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Living without Self-reference

September 10, 2014

” ‘Enlightenment’ isn’t really a very good word. In fact, did you know that there is no term in Sanskrit that corresponds to the word ‘enlightenment’? Not even close. What we’re talking about here, is nirvana. ‘Nirvana’ means the extinguishing of our narcissistic desires. In other words, it’s living without self-reference. ‘Nirvana’ means ‘to blow out the flame of our self-serving person.’ We’re talking, on the Mahayana level, about the attainment of emptiness. And ‘emptiness’ simply means free from hesitation and blindness about who we are. — Reggie Ray

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