Aetherous

I was going to say, "painfully" isn't how I would administer the justice. But I understand that response when the incident is so fresh.

Christianity is wiped through the mud constantly worldwide, and Christians don't go off and do the same types of terrorist activities because of it. I'm quite sure that the magazine in question has defamed Christianity (at least that's what I've been told today), and there's no terrorism happening because of it. It's a great point to consider that these people are still our Brothers. As Christians could think, these terrorists are children of the creator just like us. Perhaps just misguided. Christians in particular believe in mercy toward all, even those who don't deserve it. Buddhists feel similarly, with compassion toward all. The thing is: these terrorists are doing something horrific and unacceptable. They are murdering innocent civilians. For instance, in France just today, that unarmed cop. He had nothing to do with writing those cartoons! Those who don't stand against this, permit it to happen. I will not be apologetic toward Islam, and say that we should silence our free speech so that they'll stop murdering us. Consider a different subject for a second...the discussion of rape. Some falsely claim that because women dress provocatively, they're asking to be raped. Of course any sensible person knows that the rapist could have self control, if they tried...it's not the fault of the woman that she's raped. It's unfortunately the perversion in the rapist, as well as the decision that he makes. (not that only women are raped only by men, it happens all sorts of ways) So consider that "blaming the victim" mentality in light of this terrorist act. "Maybe if you didn't draw satirical cartoons, you wouldn't be murdered". Nope. The fault lies with the murderers alone, as well as those who silently or vocally support their cause. At least personally, I see this whole incident as only being further proof that the satire in such cartoons is necessary. We have a religion, where some of its members think they have the right to be so offended by mere opinions, that they can interfere with the rights (taking the lives) of others. They need to be mocked into submission...they need some humility, and respect. They do not need a victory, by silencing the voices in free countries. We do not need to cater to their demands. We do need more compassion and mercy. To remember that they are our Brothers as humans, and to treat them as such. But sometimes you have to put a brother down, because he's attempting to bash your head in with a rock. It's something that must be done when your life and liberty are threatened by them (or the lives and liberty of other innocent people). To make fun of a religion does not call for the death penalty. But to take an innocent life, does.

I'll just open this thread up without personally going too far into it. So, after telling a friend that I had begun practicing loving-kindness, she expressed sincere interest in learning it. I don't know of a better source than what I learn from, Tara's Triple Excellence program, so I thought I'd write up a concise how-to. Part of the way that I've been taught, is that there are the words you say. For instance, one version is: "May ____ be happy, and may ____ possess the causes of happiness: loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom." Just saying that can be nice. (that is the version I've learned) But there is also the meaning of each individual word, in terms of Buddhist teaching, which can make the practice profound when truly understood. It makes for a powerful practice to contemplate the deeper meanings while saying the words. And additionally, there is the attitude or feeling to cultivate while practicing. So I want to see what other practitioners have to say, in analyzing each word. Hopefully I could come up with an easy to understand guide to the practice...or maybe one already exists. For instance, here's what I'm thinking of...when using yourself as the target for practice, or someone else...it can help to remember concepts of emptiness of self. For instance, who you are today is not who you were, so you have the capacity to change completely, and are not permanent in your current mode of being...and at the same time, each person has Buddha nature "beneath" all of these changes which is unchanging and pure goodness. So when saying "May Bill be happy", you contemplate how Bill currently is, is capable of changing, and how you are bringing forth the inherent goodness in Bill. Or we could analyze the 3 causes of happiness, in comparison to the 3 mental poisons. Loving-kindness is like acceptance, which is the opposite and cure of the poison of aversion. Compassion is wishing to relieve the suffering as well as the causes of suffering (the 3 mental poisons) of others...and being that this takes us out of our selfish mode of life, it is the antidote to attachment. Wisdom is obviously the antidote to ignorance. What exactly is wisdom? One definition I've heard is that it's the realization of one's own Buddha nature as being unconditioned, spontaneously present, and not realized through external conditions but through self-awareness. Another idea is that it refers to insight into emptiness. So maybe others have clear teachings about this? Thanks.

The purpose of this thread is to explore the deeper meanings of the words used in Mahayana loving-kindness practice. This exploration can be from any context...it's all good. Anyone can practice loving-kindness, and anyone can contemplate deeper meanings from any context, without restriction. Specifically, this thread was started to help my friend, who isn't a Buddhist but likes the idea of increasing her love and kindness. In my experience, understanding the words that we're saying during the practice greatly increases the cultivation of bodhicitta. I don't even fully understand the words...so perhaps we can explore them, as well as other fundamental concepts... May the viewers of this thread be happy. May the viewers of this thread possess the causes of happiness: loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom.

To answer ralis...at least personally, when I'm rude and angry, it's just because I'm human. We make mistakes, have high ideals that we always don't live up to, actually being blatantly hypocritical at times. This is not to make excuses for bad behavior, or doing it on purpose and knowingly being fake...everyone who strives for such high ideals fails often, and learns their faults. Loving-kindness is a practice that gets us to eventually manifest the innate loving-kindness of our Buddha nature (which is love and kindness for all beings in any circumstance). So, we practice something in order to get better at it, because we're currently not good at it. At least not on the surface level.

Some would say no...but I would say that you're grasping the true meaning of the teachings here.

Yup, we all learn in different ways...it's all good. I don't mind you sharing your views in here in order to educate people. Actually I kind of like hearing your perspective. I don't personally take what you've been saying as factual statements, but it's not like we have to agree.

That's why I want to explore the meaning behind each word. Although I do think that it doesn't even matter...if you practice loving-kindness, you are literally cultivating bodhicitta (and not only relative bodhicitta as some would assume).

Yup. That's what I'm attempting to explore here in this thread...not a bunch of restrictions based on an incomplete understanding of Buddhist realization.

Except, in the context of Mahayana, it is enough.

You've got this part mixed up.

I have been receiving teachings from Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, some direct, and some authorized by him, as well as other lamas. So far my learning has been incredibly clear and practical (unlike most of this thread)...and actually, it seems to directly negate the things you've been saying in here. I'm not learned enough to say that definitively, but it seems that way to me. This is why I asked for your personal answers to these clear questions. Either I missed something that's true regarding them, and would like to know about it...or the way you've learned isn't in harmony with the way that I have, and I will continue on my way which I'm happy with.

Simple Jack...what exactly is liberation in Buddhism? What is permanent sukha? What is wisdom?

Not to get off topic, but aren't the 4 noble truths implicit in the practice of the brahmaviharas?

Nice.

In the Triple Excellence program, they say that the causes of happiness are loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom. And the causes of sorrow can be summed up as attachment (I like this versus that), aversion (I don't like this at all), and ignorance (I could care less). What are the real and assumed causes of happiness and sorrow in your learning? They are all in the Kalama Sutta?

Eh, who is? I would not say you're full of hate...but hate arises in every single one of us from time to time, and what we do with it is what's important. Who can say they're perfect in this? I would say you have found like minded friends here...but people just get into discussion mode, and are passionate about truth. If we all met up in real life for tea or something, it'd be a much friendlier conversation.

Yes the main purpose will be to cultivate relative bodhicitta, for someone who isn't even exactly a Buddhist. In my limited experience, the words used in this practice mean different things than when used by regular people. For instance, "happy" doesn't mean to get what you want, such as a new car...it means more to have inner fulfillment or peace. Or if negative emotions were likened to clouds and happiness was likened to a clear sky, then to have the clouds removed. Non-Buddhists wouldn't understand this upon first hearing or reading "happy"...so I'm hoping to come up with a concise explanation of these types of meanings. And wanted to get input from other practitioners here.

Having digestive fire is good, but yes I have heard that eating certain foods and having certain emotions can make one prone to releasing energy this way (either through lust or nocturnal emission). The embryonic breathing practice, where you steam the qi by putting fire (awareness) in the water (lower dantian) and breathing, is one way of transmuting the sexual energy upward. It's more physical transmutation. I assume it would definitely cause the nocturnal emissions to vanish. Another way can be focusing on increasing love, for instance by doing metta practice. That has more of a mental and emotional transmutation. Not to say this would be less effective for you...I actually think transmuting this way is more powerful, and a higher vibration. There are different methods depending on which school you learn from, even more than these...whatever works! I've read Taoist Yoga from time to time for like 14 years now, and the truth is that it's not an easy book to practice from. I don't do it, or recommend it. Much better to find a teacher...although who's to say which teacher is a true one? Best of luck in your quest.

It can help to find a new woman that you like better, as well as focus on hobbies or tasks that you derive enjoyment from. Just move on; the sooner the better. The harder way of dealing with this situation is to be alone and sit with these feelings until it all changes, which takes a few years...2 years at the very least, but 5 is normal. Sometimes grief causes us to take the hard way out...when really it would be better if we did the challenging thing, and work toward moving on. Regardless, emotions arise...of course we don't like them when they're negative and overwhelming...but to some extent we have to live with them. It's best not to use meditation as a way of shutting them up, which is basically just having a strong aversion to certain aspects of your inner life. To fight against what you feel doesn't work well...but to feel other things instead, for instance because you're focusing on your hobby, or because you're captivated by a new woman, does work very well.

I like your analysis of verses, and thought provoking questioning. What do you think that this force is, and what does it mean to raise it? Why is this force compared to the Son of Man in John; what is the Son of Man or how does it differ from the serpent; how does one raise the Son of Man if it differs? I 100% don't expect questions to be answered clearly and practically, but if you can, it would be really interesting. ***** And jyakulis, don't take offense that I'm asking our friend questions here when you might want him to leave the thread. I think your analysis is fascinating, and am just trying to learn more.

What is the true meaning?

Food gives us energy and life. Fasting can be beneficial for certain things, only some times. Stuffing your face during a small window isn't good for digestion, and also diminishes energy and life. It's healthy to eat a normal amount, until you just feel full, and then wait until you're hungry again before eating. Nothing at all wrong with that, unless you're repressing the negative thinking and feelings or being unrealistic. It's normal to feel and think negative things from time to time, and it's beneficial to think realistically. Semen retention of any type can increase your inner fire...some would call this the concept of "yin fire"...basically your heart becomes overstimulated by desires that are unfulfilled and not allowed to be released. Semen retention of holding back or blocking off during orgasm brings especially bad results. Don't only listen to me, because I'm not a teacher, but a couple of keys to successful sublimation are: focus on practices that increase your feeling of love in the heart (such as metta practice), and don't cause desire to arise in the first place. Which is hard to do in modern society, because desire happens the instant we look at a woman or think about one. I would skip the Mantak Chia material completely and browse this forum for a while to find something better. High intensity exercise strongly taxes the nervous system, and this is especially true when doing it multiple days in a row. Good exercise is always moderate. Trying to do astral projection can be disastrous for one's health. Especially if you have techniques that actually work, because you'll cause your spirit, which is supposed to work in harmony with your body, to be wanting to fly out of your body as if it's not a good vessel...this can cause ADHD like symptoms, even to the point of schizophrenia like symptoms. I personally experienced a strong form of this, and I couldn't even listen or hold a sensible conversation with someone at one point, because my spirit kept trying to fly out of my head. I could pick up like two words of what they said, and then my attention was just gone, and then I'd be back hearing another word or two, then gone. Total dysfunciton. This condition can also cause liver qi stagnation, kidney depletion, etc. On a more esoteric level, it's said that negative entities can take possession of your body if you're attempting to travel without a real teacher who can ensure the safety of your out of body experience. I'm not sure, but even the concept of "astral" travel is sketchy. Why would you want to travel in the astral realm, which has nothing to do with reality, and which is said to be below other more beneficial realms? You can't even do anything useful with that skill...if anyone can even do it for real, which I personally doubt. 5-20 hours of meditation in a week can be fine, depending on the type, but "astral travel" AKA screwing up your energy body is not fine. That's generally great, although if you drink too much at one time it can cause hyponatremia, especially when combined with fasting. Not saying that's why you started experiencing weird things. The reason for that, I think, is many of these unhealthy practices combined their effects together, causing a nervous breakdown that interfered with your perception. These are all my opinions, which may differ from what others here say, or what you want to hear...but you asked for insight.

Eye contact is weird. Some cultures consider it highly disrespectful to look with more than a glance into a person's eyes...especially a stranger. Some like in Mongolia believe that if you stare into a shaman's eyes, bad things will happen to you. These people are sensitive to things regarding the soul, or the subjective aspects of a person. I personally find it very rude if a person looks in my eyes longer than a few seconds...like 10 seconds is highly uncalled for, and in psychology they say that longer than 6 seconds, and it means the person either wants to kill you or fuck you (both of which I don't accept). At times I will purposefully stare longer into theirs, making sure that they look away first, in order to show that they aren't dominant over me. On a primal or even symbolic level, that I won't let them "kill" me. But that's only with people who are staring way too long and with the wrong attitude. In a normal interaction with a person, eye contact isn't on your mind. It's only when things are abnormal, that we have a heightened awareness of what our eyes and their eyes are doing. All of this is not to comment on Owl's particular experience, but just speaking about strange eye contact in general.

There seems to be tons of confusion and apprehension surrounding the word, "discipline". To me, it can be summed up as: practicing correctly. To put it in more bum-like words...to be ready as a student, you must be willing to practice correctly. Perhaps forget about "discipline". If you're unwilling to practice correctly, or are willing but otherwise don't do it, then who in their right mind would consider you to be "ready"? Obviously this is a requirement for achieving any kind of results. You practice incorrectly (not following instructions), and things go wrong, and you don't attain the advertised results...IF you attain anything, it's something other than what you were aiming for. So, doing it incorrectly is failure...obviously this includes being intelligent enough to understand what to do. Who in their right mind would advocate for a person to "work harder but not smarter" (in the correct and effective way)? The whole purpose is attaining the result...not to look busy while actually accomplishing nothing. If you practice correctly but only a few times, and not at all regularly, then you fall short of success. So practicing is essential...it is the most essential thing. To not practice, is to not attain. But to do it incorrectly of course is not what's being talked about here. To practice incorrectly is to not be practicing at all...because if you were truly practicing, you'd be doing it right. It's not up for negotiation or debate...a student must have discipline (as explained here...we must practice) in order to be ready. If we lack this and make up excuses, we are not ready. I say this as someone who knows they aren't ready, due to making up excuses for not practicing. It's good to be clear about what we need to work on, in order to "cultivate"...if we think it's all good and we have nothing to work on, then we're not cultivating. ***** The second basic that I think all aspiring students of any field of study should have, is the ability to calm the mind. It literally benefits you in every endeavor possible. For some paths, it's considered indispensable, or a first necessary step. I think raja yoga considers it the only step. But for fields of learning that don't require meditation, for instance if you're studying to be an architect or something...it still helps you. All people are helped by calming their minds. It helps us think better, have better emotions, deal with people better, have better health, etc. I think it even changes our brain so we are more capable of doing what we do, better. Smarter, faster, stronger. To relate calming the mind to the first essential, discipline...if you don't want to practice, that shows your mind isn't calm. In that situation, it will benefit you to calm the mind first, and not have such an aversion to practicing...then you can get on with whatever your discipline is. The discipline itself can be the practice of calming the mind. At times you will want to skip doing it...but the practice itself will mitigate the negative effects of "forcing yourself"...so you won't be practicing in a "forceful" or "robotic" way, as is assumed when the word "discipline" is mentioned. Those are just states of mind, and by practicing this, you calm them. Problem solved. An easy way to calm the mind, is to either be outside where you can look at nature, or to have an indoor plant that you like. Or it can be anything that you choose to focus on. Set a timer for a minimum of 10 minutes, and look at the object you choose. Take it in, by noticing things about it. For instance, if it's a plant, you could simply notice the particular hue of green it is. If you become aware that you're not taking it in and noticing it, then go back to doing that. There are other ways, but this works well, and Buddhists would call it "calm abiding with an impure external support". Impure, meaning not a representation of an enlightened being, such as a Buddha statue. ***** My third and final thought for becoming ready, is physical health... There's a lot of false information about this subject. What can truly be relied upon are these 3 things: 1) Getting some form of moderate exercise each day is important. 2) Getting a full night's sleep is important. 3) Eating so that you feel normal is important. So, lets say you're exercising way too intensely...eating an abnormal diet that makes you feel kind of loopy because it consists only of wheatgrass shots...and cutting back on sleep to 5 hours because you're busy. Your physical health is suffering! Or lets say you're not exercising whatsoever, just Netflix binging, you're stuffing yourself with really cheesy food that makes you feel exhausted and sluggish afterward, and staying up super late which has the side effect of lessening the hours you sleep. Once again, your physical health will be suffering. So physical health can be summed up as: be moderate in sleep, diet, and exercise. If an aspiring student lacks physical health, sometimes their energy or meditation practices will have disastrous results. Sometimes they won't even be capable of practicing certain things, due to the condition of their body. So to be "ready" for what a teacher would ask of you, you need to be normal. Not for all fields of study, but for some...perhaps one that you will one day aspire to. ***** So these are my 3 basics of being a ready student, which I personally strive to perfect. Because mastery is mostly about doing the basics really well. 1) Practicing correctly (aka having "discipline"). 2) Calming the mind often. 3) Having decent physical health. Working on these sets up a good foundation for further things to work on. If a person can't take care of these, then how could they take care of something that's even more challenging? And these are prerequisites in many schools or fields of study. I look forward to seeing what others think are essentials for making ourselves "ready".