Jadespear

The concept of a path of spirituality is as old as the the notion of spirituality itself. I really think staying alert, young at heart, and engaged in your own life is the only path any of us can say really works towards our "well being"...

So then, there is no use for the word except " that which upholds sentience."? It seems to me so far that sentience is an effect of the cause of energy existing. Energy existing is nature itself. Without energy there cannot be sentient beings and forms... Therefore to uphold to uphold the quality of sentience one must remain energized. Criminals and wayward individuals uphold their own sentience... Just because they may commit immoral actions that we have laws against does not mean that they are "non-sentient." So dharma then is more or less a word to describe following a certain way of life, morals, teachings, and attitudes. It's just a "way" to go through the process of living. That could be the open general definition of the term "dharma". Taken that into consideration my definition still makes sense, because anyone alive is following a certain dharma. Anyone alive is sentient and has a way of upholding their sentience, so therefore following their own nature is their following ther own dharma. Other people may be able to help you reflect and think in different ways, but I don't see how or why anyone would refer to someone else as an authority on who their "true self"

Dude, What does any of that say?

Thanks for sharing DeciBelle. I hope you enjoy life.

Look I agree that our personalities and our minds our products of our experiences, and are therefore conditioned to a certain level. But, I do not agree that the planet earth is an illusion, or that the fact that the sun shines is an illusion. That's what I see when you say "creation". ... We're you referring to something else?

I'm going to have to ask you another question then. When you say "creation itself is an illusion"...what do you mean by that? Are you simply not acknowledging the fact that there is a physical universe in which we live? Or are you saying acts of creation, like creating music, creating babies, creating anything...are illusions? Both of these make no sense in terms of using the word "illusion" because there has to be a "real" counterpart to describe something as an illusion... My own awareness is not unborn, it exists within my body at this time. I was born, and therefore so was my awareness. If there is no way to make sense of something intellectually, why do you believe it? Why do you espouse concepts that you yourself believe are not able to be understood? That's an illusion. You are the illusion my friend, talking all this nonsense as if it was real. There is no proof either way of anything. So claiming to know is closer to an illusion than truth.

Thanks for the long winded response. But I'm going to have to disagree with you on your first point. Experience is not an illusion. It may be in the way that you are thinking of it....but I don't see how it is at all. When I eat food I taste it, it's not an illusion, when I am outside and feel the sun it's not an illusion. When I have sex and feel good, it's not an illusion. How is experience an illusion? You use so many pronouns that it is hard for me to understand what you are actually trying to say. An illusion as in all of my senses are not operating the right way and are creating experiences? As in a skewed perception? An illusion as in what? Illusion is a word to describe something you see but does not exist... I don't see my feelings, I feel them. There're not illusory. By what exactly do you mean by using that word illusion? Even if the ego is self created, it exists. It's not an illusion. It may come and go just like everything else but that doesn't make everything an illusion dude.

Right on . I'll check it out. The book right?

I'm familiar with it. Things that are dependent are co arisen and therefore themselves have no actual identity or essence. Retarted philosophy. The planet depends on the sun for its survival. The universe is like a clock in my mind that has many parts that continue its being. Just because phenomena arise out of cause and effect scenarios doesn't mean those phenomena are nothing...it means they are simply the outcome of a cause and effect unique to its environment. Like the creation of new species...a new species is a unique thing as compared to all that which predated and caused it. "Existence is an extreme." - what does that even mean? ...existence is existence, that's the logical positivist point of view. Matters of extreme or not extreme or half extreme are all relative.

Right I agree that I don't have to think to exist. But I'm a little confused as to why people think subjective experiences are illusions....they may not be the whole picture, but an illusion?

What is a religion then? Do Buddhists pray to Buddha? Do Buddhists hold any sort of concept about existence? Do Buddhists accept money for anything they do? The answer is of course yes to all these. "Westerners will never understand".... Could you put your intellectual self any higher ....? ... Geez. It's hilarious how you think terms themselves need to be understood, when I think the reality is what needs to be understood.

What is a religion then? Do Buddhists pray to Buddha? Do Buddhists hold any sort of concept about existence? Do Buddhists accept money for anything they do? The answer is of course yes to all these. "Westerners will never understand".... Could you put your intellectual self any higher ....? ... Geez. It's hilarious how you think terms themselves need to be understood, when I think the reality is what needs to be understood.

People like to win arguments to feel better about themselves and validate their views from others so they can feel secure in what they think. The entire spectrum of philosophy may be aimed at finding truth in relative concepts, but at the end it usually boils down to the strength of arguments against one another...which while intellectually stimulating, also creates division. My question to every answer is usually, " ok... Why does it matter ? What use is this knowledge?" Sometimes it is useless, sometimes it is not. Does not a truly wise man put everything in its right place? There may be a time to argue...definitely a time to question, but no time at all for anger because you don't understand or are misunderstood.

I don't really know the terms you guys are using, but if I understand Buddhism correctly it is a hybrid form of Hinduism. It is all based on concepts and theories one cannot directly see or perceive, namely the philosophy of liberation- to escape the cycles of life and death, to not reincarnate on earth again. So the sole foundation of both Hinduism and Buddhism is that reincarnation happens and is based on ones karma. So here is my reservation with it all. No one can prove reincarnation happens...it's just a belief used to describe the world around us. I'm not saying it doesn't happen...but seriously how could one ever know if it did? Even if you have vivid visions of another life while meditating, how do you know it's your past life and not someone else's who is close to your frequency? Furthermore, the Hindu concept of karma acts on all of us, but it is just cause and effect, the web which all of us live in. It's not good or evil...it cannot be overcome. It's not like some force that you can run away from. It's simply an ancient word used to describe the process of cause and effect on every level of existence... At least that's the way I honestly see it and understand it. What do you think? All through my life I have been keenly aware of the forces of attraction and repulsion. I think these forces are what moves the universe through the cosmic dance.

Yes, what exactly makes one a Buddha? It seems that the Buddha we mostly refer to, was a person who had penetrating insight into himself, others, and the world. If the stories are true, the Buddha was also able to communicate with rocks, trees, animals, and spirits. I don't think philosophical realizations alone constitute any form of being a Buddha.... It seems the only real difference between a Buddha and you or I, is the simple fact that the Buddha is able to do things beyond the normal faculties of a person- levitating, moving things with the mind, etc. Some monks can do these things as well, but they do not call themselves Buddhas, because Buddha is just a title. One they are afraid of bestowing on themselves. Like, if I could perform miracles like Jesus... I would not call myself the Christ or Jesus. Because I'm not, I'm jadespear. The fastest way to help others is to help them. We don't need to become super beings to help one another. Some people believe that when The Buddha defeated lord Mara, the celestial realm opened up and previous Buddhas deemed Siddartha worthy of the title. So to become a Buddha, someone else must bestow it on you?

Right on. Thank you for the explanation. It makes more sense to me now. The concepts you describe I have felt, I suppose the real divide is between the two terms consciousness and being. Consciousness depends on being,, but being does not depend on consciousness ... Even though at times it seems so.

Right on. Thank you for the explanation. It makes more sense to me now. The concepts you describe I have felt, I suppose the real divide is between the two terms consciousness and being. Consciousness depends on being,, but being does not depend on consciousness ... Even though at times it seems so.

Lets use western science to define power. Power= the ability to do work. Everyone who does any form of meditation is after power. The types of power vary, but power is obviously your goal. Unless of course you just want to learn things to discard them...which would be a waste of time...a total futile waste of your power. I'm not dishonest in my quest. I don't kid myself. Yeah I want superpower and super people to enjoy it with, super people to discuss it with.

If by enlightenment you mean a total understanding of the universe, then yes. My goal is to see god face to face. I don't buy into Buddhist enlightenment concepts because they make no sense. What is more enlightening than being happy? What gives more light than being content? If enlightenment is a state of mind, it passes. If enlightenment is a feeling it passes If enlightenment is a realization of sorts, it can be argued against, Honestly, I think people who chase after enlightenment are searching for a mirage. Just live.

If we are all one... We may be all be one on the collective fundamental level of understanding and existence, but I am not you and you are not me. Just because we are all one, doesn't mean that that Oneness isn't a collection of infinite expression through the Tao. Where is there to go? Other planets, other galaxies, other times, duh?! To explore creation! I believe we are all meant to do this. It's part of why the universe is, to be enjoyed and explored, to be discovered. I can't explore China in a personal way without going there. Yes I could read many books, watch many movies... But those would all be other people's thoughts and ideas, not my firsthand experience.

All paths lead somewhere...therefore they are all valid in of themselves. "There are as many paths or ways to god as there are people"... Hindu proverb. The real questions are quite simple. What do you hope to achieve? How do you hope to achieve that? Why do you want to achieve that? Getting lost in superstition may lead you finally to realize how confusing it can be and then eventually you'll realize what is clear. That is a path that leads to something, leads to the discovery of a truth. So long as you seek the truth, you will have a good chance of finding it. Lets not forget that every effect has a cause. Satanists follow satan...their path is valid Taoists flow with the Tao...their path is valid Christians follow each other...their path is valid Jews...make money...their path is valid Humanists love one another...their path is valid In the closed loop of systematic dogma, everything leads to whatever it is designed to lead to..... Which is why all organized religions and dogmatic practices are stupid and pointless on the search for truth. If you want to really know, you must be free from every influence, how else could you discover anything new? "Not all those who wonder are lost" Check out " the first and last freedom" by Krishnamurti.

All paths lead somewhere...therefore they are all valid in of themselves. "There are as many paths or ways to god as there are people"... Hindu proverb. The real questions are quite simple. What do you hope to achieve? How do you hope to achieve that? Why do you want to achieve that? Getting lost in superstition may lead you finally to realize how confusing it can be and then eventually you'll realize what is clear. That is a path that leads to something, leads to the discovery of a truth. So long as you seek the truth, you will have a good chance of finding it. Lets not forget that every effect has a cause. Satanists follow satan...their path is valid Taoists flow with the Tao...their path is valid Christians follow each other...their path is valid Jews...make money...their path is valid Humanists love one another...their path is valid In the closed loop of systematic dogma, everything leads to whatever it is designed to lead to..... Which is why all organized religions and dogmatic practices are stupid and pointless on the search for truth. If you want to really know, you must be free from every influence, how else could you discover anything new? "Not all those who wonder are lost" Check out " the first and last freedom" by Krishnamurti.

I thought "dharma" simply meant ones nature...what one feels compelled to be, think, and do. It is clearly read as that in the Bhagavad Gita.

Yeah and historians are only important to colleges...and coming up with shows on the history channel. I love history and the study of it, but it's always going to be a half truth of what really happened. Only god knows what really happened...everyone else just makes logical and well reasoned guesses. It's all fun and everything to reminisce about, but how does it effect us now, today? We'd all actually be better off moving forward more than trying to analyze past events with little evidence. The one interesting thing I've begun to read about economic history that finally people are beginning to embrace and talk about, is the shift from thinking civilization developed out of necessity to the logical assumption that civilized agricultural societies were formed by choice. It totally disproves the theory of social Darwinism as the cause behind what the human world has become.

Oh lucid dreaming. I've had some lucid dreams, but they were mostly constructs of my mind. I'm talking about real astral travel. About actually leaving your body and going places with your soul. Places that are not constructs of our minds. I read through all three of the books written by Robert Monroe, afterlife pioneer. I know it's possible, multiple people have done it.