old3bob

knowledge in or of the mind are tools, and not the essential secret hidden in plain sight right under all our noses...

"we didn't start the fire, no we didn't light it but we tried to fight it".... "There but for the grace of God, go I"

same idea basically...besides the house is on fire.

and we sometimes ask ourselves how could "God" allow this or that and not do anything about it! A simple analogy if you will: suppose we could ask the sun how could it allow what is happening with various terrestrial conditions on the earth and why is it not doing anything about it...? Well for one one thing if the sun gets close to the earth, as the earth presently is, it can not take that much radiation and will burn up, likewise who wants to get to close to God as they presently are and jump at the risk of being burned by forms of Gods radiation ? (thus not having zero resistance to "God", with resistance causing heat, which is not all that unlike of what can happen in electrical circuits)

reminds me of the Kundalini yoga teachers popping up in every shopping mall or yoga studio across the US.. When there is really only a very tiny number of teachers that are fully qualified to teach it after a student has advanced very far, along with them having proven a rock solid spiritual foundation within themselves. Of course I'm no expert at all on the subject but was fortunate enough to be given some key insights on kundalini practice going right and it going bad...which can be dangerous in several ways!

1. God is Not real. 2. God is Not unreal. 3. God is Not both real and unreal. 4. God is Not neither real nor unreal. logic is only useful up to a point....

I know, ....if we make a criticism then it often goes that it also applies to us, lol

some of us have superior stands than others... and you know who you are,

"God" is well beyond any thought of what, who or how "God" is...we can touch on aspects in manifestation that can be named but again those are aspects and not the whole enchilada. This is because "God" can not be circumscribed by any level of mind power.

doubt is a poor master blowing in the wind like a leaf...

what a sad thing to read this evening...! if Love does not know then all is the "Vanity of vanities"

Also, a master does have a measure of personal power but I'd say more importantly does the work of the Holy Spirit or the Holy Spirit works through them...so it is not a matter of what they want but a matter of how the greater power of Spirit moves, directs or uses them as a willing and witnessing conduit.

!on a varied note the tooth fairy used to leave a quarter under my pillow in exchange for a tooth, now I have to leave the dentist a check for a thousand bucks for a one hour root canal...now that is inflation!! (and I konw he wouldn't give me 2 cents for the tooth if it was pulled) Btw, and off topic but I've never seen a woman dentist, (only assistants) what gives? And since women tend to have smaller hands it seems they would cause less pain to a client compared to some of these guys stuffing their big paws into the limited space in our mouths!

"...one cannot help but emit divine morality unconditionally..." whether intended or not that pretty much answers one of my earlier posts...

"....The big issue is that when one is in the vulnerable period, it’s easy for them to think they’ve become enlightened and that they’re at the stage that moral precepts no longer apply… it’s a very tricky period for cultivators - particularly if they are not part of a tradition and don’t have a teacher guiding them." freeform Indeed, and also along the lines of or aspect of knowledge, knowledge acquired without a near equal development of being and reduction in karma's as you've pointed out to go with it. There is a Bible verse along this line and its bitterness: "1 Corinthians 13 1 "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."

i don't know either but posted it for you...

Anyone else want to say something to the question below? "A tangential question on the topic. Is a "Buddha", using the generic and spiritual meaning of the word, (thus a being who could be associated with Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other number of "eastern" or "western" schools) just or only a human being that is limited to human judgement?"

" According to the Dalai Lama, “If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.” (Seattle Times, May 15, ...

Lord Rama and Gandhi are examples of true warriors in different contexts and there are thousands of others...no sadness there imo! Btw to me there is no such thing as righteous murder... but there are righteous warriors that defend those in need and as a last resort may have to kill or make a stand and suffer death (like Gandhi). I believe the historic Buddha also talked along these lines and lets not forget the teachings of Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. obviously we are not on the same page?

a true warrior does not murder with or in an evil, twisted sense...thus the term murder does not apply in their case. also cowardice as a pretense for non-violence results in crawling on one's belly in fear while those needing protection perish.

Thanks and Merry Christmas also! And yes rhetorical to some, conceptual to some, experiential to some, impossible to some, and who knows to some, etc...

my post started with a "to me" so please don't take it as otherwise - although I see the implications you've mentioned and apologize for what could be taken as disparaging via my lack of Right speech ... (and agreed that it comes back to the "take it or leave it" saying) Anyway and to your question about nihilism... I'm not yet ready to go into being that I also have a tangential question on the topic. Is a "Buddha", using the generic and spiritual meaning of the word, (thus a being who could be associated with Buddhism, Hinduism, or any other number of "eastern" or "western" schools) just or only a human being that is limited to human judgement?

"The steps of the Noble Eightfold Path are Right Understanding, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration" To me or I'd say a nihilistic sounding umbrella is counter to all the Rights taught above and which are not equal to wrongs. As for That which is beyond all categories - evil per dharma can not begin to reach there from the netherworlds...while good or the Right per dharma takes one to Its threshold. "It" also arises in manifestation through all the Rights mentioned above.

To me the Noble 8 fold path and other dharma teachings do not use high sounding and wishy-washy forms of sideways nihilism for the dharmic or non dharmic actions and or voices that they point to along with the results related to or for same.