old3bob

The wise white cat chose well in not taking on the moor cat, thus living to fight another day and to also continue telling stories...

and yet the troops were also feeling a little cramped on the boat and decided to take a break back on land where Kenny stopped by to sing a song of Zen to all of them while they were still manifest.... and for those that may have never come across the saying before: “Before I had studied Ch’an [Zen] for thirty years, I saw mountains as mountains, and rivers as rivers. When I arrived at a more intimate knowledge, I came to the point where I saw that mountains are not mountains, and rivers are not rivers. But now that I have got its very substance I am at rest. For it’s just that I see mountains once again as mountains, and rivers once again as rivers.” Qingyuan Weixin

many thanks Mark for taking the time for those reflections and links! ;-)

took a little time but I found the sutta I had come across before: Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story "How the Blessed One Passed into Nibbana 9. And the Blessed One entered the first jhana. Rising from the first jhana, he entered the second jhana. Rising from the second jhana, he entered the third jhana. Rising from the third jhana, he entered the fourth jhana. And rising out of the fourth jhana, he entered the sphere of infinite space. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, he entered the sphere of infinite consciousness. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, he entered the sphere of nothingness. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. And rising out of the attainment of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he attained to the cessation of perception and feeling. 10. And the Venerable Ananda spoke to the Venerable Anuruddha, saying: "Venerable Anuruddha, the Blessed One has passed away." "No, friend Ananda, the Blessed One has not passed away. He has entered the state of the cessation of perception and feeling." 11. Then the Blessed One, rising from the cessation of perception and feeling, entered the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he entered the sphere of nothingness. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the sphere of infinite consciousness. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, he entered the sphere of infinite space. Rising from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, he entered the fourth jhana. Rising from the fourth jhana, he entered the third jhana. Rising from the third jhana, he entered the second jhana. Rising from the second jhana, he entered the first jhana. Rising from the first jhana, he entered the second jhana. Rising from the second jhana, he entered the third jhana. Rising from the third jhana, he entered the fourth jhana. And, rising from the fourth jhana, the Blessed One immediately passed away."

Is it not clearly recorded and written in well known Buddhist doctrine that the historic Buddha spoke of, used and went through the jhanas as he left this world?

since you put this in Buddhist section I won't say much except for the idea of someone being "so powerful" (or sounding like more powerful) than karma doesn't sound kosher for any school or being...!? For one's karma would still land them somewhere in the wheel, meaning maybe not in the earth realm; but a common teaching is that even most angels and god level beings are still in the wheel...(as clearly depicted in Tibetan Buddhism)

Just remember to be careful with that gold ring you're packing, one Gollum was enough we don't need another....

Some where in the back of the good Hobbits mind he wonders: if she fell for a dwarf could she someday fall for me?

while all that was going on Nungali and the wizard decided to take a lovely ride through summer fields...

3. "I hear the song of the nightingale.The sun is warm, the wind is mild,willows are green along the shore –Here no Ox can hide!What artist can draw that massive head,those majestic horns?"

I'd say Om (as one example) is not "merely" an intellectual attempt, concept or pointer...it is of power and truth both spoken and unspoken.

not to worry campers, an out-sider but decent guy named Jerry is coming to lend a hand in our troubled times...and some day we can all be happy campers again...

"I'm no man"

that reminds me of the fact that it is difficult to remember what someone else forgot, although extrapolation may cover some of it.

May I make my fond excuses for the lateness of the hour,but we accept your invitation, and we bring you Beltane's flower.For the May Day is the great day, sung along the old straight track.And those who ancient lines did lay will heed the song that calls them back.Pass the word and pass the lady, pass the plate to all who hunger.Pass the wit of ancient wisdom, pass the cup of crimson wonder.Ask the green man where he comes from, ask the cup that fills with red.Ask the old grey standing stones that show the sun its way to bed.Question all as to their ways, and learn the secrets that they hold.Walk the lines of nature's palm crossed with silver and with gold.Pass the cup and pass the lady, pass the plate to all who hunger.Pass the wit of ancient wisdom, pass the cup of crimson wonder.Join in black December's sadness, lie in August's welcome corn.Stir the cup that's ever-filling with the blood of all that's born.But the May Day is the great day, sung along the old straight track.And those who ancient lines did lay will heed this song that calls them back.Pass the word and pass the lady, pass the plate to all who hunger.Pass the wit of ancient wisdom, pass the cup of crimson wonder.

For Fantasy fans some of Terry Brooks books are pretty good imo.

Without understanding meaning, words about nothing are empty.

lots of doors but only one "gateless gate"

only 2 cents is pretty darn cheap. How many times have you said thanks (at least with the little icon) in multiple posts to people sharing whatever they shared?

ego drops away, looses it grip, has its shell cracked, for Spirit seeks Itself to be free, and that freedom is true desire.

per Vedanta and the realization of the Self there is only one of us (in the many of us so to speak); The Self is, Happy beyond any opposite of sadness and Free beyond any aspect, attachment or identity of mind.

all of which are debatable depending on the person or people...;-) The Self of Vedanta per the Upanishads and other revealed scripture given over thousands of years by Self realized beings holding to Sanatana Dharma is so much clearer to me than wading into the various convolutions of much that is related to Buddhism and its sects even if many of their teachings do hold much wisdom. (btw some forms of Buddhism or certain scriptures lean toward the eternal Self, then again to some some Buddhists the term 'eternal' is like a four letter word to be refuted and or shunned no matter what...

From chapter 25 of the T.T.C. "There was something undefined and yet complete in itself, Born before Heaven and Earth. Silent and boundless, Standing alone without change, Yet pervading all without fail... " (this sounds a lot more parallel to me with Vedanta and the Self than with common Buddhist attempts at certain correlations with Taoism, but for those inclined it is something debatable for a lifetime or more ;-)