It may seem as though the self — your self — is the “thing” that does the perceiving. But the self is just another perception, another controlled hallucination, though of a very special kind.

-- Prof. Anil Seth

It is really so wonderful to see the most prominent scientists catching the world up to a truth — a completely vital and liberating experience, in fact, and not a mere idea — that we have been guided to by Shakyamuni Buddha for the last 2,500 years. “If you want to understand the nature of the universe, you must see that everything is created by Mind alone” (the Avatamsaka Sutra). So, even “Mind” itself is merely created by our thinking-mind, that apex-hallucinator. (For the monotheist laggards in the audience, just substitute “soul” for ”self” or “Mind” in the quotes above, if that helps the view of reality go down a little easier for you.)

When we attain that “the self” or “mind” is merely another effective hallucination, we begin to taste the Great Freedom, or “moksha”. What I take to be “I” is just a conglomeration software that produces an endless, seemingly unstoppable stream of predictive models for navigating through the ocean of suffering. Seeing through these illusory prompts, a “space” opens up of indescribable vastness and indescribable peace. From this point is a freer application of effort, which naturally sees its linkage with all things everywhere, and compassionate action begins to manifest very much by itself.

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