doc benway
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Everything posted by doc benway
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I tend to think that things, even the impure things, are as they are. I won't go as far to use words like supposed to be, for a reason, should be, etc... We see what we see, feel what we feel, and that is our current condition. I think it goes beyond belief. I also think it goes beyond explanations and analysis...
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There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Again, it's not the human birth that is the antidote, but rather the meditation on it. The recognition, appreciation, devotion, and so forth. The human birth provides the opportunity, the condition if you will. But something has to be done with that to generate the antidote. There are many precious human births that are wasted and lead in the opposite direction. It is what we do with the birth that counts. That's sort of the point I'm trying to make and it's somewhat semantic so take it as you wish. -
There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Apech, on 01 Apr 2014 - 05:33, said: Are not the teachings of not-self and also the precious human birth antidotes to obscurations? I'm not sure agree with our precious human birth being an antidote. It is certainly an opportunity, quite possibly a reward, and yet I don't quite see how it is, in and of itself, an antidote. -
There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Ever read or listen to John O'Donohue? "And if you want a point of departure for this new journey of soul, don't choose an intention, don't choose a prayer, don't choose a therapy, and don't choose a spiritual method. Look inwards and discover a point of contradiction within yourself. Stay faithful to the aura and presence of the contradiction. Hold it gently in your embrace and ask it what it wants to teach you." -
How would you say we do that, give them substance? It seems to me that it is the very nature of attraction/aversion and thought that does it. Attraction and aversion cleave "us" from "it" and thought further reinforces that separation by projecting us into the past or future. It is subtle and completely pervasive. That is why it's so difficult to see through. Certainly, our very sensory apparatus and mobility contributes to the illusion of separation as well. And clearly we've been conditioned to accept our separation from everything outside our bag of skin from childhood. But when you say that we believe and give them substance, what else is there that is going on that creates the belief or adds substance?
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There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Good points and good quote. My initial quotes were not intended to contradict your OP, article, or "position" but rather to call attention to the wide variety of statements and positions in Buddhism that coexist and have their place. I should have made that clear. And yes, at a fundamental level, there is much that is mysterious and abstruse about the Buddhadharma (to me, at least). There must be if it is attempting to reflect reality. The clearer the answers, the farther we get from the truth in some ways... I think it is often the paradoxes and questions that defy direct answers that teach us the most. It may be that Buddha was silent at times in order to require us to investigate certain things for ourselves rather than always relying on answers received from others - even Buddhas. Questions are generally more useful than answers when it comes to our own spiritual growth. -
There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Here's another way to look at it. It's not the self that is mysterious or abstruse, it is the Natural State, the Nature of Mind that is ineffable. Buddhas have understood and explained the nature of the self many times over and helped many folks to get past it. So when asked if the self exists or does not exist, the lack of answer had nothing to do with any mystery related to the self. And the question had nothing to do with the Nature of Mind or the Natural State. The question was posed in a way that would lead to an extreme answer and Buddha simply chose the middle way. And I'll let it go there because if you prefer your answer, who am I to argue? -
There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
Yes, it is certainly beyond words, mysterious, and abstruse but, according to the teachings I've been exposed to, that is not the reason that the Buddha was silent when asked about the self. The reasons are as described in the post I referenced above. That said, none of us can ever know why anyone said anything. We make assumptions and accept teachings, or not, and practice after our preferred fashion. -
There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
The inseparability of emptiness and clarity… Not nothing, not just a blankness, in fact the potentiality for all manifestation empty of inherent existence… -
There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
I don't think I can answer any better than asunthatneversets in post #9. -
Yes, some instruction is absolutely necessary in specific techniques but discussion can be very minimal and observation is priceless.
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I know Starjumper's gone so I'll answer for him - When you study with martial arts masters, they generally don't say much. You watch, you duplicate, you get corrected if you've demonstrated that you have spent enough time practicing… And you learn just as much watching them when they are not teaching (they're always teaching). Very few words are necessary with a good teacher.
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There is no self - article from Tricycle Magazine
doc benway replied to Apech's topic in Buddhist Discussion
"Seeing that all afflictions and faults Arise from the view of the transitory collection, And that the self is the object of this view, The yogin sets out to disprove the self." - Chandrakirti in Introduction to the Middle Way And referring to a belief in a self independent of the aggregates: "… those who subscribe to a belief in this kind of a self are categorized as non-Buddhists, while those who seek to refute this belief in a self are considered to be Buddhists." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Mind in Comfort and Ease -
Sometimes? I was young once...
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When we are first exposed to something, in that initial instant, there is simply a sensory experience. No subject, no object, just seeing or hearing or whatever. Very rapidly, recognition and labeling comes in to the picture and at that moment, subject and object are discriminated, and we judge. That duality reinforces the illusion of my substantial nature and the substantial nature of the other, whatever it is. We are either attracted or repelled, both are grasping. We think about previous experience or project future hopes or aversion, that is grasping. One way to deal with it is with antidotes. Another is through transformation. The third is to cut off ignorance at its root by seeing the grasper and what is being grasped for what it is - empty. An ornament of the Natural State. Grasping is a symptom of ignorance. When the truth is known and felt, there is nothing to grasp and no one to hold on.
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Such beautiful parallels and synergies! In my experience the Zhangzhuang is much more a focused system of spiritual cultivation linked to a (Bön) Buddhist view. It has components that qualify as neigong and qigong as adjuncts. Not too disimilar to Daoist systems but the view is different and that counts for a lot! The meditation and energetic anatomy and nomenclature are different as well, but think about it, the mind, energy, and anatomy is what it is, we just project our concepts on it! Edit - PS my previous post was referring to my experience in a Daoist system, not Zhangzhung
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So, maybe I can contribute something of value instead of just criticizing and complaining... My personal observations of neigong and qigong. Taiji form is qigong, taiji form is neigong. Qigong is qigong, qigong is neigong. Niegong is qigong, neigong is neigong... In my neigong instruction, the mind of intent is most consistent. Breath usually natural, occasionally coordinated as is suitable. Body motion optional. Can work on many things. Strength that arises is beyond muscle. I'd probably lump the iron stuff here as well. In qigong instruction, always body movement involved, probably more verbal convention in our system than for any other reason. Breathing usually more emphasized in beginning until neigong comes in! Here are more of the muscle contraction systems. My favorite is Shiba Luohan Qigong practiced with dynamic tension. VERY intense. Use caution... So I tend to link neigong to mind of intent and qigong more to breath and body movement. Either may be injected into the other as makes sense to the application and teaching at hand. YMMV - it's just one way to think about it. I know other systems have different nomenclature, emPHAsis, practice and theory. Please don't criticize Share! Peace Edit - PS I meant my own criticism and complaining, you all get to deal with yours
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No - the first statement you made above is completely inaccurate, nothing relative about it. Much neigong does not engage the muscles at all and there are plenty of Qigong forms that engage the muscles very intensely. I'm sure they do. It's a good relationship - they get a little entertainment and, if I'm lucky, I may get to learn something.
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Wonderful! I played in a Balinese Gamelan Angklung in college for a few years. I played the jublag. We even got to play at the Balinese embassy once - really a lot of fun.
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Yes PS - No hard feelings at all but it's frustrating to watch you post so much misinformation. I've tried to discuss things with you in the past but it has never been productive so I just tend to post warnings when you make inaccurate statements about Taiji, Neigong, meditation, and so on…
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Are you referring to the minority who have never had any direct neigong instruction from a qualified teacher and have learned by trying to understand neigong practice through books?
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Why bother? You'll just tell us why we're wrong according to your books and how we don't understand the importance of breathing…
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Thanks - I thought it might be cool for us to upload clips of our own bowls to share. Maybe I'll get industrious some day and make a youtube clip…
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Any relatively easy way to upload sound files? That might be interesting.
