Self-deception and self-hypnosis

**The challenge of spiritual practice** lies in the fact that the brain, shaped by karmic conditions, has a powerful capacity for self-deception and self-hypnosis. It can weave intricate "mazes of consciousness," constructing illusions within the four dimensions that confuse and mislead the practitioner.

In each of these four quadrants, the brain can fabricate various levels of illusions to hinder progress:

1. **The illusion in the Human and Heavenly Vehicle quadrant**: Practitioners may be deceived by external appearances, believing that following external rules and rituals is enough for liberation. The brain's self-deception manifests as a reliance on external forms, tricking the practitioner into thinking that adhering to religious formalities is the essence of practice, while neglecting the awakening of inner wisdom.

2. **The illusion in the Two Vehicles quadrant**: The brain misleads the practitioner through attachment to language and concepts, creating the illusion that intellectual understanding of doctrines is the key to liberation. This illusion traps the practitioner in the prison of words, preventing them from truly grasping the essence of **emptiness and interdependent origination**.

3. **The illusion in the Bodhisattva quadrant**: At more advanced levels, the brain creates illusions of attachment to spiritual accomplishments. Practitioners may mistakenly believe that outward displays of compassion and wisdom are sufficient, becoming attached to personal achievements or worldly recognition rather than embodying the **subtle workings of the Tathāgatagarbha** in spontaneous harmony with all conditions.

4. **The illusion in the Buddha quadrant**: Even at the threshold of awakening, the brain generates subtle illusions through "awareness," leading practitioners to believe they have reached ultimate wisdom while still entangled in the fine strands of **self-consciousness**. This maze creates the false impression of liberation, though in reality, one remains bound by discrimination and attachment.

Thus, the difficulty of spiritual practice lies in the brain’s **self-deceptive** and **self-hypnotic** tendencies, where it generates illusions that lead practitioners into false perceptions and delusions. Overcoming these illusions requires not only intellectual understanding but a deep, **inner awareness** that transcends the habitual circuits of the brain to see through the karmic origins of these illusions. This is the true challenge of spiritual practice—not merely contending with the external world’s impermanence, but battling the internal confusion and self-misguidance.