Lucky7Strikes

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Everything posted by Lucky7Strikes

  1. What makes Buddhism different?

    That's why it's said that the Tao is mysterious. To find is to not know of it. It is an approach to a spiritual Path that is different from Buddhism. You have to understand that the whole structure of Taoism is different from other religions in its variety and flexibility. I dare say it is more close to science. Moreover, mystery does not equate reify. If I wrote "change" is the "source" of everything, it wouldn't necessarily be wrong. But now you would say that it is to reify the term "change" which is quite ridiculous. Taoism does not begin with "life is suffering," nor is there a "salvation" from that suffering. So to say that Taoism does not lead to a higher Truth or freedom is a mistake. There isn't a destination: there is only the Path. There are people who like to follow Buddhism because it is clear and there are set goals. I've been reading over the Sutras over lately and the Buddha's words are very, very straightforward (or maybe something came out of all those posts! ). Even more so than the interpretations. Great post!
  2. What makes Buddhism different?

    Vsaluki, I suggest you read other lengthy thread that have already gone over the whole United God vs. Emptiness. Look up Chicken and egg, Or Self, or...er... there were plenty 30 page threads on it.
  3. What makes Buddhism different?

    See, you are interpreting Taoism through a Buddhist perspective of "liberation" being at the end of the tunnel. There is no set state of liberation. And... , no Dharma seals, so no total "liberation"....I don't think that's sound reasoning. It's not that I don't believe you, but can you speak Chinese because you were born Chinese in a previous life? If you were a mechanic, can you all of a sudden apply the skills? There may be tendencies, but only that. Ah yes! The unclear and uncertain is precisely the nature of the Way. Of course non of the other Taoist teachers taught such clarity like the Buddha, they weren't Buddhists! The "Up there" you speak of only comes from your own perspective not different from this very own world. You see "up there" through the eyes of a Buddhist, and it may even be the realm of Buddhist creation. So why go anywhere else now that one knows? You will never know beyond the context of personal experience. To carry knowledge is as important as to carry conscious ignorance, rather a potential for knowledge.
  4. Wu Dang Ba Gua

    Any recommendations for genuine teachers/school in or near NYC? Or even a Tai Chi master familiar with neikung and chi gong principles as well. Everyone seems to toss around "Wudang"... . I am personally not very familiar with the lineage or the use of the word Wudang. Any info would be appreciated! .
  5. Wu Dang Ba Gua

    He seems very genuine and I don't doubt his credentials... I will definitely check it out! Thank you!
  6. Wu Dang Ba Gua

    So either Bruce Frantzis or Master C.k. Chu... Anyone know where or from whom Master Chu studied? Thanks everyone! . He learned from Bruce Frantzis.
  7. What makes Buddhism different?

    HAHA, Will a Buddhist not even accept that 1 + 1 is 2 for conventions sakes? . You do not know that the realization is different. So why speak about it. How many Taoist immortals have you encountered? Which lineages have you studied under? How many "scriptures" have you read? How much of its history do you know? You had absolute right to speak about Hindu realization because you had extensive experience with it. But the art of Taoism is in its mystery. There are no set guidelines along the Path as it is with Buddhism. There is constant invention, experiment, reinvention. The direction you take along the Path is completely free in terms of exploration. Throughout its history so much has been integrated within it. And yes, Buddhism goes under this too, at least historically. Schools like Quanzhen combine Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist philosophies and methods. This is one of the main reasons why I find this forum much more enjoyable than places like e-sangha.
  8. What makes Buddhism different?

    There is no cemented Taoist cosmology. The most specific it gets is that there is 1, then 2, then 3, then everything. But this really doesn't say much does it. There is no Taoist realization. They're all just bunch of Bums playing with fire. Buddhism is just another piece that comes under it. And this is precisely what makes Taoism great.
  9. What makes Buddhism different?

    Real.... There will always be something real as long as it is posited to be. If the Tao is real, so is the Buddha. The Tao Te Ching is not a scripture that defines what the Tao is. In the context of language, the term "Tao" is used to mean "Road," "Way," and "Path." It is not a religious term and there is generally no perfect embodiment of the Tao. The word itself penetrated into anything spiritual and practical. It is even used to note the "Way" of the Buddha. You have to understand the various meanings Chinese texts and the characters carry in order to truly understand what the ancients meant when they wrote phrases like "before Heaven and Earth," or "mother of all things." To simply read the Tao Te Ching without knowledge of Chinese culture and history is not enough to understand what Taoism is. It is a vast study of people who searched for something beyond the confines of the material world whether it be through literature, art, meditation, religion, immortality, etc. Consequently, there is no "Truth" in Taoism, only similarities in terminology. All in all, a constant evolution of human experience. So as for Buddhism...ahem...the "Tao of Emptiness" seems sufficient. .
  10. Wu Dang Ba Gua

    Bump! .
  11. HAHA... Thank you! P.S. Brother Lin contributes very insightful posts on this forum. So yes, it really doesn't change anything.
  12. Thoughts on Buddhism?

    Child labor, amounting class divisions, persecution of minority groups, unsanitary living, economic pollution, over population all just swing by your head because... WE HAVE BUSES NOW!!! Communism saved 400 million Chinese? . Chinese don't use credit cards, don't drink liquor, all are sooo happy to be under the PRC... Good luck with your "Lennon" philosophy.
  13. Thoughts on Buddhism?

    Aren't you the guy who wrote that the Chinese don't drink much? Now you talk about Communism working in China? HAHAHHAHAAHHA. First of all, Communism is NOT a mere economic system. You might want to look into Socialism for that. Communism, in its most traditional sense, has never been fully realized because it is THE evolved system that is supposed to gradually transition from Capitalism. It is an Utopian ideal where there is almost no government rule. This term has been re used, re developed, yada yada yada so many times that nowadays people just paint an incredibly wide brush with it. And you think China is Communist? You must also think that North Korea is a Democratically Republic State. .
  14. Asshole. (You seem to love that word. And since you like hearing things you love...well, well.) I remember a thread a while back when a mo-pai practitioner wrote about how rude you were in your enquiry. Try learning mo-pai on your own or duel out John Chang and steal the mo-pai manual. Or maybe you can go on pretending that you are a free "being" and what not, go on acting the way you do, and suddenly expect a lineage master to share his teachings. Or get enlightened one day in between the lines of doing whatever you "please." . Enlightenment, enlightenment. You like that word too eh? Anyway, good luck. .
  15. Rigpa Glimpse

  16. I totally agree with this. The problem isn't only with Westerners, but the willingness of the Masters to open up to the "outsiders." Daoism should not be limited to ethnicity. But on the other hand, I understand why certain teachers keep it quiet. Involving the public genders a lot of needless hassle and interferes with their own practice. If the legends are true, it is probably the Master who seeks out the student when it is time. But isn't it time to spread these teachings? Haha, well, non of that really amounts to anything. .
  17. Mudras

    The second one is used in pyramid meditation. It balances out the body and protects it from outside harm spiritually and energetically. I found it powerful combined with a full lotus. It feels like all the channels are hooked up. The third one just looks like Kunlun level 1. Use of polarities of two hands in that fashion can be found virtually everywhere. I really suggest you experiment with the mudras and the breath. Breathe energy and intent into them and see what they do. It's fun to experiment with. .
  18. If you had the chance what would you say?

    "Being" connotes effortlessness of action which arises from a state of non-discrimination. State of non-discrimination comes from rooting out habitual patterns formed as an "I" thought. Yes, it is a paradox to cultivate non-effort through effort, to cultivate detachment through attachment, etc. but one's state of dualistic delusion is in itself a paradox anyway. In the end, illusion is transformed by non other than illusion. Yes there is no 'set' characteristic for an enlightened individual. But as Dogen wrote, you can only behave as an imitation of the enlightened being's actions unless you truly are him. Behaving as you "please" is perfectly fine. The important part is "what" pleases and whether or not that object is actually an imprisoning habit. This needs to be investigated upon.
  19. If you had the chance what would you say?

    From your general replies, I sense that you are using this context in order to justify acting any way you can. This is not freedom from dogma, freedom from action and freedom from guilty conscious. It is a crooked reinforcement of the ego. Dude you're totally off. Appeal to authority is just respecting the hierarchies of tradition and the teachings they hand down. Of course "you" are the one who travels the Path in the end. But traditions have their place. Freedom means to shed the illusion like grasping of the mind. Aren't you a fan of SotGF? Stopping and seeing is one of the very first points emphasized
  20. If you had the chance what would you say?

    Wu-wei is by nature Virtuous. There is "virtue" when true Virtue is lost by the discriminating mind. And now if you are going to quote that part on straw dogs and what not, That also points to eliminating the dualistic mind that sees individuality in phenomena.
  21. Whatever Pleases you, Keeps you Back

    Haha, well, since I am a Kunlun practitioner... ... Anyways, I gave this more thought and I came back to the incredible significance of Virtue (Heh, it seems like I always do). True liberation can only come for the sake of others and never through pure detachment. Even the repeated notion of "each moment rising in their own perfection" point to conditioned liberation based on the Skanda of form. Limitless virtue, however, does not manifest from God as acceptance or bliss, but from you until it becomes you. Endless giving, not as a act, but as a state of mind is therefore the most important part of cultivation. So for those who think tai chi, qi gong, breath retention, and all that is the main road to practice... I must disagree.
  22. Mudras

    Hmm...the third one... hmmm... Looks oddly familiar... a result of hanging out on this forum too much??
  23. Whatever Pleases you, Keeps you Back

    Although I highly respect Nisargadatta, this too is an attachment to "That." There is no true "knower," only the evolution of consciousness as it grasps on to higher forms. Being unconcerned is an attachment to unconcern. Really it is not an attachment but a new identity that forms. The experience is similar. "Let it be" can have various meanings to it that sense. Life's joy is in the effort, not in achievement, possession or gain. It is intent that carries us through our experiences and manifests what is. Effortlessness is also effort as true non abiding effort is also effortless.
  24. A God Crisis.

    You can't travel both paths. I believe that Jesus Christ was an enlightened being, but much of his message seems to have been lost in politics. They burnt many records and gospels. We will never know for sure. I personally do believe that the Christian God exists, but that he too is a fallible being. Anyways, the word "God" seems to be better understood as a verb. Trust in what you believe is a sound teaching. Carry your doubts as far as they take you! .