The Serpent & the Rope

Some teachers say that appearances are a problem. Is this true?

No. Appearances are appearances. The notion "I am"--which has no basis in reality--entangles itself with appearances and this makes them seem like a problem. But have a look. Where is the problem? It is with this notion "I am". Where am I? Who am I? Investigate this. Anyone can do this simple investigation. If I am, where am I? Who am I?

If I am my body, then how am I seeing that I am my body? Even an eye can not see itself. So how will a body see itself? If I am my thoughts, then how am I seeing that I am my thoughts? What "I" is all of this occurring too? What is seeing and what is being seen?

This notion of "I" is like a house of mirrors. Once it is taken up, it multiplies and divides inside of itself. Only, despite appearances, there never is anything that IS a separate "I". This notion of an independent "I" is just like a parasite hanging onto a host. The reason it stays "alive" is through the host, yes. Only in this case the parasite is a phantom, a mirage. And you can never find the basis for a mirage. A mirage is pure imagination, pure fiction. A mirage is seeing a serpent when all there is, is a rope.