If we take both Brahman and Īśvara

If we take both Brahman and Īśvara, both of them are only seers and do not act by themselves. Both have Māyā; in Brahman as upādhi and in Īśvara as viśeṣaṇa. Upādhi can be separated from Brahman as it is external in nature and only a superimposition. But viśeṣaṇa cannot be separated from Īśvara as it forms integral part of Īśvara. Like Brahman and Īśvara who are differentiated with reference to Māyā, Kūṭastha (multitude) and jīva are differentiated with reference to avidyā. Avidyā (innate spiritual ignorance) acts as an adjunct (upādhi) to Kūṭastha, whereas in the case of jīva, it acts as viśeṣaṇa in the case of jīva.

What is the difference between Brahman and Īśvara? Brahman is Saccidānanda (sat-cit-ānanda), as described in Upaniṣad-s; Tattvabodha says, “evam saccidānanda svarūpaṁ ātmānaṁ vijānīyāt”. Thus, one should know himself as the nature of existence-consciousness-bliss). Īśvara on the other hand is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Brahman is the cause of the universe and beyond perception. Brahman is Nirguṇa Brahman and Īśvara is Saguṇa Brahman or Brahman with attributes. It rules the universe. In understandable terms, Brahman can be called Paramaśiva and Īśvara can be called as Śiva. Māyā is superimposed on Paramaśiva and in the case of Īśvara, Māyā is an integral part, the stage of Śiva-Śakti union.

What is the difference between Kūṭastha and jīva? Kūṭastha is the Soul, which is immovable amongst the countless body, mind combination. On the other hand, jīva is an individual and many in number like Kūṭastha. Both Kūṭastha and jīva have adjuncts or upādhi. We call this jīva as the Self. Kūṭastha is the supporting consciousness in all the jīva-s and therefore Kūṭastha is also many like multitude of jīva-s. Kūṭastha and jīva are identified on the basis of avidyā. In Kūṭastha, avidyā is upādhi and for jīva, avidyā is viśeṣaṇa. In all the four discussed above, Brahman is always present, but in the case of last three, either due to upādhi or viśeṣaṇa, Brahman’s true nature is veiled. Removing this veil is the path of Self-realization~~Spiritual Journey - 1 2nd part ~~I didn't write this

~ Forrest Curran, Purple Buddha Project

Psychedelic Art by Jon DiNo - A Lotus Above Us

“The Lotus flower represents a higher state of mind, a strong spirit cultivated far from the suffering and temptations of this muddied world that personifies beauty through the present moment.”

Cogitality- Everything that IS!

Darrell Calkins

“The essential dynamic underlying almost every elite and esoteric physical art is work with the breath, so there’s information available. I would only add that it’s unfortunate that so much work is done with it, and not much play. Laughter has got to be the single healthiest activity one can perform. Just think how healthy you would be if you could sincerely laugh at that which now oppresses you. I’ve mentioned before that one good measure of someone’s depth of spirituality is how long it takes before they become offended. Imagine laughing hysterically at the criticisms, complaints and impositions you receive. At the least, you’d be breathing well.”

– Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche

To work on the mind is a very vast subject; in fact it is the subject of the entire Buddha Dharma. In essence the main reason the mind generates it’s confusing passions and intense emotions is the strong clinging to I, me, and mine. Because of that clinging, we suffer when do not obtain all that the I wants, and we suffer by experiencing with the I does not want.

It is through meditating over and again on the illusory and insubstantial nature of mind, ego, of self, that we slowly can dissolve ego clinging. Among all the methods to achieve this result, the deepest one is the meditation on bodhichitta - unselfish love and compassion. To be full of love for all sentient beings, and to consider others more important than ourselves is the very root of Dharma, combining wisdom and compassion.

Anandamayi Ma

One Light Whether you worship Christ, Krishna, Kali or Allah, You actually worship the One Light that is also in you, Since It pervades all things. Everything originates from Light, Everything in its essence is Light.

Roger Bacon

But concerning vision alone is a separate science formed among philosophers, namely, optics, and not concerning any other sense ... It is possible that some other science may be more useful, but no other science has so much sweetness and beauty of utility. Therefore it is the flower of the whole of philosophy and through it, and not without it, can the other sciences be known.

JOHN MCINTOSH

JOHN MCINTOSH

It is common to hear that the Divine dwells within you … but this suggests that what is ‘infinite’ can be ‘contained’ somehow. Who is this ‘you’ that is being spoken of? Is it the body, the mind or the personality? None of these is real and cannot therefore ‘confine’ what is boundless. The YOU that is Divine is Consciousness … there ‘is’ no-where that IT/YOU is NOT. The ‘you’ that ‘seems’ finite is a projection you have believed in that appears on the blank screen of nothing-ness that Consciousness ‘is’. This illusory projection has consigned YOU to a tiny spark of Divinity that you somehow hold somewhere ‘within’ the illusion of a person. None of this is True.

Consciousness is indivisible and IT is the Real YOU. YOU ‘are’ the Divine, all encompassing – ONE, dreaming you are a fragment in which … maybe … hopefully, there is some degree of Truth or God … this is the illusion. YOU are ALL in ALL, lacking nothing, complete, requiring nothing. There is nowhere to look for this, your only need is to BE IT. But ‘how’, is the ever-present question the dreamer asks.

Simply place your undivided Attention on IT/YOU/I AM and your Awareness ‘of’ IT will EXPAND until there is nothing that does not appear as YOU.

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– Mingyur Rinpoche

As long as we don’t recognize our real nature, we suffer. When we recognize our nature, we become free from suffering. Whether you recognize it or not, though, its qualities remain unchanged. But when you begin to recognize it in yourself, you change, and the quality of your life changes as well. Things you never dreamed possible begin to happen.

Creative Universe

Art by Luana Silense - CreativeUniverse
You are sky and earth, day, wind, breath, night.
You are grain, sandal paste, flowers, water.
Substance of my offering, what more can I offer you?