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Inquiring-Mind
08-30-2005, 10:32 PM
Why are we who we are? Why is you you and not someones else?

Why is the "self" born in certain time?

Why is our "selfs" alive today and not thousands of years ago or thousands of years in the future?



Peace out.
Bhaskar
08-30-2005, 10:35 PM
Why are we who we are? Why is you you and not someones else?

Why is the "self" born in certain time?

Why is our "selfs" alive today and not thousands of years ago or thousands of years in the future?



Peace out.
Good questions.

The self is unborn and eternal, being beyond time. This is our true nature, this is who we are. Any sense of distinction or ego is but an illusion.
Colours
08-31-2005, 12:07 AM
I sometimes wonder why 'I' wasnt born a dog, and why the life force animating my dog isnt 'me'.
Inquiring-Mind
08-31-2005, 04:47 AM
I sometimes wonder why 'I' wasnt born a dog, and why the life force animating my dog isnt 'me'.

I wonder that too.


Why is "I" I not the next person next door.
Kharakov
08-31-2005, 05:18 AM
And why do I tell God that God stinks when the body I occupy farts?
Colours
08-31-2005, 05:23 AM
i dunno why DO you do that?
Kharakov
08-31-2005, 05:28 AM
If I told you I would have to kill you.
BlackBillBlake
08-31-2005, 12:58 PM
And why do I tell God that God stinks when the body I occupy farts?
Could it be that you believe it's god who makes you (or not you, but god) fart?
I think that would be consistent with what you've said elsewhere.
Too simple, I suppose, to just accept it's the process of digestion at work, in which god has no direct input.
TrippinBTM
08-31-2005, 03:18 PM
The self is unborn and eternal, being beyond time. This is our true nature, this is who we are. Any sense of distinction or ego is but an illusion.
I'm not so sure. Seems to me the self IS the ego, it is our seperation. There is only one "true" self, and that is what many call god. For liberation, one must discard the self and it's isolation.

But as far as our sense of individuality, that comes from our learned experiences and upbringing. Obviously we have individual bodies, and different experiences from the guy next door, so of course our egos/selves will be different. My self was born in this time and not 1000 years ago because the specific sperm and egg that made me came about around 1982, and my experiences were late 20th century experiences specific to this body. There's nothing mysterious about THAT.

These are clearly just my opinions, though. Anyways, seems more like a difference in semantics than anything.
Kharakov
08-31-2005, 06:28 PM
Too simple, I suppose, to just accept it's the process of digestion at work, in which god has no direct input.The creator of digestion has direct input into the process of digestion. And output. The output is funny. Poop and farts. Well, pee too, but that's not nearly as funny as poo...
BlackBillBlake
08-31-2005, 07:29 PM
But as far as our sense of individuality, that comes from our learned experiences and upbringing. Obviously we have individual bodies, and different experiences from the guy next door, so of course our egos/selves will be different. My self was born in this time and not 1000 years ago because the specific sperm and egg that made me came about around 1982, and my experiences were late 20th century experiences specific to this body. There's nothing mysterious about THAT.
.
I think our idea or image of ourself is constructed as you say. But there may be a deeper level of individuation - It seems a sense of self is neeeded for survival. It may just be part of having a human body.
Also though, to what extent does our specific and unique genetic inheritance determine who we are, or what we become?
Kharakov
08-31-2005, 08:04 PM
It seems a sense of self is neeeded for survival. Yes.
nitemarehippygirl
09-01-2005, 03:46 AM
If I told you I would have to kill you. only with you, kharakov, would i take this comment seriously.
NaykidApe
09-01-2005, 04:01 AM
I am you and you are me.


:D How embarrassing for you.
TrippinBTM
09-01-2005, 04:51 AM
Also though, to what extent does our specific and unique genetic inheritance determine who we are, or what we become?
It does a bit. It does creat our bodies, and our bodies certainly have an effect on our behavior and lives. For example, i was always too short and skinny to play football in school (on a team, anyways). If I had been able to play, I would have had different experiences, right? There's a million different ways one could imagine how our physical bodies affect our lives.

Nature vs nurture...it's both. Genes are powerful, but so is one's environment.
Inquiring-Mind
09-01-2005, 05:02 PM
Why is our “selfs” born into certain families, countries or cultures, I wonder what controls that process. There must be millions of souls flying around looking for flesh, a body, a physical form to experience life.
BlackBillBlake
09-01-2005, 05:33 PM
Why is our “selfs” born into certain families, countries or cultures, I wonder what controls that process. There must be millions of souls flying around looking for flesh, a body, a physical form to experience life.
Both hinduism and buddhism would say it is because of karma from previous lives. That is why one gets a particular body.
Bhaskar
09-01-2005, 06:34 PM
Our true self is neirther born, nor dies it die. We are not limited individual entities at all, we are infinite. All experiences, all learning and all ignorqnce are only in the mind and the body. We are neither mind nor body, we are beyond both.

You ask what is self. I suggest you inquire into who is asking that question.
Kharakov
09-02-2005, 04:14 AM
I suggest you inquire into who is asking that question. I suggest you know why the question has been placed within you.
Sebbi
09-02-2005, 11:42 PM
A question in reply to all those questions:

What difference does it make?

Just in a mood where I REALLY agree with Occam's Razor (the thoery, not the hipforums member - well, he makes a lot of sense as well).

Blessings

Sebbi