>>  I understand intellectually what you are saying about giving it all up,
>> and I think that is one of the aims of Buddhist practice, but embodying
>> that understanding is a whole different ball game. I guess that's what's
>> at the bottom of a lot of what we discuss in groups like this. But there
>> seem to be different ways to get there. In your case, circumstances in
>> your life helped (I don't want to use the word "forced") you into that
>> state. From what I've read about historical figures staying in remote
>> caves for years in order to further and deepen their practice, I would
>> surmise that the letting it all go can be approached with resolution as
>> well. I don't think they went to the caves fully realized; I think they
>> went there to bring the realization about. By the way, I'm not planning
>> on searching Google for vacant caves any time soon. :)

> I think a quick survey shows that many of the most important spiritual
> figures go to "the cave" to meditate full time after a powerful initial
> realization, or at least a powerful insight or equivalent experience that
> upsets their world and makes it uninhabitable.  The Buddha had an
> experience of the supreme emptiness of his life as a Prince which
> disenchanted him to the point where he could no longer go on; Ramana
> Maharshi had a total burnout of his sense of self at age 16 which led him
> to meditate in a cave in deep samadhi for 2 yrs. straight until he was
> discovered and brought out by local worshippers; Hui Neng, illiterate and
> with no background in Buddhism, heard a sentence of the Diamond Sutra [the
> one Tang's been discussing about the mind not holding onto any object] and
> the bottom dropped out of his mind.  It was only after this that he began
> regular practice, which for him included 6 months of hulling rice in a
> monastery.  Milarepa was already an advanced student of the great Tibetan
> teacher Marpa before he went off to his cave and stayed there for 30
> years, eating nothing but nettle soup.  [!] That's the longest spate I
> know of.

> Robert