old3bob

nope, but small, medium or big they can all be scary, especially if one doesn't know details about them!

there are several types of immortals (per various schools) that I don't have descriptions of at the moment; if a Taoist or anyone else wants to fill that in go ahead. Enlightenment per the term "Self" as used in the Upanishads is only possible in the eternal moment beyond mental stuff, so other times, so to speak, have aspects of spinning with past and or future ramifications. For instance memories and thought projections are in such times and are of mind stuff) Beings can come upon the Self that is within them or which is really them without one being pigeon-holed by various labels like "immortal" since that term can mean different things to different folks. All of this is a big subject often gone into here at this site.

empathy with a pregnant wife who has the same craving?

At least up on the log above the water you should be able to see them coming...(if you also have arachnophobia which I have a minor case of)

looks like lack of doubt and action in the present moment saved this guy's ass! and I think we could add that it was also an exciting moment of sorts for both man and bear...

if someone is born in a pure land it is still a birth, and although a very high birth the Tibetan Wheel of Life points out to me that even the celestial realms (or god realms) are not free from birth and thus death which granted may take place after an exceeding long time and then another incarnation would be due. Btw, your mention of particular places radiating joy equates to me of the development of a matrix for it manifest in...a development that Steve and I are apparently in disagreement about.

creative math (being equal in magnitude)

certain doubt =1point, and certain non-doubt=1point, thus 1=1

yep, and in the "eternal now" only now can reach us...and is the home of "enlightenment" since same will never come in the past or in the future...

certain doubt as you say can also mean certain non-doubt. Solomon had doubts along the lines of "Vanity of vanities" but at the end of Ecclesiastics I'd say he found something better...

if one has some experiential faith and some actual undeniable experience for themselves around the meanings of scripture does one keep saying "I don't know"? It hasn't sounded to me like you are bereft of some experience and thus can keep proclaiming that you don't know....one can take playing the devils advocate so far if that is what you are doing?

It yes, the matrix for greater manifestation of It not necessarily so...thus the said million or whatever number years of matrix development.

agreed and a profound platitude unless one has attained it, Btw "many biographies of the Buddha begin not with his birth in his last lifetime but in a lifetime millions of years before", (thus a realization which must have not been all that simple to attain over that period)

Did Moses in his later days have doubt about the bigger picture so to speak? While and granted he may have had some doubt about what a particular individual would be doing on a certain day at a certain hour unless he was an eye-witness of same, for instance whether they were working on crops, mending fences, or tending to animals. And which are you more concerned about? Btw is following the spiritual laws and doing one's duty "exciting"? which seems like a shallow connotation if used.

are you beating this idea to death for the sake of argument?

to me it means potential awaking yet to be realized/actualized

a Saint has no doubts about certain things, but for certain they have motive to continue their mission.

are you saying that your school says all beings have realized/actualized the "Great perfection"? I'd be surprised if that was so...since the founder of Buddhism never said that in the quote I posted just before your most recent post. It's great that a being sees the "great perfection" but many such beings ( for instance Quan Yin) also stay on this side of the gate to help those that haven't realized/reached or seen that perfection yet.

I'd interject that there is far more than just physical and emotional excitement...so to borrow the Buddhist quote below which points to all beings whether Buddhist or not since the word word buddha and its meaning meaning is in no way limited to just Buddhism... “Wonder of wonders! Intrinsically all living beings are Buddhas, endowed with wisdom and virtue, but because men’s minds have become inverted through delusive thinking they fail to perceive this.” — Buddha

the bottom and universal line is that true spiritual help, healings, revelations, etc.. can never be bought or sold, and again can never be bought or sold..(or traded for in way you mention) .A true master and or their school can only help us realize what we already have inside ourselves through certain dharmic (lawful) methods without any dubious designs or ulterior motives entailing leverages for payment! Someone transparently asking for very reasonable compensation for material costs like food, travel, lodging, books or media is pretty much in bounds although some people have also been seriously ripped off in those areas!

such abuse can put you right into the hell realms along with it's inhabitants, I'd say forget about this foolish and potentially dangerous idea!

Indeed, karma is perfect or else we would all be s.o.l., yet even karma passes away so to speak.

are the woods you are talking about in Grizzly bear habitat, I wouldn't think so...those bears hunt and eat humans if it suits them. (btw. they are pretty darn smart and extremely strong!) I've seen them up close in a protected enclosure and it hard to believe how physically powerful they are!

well there is a looking in where every thing disappears, and a looking out where every thing appears, don't know about both at the same time....