BluePiano wrote:Okay, so from what I understand, samsara is illusory and this world doesn't really exists(is that a good word?). The "self" does not exist either but we all have a Buddha nature. What I would like to know, is when we meditate, perform prostrations, do rituals and so forth, what exactly is reaping the benefits of these exercises and why does it matter what we do in samsara if it's not real?
Does that makes any sense?
You should understand self as being that which would be independent and autonomous of causes and conditions. It would exist fundamentally uncaused and have an inherent essence to it.
However, no such thing can be found either in your person or in phenomena. This means that neither person nor thing can exist on its own. It has to exist dependent on causes and conditions. All things, including people, are dependent upon causes and conditions for their existence.
The problem here, however, is that we perceive our persons as being "self", "me" and "mine". We are under the mistaken perception that self as described above is what we are, though it really not exist.
Understand Buddha nature as the potential to become a Buddha. To understand what a Buddha is in the Mahayana context, you need to read a lot of literature.
Like in one text Buddha is referred to as "you who stand nowhere like infinite space". Buddha nature is the potential for Buddhahood. It is not a thing. It is a causal process.
What I would like to know, is when we meditate, perform prostrations, do rituals and so forth, what exactly is reaping the benefits of these exercises and why does it matter what we do in samsara if it's not real?
You do exist. You might be empty of inherent existence, but in ordinary and more experiential terms you do exist. This cannot be denied.
So there is a conditionally existent being that experiences reality and the fruits of actions. As there is action, so too is there an agent, but then that agent of the actions is likewise dependent upon a myriad of causes and conditions. Not absolute, but relative.
Samsara might ultimately be illusory, but until you eradicate the causes for it to continue, you will experience it.