adept

Aren't some of Philip K. Dick's novels much better than others? Got any suggestions a few you like best?

1. Ubik. My favourite.

2. A Scanner Darkly (also a great film). Anybody who's experimented with drugs can relate to this. Total headfuck.

3. Do Andoids Dream Of Electric Sheep ? The novel that became the film Bladerunner. Awesome.

Anything by Philip K Dick or Tolkien.

Good call.

The LOTR movies unfortunately left out Tom Bombadil (and a lot of other characters and sub-plots).

My favourite book of all time. Tolkien was a genius.

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FLAME

Enter the cavern with its

Walls of tangled strands.

Find the living flame

That burns on blood.

The brain is a physical object that generates mental energy. It is a tangle of strands, an unknowable, dense web. It is a mass of emotions, memories, instincts, reactions, and thoughts. Whatever comes into its scope of awareness is channeled through its dark core. Energy sparks through at speeds faster than lightning, but still, there are many areas that lie dormant, unused, nearly petrified with age.

With the proper methods, we can enter into the center of the brain. Metaphorically speaking, this area is like a cavern with a subterranean river running through it. That river can be kindled with a spiritual spark, and the whole river can be set aflame. This illumination is spiritual energy. It can be used to rejuvenate the brain and to supplement the limitations of our normal mental abilities.

Methods that deal with the mind only as a brain will always be limited. Coping with life only through physical faculties will always fall short of the ultimate answers. Only through lighting a living fire within ourselves can we dance quickly and spontaneously enough to meet the rhythm of life.

Heart-Mind Fasting Meditation

If there is no other, there is no I. If there is no I, there is no one to perceive. This is close to the truth, but we do not know why. There must be some primal force, but we cannot discover any proof. I believe in acts, but I cannot see it.?I can feel it, but it has no form.

First, there must be a true human; then there can be true knowledge. But what is a true human? The true human of old did not mind being poor. He took no pride in his achievements. He made no plans. Thus, he could commit an error and did not regret it. He could succeed without being proud. Thus, he could climb mountains without fear, enter water without getting wet, and pass through fire unscathed. This is the knowledge that leads to Tao.

The true human of old slept without dreaming and woke without anxiety. His food was plain, and his breath was deep. For the breath of the true human rose up from his heels while the breath of common men rise from their throats.(from Chuang Tzu, Inner Chapters)

People tend to have many ideas and anxiety of various sorts, constantly moving here and there, seemingly without any end, even when they are in sleep. So truly, to be quiet internally within for a time may be quite difficult for most common people. Yet to truly gain internal quietude and inner peace is a treasure sought after by many far and wide.

We find there are many methods teaching how to fall into inner quietude and people can find them in the books handed down by the ancient true humans of China. In the book of Chang Tzu, people can find one meditation method which is called Heart-Mind Fasting, which is an excellent way to meditate and gain entrance into inner quietude.

During this practice, people may choose to sit cross legged on a cushion, or sit high up on some soft blanket or sit in chair with legs touching the ground and the back straight, tongue touching the roof of the hard palate, teeth lightly touching, breathing in and out naturally through the nose.

Prerequisites for success of this practice:

Persist in the practice every day, 30 to 60 minutes each time, one to three times every day. Continue the practice daily without any intermission

Practice natural celibacy or have healthy sex every 10 or 15 days. Do not contact or have interest in sexual materials like books, TV show, or the like.

Eat mostly vegetable food of moderate flavor, no ice drinks, no spice or strong flavor. Lead a peaceful, natural and quiet life.

Do not take much Western medicine, drugs, alcohol, chemical additives, or unnatural things.

Do not have strong emotional changes or reactions.

First, please concentrate your inner attention into the Lower Dantian and gradually rid yourself of stray ideas. Fall into a deep quiet state naturally.?Please remember to be free of all stray thoughts from within; this is a very important starting point. Let the back be straight, tongue touching the roof of the hard palate, teeth lightly touching, breathing in and out naturally through the nose. Let the in-breath be drawn deep into the Dantian and let the out-breath flow out from the Dantian -- all quite naturally without strong effort or concern. The Lower Dantian (Tan Tien) is located in the empty space below the navel in the middle place between the kidney and navel -- a sphere of around 3.8 cm. Let the internal vision gaze upon that place. Let golden virtue begin to grow within, releasing all negative qualities and deeply relaxing the body.

Second, slowly and quietly use the inner power of the "ears" to "listen" to the breathing sounds via the nose or lung or respiratory track -- follow and find the true breath. In the beginning people may have some consciousness of the whereabouts of the nose, lung, respiratory track or the in-and-out pattern of the breath. But later let this consciousness come and go in its own way and never interfere, never pay it any mind, slowly falling into a state which is gradually free of any artificial consciousness. Hence, it is a gradual process to fall into a such a natural state that is little by little free of any trace of human consciousness. Let the listening force and the breathing power combine together slowly, naturally and quietly. Perhaps the breathing may be slow, may be quick, may become louder, and may change to a feeble nature. Never pay attention to "its" variance. You will gradually find that the listening force combines with breathing to form one harmonious unity. Continue to meditate in this state.

Third, at the beginning phase, people may still retain the ability to discern which is listening and which is breathing. But later on with practice, the practitioner may fall into a deep state without any consciousness, not knowing which or what is the corporeal body and which is the outside environment, the listening ability seems to come to a stop. It truly seems like the heart-mind contained in the breathing is listening to the breathing contained in the heart-mind and the barrier which formally existed between the heart-mind and breathing seems to disappear and they meld completely, merging to form one harmonious unity.

Fourth, such a state comes to a complete standstill state, which is free of any consciousness whatsoever and the heart-mind and breathing forms a harmonious union, becoming one without any division of form. During this experience, people may seem to "feel"?that all comes to a complete and constant standstill, nothing in motion, nothing coming, nothing going, for one does not know how long, time and space disappear, resting in complete emptiness.

Continue the practice………….

Fromhere

Thanks for that video More Pie Guy, I enjoyed it very much. A good wake up call.

A lot of truth is spoken in it.

SITE

Desert: visions.

Tropics: possession.

Forests: alchemy.

Mountains: asceticism.

Throughout the world, the site where people practiced spirituality has been significant. In the deserts of the Middle East, holy people had visions. In the tropics, sorcerers used spirit possession. In the forests of Europe and Asia, alchemists perfected their arts. In the Himalayas, sages hid themselves away for ascetic practices. Of course, these were not the only places for such arts, but it is more than coincidental that certain practices are tied to the place. If you go to any of these lands, you can still feel the essence that inspired generations.

Thus it is that you should be sensitive to where you situate yourself in the world. Selecting a spiritual site requires subtlety. If you do not know the science of geomancy, it is better to go to a place known to be conducive to what you want to achieve. Then narrow your choice by what you see and feel. If you sense that there is great well-being, that the plants and animals of the area are healthy, that the place is not subject to extremes of weather that would adversely affect your health, then that is the place for you. When you move there, you will be sustained.

No site is forever. If you find that the flow of energy has gone elsewhere or that others begin to ruin an area, then search for a new place of vitality. That is why those who follow Tao seldom have fixed homes. They wander from site to site so as to constantly remain in the stream of Tao.

MIDDLE

Those who attain the middle

Dominate the whole.

Today is the 183rd day. It is exactly the middle day out of 365. Once you reach the center of anything, you can dominate the whole in any way you please. In chess, those who gain the middle board are usually in the superior position. In a storm, those who reach the eye are safe. In making decisions, those who cleave to the center are wise.

There are 182 days on either side of today to make a year. There is no center day in an even-numbered period. It is the odd-numbered set that has a center. It is the odd numbered set that is dynamic.

In all areas of life, it is good to establish goals and parameters. Define the scope of anything that you do. That way, you will know when you have reached the center and perseverance will be easier.

Reading these daily gems from Deng Ming-Dao is certainly a worthwhile endeavour IMHO

 

Thanks for making the effort to post them.

Thanks for making the effort to comment, Mal.

I was beginning to think no one was reading this thread.

FLOW

If the boulders are moved,

Even a river will change its flow.

Except for occasional flooding, the mightiest river keeps to its bed. It flows where it finds openings between cliffs and rocks. If the river is dammed, if the cliff walls are moved, if the boulders are shifted, it will flow a different course. It could even be made to flow backwards if the earth moved far enough.

So it is with the flow of our lives. Once the fixed objects of our lives shift, our circumstances change. If we move to another city, life will change. If we marry one person over another, life will be different. If we situate our business in a good neighborhood, life will be prosperous. If we choose a house in a good setting, life will be healthy. If we arrange our furniture properly, life will be comfortable. If we eat correctly, life will be prolonged. In short, followers of Tao realize that the flow of life can be affected and to some degree consciously manipulated simply by altering its parameters.

Life is the flow of energy. It is the air that we breathe, the force that moves the weather, the force of all minds combined. It keeps the rivers flowing, our hearts beating, and the sky blue. This flow of energy moves constantly according to the fixed points that exist at any given moment. Therefore, by manipulating the cardinal points of our lives, we can change the flow. The freedom to choose and to change belongs to us.

What a lovely post.

Thank you for helping to keep the teachings of the Tao alive on this crazy forum.

AXLE

The mind is in spinning wheels at the

Navel, heart, throat, head.

The connecting shaft is emptiness.

Without an unobstructed route,

Energy cannot flow.

People search for the sacred and are told it is within themselves. It is sometimes difficult to see how literally the sages mean that. They see the mind as existing in other areas of the body in addition to the brain. These centers, nominally functional in the average person, are called chakras or wheels by those who follow Tao. Through meditation, one becomes acquainted with each of them and learns how to release power so profound that one is literally divine.

The concept of void is central to many philosophies including that of Tao. However, it seems so abstract at times. Here void has a functional role. The pathway connecting the energy centers of the mind is like a long shaft beginning from the perineum and ending at the top of the head. If not for emptiness, or hollowness of this shaft, the sacred energy of the body could not be conducted.

All the diversity of our lives is merely a manifestation of our minds, expressed through the turning of the various wheels within ourselves. The more they turn, the more complex circumstances and thinking become. However, if we want simplicity and tranquility, we need only go to the center of the spinning mind where it is empty and still. Thus it is said that diversity comes from the revolving of the wheels and origins come from the central void.

FORCE

A sword is never sheathed

Until it has tasted blood.

A good swordsman

Is seldom seen with a sword.

Many centuries ago, there was a wanderer who was constantly chased by assassins. He was the best swordsman in the country. His challengers wanted to overcome him and thereby establish their own fame. Although the swordsman had long ago repented his killing and had renounced his status, he was still considered the best.

Over and over, his enemies came for him, and just as many times he defeated them using things at hand -- umbrella, fan, sticks. He did not draw a real sword for he knew he was far too lethal when armed.

So it is that the wise remain humble so that others are not aroused against them. They avoid conflict whenever possible. If trouble comes to seek them, they use only the bare amount of force in return. To go further is to fall into excess.

A documentary on the life and poems of Han Shan aka Cold Mountain : Cold Mountain

Thanks for that Hagar.

Wow !

Totally cracked me up.

I've got sore ribs from all the laughing.

I've never met anyone from Buddhism who expresses their emotions like this.

Hilarious.

WAR

Weapons are tools of ill omen

Wielded by the ignorant.

If their use is unavoidable,

The wise act with restraint.

The greatest sorrow is to be a veteran,

Witness to the atrocities of humanity.

If you hold a real weapon in your hand, you will feel its character strongly. It begs to be used. It is fearsome. Its only purpose is death, and its power is not just in the material from which it is made but also from the intention of its makers.

It is regrettable that weapons must sometimes be used, but occasionally, survival demands it. The wise go forth with weapons only as a last resort. They never rejoice in the skill of weapons, nor do they glorify war.

When death, pain, and destruction are visited upon what you hold to be most sacred, the spiritual price is devastating. What hurts more than one's own suffering is bearing witness to the suffering of others. The regret of seeing human beings at their worst and the sheer pain of not being able to help the victims can never be redeemed. If you go personally to war, you cross the line yourself. You sacrifice ideals for survival and the fury of killing. That alters you forever. That is why no one rushes to be a veteran. Think before you want to change so unalterably. The stakes are not merely one's life, but one's very humanity.

CHILDHOOD

No. No. No.

This ruins a child.

Children are one of the most precious aspects of life, and yet they often are mistreated and abused. If you are a parent, your most important task is to raise your child with as little trauma as possible. Firmness, consistency, and patience are essential. There will undoubtedly be times when you have to correct a child to prevent mistakes and bad habits. However, when it comes to a child's curiosity, individuality, or initiative, there should never be any discouragement. In that sense, it is wrong to say no.

There is a legend about a thief who stole into heaven and took the peaches that gave immortality. He returned to earth and was about to eat them when he chanced upon two little boys. Taken with their intelligence, he asked them riddle after riddle about the deepest meanings of life and they answered with laughing ease. The thief decided to share his peaches with the boys, and they all became immortal.

If the boys had had their curiosity killed early in life, could they have answered well? If a thief could be kind to children, can't the rest of us be too? And if the children never had an opportunity, could they have become immortals?

UNFORTUNATE

An unfortunate one is a rootless ghost,

His walk a mad angel's gait.

Insolent steps of one thrown from heaven

To toil in red dust,

As if he had not had enough

In a thousand previous lifetimes.

Where is his heart? Where is his soul?

To call this heaven's will

Is a cheap answer.

There was once a god who committed a crime. His punishment was to be thrown back to earth to suffer the misfortunes of being human.

When you see those less fortunate than yourself, whether they are the homeless on the streets or simply the ugly and unpopular, can you be sure that they are not like that god flung back to this mad planet?

Is their misfortune their own fault? Or do you explain with references to morality, destiny, reincarnation, and cosmic justice? Even the words of saints offer no relief for their suffering, so it hardly seems fair to blame them.

Let us not hold ourselves above our fellow human beings, no matter how great the disparity. To withhold your scorn is already beautiful. To see how we are all of one family is compassion.

Yes, I agree... at times I am most likely out of order. Thus I am a Buddhist, not a Buddha... so please forgive me.

No problems brother. I forgive you.

We have much to share, and I look forward to more dharma dialogues with you.

Hi Adept,

I was wondering if you can prescribe a relatively practical way that can be shown to such inquiring minds?

 

According to the view you hold, you are without blinkers, so in fact, this means you are able to 'see more' than those who have blinkers. I too am blinkered, so i am willing to learn how, in what practical, step-by-step manner, did you arrive at this unblinkered state of being?

The 'blinkered' quote was for Vaj, who, whilst being very knowledgeable and passionate about his path of cultivation, holds a one-sided view of the superiority of his brand of Buddhism.

I, too have been on the spiritual merry- go- round for many years, and it was only when I let my preferences and past conditioning drop that I had an awakening of sorts.

I won't bore you with all the details, but the most simple teachings, which are also the most profound, were the starting point for my inner quest, all those years ago. At the time, I just didn't understand. It was through practice and study of countless other systems and traditions that brought me back to that starting point, but now with a full understanding.

It had been right in front of my eyes all along, only I couldn't see it. I had been wearing blinkers.

Now, without the blinkers, I could see everything for what it was.

No system, labels, tradition or cultural conditioning.

Non attachment. The emptiness of emptiness.

Different people have different 'methods'. Mine is not superior to anyone else's.

The turning point for me was reading the words of Bankei and the Hsin Hsin Ming. Simple, direct and utterly profound.

We each have our own 'roadmap'.

I have a lot of time for anyone who puts in the effort and cultivates the Way.

However, I will not hold a wrong view that my way is best or the only way.

Vaj should be a bit more diplomatic.

What's "blinkered"?

Blinkered, meaning you have your blinkers on. As racehorses do, so they are unable to see the other horses in the race.

It's a metaphor. You probably use metaphors a lot in your superior form of dogmatic, fundamentalist Buddhism.

A form of tunnel vision where you don't see another persons point of view, or opinion.

You actually believe you are right, and everybody else is wrong.

Actually, seeing as you are so extreme in your views, and your defense of them, then it may be some form of mental illness.

You have a superiority complex. :lol:

New agist dogma.

 

You lack study in sutta and sutra.

 

You are missing the wisdom of "right view" which the Buddha taught.

 

Take care.

My view is fine thank you. It's just not blinkered like yours.