Apech

iDance?

New Kapampa ... well my lips are sealed ... plenty of other stuff in North of England I know an excellent teacher in Manchester.

Who are you, again?

I've forgotten what to remember!

Technically an other is a 'yes' vote because you are saying you want something other than the edit timer ... (think on that!)

Not really. But from what you say I would guess you have no connection to it so its not for you.

Don't get your Buddhism from About.com.

Breakfast, Lunch, dinner. These three meals of equal taste More of the same thing.

Always happy to expound on my thoughts (which is all they are by the way - Namkhai Norbu is a master of his path and I am a no-body). BUT the way I am being taught Karma Kagyu Buddhism is so very different. The transmissions and empowerments rely on a personal connection between you and the lama. This is not the usual misrepresentation of student/lacky and lama/god like being - but more one of accumulated confidence built on recognising the the lama is truly someone in whom the dharma is embodied - which creates a kind of feeling of supreme value and eventually love (in a high sense). The teachings are delivered in a controlled way building up the view and allowing meditation to achieve some level of maturity. You are free to come and go and everything is very affirmative regarding what you need to do but is quite strict in terms of what is dharma and what is not dharma. Insight and transmission (as in nature of the mind) occur as a result of the maturation of the practice. So you can see why I am perplexed over the idea to delivering mass transmission over the internet. I'm not saying it's wrong or impossible but I am struggling to understand why any advanced master would think it the right thing to do.

LOL you missed my edit (within 30 mins) I inserted a 'should'

Moderation was reluctantly introduced by Sean with a group of volunteers (generally well received) because the place was one big flame war and he wanted civilised conversations. It was incredibly light touch aimed at removing insults (and threats). It worked because this place is still here and thriving (mostly). I think everyone would prefer self-moderation ... where people who cultivate use their own sense of what is right and appropriate in a spirit of kindness. But the fact is lots of people come on here with strange agendas which are not harmonious. So the 'no insult' + serves to prevent this taking over. I don't see how that is non-Taoist. If you went into a Taoist temple you would follow etiquette wouldn't you? Or would you expect to be able to do what ever you wanted? It a bit like that ... mutual respect is needed. What I think needs to be avoided is the feeling that somehow the moderators are responsible for everything. We are all responsible and they should just provide a light touch to the rudder.

I think the unfortunate thing about 'compassion' as an idea is that it generates a lot of strangeness in people. By this I mean false attitudes and feelings. This is because it is misunderstood. In Buddhism the word is bodhicitta which actually means being awake. That is awake to reality. This means you recognise the true nature of things and because of this you become compassionate to others (and yourself). It is not really to do with feelings and certainly not sentiment ... it is to do with understanding. As soon as you understand the true situation for yourself and others you become compassionate.

yep ...

It seems to me that samaya are not being upheld then.

Well having material available over the internet or whatever is not really the same as preliminary practice or even proper study ... so that seems odd to me ... I am still baffled why this should happen in this way.

Simple_Jack, I'm interested in what you say in your post in that Namkhai Norbu departs from normal practice in giving transmission without any preliminary practice (or study presumably). Have you any idea why he would do this? I admit to knowing very little about Dzogchen but have found on looking around that it seems to have grown into a kind of industry with many people claiming their teachings to be Dzogchen ... that's Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike. I wonder if there isn't a risk that the teachings become corrupted to exposure to an environment of people with all sorts of fantasies about it. I would not put Alan Wallace in this category but even he in teaching shamatha basks in the glory somewhat by using the preliminaries from a Dzogchen text. Why do that I wonder? as I think it is confusing people.

Hexagram Forty-Five/Line One: You seem to blow both hot and cold, sometimes seeking to join in, sometimes shrinking away. Admit your fears out loud, and a true companion will answer. Joy returns. Hex 45 6 in first

Just be like Edit Piaf ...non, je ne regrette rien ....

Ha ha ... you used the words American and intelligence in the same sentence. Britannia rules the waves ... that's it don't forget it.

Thank you that is actually helpful (really).

Yes it must be so

Some weeping and gnashing of teeth going on in this thread. Can I just perhaps suggest that the edit timer has nothing to do with a) Adolf Hitler and rise of National Socialism in 1930's Germany or, b ) Aristotle's tyrant. Also: while TBs does have an unwritten philosophy it does not have a written constitution and so does not have 'founding principles' as such. The unwritten philosophy is that this is a place for cultivators (and those interested) to gather and chat with each other in a relaxed and (because of the no insult rule), civil way. That we are all (including the moderators and stewards) equal in this respect - that we are allowed (in fact encouraged) to have our own views, express them, and argue for them. So as long as it doesn't get nasty and personal then nothing about how the board is set up or managed should interfere with the ability to speak or not speak, hold and view or not hold a view, post or retract anything. This must be so because there is no TBs ideology, there is no right or wrong and where there is authority it is only that born from actual realisation as a result of cultivation (in any system).

Sounds nice ... but I'm thinking quite painful.

Suggest that if that is something specific then it could be a new thread.

The check is in the post.