominally apparent.