Vajrahridaya

Yes, we have forgotten how we've co-manipulated energy into solidity through craving and attachment as we've bounced off each other over eons of re-births. We've done this for universe, after universe from big bang to the pralaya* or big crunch since without beginning. *Pralaya means "non-existence, a state of matter achieved when the three gunas (principles of matter) are in perfect balance.

So, the Dalai Lama, the Buddha and Nagarjuna do not teach real Buddhism? Your ideas about Buddhism are not really valid because they don't come from a Buddhist perspective. Your only support is your mis-interpretation of the Mahanirvana Sutra, and the teachings of your favorite Hindu imperialist, Shankaracharya. I'm kind of kidding, though he kind of was, even though he was well meaning, he was very wrong. Shankaracharya's views on Buddhism were quite wrong and the fact that he made it a point to go to every point of India to stomp what was left out after the Muslims destroyed most of it in the north is not very nice. He merely wanted to reclaim India as Hindu country. It's not dead at all, it's the DO'ing of the cosmos.

I do have direct experience of all the Jhanas at one point or another. Not that I've mastered them, but I have stumbled upon each and every one during one meditation or another. Thanks for sharing Mark! May I also have more diligence in practice in order to fully realize "right view".

Buddhism was thrown into the mix by the originator of this thread Marbling one. But yes... this is interesting non-the-less. I do like to see the similarities and differences. All food for clarification of view for me.

Uh hu... I do agree. What I'm saying is that to merely realize oneness beyond concept is what most paths seem to do.

It's merely referencing the individual ability to experience beyond personal consciousness through meditation and realize formless potential for form directly by diving deep into the unconscious. This is exactly what we cut through though. So, as far as both you and Stig have explained the Tao... it is basically the trap that the Buddhas insight cuts through to liberate from. Basically... this is the seed of Samsaric (cycle of becoming) experience. Edit: Basically, an all absorbing and all expressing essence that is a mystery to the vast majority of conscious minds is what we try to illuminate and completely dismantle from within. Basically, this is another phenomena to completely empty of inherent existence through contemplation and meditation.

Hmn... sounds like the Buddhist concept of Alaya Vijnana, or storehouse consciousness. The I maker arising from the craving for existence from formless to form left over from the residue of the previous moment, so on and so forth. So, the potential for re-birth of a universe due to consideration of an ultimate existent. Each moment is a new universe on a micro-cosmic scale as you.

I do some of these mudras in my Dzogchen practice, though not all, utilized with Sanskrit mantras.

Taoists don't need my approval. I've never tried to do any such thing. We debate view and outcome of view though here on a concept board and that's about it. But... hey... whatever makes you evolve. There's my approval.

Too funny! I could do it!

I am what I eat, though my wife would wish I could dine more often. Sorry if that's too crass for anyone. I couldn't resist. On the other points. Ok... yes, I agree. The Tao is spoken about in so many differing ways. That's why I think sometimes it rhymes with Buddhist insight and at other times, it get's stuck in an ultimate existence.

Not a personified cosmic self, but rather an impersonal Self of all, beyond personification. But, in your view you would think of all us as the personification or actualization of the Tao. As in, it goes through the process of transformation to become the 10,000 things while all being Tao at the same time?

That's an awesome book! My wife read it and started having dreams with Muktananda.

It works super, super well! It's amazing the states of consciousness that can happen for me while doing Guru Yoga. I have full experiential faith that Guru Yoga can lead directly to complete and total liberation!! Of course, this doesn't mean being attached to a single person, it's more like what you said above Michaelz! It really, really works and that love just goes out to all beings anyway because the Guru is so already expanded and connected, so the mind becomes exactly like that which it focuses upon. The same inner states of realization start arising naturally when one focuses on ones Guru with great love and devotion, it's incredible!

Oh ok... very good.

Yeah! That's funny. I've seen that before. When I first started practicing intensely and going into deeper states of consciousness through meditation. I used to walk around NYC laughing and sometimes crying in states of bliss and eurikas about the nature of things. I'd sometimes be on the subway crying and laughing and looking around at all the people with this amaaaaazing sense of love. People would sometimes stare at me, like "what the #$%@". I'm more integrated now, but this was a very interesting time for me in the mid 90's.

I agree! Though, it's true that skillful shining is beneficial if you know how to do that. Sometimes people just get bowled over by ones shining and actually get mad that I'm so darn happy for seemingly no reason at all. Sometimes... one might want to close the door to your inner sun a bit in order to not attract so much attention. Especially when walking through the hood.

I find your view quite illogical. For the reasons explained above by me, 3bob and Michaelz.

No.. a Buddha continues to exist, but for the sake of helping others, thus they have the power to take rebirth consciously in different world systems in order to preach the dharma method and philosophy. Even at the end of this universe, a Buddha will not be absorbed and will enter another universe as there really is a multiverse here, not a single universe. Physicists are even finding this out. Basically a Buddha is just conscious of the process of birth and death and sees right through it, thus is not internally effected by it and has power over it for his or herself to one degree or another. Yes, that is quite vain and not the goal of Buddhism. Yes, but for me observable is not limited to the 5 senses. I also like some native American beliefs. Like the Navajo for instance.

So, Tao merely as a process of all things is eternal? Ok. I can agree with that. By the way, scientists have found matter left over from the previous universe.

Buddhism does not, and we recognize this fact. Other than that... I enjoyed some of your points.

Wow... you are bitter.

I believe in conditions that manipulate a persons choices. There is no illusion per say, only mis-understanding. There is free awareness if emptiness is recognized directly but will is a conditioned phenomena. We all make choices dependent upon conditions, some peoples conditions are liberating and others are bound and most are in between still trying to figure it out.

Sometimes scandals are the product of the onlookers misunderstand, rather than the victim of the ignorance of onlookers. Plenty of spiritual masters have secret sexual practices that they don't talk to every student about because people can be so deeply puritanical about their spirituality. Sometimes, too much information can harm a student if they are not ready for that level of transcending societal taboos. I do agree with what Gurdjeif said though. Was it Jung or Freud who said that enlightenment is bringing awareness to your darkness? Or something like that.

But still... freedom from this unconscious recycling is exactly what the Buddha taught. So it seems that there is a different goal between the two here? Taoism seems to be a path where one is following the way if there is open acceptance to this inevitable recycling, of which I can see the wisdom, but Buddhism looks to gain insight into going beyond the recycling program all together. This seems for me to be a loftier goal. Of course, your type of Taoism is not the same as Stig's where I think he believes in the immortals and the ascended masters of Taoist religious tradition. Where you are more of a "naturalist" in the material sense of the word. Your spirituality is within the range of your 5 senses... yes, no?