doc benway

The Dark Forest, the second book in a trilogy by Liu Cixin, features an alien sentience which communicates through thought, rendering dishonesty unintelligible. I believe the series is being adapted for the screen.

@Sanity Check this out! https://www.thedaobums.com/forum/643-sanity-check/

I don't know of any in particular but I don't know much about the history of Bön and its relationship to Daoism. There certainly could be some connection. They both represent Queen and Mother aspects When I look at the iconography and read a bit about Xiwangmu, I don't see many obvious similarities.

Yes, I agree. That is in the Bön teachings as well and I think I certainly did not emphasize it in my ramble. The source of blessings is not a disembodied eternal Buddha image. If I gave that impression, my apologies. The source is the Nature of Mind, Kuntuzangpo itself, and those blessings come through the lineage which is said to be unbroken in Bön. It comes from the teachings and from our connection to the lineage and our teacher. I think NOT visualizing our own human (and fallible) teacher during Guru Yoga and visualizing an image which represents all of the teachers of the lineage is one way to avoid the dangers and challenges you indicate. The other thing I'll mention is that my teacher is on the progressive side and is comfortable adjusting the presentation for the Western audience, for better or for worse. I personally don't think it's healthy to pretend that the teacher is a living Buddha. It may or may not be true and it can be a trap. For me it is enough to know that my teacher is a dedicated practitioner and holder of the lineage who expresses the fruition of the teachings through his words and actions. It is enough to emulate that without getting stuck on the idea that he, and I, need to be Buddhas. If I truly believe the teacher is the Buddha, it may support a deeper conviction, devotion, and practice but I don't consider that to be essential (and yes, this is s-o-t-i publicly disagreeing with the masters again! ). I appreciate that and you have been beacon of knowledge for me over the years so thank you!

There is - search The Tao Bums. To my knowledge no one actively monitors or moderates and participation is very sparse.

One of my specialties… occupational and cultural hazard!

I invite the inner observer to fully rest, allowing the focus to be open and settled. It feels open and clear, even unbounded and expansive at times. Sometimesd blissful, sometimes sluggish, other times agitated. Wrapped up in this or that all too easily… notice, rinse and repeat. Too numerous to describe, every moment is an experience and my reactivities are myriad. Sometimes predictable, other times gobsmacking. I guess you could say my experience of it is the narrative and perspective of my life, both internal and external, and the ”base” upon which it abides, which is empty of course… 🧐 My Daoist teacher emphasized no intentional moving of energies through pathways during taiji, bagua, xingyi, qigong, or neigong. It is always to be allowed to arise naturally through coordination of the body, mind, and movement. In the Tibetan school, we bring together attention, movement, sometimes sound, sometimes visualization, and the breath and work with channels and chakras to assist ourselves in opening more fully. This is often preliminary to simply abiding in openness, clarity, and warmth.

To be a bit more wordy… The primary reason no one receives anything from a teacher is that when it happens, the giver and receiver cannot be, and have never been, what you thought they were or it is not what you think it is.

Me too, and to be clear please don’t conflate steveontheinternet’s opinions with Bön teachings. More like a weak tea of the teachings, lately a bit tepid even, made in a glass that could use a bit of deep cleaning… … but then again, what is there to polish? 😶‍🌫️ 🤣

I did and edited it out somewhere along the line, either before or after it hit the page…

You are correct, my comments were incomplete and a bit misleading in retrospect. Difficult for me to put into words.

Very true, they are also engaging in body and energy based practices such as tsa lung, trul khor, and tummo. Something I'd like to add in an attempt to clarify what may be a bit misleading for some. Not that the comments above necessarily indicate any lack of understanding but their interpretation could be misleading for some. In the Bön dzogchen teachings I've received that relate to Guru Yoga it is consistently emphasized that I, as the practitioner, am NOT visualizing my human teacher as the guru when practicing Guru Yoga. Perhaps it is different among the Nyingmapas? I am not receiving anything from my human teacher in the context of Guru Yoga - not his/her realization, not their faculties that support realization, nothing. Yes, I hopefully will receive, recognize, and embrace these qualities by virtue of every other aspect of my long-standing relationship with my teacher through observation and interaction; this is an important part of "transmission" of the teachings. But when it comes to the practice of Guru Yoga I am instructed NOT to visualize or imagine my teacher or any other human being as the guru. In Bön dzogchen we practice Guru Yoga with a historical 8th century figure named Tapihritsa. We visualize Tapihritsa as the guru but it goes far beyond that. Tapihritsa is taken to represent all of the enlightened masters of the lineage. He also represents every teacher we've encountered in this life who has helped us along the spiritual path, including our own human teacher. Most importantly, Tapihritsa represents the very Nature of Mind itself, so called Buddha Nature, the ultimate teacher. As a representation of the Nature of Mind, he is always portrayed as naked, without any ornaments, and crystal clear, surrounded by rainbow lights "radiating light in all directions. The essence of Guru Yoga is to effortlessly release all obscurations in order that I recognize and abide as my purest essence, the Nature of Mind, fully open and crystal clear, holding on to nothing yet open to everything. We are not joining or merging or receiving something from any other living person, no matter how deeply realized they may be. On the other hand we recognize that we are receiving everything from the fullness of potential of our own fundamental essence, we are that. The process of visualization, purification, and empowerment (elements of the practice of Guru Yoga) are simply a meditative support to help us connect to our own innate enlightened qualities. Note that it is also true that the essence of my human teacher is the Nature of Mind, or Buddha Nature, as is the case in these teachings for ALL sentient beings. And one cannot say there are multiple Natures of Mind or Buddha Natures, nor is it accurate to say that the Nature of Mind or Buddha Nature is One, both of these views can be demonstrated by those well-versed in Buddhist debate to be in error, hence the term "non-dual." Our fundamental essence of being is often described by mentioning three characteristics in the Bön teachings. It is "like space" because it is unbounded, un-imputable, undefined, lacking corners, edges, or center, and has an indestructible, unborn, and undying character. Like space it is pervasive and completely without bias or preference. The very specific and unique qualities of "space" make for an especially useful simile or metaphor, whether we use the word space in terms of 'outer space' around us, the 'inner space' of our mind, or in terms of the space that we and all physical things occupy. Secondly, our fundamental essence is often described as "clear and unobscured" because it is the basis of recognition, knowing, and awareness and is primordially perfected, meaning that all enlightened qualities are always present and available, provided our realization is unobstructed. "Clarity" or "clear" is a useful and widely used metaphor because, unlike awareness and even knowledge/knowing, it does not necessarily imply subject/object duality. Finally, there is the aspect that is often referred to as blissful or Great Bliss, dewa chenpo in Tibetan (my teacher likes to use the word "warmth" as it feels a bit less emotionally charged and out of reach or unfamiliar) because the enlightened qualities are always present and available. We can feel these qualities directly and express them when needed as living conduits in service to others, provided we are unobstructed. Anyway, if you read this far thanks for indulging me. My comments here are often helpful for me as a way of working through and examining my own understanding. I can never be sure if they're helpful for anyone else. It is wonderful when others gets something out of my rants and sometimes a little painful when others disagree with my understanding, especially those who know more than I do, and all of that is the beauty of being a part of this community.

I haven't read the new testament in its entirety but for sheer scale of wanton violence and abuse I would put the Torah up against just about anything. I vividly recall the first time I was told the story of Abraham being ordered by his god to murder his child with a knife and burn corpse as an offering to demonstrate his faith. That was when I checked out emotionally and intellectually and knew this particular mythology would never be credible for me. Regarding an Abrahamic religion sub-forum, I will tag @Trunk, @ilumairen, @dwai, and @zerostao to see if they want to be a part of the discussion. Not sure if I would have much interest in such a sub personally but if enough people feel it would be valuable, I have no objection.

I once had an insight into karma that I'll share FWIW. It has become something that continuously informs my life. It was a very abrupt and spontaneous experience. During meditation one evening I began to see the connections that thread through my life, through the lives of my ancestors and acquaintances, extending into the past, into the future and connecting everything to the present; like fine strands of a spider's web touching and sensing every action and consequence, every thing and every one without exception. I could see how my life is precisely what it is at this moment because of everything that has transpired and that not one piece of the puzzle is, or could possibly be, out of place. There was a deep sense of perfection and gratitude in how it has all come together to make me who and what I am. While I was aware that any one piece, or even the whole, could easily be judged as good or bad, harmful or helpful; in that moment judgement seemed irrelevant. The shear complexity and magnitude of the vast number of interactions and connections became so overwhelming to my mind that I felt as if it were going to explode or break down. Just as I felt I could take no more it spontaneously released, like a safety valve releasing pressure before a rupture, and as the vision passed I was left feeling shaken and vulnerable but also somehow whole and absolutely fine. Ever since then I have been more cognizant of my relationships, in particular my actions and how they affect other living things. The sheer complexity and scale of karma make it difficult for me to approach the subject intellectually and my current approach is similar to what Mark and stirling describe. Rather than trying to figure it out, I trust in the openness and clarity that are present when I am able to allow the discursive mind to rest and open to the immediacy of the present moment. This openness gives rise to actions that are sometimes unexpected or counter-intuitive but somehow appropriate for the situation.

The cosine of your soul is the sign of the angle of your intersection with Brahman.

Such synchronicity exists here! I was planning to add a thought or two about non-duality on Daniel's thread and came across this. Much of what I was thinking to share has been said but I'll add just a bit, FWIW. The term non-duality, when used out of context, is in fact a misnomer, IMO. In the teachings and guidance I've received the term is used almost exclusively in an experiential context. Non-duality is used to describe one's personal, very intimate experience of the relationship between what seems to be a tangible, real sense of self (subject), and everything outside, even inside, that sense of self which feels as if it is not self (object). As we gradually begin to identify less and less with the label, concept, and actual feeling of self, through meditation primarily and study secondarily, the distinction between subject and object becomes less pronounced and less meaningful. Ultimately there may come a time when it dissolves completely and the entire field of experience simply presents itself as it is without distinction between self and other, subject and object. This is specifically what the term no -duality is used to denote. This can and often is, however briefly, experienced by anyone at any time under the right conditions. It can also manifest like an avalanche of realization, changing one's life and perspective permanently, which is what we tend to refer to when we discuss awakening and realization. When the term non-duality is applied to address the very nature of reality, the relationship between different minds, and so forth, it is no longer as precise or applicable, IMO/E. The concept of non-duality as the mode of existence of reality is full of contradictions and errors because it is being used inappropriately. No concept or word is comprehensive and powerful enough to define the mode(s) of existence/non-existence and fabric of reality. In the teachings on non-duality I’ve received, the actual and direct experience of non-duality is considered to be beyond our mental and verbal capacity to capture or describe. Anything we say about it is not it. Once we approach the realm of experience of non-duality directly, words simply are no longer useful or accurate, they just get in the way of the clarity and immediacy of connection. As to Daniel's valid point about not understanding an unfamiliar language, and related ‘contradictions of non-duality,’ the Bön and Buddhist teachings clearly state that each of our minds is separate and NOT connected to one another, otherwise if one person becomes awakened or enlightened, all people would simultaneously. There are many other more sophisticated examples to describe this. While non-duality is a very powerful and meaningful concept and realization, it breaks down as a description of reality. So the take away for me is that while the term non-duality is useful to describe the a potential realization that is very significant for my own personal growth and realization through meditation, it is not very useful or accurate when we try to apply it to reality in a philosophical or ontological sense.

I recently stumbled upon IDLES!

Most important? Hmmm….

Buddhism has the trinity of the three kayas - the enlightened body, speech, and mind (dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, and nirmianakaya)

Anything and anyone has the potential to introduce you to rigpa but no one, not even a Buddha, can give it to you. Each of us has to realize, ourselves. The value of a realized master is that they are more skillful and experienced at guiding people, different people need different approaches, and most importantly they can help to confirm or correct your own experience.

they're right to complain with haiku monopolized by Buddha's own Foote

the ducks take to shore in an undulating, a peal of homecoming.

I appreciate you sharing your process and understanding. It's been a while since I read the book, it was one of my earliest exposures to Buddhism, and you seem to capture the intent well. Mark's comments are also insightful and much appreciated. What I would like to add is that it was valuable for me at some point to begin investigating "who" is all of this referring to? Who is taking in influences? Who is doing the processing? Who is putting something back out? What does it mean to refer to energy as "mine?" How does this "who" relate to the bigger picture? These questions are not meant to be discursive and the answer is experiential rather than conceptual, hence the koan tradition. I don't recall where this fits in to Thay's method but such questions do naturally arise within the context of meditation once the inner chatter and endless fascination with the mind's content begins to settle and clear a bit. For me this investigation was a critical component of my own process.

@Nungali - your forum awaits you, enjoy!